The abbey of , Co. of Gallway by Angelo Maria Bigari, July 1779. Cumann Staire agus Seandálaíochta Oirdheisceart na Gaillimhe

Newsletter No. 18 Summer 2015 Events and Lectures, Spring / Summer 2015 Contents SEGAHS Lectures, 8.30pm in The Western Sack & Bag Co. by Ronan Killeen 2 The Irish Workhouse Centre, . A Native and Australian by Declan Kelly 3 Meelick Cross by Christy Cunniffe 5 Tuesday, March 31st (Lecture) Éirí Amach na Cásca 7 Lecture by Damien Quinn entitled Rebranding Empire: Postcards: Glentane House by Shane Ruane 8 Memory and the Ownership of History. As The Reproductive Loan Fund by Steve Dolan 9 wades through the mire of remembrance, the story of : At home and abroad by Liam Moloney 11 World War I is repackaged and redistributed like the What it says in the papers 12 shiny cigarette boxes given to British troops in the ______trenches of France in 1914. Bright shiny soldiers marching, flags unfurled, great speeches, never before Chairman’s Statement seen footage and local gatherings of the no-longer-silent I would like to express my thanks to everyone for the who stand to re-imagine those who were mutilated in support given to me since taking up my new role earlier the Imperial War 1914-1918. This lecture will examine this year. I would also like to acknowledge the Trojan how and why Ireland remembers World War I in the work done by out-going Chairperson, Christy Cunniffe. context of British Imperial remembrance. It will explore whether Ireland as a nation is complicit in the glorifica- For the next year, we have loads of lectures, events, and tion of Georgian Imperial values and if so, is it aware of other plans and we will be sure to keep you updated on the fact, or simply attaching itself to Sassoon’s “woeful same through this newsletter, via text and e-mail, and crimson of men slain”, oblivious to the consequences? indeed on-line. Thursday, April 30th (Lecture). Field Trip, May 9th Lecture by our own John Joe Conwell on the Bridges of Ann O’Riordan, Chairperson. Portumna marking the centenary of the new bridge. The Membership talk will highlight the significance of that area as a transport hub encompassing Connaught Harbour, Mun- SEGAHS welcomes all new members. As a member of our society you will learn a great deal about your heritage in an ster Harbour, Parsonstown and Portumna Bridge Rail- interactive way by having access to regular lectures and gath- way and the Hymany Way. The lecture will be followed erings. You do not need to have any qualifications or a high- by a field trip, albeit one at the bridge itself, on Satur- level knowledge as the wonderful thing about community and day 9th May at 11am with soup and sandwiches in local history is that anyone can get involved. The annual socie- O’Mearas afterwards. Booking in advance is essential. ty membership fee is only €20.

Aughty Gathering, April 11th Articles The tenth Earth Day Aughty Gathering will take place on the 11th of April in the Lady Gregory Hotel, (from 9:30am). If you have a heritage-related article or query that you would This year the gathering is being hosted by the Greg- like to share with the society, we would be happy to hear from ory Cultural Society and Slógadh Eachtaí. As always, every- you. You can contact us at [email protected], or by visiting one is most welcome and, following our own success hosting our facebook page at www.facebook.com/SEGAHS, by fol- the gathering last year, we look forward to seeing you there. lowing us on twitter @SEGAHSIreland, or by coming to one For more, see www.aughty.org. of our lectures or field trips. Athenry Western Sack and Bag Factory Ronan Killeen

On Tuesday 28 May 1935 the Athenry Western Sack & Bag Factory was officially opened by Mr Gerald Boland TD who was Min- ister for Post and Telegraphs. The road that led to the building was decorated with bunting and a large crowd had come to see him, with the Gardaí giving him a guard of honour under Chief Superintendent Clenton, Ballinasloe, and Garda Kelly, Athenry.

The Big Launch On the platform were Mr Weir, MD of the factory, TD’s Stephen Jordan and Sean Broderick; JJ Ruane; Haley B Murtagh and C Taylor; directors of the company, Dr C Foley; RM Burke; Tohermore, ; R Collins Superintendent of the Agricultural College Athenry; Rev Mr North Bombfard, M Hession, Mayor F Carr, Newtown; Mr Bowes Daly of Dunsandle, and Dr Tom Powell.

Mr Weir said he was proud and happy to see the fruits of their labour of the past eighteen months realised in the shape of a hand- some factory and he expressed the hope that the undertaking, though small, would help in the promotion and growth of other indus- tries. On behalf of the directors and shareholders of the company he welcomed the Minister. Larry Lardner then read a public ad- dress of welcome from the AIDPC (Athenry Industrial Development Promotional Committee).

The sugar beet factories had required one million sacks for pulp and another million for sugar, and the Government could induce the companies to give orders for the sacks to the Athenry Western Sack & Bag Factory. Indeed Minister Boland was happy that the Minister for Industry and Commerce would do all he could to induce the directors of the sugar company to place their orders with the Athenry factory.

Political Unity Both Mr RM Burke and Mr Broderick stated that they were glad to see support given by all political parties joined together and sup- porting industrial revival. Mr Jordan, said it was through Mr Weir’s technical knowledge, expert advice, and sound judgement that the factory had been established. They also had to thank the Government for helping them with the loan and the promptitude with which local capital was subscribed.

Mr Ruane was confident that if the people of Athenry stood together, as they did in promoting the factory, and forget politics; they would have everything as a centre of distribution that a small town wants to make a success of any industry. After the public address the Minister and visitors were then shown inside the factory and saw about forty girls at work at different sewing machines in the cutting, make-up, and stitching of bags. The factory had a capacity of turning out a million bags each year and there was a genuine feeling that Athenry was finally getting some much needed and much deserved industry.

Stagnation In reality, the factory never really reached the desired level of sustainability initially hoped for. It did however provide valuable em- ployment to the women of the time and the Irish Times on 18 October 1952 included a photograph of these women which was in- cluded in an article ‘Energy and enthusiasm to one man are helping to revive a forgotten town’. The names of those women, pic- tured below left, were N Higgins, Peggy Hanley, W Holian (forewoman), Annie Hanley and Kathleen O’Toole.

Unable to compete on a sound footing as time went on, the factory had closed its doors for the last time by 1961. It was placed for sale in the classified section in Irish Times (below right) the following year.

Sources: Connaught Tribune 1 June 1935, Irish Times 18 Oct 1952, Irish Times 21 July 1962. A Ballinasloe Native and Australian Missionary Declan Kelly

Creagh Community Council`s recent careful restoration of an old headstone dedicated to one Elizabeth Rigney (pictured right) calls to mind the story of a forgotten son of Ballinasloe and a missionary pioneer, Archdeacon Rigney of Paramatta.

John Rigney was born in a small cottage, now long gone, in Brackernagh, Ballinasloe on 18th January 1814. The best de- scription we have of the area in which he was reared comes from John O`Donovan`s field notes for the Ordnance Survey of 1838 in which he describes Brackernagh as ‘a long and neat range of houses which are in good repair’. Griffith`s Valuation of 1855 places Rigney`s dwelling on the lower part of Brack- ernagh, an area locally known as `Duck Street` on account of a cleft in the road and the resultant flooding during heavy rain- fall.

We know little of his early life, but Fr Rigney would recall in 1872 that one of his childhood friends was John Derry (1811- 1870). Derry`s father Michael ran a small grocery and public house on Dunlo Street opposite Brutin`s coach-building yard (now the site of the Catholic Presbytery) and young John would go on to become Bishop of Clonfert in 1847 and attend the First Vatican Council. He was also presided over the most ex- tensive and confident programme of church-building in Clon- fert diocese since the Reformation.

Rigney matriculated into Maynooth for Kilmacduagh diocese in September 1834 and like many of his time took the bold step of transferring to a distant diocese, emboldened by the image of carrying the Gospel message to foreign shores. He was obvi- ously a bright student as his course was completed in three years; just two days prior to his ordination, on 28th December 1837, he and 7 of his fellows were feted in the dining hall of Maynooth by 500 other students as they prepared for the ardu- ous journey to Australia. Nearly four months after setting sail, he arrived in Sydney on the migrant ship Cecilia in July of the following year. He was accompanied by two of his sisters, Mary Ann and Elizabeth. In the same year (1838) he established a missionary dis- trict in Illawarra, a coastal region just south of Sydney. One of the young priests who had sailed with him was Fr Francis Murphy who would become the first bishop of Adelaide.

The Church in Australasia was in its infancy at the time with a grand total of just three bishops and 21 clergy. The terrain was often arid and unforgiving and Fr Rigney`s yearly journey on horseback was in excess of 3,000 miles. His sister Mary Ann once observed that the intense heat there almost made it ‘hard to live’. Mary Ann and Elizabeth were to be his faithful housekeepers to the end of their days. By 1868, Fr Rigney had risen to the position of Archdeacon and had been involved in supervising the beginning of the building of St Mary`s Cathedral in Sydney.

After over 30 years in Australia, however, he received a mes- sage from his mother Elizabeth to return one brief time and help to ‘close her dying eyes’. Having spent his own meagre resources on his missionary endeavours, Archbishop Polding of Sydney and his clergy financed the journey home and Rigney spent almost two years ministering in his home parish of Ballinasloe.

Prior to his return to Australia, a banquet was held in his hon- our in Gill`s Hotel (now Hayden`s Hotel) with Dr Patrick Dug- gan, the nationalist bishop of Clonfert and the leading local lay and clerical lights present (pictured right is an article, as car- ried in the Freeman’s Journal 6 Jan 1872). When his mother died aged 86 the year after he returned, he ensured that a suita- ble memorial was erected over her last resting place in Creagh cemetery.

When he reached 75 years, he voluntarily relinquished the large parish of Paramatta for the less strenuous duties of Pro- spect. Cardinal Patrick Francis Moran (himself a native of Co Carlow) would later pay tribute to him as ‘one of the coloni- al priests who had watched the wonderful progress of the infant church in Australia … (and) had with his own hands la- boured year after year, in season and out of season, both in laying the foundation and in building up the Church which was now their pride and joy’.

Despite his diminishing physical strength, Monsignor Rigney continued to carry out his pastoral duties until his death, aged 89, on 9th May 1903. As a consequence of the work done by Creagh Community Council, this hitherto long indeci- pherable memorial may now serve to remind us of the life and work of a man lionised within his own day but inevitably forgotten by the steady march of time. © Declan Kelly Meelick Cross Christy Cunniffe

This short note is meant to draw attention to the former presence of a very important wayside or preaching cross that origi- nally stood at the Franciscan friary in Meelick, Co Galway. It is one of a handful of wayside crosses that survives within the county today. Not many people outside of Meelick know of its existence.

The Meelick or more correctly, the Malichi O’Madden and Margaret Crompton Cross was an integral component of the seventeenth-century ecclesiastical complex at Meelick friary. All that survives of this important cross is its inscribed oc- tagonal collar. The collar or boll of the cross that survives dates from 1645 and was erected at a time when Meelick Friary was undergoing a major phase of rebuilding and rejuvenation. Several of the wonderfully preserved mural plaques found within the church (many inscribed in Latin) and the doorway to the sacristy all date to this general period.

The Cross The cross (right) has stood in a prominent position in Meelick since 1645, when the collar that we see today was part of a large free standing wayside or preaching cross. It is note- worthy that 1645 was the year that the Papal Legate, Cardinal Rinnucini visited Ireland. While its precise location is not known, it may have been situated somewhere within the village of Meelick, possibly either at the cross roads or at the entrance to the friary.

The collar has a socket in its upper and lower face, and functioned as a connecting piece between the shaft of the cross, (which was set on a Calvary base) and the upper cross head. Its size and shape made it an obvious focal point and a suitable ground for the dedicatory inscription. An entry in 'Papers Relating to Meelick Friary, 1644-173'1 refers to lay brother Michael Slaman, who is described as a very capable stone mason (Giblin 1973).

An interesting rosette found on the Meelick Cross collar is also to be found replicated on a number of the mural plaques possibly attesting to a single hand, or at least a single artistic in- fluence at work – probably best explained as a dedicated school of carving under the watchful eye of Brother Slaman.

The lettering on the collar (pictured left) is carved in false relief and is very similar in style to that found on the mural plaques.

Note the sketch drawing of Meelick Cross, above right, is not to scale.

Kilconnell Cross A similar cross can be seen at the cross-roads in the village of Kilconnell, also within the Diocese of Clonfert. It is located close to the current entrance to the Franciscan friary just immediately outside of its boundary. The Kilconnell Cross erect- ed by the Donnellan family, allows us to visualise what the Meelick Cross would have looked like in its original state. It was erected in 1682, almost forty years after the Meelick Cross, and was restored and re-erected in the nineteenth century by Fr Manning.

Sections of a number of similar crosses have been recorded by the writer at various church sites in the diocese. The best surviving example is the ornate cross in the graveyard at Portumna Dominican priory. The remainder of the crosses record- ed consists of sections of cross shafts. There are only a few cross-heads surviving.

Kilconnell Cross Seventeenth-century convent building to the north of the friary.

Crosses of this type were erected as commemorative crosses and were often commissioned by a bereaved widow in memory of her husband. Colmán Ó Clabaigh (2007, 32) argues for their use as preaching crosses, a purpose for which they were certainly suited. Some of the earlier examples may have also functioned as market crosses.

When it was first erected it must have been an impressive piece of church furniture and a very significant statement of sup- port by a local aristocratic family for the great revival and massive rebuilding scheme that took place at Meelick in the 1640s. Meelick has a strong tradition of religious continuity, functioning as a church since its foundation under the O'Madden's in the fifteenth century to the present day without any real break - this is remarkable for a Catholic church as so many fell out of use during the Penal days.

The c.1644 sacristy doorway. 1686 mural plaque with rosette.

Over the years since the cross fell out of use the collar has been located in the nave of the church, where it was at one time used as a door stop, after that it was preserved in the sacristy, once again serving as a makeshift door stop, it was then tak- en into the presbytery in for safe keeping by the late Fr Christy Glynn PP. It is now time I believe to repatriate it to Meelick, if only in print. All too quickly memories die, and the original location of stray objects such as this are often forgotten.

References: Giblin, C. 1973 Papers Relating to Meelick Friary, (1644-1731). Collectanea Hibennica. Vol. 16.

Ó Clabaigh, C. N. 2001 Preaching in late medieval Ireland: the Franciscan contribution in A. J. Fletcher and R. Gillespie (eds), Irish preaching, 700-1700. Dublin.

______Éirí Amach na Cásca

Over the coming months SEGAHS will be forming a working group to acknowledge the contribution of those from south and east Galway to the 1916 Rising. With only a year to go to the centenary, we’re keen to hear your ideas on how we can appropriately mark the Rising. Please get is touch with us with your ideas either directly, via facebook, or via e-mail at [email protected]. Pictured is the declaration, Moyode House-Kilconierin, and the Connaught Tribune of 6 May 1916. Postcards from the Edge: In our last newsletter we began what we hope will be a long-term series where we invite our readers and local historians from different parts of south and east Galway to share their knowledge on old postcards from their region. The postcard for this newsletter comes from ‘Central House, Glentane’, in beautiful parish. Postcards like this, of country businesses, became affordable and so became popular from the early twentieth century. We are thankful to the Owner of the establishment for making the postcard available and for ‘filling in the blanks’!

Glentane House Shane Ruane The above postcard has been dated to c. 1911 when the business was still a Post Office (postal functions ceased in 1916). The then owner, Widow (Mary) Lyons, can be seen at the door with her hound. It is understood that the young girl with the bike is her grand-daughter (also Mary Lyons, born 1905) who resided with Mary senior. Based on the 1911 census, it is possible that the seated young man is Patrick Burke - a ‘shop assistant’, with fellow assistant Julia Rushe to the right with the other bike though this is somewhat speculative. It is not known who the middle-aged man is, standing in the centre.

On particulars of the building façade and indeed interior, it remains remarkably similar from the day of the picture post- card and is still a thriving local pub and shop. One of the earliest references to the pub was from 1744 in a ‘legitimacy’ court case, when John Weedon had been too busy having ‘a mug of ale’ at the Inn to know what was going on! Later that century, the biography of Theobald Wolfe Tone references the pub. In his papers, Tone noted that Sir Thomas French held a significant United Irishman meeting here on 20 October 1792 for choosing delegates, of which French himself was one.

This was not the end of the Glentane ‘United Irishman’ story. In October 1798, ‘a strong party of corps’ of the British ar- my marched from to in search of rebels, capturing forty-two. The army next turned to ; but were discouraged by the local Captain, Caesar French. Following an exchange of letters, the British eventually agreed to meet French at Glentane Inn. After the meeting they surrounded Castleblakeney with the intention of capturing the re- bels after Mass, however French’s forces surprised them by interceding and were soon in open rebellion.

Into the nineteenth century and the Inn appeared in many of the foremost travel books of the age. This is best illustrated in William Hamilton Maxwell’s 1832 book, ‘Wild Sports of the West’, wherein he stated that his “carriage broke down close to the Inn of Glantane, a solitary house, as the song goes, "delightfully placed in a bog."… There was bacon in the chim- ney, and chickens in the yard, but there was no turf within, till the boys - the devil bother them for staying, came home from the blacksmith's funeral... That the hotel of Glantane should be deficient in this point was marvellous”.

The ownership of the premises has changed several times over the past three centuries, but is back in Ruane hands just as it was 250 years ago (under Garet Ruan, as per a 1773 deed). In that time it has been the centre of agricultural trade, political and military events, and community and sporting gatherings. Just as in Taylor & Skinner’s 1778 map (above right) show- ing ‘Glentown’ in place of Glentane, today the premises remains at the heart of matters in the locality! Recommended Sources in Local History

In a new series on the sources of information available to local history researchers, and indeed genealogists, in this newsletter we are highlighting the Irish Reproductive Loan Fund which has recently been digitised (along with oth- er funds) and made available on-line on the subscription genealogy site ‘Find My Past’. SEGAHS will also be host- ing information evenings to give advice on the ever-expanding on-line sources available to local historians.

The Reproductive Loan Fund in Kilconierin Parish Steve Dolan

After the famines of the 1820s surplus charitable donations were provided to loan societies in the counties worst affected. A micro-credit scheme called ‘The Irish Reproductive Loan Fund’ was then established to provide loans to the industrious poor. The Kilconickny Fund, serving modern Kilconierin (the civil parishes of Kilconierin, Lickerrig, and Kilconickny) and wider areas (Loughrea, etc.) was one of seven such associations in Co Galway to make monies available (1838-46).

The borrowings proved ill-timed as the followed and many funds were in arrears long before it was decided to ‘call in’ the sums in the 1850s. A question which has never been addressed has been the specific reasons behind the loan defaults. A catch-all generic reason of ‘the famine’ doesn’t address matters and so it is most worthwhile to review and ana- lyse the break-down of the loan defaulters.

After the British Treasury assumed responsibility for these funds, the status of loans and reasons behind the default was provided by the local Head Constables. This information has never been collated so a detailed picture of the status of the borrowers has never been presented. This study seeks to address same with modern Kilconierin chosen as the study area.

Figure 1: Breakdown reasons for non-payment of loans to the Kilconickny Loan Fund for the parishes of Kilconier- in, Lickerrig, and Kilconickny.

80

70

20 60 27

50 16 40 25

30 29 22 17 20 3 27 8 10 8 15 14 9 7 0 Emigrated Dead Poor Not Poor No Record (53) (72) (70) (34) (18)

Kilconickny Lickerrig Kilconierin

Source: Returns to the clerk of the peace, ‘Irish Reproductive Loan Fund’ records - county committees and trusts, 1848-54. Likely mirroring the situation in other east Galway parishes, it is unsurprising that the majority of defaults were in Licker- rig as, despite having the smallest population, it suffered the highest drop in population in the famine years. By way of context, in the decade to 1851 the population of the modern parish had fallen from 5,307 to 3,309 (38%). This equated to a drop of 41% in Kilconierin (1,552 to 915), 48% in Lickerrig (1,191 to 622), and 31% in Kilconickny (2,564 to 1,772).

The chart (figure 1) does though illustrate some surprising findings. Collectively, close to one third (72 people, 29%) of those who defaulted had perished in the famine years, with approaching a further third (28%) being considered to still be very poor. More than half of the remaining 43% comprises those who had emigrated; with the remaining 21% being a mix of those not considered too poor to repay, and individuals of whom no trace could be found.

Analysing the figures further, close to 4 in 5 (41 of 53, 77%) of emigrants went to America, followed by England (8, 15%), with no destination given for three, and with one person emigrating to Australia. Of those who died, some descriptions are given e.g. ‘died in poor circumstances’, though the place of death e.g. Loughrea Workhouse is only sometimes referenced.

Descriptions on the circumstance of individuals at the time the local Constables visited them is provided e.g. ‘depends on the generosity of neighbours’, albeit on an ad-hoc basis. The terms ‘rather comfortable’ and ‘in middling circumstances’ is provided for those in better circumstances most notably in Kilconierin, with the size of their land-holding sometimes giv- en. These descriptions provide nuggets for historians and genealogists which are only beginning to be unearthed.

In addition to the modest sample (geographic) size, another limitation of this study is that the whereabouts of 18 individu- als is not detailed so these may be included in any of the first four categories in the chart. One might ask how many of those emigrating were escaping the burden of debt? - a motivation for emigration rarely explored. And of equal signifi- cance, one might find it surprising that 14% of the Parishioners were deemed to be well capable of repaying their debt.

In conclusion, the study of the Reproductive Fund in Kilconierin demonstrates that drops in population closely correlated to the extent of defaults in the loan fund. While almost a third of the defaulters had perished in the famine, a sizeable pro- portion of borrowers remained and some of these had apparently chosen not to repay. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of those who emigrated went to the U.S. As records have now been available on-line for wider areas within Galway (see be- low), it will be interesting to see if the above trends / findings are replicated elsewhere.

Bibliography 1. The census of Ireland for the year 1851: part I, showing the area, population, and number of houses, by town-lands and electoral divisions: County of Galway, pp.4.65, H.C. 1852 (1557), xcii, 339 (Dublin, 1852), pp 4-65. 2. ‘Co. Galway. Kilconickny: note books’, Irish reproductive loan fund records - local associations, 1838-1846 (The UK National Archives - HM Treasury, MS T91/93-T91/95). 3. ‘Co. Galway. Returns to the clerk of the peace’, Irish reproductive loan fund records -county committees and trusts, 1848-54 (The UK National Archives - HM Treasury, MS T91/144A-144B). 4. Lawes, Aidan, ‘The Irish reproductive loan fund and its records’, in Ancestors, xii (2003), pp 48-52. ______The Loan Funds On-line

In terms of its value to genealogists and historians, it really is difficult to overstate the potential of the loan funds in the areas concerned as the details provide an invaluable ‘bridge’ between the tithe and Griffith’s Valuation. Seven associations in Co Galway benefitted from the Reproductive Loan Fund, namely , , Castle Hackett, and Kilconickny in the east; and Galway City, , and in the west. There were also other funds in operation at this time.

Each borrower, both men and women, supplied their address and sometimes occupation, and each loan was guaranteed by two sureties (also giving their address) who agreed to pay the loan if the borrower defaulted. For genealogists, this can be particularly useful in making / confirming connections between families. Monies were made available for farm equipment, and for spinning wheels and looms etc. The average loan in the Kilconierin sample was £3 (min £1, max £5).

For more on the specifics from your area of the county, visit ‘Find My Past’ under ‘Poverty Relief Loans 1821-1874’ http://www.findmypast.ie/articles/world-records/full-list-of-the-irish-family-history-records/institutions-and-organisations/ ireland-poverty-relief-loans-1821-1874 . A criticism of the FMP records is that they are not searchable by townland or par- ish, at least not at the time of writing. For example, John Hickey’s return for the townland of Dooros in Woodford (where four out of the five men had emigrated) can only be found by county, and then searching each record. Galway: At home and abroad Liam Moloney

In March 1878 Private John Brock from my home parish of Carrabane outside Loughrea arrived in Bermuda with the 87th regiment, in what would be his final year of service. He was following in the footsteps of thousands of Galwaymen serving in the British army in the West Indies who found themselves on what might have been a utopian posting, but often became a hellish experience due to disease.

Brock was also following in the footsteps of both Irish slaves and slave-owners, though this fact might have escaped him. What could not have escaped him was the number of other connections between this region and his home. In fact, the island on which he was based was called Ireland and even today Bermuda retains a strong Irish cultural connection—albeit no longer in placenames, after much renaming.

The mentioned exception, ‘Ireland Island’, lies on the east-end of Bermuda. In the south of Ireland Island, hundreds of Irishmen are buried in what locals call ‘the Glade’. Primarily a Naval Cemetery since the (Anglo-American) War of 1812, the Glade has other burials also. Brodericks, Burkes, Collins’, McCarthys, and Mor- gans lay alongside one another though often many years separate their death.

Of the many Co Galway links to Bermuda, including notable military and business ones, perhaps the most significant exists in the guise of Lieutenant-Colonel Denis Kirwan-Bernard (1882-1956). From Castle Hackett, the Colonel was Governor and Commander-in Chief from 1939 to 1941 - a critical period for Bermuda covering the visit of an abdicated King and the arrival of American war ships!

Leaving aside the shared-British colonial heritage; Ireland also shares cultural links with areas of the West Indies. As with Bermuda, the slave and indentured servant connections between these islands and Ireland are increasingly being recognised and studied. The ‘removals’ to Barbados in the middle of the seventeenth century were only the beginning of a series of strong inter-connections and relationships.

In Jamaica too, there are strong links to Co Galway. Thomas ‘Buckra’ Lynch from Galway arrived there as part of General Venables’ army in 1655. In time he be- came Chief Justice and eventually Governor of that island, following in the foot- steps of the notorious pirate and buccaneer, Sir Henry Morgan. Lynch is also reput- ed to be the man who built the ‘odd’ Flat Bridge over the Rio Cobre there.

Among the most beautiful parts of Jamaica is Athenry up in Portland. Other parts of the island also boast Irish names i.e. in the hills of Saint Andrew are Irishtown and Dublin Castle; in Saint Catherine are Irish-Pen and Sligoville (named after the Marquess of Sligo, Governor in 1834 when emancipation was delivered); in Saint Mary are Kildare and Clonmel, and in Saint Thomas are Middleton and Belfast.

Elsewhere, the island of Montserrat was, at one point, populated almost entirely by Irishmen. Little surprise that the island shares our ‘emerald isle’ title. Moreover, they too celebrate their Independence Day on 17 March after slaves rose in rebel- lion that day against their Anglo-Irish masters. Fittingly, the island, which is often under threat from the eruption of its volcano, is protected by the ‘Galway wall’!

One longs for a political willingness from Ireland to genuinely build positive and lasting connections with these islands and their peoples with whom we share more than DNA. The island of Saint Kitts recently built a monument in commemoration of the 25,000 Irish men and women who were shipped there as slaves. The inhabit- ants of these islands haven’t forgotten our shared heritage, neither should we!

References - Pictured right is ‘Ireland Island, Bermuda’ from the Illustrated London News of 29 July 1848. - Brock’s military records are available at the National Archives in Kew at WO97/1897 and on-line at ‘Find My Past’. Brock was a fine soldier who arose from a Drummer, serving for 18 years from China to Gibraltor, and from Malta to Nova Scotia.

Liam Moloney is a Fund Accountant Specialist and Financier based in Bermuda. What it says in the Papers

In recent months, on-line subscription sites have added regional newspaper titles to their range of digitised material. Al- ready on the ‘Irish Newspaper Archive’ were the Tuam Herald (from 1837), the Nenagh Guardian (from 1838), and the Tribune (from 1909). More recently, the Galway Patriot (from 1835), the Galway Vindicator (from 1841), and the Galway Mercury (from 1844) have been added to ‘British Newspaper Archive’. For regular nineteenth century news- paper articles visit our ‘Clonfert’ page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clonfert/163746613683780. Attached is a thought-provoking article from the Nenagh Guardian in the aftermath of the famine (20 Nov 1852).

This summer, get out and visit the wonderful heritage sites in our region. Posters are available at the Workhouse.

Is eagras deonach é Cumann Staire agus Seandálaíochta Oirdheisceart na Gaillimhe (SEGAHS) a bunaíodh chun bua na staire, na seandála- íochta agus an bhéaloidis in Oirdheisceat na Gaillimhe a chun chun cinn. Is fédir teagmháil a dhéanamh leis an chumann ag an seoladh ríomhphoist [email protected], ar an suíomh Idirlín www.facebook.com/SEGAHS, nó trí chabaireacht linn ar Twitter ag @SEGAHSIreland.

South East Galway Archaeological & Historical Society (SEGAHS) is a voluntary organisation highlighting the richness of the history, archaeol- ogy, and folklore of South East Galway. If you would like to make contact, you can do so by e-mailing us at [email protected], by visiting our webpage at www.facebook.com/SEGAHS, or by following us on twitter @SEGAHSIreland.