Lectures 2013 Tuesday October 29Th

Drawing of Dunsandle tower house from 1791 by aristocrat (and suspected French spy) Charles Etienne Coquebert de Montbret.

Newsletter No 13 Autumn 2013

Events - Lectures 2013 Tuesday October 29th. Lecture by Dr Christy Cunniffe, Field Monument Advisor with Galway County Council, entitled; The Funerary Art of East Galway. In The Irish Workhouse Centre, Portumna at 8.30 pm . This lecture will explore the richness of the art found on the gravestones of East Galway. It will demonstrate the variety of the religious and secular iconography employed and explain the religious symbolism behind each of the motifs. The gravestones of East Galway are a rich repository of religious and secular art and once understood each decorated panel can This image of an interesting winged angel head is found b ecome veritable miniature gallery of meaning. on a ledger in Clonfert graveyard. The facial expression Christy Cunniffe has been recording and studying the funer- is very unusual. The eyes appear to be closed perhaps as ary art of East Galway for over twenty years. a reflection on death. Symbols such as these make our Tuesday ovember 28th. graveyards interesting places to visit. If you discover any unusual iconography or have a query about a particular Lecture by Dr Miriam Moffitt, entitled; Clanrickarde’s planters and land agitation in east Galway 1886-1916. In The symbol please contact the editor at [email protected] Irish Workhouse Centre, Portumna at 8.30 pm. Dr Moffitt teaches Church History in St Patrick's College, Drumcondra; St Patrick's College, Maynooth and St Patrick's College, Thurles. Her publications include Clanricarde’s Planters: land agitation in east Galway, 1886-1916 (Dublin: Maynooth Series in Local History, Four Courts Press, 2011); Soupers and Jumpers: the Protestant missions in Connemara, 1848-1937 (Dublin: Nonsuch (Ireland) Ltd, 2008); ‘Protestantism in Mayo in the twentieth century’ in William Nolan and Gerard Moran (eds.), Mayo, History and Society (Dublin: Geography Publications, forthcoming [October 2013]); ‘Protestant tenant farmers and the land league’ in Decorated kerb stone at ewgrange. Carla King and Conor McNamara (eds.), The West of Ire- ew Members: If you know someone that might like to be- land: ew Perspectives on the ineteenth Century (Dublin: come a member of SEGAHS, or is visiting the area and may The History Press, 2011); ‘The conversion of Connemara: the wish to attend our events, please invite them along. Membership Fee: The annual society membership fee is €20. conflict between Paul Cullen and John MacHale’ in Daire This can be paid to the society treasurer Michael Ward or as- Keogh and Albert McDonnell (eds.), Cardinal Paul Cullen sistant treasurer Pat Madden. and his world (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2010). Articles: If you have a short article, note, or query of heritage interest that you would like to share with members of the soci- Miriam Moffitt has studied history at NUI Maynooth, Uni- ety, we will be happy to publish it here in our newsletter. If versity of Wales Lampeter, University of Nottingham and you wish to have your article included you can do so by Queens University Belfast. emailing it to the editor [email protected] The capturing of the Kellymount Gang at Woodford Steve Dolan

As documented in our previous issues, the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries saw, at times, a sense of lawlessness with various outlaws and bandits sporadically committing robberies and sometimes worse crimes, including murder. One of the most famous groups of outlaws in eighteenth century Ireland were a band of highwaymen and robbers known as the Kellymount gang (from Co Kilkenny). Led by Lawrence Brennan, this band of 20-30 outlaws were responsible for countless daring robberies in Kilkenny and its various surrounding counties in the late 1730’s. Their ‘end’, unsurprisingly, was a bloody one! The gang had been raiding various houses and farms in north Tipperary in August 1740 when they were challenged unexpectedly by a posse of local gentry. In an effort to avoid capture, the gang split-up. The posse were undeterred however, and in an extraordinary chase they were relentlessly pursued into south-east Galway. The following article from the ‘Universal Spectator and Weekly Journal’ captures the drama of the gang’s final stand and capture following a shoot-out in Woodford.

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Highwaymen’ from http://www.criminals.lt/list.php?c=17english

The newspapers celebrated the capture of the men as being the ‘breaking’ of the gang and clearing the way (of Highwaymen) for travel- lers; as well as lamenting the death of Otway. While Brennan’s wounds were initially ‘not thought to be mortal’, one is left to guess at the level of care he received as after being taken to Clonmel prison he soon died from his wounds. Little mercy was shown to the others when captured. For example, when Darcy was captured he was tried and hanged; following which his head was put on display at the courthouse. ‘Zero tolerance’ indeed!

References: Universal Spectator and Weekly Journal, 20th September 1740, 624. Madden, R. R. 1867. The History of Irish Periodical Literature from the end of the 17th Century to the middle of the 19th (T C Newby, London). Fr Joseph Corcoran (1850 – 1919) and Fr Dermot Corcoran (1911 – 1979). By Gerard Corcoran

Fr Joseph Corcoran was born in 1850 in Cloonshease House and came to Portumna in 1886 having spent the first four months of his priesthood in the parish of Lusmagh. He spent the rest of his life in the parish of Portumna becoming Parish Priest in 1889. He rarely left the Parish except to attend the annual Maynooth reunion, a pilgrimage to Lourdes and a visit to Rome in 1903. On his return from there Dr Healy appointed him vicar general of the Diocese.

Fr Joseph Corcoran Extract from the Connacht Tribune

In the second half of the nineteenth century the dead of the poor and the destitute of the parish were being buried in Cal- vary Cemetery. There was reluctance on behalf of some of the people of Portumna to have their dead interred there. Fr Corcoran on becoming aware of this, declared that he himself wished to be buried in Calvary and encouraged his parishioners to bury their dead there also. This was enough to have the desired effect. In 1907 he was chairman of the national demonstration in Portumna at which John Redmond spoke, to highlight the evictions on the Clanrickarde estate and also chaired another meeting in 1911 at which John Dillon was the guest speaker. It was a great source of joy to Fr. Corcoran to have lived to see the dispossessed tenants reinstated to their hold- ings. He was involved in setting up the Electrical Light System for the town of Portumna but had passed from this life before it became operational. He died on December 3rd 1919 and was laid to rest as requested in Calvary Cemetery where his parishioners erected a carved statue of his patron “St Joseph” in his honour. It is said that he was instrumental in making the match between his brother Stephen in Cloonshease and Bridget Walsh in Ballymacegan. He also helped restore Cloonshease house adding a second story and new entrance.

Tribute from the people of Portumna Article extract from the Connacht Tribune

Fr Dermot Corcoran Redwood Castle

Fr Dermot Corcoran born in Ballymacegan, Lorrha, Co. Tipperary (son of Stephen, nephew of Fr Joseph Corcoran of Portumna) studied for the priesthood at the Carmelite Novitiate in Loughrea and St Kieran’s College Kilkenny on leaving secondary school. He was ordained a priest in 1937 and served his entire ministry in England working in Stoke-on Trent, Tipton, Sellyoak, Stowerbridge and finally as Parish Priest of Stechford in Birmingham. He re- tired in 1977. Despite his many years living away, Fr Dermot never lost his love for Ballymacegan and made trips home at least twice a year. His two great passions, outside of his priestly duties, were hurling and the local history of Ballymacegan and Redwood. He was a generous sponsor of the Lorrha Hurling Club and never missed an All- Ireland Hurling Final. His involvement in local history was well known and he had a particular interest in Red- wood Castle and it’s famous school of Law and Learning. One of it’s pupils was Brother Michael O’Cleary who studied there in 1636 and later became the chief of the Four Masters who compiled the Annals of the History of Ireland. Some years ago, Fr Dermot wrote a Lament of that period and a framed copy of it is displayed in Redwood Castle.

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Gerard Corcoran the author of this article was instrumental in organising a homecoming of twenty members of the Clonfert Corcoran clan and their extended family from Minnesota for “The Gathering”. The Corcoran group were treated to a Week of Welcomes in August from their Irish cousins in the parishes of Rathcabbin, Lorrha, Portumna, Eyrecourt, Clonfert, Meelick and further afield. Bill Corcoran the patriarch of the clan in the US was the focus of a TV documentary filmed for TG4 by ‘Red Pepper Productions’. The documentary is due to be broadcast on TG4 in the late autumn. Bills ancestor Michael Corcoran left Clonfert in 1844 just at the onset of the Famine. The Cor- coran ancestral burial place is in Clonfert graveyard. It is one of the places of special family significance that Bill and his family were taken to. All the Corcoran families involved can trace their common ancestry back to Hugh Corcoran of Clonfert.

The inscription on his headstone reads: Erected by Thos Corcoran in memory of his Father Hugh Corcoran who died Novbr 25th 1768 aged 50 yrs. Also his Wife Elezabeth Mulry. The Secret Landscape of the Slieve Aughty Christy Cunniffe & Kevin Cunningham

Recent archaeological fieldwork undertaken in the Slieve Aughty uplands has led to the discovery of over two- hundred features of archaeological interest in the wider Kilchreest area. A Community Archaeology Project was launched in that area of the Slieve Aughtys by the Field Monument Advisor on the 18th of April to coincide with International Day for Monuments and Sites. While the initial concentrated focus is on the Kilchreest/Castledaly uplands, fieldwork is also being undertaken in the Woodford, Derrybrien and Derryoober area with other areas being looked at for future fieldwork. The Slieve Aughty uplands are proving to be a fertile area for the discovery of archaeology — all of these areas have returned new sites . What is important is that it is the local communities of the Slieve Aughty region with the assistance of the Galway Field Monument Advisor that are themselves involved in this process of discovery and recording this archaeology. Monuments of prehistoric date, and interestingly post-medieval date, predominate. Some medieval features have been discovered but not in the same quantity and mainly in the foothills. From a prehistoric perspective fulachta fiadh (so called cooking sites) and standing stones are the commonest features encountered. However, the greatest volume of archaeology discovered so far dates to the post-medieval and early modern period allowing us develop a greater understanding of how people farmed these mountains from at least the 17th century onwards. The abandoned clachan villages associated with the old rundale system of farming have been encountered in several places. Linked to the practice of rundale was the tradition of booleying or transhumance where cattle were removed to upland commonage in summer, to allow crops such as potatoes and cereals be sown in the infields around the cluster settlements. While much has been written on the topic of transhumance or booleying as it called in Ireland for other upland regions, the Slieve Aughty region has been poorly studied, if at all, and as consequence is virtually a ‘Secret Landscape’ in this respect.

Figure 1 A well preserved footing of a booley hut site in the townland of Gortnagleav overlooking Kilchreest/Castledaly.

To date we have recorded a large number of hut sites. Not all are as well preserved as the example depicted above (Fig. 1). Our initial thoughts were that these may have been Bronze Age in date, but we now accept based on obser- vation and discussions with other archaeologists, that they are likely to be booley huts. What is of interest is that this type of land use prevailed in many parts of Ireland up to Famine times but has in many respects been lost to popular memory. There may be those that dismiss historic archaeology and believe that the study of the recent past should be undertaken by historians. This is a case in point where the documentary sources are relatively silent and where the long memory of the people has failed to recall that particular way of life. It is therefore, really only through archaeological investigation that we can recover the story. What is so important about the Slieve Aughty Project is that it is possible for all disciplines to collectively feed into the research. For instance a published document on the Fairs and Markets of Ireland informs us that Woodford was also known as Boleyoge. This name derives from the practice of booleying. However, what is also important is that the document provides us with one of the earliest dated contexts for booleying in the region as it tells us that Booleyeoge alias Woodford was granted per- mission to hold a market and fair in 1674. From this we can confirm that booleying was taking place in the Woodford region at that time, and can therefore postulate that it was also happening elsewhere in the mountain from at least the 17th century onwards but could be much earlier in origin. There are several townlands in the Slieve Aughty region with a booley element in their name. A simple way for finding booley sites is to locate the clachan settlements or farming villages on the 1st Edition OS map for the area and to then locate the associated commonage. Booley huts are generally to be found in commonage, in flat areas on sheltered slopes close to mountain streams. What you will discover are simple circular grassed over wall footings on which the wooden roof timbers were supported. In the West of Ireland in places like Achill these huts were built completely from stone as a small beehive-hut structure. In this region they were built with stone a base and roofed with timber overlaid with scraws probably covered with thatch. Other features may occur in the surrounding landscape such as small enclosed fields with cultivation ridges, field clearance cairns and other house types such as bothogs and scalps (Fig. 2). In one instance in Derryoober Mountain, local man Michael Walsh has pointed out a butter well. This latter feature is very likely to have been associated with the making of butter during the summer booley. Local knowledge, as we are finding, is a critical factor in the process of the discovery and understanding of this rich cultural landscape.

Figure 2 A crude dwelling cut into the natural landscape commonly referred to as a bothóg.

References: 1852-53 [1674] Fairs and Markets' Commission, Ireland Report of the commissioners appointed to inquire into the state of the fairs and markets in Ireland. B: We wish to extend our sincere thanks to the people of Slieve Aughty for their support and assistance with this exciting and important initiative. Galway Independent Paper Saturday, December 30, 1826.

REFORMATION IN CONNAUGHT.

We understand that a number of Roman Catholics conformed in Ballinasloe, on Christmas day, and received the Lord's supper in the parish church - we cannot tell how many; but we hope some of our correspondents in that town will trans- mit to us the particulars. There is a number in Galway ready to do the same, if protection could be afforded to their persons and property. But if it be dangerous for those who have been brought up from infancy in the Reformed Faith to make an open avowal of their principles, what must it be for those who have always worshipped at the shrine of bread and pictures to re- nounce it, and to testify that they have been idolators.

Dublin Evening Post Thursday January 6, 1803.

COUNTY OF GALWAY.

TO be SOLD by AUCTION, by order of the Assignees of JOH HUBERT MOORE, a Bankrupt, at said Bankrupt's Dwelling-house, at Shannon-grove, near Banagher, on Monday the 10th day of January next, all the said Bankrupt's Household Furniture, Plate, House Linen, China, Horses, Cows, and other Stock, Farming Utensils, a large quantity of Hay, Turf, and Potatoes, two Boats, and a great variety of other articles too numerous to insert, but which are par- ticularly mentioned in hand-bills, and all of which must be sold without reserve. The Auction will begin each day at 11 o'clock, and continue from day to day 'till all are sold, save that if a wet day should occur during the Auction, then the Auction will be adjourned to the next fine day after. - Dated 28th December, 1802.

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CO. GALWAY.

TO be LET, from the 1st of May next, for such term as may be agreed on, the lands of KILCORBAN, con- taining about 130A together with the CUSTOMS of the Fairs of said place:- these lands are of a remarkable fattening quality and meadow, and are situate midway between Portumna and Loughrea:- any persons wishing to build will meet with every encouragement.

Proposals in writing will be received addressed to the Hon. Wm. ugent, Pallas, Portumna.

Update on Clonfert graveyard in the aftermath of the recent Tornado.

This photograph shows Clonfert graveyard after the recent tornado strike. Several headstones and a number of Celtic crosses were damaged. Luckily no damage was recorded to St Brendan’s cathedral though the trees in the background were knocked into the graveyard and a large section of graveyard wall demolished in the process. Sadly the old horse chestnut hosting St Brendan’s Tree had its top taken off and the ancient Yew Walk also suffered an amount of wind damage with a number of its yew trees blown down. It is interesting to think that an event such as this would have found its way into the annals in the medieval period and would now be a source of great interest to researchers. EWSPAPER REPORTS Steve Dolan

th ’Old England’ ewspaper 10 June 1749

’Universal Journal’ ewspaper 1st August 1724

‘Public Advertiser’ ewspaper 19th October 1787

‘Public Ledger’ ewspaper 15th July 1766

‘The Star’ ewspaper 21st September 1793

‘Public Advertiser’ ewspaper 13th August 1788

‘The Daily Post’ ewspaper 1st ovember 1741

th ‘The Diary or Woodfalls Register’ 17 August 1790

Perhaps, at least in part because of its terrain and geographic location, the wider Woodford area appears to have experi- enced a high proportion of crime, sometimes violent. The end ‘The Evening Post’ ewspaper 12th April 1788 of the century would see one very high profile case which captured the attention of all the newspapers in Britain and Ireland. The capture of ‘Paddy the Rake’ (Patrick Page) for the murder of a Mr Kelly, and subsequently the murder of a Mr Holton, Surveyor of excise in 1888. After two years on the run, Page was eventually captured as he was about to escape for England. otes on the Photograph taken at the Carmelite Abbey, c. 1880 Declan Kelly, ecclesiastical historian and field-archaeologist, reflects on the changing styles of clerical attire in Clonfert diocese over the nineteenth century. Given that the Roman Catholic Church has a history that spans 2,000 years, it is unsurprising that along its earthly journey it has acquired a large amount of ritual encrustation. Not all of this is easily understood as was illustrated a few years after my own ordination when, at a parish station, a lady asked me rather innocently “And how long have you been canonised now?” The image taken at the Carmelite Abbey, Loughrea, c. 1880 presents an opportunity to reflect on clerical trappings that are rarely seen today and which may assist others with accurate identification of such smaller detail in other images of a similar vintage. Alas, we can only identify a few individuals from the photograph under consideration. Pre- sumably, the person recording the names felt that the novices at the rear were not of sufficient status to have their names noted for posterity. This is all the more a pity as a goodly number of entrants to the Abbey throughout the nineteenth century were natives of Clonfert diocese and, if identified, might provide collateral descendants with an image of them. Nor was the occasion recorded, though there was regular contact between the diocesan clergy and the Carmelites. An educated guess, given the number of novices depicted and their apparent ages, is a first profession of vows.

The seculars/diocesans are identified by their distinctive garb. Far left (holding a hat) is Fr (latterly Msgr) John Cun- ningham (1850-1919), while seated far left is Fr John Sellars (1853-1914). Seated centre is Fr (latterly Msgr) James Madden, whose generosity was to ensure the establishment of a permanent diocesan college. Seated far right is Fr Patrick Egan (1855-1921), the uncle of Rev Dr Kevin Egan, PP Portumna 1974-1986. Fr Sellars is attired in what is often confused with the soutane but is properly termed a `tonsure coat`. It was fastened by a single button just below the neck and had a fitted collar rather than lapels. The older type of soutane/cassock had 33 buttons, symbolic of Christ`s years on earth. Given the burgeoning number of clergy in Irish dioceses at the time, clerical outfitters were in a thriving business and anxious to keep abreast of even the most subtle changes in fashion. Revv Cunningham and Egan are wearing the Chesterfield coat, which could be single or double-breasted and usually had a velvet or satin collar. It developed from, and ultimately replaced, the Victorian frock-coat which was a heavier garment and rather restrictive to wear due to a tightly-seamed waist. The Chesterfield was a much looser garment which led to it being pejoratively termed a `freezer` by clergy. One suspects the use of that term was more a dissatisfaction with the move towards a more secular form of dress than with practical concerns. It was devised by the 6th Earl of Chesterfield c.1860 and one notes from the few images extant, that younger Clonfert clergy were wearing it from the late 1870s onwards. Indeed, it continued to be worn by senior clergy of the diocese into the 1940s. The Chesterfield is sometimes confused with the greca, also called the douillette, a long, double-breasted overcoat that is worn over a cassock and covers it entirely. It is generally only used by prelates and there is an image of Bishop John Dignan wearing one outside Clostoken church c. 1942. Both Rev Cunningham and Sellars are sporting another clerical style which was in evidence up until the earlier twentieth century which was to wear pocket watches with a cruciform pendant on the end of what was known as an Albert chain, in honour of Queen Victoria`s consort. Fr Cunningham`s choice of what appears to be a slouch-hat also shows a more relaxed approach to clerical headwear. Until c. 1870, the Victorian top-hat was de riguer for clergy at formal events and in the early twentieth century the Homburg became the standard choice after being made popular by King Edward VII. One would imagine that the vagaries of Irish weather made an expensive item like a top-hat an unwise choice in the long run. Fr James Madden is the only cleric in winged-soutane and given that he was the most senior cleric among the diocesans depicted here, reflects his training and a more traditional mindset. Born in 1831, Madden was ordained in 1855, during Dr Derry`s episcopate. Derry`s predecessor, Dr Thomas Coen, had introduced the Roman style of clerical dress in the late 1830s and was reportedly a martinet when it came to enforcing obser- vance of this discipline. This uncompromising stance was no doubt tempered by his early years as dean of discipline in Maynooth and during which time there was a rebellion by various factions of seminarians. There is evidence that after his death, clergy became more lax in regard to attire. Dr Derry began adopting a tougher stance on these regulations after receiving a myriad of complaints from parishioners about their local clergy celebrat- ing Mass while still wearing their boot-spurs with the concomitant clatter on sanctuary flagstones. The biretta, worn by Fr Madden and distinguished by its three stiff ridges and a tuft, was in common use by parochial clergy but was largely abandoned after the Second Vatican Council. It was worn in certain liturgies but contrary to popular opinion, the ridges had no ceremonial purpose. They were added simply to make it easier to don and remove. I find it a minor source of irritation when I see it worn incorrectly in films or stage-plays as it shows a lack of or hurried approach to research. Fr Madden wears it correctly, with the ridgeless side on his left. The Carmelites seated in the image wear the habit of the Order and simple skullcaps, from which the biretta evolved. They are most likely the Prior and Novice-Master. When an t-Athair Eric McFhinn interviewed Sr Berchmans Davy at the Convent of Mercy, Ballinasloe, in 1930, she recalled Fr Laurence Egan (grand-uncle of Rev Dr Kevin and who died in 1858) wearing the collar, soutane with tassels and biretta. She also recalled that Fr Thomas Lawless (died 1863), wore the soutane but not the collar. Fr Lawless was a gifted carpenter and fashioned the old High Altar of Cappatagle church himself. He was the outdoor kind and one suspects that he would not have appreciated the restrictive feeling a Ro- man collar can give. Some other items of former (episcopal) attire are on view in the ecclesiastical museum at St Brendan`s Cathedral, Loughrea and include Dr Derry`s gauntlets or liturgical gloves (over which he would have worn his episcopal ring). As with the ridges on a biretta, the gauntlets evolved from a practical consideration, i.e. keeping the bishop`s hands warm prior to the artificial heating of draughty old churches. At the same time, they had a design perfectly consonant with solemn liturgies. The buskins worn by Dr Dignan during pontifical Mass are also to be seen in the museum. Buskins look rather like ornate wellington-boots but were ceremonial stockings which reached up to the knee, were made of silk and the same colour as the vestments being worn for the pre- vailing occasion.

© Declan Kelly SEGAHS are moving to a ew Lecture Venue Traces of the Past Exhibition Please not that all lectures and meetings of South in The Gallery at The Workhouse Portumna East Galway Archaeological and Historical Society (SEGAHS) will from now on take place at the Irish 1st-24th October Workhouse Centre, Portumna. This exciting cultural (Sun-Mon, 10am-5pm, free of charge) heritage venue will make a suitable location for our society meetings and is in keeping with our ethos of supporting and promoting the awareness of the built and cultural heritage of South East Galway. The workhouse is located on Brigid’s Road at the junction with the Portumna to Ballinasloe road. If you have any difficulty finding us please ring 087 9697692 for directions.

SEGAHS AGM The 2013 AGM will take place on Tuesday 5th No- vember at 8.30pm in the Irish Workhouse Centre. All An exhibition showcasing Ireland's archaeological heritage members are urged to attend. We are interested in viewed through the lens of aerial photography and the lat- est in surveying technology, offering visitors a unique view your views for the future of this expanding society. of their cultural heritage. The aim of the exhibition is to introduce the public to new and exciting sciences. It allows the public to discover archaeology and cultural heritage Membership Fee from a different perspective and encourage a broader ap- The annual membership fee is due for renewal. The preciation of the landscape and archaeological heritage of membership fee remains at €20 for the year. Europe.

Your contribution goes to cover lecturers expenses The Traces of the Past Exhibition is a new departure in and venue costs. We also agreed at a previous com- Irish archaeology. mittee meeting to place a basket at the door for non It aims to: members to make a small contribution. - Introduce the public to new and exciting technologies and While raising money is not the aim of our society we science through striking and novel images of spectacular all appreciate that without it we would not be able to heritage sites - Allow the public to discover archaeology and cultural maintain the calibre and number of quality speakers heritage from a different perspective and that we have had over the years. - Encourage a broader appreciation of the landscape and archaeological heritage of Europe. = Irish Workhouse Centre, Portumna Visitors also have the opportunity to view some of the most iconic sites from around Ireland, such as Brú na Join in the events or just pop in for a tea/ Bóinne, Skellig Michael and the Hill of Tara. The exhibi- coffee and a look around. tion was launched in May at Wood Quay by Minister Guided tours at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. Jimmy Deenihan, and The Gallery at the Irish Workhouse Centre is the first stop on its tour around Ireland. Talk on restoring old buildings at 2 p.m. A Workhouse Story for children aged 8 – 12 at 3 p.m. BACKGROUD OTE

Over the past sixty years throughout Europe, archaeologi- Admission Free. Contributions to project welcome. cal aerial photography has brought to light more previously unknown heritage sites than any other method of explora- Important new book By Dr Brian Casey tion. Aerial photography has now been joined by satellite imagery, airborne laser scanning (lidar) and a variety of We wish Dr Brian Casey a native of Ballinasloe our other airborne and ground-based survey techniques. These congratulations on the publication of his new book are known collectively as remote sensing, since they ex- Defying the law of the land; Agrarian radicals in plore what is beneath the earth or ocean without disturbing its surface or damaging what lies below. Irish history. As its editor Brian has done a wonder- An EU initiative, ArchaeoLandscapes, brings together ex- ful job in bringing together fourteen papers by noted perts from across Europe to promote and develop the use scholars and new scholars on aspects of this interest- of remote sensing within archaeology. This exhibition aims to showcase the finest examples of their work and high- ing phase in modern Irish history. Brian is a very lights the range of techniques available, and the science good friend of SEGAHS and has lectured to this so- and theory behind them. It will illustrate how these tech- ciety in the past and has also contributed at numerous niques have been used on iconic archaeological monuments and landscapes from Ireland and the rest of Europe. other historical events in the South East Galway area. The content of this exhibition represents the culmination of He is employed as Diocesan Archivist by the Catho- the collaborative activities of 55 prestigious institutions lic Diocese of Clonfert. This book is a must for those from 26 European countries. This exhibition aims to ‘Promote the experts’ by highlight- with an interest in the ‘land question’ and will no ing ground breaking research into the application of sci- doubt be an important source for years to come. ence and technology to the field of cultural heritage and archaeology Galway Women in the Great War: The story of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) - Stephen Dolan

In 1917, as the First World War drained Britain's manpower, a force of pioneering female soldiers embarked for France. As part of a series of articles commemorating the centenary of World War I, this short SEGAHS article focuses on the often over-looked contribution of women in the armed forces during the great-war. After the heavy losses of the Somme, a report was commissioned to investigate using women as substitutes for men in auxiliary roles. Soon after, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was formed. Initially, women held roles from cooking and waiting on officers; to serving as clerks, telephone operators, store-women, drivers, etc. However, on the 31st March 1917, the WAACs arrived on the Western Front. By 1918, nearly 40,000 women had enrolled in the (now renamed after Queen Mary) QMAAC. Of these, about 7,000 served on the Western Front, the rest serving ‘at home’. Alas, so low was the profile of the WAAC in Ireland that there are only a handful of references in Irish newspapers in 1917-18. 1 They were however referenced when air raids on their camps or depots occurred 2 and some of these raids resulted in fatalities. Many more women however fell victim to the influenza epidemic of 1918-19. Among those from south-east Galway 3 who served in the WAAC were Bridget Carmody (aged 22, from Craughwell), Catherine Griffin (23, from Loughrea), and Kathleen Walker (18, from near Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe town 4). From elsewhere in Galway were Julia Curran, Annie Dunne, Agnes Fleming, Helena Forbes, Elizabeth Kean, Isabella McDermott, and Kathleen Norman. For more on the WAAC, see http://www.nam.ac.uk/ .

Separately, Galway women also served as nurses with the Royal Army Medical Corps on the western front, and the testimony of one such Nurse from Gort, Susannah Daly (daughter of the Archdeacon of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh), is available on the web-site of the Imperial War Museum at: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80005352 .

References 1. Fewer than 10 articles on the WAAC appear in the Irish Independent from 1917-1918, with regional papers even less interested. 2. Irish Independent 20th May 1918, page 3. 3.NA-UK website http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res _q=Galway&_d=WO&_p=1900&Refine+dates=Refine 4.NA-Irl Census site: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Ballinasloe_Urban/Brackernagh__contd__/448073/

Portumna Golf Club C entenary history book 2013 marks the centenary anniversary of the founding of Portumna Golf Club and local historian and SEGAS President, John Joe Conwell, has compiled its history since golf was first played in the area. Among the prime movers in establishing the Club were Mr Suggett, an engineer working on the construction of the new bridge at Portumna, Mr Harrison who was then inspector of the RIC in Portumna and Fr Dignan, a catholic curate in Portumna and later Bishop of Clonfert. Colonel Coates, an army doctor attached to Portumna Workhouse, was the first captain and fulfilled that role for twenty years. The game was first played locally on lands rented from a number of tenant farmers in the townland of Claggernagh but the Club moved to Portumna Demesne in 1934 when a new clubhouse and 9-hole course was laid out on land leased from the Earl of Harewood who had inherited the Clanricarde estate on the death of the 15th Earl in 1916. The publication details the impact of the war years on the Club when transport was severely curtailed and petrol and cigarettes were offered as golf competition prizes at Portumna. Dan O’Brien was employed as a golf professional and greenkeeper in 1953 and in 1954 a 99-year lease arrangement was secured thanks to the efforts of Club secretary, Michael Bermingham. The club marked the Golden Jubilee of its foundation in 1963 with the holding of its first ever ‘Open Week’. An exten- sion to the clubhouse was completed in 1966 but a complete new one was built in 1971. In 1979 the Club’s Mixed Foursomes won the Connacht championship for the first time. A decade later it won the Jack O’Sullivan competition in unusual circumstances when a Portumna player beat two Galway opponents on his own when his partner was unable to make it to the course on time. With the aid of a FÁS Scheme under the direction of the late Sean Ryan, work began on the development of the 18-hole course and this was opened in 1992. In 1993 the Club secured freehold title to the property by buying out the lease from Coillte. This was probably the most significant event in the Club’s history and eventually led to the development of one of the finest, least known parkland golf courses in the country. The past twenty five years has seen much consistent success in both ladies and gents’ competitions and a number of regional and national titles have been secured. All of these have been well documented in the 228-page publication which is liberally populated with interesting photographs. The book is a most enjoyable read and is a must for anyone with an interest in golf or local history.