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Compiled and Published by Heritage Group Celebrating 30 years of The Herald, 1985 - 2015 ISSUE No.48 2015/2016 PRICE €8.00 The Corran Herald Annual Publication of Ballymote Heritage Group

Compiled and Published by Ballymote Heritage Group

Editor: Stephen Flanagan

Design, Typesetting and Printing: Orbicon Print,

Cover Design and Artwork: Brenda Friel

Issue No 48 2015/2016 –––––––––––––––

The Corran Herald wishes to sincerely thank all those who have written articles or contributed photographs or other material for this issue 2 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

Contents Page Elizabeth Gilhawley - An Appreciation (Elizabeth Gilhawley) 4 Heritage Weekend 2014 5 30 years on: The front page of the first issue of The Corran Herald in 1985 7 Community Appreciation of Fiona Rogers of Ballymote (Michael and Carmel Rogers Nee Davey) 8 In memory of the most revered Thomas Flynn patrons of Ballymote Heritage Group and retired of 8 Memories of 95 years: Kathleen Coleman nee Benson (John Coleman) 9 Remembering Ted Nealon TD 10 London ‘Shoemaker’ tops the poll in (John C Mc Ternan) 11 Kaveney Family Famine Trail commemoration walk (Adrian Regan) 13 Bartholomew Teeling (Padraig Mc Dermott) 14 Willie Coleman’s (Fiona Doherty) 16 Breaffy National School in the 50’s and 60’s (Bernie Doyle) 17 Remembering PJ Duffy 19 A Smuggler’s Song (Lynda Hart) 20 Arrow through time (Martin A Timoney) 23 Voluntary Transport (Mary Kelly-White) 24 Early Maps of Bunninadden (Bridget King) 25 Bed and Breakfast in (Mary Kelly-White) 26 The Inspired Life of Fr. Patrick O’Grady (Ethna O’Grady) 27 The Cake that Nama Baked (John Mc Donagh) 28 The Village Blacksmith (Micheal Murphy) 29 Strongman and Spy (Sam Moore) 31 Seeking Irish Roots: An Introduction to Family History (Kate Denison Bell) 36 The Life of Arthur Taylor (1829 - 1896) (John Taylor) 40 Headline: and the - How Irish Scholars brought the to Life (Neal Farry) 41 Book of Ballymote Conference at the , February 2015 (John Coleman) 46 Last Times (Bernie Gilbride) 47 Redeployed (Mary Kelly-White) 47 War Poems in Sligo Newspaper 1915 (Michael Farry) 48 Sligo town as a child in the 1930’s (Bernie Gilbride) 54 A walk in Union Wood (Michael Bell) 56 Hare - Rising Traditions (Submitted by Alfie Banks) 58 The ‘Buck Ruane’ (John Mc Donagh) 59 Sligo men of the 1798 Rebellion (Cian Harte) 60 Mirrors (Joan Gleeson) 61 The Trellis (Bernie Gilbride) 61 Sligo and Catholic Emancipation (Padraig Deignan) 62 A night at the Opera (Bernie Gilbride) 67 The Passing of old Mullaghmore (Joe Mc Gowan) 68 Photographs of Artistic arrangement of Turf on a bog near Ballymote (Submitted by Pam Benson) 69 From Carrigans to the World (Jim Higgins) 70 OCebreiro - A tiny spanish village of World fame(Frank Tivnan) 72 A history of Handball (submitted by Gerry Cassidy) 73 Contemporary accounts of the cholera out break of 1832 (John C Mc Ternan) 74 Remembering the Irish in the American Civil War Speech from John Perry TD 76 Vanished shop Fronts - 3 (Photographs collected for the gathering photography exhibition) 77 A Sligo genius in (John C Ternan) 80 Eight years of changes (Bernie Doyle) 81 A teenage Crush (Mary Kelly-White) 82 From the Collection of omT Wynne, Lisanney 83 The GAA in Co.Sligo 1884 -1888 (Tommy Kilcoyne) 84 In Print (Mary Kelly-White) 85 The of Sligo (Michael Roberts) 86 The Crab and Towser (Bernie Gilbride) 87 Ballymote’s Linen industry in the 18th Century: 1795 - 1770 (John Coleman) 88 The mystery of James O’Connor (Joe Mc Gowan) 90 First Holy Communions 2015 92

3 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Elizabeth Gilhawley – An Appreciation By Ursula Gilhawley The death occurred on 21 May 2015 of Elizabeth Gilhawley at her residence in St Ballymote, Co Sligo. She was a long time supporter and patron of the Ballymote Heritage Group and one of the oldest residents in the town of Ballymote. Elizabeth (nee White) was born in 1918 in Kingsbrook near and married Eugene Gilhawley in 1939. Eugene, a native of , had been appointed Principal of Knockalassa National School, Riverstown in 1936. They lived in the residence attached to the school and six of their seven children were born here. Eugene entered local politics in 1955, winning a county council seat in the Ballymote electoral area. He was appointed Principal of Keash National School in 1958 and it was at this point that the family moved to Ballymote, initially to Laburnum Lodge and then Eugene and Elizabeth on their Wedding Day 27th December 1939 to Wolfe Tone St. Eugene was elected to Dail Eireann in 1961 for the first and friends were also town residents, of her children, 16 grandchildren time. namely Mary O Dwyer, Maureen and then 16 great-grandchildren with Elizabeth was first and foremost a Egan, Ann Harrison and Mai O great interest until the last months wife, mother and homemaker. She Donnell, all sadly now deceased, and of her life. Elizabeth’s home was was totally dedicated to the wellbeing Maree O Dowd. She was a daily mass very dear to her and it was fitting and support of her immediate and goer for most of her life until her early therefore that she should die at home extended family, neighbours and 90s. She loved to walk through the in the loving care of her family friends. However, being the wife of a town park, stopping for a little rest and supported by community and politician she was also a secretary – on one of the benches on the way. palliative care services, relatives and unpaid in those days. She was an astute Mass, bridge, her garden, keeping her good neighbours on Wolfe Tone St. observer of the local political scene. house ship shape, reading the daily People from many facets of Elizabeth’s Being a quiet, somewhat reserved paper, following current affairs and life attended her funeral service to person, Elizabeth would never put walking and spending time with her acknowledge the 96 years of her life herself to the fore in the political dear friend Maisie McGovern, were – people from her early days in the arena, but her intelligence and strong all a great comfort to Elizabeth when Riverstown and Knockalassa areas, practical and savvy approach to life’s Eugene died in 1987. Her chats and people from Eugene’s homeland of problems meant that she was a great ‘little tipple’ with Mrs Rita Kielty Skreen and Dromard, the Ballymote asset to Eugene in his political life. from Wolfe Tone St in more recent community, as well as representatives Away from the political world, years were also an important part of of the political scene and a very wide Elizabeth liked nothing better than a her life. circle of extended family and friends. game of 25 with relatives and friends. Despite a serious illness in 1989 She is survived by her sons, Des, Later in life she took up bridge, which she fought her way back to full health Cyril, Shane and Tony and daughters she enjoyed playing right up until her with great determination and courage, Mary, Anna and Ursula, final years. Her playing companions and lived a happy, contented and full Ar dheis de go raibh a h-anam dilis. life thereafter. She followed the lives

4 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Heritage Weekend 2014

Author Mary Kenny, who performed the official opening, with Fr Hannan

An appreciative audience

Afternoon tea at Temple House. Music was provided by Rod Alston and members of Sligo Baroque Orchestra

Group on visit to Derek Hill House and Gallery, Churchill, Co

5 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Heritage Weekend 2014 A well-earned rest during the outing to Westport

Group on the visit to Westport House

John Coleman, Chairman of Ballymote Heritage Group with President Higgins at Russborough. Also including is John’s cousin and fellow Ballymote man, Colonel Brendan McAndrew, ADC to the President. 6 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 30 years on: The front page of the first issue of The Corran Herald in 1985

Thanks to Phil Currid for providing a copy of the original issue 7 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Community Appreciation of Fiona Rogers of Ballymote By Michael and Carmel Rogers (nee Davey) It was with great sadness that we Fiona was an active member of the recently lost our dear beloved Fiona, Irish Wheelchair Association, and whose death took place on March 9th until her health started to fail sharply last after a long illness. She was our last year she was often to be seen on only daughter and only sister of our outings with the local Sligo branch. A sons Gearoid, Micheal and Padraic. few years ago she even organised for She is also survived by her five nieces a bus-load of her friends to visit with and two nephews. the then President Mary McAleese in Although the last three months of Áras an Uachtaráin. They had a most her life were spent on a ventilator memorable day and it was something in the Intensive Care Ward of Sligo Fiona was very proud of. General Hospital, she had almost It’s hardly surprising, given Fiona’s 20 years of bad health. Much of her generous and caring nature, that she life story was written by journalist held a deep commitment to improving Alison Healy, who was a classmate of the lot of other people with disabilities. Fiona’s, and printed in She campaigned for two safe crossing Health Supplement back in May 2010. points in Ballymote for people on Fiona bore her illness with great wheelchairs. In her lifetime it was not dignity and she was an inspiration to delivered upon but hopefully at some everyone who knew her. She is well Fiona Rogers, Ballymote point her wishes might be fulfilled. remembered for her cheerfulness and a huge lift and even through the most We, her family, were very humbled her lovely smile. Whenever she was difficult moments in her life she never by the huge numbers of people who asked by anyone how she was, her lost the desire to be kind to others. came out to pay their respects both reply was usually ‘not too bad’. This Fiona was a very enthusiastic at our home in Ballymote and at the was a reply you wouldn’t expect from shopper and was very often seen church during her funeral. We know someone who could not speak, eat or visiting the local shops of Ballymote. how much Fiona was loved and drink. Added to that, her mobility was Her disability never stopped her from admired and we are very grateful extremely limited and her only way of carrying out the weekly shopping and to those who came to offer their getting around was with the aid of an stocking up on her baking ingredients. condolences to us. electric wheelchair. In spite of these She was a very keen baker and baked Her funeral mass took place on limitations Fiona loved life and was cakes for lots of people around Wednesday 11 March in the Church always kind and considerate of others Ballymote. She also had a huge love of the Immaculate Conception in and generous to a fault. She often of gardening and was always sowing Ballymote and afterwards she was sent Christmas cards and presents to seeds and growing flowers for her buried in Carrownanty Graveyard. people she hardly knew; this gave her back patio. May Fiona rest in peace.

In memory of the Most Revered Thomas Flynn Patron of Ballymote Heritage Group and retired

Members of Ballymote Heritage Bishop Flynn was born in 1931, grew from 1977 to 2008. For a time he Group noted with regret the death at up on a farm near Ballaghadereen, Co was spokesman for the Episcopal the age of 84 on 2 June 2015 of Bishop Roscommon and was ordained a priest Conference and later spokesman Thomas Flynn, who had for many of the diocese of Achonry in 1956. He on education. He was a younger years been a patron of Ballymote taught ancient Greek at St Nathy’s brother of the long time parish priest Heritage Group and supporter of College, Ballaghadereen, and went on of Ballymote, the late Canon Robert Ballymote Heritage Weekends. to serve as its president before serving Flynn. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam as bishop of the diocese of Achonry dílis.

8 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Memories of 95 years- Kathleen Coleman (neé Benson) By John Coleman business were being consumed in a conflagration that might spread through the terrace of houses along the street from the barracks. My recollection is that she credited the Black and Tans with burning the barracks. I was constantly reminded of the role played by Ballymote people in national life. A neighbouring publican Miss Dawson had a sister married to Alex McCabe TD, a noted figure in local and national politics. John A Barnes NT, father of patron of the Ballymote Heritage Group Eamon Barnes, was a legendary figure who showed boundless dedication in preparing his brightest pupils for Kathleen Coleman Kathleen’s sister Maisie McGovern 27 July 1919 – 7 January 2015 scholarship exams. In the earlier days of the new did not wish to see last season’s My mother was born in Ballymote state when divisive political views fashions) and a comprehensive and during the turbulent period leading were sometimes strongly held, my attractive window display. up to the foundation of the Irish state, mother was proud of the fact that The window display was ‘done’ and she lived in the town for all of her she had customers of every political about four times a year and no one else 95 years. She was over many years a and religious hew – and they were was permitted to touch it! My mother member of Ballymote Heritage Group friends as well. I remember one knew her customers and their tastes and a regular attender at lectures and elderly customer Daisy Rowlett, who well – they were mostly women for outings. I acquired my interest in and regularly bicycled from Riverstown some of whom the shop was a social much of my knowledge of the town to Ballymote to shop – assured of centre where they could get out of the and its history over the last century a sustaining ‘dinner’ in our kitchen. house to meet and chat, sometimes from listening to her recollections. My mother always believed in expressing their frustrations about She loved the songs of Percy French putting extra in the pot to provide for husbands who did not always and Thomas Moore and before the unexpected guests. I remember ‘Miss appreciate the costs associated with advent of car radio we were treated to Rowlett’ arriving on one occasion household management. There was these on Sunday afternoon jaunts. She with a gift of a freshly killed chicken; much laughter and I was a privileged liked things to be ‘dainty’ and often while it had been plucked its innards witness to many such gatherings recalled cycling trips with friends were intact, and I was dismissed from through which I got to know and be of her youth that included afternoon the kitchen while waste elements of its on friendly terms with so many local tea at Geeters Hotel in entrails were disentangled from those people who are still my neighbours or Hollybrook. As children we were to be boiled for making stock – liver, today. to share in such treats in the form heart, neck and ‘gizzard’. My mother was passionate about of lavish teas served on Sunday in She had inherited the drapery the drapery business and she loved Maghery House in . Her business established by her parents in clothes and dressing well. She hated mother had grown up in Deroon and 1913. Business and home were one. having her photograph taken in old she recalled to my mother seeing the It was not unusual for customers to age but was very proud of the studio house in Market Street where they be facilitated after mass on Sunday portrait of taken by Kilgallon of lived under construction. before we settled down to the Sunday Sligo. She was also proud of having My mother told me of how the roast. If a customer rang the doorbell been invited to conduct a choir for the family had been warned of the late in the evening with an urgent visit of President to impending plan to burn down the RIC requirement the lights in the shop Ballymote in the 1930s. She and my barracks a few doors up the street were turned on and they were served. father were devoted to us as children during ‘’ and how, having She was a successful businesswoman and she remained a great support to taken shelter with my grandmother’s which she attributed to knowing her me until roles were reversed in later brother Tom Walsh at her home place trade (from apprenticeship to her years. in Deroon, they watched the flames parents), low profit margins, a good Photographys By Kilgallon Studios, rising over Ballymote. They wondered turnover of stock (no ‘shelf warmers’ Sligo whether their hard-earned home and – move along old stock as customers

9 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Remembering Ted Nealon TD interaction he recognised the other person’s humanity and dignity, which explains why when Ted’s passing was announced it was met with such personal sadness and fond affection in the former constituency of Sligo- Leitrim. He touched people’s lives with his sincerity and the common sense and insight for which he was well noted and for which he is now so deeply and personally missed. Ted Nealon loved his county and everything about it. He loved the stories and the engagement of the characters of the day. He followed on from the late Eugene Gilhawley and the late Joe MacLachlan, two different personalities who represented the Sligo-Leitrim constituency. He loved Left to Right: John and Joan Townsend, Brendan and Ruth Loughnane, Ben Bulben, Lissadell and Streedagh Stephen Collins Editor of Nealon’s Guide, Fergal and Sinead Nealon, Strand where the lost Armada lies. He John Perry TD was intrigued by the science of politics It is appropriate that The Corran very clearly in House and the and the enthusiasm created by so Herald should mark the passing in Dáil, as do those who were privileged many people. He was always excited 2014 of Ted Nealon TD, who as to work with him in what, by any about the political challenge and the Minister of State for Arts and Culture standards, was an exceptional career stories that had to be contended with. lent his support to the Ballymote in politics and journalism. In the He wrote many of them down in Heritage Group by performing the political aspect of his career he served the book he published on tales from official opening of the first Ballymote proudly under two former taoisigh, Leinster House. Heritage Weekend in 1984. Liam Cosgrave and the late Dr. To Jo, Feargal, Louise and the On the 26 November 2014 Garret FitzGerald, and he did so with extended family, I offer our heartfelt tribute was paid in the Dail to the distinction as Minister of State at the thanks for his contribution to distinguished journalist and former Department of Agriculture and later and to politics. I express our deepest TD for Sligo Leitrim. A summary as Minister of State at the Department sympathy. It was an honour to serve of the remarks from Enda of An Taoiseach with responsibility with him in the House here and to Kenny follow. for arts and culture. He was later enjoy his company, and to learn from -- appointed Minister of State at the his journalistic and broadcasting brain It was with great sadness I learned Department of Posts and Telegraphs. about the science of politics and what earlier this year of the death of former In every role he gave of his best, not made it work for him. Go ndéanfaidh Deputy and Minister of State, the late alone as an exemplary public servant Dia trócaire ar a anam dílis. Ted Nealon. Today, on behalf of the but as an exemplary compassionate Government and the Party, and dignified human being. In every I convey my deepest sympathies to his wife, Jo, who is not with us in the House today, his son Fergal, his daughter Louise and extended family. Louise is watching this broadcast in Sydney, Australia. Ted Nealon is sadly missed by all those who knew him in his personal and political life. Many of the younger and newer Members might not have known Ted Nealon as a person or a politician. Some who may not have been in politics at the time will have seen some of the programmes he conducted when he was a television broadcaster and political commentator. It was a privilege and quite something to work with him and to be a beneficiary of what was a unique political brain of enormous capacity. Fergal Nealon and his wife Sinead sign the distinguished visitors book in It is something about which we know Leinster House

10 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 London ‘Shoemaker’ tops the poll in Sligo

By John C McTernan

Between the 1830s and 1850s the hustings to ensure a satisfactory route from he was greeted by politically had been outcome. At the meeting much time throngs of cheering crowds at every thoroughly Conservative, principally was devoted to an analysis of the crossroads and village. Triumphal because Protestants were in a majority Registry which they found to be ‘most arches spanned the roadway here and on the Register, and also arising from flattering.’ there and his entrance to Collooney the relatively good relations that Coincidently, both the selected was heralded by a local band striking existed between landlords and their candidates were non local. Ball, a up the air See the Conquering Hero tenants. In July 1841 William Richard man of extreme Liberal opinions, Come. From there to Sligo he was Ormsby-Gore was returned in place was the son of Judge Nicholas Ball of escorted by a row of carriages of Edward Joshua Cooper, who had the Court of Common Pleas. He was bearing prominent Liberal supporters. resigned his seat, and two months already well known in Sligo, having Cheering crowds accompanied him later John Ffolliott of Hollybrook unsuccessfully contested the on his way to Doherty’s Guesthouse replaced Alexander Perceval who had seat in I848, and it was considered in Castle Street where, from an been appointed a Sergeant-at-Arms to proper to offer him the support of the upstairs window, he delivered a brief the House of Lords. Catholic interest in the County. He address advocating the principles of By 1852 the situation had changed claimed to be a thorough reformer civil and religious liberty and tenant- somewhat, with Catholic electors entirely devoted to Tenant Right, an right, and in particular promoting the numerically ahead on the Register, uncompromising advocate of civil local interests of the County. In the leading by 1169 to 632. That gave and religious liberty and, if elected, words of the Champion ‘he came as the Liberals a majority of 500 and promised to act as an independent a stranger and got a reception equal to was sufficient to ensure the return of member. any given to the great O’Connell’, and at least one and possibly two Liberal The second nominee, Richard Swift it expressed the view that if Catholics members to Parliament. of London, also known as ‘ acted with the same fidelity displayed In March 1852 the Champion carried Swift’, was of Irish descent and in the 1837 election a Liberal success an announcement of the formation of was accepted as a candidate on the was certain. a County Club aimed at securing not recommendation of John MacHale, In his published address Swift only the revival but also the triumph Archbishop of , who wrote as outlined both his credentials and of the Liberal Party in the county. The follows: objectives as follows: inaugural meeting was on 17 March, Mr Swift is the Catholic High Sheriff In response to the call which has been presided over by Bishop George of London and is ready to advocate all made upon me by members of the Browne of Elphin, and the attendance Irish measures as if he were a native Liberal Club of the County, I have the consisted almost exclusively of of Ireland. His warm attachment to honour to declare myself a candidate clergymen representative of a his religion and his edifying discharge for its representation in the ensuing majority of parishes within the county. of his duties of domestic and social Parliament. As the son of an Irishman Dean Patrick Durcan of Collooney, life afford the best pledge of his I am highly gratified on the honour afterwards Bishop of Achonry, integrity and his ample fortune places conferred on me, especially that the was appointed chairman and Peter him above the temptation to which choice has been recommended by Brennan, PP Kilfree, as secretary. indulgence has sometimes fallen a the and warmly The outcome of the meeting was the victim. Knowing that you will kindly approved by Bishop Browne. If establishment of a Liberal club called excuse an obtrusion to which I have elected, I will endeavour to promote the Sligo Independent Club, ‘whose been prompted by those you revere. civil and religious liberty, improve object was to ensure the Independence The local Conservative organs were the condition of the and of Sligo.’ highly critical of Swift’s participation in particular forward all the local At a subsequent general meeting of in a local election, referring to him as interests of your County. the club attended by both clergy and a ‘foreigner’ and a ‘Saxon’ who had In the weeks following his arrival he laymen, it was unanimously decided the backing of the Catholic clergy. undertook an extensive and successful that Sheriff Richard Swift of London The Chronicle unashamedly referred canvass of the County, parish and John Ball would represent the to him as ‘a London shoemaker.’ by parish, which entailed public Liberal Party at the ensuing election, In response to the invitation from the meetings, invariably chaired by the and that the combined strength of Liberal Club, Richard Swift arrived local Parish Priest, after which he was the entire Party be brought to bear at in Sligo at end of May, 1852. On his entertained to dinner attended 11 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 by prominent Liberals of the locality. visitation with which the country had of non-qualification was lodged by Swift’s otherwise successful tour of late been afflicted’, and among his the Conservatives in September 1852 encountered a totally unexpected priorities for the incoming Parliament but subsequently withdrawn. hiccup in Easkey as reported in the was the improvement of relations Although scoring a notable success, Chronicle: between landlord and tenant and the the Liberals expressed dissatisfaction Sheriff Swift was arrested in the good promotion of such enterprises as were at what was termed an injudicious town of Easkey and detained in the likely to develop the resources of the arrangement regarding ‘split’ votes. It Parish Chapel by the effectual method County. He also promised to uphold appears that Catholic electorate were of locking the gates until he paid the ‘our Glorious Constitution.’ in many instances permitted to split ransom, namely, £10, to the mob for John Ball, the second Liberal with Gore-Booth instead of plumping drink. And here we must admit that nominee, withdrew ahead of for the Liberal candidate. While the the ‘boys’ are vastly superior nominations, leaving four Sligo Champion was loud in its praise to the Sligo ‘lads’ in performing the candidates, namely, Robert Gore- of some Catholic clergy who had interesting operation of ‘bleeding Booth and William Ormsby-Gore worked unceasingly to achieve the a candidate’, for while the latter (both Conservative); Richard Swift desired result, it claimed that there only effected a haemorrhage to the (Liberal) and John Taaffe (Non Party) was ‘a want of organisation’ in so far extent of eighteen pence, the former to contest the two seats. Polling as there was no settled arrangement proved themselves highly successful extended over three days and on day regarding ‘split’ votes to the operators. one the state of the poll was as per the election, and had it been properly In June 1852 the Tablet reported table on this page: managed Richard Swift would have on Swift’s eight-day campaign which At the close of the poll the voting headed the poll at Gore-Booth’s highlighted the important part the was as follows: Swift 870; Gore- expense. Catholic clergy played in his eventual Booth 943; Ormsby 744 and Taaffe Swift’s victory was notable in so success at the polls. 30. far as it was the first time in almost a century that the County had returned a candidate whom the Chronicle described as ‘a total stranger’ as its representative, and went on to refer to him as ‘a hard-handed and close- fisted tradesman’ who imagined that the benedictions of the clergy Robert Gore-Booth and William The outcome was a notable gain should waft him into the House of Richard Ormsby-Gore were candidates for the Liberals at the expense of Commons. Continuing, it remarked in the Conservative interest. It was the Conservatives. Although Gore- that he was totally unconnected with Gore-booth’s first contested election, Booth’s reputation had been dented the constituency either by property or and despite his widely publicised somewhat in the course of the connection and who, in all probability, benevolence during the , campaign, a majority of the electorate would soon forge the interests of the there were rumblings by an organised stood by him. He not only headed constituents with the advancement opposition, politically motivated, and the poll but retained his seat at every of his own affairs. In conclusion it primarily based on the assumption election until his death 26 years later. consoled its readers by remarking that that he was opposed to all legislation Commenting on the outcome, Swift the County ‘was the property of the on the land question, more popularly declared his victory was ‘not of Conservative gentry’ and at the next known as Tenant Right. person but of principle.’ The landlord election would be better prepared for In his published address to the influence had been exerted manfully, their opponents. electors of the county, the owner of against which he had brought the sole The other Conservative organ, Lissadell contradicted the falsehoods influence of the Catholic clergy who the Journal, also lamented the loss made against him by promising to called on their flocks to record their of a seat to the Liberals and blamed support any measure, no matter from votes honestly and faithfully in his what it described described as ‘an what Party emanating, which would favour and ‘agreeably to the dictates inexcusable neglect’ of not paying ensure the tenant the full and fair of their conscience.’ He marvelled more attention to the updating of the value of the outlay of his capital on at the influence the Catholic priests Registry. Of the 663 Protestants on the the improvement of the soil. He also had over their flocks, although it County rolls all but 40 were staunch emphasised that he was not opposed was subsequently admitted that few Conservatives. However, the finger to all legislation on the land question. Catholics voted against the wishes of was also pointed at the Tory landlords Ormsby-Gore, who was first returned their landlords. A petition against the for their neglect of the Protestant six years earlier, recalled the ‘awful return of Richard Swift on the grounds tenantry and concluded that had these

12 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 matters been attended to both Gore- personally. He also thanked his many County Sheriff, John Irwin of Raheen Booth and Ormsby-Gore would have personal friends who, ‘regardless of complimented all concerned on what been returned without a contest. false rumours circulated against him he termed ‘the exemplary spirit in While obvious dissentions within by a few pseudo-Conservatives’, had which the election was conducted.’ the Conservative Party, especially a given him their cordial support. -- disunity between the candidates, were For the most part the election This article is an extract from a glossed over by the said journals, passed off without any major forthcoming publication entitled The they were highlighted by Ormsby- incident although there were reports Way Things Were: Sligo Parliamentary Gore in his -election address, of physical force being applied to Elections 1700-1918. in which he made serious charges Conservative electors either to vote for against the local Conservative Party the Liberal candidate or else abstain and blamed his defeat on the hostility from exercising their franchise. of many of the electors towards him At the conclusion of the poll the Kaveney Family Famine Trail Commemoration Walk By Adrian Regan Patrick and Sarah along with their son Martin were among the survivors, but tragically their five daughters were drowned. The heartbroken couple set up home in Jersey Cove and had four more children with the family surname becoming known as Kavanagh in Canada. The walk in their memory started at the old Kaveney homestead in Cross on Easter Saturday and proceeded through Ballymote, Collooney, Ballisodare and then on to Sligo Port. There was a short ceremony of On 4 April 2015, Rose Marie Stanley undertook the walk in memory remembrance at the quays, from where along with her husband Terry led a of Patrick and Sarah and their six the Carricks would have set sail on its Famine Trail Commemoration Walk children, and all those who sailed final journey. During the ceremony, from the of Cross near Keash with them to Canada on the ill-fated Rose Marie laid five daffodils in the in County Sligo to Sligo Port. Rose Carricks in April 1847. water to remember the five Kaveney Marie is a fith-generation descendent Patrick and Sarah Kaveney were daughters who were lost. Afterwards of Patrick and Sarah Kaveney, who tenants of Lord Palmerston and the walkers were received by the with their six children did this same became the first group of his ‘assisted Mayor of Sligo, Cllr Tom MacSharry, walk on 4 April 1847, when as famine emigrants’ to leave Sligo in 1847 for at a reception at City Hall. victims they left Ireland in the hope of Quebec. They left Sligo port along It is only in recent years, with a better life in Canada. with 28 other families from the area the help of Co Sligo Heritage and They were joined on their 21-mile on the 5 April 1847. Genealogy Centre and Mullaghmore journey by Theresa Finnegan, Clare Just over three weeks after leaving and Historical Society that O’Connell and Teresa Eakins of Co Sligo, these emigrants entered the the family was able to trace their Sligo Sligo Heritage and Genealogy Centre, Gulf of St Lawrence and were in roots and reconnect with many long- members of the Mullaghmore and sight of the Canadian coast when the lost relatives. In May of this year, Cliffoney Historical Society, and ship was caught in a snowstorm and members of another branch of the descendants of different branches crashed into the notorious Cap des Kavanagh family will visit Sligo. of the Kaveney family. They all Rosiers. Only 48 passengers survived.

13 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Bartholomew Teeling By Padraig McDermott

Bartholomew Teeling was born united French and rebel army of in Lisburn Co Antrim in 1774, above 4,000 men strongly posted with son of Luke Teeling. The family nine field pieces, reflects the greatest were well-to-do linen merchants honour on them and has saved this until dispossessed because of their town from ruin. allegiance to the Society of United The entire loss on the side of the Irishmen, which was composed of King’s troops: Ensign Romley and Protestant, Presbyterian and Catholic five men killed, two officers and 16 membership. His mother was Taaffe men wounded. The enemy had above of Smarmore Castle, Co Louth. 50 killed and wounded and many of There is a momument at Collooney them have since died in the hospital (Carricknatat) commemorating him, here. constructed on the centenary of his The French fought with great death in 1898. Plinth nine and half bravery and acted with the greatest feet square, twenty feet high, statue humanity to the wounded men and nine feet six inches high, all placed in officers who fell into their hands. The position by Mr Clarence, Ballisodare. French General said he never met a Sculptor Mr Harrison, . more gallant resistance of unreserved Ballinasloe limestone. Site owner Mr fire than from the Limerick Regiment. Phibbs, Collooney. Officially opened he ordered Major Ormsby and one by Rev PJ O’Grady, 29 July 1899. company to take post on a hill which Court-martial of Bartholomew covered his right and preventing the Teeling ADC to General Humbert, Saturday 6 October 1798 enemy from turning that flank, while to Ballinamuck, August – As I find there has been no accurate the colonel advanced on the right of September 1798 account of the action at Colooney the line with two curricle guns. Col Saturday 22 September 1798, 12 so honourable to the Limerick City Gough was ordered to take charge of noon. Mr B Teeling was brought up to regiment come into your hands, I take the left; in a few minutes the whole make his defence: this opportunity of communicating it came into action and supported Mr President – I know that I have to you. on sides on unremitting fire of to address soldiers and men of honour. On the 5th of September, Col musketry and grapeshot for nearly My case is short, and I shall confine Vereker, who commanded here, an hour and a half. Never was a more myself briefly to such points only as received information that part of the obstinate contest; at last superior furnish, in my opinion, matter for French and rebel army had advanced numbers prevailed. Major Ormsby’s the consideration of the court fully to Colooney and purposed attacking detachment was obliged to retreat persuaded that if they shall have any this town that night in two columns; from the hill and that post given up, weight here, the favourable sentiments considering that it would be advisable the enemy began to press round in which they may excite will not be to dispossess them from that post. He numbers to the rear of the line. diminished in their transmission to a ordered Captain Vincent and 100 men A retreat then became absolutely higher authority. as an advanced guard to march and necessary to save the gallant fellows I am accused of high treason. watch their motions, while he moved who even then maintained their post, Permit me then to suggest the peculiar on with 20 men of the 24th dragoons, although their ammunition was nearly advantage which would result to me 30 yeoman cavalry, 250 Limerick expended. Never did any man show from a trial according to the regular City militia, 20 Essex Fencibles and greater coolness and gallantry than courts of civil law and standing before 30 yeoman infantry. Col Vereker, at this trying moment an ordinary tribunal. On the advanced guard coming near he never quitted his post while a I also beg leave to submit to the the enemy, they sustained a smart fire, man could stand by him. And when court with all possible respect whether which checked them a little when his artillery horses were so severely in a case of life and death it be strictly Col Vereker ordered Captain Waller wounded that they could not bring constitutional to try any man by the and the Limerick Light company to away his guns, he attempted to have military law when the civil courts advance and support them. While he them brought off by drag ropes, and can be resorted to. Sir I am accused informed his line and arranged his not until nearly surrounded on all of high treason in as much as being plan of attack on the main body which sides did he leave them. The gallant a subject of this Empire I was found duty Capt Waller executed with great and steady manner the officers and in alliance with the enemies of His steadiness. On his line being formed soldiers resisted the attack of the Majesty. I admit as I have already

14 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 done that. I was born in Ireland but Lord Lieutenant along with the to hazard a conjecture whether strict circumstances occurred which forced minutes of the trial. justice be always and under all me to relinquish my natural land and Execution of Mr Bartholomew circumstances true policy, but we will become a subject of France. Teeling suppose for so far as may suppose I embraced the life of a soldier in Tuesday 25 September 1798, Dublin safely that Teeling’s fate was rendered the service of that country which gave Evening Post necessary by the peculiar state of the me protection and as a soldier and a Yesterday at two o’clock this times. man of honour, it became me to act unfortunate and interesting young in obedience to my superiors in a man suffered death on Arbour Hill, The paper Bart Teeling was situation where refusal would have and conducting himself with a prevented from reading from the incurred infamy and death. Without fortitude impossible to be surpassed scaffold knowing what was the destination and scarcely to be equalled. Neither The paper was recovered from the of the expedition, I repaired to La the intimation of his fate, nor the Library of London by Dr Richard Rochelle pursuant to an order to that near approach of it produced any Hayes and included in his book The effect and still in ignorance of that of diminution of courage. With firm Last Invasion of Ireland: which it was not my duty to enquire, I step and unchanged countenance he Fellow Citizens – I have been sailed for this country. walked from the ‘Prevet to the place compelled by a military tribunal to These facts will I trust convince of execution, and there while the suffer what they call an ignominious the court that mine was not an act of dreadful apparatus was preparing, he death but what appears from the deliberate treason and that I did nothing conversed with apparently unaffected number of its illustrious victims to be but what as a soldier I conceived to ease with the persons immediately glorious in the highest degree. It is not have been my duty. Neither did I act around him. in the power of men to abase virtue the part of a conscious traitor and fly With the same strength of mind and nor the man who dies for it. His death from that punishment which a sense body he ascended the eminence from must be glorious in the field of battle of criminality would have presented which he was to be turned off and or on the scaffold. to my view. here we have to remark on the brutal That same tribunal which has One word more sir, the witness bungling of the wretch employed as condemned me (citizens, I do not who supported the prosecution executioner and whom the present speak to you here of the constitutional has evidence to my humanity in a times should have better instructed rights of such a tribunal) has stamped manner and to an extent which seem him in his business. me a traitor. If to have been active to produce a strong influence on the The rope having at length adjusted, in endeavouring to put a stop to the Court. Perhaps it does not become me Mr Teeling requested to read a paper bloodthirsty policy of an oppressive to claim any privilege or favour from which he held in his hand. He was government has been treason, I am conduct which had no selfish alliance asked by the officer, whose immediate guilty. If to have endeavoured to give with future consequences, and which duty it was, whether it contained my native country a place among the at the time I had not expectation of anything of a strong nature and he nations of the earth was treason, then addressing as an argument in the replied that it did; on which permission I am guilty indeed. If to have been defence of my life. I was merciful for to read it was refused. Mr Teeling active in endeavouring to remove mercy’s sake, and from that conviction silently acquiesced in the restraint put the fangs of oppression from off the that it should ever influence the on his last moments then after bowing head of the devoted Irish Peasant was conduct and decisions of power. As a gracefully to the surrounding people treason, I am guilty. Roman Catholic and a Christian I felt he was launched into eternity. Finally if to have stricken to make it my duty and inclination to love my He was dressed in like manner my fellow men love each other was fellow creatures. The indulgence and as on his trial with the addition of wrong, then I am guilty. You my candour of which I have been treated the tri-coloured cockade in his hat. countrymen may perhaps one day be by this Court has made a strong and This melancholy consequence from able to tell whether these were the grateful impression on my heart, and the trial of the unfortunate Teeling acts of a traitor, or deserved death. My whether the final issue be life or death, was not expected by the public. The own heart tells me they were not, and I rest confident that any case will quit humanity which he so strongly and conscious of my innocence I would this Court accompanied by every so effectually escorted in restraining not change my present state for that of advantage it can derive from a just the excesses of a vindictive warfare the highest of my enemies. and generous consideration. it was thought would have produced Fellow citizens, I leave you with the a mitigation expressive of humanity heartfelt satisfaction of having kept The order which the prisoner in his favour. The members of the my oath as a and received to proceed to La Rochelle court which with him seemed strongly also with the glorious prospect of the and which was signed by Humbert influenced by the evidence appearing success of the cause in which we have was laid before the Court, together to that humanity. But theirs was the been engaged. Persevere my beloved with the copy of the above defence for office of justice alone – to extend countrymen, your cause is the cause the purpose of being transmitted to his mercy was not in their power. of truth. It must and will ultimately Excellency the Marquis Cornwalllis It is not for us in the present day triumph.

15 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Willie Coleman’s Jig By Fiona Doherty

Joe Burke, the famous box player Coleman and started a memorial from Co , played a set of fund. The idea was to build a museum , Father O’Flynn and Haste to and library dedicated to Michael on the Wedding, and is said to have a site next to this homestead. Each remarked: ‘Now if I was out for an person paid in five pounds, and those early morning stroll by the Great Wall with a job gave in ten pounds. Willie of China and met a native on a bicycle Coleman, along with Fred Flynn and whistling either one of those tunes on Peter Horan, were some of the names the way to work… I wouldn’t be the listed as part of this committee. least surprised. They must be the two These same men were also best-known and overplayed tunes of members of the Glenview Ceili Band, all time. They are truly great.’ and performed frequently as a band A similar sentiment could be in the late 1960s and early 1970s. expressed about Willie Coleman’s Other members of this band included jig. One of the first recordings of accordion players Dickie Sherlock this jig was made by Matt Molloy in and Joe Fallon. 1976, and the tune has easily become Willie was known to down tools a favourite among traditional Irish local shop and played the banjo. and leave the hay or whatever job musicians throughout the world. The Willie’s talent was passed on to his he was doing to go and take up his jig was composed by Willie Coleman, own children. Liam, who was playing in the house and play a tune a well-known and respected fiddle the Clarke C whistle at age five, is that came to him. In addition to Willie player, born in Carnaree, Ballymote, today a well-known banjo player Coleman’s jig, he also composed on September 24, 1909. in traditional Irish music circles in three reels and wanted one of these It seems that many traditional England. Philomena plays the guitar to be known as Willie’s Tribute to musicians in Ireland know of Willie and sings, and Kathleen and Ann Bernadette Connolly. (Bernadette was Coleman and many of them found enjoy listening to the music. Francie, abducted and murdered in 1970.) He their way to his home in Carnaree, with his tin whistle, is a familiar face played at local feisanna for years and including Seamus Ennis, Matt at the sessions around Ballymote and he had often played for Bernadette Molloy, Liam Óg O’Flynn and others has also been known to sing one or when she danced. Unfortunately, not too numerous to mention. Apart two songs. One of Francie’s favourite many people were adept at reading from the welcome and open house tunes is Martin Wynne’s Number or writing music, and tape recorders extended to all who loved and played Three, and Willie was recorded were few and far between, so not all , Willie had a playing a lovely version of this reel the tunes have survived. What has great store of tunes that he played and in the 1960s. A copy of this recording survived however are a wealth of generously shared. He particularly is available in the Comhaltas Archive local tunes and musical knowledge loved to spend time teaching and in the Coleman Centre in Gurteen, Co given freely and unselfishly by Willie. instructing young musicians. Sligo. He passed away on 28 October 1981 He himself first learned his music Willie was very fond of Michael aged 72 and a memorial plaque from a local man, a flute player by the Coleman’s tunes and music, and on the wall of his own house was name of Willie (Bill) Snee, and later would borrow 78s from Dick unveiled in his memory – a fitting married Bill’s daughter, Katie. Katie O’Beirne, Lad’s brother, in Killavil, acknowledgement of a musical played the accordion in her early as Lad would have sent the records legacy. Don’t be surprised if you hear days and could lilt many tunes. Her over to him from the USA. In 1951 a someone whistling Willie Coleman’s brother John Joe was a fiddle player committee of local musicians decided jig around Ballymote – or even further and another brother, Jimmy, had the to perpetuate the memory of Michael afield!

16 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Breaffy National School in the 50s and 60s By Bernie Doyle Breaffy National School in 1958 was and forty acres to local businessmen The blackboard was the old three- located on a sharp bend on the busy who developed it as a hotel, and it is legged stand type, with two wooden to Dublin road. It was then still operating as such today, though pegs on which the blackboard was showing its age: a three-roomed under different ownership. The balanced. There was an extra board school with its centre room empty. picture would not be complete without too with a very rickety stand which Infants and junior classes occupied the mentioning Johnny Ruane, a sprightly was only used in emergencies, and far room while the senior classes were septuagenarian postman who lived in needed a very delicate balancing act. in the room nearest to McTigue’s pub. Breaffy Wood with his wife. Johnny I think the desks were twin desks During the following few years Mayo cycled on his trusty heavy Raleigh rather than the old long desks (which County Council started work on the bike on his round of 20-odd miles we had in my first school in Ballytore, much-deliberated and controversial every day in hail, rain or shine. He Co Kildare). We had electricity which road-widening and improvement still managed to deliver the mail to provided light and boiled the kettle scheme. With the completion of the everyone, even on Christmas Eve at lunch time. Our toilets, one for initial mile near Castlebar, known when every household had a ‘spirited’ the girls and one for the boys, were as ‘the Golden Mile’, funds were welcome for him! the old dry closets at the back of the exhausted for the time being and The late Andy McTigue was playground. There was a bucket of we were still on the main road. The principal and had then served in water, a tin basin and a towel in the present road, which cuts through the school for 36 years. In fact I hallway. When I look back it was like Breaffy woods, isolating the church, think he actually served his full 45 a different world; I just wonder how school, pub, post office and three years service there. He had been we escaped typhus and other diseases. houses, was not yet in existence. part of so many people’s lives and We must have been pretty hardy types To set the scene: Mrs Fahey was a wonderful storyteller. In the to withstand the breezes that blew up presided over the Post Office, and she schoolroom there was a fireplace to the Khyber Pass whenever we had to spoke of the people who proved they the side of the room with a turf fire visit the closet. Once or twice a year a had reached pension age (70 years) already burning when we arrived. tall strapping travelling man appeared by saying they were seven years Each child’s family supplied an ass at the door and Andy struck a bargain old on the ‘Night of the Big Wind’. cart-load of turf in strict rotation so with him to ‘do the drains’. I’m not Mrs Malone, who retired early from that there was never more than one sure if he piled heaped earth into the Breaffy NS, lived in a house nearby load at a time. Although the quality closets or removed and buried the lot with her daughter, Margaret Mulcahy, of turf was generally good, there was in a hole somewhere. The fee for this and her family. Next to the school the very occasional load of wet soggy job was just about £2 or even less. But lived Polly Burke and her family, turf, and we suffered with the wet money had much more buying power whose husband, Richard, worked for smouldering turf if we happened to back then than it has now. most of the year in England. When have a cold spell of weather. On the In the old presses in the principal’s old Mrs McTigue retired from the pub whole the doors and windows were room were stored the containers she owned, her son and his wife and ill-fitting and the place could be quite of acids and chemicals remaining family came to live there and run it. draughty in winter. from the early part of the century The church was used for Mass on A turf fire in a large, high-ceilinged, when not only science was taught as Sunday and, perhaps, confessions on draughty room could not hope to a subject but also Shakespeare and Saturday. We had First Communions provide adequate heating. To combat the major poets. Other relics from and funerals there, and every four this we had a set of children standing the past included old roll books and years there was a Mission of the in a semi-circle near the fire for an oral the famous Report Book – both later ‘hellfire and brimstone’ variety. I have lesson while the others sat in the desks withdrawn from all schools. Even in no recollection of a marriage there in doing written work. Then we reversed the late 50s and early 60s an inspector my time, but then, Castlebar was so roles and in that way helped to thaw wrote comments in this book on near. Dominic and Iris Browne still out the cold. Children who brought every visit he paid to the school. But, lived in Breaffy House but they sold it bottles of milk or tea had their bottles fortunately, at this time inspectors had to the Land Commission in 1961. The placed on the hearth to warm them for changed their attitudes to teachers Land Commission later sold the house lunchtime. and pupils. But the Report Book told

17 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 a sorry tale, which Andy confirmed from Dominic Browne during the no proper facilities for drying their from his earlier years in the teaching sale of the estate. Then in 1962, just clothes. Children had quite a hard life profession. At one time an inspector after the birth of our daughter, Anna, in many ways. could decide to demote a school’s Breaffy school closed for the summer I should say a few words about Andy rating from ‘Highly Satisfactory’ holidays and did not re-open for McTigue, who spent his 45 years in to ‘Satisfactory’. Teachers’ meagre several months, during which it was Breaffy and watched pupils grow up salaries were adjusted according to a completely renovated. Gone were the and then taught their children again. school’s rating. On the other hand, a old dry closets; the middle room had Many people remember him as a school could be upgraded and even, been converted into a cloakroom and calm, courteous, kindly man who had by some miracle, be awarded the flush toilets and wash-basins had been a great understanding of and tolerance ‘Carlisle and Blake Premium’. The installed. Floors, doors and windows for people. I now realise what a Carlisle and Blake demanded a certain had been replaced, and the rooms were wonderful family man he was when I standard of excellence; there was painted and newly furnished with recall that he spent summers working a limited number of awards for the desks, cupboards and blackboards. in England with his son, who was then entire country. I have often wondered Best of all, storage heaters replaced the a student in UCG. This wasn’t easy for whom the award was named – turf fires. Now we had bright cheerful for a man in his late fifties. He would possibly some senior inspectors or classrooms with proper heating and come back in September with tales benevolent Victorian anthropologists. sanitation. We promptly decorated the of the people he had worked with in It had lapsed before I arrived on the rooms with pictures and teaching aids. Haverford West and such places. scene. It really was wonderful. I have memories of pacing up and Some of the entries in the Report The Senior Infants and First Class down in the sunshine at lunchtime, Book were funny, others pathetic girls loved to wash – hankies, ribbons, listening to stories of happenings in and some downright malicious. One anything they could lay their hands on the past. There was the great time he stands out in my memory, dated – during the lunch break. As soon as and other young teachers had, camped from November circa 1910. This they heard Andy coming they dashed for a week in the Phoenix Park as First unfortunate teacher had come into into the toilets and locked the doors so Aid Orderlies during the Eucharistic school and was still trying to light the he could never catch them in the act. Congress in 1932, or talks of the fire – these were the days when the He had all the evidence but no culprits, old man (nick-named ‘Authority’) pupils brought a sod of turf apiece to and in spite of stern warnings to the coming into his mother’s pub in school each day. Obviously it was closed doors, the practice continued Linenhall Street and quizzing himself poor-quality turf and he was still until the novelty wore off. He used to and his sisters on their lessons. He trying when the inspector arrived at come out to the yard to me and say: would then hold forth and lay down 9.50 am. The report read: ‘Mr T... still ‘The little blighters are at it again and the law on the affairs of the day. A had his hat and coat on. No fire lighted. I can’t catch them.’ great saying of his was: ‘You will see The children had their coats on.’ The The summer holiday period extended the day when the rates will be a £1 in worst aspect of these books was that from the third Monday in July to the the £1’ – a prophecy that was fulfilled the remarks were there to be seen for first Monday in September. Prior to 12 times over before rates on houses generations afterwards. Eventually, that, schools closed for the month were abolished. someone had the sense to withdraw of August only. Christmas holidays During the War, when Andy lived them. The late Mrs Malone used to were from December 22 until January in Breaffy he used to teach Irish to tell of an inspector who came into the 7, with a ten-day break for Easter. Dominica and Fiona Browne. Fiona, room, rubbed his finger along a ledge There used to be a week allowed in being the youngest, and missing her and held it up to show the dust on it. late October or early November to father (away on active service for He then proceeded to vent his spleen allow the children to pick the main- three or four years with the British and ended up by asking her whether crop potatoes. The week varied from Army), used to climb up on his knee she kept her drawing-room like this. place to place according to the potato- for comfort and security, much to the To which she gave the perfect reply: digging period. I suppose it was horror of Dominica. But he, having ‘This is not a drawing-room. It is a necessary to allow the time off as so young children himself, understood workshop, and a pretty poor one at many children were kept home from very well. It was only when I visited that.’ school anyway to pick the potatoes. Norway a few years ago that I realised In 1960 I got married and lived Children walked two or even three what a terrible war Dominic had lived for a year in one of the gate lodges miles to school and back again in through, though he only mentioned it of Breaffy House, which we bought all kinds of weather, and there were once.

18 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

I cannot remember the reason So even if luxuries were scarce – the the time when there were only one for staging an outdoor extravagant fifties and early sixties were times of or two radios in the community and pageant based on the life of St Patrick, depression when work was scarce – people gathered to listen to special or who took the decision to do it. It people in Breaffy were well able to items on the radio. People who was staged in McHale Park, Castlebar, manage. emigrated to England went mainly with, as they say, a cast of thousands. Every now and then I used to ask the by boat – air travel was reserved for a Andy was picked to play the part of children what they would like to do journey to America or far-flung places St Patrick. He grew a luxuriant grey when they grew up. One day I asked like Australia or Africa. Of course, beard, which, coupled with his bald this little seven-year-old farmer’s son: things have changed even more since head, made him look a venerable ‘Would you like to be a farmer?’ I will 1999. I haven’t been to Breaffy for patriarch of about 100 years of age. never forget his answer. many years now and sadly, many He spent so much of his spare time Oh, I would, I would, but sure Paddy people I knew have died and I could rehearsing with the members of the will get the place,’ he said. I always meet many of my pupils without cast, and produced and successfully hoped that Paddy would decide to do recognising them, or they me, such staged the pageant. I spent six happy something else and leave the ‘place’ have been the ravages of time years teaching with this very relaxed, for this little chap. I was sad to see the closure of the urbane man with never a cross word These memories were activated in old school which gave so much to between us. May he rest in peace. 1999 when I was asked to a celebration the community. Who would have I will not mention any of the pupils for the centenary of the old school, the thought that one of its pupils would by name but I remember them as they new church and the new school. What become managing director of the were then, and their little foibles, and a change! Here was a lovely new mighty building firm Wimpey, with have to smile when I see their names church with one of my old pupils as his brother heading Lumley-Saville in newspapers or reports, because the celebrant of the mass, and a state- Plant Hire. Another became a scientist of course I haven’t seen them grow of the-art school with 16 teachers! in Harwell Atomic Centre in the early up. What strikes me now is that Of course, there were more houses days of atomic research. Another the children in Breaffy were well- everywhere – down towards the post represented Irish Tourism in the US mannered (some full of devilment, office, down the old bog road and for many years and there were many naturally), well clad and nourished – along the main road into Castlebar. priests and missionary nuns. But more none of the real poverty that I saw in Looking back made me realise how importantly, it turned out hundreds town schools. Budgets may have been much things and people had changed of decent, hard-working people finely balanced in some households in the last 30 years of the school’s with good principles and codes of but there was enough money to buy existence. Things taken for granted, behaviour, who have lived happy and the essentials and people had their like TV, did not come into most peaceful lives in the parish as well as own potatoes, fresh vegetables, milk, people’s homes until 1964 or even in far-flung places. Who knows what poultry and eggs to ensure that the later, and even then outside of Dublin the next hundred years will bring? families remained strong and healthy. it was just RTE. Andy used to tell of Remembering P J Duffy Members of Ballymote Heritage and in all issues since The Corran and poteen maker, on significant Group and all readers of The Corran Herald became an annual publication events from the great famine to note with regret the passing in 1995, including 2014-2015. year of the blizzard and on diverse on 10 June 2015 of PJ Duffy of PJ was passionate about recording aspects of a changing rural culture. Killavill who, over the 30 years of the passing features of rural life in an Many readers took great pleasure existence of this journal, contributed Ireland that had undergone remarkable each year in reflecting on a shared no less than 52 articles to The Corran change throughout his lifetime, memory of which PJ has left a lasting Herald. providing a unique personal record record. We will miss his contributions PJ’s contribution is particularly of memorable events and people to the magazine, and the Heritage noteworthy in this 30th Anniversary of County Sligo. Subjects included Group extends its condolences to his year as he published articles each year reflections on the once common roles family and friends. Ar dheis Dé go since the first publications in 1985 of thatcher, blacksmith, matchmaker raibh a anam dílis.

19 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 A Smuggler’s Song By Lynda Hart

A classic television series from the brandy was one fifth of the price. 1970s called Poldark has been remade Smuggling was about to become a this year by the BBC. It is based on major part of a Cornishman’s life. a series of books written by Winston Cornwall was the ideal place to Graham set in late 18th century smuggle goods into (see Fig 1) – it Cornwall telling the story of Ross was not too far from the French coast Poldark, who at the start of the story is and the south coast of Cornwall was an officer returning from the American virtually uninhabited. The many revolutionary war to resume his life in secluded coves and beaches made it Cornwall as a mine owner. But many an ideal landing place for contraband people may not be familiar with the (Fig 2). historical context of that time. Boats would either bring the goods Cornwall in the late 1700s was into the coast or small boats would famous for two achievements: rendezvous with larger boats tin mining and smuggling. anchored offshore. There was far We today here in Ireland are all too too much coastline and far too few aware of the taxes imposed on our revenue men, so smuggling became citizens to pay for the country’s debt, rife. Everyone seemed to be involved but this is not a new phenomenon. In – even the clergy. It was said that in 18th century England, taxes levied the late 18th century one half of all on some goods were astronomical. the brandy drunk in Britain had been High taxes had been introduced smuggled in through Cornwall. because of the massive financial crisis The Cornish disassociated themselves that was caused by the eight-year Fig 1. Cornish Coastline from the rest of England – Cornwall American War of Independence that Drastic measures were called for. So was virtually an island and had Britain eventually lost. The national salt became one of the first items to be its own flag (Fig 3), language and debt spiralled out of control. As there smuggled across from Europe. Other was no income tax, taxes on some everyday items rocketed in price. Tea goods were raised continually to had a tax rate of 110% imposed on finance the war. it. High taxes were also levied upon One of these imposed taxes drove tobacco, cotton, silk and of course Cornish people to the brink of alcohol. There were 18 different taxes starvation. Many Cornishmen in on brandy and gin, and the total tax the late 1700s were fishermen. The on a bottle of brandy was 250%. In fortunes of these men relied on one Europe, tea could be bought for one main catch, the pilchard or Cornish sixth of the price in Britain. French Fig 3. Cornish Flag sardine, which was caught between late summer and early autumn when huge shoals of these fish would converge around the Cornish coast. Most of the catch was exported to the Mediterranean, so therefore needed to be brined to preserve it. The salt used for preserving had to be of the best quality and came from France and . The tax on the salt began to rise, and it got higher and higher until eventually it was 40 times more than the value of the salt! Fig 2. South Cornish Coast

20 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

money to be made. Many, like ‘The King of Prussia’ and the brother and sister Fyns, were notorious smugglers and pirates and were greatly feared. Others were at the ‘money’ end. Many families made fortunes through smuggling including the Killigrew family of Falmouth whose money, influence and social climbing made them some of the richest people in Cornwall. Another was Zachariah Job. Much of the contraband came from the Channel Islands and Fig 4. A typical smuggler’s cove Zachariah traded with the Islands, bringing the goods straight into his culture, so they did not think of and was known himself by that home port of Polperro. Zachariah Job themselves as being villains or law- moniker, and the cove named after made so much money from smuggling breakers. Rather, they were known as him. You will still find public houses that he was able to open his own bank (or called themselves) Free Traders. on the south coast called ‘The King and print his own banknotes. He re- Many place names in Cornwall are of Prussia’. Many public houses are invested his ill-gotten gains into associated with smuggling. There are named ‘The Smuggler’s Inn’ and on newer and faster boats and made even many ‘smugglers coves’ (Fig 4) that Bodmin Moor, the pub made famous more money. are hard-to-reach coves with steep by Daphne Du Maurier, is the Jamaica For the ordinary Cornishman cliffs and precarious rocks. Pepper Inn. another way of making some money Cove on the north Cornish coast near Smuggling grew to be big business. was wrecking. Wrecking was where Porthcothan Bay was used to smuggle Many people relied on it as their main boats sank on the razor sharp rocks in the expensive spice. Mostly the source of income, and greater risks and broke up. The cargo would then north Cornish coast was used to were being taken. The penalties for be collected by all. Some writers have suggested that the Cornish lured boats onto the rocks with lamps, but it is now generally thought that this was not the way of the Cornishman. The rocks around the coast are notorious, and ships were easily torn apart upon them. Once ‘wrecked’, the cargo of these boats would be quickly collected from the rocks, sea and beaches, and believed to be rightfully the property of those who collected it. Even in modern times the collecting of flotsam and jetsam is not thought of as illegal, which indeed it is not, but the keeping of, and concealment of items is illegal under the Merchant Shipping Act of 1995. I can clearly remember a shipwreck in the 1990s where the Fig 5. Cornish Coastline cargo of good quality timber was washed up onto Perranporth beach. trade with Ireland, with whiskey being caught were severe. At the very I had never seen such a collection of the main smuggled item (Fig 5). least you would get transportation cars, vans and trailers on the beach On the south coast Prussia Cove was to a colony, or sometimes even as I saw that day. There were a great named after a member of a notorious the death penalty was imposed on many good quality new sheds and smuggler family, the Carters. John those caught. Many people however much decking around that summer! Carter admired the King of Prussia realised that there was a great deal of By 1799, Britain was once again

21 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 at war with France. Many saw the now well trained, well equipped, and In 1842 Britain introduced a policy smugglers as traitors to their country well paid. They patrolled the coastline of Free Trade, slashing the import because by dealing with the French and made it very difficult to land taxes. This meant that a legal bottle of they were putting money into the goods on shore. brandy now cost the same as an illegal French economy. But the tide (so to Another factor which had bottle. Overnight, smuggling became speak) was about to turn. In 1805 an influence on the decline of redundant. Nelson defeated the French fleet, smuggling in Cornwall was Of course smuggling didn’t die out and the Channel Islands stopped Methodism. John Wesley, the founder completely. Today tobacco and drugs supplying goods. By the beginning of Methodism, first visited Cornwall are big business, run by organised of the 19th century Cornwall was the in 1743 and returned a further 32 times gangs of pretty ruthless people. largest exporter of tin and copper in before his death in 1791. The Cornish But there are still a few people who the world. The county was becoming believed in Methodism as it brought smuggle a bit of drink or tobacco, increasingly prosperous. scattered communities together and a just to make a few ‘pound’ and a After the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 great moral good was felt. Methodism blind eye is usually turned. There is a smuggling was to become far more also allowed the Cornish to get an romanticism surrounding the Cornish difficult. More than 20,000 highly education and to better themselves. smuggler. The harsh reality was one trained soldiers returned from battle Morally, smuggling was wrong. of a starving man trying to feed his and needed employment, and they The Cornish took to Methodism family and risking his life in order to were recruited by the Revenue and sent like no other county in England. Huge do so. Or of a swashbuckling pirate to Cornwall to fight the smugglers. No crowds of up to 20,000 people would who in reality would use any amount longer could the Cornish be so open go to open air meetings in place of violence to make his money. about smuggling, and new and more such as Gwennap Pit, near Redruth, And of the ‘money’ men who were devious methods of bringing in the which is an open air amphitheatre. never caught, and never prosecuted. contraband had to be found. Making By 1840 Britain had entered a golden In Rudyard Kipling’s poem A a living became harder. In 1822 the age in industry. She exported more Smugglers Song, that romanticism Revenue were transformed into the than she imported, so huge import can be clearly seen. The text of it is Coastguard Service. These men were taxes were not in the British interest. reproduced below.

nor use ‘em for your play. Trusty’s here, and Pincher’s here, and A Smuggler’s Song Put the brushwood back again - and see how dumb they lie Rudyard Kipling they’ll be gone next day ! They don’t fret to follow when the Gentlemen go by! If you wake at midnight, and hear a If you see the stable-door setting horse’s feet, open wide; Don’t go drawing back the blind, or If you see a tired horse lying down If you do as you’ve been told, likely looking in the street, inside; there’s a chance, Them that ask no questions isn’t told If your mother mends a coat cut You’ll be give a dainty doll, all the a lie, about and tore; way from France, Watch the wall my darling while the If the lining’s wet and warm – don’t With a cap of Valenciennes, and a Gentlemen go by. you ask no more! velvet hood – A present from the Gentlemen, along Five and twenty ponies, If you meet King George’s men, ’o being good! Trotting through the dark - dressed in blue and red, Brandy for the Parson, You be careful what you say, and Five and twenty ponies, ’Baccy for the Clerk. mindful what is said. Trotting through the dark – Laces for a lady; letters for a spy, If they call you ‘pretty maid’, and Brandy for the Parson, Watch the wall my darling while the chuck you ’neath the chin, ’Baccy for the Clerk. Gentlemen go by! Don’t you tell where no one is, nor Them that asks no questions isn’t yet where no one’s been! told a lie Running round the woodlump if you Watch the wall my darling while the chance to find, Knocks and footsteps round the Gentlemen go by! Little barrels, roped and tarred, all house – whistles after dark – full of brandy-wine, You’ve no call for running out till the Don’t you shout to come and look, house-dogs bark.

22 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 An Arrow Through Time By Martin A Timoney

In June 1994 Josephine Mannion, a native of Castlerea, Co Roscommon, who now resides in Calry, Co Sligo, went on a fishing trip with several children to Lough Bo in east Sligo. Having caught nothing she brought the children a short distance to the south to see Lough Nasool, the disappearing lake. Lough Nasool had recently performed its ‘seven-yearly’ disappearing trick. The lake, normally 480m by 310m, was now fully gone and it was possible to walk on the lake bed. Here, while walking along the east side of the dried-out lake something different caught her eye on The 31 mm long Lough Nasool barbed-and-tanged flint arrowhead, Ballinphull, Killadoon, Co Sligo. Photo: Martin A. Timoney. the surface of the lakeshore muds. It was about 25 metres in from the edge, 31mm long, 21mm wide by 5mm four gold-capped rivets, an amber putting the findspot in Ballinphull thick though it is generally only bead, a flint strike-a-light, a bone townland. This Ballinphull townland, 3.5mm thick. The tang is 12mm wide toggle or ring and a fine Beaker vessel. one of five of that name in Co Sligo, and 7mm long. The barbs are just The Ballyclare, Co Antrim, hoard is that northeast of and about sufficient for to classify it as a is informative in that it contained in the Parish of Killadoon, of barbed-and-tanged arrowhead. not only twenty-two barbed-and- Tirerrill; it is on OS 6” Sligo Sheet 34. In an earlier issue of The Corran tanged arrowheads but also leaf- Cleaning the piece she realised that Herald (Timoney 2007-2008) the shaped blanks for a further 17 similar it was a small white stone arrowhead hollow-based arrowhead found arrowheads (Flanagan 1970; Waddell and, being possibly very ancient, was on a mantelpiece in a house in 2010, 127, Fig. 4.6). worthy of minding. Taking it home Knockgrainne, Kilturra parish, west of From a Sligo perspective there she put it safely in a box of trinkets Gurteen, Co Sligo, was described, as are at least three barbed-and-tanged and only occasionally thought of it. were types of prehistoric arrowheads arrowheads that were found in Co In mid-2014 she chanced to meet the in general. Sligo in the collection of the Duke of author who happened to be a former Barbed-and-tanged arrowheads, Northumberland at Alnwick Castle teacher of hers in Castlerea Convent of which this Ballinphull example (Wood-Martin 1888, Plate IV). There of Mercy Secondary School and who is a fine specimen found by sheer are two other flint barbed-and-tanged she knew from there to be interested in chance, are an innovation by Beaker- arrowheads from south Sligo in the things from the past. She brought the using people in the Early National Museum of Ireland. One was arrowhead to me in January 2015 and (Waddell 2010, 129). They continued found by John A Dockry, Ballymote, in I brought it to the National Museum in use for some centuries (Flanagan Ballybrennan bog, west of Ballymote of Ireland on 23rd January, 2015, 1970, 20; Waddell 2010, 129). For (OS 33; NMI L1944:281). The other where it is registered as 2015:8 with this barbed-and-tanged arrowhead one was found by Patrick O’Reilly, Jr, file number IA/10/2015. All credit is could cite many comparable examples Carrownacluane, in plough soil on due to Josephine Mannion for first of but a few will suffice. drained bog at Carrownagilty, near all finding and keeping the arrowhead The Early Bronze Age cist grave Conways Cross (OS 27 or 28; NMI and secondly passing it on to the found in 1975 at Culduthel, Inverness- 1976:20). More recently, a barbed- National Museum of Ireland where it shire, Scotland (Ritchie and Ritchie and-tanged arrowhead was found in will be safe for future study. 1981, 63-64, Fig. 41) contained eight a secondary deposit with 12 pieces The white flint arrowhead measures barbed-and-tanged arrowheads, an of waste flint at No 7 archer’s wrist guard or bracer with passage tomb, Co Sligo, in 1978

23 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

(Burenhult 1980, 30, Photo on p. 31 a fish and losing the arrow, which was Hoard from Ballyclare, Co Antrim”, and Colour Plate I:2). then not to be seen for another 4,000 J. of Archaeology, 33, 15-22. Four barbed-and-tanged arrowheads years. Considering its lakeside find Foley, Claire, and McHugh, Ronan, and a now-lost wrist-guard from spot perhaps it was used for catching 2014: An Archaeological Survey of , Volume 1, Part 1: various sites in Co Fermanagh are fish by stabbing them. The Prehistoric Period, Belfast, Northern illustrated by Foley and McHugh A Beaker barbed-and-tanged Ireland Environment Agency. (2014, 84, Fig. 12). They also illustrate arrowhead is quite acceptable in Glover, Winifred, 1979: “A Prehistoric the fragment of a yew bow found very east Co Sligo. There is a shard of a Bow fragment from Drumwhinney Bog, deep in Drumwhinney Bog, Kesh, Co Beaker pot from not too far away at Keash, Co Fermanagh”, Proceedings Fermanagh (2014, 90, Fig. 15; Glover Churchfield, Dromahaire, Co Leitrim Prehistoric Society, 45, 323-327. 1979). Though it may be much earlier (Roche 2013; Timoney 2013, 44). Raftery, Joseph, 1951: , London, Batsford. than the Early Bronze Age it shows There are shards of three excellent Ritchie, Graham and Anna, 1981: the idea. Beakers from Moytirra, to the south Scotland, Archaeology and Early History, Occasional chance finds of of Lough Nasool (Wood-Martin 1888, London, Thames and Hudson. arrowheads with the means of 185, Figs. 146-148). Cahill (2013, Roche, Helen, 2013: “A Beaker Sherd attachment have survived for thousands 45-48, Figs. 1-3) treats of the four from Churchfield, Dromahaire, Co of years. For a detailed illustration of beautiful lunulae from Co Sligo which Leitrim”, in Timoney, Martin A., ed., the method of attachment to a shaft are broadly contemporary in Early 2013, 44, 66, Fig 1. the barbed-and-tanged arrowhead Bronze Age Sligo. Cumulatively then, Timoney, Martin A., 2007-2008: “A Hollow-based Arrowhead found at from Gortrea, Killimor, Portumna, Co we have many good pieces but there Knockgrania, Gurteen, Co Sligo”, The Galway, (Brindley 1994, 18, Photo may be other finds of that period from Corran Herald, 40, 16-17. 15) is a good example – it is said to the county still in peoples’ possession Timoney, Martin A., 2013: “Note on have had an alder shaft (Waddell 2010, which could fill out the picture of the find circumstances [of the Beaker 129). In that case the gut that held the Early Bronze Age Sligo even more. Sherd from Churchfield, Dromahaire, Co arrowhead in the shaft was found still To do as Josephine Mannion did Leitrim]”, in Timoney, Martin A., ed., wrapped around the tang. The barbed- would be a good gesture! 2013, 44. Timoney, Martin A., 2013: Dedicated to and-tanged arrowhead found in a bog -- Sligo, Thirty-four Essays on Sligo’s Past, at Tankardsgarden, Newbridge, Co Keash, Publishing Sligo’s Past. References and Further Reading Kildare (Raftery 1951, 135, Fig. 121) Waddell, John, 2010: The Prehistoric Brindley, Anna, 1994: Irish , is also informative in that it still has Archaeology of Ireland, Galway, An Introduction, Dublin, Country House Wordwell. its binding of fine hair or sinew and its / NMI. Wood-Martin, William Gregory, 1888: 42cm hazel shaft. Cahill, Mary, 2013: “Prehistoric Gold The Rude Stone Monuments of Ireland It is easy to imagine an Early from Co Sligo”, in Timoney, Martin A., (Co Sligo and the Island of Achill), Bronze Age person out hunting along ed., 2013, 45-58. Dublin, Hodges Figgis. the lakeside and shooting at a bird or Flanagan, Laurence N.W., 1970: “A Flint Voluntary Transport

By Mary Kelly-White

Ah, I’m frustrated tonight, it’s the Old People’s Ball He’ll waken the dead. It’s eight thirty now will the car come at all? He’s waving and shouting! I’m hungry and cold and afraid to make tea My God! Where’s my key? If I go from the door he might go without me. The man in the red car is waving at me. My spirits were high. It’s so lonesome alone The party was great and the concert was too. I was full of excitement but the glee is all gone. There’s an hour to go but ‘Time’s Up’ for you, In a small town like this you’d think they’d have got Your ‘Chauffeur’ is ready so you have to go; A place nearer hand and go there on foot. Even at eighty you cannot go slow. A blue car gone by … a green and a red; When the next party comes I think I won’t go, A horn is sounding I’m too old for rushing and they won’t go slow.

24 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Early Maps of Bunninadden By Bridget King

In 1824 the director of the Ordnance Survey (OS) was authorised by Parliament to undertake a survey and mapping of all Ireland as part of the planned reform of local taxation. Work in County Sligo began in 1829 and the first edition was published in 1837. At a scale of six inches to one mile, the map provides a uniquely detailed and accurate record of the time, and we are fortunate to have a digital version for all to see in Sligo County Library’s online map collection. Some two decades earlier, two noted surveyors and engineers were at work mapping the county. The first, published in 1815, was the work of Alexander Nimmo and shows The castle ruins at Bunninadden by the River, still visible today the projected mail coach routes between Boyle and Ballina. It is of Alexander Nimmo’s map, are does show. thus a partial map but nevertheless discussed and reproduced in Arnold All three show the hilly road leading gives valuable and interesting details Horner’s book Mapping Sligo in the to the Gurteen to road and of the countryside alongside the Early Nineteenth Century, copies of the road coming into the village from projected road. A large detailed map which are held in the county library. Ballymote. However, on the maps of the whole county was published These three maps enable us to of Alexander Nimmo and William four years later in 1819. This was create a picture of the landscape in Larkin, the road at the Tubbercurry produced by William Larkin and was the early decades of the 19th century end of the village turns left to compiled for the county grand jury, and to compare it with what we see Charlestown, as it still does, but the whose numerous duties included today. Taking Bunninadden village, continuation towards Tubbercurry did the construction and maintenance of the pattern of roads then and now is not exist. It had, however, been built public roads and bridges. It comprises remarkably similar. All three show the by the time of the OS map, allowing six engraved sheets which, when road to Achonry, though with a ford a straighter and less hilly route to the pasted together measure 1.795m by rather than a bridge over the river. town than that via Roadstown and 1.690m, which is just under six feet Alexander Nimmo and the Ordnance Chaffpool. The other big difference in wide and a little over five and a half Survey show a road leading to the the roads of the OS map compared to feet high. It shows the county in corn mill. William Larkin does not earlier versions is more intriguing. As remarkable detail. This beautiful map show this but it must have existed well as the line of the present road to in its entirety, together with extracts to allow access to the mill, which he Achonry, the OS map shows another road leaving the present road roughly where Willie Gormley villas now stand, curving up to run just under the hill and then descending to re-join the old road just before the river. No trace now remains. Only the rath, or ‘Danish Fort’ as William Larkin calls them, and a corn mill beside the river, appear on all three maps. The mill, in use until the middle of the twentieth century, still stands but is in a dilapidated and dangerous condition. The OS map also shows a kiln for drying the corn on the other side of the road but no trace can now be seen. Both Alexander Nimmo and the OS show the castle ruins, which can still be seen by the river. The mill was in use to the middle of the 20th century. The access road Between the castle and the road both was shown on two of the three early maps maps also show a livestock pound and 25 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 next to it, a fair green. We know from written records that fairs were held in Bunninadden and the maps confirm the exact location. Another very interesting feature of Alexander Nimmo’s map is a Catholic chapel, standing at the village side of the junction of the Achonry road and the road to the mill. This is very early as it was in existence at least 30 years before the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829. Again in this context it is remarkable to see that the Ordnance Survey map, surveyed from 1829 onwards and published in 1837, clearly shows the present church already in existence, basically as it is today. The map shows no trace of the earlier chapel nor is any sign visible today. William Larkin has used Roman lettering for Bunninadden, which denotes ‘towns, villages and fair places’, yet he shows only the mill and two or three buildings. No castle, no chapel, no fair ground or pound. Alexander Nimmo shows five buildings along the Achonry road, two at the junction with the main road and nine more strung out at intervals along the road in the direction of Tubbercurry. All are right on the roadside. The OS map shows the same school. The Topographical Dictionary distance further back from the road buildings along the main road with of Ireland 1837 says that there was a and the present National School, five new ones opposite the church. hedge school of about 50 children but which opened in 2001, is also only a On what is now the Achonry road, the gives no clue as to its location. Neither short distance away on the other side OS shows no buildings other than one Alexander Nimmo nor William of the road. immediately before the river opposite Larkin show any such building -- the pound, but eight of varying sizes but the Ordnance Survey shows a Sources along the second Achonry road which school right on the road opposite Mapping Sligo in the Early Nineteenth only appears on this map. Again, all Century by Arnold Horner the turning to Flowerhill. This must www.sligococo.ie/library/maps/1837 the buildings are along the roadside. be it. Interestingly, the first National Topographical Dictionary of Ireland 1837 The final point of interest is a School of 1883 was built only a short published by Samuel Lewis. Bed and Breakfast in Limerick By Mary Kelly-White

Mallow Street in Limerick is a pretty sight But I am two foot taller when we say ‘goodbye’. With all the windows lighted on a wintry night; I cover the key hole with the tail of my coat Forty steps up and I’m ready to flop And I think of the drop if I hit the road. But it’s worth what I see when I reach the top There are fifty six windows on the other side, Half way to Heaven, and I’m high as a kite But no one would hear me even if I cried. My mind is so active, I won’t sleep tonight. Not that it’s spooky in this high narrow house, A week of bed and breakfast, And the noises I hear are not made by a mouse. And all the walking it entails I’m reminded of Na Coisithe; Is wiped out by the Writer’s Week, I gcuim na hoiche cloisim iad, na Coisithe ag siuil And the wind that’s in my sails. Cloisim iad, ní fheichim iad, ní fios cá mbeid ag dul. The thrill of strangers stopping in the street But I’m really not nervous, never, not I, Talking as familiar as if we often meet. It’s just that I’m air-locked so close to the sky. It may not be visible to the naked eye 26 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 The Inspired Life of Fr Patrick O’Grady

By Ethna O’Grady

During this Year of Consecrated Life Bosco. He in turn benefitted from inaugurated by Francis, it is the experience. He was privileged to fitting that we pay tribute to one of attend the International Eucharistic the great missionaries of the late 19th Congress held in Malta in 1913. and early 20th centuries. Fr Patrick Later this was re-enacted on a smaller O’Grady (1858 – 1943) spent 12 scale at the annual Corpus Christi years in the Falklands, 16 years in Procession in the local parish church. pioneering work in Malta and eight Patrick carried this memory with him years respectively in Warrenstown, in his future mission. Co Meath and Sunbury, Australia. In 1919 Fr O’Grady was sent to He followed in the footsteps of Don Warrenstown, Co Meath, where he Bosco, founder of the Salesians, set up the well-known Agricultural whose mission it was to look after the College, which operated very young. successfully under the management Born in Stonepark, , Co of the Salesians until 2001. Sligo, he was the sixth son of Michael Subsequently in 1928, at the age O’Grady and Bridget Brennan. Two of 68, he was asked to take over the of his brothers, John and Dominic, Rectorship of the Salesian College served as priests in the diocese of in Sunbury, in the state of Victoria, Achonry. Fr John spent 46 years as Fr Patrick O’Grady Australia. Archbishop Mannix, who PP in Bohola where he carried out his the habit from Don Bosco. At the was Archbishop of Melbourne from role with great zeal and administrative end of the year he made perpetual 1917 to 1963, assisted the Salesians ability. Another brother James became vows. Shortly afterwards Patrick was to purchase the Rupertswood estate a Jesuit brother, while his only living sent to Argentina to teach English there in 1927, their first permanent sister Anne joined the French Sisters of in one of their colleges. At the same base in Australia. Using the Charity. His brother Martin emigrated time he completed his studies for experience gained in Warrenstown, Fr to the United States where he became the priesthood and was ordained in O’Grady helped to establish another a very successful businessman, while 1886. A year later he was diagnosed agricultural college in Sunbury which his brother Michael stayed in the with cholera. He recovered when he enjoyed a fine reputation until the family home, married Anne Mullen received a medal of Our Lady Help of agricultural faculty closed in the and raised a large family. Christians from Don Bosco. He was 1990s. It is recorded that ‘he worked Patrick answered the call to the then sent to the Falklands where he tirelessly in the first difficult years priesthood at an early age. He began served for 12 years. to gain the support of the people. He his studies in France but interrupted The people of Malta, to honour was much loved and esteemed.’ The them due to illness. While recuperating the Golden Jubilee of Queen school at Sunbury continues to run as at home he met the Archbishop of Victoria, decided to build, by public a Salesian, co-educational secondary Toronto, who invited him to work in subscription, a home for the less school with a student population in Canada. Patrick and three companions fortunate of Malta’s young boys. The excess of 1,000. decided to go to Canada with the Salesians were asked to manage it. Fr In 1931, Patrick organised, as Archbishop. They went to Rome first O’Grady was sent to open St Patricks an annual event, a grand Eucharist to get the blessing of Pope Leo XIII which would house the homeless boys Festival similar to the ones he and later met Don Bosco in Turin and train them to become good and witnessed in Malta. On Palm Sunday (1882). (Don Bosco had established useful members of society. ‘In this Fr of 1934, the Sunday before the the Salesians in the 1840s to care for O’Grady was singularly successful, Canonisation of Don Bosco in Rome, the street children of Turin adopting earning the high respect of church and some 75,000 people who attended the ethos of St Francis de Sales whose state and the affection of everyone the Eucharist Festival in Sunbury oft quoted maxim was: ‘You catch who had anything to do with him.’ pre-celebrated the canonisation of more flies with a spoonful of honey At a later stage Patrick established Don Bosco with Archbishop Mannix. than a barrelful of vinegar.’). As soon a Festive Oratory to cater for boys The Sunbury Eucharistic Festival ran as Don Bosco met these young men who would receive a good decent uninterrupted for 50 years. from Ireland he realised he had work upbringing as well as instruction in When he was retiring at age 76, Fr for them so he suggested that he would the faith of their fathers. O’Grady was told he could choose to prepare them for their future tasks. During his 16 years in Malta Fr live in any house in the Congregation. Patrick entered the Salesian O’Grady established on a sure and He chose the parish of Corpus Christi Novitiate at San Benigno, receiving solid basis the work and ideals of Don in San Francisco. Nine years later

27 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 when he attended the annual retreat his founder, looking after the young. and community development, he got very ill. He told one of his Recounting the life story of Patrick especially among the disadvantaged companions that Don Bosco told him O’Grady inspires us to give thanks and marginalised in our society. he would die on his birthday. Early to God for the great missionaries, (Some of the information above was in the morning of August 16th, the priests, religious and lay who have sourced in The Salesian Bulletin, Jan birthday of Don Bosco, Patrick died travelled afar to bring the ‘good news’ - Feb 2004.) peacefully, having spent his life, like to the poor and to promote personal The Cake That Nama Baked By John McDonagh

The farming wasn’t going well although I tried my best Then Enda took the cue again and pointing to the chart Horse burgers cost me dearly, my whole system got He started on the segments allocating every part depressed A thin red line cut straight across the centre of the circle I headed for the local pub, my sorrows there to drown ‘There’s something here for everyone - but the top half Drinking pints of , I spent the day in town goes to Merkel With a belly full of porter I headed home to bed ‘Next we have the bottom half - and please, don’t make After lots of caustic comment, I laid down my weary head me nervous - But the public-house discussion was still running through ‘All in the national interest, half of that’s for the Civil my brain Service And as I entered slumber land it re-emerged again ‘Then half the half left after that, without any preconditions At this time of mental turmoil, half asleep and half awake ‘Michael Noonan and myself here, reserve for politicians I saw Enda and Michael Noonan divide up the national ‘And there again the segment left must be halved I am cake afraid ‘With the priority of portion going to pay for Legal Aid A pie-chart, like a soda cake hung on the tavern wall ‘And half of what’s left after that—to consultants and While Enda, with a cue in hand, gave a lecture to us all commissioners He said ‘Now listen up you peeheads, hear this, make no ‘With half of the remaining piece, to medical practitioners mistake ‘Now half of all that’s left again, goes to shirkers and to ‘This here chart upon the wall, represents the national cake lurkers ‘And as our evening wears along, if you stay polite and ‘But ALL the generous portion left, goes ENTIRELY to nice the workers ‘Michael Noonan and myself will see that everyone gets ‘And may I say how proud I am to end this mad austerity.’ a slice.’ ‘Hold on, hold on,’ said Noonan ‘You’re way up in Then Noonan interjected in a loud voice full of drama, Merkel’s territory.’ ‘You never told them Taoisigh, that this cake was baked by Nama Then there was pandemonium and commotion at the door ‘The bakery works were all financed by The Anglo Irish A lady in a white lab coat came striding up the Floor Bank She took the ‘mike’ from Enda and said ‘My name is ‘All the fine ingredients came from businesses that sank Dorothy ‘It grieves me much to say this now, it makes want to me ‘I’m the senior lab technician with the Food Safety cry Authority ‘But politicians also, had their fingers in the pie ‘This cake is not compliant with our standards of hygiene ‘Mc Namara’s and the Bailey’s and of course The ‘The dough was kneaded in the ‘Bertie Bowl’ – Ballsbridge Baron EVERYTHING but clean ‘Graham and McFeeley and a fellow called Ahearn ‘There are other issues also, I’ll explain them in a minute ‘Supplied the flour and butter-milk, the salt and margarine ‘We have reason to believe, Bertie’s testicles are in it ‘But ever very true to form, they’d first skimmed off the ‘He once said ‘Leeman Brothers had their testicles in cream everything’ – ‘There was an agent also to make the mixture rise ‘They could be accidently swallowed like a ring at ‘Supplied by Mayo-man Padraig Flynn who never told no lies ‘We also have been warned by our colleuges in Bord Bia ‘I’m not too sure what it contained but it really was effective ‘That anyone who eats this bread will succumb to diarrhoea ‘His appearance on The Late Late Show put all things in ‘This leaves consumers feeling they’ve been very badly perspective.’ cheated ‘The government had assured them – they could have their cake and eat it.’

28 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 The Village Blacksmith By Micheál Murphy

In the olden days iron was believed or put a handle on a sledgehammer owned a horse-drawn iron plough. to hold miraculous powers and the or a graip. In wintertime he would The coulter was the blade of the blacksmith, by association, held the manufacture gates or ornamental plough, the part that broke up the same powers. So too did the water railing from iron, or he would make soil ahead of the ploughshare. The used to cool the hot iron in the forge. or repair the tongs, the crane or the coulter inevitably suffered wear and It was said to cure warts and rashes hooks on which hung the cooking tear and was blunted by stony ground. and sometimes treat eczema. The utensils over the kitchen fire. The smith could repair the coulter by smith was often called on to extract The forge was conveniently situated fusing a new piece of iron to the old, human teeth or to castrate young bulls in a central point of the village, leaving an almost invisible joint. The or foals, a true jack-of-all-trades. He adjacent to the road. Very often its process involved heating both metals was also credited with possessing doorway was distinctively framed in to white heat and hammering the hot supernatural powers and it was said cut stone with an overhanging horse metals together with a seven-pound that he could draw down a curse on an chestnut tree, symbolic of the trade. sledge. This was a job for visitors to the enemy by turning his anvil. The interior was dark and gloomy, forge who were called on to help. The But the importance of the smith necessary to allow the smith to judge smith would tap the hot metal with his to the community had more to do the temperature of the white hot metal. hammer, indicating the point where he with tradition and skill than with Central to the forge was the coal fire, wished the sledge to fall. There was superstition. Up until the 1960s or raised on a platform for convenient generally someone in the locality with later, the blacksmith was central to working, the temperature controlled a well-deserved reputation for his the life of every village. His was the by a hand-operated bellows. A three- accuracy in wielding the sledge. oldest of all trades and he made the sided hood set against a solid wall tools for every trade, including his extracted the smoke to the chimney Shoeing the horse own. The forge was always a hive of above. Nearby was the anvil, raised There was a social dimension to the activity. In springtime it was busy with on a solid block of elm, which gave work in the forge. It was the great horses, mules and donkeys waiting to extra spring to the hammer as it hit off meeting place for the local men, the be shod. People brought their broken the iron. place where news was exchanged ploughs, spades, loys and other farm and discussed to the rhythmic ring implements to be repaired. The smith Working the iron of hammer on metal and the flash of would sharpen chisels and slashers Prior to the 1960s most farmers the flying sparks. The smith made the shoes for each horse individually. He never needed to measure. His experienced eye allowed him to judge to perfection the required length of the raw shoeing-iron. The iron, held at the exact cutting point on top of an upturned wedge on the anvil, was cut with a single blow of the hammer. The piece was then held in the flame until it glowed to the right heat and quickly hammered into shape on the anvil. Seven holes were punched along the groove in the shoe, four on the outside and three on the inside, the punch left in position on the last hole to act as a grip for holding the shoe against the hoof. With the horse’s leg wedged between his own legs, the smith applied the hot shoe to the hoof to burn a groove so that the shoe would fit exactly. The acrid smell of burning hoof was the abiding smell Tools of the trade of the forge. When everything was

29 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 to his satisfaction, he plunged the hot shoe into a large pot of water, buried in concrete near the anvil, the sizzling steam filling the forge as the iron was immersed to cool. Speed was essential, and after applying the shoe to the hoof again the seven shoe-nails were inserted and the ends snapped off with the claws of a special light shoeing-hammer, the ends clinched securely in place before the horse got a chance to react. The final task was to place the hoof on a metal tripod, one leg of which was extended for the smith to stand on while he tidied up any jagged edges with a few deft draws of the rasp. Old horseshoes were seldom discarded. Instead they were converted into The blacksmith’s anvil smaller shoes for mules, and these in turn were recycled to make shoes to a special shoeing platform outside the forge was a joy to behold, the for the donkey. Sometimes their life the forge. This was a circular structure shafts and wheels painted with red ended as tips on hob-nailed boots! built of concrete, with a hollow in lead oxide, the box coloured bright the centre to accommodate the nave. blue and the name of the proud Making the cart ‘Shoeing the wheel’ - fitting the metal owner emblazoned on the shafts as The smith could work wood and metal tyre to the rim - was critical. A piece of required by law. Each cart had its equally well, both materials necessary tyre-iron had to be cut to exact length. own distinctive rattle on the road. As for his work as a cartwright. Making a This was bent into a perfect hoop in youngsters, when we listened to the cart was a multidisciplinary craft. The the cold, a process that required great clip-clop of horses’ hooves and the main body of the cart was constructed strength and dexterity. The ends were rattling of carts from our school desks, of red deal but the shafts were made then heated and hammered together we could tell who was drawing home of larch. Elm was the preferred timber with the heavy sledge on the anvil the turf or who was bringing banbhs for the nave or central cylinder of the until they had knit. It was important from the market. wheel, while the spokes were made that the hoop be slightly smaller than from oak and the curved felloes at the the timber wheel so that when heated Farewell to the smith rim made of ash. The nave was turned it would expand to the required size. The arrival of the tractor led to the on a lathe to form a cylinder and fitted The iron hoop was heated in a hot decline of the blacksmith’s trade with two circular pieces of iron on the fire outside the forge near the shoeing in the 1960s and 1970s. In some inner and outer edges for protection. platform. While still red hot it was cases the blacksmith adapted his The centre of the nave was hollowed lifted with iron ‘dogs’ or tongs by skills to new demands and became a out and an iron box inserted to hold three people and placed over the successful welder, making steel gates, the axle. timber frame. This shoeing sometimes car trailers, repairing finger bars and Spokes had to be mortised to the caused the timber to ignite and a other parts for mowing machines, nave in such a way that the wheel supply of cold water was always on and so on. But the techniques and leaned out slightly from the body of hand to douse the flames. It was also the materials were different. Gone the cart. This was called ‘dishing’ and the moment when the measurements was the smell of the hot iron, the enabled the cart to better withstand were tested – if the metal tyre was too lead paint, the wood shavings and sideways forces, but it needed to be tight the timber buckled, but if too coal-smoke, the pungent scorching executed with skill and precision. The loose the tyre would fall off on its first of hooves and the many skills that we ends of the spokes were rectangular journey. The final job was fitting the have largely forgotten. The demise but the main shaft was oval in cross- wheel to the axle and securing it with of the forge also meant the demise of section. There were always two spokes linchpins. one of the great social centres for the to each felloe. Fitting the spokes to In time the felloes sometimes men of the area, the ‘men’s shed’ of the felloes at the rim was an intricate disintegrated, causing the tyre to be its day, where stories were told and and exacting job, as was joining the dislodged. It was the smith’s job to fit news was exchanged before the rural felloes to form a perfect circle. new felloes and re-shoe the wheel. pub and colour television became The wooden wheel was then carried A newly built cart on its way from unsatisfactory substitutes.

30 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Strongman and Spy Ernst Weber-Drohl’s U-boat landing in , Co Sligo

By Sam Moore

In 2014 I was very fortunate to in February 1940. This was briefly British or Germans, and any threat be involved in a Peace III project discussed in Padraig Feehily’s from Germany abated once Hitler ‘Heritage Connects Communities’, article ‘Guarding the North-West’ focused his attention towards Russia which looked at heritage sites of (The Corran Herald 2013, 46). The in 1941. Churchill was furious that the historical and political significance following is a more detailed overview Irish did not allow access to its ports, along Sligo’s coastline. As part of of this event, which in parts reads like but Britain, and later America, made the project I worked with Easkey a plot from a spy thriller. full use of the ports and airfields in Historical Society and the North -- . Mayo and West Sligo Heritage Group. Ireland’s neutrality during the war An important component of the Part of the work involved research has been examined by a number war was German espionage activities concerning activities along the of scholars (see Duggan 1989; Ó which, as Hull points out, was a coast relating to World War II, with Drisceoil 2006). Its strategic position complete failure that bordered on particular emphasis on the Irish Coast in the western Atlantic meant it was the farcical: ‘Hazy objectives, inter- Watching Service’s Look Out Posts potentially vulnerable to attack from agency rivalry, poor personnel and various aircraft crashes. either side and it was poorly equipped screening, and dubious leadership, One question that came up militarily with a small army, old combined with an efficient Irish and concerned the possibility of German weaponry, and an almost complete British counter-intelligence system, U-boats landing to re-supply in the lack of naval or air defences. British proved to be hurdles that were simply area between and . intelligence estimated that the Irish too high to be overcome by German As I began to explore this theme I military might offer resistance to a Intelligence’ (Hull 2003, 278). came across the episode of a German German invasion for a maximum of However, over the course of the war spy named Ernst Weber-Drohl, being ten days! Fortunately, the invasion a total of 12 known German spies landed by U-boat in Killala Bay in and occupation of Ireland never operated in Ireland, and these are the early hours of a windy morning became a strategic imperative for the shown in the table below.

Sixteen individuals associated with German espionage activity in Ireland (Based on O’Halpin 1999, Table 6.1 with additions from Hull 2003). The * example of cancelled mission refer to the intended use of a U-boat.

31 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

German espionage in Ireland agreed to assist the Germans. Ireland was to obtain a form of secure German espionage in Ireland had There is evidence from documents communication. The IRA did possess three distinct phases of operation. from German Intelligence that the a radio transmitter but used it for Firstly, they wished to coordinate methods employed by IRA units internal propaganda broadcasts and missions with the IRA preceding the carrying out the S-Plan generated did not realize its transmission source invasion of France; secondly, to direct only annoyance, because their attacks could be detected by the Garda and military missions against Britain, with against civilian targets were not Irish Military Intelligence (G2). The a particular emphasis on gathering perceived as helpful in damaging transmitter, a code book and four IRA information of shipping, troop British capability for waging war. men were seized on 24 December movements and weather forecasts; There had been a very negative 1939, which severed the only link and finally to conduct more political German and international reaction between the Abwehr and any plans missions against Britain later in the to the IRA campaign of terror in it had in Ireland with the IRA. It was war. Mark Hull (2003) details of each England, such as tear gas attacks on primarily because of this that ‘one of of the separate German missions, cinemas and the 1939 bicycle bomb the most unusual individuals ever sent which illustrate a lack of capability by at Coventry, which killed five people on a spying mission’, Ernst Weber the German intelligence services and (O’Donohue 2011). Drohl, was sent to Ireland (Hull 2002, also indicate effective Irish and British The German frustration with the 700). counter-intelligence systems. Initially conduct of the IRA was reflected in the On arriving in Sligo, Ernst Weber- the Germans attempted to cultivate opening lines of the message delivered Drohl was 61 years old, 5’5” tall, relationships with the IRA, and then by Weber-Drohly to James O’Donovan weighed 14 stone, had an Iron Cross tried to use other mechanisms, but which reads: “The Pfalzgraf Section tattooed on his chest; he was somewhat the ‘task of inserting and supporting very urgently requests its Irish friends arthritic and had a stocky body shape agents went quickly from one disaster and IRA members to be so good as due to a life of weight-lifting. He to another’ (Hull 2003, 69). The to make considerably better efforts was born near Edelbach in Austria in effectiveness of the Irish Gardaí and to carry out the S-plan, which they 1879, and had worked as a young man Irish Military Intelligence or G2 can received some time last summer, and in Ireland and the United States as a be seen from most of the dates of to be more effectual against military professional wrestler and strong-man detainment (see table on previous as opposed to civilian objectives.” act. When he toured Ireland, calling page). None of the German spies (James O’Donovan Papers). Pfalzgraf himself ‘Atlas the Strong’ and using were effective in any major way and was the codename for director of the the name Karl rather than Ernst, he had most were arrested within hours or Abwehr in Hamburg, Hauptmann fathered two illegitimate boys (Emile days of their arrival in Ireland. Mark (Captain) Friedrich Carl Marwede, and James) with a Dublin woman Hull’s excellent book details the with whom O’Donovan had met (Pauline Brady) between 1906-1908, variety of characters and the issues during his three visits to Germany in whom he abandoned before going that surrounded them – villains, 1939 (Hull, 2003). to the US (where he also fathered an heroes, betrayals, deceit, politics, sex, violence, comedy, intrigue and incompetence are all features of the stories he outlines (Hull 2003).

Background to Weber-Drohl’s Mission Ernst Weber-Drohl’s mission was to deliver a radio transmitter, a sum of cash and a message concerning German involvement in the IRA’s ‘S-Plan’. The S-Plan or Sabotage Campaign was a campaign of bombing and sabotage against the civil, economic, and military infrastructure of Britain between 1939 and 1940, conducted by members of the IRA. It was conceived by James O’Donovan in 1938 at the request of the then IRA Chief of Staff, Sean Russell, Weber-Drohl under a car as a publicity image to promote his strongman who had previously met with Oscar act in Ireland. The photograph was paid for by James O’Donovan in 1941 (Image: O’Donovan Papers Ms21155(2), National Library of Ireland Pfaus in Dublin in February 1939. Manuscripts Collection) Pfaus was sent by Abwehr II (the intelligence branch responsible for sabotage operations and contact with The link between the IRA and illegitimate daughter). Pauline died discontented foreign minorities) and the Abwehr started off poorly and in 1923 and his sons had worked in Russell, who was in desperate need a key issue that surrounded almost a fruit dealers in Newbridge before of funding, weapons and explosives, all German espionage missions to moving to England in 1933 (IMA

32 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

G2/1928). Weber-Drohl had been The landing of the German Ireland. About midnight, I departed recruited into the Abwehr because Spy in Co Sligo the submarine with a rubber boat and of his familiarity with Ireland, his At 9.00am on 28 January 1940, Mr Weber-Drohl. I tried to pull away passable English, and, if captured, he U-boat U-37, captained by from U-37, but it was impossible due could use his illegitimate children as Korvettenkapitan Werner Hartman, to the short oars that the boat had an explanation for his visit, which he left the heavily fortified submarine and by the large size of Mr Drohl. I ended up doing (ibid.). base at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, continued unsuccessful, therefore, I returned to U-37 and they assisted me in making the boat ready for another attempt.” After difficulties crossing three rocky reefs onto a rocky shoreline he proceeded to: “[help] … Mr Drohl from the boat and then reached for the Hand Morse lamp to signal U-37 about the rocky reef. I knew that my commander intended to bring U-37 closer to shore so as to make my return easier. I did not want them to come closer due to the dangers of the reef… I now dismissed Mr Drohl. He had become wet during the journey with me to the beach. His rubber coat, which had money in it, was mostly dry, although his suitcase was half-filled with water… The landing was carried out without being U-37 in Wilhelmshaven photographed two months after it landed Ernst noticed by anyone.” (Christ 2004). Weber-Drohl in Sligo (Image courtesy of www.uboat.net) Various scholars have said he landed in or just state Sligo, but The Abwehr, commanded by after being delayed by a number of Hull has identified it to be Killala Bay Wilheim Franz Canaris, and days due to heavy ice conditions. (Hull 2003, 72, 312 (note33)), and Korvettenkapitan Reinicke of During the first leg of its 31-day coupled with Kuhlmann’s description the Naval Operations Staff of the patrol, the U-boat sank a 1,365 tonne of crossing three rocky reefs onto a Kreigsmarine (German Navy) had Norwegian steam merchant (the rocky shoreline it seems to suggest a agreed in December 1939 on a Hop) and a 4,330 tonne British steam location north of Enniscrone, possibly specific mission proposal to land a freighter (the Leo Dawson); both on 4 near Cahirmore townland (Paddy German agent on the Irish coast by February (Helgason n.d.). By 1.50am Tuffy pers comm.). U-37 returned to U-boat in order to strengthen the on 9 February 1940, Leutnant zur Wilhelmshaven by 27 February 1940, connection established with the IRA. See Kuhlmann, third officer of the sinking a further five vessels during Weber-Drohl, along with an expert watch on board U-37, re-boarded his its patrol (a total of 24,539 tons) radio operator, were to find a remote submarine after successfully landing (Helgason nd). cottage in the Irish countryside and the German spy Ernst Webber-Drohl transmit intelligence to Germany (code-named ‘Haupt-V-Mann’) in Ernst Weber-Drohl’s first days in with relative security. Only 48 hours a rubber dingy on the eastern shore Ireland prior to Weber-Drohl’s departure from of Killala Bay in the vicinity of Shortly after Weber-Drohl landed he Germany, the radio operator said he Enniscrone, Co Sligo. appears to have met with Stephen could not continue with the mission as Earlier that night the U-boat Hayes, who had assumed command Weber-Drohl was just too odious. The dropped Weber-Drohl nearer of the IRA after Sean Russell had Abwehr feared that such a personality the north Sligo coast but he had gone to the USA to fundraise (and conflict would jeopardise any success capsized in a strong westerly wind subsequently went to Germany). In and therefore sent Weber-Drohl alone and was rescued by the aforesaid the G2 files on Weber-Drohl (IMA (Hull 2003, 69-72). Kuhlmann after losing the ‘Afu’ radio G2/1928) a report to Col Dan Bryan, His mission to Ireland was to transmitter he was carrying (Hull head of G2 and dated 10 February meet the IRA’s director of munitions 2003, 72). Although the Kriegsmarine 1942, has a statement from Captain and chemicals, James O’Donovan, had instructed Korvettenkapitan Joseph Healy of G2 saying that Hayes, deliver a memorised message, hand Hartmann that no crew member was who was in Mountjoy Prison at that over a sum of cash, supply an ‘Afu’ to accompany Weber-Drohl ashore, stage, had told the governor of the radio transmitter and then try return the weather situation and Weber- prison that after Weber-Drohl landed to Germany by any means possible. Drohl’s near drowning meant that in Sligo he met with him in a Sligo Weber-Drohl managed to do the first this had to be altered. Kuhlmann house owned by Barney O’Donnell. I two parts of his mission, but had lost reported “I received orders to bring have been unable to identify Barney the radio transmitter and did not make Mr Weber-Drohl, by rubber boat, to O’Donnell or the house where Weber- it back to Germany until 1947. a point of land on the Killala Bay in Drohl met with Hayes. This suggests

33 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 that the IRA and the Abwehr had pre- of James O’Donovan in Shankill, from the USA). Weber-Drohl had arranged this meeting, and that the Dublin. prearranged a cover story relating Kreigsmarine needed to get Weber- Although Hull (2003, 72) states to his children via letters sent from Drohl as close to this rendezvous as that the method by which he reached Belgium to an Irish chiropractor, a Dr possible, even though Hartmann had O’Donovan’s house is unknown, the Counihan, who was later interviewed been given options to land at Killala G2/1928 file on Weber-Drohl contains by G2 (IMA G2/1929). Based on Bay, Clew Bay, Dingle Bay, Brandon a statement from James O’Donovan Weber-Drohl’s account in court and Bay or Dungarven Bay (Hull 2003, from 27 January 1942 (when he was the statement he made to the Gardaí, 71). interred in the Curragh), which says his story was full of contradictions but Barney O’Donnell could be the that after Weber-Drohl’s landing in was nonetheless incredibly accepted Bernard O’Donnell that acted as Sligo he continued his journey by bus by the Irish . He was a courier for another German spy, and arrived at O’Donovan ‘soaked, fined £3 and released, only to be Hermann Gortz, who had parachuted exhausted and with swollen knees’ subsequently arrested by G2, three into Ballivor, Co Meath, three months (Hull 2003, 72). This suggests that days later (27 April) and detained under after Weber-Drohl’s arrival (ibid. after landing in Enniscrone, in the Powers legislation. 150). This particular O’Donnell also early hours of February 9, he made G2 had checked his statement and travelled to Donegal in February 1941 his way to Barney O’Donnell’s house realised that much of what he said to in order to explore the possibility of somewhere in Co Sligo, then got a bus the courts were lies and a cover story organising Gortz’ escape from Ireland to Dublin and travelled to Shankill on (IMA G2/1929; Hull 2003, 73-75). via Inishduff Island. While there he the same day while still in the clothes Weber-Drohl’s story of trying to find purchased a boat called the Sunbeam he capsized in. He gave O’Donovan his children, Emile and James Brady, and organised a crew; but this plan $14,450 instead of the $15,100 dollars actually provided inspiration for the appears to have never come to fruition he was supposed to, keeping $650 for background of one of the assassins in (ibid. 148). himself as he had lost his own money Ian Fleming’s From Russia with Love Bernard O’Donnell also organised when he capsized. He wrote out the (O’Halpin 1999, 242). letter drops associated with German memorised message (the ‘Pflazgraf’ Weber-Drohl was freed for espionage activities as late as Section mentioned above) which over a year by a sympathetic Irish June 1943, where he and his wife asked for an IRA agent be sent to Department of Justice on 4 May 1940 collected messages (mainly from the Germany to co-ordinate shipment of but was kept under surveillance by the incarcerated Gortz) at George Hicks weapons to Ireland and to arrange Gardaí and G2. With some financial butchers shop and Amadeo del Rio’s future activities. assistance from James O’Donovan he cafe in Dublin (ibid. 246). There is Weber-Drohl’s message also attempted to tour Ireland performing a Bernard ‘Barney’ O’Donnell who informed O’Donovan that another his strongman act. He had engaged a was associated with the IRA. He German agent was to follow him, young lady, Miss Mary Flanagan, as was brother of the Irish Republican, code-named ‘Dr Schmelzer’ who his assistant in his stage show (image socialist and anti-fascist, Peadar would supply a code and operate the above) but Mary’s mother persuaded O’Donnell. Bernard O’Donnell was transmitter. This other agent was the her daughter to leave him as she had an IRA activist based in Gortahork, spy Herman Gortz, who landed by heard reports about his bad character Co Donegal and a Captain in the parachute near Balivor, Co Meath (IMA G2/1928; Hull 2003, 177- Cloughaneely Company, 1st Donegal on 5 May 1940… but that is another 8). He did perform in the Olympia Brigade of the in story! Theatre as a strong man act in October 1920 (Murray 1957, 7). He drilled, 1941, all the while being observed by trained and taught first aid to the 20 Weber-Drohl’s arrest and time in G2 and the Gardaí. By this stage he members of Cumann na mBan at Ireland had engaged the services of another Cloughaneely in 1918, one of whom After meeting O’Donovan, Weber- assistant, Mrs Rosaline Park, aged became his future wife, Eithne Coyle, Drohl’s actions were reported to 21, whose husband, Richard Park, a in 1935 (Coyle 1952, 1). Germany by Ambassador Hempel of soldier in the Royal Welsh Regiment, Eithne Coyle was an extremely the German Legation in Dublin on was a prisoner of war in Italy at the active member of the Cumann na 27 March 1940, stating that ‘Haupt- time. Mrs Park, who was interviewed nBan and became its president from V-Mann’ had given the money to the by G2 in June 1942, had got pregnant 1926 until 1941. She had opposed ‘Irish friends’ (ibid., 73). With help with Weber-Drohl in October 1941 the IRA bombing campaign, the ‘S’ from O’Donovan he rented a room and her daughter, Eithne Bracken, plan, in 1939-1940, and was also anti- in Westland Row, Dublin, but was was born as a result. fascist (Clarke 2009). It is unlikely arrested by Gardaí on 24 April 1940 Rosaline’s mother and father, therefore that her and her husband in violation of the Aliens Act. He Elizabeth and Hugh Bracken, were involved in IRA activity explained to the courts he had arrived pretended the child was theirs. associated with German espionage in Ireland from Belgium and had She reported all this to the Gardaí and further research is needed to capsized in a small boat he obtained as Weber-Drohl was constantly identify the Barney O’Donnell and his from the ship just off the coast of harassing and following her. She also Sligo house where Weber-Drohl met Waterford in order to find his two informed them he had told her that he with Stephen Hayes. Weber-Drohl illegitimate Irish-born sons. had landed in a submarine in Sligo in was apparently briefed first by Hayes He also claimed to be a chiropractor 1940 and was being paid £15 a month before making his way to the house (which was a fake qualification by the German Legation in Dublin

34 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

National Library of Ireland Manuscript Collection Ms. 21155(2): German agents in Ireland and German contacts with Ireland 1939-45: Letters of Ernst Weber-Drohl IMA G2/1928 Irish Military Archives G2 File: G2/1928 Ernst Weber-Drohl. Christ, C.J. 2004. The detailed life of a U-boat commander told in his own words. http://www. houmatoday.com/article/20040118/ FEATURES/401180334. Accessed June 2013. Clarke, F. 2009. Coyle, Eithne (Anne). In J. McGuire and J. Quinn (eds). Dictionary of Irish Biography from the earliest times to the year 2002. Cambridge University Press and the Royal Irish Academy. Coyle, E. 1952. Witness Statement no WS 750 of Mrs Bernard O’Donnell (Eithne Coyle). Bureau of Military History 1913-1921. http://www. bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/ . Accessed February 2014. Deutsches U-Boot-Museum 2010. Kriegsmarine U-Boats and the neutral Eire. www.u-boot-archiv-cuxhaven. de/lang1/u-boats_and__eire.html. Accessed March 2014. Duggan, J. 1989. Neutral Ireland and the Third Reich Lilliput Press, Dublin. Feehily, P. 2013. Guarding the North- West. Corran Herald 2012/2013, 46. Fisk, R. 2011. German U-boats refuelled in Ireland? Surely not. Independent Newspapers 17 September 2011. Helgason, G. n.d. The Type IX boat U-37. http://www.uboat.net/boats/u37. htm Accessed April 2014. Weber-Drohl with an assistant, Mary Flanagan, in a publicity image to Hull M. 2002. The Irish Interlude: promote his strongman act in Ireland. The photograph was paid for by German Intelligence in Ireland, 1939- James O’Donovan in 1941 (Image: O’Donovan Papers Ms21155(2), National 1943. The Journal of Military History, Library of Ireland Manuscripts Collection) 66 (3), 695-717. Hull, M. 2003. Irish Secrets: German (IMA G2/1929). espionage in wartime Ireland 1939-45. He was finally arrested on 13 Acknowledgements Irish Academic Press, Dublin. August 1942, spending most of his Much gratitude is due for the help I Murray, J. 1957. Witness Statement time in confinement writing poetry received from Paddy Tuffy and Jim no WS 1566 of Superintendent and Republican ballads to Eduard Henry of the North Mayo & West Sligo Joseph Murray. Bureau of Military Hempel and Jim O’Donovan, Heritage Group and from Carmel History 1913-1921. http://www. threatening suicide by hunger Gordon of the Easkey Historical bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/ . Accessed strike, or whining about his physical Society. Thanks to Janie Cone, Sharon February 2014. conditions (ibid. 238-240). He was Eastwood, Auriel Robinson, Siobhan O’Donohue, D. 2011. New evidence on flown out of Baldonnell Aerodrome Ryan and also to Sergeant Kelly of the IRA/Nazi links. History Ireland. 19 (2). by an American plane to Germany Irish Military Archives, Pat Gannon Ó Drisceoil, D. 2006. Neither friend on 15 April 1947, along with other of Sligo County Library, the staff of nor foe? Irish neutrality in the Second German spies Wilhelm Preetz, the National Library of Ireland, the World War. Contemporary European Dieter Gartner and Herbert Tributh. University College Dublin Archives History. 15 (2), 245-253. After interrogation he was released and Joe McGowan. O’Halpin, E. 1999. Defending Ireland: to his sister in 129, Gugel Strasse, -- the Irish State and its enemies since Nuremburg. Nothing further was References 1922. Oxford University Press, Oxford. heard of him and his exact fate James O’ Donovan Papers remains unknown (ibid. 254). 35 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Seeking Irish Roots: An Introduction to Family History

By Kate Denison Bell

much of it online and sometimes free of charge. FamilySearch One universal source, including for Ireland, is FamilySearch (https:// familysearch.org/), a nonprofit family history organisation operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They have worked for more than a century to compile, image and preserve world family ancestry as part of their family-based Mormon faith. The Church offers a database of Irish civil registration indexes (1845–1958) to search free of charge through their website. Noel Costello at King’s Well Irish sources Genealogy has been a popular hobby also provide valuable puzzle pieces. Civil registration began in Ireland in for many years, especially for the Irish Unfortunately Ireland has limited 1845 for (Anglican) Diaspora abroad, but has garnered records, especially Protestant parish marriages and in 1864 for all births, more interest from descendants in registers and earlier censuses, due to death and marriages. Certified copies Ireland itself. This fascination has the 1922 Civil War Public Records are available to purchase from the grown substantially in part due to Office fire at Dublin’s Four Courts. General Register Office (www. the hugely successful 2013 tourism Additionally, church records very groireland.ie). initiative ‘The Gathering’, television rarely date back to pre-1800s and vary programmes such as Who Do You greatly from parish to parish. Still, The Church of Ireland Think You Are? (featuring popular due to an rapidly-growing records Representative Church Body personalities in the context of social, base and advancing technology, there Library offers a limited amount of political and cultural history) and is a plethora of information available, digitised parish records, including Ireland Reaching Out (‘reverse genealogy’) (www.irelandxo.com/).

How to get started Whether as an experienced genealogist or amateur family researcher, the ‘golden rule’ of genealogy is to gather as much information as possible on the immediate family and work backward. It’s best to have the following information: family names (taking into consideration different spellings, and including women’s maiden names); religion; parish or townland; and approximate dates of births/marriages/deaths. Interviews with kin, family bibles, letters, photographs and other mementos can Noel Costello at Templevanney Grave 36 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 from the ongoing Anglican Record including from the Census Records network of local family history centres Project (ireland.anglican.org). for 1901 and 1911, Census Survivals throughout the country holds indexes (1821-51), Census Search forms and transcripts of parish registers The Irish Family History Foundation (1841-51), Tithe Applotment Books for their local areas. We would (Irish Roots) (www.rootsireland. (1823-37), Soldiers’ Wills (1914- envisage direct access to the digitised ie/) is the coordinating body of 17), and Calendars of Wills and registers will complement the work nationwide genealogy centres. More Administrations (1858-1922). Not all of these local centres by enabling than 20 million digital Irish records records are accurate but the Archives researchers to cross-reference the are available and increasing each works continually to improve and information they uncover, and year, and searching indexes online increase its information. The Archives assisting them in uncovering wider is simple. To view and print records also offers short personal consultations links and connections to their in their entirety, one must purchase a and advice by appointment. ancestral community,” she said. subscription (One month, six month, In addition, the National Archives http://www.nli.ie/en/list/latest-news. annual, or continuous) and the centres’ offers a list of excellent guides such aspx?article=6b4b12e5-298d-4b0f- vast databases include parish church as the Irish Libraries, Archives, aeb5-f832af6c5711b records (Roman Catholic, Church of Museums and Genealogical Centres: Ireland, Methodist and Presbytarian) A Visitors’ Guide by Robert K Northern Ireland of baptisms, marriages and deaths, O’Neill (UHF, 2007), Tracing Irish Civil records for the counties of civil records (from 1864/65), census Ancestors, A Practical Guide to Irish Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, returns and gravestone inscriptions. Genealogy by Máire Mac Conghail Londonderry/ and Tyrone are There is also information from and Paul Gorry (Collins, 1997), Irish available at the General Register Tithe Applotment Books, Griffith’s Records: Sources for Family & Local Office of Northern Ireland (www. Valuation (1847-1864), ship passenger History by James G. Ryan (revised groni.gov.uk). lists and a variety of 16th and 17th edition, Salt Lake City, 1997) and Archives pertaining to government century census substitutes such as the Tracing Your Irish Ancestors, The departments and courts of law, along 1663 Hearth Money Rolls. Complete Guide by John Grenham with privately deposited archives, are Each genealogy centre associated (3rd edition, Dublin, 2006). available at the Public Records Office with the IFHF is staffed by trained of Northern Ireland (http://www. and experienced researchers who can National Library of Ireland (NLI) proni.gov.uk). assist through personal consultations There are many family history sources and can be commissioned to conduct located at the NLI (www.nli.ie/) Subscription services and software individual, family record searches including Catholic parish registers, The most popular paid subscription and initial assessments at fixed property records, newspapers, family research service is Ancestry fees, including comprehensive directories, local history society (www.ancestry.co.uk). This site offers family reports, if records available. publications, a genealogy advisory collections for Ireland such as the Discrepancies often exist between service and free on-site access to census, civil/parish records, military, dates of church and civil records subscription websites, just to name a immigration, newspapers, directories, and genealogy centre researchers few. tax/criminal records, land wills, are especially helpful in determining The NLI recently announced that references and maps. It also allows a matches. 400,000 Catholic parish register researcher to create a family tree, print As just one family history centre microfilms, with information dating and share it. Other genealogy software example, the County Sligo Heritage from the 1740s to the 1880s, will be that can be purchased includes Legacy, and Genealogy Centre (CSHGC) available online for free by mid-2015. Family Tree Maker and RootsMagic. (http://www.sligoroots.com/) offers This massive digitisation project will the above services, in addition to be the “single most important source DNA: The future of genealogy location searches, which can offer of information on Irish family history research? reports using both old and new prior to the 1901 Census,” according There has been much excitement in ordnance maps to pinpoint to Colette O’Flaherty, NLI Head of recent years about DNA family history and plots on which ancestors resided. Special Collections. testing, due to such documentaries as CSHGC also holds outreach and Despite this mound of digital RTÉ’s Blood of the Irish. Also, the heritage events for the community. records going out into the ether, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland importance of trained genealogy and the Genealogical Society of The National Archives centre researchers to locate and verify Ireland have begun to collaborate on The National Archives of Ireland links should be emphasised, said Ms the Irish DNA Atlas. The latter’s aims, (http://www.nationalarchives.ie/) O’Flaherty. in part, are to identify genetic markers offers a wealth of free information “We are fortunate, though, that the that arose in specific parts of Ireland

37 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

Charlemagne, or an Irish person to a relative is negligible compared with broad population group such as Niall the huge amount of DNA we all share of the Nine Hostages, it is advised to from our common ancestors.” (www. take such findings with a grain of salt senseaboutscience.org/pages/genetic- and hold on to one’s cash, according ancestry-testing.html) to many scientists. “Be wary of news items about Follow the paper / digital trail genetic history – that someone famous So, if someone would like to begin or is related to the Queen of Sheba or continue their family history research, a Roman soldier,” says University start the old-fashioned way by rooting Steve Lemken College London Professor of around in the loft and having a chat and depends on volunteers who have Statistical Genetics, David Balding. with relatives, then visiting the many eight Irish great-grandparents born “Often these come from PR material excellent sources available to assist. In within roughly 30km of each other. provided by genetic testing companies addition to being an enjoyable pastime There are several DNA genetic tests and can be trivial, exaggerated or just of sleuthing, found family history is available to purchase, including plain wrong. Genetic relatedness isn’t a gift to leave for generations ahead. through ancestry.com. However, very meaningful beyond a handful of Best of luck in searching! if a company claims to link a generations away, because the amount celebrity to a major world figure like of DNA you share with a very distant

Case Study: Steve Lemken In his house on the outskirts of Ordnance maps and the Census the lives they lead today. I’d be lost Culfadda, Co Sligo, New Jersey records of 1901 and 1911 to gains without understanding the context of native Steve Lemken stands beside leads into family connections and their lives and times.” the massive family tree he has drawn whereabouts. A trip to the Public Defying genealogy’s ‘golden rule’ of on a 10m by 3m scroll of paper. Records Office of Northern Ireland starting with the present and working More than 800 names are sketched (PRONI) shed more light with a look backward, Lemken describes one of along sundry coloured lines tying at the Lissadell records of the Gore- his research techniques as a ‘scoop individuals to family groups, all linked Booth and Irwin estates. and sift’, pulling out information to two ancestors born before the Great Despite the obstacles of lost and from a pile of, for instance, birth/ Famine – John (1837-1910) and Mary destroyed records which make Irish marriage/death certificates, the names (nee Donagher) Egan (1842-1917) research interesting, Lemken said, of witnesses to each event that he of Cletty townland, Lemken’s great- “Learning to know what resources believed might pertain to his family great-grandparents. are available, in archives or online, is and then cross referencing them It remains a work in progress. important. Getting to know townlands, with Census and other records. With Like most Americans, Lemken’s parishes and dioceses old and new, dogged determination, it has been a background is a melting pot mashup. Poor Law Unions and other political successful course of action for him. In addition to his Irish heritage, he divisions is essential.” His quest started with two names has Swedish, German and English He continues to do a lot of given to him by his Aunt Kate bloodlines, and his research has led supplemental reading about the area, (Katherine) (nee Peterson) Nilsson him down those paths too. But it was all to gain insights on the times and (1894-1986). his late mother’s formerly uncharted lives of people past and present. “Kate was the daughter of Jennie Irish background that began his Perhaps most importantly, he has (nee Egan) Peterson (1863-1924) ancestral hunt some 30 years ago. relied heavily on listening to members who was the second child of John and Because he began his research of the family and neighbours and Mary,” Lemken said. “Jennie is my before the wide availability of Irish friends. great-grandmother who emigrated to information on the Internet, Lemken “Everyone I’ve met with over the the States in 1881. Aunt Kate and her visited resource sites in Dublin such years has been most helpful,” he said. elder sister, a nun, had kept in touch as the National Library of Ireland, “Each has had a nugget of information with kin in Ireland for a while. I wish the General Register and Valuation to examine. Without their knowledge I knew more of the story but the past offices and the UCD Belfield Folklore and insights my work in making the wasn’t talked about in great detail when Department. Locally he dug into connections of our extended families I was growing up. When I did become records in the Sligo Library reference would be filled with holes. I would not interested, it was almost too late. My room and local parishes, studying understand them and their history and elders were dying. Luckily, Aunt Kate

38 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 gave me two names before she died: region of those dark days, near passed away. Like most young boys, Mollie (nee Egan) Cawley and Annie Ballymote, include such objects as he was more interested in fishing, (nee Egan) McCormack. They’d be a large metal pot, now used to water playing football and shooting rabbits second cousins to my mother. I gave cattle. Noel said it once held soup than listening to his parents, grand- the names to my mother’s cousin during those impoverished times. parents and other kin talk about days Mary Jane (nee Peterson) Franey, who “I think the young people today have gone by. Both of his parents passed met Mrs. Cawley in the early 1990s in no idea at all,” he said, referring to the away at the ripe old age of 89, so had Ireland. Mrs McCormack had passed quintessential Irish connection to land a lot of life to share. away in 1980. I began writing to and its history. “I think we’re going to But there were some taboo subjects Mollie and in 1995 finally got to meet lose that with this generation.” such as the ‘Great Hunger.’ “No her and her family. It’s been a journey Because fewer youth are becoming old person I knew ever mentioned of discovery since.” farmers, Noel said he’s concerned the Famine,” he said, though their “She remembers the farmers and some of the folklore might be grandparents would have lived musicians, the work and products, the forgotten, such as aptly-named fields through it. He believes the reason berries to be picked, the places folks and townlands, as his own home was ‘survivor’s guilt.’ But still, there danced at and so forth,” he said. place, Greenaun/Grianan (‘the sunny were bleak stories about blighted “Such information has helped me place’). potato fields of ‘pure black’ and understand the context and the Although Noel said he didn’t listen passing desperate people walking continuity of families in the area. enough to his elders, he did absorb a along the roads, some of them dying, I feel a lot closer to my great- lot of the folklore. For instance, he was asking how far was Boyle. They were great-grandparents and their time told that to establish law and order in probably headed to the workhouse, he when I drive and walk in the area. I lieu of courts and police, blacksmiths said. understand these were hard times. were called on to settle disputes. With I’m not a romantic. People struggled the strike of an anvil, ‘the deal was Genealogy made easy mightily with all the events from the sorted,’ he said. Noel is fascinated by his genealogy Famine onward. Death and hardship Noel said there are family artefacts and has been able to trace back his were never far. Partings frequent. But and photographs, and a treasured family to pre-famine times. He said they worked and played and got on will of his mother’s grandfather that accessing online sources, such as the with life, just as we all must do.” was handwritten in 1890 by Michael Census and Tithe Applotment Books, As a history enthusiast Lemken is Doyle, principal teacher in Ballymote has been helpful and easy. interested in the social, political and (1868-1913), who founded the Irish As another good genealogy economic aspects of his ancestor’s National Teachers’ Organisation, and source, he cited the Irish Flax times, here in Ireland, in the States for whom a statue was unveiled in 1930 Growers Bounty List of 1796, which and other countries. in his honour in front of Ballymote encouraged farmers to plant flax and “I care about how people lived, and Courthouse. Once again, he said in hemp seed for the production of linen. how each generation improved their place of unavailable professionals The flax industry was quite large in lot,” he said. “People were able to such as lawyers and judges, a priest or the Ballymote area for a short but survive, adapt and thrive, be it with schoolmaster would carry out official intensive time, so many from the area the land, by securing a new trade or tasks such as writing wills. could be related to those people, some profession, or by scattering to try their In exploring places like graveyards, of whom moved in from the North hand elsewhere. These are universal Noel said patterns sometimes emerge, and other areas. lessons to be remembered.” such as when his mother pointed out In his case, because Noel has many headstones in the Ballymote relations dating back at least two Case Study: Noel Costello cemetery marking those who died at centuries ago (if an ancient 1700s South County Sligo-based farmer and a young age in 1918, some of whom Knockbrack grave marker is any architect Noel Costello said ‘clues in were friends and neighbours of his indication), he reckons he has loads the landscape’, such as abandoned family. Noel realised that this was of relations spread all over the Keash potato fields blighted during the the year of a devastating influenza region. Famine and never recropped due to pandemic, sometimes referred to as “If your people have been in the poor soil, are evidence of history, the Spanish Flu, when 500 million area for about 200 years, you’re albeit a sad one. The ridges of these people died worldwide, many of them probably related to half of the parish!” ghostly plots of rocky limestone, previously healthy young adults. he laughed. planted in probable desperation near Noel said he heard lots of stories Like thousands of other Irish Keshcorran, are most obvious after a about his family and local history, but families, Noel said many of his light snowfall, he said. wishes he had paid more attention and people left for America. He visited the Other telling signs through the asked questions before his relatives Family Immigration History Center

39 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 at Ellis Island, New York, where he Co. Sligo. tragically, their child was placed in found his two grand-uncles’ names on “To think I had arrived from an orphanage, but went to work and one of the ship passenger manifests of Ballymote, only a couple miles up found his way to an aunt, who took the Lusitania, which travelled many the road, and seeing this girl arriving him in. times between Liverpool/Queenstown in 1906 or 1907,” he said. “The “These were tough times, but some (Cobh, Co. Cork) between 1907 until expectation was so high.” of them got on very well,” he said. it was torpedoed by the Germans in Noel said his grandmother’s Noel’s family gathering experience 1917, killing 1,195 people and further emigrant sister acted as an informal is just one example of successful igniting World War I. ‘welcome wagon’ for recent arrivals ‘reaching out’ genealogy tourism for Also while at Ellis Island, site of the from the Keash area by offering Co. Sligo and a rewarding experience Statue of Liberty, Noel was struck by short-term lodging in her house and for all the clan. More connections can the thought of millions from around networking to help find them jobs. yet be made because Noel’s genealogy the globe who had emigrated to find He said his Hannon ancestors research continues, with ‘assumptions new lives. He was particularly touched who emigrated to the United States that need to be proved.’ “I must see by a photograph near the museum had ‘bad luck enough,” with one where we all fit in,” he said. front door of a little girl in her Holy grand-uncle killed at a building site, Communion outfit, who had just and other brother, along with his landed in America from Collooney, wife, succumbing to tuberculosis –

The Life of Arthur Taylor (1829-1896) By John Taylor

Arthur Taylor of Cleavry, In 2013 the Sligo Folk Park hosted , Co Sligo was born in a Taylor family reunion where distant the year 1829 and was the eldest son relatives came to share their family of Richard and Jane Taylor. He served history. Included within the diaspora in the 17th Regiment of Foot in the was Arthur’s great-great-grandson British military during the Crimean Phil Curme, who currently retains War. He was my great-grand-uncle. Arthur’s Crimean war medals, his Arthur participated in the famous swagger stick and his sword as well siege of Sevastopol. After the war as other miscellaneous items and he continued his role in the military photographs. from which he retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1881. His service records survive and show the many and varied places he visited as a officer. Apart from Crimea, Lt Col Taylor was posted to Ceylon, India, Gibraltar (twice) and North America. Lt Col Arthur Taylor in full military Arthur lived on until the year 1896. attire. This photo has been in the He was buried in Kingston Cemetery, possession of my family for over 140 years. Arthur was known not Portsmouth, upon his death. Arthur’s have returned home to Ireland at military legacy continued in his only any point. The photo was therefore son Bernard Taylor (below) who likely sent by him to show his family served in the Royal Marines through of their eldest son. WWI. The story of how Arthur Taylor he accidently killed the horse on the had emigrated from Ireland has been locally known ‘Rock of Doomeegan’ passed down through my family for on the Red Earls Road, which leads generations. As the first born son of from Castlebaldwin to Ballymote. his family, Arthur was in line to inherit In the ensuing confrontation Arthur a substantial amount of land when he stormed off and left Ireland for a new came of age. However while out one life abroad. day with his father’s favourite horse 40 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Virgil and the Book of Ballymote How Irish scholars brought the Aeneid to life

By Neal Farry

Virgil’s epic poem The Aeneid (31 Aeneid from the Book of Ballymote, is now deposited in the King’s Inn BC – 19 BC) was commissioned has designated the Gaelic version Library, Dublin. It is believed that all by the Emperor Caesar Augustus of Virgil’s epic as a ‘resume’ of the three surviving texts are descended in celebration of his victory over classic Latin poem. I am confident from a lost hyparcehtype of the Anthony and Cleopatra at the Battle that at least three eminent modern translation that the anonymous Gaelic of Actium (31 BC), when the Roman academics would consider such a scribe had made over 250 years before Empire was reunited after a disastrous dismissive evaluation as failing to the Book of Ballymote was compiled. civil war. The poem is written in 9,896 appreciate and esteem the work of Early indications show that the three hexameter Latin lines and tells of how the anonymous Irish scholar who had texts tend to agree quite closely with , urged by benevolent deities, translated Imtheachta Aeniasa from minor differences resulting from leads survivors of the fall of the Latin of Virgil at least 250 years the scribal transmissions. All three in circa 1240 BC, westward around before Solomon ó Droma recorded the modern commentators based their the Mediterranean through many epic in the Book of Ballymote (BB) analyses of the Irish Aeneid on the BB adventures in search of a new kingdom manuscript. manuscript. in Italy. Here he allies himself with George Calder, Lecturer in Celtic George Calder asserts that the King , defeats their Italian Languages & Literature at the subject matter of Imtheachta Aeniasa enemies and establishes the dynasty University of Glasgow, Erich Poppe, is mainly identical to Virgil’s original that eventually founded Rome. Aeneas Professor of Celtic Studies & General Latin epic. Some alterations occur is portrayed as the heroic ancestor Linguistics at Marburg University, that take into account the cultural of Virgil’s new Emperor Augustus, Germany, and formerly of Cambridge differences between Imperial Rome through descent from the marital University, and Eorann O’Connor, and medieval and union of , son of Aeneas and King’s College, Cambridge University, Scotland. Matters that would have , the daughter of King Latinus. have all treated Imtheachta Aeniasa appealed to a Roman readership that The Aeneid was translated into Irish in BB with much greater regard and lived a millennium previously, like during the first half of the 12th century a more profound degree of academic some genealogies and speeches of by an anonymous scribe, and it was analysis. the gods, are omitted. Such concerns transcribed in the Book of Ballymote When George Calder edited and would find few admirers in medieval by Solomon ó Droma during the last translated the Irish Aeneid into Gaeldom. On the other hand, decade of the 1300s. The Irish Aeneid English prior to its publication in the translator has provided some or Imtheachta Aeniasa contains 3,400 1907, the BB was the only known supplementary material to the Gaelic prose lines in Middle-Irish. Each line source of the epic in Irish. Not even a text that would certainly arouse the is of similar length to a hexameter paper copy of the tale could be found. interest of medieval Gaelic readers Latin line from Virgil’s poem. Since then, however, two additional or listeners. Well-known passages of In this article I will endeavour, medieval manuscripts containing Gaelic literature are incorporated and with noteworthy assistance from a incomplete versions of the Imtheachta used to enhance the descriptions of number of international scholars who Aeniasa text have been discovered. Aeneas, of son of Evander, of shared an abiding interest in the Irish One of these is now preserved in the other notable characters in the action, Aeneid and in the Book of Ballymote, Killiney Franciscan House of Studies and of the sword of Pallas. The woes of to disclose how the application of a and was written down by Dáelghus ó defeated heroes, parting sorrows, gold medieval Gaelic intellect produced a Duibhgeannáin during the 15th century and silver ornaments, splendid houses meritorious translation that is true to and is 314 lines shorter than Solomon and weapons, beautiful landscapes the original Latin epic, yet dissimilar ó Droma’s BB 1391/2 AD text. The and fair weather are emphasised in in the sense that it is distinctly second incomplete version is 80 lines the Irish tale. The battles, sieges and expressive of the Gaelic culture of the shorter than the Ballymote text and fortunes of Aeneas are frequently translator. was penned by Moílchleann ó Cianáin given more emphasis in the Irish The Ballymote historian JC of Fermanagh at the same time as the Aeneid than in the original Latin epic McDonagh, when treating of The Irish Ballymote Aeneid. This manuscript poem.

41 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

I believe that it will be useful to him. in the final section of the Book of examine Virgil’s Latin description of Erich Poppe believes that the Irish Ballymote consisting of the following: Aeneas arriving at the Court of Queen translation describes Aeneas in more (1) De Excidio Troiae Historia (Tógáil in Carthage (Tunisia) followed sensuous terms than Virgil’s Latin Troí) or ‘The Fall of Troy’ by Dares by two English translations and ó verse achieved, because it contains Phrygius, (2) ‘The Wanderings of Droma’s Irish translation of Virgil’s the immediate effects of his beauty. Ulysses’ (Merugud Uilix), (3) ‘The narrative: The Irish translator liberally employs Irish Aeneid’ (Imtheachta Aeniasa) Restitit Aeneas claraque in luce descriptive alliteration that was by Virgil, (4) ‘Alexander the Great’ refulsit, / os umerosque deo similis; adopted from the Gaelic oral story- (Alaistair Mór). Text No. 1 deals namque ipsa decoram / caesariem telling tradition. with the fall of Troy and the three nato genetrix lumenque iuventae / Professor Calder is adamant that succeeding texts all have prologues purpureum et laetos oculis adflarat the main purpose of the pre-1150AD affixed by their Gaelic translators honores; / quale manus addunt translator was to produce a ‘scél’ showing the destruction of Troy as ebori decus, aut ubi flavo / argentum with the main features of a modern the starting point for the events in Pariusve lapis circumdatur auro, novel. He has noted that the translator the three Greek narratives. The Book Here following is John Jackson’s possessed the required literary talent of Ballymote texts 1 and 4 had been 1908 literal prose translation of the and had a thorough knowledge of translated into Irish during the 10th identical scene; the Virgil’s original Latin work century and text No 2 first graced a Stood Aeneas, glittering in the lucent that enabled him to ‘select, curtail, Gaelic manuscript in the 12th century. day, godlike in aspect and frame: for amplify, or transpose his materials in The Marburg Professor bolsters the mother () had breathed on order to meet the taste of his medieval his argument with the fact that the her son, and his locks were beautiful; Gaelic readers.’ inter-textual connections between he was clad in the rosy light of youth, Prof Calder clearly visualises the four Book of Ballymote classical and his eyes were lustrous and glad Imtheachta Aeniasa being read texts depicting the destruction of – as when the artist-hand lends individually or delivered to an Troy, are brought out explicitly in loveliness to the ivory, or when silver, audience for entertainment purposes the first sentences of Merugud Uilix or Parian stone, is enchased in the at a public Feis or at a clan Cóisir. (Ulysses) and Imtheachta Aeniasa. yellow gold. Professor Erich Poppe in his New Prof. Poppe interprets these prologues Depicting the same passage the 12th Introduction to Imtheachta Aeniasa as evidence of the learned, historical century Irish translator wrote in the (1995) replaces the term ‘translator’ interests of the compilers of the following terms: with ‘redactor’ to describe the scholar Book of Ballymote in 1391/2 AD, Doluid chucu Aenias i soillsí móir who drafted, edited and revised ie Solamh O Droma, Robeartus Mac & ba suairc, & ba sochraid, & ba for publication in the middle-Irish Síthig, Mághnus ó Duibhgeannáin, sercach soicheneoil in laech táinic language the Virgilian Latin poem in Tomaltagh óg ó Conchubhair and and. Mong findbuidí, farórda fair, a prose form, without providing the the supervising tutor, Dómhnal Mac gnúis caem corcurda aigi, rúisc literal rendering of every phrase and Aodhagáin. cochlacha caindelta ina chind cosmail sentence in Virgil’s epic. Prof. Poppe JC McDonagh believed that the re delb ndea, in delb rola a máthair .i. also finds it difficult to imagine a prince Ballymote manuscript was compiled Uenir, o li serceina ghnúis, co rocarad like Tomaltagh Mór Mac Donagh of from a mass of loose manuscripts in gach aen hé in nech rosillfed fair, & Corran relaxing over the contents of the possession of Mac Aodhagáin agaillidh in rigan, & is ed róraid fria. the Book of Ballymote considering who sold their copyright to the (Lines 347 – 351 BB MS) its remarkably miscellaneous and Corran chieftain Tomaltagh Mór Mac Here I append George Calder’s complex collection of texts. Donagh. translation of the foregoing Book of The German academic contends In Virgil’s Latin Aeneid the narrative Ballymote Irish version: that Imtheachta Aeniasa seems begins in Book I with Aeneas and the Aeneas came upon them in great to reflect scholarly, historical and surviving Trojans leaving Sicily en brilliance. Pleasant, comely, lovely antiquarian interests, and he argues route to Italy when they are blown off and well-born was the hero that came that it was perceived by its Gaelic course towards the coast of Carthage there – fair, yellow, golden hair upon translator / redactor in the 12th century in North Africa. In Book II Aeneas him; a beautiful ruddy face he had; as a historical narrative rather than as recounts to Queen Dido of Carthage eyes deep-set, lustrous in his head a literary epic or mere entertainment. the destruction of Troy by the Greeks. like the image of a god, the expression Herr Poppe has identified a thematic In the Book of Ballymote Imtheachta which Venus, his mother, with love’s relationship between the Gaelic Aeniasa version the story opens with a splendour, threw into his face, so that versions of the four classical Greek historical prologue that differs entirely whoever looked upon him should love and Roman texts recorded in sequence from Virgil’s account. This Gaelic

42 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

Aeneas and his Family Fleeing Burning Troy by Henry Gibbs innovation sets out the reasons for the enhance his master’s political status. Gaelic narrative involved a banishment and exile by the Greeks of Dealing with the content and style generous use of alliterative phrases Aeneas and his followers, as traitors of Imtheachta Aeniasa, Prof Poppe and words combined with doublets from Troy after the fall of the city. emphasises that the work is not so and triplets of synonyms and This characterisation of Aeneas as a much a translation from one language adjectives. Our German commentator traitor to both his native city and to to another but rather from one culture views the Irish Aeneid as a reworking the Greeks stands in marked contrast to another. Words are not fixed but of the Virgilian epic poem from an with Virgil’s personification of ‘Pius nothing essential is omitted, and Irish perspective that tells us much Aeneas’, whom he portrays as a heroic additions the translator made are about the mentality and interests of its and virtuous ancestor of his patron native Gaelic elaborations on the medieval Irish audience. who was alive and well in 31BC, ie original Roman content. King’s College, Cambridge the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus. For example, in Book VI the entrance academic Eorann O’Connor, in The Irish translation distinctly differs to the underworld is represented as her Part II Thesis, has investigated from Virgil’s Latin account by the Sicilian volcano, Mount Etna. Imtheachta Aeniasa from a clearly following the natural chronological This supposed location is a medieval different cultural viewpoint. Ms course of events throughout the story. image of the doors of hell from a O’Connor inquires whether the 12th Imtheachta Aeniasa concludes with contemporary medieval Christian century Irish translator’s unusually a short historical epilogue which viewpoint. This approach indicates secular interest in the classics pertained is not found in Virgil’s Epic. The a direct divergence from Virgil’s to an awareness of a pre-Christian Gaelic translator / redactor avails of description of Aeneas’ subterranean Gaelic oral cultural inheritance. She this epilogue to introduce a view of journey where Mount Etna is not examines the omissions, the retentions historical and dynastic continuity alluded to in any circumstance. and the ideological adjustments this that sets out a claim that not only the On the level of style, the Gaelic anonymous Irish translator / redactor Romans but all the rulers of Europe scholar adapted his text to suit made, that she believes derived in descend from ‘the seed of Aeneas, contemporary Gaelic narrative, part from his pre-Christian linguistic his son Ascanius and daughter-in- ignoring the subtler poetic effects, inheritance as distinct from a post- law Lavinia,’ thereby diminishing the especially the descriptive adjectives Christian continental tradition. importance of the Emperor Augustus and similes of the Latin text. The The contrasting descriptions of the and ignoring the efforts of Virgil to characteristic feature of the Middle- youthful Trojan warrior Pallas and his

43 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 weapons by Virgil (31-19BC) and by him, slightly curling; a clear blue eye reported the fact that two medieval his Irish translator (circa 1150AD) in his head; like the prime of the wood European written versions represent are aptly set forth in the passages in May, or like the purple foxglove Aeneas and Antenor working in in the following sequence: (a) John was one of his two cheeks. You would league with the Greeks in victory over Jackson’s 1908 beautiful literal think his lips were a loop of coral. As their native city. One such account, translation of Virgil’s Latin epic; (b) white as the snow of one night, were ’ De Excidio Troiae the 12th century Irish translation as his neck and the rest of his skin. There Historia (Togáil Troí) from the 6th in the Book of Ballymote; (c) George are fine [robes] long, almost white, to century AD can be found adjacent to Calder’s 1907 English translation of the extremities of his hands and his Imtheachta Aeneasa in the Book of the pre-1150 Irish translation. feet. A purple-fringed mantle about Ballymote. The second account of the him. A pin of precious stone set in treachery of Aeneas, Ephemeris Belli (a) The princes of Troy issued from gold upon his breast. A girdle of gold Troiana by Dictys, was chronicled the open gates, while in the midmost with gems of precious stones about his in the 4th century AD. Nevertheless, line rode Pallas himself, having been loins. A gold-hilted sword on his body, the reputation of Aeneas as the pious consigned twice a hundred Arcadian its blade, having been bent back from hero, probably influenced by Roman horsemen, the choice of their cavalry, point to hilt, straightens itself like a Christian educational and political conspicuous in broidered scarf and rapier. It would cut a hair on water; it interests, was eventually given emblazoned arms; such as would sever a hair upon a head, and more credence in mainland Europe. of morn, that Venus most loves of all would not cut skin; it would make two Although the counter-tradition of a the sidereal fires, when, laved in the halves of a man, and he would not hear treacherous Aeneas had been widely ocean , he uplifts his sacred head it till long afterwards. A red embossed held in and was still unto heaven and the darkness melts shield with engravings and buckles acknowledged by many Christian away. (J Johnson) of gold upon his left arm. Pleasant, Europeans, the opposing dominant stately was that lad. (G Calder) general consensus of the status of (b) Ba caemh dócas and. Marcshluag Aeneas as pious hero, adapting to na n-Arcaide fo Pallas. Ba crúthach an Eorann O’Connor considers that his new Christian surroundings maccaem robaí etarru. Mong fhochos the Irish description of Pallas and his where ‘pietas’ was replaced by piety, órbhuidhí fair, rocs gorm glainidí ina weapons, with its elaborate system of eventually held sway in mainland chind. Ba cosmail ri forcleithí caillí alliteration, and the use of imagery European consciousness. cetemuin no fri sian slebí cechtar a typical of descriptions of native Irish To Imperial pagan and Christian dhá gruadh. Anddar lat ba fras do warriors, contain resonances of the Romans, the quality of ‘pietas’ was nemandaibh rolad ina ceand. Anndar oral story-telling tradition of pre- defined as devotion to one’s country, lat ba dual partlaingí a beoil. Ba Christian Ireland. one’s parents and other blood relations, gilithir sneachta n-aen aidchi a braigí Ms O’Connor lists an abundant and to a person’s duty to the deity, be & a cneas ar cheana …… at e seme number of Greek historians and that the Christian God or the pagan fata fógeal có hindaib a lámh & a philosophers who view Aeneas as a deity . While acknowledging cos. Brat corcra corrthorach uime. collaborator with the Greeks and in the alleged treachery of Aeneas to Liagdelg óir ara bruinde. Muntorc óir particular with Odysseus (Ulysses). Troy all parties recognised his ‘pietas’ ina braighit. Lení srebnaidí sidaighí Sophocles, Dionysius, Xenophon in following the instructions of Jupiter fria gelchnes. Cris óir có ngemaib in his Cynegeticus, Hellanicus delivered to him by Nestor, to sail to do lig logmuraib imo taebú. Cloídem and Menecrates all tell of hostility Italy as leader of the Trojan survivors órduirrn for a crí, a suigedad, fillti between Aeneas and his defeated and there to establish a magnificent a rind có urdorn, sinig amal colg. fellow Trojans. Virgil and his Roman civilising nation. Ledraig finda fo usce, ledrad finda audience adhered to their tradition of Ms O’Connor observes that after the for cind, & ní tescadh tuind. Danid ‘pious Aeneas’ as a founding father prologue of Imtheachta Aeniasa in the dá leith don duine & ní cluined co of Rome who had saved his Trojan Book of Ballymote, the Irish translator- hiarcen. Dergsgiath bocóidech có household under divine instructions redactor proceeds to transform rindad & có tuaigmilaibhóir fora to pursue a higher purpose, ie the Aeneas into a Gaelic warrior of chliú. Ba suairc segúnta an mac sin. foundation of the Roman civilisation heroic proportions, thereby eventually (Lines 1921 to 1937 BB MS) where he would later be revered as entertaining and integrating the the heroic ancestor of the Emperors. Imperial, Christian and pagan Irish (c) Beautiful was the march there. The This adoring Italian public’s image of interpretations of the pious character cavalry of the Arcadians under Pallas. Aeneas was certainly at variance with of Aeneas. Comely was the youth [Pallas] that the opinions of the Greek literati. In Ms O’Connor’s thesis it is was in their midst. Golden hair upon Our Cambridge scholar has also registered that Imtheachta Aeniasa

44 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 preserves much of the classical pagan even incorporates into Imtheachta the Ballinaglough and Ballindoon, where genealogy from Virgil’s Aeneid while Irish pre-Christian goddess of battle, young men of substance could receive simultaneously embellishing Virgil’s Bádh. This spirit appears to echo the an education in the classics. The roads writing in many instances. The role of a Greek pagan fury, , of were awash with Filidh who Irish account describes Aeneas’ son who wreaks havoc among the Trojans were welcome visitors in the houses of Ascanius coming into battle as ‘son of and Latins in the Aeneid: chiefs and who were willing and able Aeneas, son of , son of Ilus, ‘[O]cus ba failidh Bádh derg ac to pass on the Gaelic heritage to the son of Tros, son of Erichtonius, son of imchoisait etir in dá chath sin’ / ‘And families of their hosts. Accordingly, I , son of Jove, son of , joyous was red mad War a-stirring believe Tomaltagh Mór Mac Donagh, was that Ascanius … for from him up mutual strife between those two Taoiseach Chorainn, could indeed sprang the emperors of the world.’ battalions.’ (G Calder) have spent many a pleasant evening In contrast the equivalent passage Ms O’Connor concludes as follows: relaxing over the contents of his in Virgil’s Aeneid simply outlines ‘Yet, Ireland, one of the few Western valuable tome. I support the position the genealogy of Ascanius in the European regions not conquered by of Prof George Calder on this point. following terms: ‘[I]n their midst, his the Romans, also retained its own The scribe, Solomon ó Droma was fair head unhelmed, was the Dardan customs and institutions, mythologies a pupil of Mac Egan, first editor of boy [ie Ascanius, son of Aeneas].’ and narrative heritage, a highly the Book of Ballymote. Following In this instance the Irish translator evolved system of rhetoric and one of immediately upon ó Droma’s signature has for the second time on behalf of the most sophisticated poetic forms in the original BB manuscript is an non-Roman rulers claimed descent that ever existed. Consequently the appreciation in a practised modern from Aeneas, thereby undermining Irish Aeneid contains resonances of hand: the unique vanity and hubris of the the cultural identity of its translator.’ ‘Bennacht for hanmoin a mhic Ui Roman emperors. It is significant that Ms O’Connor Droma gi gur ecc tu ccc bliadhain ria We are also informed that early Irish expresses regret that Imtheachta mesi do ghenedh.’ Translated it reads: language and Latin pseudo-historical Aeniasa is an under-researched work. ‘Blessing on your soul, Mac Ui Droma, tracts like The Book of Invasions of The fact that such august European though you died three hundred years Ireland and The Six Ages of the World academics have so objectively studied before I was born.’ (G Calder) This interpreted Irish pagan myth within Imtheachta Aeniasa from the Book appreciation was added anonymously the framework of Judaeo-Christian of Ballymote displays conspicuous to the manuscript in approximately theology and historiography. international recognition of the work 1700AD. In his introduction to his Moreover, Ms O’Connor when of Domhnal Mac Aodhagáin, his team translation in 1907 Professor Calder contrasting the approaches of Virgil of 14th century scribes and of the 12th added his own tribute of admiration to and his Irish translator to a vital century translator who produced such ó Droma’s beautiful penmanship and genealogy of Latinus, the Italian a highly acclaimed Irish version of his general accuracy. father-in-law of Aeneas, draws the Virgil’s Aeneid. conclusion that Virgil nominated I am inclined to take issue with Prof Sources that Italian ally of the Trojans, as a Poppe who seems reluctant to consider The Irish Aeneid – Edited and Translated descendant of the god Saturn through a medieval Gaelic prince relaxing over by George Calder (Irish Texts Society – Faunus, Marica and . The the contents of the Book of Ballymote. Vol. VI – 1907) A New Introduction to Imtheachta Aeniasa 12th century Irish translator places If we take into account that one of the - The Irish Aeneid by Erich Poppe. (Irish Saturn, Neptune and Apollo into the scribes of BB was Tomaltagh óg ó Texts Society – 1995); genealogy of Latinus, in addition Conchubhair, son of the titular Gaelic Gods & Culture in Traffic: Virgil’s Aeneid to Mizraim, Ham and Noah, three King of and that the family & The Imtheachta Aeniasa – Voyaging characters from the Old Testament. In of Mághnus ó Duibhgeannáin, one of Abroad to Return Home - Part II Thesis this case he was obviously influenced the BB scribes, provided hereditary by Eorann O’Connor, (King’s College, by Jewish theology. historiographers to the Mac Dermotts Cambridge 2014); Our Cambridge reviewer points out and Mac Donaghs, we must admit Virgil – The Aeneid. A 1908 Translation that many continental translators have the possibility that Gaelic princes by John Jackson (Wordsworth Classics). radically reshaped the story of Troy by like Tomaltagh Mór MacDonagh of Ballymote & The Parish of Emlaghfad – exchanging pagan motifs for a totally Ballymote possessed a higher level JC McDonagh (Sligo Champion 1936) The Book of Ballymote – The facsimile, Christian narrative, while the Irish of literacy and education than Prof courtesy of John Perry TD (Royal Irish translator / redactor of the Imtheachta Poppe considered likely. Academy 1887) cleaves faithfully to Virgil’s pagan In the vicinity of medieval Corran text, retaining with precise accuracy there were at least five , pagan customs. The Irish translator Emlaghfad, Toomour, Kilmorgan,

45 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Book of Ballymote Conference at the Royal Irish Academy, February 2015

By John Coleman

The Royal Irish Academy, in collaboration with NUI Maynooth, held a two-day conference on The Book of Ballymote in the beautiful Academy building in Dawson Street, Dublin earlier this year on 5-6 February. Organising such a conference underlines the significance of the book, which has been in the RIA library since 1785. The large vellum manuscript is more than 600 years old having been compiled in before 1400 for the McDonagh clan, rulers of Corran. The manuscript is mainly written in Irish and deals with a wide variety of subjects, including genealogy, topography, biblical Group and supporters of our annual one of the conference speakers, Dr stories and lives of saints. It includes heritage weekends. The RIA Librarian Elizabeth Boyle, a leading young the ancient story of the destruction and conference organiser Siobhan scholar at Maynooth, has agreed to of Troy and the history of Alexander Fitzpatrick extended a particularly speak about her new research on of Macedonia – demonstrating an warm welcome to members of the the Book of Ballymote at the 2016 awareness of wider world history Ballymote Heritage Group in her Ballymote Heritage Weekend. An and culture in Ballymote in medieval opening remarks and again thanked us excellent account of the history of the times. for our support in her closing remarks. book and its content can be read on The event was very well attended Coinciding with the conference the the RIA website www.ria.ie. The full over the two days, including a RIA organised a special exhibition manuscript is available to view on line distinguished academic audience and about the book this year. thanks to the Irish Script on Screen some members of Ballymote Heritage We are very fortunate in that project at www.isos.ie.

46 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

Some of the Ballymote contingent at the two day Book of Ballymote Conference in the Royal Irish Academy. [Left to right] Kate Bell, John MacDonagh-Dulmer, Etta MacDonagh-Dulmer, John Coleman, Mary Killoran, Bernadette O’Grady (neé Scully). Etta MacDonagh-Dulmer is the daughter of James Christopher (Chris) MacDonagh author of the well known History of Ballymote. Last Times Redeployed By Bernie Gilbride By Mary Kelly-White

As we go through life Dear Mr. Melly, Last times are rife, Please listen to my plea; Unrecognised as such The work in Cloonamahon is too hard for me; Otherwise it would be too much I opted for the kitchen rather than the floors; A last time to tie their shoes But I had no idea of the workload or the noise. A last time to mend their clothes I didn’t get the concessions I asked for at the start, A last time to button their jackets ‘A straight week, not the rota’ A last time to check their pockets. It wasn’t much to ask. A last time to walk them to school You would have given me ‘Easkey’ A last time to walk them home But it was too far away, Now I’m asking for ‘Charles A last time to comb their hair Street’ A last time to tell them what to wear What do you say? A last time the garden they’ll keep I’m ten months in Cloonamahon A last time their friends here meet I’ve surely passed the test A last time crowd into the car For endurance and flexibility A last time settle a minor war I must be the best. A last time hear their prayers. Make me the new ‘Caretaker’ Are any prayers said these years. Working nine to five I’ll forgo the weekend money And use the time to live. The kitchen in Cloonamahon Is a happy place to be But as I said at the beginning It is too hard for me. 47 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 War Poems in Sligo newspapers 1915 By Michael Farry

great increase in the number of poems similar to that published elsewhere published. in the . There were published 47 poems in 1915 as against however interesting local variations. 19 in 1914. The corresponding figures All three local papers reprinted for the Sligo Nationalist were 39 and poems taken from British and Empire 26, and the Sligo Independent 26 and newspapers but the Independent 8. Roughly half the poems published carried many more of those. The in the two nationalist newspapers were Champion and Nationalist were more war-related, versus all but two of those likely to print poems with an Irish published in the Sligo Independent. reference and their authors were more This reflected the enormous flood of likely to be Irish. The exploits of poetry caused by the outbreak of war. regiments like the Connaught Rangers The London Times estimated that it and the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers received at least a hundred patriotic were celebrated and references made poems a day during August 1914, the to Home Rule and to John Redmond, Photograph of John O’Dowd MP majority written by amateur poets. the Irish Parliamentary Party leader. (Kilgannon, Tadhg, Sligo and its This poetry represented the then- Three poems published in January Surroundings) accepted view of the war, that the 1915 give a good flavour of this cause was just and noble and that poetry. Old Erin’s sons are fighting now the war effort should be continued On 2 January the Sligo Nationalist On Belgium’s gory plain and intensified. Much of the poetry published The Connaughts to the –The Old Green Flag, M J Kearns, was stridently jingoistic, full of lofty Rescue without naming an author Sligo Champion 10 July 1915 phrases and archaic vocabulary. but labelling it as ‘Special’, possibly Many recognised and admired indicating that it was composed Intimidated by the flood of information poets also wrote similar poetry. Some especially for the newspaper. It regarding the early years of the Great of these were members of the secret recounts an action on the western front War, I recently reread the 1915 issues organization of eminent writers in late 1914 when Connaught Rangers of the local Sligo newspapers, the working with the War Propaganda came to the assistance of a group of Sligo Champion, Sligo Independent Office at Wellington House, London. Indian soldiers and helped them drive and Sligo Nationalist to get a feel for All this poetry was welcome back the Germans. what it was like to live in those times. propaganda, encouraging enlistment The Sligo Champion, with the and raising morale. Conscription had Three cheers the fearless Rangers largest circulation, was a confident, not yet been introduced in any part of gave; aggressive voice in support of John the United Kingdom and recruits were At length they won the day, Redmond, the Irish Parliamentary badly needed. Tho’ many a well-loved comrade Party and Home Rule. The Sligo In early 1915 the attitude of Had fallen in the fray. Nationalist was similar in political nationalist Ireland to the war had But yet it was a victory stance and tone. The long established not yet been coloured by the threat Which shall live in martial story— Sligo Independent, conservative of conscription or by the 1916 rising How the Connaught Rangers fought and unionist, was anti-Home Rule or its aftermath, and there was still and won but stressed its commitment to the hope that the war might be concluded That fight for country’s glory! betterment of Sligo. quickly. ‘The general feeling of the Poetry was a popular cultural form public is completely loyal and great On 9 January the Sligo Champion at this time and was regularly included interest is taken in the progress of the published Arise Ye Sons of Britain in local newspapers. A significant war,’ the Sligo RIC County Inspector which had been written by a Sergeant amount of this verse was written said in his January 1915 report. His McCusker of the Irish Guards and by local poets, women and men for March report included: ‘The tone of sent to Mrs Perceval, Templehouse, whom having a poem published in the the local press is very good and its Ballymote. Surprisingly, she local paper must have been quite an loyalty and moderation reflect the submitted it to the Champion rather achievement. temper of the people.’ than to the Independent. This is the The year 1915 was exceptional The war poetry published in the first stanza: as regards newspaper poetry with a three Sligo newspapers in 1915 was

48 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

Sligo, followed John Redmond in supporting the war effort and at the November 1914 South Sligo United Irish League executive meeting promised that ‘Ireland would nobly and willingly do her part in defence of that Empire of which she was now an integral part.’ O’Dowd was also a well-known poet, his collection, Lays of South Sligo, having been published by Gill in 1889. During 1915 the Sligo Champion published a most interesting group of four poems by O’Dowd, two of which praised and encouraged Irish involvement in the war. Cork-born Major Michael John O’Leary (1890–1961) was awarded the Victoria Cross for single- handedly destroying two German barricades defended by machine gun positions near the French village of Cuinchy on the western front in February 1915. This got widespread publicity in Britain and Ireland and JF Cunningham, the Sligo Champion’s Parliamentary Correspondent, devoted most of his London Notes column of 27 February to the award. He wrote: ‘A deed such as O’Leary’s This Ford Motors advertisement making reference to the war in poetry appeared regularly in the Sligo Nationalist 1915 should live on in song. May I suggest to the local poets to immortalise the Arise ye sons of Britain, and answer When the one is her word of promise, event in a ballad? If Mr O’Dowd to the call, And the other her blood-stained flag. MP would take the matter up, in his The Motherland is waiting and own inimitable style, he alone could watching for you all, All prominent Sligo nationalists convert it into imperishable verse that Then, roll up, my countrymen, and let followed the Irish Parliamentary would go for ages drumming down the Kaiser see, Party’s lead and supported recruiting. the echoes of time.’ We are ready to help the weak and set There was dissatisfaction on the part James Frederick Cunningham was a brave Belgium free. of the authorities with the number native of Bunninadden who had had of Sligo recruits, especially from the a distinguished career in the British On 30 January the Sligo Independent country areas. At the end of May 1915 Colonial Service in central Africa. published The Way of the British the RIC County Inspector said that He wrote Uganda and its Peoples, by Lilian Leveridge (1879-1953), most Sligo recruits were labourers, a 370-page volume with maps and which had been originally published adding ‘Farmers are getting big prices photographs which was published in in a Canadian newspaper. Lilian for their stock and produce but no 1905. He retired in 1912, studied law Leveridge was born in England and class in the community has done less and was called to the in February went to Canada with her parents at for recruiting.’ Advertisements for 1915. the age of four. She became a well- a Sligo county recruiting tour by the O’Dowd rose to Cunningham’s known writer and her war poems were Irish Guards in April asked farmers challenge and his poem Mike O’Leary especially popular. especially to attend the meetings. was published in the Champion on The band received a warm welcome 10 April. It is a tour-de-force with It isn’t the way of Britain everywhere, but few new recruits. wonderful use of rhythm and some To grasp with greedy hand, Recruiting tours in the county in June, gloriously inventive rhymes. This is And hold with a despot’s power, September and November had similar the opening stanza and chorus: Domain in a friendly land. results. But she fights for “a scrap of paper,” John O’Dowd (1856-1937), Irish You have heard of Scott and Peary, She dies for “an old colored rag,” Parliamentary Party MP for South And the men of Tipperary, 49 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

And heroes too of every rank and on 11 September. To ensure noone station; would miss its political relevance it But here’s your health O’Leary, was subtitled ‘written in Sligo Prison.’ May the angels bless and cheer ye, You’re the idol and the darling of the Vile “ruffians,” “village tyrants,” too, nation! They call the spirit brave In face of threatening dangers who Chorus: Stepped forth the land to save; Then slainthe, Mike O’Leary, Who strove together side by side Faith the Huns have cause to fear ye, To end the spoiler’s reign You’re acclaimed by men of every And bring back peace and happiness rank and station, To the old land again! From old Cork to Londonderry, And from Sligo town to Kerry, His poem Eighty Two, published on As the foremost boy in all the Irish 2 October, was subtitled ‘written in nation! Prison.’ It had originally been published in the Champion in 1882 for O’Dowd’s second war poem, Old the centenary of Grattan’s Parliament Ireland’s Brave Boys, published on which had resulted in two decades of 4 September, includes a more direct parliamentary independence ended by appeal to Irishmen to enlist and fight the Act of Union in 1800. O’Dowd ‘the proud tyrant who threatens the may also have been anxious to stress world.’ the parallel between Home Rule on the statute book. All hail to our heroes, old Ireland’s brave boys, In strength and mind as brothers, one, Who’ve left their loved country, her Let us the glorious strife pursue sorrows and joys, And win the vict’ry—now half won, And gone to fair Flanders to gallantly Ere fall the shades of “Eighty-two.” fight For God and their country, for The well-known poet, Michael J freedom and right! Kearns (1886-1967), the ‘Bard of ’, had had poems published Captain William Redmond MP, to ‘4 Questions to the Women of regularly in the Sligo Champion while Ireland’ (Sligo Independent 20 whom this poem was dedicated, was February 1915) living in Glasgow. He came back to the brother of the Irish Party leader Ireland in 1915 and worked for some and was killed in June 1917 during the local newspapers. At an October time in a hotel in Boyle, returning attack on the Messines Ridge. Tubbercurry meeting 33 men signed to Glasgow in 1920. Kearns had six The November Sligo recruiting tour a document stating that they would poems published in the Champion in included the Irish VC, Mike O’Leary resist compulsory military service 1915. himself and the chorus of O’Dowd’s with their lives. Patrick Dyar, one His St. Patrick’s Day of 20 March poem was sung at a meeting in Sligo. of the organizers, was arrested and has an exile rejoicing that Home Rule O’Dowd did not attend. He did speak sentenced to one month of hard labour. has been passed and praising Irish in April at the Irish Guards recruiting When he returned to Tubbercurry at Party politicians including Thomas tour meetings outside Sligo Town Hall the end of December he was welcomed Scanlan, MP for North Sligo: and at Bunninadden but neither he nor by a bonfire and a brass band. the other Sligo MP, Thomas Scanlan, It appears that in light of the My native land to-day is free, attended any of the recruiting tour widespread unease at the prospect ’Twas freed by Redmond true, meetings later in the year. There is a of conscription and having nailed With Scanlan and John Dillon brave, suspicion that as the war continued his colours to the recruiting mast, Old Ireland’s chosen few. and recruiting became less popular O’Dowd was anxious to remind the God bless the leaders of our race they preferred not to be directly readers of his impeccable nationalist For this great hope begun, involved. credentials. To achieve this, he had God bless the gallant peasant class In the latter part of 1915 fear of two poems, originally written in the For this great victory won. compulsory conscription was fuelled early 1880s during the land agitation by a recruiting letter sent to all men led by the Irish Party, republished in In a poem ‘To Mr. John O’Dowd, of military age in Ireland and full the Champion in late 1915. MP’ published on 17 April Kearns page recruiting advertisements in The Returned Exile was published heaps lavish praise on the South Sligo 50 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

Kearns manages to praise both the newspaper and Sligomen at the front.

In the trenches here in Flanders, Where the shot and shrapnel blaze, ’Mid the din of strife and battle, And the weary nights and days, We keep vigil for the postman, And we greet him with a shout As he takes the SLIGO CHAMPION To our lowly new dug-out.

Some are sleeping here in Flanders, Sligo’s loyal men and true, Yes, they gave their life-blood freely For their king and country too. Well they fought for Belgium freedom, And for freedom’s cause they fell, ’Twas old Ireland’s Connaught Rangers That first met the shrapnel shell.

John George Quilty from north Sligo was a frequent contributor of poems to Sligo newspapers in 1911 and 1913. He had been a prominent nationalist politician and a county councillor. In 1915 the Sligo Nationalist published three of his war poems, reflecting the general pro-war feeling, admiration for the Irish in the British army, criticism of men who hadn’t joined, and sympathy for women left behind. Quilty was obviously very familiar with traditional song and his compositions are in the ballad format Notice of the Connaught Rangers recruiting tour of Sligo featuring Mike with effective use of refrains and O’Leary VC (Sligo Champion 6 November 1915) repetitions though his attempts in some poems to suggest a rustic accent MP, especially praising his Mike of the Irish Guards. Cunningham by non-standard spelling can be O’Leary poem which had appeared had been born in Sligo but the family irritating. in the previous week’s Champion, had moved to Dublin before 1915. Two of these poems are written in incidentally showing Kearns’ speed of This exploit involved Cunningham, the voice of women whose love has composition: though wounded, raising the Irish gone to the war, though the language Guards’ flag and rallying the soldiers and tone is different in each. In At Mass and meeting, fair and dance, successfully against the Germans. Molly’s Soliloquy, published on 13 No matter where you go, ’Twas he who raised “the Old Green March, a girl searches for You’re sure to hear his honoured Flag” to send to her Patrick who has joined name, That stopped the prowling Hun, the Connaught Rangers. The bard of South Sligo. When English troops were falling fast In Parliament and out of it ’Twas Erin’s flag that won, I’ll search the green bank in the lone, He labours true and hard, I’m proud he is a Sligo man, willow grove, He is revered by old and young, A youth of tender age, Where Patrick first met me, an’ taught South Sligo’s brilliant bard. His name and fame and glory too me to love; Will shine in history’s page. For the laives that remind me of faith, Kearns’ poem The Old Green Flag, hope and joy— published on 10 July, celebrates a In The ‘Sligo Champion’ at the The Shamrock to sind to my dear, war hero, John Joseph Cunningham Front, published on 16 October, sojer boy:- 51 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

My Ranger boy brave! Then here’s to the gallant R.I.R’s., Who far o’er the wave, those riflemen so brave, Strikes many a blow Who nobly did their duty and found a At the false Germin foe; soldier’s grave. Our fair land of Erin from horrors to So may their glory ever shine, for they save. have proved their worth, And laurels brought to Ireland for the Though courted by ‘cowards’ who honours of the North. have refused to go to war, she intends to wait for her hero: I presume that the Sligo native, Rifleman Richard Brown, Royal Irish ‘My mother—she scoulds! an’ my Rifles, who died in France/Flanders father—he fumes! on 23 October 1916, was the author When they see me hunt from me the of this poem. rich would-be grooms. Also published on 19 June was Lines Croak they—“Wait, my colleen, the on Recruiting by John Gillan from day will kum yet, Sligo town. Gillan had many poems Whin a lonely, ould maid, you’ll look published in the Sligo Nationalist in back with regret.” 1913 and in 1914 until the outbreak By tongue an’ by plan of war when his poems ceased. His Let them do what they can, poems are of enormous interest But my love won’t be sold because of his inclusion of fascinating For cattle or gold details of day to day life in the town. An’ whin Paddy comes home, thin I’ll This poem in the Sligo Independent marry a -man!’ is much blander and was his only published work in 1915. Lament, published on 15 May, was written in response to a newspaper Brave boys of Sligo city report that some wounded British Enlist, enlist today! prisoners in Germany had died from For your king and country needs you neglect. Quilty writes in the voice To keep our foes at bay. of a girl whose love is one of those To fight the enemy in by-gone times prisoners who has died. The poem has Erin’s sons were never shy; echoes of the traditional ballad High On the battlefield with gun or sword Germany. They’d conquer or they’d die.

One thought shall soothe me through The Sligo Independent on 26 life’s brief span— June reprinted The West’s Awake by His death became a true Irishman; McCormick, Collooney, For God and Erin, his King and me which had previously appeared in the Died my soldier lad in far Germany. Irish Times, adding that it was set to the air of The West’s Awake, and was Quilty’s poems are interesting and addressed to the young farmers of inventive and much more lively than Ireland who were reluctant to enlist: the bulk of the war poetry. Among the many standard war poems Awake! To arms! Confront the foe published by the Sligo Independent (The slogan sounds; the war pipes there were some by local poets. blow), R.I.R’s. at Neuve Chapelle, published And let the perjured Germans know on 19 June, was written by Sligo shall fight for right, come weal soldier, R Browne of the Royal Irish or woe. Rifles (RIR), and sent home from the Shall Flanders, soaked in blood and front. The Battle of Neuve Chapelle tears, in March 1915 was a British offensive Appeal in vain to Irish ears? in the Artois region of France and was Down spades and shoulder “To the Farmers of Sligo” notice the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles’ bandoliers; of recruiting tour of Sligo (Sligo Champion 24 April 1915) first major action. They suffered very The nation calls for volunteers. heavy casualties. 52 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

‘Men of Ireland Come to the Aid of the Oppressor’ recruiting advertisement (Sligo Independent 27 February 1915). The caption underneath read: ‘At Buecken many inhabitants were killed, including the priest, who was over 80 years of age. At Colbeck, a young girl, 16 years of age, was insulted by German soldiers, who stabbed her in the breast with their bayonets . . . She received Extreme Unction from the Parish Priest.’ – (Extract from the Belgian Government Official Report.) Irishmen! Your help is needed to prevent further crimes against civilisation and order. Join the Army to-day and strike a blow for Liberty and Freedom.

Katharine Tynan (1859–1931) was may have been part of an orchestrated 1916 as well as the and a prominent Irish literary figure and a pro-recruitment campaign. the government’s reaction ensured poet of note. She wrote a number of that very soon everything changed, poems dealing with the war most of The pleasant land of Connaught “changed utterly” as another Sligo which show sensitivity and awareness Has many a holy place poet wrote, one whose work had not of the sufferings of those left behind. God’s house defiled in Connaught been published in the local Sligo Her A Call to Connaught however Would be your black disgrace. newspapers in 1915. is a straight forward recruiting For God, for Home, for Women poem. It repeats the usual content of It’s up and clear the way! Select Bibliography recruiting posters and advertisements, And smite the country’s foemen Sligo Champion, Sligo Independent, Sligo suggesting to Irishmen what might To-day, my lad, to-day. Nationalist 1915 happen to their land, their churches Dawe, Gerard, Earth Voices Whispering: and their loved ones if the Germans By the end of 1915 it became clear An Anthology of Irish War Poetry 1914- won the war. that voluntary enlistment would 45 (Belfast, 2008) A Call to Connaught originally not provide the number of recruits McGuinn, James, Sligo men in the Great appeared in the on needed and the government decided War (Belturbet, 1994) 4 December 1915 and in the Sligo to introduce conscription. This was McTernan, John C, Worthies of Sligo, Independent, Sligo Champion and done by the Military Service Act (Sligo 1994) Noakes, Vivien, Voices of Silence: The on 11 December which came into force on 2 March Alternative Book of First World War 1916. Ireland was excluded from the 1915. It also appeared in the Impartial Poetry (Stroud, 2006) Reporter, published in operation of the act. Reilly, Catherine W, English Poetry of but covering parts of Leitrim, on 16 Subsequent events, the terrible loss the First World War: A Bibliography December 1915. These publications of life during the major battles of (London, 1978) 53 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Sligo town as a child in the 1930s By Bernie Gilbride

There were forty houses in Temple lion’s head, and could be heard clearly part until they were called names like Street in Sligo in the early 1930s. all over the house. The letterboxes and ‘Mary Ann’ or just ‘sissy’ for playing Half way over it was divided in two locks were also in brass, necessitating with the girls. by a wide road, the main entrance to much Brasso-ing and polishing every Reading was a great pastime then the then Market Yard. On the West few days. and comics were very popular. The entrance to the Market Yard was a Many of the houses were occupied Dandy and Beano had characters we public house and family grocery by older people who had lived there all all became familiar with, and whose store, owned by the Hughes family, their lives. There were only about ten doings were discussed at length. the only business premises on that families with children, but the older Comics were swapped and loaned street. Temple Street was a residential folk were very welcoming, always until they fell apart. Many were the area on the outskirts of Sligo town. Its ready with something nice for small games we played on the road, as there houses varied in size, with red brick people. As we grew up they followed was little or no traffic, only the odd facings around windows and doors on our doings with great interest, whether horse and cart. They could be seen a most of the buildings, giving the street it was our taking part in the Feis or our long way off and one had lots of time a rather Georgian look. events at school. They also kept a close to run back onto the footpath Each house opened onto the stone- eye on us, making sure we were safe Skipping was one of the many flagged footpath, with a curb and water in our play and settling any scores that games, and weather permitting went on gulley beyond. To the rear was a yard arose. In fact they were like a whole for whole days. There were individual with a passageway beyond, giving lot of grannies and granddads to us and group contests, two winding a back entrances to each house. Beyond all. All streets were like small villages heavy rope and the others running in the passageway was a garden, long and we gladly performed what we and skipping so many times and then and spacious with some of the houses were doing for them, be it singing, running out without touching the rope. where fruit trees and vegetables were dancing, reciting or even parts in There were lots of rows when one grown for the use of the occupants. plays. Should you be unlucky enough tripped, then the winders were always The roadway was tarred, curved at the to fall, you had your knee or hand blamed, never the skipper. Game over centre for drainage, which the gulleys bandaged and were given something but all forgotten in a few minutes and took when necessary. The houses were nice as compensation. Life was good, another game started. Depending so plastered, though some stone built, all secure, sheltered, and happy. much on each other we could not fall uniform in colour. At that time these When St Patricks Terrace was built out for long, so all differences were houses faced a high stone wall on the it was the end of the big high wall, speedily sorted. other side of the road, behind which and a row of houses with gardens in Saturday mornings were clean-up was the town Fair Green with two front and to the rear, railings and gates days in most town houses. Windows wide entrances and high gates which faced old Temple Street. Most of these were washed, brasses polished, floors were kept locked except on fair days, houses were family homes with lots swept and polished, mats brought market days or when the Green was in of small children. Our world changed outside shaken and thrown over the use for other activities. over night and now we had lots of line and beaten with a flat brush, with As the houses faced south, most of new friends to play with. As we grew much coughing from the dust released. the doors were covered with colourful older we learned to play many tricks, Everything had to be clean for Sunday striped canvas drapes during the especially on the boys, who could go when no work of any kind was done. summer months to protect the paint to the pictures and loved to copy the If the Lord rested on the Sabbath then work from the sun. These drapes cowboys and Indians, taking sides and all Temple Street did likewise. All had openings in them to allow for pretend-shooting, dying and winning families went to church, cathedral, knockers, letterboxes, and keyholes. or losing. This caused many rows as friary, or St John’s Cathedral. Inside each hall door was a mat well, nobody wanted to be on the losing For Christmas, Easter and going edged with brass, with a coarse sisal side. The games became rough at back to school, we got new clothes. mat for cleaning shoes. The knockers times as boys considered girls games Not always brand new – if one had were usually brass, in the shape of a ‘sissy’, though sometimes they took an older sister the outgrown frocks or

54 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 pinafores were handed down, taken in or let out as the case may be. All clothes had wide seams for this purpose. Boys were different as they wore suits and they were seldom in a condition to be handed on and trousers were to hard to alter, I imagine. Whenever one did get a brand new garment it was treasured and well cared for – clothes had to last and last. The only thing that had to be replaced often were our shoes. Though leather was good for feet, allowing them to breathe, it lasted a very short time. And holes would appear very quickly. The shoemaker had a shop just around the corner and was kept very busy. I can still hear my father telling us to mind our shoes or boots. In winter we wore Wellingtons butter, with apple cake when we had our hearts’ delight. On these trips we if it was wet, with footees over our apples in the autumn. brought bottles of water and bread and heavy stockings for warmth. These We had homemade jams, rhubarb, jam often eaten on the beach. I still were discarded at the back door on gooseberry, strawberry, blackcurrant remember the crunch of sand in my our way in and the footees worn as and apple jelly. As these fruits mouth, but it never did us any harm. It slippers. They were soft with elastic ripened we had to pick them but we was there on the first beach we learned over the instep to keep them on. In never minded the work as we always to swim in water lukewarm having cold weather we wore boots with helped ourselves as we picked. We come in over the hot sands. Were all buttons up the side. picked blackberries in September the summers sunny and warm or do l By the day of the week we knew from the hedges around the town, just remember the best times? what would be for dinner. Sunday was eating as many as we liked but getting When we made our Confirmation roast beef, Monday the remains cold scratched hands and arms as the best the odd one was lucky enough to get a with the usual vegetables. Always ones were always the highest and most bike and we would beg for a spin. We plenty of vegetables, carrots to make inaccessible and brambles had lots of helped each other learn to ride along our eyes sparkle and have good sight, thorns. Many’s the thorn that went in the road or sometimes on the footpath. cabbage to have nice skin, turnips we deep and had to be taken out with a The feeling of elation when we had loved as they were sweet and make needle when we got home. This was learned and could go by ourselves was you happy, with lots of potatoes. one aspect of blackberries we hated. great. The rows were mighty too – if Tuesday was , In summer as we grew older we were one got off for a minute the bike was Wednesday pork or mince, Thursday allowed go to on the bus gone, especially if there were boys stew and Friday fish with boiled with the other children from the street, around. The adults often had to make dilisk as vegetable. It had to be eaten as a special treat. Always we travelled the peace, allotting so many minutes whether we liked it or not as it was with Mrs Gillen who knew how many per person full of iron and all sorts of goodness of us were down with her, and she So we grew up playing on the streets. straight from the sea. Sometimes we would count us all in on the last bus to We learned to be streetwise and to had carrigeen moss for desert, never town about 7pm of a summer evening. mind ourselves and our siblings. To cooked but also good for us. If we were late leaving the beach she stand up for and defend our friends There was porridge for breakfast waited at the hotel blowing the horn and to share whatever toys or games with milk and sugar. Cornflakes were and scolded us when we came. That we had with others. Living in towns unheard of in our house. For tea we was the end of the road back then – was no different to the country except had with jam or scones we walked over the green to reach the we had no green fields to roam and l with raisins in them, and as a special beach as there was no tarred road only imagine fewer chores to do. treat toasted crumpets, which we a track through the dunes. We loved loved. Perhaps a boiled egg, bread and those days and played and swam to

55 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 A Walk in Union Wood By Michael Bell

Union Wood, a piece of Co Sligo’s aquifolium), downy birch (Betula common dog-violet (Viola riviniana), rich natural heritage, is situated pubescens), blackthorn (Prunus lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria), between the towns of Collooney, spinosa), rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa) and Ballygawley. Much hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and and bluebell (Hyacinthoides non- of the forest is managed by Coillte, Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). Some scripta). At this time of year, there is primarily for timber production, large non-native trees, including beech also often a strong scent of ramsons/ and consists of large tracts of sitka (Fagus sylvatica) and sycamore (Acer wild garlic (Allium ursinum) in the spruce (Picea sitchensis), Norway pseudoplatanus) are also present. air, particularly near the large patch of spruce (Picea abies), lodgepole pine Spring is the best time for observing ramsons at the gate along the fence on (Pinus contorta) and other non- the woodland flora. Much of the the western side of the SAC. Lords- native conifers. However, about 60 ground cover is dominated by great and-Ladies (Arum maculatum) is also hectares, consisting mainly of old oak wood-rush (Luzula sylvatica), the plentiful, though it is most obvious woodland, has been designated as a grass-like leaves of which often when the poisonous orange-red Special Area of Conservation (SAC). remain green through the winter. berries ripen in autumn. The majority of the SAC is owned More colourful wildflowers include To date I have recorded 13 species by the National Parks and Wildlife primrose (Primula vulgaris), early of butterfly on site with the most Service and is a designated Nature dog-violet (Viola reichenbachiana), common being peacock (Inachis Reserve. This part of Union Wood is io). This widespread species uses easiest accessed from the Collooney nettle (Urtica dioica) as a larval side of the wood and is a popular foodplant and there are many patches area with walkers, runners and horse- of nettles alongside the walking trekkers. This article will highlight trails. Surprisingly, I have relatively some interesting observations of few records of small tortoiseshell wildlife in the area, particularly within (Aglais urticae), another common the SAC, that have been recorded over and widespread butterfly species that the previous several years. also uses nettle as a food source. The underlying geology of the area Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria), consists of metamorphic schist and ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) gneiss, these rocks being much older and green-veined white (Pieris napi) than the surrounding carboniferous are also very plentiful as might limestone and giving rise to acidic be expected, as they are common soils. Within the oak woodlands much woodland/hedgerow species. Holly of the conifer and other non-native blue (Celastrina argiolus) and silver- tree cover has been removed. A fence washed fritillary (Argynnis paphia), was installed around a large part of the much scarcer species in Co Sligo, woodland with the intent of reducing have also been recorded regularly. over-grazing by deer in order to The latter is often seen nectaring on encourage natural regeneration of the buddleia (buddleja sp.) along the road woodland. A large number of native just before reaching the SAC. These trees have also been planted with same plants often attract red admiral protective guards to prevent damage (Vanessa atalanta) and painted lady from browsing deer. Rhododendron (Cynthia cardui), both immigrant (Rhododendron ponticum) and cherry species, in late summer. laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) are Moths along with butterflies make invasive plants that shade out native up the insect order Lepidoptera. ground flora and prevent regeneration Most species are nocturnal so are of trees. They have been cut back but rarely seen. The poisonous orange will require ongoing management. and black caterpillars of the cinnabar The dominant tree in these Woodland flowers: Many flower (Tyria jacobaeae), however, are very woodlands is sessile oak (Quercus take advantage of the extra light obvious feeding on ragwort (Senecio petraea). Other native trees include reaching the woodland floor jacobaeae) by day. During July 2013 ash (Fraxinus excelsior), hazel in spring before the leaves of I observed large numbers of gold (Corylus avellana), holly (Ilex deciduous trees open swift (Hepialus hecta) hovering over

56 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) at the plant is in flower. Though there is of persecution. Since recolonising dusk. Swift moths have the unusual little habitat for Odonata (dragonflies Ireland in the 1930s it has slowly habit of forming leks where males and damselflies) in Union Wood, spread westwards across the country assemble in large numbers and hang six species have been observed to and was confirmed breeding for the in the air as if suspended by a thread. date. The most interesting is banded first time in living memory in Co The male gold swifts also give off a demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) Sligo in 2007, when a nest was found musky pheromone or scent to attract which has been observed along the at Lissadell. Buzzards, which are females which fly in and select a Ballysadare River. This species often seen soaring over Union Wood partner. can often be seen upstream near the in early spring, are now quite possibly I have recorded an additional 16 bridge over the Unshin River which breeding in the area. moth species by day, some as larvae is crossed just before entering Union Resident birds are joined by summer and some in adult form, including the Woods. migrants and the woodland is a nesting day-flying emperor moth (Saturnia The woodland is home to many site for good numbers of chiffchaff pavonia). The total number of moth resident bird species and wren (Phylloscopus collybita), willow species I have recorded at Union (Troglodytes troglodytes), robin warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), (Erithacus rebecula), blackbird blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) and (Turdus merula), chaffinch (Fringilla spotted flycatcher (Musciapa striata). coelebs), coal tit (Parus ater), The dawn chorus from mid-April to goldcrest (Regulus regulus) and late May in Union Wood can make woodpigeon ( palumbus) a wonderful backdrop to an early morning walk. One recent arrival

Merveille du jour: The aptly-named moth frequents mature woodland

Wood is 166. The majority have been recorded using a Heath moth trap. This hoverfly can be found around This method of recording uses a light stands of flowering ramsons Wood Warbler: A rare breeding source to attract moths which are then bird that has been present in Union trapped in a special box. The moths can are among the birds that are common Wood in recent years be examined the following morning year round. Jay (Garrulus glandarius) before being released unharmed. is another common species though to Union Wood that has generated Some notable species recorded are these shy birds are much more often excitement with bird watchers is twin-spot carpet (Perizoma diymata), heard than seen despite their striking the wood warbler (Phylloscopus waved carpet (Hydrelia sylvata), appearance. They are perhaps easiest sibilatrix). A singing male was brindled beauty (Lycia hirtaria), observed in the autumn as they collect found by Declan Skehan in June oak beauty (Biston strataria), scarce acorns and other seeds along the trails. 2011 and one to three singing birds umber (Agriopis aurantiaria), satin Many of these nuts will be stored have been heard during the last two beauty (Deileptenia ribeata), grey away for consumption during winter summers. The wood warbler is very shoulder knot (Lithopane ornitipus), with the birds showing a remarkable rare in Ireland but with the active merveille du jour (Dichonia aprilna), ability to memorise the location of management with the oak woodlands oak nycteoline (Nycteola revayana) their caches. Another charismatic it is hoped that a small population will and the micro-moth Eudonia woodland bird is the treecreeper become established in Union Wood. delunella. The presence of so many (Certhia familiaris) which is usually Mammals are also well represented scarce species is undoubtedly due to seen creeping mouse-like up the trunk in Union Wood. There is a healthy the quality of the habitat. of a tree in search of insects and other population of red squirrel (Sciurus To date I have recorded 14 species invertebrates. Upon reaching the top vulgaris) though they are quite wary of hoverfly at Union Wood. The of a tree it invariably flies down to the and more likely to be seen when few most notable species is Portevinia base of another nearby tree to start the other walkers are in the area. The pine maculata which has a strong process again. marten (Martes martes) is more often association with ramsons. The larvae The buzzard (Buteo buteo) is a fairly seen at dawn or dusk though I have tunnel through and overwinter in the large bird of prey that was driven observed them during the middle of bulbs of this plant, and the adults can to extinction in Ireland by the late the day on a couple of occasions. Signs be seen basking on the leaves when nineteenth century, largely as a result of foraging badger (Meles meles)

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are scrapings in the ground where undoubtedly common but rarely seen. earthworms and other tasty morsels Otter (Lutra lutra) is present along the have been dug up during night-time. Ballysadare River and also nearby at Fallow deer (Dama dama) are common Ballygawley Lough. in the woodland. Small numbers of Union Wood is an enjoyable place red deer (Cervus elaphus) have been to visit at any time of year and it is observed not far to the east of Union fortunate that the rare oak woodland Wood and could potentially be present, habitat is being managed in such a though I have never seen one in the positive manner. Hopefully future forest myself. Small mammals such as generations will be able to appreciate Wood Mouse: A common woodland wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) the rich biodiversity that this special resident that is rarely seen and pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus) are place supports. Hare-Raising Traditions Submitted by Alfie Banks

58 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 The ‘Buck Ruane’ By John McDonagh

Many years ago I used to hear the older housed and were milked outside in resulted in a court order from RA generation of that time discussing the the fields. According to the stories Duke remanding Ruane ‘in custody exploits of a character who lived in I heard, the Buck was a dab hand to the quarter sessions on 16th inst.’ At this townland of Spurtown way back at milking other people’s cows in the same court James Ruane brought in the second half of the nineteenth the early mornings. It caused much proceedings against Gallaghers for century. It was long before their time puzzlement to many people that for assault causing serious bodily harm, but his exploits as a criminal, poacher some inexplicable reason their cow but his claim was dismissed. and petty thief lived on for generations had gone dry for a turn or two and I found the next episode of the saga after his demise. then returned to normal production. in the Irish Prison Register 1790- I never heard him referred to as A retired RIC constable, one Mathew 1924, when James Ruane was serving anything but ‘the Buck Ruane’, and , from Lissananney, together his sentence. He was sentenced to according to the stories that were told with his two brothers, Michael and two calendar months for his assault on he seemed to be always in trouble with John, suspected that their cow was John Gallagher and a further month his neighbours, with game-keepers being milked. When they kept an for his assault on Michael (concurrent and the RIC. early-morning vigil they caught the sentencing does not appear to apply Griffith’s Valuation, the only Buck red-handed and attacked him, at that time). One can only assume reliable documentation that I could but he was no easy target. According that the judge felt that the assault on find relating to that period, lists two to the story he was overcoming all Mathew was negated by him (Mathew) Ruane families in the area, and it took three until the tricks and experience pulling down Ruane’s trousers. quite a bit of sifting before I could of the ex-policeman came into play. I learned from the prison register determine whether it was William Apparently Mathew managed to pull that it was his fourth prison term. or James that qualified for the rather the Buck’s trousers down around his Of the previous three, one was for disparaging title ‘Buck.’ ankles, leaving him immobile and stealing turf, the property of Owen At that time, before the Owenmore helpless. The Gallagher brothers then Flynn of Spurtown, on Spurtown bog, River was first drained, the river and proceeded to give him an unmerciful and the other two were for infractions its many tributaries were in an almost beating. of the game laws. I also learned that perpetual state of flooding, especially It was this story that eventually led he was 41 years old, six feet one inch during the winter months, making me to identify the Buck Ruane. A in height, and weighed thirteen stone the area an excellent wildlife habitat. couple of years back, while exploring eight pounds. He had brown hair, Many species of wildfowl including the invaluable website findmypast. grey eyes and was of fair complexion huge flocks of mallard, widgeon, teal, ie, I came across records of the Petty with no remarkable or distinctive and of course, the most prized bird of Sessions in Ballymote courthouse features. It’s hard to believe that four all, white fronted geese, came in to from 1828 to 1912. Needless to generations later I verified all this via feed in these flooded areas nightly. say they gave me endless hours my laptop at the same fireside where I They afforded wonderful shooting to of enjoyment reading about the first heard his exploits discussed in the the local people and were a much- indiscretions and misbehaviour of my days before television took over! needed and valuable source of protein own and everybody else’s ancestors. According to the local story the to the many families that the area But what really intrigued me was that Buck Ruane never got over the beating supported. Shooting then was very I found the court records of the Ruane- he took from the Gallaghers and died much a business, rather than a sport. Gallagher proceedings. It was exactly a young man in the workhouse in Wild-fowling, duck shooting and as the story had been told around the Tubbercurry in 1882. I failed to find rabbit snaring were almost cottage fireside, many years ago. a record of his death but I managed to industries at that time in the aftermath On the 9th October 1879 James verify it from another source: on July of the Great Famine, and according Ruane or Ryan, of Spurtown, was 12th William Heron, head constable, to legend Buck excelled at them all. brought before Magistrates R A Duke prosecuted widow of James Ruane for He sold the surplus products at the and Col Cooper. Complainants were £1/4/8 county cess due on her holding, markets in Ballymote and drank the Mathew, Michael and John Gallagher at the Summer Assizes 1883. proceeds, but apparently he wasn’t of Lissanney. The complaint: milking The Ruane family of Spurtown had above helping himself to rabbits from complainant’s cow and violently no descendants and is gone from the his neighbours’ snares or sending his assaulting complainants at area since the early 1900s. Some of dog across the flooded river to retrieve on 13th Sept 1879. The witnesses were the Gallagher descendants lived on in the spoils of somebody else’s gun. Mathew Gallagher, John Gallagher, Lissananney into the 1960s but they At that time farms were small and Michael Gallagher, Edward too have all died out. Perhaps their fragmented – most farmers had only a McGettrick and Head Constable unusual tale is worthy of a place in the cow or two which were usually never Timothy O’Riorden. The proceedings local history. 59 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Sligo Men of the 1798 Rebellion By Cian Harte

The exploits of some of Ireland’s soldiers in the United Irishmen Rebellion are well known. The lives of people such as Bartholomew Teeling and Theobald Wolfe Tone are well accounted for. But what about some of the ordinary rank and file Irishmen? Some of Sligo’s participants in this insurrection, the men who joined Humbert’s forces as he marched through Co Sligo, are almost totally unknown, and there is very little documentation on them. Nevertheless there does remain at least one source that reveals a handful of Sligo’s United Irishmen – a letter written by Charles O’Hara of Sligo The so-called ‘Races of Castlebar’ when French and Irish troops defeated to an unidentified person. The letter the British garrison in the town of Castlebar, 27 August 1798 includes descriptions of some of the here the forces marched north towards and the men who enlisted. He writes: suspected participants which are often Sligo, travelling through Tubbercurry one line in length but still make for en route and defeated the English One thing which surprised very interesting reading.1 garrison of Sligo close to Collooney us greatly at the outset was One year before the rebellion on in the battle of Carricknagat. This the extreme poverty we 4 May 1797, a meeting was held in was where Teeling etched himself a encountered everywhere we Sligo by the magistrates of the County niche in Irish history by committing looked. Never has there been and the captains of yeomanry corps, extraordinarily brave deeds on the a more wretched country: the where several resolutions were passed. battlefield – apparently he single- men, women and children The meeting related to the security handedly routed the forces perched go about half naked, with no of the region against impending on Union Rock while wielding a mere shelter other than their poor insurrection. Motions proposed and pistol and on horseback. cramped little huts, which do passed included reporting to the Lord Instead of continuing to travel north little to protect them from the Lieutenant regularly about the state of to Sligo, Humbert and his small army ravages of the weather. And to this part of the kingdom, a calling for veered eastwards towards Dublin and make things worse, they share the creation of a secret committee to travelled through Dromahair where these flimsy dwellings with all be formed to gather intelligence, and they dumped cannons in a local river their farmyard animals’. 4 yeomanry units were ordered to patrol as the unwieldy armaments slowed in cooperation with regular units.2 their march. From here they made Speaking more directly about the Despite their increasing awareness of their way to Drumkeerin. The army character of the Irish rebels who something afoot, nobody foresaw the was eventually caught up by English joined his French forces. Capt Jobit French landings the following year. forces much superior in number led writes: Humbert and his 1,000 French troops by the Duke of Wellington, and were ‘But the events I am about to landed at Killala Bay and marched defeated at the .3 describe will reveal how unwise it was on the town. Thereafter Ballina was So ended the French incursion. to give arms to these rebellious and captured within a few days. The Personal accounts of the French undisciplined quasi-savages, whose march to Castlebar went unhindered expedition survive written by French only concern was to break ranks and and the French forces with their officers. Many set the context of the go looting and pillaging, and who, Irish allies routed the larger English rebellion and detail the battles, but on top of everything else, were just garrison force from the town. From Capt. Jean Louis Jobit informs the as cowardly as they were wild and reader of the character of the country 60 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 ignorant’. 5 to authorities for he was ‘represented 1914-1918’ independently in 2015. Some of these ‘quasi-savages’ to be a fellow of infamous character. 2 Members of the committee included names, residencies and general A swearer in of unlimited men and O. Wynnem (Captain of the Carberry observations made of them are captain of rebels.’ 6 Cavalry), A. Irwin (Captain of the Drumcliffe Cavalry), T. Soden (Captain known. They were detailed by Charles It is clear that such men joined the of the Sligo Loyal Cavalry), J. Wood O’Hara. In the letter, Charles listed marching French along the Charleston (Captain of the Tirrearagh Infantry), C. suspected Sligo participants of the to Collooney road which passed West and J. Jones (Justices of the Peace). rebellion. Some of the suspicions were through, or came close to directly 3 Altogether 152 Loyalists from Co. tenuous such as for John and Brian doing so, areas that the named men Sligo claimed for compensation for loss of earnings/damage to property, losses ‘Whoody’ of , who were above resided in. inflicted upon their lands, so they claimed, under suspicion because they were One of the names among the 1798 as a direct result of the French/Irish forces. ‘absent during the rebellion’. Other papers archived in Sligo Central Their names are too many to list here in full but represented almost every district cases were clearer cut such as Michael Library is that of Alex McCabe of in Co. Sligo. Claims were as small as £1 Scanlon of Quarryfield. He was known Keash, who was deported. Readers or less and as high as hundreds of pounds. to have been ‘severely wounded in ought to recognise the name for 4 The 1798 Campaign by a French French service during rebellion’. in little over 100 years after the Lieutenant Jean Louis Jobit, Captain of Some of those involved confessed events described above, a prominent the 2nd Battalion of Grenadiers, 70th Half-Brigade of the Line (Translated by their role. Tim Killoran of ‘Killanty’ namesake (very likely a relation of Martin Sixsmith, Westprint, Sligo, 1990), (close to Ballymote) ‘confessed to some kind) from a similar geographic p. 6 Mr Perceval he had march’d with the area would engage in the fight for 5 The 1798 Campaign by A French French to the bridge of Ballinamuck Irish freedom during the War of Lieutenant Jean Louis Jobit, pp. 8-9 and there deserted them’. Another Independence. 6 Information sourced from ‘Return of Scanlon (forename not mentioned) --- Persons supposed to have been in the 1 Cían Harte of Riverstown endeavours to of Ballinacarrow was a rebel. ‘His late rebellion’. Letter written by Charles reconstruct the lives of Sligo’s forgotten O’Hara and archived in Sligo Central father confessed to Mr. Perceval he soldiers irrespective of why and who they Library. had marched with the rebels’. Not all fought for. Follow Cían Harte’s research at www.cianharte.com. He is the author of the characters were of a lowly rank. ‘Soldiers of Sligo’ and intends to publish Matthew Doyle of Curry was known ‘The Lost Tales: Riverstown’s Great War Mirrors The Trellis by Joan Gleeson By Bernie Gilbride

A mirror hanging on our wall Tiny green buds, pale green leaves, Was called a looking glass The thorny old rambler covers the trellis with these, When I was small. Soon blossoming eye catching posies It hung way up, too high for me, Become beautiful pink summer roses. Impossible for my face to see. Intermingled like vines This does not mean I saw no reflection Honey suckle entwined Outdoor images my recollection. Crystal clear pond, deep spring well Intoxicating night air Where once while looking in, I fell. With perfume so rare.

Mirrored there were shimmering trees Remembered when winter bare. And tall wild flowers. I watched my reflection In those leafy bowers.

When darkness fell, the window pane Was perfect for my portrait’s frame. A small child’s world, such secret place, Needs no mirror to see her face.

61 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Sligo and Catholic Emancipation By Padraig Deignan

Beidh ceart agus dlí díobh i dtír is i people as possible and gaining mass Protestants of Sligo Town’. 6 dtalamh, Ní baolach dúinn coíche faid support. The subscription was highly By July 1824 at least four lodges is mhairfeas Ó Conaill1 successful, and the Association raised were operating in Co Sligo. They were a large sum of money in its first year. Ballymote Lodge (No 795) meeting in At the beginning of the century The money was used to campaign for Finn’s Hotel; Sligo Orange Lodge (No Catholics had many freedoms, but one Catholic Emancipation, specifically 1674) in the Nelson Hotel; Lodge No right denied to wealthy middle class funding pro-emancipation MPs 464 (Sligo) in the Lodge Room, and professional Catholics was the right standing for Parliament. 2 Orange Lodge (No 1686) in the Large to sit in parliament. In 1811, Daniel The Catholic Association has been Room, King’s Arms, Gaol Street. O’Connell established the Catholic in existence in Sligo from 1824. Brunswick Clubs – ‘to unite in Board, which began the campaign for 3 The chief opposition to Catholic defence of the principals which placed Catholic Emancipation. Emancipation in Sligo came from the illustrious House of Brunswick on O’Connell (1775–1847), often the Orange Lodges. The Brothers the Throne of these Realms’. referred to as ‘The Liberator’ or ‘The of Knights Templars and Royal Protestants, feeling under threat Emancipator’, was born at Carhan Orange Lodge No 626 operated in from the Catholic majority in their near Cahersiveen, . Sligo in December 1793, predating pursuit of emancipation, began to O’Connell qualified as a barrister the foundation of the Orange Order form the Brunswick Constitutional and was a landowner himself. In at Loughall, Co Armagh, in 1795. Club of Ireland around the existing 1823 O’Connell set up the Catholic 4 Around the same time Lodge No core of Orange Order members in Association, which acted as a pressure 562 operated in Sligo town with a order to maintain their dominance of group against the British government. membership of 600. 5 In March 1823 politics and control over positions of It aimed to secure the betterment of Sligo Orange Association Lodge influence. The Clubs were strongly Irish Catholics and force electoral No 1674 with 200 members held conservative, aristocratic and reform, reform of the Church of meetings in the Linen Hall. Toasts virulently anti-Catholic. Key Sligo Ireland, tenants’ rights, and economic were frequently drunk to Owen Protestants attended the first annual development. The Association was Wynne, described as ‘the steady general meeting of the Brunswick funded by a membership charge of supporter of Protestant interest; to Constitutional Club at the end of the one penny per month, also called Colonel Alexander Perceval and the summer of 1828 and included Edward the Catholic rent, a small amount Independence of the County; and Cooper MP, Colonel Alexander with the hope of attracting as many to John Black and the Independent Perceval, Colonel John Irwin and Colonel John Ffolliott. Colonel Irwin was the first Sligo County Grand Master of the Orange Order. 7 On 17 August 1828 the County Sligo Brunswick Club was formed by the Protestants of Sligo Town and County in the Courthouse, with Colonel Edward Wingfield as chairman. 8 John Ormsby proposed a resolution ‘that a Club be formed, to be called the Brunswick Club of the County of Sligo, on the principals of preserving the integrity of our Protestant Constitution.’ John Gore Jones of Raughly was appointed secretary and George Dodwell treasurer. The editorial in the Sligo Journal called on Protestants in the county ‘to unite in defence of the principals which placed the illustrious House of Brunswick on the Throne of ‘The Catholic Association or Paddy coming it strong!’ these Realms’, arguing that ‘it was in

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Association. After O’Connell won the election he was unable to take his seat as Members of Parliament had to take the Oath of Supremacy, which was incompatible with Catholicism. The Prime Minister and fellow Irishman, the Duke of Wellington, and the Home Secretary, Sir Robert Peel, even though they opposed Catholic participation in Parliament, saw that denying O’Connell his seat would cause outrage and could lead to mass civil disobedience in Ireland. 15 Peel and Wellington convinced George IV that Catholic emancipation and the right of Catholics, Presbyterians and members of all Christian faiths to sit in Parliament needed to be established. With the help of the Whigs it was A pro-Union cartoon celebrating ‘the Union Club’ – ‘We’ll join hand in signed into law by the king in April hand, all Party shall cease / And Glass after Glass, shall our Union increase 1829. / In the cause of Old England we’ll drink the Sun / Then toast Little Ireland The old oaths of allegiance were & drink down the Moon!’ replaced by an oath of allegiance this County the Catholic clergy first Town as well as others celebrating ‘the to the Crown and the Protestant caused the ‘forty shillingers’ to array Twelfth’. 12 In 1833 there were seven succession. Catholics were eligible to themselves against you – now be Orange Lodges in Sligo, Nos 464 and occupy all the offices of state except you the first to overturn the ladder by 465 (Collooney); 562 and 795 (Sligo that of Regent, Lord Chancellor which Popery is scaling the walls of Town); 870 (); 929 (Carney) of Ireland or England, or Lord the Constitution’. 9 and 1050 (Ballymote). Col John Lieutenant of Ireland. Catholic On 26 September 1828 the Irwin was County Grand Master. 13 In religious celebrations could not be Drumcliffe Brunswick Club was a report on Orangeism in Sligo John held outside homes or in churches, formed with 400 attending. Sir Gore Jones – magistrate of Co Sligo Catholic could not assume Robert Gore Booth, the chairman of from 1817 to 1831 and a member of titles of sees already held by members the meeting, declared in conciliatory the County Sligo Grand Lodge who of the Established Church and all language ‘let it not therefore be said resigned on his appointment as a members of religious orders entering that we come here for the petty, paltry, Stipendiary Magistrate in 1832 – was the country were liable to banishment, ignominious design of irritating our keen to relay the peaceful nature of although most of the restrictions were Roman Catholic brethren – let it not be the organisation in the county. ‘In my ignored. The Catholic Association said that we meet here for the purpose native Sligo the Orangemen merely dissolved itself and the politically of taunting or insulting our fellow met on certain festivals and enjoyed and professionally ambitious Catholic men. We meet, sir, for a more noble, themselves in a very temperate middle class and gentry could now a more generous purpose. We are met manner,’ he said. ‘There were no aspire to the higher offices of state. here to form a Protestant phalanx to uncharitable feelings engendered However, the Protestant establishment guard those Institutions which have by it and the most perfect harmony maintained their dominance over been hallowed by time – to protect seemed to exist between them and the offices and it was still difficult for that religion…’ 10 Sligo Borough Catholics’. 14 Catholics to penetrate this fortress of founded a club around the same time, Despite the efforts of the Brunswick Protestantism. with Henry McKee as president.11 Clubs and the Orange Order the An important and long lasting Over the next two months clubs Emancipation movement had mass affect of Emancipation was the part were founded at Ardnaglass, support in Ireland and a great deal of of the Emancipation Act which Ballymote, Collooney, Drumcliffe sympathy from the establishment in disenfranchised the forty shilling and Easkey. However following the Britain. The matter came to a head freeholders. The forty-shilling passing of Catholic Emancipation, the when O’Connell stood in a by-election freeholders were those who held a Brunswick Clubs quietly melted into to the House of Commons in 1828 lease for life on property or land and history, replaced once again by the for for a seat vacated were granted the right to vote in 1793. Orange lodges. On 13 July 1832 there by William Vesey Fitzgerald, who With the passing of Emancipation Act were reports of Lodge No 51 Sligo had been a supporter of the Catholic of 1829 the voting qualification was

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‘O’Connell driving the foreign toads and vipers from the land.’ raised from forty shillings to £10. and involved the Catholic clergy in Rev Dr in attendance The electorate in Ireland was reduced harnessing mass protest. The tenants also. 19 On the following day a meeting from over 100,000 to 16,000 and in also had clear evidence of what could of the Sligo Catholic Association was Co Sligo it was reduced from 5,036 be achieved by large numbers involved held with John Chester in the chair. in 1829 to 610 in 1830. 16 O’Connell in peaceful constitutional agitation. O’Connell condemned the Sligo MPs, consoled himself that the forty shilling But for the moment, the only winners maintaining that ‘both are determined freeholders were sacrificed as under were the Catholic middle classes. foes to civil and religious liberty – the existing electoral system they were they have voted for every job – they under the control of their landlords Sligo Liberal Club - ‘He said that have voted against Catholics…’ He and could not act independently. 17 the Tories, without more delay, also referred to the state of the union The disenfranchisement of so many should be kicked out of office the between Britain and Ireland and set did result in the eviction of some very next day’18 the seeds for what would later become tenants who had defied their landlords On 2 August 1828, less than a year the demand for repeal of the union. and could no longer be trusted, and it before the granting of Catholic O’Connell argued for ‘a separation appeared that once they had fulfilled Emancipation, Daniel O’Connell from the British parliament in order their usefulness they were discarded visited Sligo and the Catholic to recreate the Irish Legislature’. onto the scrap heap of history and Association held a public dinner for However, he insisted that he did not their holdings consolidated. However him on the following day in the Catholic wish to separate from the Crown of the Catholic Association and School in Chapel Lane. Upwards of England and he called on the members O’Connell’s campaign had sown the 130 people attended with Charles to form a Liberal Club in Sligo. seeds of political defiance in Ireland McDermott as chairman along with Following O’Connell’s visit, the 64 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

leading local Liberals and prominent merchants Martin Madden and Andrew Walker, securing his election over Martin with 262 votes to 208. 23 In 1841 following a meeting of the Liberal voters of Sligo presided over by Rev Owen Feeney, PP, Somers was returned as MP for Sligo Borough unopposed. By 1847 the Rev Owen Feeney and a majority of the Liberal electors of Sligo Borough became unhappy with John Somers’s performance at Westminster and they approached Charles Towneley of Lancashire, a member of a leading Catholic family, to run for the Liberal Party in Sligo. The , Sir James Crofton Dr Browne, gave his full backing to Towneley and he won the 1848 was the first public gathering of the election but was later unseated on a Catholic Freeholders of Sligo Town petition. Somers won the following O’Connell addressing the crowd and County. The Liberals required an election later in 1848 defeating Sligo Liberal and Independent Club organ to espouse their views and in both the Conservative and Liberal was founded in October 1828 ‘to watch April 1836 the Sligo Champion was candidates. over and protect the Forty Shilling established at a Liberal meeting. Freeholders of the County should The growing impact of local they suffer persecution on account of Liberals had already taken effect on the conscientious discharge of their local politics and they achieved a duty towards religion and Country.’ victory in the Borough Parliamentary However as we have seen they were Election of December 1832 with the not protected and were sacrificed return of John Martin of the Cleveragh on the altar of Emancipation. The estate on the banks of meeting was held in the Catholic and the Garvogue River. Had had Schoolhouse in Chapel Lane. Leading 213 votes to the 159 of the outgoing Catholic gentlemen of the town and Tory John Wynne of Hazelwood, who county attended. Six of them were had held the seat since 1828. Daniel magistrates. Charles MacDermot O’Connell had doubts surrounding was elected president at the meeting. Martin’s political convictions but as The Bishops of Elphin, Killala and an individual he held Martin in high Achonry were on the committee and esteem. At the next election in January committees were formed in each 1835 Martin was returned unopposed. barony. 20 Martin had his Catholic/Liberal Daniel Jones Snr The Liberal Club included middle support withdrawn at the following class Catholics and a few Liberal election in 1837 when he reneged on In November 1836 a Sligo branch Protestant landlords, including Sir principles which had guaranteed his of the Registration Club in Dublin James Crofton of House and election twice before. was founded and named the Reform William Parke of Dunally. In January Dean James Donlevy (1791 - 38) Registry Association of Sligo, also 1836 over 2,000 attended a meeting with the ‘blessing’ of both Patrick known as the Registration Club, of the Sligo Liberal and Independent Burke, the Bishop of Elphin and at a meeting in the Linenhall. Sir Club, which took place to prepare Daniel O’Connell advocated John James Crofton was president and an address to Earl Mulgrave, the Patrick Somers of Chaffpool, Co also attending were Daniel Jones, Lord Lieutenant on his anticipated Sligo. He was educated at Harrow Sir William Parke, Major Bromhead, visit, with the chair occupied by Sir where he became a friend of Lord Dr Patrick Burke, DD, John Patrick James Crofton. 21 He later visited the Palmerston. O’Connell was much Somers and numerous members of town in August 1836 and knighted more comfortable backing Somers, the Catholic clergy from around the William Parke for his support. The describing him as ‘my young friend’. county. They wanted Independent meeting was significant in that it 22 Somers also received the backing of representation in parliament. The

65 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 growing confidence of the Liberals in Griffith when he founded the Sinn Féin of Sligo. The Bishops of Elphin and Sligo was felt at a county level as well, Party in 1905. O’Connell appealed to Killala were also in attendance. 25 and in the election of 1837 Daniel the largely Catholic masses and held The Famine, dissention amongst Jones Jnr of Benada challenged the a series of what became known as the Repealers along with O’Connell’s two outgoing Conservative members ‘Monster Meetings’ throughout much death in 1847 in Genoa, Italy, while Joshua Cooper and Colonel Alexander of Ireland. These rallies alarmed the on a pilgrimage to Rome at the age of Perceval. However some Protestants British Government and the Prime 71, brought the Repeal movement to reneged on their promise to vote for Minister, Sir Robert Peel, banned an end. By 1848 in a famine-stricken Jones and both Cooper and Perceval a proposed monster meeting at land, it was a spent force. were returned. Clontarf in 1843. This occurred after -- Following municipal reform in 1842 the biggest monster meeting in Tara. To read more about issues affecting Sligo the old Tory Corporation was swept Despite appeals from his supporters, in the pre-Famine years and in the second half of the nineteenth century consult my aside. Martin Madden, a leading Sligo O’Connell, an opponent of violent new book Land and People in Nineteenth Liberal became the first Catholic means to secure political ends, refused Century Sligo: from Union to Local mayor in 1843 since the Reformation. to defy the authorities and he called Government. The book investigates the From 1837 to 1869 when the borough off the meeting. interaction of land, economics and politics was disenfranchised, Liberals and Co Sligo was relatively quick off the in the county in the period following the the Conservatives held the office mark in joining the Repeal campaign, end of the Napoleonic Wars to the Local alternatively. County representation and on 1 August 1841 at least 20,000 Government Act of 1898 and is available in local bookshops. remained in Tory hands until 1852 people assembled at Ballymote to when Richard Swift took a seat and call for the Repeal of the Union, with 1‘You will have right and just law in 1868 and 1874, Denis O’Connor Joseph McDonnell of Doo Castle in throughout the land, There’s no fear of took one of the seats under the Liberal the chair. Resolutions were passed us from now on, so long as O’Connell is banner. Sir Robert Gore Booth was calling for legislative independence alive’ – Raifteirí 2 the last Conservative for Co Sligo. from Britain. 24 In early 1843 the Sligo Patrick M Geoghegan, King Dan (Dublin, 2008), p168 Robert Edward King-Harman (1838- Repeal Association was founded and 3 Palmerston Papers, February to October 1888), of Rockingham House, Boyle, weekly meetings were held in the 1824 (University of Southampton, who stood as a Home Ruler although Bazaar Rooms, Knox’s Street. In Palmerston Papers, BR150/1/24/1-2) later declared for Unionism, replaced April 1843 Sligo Corporation passed a 4 SJ, 20 Dec 1793 Gore Booth on his death. resolution demanded Repeal. In May 5 John C McTernan, A Sligo miscellany (Dublin, 2000), p 454 1843 thousands attended a Repeal 6 Repeal of the Union– ‘give the meeting in Kelly’s Field, Cartron, SJ, 22 Mar 1823 7 Report of Proceedings of … the Emancipation Act its natural effect’ Martin Madden along with O’Connell Brunswick Club of Ireland, 1828 (NLI, Following the achievement of Catholic himself addressed the crowd. Madden Brunswick Clubs, MS 5017) Emancipation and the growing success was the first Catholic mayor of the 8 SJ, 29 Aug 1828 of the Liberal Clubs around Ireland, reformed corporation of Sligo. 9 Ibid O’Connell turned his attention to the Large meetings were held around 10 Ibid, 30 Sept 1828 11 Ibid, 3 Oct 1828 repeal of the Act of Union. In 1801 the the county over the summer of 1844. 12 act had united the Parliaments of Great By 1845 the Sligo Repeal Association Ibid, 13 July 1832 13 Report of the Select Committee Britain and Ireland to form the United had a membership of over 1,000. appointed to inquire into … the Orange Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Daniel O’Connell attended a Monster Lodges in Ireland, 1833 Throughout the 1830s O’Connell meeting in Sligo in October 1845 14 Ibid, 1835 canvassed support for repeal of the in what was described as ‘a great 15 Oliver MacDonagh, The Life of Daniel union at Westminster and argued for day for Sligo, for Ireland and for O’Connell (Dublin, 1991) 16 social, political and electoral reform Repeal’. Martin Madden chaired the Sligo Observer, 9 Apr 1829 17 Gearoid O’Tuathaigh, Ireland Before in Ireland. meeting and a resolution was passed the Famine 1798 – 1848 (Dublin, 2007), In April 1840 O’Connell, at the meeting declaring that ‘we p 61 anticipating the fall of his Whig allies solemnly pledge ourselves from this 18 From The Banada Bear, published in from power, felt the time was right for day forward to give our uttermost and the SJ, 5 May 1837 the foundation of the Loyal National untiring aid to the immortal Liberator, 19 SJ, 4 Aug 1828 20 Sligo Observer, 6 Nov 1828 Repeal Association, demanding that O’Connell, in his glorious struggle to 21 the Act of Union be repealed and the Repeal the iniquitous act of Union, SJ, 22 Jan 1836 22 John C McTernan, In Sligo long ago Irish Parliament restored. O’Connell impressed, as we are, that there are (Dublin, 1998), pp 130-41 argued for the re-creation of an no other means left of raising Ireland 23 SC, 12 Aug 1837 independent to to her rank amongst the nations of 24 Ibid, 7 Aug 1841 govern itself, with Queen Victoria as the world.’ A banquet later that night 25 Ibid, 18 Oct 1845 the Queen of Ireland; something along in the Repeal Rooms was chaired by the lines later suggested by Arthur John P Somers, MP for the Borough 66 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 A Night at the Opera By Bernie Gilbride

On deciding to return to Riva at the was at 8 pm. We settled back though a colour. The chorus started and a large top end of Lake Garda, the foot of the little uneasy. white receptacle glided onto the stage, Italian Alps, we immediately made The rain continued right into Verona. representing a tomb. Out stepped the plans to attend an opera in the city Again David assured us that by the diva in shimmering white and started of Verona’s outdoor amphitheatre. time we had had a nice cup of coffee it to sing. A hush descended on the huge We had missed out on a similar would probably be over. We dashed to arena. performance the previous year by a the restaurant beside the amphitheatre The acoustics were superb, every few days. and ordered our coffee and sat with note and nuance audible. We relaxed As soon as our courier arrived at our fearful hearts as the beautiful square and allowed ourselves to be born hotel to advise on available tours we outside become deserted. Towards away to another world of song, music asked that he arrange this night trip 8pm the sky began to lighten and our and intrigue. As the first aria drew to a for us, and he duly did. Our preference hearts lifted. We made our way to the close, horror of horrors the first drops was for Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida, but nearest entrance and gladly took our of rain hit our cheeks – it was a second as this was completely booked out places in the queue. Eventually we deluge. The orchestra jumped to their we settled for La Traviata on the climbed – and I really mean climbed feet, holding their instruments to their following Wednesday night. – to our seats high up in the ‘gods’, as chests, and rushed for their entrance. From Riva to Verona is approximately would be said at home. We ascended The diva jumped back into her tomb an hour’s journey by bus, so we wide shallow stone stairs, with wide and was pulled back stage, and a voice planned to stay near the hotel from landings which ran all around under in Italian advised it would continue lunch on. The morning was beautifully the tiered stone seating, well planned after the rain. warm and sunny, typical Italian by ancient Romans to cater for We jumped too and began the climb summer weather, and we spent it on thousands of spectators. It is reputed down to the stairway, long skirts the shores of Lake Garda, walking, to seat 30,000 people comfortably and now sweeping the water from the swimming, and just lounging about no doubt it does. It was known to be in steps down into our shoes. We were until it was time to prepare for our full use in 39AD. drenched in minutes and glad to reach evening at the opera. The original walls were 30.75m the shelter of the stairways where we The bus was leaving at 4pm but we high, part of which are still standing commiserated with each other and were ready long before that, dressed and were floodlit, a fabulous sight. the many others sheltering with us. in our most glamorous gear – long The outer remaining wall is 18.5m, The landings and stairs were policed flowing skirts, our highest heeled still a good height. We settled on the with armed guards and in no time the sandals, and so on. The hotel had terraced stone seats and were very ‘craic’ was mighty, everyone trying to been most helpful, providing us with glad of our cushions. make the most of a small disaster. The take away dinners beautifully packed, The opera was due now to begin at rain lightened after about 30 minutes and the receptionist advised we take 9pm so we settled in and watched the and we proceeded back to our seats a cushion each from the chairs in the crowds. The locals greeted the well- only for the rain to recommence with gardens. It was indeed a merry and known and famous with a big cheer a vengeance. The Italian voice came excited band that set forth. as they arrived and were recognised. back announcing with regret the We had been only about 15 minutes They occupied the plush seats facing Opera must be cancelled, all money on the bus when the first drops of rain the stage on the ground floor. From would be refunded—as if we cared arrived, and in seconds it turned into our height we had a spectacular view. about the money! a downpour. The wipers on the bus The orchestra arrived and begin to In a downpour we made our way could hardly cope, the rain was so tune up their instruments. The arena back to the bus disappointed but heavy. This was our first experience was packed. As the orchestra started satisfied to have experienced, even of Italian rain and we were shocked. into the overture the place became for a short time the magical night it David, our courier, told us not to electric, with a feeling of magic. The might have been. On the bus home my worry it would probably stop as fast lights dimmed and all around this friends sang many of the current hits as it began, and we were happy to beautiful elliptical theatre a myriad of of the day and even some of the better listen to him, assuming it would last small candle-lamps appeared and the known opera pieces which helped take only a few minutes. Verona was still opera began. The massive stage was the edge from our disappointment. a full 30 minutes away and the Opera filled with movement and glowing 67 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 The Passing of Old Mullaghmore By Joe McGowan

The ass and horse carts of old Mullaghmore, with their bright colours of red and blue, rattle up and down the rough and stony roads of my mind. On a quiet evening each one, with its own distinctive sound, could be heard and identified by the knock of the axle long before it was seen. ‘That’s Johnny Gallagher coming home from the bog with a load of turf,’ or ‘Sounds like James Gorman coming up at Lena’s,’ my father might say, as he paused in his work to decipher the approaching sound. As the little seaside village increased in popularity, cars and caravans came more and more frequently with each passing year, and each year the carts became fewer and fewer. There were “‘Well I’m not,” says I. ‘Get to hell the old schoolhouse in Mullaghmore. a few who carried on the old ways outa the way.”’ Very few faces there were known to but one by one the tidy farms fell into me where once I knew everyone. I disrepair and the tillers of the soil ‘...Alone, as if enduring to the end listened with rapt attention as the passed on. A valiant armour of scarred hopes strains of Borodin’s Nocturne wafted Paddy was one of those who still outworn, around the old walls. My mind saved hay, grew his own vegetables, He stood there in the middle of the strayed back to when Kevin McGrath, and kept cattle, hens, ducks and geese. road Petie Mullaney and myself played The holidaymakers who increasingly Like Roland’s ghost winding a silent The Frost is all Over and The Rose of clogged the roads in the busy summer horn...’ Aranmore there to an appreciative and days were a constant source of – Mr. Flood’s Party, Edwin Arlington uncritical audience of locals. frustration to him. Robinson, 1869-19351 As the gentle strains of Mozart’s ‘Christ, it’s all right for them they a Eine Kleine Nachtmusik thrilled the have nothing to do!’ he’d declare. The changes multiplied. Homes listeners, Steve Wickham’s fiddling ‘There was two of them talking across became properties and fields became elbow faded away in a time-changing from two cars blockin’ the road there sites. The old road down to Claddagh mist, and in my mind’s eye was the other day and me in a panic to get Dúbh, once a busy highway for transformed into my old teacher’s a few bales of hay in before the rain. farmers drawing wrack and feamnach strong right hand. Wickham’s gifted Ye’d think they owned the place! I to meadow and crop, and the place bow became Sr De Pazzi’s righteous stopped for a minute or two but there where I laboured under ganger rod; I was back again in a time when was no sign of them movin’. I got outa Tom Kennedy at my first real job, the only music heard in this old school the car finally anyway an’ says I to mouldered away. Now a yacht club, was a loud yodelling as that valiant them rale nice: symbol of the new Mullaghmore, nun tried to beat the three ‘R’s into straddles this once vital artery. her unpromising charges. Steve and ‘“Are ye on holidays?” Recently I attended a performance Eine Kleine Nachtmuisk re-emerged ‘“Oh we are,’ says they, looking by the Sligo Baroque Ensemble at from the vision and, awaking, I round. 68 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 looked for the row of steel brads on activity fills the air, and it seems will return once again to dance the the floor where long ago we toed everyone is on the move. Hordes of brief seasonal dance of the Mayfly. the line in anxious, short-trousered sun-worshippers are busy to-ing and …And there is nothing in the town attention as De Pazzi coaxed, pleaded fro-ing indulging their respective below – and threatened, doing her holy best hobbies: fishing, diving, surfing, Where strangers shut the many doors to beat knowledge into our thick and yachting, paragliding, pleasure That many friends had opened long inattentive heads. cruising. ago.’ Yes, all is changed now, and as in Too soon the sun sits low and lower Robinson’s poem, changed forever: in the sky. Winter nights close in; the -- 1Roland, the tragic hero of a French epic the roads, the harbour, the fields, hordes leave for their winter seats; poem, The Song of Roland (La Chanson the houses. Telemann’s Trio sonata their domes of pleasure sit soon again de Roland), centering on the Battle of in F Major has replaced The Rose in empty silence. The dull eyes of Roncevalles (near a village with a similar of Aranmore. Thatched cottages shuttered windows look blindly out name, Roncevaux) in 778 between the have been replaced with holiday to sea; no footfall disturbs the silence; forces of Charlemagne and an invading force of Moors. As Roland commands homes, fishing boats with pleasure old ghosts reclaim the empty places. Charlemagne’s rear guard at Roncevalles, cruisers. Mullaghmore is a beehive of When Easter comes again the he fights valiantly but dies after blowing pleasure seekers in the summertime. lengthening days will chase away the his horn to summon help that never comes Resembling the flight of the Mayfly ghosts of winter; the pleasure seekers because all his soldiers are dead.

Artistic arrangement of turf on a Ballymote bog by Pam Benson of Ballymote Heritage Group

69 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 From Carrigans to the World By Jim Higgins

Carrigans National School has been closed since 1974, just three years before I came to live here, on lands where my mother’s ancestors (Bretts) lived and worked for generations. The school had been in existence for 95 years, opening its doors for the first time in 1879. Frequently observing this neglected building sets my mind to imagining what life must have been like for those ancestors who attended the school since 1879, and indeed what life must have been like for my mother who also attended here. She was raised from the age of four by her aunt, on the premature death of her own mother in 1914. What were the burning questions of the day?

Political Situation Ireland in 1879 was a relatively A photo taken of pupils of Carrigans National School, Ballymote, in 1941. insignificant part of the Great British If readers know who any of the people are, please contact The Corran Empire ruled over by Queen Victoria Herald or Ballymote Heritage Group. Photo courtesy of Raymond Hever. and which stretched around the globe, in the belief that land ownership could all read and write, and on emigration from Australia and New Zealand to only be brought about when Home to Scotland the family of John Brett Africa, the Americas, the Middle East Rule became a reality. wrote letters regularly to my mother. and India. Since the devastation of Despite some hopeful efforts, They sent parcels of books, sweets the Great Hunger of 1845/47 the lot successive prime ministers Benjamin and chocolates every Christmas. of the average Irish tenant farmer who Disraeli and William Ewart Gladstone As a child I have cherished survived starvation and emigration, failed to deliver, so physical force was memories of meeting this granduncle had improved very little. becoming a last resort for a population as he made several holiday visits Indeed another famine in 1879 who were constantly in danger of to our home to reminisce with his might have caused similar havoc starvation. was to be brother Charlie who came to live were it not for the intervention of the the catalyst for a new independent with us in the 1950s. He was in his London government and charitable Ireland was born in this year of 1879. declining years, widowed and totally organisations in the distribution blind, and I was privileged to be his of food and clothing. The MP for From Carrigans to Glasgow guide. The highlight of each holiday County Sligo at the time was none Thomas Brett married Catherine was a day set aside for him to explore other than Edward King-Harman Gillespie and they supported the old family homestead, which by of Rockingham Estate, Boyle, Co themselves and their nine children on then was roofless and falling asunder. Roscommon, who held title to most a farm of less than 20 acres situated He dispensed with all assistance once of the land in Carrigans at that time, in , just a few fields we reached the entrance gate, which so the Westminster government in behind Carrigans School. was about 50 yards from the door of London could be in no doubt about It is reasonable to assume a pretty the cottage, and he would slowly and the desperation of his tenants. frugal lifestyle with few of life’s carefully negotiate his way using the The worst suffering and effects of luxuries. Potatoes, in their many stone wall fence as a guide. Once at hunger were experienced in Mayo, forms such as , potato the door he would caress the jambs Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. The Land cakes and ‘’, would have and the lintel with his hands, and for War took centre stage and Michael been on the ‘menu’ regularly. Eggs, some moments he would be lost in his Davitt was arrested while addressing a poultry, bacon, homemade butter own thoughts. The words of Henry huge meeting on 3 November 1879 in and buttermilk would be available Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem Gurteen. He was imprisoned in Sligo to some degree while in season. The My Lost Youth come to mind: jail. Parnell and Davitt joined forces Census of 1901 shows that they could

70 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

There are things of which I may not do ‘outdoor’ nursing. Appointed as on their heads calabashes filled with speak; Mother Gabriel in 1926, she embarked water over long distances. Fr Kearns There are dreams that cannot die; on an ambitious plan to build a state- was not altogether unaccustomed to There are thoughts that make the of-the-art hospital but having no funds water shortages, as the Carrigans of strong heart weak, or wealthy benefactors, she spent his youth had no water scheme and no And bring a pallor into the cheek, ‘countless hours before the Blessed naturally occurring water sources, so And a mist before the eye. Sacrament, night and day.’ he made every effort to help the locals Although subject to extreme to dig deeply through the laterite to He recounted many stories of personal ill health and suffering ‘even provide water for their daily needs. making ridges with a ‘loy’ and cutting to the point of death,’ she cheerfully Such projects, involving many oats with a reaping hook. Saving turf and relentlessly pressed ahead with her weeks intensive and dangerous on Derreen bog was an annual event. building programme, and miraculously physical work, often ended in bitter When the turf was dry it was brought as each wing was completed it was disappointment if no water was found. across the Owenmore river in a boat, paid for. Saint Joseph’s Hospital was But help was at hand. A young teacher thus shortening by several miles the officially opened and dedicated in from Longford, who taught at the journey home by donkey and cart. 1931, and expert nursing care was same college as I, discovered that he The donkey and cart was also used open to the poor of Catholics and Non possessed the gift of dowsing and he as a taxi when he set out as a young Catholics alike. (The site is occupied honed his skills while on annual leave. man to travel to Scotland, and he since 1981by BUPA Spire Hospital Returning to Nigeria in 1975, Denis would catch the train at Collooney Manchester and the convent is now St Glennon gave generously of his time, to travel to Enniskillen and onwards Luke’s Clinic). travelling by motorbike to many SMA to Belfast and Larne. The Sligo, But this was only the beginning, as missions in the state and successfully Leitrim and Northern Counties further hospitals and maternity homes located good water sources in each Railway was also born in 1877-1879 were opened in Bowden, Liverpool, and every one, without exception. and remained in existence for 80 Penmaenmawr and Wrexham in Fr Dominic talked with great years until closing in 1957-1959. It Wales, Mansfield, Carlton Road, affection about the Carrigans of his served counties Fermanagh, Cavan, Danesfield and in 1944 at Warren youth with the handball alley and the Leitrim and Sligo with stations Point on Carlingford Derroon football team being central to at , Dromahair, Lough. Some further hospitals were his memories. His journeys to Cork by , Ballygawley, Collooney opened in her name even after her train from Collooney took many long (Carrignagat), Ballisodare and Sligo. death at the age of 69 on 12 March hours and stopped at innumerable There were many other stories 1949, most notably Saint Joseph’s stations on the way. Collooney was which are now long forgotten, but Hospital Garden Hill Sligo. a very busy central railway station the soothing, reassuring sound of his At her funeral mass, Fr Kershaw with connections to Dublin, Cork and kindly voice, despite all his personal described her as ‘one of the greatest Belfast (via Enniskillen). sorrows, still whisper to me across women in post- Emancipation He enjoyed nothing better than the decades, just as I used to hear him England.’ Her life is surely testament recalling stories from his youth, whisper the rosary to himself as he to the fact that from the most and he had a fine oral collection retired at night. I’m sure that stories of humble beginnings great and noble of seanfhocail gaeilge. One of his the Apparition of Our Lady at Knock achievements are possible. favourites was ‘Is ding den leamhán in 1879 were familiar to him as he a scoilteann é féin’, which when wielded the loy and saved the turf in From Carrigans to Nigeria translated means ‘Only an elm wedge his youth. From 1974 to 1976 I taught in Nigeria. can split an elm log.’ His great love The Cork-based SMA Fathers had for the Gaeilge and all things Irish From Carrigans to Marseille and several priests in that area, one of were no doubt carefully cultivated Manchester whom was Revd Fr Dominic Kearns by his National School Teacher, and Eleanor Brett was the fifth eldest and from Carrigans, and he became a the last principal teacher of Carrigans was born on 7 June 1880. She dreamed lifelong friend until his death a few National School, Tom McGettrick. of nursing the poor, the sick and the years ago. This indefatigable, jovial, I’m sure that many other emigrants underprivileged, and to that end she spiritual and prayerful man of God from Carrigans made outstanding joined the Sisters of Saint Joseph spent 50 years bringing Christian contributions to societies throughout of the Apparition and completed witness to the poorest of the poor the four corners of the earth and that her noviciate at the Mother House and establishing schools and health their descendants reflect upon their in Marseille. As Sister Gabriel she centres to care for their basic needs. experiences as they pass ‘the school trained as a nurse at the Manchester Water shortages were and still remain with nobody in it’, to paraphrase Royal Infirmary. a huge problem over vast areas of Joyce Kilmer. Perhaps we may read In 1909 she was appointed to work Northern Nigeria, and the daily task of of such exploits in future editions of at ‘The Home’ in Whalley Range getting water takes up most of the day. The Corran Herald. to care for ‘aged’ women, and to It usually falls to the women to carry

71 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 O Cebreiro – A tiny Spanish Village of World Fame

By Frank Tivnan

the mass, the bread and wine visibly became real bread and real blood of Jesus Christ. The precious relics are stored in rock crystal reliquaries donated by Isabel and Fernando, and are on display in a secure showcase to the right of the main altar. The Catholic monarchs visited O Cebreiro in 1486 on their way to Compostela. The story of the miracle of O Cebreiro spread throughout Europe and greatly influenced Richard Wagner’s opera Parsifal. The 12th century chalice involved in the miracle forms a major part of the Heraldic A Celtic dwelling typical of the area Shield of Galicia. The witnesses of the miracle, the officiating monk and of St James Major in the Cathedral of O Cebreiro is a tiny hamlet in the the farmer are buried in two adjacent Santiago de Compostela. province and diocese of Lugo of niches in the chapel of the miracle. It In the ninth century, a church, a the Celtic region of Galicia in the is interesting to see the large number hospital and an inn were established north west of Spain. It is situated of candles burning on the farmer’s by Benedictine monks from the at an altitude of 1300 metres on the tomb in contrast with the few lying on Abbey of Aurillac, France, to cater mountain range of Os Ancares and is the monk’s tomb. for the needs of pilgrims who passed 4km from the A-6 highway between To the left of the main entrance of St through this mountain stop, which is La Corunna and Madrid. Mary’s we find the baptistery, which now Stage 25 of the Camino walk. O Cebreiro is derived from the Latin contains a medieval stone tub where This stop is the first village of Galicia Cebrarium which means ‘the place of baptism by immersion took place. In the pilgrim meets after coming from the Asiatic wild asses’. However the 1835 the Benedictines were expelled León-Castille. Celts had settled on this mountaintop from the O Cebreiro monastic The Benedictines built a fine pre- long before the Romans, as testified by complex as a consequence of the Romanesque basilica-style church their very-well-presented Celtic stone masonic Prime Minister Mandizábal’s in the area and dedicated it to Royal oval-shaped huts called ‘pallozas’. ecclesiastical confiscations. The St Mary. The ‘royal’ tag shows that The capital letter ‘O’ of the first Church of St Mary and adjacent O Cebreiro enjoyed the protection element of the name is masculine buildings became a complete ruin. of many Spanish monarchs. It is the singular of the definite article in However, in 1962 Fr Elías Valina oldest extant church of the whole Galego, the native language of this Sampedro was appointed PP of the Camino Francés. part of Spain, a Romance language O Cebreiro group of churches. He is A wonderful event took place in the closely related to Portuguese. Spanish known to history as ‘El Cura’ of O early 14th is also spoken in Galicia. century in Royal St Mary’s Cebreiro. Fr Elías was born in 1929 The true Galicians belong to the which is known as ‘the miracle of O in Mundín near Sarria, Galicia. He got Celtic race who speak a language Cebreiro’. On a very windy, sleety his PhD from the Pontifical University which comes from vulgar Latin. Their day, a farmer from the nearby village of Salamanca. His doctoral thesis culture has much in common with of Barxa Maior travelled a few miles to was entitled ‘El Camino de Santiago: the Irish one, including playing the hear mass in St Mary’s. The celebrant, studio histórico- jurídico’ (‘The Way bagpipes. Pilgrims who do the walk a Benedictine monk of weak faith, on of St James – a histórico legal study’). on the Camino Francés of St James seeing the farmer in the church said Fr Elías restored the church of St Mary pass through the village of O Cebreiro ‘what a fool to brave the elements Royal and two ancillary buildings. He about 168km from the goal of their just for a piece of bread and wine.’ introduced electricity and running pilgrimage, the tombs of the Apostle However during the of water to the area. He restored much

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of the Camino track and pilgrims’ hostels, and was responsible for the now famous yellow arrows and shells that guide pilgrims to the correct Camino from Roncesvalles to Compostela, a journey of 500 miles. By giving illustrated lectures on the Camino all over Europe and the USA, he greatly helped to restore the popularity of the Camino of St James. Sadly Rev Doctor Elías died in 1989 at the age of 60 from cancer. Fittingly he is buried in front of St Benedict’s altar in his beloved Royal St Mary’s A church in O Cebriro of O Cebreiro. A History of Handball Submitted by Gerry Cassidy

73 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Contemporary accounts of the Cholera outbreak of 1832

By John C McTernan

While researching the Wynne Papers on a recent visit to the Public Record Office in Belfast, I stumbled across a rather rare booklet entitled A Record of Cholera Asiatica as it occurred in Sligo in the months of August & September 1832, written by Henry Irwin, MD, the then physician to the Sligo Fever Hospital. It was inscribed to Owen Wynne of Hazelwood House ‘with best wishes’. Irwin’s account of the epidemic was known to exist in one form or another and was published by Dr Patrick Henry in his Sligo Medical Care in the Past, but did not include the chart detailing the daily numerical record of cases for the duration of the epidemic. Although Irwin’s publication is principally concerned with the medical aspects of the disease, such as its effects, its treatment, etc, it does contain snippets of general information not otherwise reported upon in the pages of the Sligo Journal newspaper. For instance, it notes that the first fatal case of cholera occurred on 29 July 29 1832 at Mannionstown, , which was then a popular resort for sea-bathers from as far distant as Longford. The first recorded case in Sligo, resulting in death, occurred at Barrack Hill two days later. Over the following ten days no cases were reported but from August 11 onwards to 30 September, the number of cases reported daily increased dramatically, as did the number of deaths. In the words of Dr Irwin it became ‘an overwhelming calamity.’ ‘Let anyone contemplate the scenes dead, or dying wives, husbands and infancy, parentless.’ that occurred here,’ he wrote. ‘Men children; horror displayed in every Its arrival had been preceded by and women, screaming and shrieking, countenance and shocking incidents thunder and lightning, accompanied as they followed the bier, the bearers, on every side, such as children being with a hot, close atmosphere, and over or the rumbling cart containing their left, of all ages from the most helpless the following weeks the malady reaped

74 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 a harvest greater than that experienced was no telling who would go next. burned along the street to try to purify elsewhere in the land, with an average Amongst those who fell victim to the the air. The cholera carts and cots had of 50 people a day succumbing to disease was a man known as ‘Long bells which added to the horror, and the disease. The epidemic appeared Sergeant Callen’, who it seemed had the coffin maker, a man named Young, in its most virulent form in the areas died in the Fever Hospital. However, used to knock on the doors to inquire immediately adjoining the river, because of his great stature he did if any coffins were wanted. notably in Stephen Street, Knox’s not readily fit into a standard coffin Day by day went by without any Street (O’Connell St) and Radcliffe and it was decided the only way to change, the plague was not stayed. Street (Grattan St) The thoroughfares accommodate him was to break his On some days the cholera was more were deserted except for the footsteps legs. The first blow roused the sergeant fatal than on others and on those of those running to seek medical aid, from his stupor and he started up days we could see a heavy sulphurous or the movement of those carrying the and recovered. I often saw the man looking cloud hanging low over our dead to their last resting place. walking the streets afterwards. street. On the morning of the 14th It was no uncommon thing in those In a few days the Town became a day of the outbreak my mother found direful days to see persons who had place of the dead. No vehicle moved several of our poultry dead or dying fallen victims to the malady lying except the cholera carts or doctor’s in the backyard. It was then decided dead on the streets, the corpses carriages. Many people have fled and it was time for us to pack up and wrapped in sheets smeared with pitch some of these were overtaken by the go. My parents, two brothers and to prevent the spread of the disease, plague and died by the roadside. myself boarded the mail coach for and eventually being removed by the The County Infirmary and the Fever , where friends of my cholera carts employed by the Board Hospital were turned into a cholera father resided, and who we hoped of Health. hospital but were quite insufficient to would shelter us until things returned Quite often the cholera-cart was meet the requirements of the situation. to normal. kept waiting at the door of a house The nurses died one after another and The cholera epidemic raged in Sligo in which a person was stricken by none could be found to fill their places for over a month and it was middle of the pestilence until the patient was but women of the worst description, September before the Sligo Journal, dead – for in the early part of the who were always more than half whose proprietor, Alexander Bolton, epidemic people succumbed to the drunk. When a new batch of patients and his eldest son, had died in the disease in a short time. In the case of arrived, and for whom there were no epidemic, could state with conviction one particular family, that of Robert beds, some of those wretches were that the spread of the disease was on Holmes, Collector of Excise, Robert, known to have dragged patients, the wane. A week later in its edition, his mother, two sons and a daughter who were stupefied from opium, and dated September 21st, the paper all died and were buried within the nearest death, down the stairs by announced that the danger had finally space of one day. the legs with their heads dashing on passed: One of the most interesting and the stone steps in an effort to make The Town of Sligo is once more vivid accounts of the cholera epidemic room for the new arrivals. A number assuming its wonted appearance of in Sligo was penned by ’s of doctors also fell victims and were bustle and activity. Its inhabitants mother, Charlotte Thornley, then replaced by others, a number of whom have awoke, as it were, from a torpid residing with her parents in Sligo, also succumbed to the disease. state – business is again the order and who wrote as follows: As the epidemic continued to rage concern of the day. The markets are Rumours of the great plague broke we stayed pretty much in the house. abundantly supplied with provisions of on us from time to time but gradually There was constant fumigation kept all sorts. The cholera has disappeared the terror grew on us as we heard up. Plates of salt on which vitriolic as there are but very few cases now of it coming nearer and nearer. One acid was poured from time to time known to exist. evening we heard that a Mrs Feeney, were placed outside all windows Within a few days of the outbreak a music teacher, had died suddenly and doors. Every morning, as soon it was estimated that half of the and, by the doctor’s orders, had been as we woke, a dose of whiskey, population of 15,000 had fled the buried an hour after. With blanched thickened with ginger, was given us town, and of those who remained, faces men looked at each other all, in quantities according to our 1,230 caught the disease, 641 died, and whispered “Cholera”, but the ages. Gradually the street in which 317 of them in hospital. Those figures whispers next day deepened to a roar we lived thinned out as by twos and are far from complete as they do not and in many houses lay one, nay two threes our dead neighbours were include unreported deaths. or three dead. One house would be carried away. At night tar barrels and attacked and the next spared. There other combustible matters used to be

75 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Remembering the Irish in the American Civil War Speech from John Perry TD at the unveiling of the monument in Ballymote, with An Taoiseach

brilliant sculptor. He designed and executed a number of monuments to commemorate the soldiers of the American Civil War including the Roxbury Soldiers’ Monument at in , Massachusetts, and the American Sphinx in , Cambridge, Massachusetts. His greatest achievement was the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument now on , and which the city is proud of to this day. In unveiling a sculpture to the memory of Irish emigrant and heritage soldiers in the American Civil War, we also remember Martin Milmore and We are gathered here on the 150th Distinguished visitors, ladies and his pre-eminent role as sculptor of anniversary of the day that President gentlemen – it is my honour and my America’s Civil War Memorials. Johnson officially declared a great privilege to welcome each and The 150th anniversary of the cessation of military actions, marking every one of you to Ballymote to this ending of the American Civil War is the end to the American Civil War. solemn commemoration ceremony. A a suitable occasion to mark the Irish Today An Taoiseach will dedicate our ‘cead mile failte’ to all of you. contribution to the United States at a monument to the honour and lasting I wish to welcome our guests significant point in its history. memory of those Irish emigrants and of honour today: An Taoiseach When the American Civil War of Irish heritage who served and died Enda Kenny, US Ambassador started, recent Irish famine emigrants during the American Civil War. Kevin F O’Malley and his wife For our monument we selected Dena, members and a bronze sculpture of a soldier on of Sligo County horseback. This form of monument Council Joe Queenan. represents the era when the horse was I also wish to welcome our an essential part of warfare and indeed distinguished guests representing of social and economic life. In addition, our , as well as a this monument also acknowledges range of Sligo commercial and the achievements of Sligo emigrant business organisations, and members Martin Milmore. Martin was born of Veterans associations and in 1844 at Lackagh, Drumfin, just a representatives of local public service together with earlier emigrants of few kilometres outside Ballymote. I bodies. Irish heritage answered the call to would like to acknowledge members In addition I also extend a special arms. At least 200,000 served in the of the Milmoe family present at our welcome to all retired US Service armies of the North and the South, the ceremony today. personnel, US citizens living in or significant majority of them serving After the Famine, one branch visiting the region, and local citizens in the Union Army. They occupied of the Milmore family emigrated to our ceremony. all ranks from general to private. The to Boston where Martin became a 76 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 served not just as soldiers but also as played a significant role in redefining American community. We shared with religious – over 50% of the battle field the place of the Irish emigrant in US the citizens of the United States in one nurses were Irish nuns. society. The new post-Famine Irish of its most painful periods. The bonds The Irish were the largest ethnic emigrants together with the earlier of heritage and shared history that join group to fight in the war. Some units Irish emigrants went on to play their our two countries together run deep. In were nearly 100% Irish and in others part in forming the rich heritage and unveiling and dedicating a monument the Irish made up the majority. They culture, the economic success that is to recognise the Irish participation took part in some of the hardest the USA today. in the American Civil War, we fighting and as a consequence, Irish With the unveiling of this new remember all those brave soldiers and units also were among the units that monument to commemorate the Irish the sacrifice they made in the interests suffered the greatest casualties and contribution during the American of their adopted homeland. injury. As a testament to their courage, Civil War, we enhance public -- eleven were awarded the Medal of understanding of the prominent For more on Martin Milmore, see Honour for outstanding bravery in the contribution made by people that left page 80 of this edition of The Corran American Civil War. Ireland and served in the War and we Herald The Irish contribution during the War broaden our links to the wider Irish

Vanished Shop Fronts - 3 Photographs collected for the Gathering photography exhibition ( For Vanished Shop Fronts - 1 & 2, see The Corran Herald editions 46/47)

Kanes

77 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Vanished Shop Fronts - 3 Photographs collected for the Gathering photography exhibition ( For Vanished Shop Fronts - 1 & 2, see The Corran Herald editions 46/47)

Hibernian Bank

Haydens

78 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

O’Dowd’s now Cassidy’s Hannan’s now Lavin’s

Kerrs 79 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 A Sligo Genius in Boston By John C Ternan

The name Milmoe, also spelled and a remarkable relief of Phosphor, Milmo, is a rare Irish surname. It is two creations that established his met with almost exclusively in County reputation as an artist of imagination. Sligo in the baronies of Corran and Martin Milmoe possessed great Tirerrill where only a handful of ability in all branches of his art, but, families of the name are now to be indisputably, his genius lay in portrait found. According to John O’Hart, the sculpture. Though so young an artist genealogist, the surname can be traced his busts of Pope Pius IX, Longfellow, back to the late 18th century. Ticknor, Wendell Phillips, Thomas In the Griffith Valuation survey of Woodrow Wilson and Cardinal the mid 1850s there were ten families McCloskey, all displayed great of the name in the County, mostly maturity and amazing ability and in the parishes of Drumcolumb and genius. Kilmorgan, the ancestors of the The Milmoe Tomb Some of his finest outdoor sculptures distinguished Boston sculptors Joseph age by his elder brothers – Charles include the Soldier’s Monument in and Martin Milmoe, and the brothers was apprenticed to a cabinet-maker, Forest Hills cemetery; the statue of Don Patricio Milmo, the Mexican and both Patrick and Joseph were General S Taylor at West Point, and, financier, and Daniel Milmo of the learning the wood-carver’s art. Joseph in collaboration with his brother Milmo National Bank in Texas. A subsequently took up marble-cutting Joseph, the great granite Sphinx in weather-beaten headstone in the old and soon became distinguished Mount Auburn cemetery. burial ground at Kilmorgan records amongst his colleagues and earned Of the many masterpieces he the deaths of James Milmoe and his the honourable reputation of being the executed in his relatively short career, three sons, John, Thomas and Patrick, ablest worker in Boston. In such an experts are generally in agreement most likely of the same stock as the environment it was only natural that that his greatest and most ambitious subject of this profile. Martin Milmoe became increasingly undertaking was the Soldiers’ and Martin Milmoe, alias Milmore, was familiar with wood-carving and with Sailors’ Monument which to this day born in Sligo in September, 1844. the marble-carver’s art. stands on rising ground in the centre He was the youngest son of Martin It was at the Brimmer School that of Boston Common. Milmoe from Kilmorgan, by his wife, Martin Milmoe’s artistic bent was Martin Milmoe, the most gifted Sarah Hart. Through two maternal first discovered, and it was there that Sligo-born artist of whom we have lines young Martin was related to he received the necessary direction knowledge, died at his Boston the celebrated General Michael and encouragement that laid the residence on July 21st 1883, aged Corcoran, to Archibald Hamilton foundation of his subsequent success. thirty-nine years, and without having Rowan, the United Irishman, and Dr After graduation he experimented for a reached full maturity as an artist. Patrick Durcan, Bishop of Achonry. time with modelling in plaster and the Had he lived to old age his His uncle, Dr Patrick Hart, was a success of these experiments, coupled artistic skill was such that he would professor of languages in Virginia. It with the active encouragement of his undoubtedly have become one of the was only natural that a man springing brothers and an unceasing urge of greatest sculptors of his age. Despite from such stock should possess many his own artistic instincts, he decided his premature death he holds a unique of the elements of distinction. to become an artist. After a few place in the annals of American The unexpected death of Martin unsuccessful attempts he eventually sculpture. His masterpieces on Sr left his widow burdened with the succeeded in gaining admission to the display throughout the United States, care of a young family of five boys – studio of Thomas Ball, an eminent and especially in Boston, remind Charles, Joseph, Patrick, James and Boston sculptor. The subsequent successive generations of Americans Martin. In 1850 Sarah Milmoe and career of Martin Milmoe was a series of the creative genius of this Irish her sons emigrated to America and of artistic successes and in a short emigrant of Sligo birth settled in Boston. Shortly after their time he was widely acknowledged as The mortal remains of Martin arrival the young Milmoes entered one of the leading American artists of Milmoe rest in the family plot in the Brimmer School where, it is his age. Forest Hills Cemetery, Roxbury, far believed, a staff member, mistakenly In 1862 in Boston he exhibited from the ancestral burial spot in old or otherwise, altered their names to a bust, entitled Devotion, which Kilmorgan. Over his grave stands Milmore. attracted considerable interest. Daniel C French’s famous work, The door of manipulative art was Among his earliest imaginative works fittingly entitled Death and the Young opened to young Martin at an early was his very fine figure of Miranda Sculptor.

80 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Eighty Years of Changes By Bernie Doyle

I recently saw an account of the state the Government, trade unions and been exposed. Last Spring’s high of affairs in the newly-independent shareholders are deliberating over an winds unearthed ancient oak tree Ireland of 1933 which prompted me to offer for the sale of the national airline, stumps along the Connemara coast, compare conditions in the earlier part Aer Lingus, and deciding whether, and in Mayo acres of land disappeared of the last century with those of this indeed, it should be sold at all. into the sea. Back in 1933, Ireland had fifteenth year of the new millennium In 1933 Ireland emerged from British a dreadful winter – four people died – eighty years on. control and the oath of allegiance to in a great snowstorm that gripped the Politically it was a time of change the British crown was dropped. In country. In between, in 1947, there and of cautious optimism. Fianna recent years HM Queen Elizabeth was a three-month frost and snow Fáil, led by Éamonn de Valera, had has visited our country and received period similar to those experienced in won their first overall majority in the a royal welcome despite rigorous the 1700s. Dáil. In de Valera’s constituency in security precautions. President In the last 30 years our health Clare victory was proclaimed when Michael D Higgins has visited Britain service has been overhauled resulting 77 horsemen with 77 torch-bearers lit and received royal hospitality in turn. in very large hospitals as centres 77 bonfires in honour of the number Trade and political relations between of excellence. The problem is that of seats won by the party. The United the two countries are very healthy. The countrywide (outside of Dublin), Ireland movement adopted the name British-Irish Chamber of Commerce these centres of excellence are too Fine Gael and contested the general maintains that British foreign direct few and far between, resulting in election as a political party. The investment in Ireland is worth €34 long delays in A&E departments and 2011 general election saw a dramatic billion, and Irish investment in Britain overcrowding in hospital wards and reversal of roles with Fianna Fáil in a is worth €47 billion. It is by far our some patients on trolleys waiting for definite minority and Fine Gael with largest two-way trading partner – the beds. As I write, measures are being a good return, which allowed them to UK accounts for 16% of our total taken to reduce the waiting time in form a government in an alliance with exports and 34% of our imports. The A&E departments, waiting lists for Labour. The greatest change, however, combined trade supports 400,000 beds and improvement in services. was the unprecedented number of jobs, half of them in Ireland. There is a two-tier system of patients independent deputies elected all In business in 1933, the Sugar with health care insurance and those over the country, and Sinn Féin also Manufacture Act provided for the relying on the National HSE. had an increase in the number of nationalisation of the sugar beet Back in 1933 Irish hospitals were their deputies. 2015 is also a time of processing industry to make us self- almost bankrupt – does this sound cautious optimism after a period of sufficient. This industry was labour- familiar? Unlike other densely deep depression intensive, but with the upgrade that populated countries, Ireland’s low The first tentative attempts to has taken place in farm machinery the population could not raise funds to connect more directly with the outside industry could have prospered. Sadly keep the hospitals going. The Irish world were made in 1933. Experts in the intervening years a shortsighted Hospital Sweepstakes – a lottery – was from the Netherlands and Germany decision was taken to close all four started to raise the money, especially arrived in Galway to inspect the centres in Tuam, Mallow, Carlow as TB (tuberculosis) was claiming site of the proposed new £3 million and Thurles. So now we import all so many lives. To the Irish people airport. In these 80 years airports our sugar. Two years ago in Norfolk I the Irish Hospital Sweepstakes was at Shannon, Dublin and Cork have drove by acres and acres of the glossy a completely legitimate fundraising prospered. at dark-green leaved beet and learned operation for all the hospitals in the Knock, Co Mayo, continues to thrive that there are two sugar beet factories country. What confirmed this opinion and expand, and a second Irish airline, within a hundred miles of each other. was the manner in which the lottery Ryanair, which caused the reduction These past few weeks have was run. Potentially winning tickets of airfares, is expanding and flying to provided wintery, snowy conditions were drawn from a rotating drum airports worldwide. Sadly, the smaller with intermittent gales which have by nurses in uniform, occasionally commuter airports in Donegal, Sligo, swept timbers from the Armada accompanied by Gardaí in uniform. Galway and Kerry have been closed vessels ashore in Streedagh, Co Sligo. Sometimes they even had blind to major airlines, but are still used for At Lisadell timbers from a large ship children drawing the tickets. Each the Rescue Helicopter Service and for have been found and at Ardtarmon ticket was assigned to a horse running private planes. At the time of writing coast a long layer of turf bank has in a famous race, so tickets that drew 81 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 the ‘favourite’ horses had a good bleeding-heart racket in the world’. the lottery on time were caused by just chance of winning enormous prizes. How was this allowed to happen? The technical blips. History does not need In the eyes of the public it had to be a racketeers paid off TDs and ensured to repeat itself. The spate of tribunals legitimate lottery. that there were so many loopholes that we have endured doesn’t bear Many Irish people in the UK and US in their legal agreements that they repetition. bought smuggled tickets even though didn’t even pay tax on their profits. In the intervening years there have lotteries were illegal in these countries. The hospitals paid 10% tax on what been massive changes in transport, This led to scams, selling counterfeit little money filtered to them. The core businesses and machinery. In Sweepstakes tickets with none of the conmen at the heart of the scandal health care there have been great money coming back to Ireland, never built business empires in Ireland, like improvements in the treatment of what mind the hospitals. The big problem Waterford Glass (now gone), the Glass were once fatal diseases. We have not was that the Irish Sweepstakes was Bottle Company (gone) and other yet conquered cancer but treatments a privately run lottery (highly illegal companies. When decent politicians are improving all the time, giving today). Some money did filter down discovered what was going on and life and hope where formerly there to the hospitals but it was only a tenth threatened to shut down operations, were none. Surgery and the use of of the actual profits. This 10% was the core conmen said they would fire prostheses have changed completely. divided between all the hospitals so thousands of people employed in their We have developed new tastes in that each got a negligible amount. spin-off companies, if prosecuted. food and clothing and children are Only the Adelaide Hospital refused The honest TDs felt powerless to stop conversant with types of technology to take any of the money because them. undreamed of by their ancestors. Yet not only did they disagree with the Eventually the house of cards very few children walk to school and Sweepstake lottery but they smelled came tumbling down when state-run they miss out on the friendships and a rat. lotteries became legal in countries camaraderie built up on those trips. What happened to the other 90% of such as the US, Canada and Britain, They also lose out on the exercise. the enormous profits? That went into and Ireland developed its own state- Our grandparents would have been the accounts of the ringleaders of the run lottery which appealed more delighted with light and heat and ‘legitimate’ scam. Three men behind to people. The lesson to be learned entertainment at the flip of a switch. the Sweepstakes were Dublin bookie was to never link charity funding to But as Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot Richard Duggan, Welsh-born Captain private business. The National Lottery would wisely tell us; ‘Human Nature Spencer Freeman and publican Joe has been successful in the main, with never really changes.’ McGrath. The scale of their wealth funds going to different good causes -- gathering was so enormous that the throughout the country. One can only Sources: The Irish Times, Old Reader’s Digest called it ‘the greatest hope that the recent two failures to run Moore’s Almanac A Teenage Crush

By Mary Kelly-White

Enter Sylvester swinging a watch ‘Wins for you naught’; Saying; I’ll give you the works, says Blondie to me ‘See what I got, see what I got, The next time I catch you ‘The Matron Blondie gave it to me, Down here after tea. ‘Down in the Refectory after the tea.’ Up jumped Paddy Finnigan brave and bold; Running in front he tried to catch hold, ‘Sylvie she tricked you,’ Finnigan cried, ‘Sylvie she fooled you, ‘There’s nothing inside ‘You see Paddy Finnigan ‘That’s where you’re caught, ‘That’s where your jealousy

82 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Glimpses into Business of the Past

From the collection of Tom Wynne, Lisanney

Invoice Thomas Davy 1983

Invoice Sligo Wood and Iron

Invoice B Cryan 1923 and P F O’Dowd 1933

83 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 The GAA in Co Sligo 1884-1888 By Tommy Kilcoyne

The founding of the Gaelic Athletic Bracken, Joseph O’Ryan and Thomas were usually subsidiary events at Association in 1884 must be viewed St George McCarthy. athletic meetings. against the backdrop of the political The proceedings were brief. Within three months of its situation in Ireland at the time. Maurice Davin took the chair and foundation the new association had The country was under British rule Michael Cusack read the convening reached County Sligo. In January and there was a feeling among the letter. Davin in a short statement 1885, a club was formed in Collooney Nationalist community that all called for a body to draft rules to aid for the purpose of reviving the things Gaelic were under threat. This in the revival of Irish sport and to open numerous Irish sports which were in sparked the Gaelic revival. Conradh athletics to the poor. Cusack followed existence until a quarter of a century na Gaeilge was formed to support with a longer speech, censuring the previously. Over 50 members enrolled the . In a wider context press for not reporting Irish sport at the first meeting and plans were Nationalism was on the rise in Europe and reading 60 messages of support. formulated for the organisation of as well. Davin was elected President. Cusack, , football and athletics under To Michael Cusack must go all the Wyse Power and McKay were elected GAA rules. The club became known credit for starting the GAA. Without secretaries. It was agreed to ask as Collooney Fontenoys. It has the him there would have been no GAA, Archbishop Croke of Cashel, Charles distinction of being one of the first certainly not in the 1880s. It was he Stewart Parnell and Michael Davitt clubs in Connacht, and one of the who provided the inspiration and the to become patrons. The meeting then earliest in the entire country to pledge driving force that led to its foundation. adjourned. its allegiance to the infant Association. Cusack’s place in modern Irish history At a subsequent meeting of the first The lead given by Collooney was is secure and rests almost entirely on Executive it was decided that, where soon followed elsewhere in County his role in founding the GAA. possible, a club should be formed Sligo. By July 1885 the Ballyrush Born of Irish-speaking parents in in every parish throughout the land. O’Mahony’s club had affiliated and a humble cottage in Carron in the They laid down the regulations for the in August a club was formed in Sligo remote Burren area of Clare in 1847, formation of such clubs. Town at an enthusiastic and well- Cusack became a national school The growth of the GAA was attended meeting in the Town Hall. teacher. After teaching in various parts phenomenal. Within one year of They took the name Sligo Emmets. of Ireland he became a professor in its formation some 300 units had Significantly, the majority of the Blackrock College, Dublin, in 1874. affiliated. Its advance was even more officers and committee of this Sligo In October, 1884 the United Ireland spectacular the following year, 1886. Town club were Nationalist members and Irishman newspapers carried ‘The Association swept the country of Sligo Corporation, and four were letters from Cusack inviting all like a prairie fire,’ Cusack would write Aldermen. interested parties to attend a meeting years later regarding the first two The first practice match under GAA in Thurles on 1 November 1884 years of the GAA. rules in Sligo Town took place on for the purpose of starting a new Few movements in modern Ireland Sunday, 6 September 1885, in Ward’s organisation to revive Irish football have taken root so rapidly and so firmly, Field, near the cemetery, which, and hurling under new rules. Cusack aided, to a large extent, by influential over 60 years later, was to become stated that the ordinary Irish citizen Nationalists who came together . was largely excluded from sport, the and organised athletic meetings or As mentioned, like elsewhere in management of which was, to a great formed football and hurling clubs. the country until 1887 or so football extent, in non-national hands. Many supporters of the Association was usually a subsidiary event at At three o’clock on Saturday today will be surprised to learn that athletics meetings. New clubs formed afternoon on the appointed day, for the first few years of its life the in 1885 and 1886 included St John’s, Cusack opened the meeting in the GAA was much more concerned with Carraroe, Ballintogher, Ballymote Billiard Room of Miss Hayes’s athletics than with games. To Cusack Round Towers, Riverstown Faughs, Commercial Hotel, Thurles. Probably the need for nationalists to control Faughs, Ballysadare not more than 13 people, and possibly Irish athletics and the desire to open Invincibles, Curry Liberators and only seven, were present. The accepted athletics to every social class were Bunninadden Emmets. They all number of founder-members is seven: at this stage more important than the organised sports meetings which Michael Cusack, Maurice Davin, revival of hurling and football. Until usually took the form of a contest John Wyse Power, John McKay, JK 1887 or so hurling and football games between two neighbouring clubs. 84 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

Invariably, the football match was the opening rounds included a grand Emmets 3-3, Ballintogher 0-1. The highlight of the afternoon, and it was double-bill at Ballymote on 3 March – Emmets received their medals amid this that aroused the interest and drew Sligo Emmets vs Curry and Ballyrush great rejoicing at a banquet in the the crowds. The honour of the parish vs Riverstown. Sir Henry Gore-Booth Town Hall a few nights later. was always at stake and challenge gave the use of a field at Carrownanty games were as fiercely contested then which the local club marked and Sligo’s First Connacht Final as championship encounters in later fenced. The goal and point posts were Appearance years. decorated with green flags. A large The club was the only real unit crowd attended, said to have been in in the GAA in the early years and First Sligo GAA Convention the region of 4,000, many of whom county teams were a thing of the The first Sligo GAA County travelled on an excursion train from future. The club that won the county Convention took place in Sligo Town Sligo. championship represented the on 27 December 1887, with PA The Sligo team in black and blue in the All-Ireland series. Thus Sligo McHugh, the Mayor-elect, presiding. jerseys proved too strong for the Emmets representing Sligo went Six clubs were represented at that green and white clad Currymen. In the on to contest the Connacht Final historic meeting: Sligo, St John’s, second game Ballyrush had two goals against Mayo (Castlebar Mitchels) in Knocknarea, Ballintogher, Ballymote to spare over Riverstown. Amongst Charlestown on 11 November 1888. and Collooney. The formation of the attendance was Canon John The game went to extra time and after the County Committee received an McDermot, the local parish priest and two hours of football the teams were enthusiastic welcome in a subsequent brother of the McDermot of . still level at 0-5 each. Sligo Champion editorial which saw A fearless Nationalist, he openly Sadly the replay never took place. The in the GAA ‘an organisation of great urged every ‘true National Teacher’ in championships of 1888 were never national importance’ and a means the country to join the GAA and use completed; they were abandoned of developing ‘manly games and their influence amongst the youth when the Central Council decided to pastimes’. There was a new air of to promote its ideals and pastimes. proceed with the so-called ‘American parochial and national pride abroad Invasion’ instead. Thus, a great Sligo everywhere. Young men were proud First County Final team was deprived of another meeting to belong to the GAA and to play The first county final was played with Mayo and the chance of winning peculiarly Irish games for the honour in Sligo on 16 April 16 1888. Pitch their first provincial crown and, who of their town or parish. encroachments by enthusiastic knows, perhaps the All- spectators led to the match being Ireland title! First County Championship abandoned with Sligo Emmets Draws for the first county championship leading Ballintogher by 1-1 to 0-1. A Sources were made at a meeting in Collooney replay was subsequently ordered by Sligo GAA: A Centenary History, 1984, on 12 February 1888. Eighteen clubs the County Committee and took place edited by John C McTernan affiliated, including newly-founded in Devaney’s Field, Kilmacowen, The GAA: A History, by Marcus De Burca units in Easkey, Templeboy, Dromore before a huge crowd. This time there The Sligo Champion West, Calry and Drumcliffe. The was no doubt about the result: Sligo In Print By Mary Kelly-White

My name is Mary Kelly White, and I really like to write; So I rang the chosen number, and a kind voice bade me I’m a very simple proser don’t you see; ‘Come Dear’ I heard about the and my ears came to their To a meeting at the Quay Street, Teachers’ Centre; feet, It was to be at eightish, but when I got there I was late- But the speaker shook his head and looked at me; ish; ‘It’s a poetry Broadsheet, Mary,’ the advisor said to me; So I stood outside and listened, don’t you see; ‘No prose! No short stories, only PO – ET – RY’ Then I stole away in silence, but determined to be Then I bought the Sligo Champion, and I read that Joy published and Áine In the Poetry Broadsheet, Mary, wait and see. Would assist the budding artists if they called.

85 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 The Cailleach of Sligo By Michael Roberts

The early people who came to Ireland of the new landscape. She liked one The Cailleach managed to catch the were hunting, gathering and farming hill so much, Dartry, the ‘home of the tail of her cow, but it was too late. The people. They lived in nature and their deer’, that she built a house on top of cow was up to speed and on the tear science was the science of nature. The it. It gave her a panoramic view of her into the bowels of the earth. She held powers they saw at work in nature new valley that was surrounded by on tight, her arms almost out of their were personified and given names mountains and low hills. sockets. She held on all night. reflecting the role they played in the The hard rock to the south and east Ready to fall with exhaustion she environment. Those who came at the had boiled up when the Earth was galloped behind the bó buí until it end of Ice Age, 10,000 years ago, saw shifting its sitting position. They were emerged again into the light of day. that winter as a great female force for not so easy to move. She managed to She tumbled and blinked herself change with a sharp attitude. They knock some big lumps off the top and back to reality as fast as she could. called her the ‘Cailleach’, the ‘woman sides but the main body would not She knew where she was. It was at of tough experience’. They told many shift. Being a man it was too stubborn the storage pond holding the water stories to explain her role in the world. to move even when pushed. It dug in leaking from the newly made bogs Here is a Sligo story, set at Keash. its heels and stayed put. Smart woman of Ireland. The later people called it The Cailleach decided to build that she was, she just gathered up the Crúacháin, the ‘elevated place’ where herself a new house. She liked the loose boulders into her apron and used the chieftains of Connaught held their view from that new mountain near them to make her new home. Nice yearly Hosting. the sea. She had left that mountain place to plant some oak trees but that It was a while before she got back behind when she made the valley of would have to wait. to the Sligo to finish her house on Sligo, the Shelly Place. That valley The boulders left over after her Knock na Rae. When she did get back was greening up nicely and the sandy house building project would make she had her two sisters with her. They and shelly shore was a pleasant place a nice summer house by the sea on were a strange crew with only one to walk when her brother Aengus was the other lime-stone lump, Knock na eye between the whole lot of them. settling into the sea in the far west. Rea, the ‘hill of the moon’. While Of course they were much older by She had made the valley to have an flying above the valley, her apron then, but they were not so busy now unrestricted view from the east side to full to breaking point, she became as the new people had taken on the job watch him as he passed each day. He distracted by Aengus, her ‘only son’, of care of the land’s smaller features. needed watching. making rivers and lakes all over the The Cailleach and her sisters moved Sometimes he would hide behind valley. She liked what he was doing. under-ground at Keash, out of sight the clouds for a long time and the Suddenly her apron could take the of the people. They came to the door valley would freeze, killing all in strain no longer. It split and dropped only after that time, never coming to creation. At other times he would the boulders, strewing them all over the full light of day again. get very stimulated and, in a blaze the west end of the valley. Annoyed, One day they heard the cries of of excitement, the valley would be she began to gather them, but it was a hunting party chasing a stag near burned to a crisp where no creature getting dark. Aengus was ready for the hill of Keash. The stag, a wily or plant could live. He had done these sleep. The rocks would wait for creature, made them work hard. The things before and he needed watching another day. She went to bring her men, a group of the Fianna, a group to prevent him from doing it again. cow home before dark. dedicated to protecting the land, were Men! No self control. The cow was full of milk and just about to fall down, their legs The valley was known as Slí na sprinkled milk all over the sky, forming wobbling from the unending run. The gCaillaig, the way of the Cailleach. the Milky Way. As they came around three sisters decided not only that the She had used a big block of ice to the limestone hill at the east end of the stag would make a fine meal to fill the push the mountain of limestone silt valley, the cow bolted. The Cailleach pot, but that the Fianna would add a into the sea. It had gathered in the had built an underground store-house nice flavour also. To attract them into estuary of the great river that had under the hill, later called Keash, and the cave, on their way to the cooking flowed from the heartland of Europe had left the doors open when she went pot that was steaming on the fire, the behind her. Some lumps of limestone about her work of clearing the valley. three sisters changed shape into three looked so nice that she avoided them. The frisky cow, quick as a wink, beautiful young women. They smiled When her bull dozing work was done headed into the mouth of the largest and waved at the passing hunters, they looked very well on the horizon cave and charged into the black dark. hands covering their face in apparent 86 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 embarrassment but really to cover were hanging from the roof of the real questions being asked. First, the the fact that they had only one eye. cave above the big steaming pot. Cailleach herself. She is the tough side They had fought each other so much They had all their clothes removed of Mother Nature that brings change. over the years that they were badly and were wrapped in spider web and She is the alter-ego to the kindly deformed. left to dangle like dolls until the three tSean‐mháthair, the grandmother who Fionn, the leader, stopped and the sisters were ready to share them out, takes cares of small children. She is others skidded to a halt behind him. in three equal portions. And that was an icon of winter, that force of nature The three sisters smiled. The Fianna what delayed them. The three could that shaped the world, often in drastic smiled, and then fell for the bait. They not agree who would get which of the ways. In this narrative the Cailleach moved up the hill to meet the three Fianna. Being warriors there was not represents the ice-sheet, the roaring women. Men! How easy to catch a plump one among them. They were under-ground torrent. In Ireland she them out. That is, all except Goll Mac a tough, muscular, sinewy lot. What was at the height of her powers during Morna, Fionn’s second in command. would be left of them after a bit of a the last ice. The geography of Sligo He got the name Goll not only from boiling? was laid during that period. the tears that flowed down his face non Goll took in the scene in a flash. He The story explains how the hard stop, but from the fact that he had a saw that the sister with the eye in her igneous granite stones, not native to leaky bladder. It was a torment to him. head was nearest to him. One quick the limestone area, got to Carrowmore And it was giving trouble again. All swing of his axe and she had neither and the Maebh’s carn from the that running about and not a chance to eye nor head to work with. The two , transported in the settle anywhere all morning! other sisters came to a quick end also Cailleach’s apron, the sheet of ice. And now when there was some and, in jig time, followed her into Perhaps Goll, with his water-works fun in the offing, his bladder made the big pot. Their cackles stopped in problem, was the force that made demands on him. How unfair. Goll a flurry of bubbles and steam. The the under-ground tunnel from Keash took off around behind the hill of Fianna, looking down from their to Crúacháin. Was this what he was Keash while the Fianna were being precarious positions, gave a muffled doing behind the mountain? escorted into the depths of the cave. sigh of relief. Good old Goll. He The name, Keash, sometimes Goll felt cheated. would be a favourite for a long time called Keash Corrán, has multiple He was grumbling and grouching after with a lot less teasing about the translations: young pig, harp, and as he went about his unintended problem with his waterworks. Goll hive. Keash may also relate to kish business. By the time he had finished and his little problem had saved the or kishean, translating as ‘basket’. and returned to the cave things had day, and their necks. Sometimes a little Corrán can mean the starting point, changed radically. The three gorgeous problem can be of great advantage. bees or tide. There is a sweet-water girls were gone and the three ugly On Reflection well at the side of Keash and this too sisters had returned. All the Fianna Maybe now we can think about the is a possible translation. The crab and Towser By Bernie Gilbride

While walking Strandhill beach one day, Under a rock the crab retreated, A big fat crab in pool there lay, Leaving poor Towser in despair, defeated, He wriggled and squirmed just as we passed To his disgust we dragged him away In jumped ‘Towser’ on attack real fast. That the crab might live to fight another day.

The crab was not at all amused, In terror, tried to claw Towser’s nose, A battle began, Towser barking and jumping The crab slithered back, his poor heart thumping.

Towser barked and scratched with his paw Out came the crab with another jab at his jaw. He missed, Towser just gave a twist

87 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 Ballymote’s linen industry in the 18th Century: 1759 - 1770 By John Coleman

Significant additional detail has emerged on the Ballymote Linen Industry for the period 1759-1770 involving two entrepreneurs Patrick Erving and David Melvill (or Melville) I have written previously in The Corran Herald (No 42 – 2009/2010 and No 46 – 2013/2014) of the significant linen industry established by John Fitzmaurice, Earl of Shelburne in Ballymote in the 1740s, continued by his widow Mary and expanded by his younger son Thomas; finally fading after his death in 1793 in circumstances which saw the country experiencing traumatic change. Recent visits to the Registry of Deeds in Dublin, in hope of unearthing additional material, have proved very fruitful in fleshing out the story for the period 1759-70. The new information reveals that John, Earl of Shelburne in 1759, One of a celebrated set of engravings produced in 1791 by William Hincks entered into an agreement with a showing aspects of linen production in Ireland. This plate is inscribed as Patrick Erving and a David Melvill illustrating ‘the beetling, scutching and hackling of the flax’. Reproduced or Melville, who committed to invest from the set in the Prints and Drawings Collection of the British Museum, London. heavily in developing the business. It shows how this arrangement of the village or town of Ballymote on the lease. Despite this general continued under his widow and how in the whole six acres Plantation observation the fact that here David their business eventually failed. All measure and one moiety situated on Melvill is chosen does have particular of the assets reverted to the dowager the west side of the New Street called significance as he became party to countess, after which she made Church Street and other moiety [on consequent transactions. The lease alternative arrangements and the the] opposite or east side’. Erving was at an annual rental of £12 sterling, venture was subsequently managed committed to erect 24 houses ‘for the increasing to £18 after four years. and developed directly by their son habitation of manufactures’. Consequent to this lease agreement Thomas – as set out in my earlier The lease was for the lifetime between Erving and Shelburne, articles. of ‘David Melvill of Colraine’ – it a memorial of agreement of 27 A lease agreement dated 4 April was normal to conclude leases for June 1759 was recorded between 1759 is recorded between the Earl of the life times of named individuals, Erving and David Melvill, now ‘of Shelburne and Patrick Erving of the though it had no implication of their Ballymote’ – rather than Colraine, city of Dublin (Book 199/Page 105/ being involved personally in the declaring that they had ‘agreed to No 131704). The lease was described transaction. One often sees old Irish enter in partnership for carrying out as involving ‘pieces or plots of leases concluded for the lifetime of of the Linnen [sic.] manufacture at ground parts of the town and lands of a member of the Royal Family – it Ballymote’. The agreement was set Ballymote situated on the south side was simply to put time boundaries to run for 18 years and both parties

88 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 committed to invest £1,500 sterling David Melvill was dated 13 March in my 2013/2014 article whereby each in the enterprise creating a ‘joint 1762 (215/348/142007). Here the Edward Wakefield had noted in a stock’ of £3,000 sterling. lease to Melvill was of ‘the Corn letter of 29th December 1764 that he Also part of the agreement is a lease Mill of Ballymote’ at a yearly rent had concluded an agreement with for three lives of land in ‘the Newtown of £36 sterling to be paid half yearly. the countess to take up a lease in one of Ballymote’ with perpetual renewal; This throws into question earlier side of a street in Ballymote with 8 or this does not seem to reflect the much assertions that the ruined Corn Mill 10 good houses and 3 or 4 more and more limited terms of the underlying was constructed as late as 1795. continue to develop the linen business lease from Shelburne so possibly It should be noted that even if the there. there is another document reflecting later date can be supported by other An agreement of 6 July 1770 finally the longer underlying tenure as the evidence, this was still well within signalled the winding up of the freehold belonged to Shelburne. It was the period of ownership by the residual business with the surrender agreed that the capital would be used Fitzmaurice family and more than by Melvill to Lady Shelburne of the to build 24 houses – as committed to thirty years before the Gore Booth lease of all land and business assets by Erving under his earlier agreement ownership of Ballymote, which remaining in his hands - the spelling with Shelburne as well ‘buying looms commenced in the 1830s when in this case in the ROD is Melville and providing all the necessary utensils the lands were sold to them by the (266/607/182426). Under the for carrying on said manufacture and grandson of Thomas Fitzmaurice. It agreement Melville gave up the lease furnishing a Bleach Green with all is possible that the existing ruin is the of land on the east side of ‘New Street kinds of utensils for carrying on the remains of a building constructed by called Church Street’ and Keenaghan Bleaching business’. Six acres of land the Gore Booths after they purchased and his ‘interest in lands of Newtown ‘at Keenaghan’ leased to Erving were the estate in 1833 and replacing an Commons, Knockgrana, Clonenaghan, assigned to Melvill for building and earlier mill, but I am not aware of Stonepark, Rathnakelaga and improvements and arrangements for evidence for this. Coolbuoy’. We also learn something sharing profits or losses were agreed – Unfortunately the Erving/ Melvill of the extent of investment in utensils profits were to be shared equally after venture seems to have run into and buildings and these reflect the discount of expenses. 24 houses were difficulties and an agreement was sort of activities that must have been to be built in ‘the New Street’. registered on 29 January 1765 undertaken and what parts of the In 1762 two memorial deeds were between the Countess Dowager and linen processing business took place registered between ‘the Countess Patrick Erving releasing him from in the town. The agreement refers to Dowager of Shelburne’ and ‘David his obligations (240/592/153912). the existing ‘bleach green, possing Melvill of Ballymote’ – the earl Erving’s loss of his investment in Mills, Buckhouses, Rubbing Boards, now being dead. The first of these developing of the bleaching greens was Beetling Beams, Boylers’ and to dated 6 January 1762 assigned 19 acknowledged and he ‘forfeited’ his ‘houses, sheds, looms and utensils’. acres, one rood and sixteen perches ‘utensils’ – ‘Bossing Mills, Beetling The Erving/Mellvill venture had at Rathnakelega to David Melvill Beams, Bubing boards, Boyler and lasted five and a half years (1759-65) for three lives at a yearly rent of looms’. There appears to have been and Melvill had continued alone for a £12 sterling (215/348/142006). already a division of the joint property further five and a half years (1765-70). Rathnakelega is of course the area between Erving and Melvill as the Bleaching greens had been developed later known as Mill Street and now former decided to withdraw from the and investment made in equipment as Grattan Street. Does this suggest enterprise and Melvill continued with and other structures. Exactly how that the linen business and a linen it. Erving seems to have taken as his many houses had been built during mill were not in this part of the town part developments on the west side of the period is not evident, nor do we until after 1762 or indeed later, and the ‘New Street’ and this reverted to know the extent to which the town had that earlier operations were centred Lady Shelburne. been settled by qualified Protestant around Keenaghan since that was the The abstract acknowledged that weavers. But we do know something area involved in the 1759 agreements Erving had failed in the commitment of the extent of the development on concerned with the continuance and to the Earl in the first agreement to the west side of the street surrendered development of the linen business? build 24 houses and establish 100 by Erving in 1765 and it might be This would support the evidence that protestant weavers, though it is not expected that the development on the the Mill was constructed by Thomas clear to what extent he had failed. The other side of the street continued by Fitzmaurice in the 1770s. surrender of the west side of the ‘New Melvill until 1770 would have been The second memorial deed between Street’ by Erving in January 1765 on a similar or larger scale. the Dowager Lady Shelburne and dovetails nicely with the information

89 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 The Mystery of James O’Connor By Joe McGowan

The O’Connor Sligo (O Conchobhair one such emigrant, James O’Connor, the 1790s a John Roarke operated Shligigh) were a branch of the O as they learn more from the few the Exchange Coffee House there, Conchobhair royal family who were details sketched here. Redmond Bourke owned a grocery Kings of Connacht and descended O’Rourke’s History of Sligo (Pg shop, and on Main Street, Fen-Church from the last High King of Ireland, 541, Vol 2) lists James O’Connor’s Street, and Market Square there was Brian Luighnech O Conchobhair paper The Sligo Morning Herald a boarding house, a leather shop, and (1181). Occupying a prominent (1793) as the first newspaper started in , all owned by Irish position in the affairs of Sligo, town Sligo town with an address at Market people. There was a watchmaker, a and county, for over 300 years, the St. O’Connor’s paper preceded the surgeon, a bricklayer, a sail-maker, O’Connors were Lords of Carbury Sligo Journal, with offices on Castle two sea-captains, a brewer, and a rope and Sligo into the 17th century. The St, by one year. manufacturer – all Irish exiles. head of this ancient clan then was What do we know of James Within a few months James Donough O’Connor who died in Sligo O’Connor? His obituary of 1819 became co-owner of the Norfolk in August 1609. provides a scant outline of his life. and Portsmouth Herald, where he ‘Wheresoever the body shall be the Here we read that he and his family was senior editor for 24 years until vultures also are gathered together,’ lived in Sligo Town where he was his death in 1819 at age 60. James O’Rourke remarks in his History of born in 1759. He learned the printing O’Connor took the oath of American Sligo (1898), noting that Donough and trade in Dublin and London and then citizenship in Norfolk in 1804; one Teige O’Connor were dispossessed of ‘returned to his native town, where Taaffe O’Connor, possibly a brother, their properties which were divided with the assistance of a friend, he had taken the oath the preceding year. up between Cromwellian adventurers commenced the publication of a paper, Another few words from his and soldiers following the death of coeval with the commencement of the obituary in the Herald give a small Donough. troubles in Ireland. Being inimical to insight into James’s political views: ‘At this date,’ O’Rourke says, the measures which the government ‘The wretched condition of his ‘the proud name of O’Connor Sligo was then prosecuting against his native Erin caused him many a sigh, drops out of view; nor is there devoted country, he commented on and many a melancholy retrospect; henceforth any written evidence to them in such indignant and spirited but in the land of his adoption attest the condition of the family or terms as to draw down upon him he beheld the benefactress of his its genealogical succession, so that the vengeance of the royal party… persecuted countrymen, the kind and history, strictly so called, can give no In those days it was only necessary affectionate step-mother, whose open help towards identifying its present to point the finger of suspicion in arms received them as her natural representative… The O’Connors order to insure the immolation of offspring.’ Sligo having fallen from their social a victim. His printing office was The songster Tom Moore visited status, public documents took no annihilated, and he, together with all Norfolk in 1804 on his American notice of them; and as they had lost his relations in Sligo, were proscribed tour, no doubt full of news about the all their property, there could be no and compelled to fly from the fangs of Risings of 1798 and 1803, and about occasion of wills or deeds, even if the despotic power. With a small wreck of the heroic legal efforts of John Philpot law allowed Catholics to be parties to his property he procured the means of Curran to defend the insurrectionists such instruments, which, as everyone emigrating to America, and landed in in the courts in Ireland. In fact, at our knows, it did not.’ Norfolk some time in the year 1794, man O’Connor’s death, his junior Notwithstanding this the O’Connor nearly destitute of funds.’ editor published a poem written by clan subsequently gave numbers Why did he choose Norfolk? The Curran called The Green Spot That of prominent sons to Sligo who town in Virginia was a thriving Blooms O’er the Desert of Life as a contributed in great measure to its seaport of some 3,000 people when poignant memorial to O’Connor’s life business and commerce. There were James arrived. Perhaps he had learned and views. many forces too that could drive a in Sligo that among Norfolk’s citizens Of his wife, Eliza O’Connor, we Sligo man to leave his native region were some forty or so fellow exiles, know only of her death in Norfolk in and emigrate. In this article readers who had found a safe haven and June, 1811, when she was 37 years of are asked to help shed further light on were leading happy lives there? By age.

90 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016

Such are the few known details about Have you ne’er met some spirit When the lip spoke the voice of James O’Connor. Readers are asked divinely endued affection sincere, to forward any other information That so kindly could say, You don’t And the vow was exchanged and about him to The Corran Herald, to suffer alone ? recorded in Heaven? me or to Kevin Donleavy, who lives And however your fate may have Does she wish to rebind what already in Virginia and first advised me of smiled or have frowned, was bound the life of James O’Connor. Kevin Will she deign still to share as the And draw closer the claim of the presents a monthly radio program of friend or the wife ? friend and the wife? Irish traditional music Atlantic Weekly Then make her the pulse of your heart, Then make her the pulse of your heart; Part Two in Virginia, USA. for you’ve found for you’ve found The green spot that blooms o’er the The green spot that blooms o’er the The Green Spot that blooms o’er desert of life. desert of life. the Desert of Life – John Philpot Curran O’er the desert of life, where you Does she love to recall the past Published in 1819 in The Herald plainly pursued moments so dear, newspaper in Norfolk, Virginia, on the Those phantoms of hope which their When the sweet pledge of faith was death of its editor, James O’Connor. promise disowned, confidingly given,

91 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2015/2016 First Holy Communions 2015

Knockminna

Back row, L – R: Mrs. Louise King (Principal), Fr James Mc Donagh, Mr Brian Henry (Class teacher) Middle row, L – R: Aaron Brennan (Altar server), Ted Mc Garry, Fiachra Duignan, Darragh Mc Donald, Tom Cassidy, James Mullen, Darragh Brehony (Altar server) Front row, L – R: Amy Brehony, Kayleigh Scanlon, Adam Ferguson, Tara Irwin, Cora Mc Morrow

Ballymote

Adults, L- R:Ms Dolores Taheny, Fr James McDonagh, Mrs Helen Mc Gettrick, Fr Gregory Hannan, Mrs Ann Kearins Children, back row, L- R: Ciara Love, Jack Gardiner, Adam Scanlon, Jakub Szczygiedski, Leon Muldoon, Sarah Reynolds, Dean Brennan Middle row, L- R: Rebecca Cunnane, Darragh Byrne, Dόnal McHale, Roisín Currid, Dean Mullen, Tommie Keenan, Lee Young Front row, L – R: Ódhran Fallon, Cathy Finn, Luca Gardiner Kovalenkov, Danny Mc Cormack, Luke Scanlon, Holly McLoughlin, Sarah Jane Loughlin, Abbie McLoughlin, Aoife Golden 92 Compiled and Published by Ballymote Heritage Group Celebrating 30 years of The Corran Herald, 1985 - 2015 ISSUE No.48 2015/2016 PRICE €8.00