caRlow h1scoR1cal ant> aRchaeolo51ca l soc1ecy cumonn sco1Re 05us seonoa lofochco cheochoRloch 2006 EDITION dmhly um("' 'I, J'lu:, I ,, u, 11,r(f, /. Heritage Week 2006 Local History and On-Line Sources Winter Lectures Series For the Bookshelves Carlow Remembers Michael O'Hanrahan St. Laserian's Cathedral, Old Leighlin The 1841 Census Ballon Hill and The Lecky Collection The O'Meara's of Carlow Music in Carlow A Most Peculiar Carlow Murder Trial 60th Anniversary Dinner Carlow's Most Famous Benefactor Opening of Carlow Railway Station Old Carlow Society, Carlow Historical & Bishop Foley and Two Crises Archaeological Society 1946 - 2006 Memories and Musings Mid Carlow Words of the 1950's The Holy Wells of County Carlow SPONSORS CARBERY CONSTRUCTION LTD. HOSEYS BUILDING CONTRACTORS RETAIL STORES AND WHOLESALE FRUIT MERCHANT Green Road, Carlow. Staplestown Road, Carlow. Tel: 059 9143252. Fax: 059 9132291. Tel: 059 9131562 SHAW & SONS LTD. GAELSCOIL EOGHAIN UI THUAIRISC SHAW~ TULLOW STREET, CARLOW. BOTHAR POLLERTON Tel: (059) 9131509 Guthan 059 9131634 Faics 059 9140861 Almost Nationwide Fax: (059) 9141522 www.iol.ie/-cgscoil MATT D. DOYLE A.I.B. MONUMENTAL WORKS 36-37 TULLOW STREET, CARLOW. Pembroke, Carlow. Serving Carlow since late 1880s Tel: 059 9142048. Mobile: 087 2453413. Fax: 059 9142048 Branch Manager: Eddie Deegan. Manager: Barry Hickey. Email: [email protected] Web: www.mattdoyle.com Tel: 059 9131758 R. HEALY & SON KNOCKBEG COLLEGE, CARLOW FUNERAL DIRECTORS BOARDING AND DAY SCHOOL FOR BOYS Phone: 059 9142127. Fax: 059 9143705. Pollerton Castle, Carlow. Email: [email protected] Web: www.knockbegcollege.ie Phone: 059/9131286 O'NEILL & CO. DOOLEY MOTORS ACCOUNTANTS & TAX ADVISORS SLEATY ROUNDABOUT, TRAYNOR HOUSE, COLLEGE STREET, CARLOW CARLOW Phone: 059 9141260 Fax: 059 9141371 Tel: 059 9131665. Fax: 059 9142118. THE NATIONALIST & LEINSTER TIMES JAMES DEMPSEY HARDWARE LTD Newspaper Publishers in Carlow since 1883 87 TULLOW STREET, CARLOW Carlow Shopping Centre, Kennedy Avenue, Carlow. Phone: 059/9131644, 9131084 Tel: 059 9131731. Fax: 059 9131442. For ALL your Building Supplies and General Hardware Email: [email protected] CARLOW PRINTING CO. LTD ST. MARY'S ACADEMY, CARLOW STRAWHALL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, CARLOW GACH RATH AR CARLOVIANA For ALL your Printing Requirements Fon: 059 914219 I 9142034 Phone: 059 9131512. Fax: 059 9140016. Directors: Aileen and Barry Duggan LAMBERTS BANK OF IRELAND. CARLOW DUBLIN STREET, CARLOW. INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE - SAVE WITH BANK OF IRELAND TODAY Phone: 059 9131921 COURT PLACE BRANCH Newspapers, Weekly Magazines, Periodicals, Tel: 059 9131676 Fancy Goods and Stationery SECURE YOUR HOME BERNARD JENNINGS, F.A.0.I. Call and see our full range of Security Locks and Fittings Ophthalmic Optician at our showroom 2 DUBLIN STREET, CARLOW. FLIGHT HAWK SECURITY LTD. Phone: 059 9143808. Fax: 059 9143245. Chaff Street, Carlow Leighlin Road, Graiguecullen Telephone: (059) 9142448 PAUL WHITE, M.P.S.I. PRESENTATION COLLEGE, CARLOW. Prescriptions, Health & Beauty CO-EDUCATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL 44 TULLOW STREET, CARLOW. Widest range of subjects offered. Secretarial and V.P. T.P. Courses Phone: 059 9131229 Tel: 059 9143927 BOSCO'S 132 TULLOW STREET, CARLOW PEADAR & ETTA DOYLE & FAIRGREEN SHOPPING CENTRE. NEWSAGENTS Quality Meat, Fish and Poultry - We are specialists - Don't settle for less CARLOW SHOPPING CENTRE. Phone: 059 9131093 Tel. (059) 9130169 CARLOVIANA Contents December 2006 No. 55 Message from the President .................. 2 Editorial Committee: Heritage Week 2006 ............................... 3 Cathleen Delaney Martin Nevin Winter Lectures Series .......................... 4 Maurice O'Neill Pat O'Neill Carlow Remembers Michael O'Hanrahan ............................ 5 Printed by: CARLOW ADVERTISING & PRINTING I.S.S.N. 0790 - 0813 The 1841 Census .................................... 7 The O'Meara's of Carlow ................... 12 "The moving finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on : nor all your piety nor wit A Most Peculiar Shall lure it back to cancel half a line Carlow Murder Trial ........................... 15 Nor all your tears wash out a word of it. Carlow's Most Famous Benefactor .... 21 The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: Edward Fitzgerald Old Carlow Society The historian, professional or amateur feels more keenly than most the pas­ Carlow Historical & Archaeological sage of time and endeavours to record the important events of the present, to pre­ serve the records of the past and to study the past using the perspective the pas­ Society 1946 - 2006 ................................. 24 sage of time allows. The public spirited Carlovians who came together in 1946 to form our soci­ Mid Carlow Words of the 1950's ....... 25 ety understood these aims and incorporated them into the objects clause in the Society's first set of rules. Local History and On-Line Sources ... 29 They were succinct and conveyed their ambitions in thirty four words:- "The objects of the society are to foster and promote an interest in the history of For the Bookshelves ............................... 30 Carlow and district, and, in particular, to preserve a permanent record of life in Carlow in the past". St. Laserian's Cathedral, To achieve these objectives they had set themselves, the founding members Old Leighlin .......................................... 31 adopted two methods of doing so, which are still central to the life of the society sixty years later. Ballon Hill and The first was a series of public lectures, open to all, devoted to the history The Lecky Collection ........................... 36 and culture of the region, and delivered over the winter and spring months of the year. The first lecture was given on the 8th October, 1946, and as far as can be Music in Carlow ................................... 48 ascertained from the records of the society these lectures have been held every year since. In these lectures we try to achieve a balance between papers deliv­ ered by our own members and lectures given by invited speakers from the aca­ 60th Anniversary Dinner ..................... 54 demic world. The second method the founding members adopted was to produce an annu­ Opening of al journal "Carloviana" the first issue of which appeared in January 1947. In our Carlow Railway Station ...................... 56 sixty years the society will have produced fifty eight issues and at this point in time they supply of writers and material is still strong. In those fifty eight issues Bishop Foley and Two Crises ............. 59 a wide range of topics have been covered by an impressive series of authors. In those issues we have also created our own record of life in County Carlow which Memories and Musings ....................... 70 will become the source material for historians of the future. The society can be justifiably proud of the countless hours of unpaid effort The Holy Wells of County Carlow ..... 80 which members of the society have given in the past sixty years. With the same enthusiasm continuing with the present day members the society can look to the Index of Carloviana Articles ............. 100 future with confidence. In 1946, computers, e-mail, the internet, mobile telephones and text messag­ Officers and Members ....................... 106 ing belonged to science fiction. The challenge for the future is to embrace these new technologies to promote the aims of the society which are as valid today as they were sixty years ago. By doing so and by remaining focused the society will continue to have a We acknowledge with grateful thanks the efforts of our contributors, written and positive impact on the life of our community and survive to celebrate even more photographic, and sponsors. significant anniversaries into the future. ,--------- FROM THE PRESIDENT This year our Society celebrates the sixtieth this edition of "Carloviana." anniversary of its foundation. It was established as the Old Carlow Society to "foster and promote We are still without a County Museum. Our mem­ interest in the history of Carlow and district and in bers on the County Museum Board are doing all particular to preserve a written record of life in they can to speed the day when our collection of Carlow in the past." artefacts will once again go on display. This desir­ able outcome, however, is dependent on the actions The Society has changed its name and our current of others. We hope that the delay will not be too rules spell out in somewhat more detail what the long. objects of the Society are. Nevertheless it is true to say that we are still essentially the same Society, Our Society is in good and vigorous health. Our interested in the same things, and we try to further membership is growing and keen interest is evident our aims as best we can. in our various activities. I would urge every mem­ ber to encourage others who may be interested in The Committee of Management for this year has the history and archaeology of our county to con­ worked diligently and in a great spirit of coopera­ sider joining the Society. It would be particularly tion and harmony to plan and organise the Society's good if we could entice more young people to join programme for the year. It was a very pleasant task and help us to further our aims. for me to preside over the meetings of such dedi­ cated and enthusiastic people. Our thanks are due Finally I wish to express my sincere thanks to all to them for the fine job they did in organising the those who have helped me so greatly during my various activities of the Society, the Heritage Week year as President. It has been a pleasure and a priv­ exhibition in the County Library, the mini-lectures ilege to serve in that capacity and I have certainly by three of our members during that week, the enjoyed it, but I am keenly aware that it would not Anniversary Dinner, the visit to St. Laserian's have been possible without the support and coop­ Cathedral in Old Leighlin (with special thanks to eration of quite a number of people.