My Jimdo Geocities Lifeboat
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The Way I See It
By Domhnall de Barra
The continuing saga of RTE and its mismanagement shows how out of touch with reality some people in privileged positions are. There seems to be different rules for executives from those who actually do all the work. I heard one employee complaining that the building he was trying to work in was in very bad repair with pieces falling off the roof but there wasn’t enough money in the kitty to do the necessary repairs while, at the same time, golden handshakes of almost half a million were being handed to people who were voluntarily leaving their posts. Now, I have no problem with somebody who is being let go because there is no longer sufficient work for them getting proper redundancy but why should someone be rewarded because they decide they want to go? Maybe I am missing something but it makes no sense to me especially since the individuals concerned are on inflated salaries in the first place. It looks like there was a cosy little group who felt they were entitled, to such an extent that they didn’t even bother getting the approval of the board for actions taken. It also appears that the word of the DG was final and nobody questioned it even when they knew what was happening wasn’t according to the rules. This has all come to light because of the Ryan Tubridy affair but we have to ask ourselves, how long has it been going on. How much public money has been wasted and how many have walked away with their pockets lined. To be fair, the board was also negligent in its duties on behalf of the government and should have had a more “hands on” approach. Changes will have to be made and anyone connected to the recent debacles should be let go immediately. It has already cost a lot of money because many people have stopped paying their licence fee. I think this is the wrong approach because it is breaking the law and is hurting the very people who were the victims of injustice within the station. Sinn Fein have suggested scrapping the licence fee altogether and giving an amnesty to those who haven’t renewed their licences. This would be a slap in the face to all the law-abiding citizens who have paid their fees. Direct funding would also create a state broadcaster completely controlled by the government of the day who could use it in whatever way it liked. The history of state controlled stations is not good and we should not go there. What we need in this country is proper funding through proper taxation. We have a household charge here that gives us nothing in return. We have no choice but to pay it because it is collected by the revenue commissioners and they are very good at what they do. It is suggested by others that they also be given the job of collecting the licence fee. It is one answer but times have changed and a lot of people get their programmes from other devices rather than TVs and radios. I think the answer would be to have a household charge, like they have in other jurisdictions, which includes the licence fee but I wouldn’t stop there. It should also include all the other services we need like water and bin collection. It would cost a bit more but nobody would mind if they were getting the proper services. It would probably be less than what we, in rural Ireland, are paying for all the different services at the moment. At some stage, the government decided that privatisation was the answer to everything and we now know, to our cost, that privatisation is good for the contractor, not the consumer. Local councils should be empowered to provide the services once more and, while I’m at it, go back to building cottages in the countryside. Trying to get us all into towns and cities, where it will be easy to provide services, will not work. As I have written in the past, RTE is a very good provider of entertaining and informative programming and it needs our support to keep going. Let us hope that a blueprint for managing RTE into the future is established quickly so that we can never again allow anything like what has occurred to happen again.
https://www.athea.ie/category/news/
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Knockdown News 20 Feb 2024
by Peg Prendeville
A bit of poetry this week to get away from the troubles of the world at the present time.
Recently I wrote the following poem:
Home by the Kerryline
The Kerryline from Glasha to Blaine
Feels like home to me
As I travel along this country road
I am swamped in memories
Of growing up in the Mountain Home
The house where I was born
Where the Faleys lived for many years
And worked hard from early morn.
A small thatched house with two bedrooms
No water or electric light
A well down in the meadow
Water drawn home before each night.
Three generations were born here
And thrived in the mountain air
All happy and contented
With no time given to despair.
Memories keep coming
As I pass by Glasha Lake
My mother at the open fire
Baking me a birthday cake.
The murmur of people in the bog
Footing on the famed round bank
Or pikes of dried hard black ciarans
Heaved into the lorry of Mick “Gol Dang”.
Oh yes I’m carried back the years
To this place where I belonged
I think of Higgins, Langans and Falahees
Windles, Daltons Lynches and Longs.
So as I drive though this Kerryline
It brings solace to my heart
And tho I left it years ago
I never really did depart.
For in this little valley
With hills on either side
It’s like I’m wrapped in mother’s arms
And it’s here I want to hide.
Safely cuddled in her embrace
With kind neighbours all around
Their gentle presence is still felt
In this sacred boggy ground.
https://www.athea.ie/2024/02/knockdown-news-20-2-24/
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Remembering Limerick’s railway link to Listowel
By
Bernie English - January 23, 2023
The opportunity to travel from Rathkeale to Listowel by train ceased on the first Saturday of February in 1963. It was the beginning of the end of the Limerick to Tralee railway.
With the recent extension of the Greenway to Listowel, the railway corridor once again links Counties Kerry and Limerick: albeit by shanks mare and bicycle.
The new February Bank Holiday weekend coincides with the sixtieth anniversary of that last regular passenger train and the Great Southern Trail company, the voluntary body which has been working on cycle and walking trails in Limerick for three decades, is organising an opportunity for a cycle along the entire 50km route or a run/stroll along shorter sections.
The company is hoping that some hardy cyclists might take on the whole route and that walkers might do shorter sections of it.
Some of the old railway buildings are privately owned and people enjoying the day out are asked to not encroach on that privacy.
The four small stations of Kilmorna , Devon Road, Barnagh and Ardagh closed permanently after the service was ended.
The four larger stations survived for freight and occasional passenger trains until Abbeyfeale, Newcastle West and Rathkeale closed in 1975 with Listowel following suit in 1977.
The Great Southern Trail group has been commemorating this February weekend every decade since 2003. In that year there were multiple events throughout West Limerick.
“In 2013, a walk westward from Abbeyfeale was prevented from crossing the Kerry border. Ten years on, it is great to see that Listowel and Kilmorna have now joined the Greenway,” said Liam O’Mahony, Chairman of the trail group.
“Let us not wait another ten years to extend from Listowel to Tralee. In Limerick we hope the reopening of the Foynes to Limerick service will also facilitate a parallel Greenway linking Limerick City to Adare, Askeaton, Foynes, West Limerick and North Kerry.”
The Great Southern Trail group would welcome any photos from the weekend to newcastlewest@gmail.com
People submitting photos are asked to mark the email with one of the eight locations but no other caption. The photos will be uploaded to the www.southerntrail.net website.
For more history of the railway and greenway, see YouTube’s “Journeying from a Railway to a Greenway”.
https://www.limerickpost.ie/2023/01/23/remembering-limericks-railway-link-to-listowel/
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Athea student leads the world in exam results
By VSO Publications – June 28, 2018
Jason Lynch from Athea has come first in the world out of over 14,800 students in the Association of Chartered Accountants Business Analysis Exam, and is pictured here with James Lynch, Claire Hanrahan, Bridget Lynch, and Stephen O’Flaherty.
Jason Lynch from Athea has come first in the world out of over 14,800 students in the Association of Chartered Accountants Business Analysis Exam. Jason, has just completed his final Auditing exam (P7) this month and, if successful, will apply for full ACCA membership in September – making him one of the youngest ever accredited members at the annual New Member’s Ceremony in October. Jason was in the Westbury Hotel, Dublin to be presented with his award by Minister Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Education and Skills at an ACCA Business Breakfast. Jason is currently working with FDC Accountants in Listowel.
When asked about his achievement Jason said, “Business and accounting always came naturally to me and perhaps more importantly, I’ve always enjoyed it. People sometimes don’t realise the rewarding nature of being able to help small and medium business owners with the minutia of accountancy – give professional advice and see the positive impact it has on their finances and their life. There is a considerable people element to the field that I think a lot of people overlook and that’s what’s always interested me most about it.”
At the event fellow Limerick native and Chair of ACCA Ireland, Stephen O’Flaherty noted, “Jason’s achievements have impressed everyone here at ACCA. It is an incredible achievement for Jason and bodes well for the industry in Ireland to have such talented and committed people entering accountancy. The fact that Jason has the potential to be one of the youngest ever accredited accountants only adds to his accomplishments.”
“Our focus at ACCA has always been to equip our 200,000 fully qualified members and 486,000 students worldwide with the skillset, ethics and leadership to support dynamic and changing workplaces. Jason represents the latest consignment of young Accountants who will soon be impacting on Irish and global business and that is something to be excited about.”
http://www.vsopublicationsltd.ie/athea-student-leads-the-world-in-exam-results/
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THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF WEST LIMERICK- ATHEA
By VSO Publications – August 6, 2015
Athea Primary School was built in 1921.
By Gerard Curtin
The first mention of Athea in the historical record is in 1298 in an inquisition into the Earl of Desmond’s lands at the Manor of Shanid. The place-name Athea translates as
Áth an tSléibhe, ‘the ford of the mountain’, suggesting that there must have been a ford across the Galey River, pronounced locally as the Gale since the thirteenth century. The church at Templeathea is first recorded in 1410. Teampall is most comm-only used for churches with a post-twelfth-century date, and frequently these are parish churches. The founding of a church at Templeathea by the early fifteenth century suggests that the population of the district at that time must have been substantial enough to be able to support this church.
In the mid-fifteenth century the dairy pastures at Knocknagornagh (north of the village) were some of the most important in the Manor of Shanid, paying a yearly rent to the Earl of Desmond of fifteen shillings. The village likely developed in the early modern period as a supply centre for local farmers. The Devon Estate map of 1710 shows the village to have become established and to have houses on both sides of the road between the Galey River and the stream that flows through the village from Parkanna (near Griffin’s butchers).
Watson’s Almanack in 1730 describes the road from Tralee to Limerick passing through Listowel, Knocka-nure and Ardagh. This shows that Athea village was connected by the road network to Listowel and Ardagh from this period. In the 1830s the new road from Glin to Abbeyfeale was laid down through the village.
During the early eighteenth century the Penal Laws were in force and Catholic priests were allowed to undertake their pastoral duties provided they regis-tered with the authorities. These records indicate that Athea was at that time under the jurisdiction of the parish priest of Abbey-feale. There was a thatched Mass house on the northern side of the main street from
c.1750 to 1832. The present St. Bartholomew’s Roman Catholic Church was built in 1832 while John Ryan was parish priest. This church was enlarged in 1862 and a parochial house was built on the Abbeyfeale road in the 1890s.
The old Mass house became the primary school from 1857 until 1921 when a new school was built on the Carrigkerry road. There were four primary schools in Athea parish. In the 1960s government policy changed and a rational-isation programme occurred with most schools in rural districts closing. In 1968, Clash, Crataloe and Knocknagornagh schools closed and the pupils travelled by bus to the primary school in Athea village.
There were two holy wells near the village. Saint Bartholomew’s Holy Well was situated north of the main street near the site of the old Mass house, while southeast of the village was
Tobar Mhichíl. This well is now used to supply water to houses in the village.
In 1837, Samuel Lewis described Athea village, as being ‘very small but picturesquely situated, and is a station of the con-stabulary police’. The bridge at Athea was originally a wooden bridge over the river Galey. According to local folklore, during faction fights in the village in the early nineteenth century a man fell off the bridge and was impaled in one of the wooden piles. It is also recalled that during the Great Famine of 1845-9 a poor woman starved to death under the bridge. About 1860 the old wood-en bridge was replaced by the present structure.
The years of the Great Famine resulted in the population increasing in Athea parish from 3,104 in 1841 to 3,266 in 1851. This was a result of the completion of the Glin to Abbeyfeale road in 1836 and the opening up of the hill lands to farmers for settlement and reclamation. The 1851 census returns include 377 inmates of an auxiliary workhouse that was situated on the north-ern side of the main street of the village. As with many small urban settle-ments during the Famine period Athea village did well during the 1840s increasing in population from 215 to 337. It was easier for the poor to secure employment and obtain relief in an urban setting than it was in rural districts. In September 1849, poor wages for employment on public relief works resulted in rioting in the village.
The first co-operative creamery in Athea was founded at Gortnagross in 1895. This was sold to the Cork and Kerry Creamery in 1898. This building was burned by the Black and Tans in 1921 during the troubled years of the War of Independence. The creamery in Athea village was opened in 1904. In 1974 Athea Creamery was sold to what later would become the Kerry Group based at Listowel, county Kerry.
Some interesting minor place-names survived in use until recent times near the village. At the rear of Browne’s post office is
Bearna na mBróg, ‘gap of the shoes’, and Currabholg, Currach Bholg, ‘marsh of the humps’ is southwest of the village. Sunvale House on the Abbeyfeale road was the former residence of the primary school principals and the stream that runs under the nearby bridge is called Cumar na Silílí, ‘ravine of the trickles’.
Kevin Danaher (1913-2002), or Caoimhin Ó’Dan-achair as he is better known, was a prominent Irish folklorist. He was born in Athea where his father Liam was the local schoolmaster. He became a collector for the Irish Folklore Commission in 1934 and went on to contribute many articles to academic journals, as well as being the author of ten books; the best known is probably
The Year in Ireland (1972). His most important research was into seasonal customs and folk practices.
The Community Centre in the village is named after Con Colbert (1888-1916); his father was a native of Athea. Colbert served under Eamonn Ceannt in Dublin during the fighting of Easter Week 1916. He was executed on 8th May 1916 for his part in the Rising.
On the northern side of the main street there is an impressive bronze sculp-ture commemorating the world-class athletic achievements of the Ahern brothers from nearby Dirreen. Dan Ahern’s world record in the triple jump lasted from 1909 to 1920, while his brother Tim won the Olympic gold medal in the triple jump in the 1908 games in London.
As with other small urban settlements the number of businesses has declined in the last half-century. It is recalled that there were fourteen pubs at one time in the village. The former Pa O’Connor’s shop is fondly remembered for carrying a wide ranging stock at good prices and drawing in a grand clientele from throughout west Limerick and north Kerry. Timmy Woulfe recalls purchasing a watch there before his first day as a teacher at the primary school in 1954. Interesting-ly, Timmy went on to become a long serving school principal, and the comings and goings, sounds and rhythms of school life in the village were to revolve around this timepiece for the next quarter century. Time is truly the master of all things.
Next time we will visit the town of Rathkeale.
http://www.vsopublicationsltd.ie/the-towns-and-villages-of-west-limerick-athea/
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ARDAGH HISTORY BOOK LAUNCH
By VSO Publications – December 14, 2017
Sean and Catherine O’Sullivan, Mary Kury, Nora Kennelly, Bernie Noonan, Martina and Jessica McGrath. — Ardagh History Launch — Photo by George Daly
St Kieran’s Heritage Association held a launch night in Ardagh Community Centre on Saturday December 9th. John Hough was MC, and he welcomed all present and then introduced chairman John P O’Sullivan. John spoke about the work of the association, and issued an invitation to members of the audience, to come along to their meetings and to get involved. He praised Secretary Mary Kury for her high work rate in getting the Heritage Calendar ready. He also complimented her on compiling a fine detailed history of Ardagh.
The prizes for the 2018 Heritage Calendar photo competition were then presented and congratulations to all who submitted photos and won prizes. The photos of Kelly O’Brien, Jessica McGrath, Méabh Kelly, Emma Hanley, Colin McGrath, Hazel Ambrose, Kate Power, Antonia Madigan, and Emma Kinnane, are included in the calendar. The attractive Calendar with the Ardagh Chalice on the cover, plus The Fenian DVD compiled from last March was available for sale at €10 each.
Mary Kury’s book, simply called ‘Ardagh’, was launched by Liam Irwin, who is an expert on local and national history. He delivered a 25 minutes address, which was wide ranging about the book and Mary’s contribution to local history. He went through the headings and subjects included in the book linking them to national happenings of the time. He also paid tribute to her father Jerry McMahon, whose research and wide knowledge, of local history form part of Mary’s book. He finished by saying Mary has done Ardagh some service, with her fine history. The 440-page book was also on sale for €30 and it would make a lovely Christmas present.
Mary thanked Liam for his kind review and gave an insight into some of the work involved in the book. She spoke about her father and his work in taking photos, which began in 1945, and the process involved and cost of printing. From his negatives many are now reproduced in the book. She paid tribute to the late Tim Crowley who did so much for the village, and issued a call for more people to get involved in parish activities, and more women to get involved in the Association.
Tea and cakes were served to the good attendance that was present after the 50-minute launch. It was a very enjoyable evening and thanks to all who have supported the Association during 2017. Next year promises to be another action packed year with the 150th anniversary of the finding of the Ardagh Chalice to be recreated. All the above are now on sale at Greaney’s Shop and Butcher’s, Ardagh, Moloney’s Daybreak, Carrickerry and Newcastle West Bookstore. Happy Christmas to all.
http://www.vsopublicationsltd.ie/ardagh-history-book-launch/
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Announcement from Kelly’s Undertakers
Following almost 100 years of service to the parish of Athea, it is with a heavy heart that I, Mary Theresa and Kelly’s Undertakers announce that we will close our business with effect from 28th May 2023.
Kelly’s Undertaker’s was started in the early 1920’s by my grandfather Timothy J. Kelly, affectionately known as T.J., who ran the business for c50 years. Following his death in the 1978 aged 92yrs, my mother Peg Kelly O’Connor, continued the business which I then took over from her in the mid 1980’s to the current day, assisted for the past 10 years by my husband Denny Mulvihill, who has been a valuable asset to me and to the business.
During my 50+ years of service to the parish, I have kept my promise to my grandfather that I would keep the business in the ‘KELLY’ name and that I would continue the business for as long as I could. Alas, “all good things must come to end” and I feel that the time has come for me to retire. This decision was not an easy one, however, I feel it is the right decision for me and Denny (who are not getting any younger) and for our family.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Athea for their loyalty and support down through the years. It has been an honour and a privilege to be able to assist and guide so many families at such a vulnerable time and to be invited into their homes. No matter how prepared a family are when a loved one dies, the emotional stress can be very traumatic. We have always done our best to take as much of the worry and responsibility as possible away from a family when organising a funeral and have always aimed to handle the arrangements with dignity, compassion and professionalism.
A very special thank you to all those people who have helped us carry out our duties over the years from hearse drivers and hearse cleaners to road marshals, all the clergy, parish clerks, the local Gardai, grave diggers, singers and musicians, my neighbours, my husband Denny and of course my colleagues in the trade.
Although I will be retired, I will always be available to guide and help any family in the parish who might need assistance during a bereavement. This service will be done voluntarily so please feel free to phone me at any time on 087-2708603.
Again, a million thanks to the people of Athea, all those who have helped Kelly’s Undertakers in the last 100 years and of course to my loyal friends and family.
Slán,
Mary T.
Kelly’s Undertakers
Email: longblacklimousine@yahoo.com
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Kathleens Corner -02/05/2023
by DomhnallDB under Kathleens Corner
By Kathleen Mullane
The Athea GAA Celebration Day at the hall on Monday – Bank Holiday was a really lovely Day. Both Johnny Mullane and Timmy Woulfe were honoured on their appointment as Joint Vice Presidents of the club and were presented with lovely plaques by Seamus McNamara, Chairman of the County Board, who is from Athea incidentally. Also Pat O’Sullivan and Paul Curry were both honoured by the club for their contribution to the club over the past number of years. John Hunt introduced the Celebration and gave a low down on each of those being honoured. Members of Athea Comhaltas provided some lovely music at the start. After the presentations everyone was treated to tea, cakes and all sorts of goodies. Thanks to them all for their hard work in catering for the crowd. Members of all the recipients families were present to enjoy the day with JOHNNY, PAT, TIMMY and PAUL ,well done to them all.
In all it was a lovely Memorable Day.
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The Way I See It
By Domhnall de Barra
There is a very important event happening in a few days time in the U K; the crowning of prince Charles as King. It will be a huge celebration full of pomp and ceremony in keeping with tradition gong back centuries. Whether you are for or against royalty, it is very important to many people across the water and indeed to some on this side of the pond. The reality of the situation is that the monarchy is not what it used to be when Kings and Queens ruled the world and demanded loyalty from their subjects. In the UK it is now merely cosmetic, having no political power or influence over government decisions. Yes, just like our own president, they sign bills into law and they accept ministers when they are selected but that is as far as it goes. The argument goes on as to whether an end should be put to the whole circus but that is for another day’s discussion and the world will be watching the latest monarch being crowned. Leaders from all over the globe will be in attendance and one of those will be Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill, the First Minister in waiting of Northern Ireland. Her acceptance of the invitation has brought the predictable response from some die hard republicans who are opposed to the monarchy and all it represents and feel she is not being true to the principles of her party. She, however, has stated that she is going there as a representative of all the people of the North, Catholic, Protestant, republican, loyalist and all in between and she is absolutely right to do so. It is the mature, pragmatic thing to do and should be applauded as such but that would be expecting too much. RTE of course had to dig out Peadar Tóbn, a former Sinner who is now leader of the Aontú party, who voiced his opposition to Ms O’Neill’s attendance quoting all the old arguments of the wrongs done by the British to Ireland and espousing the same divisive ideas that should be left in the past. The present Royal Family did no harm to Ireland, in fact members of their own family were victims of IRA bombings during the troubles so the old arguments no longer carry weight. It is right and proper that the head of the Northern Ireland assembly should represent the people of the North regardless of her own private views. I should clarify that I think the idea of a monarchy in this day and age is ludicrous and should be consigned to the past but it is the choice of the British people and that choice must be respected. We have our own institution where we have a President as head of state who is, more often than not, an ex-politician who is being rewarded by his/her party for services rendered.
We have been extremely lucky in recent years that we have had some outstanding holders of that office in Mary Robinson, Mary MacAleese and Michael D. Higgins but the reality is that they have no real power and are controlled by the government of the day as to what they can do or say. They are very important as representatives of our nation and that is the role the Royals play in the UK. So, let them enjoy the occasion and we, as good neighbours, North and South, will take our rightful place at the table.
Another controversy that has reared its head lately, on the airwaves and in the Dáil, is the sale of a house in Patrickswell some years ago to the wife of junior Minister Niall Collins, T.D. It was started by an online outlet called “The Ditch”, that I know very little about, and of course was immediately taken up by members of the opposition and some journalists who smelt blood and went on the trail. From my understanding, Limerick County Council had a plot of land that Niall Collins’ wife had an interest in buying and a meeting of the council, attended by Niall in his capacity as a councillor, voted to put the property on the market. She eventually acquired the land so now some wrongdoing was suspected. There is no doubt that Niall Collins should not have attended or voted at that meeting when his wife had an interest in buying the property but there was no “sweetheart” deal here, the land went up for auction and was bought by the highest bidder. When the sale finally went through Niall Collins wasn’t on the council as he had been elected to the Dáil. Nothing to see here, you would think, but RTE proceeded to interview members of the opposition who were demanding an appearance in the house to answer questions. I must admit that it makes me sick when I see some of theses politicians taking the moral high ground when all political parties are guilty of favouritism when it comes to looking after their financial supporters. For years this country was destroyed by “pull” where people were piked into government jobs they were totally unqualified for just because they came from certain families who were staunch party supporters. We have greater things to worry about than the sale of a house in Patrickswell and whether Niall Collins should be hounded out of office on account of it. Move on.
It was nice to see Johnny Mullane, Timmy Woulfe, Paul Curry and Pat Sullivan being honoured by Athea G.A,.A. at a ceremony in the hall on Monday last. Johnny and Timmy Are among the few Athea people to have worn the Limerick jersey with pride and their achievements are legendary. Paul Curry and Pat Sullivan have given years of voluntary service promoting the club and guiding it from having a field at the side of the road to one of he best facilities in the county. Very few people understand the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes in clubs all over the country by volunteers who give up their free time to make their club a success. Athea G.A.A. has a proud history and we in the parish should be grateful to our committee for what they have done and continue to do on our behalf. It was also nice to have the County Chairman, our own Sean McNamara, in attendance to make the presentations. Well done to everyone concerned and the best of luck to Athea G.A.A. going forward
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By Peg Prendeville
Summer Memories
Oh the memories come flooding back and my eyes fill up with tears
At the thoughts of those summer holidays with my cousins through the years.
Tea in bed on Sunday morning – Auntie Mary was so kind,
How I loved my days in Templeathea, they’re forever in my mind.
To replenish the spring water to the well we used to go,
With a bucket on each handlebar so we travelled nice and slow.
We picked blackberries by the gallon as we walked along the way,
Sure we made our own small fortune when we sold them in Athea.
Once a week we took a walk to the Graveyard and Holy Well
To say a prayer for all the souls whom we knew would never tell
Of all the laughs we used to have between the headstones playing hide,
Sure we often broke the silence there, bringing smiles to those who died.
Drawing home the wynds of hay brought the greatest of delight,
That we could scarcely sleep with excitement on that night,
At the thought of all the fun we had with that lovely horse and float
Our legs dangling at the back, as we sang our glad hearts out.
And in the very hot days to the river we would race,
Having begged poor Auntie Mary ‘til she gave in just for peace.
Our clothes off in a jiffy we took no notice of the cold,
As we paddled, splashed and kicked around. ‘Twas worth more than any gold.In the evenings after milking to the ‘Bridge’ we went along
With a pint of milk for Breege and Jose, God rest them now – they’re gone.
And if there was a sudden downpour, then Uncle Peter hurried down
To make a dam outside their door for fear that they would drown.
In the evenings we gathered round the fire and looked forward to a stroll
From any of the neighbours who might have stories to be told.
They thrashed out the price of turf and hay and gave out about the weather.
We young children listened, eagerly, not caring which nor whether.
When, too soon, the night was over and it was time for bed,
After a slice of bread and tea the Rosary was said.
We all knelt down to say our prayers and thank God that life was good,
We looked forward to the day ahead and more fun to be had.
But now alas we have grown up and those times are in the past.
We’ve left behind those carefree days, we knew they couldn’t last.
I know that times are better now than when we lived hand to mouth,
But, I feel sorry for the children now, as I think they’re missing out.
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Tithe Knockanure 1824
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History of St Ita’s Hall, Abbeyfeale, County Limerick
The Hall has been a community space for almost 100 years. St. Ita’s Hall was
originally known as the Parochial Hall. It was officially opened on New
Year’s Night 1928. Fund-raising for the Hall was organised by
Canon Jeremiah Murphy, who was appointed P.P. of Abbeyfeale in April
1924. The building of the Hall was a co-operative effort, all involved giving
their services free. This new Hall replaced the Temperance Hall, which was
burned by The Black & Tans.
It was called after St Ita, the patron Saint of Kileedy, where she founded a
small community of nuns and resided for the remainder of her life, in
community with other consecrated women. Fr. Murphy had served some
years in the parish of Kileedy and had a devotion to her and brought that
connection to Abbeyfeale.
Today that spirit of community that St. Ita fostered and believed in, is very
evident in the parish of Abbeyfeale and St Ita’s Hall acts as a beacon for the
community. It is the only true multipurpose building in the town, available to
a diverse range of activities, groups and services.
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St Ita’s Hall
Santa Claus came early to Abbeyfeale this week with the announcement by
The Department of Rural and Community Development that St Ita’s Hall is to
receive a €300,000 grant towards major renovation works planned for the
hall. St Ita’s Hall is one of 278 Community Centres nationwide to benefit
from the Community Centres Investment Fund. The announcement came
following several months of collaboration between a small group of
representatives from Abbeyfeale Parish, Abbeyfeale Community Council,
West Limerick Resources and Foróige West Limerick, in preparing for, and
submitting the application. Since the announcement on Thursday morning,
this collective community approach to the application has been commended
by many parishioners. The local community is delighted with the grant aid.
It will ensure that the refurbishment work planned for the hall will be carried
out on time for the centenary of the opening of the hall in 2028.
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The Way I See It Athea News
By Domhnall de Barra
To what extent should governments involve themselves in the personal choices of ordinary people? We, rightly, condemn the likes of Muslim countries who have strict laws regarding women and the gay community, sometimes going so far as to give the death penalty for breaching these laws but, we have or own ways of deciding what we should and should not be doing. The latest is the attempt to stop gambling, or at least to make it extremely difficult for people to place a bet. I know there are those who become addicted to gambling but the vast majority of those who have a flutter get great enjoyment from it and don’t put themselves in financial risk. Look at the thousands who go racing everyday. Most of them create a budget for themselves and stick to that so their day out is going to cost them the same as if they went to see a show or had a good night out and if they have a win as well it is a great bonus and they come home happy. Most of us buy a scratch card now and then or a “quick pick” on the lottery knowing our chances are very low indeed but someone does win and we can dream, can’t we?. For years there are those who want to ban alcohol, again because a percentage of those who drink become alcoholics. They cut down on the times when off licences and pubs can open and, year on year, they hike up the price. This does absolutely nothing to prevent alcoholics from getting what they need, it just means they will have to get more money for their addiction any way they can. Lessons have not been learned from the days of prohibition in America. It just made booze more popular and created the gangs that rule the underworld today who started off smuggling alcoholic drinks from over the border. The same applies to drugs. They are banned completely but every town and village in Ireland is full of them. My grandchildren tell me they can get them in school if they want to so would it not be better to legalise them and at least have control over the quality of the product for sale. It would also take the gangs out of the equation. Of course drugs are wrong as are excessive drinking and gambling and every help should be given to those unfortunate people who fall into addiction but the answer is not trying to remove temptation altogether. We all know how sweet forbidden fruit is. When pubs were forced to close their doors at 10pm on a Sunday night there was actually more drink consumed after hours than before. Getting back to the proposed anti-gambling laws, I would support the banning of online gambling because it is very easy to spend money you do not have when you just have to click a button. I have a couple of friends, one who almost went broke and one who actually did, gambling money they had borrowed online. Banning that might help matters but please let the vast majority of people who get great enjoyment from it continue to have a flutter even if we know “the house always wins”.
This Saturday Night, at the Top of the Town, Athea Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann will celebrate 50 years in existence. Little did I think when I started the branch in 1972 that it would be going as strong as it is half a century later. The first meeting was held in the Riverside Ballroom and, on the night, there was a very big attendance. That is no surprise because Athea was always a great place for music song and dance. When I was a schoolboy, I remember standing outside a pub in Athea, on the day of the fair, listening to Denny Enright (Raymond Enright’s grandfather) singing “The Lovely Banks of Blaine”. This was followed by many more local singers as was the custom at the time. The parish was full of musicians; there were even enough in Coole West, a small townland, to form the Dalton Memorial Band. Mass emigration and the advent of modern dance bands saw a decline in Irish traditional music and song in the middle of the last century so Comhaltas Ceoltóirí was formed in 1951 to stem the tide and promote our native culture. I joined the movement as organiser for Munster when I came back from England in October 1992. One of my duties was to form branches throughout the province so I thought I should give a good example and start in my own place first. There was great enthusiasm so we started on a high and have not looked back ever since. We had our first County Fleadh in 1975 and have hosted 9 more since then. We also had the Munster Fleadh in 1977. We were the first branch to extend the Fleadh beyond the competition days and were also the first to produce a full programme with extra articles of interest. For a couple of years we ran Tradféile which proved to be a great success. We can also claim credit for bringing set-dancing workshops to this part of the country. Our then secretary, Noreen Barry, went to Tipperary and invited Connie Ryan, the set-dancing “Guru” at the time, to teach sets at a workshop we organised at the Devon Inn. There was a huge crowd at that first workshop eager to see all the “new” sets. Up to then we had only been familiar with the local polkas and slides. We ran that workshop annually for a number of years until it was taken over by the newly formed West Limerick Set-dancing Club. The rest, as they say, is history. We can be justly proud of our achievements over the past fifty years and we would like to invite you all to come along on Saturday, 26th at 8pm for a bit of music, singing, dance, craic, food and maybe a small drop thrown in! Unfortunately, many of our members and officers have passed to their eternal rewards over the years but we will never forget their contribution to our native culture and the great times we all had together. May they rest in peace.
Today our branch is thriving with many young musicians joining us at our regular sessions. There is a great bond between all the members and we have great craic, not to mention the music, song and dance which is now as strong as it ever was in our parish. Here’s to the next 50 years.
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BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT: Grief is the normal response that a person has, in the face of a life altering loss. The following information may be of support to you and yours in your loss. While not every grieving person needs counselling, every person who is grieving needs and deserves our support. Everyone grieves, and yet each of us will grieve differently.
Grief lasts as long as it takes us to accept and learn to live with our loss, and that’s different for everyone. This does not mean that we try to put our loss behind us, but thatwe now have to adjust to a life without the person that meant so much to us. As we grieve, we try to make sense of what has happened while learning to live our life without that person. For some people, that grief process lasts a few months. For others, it may take years. Even within a family, grief is different for each person, because everyone had a different relationship with the person we have lost. Most people cope with their griefwith the support of family and friends. Local community, parish, neighbours, can all offer practical, emotional and other supports at this difficult time. If you are struggling with a life altering loss, please: Seek out good, clear information about grief & loss. Be patient and gentle with yourself as you grieve. Recognise the extent of your loss. Allow yourself to cope & grieve in a way that suits you. Try to sleep well, eat well and take gentle exercise. Try not to make major or rash decisions while you grieve. Accept emotional and practical support from friends and family. Get professional help if you are finding it too difficult.
Sometimes family and community support isn’t enough. Bereavement counselling may be a support to you if your loss was unexpected, unexplained, possibly avoidable or sudden; if your relationship with the person who has died wasn’t fully resolved, if you are alone or feel unsupported in your grief, or if you have a lot of other stress in your life. Bereavement Counselling Services: Bereavement Counselling is available through the Limerick Social Service Centre, Tel. No 061-314111 and the Milford Care Centre
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The four-part traditional music series Ceolaireacht on TG4 presented by musician Doireann Ni Ghlacáin featured the West Limerick area on Sunday November 13 2022. Among those featured in the final part were locals Donal Sullivan, Frank O’Connor, son Francis and wife Aine. and an old recording of Con Greaney. It was a very enjoyable programme, promoting the traditional values of the area from top class entertainers. From Tom Aherne.
By Damien Ahern- Jack O’Mahony R.I.P.
Athea club would like to extend our sympathies to the O’Mahony family, Templeathea, on the passing of Jack in Australia November 2022. Jack was a member of the 1968 panel before immigrating to Australia. May he rest in peace.
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HISTORY: Guards Newcastle West 100 years ago. From Limerick Leader November 2022.
THE case of man found drunk and disorderly in Newcastle West almost a century ago was re-enacted in court over the weekend.
As part of An Garda Siochana's centenary commemorations, a judge sat at the former Adare District Court for the first time since its closure in 2009.
Judge Carol Anne Coolican heard the case of a Daniel Kelly from Rathkeale, who pleaded guilty while drunk of disorderly behaviour in Limerick's county town back on October 3, 1923.
The defendant was duly convicted and ordered to pay a fine of 40 shillings and 2/6 in costs - or else face time in Tralee Male Gaol.
In an added twist, the daughter of Garda Michael McKenna, who as one of the first five gardai in Newcastle West was a witness to the case also witnessed its retelling.
Barbara McKenna travelled across from Sheffield in the British county of South Yorkshire in the north of England to be part of the occasion.
The commemoration came almost 100 years to the day the first six garda officers arrived to serve the Newcastle West district, for which Adare falls under.
The former Adare distict court is located above Aunt Lena's pub in the village, and the event coincided with an open day at the area's garda station.
Here, Limerick units were on display including the armed support division, scenes of crime and public order units.
The village’s garda station was originally located in what was the Adare courthouse.
A number of local politicians were in attendance including Minister of State Niall Collins, Independent TD Richard O'Donoghue plus local councillors Bridie Collins and Kevin Sheahan, himself a former detective garda who provided security detail to former Taoiseach Jack Lynch among other luminaries.
A floral wreath was laid outside Adare garda station as officers remembered their former colleague Jerry McCabe, who was murdered by members of the Provisional IRA in 1996.
Speaking at an occasion she described as “momentous”, Judge Coolican paid tribute to An Garda Siochana on its 100th anniversary.
“I wish the next 100 years be as successful as the last 100 years. For every member of the force, whether serving or retired, thank you for your service to the State,” she said to a round of applause.
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The Way I See It
By Domhnall de Barra
I love looking at old photographs, especially those taken at the early part of the last century. The people being photographed usually are in a very serious pose with very little smiling in evidence. This is because the cameras at the time had to have a long exposure and a large flash to capture the image so people had to sit in the same place for much longer than they do today. You can tell roughly what decade the photo was taken by the clothes being worn which, in most cases, was the Sunday best and differed greatly from today’s preferred attire. Ladies had very long gowns or coats, with heads generally covered and the men wore hats. They also sported moustaches of varying designs and sometimes beards. Waistcoats were the order of the day and these had pockets to hold fob watches which were attached to a chain. Times have changed a lot since then, for instance, you very seldom see anybody smoking a pipe nowadays but, even when I was growing up, most of the men had a pipe in their pocket. I remember being sent to the shop for a “half-quarter (two ounces) of Bendigo” . This came in a hard slab that had to be cut up and ground into very small pieces to fit into the bowl of the pipe. This was a job every smoker had to learn and it required a very sharp penknife to cut the tobacco into narrow strips which were then ground into the palm of the hand. When the right consistency was achieved the tobacco was stuffed into the bowl of the pipe with great care. If it was not tight enough the flame would run through it and if it was too tight it wouldn’t allow the air through and could not be lit. Some men never got the hang of it, my father being one. Sometimes he got it right but, more often than not, he was cursing and blasting it as he puffed and puffed to no avail. It wasn’t long before he gave it up altogether and stayed with the cigarettes. Bendigo was the common tobacco at the time but there was also a more expensive type, Clarke’s Perfect Plug. As time went on the tobacco came in a tin, ready to be put into the pipe which made life a little easier for the pipe smoker. The penknife wasn’t made redundant as it was needed for cutting cords and plants on a daily basis. It fitted into one of the coat pockets along with at least a handkerchief, pieces of string, pipe or cigarettes and matches. The coats worn were similar to the suit jacket of today and they usually had started out life as part of a “Sunday” suit but were now reserved for everyday use. Everybody wore a head covering of some sort, hat, flat cap or beret. This was mainly because they were exposed to the weather every day which is why they always carried an overcoat. This garment was made of heavy material and reached down to below the knee. It usually had a belt and a collar that could be turned up against the breeze. Lighter coats called Macintoshes came into vogue and of course there was the raincoat, very important in our climate. Great care was taken of theses coats because, unlike today, they could not be bought off the peg – they had to be made by a tailor and were very expensive. It wasn’t uncommon at the time for somebody who had died bequeathing his clothes to a friend or relative. You would often hear the question: “who got his clothes?”. It seems laughable today but it was a very different world back then. Footwear consisted of heavy boots with rows of nails imbedded in the soles called “hob-nailed boots”. Again, they had to be made by a shoemaker and were heavy and durable. On Sundays a lighter boot was worn until eventually the low shoe came into fashion. Stockings were home made and every young girl learned, while going to school, how to knit a sock and turn the heel. I remember a neighbour of ours, a widow, who ran a card raffle before Christmas each year. The lucky winner got a pair of woollen socks she had knitted herself and, no doubt, they came in very useful. No matter how poor people were they always made sure they had good clothes for going to Mass on Sundays. On hindsight it was great therapy for everyone to dress up and feel good at least once a week. How times have changed. Young people nowadays are likely to wear the same clothes going to the bog as to a party. Styles change year by year influenced by the fashion designers who tell us such a colour and cut are “in”. Men’s trousers have gone from wide bell bottoms to narrow skin-hugging pants that are more like tights. Guaranteed, in a few years time they will go wide again.
Another thing that is noticeable when looking at old photos is the fact that very few people have any excess weight on their bodies. I suppose it is the fact that they had a staple diet of vegetables, fresh from he garden, potatoes, wholemeal bread and plenty of eggs. They also had a lot of exercise because this was before tractors and machinery and most of the work was done by hand. Cars were very scarce so they walked or cycled everywhere they had to go. They never attended a doctor unless injured or seriously ill and took no regular medicine. Contrast that with today when every doctor’s surgery is full to overflowing and there aren’t enough beds in all our hospitals to deal with the daily demands. Are we better off than those that have gone before us? Maybe we can expect a longer lifetime but the quality of life may not be as good. We are being kept alive by medical treatment which I suppose is a good thing in a way but I would love to see us not totally depending on lots of tablets to keep us going.
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Athea News
The Way I See It
By Domhnall de Barra
I thought the attack on an elderly man in Abbeyfeale a few weeks ago was bad, but it pales into insignificance in comparison to the brutal murder of Thomas O’Hallloran in London last week. He was an 87 year old and was a really well known character in the West London area where he had lived for 70 years. He got around on a mobility scooter and busked regularly at his local shopping centre. On the day he was attacked he had been raising money for Ukraine, playing his accordion, and I presume the money he was carrying was the motive for the killing. The savagery of the attack is appalling. This was an incapacitated elderly, frail man who could easily have been robbed with the minimum of force but his attacker chose to plunge a knife into him, in broad daylight, on the street near where he lived. Such total disregard for life is hard to comprehend and it just shows that there is evil amongst us all the time. A few years ago murder was a rare event but now it is almost a daily occurrence and we have almost become immune to it. The police made an early arrest, due to the vigilance of the public who saw the CCTV image of the murderer, with a knife in his hand, which had been circulated locally and called the station. If that was here in Ireland they may not have been so lucky. Thanks to the objections of the “right to privacy” activists, a great number of CCTV cameras have had to be removed from public places so it is free reign for the law breakers who can no longer be captured on camera. I find it very difficult to understand why it is better that someone has a right to their privacy rather than to catch a criminal in the act. The same applies to tracing mobile phone calls, a tactic the Gardaí have used to prosecute many lawbreakers in the past. There is a case coming up in the appeals court in the near future and there is a real danger that a convicted murderer will be released because his conviction was based on evidence obtained from calls made on his mobile phone. I’m sure we will all sleep easier in our beds knowing that a murderer’s “right to privacy” was protected!. This is madness and taking the whole privacy question too far. Why should I worry if my image appears on a CCTV tape if I am a law abiding citizen, minding my own business and doing no harm to anyone? That tape is probably never going to be seen anyway as is the story with millions of them all over the world. Wouldn’t it have been a tragedy if the killer of Thomas O’Halloran could not be convicted because the evidence for his arrest was impinging on his right to privacy? This man was known as a serial shoplifter who was banned from many local stores which raises my point about people who continually commit crimes being allowed to roam free. It is time to get tough on them. There is no such thing as “petty crime”; the person who steals lamb today will steal a sheep tomorrow. Thomas O’Halloran, that gentle, amiable, traditional Irish musician should not have had to die in that way. May he rest in peace.
The fact that there is going to be an inquiry into An Bórd Pleannála is good news and long overdue. The Board’s responsibility is to deal with objections into planning applications around the country and adjudicate on their merits. Anyone who has ever tried to do any building in this country knows that the planning process is slow, cumbersome and can be a nightmare to deal with. If I want to build a house on my own land, anyone can object, even people from as far away as Dublin or Donegal who have never seen the site or the location. There are those who genuinely believe that the countryside should be left to the animals and we should all live in cities, towns and villages. That is not the problem though, it is that fact that sometimes these objections are taken seriously by the planning authorities. There are several cases where sons and daughters of landowners have been refused permission to build houses on the family land because it would “spoil the beauty of the countryside” or some such reason. The same applies to roads. Limerick County is a black spot when it comes to travelling by road. Somebody motoring from Dublin to Kerry will have a fine motorway until they reach the outskirts of Adare where they can relax for 30 minutes or so as they crawl through the village. Newcastle West is the next bottle neck and Abbeyfeale can be a nightmare, especially at weekends, All these towns were supposed to be bypassed as far back as 1994. Plan after plan was objected to and left in the offices of An Bord Pleannála gathering dust. The latest approved route for bypassing Adare hasn’t yet got the final go ahead despite promises to the contrary. The proposed gas terminal in the Tarbert/Ballylongford area should have been decided last spring but is now put off until next month even though we know that there is going to be a shortage of electricity this winter due to the lack of backup to wind energy. There is a lot more happening, or maybe not happening, than we know about but it is past time to hold those in charge to account. There has to be regulations and enforcement but we also need honesty and efficiency and a dollop of common sense, something that is very conspicuous by its absence.
https://www.athea.ie/category/news/
By Tom Aherne
St Kieran’s Heritage Association held a walk and talk on Sunday, August 14, to mark heritage week. The walk was from Moloney’s shop at 11am, through Glensharrold to Scotland Bog for a talk and returning back to Carrigkerry in the afternoon. The warm sunny weather was ideal and over 20 people participated in the walk and talk. Albert Nolan from Limerick was the guest speaker at Scotland Bog. His knowledge of the plant life, flowers and insects as he moved along the passage into the bogs was great to listen to. It was a very enjoyable outing and thanks to Albert and all involved.
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durrushistory
Jun 24 2022
Reading the recollections there is a touch of the Seanachaí telling stories around the fire on a winners night. Like many Irish and other Revolutionaries he came from a comfortable background until disaster struck the family. His grandfather family were linen bleachers as well as having a substantial farm with servant boys and girls and milking 20 cows. In many part so West Cork into the 1960s a man with 20 cows would be regards as a strong farmer
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p04wsrSwKcatJs7QPHHo6hhj4u3P8U0oF6q6JMQyT30/edit
Breast Fed Until He Was 3.
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Video link
https://youtu.be/np17CNf6sEA
Filename
Novena at Redemptorists in Limerick 2022
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Athea News
hank You and Happy Christmas
Sincere thank you to everyone who helped to keep things going during the year – Wishing each and every parishioner, our webcam viewers and Lillian and Domhnall a very happy & peaceful Christmas .
The Way I See It
By Domhnall de Barra
I can’t believe we have reached Christmas time again as it seems like only yesterday that I was getting used to writing “2021” on cheques. It is true what they say that the years get shorter as you grow older. When I was young a year was a long time passing, especially towards the end when I was counting the days until Santa Claus arrived. Mind you Christmas was a bit different back then. For a start there were no lights put up before Christmas Eve and there were few Christmas trees and, with no electricity, fairy lights didn’t exist. Decorations were limited all right but they were all symbolic. A turnip would be cut in half and a hole scooped out to hold the Christmas candle which would be placed in each window on Christmas Eve. This “Christmas candle” was a welcome to the baby Jesus and a guiding light to all visitors. It was the custom to leave the door open on this night so that nobody would be left out in the cold. Red berry holly and ivy were placed around the walls as a decoration and that was it except if a parcel came from America containing “streamers”, coloured streams of paper folded like a concertina that would open to stretch from one side of the ceiling to the other. I well remember our first time having a tree. We had great fun decorating it with baubles, shiny, tinsely pieces that glowed in the light of the fire. We were delighted with it and it got better every year with the advent of the ESB and the Christmas lights. The excitement on Christmas Eve was evident in all the children of the house who were too wound up to fall asleep and afraid to be awake when Santa came because we were told that if we were, he would not stop at all. Of course, children being children, we did fall asleep but we were up at cock crow, racing down the stairs to see what presents we got. There was usually an apple and an orange and some small toy. Fruit was a bit of a luxury in those days as the only time you would get an apple was if you were bold enough to “rob” a neighbour’s orchard in the fall of the year. Oranges were seldom seen so we were delighted with them.
The toys varied but in general the girls got rag dolls and the boys got guns. We were really into guns in those days due to the cowboy comics we managed to get a look at now and again and the films we saw when the travelling cinema came to Cratloe creamery. There were two very popular types of film; comedies and westerns, all in black and white until “technicolour” arrived. All our cowboy heroes wore guns and rode their horses at breakneck speed shooting the bad guys or the Indians with unerring accuracy. When we got our little imitation guns we became those stars of the screen imitating the actions of Roy Rodgers or Hopalong Cassidy racing around the field on our imaginary horses. One of the guns I got held a roll of “caps”. These were fed through so that they came under the hammer as the trigger was pulled making an explosive noise like the real thing. I was fascinated with that but of course they didn’t last long and there was no replacement. It never entered our heads that we were killing or injuring people; it was all just great fun. Another item that might be in our stocking was a “lucky bag”. This was full of little treats and small little toys usually made out of cardboard as plastic had yet to make its presence felt. By today’s standards these were meagre gifts but to us they were magical and we got endless hours of fun out of them. As the years went on, and people got a bit more money, the presents became more expensive but somehow they could never compete with simple things that gave us so much joy.
Christmas was very focused on religion in those days. We always went to early Mass, reluctantly leaving our toys for a while, and there was a great festive feeling about it. The crib in the church was the main focus of attention and we knelt before it looking at the baby Jesus in the manger in awe. Everyone was in a great mood and wished each other a happy Christmas. We usually got new clothes around Christmas and were very proud wearing our best, even if they were a size too big for us so that we would “grow into them”. I remember one Christmas morning in particular when my brother and I got two hurleys and a sponge ball from Santa. We couldn’t wait until Mass was over and we got home to try them out. As soon as the lorry we were travelling in parked up at the house we got the hurleys, raced across the road to Phil’s field and began to hit the ball to each other. Suddenly there was an almighty roar from our mother, who was standing on the road with a sally rod in her hand, demanding that we come in immediately and take off our new clothes. It had been raining and the field was very mucky so the damage was done and we knew we were in for a few lashes of the rod as parents in those days didn’t believe in sparing it. It must have been the Christmas spirit because, although she reprimanded us, she put the rod back behind the picture where it usually rested and I thought I saw a little smile on her face. Yes, times have changed a lot, Christmas has become more commercial and has little to do with the celebration of the birth of Christ. Decorations are everywhere to be seen and are going up earlier and earlier and there are two ways of looking at it. One is to say that they take away from the actual festival by being there too long while the other view is that they brighten up a time of year that has the longest nights and shortens the winter for us. I love this time of year and look forward to visiting the grandkids on Christmas morning. I love the feeling of goodwill that exists and am only sorry that it cannot be continued throughout the year.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all readers of this newsletter a Happy and Holy Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year.
“Go mbeirimid beo ar an am seo arís”
https://www.athea.ie/category/news/
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by Kathlen Mullane
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
I’ll finish for 2021 with these lines: –
There’s something about Winter as the days draw to a close,
With curtains drawn, lamps all lit, turf fires and cosy toes.
There’s something about winter with warming winter dishes,
Soup with buttered home made bread, fire gazing making wishes.
There’s something about winter when it’s full of Christmas cheer,
Present buying Midnight Mass, carols sung with families dear.
There’s something about winter cold winds and icy rain,
Then it loosens it’s Iron-Fist, and soon it’s SPRING again.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL
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BOOK: List of Irish names and phrases by Timmy Woulfe
Timmy Woulfe, launched his book “As Tough as Tathfhéithleann”, a list of Irish words and phrases which were commonly used in the parish in the last century, at Con Colbert Community Hall on Friday Nov. 19th. Domhnall de Barra did the honours on the night and also wrote the foreword for the book. This is the foreword:
“The great Listowel playwright, John B. Keane, once wrote a play in Irish, to the amazement of many who knew him as a prominent member of the Language Freedom Movement, a group campaigning for the abolition of compulsory Irish in the education system. When asked, in a radio interview, why he did this he explained that while he was taking a little refreshment at Al Roche’s Pub in Lyrecrompane one day, a young man, who had been in England for a few months, came into the bar, dressed up in the latest London fashion with the hair jelled to the nines, and swaggered up to the counter. Two elderly men, who were enjoying a quiet pint, cast their eyes over the new arrival and one of them said to the other; “will you look at the éirí in aired on my bachach”. On reflection he realised that half the words used were Irish and that, growing up in North Kerry he had heard the local people speak in the same manner. This was not away back in the mists of time but in the 1970s which is quite recent. I was born in 1945 and as I learned to speak my vocabulary was full of Irish words. We never even thought of them as Irish; they were just the words used to describe people, places and objects. Because we spoke English with an Irish “blas” (look it up!) the words fitted in seamlessly and embellished the language of the time. The grammar might not be correct but, as Breandán Feiriteur, a teacher from the West Kerry Gaeltacht who taught in Athea for a while, once said; “the reason I love being in Athea is that the people of the area speak Irish through the medium of English”. It was a transition period when the English language hadn’t quite taken over completely and we were happy enough using both tongues. We brought in a “gabhál” of turf, got a “beart” of hay for the cattle, turned “bán” in the field and washed ourselves in the “cumar”. Some of the Irish words had no direct English translation e.g. “cidhrán”, a word that exists to this present day. Somehow, the nearest translation “small sod of turf” does not have the same descriptive quality. I thought it was important that a record be kept of these words and phrases but I hadn’t the time, patience or knowledge to do a proper job so I am delighted that Timmy Woulfe, in his retirement, has put pen to paper and continued a body of work he started over half a century ago in Knocknagorna School. It is a comprehensive list that gives us an insight into a time in Ireland when we were just getting used to independence in a world ravaged by two world wars, a war of independence and a civil war. It will be a valuable document for scholars of the future who have an interest if the folklore of Ireland. These Irish words, part of one of the oldest languages in Europe, are a direct link to the past. They were handed down orally from generation to generation over the centuries, long before they were written. Alas, with the influence of television, social media and education for all, they are almost forgotten and, as a nation, we are all the poorer for that. Thanks to Timmy, we now have a booklet that will bring back memories to those of us of a certain age and introduce younger readers to the rich tapestry of Irish words that embellished our every day oral communications not all that long ago.”
https://www.athea.ie/category/news/
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BOOK Launch Nov 2021; From Tom Aherne
Timmy’s Past Words and Phrases Launched
Tom Aherne reports
Con Colbert Community Hall Athea was the venue for the launch of As Tough as Táthfhéithleann ( As Tough as Woodbine) a collection of old Irish words and phrases by Timmy Woulfe on Friday night last November 19th. A good crowd attended and enjoyed recalling words that were used daily around the village and parish by the sweeping waters of the river Gale. Liam Woulfe son of Timmy and Nancy was MC, and he combined some old Irish words in his introduction.
Jamie Kelly on behalf of Athea Credit Union, who provided generous sponsorship for the publication of the book thanked Timmy for collecting the words and phrases into book form. As a person interested in history, he was delighted to see this being done and happy to see Athea Credit Union being involved.
Domhnall de Barra neighbour and lifelong friend paid tribute to Timmy before he launched the book. He described him as a great community person, a living legend who put Athea on the map. As Athea school teacher he made music and dance available to all the children, which progressed to Athea winning two All Ireland Scór titles in Junior and Senior Set dancing in the 1970s. Domhnall said it was very important that a record be kept of these words and phrases that gives us an insight into the Ireland of the past.
Timmy in his address recalled how the book originated from a project being carried out in Knocknagorna NS 1959/62, while he was a teacher there. The children gathered up the words and expressions they heard at home from their parents, grandparents etc, similar to the School Folklore Collection of 1937. One of the pupils was in charge of them but they got misled over time and were lost. In recent years Timmy became active in recalling the disappearing language and began to write them into a copybook.
A college thesis on the decline of Irish as a spoken language by his granddaughter Róisín Moore, added an extra push to Timmy to get the job done and the book published. The book has over 500 entries, plus their English meanings. The book also contains Roisín’s thesis, and the story of the Home Rule Flag which recently returned to Athea. The old photographs included enhance the publication. Timmy went through a number of the words included in the book and who he got them from.
He especially thanked Tom Moore for the design which contains a Woodbine on the book cover, Róisín for her energy and enthusiasm, family and all connected with the publication. Timmy signed many copies of the book afterwards which sells at € 10 and is available locally. Tea and refreshments were served, and people stayed on discussing the contents and recalling the disappearing words. Our thanks to Timmy for preserving them in book form. He has also collected and preserved many old set dances over the year’s which is another valuable asset credited to his name. Timmy is now free to return to his love of set dancing when Covid restrictions allow.
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Ardagh Notes from Tom Aherne Sept 2021
LOOKING BACK
Saint Kieran’s Heritage Association was formed five years ago on September 1, 2016. It was to cater for the St Kieran’s area, comprising of Ardagh, Carrigkerry Coolcappa, Kilcolman, and neighbouring Townlands and was held in the Community Centre Ardagh, with 21 people present. The dictionary describes heritage as something inherited at birth and anything that has been transmitted from the past or handed down by tradition. Heritage is all around us as we go about our daily work and now is the time to preserve and record what we have before it disappears. There is an increased interest in our heritage at present and people in all areas are doing wonderful work to preserve it.
Ger Greaney, genealogist, facilitated the meeting, and Saint Kieran’s Heritage Association was formed. The officers elected were Chairperson John P O ’Sullivan, Secretary Mary Kury, and Treasurer Richard Mc Donnell, and more, officers were added at other meetings afterwards. A lot of different areas of heritage were discussed and people were asked to look at their own areas and to start recording what is around them. For example, the name of fields, bridges, crossroads, rivers, forts, Cillian’s, blessed wells, old church graveyards, which may be lesser known to the general public, and need to be preserved.
The Saint Kieran’s area contains a lot of well-known sites, Ardagh Chalice, Ballylin Ring Fort, Ballyine, Mass Rock, Glenastar Waterfall, Campaign House, Carrigkerry, Carnegie Library in Kilcolman, Dunmoylan Church, Munnamohill School, Kilbradern Graveyard, Murray’s Hill, Mannix’s Folly, The Blue Hall, Clounagh, St Kyran’s Well, Lisnacolla Castle, Ballyegna Castle, Elm Hill, and other places of interest. The aim of the Association was to record everything possible, and to mark important dates and anniversaries. A Facebook page was also set up for viewers to check the ongoing progress of the association. A lot has been achieved to date with events held to commemorate The Fenian Rising, Bishop Lacy, Ardagh Chalice, and Ballyloughane School, to name a few. Since the arrival of Covid in March 2020, all activities have ceased, and members have only participated in a few events. Mary Kury led a walk and talk around Ardagh on Saturday, August 21, and last Wednesday published a fine article about Ardagh Graveyard. With the easing of Covid restrictions hopefully activities may be able to resume in the near future.
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The first event at Ballylongford Mill, the Ballylongford Blacksmithing Fair will be held over the weekend of 25th-26th September, 2021. There will be blacksmithing displays in the Creamery and grounds from Forged in Ireland and guest Blacksmiths, vintage tractors, hand forged and old wares for sale, food and refreshments and roving musicians.
The Blacksmiths that will be demonstrating throughout the weekend are from Forged in Ireland, a group of Irish craftsmen of all levels who teach and share their knowledge of blacksmithing, bladesmithing, knife making, metal art, tinsmithing, metallurgy and related metal working crafts.
This will be a family friendly weekend with entertainment for the kids, admission is €5 for adults with children under 16 free. Come along and see Ireland’s best Blacksmiths all in one place, and all proceeds will go towards repairs to the roof of Ballylongford Mill.
The Planning Application for restoration and redevelopment of the Mill site is currently going through Kerry County Council, with work on the Mill and grounds set to start mid next year.
There’s more information on the Facebook page and links to the event:
https://www.facebook.com/Ballylongford-Mill-102643785218211
Nov 2020;
Sr. Mary Doody and Karen Hourigan.
Local Frontline Heroes
Glin Homes & Daycare Centre has been providing Meals on Wheels to the local community for the past five years.
Since its inception the service has grown considerably, and healthy and nutritious meals are delivered to the elderly of Glin and surrounding parishes of Loghill, Ballyhahill, Athea, Moyvane and Tarbert.
The Covid 19 pandemic meant that the number of vulnerable people living alone or in isolated areas and who were reliant on others increased significantly. Inundated with requests for more meal delivery, Una and Karen coped admirably with the extra office work and under the professional guidance of super chef Rachel Duff, the kitchen staff worked tirelessly to deliver hot and tasty meals to the elderly in the surrounding catchment area.
Working in teams and under very strict Covid restrictions, Carol, Marie, Bridget, Ruth, Margaret, Mary, Eamonn, Teresa, Denis and Sr. Mary were preparing and serving up to 90 meals consisting of a main course and a dessert, on a daily basis.
The human connection is also a very important element of the service, not only are Jimmy and Eamon delivering the meals to the door but they are ensuring that everyone benefits mentally and emotionally from a friendly smile, a wee chat and a check up on their general wellbeing.
Glin Homes and Daycare Centre is a wonderful example of management and staff working together to create a successful and vital service to the community. The management would like to acknowledge the huge contribution that the staff have made to the vulnerable in our community. Look no further than the staff of Glin Homes for your Frontline Heroes.
Old Papers in County Limerick
Current Affairs
By Domhnall de Barra
Following on last week’s theme of “man’s inhumanity to man” I was listening to World Report on Radio 1 the other morning and was taken aback by what I was listening to. On that programme, a journalist told how people are making millions out of smuggling refugees from war torn countries in Africa. They are taken to Libya and held in large warehouses while their relatives back home are contacted to provide more money for their passage across the Mediterranean to sanctuary. These people have very little anyway and go to great lengths to get the money to save their families. They are treated appallingly while in these warehouses with little food, sanitation or contact with the outside world. The women are systematically raped and at the end of the day many of them are set adrift on the seas to be picked up by ships and returned to Africa.
One man from Ethiopia, who had gone through that system, was out shopping when he noticed one of the main smugglers, who was wanted by the police, in an electrical shop in Addis Ababa. He called a policeman and the man was arrested. Many more of his comrades were arrested as well. One of them had raped more than 80 girls and women. They will get a few years in jail but have plenty of money salted away for when they come out and there are plenty more ready and willing to take their places.
Why is the rest of the world ignoring this criminality? Even when refugees are transported to Europe they are not treated very well when they arrive. Ireland is not blameless in this regard. The situation in Direct Provision is deplorable with some people waiting for years and years to have their cases heard. These poor people have suffered enough and have lost most of their possessions. We have to devise a system that cuts through the red tape and quickly gets them integrated into our society. They have much to offer us and we must never forget that our forefathers had to leave Ireland after the famine and find sanctuary wherever they could. Look at the contribution the Irish have made to their adopted countries. Even this week we have a descendant of Irish emigrants elected to the highest office in the USA. Despite the reservations of some, we have nothing to fear from diversity and a lot to gain and please don’t give me “we have to look after our own first” rubbish. Given the opportunity most immigrants will contribute to the economy and make our country a much better and more colourful place.
This will be the last time I comment on the American election and Donald Trump in particular. There has been much rejoicing at the election to office of Joe Biden, not so much that Biden is such a charismatic character but because he is not Donald Trump. I welcome that development but I am alarmed that, with the highest turnout at the polls ever, Trump got nearly half the votes. It shows how much people have bought into his philosophy and are prepared to accept a type of politics that is abhorrent to most of us in the civilised world. It isn’t easy to explain but there are a few factors that contribute to it. Many Americans grow up being told that they are the greatest in the world and they live in the greatest country in the world. They have a kind of superiority complex that gives them a brashness and loudness that at times is obnoxious. They are told that there are two types of people; winners and losers and that there is no place for losers. The end justifies the means in trying to be successful and this encourages an “I’m alright Jack” mentality. This is the nasty side of capitalism which eventually creates a two tier society; the haves and the have-nots. Many of the more fortunate resent any attempt to help those at the bottom and will oppose plans for medical care, social housing etc. This is not what democracy is about. Democracy is the government of the people by the people for the people and that includes all the people, not those who are gifted or lucky enough to make it on their own. When you have a two tier system with the gap widening between rich and poor, it is similar to what democracy replaced. Countries were once ruled by monarchs and landed gentry but, one by one, people rose up, like in France and Russia, and toppled the regimes. We are in danger of creating a new “peasant” population who will eventually rebel against those who want to keep them in their place. It is now more important than ever that the other half of the American public stand up and be counted. Trump is in the process of arranging rallies throughout the States in the coming days to drum up support for his legal challenge to the election result. These rallies will give a platform to the gun-toting white supremacists to flex their muscles and for all his gullible disciples to give two fingers to their own electoral system. It is high time that prominent members of the Republican Party brought some sanity to bear on proceedings and encouraged Trump to behave with a little decorum and concede defeat with grace but I suppose that is too much to hope for. I like America and have enjoyed my many visits there. It is full of honest, hard working, decent people who deserve better leadership than they are getting at the moment. America has been a great friend to Ireland over the years especially with their help in brokering the Good Friday agreement. Joe Biden says he is going to be a president for all the people and that he will work to create unity and heal divisions. The USA is an example to the world of how a huge continent can operate without borders on its states. It shows the value of unity of purpose and a desire to work together for the love of the country. Let us hope that sanity prevails and that America can truly be great again.
Chief Justice Frank Clarke has said Supreme Court Judge Seamus Woulfe should resign over his attendance at a controversial golf dinner in Galway. There will be those who are clapping their hands in glee to see him brought down but I am not one of them. That whole “golfgate” episode has been blown out of all proportion and a heavy price has been paid already by those who lost their careers over it. Yes, it was poor judgement on the part of those who attended the dinner but no law was broken and surely the punishment should fit the crime. Seamus Woulfe did not help himself in the way he has conducted himself since the affair and maybe a little more humility would have stood him in better stead, however, I hope again that common sense will prevail and that he will be allowed to continue his important work in our justice system.
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A virtual tour of Limerick's Knockfierna - a site steeped in both folklore and history, presented by Pat O'Donovan, and created for Heritage Week 2020. Pat shows viewers the sites around the pinnacle of Knockfierna and explains their significance.
https://www.heritageweek.ie/projects/a-virtual-walking-tour-of-knockfierna
The Great Southern Trail (GST) is a unique 85km stretch of countryside in West Limerick/North Kerry. It is the route taken by the Limerick - Tralee railway line, which opened in 1867/1880 and closed in 1975/1977.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGDnCBpslEY
Melancholy Event—Three Lives Lost. — Glin, Nov. 12.1849
A circumstance occurred here this morning, which caused the utmost horror and consternation. A pensioner, named Fitzgerald, who buried his wife on yesterday, retired to rest on last night with his two sons, one aged 20, and the other 15. The house in which they slept was one of those wretched hovels which abound in the environs of most small towns in this country, and adjoining it was a house, which fortunately was untenanted. During the night, the unoccupied house, owing to the heavy rain, fell in, breaking in the gable of that in, which old Fitzgerald and his sons slept. The noise of the fall was so trifling that nothing was known of the tragic event until daylight when some passers-by noticed the ruin. A crowd immediately assembled and removed the rubbish, when melancholy to relate, the old man and both sons were found dead, and presenting a most frightful appearance. Dr. Enright was at once sent for, and having inspected the bodies, confirmed the melancholy rumour, and pronounced their lives extinct. On examining the premise it was ascertained they had slept under a loft, which was filled with turf and bog wood which falling upon them, crushed them to death, and left a melancholy proof that in the midst of life we are in death. Their bodies were brought outside the ruin, and excited much sympathy for their helpless fate.
(Source: Cathleen Mulvihill - Glin Historical Society)
A Good Start
By Domhnall de Barra
A word we didn’t have until the last few years has dominated all media to the extent that nothing else seemed to matter. It is of course, brexit, a word I would be happy never to hear again. People who never before took any interest in politics are suddenly experts on the British political system which, due to brexit, was in a fish bowl for the world to gaze at. Needless to say the Brits did not come out of it well as they showed how childish and petty they can be, never mind the blatant telling of lies to suit their own ends. At last we had the election and Boris came out on top which is not good news for us here but it brought things to a head and he persuaded the House of Commons to back a deal, very similar to the one that Theresa May had proposed and had rejected a couple of times before. It did however bring stability that was badly needed and soon the horse trading with the EU will begin which will decide the future relations between the two.
That election also had an effect on the second bit of good news; the resumption of the Stormont Assembly. The election returned enough Tories to get out from under the DUPs who had the balance of power in their hands and milked it for all it was worth. Once the high horse was taken from under them they had to compromise and agree to some unpalatable conditions for returning to the assembly. It is good to see the assembly back and agreeing that all races and creeds deserve equal treatment. The deal has been sweetened by cash injections from the government here and their counterparts in the UK. With the brexit deal the North of Ireland is in a very good position, having the best of both worlds. They will benefit from special treatment from the EU and the UK at the same time, a win, win situation.
My position on the North is well known. I believe there is no reason why a foreign power should have jurisdiction over a part of this island. The more autonomy the northern assembly gets, the better. It will eventually make the move to a united Ireland all the more easy in time to come.
The next bit of good news is the decision to cancel the commemoration ceremonies for the RIC and DMP. Charlie Flanagan, despite the advice of the experts in the field, decided to have a big do as it is 100 year since the state was formed. As news broke it soon became apparent that this was a very divisive subject and many prominent politicians signalled their intention to boycott the event. There is no doubt in my mind; both bodies were arms of the British government employed to keep Irish people in their place. They collaborated with the armed forces and the Black and Tans in a vicious campaign of terror throughout the land. They do not deserve to be remembered as if they were an important part of the fight for Irish freedom. I know that some of them took the job to support their families and, at the time, there didn’t appear to be any great changes on the horizon, But does everything need to be commemorated? It is just an exercise in nostalgia and I dread to think what is coming down the tracks with the War of Independence when brothers and sisters sometimes fought on opposite sides. The past is the past and sometimes it is best left there. Anyway, it is good to see that common sense has prevailed and the big do is off the agenda.
Another reason for optimism is the lowering of tensions between the US and Iran. For a while it looked likely that a major war was going to break out due to Trump’s actions in executing the leading army general in Iran. A big backlash was expected but, in the end, Iran made what can only be described as a token missile attack on US bases that, thankfully, caused no fatalities. Let us call a spade a spade; the killing of the Iranian general was murder. It might be excusable as an act of war but war had not been declared. They will say it was to save American lives because of an imminent attack but there is no proof of that and, anyway, he was only one man, they have plenty more. Then we had the unfortunate shooting down of a Ukrainian plane killing everyone on board. The Iranians thought they were being attacked and somebody jumped the gun and brought down the aircraft. This incident was a direct result of Trump’s actions and the blood of those passengers who died, many Canadians, is on his hands. Iran’s rulers are not blameless either. They provide arms and assistance to terrorists all over the middle east and continually support any group who wage war on the west. This does not give America an excuse to commit murder. Where was the condemnation from the United Nations ? Have they lost their sense of what is right and wrong. The British parliament, of course, came out in favour of Trump’s actions but that is due more to their need to have a good trade deal with America now that they are leaving the EU than anything else.
Finally the softening of the trade war between the US and China is to be welcomed. They are the two biggest economies in the world with China, in particular, supplying a lot of the goods we need. It is a very encouraging start to the year and i can only hope that it continues in the same way. Wishful thinking maybe but if we don’t have hope what do we have?
ARDAGH School History; Saint Molua’s school, the current school is the fourth national school to have been built in Ardagh since the 1830s. The school was built on lands donated by John T Langford who also provided the community playing field which is used by the school and other clubs at present. The first school, dating from the 1830s was at Ardvone, Ardagh, according to Griffith’s Valuation. A Garda barracks was later built on this site and was destroyed by fire in the 1960s. This school did not attract the full support of the Catholic population as it was seen as a recruiting base for the Protestant faith.
The second school was situated opposite Drew’s house near the current social housing complex. There is also mention that a school operated at this time at what is now known as the Stables, on the Shanagolden road. This could have been a private operation. The third school was built in 1894 at Ministerland, Ardagh and since its closure as a school in 1964 it has become Ardagh’s Community Hall and Fitness Centre. The present school when opened in 1964, had five classrooms, a staff room, an office and shelters for the boys and girls. In 1969 it amalgamated with Ballyloughane NS which required the building of three extra classrooms. Up to 1972, the school was divided into separate boys’ and girls’ schools, each with their own principal and assistants. It has been upgraded over the years to cater for the ever-changing curriculum.
By Tom Aherne
JOHN JOE KENNELLY: Christmas day 2019 will be remembered sadly around the locality as the day that John Joe Kennelly, The Cross, Ardagh, passed away peacefully at home. John who was aged 77 years was predeceased by his son Gerard and will be sadly missed by family members and many friends. He was a gentleman of the highest order whose life revolved around his family, his faith and his community. He had high values and was humble, kind and understanding of people’s needs.
John Joe will be always remembered for setting up the Ardagh/Carrigkerry Tuesday Social Club 23 years ago, and the members formed a guard of honour as his coffin passed through on the way to his burial. This club brought both sides of the parish together socially each week to join in entertainment in Ardagh Parish Hall. It created a strong bond amongst the members and nobody felt isolated around the rural areas. His unseen work with St Vincent de Paul was often talked about and much appreciated I am sure by many households over the years. He also organised a yearly trip to Knock which was booked out.
He was a native of Coolcappa parish and driving vehicles his main occupation, with busses in England, lorries for McCormack’s Joinery, Ardagh, and Cranes in Aughinish. I first got to know John Joe when I commenced working at McCormack’s in 1971 (48 years ago) and he was kind and helpful to all new apprentices. He was a big man in stature, who delivered a load of joinery daily to all parts of Ireland often having to unload windows, doors and stairs on his own. I had the pleasure of accompanying him in the lorry on a few occasions fitting furniture and he was great company imparting his knowledge of the people and places we visited. John Joe was a wood turner in his spare time and his work on the lathe can be seen in many houses. He also manufactured sugán chairs and taught a class in Carrigkerry Community Centre, which was well attended.
Reposing took place at St. Molua’s Church, Ardagh on Friday evening from 4-30-7-30pm. His Requiem Mass was concelebrated by Fr Michael Noonan and ten other priests at 11.30am on Saturday, December 28. Before Mass commenced the following symbols associated with John Joe’s life were taken to the altar; A family photo showing his great love for his nearest and dearest, A timber replica of the Ardagh Chalice that John Joe crafted back in 1993 for the 125th Anniversary of the finding of the Ardagh Chalice, within walking distance from his home of 50 years and his prayer book and rosary beads which he used to great effect.
The readings were very appropriate and Fr Michael paid a fond tribute to John Joe who was a great help to him (as he was to all former priests) when he came to the parish three years ago. He took him around the parish to visit people on the First Friday and was a former sacristan in Ardagh Church and involved in the money count each week. The choir were in top voice paying tribute with well chosen hymns. Ann’s reflection My First Christmas in Heaven was touching, and Nora, his wife of 52 years, recalled some humorous incidents in a fond tribute. John Joe was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery on a dry, breezy afternoon and musician Tom O’Donoghue from the Social Club, played Horses and Plough in a final tribute. A delicious meal was served in a packed Ardagh Hall, with people recalling their own special memories. The crowds that attended both days showed the esteem the family were held within the community and beyond.
We extend our sympathy to his wife Nora, son Michael, daughters Moira and Noreen, brother Bernard, sisters Jo, Theresa, grandchildren Olivia, Jamie, Evan, Ellie Mai, sons-in-law, daughter-in-law, nephews, nieces, brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, kind neighbours, relatives and friends. John Joe left a great legacy of involvement in his community and caring for people in need. We thank him for his parish involvement, friendship, understanding, and helpful advice and we will cherish the memories he created. May he rest in Peace.
ARDAGH News from Tom Aherne Sept. 2019.
The William Smith O’Brien weekend took place from Friday, September 13, to Sunday, 15. It commenced on Friday night in Ardagh Community Centre with three distinguished speakers in attendance. John Hough was the MC and lots of noted historians were present. Tim O’Neill Calligrapher spoke on the script and decoration of the Ardagh Chalice, and Book of Kells. A native of Newcastle West he is a retired teacher and author. He gave a detailed account of the art of calligraphy. Mary Kury, who is Secretary of the association, spoke on the life and times of Charlotte Grace O’Brien. She was the second daughter of William Smith O’Brien, by his wife Lucy Caroline Gabbett, of High Park Limerick. She was an author and a social worker, who exposed the awful conditions existing on the lodging houses in Cobh, on board the emigrant ships, and in the dock slums in New York, where the Irish had to stay on landing there. She is buried in Knockpatrick Graveyard.
Rev Patrick Comerford spoke about Harriet O’Brien Monsell sister of William MP. He is a Church of Ireland (Anglican) Priest-in-charge of the Rathkeale group of parishes, and Director for Education and Training in the Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe. Harriet was a member of the Inchiquin branch of the family from Dromoland Castle, Co Clare. Her father, Sir Edward O’Brien, was a direct descendant of Brian Boru and the O’Brien Kings of Munster. A pioneering nun, Harriet O’Brien Monsell was the Mother Superior of the House of Mercy at Clewer for 25 years until she died at the age of 71 on March 25th, 1883. She has now been honoured among the saints by the Church of England. The three talks which were most interesting were followed by a question and answer session with many in the audience participating. People mingled afterwards, and sampled the refreshments, provided by the kitchen crew.
On Saturday night also in Ardagh Community Centre from 8pm, we had a repeat performance from three local speakers Tim Donovan, Rathkeale, Con Enright, Coolcappa, and Tom Aherne, Glensharrold. Mary Kury assembled a historical exhibition, containing items and photographs of local interest to the St Kieran’s Heritage Association locality. It was very interesting and attracted lots of interest, with one person keen for the Association to hold a much larger one in the future. John Hough was MC and first up to speak was Tim Donovan whose talk was titled John B Keane and me. The late author from Listowel, spent a few months as a chemist assistant in the Donovan Chemist in Rathkeale. He outlined John B Keane’s wit with several humorous stories and incidents while he was staying with the family.
Con Enright told us about the history of Lisnaculla Castle which is located on his land. It was built around 1445 by the Mac Sheehy’s, from the Northwest of Scotland who were brought to fight as Galloglasses, by James Fitzgerald Seventh Earl of Desmond in 1420. It was also owned by Donagh O’Brien in 1620, and Sir Edward Fitzgerald in 1655, and the Hartigan family before it fell into disrepair. Tom Aherne spoke about the townland of Glensharrold connecting it with past events, places of interest, and people living there over the years. A question and answer session was held after each talk with a lot of engagement from audience members.
On Sunday afternoon a walk from the Ardagh Chalice monument at the Church to Reerasta Fort was held. John Hough spoke about the Ardagh Chalice, and other Ardagh history. Congratulations to John who has written the history of Mitchelstown Creamery which will be launched later in the month. He intends to have a local launch for family and friends in Ardagh in early October. Thanks to all who attended the three events over the weekend the speakers, and all who assisted.
Cúchulainn’s Sons* By Matt Mooney
In the annals of Cúchulainn’s sons
appear the names of our ancestors;
time of Land League, landlords and evictions:
when our Gaelic Games were spawned
while we waited for the dawn of freedom;
floating on a tide of national pride
from the nineteenth to the twentieth century.
Barefoot players on pitches improvised,
tournaments and marching bands
of brass and reed and fife and drum:
the baronies hurling the troubled years away
with camáns shaped like camógs;
the flying sliotar, a harbinger of peace,
sending shivers down the spine of time,
raising up our ancient race
to feel again our rightful nationhood;
running on – this fever in the blood,
leaving to posterity dexterity and style-
present on the field of play today
in the genes of great grand children:
as accurate in every game
in their aim from centre field or side line cut,
and we cheer them from the stands
for they are Cúchulainn’s youngest sons.
*(Cúchulainn (Culainn’s hound) or Setanta was a legendary hurling hero in Irish mythology. Hurling is one of our Gaelic games, over 2000 years old but revived by the Gaelic Athletic Association founded in 1884. It is played with hurleys and a small ball or sliotar in a match of 15 a side lasting 70 minutes. The ball can be struck in the air or on the ground. One goal is equal to three points. Points are scored over the crossbar. The hurley or camán is made from the ash tree and is shaped like a camóg (rough walking stick) or hockey stick but with a wider striking area. The ball is made from cork covered with ridged leather. Croke Park is the HQ of the GAA and the Hurling Final is always played there on the first Sunday in September.)
The Joker
Note this that if and when ever I die –
(the word ‘ever’ I use reservedly
for we are regularly reminded
by reverend fathers at funerals
that death is one of a few certainties),
think of something funny to slip in
if you are saying farewell to me
in case they’d think I was too serious
or worse still to have been a bore
for you see I’m quite sure
it’s the way to go – from what I know,
is to play the joker
if you have him up your sleeve
for I believe from what I remember
he could play his part and pay his way
better than any king or queen
welted down on a wooden table
with a sudden shout of victory
playing for geese or turkeys
just before the Feast of Christmas
on a winter’s night in a country pub
giving off a sound like ash on ash
in an over heated local hurling match.
In poker jokers can be wild
and under his cloak of mirth and fun
can take the place of anyone
among the elite of playing cards –
though countless games they’ve won.
Burning Potato Stalks
Deep green barely seen
potato shoots coming up
in little firm bunches
thrilling from the clay
promising good times
in stepped out rows
headland to headland.
Growing up before me
in the land of summer,
the straight stalks flower
in daisy white blossoms
tinged with purple.
Time to spray they say
for blight, a deadly enemy.
Digging time is looming
sometime in October
then the picking, carting
and pitting for the winter.
Lying along erased drills
the stalks wilt, fit to burn
in Indian summer time.
We gather them with forks,
my father and myself,
on a hillside tillage field
tilted towards the light
from the sun sinking low
on its way to Galway Bay.
We used it as our timepiece
and weather vane as well
when we raised our heads
days ‘down in the garden’.
Piled up lit and burned off,
leaving an undying flame
within me in his memory,
bonfires of withered stalks.
Smoke like incense spirals
for a healthy crop given,
crackling and consuming.
Smells that rock the senses.
https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/40745830/posts/10243
Matt Mooney. Born in Kilchreest, Co. Galway in 1943, he has lived in Listowel since 1966. His four collections of poems.
Preserving the memory & history of the Irish Palatines for future generations.
Irish Palatine Event
The Irish Palatine Association Ltd.,
Old Railway Buildings, Rathkeale,
Co. Limerick, Ireland.
Tel. +353 (0)69 63511
e-mail: info@irishpalatines.org
www.irishpalatines.org
In 1709 several hundred families of German
origin settled in Ireland. Known as the
Palatines, they established roots mainly in
Counties Limerick, Kerry, Tipperary and
Wexford. From there they emigrated to many
parts of the English-speaking world including
Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand
and the United States of America.
Directors* and Committee :
Austin Bovenizer *Patrick Coleman *Dan Neville * Audrey Ruttle *Lorna Shier *
Christy Switzer *Padraig Hanley Dr. Gisela Holfter, Rev. D.A. Levistone Cooney ,Helen Mulcahy
Ellen O’Brien and Niall Wes
Preserving the memory & history of the Irish Palatines for future generations.
Irish
Palatine
Event
The Irish Palatine Association Ltd.,
Old Railway Buildings, Rathkeale,
Co. Limerick, Ireland.
Tel. +353 (0)69 63511
e-mail: info@irishpalatines.org
www.irishpalatines.org
In 1709 several hundred families of German
origin settled in Ireland. Known as the
Palatines, they established roots mainly in
Counties Limerick, Kerry, Tipperary and
Wexford. From there they emigrated to many
parts of the English-speaking world including
Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand
and the United States of America.
Directors* and Committee :
Austin Bovenizer *
Patrick Coleman *
Dan Neville *
Audrey Ruttle *
Lorna Shier *
Christy Switzer *
Padraig Hanley
Dr. Gisela Holfter
Rev. D.A. Levistone Cooney
Helen Mulcahy
Ellen O’Brien
Niall West
The Irish Palatine Association is a limited company with
Charitable status.
Registered in Ireland at above address. 210149.
CHY10930
Irish Palatine Weekend Event Autumn 2018
September 28th - 1st October 2018
The Irish Palatine Association will host a mini event over the weekend
Friday evening 28th September to the morning of Monday 1st. October. The gathering will be based at the Rathkeale House Hotel and will commence with a welcome dinner on the Friday evening. Over the course of the weekend we will visit the important local Irish Palatine sites on the three original parent colonies and hopefully meet up with some of the local descendants. We will also be visiting the secondary colonies of Ballymacelligott and Ballyseedy in County Kerry. We will be joining the congregations of Tralee and Ballymacelligott Church of Ireland for morning service and meet up with those of Palatine heritage there. Pádraig O’Concubhair author of a number of books on subjects relating to the Palatines will give a talk on the Kerry Palatines in the Church and we will have a banquet at Ballyseedy Castle, home to the landlords who invited the Palatines onto their lands in the
eighteenth century.
The programme will be inter dispersed with some other interesting talks. Dr. Paddy Waldron on Reconstructing Limerick family histories using DNA and Dr. Hermann Rasche on the social, economic situation of the Palatines at the time of their departure from their German homeland (the various reasons for leaving and related aspects), before they settled in Ireland and further afield.
ARDAGH NEWS July 2018
St Kieran’s Heritage Association held their monthly meeting in Ardagh Heritage Centre on Thursday July 5 and 18 people were present. Chairperson John P O’Sullivan opened the proceedings, and Secretary Mary Kury read the minutes, and dealt with the correspondence received since the previous meeting. Paul Moriarty outlined the progress made for the Outdoor Play (The last Druid) which will be staged on Saturday September 29. The play tells the story of the loss of the Ardagh Chalice, and the subsequent events as they unfolded. The individual family squares for the parish quilt was on show as well as the school pupil’s art work, and all are very impressive looking. Sunday July 15 is the final day for accepting squares, and if people have problems they can contact Mary on 087-9282462. The completed quilt will be unveiled on Friday September 21, the opening night of the festival.
Theresa Doyle McMahon, brought a lovely art framed painting of the Ardagh Chalice (plus others) which will be a prize on the night of the Church Concert on the closing night of the festival. This concert has a very interesting line up thanks to Theresa and others and commences at 8pm. On Sunday September 16 a concert featuring local musicians will be held in Ardagh Community Centre. This will be recorded by personnel from R.T.E. for their Céilí House programme, which is scheduled to go out on air the following Saturday September 22. The Ardagh Chalice 150 Programme of events covering the final two weekends of September was discussed at length and changes made during the meeting.
The association are holding three events during August which should be of interest to members of the public. First up is the Unveiling of the Bishop Lacy Stone at Ardagh Graveyard Mass at the Millennium Altar and Pattern at St Molua’s Well on Friday August 3 from 6.30pm. This will be followed by a talk by Dr Salvador Michael Ryan of Maynooth in the Community Centre. On Sunday August 5 a 12k walk from Bishop Lacy’s birthplace Dromadda, Athea to Ardagh Community Centre will be held. A bus will ferry the people from Ardagh at 12 noon to the start, and the route will take in the Booster Station Rooska, Ballyine, Old Mill Dunganville, and Ardagh. On Thursday August 23 a talk by Dr Bill O’Brien U.C.C. will be held in the Community Centre at 7.30pm. The title is Ballylin Hill Fort the Bronze Age Capital of Limerick and it will be followed by tea and cake. This event is in association with Heritage week. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday August 1 at 8pm in Ardagh Heritage Centre.
May 28, 2018
Bishop of Limerick reacts to 'deeply regrettable' referendum decision
In a message read out at Masses across the Limerick diocese this Sunday, Bishop Brendan Leahy described the result of the referendum as “deeply regrettable and chilling” for those who voted no.
In his message, the Bishop also acknowledged that each person’s political position on the matter was “ultimately borne out of care.”
There will be people here who voted to repeal the 8th amendment and people who voted to protect the 8th amendment. As I said last week Ireland is a compassionate country, that we are a compassionate people. Those who voted no did so with compassion particularly for the unborn child. Those who voted yes did so with an eye particularly on the mother carrying that child.
Of course, the Church treasures life above all else and that extends to life in the womb. That’s a core value Christians promote. Ever before the Referendum, it was a core value and it will remain so. The result, in that context, is deeply regrettable and chilling for those of us who voted “no”. The final result of the Referendum is the will of the majority of the people, though not all the people.
It is a vote, of course, that does not change our position. Our message is one of love; love for all, love for life, for those with us today, for those in the womb.
And God’s love is there also for those on both sides of the Referendum campaign.
I have already expressed my gratitude to all who were missionaries for life and actively gave of their time and energy to promote the cause of life. They dedicated themselves to the task with care, listening and sensitivity. I am grateful too that, in general, the debate was largely respectful.
Nevertheless, we have a society that has been very much divided by this referendum. I recognise that both sides on the divide ultimately approached the campaign driven by a sense of care. We may not agree with each other’s position and while much analysis can and will need to be done, I acknowledge in general each person’s political position was ultimately borne out of care. We must try to recognise that commonality for the opportunity that it is. Yes, we have political differences on this matter but ultimately we care. So let’s work unflinchingly to find a way to care together. And let’s do so guided by Pope Francis’ words, “Do not let yourselves be robbed of hope!”. God knows how to draw good out of all situations.
During this debate we heard many stories of women who have made the stark decision to end life in the womb. They were women in crisis pregnancies or women in dreadful circumstances; victims of sexual violence or those who have been given dreadful news regarding the viability of the baby in the womb, a baby they dearly want. Or women whose lives are put at risk by an imminent child birth.
While the Church’s position is that life in or out of the womb is to be protected, it is only right that we have heard these stories and got a sense of women’s immense pain and distress. So often, women were left on their own at that time, perhaps with the support only of a friend, perhaps immediate family. But not much else.
A message we can take, therefore, from the stories we’ve heard is that we have ultimately failed them as a society if we allow them to be isolated. We need to engender more coherently a society of care, a society of support so that the default for women in these circumstances is to turn to that society and know that it wraps them in a blanket of love and support. That it is there for them in this difficult time and that it does not judge them.
Something I felt absent from the conversation, perhaps understandable in the heat of a debate like this, is how are we arriving in a situation of so many unwanted pregnancies. It is a conversation for another day.
I ask you all to pray for healing in our society, for a coming together in love and care and compassion, for mothers, for babies, for young, for old. On this Trinity Sunday, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to give us the spirit of unity that we need. We have unquestionably been divided in many respects as a society over recent years by pivotal political decisions but we must begin to heal and to remember that we are one, not two societies. Together we are, indeed, better. We are a nation. And we are a family.
Which brings me to my final thought; the family. We cherish family in Ireland today the same as we did on Friday. We love family. We unite as a family. In August, we will unite as a family, to renew that sense of family when the World Meeting of Families comes here. We have the privilege of Pope Francis coming and today I cannot think of his visit being more timely; to come here and remind us of the importance of family, of the love we have of family, of the reality that, yes, families get bruised sometimes but they should never be broken. So we go forward to that moment, we look forward to the healing it will bring and how we will be renewed again in love and care for one another.
Brendan Leahy (1960- )
Bishop Brendan Leahy was born in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin on March 28, 1960. He is the third of four children born to Maurice and Treasa Leahy, both of whom originated in West Kerry and were teachers in Dublin (in the 1940s Bishop Brendan’s father taught for a year in Athea, Co. Limerick where he is still remembered for the football skills he exhibited in the local team that won a championship at that time). Though a “Dub”, Brendan realises there is much of Kerry in him as he spent long periods each year in Ballyferriter.
Bishop Brendan’s family lived for several years in Crumlin parish, Dublin, where he was baptised, made his first communion and was confirmed. Though the family moved to Ballyroan, Rathfarnham when Brendan was six years old, he continued to attend St. Damian’s National school in Crumlin where his parents were school principals. In 1970 he took part with a group of other boys from that parish in a week-long summer camp run by the Salesians in Pallaskenry. It was his first time away from home and he enjoyed it greatly.He remembers the Salesians’ kindness, good fun and ability to introduce them to a greater understanding of the Mass. During these early years, Brendan attended the College of Music Chatham Row, Dublin, where he studied music theory and piano.
Diocesan Administrator: Tony Mullins (1959- )
The Very Rev. Tony Mullins was born on the 20 April 1959 and is a native of Ardagh parish. He studied in St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from 1977 to 1983. On the 12 June 1983, he was ordained in Ardagh and sent on loan to the Archdiocese of Armagh, where he was appointed C.C., St. Peter’s, Drogheda, Co. Louth. He returned to Limerick and was appointed C.C., St. Mary’s, on the 12 November 1984 and appointed spiritual director of St. Munchin’s College in March 1985. In July 1987, he was appointed C.C., St. John’s and remained as spiritual director in St. Munchin’s College. On the 2 September 1995, he was selected as Adm. St John’s Cathedral and on the 19 August 1998 he was appointed V.F. of the newly-created vicariate of St. John’s. In 1999, he took a sabbatical, Renewal for Ministry, at All Hallows. On the 21 September 2000, he was appointed diocesan secretary, taking on the role of diocesan financial administrator in 2001. On the 4 September 2004, he was appointed Parish Priest of Dromin/Athlacca, continuing on a part-time basis as diocesan secretary until December 2005. In March 2009, he was appointed a Pastoral Area Leader (Vicar Forane). Elected by the Limerick diocesan college of consultors to administer the diocese pending the appointment of a bishop, Fr. Mullins confirmed his acceptance of the post of Diocesan Administrator and notified the Apostolic Nuncio on the 22 December 2009.
- Video: Fr Tony Mullins delivers the homily at the Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Leahy in April 2013
Newcastle West History
http://www.limerickdioceseheritage.org/Newcastlewest/chNCW.htm
HISTORY of ARDAGH Co Limerick 2017 by MARY KURY
The book has over 400 illustrations Inc. Pics, maps and documents. Also contains many stories, poems and lots of history.
Appendices Inc a survey of forts taken between 1960 and 1980, a list of townlands mentioned in the text with heads of household in the Tithe Applotments, Griffiths Valuation, 1901, 1911 census and land registry deed where available, West Limerick Brigade rolls, Fenian statements and more poems.
More a dictionary than a fun read.
SACRISTON Retires. Note from Tom Aherne January 2017.
Eileen O’Connor the Sacristan in St Mary’s Church in Carrigkerry has retired from her role after 22 years of dedicated and selfless service. Her winning smile, welcome and friendly presence will be sorely missed by all who pass through its elevated doors. She took over from the Quinn family Paddy, Mary, and John, who retired after giving approximately 30 years’ service between the three of them. The interior of the church was kept neat and tidy and was a credit to her professional approach to her duties.
The role of the Church Sacristan often goes unnoticed in a parish and the persons work may be taken for granted. They work side by side with the resident priests who acknowledge their valued and dedicated service. It is a 365 day a year job with no weekends off or annual holidays. The majority of the work is done behind the scenes, and out of sight of the public. It reminds me of the final two lines from the poem, If God should go on Strike:
We don’t care whom we hurt or harm to gain the things we like,
But what a mess we’d all be in if God should go on strike.
If the Sacristan went on strike the doors of the Church would remain closed and the Angelus Bell unrung. They assist in the life cycle from birth to death and touch the lives of all sections of the congregation. They are there in joyful and sad times to lend their support to all and especially the priest whose work load has increased greatly since their numbers have decreased. Their yearly collection is scant reward for the unselfish and dedicated commitment to their local community. No pension follows the role unlike other professions that demand grossly inflated figures. Sacristans never make the national headlines but for me they are amongst the real unsung heroes of our country.
Fr Dan Lane parish priest in Ardagh/Carrigkerry was instrumental in securing Eileen’s service in 1994. She possessed all the right qualities to take on the demanding role, being outgoing, friendly and a people’s person whose social skills matched the job speck. She was living close to the Church following the family’s return from England in 1980.
Eileen had worked in a School canteen during her time in England and her work ethic was well known. It was a short term contract of six week’s but she fitted the role like a glove and weeks became years, as other priests came and went. The priests that passed through included Fr Pat Mc Bride, Fr Michael Irwin, Fr Paddy Bowen, Fr Larry Madden, Fr Tim Curtin, and the present Fr Michael Noonan.
Eileen took immense pride in her work, and she was very particular about having everything correct and to detail. She looked after all the church cleaning, washing of cloths and altar decorations. She went above and beyond the call of duty using her own materials to cut down on costs.
She enjoyed many highlights during her term, including the visits of Bishop Magee, Murray, and Leahy, and the numerous visiting priests. She had a special fondness for Fr Phonsie Cullinan, who is now Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.
Eileen was at the forefront of the 125th Anniversary celebrations at Saint Mary’s Church in August 2003. Her welcoming face was a reassuring presence for clergy and the many people who attended.
Eileen will have more time to enjoy her favourite pastimes now, and her love and guidance for her grandchildren will further enrich their progress through life. She has her son Patrick for company and great friends to share her pastimes with.
Eileen enjoys her weekly trips to the Desmond Complex in Newcastle West, and the Tuesday Social Club in Ardagh. She is immersed in the traditional ways of enjoyment with music, singing and dancing close to her heart. Her late husband Sean was a very talented singer and dancer, and the family returned each Christmas to participate in the Wren.
On behalf of all associated with Saint Mary’s church I would like to thank Eileen and her family for 22 years of sincere and dedicated service. Eileen enjoy your well-deserved retirement, and good health and fortune. You will have extra time to watch Television, and to follow all the reality shows, and your favourite soccer team Manchester United. We will miss your friendly presence in the sacristy and the sunshine in your smile.
Glin Born, remembers in Dec 2016. From Glin News
Denis Lane, known as Din, was the second youngest of seven children. His mother Elizabeth Faley was a farmer’s daughter from Killeaney just south of Glin. As a young woman she emigrated to Pittsburgh where two of her sisters and two of her brothers were living.[iii] She found work in a hotel but when word arrived from Ireland that her mother had taken ill, she took the momentous decision to return to her homeland.
In 1909 she married Paddy Lane, a farm labourer and Limerick county council worker who lived at Carrickkerry in Glensharrold, West Limerick. In 1888, when Paddy was a boy, Glensharrold had experienced one of the darkest episodes of the Land Wars when mounted troopers cleared over 25 tenants out of the townland. Paddy and Elizabeth settled in the townland of Clonoughter outside Glin where they raised six boys and a girl.[iv]
ARDAGH LIMERICK NEWSPAPERS
LIMERICK INFO
Limerick Leader 1905-current, Saturday, July 14, 1934; Page: 4
M0UNTC0lLINS NOTES
(From Our Correspondent.)
Congratulations.
Hearty congratulations are extended to Miss Anastasia Harnett on her securing the degree of B.Comm. at the recent examination at the University College, Cork. She is daughter of Mr. Patrick Harnett, Cragg, Mountcollins, and Gardenfield, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick. Another brilliant student Is Mr. Eddie E Sheehan, of Brosna, Co. Kerry, who last year obtained his B.A. degree, and
on whom last week the .degree ,of H.Dip. in Ed. was conferred.
Victory Parade. On Thursday night last Fianna Fail celebrated its victory at the recent local elections by a torchlight procession, headed by the Mountcollins-Rockchapel Pipers' Band, in this village. Mr. Mossy Harnett, M.C.C., Tournafulla, who headed the poll in the Newcastle West area, delivered a rousing address, amidst loud cheers from the large crowd assembled. Mr. Patrick McCarthy, N.T., M.C.C., Abbeyfeale, also spoke and received an enthusiastic reception.
An effigy of General O'Duffy was publicly burned amidst loud and prolonged cheers, a member of the crowd remarking. There goes the champion of the British market.
Now that the principal portion of the village street is steamrolled and tarred it is a pity that the hedges bordering certain parts of the street are not trimmed. It is very ugly and shows utter carelessness and a lack of civic pride to allow these hedges to grow wild. They destroy the beauty of the village and are injurious to the roadway as well. It is to be hoped that when the rush of the harvest season is over owners will trim these hedges and so help in a small way at least to add to the beauty of the village.
Appointments. Mr. Patrick P. Harnett and Mr. Thomas L. Harnett, of Cragg, Mountcollins, have been appointed Inspectors under the Beet Scheme,
The Elections.The local-elections are now over and the people have made their choice in the elected representatives to the Councils. There is no good in trying to apportion blame for the defeat of certain candidates The elections turned out to be a straight fight between the two big parties in a political issue, with Labour suffering a big defeat in the Newcastle West area. The defeat of Mr. P. M. O'Connor, Cahir Hayes, Abbeyfeale, who went forward as an Independent, is very much regretted. Mr. O'Connor faithfully represented this area on the public Boards of the County during the past 20 years. He was formerly a member of the old Board of Guardians and District Council. He was also Vice-Chairman of the Limerick County Board of Health. The good he has done will be long remembered and his defeat can be attributed to the fact that the elections were fought on the political issue as between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.
The election of Mr. Mossy Harnett, M.C.C, Tournafulla, at the head of the poll has given entire satisfaction in this area. Space will not allow me to deal with the activities of Mr. Harnett on behalf of Ireland from 1916 onwards down to the present day. He is a brother-inlaw to Mr. Maurice Walsh, who is a native of North Kerry, the famous author, and whose books, "The Key Above The Door," "Blackcock's Feather," and others, are read by thousands both in Ireland and England. His latest book, dealing with gipsy life, and the scenes laid in Kerry, received a very favourable review recently. It is a book that should be in every home.
INJURED
Stanley Woods, the famous Irish motor cyclist, is suffering from a peculiar injury to his left hand, which will prevent him racing for the remainder of the present season. The bone of his forearm is dislocated—an injury which in most cases is fatal. The injury happened in Holland a fortnight ago, but he is being treated by surgeons in Dublin.
TENNIS
A BIG INCREASE IN OUR GROWING POPULATION
The population of the Irish Free State in the middle of the present year was, according to the quarterly return of marriages, births and deaths, which has just been issued by the authority of the Registrar-General, estimated as 3,014,000 persons ' (comprising 1,535,000 males and 1,479,000 females), showing an increase of 22,000 on the estimate to the middle of 1933. This increase is officially accounted for by the natural increase—excess of births over deaths—and the excess of immigration over emigration.
What are the 1641 Depositions?
The 1641 Depositions (Trinity College Dublin, MSS 809-841) are witness testimonies mainly by Protestants, but also by some Catholics, from all social backgrounds, concerning their experiences of the 1641 Irish rebellion. The testimonies document the loss of goods, military activity, and the alleged crimes committed by the Irish insurgents, including assault, stripping, imprisonment and murder. This body of material is unparalleled anywhere in early modern Europe, and provides a unique source of information for the causes and events surrounding the 1641 rebellion and for the social, economic, cultural, religious, and political history of seventeenth-century Ireland, England and Scotland.
Deposition of Pierce Lacy, 18/3/1643, MS 829 170r, Pierce Lacy, Deponent, Limerick
7/12/1642 MS 829 136r Richard Lacky Deponent Limerick
3/9/1642 MS 829 192r John Broder Deponent Limerick
Deposition of Oliuer Williams 9/12/1642 MS 829 182r Oliuer Williams Deponent Limerick
of Richard Doore 2/1/1643 MS 829 206r Richard Doore Deponent Limerick
of John ffreeman 8/11/1642 MS 829 220r John ffreeman Deponent Limerick
of Richard Welsh 8/3/1643 MS 829 218r Richard Welsh Deponent, Limerick
Deposition of ffaieth Grady 2/2/1643,MS 829 209r, ffaieth Standish, Deponent, Limerick.
Deposition of John Manning, 0/0/1642, MS 829 214r, John Manning, Deponent, Limerick
Deposition of undated MS 829 215r, William Lane, Debtor
John ffreeman, 8/11/1642, MS 829 220r , John ffreeman , Deponent, Limerick
of Donnell Whittle, 12/3/1643, MS 829 226r, Donnell Whittle, Deponent , Limerick
of Dermod Grady, 19/11/1642, MS 829 295r, Dermod Grady, Deponent ,Limerick
of Joseph Keanes, 29/3/1643, MS 829 314r, Joseph Keanes, Deponent, Limerick
of Richard Dore, 28/3/1643, MS 829 338r, Richard Dore ,Deponent, Limerick
of William Blake, 18/3/1643, MS 829 332r, William Blake, Deponent, Limerick
of Anthony Sherwyn, 2/12/1653 , MS 829 377r, Richard o Donoghe, Victim, Limerick
of Murtagh O Brien, 11/11/1652, MS 829 365r, Murtagh o Brien, Deponent, Limerick
of John o Cullane 14/11/1652, MS 829 366r, John o Cullane, Deponent, Limerick
of Adam White 13/9/1652, MS 829 367r , Adam White, Deponent, Limerick
of Bartholomew Brookman 25/5/1654, MS 829 393r, Lieutenant Generall Purrell , Rebel, Limerick.
of Christopher Webb, 7/3/1654, MS 829 387r, Oliuer Stephenson, Rebel ,Cork.
History Dore Family
http://limerickcity.ie/media/limerick%20families%2010.pdf
http://www.limerickcity.ie/Library/LocalStudies/LocalStudiesFiles/W/Writers-GeneralNon-Fiction/
Timothy O’Neill Lane (1852–1915)
Barrington’s Hospital Great Limerick Run on Sunday, May 3. 2015
list of the charities the miles are dedicated to: Mile 1: Sophie’s Journey Foundation (in memory of the late Sophie Mulcahy); Mile 2: Limerick City Fire & Rescue; Mile 3: LAW Limerick Animal Welfare; Mile 4: Grow Ireland Mental Health Limerick; Mile 5: Focus Ireland for Thomond House Limerick; Mile 6: Dóchas Limerick (Hope for people with Autism); Mile 7: CSPP Suicide Prevention Limerick / Pieta House; Mile 8: Rape Crisis Midwest; Mile 9: Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation; Mile 10: Irish Children’s Arthritis Network; Mile 11: Mid-West Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association; Mile 12: Zondra Meaney Treatment Fund; Mile 13: Limerick Red Cross; Mile 14: MS Mid-West; Mile 15: Cliona’s Foundation Limerick; Mile 16: Donal Walsh Foundation; Mile 17: Ian’s Trust To the Moon & Back – in memory of Ian Bean Cusack, who passed away on August 17; Mile 18: St Gabriel’s School; Mile 19: Friends of A (Adrienne Hussey) – in memory of Adrienne who died on January 19, 2012. Mile 20: ADAPT House Limerick; Mile 21: Injured Jockeys Limerick; Mile 22: Midwest Miscarriage; Mile 23: Limerick Land Rescue Team; Mile 24: Clare’s Wish Foundation; Mile 25: Milford Hospice and Mile 26: Headway.
: Bill Mockler (b. 1901) Bill Mockler (b. 1901)
Interview location: Tournafulla, West Limerick
Audio series: Kerry county, seventh series
Product ID: CDKY07-17
Subject: The 1916-23 Troubles
Recorded by: Maurice O'Keeffe - Irish Life and Lore
Recording date: 2001
Length: 53:14
Track 1. Bill Mockler talks about his background and his early years in Mount Plummer, Co. Limerick. He was born in Broadford and he recalls his schooldays and his first job, driving a pony and trap for the local doctor. He describes his local knowledge about the Moonlighters and the days of the Land League. He joined the local IRA, was arrested by the Black and Tans and he details the subsequent harassment of his parents. He recalls the days of the Fight for Freedom and describes his reluctance to continue with the struggle after 1921. Track 2. He remembers the burning of houses locally by the Black and Tans. The dreadful accidental fire in 1927 at Drumcollogher picture house is also recalled.The introduction of the wireless is remembered, as is Canon Begley, summers staying in a lodging house at Ballybunion and going to the Listowel races. Track 3. Drawing the hay and the harvest night celebrations, butter- making and meal bread are also recalled. Bill explains that he witnessed the partial burning of Springfield Castle, Broadford, owned by Lord Muskerry, in 1921. To conclude, he talks about settling in Tournafulla and of cycling right up into he was in his late 80s. ?
http://www.irishlifeandlore.com/index.html
Ballyloughane School Reunion
Catholic Press 18 July 1912
Mrs. Elizabeth Cahill.
Mrs. Elizabeth Cahill recently died at the residence of her son, Mr. Patrick Cahill, at Campbelltown. She was in her 95th year, and was born at Glenmore, Newcastle West, County Limerick, Ireland. Some 40 years ago she landed in Australia with her late husband, Mr. Michael Cahill, of Menangle, who passed, away six years ago, and family, who have lived for the greater part of the intervening period in the district. During her illness, which was lingering, she was attended by the Rev. Father J. Dunne, P.P., who administered the Last Rites of the Church. Her ten children were at the death bed. The remains were interred in the Catholic Cemetery at Campbelltown, Father Dunne officiating at the grave. The funeral was one of the largest seen in the district. — R.I.P.
Irish National League.Carrickerry Branch
The Rev. J. Ambrose presided. The case of Maurice Culhane whose cattle were seized on by his landlord, was considered, when it was proposed by Denis Lynch and seconded by Denis Liston ; “That having considered the case of Mrs. Widow T. Culhane and her treatment at the hands of her landlords, Mr. Alexander Tallis Yielding and Mrs. Hugh Yielding (the wife of Mr. Hugh E. Yielding of Newpark, Croagh, in the county of Limerick), we respectfully ask the committee of the Kilcoman branch of the League to afford us an opportunity for a consultation with a view to bringing public opinion to bear upon the landlords for their action in accumulating costs to the amount of £18 upon a rent of £25, in seizing only £50 or £60 worth of cattle to satisfy same.”
“That the Rev. Chairman be deputed to communicate with the Kilcolman branch to arrange time and place of proposed conference which he very kindly consented to do”
Taken from “The Munster News and Limerick and Clare Advocate”,
April 2, 1887.
http://www.from-ireland.net/bog-bursts-limerick-1697/
A.D. 1697, June 7th. Kapanihane Bog, Co. Limerick, near Charleville:
Described in a letter dated June 7th, 1697:
\”On the 7th day of June, 1697, near Charleville, in the County of Limerick, in Ireland, a great Rumbling, or faint Noise was heard in the Earth, much like unto a Sound of Thunder near spent ; for a little Space the Air was somewhat troubled with little Whisking Winds, coming to meet contrary Ways: and soon after that, to the greater Terror and Afrightment of a great Number of Spectators, a more wonderful thing happened ; for in a Bog stretching North and South, the Earth began to more, viz. Meadow and Pasture Land that lay on the side of the Bog, and separated by an extraordinary large Ditch, and other Land on the further side adjoining to it; and a Rising, or Little Hill in the middle of the Bog thereupon sunk flat.
This Motion began about Seven of the Clock in the Evening, fluctuating in its Motion like Waves, the Pasture-Land rising very high, so that it over-run the Ground beneath it, and moved upon its Surface, rowling on with great pushing Violence, till it covered the Meadow, and held to remain upon it 16 Feet.
In the Motion of this Earth, it drew after it the Body of the Bog, part of it lying on the Place where the Pasture-Land that moved out of its Place it had before stood; leaving great Breaches behind it, and Spewings of Water that cast up noisom Vapours : And so it continues at present, to the great Wonderment of those that pass by, or come many Miles to be Eye-witnesses of so strange a thing.\”
This communication was accompanied by a map and detailed description by John Honohane.
Ref: Philosophical Transactions, vol. Ixi, pp.714-716, October, 1697; & Boate, Molyneux and others, a Natural History of Ireland, 1755, p. 113
A.D. 1708. Castlegarde Bog, County Limerick.- The Castlegarde bog, or as it was then called Poulevard, moved along a valley and buried three houses containing about twenty-one persons. It was a mile long, a quarter mile broad, and about 20 feet deep in some parts. It ran for several miles, crossed the high road at Doon, broke, through several bridges, and flowed into the Lough of Coolpish.
Ref: Dublin Evening Telegraph, 2nd January 1897
A.D. 1840, January.- Bog of Farrtindoyle, Kanturk, Co. Cork.
The bog was 10 feet in thickness, resting on a substratum of yellow-clay; the pent-up water underrmined a prodigious mass of bog, and bore it buoyantly on its surface; twenty acres of valuable meadow were covered, and a cottage: was propelled and engulfed ; a quarter of a mile of the road from Kanturk to Williamstown was covered 12 to 30 feet deep.
Ref: Freemans journal, January 3, 1840 (copied from the Cork Standard)
Kelly NCW and Shaughnessy Fleamore death 7-6-1910
http://www.limerickcity.ie/media/06%2007%20kelly,%20oshaughnessy.pdf
Leonard NCW
http://www.limerickcity.ie/media/09%2008%20leonard.pdf
Kentucky Irish American. Louisville, Ky. October 14, 1899,
Thomas Ahern, a shopkeeper residing at Maiden street, Newcastle West, was
brought before Thomas Hurley, Justice of the Peace, and charged with taking
forcible possession' of premises from which he had been evicted the previous
day. The accused stated he was evicted illegally. He was remanded to next petty
sessions, bail being accepted.
Papers
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1898-03-14/ed-1/seq-9/#date1=1836&index=12&rows=20&words=Ballybunion+County+Kerry&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=ballybunion+county+kerry&y=13&x=15&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
Dail
http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/plweb-cgi/fastweb?state_id=1384944206&view=oho-view&docrank=87&numhitsfound=155&query=athea&query_rule=%28%28$query1%29%3C%3DDATE%3C%3D%28$query2%29%29%20AND%20%28%28$query4%29%29%3ASPEAKER%20AND%20%28%28$query5%29%29%3Aheading%20AND%20%28%28$query6%29%29%3ACATEGORY%20AND%20%28%28$query3%29%29%3Ahouse%20AND%20%28%28$query7%29%29%3Avolume%20AND%20%28%28$query8%29%29%3Acolnumber%20AND%20%28%28$query%29%29&docid=357230&docdb=Debates&dbname=Debates&starthit=75&sorting=none&operator=and&TemplateName=predoc.tmpl&setCookie=1
Dáil Éireann - Volume 495 - 14 October, 1998
Adjournment Debate. - Fodder Crisis.
Mr. Neville: Many farmers in west Limerick are in danger of losing their livelihoods if there is no intervention to alleviate the crisis brought on by the disastrous summer. Will the Minister immediately introduce measures to alleviate the crisis in a large area of west Limerick? In this area only 58 per cent of the fodder required has been harvested and 11 per cent of farmers surveyed by the IFA have less than 30 per cent of their fodder harvested.
The extent of the crisis can no longer be ignored. The excellent survey conducted by the IFA exposes in stark detail the terrible situation being experienced by farmers in Athea, Glin, Shanagolden, Ballyhahill, Ardagh, Newcastle West, Templeglantine, Tournafulla, Mount Collins and Abbeyfeale. The land in this area is very wet, cattle have been indoors for as long as two months, and farmers have been unable to sell those cattle because of the prices. There are also difficulties in other areas of the county which must be addressed.
The crisis forced farmers to graze 31 per cent of silage fields from which silage is not now available. Thirteen per cent of farmers were forced to use winter fodder prematurely. All farmers stated that the quality of the fodder saved is poor. There has been a fall-off of 10 per cent in milk yields, and 18 per cent of farmers were forced to destock as a result of the bad weather. Thirty-nine per cent of those surveyed had not sourced winter feed. The estimated drop in the income of farmers in the area for 1998 is 26 per cent. The drastic situation needs urgent action and ministerial intervention.
A multi-faceted approach is necessary to enable affected farmers to survive. This must involve the Department of Agriculture and Food, the co-operatives, banks, the Revenue Commissioners and community services. I fully endorse the following proposals which have been made by the Irish Farmers' Association: the immediate payment of headage to include a once-off increase; REPS payments to be made immediately without inspections; a reduction in the retention period for suckler cow and beef premia so that farmers who are forced to destock before the end of the period will not lose premia; the cost of feed and fertiliser to be reduced — the cost of nitrogen has increased by between £10 and £20 in recent weeks; improved credit terms from the co-operatives and dairies; banks to give special credit terms to farmers who are finding it difficult to make repayments — the Minister should open negotiation with the banks on this issue immediately; superlevy bills to be deferred [406] by dairies for at least 12 months — the Minister should raise this issue with the dairies; dairies to refund penalties made where work was not carried out under the dairy hygiene regulations.
The £10 million which has been proposed for the farmers will be useless. It will be worth roughly £400 to each affected farmer and will buy only 20 round bales of silage. How does the Minister of State propose to distribute the £10 million? We have not seen any proposal yet as to how this will be distributed.
The freefall in cattle prices this week is nothing short of frightening, but the freefall of the Government inaction is a disgrace. Some animals are worth £250 less than a year ago, with some values falling by £170 per head since last June. The Minister's answer is to get 592 tonnes of meat into intervention over the next fortnight, which is equivalent to 1,800 cattle, when 40,000 cattle will be offered for sale in the same period. Even more frightening is the fact that some farmers put cattle through the mart ring yesterday and did not get a realistic bid.
I agree with Deputy Connaughton's statement, which he could not make in the Dáil yesterday, that the initial enthusiasm for the much sought after live cattle trade to Libya has now turned to deep seated anger as farmers have not been told by the Minister why there is a hold up, or if this market will reopen in the near future.
What is the exact position with the Iranian market? The Minister should intervene on the basis of the IFA survey and its proposals to alleviate the situation in County Limerick.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food (Mr. N. O'Keeffe): I am pleased to reply to this motion and I thank Deputy Neville for raising such an important issue. I fully accept that significant hardship will be created on many individual farms in the areas most adversely affected by weather conditions. I do not need to labour the point on the weather situation this summer and the persistent rainfall. In the peaty and heavy clay soil areas of certain counties, the capability of farmers to make adequate silage and hay was greatly reduced. While the situation improved significantly in many areas in August, and while the two week dry spell in September was very important, fodder difficulties exist in a number of areas. In addition, farmers in such areas have had great difficulty allowing animals to graze such lands and many animals have already been brought indoors, further exacerbating the winter fodder difficulties.
The Government identified the fodder crisis and the weather-related problems. In early August I was invited by many Deputies to visit areas and see at first hand the difficulties that had arisen. Deputy Neville's constituency was one of the first I visited. I was in places such as Carrigkerry and Ardagh where I saw for myself the problems in that heavy soil. I fully understand the situation. I also visited north Kerry and since then I have been to many other areas to see the situation [407] at first hand. The Deputy need have no fear about our understanding of the problem, although we did not bring about the heavy rainfall of 16 inches that created it.
Dail 1 Dec. 1981, Land Commission
747. Mr. A. Noonan (Limerick West) asked the Minister for Agriculture the lands acquired by the Land Commission in County Limerick; and when they propose to divide them.
Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Dukes): The information requested is set out in the following table:
[665][666] Particulars of lettable lands (apart from insignificant residues of partly allotted properties) in possession of the Land Commission for division in County Limerick
Estate Record Number Townland Approximate Location Area on hands Hectares
Bluett EEC/U.C.6796 Ballyshonikin 4 miles south of Kilmallock 13
*Bourke S.29779 Tulla 13 miles south-east of Kilmallock 17
*Broderick S.27910 Caher 3.5 miles south of Abbeyfeale 20
Clery S.30051 Gormanstown 4 miles south-east of Bruff 23
Curtin EEC/U.C.6700 Mountcollins 6 miles south-east of Abbeyfeale 17
*Curtin M.13132 Dromtrasna Sth. 4 miles south-east of Abbeyfeale 16
Daly Stack S.29248X Farrihy etc. 3 miles west of Drumcollogher 4
Danagher S.27546 Knockfinnish 4 miles east of Athea 4
*Danagher EEC/U.C.6444 Athea Upper 7 miles north of Abbetfeale 11
Dore S.29665 Rathcahill West 6 miles east of Abbeyfeale 37
Flynn S.29846 Rodskagh East 5 miles of Newcastle West 11
McCormick S.29506 Ballynahingh 2 miles south-west of Knocklong 6
Normile S.29219 Tooraree Upper 6 miles south-east of Glin 12
*O'Connor EEC/U.C.6742 Caher 4 miles south of Abbeyfeale 16
*O'Dea S.29717 Annagh 1 mile north of Galbally 33
O'Malley S.29757 Boolanlisheen 6 miles north of Mitchelstown 12
Segag Montifiori S.29678 Garroose 6 miles north of Rathluirk 36
Woulfe S.29865 Cratloe East etc. 3 miles north of Abbeyfeale 37
(i) It is not possible to state when all the properties listed will be disposed of but it is hoped that those marked with an asterisk will be wholly or partly allotted within the next six months or so.
KERRY Fodder shortage
Dáil Éireann - Volume 494 - 30 September, 1998
Mr. Deenihan: It is not an overstatement to say there is a total confidence deficit in Irish agriculture at present. I will not exaggerate the despair and anger which is there. The lack of confidence in the future of agriculture is manifested in the decline in the number of young people applying for places in agricultural colleges this year. They are turning their backs on the family farms.
The fodder crisis was well signalled in June and July. Thousands of farmers attempted to salvage their winter fodder in the worst weather conditions since 1946. They realised they were on their own and no-one gave a damn until they marched in Dublin. I welcome the £10 million aid package. However, it is a derisory amount considering there is a surplus of £800 million.
A Teagasc survey in County Kerry found that a significant percentage of farmers have no winter fodder. I met some of these farmers. They will have to give up farming and no-one cares. Between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of farmers will be far short of their fodder requirement next winter. The average costs for them to meet their fodder requirement, whether round bales or feed, is £4,000. If 4,000 farmers in Kerry have this problem, where will £10 million go?
There is despair among farmers. We need direction in the form of a local policy from co-ops and a national policy which we do not have at present. We have a European policy which we cannot get away from. There is no intervention whatsoever. As regards a rural development policy document, I established a strategy group which led to a report which will be used in that document. I went to Cabinet and received approval for a rural development policy White Paper. That is where it started. I wish Deputy Davern the best of luck with it. I will give him support and some good ideas.
Mr. Sheehan: I am absolutely amazed that the Minister has not realised the serious situation in the agriculture industry. A major crisis has arisen. When Deputy Yates was Minister he was hounded day in day out by the current Minister and Members of Fianna Fáil who said he should have been doing better. The worst problem that ever befell the beef industry, namely, the BSE crisis, occurred when Deputy Yates was Minister. Deputy Yates had to stabilise the markets and find alternative markets for beef. He did his best.
Sixteen months later the current Minister for Agriculture and Food and the Taoiseach produced a multi-coloured leaflet entitled “A message from Fianna Fáil to the farmers and farm [285] families of Ireland” which said: “political action will be supported by investment inside the farm gate”. I have seen no evidence of this. The leaflet continued, “in Opposition we have deplored the closure of the on-farm investment schemes. In Government we will ensure that a viable on-farm investment programme is put into place. Additionally, Fianna Fáil will renegotiate the farm retirement scheme, particularly the enlargement clause, to allow greater uptake of the scheme”. What has happened since? Within three months of the Minister taking office, he scrapped the farm installation scheme and has not yet even attempted to reintroduce it. This is despite the fact that three weeks ago at the presentation of certificates in Clonakilty he announced to the people of Darrara College that he had got approval from the Government for its reintroduction. The Minister should be honest and state whether he has got approval for its reintroduction. It should be reintroduced to give an impetus to the livelihoods of those in the farming community.
I have a return from AIBP Ltd., Rathkeale, County Limerick, for five one and a half year old bullocks which made a total of £841.46. When the veterinarian fees of £18.50, the ABB levy of £7.50, the EIF levy of £1.27, the BDE levy of £10, the SRM levy of £15, the insurance fee of £15 and the haulage fee of £25 were paid, the net return was £749.19, or £149.64 per bullock. This does not take into consideration the AI costs before the calves were born.
There has been a collapse in lamb prices. Everybody is aware that mountain lambs were for sale in Deputy Healy-Rae's home town as late as three weeks ago for £3 each. A farmer from Glengarriff brought 15 culled ewes to Macroom mart and got only one bid of 50p each. He accepted the bid which did not pay the entry fee for the ewes to the mart. Is this the prosperity we were told would come to agriculture? The Minister must do something to rectify the situation before it is too late. I appeal to Deputy Healy-Rae to cross the floor of the House and vote with Fine Gael if he has the interests of south Kerry farmers at heart.
29 July 1893 Sacred Heart Review
a recent meeting of the Ardagh (County Limerick) branch of the Irish Federation, Mr. Edmond O'Shea in the chair, resolutions were passed thanking the patriotic electors of north-east Cork for triumphantly returning Mr. William Abraham to Parliamentary ranks; also thanking the electors of Pontefract for their splendid Home Rule victory; and expressing pleasure at the resolute and determined action of the '' Grand Old Man" in paying back Mr. Balfour and that sanctimonious apostle of religion and order — Salisbury —with a drastic dose of closures.
1909 Feb 6th SHR
Rev. T. F. O'Neill, Rev. T. O'Neill and Rev. James O'Neill, three brothers, natives of the County of Limerick, Ireland, who are on the mission in Australia, were recently received in special audience by the Holy Father. His Holiness said he was much pleased to receive at one time three brothers who are giving their services to God in the sacred ministry. A fourth brother was also on the mission in Australia, but he died some time ago
HENNESSY SHR 10-3-1900
Most Rev. John Hennessy, first archbishop of Dubuque, died last Sunday afternoon at his residence in Dubuque, la., aged seventy-four years. In March of last year he was first stricken with partial paralysis of the brain. Although for days at the point of death, he recovered and was well until the evening of Feb. 10, 1900 when he was again stricken. Since then he gradually sank until the end came. Just as death occurred the great bell on the cathedral tolled the notification to the people of the city. Archbishop Hennessy was born in County Limerick, Ire., Aug. 20, 1825. In 1847 he came to America, and was ordained priest Nov. 1, 1860. He was appointed bishop of Dubuque in 1806. He was consecrated Sept.30 of that year by Archbishop Kenrick of St. Louis. His silver jubilee was celebrated in MM. He was made archbishop on Sept. 17, 1893. His life was marked by earnestness and zeal in the cause of the Church. The funeral took place last Thursday morning at 10 o'clock. Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia, who preached the sermon when he. Father Hennessy was
made bishop, and at the silver jubilee, and again when he was made archbishop, pronounced the eulogy.
PURCELL 20 June 1912 SHR
A Catholic Irishman who was foreman of the construction of the Washington Monument died at his home in Washington recently at the age of eighty-eight. Thomas S. Purcell was his name and he was a native of Limerick. He was considered by many the foremost stone-setter in the United States. He was foreman of the construction of Cabin John bridge, which, until a few years ago, was the largest stone arch bridge in the world.
18 Dec 1897
last Sunday evening. Sister Anthony died at the Norwood Orphan Asylum in Cincinnati last week. She was born at Limerick, Ireland, in 1815.
Ellis Island search Wall of Honor
7. Johanna Kennelly Baranigue, Limerick, Ireland 220 Order Panel/Certificate/Photo
4. Ellen Nellie Kennelly McGonigal New Town Sands, Kerry, Ireland 285 Order Panel/Certificate/Photo
Name of Passenger Residence Arrived Age on Arrival Passenger Record Ship Manifest Ship Image
51. Kate Woulfe
Carricker...y 1901 18
83. Maurice Woulfe
Carrie City, Ireland 1912 22
20. John Dillane
Rooska, Ireland 1907 33
49. Patrick Dillane
Rooska, Ireland 1907 21
Name
Residence
Age
Born*
Arrived
Passenger
Record
Text
Manifest
Scanned
Manifest
Anno-
tations
Ship
Image
1 Barrett, Edward Ballyine, Ireland 21 1894 1915
6 Ahern, John Ardagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland 32 1888 1920
Ahera, Mary Ardagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland 20 1902 1922
59 Donovan, Thomas Ardagh Co., Limerick, Ireland 20 1901 1921
88 Griffin, Kate Ardagh Newcastle West 30 1875 1905
118 Hogan, Kate Ardagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland 54 1868 1922
131 Kennelly, Florence Ardagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland 20 1904 1924
135 Kennelly, Patrick Ardagh, Limerick, Ireland 22 1902 1924
142 Leane, Elizabeth Ardagh, Limerick, Ireland 12 1912 1924
143 Leane, Martin Ardagh, Limerick, Ireland 45 1879 1924
144 Leane, Timothy Ardagh, Limerick, Ireland 9 1915 1924
158 Lynch, Ellen Ardagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland 21 1900 1921
207 Naughton, Hannie Ardagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland 26 1895 1921
230 O'Donnell, Josephine Ardagh, Limerick, Ireland 17 1906 1923
237 O'Hume, John Ardagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland 21 1885 1906
238 O'Hume, Maggie Ardagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland 19 1887 1906
276 Woods, Nellie Ardagh Lim. 33 1871 1904
54 Condon, Margt. Newcastle West 18 1881 1899
Corbett, Margaret Newcastle West, Ireland 17 1896 1913
111 Dillane, James Newcastle West, Ireland 20 1889 1909
112 Dillane, William Newcastle West, Ireland 32 1880 1912
113 Dillon, Annie Newcastle West, Ireland 28 1879 1907
114 Dillon, Ellen Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, Ireland 37 1885 1922
115 Dillon, Hannah Newcastle West 24 1879 1903
116 Dillon, Lizzie Newcastle West 21 1882 1903
140 Dowling, Agnes Newcastle West, Limerick Co., Ireland 42 1878 1920
141 Dowling, Agnes Newcastle West 24 1881 1905
142 Dowling, James Newcastle West 30 1874 1904
143 Dowling, Maggilt Newcastle West, Ireland 34 1879 1913
144 Dowling, Mary Newcastle West, Ireland 18 1892 1910
145 Dowling, Mary Newcastle West 23 1882 1905
146 Dowling, Nellie Newcastle West, Ireland 21 1887 1908
147 Dowling, Norah Newcastle West 32 1872 1904
135 Dore, Bridget Newcastle West, Ireland 18 1894 1912 view
136 Dore, Michael Newcastle West 27 1877 1904
137 Dore, Nora Newcastle West, Ireland 19 1891 1910
138 Dore, Norah Newcastle West 27 1879 1906
139 Dorr, Maurice Newcastle West
204 Ford, Nora Newcastle West, Ireland 18 1894 1912 view
205 Forde, Minnie Newcastle West, Ireland 20 1888 1908
220 Greaney, Joseph Newcastle West, Ireland 24 1884 1908 view
221 Greaney, Kate Newcastle West, Ireland 20 1887 1907
243 Hartnett, John Newcastle West, Ireland 21 1889 1910
281 Jordan, John Newcastle West 8 1898 1906
282 Jordan, Katherine Newcastle West 37 1869 1906
356 Madigan, Bridget Newcastle West, Ireland 20 1892 1912
357 Madigan, Patrick Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, Ireland 42 1878 1920
488 O'Donohue, John Newcastle West 36 1868 1904
579 Shine, William Newcastle West, Ireland 20 1890 1910
Thomas, Dillane Newcastle West 24 1880 1904
618 Windle, Timothy Newcastle West 20 1885 1905
GB http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res/16?_q=listowel
https://familysearch.org/search/tree/results#count=20&query=%2Bbirth_place%3Acarrigkerry~&collection_id=%282%203%29
Name Events Relationships
Sarah Ford
Pedigree Resource File birth: 26 October 1876 Rooska, New Castle West, Co. Limerick, I
death: 31 March 1953
• father:Cornelius Ford
• mother:Mary Burke
• spouse:John Stack
• child:Mary Theresa Stack
Robert Fitzgerald /De Adair/
Pedigree Resource File birth: 1366 Limerick, Ireland
death: 1445 Dumfries, Dumfries-shire, Scotland
marriage: 1385 Scotland
• father:Gerald Fitzmaurice /Fitzgerald/;Gerald Fitzmaurice Ii (The Poet) (Earl of Desmond) /Fitzgerald/
• mother:Eleanor /Butler Countess Desmond/;Elinor /Butler/
• spouse:Arabella /Campbell/
• children:Niegello /Adair/, Robert /Adair/
John BUCKLEY
Ancestral File birth: 24 June 1816 , Kerry, , Ireland
death: 24 February 1908 Morona, Clayton, IA
marriage: 1852 , , , Ireland
• father:Buckley
• mother:Buckley
• spouse:Catherine DINEEN
• child:John Henry BUCKLEY
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1833/feb/27/suppression-of-distuubances-ireland#S3V0015P0_18330227_HOC_73
1833
Mr. Blood went to the houses of many poor farmers to compel them to go with them. Some of these farmers told me, that they were delighted to hear of their execution; they said so secretly, knowing I would not disclose it: they frequently made them join when they went out at night. Captain Rock (the man Dillane, whom I have alluded to) told me that he had been obliged to threaten to fire at his own men to make them attack a house.
What are the means by which they exercise these systems of intimidation over the lower orders?—By going to their houses at night, and swearing them to join, and be ready whenever they may: be called on to take arms or to attack houses. If they refuse, or their wives and families should in any way prevent them, they were formerly carded, but latterly wounded or flogged, or some other punishment inflicted on them
More
He would next read an extract from the evidence of the Rev. Mr. O'Connor, a Roman Catholic Clergyman, a gentleman who had had ample opportunities of making himself acquainted with the peasantry, and who was, perhaps, as well informed concerning their dispositions and habits as any man in the country. Do they endeavour, by force and by intimidation, to obtain what they wish to have done?—They generally first serve a notice, and if that is not obeyed violence follows: this notice is accompanied generally with a picture of a coffin or some emblem of death, and they write, that if they do not do what they require within a certain time, to prepare their coffin.
Leahy
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1888/dec/01/service-of-a-summons-in-the-outer-lobby#S3V0331P0_18881201_HOC_102
Letters handed in—
The QUEEN, at the prosecution of District Inspector LOWNDES, R.I.C.,
Complainant.
• JOHN FINUCANE, M.P.,
• DAVID SHEEHY, M.P.,
• JAMES HISHON MORAN,
• THOMAS STUART, and
• WILLIAM LOUDON,
Defendants.
Gentlemen,
I beg to inform you that when this case comes on for hearing at Ballyneety Petty Sessions, on Thursday, the 6th December prox., an application will be made to the presiding Magistrates, on the part of the Prosecution, for an adjournment to such time as may be necessary to enable Messrs. John Finucane, M.P., and David Sheehy, M.P., two of the above-named Defendants, to attend the House of Commons until the Irish Estimates are disposed of, provided that an undertaking be given by those two Defendants to attend on the day finally fixed for the hearing of said Case.
§ It is to be particularly observed that this undertaking of Messrs. Finucane, M.P., and Sheehy, M.P., referred to, will be required, and should be forwarded, so as to reach my office here, previous to Monday 3rd December prox.
§ Dated this 28th day of November, 1888.
§ MAURICE P. LEAHY,
§ Sessional Crown Solicitor,
§ Newcastle West, Co. Limerick.
§ To
§ John Finucane, Esq., M.P., Caherelly, Co. Limerick.
§ David Sheehy, Esq., M.P., 126, Holly Bank, Drumcondra.
§ James Hishon Moran, Esq., Solicitor, Limerick.
§ Thomas Stuart, Limerick.
§ William Loudon, Kilteely, Co. Limerick.
§ The QUEEN, at the prosecution of District Inspector JENNINGS, R.I.C.,
§ Complainant.
§
• JOHN FINUCANE, M.P.,
• DAVID SHEEHY, M.P., and
• JOHN MACINERNEY, P.L.G.,
§ Defendants.
§ Gentlemen,
§ I beg to inform you that when this case comes on for hearning at Castleconnell Petty Sessions, on Monday the 3rd December prox., an application will be made to the presiding Magistrates, on the part of the Prosecution for 814 an adjournment to such time as may be necessary to enable Messrs. John Finucane, M.P., and David Sheehy, M.P., two of the above-named Defendants, to attend the House of Commons until the Irish Estimates are disposed of, provided that an undertaking be given by those two Defendants to attend on the day finally fixed for the hearing of said Case.
§ It is to be particularly observed that this undertaking of Messrs. Finucane, M.P., and Sheehy, M.P., referred to, will be required, and should be forwarded so as to reach my office here, previous to Monday 3rd December prox.
§ Dated this 28th day of November, 1888.
§ MAURICE P. LEAHY,
§ Sessional Crown Solicitor,
§ Newcastle West, Co. Limerick.
§ To
§ John Finucane, Esq., M.P., Caherelly, Co. Limerick.
§ David Sheehy, Esq., M.P., 126, Holly Bank, Drumcondra.
§ John MacInerney, Esq., P.L.G., Meelick, Co. Clare.
1822 State of Ireland
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1822/apr/22/state-of-ireland#S2V0006P0_18220422_HOC_12
London, Monday. Paper 10 Sept. 1908 , Singleton Argus NSW
A quarrel leading to a riot occurred between Nationalists at Newcastle West, Limerick, on Saturday. Prior to a meeting convened by the United Irish League
in the town, there has been considerable friction between the rural and urban tenants of the Earl of Devon's 'Estate over its impending sale, men from Tournafulla ? say that Mr. O'Brien M-P-, disapproved of the gathering, demolished the platform. Mr. T. M. Kettle. M.P. (Nationalist), who was to be one of the speakers, was thrown down, was cut on the face, and was kicked. Mr. S. L. Gwynn. M.P. Nationalist), was also assaulted. Ultimately, with the aid of the. police, the meeting was enabled to proceed. Mr. Kettle, in the course of his speech, said he doubted the fitness of the people to receive Home Rule. He wanted Home Bole to be the rule of reason and argument
16 Feb. 1912 Albury Banner and Wodonga Express NSW
Under distressing circumstances a boy named William Taylor, son of a labourers, living near Carrigkerry, Ireland, met with a fatal accident. Recently a travelling circus put up at Carrigkerry and young Taylor was particularly struck with the gymnastic performance, with the result that ever since he had been practising at 'tumbling' and other gymnastic exercises. Then he turned his attention to rope walking, rigged a rope across- the yard of his fathers cottage, and attempted rope walking, with the result that he slipped from the rope, and by falling his neck got encircled by it, and he was strangled.
Boat Trip to Australia
http://www.theballards.net/Harshaw/Martin/Diary/Part2.html
Thursday, June 28th 1849
At 12 O’Clock, moved from our anchorage in Cove Harbour.Weather dark misty with drizzling rain from W.S.W. Wind blowing tolerably fresh.Till last moment we almost expected a countermand to reach the Captain, requiring him to wait for our traitor comrades.But the second boat which had been sent ashore
returned from the post office without producing any change in the Captain’s arrangements for immediate departure.No letters for either O’Dogherty or myself either today or yesterday.Our friends have probably given them all to Meagher or McManus to give us when they should join us on board. It will be in Sidney I suppose that we will receive them.Now. While the ship was moving out of the harbour, O’D and I wrote letters for conveyance to shore by the Pilot.He is an Irishman & a friend of ours.The second day we lay in harbour, he came along side of us upon the Poop & addressed us with "The Lord bless you gentlemen!" And every time he has seen us since, he regards us with a benevolent expression of faith.It was too cloudy and thick to see the harbour, as I had hoped.But I saw enough to feel vexed that we can’t have it for the benefit of the Irish people.
From Tain
Networker of Athea Observer 27-4- 05
Maighread McGrath of Athea has passed away which is a great loss. My father, Tom Culhane, used to correspond with her. I am glad that your editor visited her as I suggested [see photo below], and that he wrote about her in Táin no 22. Ireland is the poorer for her passing.
The Observer (Kerry), 27/4/05, said: "A proud woman from Athea was laid to rest in Kilfergus Cemetery, Glin, on Friday afternoon last 22 April 2005. Maighread McGrath from Colbert Street was over ninety years old and a daughter of the late Dr Philip McGrath whose practice covered a wide area from Athea to Ardagh dispensary. She was a distinguished writer and historian and a true republican. She was a straight talking lady who said what was on her mind without fear or favour. She was possessed of a sharp mind and great intelligence which she used to promote her native Athea to good effect.
"She attended Athea National School until she was 12 years old. She had one sister and one brother. It was on to the Ursuline Convent in Blackrock, Cork for her second level schooling as a boarder. She later went on to do Pharmacy in Mount Street, Dublin, part of Trinity College now. She worked in chemists in Roscrea, Dublin and Athlone. Her hobbies included playing the piano and ballroom and Irish dancing. She loved the Ireland of her youth, doing the usual things of the time such as hunting the wren, bathing in the river Galley, story-telling and folklore.
"The history she learned at school made a big impression on her and she had great respect for Con Colbert and Paddy Dalton who gave their lives for Irish freedom. She also had praise for Athea's Cumann Na mBan's work during the days of the Black and Tans. She recalled a visit of Countess Constance Markiewicz to Athea after the 1916 Rebellion to pay tribute to Con Colbert. She gave up working to look after her parents and returned to Athea where she got involved in village life.
"Maighread contributed articles over the years to local journals which were well researched and made enjoyable reading. A great collector of rare books, journals, magazines, her house was a treasure trove of information and a dream place for researchers to visit. The archive of material she has written and collected over the years should be preserved if possible and housed somewhere in Athea.
"Maighread always had a great welcome for visitors and I recall my visits to her house at the top of the lane with fondness. My last visit to her was in Cahermoyle Nursing Home at the end of January. She was in good form that day and was asking about everybody in Carrigkerry and Athea." There was a similar obit in Kerry Eye.
Ita Collard, Mt Waverley, Vic
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/search/newcastle+west+limerick
Land League Sheehy 24 May 1881
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1881/may/24/motion-of-censure#S3V0261P0_18810524_HOC_74
—or a clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. If Mr. Sheehy had been a layman, he would undoubtedly have been arrested before he was. We know very well that there are reasons why we should be very careful—why any Government should be careful—before arresting a clergyman. There is a difficulty as regards their flocks in dealing with clergymen; but there is also a habit of using strong language which is not, perhaps, confined solely to clergymen of the Roman Catholic Church, and which requires some forbearance on the part of the Government. But I may state at once that the immediate cause of the arrest of Father Sheehy is stated in the Warrant. He was reasonably suspected of having been guilty as partici- 1241 pator in a crime punishable by law—that is, assembling with others and unlawfully attempting, by threats and menaces, to compel divers of Her Majesty's subjects to quit their lawful employment. I cannot give the detailed grounds on which the arrest was made. [A laugh.] Hon. Members laugh, but they know perfectly well what would be the effect of giving those details. The persons concerned would either have to leave the country, or their lives would not be worth 24 hours' purchase. But I will state what I can state in reference to the speeches of Father Sheehy, and which might themselves have warranted his arrest. My only reluctance in referring to these speeches is due to the fact that we may fairly lay ourselves open to the charge that we ought to have arrested him sooner than we did. I must occupy the House as shortly as I can; but here is a speech made at Feenagh, in County Limerick on April 3. On that occasion Father Sheehy produced a writ which he held up to the gaze of the people, who groaned heartily. He then said— This writ has been issued against a man named Connor, in a place called Bargavan, within the jurisdiction of the Castle Mahon branch of the Land League; and being asked for advice as to what course should be pursued by Connor now that this has been served, I say to Connor and Connor's neighbours—'Fight this battle to the bitter end. Force Lord Guillamore to bring the sheriff, and ask the neighbours not to be absent on the occasion, and by their moral support, and in every way by their influence on the occasion, to save Connor from any injurious consequences resulting from his manly attitude.' [Mr. HEALY: Is that all?] Is that all! It is enough. Now, I will state what was the consequence of Father Sheehy's advice. The speech I have quoted is one of a great number of speeches of the same kind, and we must bear in mind not merely the violence of the language used, but whether the language results in violence. On the next day, Mr. Collett, Lord Guillamore's agent, was serving writs with the bailiff and two constables when he was set upon by a mob, who stripped him of nearly all his clothes, and his bailiff of absolutely all, and beat the latter. Next day, while Mr. Collett was leaving by train, under the protection of the constabulary, at Newcastle Railway Station, another mob attacked him and smashed the railway carriage with stones, Mr. Collett being nearly killed. That was the way in which, 1242 following Father Sheehy's advice, these people assembled together and used their moral influence against the execution of the law; and I do not think that there is anyone who examines the language of Father Sheehy in regard to the assembling of the neighbours who will wonder when I say that I reasonably suspect Father Sheehy of expecting that that would be done. There is another speech I will read, delivered by the Rev. Father Sheehy at Athea, County Limerick, on May 1, 1881— The Land League pledges those who are loyal to its principles, under every instance where a solid reduction is not made by the landlord, to force him to collect his rent at the point of the bayonet, to force the emergency men to come up from Dublin, and the sub-sheriff to come out from his comfortable quarters, and the Royal Irish to trudge from their barracks, the hotel-keepers and car-owners taking care to 'Boycott' them, and so forcing them, at last, to reach the homestead where the rack-rent is to be collected. Now, if this be done, as I hope it will be done, it will take these misguiders of landlordism a much longer time than that which is to be numbered by the number of days within six to collect the current gale; and when the gale is collected, they will have to repeat the same operations next September and next March. What does that mean?
Glensharrold Tenantry, County Cork.
HC Deb 23 March 1911 vol 23 c766W 766W
Mr. SHEEHAN MP
asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that on the 3rd July, 1907, Mr. P. J. Ahern gave evidence relative to the congestion prevalent in Glensharrold rural district before the Royal Commission on Congestion sitting on that date at Listowel; and whether, having regard to the nature of such testimony and the poverty-stricken condition of the bulk of the Glensharrold tenantry, who are only small holders, the Congested Districts Board will give effect to Mr. Ahern's evidence by acquiring the property and scheduling it as a congested area?
Mr. BIRRELL
The petition referred to does not appear to have been received by either the Congested Districts Board or the Estates Commissioners. The estate referred to is not pending for sale under the Land Purchase Acts before the Estates; Commissioners. The lands are situate in a county in respect of which the Congested Districts Board have not any powers, and they cannot, therefore, acquire the property. They have no power to make any addition to the congested district counties.
TREATY OF LIMERICK.
HC Deb 06 March 1828 vol 18 cc990-1019 990
Sir Henry Parnell
rose, pursuant to notice, to move "that a Copy of the Treaty of Limerick be laid upon the table." Many petitions had, he said, been presented in the course of the present session from the Roman Catholics of Ireland, in which they prayed for a restoration of the civil privileges of which they had been deprived on account of their religious opinions.
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1828/mar/06/treaty-of-limerick#S2V0018P0_18280306_HOC_13
Mr. W. Smith O'Brien
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1835/jun/17/passengers-to-the-colonies#S3V0028P0_18350617_HOC_52
17th June 1835 MP
reminded hon. Members that if the officer were not allowed to use his discretion, oil casks might be used, which would render the water very unpleasant if not unhealthy. He was aware that many vessels left Limerick last season with emigrants, and all water on board of them was contained in oil casks.
Mr. W. Smith O'Brien
knew that out of 2,500 poor emigrants who left Limerick last year, 500 died on the passage. Vessels had set sail for America in a state not fit to cross the channel to England, the proof of which was that from the third day after their departure the pumps were obliged to be kept going all the voyage.
Mr. Roebuck
believed that the loss of life was caused rather by the ships being unseaworthy than by the want of provisions on the voyage. He must add that precautions were necessary, for last year there were 30,000 emigrants (for the most part quite destitute) sent out to Canada without any supplies to keep them from starving during the five or six months that the country was bound up in frost and snow.
Mr. Clay
submitted that the example of the East-India Company (with respect to the systematic inspection to which their ships were subjected previous to a voyage) was the best that could be followed in the present case. The happy effects of this course was that the Company's insurance did not amount to one-sixth of the ordinary rates, for no ship of theirs was allowed to sail unless first approved sea-worthy. Their ship-stores never spoiled or afforded subject of complaint; in fact, no bad provisions were offered to their vessels, for it was well known that they would previously be inspected. If emigrant vessels were compelled to adopt similar salutary arrangements, they would no longer hear the just complaints of poor passengers respecting the deficient quantity or deteriorated quality of their provisions.
Bomb Explosions (County Limerick).
HC Deb 30 December 1912 vol 46 c37 37
66. Captain CRAIG
asked whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that within the past month two explosions have taken place outside the house of Mrs. Norah O'Shaughnessy, in Newcastle West, County Limerick, which explosions were caused by bombs constructed out of the box of a cart wheel filled with gunpowder; whether he is aware that the motive for these out rages is that Mrs. O'Shaughnessy has bought premises in Newcastle which are claimed by another person; that Mrs. O'Shaughnessy was summoned some time ago to appear before the local branch of the United Irish League, and refused to do so; and will he say what special protection is being afforded to Mrs. O'Shaughnessy?
Mr. BIRRELL
I am aware that two explosions occurred as stated, one at the residence of Mrs. O'Shaughnessy outside the town, and the other at her business premises in Newcastle West, but on neither occasion was much damage done. I can make no statement as to the motive for these occurrences, which can only be a matter of opinion. Mrs. O'Shaughnessy received a notice of the nature referred to, but declined to attend the meeting as requested. All necessary protection is being afforded to Mrs. O'Shaughnessy.
NEWCASTLE WEST (LIMERICK) CREAMERY.
HC Deb 15 June 1899 vol 72 c1193 1193
MR. AUSTIN(Limerick, W.)
I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if steps will be taken by the Local Government Board to enforce the provisions of Section 3 of the Public Health (Amendment) Act, 1890 in Newcastle West, county Limerick, so as to abate the nuisance created by the washings and rancid scourings of the local creamery pouring into the main sewer of the town, which is held to be dangerous to health.
MR. G. W. BALFOUR
The newly elected Rural District Council has been urged by the Local Government Board to adopt Part 3 of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act of 1890, but it has declined to do so. The Local Government Board have no power to compel a sanitary authority to adopt this section of the Act, but if the Board receive a complaint under Section 15 of the Public Health Act of 1896, they will cause a local inquiry to be held into the matter.
23 Feb 1891
Q
MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Limerick, W.)
I beg to ask the Chief 1377 Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called, by resolution of the Newcastle West and Glin Boards of Guardians, to the destitution prevailing among the labourers and small farmers in the west of County Limerick; if he has caused inquiries to be made; and whether any relief works are in contemplation?
MR. A J. BALFOUR
The condition of the district in the west of County Limerick referred to is receiving attention. As regards Newcastle Union, the Guardians have been authorised to afford relief in fuel should they deem such a course necessary.
March 6 1912 Question
Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSY
asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the James Benson, of Ballyloughane, Newcastle West, county Limerick, who was refused an old age pension by the Local Government Board on appeal by the pension officer on the ground that his age in the Census Return of 1851 was five years is not the same person as the applicant for the pension; that applicant's father was a labourer, whereas in the Census of 1851 James Benson's father was a farmer; and that applicant was the oldest child of his family, whereas in the Census James Benson is given as the second child; and whether, having regard to the fact that old people in the locality certified that applicant was over seventy years of age, he will direct the pension officer to inquire personally into the case, and interview the applicant with the view to getting the true facts of the case.
508W
Mr. BIRRELL
The statements contained in the question were brought under the notice of the Local Government Board at the time when the claim was being determined, but as the claimant was unable to furnish sufficient evidence of age the Board disallowed the appeal. The Board have have no power to re-open consideration of the case or to give directions to the pension officer, as suggested by the hon. Member.
Windsor Richmond Gazette NSW 21 June 1913
In the Will of JOHANNA LANE late of Rooska Newcastle West in the County, of Limerick Ireland, Widow deceased. APPLICATION will be made after fourteen days from the publication hereof that Probate of the last Will and Testament of the above named deceased may be granted to RORERT BRUCE WALKER of Windsor Solicitor the duly appointed Attorney of Timothy Lane the Sole Executor named in the said Will and all persons having any claim against the Estate of the said deceased are hereby required to send in particulars of the same to the undersigned at whose offices all notices may be served. WM. WALKER AND SON, Proctors, Windsor. Agent :CHARLES A. .WALKER, 113 Pitt Street, Sydney
Wrenboys 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwGbGjHztdo
Con Greaney Nancy Hogan’s Goose
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTjPC7u-u6E
SCHOOL
Ballyloughane First Communion
Sheila Kelly, Essie Heffernan, Florrie Downes, Ita Broder, Mai Downes, Ann Kilmartin, Nan Connors, Peg Kilmartin, Nancy Lee, Lena Barrett, Nora Connor, photo from 1950
From Otaga Times 8 January 1914.
NEW ZEALAND.-IN THE ESTATE OF DENIS WOLFE (Deceased). WALSH (formerly SULLIVAN).—WiII, Elizabeth (called Betsy) Walsh (formerly Sullivan), of Rooska, Newcastle, West Limerick, Ireland, or, if she be deceased, then her Next-of-kin, Communicate with the Under signed before the Ist day of MAY, 1914. T. W. Garrctt. Registrar of Probates, Sydney, N.S.W.
NZ Tablet 1 Dec. 1889
LIMERICK.— SaIe Of Land.— The McNamara estates, at Carrigkerry, in the barony of Shanid, County Limerick, midway between Glin and Newcastle West, and at Cragroe, in the barony of Tulla "Upper, in County Clare, are to be sold under the purchase clauses of the Land Act to the tenants. Both properties contain 1,000 acres, 760 of which are in the County of Limerick. The land is of a poor nature, and consists of a good share of reclaimed bogland.
On Strike. The masons, stone-cutters, and labourers working on the new county courthouse being erected in Cookstown, struck for an increase of wages recently, of one shilling per day for the masons and sixpence per day for the labourers, which would mean a weekly wage of 21s and 15s respectively.
NZ Herald March 20 1879.
Death of Matt Dillon aged 79 years of Limerick, died at West Queens Street, he was the first man in Auckland to manufacture spices. Came to the colony 32 years ago in ship George Seymour, was in active service in Spain in 1835 under Sir de Lacey Evens. Retired from the 29th Regiment on pension.
March1944; OBITUARY
MOTHER MARY GABRIEL O'KENNEDY.
The death is reported by the Press Association from Hokitika of Mother Mary Gabriel O'Kennedy, the oldest survivor of the original foundation of the Sisters of Mercy on the West Coast. She was-in her 94th year. She came from County Limerick, and for 64 years worked at Hokitika. She was one of the best known and most esteemed members of her order.
April 1874;
DEATH OF THE O'GRADY.
The Times records the death of the head of one of those ancient "septs "or clans of Ireland which claim Milesian descent far more venerable and illustrious that) of any of the members of the Irish peerage, except, perhaps, the O'Briens, representatives as they are of the Princes and Kings of Thomond we refer to the O'Grady, of Kilballyowen, in the county of Limerick, who died a few days since, at the age of fifty-s even. The late William de Courcy O'Grady, was the eldest son of the O'Grady," J.P. and D.L., and formerly High Sheriff of the County of Limerick, who died in 1862. He was born in the year 1816, and was educated at Westminister and at Trinity College, Dublin, where he took the usual degrees, and was called to the Irish Bar in 1840. He married, in 1851, Anne Grogan, of County Wexford, by whom he had, with other children, a son, Thomas DeCourcy, born in 1811, who now becomes the O'Grady .According to Sir Bernard Burke, the Milesian family of O'Grady is one of the most ancient in the far west of Ireland from the Freeman's Journal.'
NZ Herald 18 Oct 1909
[BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.]
Napier, Saturday. A fatal fire occurred at Riverside, Clive, early this morning, the victim being Patrick Keys,' woolclasser, an unmarried man, about 34. Deceased's mother, Mrs. Bridget Keys, was awakened by hearing her son call j out, and though she tried to reach his room was beaten back by the flames.; Help was summoned, but the room by this time was a seething mass of flame, and rescue was hopeless. Nearly everything in the house was destroyed. Mrs. Keys was severely scorched. Patrick Keys' body was discovered amongst the debris of the fire on Sunday. An inquest was held at West Clive today touching the death of Patrick Keys, who was a native of, County v Limerick,. Ireland. The Coroner returned-a verdict that deceased, met 'his death through being accidentally died in the fire, there, being no disclosed origin of the fire. "-It appeared from the evidence that deceased and a brother had a section at Waimarama, and were on a visit to Clive, staying with their mother. Deceased had two or three drinks during the day, but was perfectly; sober when he retired on the night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uov7Ehvq-I&feature=related
Uploaded on 25 Jul 2009
Ballinloughane NS 100 Year old celebrations in 1962.
Ballyine Shrine 1962.
They were filmed in Cine Camera by Jerry McMahon , Ardagh, local photographer and historian.
No sound.
The Spelling is Ballyloughane, Ballinahane but the official spelling of the townland is Ballinloughane.
The official postal address where the school is situated is Ballyine.
Ballyloughane N.S. Re-union.
Sunday 3rd of November 2013
To mark the 150th Anniversary of the opening of Ballyloughane on the 11th of May 1863 a re-union event will be held in the Devon Inn on Sunday 3rd of November at 3.00pm.
This promises to be a great social event in the year of The Gathering with an opportunity to renew acquaintance with former classmates, friends and neighbours.
This invitation is extended to you and other members of your family who have been students of Ballyloughane.
This invitation is also extended to you who are descendents and relatives of pupils who attended Ballyloughane.
To help us plan a successful event it would be helpful if you could indicate how many persons you think will be able to attend on the afternoon by noting this on the detachable end of this page which we ask you to return to any members of the Committee or text such information to 086 8539297, preferably by Sunday 20th of October.
Please also check on our Facebook Page Ballyloughane NS for further updates and also on The Gathering website.
We the organizers would appreciate articles, and photos, for a booklet we are publishing to mark the contribution the school made to education in the area.
Thank You.
Jim Ahern, Davy Dillane, Tom Dillane, Peggy (Hennessy) Geoghegan, Essie (Heffernan) Murphy, Jody Heffernan, Kathleen (Lee) Nugent, Stephen Nugent and John O’Sullivan
Detach Here and Return by Sunday 20th of October.
Ballyloughane NS Re-Union Social.
I estimate that approximately __________ persons will be attending the event in the Carrigkerry Community Centre on Sunday 3rd of November.
Ballinloughane NS 1967
Kneeling at Front:
John O'Neill, Tony O'Sullivan, John O'Sullivan, Patrick O'Connor, Tom O'Connor, Liam O'Sullivan, Seamus Upton, Muiris Hurley, Liam Upton, Vincent McCoy, Donal McCoy, George Ahern, Joe Downes, Pat Harnett, Mike Hennessy, Pa Hennessy.
Second Row:
Gerard McCoy, Denis Dillane, Mike O'Neill, Kathleen McCoy, Bernie Upton, Patricia Downes, Bernie Shine, Eilis O'Neill, Mary Kennedy, Mary Ahern, Anne O'Sullivan, Cora O'Neill, Ann McCarthy, Helen Riordan, Assumpta Harnett, Ann Downes, Donal Hennessy, Liam McCoy,
Third Row:
A N Other, John Mulcahy, Teresa Upton, Mary McCarthy, Norma Keane, Betty Mulcahy, Mike Mulcahy, Eamon O'Neill, Christy O'Dwyer, Kathleen Hayes, Ursula McCoy, Martha Harnett, Nan Shine, Kathleen Upton, Paddy Barry, Mike Downes.
Forth Row:
Toss Keane, John Hennessy, Marion Shine, Mary Keane, Gabriel Harnett, Kathleen Downes, Breda McCoy, Mary O'Dwyer, Denis Hayes, Willie O'Dwyer, Jeremiah Dillane.
Back Row;
Niall Keane, Mossy Barry, Pat Downes, Bernard McCoy, Liam Downes, Seanie O'Dwyer.
Third Row A N Other is either Tom Hennessy, Joe Woulfe, Davy Dillane, Jody McCarthy, John McCarthy or Timmy McCoy. ????
On that day in 1967 there were 70 pupils on the roll book.
Ballyloughane NS
September 19
We hoping to have a school reunion on a sunny Sunday afternoon early in the month of November.
We have no time to lose.
We would like you to help us by sending us in photos of your time in Ballyloughane, of your parents, grandparents, etc time.
If anyone has any photos or newspaper articles from the time of the 100 Year celebrations in 1962 please forward them to any of the committee members.
Also welcome would be the roll books from 1862 to 1900.
We would also welcome you to write in and tell us of your memories, of your parents memories of the school days in Ballyloughane.
You may scan in the photos with a scanner or smartphone and EMail them to jposit@gmail.com
Please contact your relatives that are away/abroad and let them know of our plans for an afternoon of chat and tea drinking.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D6712373
MURPHY: Admiralty: Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services. General series to 1907. Name Murphy, John. Official Number: 205374. Place of Birth: Ardagh, Limerick. Date of Birth: 11 April 1884.
Reference:
ADM 188/357/205374
Description:
Name Murphy, John
Official Number: 205374
Place of Birth: Ardagh, Limerick
Date of Birth: 11 April 1884
Date:
[1899]Held by: The National Archives, Kew. Former references:
in its original department: Vol No.205-1 Legal status: Public Record
MURPHY: Admiralty: Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services. General series to 1907. Name Murphy, Joseph. Official Number: 219573. Place of Birth: Newcastle West, Limerick. Date of Birth: 25 March 1885.
Collection: Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1902 - 31 December 1902
Reference: ADM 188/386/219573
Subjects: Armed Forces (General), Navy
Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers. Will of Margaret Langan, Spinster of Ardagh , Limerick.
Collection: Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
Date range: 18 February 1845 - 18 February 1845
Reference: PROB 11/2012/280
Subjects: Wills and probate
SULLIVAN Athea
Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Royal Naval Reserve Ratings' Records of Service (Microfiche Copies). Name O'Sullivan, Patrick. Place of Birth: Athea, County Limerick. Number: SD 2729. Date of Birth: 01 March 1868.
Collection: Records of the Board of Trade and of successor and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1908 - 31 December 1955
Reference: BT 377/7/95195
Subjects: Merchant seaman, Navy
O BRIEN: Admiralty: Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services. Miscellaneous. Name O'Brien, Edmond. Official Number: M5266. Place of Birth: Athea, Limerick. Date of Birth: 17 July 1894.
Collection: Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1912 - 31 December 1912
Reference: ADM 188/1028/5266
Subjects: Armed Forces (General), Navy
QUAIDE: Royal Hospital Chelsea: Soldiers Service Documents. 1900-1913: misfiled discharge papers, arranged by range of surname. (WO 97/6323-6354). David Quaide of Athea, Newcastlewest, Limerick (Service No. 3411).
Collection: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1900 - 31 December 1913
Reference: WO 97/6354/10
Subjects :Armed Forces (General), Army
FITZGIBBON: Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Royal Naval Reserve Ratings' Records of Service (Microfiche Copies). Name Fitzgibbon, John. Place of Birth: Newcastle West, County Limerick. Number: WTS 92. Date of Birth: 17 March 1891.
Collection: Records of the Board of Trade and of successor and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1908 - 31 December 1955
Reference: BT 377/7/127005
Subjects: Merchant seaman, Navy
WREN: Admiralty: Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services. Stokers. Name Wrenn, Patrick. Official Number: K61768. Place of Birth: Newcastle, West Limerick. Date of Birth: 22 May 1900.
Collection: Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1923 - 31 December 1923
Reference: ADM 188/984/61768
Subjects: Armed Forces (General), Navy
FLAHERTY: Admiralty: Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services. General series to 1907. Name O'Flaherty, Daniel. Official Number: 236540. Place of Birth: Newcastle West, Limerick. Date of Birth: 15 January 1889.
Collection: Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1906 - 31 December 1906
Reference:ADM 188/420/236540
Subjects:Armed Forces (General), Navy
QUINLAN: Admiralty: Royal Navy Continuous Service Engagement Books. C.S. NUMBERS. Name Quinlan, Thomas. Place of Birth: Newcastle West Limerick, Ireland. Continuous Service Number: 19836. Date of Volunteering: 22 March 1855. Date of Birth: 01 March 1841.
Collection: Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1853 - 31 December 1872
Reference: ADM 139/199/19836
Subjects: Armed Forces (General), Navy, Labour
KING: War Office: Women's (later Queen Mary's) Army Auxiliary Corps: Service Records, First World War (Microfilm Copies). Record for King, Katie. Place of Birth: Newcastle West, Limerick. Date of Birth: 19 May 1891.
Collection: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1917 - 31 December 1920
Reference: WO 398/128/19
Subjects: Armed Forces (General), Army, Operations, battles and campaigns, Conflict
POWER: Admiralty: Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services. General series to 1907. Name Power, John Joseph. Official Number: 183387. Place of Birth: Newcastle West, Limerick. Date of Birth: 21 July 1879.
Collection: Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1895 - 31 December 1895
Reference: ADM 188/307/183387
Subjects: Armed Forces (General), Navy
REGAN: Admiralty: Royal Navy Continuous Service Engagement Books. C.S. NUMBERS. Name Regan, Jeremiah. Place of Birth: Newcastle West, Limerick. Continuous Service Number: 5249. Date of Volunteering: 16 September 1853. Date of Birth: 21 March 1836.
Collection: Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1853 - 31 December 1872
Reference: ADM 139/53/5249
Subjects: Armed Forces (General), Navy, Labour
AMBROSE RYAN: Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Index of First World War Mercantile Marine Medals and the British War Medal. Medal Card of Ambrose-Ryan, Thomas. Place of Birth: Newcastle West, Limerick. Date of Birth: 1860.
Collection: Records of the Board of Trade and of successor and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1914 - 31 December 1925
Reference: BT 351/1/2705
Subjects: Medals, Merchant seaman, Operations, battles and campaigns, Conflict
BROWN: Admiralty: Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services. Registers. Name Brown, John Lawrence. Official Number: 140883. Place of Birth: Newcastle West, Limerick, Ireland. Date of Birth: 31 October 1870.
Collection: Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
Date range: 01 January 1887 - 31 December 1887
Reference: ADM 188/196/140883
1863 Dillane Kilmallock
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=OW18630704.2.31&srpos=1&e=-------10--1----0dillane+limerick--
Dillane
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZT18870513.2.31&srpos=4&e=-------10--1----0dillane+limerick--
KELLY GANG
Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3480, 13 July 1880, Page 2
DEATH OF THE PLATELAYER. In the outhouse, or kitchen, immediately behind the main building, the old man, Martin Cherry, who was one of the prisoners of the gang, and who was so severely wounded that he could not leave the house when the other prisoners left, was found still living, but in articled mortis, from a wound in the groin. He was promptly removed to a short distance from the burning hotel, and laid on the ground, when Father Tierney administered to him the last sacrament. Cherry was insensible, and barely alive. He had evidently suffered much during the day, and death released him. He was born at Limerick, Ireland, and was 6O years old. It was fortunate that he was not burned alive. Cherry, who was unmarried, was an old resident in the district, and was employed as a plate-layer, and resided .about a mile from Glenrowan. He is said by all who knew him to have been shot by the attacking force, of course unintentionally.
Taranaki Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 2564, 11 July 1877, Page 2
THE LATE MINING ACCLDENT.
AT KUMARA. We take the following- from the Auckland 7 July 1877: About tea-time on Friday the earth fell upon four men, in a claim on the lead. Their names wore Quinlivan, Kelly, Riley, and Cooney. Quinlivan was extricated at 3 o'clock on Saturday morning 1 Kelly at a quarter past 9 on Saturday night, and Riley at a quarter to 5 on Sunday morning. Cooney will not be got out till to-morrow (Monday), as a fall of earth has taken place to-day (Sunday). Quinlivan has been taken to the Hokitka Hospital, and is likely to recover rapidly. Kelly, upon being rescued, was conveyed to the local hospital ward, where his clothes were cut from him, and he was examined by Dr. Featherstonhaugh, under his direction
efforts were made to restore animation to the lower limbs, which were entirely benumbed. No bones had been broken. Hot bricks and fomentations were applied, but in vain, and he died at about a quarter to nine in the morning. The Rev. Father McCaughhey administered the last riles of the Roman Church to him. He was conscious to within ten minutes of his death, and conversed freely as to the cause of the accident. He said the four men were working in the face, and were about to knock off for the night, when Kelly struck out a dog (an iron support, which is used temporarily before permanent timbering). At the first stroke, five sots" of timbers gave way, and the earth came in "like a shot from a gun." There had been five men in the claim, but one left about a week ago. It was very poor, not giving the men tucker," and the owner had determined to give it up after this washing. Kelly and Riley were from Limerick, and Cooney from Clare. Quinlivan's sister is married to Cooney, who leaves one child, and Mrs. Cooney is expecting another. Kelly has a brother in Otago. He and his mates are all spoken highly of as steady, industrious men. He was a teetotaller and steadily refused to take brandy when ordered by the doctor. At the last, in obedience to the priest, he took a couple of teaspoonfuls, which did not stay on his stomach. At 11 o'clock last night there was every hope of his recovery, but the strain upon his system, of 28 hours' suspended animation of the lower limbs, proved fatal. His right hand held a pick all the time, and was much swollen. His left hand had been free, and with it he had to keep the earth from his face. His ankles and shins are considerably bruised, but though the skin had been broken, no blood had flowed. When the hot-water bottles were applied, he said, That's the style, my boys," and declared that he could perceive the warmth. Dr. Dermott, of Hokitika, was sent for, and saw him about half past six this morning, when he was pulse less and dying. A subscription will probably be started on behalf of Cooney widow, who is left unprovided for.
25th Sept 1941 Catholic Press NSW
BROADMEADOW. The death occurred recently of Mr. Michael Mullane, at the age of 80. He was a native of County Limerick, Ireland. He was an officer in the police force for many years, and' retired 21 years ago. He was stationed at Lambton., Hamilton and Broad meadow districts for more than 30 years. Requiem Mass was celebrated at St. - Laurence's Church by Rev. Father J. Walsh for the repose of his soul. Officers and men of the police force, including Inspector Duckworth and retired policemen, attended his funeral. Chief mourners were the widow, two sons (Harold and Harry), a. daughter (Ann), and Mr. Sheehy (cousin), a former sergeant of police. Pall bearers were Constables Hurtz' and Griffiths, ex-sergeants Woods and Chandler. Nurse M. Mullane, a daughter, is abroad with the A.I.F. Rev. Father Walsh officiated at ' Sandgate.— R.I.P.MULLANE
BROTHER DIES AT SPEECH NIGHT
BRISBANE. November 10. 1947 While hundreds of boys and parents were at tending Nudgee College speech night to-night a 75-year-old Brother of the school collapsed and died. He was Brother James Francis j O'Brien. Bursar a( the school for the past seven years. While walking from the College to the oval, where speech night was being held in the open for the first time. Brother O'Brien had a heart attack. He was assisted inside by fellow Brothers and Priests, one of whom ad ministered the last rites before he died. Born in 1872 in County Limerick. Ireland, Brother O'Brien had taught in Christian Brothers schools in Queensland for 50 years. He was superior at schools at Charters Towers. Rockhampton and Ipswich. and also at North Melbourne and Adelaide.
THE PRESIDENTS "IDEAL CITIZEN"
http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SFC19050205.2.110.50&srpos=1&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-+county+limerick+born+clergyman-----
San Francisco Call 5 Feb 1905
BEGINNING as a newsboy, William F. Downey of Washington, D. C, has lived to hear himself publicly pronounced "the ideal American citizen" by the President of the United States.
He Is William F. Downey, a Washington Disciple of "Simple Life" Wagner.
A disciple of the "simple life" and a true citizen, Mr. Downey has not only managed to accumulate a comfortable share of wealth, but has also ' founded a charity of large proportions ! — of which the public was in ignorance until President Roosevelt in introducing "Pastor" Charles Wagner referred to it and to him as "an ideal citizen." This man, whom the President could not forbear giving the highest praise as a citizen and as a man, drifted to Washington with the Fourteenth New York Volunteers in the early days of j the Civil War. He had been born in j County Limerick, Ireland, in 1844, and came to this country with his parent • when but five years old. He was scarcely 15 years old when he arrived at Washington, but he had $4 in hit pocket, the result of running errands for the soldiers. With this and indomitable pluck and perseverance young Downey began his work by selling war-time "extras." From a newsboy he became a public hackman, driving not for himself, but for others. From this beginning he saved money and became the owner of hacks, and to-day is one of the wealthiest liverymen in the District of Columbia. This is President Roosevelt's own description of the good works of Mr. Downey:
"As an example of what can be done and should be done by the individual citizen, I shall mention something that recently occurred in this city of Washington, a thing that doubtless many of you know about, but which was unknown to me until recently. A few weeks ago, when I was walking back from church one Sunday, I noticed a great fire, and found that it was Downey's livery stable. "I had long known of the very admirable work done, with a singular modesty and self-effacement, by Mr. Downey in trying to give homes to the homeless, to be himself a friend of those in a peculiar sense friendless ; in this community, and I by accident found out what had happened in connection with this particular incident. It appears that last spring Mr. Downey started to build a new livery stable; the stable is next door to a coloured Baptist church. Mr. Downey is a white man and a Catholic, and these neighbours of his are coloured men and Baptists, but there is between them a kinship of that broad humanity that should underlie all our t feelings toward one another. "Mr. Downey started to build his ; stable, and naturally wanted to have ;it as big a stable as possible and build it right up to the limits of his land. That brought the wall close
up against the back of the coloured Baptist church, cutting out the light and air. The preacher called upon him and told him that he would like to purchase a strip, six feet broad, of Mr. Downey'! ground, upon which he was intending to build, as it would be a great Inconvenience to them to lose the light and air; that they were aware it was asking a great deal of him to cramp the building out of which he intended to make his livelihood, but that they hoped he would do it because of their need. After a great deal of thought Mr. Downey came to the conclusion that he ought to grant their request, and so he notified them that he would change his plans, make a somewhat smaller building and sell them the six feet of land in the strip adjoining the church. "After a little while the preacher came around with the trustees of his church and said they very much appreciated Mr. Downey's courtesy, and were sorry they had bothered him as they had, because in looking into the affairs of the church they found, as they were already in debt, they did not feel warranted in incurring any further financial obligations, and so they had to withdraw their request. They thanked him for his kindly purpose and said good-by.
"But Mr. Downey found he could not get to sleep that night, until finally he made up his mind that as they could not buy it he would give it to them anyway, which he did. But, unfortunately, we know that the tower of Siloam often falls upon the just and the unjust alike, and Mr. Downey's livery stable caught fire and burned down. It was Sunday morning and the Baptist church was in session next door to him, and the clergyman stopped and said: " 'Now, you women stay here and pray, and you men go straight out and help our benefactor, Mr. Downey.' "And go oat they did and got his horses oat so that none of them were burned, although he suffered otherwise a total loss. "Now, I call that a practical application of Mr. Wagner's teachings. Here in Washington we have a right to be proud of a citizen like Mr. Downey, and if only we can develop enough such citizens we shall turn out just the kind of community that does not need to but always will be glad to study 'The Simple Life.' " Mr. Downey was not in the great audience of social, official and diplomatic Washington when the President was sounding his praises. Instead, he was superintending the
"Good Samaritan Home," a home for the homeless and friendless, which he has established and conducted since 1895. Mr. Downey pays all the bills of the home. During that time he has cared for, fed and clothed and secured employment for more than 5000 persons. . "We are living in the most advanced country in civilization and Christianity in the whole world." Mr. Downey said to the New York World correspondent, "yet we find in every municipality throughout this broad land rigid laws against the destitute and unemployed workingman who has not friends or money to secure food or shelter. When he is found stranded it may be his fault or his misfortune, after seeking 1 employment, maybe, In hundreds of places. He Is a stranger. His appearance is haggard and his clothes may be untidy. Nobody wants him. He is thus forced to the choice of four things or alternatives — to beg, to starve, to steal or to commit suicide. "The Judge may ask him If he has anything to say, but the poor man admits he was begging, as he could not find employment and had no money to procure food or shelter. He receives a sentence of thirty, sixty or ninety days or maybe six months In the workhouse and is dressed in the suit of a convict and forced to work
in the chain gang. At the expiration of his term he is discharged without a nickel to buy his next meal, thus making him ten times more wretched and degraded than before his arrest. The brand of a felon is added to his poverty. I regard this treatment a nothing short of barbarous. I try to help these men. Mr. Downey had practically forgotten the incident of the gift of ground to the negro church until the day of the fire which destroyed his stable. "That day brought me my reward," he said in discussing the matter. "The minister was in the pulpit preaching when the conflagration was announced. He immediately called upon the congregation to be calm and patient. He recommended that the women pray, while the men were urged to go at once and help me. They rushed into my place, where there were 160 fine horses in their stalls in danger of being cremated, and all were saved, not one animal being injured in the slightest. That was my reward. The land given by Mr. Downey to the church consisted of 300 square feet, worth about $1000. In addition to this he was compelled to change his building plans, which cost him $400 more, so that in all his contribution to the church was $1400.
Sacred Heart Herald 16 Jan 1915.
http://newspapers.bc.edu/cgi-bin/bostonsh?a=d&d=BOSTONSH19150116-01.2.4&srpos=11&e=-------en-20--1--txt-IN-bishop+peterborough----
BISHOP DOWLING
On the occasion of the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination and the twentyfifth of his episcopacy, the Right Rev. T. J. Dowling, D. D., Bishop of Hamilton, Ont., and Dean of the Canadian Hierarchy, was, by a brief of His Holiness Pope Benedict, enrolled among the assistant Bishops at the Pontifical throne and created a noble with all the privileges and honors annexed thereto. Bishop Dowling was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1840, was ordained a priest in Hamilton in 1864, consecrated Bishop of Peterborough May 1, 1887, and transferred to Hamilton on Jan. 11, 1889.
Taken from Feb 10th 1906 Kentucky Irish American paper
Mrs Julia Dalton Coleman
one of the oldest and most
respected Irish ladies was called to eternal rest when Mrs Julia Dalton Coleman died at her home 1731 Portland avenue Last Saturday morning The
deceased had been complaining for
several weeks but her illness did not
take a serious turn until a few days I
before her death
The decease was born in the parish
of Athea County Limerick Ireland
seventy four years ago but had lived in
St Patrick’s Parish Louisville more
than fifty dear Mrs Coleman was a
member of a long lived family Two
sisters Mrs James Liston aged eighty
five and Mrs Timothy Sullivan aged
eight six 8tHl survive In the parish of
Athea another sister Mrs Nicholas
Liston lived the advanced age of
ninety four Years
During her long life this gentle lady
was always energetic and cheerful and
for many years was associated with her
son in the conduct of a dry goods store
at her residence Three children survive They are Dennis J and Mrs Mary Kelly of this City and Mrs Elizabeth
Brady of Albay N Y A number of
grandchildren also survive her Patrick
J Liston a well known Hibernian is
her nephew Besides these Mrs Coleman was related to many of the oldest Irish families in the city. Saturday night and Sunday the house was crowded
with friends and relatives who went to
pay their respects to the dead woman’s
memory The floral tributes were numerous and exceedingly handsome. High
mass of requiem was celebrated over her
remains at St Patrick’s church on Mon
day morning and the church was filled
with sorrowing friends
Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, February 10, 1906, Image 1
Image provided by University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Persistent link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86069180/1906-02-10/ed-1/seq-1/
Print this image | Download this image
http://www.corkarchives.ie/media/U611web.pdf
Lane and Smith OBrien
28 25 April 1848
Letter, from Denny Lane, 4 Sidney Place, Cork to ‘My dear Sir’
(William Smith O’Brien). ‘I will not now attempt to excuse myself for
not having answered the letter...before your departure for France’
(Representatives of the Irish Confederation met the French Minister for
Foreign Affairs in April 1848). Mentions a soirée to be held on the day
of Smith’s visit to Cork. Lane says it is the wish of the people for him
to attend a meeting in May and to entertain Smith and Mr Meagher.
‘Parties and politics are in a strange and anomalous
condition here’ Lane continues, and Smith’s presence
would be of service to the cause. Lane does not have the time to say any more but is anxious to give an explanation ‘of the state of opinion here’. He writes that ‘upon the principle’ they agree but regarding the conduct of the movement ‘...it would be uncandid of me to say that I quite coincide with much that has been done in the Confederation’. He looks forward to talking over the subject and the present state of the Post Office is not suited to any unreserved communication. ‘I will...endeavour to give you some explanation of my doubts for I can scarce call them more.’
18 June 1848
Letter, from William Smith O’Brien, Cahermoyle, to Denny Lane,
Imperial Hotel, Dublin. O’Brien writes that he has not forgotten the
Cork Invitation but that he would prefer to attend a more general
meeting which would ‘combine all classes of Repealers’, perhaps a
meeting of the United Repealers, as‘How many excellent Repealers
would be reluctant to join in any demonstration complimentary to us’.
He has made his wish known to the Secretary of the Citizen’s Club and
that the ‘circumstances of the present hour seem to invite the People of
Cork to express their adhesion to the Proposed League’ and the
promotion of the re-union of all Repealers in one Confederacy. He
wishes to make a personal inspection of the efficiency of the Club
organisation in Cork. O’Brien asks Lane to show this letter to Meagher
and concludes that he thinks the Confederates are more
useful in the Provinces than in Dublin at present.
© Cork City and County Archives, 2005 All Rights Reserved
© Cork City and County Archives
2005 All Rights Reserved
Policing of Young Ireland Movement (1848) (1 item)
14-17 June 1848 Item containing copies of documents relating to the Policing of the Young Ireland movement and Confederate Clubs. Copy of letter, 16
June 1848, marked ‘Confidential’, from J.N. Redington, Dublin Castle,
to Col. McGregor, Inspector General, (Royal Irish Constabulary), with
request from the Lord Lieutenant concerning attempts to establish an
organisation throughout the country by means of clubs, associations or
societies in connection with a party calling itself ‘The Young Ireland
Party’. The Lord Lieutenant requests the Inspector General to
communicate confidentially with the officers of the Constabulary
directing their particular attention to this subject, especially watching
proceedings and obtaining court evidence of their movements. Gives 5
points of particular note, firstly to obtain evidence regarding any secret
nature of the society, secondly the object of the club, whether it is
concerned with the purchase or distribution of arms; thirdly the names
of the principle officers of the club, those whose premises are used for
meetings and all persons with relations with the club; fourthly whether
the club is divided into sections and is in the habit of practising military
exercises; fifthly the amount of arms which may be possessed by the
enrolled members. Reports are to be made for the information of the
Government and information communicated to the Resident
Magistrates of the Districts. Copy of Circular, 14 June 1848, marked
Confidential, from D. McGregor, Inspector General, Constabulary
Office, Dublin Castle, regarding the duty to obtain accurate information
in each District about meetings called ‘Confederate Clubs’, including
the place of the meeting, names of officers and members, the grounds
for the formation of the Club, and meeting transactions. Copy of
Notice/Circular from D. McGregor, Inspector General, concerning the
Promotions which have taken place this month in the Constabulary
Force. ‘They require some very strong stimulant to keep their loyalty
screwed up to the proper pitch. It was nearly gone to the dogs...’.
Promotions include six 2nd Sub Inspectors to be promoted to 1st
Sub Inspectors at a salary of £150-00. Continues, ‘In counties where
vacancies exist in the Ranks County Inspectors will recommend the
most deserving men’. Concluding text ‘Let me ask who are these
deserving men alluded to, I answer, fabricators of crimes and outrages,
spies and detectives and persecutors of the people.
U611/
© Cork City and County Archives 2005
http://boards.ancestry.com/thread.aspx?mv=flat&m=2451&p=surnames.fitzgerald
timothy fitzgearld from co limerick, ireland
Posted: 25 Nov 2012 9:21PM GMT
Classification: Query
looking for info on timothy fitzgearld from glensharrold, ardagh, co limerick who was born on a farm in 1885 to john fitzgearld & catherine leahy of knockanure, co kerry.
they had the following children;
thomas, mary, bridget & catherine. would love to hear from anyone with info.
Re: timothy fitzgearld from Co limerick, ireland
Posted: 26 Nov 2012 2:19AM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi, I'm a research volunteer, not related.
Does this sound like the right person? From LDS family search... Montana marriages with image.
Anaconda, Deer Lodge Co., Montana - 29 Jun 1918
Timothy J Fitzgerald, age 33, living in Butte, son of John and Catherine (Leahey) Fitzgerald.
to Violet Whaley, age 33, dau of Matthew and Mary (Switzer) Whaley.
1920 census finds family still in Butte. Timothy is an insurance salesman. He says he came to US in 1916 (think I located border crossing from Canada for that date). They have an 8 mo. old daughter, Kathleen.
WWI draft reg - Timothy John Fitzgerald, b. 8 May 1885. registered in Butte, Mt. Insurance salesman, next of kin, Violet Fitzgerald.
WWII - draft reg - Seattle, Washington, Timothy John Fitzgerald, b. 8 May 1885, Limerick Ireland, person who will know where he is.. Mrs James Peaters, Seattle.
SSDI - Timothy J Fitzgerald, b. 8 May 1885, d.Jun 1972 Seattle, King Co, Washington
http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.britisles.ireland.ker.general/7442.80/mb.ashx
Nora Lane
Dan Murphy (View posts)
Posted: 5 Jan 1999 12:00PM
Classification: Query
Surnames: Murphy, Lane, Keane, Hickey, Ahern, Curtin, O'Connor, Downey
My grandmother, Nora Lane Murphy, was the daughter of Aeneas Lane and Bess Ahern Nolan. Grandparents were William Lane and his wife Johanna Curtin Lane as well as Michael Ahern and his wife Mary O'Connor Ahern. Everybody was from either Knocknagoshel, Brosna, or Castleisland, CO Kerry. Nora was raised in Toureenard, Knocknagoshel, and had four brothers, one sister, and two half sisters. Her mothers first husband, Mr. Nolan, had died young. Brothers were William, John, Michael, and Aeneas Lane. Sister was Ellie Lane. Half sisters were Hannah and Mary Nolan. Nora is buried with my grandfather, Maurice Murphy in the cemetery of the Catholic Church in Mt Collins, CO Limerick. I scrubbed their grave for two hours this past June. Tell me I did a great job!
Murphy/Keane of Knocknagoshel/Brosna
Dan Murphy (View posts)
Posted: 5 Jan 1999 12:00PM
Classification: Query
Surnames: Murphy, Keane, Lane, Hickey, Downey, O'Connor, Curtin, Ahern
ALL the Murphy's of Knocknagoshel are related. Original Murphy was Timothy. My GGGrandfather was Maurice Murphy,
who was married to the former Mary Hickey of Meenleitrim. They had four children; Maurice( who inherited Keane farm in
Brosna)m. Ellen Fitzgerald, Michael (inhertied Murphy farm in Knocknagoshel) m. Ellen Sullivan, Mary m.Gleeson, and my
GGrandfather Daniel (1846-1901), shoemaker in Knocknagoshel, who married the former Ellen Keane (1848-1934), who
was from Mounteagle, Brosna. They had eleven children including Rev. Daniel Murphy (1890-1988), Provincial of The Holy
Ghost Fathers, past President of Rockwell College, and Procurator General for the Order to the Vatican for three different
Popes. One daughter was Margaret (Peggy) Nolan who lived in Knocknagoshel till the ripe old age of 99 in 1986. Another son
was my grandfather Maurice (1872-1946) who after spending ten years in NYC (1893-1903), and earning a nursing degree
from Manhattan State Hospital in 1899, returned to Ireland, married the former Minnie Scanlon of Knocknagoshel and settled
on a farm in Knockawarriga, Mt. Collins, CO Limerick, which is just across the river from Knocknagoshel. When Minnie died
while giving birth to their third child, Maurice married the former Nora Lane of Toureen NA Blath, Brosna, Co Kerry. They
had nine children including my mother Kathleen Murphy, who emigrated to Long Island,NY in Dec. 1947.
Any information on descendents of Mary Gleeson, Michael, and Maurice Murphy would be appreciated. Would also like to
know about siblings and parents of both Maurice Murphy and his wife Mary Hickey. I'll be in Ireland for fourweeks beginning
2-17-99. would love to meet up with some long lost relatives. I'm Buying!
Re: Murphy/Keane of Knocknagoshel/Brosna
murph687 (View posts)
Posted: 15 Dec 2012 12:38AM
Classification: Query
Surnames: Murphys
Hi
Was there a Batholomew Murphy in the family, who married an Elizabeth Ahern from Rooska East Co Limerick Ireland Childrens name were Johanna John and Denis DOB around 1901 - 1904 & 1906 some of them were born in America, Bartholemew Murphy came from Meenlietrim Knocknagoshel Co Kerry, and he had a brother FR Dan Murphy who is my Granduncle and is buried in the graveyard in Knocknagoshel Co Kerry Ireland
Cheers
Eileen (HM)
Compiled by John M Feheny
Robert G Griffin (c.1880-),Physician
Robert George Griffin, son of Peter G Griffin (qv) and his wife, Maria Hunt, was born in Altavilla, Askeaton, about 1880. He studied medicine and qualified as a doctor at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin(LRCSI and LRCPI). He took a medical appointment with the British Government in India and became medical officer at Dooma, Assam, India. He married Annie Ruth Browning, daughter of Jeffrey Browning and his wife, Elizabeth MI Power, on 29 November,1911, and they had one daughter. He was brother of Peter G Griffin, who died in 1921(qv). (M Griffin, 2011)
Griffin, Peter G (1878-1921),Army Officer
Peter Gerald Griffin, eldest son of Peter Gerald Griffin and his wife, Maria Sarah Hunt (d.1912), was born in Altavilla, Cappagh, Co. Limerick, in 1878. He entered the British army and was initially attached to the Limerick City Artillery. Subsequently, he was stationed in the Middle East. He married Cara Lilian Ponsonby and they had issue, including sons, John Ponsonby Griffin (b.1909) and Ronald Griffin (1911, qv) and three daughters. He died as a result of a polo accident in Egypt on 31March, 1921. Among the military honors he received was the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). (M Griffin, 2011
Griffin, Peter Ronald (d.1957),Army Officer
Peter Ronald Ponsonby Griffin was born in Altavilla, Askeaton, Co. Limerick, on 26February, 1911. He was notable for his great height, approximately 7 ft. He joined the British Army and, partly because of his skill in foreign languages, including French, German and Russian, was employed as a military attaché in several countries, including Russia. During World War II, he was a recruited as a member of the Special Operations Executive(SOE) for covert operations behind enemy lines, one of which was the liberation of Greece. With his first wife, he had two daughters, Anneliese, who died as a baby, and Rosie, who, as Rosie Swale, became a well-known author, adventurer, sailor and TV personality. He married, secondly, Marianne Micolot, a Swiss lady, with whom he had one daughter, Maude, and three boys, Gerald, Nicholas and Ronald (1957-2004). (M Griffin,2011)
Russell, John Norris (c.1771-1853),Entrepreneur
John Norris Russell was born in Limerick around 1771. He was described by Maurice Lenihan, author of the History of Limerick
(Dublin, 1866), as the most enterprising merchant Limerick ever saw. He began his milling empire by taking over the Plassey Mill, after which he acquired the Corbally Mills from the Bindon’s in 1820. Subsequently, he built the steam mills at Newtown Perry in 1827 and the Lock mills soon afterwards. Sometime after1840, and before 1847, he acquired Paul
Erson’s mills (later the site of the Creamery) in Askeaton. For over a century, his company was the largest employer in Limerick, with about2,000 employees. He was granted the Freedom of Limerick City on 1 July, 1822. In the collection for the famine victims in Askeaton in1847, Thompson Russell, then managing director of the firm, as well as a son of the founder, John Norris Russell Senior, contributed the sum of 2 (in addition to 20 from his father) to the fund. Another son of the founder, Richard Russell, built the present Plassey House (now part of the University of Limerick) in 1863. The Russell’s were also co-founders of some of the better-known industries in Limerick, including Matterson’s bacon factory and Cleeve’s Condensed Milk
Glin Library
Posted on 24/08/2016 by glinlib
10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Limerick
Limerick, Ireland’s third largest city, was founded by the Vikings in 812. Limerick is one of Ireland’s oldest cities, with a Charter of Incorporation older than that of London’s, dating back to 1197!
Limerick is home to the largest Georgian Quarter in Ireland outside Dublin!
Former US President, John F. Kennedy’s great-grandfather, Thomas Fitzgerald (the man who gave them the ‘F’ in their name), hails from the town of Bruff in east Co. Limerick!
There are 10 places in the USA called Limerick: Limerick, Georgia, Limerick, Illinois, Limerick, Louisville, Limerick, Maine, Limerick, Mississippi, Limerick, New York, Limerick, Ohio, Limerick, South Carolina, Limerick Township, Pennsylvania, and New Limerick, Maine!
Irish Coffee, a brew infused with Irish whiskey, was invented in Limerick village Foynes in 1943!
Limerick is known as the Treaty City after the Treaty of Limerick was signed here in October 1691!
Some of Limerick’s well-known sons and daughters include actor Richard Harris, rock legends The Cranberries, broadcaster Terry Wogan, novelist and playwright Kate O’Brienand Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt!
In 1651 after Cromwell’s forces captured the City, St. Mary’s Cathedral was used as a stable for the army’s horses!
King John’s Castle is the westernmost Norman castle in Europe!
The University of Limerick has the longest footbridge in Ireland and one of the longest footbridges in Europe – it is called the Living Bridge!
A plaque to commerate Eamon de hOir (Dore) (1886-1972) will be unveiled at Geoghegans on Saturday 20th August 2016 at 4.00 p.m. by his daughter Mairead and all who are interested are invited to attend.Eamon Dore was born and raised in Glin in the house now occupied by the Geoghegan family – Gerard Geoghegan being a grand nephew of Eamon Dore.
Eamon Dore was a medical student at UCD when he joined the Irish Volunteers. He fought alongside Pearse, Connolly and Clarke in the GPO during the rising. He was later detained in British internment camps with Collins and de Valera and was released in January 1917.
Ar dheis De go raibh a anam uasal gaelach.
O’Shaughnessy
← DOUBLE GOLD FOR GLIN BOY NATHAN WRIGHT
O’SHAUGHNESSY’S -THE IVY HOUSE, GLIN, A HISTORY.
Posted on 21/08/2016 by glinnews
BOOKS
The Irish Pub, Turtle Bunbury & James Fennell (Thames & Hudson, 2008)
RETURN TO INDEX OF PUBS
O’Shaughnessy’s – The Ivy House
Glin, Co. Limerick
There is a story about the Knights of Glin that during an assault on his castle by an English fleet, one of his sons was captured. A message was sent to the Knight stating that if he did not surrender, his son would be blasted from the ship’s canons against his castle walls. The Knight is said to have replied: ‘Fire away, there’s plenty more where he came from!’
Whatever became of the unfortunate son is unclear but it’s the sort of legend that must have appealed to Dody Meer when she came to roost in a pub by the walls of Glin Castle in 1952. Dody’s Hungarian homeland had been devastated by the loss of 71% of its territory in the wake of the Great War. By 1945, the country has been seized by Russian communists. For Dody’s father, Leo Meer, a banker and stockbroker in Budapest, the situation was now intolerable. In May 1939, he sent his daughter to holiday with friends in Essex, where she stayed until after the war. As well as banking, Leo was also a brilliant musician, playing viola with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In later life, he would sit in the blue sitting room above O’Shaughnessy’s bar and practice for six hours straight.
In 1946, Dody visited her cousin and his wife Pixie in Surrey. Pixie was an O’Shaughnessy from a mysterious land called Limerick in the farthest reaches of Ireland. Her brother John was also present, a tall man and a Captain in the Irish army. Dody and the Captain exchanged words and smiles and fell in love. They were married in London in 1948.
The O’Shaughnessy’s descend from Sir Dermot O’Shaughnessy, a warrior from Gort in County Galway who was knighted during the reign of Henry VIII. A branch have been in Glin since 1692 when, in the aftermath of the Treaty of Limerick, Thomas O’Shaughnessy, a great-grandson of Sir Dermot, moved south from Gort and crossed the Shannon. In the late 19th century, ‘Old Pat’ O’Shaughnessy, second cousin of the aforementioned Captain, aquired a single-storey building on the Market Square in Glin. As was customary at the time, he ran the business as a grocer, hardware store, building supplier and public house. Pat ran the business with his only son Maurice, a haemophiliac. After the latter’s premature death, Pat engaged his cousin Mossy as a hand. In his will, Old Pat left young Mossy both his pub and some considerable debts.
Mossy was the second son of ‘Big Maurice’ O’Shaughnessy (1878 – 1943) by his wife Margaret Colbert. Margaret was a first cousin of Captain Con Colbert who commanded the rebels at the Jameson Distillery during the Easter Rising. Colbert was subsequently court-martialled and shot, declaring ‘Better a dead man, than a live coward’ shortly before the fatal guns fired. His death inevitably caused much unrest in Glin and the town expereinced its share of trouble in the ensuing war of independence.
In Mossy’s time, the pub was known as Ivy House after the green leaves creeping up its walls. A room to one side of the pub was sublet as an office to a traveling solicitor who came to Glin once a week to resolve local disputes. Mossy ran the pub until his preamture demise during a botched hispital operation in 1952. As he left no will, all his siblings had an equal claim. Ultimately they all signed their claim over to the youngest sibling, John, a serving officer in the Irish Army.
Captain John O’Shaughnessy returned from London in 1952; his wife and sons following later. It must have been an astonishing time for Dody to move from London to an isolated community in rural Ireland where transport was scarce and foreigners somewhat marveled at for their fancy notions of indoor toilets and such like.
Assisted by a German friend, she set up one of the first cottage industries in Ireland, teaching villagers the intricacies of basket-making and rush-ware. A tremendous comfort was a telephone in the house. Dody’s son Thomas O’Shaughnessy recalls an endless stream of farmers subsequently calling by en route to the creamery, asking him to dial ‘11’ to get the vet out for their sick animals.
By 1960, Dody’s keen Magyar tastes had deduced that the only hope for the somewhat drab interior of her husband’s pub lay in a complete revamp. The Captain was all in favour although, as Thomas points out, Dody was always close at hand ‘to keep him on the staright and narrow’. The Captain was universally loved as a fine gentlemen and a marvelous storyteller but questions were raised as to his aesthetic sensibilities.
Both the Captain and his father Maurice were Secretary and Chairman of the Glin Coursing Club. Coursing took place out ‘over the far famed Glin demesne’ with substantial stake money to be won. The pubs close affiliation with coursing is attested to by the greyhound resting above its entrance.
The Captain’s cousin Pat was one of the pub’s great characters. He tended to live in the kitchen and liked to put cubes of butter into his tea instead of milk. Indeed, he held court from an armchair carefully placed within a vast timber box formerly used for holding parts for Ford motorcars. He also frequently slept there.
After Pat’s demise, the genius of a foreign eye enabled Dody to convert the kitchen into a delightful room where musical sessions now take place around the nimble Monington & Weston piano. The mighty Liscannor flagstone floors, salvaged from a catholic church in Old Pat’s time, were given a lift when the surrounding walls were painted in bright and cheerful colours. A traditional clevvy is now laden with cups and pretty vases of wildflowers and miscellaneous oddities. Drinkers recline in a variety of country chairs, armchairs to sticklebacks, resting their drinks on simple kitchen tables. Beautifully produced greyhound posters unfurl alongside shelves stacked with ledger books and fifteen volumes of Greyhound Stud Books. A ceiling beam is festooned with a bee helmet, a scythe, a gas lamp, a garland of party balloons, a stray boot made at the old Christian Brother industrial school in Glin. Framed alongside a butter churn and a stuffed otter are photographs of Con Colbert and pictures of Robert Emmet and Daniel O’Connell. A poster relates the tolls and charges for bringing goods to market in Glin during Old Pat’s day.
Above the hearth, is a traveling priests altar from penal times, complete with anointment water, crucifix, holy water spoon and embroidered cloth. Somehow this remarkable piece made it to New York where it was discovered by Thomas’s brother Jancsi and brought home again. ‘I used to work in a museum in London’, laughs Thomas’s wife Val. ‘And now I’m living in one’.
Thomas and Val took on the family pub in 2002. They live in a nearby house with two teenage sons. Thomas, half Magyar, half Limerick, has a full time job with an independent oil and chemical storage company in Foynes. He only opens the pub on Friday evenings, at weekends and on certain mornings. He has no intention of selling. ‘O’Shaughnessy was the name above the bar when I got it. And it’ll be the name above it when I go’, says he. ‘That’s all I can do’.
RETURN TO INDEX OF PUBS
CONTENTS
1. The Concept.
2. On the Road.
3. The Chosen Pubs.
4. Conclusions.
5. Personal Qualifications.
6. A History of the Irish Pub.
7. Acknowledgments.
8. Media Coverage.
9. Bibliography.
10. Places to Stay.
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