The Corran Herald Issue 33, 2000
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THE CORRAN HERALD • 2000/2001 Index Page Remembering James Hannon 2 Ladyewell in Lancashire and the Irish connection 4 Exploration of the Caves of Keash, 1901 5 Cruachan 7 Lady Morgan (Sydney Owenson) 8 Mother and daughter with the healing touch 10 Hunting and the Sligo Hunt 11 An officer and a gentleman 12 The Holiday Home 13 The Hawksbys of Ballymote 14 The O'Hara Carriages Museum Project 16 Evening Star 18 The Coming of the Cinema to Ballymote town 19 Cath Maige Tuired – The Battle of Moytirra 22 Boxty on the Griddle 24 Too Close 24 "Waiting for Billy and Other Short Stories" by Martin Healy (Book Review) 25 Outing to Glenveagh 26 Where Stars Walked ... and Pilgrims Trod 27 The Stirring Rock 28 Looking Back at the Future 29 Photos 30 Poet's Corner 31 McDonagh, King of the Tinkers 32 Bianconi "King of the Irish Roads" 33 Mount Offaly/Cabinteely Excavations 34 Vincent Jordan 35 The Growth of a Rural Parish 36 Bestow a Sweet Smile 37 Trades and Crafts which have Died Out in the last century 38 Errol Flynn–a Hollywood actor with Sligo roots 39 Whither the Weather? 41 Healy and Quigley families 41 The famous 'Glenfarne' scythe stone 42 Ballymote's Place in History 43 Golden Jubilee of Ordination 43 Winnie McGettrick (Sr. M. Sacred Heart) 1918-1999 44 Park Life 45 Matt McCann Remembers 47 Photos 48 1 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2000/2001 J Remembering James Hannan Michael Hannan (grandson of James Hannan) JAMES Hannan, one of seven children of to cast their votes. Any improvements to "That we congratulate our worthy V.P., Thomas and Mary Catherine Hannan of the home or good husbandry of their land Mr James Hannan on his elevation to the Emlanaughton, Ballymote, grew up in the met with an increased rent. Having no Bench- His impartially as President and shadow and aftermath of the Great rights, they faced the possibility of V.P. of this branch of the I.N-F., is a sure Famine of 1845-48. The people and eviction by unscrupulous landlords, guarantee that he will hold the scales of landscape were still scarred by its effects without mercy, to the perils of the Justice evenly between man and man." and tears filled many a stream that flowed roadside. Perhaps the next biggest highlight for into the soft surrounding bog. There was a breed of people known as James came in 1899 when he was With no future on the land, in a climate "land grabber" or "flunky," waiting to selected as a candidate in the first County of poverty and hardship, the only choice capitalise on the misfortune of Council elections by the Nationalist for the destitute was the workhouse or the unfortunate evicted tenants, in order to convention held in Ballymote, which emigrant ship. gain a home for themselves. drew the spotlight of the media with the James with his brother set their sights The Land League sought to address events that led up to it, known as the towards the commercial world, these issues. James and his brother "Sledge hammer incident." eventually setting up their own Matthew, were not able to isolate The Convention was called for by businesses on Lord Edward Street in themselves from the problems and P.A.McHugh M.P., Mayor of Sligo, John 1879, while still in their middle twenties. concern in their community and were O'Dowd, and Wm O'Brien. Canon Tighe died in 1876. Ballymote quick to join the new organisation, the The Courthouse being the only suitable was then and in the following years in a Irish Land League. place to accommodate over one hundred state of severe deep depression as a result James Hannan's name appeared as a delegates, an application was made to the of bad weather, following two years of regular committee member by the Sub-Sheriff for its use. In answer to their potato crop failure. following July, moving up the ranks to request the Court keeper at Ballymote Canon Finn his successor, in an the position of Vice President and received the following telegram, "To emotional letter published in the "Sligo President. Court Keeper, Ballymote. Mayor Champion" 3rd Jan 1880 described the The Parish priest usually held the McHugh cannot have Courthouse to- situation of the town and his parish so position as League Chairman, with other morrow. Sheriff." well: "on the edge of a famine priests of the parish also being members. This refusal created bad feelings, and a catastrophe". For the following forty years James confrontation the Mayor had not wished In 1879 Davitt and Parnell set up the Hannan devoted his energies to his local for. Further negotiations were still not Land League, a movement that quickly Ballymote branch, also holding the able to obtain its use, so next morning spread through the country, opening up a position of treasurer in the governing when the Mayor and his colleagues branch in Ballymote in 1880- This was body of the South Sligo Executive, which arrived on the early train from Sligo, Mr seen as a beacon of light and hope against often took him to other centres. Hawksby, the Courthouse keeper still the injustices of the land laws, which He was to be seen at the head of the refused the delegates entry. gave no rights to the tenants, and a justice League demonstrations in support of The Mayor turning to John Gilmartin, system tilted in favour of the landlord. unfortunate evicted tenants and against the secretary of the Ballymote branch, Tenants suffered the pleasure of the the re-possession of their farms by so said, "get me a sledge hammer" and landlord, and were directed in which way called "grabbers." addressing the delegates standing by He was also closely involved and to the added, "I am not going to ask you to do a front of many political rallies in the town thing I would not do myself, and I am and county, with gatherings of many going to take on myself the responsibility thousands of people, in front of the of this business." platforms on which stood their Meanwhile "a sledge hammer" was Nationalist leaders and Members of brought and the Mayor, with his second Parliament. stroke, smashed in the Courthouse door. His brother Matthew held the position "This action served notice that with the of joint honorary secretary. coming of the new County Councils, the James established a second shop on power and arrogance of the old Teeling Street, and in 1891 married Ellen, ascendancy had become a thing of the one of a family of ten Hayden children past". from Carrick-on-Shannon, setting up This incident highlighted the home in Gaol Street where they had a convention, bringing much fame and family of seven sons. admiration to the Mayor for his action, Matthew had an hotel and store. He especially from the Irish Community in married Ellen's sister, Mary, in 1894 and Britain. they had a family of one daughter and James Hannan was nominated a three sons, two of whom died as infants.. candidate, and went on to win his seat on By 1895 James Hannan's stature and the County Council for Ballymote, where position in the community was he served six full terms until his acknowledged when he was sworn in as a retirement. He contributed fully in the Justice of the Peace for the County of Council business and debates on various Sligo, a position not often offered to issues of the county, including the James Hannan, J.P., C.C. (c18í,.-1929). Catholics. problem of the drainage of the First elected County Councillor for The Irish National Federation, Owenmore River. Ballymote 1899-1920. Remembered in this Centenary Fear of Sligo County Council. Ballymote branch, passed a resolution He was a member of many of its 2 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2000/2001 committees, including the Agricultural Statements of this kind were a typical and sold his main drapery shop on and Technical Instruction Committee. In part of the published branch reports of Teeling Street to O'Dowds, retaining his one of its reports its Chairman their meetings. other shop on Lord Edward Street, and so commended him for carrying out a potato Yet Matthew Hannan bought Oldrock ending the Hannan dynasty in Ballymote. experiment of both manural and variety farm, for whatever reason we will never James Hannan's heart always remained tests, putting it on record "I am indebted know. It was a badly advised move, as he where his roots were in Ballymote, to Mr James Hannan, Ballymote." Which knew full well the problems attached returning at every opportunity, for due to the uncongenial weather during from his many years in the League. business, visiting family and friends or the spring, kept back the working of the "It was owing to the League that the on the sad occasions of many a land for this crop, causing delay in whole string of land Acts of the past bereavement, to which his name can be planting and consequently telling against thirty years were inscribed on the statue found on the published attendance lists of the crop. book, and by determination that the great most funerals during his years in He appears to have shown a keen land question would be resolved by Ballymote. interest in the many aspects of returning it to the people through the Sligo Champion: 21st April 1929. agriculture, during his career. He was a Congested District board with the powers "Regretted Death": "The death took place member of the Ballymote Creamery conferred on it by the 1909 Act".