The Old Carlow Society IRISLEABHAR CHUMANN SEANDA CHATHARLOCHA Price40p Hotd, Qmk,«1, A.A
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Journal of The Old Carlow Society IRISLEABHAR CHUMANN SEANDA CHATHARLOCHA PRICE40p Hotd, QMk,«1, A.A. Central Heating throughout R.I.A.C. YOLIR WEDDf NG YOLI~ Df NNER-T)ANC!E YOLIR PARTY YOLIR C!lllg FLINC!Tf ON We cater for all, to your complete satisfaction Write or phone the Manager-41621, 41156 or 41605 1st Class Proficiency Diploma A. E. COLEMAN Academy of Gents Hairdressing London 1932 Motor and Cycle Dealers WE STYLE YOUR HAIR AS 19 DUBLIN STREET YOU WISH IT CARLOW BURNS COLLEGE STREET Dealer for RALEIGH CYCLES CARLOW GENTS HAIR STYLIST REPAIRS A SPECIALITY HAIR PIECES SUPPLIED AND FITTED ACCUMULATORS CHARGED ( Moderate charges) WIDE RANGE OF TOILET SUPPLIES 2nd Prize Mallon Cup Competition, Oils, Greases & Spares in Stock Dublin 1952. 1 l I The wheels of our industry began to turn way back in and since then we've grown into one of Ireland's largest and most diversified engineering firms Thomas Thompson of Carlow Nationalist & Leinster Times Ltd. 42 Tullow Street, Carlow COLOUR AND ART PRINTERS The most modern printing machinery in the Provinces St. Leo's Secondary School Convent of Mercy, Carlow Day School and Boarding School For particulars apply to the Principal Darrers Stores Better Value Drapery and Grocery Telephone 41632 EAMONN THOMAS HEARNS I FITZPATRICK VICTUALLER * J High Class CHOICE BEEF, MUTION and LAMB, PICKLED BEEF and OX TONGUES I Victualler SAUSAGES and PUDDINGS I' POULTRY, RABBIT AND EGG MERCHANT ' STAPLESTOWN RD. * CARLOW I TULLOW STREET I Phone 41029 CARLOW Old skills and old crafts PRESERVED IN THE MAKING OF OUR KNITWEAR, BEATEN COPPER, POTTERY, CROCHET WEAR. ---------~------- CASTLE CRAFTS, CARLOW TEL. 42064 THE TOWERS DUCKETTS GROVE, CARLOW :~ ~ LOUNGE BAR >;'•• , Ii'J~~- /J \ I ~•;•u Weddings Birthday Parties Receptions J. J. NEVILLE & SONS LTD. TELEPHONE (0503) 55683 r, - THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS The famous old building in Dublin Street will enter on a new phase of its life when it re opens as the headquarters of the County Carlow Library Service. There may be a few people who remember it in its heyday as a centre for the social life of the town. If so, it would be interesting to know what activities it catered for. However, by the early years of this century it had a very run-down appearance. For a short time it was taken over by Ralph Sylvester as Carlow's first Cinema; but Ralph soon reverted to his road-show, and the building mouldered away until donated to the town by the owner, Bernard Shaw. Through the efforts of the late Bishop Foley, it became Carlow's Technical School. This entailed much demolition and re-building, only the Georgian facade remaining unaltered, as Shaw had stipulated. It is fitting that in its new role it will combine the functions of education and enter ' tainment. Lasting nearly fifty years as a Vocational School, it saw the beginnings of the Old Carlow Society, and many of the early lectures were held there. All old Carlovians wish it well. MURRAYS 25 Dublin Street, Carlow Carlow's Oldest Established BRADBURYS Bakery DUNNY'S High-Cla~s Confectioner and Fancy Baker SECOND PLACE IN 1969 BAKER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION * Try our Priz~winning Bread High-Class Confectionery Wedding and Christening Cakes a Speciality Christmas and Wedding Cakes a Speciality Tullow Street Purest Ingredients only used PERSONAL SERVICE Carlow Phone: 41151 The 8lll'Olly of Fr. James Maher ldroae •••••••••••••• 12 1793-1874 ••..•.••• 23 Carlow-then and now .• 16 Carlow Newspapers 182&-1841 ..•••.••. 26 Richard D'alton Williams . 17 CARLOVIANA Carlow Workhouse during the Famine Years .... 29 Education in Carlow - No. 24 Mercy Order •••••.••. 18 Vol. 2 New Series Dec. 1975 Coal Mining in the The Economic and Social JOURNAL OF THE Castlecomer area . • • • 33 Scene in County OLD CARLOW S0CIE1Y Carlow in the l 790's • . 19 Secretary's Report • • . • 35 Editor Mr. Hugh Dolan All the Fun of the Fair 22 Printed by " Nationalist," Carlow Our Chairman Writes • • • 38 Carloviana 1975 Why bother to publish Carloviana? The answer is and visitors with a deep interest in this region. To two in the number of books dealing with historical topics of our regular writers Mary Smyth and Victor Had that are available. Few deal with the history of local den, I wish, on behalf of the readers, a speedy areas. Most treat of topics having a wide and general recovery and look forward to articles from them interest. National personalities attract the attention of again next year. Another regular contributor An tAth book-buyer and historian alike. Journals like Peadar Mac Suibhne is on Pastoral duty in England; Carloviana can cover the ground that most books I hope 1976 will see the publication of more of his either ignore or treat in a general way. historical research. To our new contributors I extend Because the articles deal with a confined area does a hearty welcome; to them and to our regular con not lessen their importance or relevance. A tributors I am grateful for their articles. The help and knowledge of how the Famine affected Carlow can guidance of Mr. Alec Burns was much appreciated. lead to a greater appreciation of its effect on the rest Only for the support of our advertisers and you the of Ireland. Knowledge of the life of Fr. James Maher reader this journal would never see the light of day. can give us a wider insight into the problems existing Thank you. in the Ireland of the nineteenth century. Carloviana Only for the support of our advertisers and you the ensures that a record of the past of this locality will reader. this journal would never be published. Thank be available for future generations. you . Like other centres, Carlow's population comprises . The Editor .. native and non-native. Through the pages of this jour nal. the latter can gain information on the history of For your information: Subscription to Old Carlow Society, £ 1.00 per annum, payable to Hon. Treasurer, Mr. Kevin Ken their adopted county and feel more at home. The nedy, Haymarket, Carlow. native Carlovian will find much to remind him of Society's Journal, "C<irloviana", published annually, 40p per byegone days. His is a part of which to be proud. copy. Articles for publication in Carloviana are always very welcome. Last year our Chairman. Brendatt. OLD PHOTOGRAPHS Kealy stressed the wealth of material concerning the Editor would be interested to hear from anyone who has Carlows past that is available in the Public Record old photographs of Carlow and District, no matter how faded or uninteresting these may appear to be. Such photographs Office and State Paper Office. Old photographs are sometimes print surprisingly well and may be invaluable especially welcome. They are of invaluable assistance when used as illustrations for some article we are consider in illustrating articles. It is becoming increasingly dif ing for the Journal. ficult to obtain these photographs. The Editor wishes to express his gratitude to the printing The current edition hopes to carry on the work of staff of "The Nationalist and Leinster Times". for the courteous previous 'Carlovianae.' Our contributors are locals co-operation given by them at all times. Cover Photo: Watermill at Rathvilly (see - ·'Our Chairman writes"). 11 - " - .,..,~~iNI>"! -------- ~ ..... -- .. ~ -- ----- ,.,..,.__,.., ~ . " The Barrow at Leighlinbridge with, on the right, the Black Castle. The Barony of By T. F. O'Sullivan Milford as we found it is a sad, ' THERE GOES MICHAEL ANGELO overgrown little place today, with little to TITMARSH, or travelling companion, recall its prosperous past but its name. A bowling down the Waterford road in his ford, with mills: a shallow river crossing amateur stage-coach. And here are we, on which a great weir was built; tall grey I drone walls and trundling, dripping water 130 years later, paddling down the river in our even more absurd contrivance: six der along its short course near Dublin. wheels; clatter of farm carts with grain teen feet of plywood, polyester and The Barrow, supplying both power and and meal; rumble and shake of wooden polyurethane. "The road from Carlow to transport, was a favourite location for cogs, shafts and pulleys and great Leighlin Bridge is exceedingly beautiful," mills, and on our way down the river we grooved stones, and everything hazily noted Titmarsh-Thackeray in his passed the ruins of many of them: perceived through a fine fog of flour dust. Sketchbook; "noble hills rising on either sometimes relics of humble enterprises, The country mill in the nineteenth cen side, and the broad silver Barrow flowing sometimes imposing ·structures like the tury, William Carleton tells us, "was through rich meadows of that astonishing crenellated mock castle that once housed always the scene of much fun, bustle and verdure which is only to be seen in this the Minch Norton mill at Levitstown. A drollery. All the news and scandal of the country. Here and there was a country few miles below Carlow, at Milford, we parish were generally discussed at it." He house, or a tall mill by a stream-side: but found another of these castellated mill adds that "no man ever thought of going the latter buildings were for the most part buildings, silent and abandoned now but to the mill without money in his pocket. It empty, the gaunt windows gaping without certainly thriving when Thackeray passed was a central point, where neighbours glass, and their great wheels idle." that way, and still grinding busily away and acquaintances met, and it is not to be For all his novelist's insight into human long after he was dead. Those intrepid supposed that -they could swallow so nature, Thackeray was no great social travellers, Mr.