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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 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. and Mrs. Samuel Carter much dust without something to wash it analyst. Rarely does he go into the causes Hall, who also travelled the Irish roads in down." of the economic and social .ills of which the 1840's, described Milford Mills as Now all was still again: the bustle and he found abundant evidence during his "the most extensive and celebrated in animation long forgotten; the complex Irish journey. Rolling through the green Ireland." Established in 1790 and owned system of mill !eats choked with yellow countryside, he tosses observations out of by the Alexander family, they were used water lilies, the only sound that of the the window of his coach, leaving them over a hundred years later for the water spilling over the weir. For whether there for us to ponder over at this remove electrification of Carlow town, The first the mills were busy or not in Thackeray's in time. Why were all those mills idle? electricity supply to Carlow was provided time, their days were indeed numbered. The year was 1842, and the Union was as by a generator. presumably steam-driven, Imports of cheap foreign flour forced old as the century. That would idle a lot but in 1898 Major Alexander conceived them out of business and technical of mills. And yet we know that there were the idea of using the water power at progress displaced the age-old craft of the almost 2,000 flour mills in Ireland during Milford for this purpose. Carlow was il country miller. Electric power has long the 1840's. In 1844 Sir Robert Kane luminated by this method until 1913, since replaced the river's energy and mill calculated that there was water power when fluctuations in the level of the river ing and malting are no longer located equivalent to 1.452, 150 horse power dis caused the original thermal system to be with regard to water power and water tributed over the surface of the country, resumed. Carlow was the first town in transport, but are concentrated in the and though only a fraction of this was Ireland. and one of the earliest anywhere. larger centres. utilized. almost every industry was in fact to have electric street lighting, and it con From Milford we voyaged on to run by water power at that time. In that tinued to supply its own power until the Leighlinbridge, a quaint little spot, with same vear there were 28 mill, on the Dod- E.S.B. took over in 1929. its Black Castle and the oldest bridge 12 on the river, built in 1320 by Canon spent the greater part of Mr. McDonnell's Hooker, to have a look at the Kavanagh Jakis, the engineering churchman from five pound note in the cosy surroundings and Butler lands in the Barony of Idrone Kildare Cathedral. In summer this bridge of his tiny riverside pub; and the time pas and to report to him on how best he is a colourful sight, all festooned sed by in chat and good fellowship, might pursue his ambitions there. The with bunches of the red valerian, in withoout a care about banks or whether mouth-watering description which terspersed with the white variety of the they were open or shut, and I can recom Hooker sent back to his master was not same wall plant. The valerian, though it mend no better to yourself than to do the calculated to moderate these ambitions grows wild everywhere in Ireland, is no same sometime. the slightest degree: Even today we can weed, but an escaped garden plant of con enjoy his picture of the Barrow valley: tinental origin. It is now to be found cling "The soyle and countrie of that baron ing to old masonry throughout the Carew's Ambitions ny is very large and great, and yn all country, and especially on the tops of old Europa not a more pleasaunt, sweter or garden walls, as though still enjoying the Throughout most of the Middle Ages frutefuller Lande; the same being referted thrill of its escape into the wide world. Its the bridge at Leighlin, and the ford that with all thinges necessarye for man yn root has medicinal properties and was there before the bridge was built, any respecte, serving for pleasure or produces a characteristic odour: not at all provided almost the only means of cross neede, for huntynge the stagge, the hare, a pleasant one in my opinion but once ap ing the Barrow, so during those turbulent the fox, the wolff, for your pleasure at preciated as a perfume, and still a centuries this little place acquired great will; for hawkinge with all kyndes of favourite with cats, which dearly love to strategic importance. In 1181 the hawkes, at partridge, rayle, fesaunt, roll in valerian plants wherever they find Normans built a castle here to guard the crene, byttern, & a nomber of other them. William Butler Yeats remarked on river crossing, though the picturesque foules, as miche as can be wished, & this curious feline weakness when he. ruin that we saw beside the bridge, known desyred, ffor fyshing, there is as miche as wrote: "it is a natural conviction for a as the Black Castle, is of later construc any freshwater can geve; the seas are painter's son to believe there may be a tion, probably dating from early in the somewhat dystaunte from this countrie of landscape that is symbolical of some fifteenth century. King Henry II ap hydron, but yet, on thone side, a giidly spotspiritual condition and awakens a pointed a man named Robert Poure as ryver called the barro fleatheth through hunger such as cats feel for valerian.'- Constable of Leighlin Castle, but he the whole countrie, and this so serveth the Sailing down to Leighlinbridge, we proved unworthy of his charge and aban countrie that vpon it they do conveighe found that mundane needs, such as that doned it through cowardice. The Norman all their comodytirs & marchaundyses for more groceries, could intrude even on chronicler, Giraldus Cambrensis, has left from the seas, or from waterford, even to the idyllic surroundings of the Barrow. a contemptuous account of Poure, and of the house of Laghlyn; which house And to buy groceries we needed cash, a crony of his called Fitzadelm who was staundeth full vpon the saide ryver." which had run out . A man fishing from apparently little better: "These two had the towpath near the bridge told us there more pleasure in chambering, and playing was no bank in the village, and that by the wanton with young girls, and to play The B agenals the time we reached Bagenalstown the upon a harp, than to bear a shield or staff, Sir Peter Carew set up his residence in banks there would surely be closed. It or to wear armour." that House of Leighlin, and got himself was a rude reminder of the harsh realities Leighlinbridge is in the Barony of made Constable of the Black Castle, To of life, for was it not to escape such tyran Idrone, which was part of the territory of give him his due, he proved a good nies as banks and all they stood for that the great Kavanagh clan of Hy Kinsella, landlord: he confirmed the principal we did mad things like canoeing the Bar kings of Leinster. In 1567 Sir Peter gentlemen of the Kavanaghs in their pos row? However, our fisherman friend said Carew of Devonshire, by means of what sessions, and did not seek to eject the les he would gladly cash a cheque for us if it has been called "a curious bit of anti ser families from their holdings,but made wasn't for too large an amount. So there quarian buccaneering", succeeded in ob them tenants by lease. Not so Dudley under Canon Jakis's ancient bridge I taining possession of these lands. On the Bagenal, who purchased Idrone in 1585 rooted in the cockpit for my cheque book strength of a fabricated title, based on his and succeeded to the Constableship of and was handed a five pound note from supposed descent from the early Norman Leighlinbridge. This Bagenal was "a very the bank-of the Barrow-and no bank family of Carew, Sir Peter laid claim to headstrong, hot-tempered and violent ever gave better service, or with less fuss. most of Carlow, including the Kavanagh man, ... a very rash, fooli~h fellow."As Our new friend chatted with us about possessions and estates lying west of the soon as he took up residence in Leighlin our trip and about the history of the Barrow which they had sold to the long C as tie he set about harrying the bridge and of the village, and that other established Anglo-Norman Butler family. Kavanaghs out of their lands, and his holy village of Old Leighlin down the This bit of land-grabbing was to have far relations with them quickly took on the road which was once the site of a great reaching consequences, for the knowledge character of a blood feud. Within eigh monastery and the see of a great diocese. that even loyal English (and Protestant) teen months of his arrival in Idrone he He pointed out the join in the stonework families like the Butlers were not immune lost his life in an ambush at Ballymoon, of the arch over our heads, where the from the avarice of Elizabeth's favourites and there is little doubt but that the original medieval bridge, built for foot caused widespread unease. Sir Edmund Kavanaghs were responsible. traffic and pack horses, had been widened Butler, loyal Protestant though he was, This was a bad start in Idrone for the to take the burden of later centuries; and found himself driven into rebellion. "I Bagenals, a family which was to be we wondered if it was possible that this could die to be revenged upon Carew," he prominently identified with the history of was the same bridge used by Richard II declared, "and I will fight to the death to this part of Leinster for centuries when he crossed the Barrow at Leighlin in preserve my lands; but I will not meddle thereafter, and whose name survives in his campaign against Art Mac Murrough with the bringing in of Spaniards, or with that of Bagenalstown, the next port on Kavanagh. the setting up the Mass." Nevertheless our inland voyage, delightfully situated One interesting subject led to another, Carew's ambitions forced Butler to where the Barrow washes the foothills of and when we discovered that our friend's the side of the Catholic Fitzmaurice and the Blackstairs mountains. This little name was McDonnell, and that he kept a speeded the outbreak of the Desmond town is known to officialdom as Muine pub by the bridge. no farther away than rebellion. Bheag, but the man who founded it in the you'd spit if you were parched with the While his claim was being deliberated eighteenth century, Walter Bagenal, in thirst. so moved were we by the courtesy upon by the Privy Council-a pure for tended it "to be of considerable architec with which we had been treated that we mality, since he had the support of the tural pretentions and to bear the name left our canoe there under the bridge and Queen-Carew sent over his agent, John Versailles." But alas, the new coach road 13 on which this ambitious scheme depended committed. Wwstminster, 2nd March, 34 tarried still in the house talking with the took another route, Walter's plans came Henry VIII." lady (Barnewell) for her consent, and to nought, and today the only building Nicholas showed more gratitude to when I understood that my praie was well with architectural pretentions is the Westminster for this act of clemency than forward in her way towards the place courthouse, a lovely Greek temple over he did to O'Neill for his intercession on where we had agreed upon, I took my the river. It is as good as the courthouse his behalf. and for the rest of his leave of Sir Patrick Barnewell and his at Carlow, though tiny, and like Carlow life-almost fifty years-he devoted his lady and followed after, and soon after I and God knows how many other neo energies to advancing the English interest was gone the gentlemen, which were in classical buildings in Ireland, it is said to in Ulster and to an unrelenting struggle to company with me. took their horses and be closely modelled on the temple beside break the power of the O'Neills. Though came away quietly." the river Ilissus, near Athens. Whether he failed in thi,. he became a person of The elopement threw Sir Henry into a this is true or not it has great sublety and great consequence in Ulster-Marshal of fury: "I can but accurse myself and for charm, and its situation, on a high terrace the Army. Lord of Mourne and tune," he wrote to Burghley, "that my overlooking the Barrow, is superb. proprietor of the rich abbey lands of blood which in my father and myself hath Newry-and when he died in 1590. often been spilled in repressing this rebel battle-scarred and laden with honours lious race. should now be mingled with so Tudor Times and riches. there were between four and traitorous a stock and• kindred." It would five thousand people at his funeral, be pleasant to believe that the lovers lived We landed here, partly to see this town among them many of the O'Neills. happily ever after. but alas, this was not that wasoriginal: conceived on the plan of His son. Sir Henry Bagenal. succeeded to be. The Marshal was right when he Versailles. and partly for the more prac Sir Nicholas as Marshal of the Army. He forecast that the "incivilitie of the Earl's tical purpose of getting something to eat. lacked his father's great military and countrie" would not agree with his sister. The Leinster Arms produced a tasty and diplomatic skills. though he was fanatical She was not accustomed, it seems, to take above all a substantial mixed grill, and an ly loyal to the old man's views, including her seat upon the fern, and despite the excellent pint of stout to go with it: and his absolute opposition to intermarriage Earl's upbringing at the English court all for less than a pound for the two of with the native Irish. This was unfor they never succeeded in bridging the gap us-ah. happy pre-inflationary days! But tunate. for his sister Mabel fell in love between their two cultures. Gaelic soc if Bagenalstown's cuisine' did not disap with Hugh O'Neill. second Earl of iety was still to some extrnt polygamous. point us. with the best will in the world it Tyrone. grandson of that Con Bacach and certainly the Great O'Neill displayed was impossible to see in this pleasant little who first received the Bagenal cuckoo as great a prowess between the sheets as Barrow-side town anything reminiscent of into his nest. The Marshal found means ever he did on the field of battle. When his the regal splendour of Versailles. If it was to put off Tyrone's suit. saying it would marriage with Mabel Bagenal collapsed getting on for dark. and if you had con require reference to the Queen and the and she fled from him to her brother, he sumed several pints of stout with your Privy Council; that the law forbade mar explained in some puzzlement that it was mixed grill, it might be possible to see in riage with the Irish; that the "incivilitie" because he "affected two other the courthouse a faint resemblance to the of the Earl's country would not agree gentlewomen." She came back to him, it Petit Trianon. but the mind boggles at the with his sister, and so on. He also raised seems. but all happiness was gone, and thought of Marie Antoinette and her the question of a previous marriage of she died in his chilly castle in Dungannon ladies playing at being dairymaids in the Tyrone's and challenged him to show on a bleak December day. less than five water meadows of Moneybeg. Whether it proof of a legal divorce. years after that summer evening when was that Walter Bagenal failed to capture But O'Neill was not to be gain they eloped together. the coach traffic or-more likely-that said--especially not in anything to do the scheme proved too great a burden on with a desirable female. What happened the family fortunes. his grand design was -.. t is best left to himself to tell: Beaucha,np Bagenal never realised. But it was an ambition "Perceiving that I found nothing but worthy of a Bagenal. and those who live cteiays and fair words in the Marshal. and It was for Sir Henry's brother. Dudley. in this quiet place today perhaps have having used all means I could to get his that nld Sir Nicholas Bagenal purchased that in mind when they refuse to call it by consent. I attempted another course. to the barony of ldrone from George Carew any name other than Bagenalstown. deal with the gentlewoman herself. and in 1585. and as we have seen. Dudley's The story of the Bagenals is a about twenty days before my marriage I hl(,od-feud with the MacMurrough fascinating one. Swashbuckling got good opportunities to speak with her Kavanaghs brought him no better luck Elizabethan adventurers. dashing myself: I lodged one night at Sir Patrick than his brother had in his mortal contest Jacobite cavaliers and fire-eating Barnewell's house. where the with the Earl of Tyrone. But the Bagenal Georgian squires. their Tudor and Protes gentlewoman was kept. where I dealt so stock took root in County Carlow. and tant origins were time and again forgotten effectively with the gentlewoman that we three generations later we find a Bagenal as they embraced the religion and were trouthed together. and she received li)!htin)! 011 th.: Confederate side in the aspirationsof their adopted country. The from me a chain of gold. After this there I ti4 I r.:hellinn. This was Colonel Walter founder of the Irish branch of the family passed between her and me some mes Hagenal. wh,, lost his estates and was was Sir Nicholas. a Tudor buccaneer of sengers which cinfirmed our love on both shot 111 Kilkenny for his support of the classic mould. who fled to Ireland in sides. and upon a matter concluded Chark, I. hut his son Dudley regained 1539 after killing a man in a brawl "with between her and me. upon the third of the i:,tatcs at the Restoration. Thi, certain light persons." He sought refuge August last. I tnok in my company at Dud!n had been educated a Pr,lt<:stant in the province of Ulster. which was out least half a dozen Englishmen that were a, ,1 "ard 1n Dublin and Oxford. hut h, side English jurisdiction, where he my friends. and went to dinner to Sir hl',·.imc a l:1,, ,bite and fought in tha1 enlisted as a mercenary in the army or Patrick Barnewell's. where I found good cause at the ,1cl!t' of Derrv and at the Con Bacach O'Neill. first Earl of Tyrone. entertainment: after dinner some of the Boyne. ending his days as a member Through o·Nc11l's influence he obtained a gentlemen in my company going to play of the exiled court of James II at St. pardon in l 543. "Nicholas Bagnall. or and other exercises. the gentlewoman that Germain et Kaye. Again the land, of Hagnolde. (>! Hagenholde. late of is now my wife espienge her time. ldr.ine were lost. and again rec,)\ cred. h~ ,. Wolstnn. \\'arwickshire. alias of mounted herself behind one of the Dudh:\·, ,,111 Walter. who succe.:,kd in Warwick. :1lias of Stafford. alias of gentlemen in my company. and went prOI 111!' titk tu the e,tates 111 remainder Langforde. Dcrh> shire. Yeoman. General away with him. he having none in his aftl.'r h1, father's death. It wa, this Walter pardnn nf ali murders and felonies by him company. but one or two serving men. I "h,, founded Hagenalstown. 14 The most colourful character in the ment would satisfy Irish public opinion. which possessed eighteenth-century whole Bagenal saga-not excluding the This was, of course, Protestant opinion, Ireland. Bagenal commanded several Elizabethan buccaneer who planted the for no opinion was yet acknowledged to military corps, which he dearly loved to line in Ireland-was Walter's son, the Catholic masses, though they review in his park at Dunleckney Manor, Beauchamp Bagenal, sometimes called benefited at this time from a relaxation of hard by the Barrow about a mile from '"King" Bagenal, who lived from 1741 to the penal laws, conceded by Westminster Bagenalstown, He held such a review in 1802. He was a typical member of the ec in an effort to keep them from joining 1782 to celebrate the attainment of Irish centric Whig-ascendancy which ranks with the Protestants. Irish legislative independence: he drove dominated Ireland in the latter half of the patriotism in the eighteenth century was between the lines in an open carriage eighteenth century. "No monarch was Protestant patriotism, and its aim was to drawn by six horses, with a bottle of ever more absolute within the bounds of replace Poyning's Law and the claret in one hand and a glass in the his extensive estates," wrote O'Neill Declaratory Act of 1719 by a Protestant other, drinking the officers' healths and Daunt: and Ryan, the historian of the democracy: calling them up to the carriage to drink to County Carlow, left the following ac No laws shall ever bind us, the Volunteers of Ireland. In the evening count of him: "It was said of him that he But those we frame ourselves; there was a great entertainment, with a had the eccentricity of the Bagenals, the The English now shall find us ball and supper at the house. the rank and parsimony of the Beauchamps and the As free as they're themselves. file for whom there was no room under pride of the Matthews. He was a man of The Irish Volunteers, my boys, the roof, camped out in the summernight great personal spirit, and fought in his Have wed the glorious cause; with unlimited wine and whiskey; and in time not less, we believe, than half a score And will, with many hearts and the morning the park was like a batt of duels. The churchyard of Killinane was hands, tlefield, strewn with prostrate bodies, un a favourite spot for him on these bel New-model Poyning's laws. able to move. The ubiquitous Sir Jonah ligerant occasions, where, being lame Barrington, who· was among the guests, from an accident, he always maintained declared it "the most furious exhibition his perpendicular by resting against one which could be conceived by persons not of the tombstones and thus received the A country squire accustomed to those days of dissipation." fire of his adversary. In fact, Mr. Bagenal Beauchamp Bagenal was present in the In many respects Bagenal's character was a very fair specimen of the 'fire House of Commons in College Green to harks back to his turbulent Elizabethan eating' Irish squires of that day: so ad hear Henry Grattan make his declaration ancestor, Sir Nicholas, who, it will be mirably portrayed by Miss Edgeworth in of independence, the greatest speech of remembered, fled to Ireland after killing a her 'Castle Rackrent'." his career, couched in terms appropriate man in a brawl. One of Beauchamp The first we hear of Beauchamp to a great event in Irish history and to his Bagenal's favourite sports, if not precisely Bagenal's exploits was when, as befitted a own part in bringing it about: "I found brawling, was duelling, and he would is fashionable young gentleman of the age, Ireland on her knees; I watched over her sue a challenge at the slightest provoca he made the grand tour of Europe. He with parental solicitude; I have traced her tion, or goad another into doing so. Once, visited every capital, arrording to Sir progress from inquiries to arms and from when some pigs belonging to a new Jonah Barrington, and "exhibited the arms to liberty. Spirit of Swift! Spirit of neighbour strayed into his property, he native original character of the Irish Molyneux! Your genius has prevailed! sent their ears and tails back to their gentleman at every place he visited." Bar Ireland is now a nation. In that owner together with a message that he, rington goes on to list the highlights of character I hail her and bowing in her too, deserved to have his ears and tail the tour: "'a variety of feats which were august presence I say Esto Perpetual" docked and that Bagenal would gladly do emblazoned in Ireland, and endeared him Such was the enthusiasm of it for him. "Now," chuckled the squire, tu his countrymen. He Beauchamp Bagenal on this great occa "if he's a gentleman he must burn powder had fought a prince, jilted a princess, in sion that he moved a grant of £100,000 to after such a message as that." The duel toxicated the Doge of Venice, carried off Grattan for his services to the nation. A took place, and Bagenal severly wounded a Duchess from Madrid, scaled the walls grant of £50,000 was voted, and Grattan, his antagonist. On another occasion, fan of a convent in Italy, narrowly escaped disinterested though his fight had been cying himself slighted through being the Inquisition at Lisbon, concluded his for his idea of Irish liberty, felt able to ac refused a favour for one of his relations, exploits with a duel at Paris; and returned cept it. This piece of parliamentery ac he fought a duel with the Chief Secretary, to Ireland with a sovereign contempt for tivity was the closest thing to prominence Colonel Blacquiere. The latter behaved all continental men and manners, and an achieved by Bagenal during his career in with great courage and dignity, even inveterate antipathy to all despotic kings the Irish House of Commons, to which he when Bagenal's pistol repeatedly misfired, and arhitrary governments." had been elected in 1768 as a member for and carried off the honours of the day. Bagenal was a member of Henry Grat County Carlow. He was a liberal, and Bagenal liked to gather congenial tan's Patriot Party and supported him in consistently supported Catholic relief spirits around him at his table in his campaign for legislative independence bills. remembering perhaps his family's Dunleckney Manor. It required a great for the Irish parliament. He also took a Jacobite tradition and his father's ex deal of spirit indeed to be a member of very active part in the organisation of the perience of the Penal Laws, but that company, for a dinner at Irish Volunteers in County Carlow. The parliamentary politics failed to capture Dunleckney was a terrifying experience, Volunteers began as a kind of part-time his boisterous and often violent imagina due to the host's tender affection for security force. but they soon became tion. "Prodigally hospitable, irregular, un firearms. A brace of loaded pistols lay much more than that. A large body of certain. vivacious:" writes Barrington, before him on the table, and it was his well-armed men. acting independently of "the chase, the turf, the sod and the bottle custom to broach the claret cask with a the government. could not fail to become divided a great portion of his intellects shot from one of these, while with the a power in the land, and when the between them generally left for the use of other he would playfully menace anyone Volunteers paraded with their cannon in Parliament only so much as he could who failed to do full justice to the wine. front of the Parliament House in College spare from his other occupations." After dinner he was fond of imparting to Green. the effects were felt in far-away Volunteering-the recruitment and his younger guests the fruits of his own Westminster. where the British parlia training of the Irish Volunteers-was experience, and his singular view of how a ment lifted the prohibition on Irish wool among these more congenial occupations. young man should prepare himself for and ·glass. and on Irish trade with the providing as it did opportunities for life: colonies. But by then nothing short of in adventure and conviviality, and an outlet "'In truth. my young friends," said the dependence from that same British parlia- for that love of show and extravagance squire of Dunleckney, "it behoves a (Continued page 32) 15 Looking through a catalogue of "Feis Ceatharloch" 1913 I was struck by the number of business premises that adver tised therein and are now alas no more. CARLOW Most prominent of course was Governey's Boot & Shoe Factory. Generations of families earned their livelihood working there before its closure Then and Now some years back: it was renowned for good quality work always. Another fac A. Burns tory mentioned was the "Ceatharloch low St.. now Atkinsons Grocery Store. Dunny: a Bacon Shop. now the Hosiery Factory" which was situated Williams' were a great musical family. Veterinary Office of L. Murphy. and a where the Five Star Department Store is People congregated regularly outside the Licensed Premises. until recently oc now. It was owned by Michael Molloy house. especially on Sunday nights to .cu pied by T. McDonald and now who was M.P. for the town: he had large hear the family performing. He was mar awaiting a new owner under the title of Drapery and Footwear Shops also beside ried to a Miss Deegan who carried on a .. Castle Tavern". , it where the Five Star Supermarket Stores homemade Confectionery. Luncheons & Johnnie Power. Pollerton Rd. had a are now. All gave a lot of employment. Teas business across the road where very successful Car & Carriage business ment. O'Dwvers Chemist Shop is now. and was also a Funeral Undertaker. He Next in order is Shackletons Flour Adioining was Colgan's. where Allied was one of the town's most colourful Mills. who claimed to be "the largest Irish Finance Office is now: they had a characters. One of his horses which used buyers of wheat grown in Ireland". This Stationery & Fancy Goods Store. convey travellers over the district on Side reminded me of a visit our Society had to Evervone knew Julia Colgan's Shop. She Cars to Races and Football Games was Ballitore to see the Quaker School. was ·a very friendly person. Her niece. named "Pollerton Boy". It often com Meeting House. and Graveyard some Miss B. Oliver carried on the business peted successfully at Race Meetings after years ago. We learned that a Shackleton for a few years. Her -pare.nts carried on a conveying passengers there. It was was one of the pioneers of flour milling in Bakery Establishment for many years in bought and sent to Russia for stud pur this country, having come from Yorkshire the shop now occupied by Gerald Kehoe. poses. John Hammond had a Grocery. and started a mill there with the Quaker Radio & T.V. Stores. Wine & Spirit shops in Tullow St.. where colony. Fortunately the Barrow Mills is The advertisement for Isaac Khan's Shaws Department Stores are now. He still functioning successfully under dif Motor Garage. Tullow reminded me of was an M.P. for the Borough. Gerald ferent management. The Dublin Bakery. the following story. Isaac was in financial Donnelly succeeded him and carried on 52. Dublin St. was owned by a Maher trouble when a traveller pressed hard for the business until his death. family. It was bought by P. C. Bergin's his cheque which was overdue. Isaac John Brennans. Castle St. was a great father and is now the E.S.B. Showrooms. obliged but when the cheque was shop for Leather & Footwear. A lot of William Jackson. Tullow St. was an Auc presented at the Bank the Cashier replied: people repaired their own boots and shoes tioneer & Valuer. Licensed Vintner & "If Isaac can-we can't". How true this then. he also had a Pawnbroking Shipping Agent. I well remember the is. I can't vouch for it, but it was a good Fstablishment next door. "Window colourful bill boards outside advertising Fashions" now occupy that part and cheap emigrant fares to U.S.A .. Canada storv at the time. Dillons. 18. Dublin St.. now Sloans. ·c astlc Crafts· are in the Leather Shop. & Australia. Sean O'Shea and his wife was a popular shop for Teas & Tim McKenna. 45. Dublin St. had a conduct the licensed business there now. Homemade Cakes. A sister started the licensed premises which is now the Auc In Tullow. Gerald O'Toole advertises same form of business in Tullow St.. tioneers Office of George W. Warren & the fact that in addition to conducting a where "'Mac's" Men's Drapery now Co. David Henry. 140 Tullow St. had the grocery and licensed premises. he is also stands. Mark Purser of Tullow St. had a Hardware Shop now owned by George a Druggist. This must have been before Hardware Store. now part of Presenta Good: he had the office on the middle of Chemists got the sole rights to sell Drugs. tion Convent School. His own patent the shop and there is a big change in the There is also a notice which says that Farm Fence. which was very reliable. la\'l>ut of the business altogether since Gold Spangled Cigarettes are being sold was manufactured in Green Lane where then. at IO for 3d. and Park Drive IO for 2d. Tom O'Brien of Emerald Lodge now Dinny Mullane was the owner of the What a change compared to present resides. His son Oscar and wife visited prc,ent .. Burrin Inn" and in his advt. he prices. the town last year from Australia. offered £ I 00 to anyone who could prove William Burns. now Suttons. supplied Lawler's Licensed Premises and Home that his Malt was less than 7 years old. amongst Teas, Groceries & Household Cured Bacon Factory were at 36 & 3 7. 11 hilc Johnnie Foley. who occupied the Hardware. Musical Instruments such as Tullow St.. now the Allied Irish Bank. ..Old llou,e··. now M. J. Delaneys. Violins. Accordeons and Concertinas. They moved up to ·The Plough· in the 11 anted to know where he came in as What a strange mixture of Trade. The e\ en llllC claimed to be selling the best. Educational Co. advertised their stock of early 2 RICHARD D'Alton Williams was born Sisters of Charity"' which was published carefully selected jury and this time the in Dublin on the 8th October. 1822. His in 1848. crown was rewarded with a conviction. mother was a native of Westmeath. and Williams was always ready to visit the o·ooherty was sentenced to ten years she married her kinsman James Wil sick and dying. Several of his companions transportation. liams. When Williams was six years old. left on record the fact. that on visiting a The next day Williams was arraigned. he was taken to live at Grenanstown near sick woman in the slums of Dublin he left He was defended by Samuel Ferguson the Devil's Bit in Co. Tipperary where he his coat on the bed and returned to his Q.C. The Jury decided the Crown had grew up. He was first sent to the Jesuit home on a winters night in his shirt enough victims and found Williams guilty College of St. Stanislaus at Lullabeg sleeves. This incident took place possibly of publishing "The Tribune·· and not where he had forhis Prefect Fr. Meagher where Williams was discharging his self guilty of waging war against the Queen. uncle of Thomas Francis Meagher imposed suties as a member of the The Crown were not satisfied with the ( Meagher of the Sword). Society of St. Vincent de Paul. He was findings: twice the jury were sent back. Having completed his preparatory one of the first of the young men who The third time they declared the prisoner course Williams passed to St. Patrick's aided in establishing the Society in "not guilty"". Lay College. Carlow in 1839. At that Dublin. not many years after it was The failure of the '48 movement was a time Dr. Andrew Fitzgerald was the founded in Paris by that pious and gifted great blow to Williams and it was with a President. Frenchman Frederic Ozanam. spirit much subdued that he resumed his At the College his master was the Rev. In May. 1848 John Mitchel was medical studies after the collapse of his James Taylor 0.0. a very distinguished sentenced to 14 years penal servitude and trial. professor who later became President of the next day his paper "United Irishmen" After completing his studies in Dublin Carlow College and subsequently P.P. of was suppressed after having existed for Williams went to Edinburgh on the last Maryborough (now Portlaoise) where he only sixteen weeks. A few weeks later two day of July 1849 and there took out his died in 1876. new journals came out to carry on diploma. In a letter from Spring College Mobile. Mitchel"s work. These were the "Irish Early in 1851 Williams decided to U.S.A. to a friend in December 1853. Tribune" and the '"Irish Felon."' become an exile and in June of that year Williams wrote "If you ever meet Dr. John Martin was the editor and he left his native land for ever. Taylor. remember me to him"'. Williams proprietor of the "Irish Felon."' Richard In America Williams made his first remained at Carlow college for several D"Alton Williams and Kevin Izod home in Alabama. Here he obtained a years: and it was here he began to write o·ooherty"s names were entered at the professorship of Belle Lettres in the Jesuit the poetry which was later to make him Custom House as the proprietors of the College at Spring Hill. Mobile which he famous. Some of these juvenile pieces latter paper. It is a curious fact that near held for some years. From Mobile he paid were considered of sufficient merit to ob ly the entire staff on this paper were occassional visits to Havana and New tain a place in a Book of Honour kept in members of the medical profession. Orleans. In the latter city. he made the ac the College. The first number of"The Tribune" was quaintance of a Mrs. Connolly. a widow It wa, from Carlow College that Wil published on the 10th June. 1848. The of Irish birth. Williams fell in love with liams sent his first poem "The Munster British Government were less patient with her daughter Elizabeth and they were War Song·· which was published in the this paper than they were with "United married in New Orleans on 8th "'Nation·· on the 7th January. 1843. The Irishmen." Before the sixth weekly September. 1856. He then resigned his manuscript of this poem was signed number was published. Williams and professorship and made his home in New '"Shamrock"" a nom-de-plume which ()"Doherty were arrested: Williams at his Orleans having decided to resume his readers of the ·Nation· grew to know and residence 35 Mount Pleasant Sq .. practice of the medical profession which Jove. The editors of that journal. Thomas Ranelagh: and the paper suppressed. he successfully carried on there for some Davis and Gavin Duffy were loud in their After a few more weeks John Martin years. During those years he occassional praises of "Shamrock."' He also con was a prisl,ner. On Tuesday. August 8th. ly contributed to American magazines tributed to the Evening Tablet and Duf 1848. true bills were found at the com and journals. he also sent some pieces to fy·s "'Irish Catholic Magazine:· under the mission against the three men (Williams the old "Nation:· but the greater part of initials D.N.S. the final letters of his was not tried until the 2nd November). his literary work was done previous to name. His next contribution to the On August 10th O"Doherty was put on 1851. Williams had four children. one son ··Nation·· on 25th February. 1843 was trial for articles published in '"The and three daughters. the pathetic" Adieu to Innisfail." Tribune."' He was defended by Mr. Isaac The climate of New Orleans had much Williams decided to take up medicine Butt. The n:,ult was a disagreement of the to do with the breaking up of his health as a career. went to Dublin and began his .J Ur). which in 1860 induced him to seek a studies at the School of Medicine. On the I 7th ()f the same month he was change first to Baton Rouge. the then Between 1844 and 1848 he gave diligent tried a second time: and again the jury capital city about 130 miles above New attention to his medical studies. The disagreed. Orleans and finally to Thibodeaux Hl,spital with which he became con The Crown resolved to have a convic also in Louisiana. in which town he was nected ,,·as St. Vincent"s under the care of tion and detained him for a new trial at living at the outbreak of the Civil War. the Sisters l'f Charity. The Sisters who the next commission and postponed to While here he wrote his last poem "Song k nc,, him retained the kindest recollec that day. the trial of his comrade R. D. of the Irish American Regiments."' tion, pf the ,h\' youth in spectacles who Williams. breathing all his old patriotism. Williams "as l..11< ll\ 11 ((, he a poet. Several of his On Monday. October 30th. 1848 died llf a haemorrhage of the lungs on the compositi,,n, were in "'The manual of the o·ooherty was again put on trial before a 5thJuly. 1862 in his fortieth year. (Continued· page 32) 17 EDUCATION IN CARLOW MERCY ORDER Catherine McAuley. foundress of the By Mother Imelda College. where the students gave them a Mercy Order. was born in Stormanstown rousing welcome and where the House near Dublin in 1780. Her father mumties will never want for necessaries: hospitable President had expected them combined the work of architect. builder As a small donation. and as a proof of my to share a meal with him and his guests. and timber merchant. On Sundays he affection. I will give them the convent and In the meantime arrived a hearty looked after the poor of his area and col grounds. and every year while I live I will welcome from Rev. Mother Joseph in the lected their children for religious instru, give them £ I 00. which. if they do not Presentation Convent nearby to dine and tion. need themselves. they can bestow on the spend the afternoon with her and her Catherine at the age of 42 became mis deserving poor. This little gift. however. is community-an invitation they most tress of an estate worth £25.000. It had to be a secret. for. if known. it might pre thankfully accepted and that evening they been willed to her by a Mr. O'Callaghan vent the benefactions of others." And were conducted to their temporary who had been deeply impressed by her now we come at last to the arrival of home-the old College Academy on the work · among the poor. Fr. Joseph Mother McAuley and the usual seven (a site now occupied by the Cookery Nugent. C.C. of St. Mary's Liffey St.. Scripture echo}---The new Superioress wa~ Department of the school (Dublin Road). began to interest Catherine in his poor Mother Francis Warde. who had reached Here. in the best room they arranged a school. She taught the children and the mature age of 27! Amongst the temporary Altar for Mass and next morn provided food and clothing for the professed were a few "on loan··. including ing the Bishop said Mass. blessed the poorest among them. She visited their Mother M. Teresa White (later first building and dedicated it to Pope Saint homes. tended their sick. giving comfort Superioress of Galway). Mother M. Ur Leo the Great. They fixed up the old and relief. sula Freyne (in Carlow 1837. in New building as best they could and had a By this time she had adopted the five foundland 1842. in Australis 1845. the look at their surroundings. The College orphan children of her sister. Mary. The first Mercy Sister to set foot there). About had given them plenty of space to erect a three boys she placed in the lay depart Mother M. F. Warde. books have been convent. well in from the road. From their ment of St. Patrick's College. Carlow. written. The first Golden Jubilarian in the back windows. they had a view of the She purchased a spacious site for her Order. she made at least thirty founda Cathedral and the College. set in a plea House of Mercy at the corner of Baggot tions in the U.S.A .. but here we must con sant park. where the leaves were opening St. and Herbert St. in Dublin. the building fine her to Carlow. 1837-1843. on the trees. Their next-door neighbour of which was completed in July 1827. On April 10th. 1837. about 2 p.m .. on the road was a semi-invalid lady. Mrs. Many young ladies were drawn to give a Purcell's Mail Coach. passing the imposing Nowlan. sister of Michael. whose bequest helping hand in the 'House of Mercy' in side-gate of the College. opening on to the Bishop for the poor of the town cluding two daughters of Daniel O'Con "the Quarries" (Dublin Road) made its was the immediate reason for their com nell. an enthusiastic friend. The inmates way through the Market-day shoppers to ing to Carlow. Next day with a list from lived like a religious community without the Posting Inn. where Bishop and clergy one of the curates. they set out to make its status and security and carried on their as well as a big crowd. awaited the arrival "friends" in the poorest quarters of the work of visitation and education. of the Sisters. Dr. Nolan led the way to town. The seven Sisters had plenty of ex Catherine was persuaded to get proper the Cathedral where the Te Deum was perience of disease and death in Dublin training to form a new Institute. that sung in thanksgiving for their arrival. and of the spiritual needs of the poor. would not on principle exclude any work Then they were conducted across to the (To he continued next year) of mercy. Mother McAuley and her pioneer companions were professed by the Archbishop of Dublin for the new In stitute on December 12th. 1831. In 1841 came the final Confirmation from Rome. In 1835 a branch house had opened in Kingstown (Dun Laoire). Mother CARLOW McAuley was happy to make a small beginning anywhere but her convents and schools were not to be located in alleys and lanes - as was the custom in semi BOOK penal times. SAINT LEO'S. CARLOW A foundation for Carlow had been talked about as early as 1834 by her SHOP friends in that town: the Bishop. Dr. Edward Nolan. Dr. Andrew Fitzgerald. 43, TULLOW STREET, President of the College and the Ad ministrator-Father James Maher. Two years later. the Bishop was left a generous legacy for the poor of the town. and now CARLOW the work of the foundation went ahead. "Give me". Dr. Nolan said. "a small band of your fervent nuns. and I shall take upon myself the whole responsibility GIVE BOOK TOKENS THIS CHRISTMAS for their maintenance. The house prepared is not exactly what we would They give the pieasure of choosing. wish. but we ,hall soon build another. The interest uf Michael Nowlan·s money given them ,n perpetuity \\ ill en a hie them to commence. at once. their labours Phone - 4167~ amongst the sick and poor. I am not rich. but I pn,misc that my religious com- 18 The Economic and Social Scene in County Car low • ID the 1790's by Sister Maura· Duggan AGRICULTURE but had also a somewhat better standard scheme it was cheaper to use canal than of farming and consequently of living road to convey goods to Dublin.11 The THE difficulty of discussing economic than elsewhere in the country. nature of the expense involved in road conditions in Ireland in the eighteenth Young had observed during the course carriage where an individual was con century have been underlined in recent of his brief stay in the county that 'tillage cerned can be seen below: years by such historians as L.M. Cullen. is much increased here and almost entire Wakefield gives particular attention to D. Large. M. Drake., As Large shows. ly owing to the inland premiums.'s The the high 4uality of the barley grown in the even where the material is available it is greatest monument to the Bounty Laws county · ..... of all the interior counties it difficult to evaluate because of the evident to Young was Captain Mercer's was the only one which produced barley countless unknown factors. Suf mill at Leighlin Bridge which was noted and he considered it 'of the best quality in ficient evidence exists however to enable as one of the most considerable in the Ireland and a larger quantity is sown here one to ascertain the general pattern of liv country. It ground 15.000 barrels a year than in any other part.13 The removal of ing in county Carlow. Its natural advan and if demand had been brisker it had the inland bounties and the greater tages because of the nature of the soil facilities for doing more.6 Young decried restriction laid on malsters in I 797 does itself are underlined by M. J. Conry in a the Bounty Laws as leading from bad not appear to have made any marked recent survey2 which shows that. given pasturage to poor tillage. Whatever about difference there. The number of the relatively primitive state of agriculture the metlwl the economy benefited. In malt houses was considerably less in Ireland in the eighteenth century, the I 780 it was noted that nine mills had been than in county Wexford for example soil lent itself equally well to grazing and erected in the county since the com but the stills were of a more economic tillage so that the county was able to take mencement of the Inland Bounty Act. Of site and proportionately fewer were thus the swing towards tillage which followed these four had begun sending flour to affected by the new legislation.14 The the Inland Bounty Act of 1758 in its , Dublin within the five years previous to reputation of Carlow barley was so high stride., while still maintaining its interest 17907 -- evidence that the county was that a great deal was 'brought hither from in grazing and dairy farming. Wakefield among the areas which took advantage of the county of Wexford and sold as concluding the first volume of his survey the chronic bread shortage in Dublin in Carlnw barley.'1s Flour was the really big \\ as keenly critical of farming methods in the years between Foster's Corn Laws of item. however. and again though the mills Ireland. Passing from what he called the 17848 and the removal of the Inland were much less in number than in county minor cultivators of the soil. he looks to Bounties in 1797.9 Kilkenny for example. which was dotted the tillage farmer of Kilkenny. Carlow. o·Brien looked on the Barrow Navigation with small flour mills. the quality was bet Kildare. Meath and Louth and states that scheme as worthless.to Undoubtedly it ter. Hugh Faulkner. brother to the owner even there he had failed to find 'in their co,t more than it ever recouped but the of the Castletown estate gives an idea of mode of management any sign whatever immediate result was that the county was the expense invl1lved in sowing an acre of of agricultural skill."4 able to exploit Dublin's need. Foster·s whcat:16 22nd October. 1795. Y ct no matter what aspect of farming Com Laws by removing the Bounty from Much of the lime used was unneces he discusses he found some improvement corn exported from Dublin rendered the sary as the land was naturally alkaline in the standard of the produce in county city less attractive to cl1rn merchants in hut lime was much in vogue in farming Carlo\\ compared w l>ther parts of the general and helped create a market for a and \\ as easily available on the Rochfort country. Conry's survey emphasises the county like Carlow which had the advan estate nf Cll,grennan. potential that remained unfulfilled for so tage of a canal as a mode of conveyance. On the same day as he worked out the long. It can. lwwever. be said that the In 1790 it \,·as shown that of all the ·job cstimate for sowing wheat. Faulkner count\ not only had natural advantages bery· connected with the Navigation nntcd that a barrel of wheat sold at thirty threc shillings which was considered a £ s d \ cry good price that year. The crop was ~ estimated at eight barrels per acre. To night"s hay for hl,rses at IOd per horse 8 4 fo watching the cars for 2 nights 5 Faulkner felt that ·w make the money To Turnpike for cars g1,ing to Dublin 4 2 it c<>,t· it must sell at least thirty one shill fn 2 nights ha1 in Dublin I 0 8 ings a barrel the following year. Barley r" Tu1 ,1pi"c c,,min>-' lwmc 4 2 sold that year at seventeen and six per r11 2: ,tllne, ,•I ,,ats a! Rathcool 2 .I; barrel. These were cash crops and the r" I ,;\ght·, 11.1\ at l\.ikullcn 4 2 pn,tit (rn the wlwle compared favourably r() 2 - ,tnnc, ,,r nat, at ·11rnolin 2 .1\ with cattle prices while the outlay for the (i 1"11 I· ,pe11se, ,,I _1 men f,,r h da1, (/ I I per da~ IY farmer working a family holding was not 2 I h 0 prohibitive. There is little mention of oats. 19 111111' A calf could be bought for four shill £ s d 5 ploughings etc. 2 16 IO ings so that the initial outlay to enter the dairy industry even in a very small way 40 barrells of lime (ci) 2s per barrel 4 0 0 was not excessive and Young had noticed I barrel of seed I 17 0 that 'the cabbins let here at twenty shill 8 13 IO ings each and thirty shillings for the One and half years rent (ci) 50s per acre 3 15 0 pasturage of a cow which they all keep.'24 12 8 IO It was a sound investment as Carlow but ter was in high demand in Dublin and 'Every ploughing costs three guineas per acre at least but to you I think vastly more. The London. It was sent to Dublin by canal lime will cost three guineas per acre, the seed wheat three half guineas per acre thus the 'and gives to the butter of that capital a expenses as above. very high reputation on account of which it always bears a superior price.'25 Coote Faulkner found the crop tedious and un was some falling off in sheep ra1smg :surveying the Barony of Slieve Margy productive. The year in question oats among the great landowners but as this (Queen's County) which borders Carlow, were sold at nine shillings per barrel. did not come under the meat export trade found at the end of the century that the Corn was threshed according as straw it merely meant that the greater tenants great butter market in Carlow en was required on the Castletown estate raised fewer sheep and concentrated more couraged the dairies in that County: which hindered a rationalising of the on cattle though the price of beef '. . . . . and perhaps in no part of grain crop. Almost twenty years earlier remained stagnant through the greater Ireland does butter sell for such good . Young had pointed out that in general in part of the century. Carlow had some of prices. Many buyers have commis ' the county the cattle system was not ar the finest grazing land in the country yet sions from the provisions in Waterford ranged with an eye to the turnip crop there is little fluctuation in the price of to which all is sent by Barrow Naviga though he found some notable exceptions beef in the I 790's. Two pence to tion. The wholesale price this summer among some few gentlemen, whom he threepence halfpenny per pound was the was seven pounds a hundredweight'26 found enterprising, practising some rota usual price. occasionally for the better (and it was estimated that under the best tion of crops and generally farming in cuts. four pence. Mutton averaged four conditions a cow yielded a hundredweight what Young considered an intelligent pence per pound. Fattening strippers ap and a half of butter in the year). So that way. There was little tendency to imitate pear to have been the standard method of having even half or more of the butter them among the common farmers who beef production on the Faulkner estate in yield for domestic consumption the owner even dressed their corn 'in so slovenly a dicating an interest in dairy cattle rather of even one cow had sufficient to pay the manner that there is the same necessity of than beef.22 rent and a little over. And even the tiniest dressing it over again ... .'11 Dairy farming was widespread in the holding seems to have had a pig. Potatoes, cabbages and onions were county. Wakefield noted there the general Young in his treatise on CATTLE among the farm produce of a notably practice in the south of Ireland of letting agreed that Carlow's reputation for butter high standard. Of the onion crop dairies to dairymen who agreed to give was justifiably highly esteemed in London Wakefield remarked that it formed 'a part so much per annum though the practice and was often sold as Cambridge butter. of Irish cultivation in the immediate en was on the decline. Young considered this He would not accept that other Irish virons of the town of Carlow whence they procedure was seldom practised there and brands of butter could be passed off as are hawked about through a considerable a recent writer argues that such a custom Carlow butter. as was frequently at part of the island.'1s The only area-with a wc1s not necessary 'in the expansion of tempted. He had observed that firkins 'of similar pattern was Ennis, ·county Clare, dairying in Carlow and Queen's County that which is manufactured in all the though the extent of the market was more because farmers' capital modest though it neighbouring counties are often branded limited there. Carlow's fame for onions was proved adequate to the task of with the name of Carlow' in order to may have been the origin of the catch call building up small herds of dairy cattle.'23 penetrate the best markets. Irish butter on heard even today - 'the Carlow scallion Young noted that cows were bought in the whole had the reputation of being eaters.' Quite small allotments were set as May and sold fat from harvest to 'very salty. smoky and tallowy.' The potato ground e.g. 16 perches @ £6.16.6. Autumn. This practice seems to have ob superior quality of Carlow butter arose per acre - £0.13. 7{. Among lots set for tained still in the l 790's. from the greater degree of cleanliness and l 789 the biggest was two acres one rood attention in salting it. and twenty-eight perches.19 A Faulkner Account Book for May 1975 notes cattle bought at the fairs of Young had remarked on the fact that Leighlinbridge, Castledermot, Orchard (county Carlow) and Kilkenny. An extract is the land on the mountains facing given below: Browne's Hill was cultivated very high up the ~ides. Upon enquiry he found that: £ s John Neal I cow 5 6 'it was done by cottiers who pay high James Timmin I cow 5 13 rent of ten shillings per acre in order _to Thomas Bearney 1 cow 4 0 improve it; they pare it with a olough Daniel Reilly 1 cow 4 11 and burn the furrow, lime and fallow it Thomas Price 1 cow 4 IO for wheat, of which they get six barrels James Dawson 1 cow 3 15 per acre; after which they sow wheat and get ten · barrels . . . Some they reclaim with potatoes. Much of the Between August and late winter of the same year the following prices were obtained: mountain is wet, so that they are forced to drain it with open cuts. '20 Cattle Sold £ s Carlow was well suited to grazing. The August 12 to Will McDarby 8 IO industry of the cottiers in carving out September to Murtagh Keegan 6 18 extra land from the mountain-side is an October 2 to Terence Byrne 7 14 indication that the bounties of the mid November 13 one of the best to Will McDarby 7 5 century gave an incentive to the whole November 26 to Patt. Pollen 8 7 of agriculture there rather than causing a January 13 one little black cow 5 13 break from pasturage to tillgae.21 There 20 ~...... , ...... #~················································· .. YOUNG CARLOW LOOKS AT THE WORLD - 1975 AUTUMN COLOURS The day is wet and miserable, And the colours of Autumn feel the ground once again, There are colours of all kinds, dark green and light green golden, crimson and the beautiful brown. These are the colours which I kick from the pavement, These are the colours that I take for granted But these are the colours I love so much. Dermot Murphy, C.B.S., Carlow. WITH REFERENCE TO PRUFROCK If I could release the vast reservoir of hidden emotion from within me, If I could grasp that elusive straw and strive to survive, If I could "wipe clean the black art from every sense," Maybe then I could look at a rose and see the beauty, not the thorn, Maybe then I could feel what it means to be secure within oneself. If I could look for a break in the clouds, and not feel boxed in by gray- [to laugh with children, and talk with scholars, to love the old and understand the youngl. If I could feel grateful for the glow of the candle and not be scornful of its 'waxen tears' If I could be more like me instead of Prufrock, [afraid to display the submerged self to the hypocritical ladies who drink afternoon tea with little fingers cocked!] If I could laugh at their judgements, and not hide my head in shame. Maybe then I could walk instead of crawl, Maybe then I could live and not exist. Carlow Schoolgirl, 1975. The Ecomonic and Social Scene footnotes I - L. M. Cullen, Anglo-Irish Trade 1660-1800 All duties on export ot Lorn by former Acts to cease; and Note: Agricultural labourers on this estate earned up to lOp from the passing of the Act present bounties to cease on the (Manchester. 1968); D. Large, 'The wealth of the great exportation of corn, grain. ground or unground, malt, meal a day at busy times though the standard wage was 6d: ls Irish Landowners 1750-1815' I.H.S., vol. vx no. 57 (March, or nour ... 4d per day for ploughing. 9 - George O'Brien, The Economic History of Ireland in 1966); M. Drake, iMarriage and Population Growth in the Elpteenth Century (London, 1918) pp.lZU-1. 17 - Young. op. cit., p.67 Ireland 1750-1845' Economic History Review, second 10 - idid. p.364 Navigation. 18 - Wakefield. op. cit., vol. i, p.476. series' vol. xvi, no. 2 (December, 1963); II - J.I.H.C., vol. xiv. 19 - From a survey of sundry divisions of meadowing at 2 - M. J. Conry. 'The soils of county Carlow', Irish 2 - Faulkner Papers - now in possession of Mr. John Font Hill (Whaley property), surveyed by James Lalor, Geography, vol. v, no. 3. 1966. Monahan present owner of the Faulkner property at September I 7lS9, Plantation Measure (Faulkner Papers). 3 - George II c. xii: 'An Act for amending an act intitled Castletown, Carlow. An act for the better supplying .the city of Dublin with corn 20 - Young op.cit.p.65; Charles Topham Bowden, A tour , 13 - Wakefield. op. cit .. vol. 1, p.418. and nour.' . throup lrelud (Ilublin, 1791), p.250. 14 - 37 George Ill c.33 ' ... no licence shall be granted 4 - Edward Wakefield. Ireland: Statistical and Political 21 - John O'Donovan, Economic History of Livestock in unless the still ... be of dimensions sufficient to contain 25 (London, 1812). vol. I, p.580. Ireland (Cork, 1940), p.149. barrels of barley ... ' Of the 31 odd malthouses in Co 22 - Faulkner Papers. 5 - Arthur Young • A Tour in Ireland (London, 1780). Carlow only 4 had stills which held less than 25 Darrcts. 23 - L. M. Cullen, op. cit., p. lO. p 35. (J.I.H.C~ vol. xvi). 6 - ibid. 24 - Young. op. cit., p.64. 15 - Wakefield, ibid. 7 - Journal of the Irish House of Commons, vol. 14. 25 - Wakefield. op. cit., vol. i, pp.323-4. 8 - 23. 24 George Ill c. xix. An act for the better 16 - Hugh Faulkner at Castletown to his brother Samuel regulating the Corn Trade. and providing a steady supply of 26 - Sir Charles Coote, Bart., General View of the in Dublin. corn in this Kingdom ..... Manufactures of the Queen'• County (Dublin, 1801), p.179. 21 ,f Iiii: !r' '' !!:I ;!~! .I ii :I 1 ALL GJC'HB FUN OF GJHB FAIB By Margaret Hayden The old time fairs have long been achieved without a third party present as from Alan Doran of Leighlin who has a superceded by marts. These are cold for a go-between to advise either way. fund of ready knowledge of the past. mal places streamlined for business and "Come on now. Don't break my word", Two men, a Dowling from enterprize. completely different from the "Split the difference" was the common Bagnalstown and one, Orea from Wells, fairs of former years. "All the fun of the language of the bargaining trio and claimed at the fair that each had bought a fair" expressed indeed a whole pictures ultimately the difference was whittled certain heifer. In a thrice supporters que scene varying from wild frivolity to down and the deal was made. The ritual gathered round for both claimants, The impassioned bargaining. after was always the same. The buyer row gathered up steam, surged from the Even the fairs that our parents and spat on the palm of his hand and slapped Bawnogue into High Street and forward grand-parents knew were only a pale it on the seller's palm. Then also the seller to Main Street. The roaring contestants reflection of the great assemblies held 1,0- was expected to give a "luck penny" went over the bridge with a melee of rabid 00 or 1,500 years ago such as at Tara. when the money passed-a few shillings supporters shouting encouragement. The Tailtean and Uisneach. Everything was on perhaps depending on the amount of R.l.C. stalwarts from Rathvindon Bar at those ancient gatherings. Kings and money involved and this usually came racks intervened. to no avail. The fight nobles held high council about peace, war from the wife's egg money. As its name spread. Men from Ballinabranna to and alliances. As with the fairs, the main implied, it was for luck. Banagagole joined in and in the confusion purpose was buying and selling so above Luck came into all the fair's transac the animal broke loose and crashed all it was a bargaining arena. tions a lot because it was also considered through a delph stall, and the owner, a When that aspect of the gathering lucky for the man bringing animals for widow. set up a lamentation. Orea tossed was over the people went in search sale to have a steel knife or some bit of her a gold sovereign. "I will pay for all," of entertainment. Races, sports and con iron in his pocket and to shake a grain of he shouted. "but the fight must go on." tests of all kinds were put on for men, salt or a pinch of ashes on the animals. And it did. Right up Church Street past women and children and, of course, no And it was unlucky to meet a hare or a the Swan Hotel (now the Post Office) and fair would be complete without musi red-haired woman on the road. It was on to Ballyknocken. Here Dowling had to cians, poets and story-tellers in competi usually later in the day when the farmers' concede defeat. So the followers had their tion with each other. Clowns, jugglers wives. and young people, came in for the fun and punched out their battered hats, and tricksters of all kinds were part of the fun. At the standings were clothes and tucked away their sticks and decided it scene too. boots. foodstuffs of all kinds and trinkets was the best fight for many a year. These ancient fairs lasted for days. and silks from foreign places. For the Fair days were often made the occa sometimes a week so there was a lot of dancing tents were often provided and no sion for shows of force from those in organisation involved. There were scarcity of musicians. Tea tents were also power. Proclamations were read and flog separate areas laid out for each kind of provided. gings and hangings took place. In fact. it activity and there were often traffic Bigger fairs also had swinging boats. was on a fair day in 1766 that Father problems with horses and vehicles lined merry-go-rounds and cock shots at crude Nicholas Sheehy was hanged. drawn and up for perhaps over four miles. Gradually wooden effigies-charge "three shots a quartered at Clonmel fair. over the centuries with wars and invasion penny and five for tuppence." Coming All the fun of the fair-yes. but much the magnificance of these ancient gather nearer our own time servants were hired more. The whole spectrum of human life ings diminished in size and length of time at fairs and marriages and marriage set was on the fair field. They were there at so the bargaining, the standings and the tlements were arranged. Faction fights work and recreation and life was there at feats of jugglery and trick-o-the-loop style often took place and it would be a poor il'i fullest and most crnntinnal --life at its of entertainment got confined to one show if no blow were struck on fair day. most colourful. I often wonder now when day-the fair day. I read of street traders at the modern Those fair days in the more immediate FAMOUS FIGHT AT LEIGHLIN marts and the crowds of bargain hunters past were associated with a lot of old FAIR is there something in the Irish character custom and belief which must regrettably Leighlin Fair used be held only annual that makes us enjoy the feeling of being ly on the 14th May. It was a replica of all \ be gone now. There was even an accepted able to strike a good bargain and glory in or conventional way for striking a the bigger ones with cattle buyers in the melee at the various stalls? Indeed the bright whipcord breeches. "jobbers', bargain. It was generally accepted that day might well come when once again we the buyer could list all the faults of the "blockers' and 'tanglers· at their arts. not may revive "all the fun of the fair.'' beast for sale and seller could get very forgetting the weather-beaten drover with vocal about the other's meanness without the ash plant under his arm ... And there offence on either side. No sale could be were the fights. This account of one came Margaret Hayden, Old Leighlin. 22 Fr. James Maher 1793-1874 By Alec Burns The above formed part of a lengthy let In I 827 he was transferred as Parish ter written by F. Maher to the "London "My resolution is fixed. Priest to Leighlinbridge where drunkness, Times" in reply to an article in it Death, when it comes to me, proselytism, serious dissension among denigrating him and the Irish clergy. No Will find my coffers empty, rival factions was rife among the more worthy epitaph could be composed Yet I am not poor; parishioners. Within the space of three for the man who is the subject of this I possess that which the wealth years he had all those ills cleared up so short memoir. of the world cannot purchase satisfactorily that Dr. Doyle transferred Fr. James Maher was born at Donore Namely--the oJ!ections and hearts oJ him to the neighbouring Parish of near Bagenalstoen on 24th May. 1793. all those for whom I labour." Paulstown where Black and Whitefeet His family was of the comfortable secret societies were terrorising the farming type and might be termed landlords and some small farmers. prosperous as far as prosperity could be Fr. Maher was educated at the Quaker Fr. Maher preached strongly against counted in those days. School in Ballytore and in 1808 entered all secret societies and exhorted them to They moved to a larger farm at the lay school of St. Patrick's in Carlow hand up their arms to him under pain of Kilrush. Co. Kildare a few years later. where he stayed for 8 years. At that time excommunication. As a result he was able During the Insurrection period of 1798, there was a lay and ecclesiastical school to surrender twenty stand of arms to the because of their religion and Nationalist in St. Patrick's. He always had the in Carlow Magistrates and another large outlook. they were harassed by the clination to become a priest but when he number to Kilkenny. Many of his Yeomanry and military during that left St. Patrick's he decided to stay at parishioners helped him in this very dif period and they had to spend many a home helping on the farm for a whole ficult undertaking. He took a strong stand night in a nearby sandpit to avoid the at year to test his vocation. At the end of also against the drunken orgies which tentions of those miscreants. Young that time he was as resolute as ever and in were a continuing cause of trouble at this James enjoyed the experience -indeed it 181 7 proceeded to Rome where he joined time. gave his parents many an anxious mo the Missioners of Saint Vincent de Paul, In 1833 he was recalled to Carlow by ment trying to curb his youthful ex Monte Cittorio. In later years he often the Bishop with whom he resided in Old uberance lest the noise should draw the declared that the seeds for the dedication Derrig House and later in Braganza until attention of some of the marauding of his life to serving the poor and down Dr. Doyle's death on 15th June, 1834. Yeomen to their hiding place. In 1808 trodden were well and truly sown there. When Fr. Maher administered the Last his father died in tragic circumstances. He was ordained priest on the 9th Sacraments to him, the Bishop asked to He was going to Kilcullen Fair on September 1821. be lifted out on to the floor to die on horseback and offered a lift to a poor On his return home, his first curacy wood as had Our Lord on the Cross. Fr. neighbour. His horse shied while the man was in Kildare town .. He was transferred Maher recalled many times later the tran \\ as 1ll()Ul1ting. throwing off Mr. Maher to Carlow after a few months however sformation that was plainly visible on Dr. w11u never recovered from the fall, and where a great friendship was formed Doyle's face when he was about to die as died shortly afterwards. between himself and Bishop Doyle. the if he had had a vision of our Saviour. His mother was Catherine Moore of great J.K.L.. a friendship which was to Paulstown. a very spirited woman. When last until the Bishop's death. At that time Indeed that very expression seems to her son-in-law. Hugh Cullen (father of a lot of proselytising was carried on by have been on his death mask which is at Ireland's first Cardinal) was being taken some landlords and clergy. members of a present on exhibition in Carlow Museum. to Naas for trial on a trumped up charge Bible Society which had unlimited funds. In 183 7 Fr. Maher was appointed by some Yeomen. she held up the They held public discussions led by a Professor of Sacred Scripture and cavalcade when it was passing her house Rev. Robert Fishbourne. who challenged Theology in St. Patrick's. During his and insisted on giving wine and refresh the priests to a public controversy. Fr. period in St. Patrick's, Dr. Fitzgerald the ment to Hugh, despite the objections of Maher with a couple of the College College President was committed to jail some of the soldiers. The officer in charge clerical professors engaged them in for refusing to pay tithes. Fr. Maher's however complimented her on being a debate in Carlow and so completely brother in County Kildare brave little woman to insist ""but they had defeated them that they left the town also refused and was jailed four times to get to Naas for the trial at which Hugh much to the delight of even the Church although he often paid fines for other was acquitted. of Ireland parishioners and clergy. neighbours to allow them home to their 23 r-:- • 1 n,1' ~1: 1~! ,lj families and to work their small farms. It was his contention that the Irish Jingly low. Outdoor relief amounted to The collection of tithes was resisted very gentry had no sympathies, no community around one penny per day. The diet was strongly throughout the diocese where it feeling only regarded their fellow subjects on starvation level and the health and was more manifest than anywhere else in as mere hewers of wood and drawers of strength of the inmates was completely the country. Fr. Maher was in the water. "To right these wrongs," he said, under-minded. It would seem that the forefront of the fight against paying tithes "we seek by legitimate means to send Poor Law was designed by the landlords and led many a revolt. He always cham reformers to the House of Parliament, so to decimate their tenantry. pioned the cause of the poor and was that the honest people of England can In a letter to the Lord Lieutenant in hated for so doing by . the large lan judge for themselves between us and our February 1848 he gave statistics of downers. So much was he hated that the calumniators." To this ·end he took a very poverty in Ireland comparing them with "London Times" said in one of its articles important part in several elections for the conditions in England and France and on Ireland: "It is because of such priests Repeal candidates and because he proved quoting as warning the words of the as Maher, who disgrace and profane the that there had been serious irregularities prophet Isaias! sacred ministry that we have laboured in the conduct of one of them, that elec "Woe to them that make wicked laws. triumphantly, thank God, to turn the tion was declared null and void and his What will you do on the day of hearts of our English readers from the candidates were successfully returned to visitation? To whom will you flee for help demoralising despotism of Popery." Fr. Parliament in the new election. and where will you leave your glory?" Maher replied lengthily to this article, vin In 1844 he fell ill and although struck At a meeting of the Poor Law Guar > dicating the Catholic priesthood so com with a severe illnesss it took all the per dians he attacked the local landlord Col. pletely that there was no further condem suasion of his doctor, Bishop and friends Bruen so severely that he afterwards felt nation published. to make him take a long holiday with his obliged to request the newspaper office One of the points he came out strongly nephew, Paul Cullen, then Rector of the not to print what he had said as Col. against was the fact that seven es Irish College in Rome. Bruen was at heart a decent man. Less ,., tablished Church Bishops had died within From here he returned after two years than an hour later Col. Bruen called to the previous few years and between them completely restored to health and was ask the same favour of the printers as he they left over £2 million. "In the midst of welcomed back by all his parishioners said: "Fr. Maher is indeed an honest man a starving population," he said, "tithes and many Protestants among whom he but a fanatic on charity for the poor." collection was wholesale robbery and always had many admirers. His own family were of very comfor make no mistake about it". During the famine period he was daily table means and regularly sent him "Do the clergy." he continued. in attendance on the sick and dying and money which in turn he distributed to "forced by circumstances to protest spent his nights writing to the Press the poor: he even sold his horse and gig to against the wrongs inflicte::I on their peo regularly asserting the just claims of the distribute the proceeds to. some poor ple: do they betray their n-.inistry or piay poor and exposing conditions in Carlow families for use as bed clothing during the the part of a spiritual tyrant?" Workhouse. These he said were appal- winter months. Eviction Scene: Sketched by Ber -v'"""\ nadette Deane, Presentation Convent, Carlow. --~ - /'-v""" ~ He acknowledged his own blessings by saying "our family and friends have been blessed with prosperity as a result of alms giving-if we fail in that sacred duty the blessings will be withheld." He was a man of very forceful character but had he been otherwise he could not have accomplished all the good work he did for his flock. Many folklore tales have been handed down from generation to generation of his unbounded charity to the poor. A legacy of £2,000 was decided by giving £1,300 to the poor of the parish and the remain ing £700 to a deserving religious charitable institution. The local grocery store owner was told to relieve the most destitute cases of poverty and he would pay for it eventually. The giving of his Curate's frock coat to a poor parishioner on a very cold day, when he called for alms, roused the anger of the curate so much that he fled to the Bishop appealing for an immediate transfer as he was giving away everything in the house whether it belonged to him or not. This curate happened to be a nephew of Fr. Maher and later succeeded him as Parish Priest of Graigue. His last political triumph was to get ~eow- F0-0toote Too.m Mr. Owen Lewis, a Protestant returned as M.P. for Carlow borough. Even though feeble and in poor health he said that when the triple cry of Patriotism, fqfj religion and Education was raised it brought him new life and he thanked God Carlow football team 1913, taken on the steps of the Parochial_ he had helped to send such a good man as House, Graiguecullen - Fr. Maher's residence. Owen Lewis to represent Carlow in Back Row, standing, left to right: I, Lawrence Shaw; 2, (with Parliament, as he had integrity, high coat) Michael McEvoy; 3, (with coat) Frank Tobin; 4, Willie honour and principle. Cooney; S, Joe Slater; 6, Willie Murphy; 7, Patrick Haughney; At this time Fr. Maher's health 8, (with coat) John Hoare; 9, Andrew Murphy. deteriorated further and his Bishop and Middle row, sitting, left to right: I, Patrick Donohue; 2, doctor prevailed on him to live in St. James Murphy; 3, (Fr.) Rev. Fr. Dunny; 4, Michael Haughney; Patrick's College. Even while there his S, Christopher Callinan. parishioners came to him regularly for Front row, left to right: Joe Millet; 2, Michael Lawler; 3, Wil advice on all matters looking on him still lie Mulhall, capt.; 4, Martin Hogan; S, Denis Fitzpatrick. as their Parish Priest and advisor. During his last illness he was visited by his nephew, Cardinal Cullen, Ireland's first Cardinal. A telegram from the Pope mountings are in exhibit in Carlow's to prepare scholars to be able to defend giving him a spiritual blessing came also,. Museum dogmas of their faith and to refute the One of his last words of advice to his The following appreciation was taken sophistries of the advocates of irreligion. parishioners was: "Make your children from the "Carlow Post" at that time: It is He, Dan O'Connell and Dr. Doyle good christians by word and example. our painful duty to announce the death of (J.K.L.) will stand out as the most promi Teach them to be industrious and the most distinguished priest in the Irish nent figures in Irish history for the past ~ honourable. God will bless you all then." Church after more than 50 years labour, fifty years in the struggle for civil and He died on Holy Thursday 1874 though his attachment was truly apostolic, his religious liberty. f he had hoped to die on Good Friday, the zeal and enthusiasm and efficiency few This contemporary account is a fair anniversary of Our Lord's death, The could hope to emulate. His devotion to summary of the character and deeds of a obsequies were held in the Cathedral on the poor was most endearing and would Easter Monday. The Bishop of Ossory, be the most lasting monument of his life. truly great Carlow-man. I hope this arti cle may bring his name to a wider Dr. Moran. later Cardinal Moran, People followed him with unexampled audience and his place in Irish history will Australia. celebrated the Mass in the courage and daring, they had fullest con never be forgotten. presence of over 200 priests of the fidence in his leadership, he was the un diocese. He was interred in Graigue compromising friend of all the tenant Above picture was taken on the steps of Cullen old church where his body lay for farmers, he had the keenest sense of the the Parochial House, Graigue where Fr. 6 1 years. When his remains were being injustices of the laws and advocated the Maher resided, Fr. Dunny, recently re-interred in 193 7 in the present St. peoples' rights with vigour and deceased, spent his early curacy there. Clare's Church, it was found that his earnestness. He was a member of the The football team was County Carlow body and coffin were as perfect as on his Catholic University as he appreciated the who had reached the all Ireland junior funeral day-surely the mark of a saint. necessity of a school for higher studies, to semi-final but were beaten by Cork. 1912- The cross of his coffin and two brass raise the status of the Catholic party and ' J3. 25 .-~:r-::. __ ,// ..11 fi: Carlow Newspapers F1 Cl ii OI 1828-1841 V B by Brother P. J. Kavanagh, M.A. fa 114 C T THERE were no less than five new its proprietor since 1822 and probably Carlow newspapers containing articles by m spapers published at various times in since its inception. In 1828 he was the clergy should be forwarded to him. m Carlow town between 1828 and 1841. publishing it at his "old established He obviously meant politically-inspired Normally there were two rival papers County Printing office, Circulating articles). As a member of the Liberal •p published simultaneously; for a short Library. Book, Stationary and patent Club Carroll would naturally object to C. period in 1832 three papers were being medicine warehouse" in Dublin Street. Its such clerical interference; in fact he later ' T published at the one time. Local new proud boast in 1828 was that it "cir declared that the growing lack of U] spapers then consisted of eight pages of culates widely in the Counties of Carlow, neutrality of the Post was his reason for C. closely printed material. Advertisements Wicklow, Kildare and Queen's County, leaving it. Local gossip had another ex ' ,r appeared on the cover page. Totally lack in which there is not another paper planation for his departure. Rumour had b ing in illustration, they might have been printed. also in the Counties of Kilkenny, it that he had proposed to the Widow d drab affairs. were it not for the marvel Wexford and Waterford." Richard Price Price but that Rev. Thomas Tyrrell P.P., a lous word-pictures which they often con died about 1830-1 and his widow Tinryland, had intervened to prevent the s tained. The wealth of vocabulary of their employed one Thomas Harris Carroll, marriage. Carroll denied this. Mrs. Price p editors is truly amazing. enabling them to formerly a schoolmaster in the Kildare did marry about 1831 a local auctioneer C conjure up to the mind's eye a most vivid Place school at Glinn, to act as editor. named Patrick Bolger who became ti picture of their subject-matter. The ad Carroll remained as editor for six or proprietor of the Post. ir vent of photography has done away with seven months then becoming editor. in Edward Dowling, probably a brother v, the need for descriptive news items in our January 1832. of the newly-established of Rev. Cornelius Dowling P.P., Strad s; day. Local newspapers contained sur "Carlow Sentinel." bally. commenced publication of the e prisingly little "Local Intelligence" as Carlow Sentinel on 7th January, 1832 at they quaintly termed local news: rather William Morgan's printing works, Coal le did they cull most of their material from Competition Market. Carroll was editor and junior 1 Dublin. London and other local papers, a partner. For about nine months it acted L practice which seems to have been Between 1828 and 1831 the Post at as the mouthpiece of the Liberal Club of I perfectly acceptable to the editors con tempted to be politically neutral. It did which a John Dowling (a relative of ( cerned. They cost sixpence each - quite carry sympathetic reports of pro Edward?) was President and Patrick s a lot of money in those days - one pen Emancipation meetings in the various Finn. brother of William, was secretary. tl ny of which was a special "tax on parishes of the County in 1828 but it also Carroll was an active Club member. C knowledge" put there to inflate the price carried advertisements for the farming Towards the end of the year the Sentinel n so that the lower orders would not be able out of tithes and for the "Brunswicker began to go over to the Tory side. A \I to purchase papers and be influenced by Star," organ of the political lull in Ireland general election was seen to be imminent. b their ideas into anti-government activity. between Emancipation and the com Four would-be contenders for the \I Published weekly. and very rarely bi mencement of the Repeal campaign. Borough took to the field, namely Peter a weekly. their circulation normally varied Once the latter had been initiated, Gale from the Queen's County, William Jl from 3,000 upwards. however, the Carlow community came Francis Finn. Nicholas Aylward Vigors t1 The history of Carlow papers in this alive politically and the newspapers had of London and Old Leighlin, and Francis u period can only be understood in the con perforce to take sides. A Liberal Club Bruen of Coolbawn. Enniscorthy. t; text of the political atmosphere then ob (corresponding to the modern "cumann") brother of Colonel Henry of Oak Park. \I taining in the Borough and County. was started in the town, the Finn family Gale soon dropped out of the contest. ~ O'Connell began his Repeal campaign of Cox's Lane being among the leaders. Bruen would obviously represent the I] towards the end of 1831 thereby arousing Councillor William Francis Finn was Tories. That left Vigors, a Protestant. and Jl the hopes of the "native" Irish and the married to the Liberator's sister. The Finn. O'Connell's brother-in-law, to fear of Catholic and peasant domination clergy also became politically active and represent the Liberal cause. The Club Ii amongst the landlord class. Between the Club would seem to have prided itself naturally backed Finn, but, horror of II 1831 and 1841 there were the un on its freedom from their influence. Chief horrors. J.K.L. threw his weight behind C precedented number of five general elec among the politically active clergy of the the Protestant Vigors! This he did i tl tions, three County by-elections and one County were Rev. James Maher, Rev. because Vigors undertook to support a II Borough by-election all of which served Thomas Tyrrell, P.P .. Tinryland; the Rev. measure for Poor Law Relief. something I to keep the pot of political and sectarian Messrs. Walsh, uncle and nephew, Borris: dear to J.K.L's. heart but disliked by \ I bitterness stirred. The local newspapers Rev. Patrick Keogh P.P .. Leighlinbridge O'Connell because he felt that hand outs Cl I joined in the fray with gusto! In fact their and Rev. Andrew Phelan C.C .. would demoralise the Irish. (Despite their Cl very raison d'etre seems to have been Bagenalstown. According to Carroll the common concern for the welfare of their I it politics. clergy of Carlow College. particularly people O'Connell and J.K.L. didn't I '',\' The Carlow Morning Post was in ex Rev. Edward Nolan (created Bishop in always agree as to the means to be 5 istence since 1818: unfortunately its 1834) and Daniel Cahill. began to con employed to achieve that end). The Post 5 I earliest extant copies - in the British tribute articles to the Post in 1831. (The backed Vigors. Finn finally dropped out 'I ~<, Museum newspaper library, Colindale future Cardinal Cullen, writing from of the running and successfully ran as i 1 r date only from 1828. Richard Price was Rome to his brother in 1834, asked that Repeal candidate for County Kilkei1Y· I 26 T~ In the bitterness of the infighting letter to the editor of the latter on 29th of the Sentinel, threatened to proceed preceeding the election the Liberal Club April Ryan blamed the lack of support of against him. Once again the details of the fell apart and the Sentinel became Tory, the aristocracy - those whose cause he alleged offence are unclear. It would seem Francis Bruen's electoral address to the had set out to champion - for the down that Bolger had stated that the death of a constituency being the only one to appear fall of the Standard. clergyman named Mc'Donnell was to in the Sentinel from 24th November have attributed to Dowling. According to onwards. At the election in December the Pilot of 29th May, 1839 Bolger had Vigors was returned by 135 votes to Libel cases actually been in prison on account of this Bruen 's 120. - - affair; probably what is meant is that he Why did the Sentinel go To,y? The Meanwhile Patrick Bolger, new was awaiting trial. However, Dowling fact that Dowling was a Catholic didn't proprietor of the Post, was dogged by dropped the case when Bolger gave an ex necessarily mean that he was pro-Repeal. misfortune from the word go. Henry N. planation in the Post. Carroll, who later declared that he was a Carr announced in a letter to the editor of Tory at heart even while editing the Post,, the rival Sentinel of 18th August, 1832 With the collapse of Finn's Liberal may h!!Ve been the deciding inflqence. Jt that he was no longer editor of the Post, Club in 1832 (supra) a new Liberal or t may also have been a question of having had· a disagreement with the Independent Club was formed in Carlow adopting a policy that would sell the proprietor. Bolger replied that Carr had early in 1833. Its headquarters were in paper to a readership of other than that been discharged because of unsuitability Brown Street and its very active secretary J catered for by the Post. John Ryan's for the position. was a man called Edward Fitzgerald, a Tory Carlow Standard (infra) had folded At the Quarter Sessions of 3rd former pawnbroker and spirit merchant, up and the Sentinel may have hoped to January, 1833 Bolger was charged with who seems to have settled in Carlow from capture its readership. That the paper was an assault said to have occurred at the Dublin about 1830. The clergy played an in some financial difficulty is suggested election of the previous December active part in the activities of this new by the fact that Dowling and Carroll sold (supra). His accuser did not turn up and Club although only Rev. James Maher their interest in it to Henry Malcolmson, the case was dropped. and another un-named priest were actual an apothecary, who became sole owner in The Sentinel of 5th January, 1833 members. The Club had the support of September 1833 when the place of which so gleefully carried the above story the Post. Bolger, however, was not a publication became 8 (?) Tullow Street. also carried a letter from Francis Bond member. Carroll remained on as its very compe Hamilton. Carr's successor as editor of tent. but totally biassed, editor. Possess the Post. that he had resigned his position ing as he did the wealth and exactness of because "I was called on to be responsi A new newspaper vocabulary of the typical 19th Century ble for writings which were not mine." schoolmaster he was a foe to be reckon Hamilton's resignation was probably con During Bolger's imprisonment, his mother-in-law, Mrs. White, became ed wit_!l. nected with the libel charges being, During the stormy years that fol brought against Bolger by Tliomas proprietress of the Post. It remained un lowed he gave unstinting service to his Kavanagh M.P., Borris. his son-in-law published from 27th May, the date of Tory patrons. Doctor Paine, a Protestant Henry Bruen M.P. and the Attorney Bolger's being sentenced' 'till 27th Liberal, resident in Tullow, published in General. Kavanagh's complaint con November following. Under its new 1834 a pamphlet entitled "Certain cerned an article published in the Post owner it lasted only 'till 12th January, Calumnies of the Carlow Sentinel New during the election campign of 1835 when it finally folded up. Some time spaper Refuted," a title which suggests December 1832. What the grounds for later old Mrs. White found herself lodged that Paine was no more temperate in his complaint of the other parties were have in Carlow jail "confined at the suit of a choice of terminology than was his oppo not come to light. highly respectable physician of this town nent. It was stated in 1840 that Carroll The article objected to by Kavanagh for Libel." The doctor concerned was was paid as editor, not by Malcolmson, referred to the fact that he had been born Stone, a former clergyman of the but by the Tory party in the County; he a Catholic but had become/been reared a Established Church who had given up the was also stated to be their paid registry Protestant. The cases dragged on until ministry to practice medicine. The of agent. i.e .. he checked to see that all their May. 1834 when Bolger was found guilty fending article had made some reference possible voters were correctly registered on all three counts by a Dublin Corpora- to this change of profession which Stone to vote. The Sentinel continued in being tion jury. On 27th May he was sentenced considered libellous. While awaiting trial until 9th October. 1920. It remained loyal to nine months imprisonment in old Mrs.White, a widow, married Jack to the unionist cause at least till the 18 70s Kilmainham jail and Kavanagh was Lord, a local newspaper employee and when Robert Malcolmson dedicated his awarded £ 1.046 costs and damages probably of the same family of Lord "'Carlow Parliamentary Roll" to the against him. He was unable to vote at the which, together with Eustace, owned the memory of Colonel Henry Bruen. its January. 1835 general election because Carlow Mercury in 1788. The Sentinel political hero of the 1830s. he feared arrest on the way to the polls. implied that the libellous article was writ On 4th January. 1832, three days Kavanagh having '"issued an execution ten by a person caiied Keogh, possibly a before the Sentinel first came off the against him for the balance of his local doctor of that name who was deeply press. John Ryan (better known for his damages." Probably Bolger was not the involved in the activities of the O'Connel compilation of "The History an Anti author of the article concerned; as lite party. Needless to say Stone was a quities of the County of Carlow") began proprietor he was responsible for its Tory, his Counsel in the case being publication of his Carlow Standard at publication. In the acrimonious debates Abraham Brewster, election agent for the 1 Burrin Street. Blatently Tory, it contained preceeding election harsh things appeared Tories. Stone was awarded £250 little local news. Ryan. who was working in newspapers. It's surprising that there damages with 6d costs. ' on a shoe-string budget, acted as reporter, weren't many more such libel actions. The Post of 26th April, 1834 carried office-boy and general factotum in addi The article concerned may have been left the prospectus of a new newspaper to tion to his duties as editor. so that he was in for publication and have been un be called the "Queen's County and unable to go out seeking the new sub thinkingly inserted by the editor as one Kildare Independent." When it finally scribers so necessary if the paper were to among many such intemperate attacks on came off the press on 20th December of succet!d. It folded up on 19th April. ten the opposing political camp. that year it had as proprietor none other weeks after commencement. While in ex Bolger seems to have had another than Patrick Bolger lately released from istence it had continually attacked the brush with the libel laws early in 1834 Kilmainham jail. Now called the then Liberal policy of the Sentinel. In a when Edward Dowling, former proprietor "Leinster Independent" it- was published 27 weekly at Carlow and Maryborough and prepared for publication; it appeared on "Monitor." Purcell was a prominent at Tullamore and Athy later on. Printed 12th October, five days after the member of the Carlow Liberal Club at 54 Dublin Street, the office of the reintroduction of the Independent. which now gave its support to the Post, it must be regarded as the Post un Independent and Reformer were im Reformer. A James Coffey had published der a new name. Both co-existed for three mediate enemies, the former accusing the a pamphlet in Dublin in 1838 entitled "A weeks until the Post ceased publication owner of the latter of taking a mean ad Report of the Trials of Captains Vignolles on 12th January following. The Indepen vantage of Bolger's absence to get and W atSOI\ . -. . . with a brief of the dent's policy was to "reflect the wants started, the latter vehemently denying any review of the Political Condition of and wishes of the people . . . . the great such mean tactics. Each attacked the Carlow." Perhaps he was the same Cof Question of Repeal .... Vote by Ballot .. other, week after week, with a bitterness fey as the proprietor of the Reformer. .. the Total and Utter Extinctionof Tithes born of the struggle to survive. Basically The Independent finally went out of . . . . reform of abuses in the Church their politics were the same. With a cir production on 18th April, 1840. The Establishment . . . . It will fearlessly culation of between three and four thou Reformer soldiered on 'till the general denounce the merciless cruelty of sand each it was obvious that both could election of July, 1841. It ceased publica Landlords and Agents . . . . " The not survive given the small number of tion on 17th July, the day it announced Independent had the backing of the people who could afford newspapers. The the failure by nine votes of the O'Connell TJ Liberal Club until the advent of the Reformer carried little local news as com candidates to carry the County. The ]~ Leinster Reformer (infra) in 1840. Mara, pared to the Independent which also had Carlow Liberals were now left without sei an official of O'Connell's General As a monopoly of the advertising trade. any newspaper to champion their cause. nii sociation (his central council) on a tour of The Independent claimed that Peter m1 Carlow in 1836 to promote the Liberal Purcell of Halverstown Co. Kildare, was Brother P. J. Kavanagh M.A. {l' registry, asked the people to support it. the owner of the Reformer, although the Main Sources: Carlow Post, Carlow ah The Independent was temporarily Reformer of 15th August, 1840 claimed Sentinel, Carlow Standard, Leinster In suspended on 26th December, 1835, no that the proprietor was a Mr. Coffey. It is Independent, Leinster Reformer, Pilot. m1 reason being forthcoming for its failure to possible that Purcell was the owner until For the Finns see" '98 in Carlow" by an Si( appear, and was revived on 9th July, that date. He already owned the Dublin t-Athair Peadar Mac Suibhne. th, 1836. It must have had something to do di. with another run of bad luck for poor Sil Bolger for the issue of 1st October follow sh ing announced that he "has resumed the w business of Auctioneer." pr The Sentinel of 24th December, 1836 co published a letter from P. Whitty an m1 nouncing that he had resigned his posi eJI: tion as editor of the Independent because Sil of a misunderstanding with Bolger over th his salary. The Independent of 31st br December replied that salary was not the lei cause of Whitty's departure but rather "surveillance" because certain people by inl the insertion of calumnies were wishing in1 for the destruction of the paper. Obvious th ly Bolger, not wishing to take the risk of de further involvement in libel cases was WI supervising Whitty's work. a course of 2.. action that understandably annoyed the editor. sy ~ H u1 Bitter battle ra di1 Between 4th May and 7th October. th 1839 the Independent was not published. tic: The Pilot referred to its "downfall" and al: offered the people of Carlow "the free use all of portion of our columns to protect their interest." The lndependent's own ex °' planation was that publication was fn suspended while arrangements were being be made to "get it out on a larger scale. and TI in a new font of type". The fact that of Bolger was called to Westminster at this th period (as was Malcolmson of the Sen tu tinel) to give evidence before the al: Parliamentary Committee enquiring into ye the Borough by-election of the previous wl February. may also have influenced the h2 decision to suspend publication. The en A quiry lasted sixty-nine days necessitating Killeshin: Sketched by Brenda Mur te a long stay in London on the part of the phy, Presentation Convent, Carlow, witnesses. m While Bolger was in London a new ar paper. the "Leinster Reformer" was \\i Carlow Workhouse during the Famine Years By J. A. Robins THE impact of the great famine of 1845- September 1845 it varied between 2td guardians had two sheds built urgently in 1849 on the western and south-western and 5d for the electoral divisions of the the yards as temporary dormitories and a seaboards has been described in a Union and, although it is unlikely that the further 250 persons were admitted to number of historical studies and its tragic poor law was welcome to the ratepayers these. All others seeking admission were manifestations in these areas are general of Carlow, there was no reference in the turned away without any assistance for, ly well known. Considerable less is known minute books to any resistance to the col as the law stood, there was no provision about the conditions of the period in the lection of the rate. During October came for outdoor relief and once the workhouse Irish midlands. In the course ofcollecting the first omen of the pending famine. The was full the responsibilities of the guar material for a broader study 1 had occa board of guardians received only two dians were ended. In all parts of the sion to examine the original records for tenders for the supply of potatoes both Union many starving people now awaited these years ofthe Carlow Board of Guar "at an extravagantly high price" and re hopefully a place in the workhouse, their dians as well as some Poor Law Commis jected them. After consultation with the original detestation of the system over sion papers relating to the board. They Poor Law Commissioners it was decided come by their terrible plight. In the show how the famine affected Carlow to give the inmates a diet of oatmeal, rice Queen's County divisions of the Union Workhouse and reflect the conditions and bread. Later the rice was omitted alone there were in mid-February, 1847, prevailing outside it. The following ac from the dietary. · over 900 persons awaiting a place and count is based largely on the board's towards the end of that month the guar minute books and to a lesser extent on the dians decided to build further temporary extant papers of the Poor Law Commis accommodation for 600 inmates. This ac sioners. The account is necessarily selec Conditions deteriorate commodation did not appear to have tive and does not attempt to do other than been provided, probably because the briefly describe some of the more in Yet, despite the conditions which were developing outside, there was as yet no number seeking admission fell once the teresting facts recorded in them JA.R. significant influx into the workhouse. In harsh months of winter and early spring had passed. Yet in March the board The Commissioners who had inquired January, 1846 there were about 350 in reported that fever and infectious diseases into the conditions of the Irish poor dur mates and in April the guardians, anxious were "increasing to an alarming extent" ing the years 1833 to 1836 had estimated to accept further inmates, asked the Poor throughout the Union and fever hospitals that the number of persons who were Law Commissioners to allow individual which had been established at Mill Lane destitute in Ireland for at least thirty members of a family to be admitted and in Carlow Town and at Doonane were weeks of the year was not less than to waive the regulation that obliged all unable to accept further patients. In 2,385,000. Yet after the workhouse members of a family seeking relief to April, Dr. Porter, the medical officer, in system had been created following the enter the workhouse together. The com formed the guardians that fever was also passage of the Irish Poor Relief Act of missioners refused the request. By 1838 the vast majority of the pauper pop September the guardians were "grieved" present in the workhouse and was in creasing rapidly, particularly amongst the ulation were prepared to suffer destitution to learn about great distress throughout women. He blamed this situation on the rather than to accept the shame and in the Union particularly in the Tullow, Bal dignities of the workhouses. Even during lon and Myshall areas. But to the hungry overcrowding and on the "pestiferous ef the early part of 1846, with famine condi peasants the workhouse was still fluvia issuing from a cesspool lying con tions rapidly developing, there were only anathema and on 26th September it had tiguous to the female department." The visiting committee, which made a tour of about 50.000 people in the one hundred only 380 inmates of whom 213 were the institution at this time, were, and thirty workhouses that had been children. The guardians recognising that nevertheless, incredibly complacent. They opened thmughout the country. the workhouse would not, in any event, found the inmates "in a highly satisfac Attitudes in Carlow were no different remedy the widespread destitution urged tory state" and were "happy to say that from elsewhere. Carlow workhouse had the Board of Works to undertake the im the fever appears mitigatory." been built to accommodate 800 paupers. mediate draining of the Barrow as a relief In the middle of 184 7 the government The Union it served comprised the whole scheme but the board refused. The guar was compelled to accept that its inflexible dians then sent a memorial to the Lord of County Carlow and a small portion of attitude towards outdoor relief could not the then Queen's County. Early in 1845 it Lieutenant. the Earl of Bessborough, re be maintained as long as so many starv had only about 250 inmates of whom questing his intervention with the Board ing people in all parts of the country were of Works but he appears to have ignored about half were children. There was as unable to secure admission to the ov yet no hint of the terrible conditions them. ercrowded workhouses. The Poor Relief which lay ahead. The inmates appeared By the end of 1846 the widespread Extension Act (IO & 11 Vic. C. 31) em happy with their conditions and in hunger was breaking down resistance to powered guardians at their discretion to August of that year the visiting commit the workhouse system and many people grant relief outside the workhouse to the tee was gratified "to hear many of the in were reluctantly seeking its modicum of aged, infirm and sick and to poor widows mates testify their gratitude to the Master relief. At the end of January 184 7 there with two or more dependent children. The and Matron for their great kindness." were nearly 1.200 persons crammed into act also empowered the Poor Law Com When the poor rate was struck in the accommodation meant for 800. The missioners to allow local guardians to 29 give out-door reltet m the form of food to Carlow was predominantly Catholic the question of sending persons from the cl able-bodied persons for limited periods. majority of the guardians were Protestant. Shrule, Graigue and Aries electoral divi I But the Carlow guardians set themselves a fact which made the workhouse suspect sions to the fever hospital at Doonane it I firmly against the grant of out-door relief where the Catholic clergy were con reported - I except in the most exceptional cases, and cerned. It was, of course, a period when C as the winter of 184 7 approached the religious passions ran high. The bible "We beg to state that the greatest un numbers being admitted to the workhouse societies, well organised and with an willingne~ and the strongest prejudice and its ancillaries steadily increased. Dur abundance of preachers and pamphlets. exists in the minds of the poor people ing the week ended 25th September there were active in all parts of the country and residing in the lowland portion of these were 1,135 inmates---of whom 561 were there were many Catholic clergymen who electoral divisions against being sent ill. Dr. Porter, who was receiving a salary feared that workhouses in areas control up to the mountains of Doonane and of only £ 100 a year for looking after the led by Protestant guardians would be placed among people of very different sick in both the workhouse and the local used as centres of proselytism. It must be habits when suffering from illness. fever hospital, complained about the in said to the credit of the Poor Law Com These people will suffer every priva adequacy of his salary for such ""hazar missioners that they generally succeeded tion and neglect rather than have dous" duties. The guardians, determined in curbing the activities of both Catholic recourse to the benefits of Doonane to keep down the poor rate, were unsym and Protestant proselytisers in the Hospital." pathetic. In October the master reported workhouses of the period. There is no The committee suggested that fever ac that all the neighbouring graveyards were evidence that the Carlow guardians ever commodation might be provided for these so overcrowded that he had been refused attempted to influence the religion of people at Ballickmoyler, but when the permission to bury the workhouse dead in those under their care but, nevertheless, guardians decided to build a number of them. He had nevertheless been removing their minute books, and extant cor sheds there to accommodate 100 patients bodies from the workhouse in the dead of respondence of the Poor Law Commis their decision gave rise to a vehement night and burying them by stealth. The sioners, show that throughout the famine protest from the Catholic priests of Bai guardians were not prepared to condone years the local Catholic Clergy were ex lickmoyler, who claimed to speak on this practice and decided that the dead tremely hostile towards them. behalf of the local inhabitants. They should be buried within the workhouse At the beginning of January 1848 there wrote to the guardians in May 1848 - grounds in pits which would contain three were about 1,600 inmates in the "We have just heard with very great or four tier of coffins. workhouse, nearly 500 of whom were ill. pain that the board of guardians of On 27th January the relieving officer for this Union intend to have sheds Carlow Town reported that 100 starving erected for the accommodation of 100 1848 paupers had arrived by train from patients in Ballickmoyler. Now, sir, we Dublin, their rail fare having been paid by As 184 7 drew to a close the cost of the beg leave most emphatically to assure Dublin Unions anxious to rid themselves poor law was becoming an intolerable you and the other members of the of the burden of country paupers. They burden for the retepayers, many of whom board that in this district there does were unwelcome visitors to Carlow for were themselves close to destitution. not exist at present nor has there ex they were not of local origin but were There was determined and widespread isted to our knowledge for a con natives "of various counties in the South resistance to the collection of the rates. In siderable time back IO fever patients of Ireland" but the relieving officer felt Ballickmoyler property seized by the col in the rank of life which would entitle obliged to provide them with food since lector was rescued from him. Matthew them to accommodation contemplated otherwise many of them would have died Farrell. the collector for the Queen's or who would avail themselves of it if from hunger. The guardians were having County divisions, reported that "a deter at present existing in Ballickmoyler. the greatest difficulty in providing for mined resistance to the payment of rates This district has always been their own and about this time acquired is observable in the middle class of farmer remarkable healthy, thank God!, a additional accommodation in a Starch which comprise the majority of the resident gentry and rich farmers af Works on Athy Road and in an adjoining ratepayers in the barony." Property was fording a fair share of employment malthouse. By mid-February the various being removed out of the area to prevent which. if it did not remove altogether, premises were sheltering about 2.100 it being served. In Aries and Shrule dis at least tended greatly to alleviate the persons of whom half were children. In tricts seized property was rescued from distress of our poor and thus addition. the guardians were giving out collectors and the guardians wrote to the preserved them from those diseases door relief to a further 4. 100 persons for. Poor Law Commissioners asking for a consequent of famine. faced with such widespread force of military and police to protect the The accommodation if executed will wretchedness. they now had no choice collectors. either remain idle or have to be sup but to grant outdoor assistance on a large plied with patients from Carlow or The guardians, intimidated by the scale. On 1st April 1848 there were 1.845 from the Colliery district. We cannot ratepayers. set the harshest of standards persons in the workhouse and its aux think it is intended to bring patients for the grant of outdoor relief. When Pat iliaries and 5.307 on outdoor relief. Near from Carlow. therefore. it must be Daly a coalminer in the Shrule area had ly 700 of those in the workhouse were ill supposed the supply is from the Col his back broken in the pit a doctor cer and Dr. Porter complained. as he had lierys .... Now. sir. it is really shock tified that he could not be removed from done often hefore. ,,f lack ,,r assi--tance. his home "without imminent peril to his ing to think of introducing the malig I le 11 rote nant type of fever that at all times life." Yet the guardians decided that he "I have no hesitation in stating that lf: prevails amongst the colliers (whose would be granted relief only if he and his many must necessarily be consigned habits. occupations. mode of living whole family entered the workhouse. to an early grave from my inability to and disease are in great measure The policy of the guardians in regard reach on their wants however desirous to outdoor relief aroused the wrath of a peculiar to themselves). it is we assert ·: I I may be to prevent it." shocking to think of introducing this 1 number of local Catholic clergymen, par Despite the conditions now prevailing form of disease among the healthy ticularly Father Maher. parish priest of throughout County Carlow. it is clear '.il: agricultural population of this district; Graiguecullen. and another clergyman from the minute books of the guardians '.l a great means of diffusing it through i] named Fitzgerald, who publicly con that there was no breakdown of prevail all ranks will be the frequent visit of i demfied the guardians for their unyielding ing local prejudices and social attitudes. 1 the half-naked starving friends of the ·m·'1 insistence on admission to the workhouse. When. in April 1848. a sub-committee of ,, colliery patients . . . . ,ll Although the population of County the guardians was asked to look into the ~!ii~i ,; 30 Faced with this opposition the guar for the care and discipline of the inmates. buildings and fever hospitals and the in he dians dropped the proposal to build the The inspector found that the matron, spector from the Poor Law Commis VI fever sheds. But it did not prevent fever Mrs. Rose, had assaulted the workhouse sioners was critical of the manner in it reaching Ballickmoyler. Later, with the master on a number of occasions. She which he was treated by the guardians. rest of the country, it was swept by had also been involved in "proceedings of The schoolmaster was reprimanded by n cholera. an improper nature" in the laundry of the the guardians in June 1850 for giving the ee By the middle of 1848 the board of workhouse when on a number of occa boys their dinner and supper together in guardians was providing relief either sions some of the female inmates ex •le order to save himself trouble. In tracted money from contractors visiting se within or without the workhouse for near November of the same year he was nt ly I 0,000 persons. The mortality rate was the workhouse. The commissioners in threatened with dismissal after taking a 1d high and in the one week both the transmitting the inspector's report did young Protestant boy to Mass. As nt Catholic and the Protestant workhouse "not attempt to decide as to the precise elsewhere the large number of children chaplains died from fever. In the degree of impropriety which may have at IS. now under the care of the guardians a overcrowded workhouse it was impossi tended these proceedings." The matron created the greatest workhouse problem. ,e ble to keep the great numbers of inmates had also held drunken parties in her room In May 1851 there were 1,275 children 1e occupied but some of the men and boys and the workhouse master himself had under sixteen years in the workhouse and were sent out daily to sweep the streets of been seen in an intoxicated state on a· its ancillaries, many of them of very the town. The resistance of the ratepayers number of occasions. The assistant tender age. The workhouse environment c to the collection of the poor rate grew schoolmsaster was shown to have been was clearly unsuitable to them but, as yet, se stronger as the rate increased. In August, guilty of "various acts of impropriety" in a boarding-out system had not been in 1e 1848, the collector for the Queen's cluding the giving of whiskey to troduced. Here, as in other workhouses, of County divisions reported that when workhouse girls. The porter had con the child mortality rate was high and Dr. ts goods seized by him were publicly auc ducted his own drunken parties and there Porter reporting on 21st May, 185 1 rit tioned there was not a single bid. Another was evidence oi "other acts of im about the deaths of children noted- ii li collector succeeded in collecting rates morality." The infirmary nurse had al "The mortality existing in the house :,: m from one ratepayer only. The harassed lowed male and female inmates to meet and its auxiliaries has been altogether :y Guardians struck off nearly 3,000 together "for the purpose of drinking tea in a class either completely broken in persons from the outdoor relief lists dur and punch" and the assistant clerk ap constitution or in a state of delicacy at ing the same month and in October the peared to have been in a frequent state of from exposure to privations before :>f chairman of the board, Mr. Fishourne, in inebriation. All were dismissed. their admission." ls formed the Poor Law Commissioners, A temporary committee was established K) that if, in consequence, injustices arose to manage the workhouse until new of 1e the commissioners themselves would ficers were appointed. It was a formidable The young re have to accept the blame. By Christmas task. Within a few days of their appoint 1e Eve 1848, when there were 1,972 persons ment the female paupers rioted. Stones There are contradictory entries in the :s in the workhouse and its ancillaries, the were thrown and the windows of the infir Union minute books about the quality of {- numbers on outdoor relief had been mary were smashed. The outburst was the care the children were receiving in the 1- reduced to 3 7 and the total expenditure quelled only after the local constabulary workhouse. When sixty-seven workhouse ts by the guardians on outdoor relief during intervened and removed six of the women boys and girls were taken to a service in le Christmas week was only 16/5td. to the county gaol. A few days later there the local Catholic cathedral in June 1851 ,d was another riot and a further five women the bishop drew the attention of the con if were imprisoned. In the meantime the gregation to the cleanly and well fed ap r. Staff trouble workhouse horse died as a result of "hard pearance which they presented. He com n driving" by the medical officer, Dr. plimented the workhouse staff and a There were other troubles for the guar Porter who, in the prevailing conditions, recommended the shelter of the f dians. It is clear from the minute books must have been overwhelmed by his workhouse to any paupers in his con lt that, as in many other workhouses of the duties. Nevertheless the guardians gregation. The bishop's attitude did not r, period, some of the workhouse staff were decided that he should refund to them the reflect that of some of his clergy. A week 1e disreputable or incompetent individuals. price of the horse - £7. 12. 6d - a last later Dr. Porter complained that many Bu early 1849 there was general in straw which Jed to the prompt resignation boys being sent from the workhouse to the :s discipline both amongst the staff of Dr. Porter. Later he withdrew his fever hospital were "in a most weakly themselves and the paupers. The position resignation despite frequent subsequent state and much emaciated" because of II was not improved by the local Catholic indications from the minute books that he the inadequate workhouse diet. He con clergy who were hostile towards ) regarded himself as inadequately tinued to agitate, both about the manner :tl ,r workhouse officers, perticularly Mrs. remunerated and harshly treated by the in which the children were being treated ii Rose the matron. Allegations were made >t guardians. and about his own conditions. Two ii .s by them to the Poor Law Commissioners The great famine is generally regarded months later the guardians decided to dis e and the the guardians about her Jack of as having faded out towards the end of miss him and to advertise for a wholetime I- humanity in dealing with inmates and 1849. Yet, at that time there were still, medical officer to the workhouse, fever about her anti-Catholic bias. For a period throughout the country, over one million hospital and other Union buildings. The \: the charges made against her were ig people in the workhouses or on outdoor Poor Law Commissioners would not nored or rejected. But the charges per relief, and for several years afterwards agree to Porter's dismissal but suggested e sisted as did allegations about other social conditions kept large numbers that his duties at the fever hospital be as g workhouse staff. Finally, the guardians, dependent on the poor law system for signed to another doctor. Porter at first e harassed by allegations and counter al their subsistence. Carlow was no excep refused to resign from his post at the 't legations from the workhouse master, tion. In February 1850 there were over hospital but eventually acquiesced in the s matron, schoolmaster, porter and the 2,500 inmates in the workhouse and its suggestion of the commissioners. y Catholic and Protestant chaplains, ap ancillaries of whom about 1,300 were During the next few years, as social I: pealed to the commissioners to send one children many of them orphaned by the conditions became more normal, the h of their inspectors to carry out an in famine. Cholera was prevalent in the numbers of workhose inmates, particular f vesJigation. His subsequent report in workhouse throughout that year. Dr. ly the adult population, rapidly dwindled. e November 1849 revealed a state of near Porter complained frequently about the As a group. the famine orphans were Ii anarchy amongst the officers responsible extent of his duties in the various slowest to free themselves from the (Continued page 32) 31 Carlow Workhouse (Continued from page 31) ~ workhouse environment. Many had been boys were employed in cleaning out the perished or emigrated during the terrible admitted to the workhouse as infants or workhouse cesspools. The work was so intervening years. very young children and had no choice repulsive that they were given an al but to remain there until they grew old lowance of tobacco and whiskey to en SOURCES enough to secure employment as courage them to do it! This entry Minute books 1840-1860 Carlow Board domestic servants or farm labourers. epitomises not only the atmosphere of the of Guardians (by kind permission of the Then, with a suit of clothes presented by early workhouse but the attitude of those former county manager for Carlow, Mr. the guardians, they went out into a world in authority towards the workhouse child. M. Macken). for which they were often ill-prepared. When the famine had passed its conse Registered papers and official papers, Workhouse education and training during quences to County Carlow had been ex Chief Secretary's Office (by kind permis these years was often non-existent or en treme. According to the census taken in sion of the Department of An Taoiseach). tirely inadequate, and the minutes of 1841, the population of the county was Papers relating to the Poor Law Commis Carlow Board of Guardians do not sug then 86,228. The census held in sioners (Public Record Office). gest that the children there fared any bet 1851 revealed that it had dropped to Reports of Census of Population 1841 ter than those in other workhouses of the 68,078. When one allows for natural in and 1851. period. According to an entry in the crease in population it is clear that about Reports of the Poor Law Commissioners minutes during July, 1853, the Carlow one quarter of the population had 1840-1860. The Barony of ldrone (Continued from page 15) youth entering the world to make a young the moral principles which shoulo beauty of his countenance were so con character for himself. Respect will only guide their cnnrl11,-t throu11:h life. spicuous as to excite the mingled sensa be accorded to character. A young man Whatever one may think of his brand of tions of admiration, pity and regret." If he must show his proofs. I am not a quar philosophy, Bagenal had a charm which· loved Quakers, he also loved children, relsome person-I never was-I hate captivates us even after two centuries. and the death of his grandaughter, your mere duellist; but experience of the "Amongst the people he was beloved," Catherine Newton, at the age of thirteen world tells me that there are knotty points testifies Barrington; "amongst the gentry affected him deeply. One can read in of which the only solution is the sawhan he was popular, and amongst the Dunleckney churchyard the touching in dle. Rest upon your pistols, my boys. Oc aristocracy he was dreaded." That devout scription which he composed for her casions will arise in which the use of them Quaker lady, Mrs. Mary Leadbetter, who tombstone, and next to it is his own is absolutely indispensable to character. was hardly one to brook any kind of grave: "Here lieth the Remains of A man, I repeat, must show his proof profligacy, made generous allowances for Beauchamp Bagenal Esquire who s-in this world cnura11:e will never be him. One evening he burst into a house departed this life on the 1st day of May in taken on trust. I protesr to heaven, my where her father, Richard Shackleton, the year of our Lord 1802, aged 67 years. dear young friends, that I advise you ex and her mother were guests, exclaiming And ordered that he might be buried next actly as I would advise my own son." drunkenly that of all things he loved to his granddaughter Catherine Newton." And the old reprobate would look Quakers. "He entered on crutches, having (To be continued next year) blandly round upon his guests with been lately hurt in aduel;and though dis This article first appeared in the Irish all the benignity of a patriarch who has figured by lameness and obscured by in discharged his duty of imparting to the toxication, the grace of his form and the Times of August 7, 1974. Richard D'alton Williams (Continued from page 17) Midst the hurry and trouble of the Civil trom an extract from a letter sent by him I purchased a massive cross and plinth of War then sweeping the Southern States, to the "Nation" newspaper and published pure Cararra marble. The monument was Williams was buried in a humble grave in on the 25th April. 1863. The writer only elegant and chase in design. the little cemetery of the town of gave the initials of his name signing In the centre of a slab is an oak wreath Thibodeaux, his last resting place marked himself T.C. Capt. Co. G. 8th Regiment cut in relief enclosing a sprig of only by a rude board on which was New Hampshire Volunteers. shamrock. Beneath is the following in painted the words: "R. D. Williams 5th scription: Sacred to the memory of ··1 told the good priest Fr. Manard, July, 1862." Richard D'Alton Williams, The Irish I that if my regiment remained long enough Patriot and Poet, who died July 5th, The site of the grave of "Shamrock" in Thibodeaux a suitable testimonial , 1862, aged 40 years. i would have after a few years become un should be placed over THAT grave. My This stone was erected by his marked were it not not for the fact, that, Company is composed almost exclusively countrymen serving in Companies G and some months after his death, it chanced, of Irishmen to whom I had mentioned the K 8th Regiment New Hampshire that some companies of those Irish circumstances of Mr. Williams death, and Volunteers as a testimonial of their es American soldiers to whom he addressed asked them to assist me in the erection teem for his unsullied patriotism and his ~ "Song of Irish American Regiments" over his remains something expressive of exalted devotion to the cause of Irish were ordered on duty into that area. our esteem for so good and gifted a man. Freedom. Far away from Ireland stands While there these Irishmen heard of Wil Seventy men subscribed from one to ten this memorial to Richard D'Alton Wil liams d;.ath and learned where he was dollars each and the other Irish Company liams. Physician, Journalist and Poet who buried. One of the officers sought out the subscribed a liberal sum also. A few days gave to the service of the poor and his grave and found it. later I obtained leave of absence to visit country those talents wherewith nature What happened next can be gathered New Orleans 50 miles away by rail. Here had endowed him. 32 11 Coal Mining Iii l1} in the I !l'r Castlecomer l Area ,j A Short Account Although the Castlecomer Coal Field does not lie in the strata or "layer" of rock was sheared. There is a huge Fault in County Carlow-it certainly had, in the past, an impact on the the 'Comer area-some 300 feet, so that seams which are found surrounding counties from both the economic and social angle. high up on the hills appear again right down in the valley. Even in comparatively recent history-some fifty years The coal of the Leinster coal-field (the centre of which is ago--the proximity of the Castlecomer Mines had a bearing on Castlecomer) is Anthracite coal. It differs from Bituminous in the siting of the Sugar Factory and the boilers and furnaces were that because of enormous pressures, most of the gasses have specially designed to burn Castlecomer Coal. Until the mines been squeezed out. This lack of explosive gas (methane gas) was closed in 1969 and the change over to Oil was made, all power a fortunate feature in all the mines round here as it enabled us to was generated from the "fines" or "Duff'' supplied by the "Deer work down below with naked lights-although, of course, park Pit" at Castlecomer-some 40,000 tons per year. Well I periodical tests were always made just to ensure that no pockets remember that fact, as during the time that I was Managing of gas remained. Director of the Castlecomer Colliery Company, it was part of my job to negotiate the price every year-mainly with General Costello--a "hard man" as is said but a man for whom I had great admiration and although there was often tough bargaining, we always remained friends. As County Carlow has been so connected with the Mines of 'Comer, perhaps the following short account will be of interest. The Geol9gy-It is interesting, I think, and necessary to know something about the Geology of the district in order to ap preciate the relation between the coal measures and the other rocks. I will avoid the use of geological terms, some of which are somewhat "jaw-splitting" but would ask readers to use their imagination in order to try to visualise the immense period of Time which is the "Story of the Rocks". The Ice Ages we all know something about-but compared to the origin of Coal, they are only of "yesterday", being some two million years ago whereas Coal is some 280 iniilion years ago! At that time, it was a very different world to what it is now-a flat land was Ireland, hot and humid. Huge swamps existed, full of thick vegetation-primitive trees and giant ferns. It is from this mass of vegetation that Coal was formed. Age followed Age-some periods dry and hot, others moist, some cold-at some periods the whole land sank beneath the ocean and that was when the Limestone was formed. We can see this Limestone, of course, at Clogrennane among other places and it is quite an imaginative task to realise that this thick bed of limestone was formed by the hard shell bodies of countless small creatures falling to the bottom of the sea. In addition to sinking of the continents, there were up-lifts as well and strata which was below the seas became dry land. Then there was (and still is) the wearing away of the rocks by wind, rain, frost, and sun. Muds were formed and sands which in turn became shales and sandstones after more long ages of compres sion. So it has gone on throughout the history of the world. In the case of coal seams, several coal forming ages have occur red-that is the reason why coal seams are often separated by many feet of different rocks such as shales (i.e. solidified mud) or Note-The black line denotes the approximate area of the sandstone (solidified sand). One often hears miners speak of coalfield. The dotted line represents . the extent of the "faults". This term means that the rocks have broken and slid Castlecomer Royalties. over e'!l'.ch other. During geological ages, the earth in cooling, has The Pit marked A is the intended Site for the development of been bent-"puckered" as it were and sometimes the rocks have the Skehana Seam when Railway facilities are available. been so bent that the strain became so great that the particular R equals approximate site of Rossmore Colliery. 33 r ! f 1 ] F k 0 lj 111 k E SI t( (] 111 JAR ROW SI COLLIERY p ti h Short History of Mining in the Castlecomer Area sophisticated methods were used and they were able to mine the d As far as is known. some coal may have been worked by coal where it was deeper. primitive methods as early as 1600. It is probable that it was the a "'Outcrops" that were so worked-that is in those places where The Jarrow Seam. About 1780 this seam was discovered, lying lt the seams came to the surface. as seams are usually tilted and some 200 feet below the surface. down in the low ground about often the coal-field is in the shape of a saucer and sometimes at Moneenroe Geologically, this was a curious seam as the 1 the side of a hill the coal is exposed. thickest portion lay in the shape of a bend or horse-shoe and The first seam that was really mined was what is known as was in places some 4 feet thick-the coal lying outside this fi the Old Three Foot Seam. This was a coal of very excellent channel being only 8 inches and less and of much poorer g quality. about three feet thick and lying from only 50 feet to 100 quality. ti feet below the surface roughly in a wide area from Crettyard to Pits were sunk to this Jarrow Channel in succession and were ~ Castlecomer. The mining method in those early days was by known as No. I Jarrow and so on to No. 6. By now, mining had k what is called "Bell Pits". First of all, two shafts were sunk become more scientific-steam pumps were available and of V about 50 yards apart and joined up underground in order to course. explosives. Pits on the "up-throw"-that is that part of ... have circulation of air. the seam which occurred up on the Coolbawn hills were also g After this was accomplished. miners entered and began to ex worked (see Geological notes at beginning of this paper). These 0 tract the coal on each side of the main roadway or connecting pits were "The Vera" (named after my eldest sister). the Ridge. a passage. Of course. all the coal could not be taken out, as the The Rock and Monteen. all being worked when I was a boy. p "'roof' would have collapsed on to the workers and so pillars of The Skehanna Seam. This seam lies below the Jarrow and was n coal were left for this purpose of support. of the highest quality-in fact the highest in Europe. At first u Very wonderful men they must have been, as it must be "West Skehanna was opened but only worked for a few years n remembered that at this time no explosives were available and and had to be closed owing to underground difficulties. Then in p the rocks had to be broken with hammers and wedges. It is 1924 East Skehanna or what it became known as "The Deer usually found nowadays that in these old Bell Pit workings some park Pit" was opened by an inclined shaft. This pit was worked n one-third of the coal has been left in the form of "pillars" and in until 1969 when it had to be closed as it had become entirely un 0 many parts of England it has been found profitable to extract economic---geological abnormalities had been met with and the ti these pillars by Open-cast methods. However in the case of the seam practically exhausted. Its deepest point from the surface • Castlecomer Three Foot coal. the "Old Men" were so skillful was eventually some 700 feet and about eleven miles of I that practically all the coal was extracted and it proved un underground roadways had been constructed during its economical to open-cast what remained. The open-cast work life. Water is always a problem in mines and in this case. t. p" which has been going on for the last few years has been mostly it became enormously expensive to keep it pumped. Numerous • to un-worked coals of various seams where they were at not electrical underground pumps were used and some 60.000 Ii more than some 60 feet deep. But to return to the Bell Pits. gallons had to be pumped out per hour. II The Owner of the Coal or his agent first sank these pairs of Since about 1943 all mining was by machine-that is the coal I Pits and then he entered an agreement with men who were called was undercut by electrical coal-cutters. the coal then being ex "Master Miners" as to the price per cubic yard for the coal to be tracted by miners. and thrown by shovel on to moving rubber Ii produced. The Master Miner then collected together miners and conveyors which travelled along the "'faces" and on to other made his own deal with them to extract the coal. Apparently conveyors and eventually into metal wheeled little trucks or II there was ,ome kind of light rail system-probably horse "tubs" as they were called. These "tubs" then formed trains and • I drawn. 'i;1 that district as there is a cross-roads near Coolbawn by means of electrical haulages underground were concentrated I which is ,till known as "the Rail-yard" and I was always told in a siding or "flat .. at the base of the entrance shaft or "drift .. Ii that it \\ as here that all the coal was collected for subsequent dis and then again hauled to the surface where the coal was then patch to the surrounding country. In later years. of course. more sited etc. on the "screen". (Continued page 38) 34 il'iJ ! if' 'l~.j Secretary's Report / I~ fi :'j FOR THE YEAR 1974-75 Sean O'Leary !.! FROM every point of view the past year wesented by Mrs. P. Harvey of Mill Park the old vessels which were discovered has been a most successful one for the House, Kilbride. The function was at were restored by the Scandinavian Old Carlow Society. ' tended by Mr. Liam Murphy Chairman Museum Authorities. As the Norsemen of Carlow Co. Council and Mr. James figured so prominently in the history of MEMBERSHIP: Nolan, Chairman of Carlow Urban Ireland we were particularly interested in A very large number of new members Council and several members of both the land they came from, what sort of were enrolled, and although some of our Councils. An excellent tea was provided homes they had, and what were their am long-standing members passed to their by the Ladies Committee. bitions. Mr. Monahan had several fine Eternal Reward our membership now slides which added much to the enjoy stands at almost 300 - a very satisfac WINTER SESSION: ment of the lecture. tory figure. We were extremely fortunate to have a most interesting series of lectures for our ELY O'CARROLL OUTINGS and LECTURES: Winter Session and we are most grateful On 23 January 1975 Mr. George Cun Our outings during the Summer were to the lecturers. ningham of Roscrea gave an illustrated well supported and proved to be most in talk entitled "Aspects of the Ely O'Car structive and enjoyable for those taking DERMOT MacMURROUGH: roll Territory with many detours." part. The attendance at our Winter Lec Our first lecture was on 17 October Although this talk dealt with the dis tures was not quite as good as we should when, in answer to popular demand, trict in and around Roscrea it was most have liked. Admittedly, some of the talks Nicky Furlong came and gave. us a interesting. Quite apart from the subject clashed with other fixtures in the district wonderful talk on Dermot MacMurrough matter and the beautiful slides it was a - in Carlow there are so many counter - a character of whom he has made a revelation to see what could be done in attractions it is difficult for people to at particular study. Nicky's eloquence, his one comparatively small area by one tend them all. great grasp of historic data and his par man. Single-handed Mr. Cunningham ticularly fine series of coloured slides and had produced sets of diagrams, maps and THE MUSEUM: diagrams made the night a memorable photographs with detailed scripts of all Thanks to a generous grant of £300 one. He gave us both sides of Dermot's the historic places in the Ely O'Carroll from Carlow County Council, our little character, and exploded many historical country. These he had presented (with group of devoted workers have been able myths. We learned that Diarmaid Dubh financial assistance from the Department to carry out many improvements in the wasn't all BLACK. of Education and the local Chamber of Museum. They have divided one of the Commerce) to all the Schools in his area. lower rooms into cubicles in which the IRISH TOWNS and VILLAGES: All who heard him had the one thought various classes of exhibits are artistically On 20 November we had two sets of "Oh if we had a man like George Cun and systematically arranged. In the other slides kindly lent for the occasion by the ningham here to do for Carlow what ground floor room they have erected an Education Department of An Taisce. The George had done for Roscrea." old-time kitchen, shop, and dairy and also first set of slides dealt with the different Let us hope that in the not too distant a thatched roof under which are dis aspects of architecture in Ireland. It was future someone will arise in Carlow to played a number of old-time farm imple instructive to see how the appearance of a emulate the work of George Cun ments. They are at present preparing the place can be marred or enhanced by the ningham. upstairs room to cater for the large type of buildings therein. Mr. Brendan number of exhibits coming in from all Kealy read the script which accompanied FATHER JAMES MAHER: parts of the County. the series. On 27 February 1975 our Vice Visitors to the Museum have com The second set of slides showed how President Mr. Alec Burns gave a splendid mented most favourably on the quality of the towns and villages of Ireland will ap talk on the patriot -priest, Fr. James our exhibits and on the excellent manner pear during the European Architectural Maher of Carlow-Graigue (as it was then they are displayed. In July the Museum Heritage Year of 1975. Quite a number of called). was visited by Dr. E. L. Fitzpatrich and the slides were of places which were To many, Fr. Maher is just a name, but Professor Mitchell of "The Friends of the highly placed in the Tidy Towns those who listened to Mr. Burns learned National Collections of Ireland" who ex Competition. The accompanying script what a really wonderful man he was. pressed themselves extremely pleased which was read by Mr. A. Burns told how Alone he fought for the rights of his with our exhibits. They gave us many places won or lost marks. From that down-trodden people. He inspired his fol helpful suggestions for further improve point of view it was very instructive and lowers with courage, at a time when ments. we could compare Carlow with the towns resistance to the people in power seemed shown on the slides. absolutely futile. PRESENTATION: Present at the lecture that night were A very happy function took place in THE NORSEMEN: Paddy and John Purcell who described the Museum on 3 March 1975 when a On 19 December Mr. John Monahan how the remains of Fr. Maher were presentation of a stainless steel Tea Set gave a very interesting talk on The Vik perfectly preserved when his coffin was was made to Mr. John Hughes of ings. He traced the turbulent history of removed in 1937 from the Old Church to Frederick Avenue as a mark of apprecia those fierce warriors. A boat lover the grounds of St. Clare's Church in tion for the splendid restoration work he himself, Mr. Monahan gave special atten Graiguecullen. Present also was the had carried out on The Irish Elk Antlers tion to the ships of the Vikings and how Chairman of the U.D.C. Mr. James 35 Nolan, who related anecdotes about Fr success. She appealed for more articles Our members were astonished that there Maher that he heard from his grand for the journal. were so many places of historic interest in father. Mr. J. Moriarty, Chairman of the that area. Leaving the peninsula we next Museum Committee and Mr. S. Murphy, visited Monasterboice to admire the GEOLOGY, LANDSCAPE AND Treasurer reported that the Museum was magnificent cross. HUMAN making steady progress. They said Returning to_ Drogheda we first visited SETTLEMENT IN THE BARROW the recent grant from the County the Shrine of St. Oliver and then Mrs. M. VALLEY: Council would help to relieve financial Corcoran of the Old Drogheda Society Most of our lectures deal with purely difficulties and enable proposed improve conducted the party over the Museum. historical events. On 20 March 1975, ments to be carried out. Then from the Mill Mount looking down however, we had a different type of dis on the town, the Boyne Estuary and the course when Mr. C. R. Aldwell, ELECTION OF OFFICERS: famous Railway Bridge, she gave a syn .. Geologist, with the Department of In Mr. Brendan Kealy was unanimously opsis of the fascinating history of the C dustry and Commerce, gave a most in elected Chairman for '75-'76. On the area. Our members regretted there was C teresting talk on the Geology of the Bar proposition of Mr. K. Kennedy it was not time to go to see many historic It row Valley. We were fortunate in secur decided to have only one Vice-Chairman buildings in Drogheda. b ing Mr. Aldwell for he worked for some instead of three and on a vote Mr. B. .. years in Co. Carlow for the Department Nolan was elected Vice-Chairman. CASHEL, HOLYCROSS, • and so he had first-hand knowledge of his Mr. K. Kennedy and Mr. S. O'Leary KILCOOLEY: D subject. In very simple language he dealt were unanimously re-elected Hon. On Sunday 27 July the 0.C.S. p with the various changes in the Barrow Treasurer and Hon. Secretary respective visited Co. Tipperary. At Cashel n Valley long before the dawn of history. ly. we were conducted over the various p His talk was really fascinating and the Miss M. T. Kelly was appoirced Editor buildings on the famous Rock. The of numbers of questions asked of the lec of Carloviana with Mr. H. Dolan as As ficial guide gave a most interesting talk on turer when he had concluded showed how sistant Editor. the architectural features of the several he had aroused the interest of his The names of the various committees churches and their historic background. audience. appear on another page. From Cashel we proceeded to Holycross where we were shown the marvellous ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING MOTIONS: restoration work then nearing com On the proposition of Mr. T. Smyth pletion .. Undoubtedly, Holycross Abbey The A.G.M. was held on 24 April seconded by Mr. B. Nolan it was decided is a tribute, not alone to its Cistercian 1975. to make an annual subvention to the builders. but to the wonderful work of In his address Chairman, Brendan Museum - the amount of which to de those who restored it. We then went on to Kealy, praised the officers and all those pend on the financial position of the Kilcooley where Very Rev. J. Lambe, who contributed to the work of the Society. P.P. gave a detailed account of this Society. He regretted that the attendance A suggestion was made to change the another Cistercian foundation. We at some of the lectures was rather small. name of the Society as the word "Old" marvelled at how well-preserved the Ab He appealed to members to contribute gave the impression that the society was bey was after all the centuries. Possibly articles for Carloviana or talks for the only for senior citizens. Various names its preservation is due to the fact that it Winter Sessions. He knew there were were suggested but finally it was decided was in the centre of the Ponsonby estate very many well qualified to do so - it by 24 votes to 12 to leave the name un far removed from the public road. was only a matter of getting down to it. changed. The Chairman outlined some projects Several suggestions were made about KILKENNY, CALLAN: that could be undertaken by members: the Annual and Afternoon Outings. A On Sunday 17 August we visited Co. (I). Cleaning up old cemeteries and list of venues was compiled for con Kilkenny. In Kilkenny City Mrs. Phelan historic buildings. sideration by the incoming Committee. of Kilkenny Archaeological Society (2) Copying inscriptions on old showed us over Rothe House and monuments in graveyards. ANNUAL OUTING described the difficulties that had to be (3) Collecting data about old industrial Following the success of the two-day surmounted to secure the historic building buildings - mills, malthouses, outing to Killarney in 19 74 it was for future generations. Mrs. Phelan said breweries, forges etc. proposed to have an outing on the 1st and the house was quite unique and it was not (4) Copying entries from the Register 2nd June to include Tuam Cathedral, surprising that it attracted thousands of in St. Mary's Church which goes Westport House, Ballintubber Abbey, visitors every year. From Kilkenny we back many centuries. Cong, Connemara and Galway. went to Callan. Unfortunately heavy rain (5) Indexing Carloviana, Comerford's However, as the number of members marred our visit. However, Rev. Fr. Collections and Ryan's History - prepared to go on the tour was not suf O'Doherty, presently Chaplain of Kilken important work which has never ficient to make it a viable proposition it ny Co. Hospital and formerly Curate in yet been done. had to be abandoned. C..'.llan gave very interesting talks on the Mr. Kealy stressed that the emphasis two ecclesiastical ruins still remaining to should be on activity not on passively CO.LOUTH show what a place of great importance listening to talks. Instead, on 29 June we had a one-day Callan was in former days - The Secretary, Sean O'Leary gave a outing to Co. Louth. At Faughart, Rev. Augustinian Friary and St. Mary's - the detailed account of the year's activities. Fr. Mcivor, gave a most interesting talk medieval Parish Church. We then Treasurer, Kevin Kennedy, reported on the district. From the earliest times proceeded to the present Parish Church that with all expenses paid there was a due to its geographical position it had - a really beautiful building. There Very balance on hands. This was considered figured in many stirring events. Fr. Rev. J. Kennedy, P.P., gave us an ac satisfactnrv. Mr. Kennedv said that sales Mcivor explained why Faughart was count of the turbulent years when the of Carloviana already ;hPwed a profit generally claimed to be the birthplace of then Parish Priest was in dispute with his and there were ,till ,omc copies unsPkl. St. Brigid. Bishop and the parishioners were sharply From Faughart the party were con Editor, Miss M. T. Kelly, was con and fiercely divided in their loyalty. The ducted round the Cooley Peninsula by Callan Schism as it was called had finally gratulated on the excellence of the 1974 Mr. Noel Ross and Mr. Patrick Power of edition of Carloviana and on its financial to be referred to Rome for a solution. the Co. Louth Archaeological Society. Leaving Callan we went to the former 36 there hc,me of Bro. Ignatius Rice where we saw gave the historical background of the wonderful sculpture on the famous High :st in various articles connected with that building and explained its architectural Cross of Moone. next wonderful pioneer of education for the features. Judging from the size of the the masses. We visited the lovely memorial Friary Church, Castledermot must have ANTICIPATION: church erected a short distance from the had a large population in those far-off Our Summer Outings thus completed sited thatched farmhouse in which the founder days. We were pleased to note that these we are .now looking forward to the lec ;.M. of the Irish Christian Brothers was born. relics of the past have been well and tures which have been arranged for the ciety skilfully cared for. coming months. Let us hope we will have eum. CASTLEDERMOT, BALTJNGLASS. In Baltinglass, Mr. Kealy conducted good attendances. lown MOONE: the party around another monastic settle THANKS: I the The final outing for 1975 was tin Sun ment - the second Cistercian Monastery syn day 21 September when we visit,ed to be erected in Ireland - its mother Concluding I wish to thank The . the Castledermot and Baltinglass. In house Mellifont being founded in 1142 . Nationalist for their splendid production was Castledermot our Chairman, Brendan Mr. Kealy pointed out how· the strict of our Journal and for the publicity they toric Kealy gave a detailed des~riptio~ of the, :i_stercian Building regulations were cir always give in their columns to the ac two magnificent sculptured cros;;es a!lD ..:umvented _by sculptors who wished to tivities of the O.C.S. To The Irish the round tower. These were associated put their own ideas into practice. He also National Foresters and especially to our wit!l the Celtic Monastic foundation of St. drew our attention to the way rebuilding good friend, Frank Hutton, I also extend Dermot which stood on the site of the in the 19th century had destroyed the sincere thanks for providing us with a :::.s. present Church of Ireland. Crossing the symmetrical lines of the original very comfortable room for our lectures ,he! road, Mr. Kealy took us to the well monastery. Returning from Baltinglass and meetings. ious preserved Franciscan Friary where he we went to examine and admire the IS October 1975 of- ' on 'era! md. ross lous om ,bey cian c of in to nbe, this We Ab ;ibly at it ;tate Co. elan Ring 41123 and have all your :iety and SUTTONS Dairy Produce delivered daily J be ding said ; not SUPERMARKET ls of , we CASTLE ST., CARLOW LEIX rain Fr. Pasteurised Baking ken GROCERY PROVISIONS Milk Milk, te in I the HARDWARE and Fresh tg to DAIRY Cream ance AT THE TOP FOR QUALITY Farm Eggs The AT THE BOTTOM FOR PRICE and Butter - the I then CASTLE ST. urch TOP Very HOP L ac- AVE CARLOW 1 the h his AT uply UTTONS WE SERVE THE BEST WITH The FREE DELIVERY WITHIN THE URBAN AREA nally Phone 41653 THE BEST rmer rf'.•- t I 011/tJ Clt Jl\l THE Chairman's Report of last year preciative and fascinated audience of the Mawhinny. These cards, when com were listed some of the fields of study in importance of preserving the record of our pleted. may be sent to the Irish Society which the 0. C. S. might usefully engage industrial past. As a discipline, industrial for Industrial Archaeology, who will note itself, and I am pleased to report that a archaeology is only in its second decade their details and return the cards, which beginning has been made with some of and. it was pointed out to us, there is can then become part of the local record. these. much scope in our area for original The committee's object in choosing this Tombstone inscriptions: One of the research. Technical knowledge of the in particular lecture was to encourage ac major tools of the Irish genealogist is the dustries concerned is not essential: the ex tivity in this field within the society, and it tombstone inscription. The registration of pert, when needed. can always be con is to be hoped that some members have deaths in the Custom House, Dublin, did sulted. All that is required is an observant found Mr. Mawhinny's enthusiasm infec not begin until 1864, and coverage of the eye and the ability to use a camera. Stan tious. The urgency is great. In few areas whole country was not effective until after dard record cards. on which the nature of human endeavour is change as rapid as 1880. Therefore, researchers working in and details of industrial sites may be in industry. What is not recorded today the earlier period must rely on Ihe record listed. are available from the 0. C. S. may well be gone tomorrow, and often is. in the local churchyard and, in order to committee, a supply being left us by Mr. consult this, must be prepared for long Brendan Kealy. and tedious searches through the countryside. It is no wonder that tomb stone inscriptions are amongst the most (Continued from page 34) useful. but least usable, of sources for Ownership, Management and Employees-Ever since 1637 the both the local historian and the mineral rights and the mines have belonged to the Wandesforde genealogist. Accordingly. in 1971. a Sub family. The Family History of the Wandesfordes is in the .. Committee of the Irish Genealogical National Library in Dublin. together with documents dating ! Research Society was set up to coor back to the 14th century. Suffice to say that the family is dinate the recording of tombstone inscrip Norman. having settled in Yorkshire in the early 14th century. tions and to make copies available for The first one to come over here was Christopher Wandesforde. consultation in the Genealogical Office, who came at the request of his friend Thomas Wentworth, who Dublin Castle. The Old Carlow Society became Lord Stafford, Governor of Ireland. He appointed has begun to assist in this work and, dur Wandesforde as Master of the Rolls. a legal appointment. When ing the summer. two members completed Lord Strafford went to England to stand trial and later execution f the surveys of Sleaty and Old Killeshin by King Charles the First. Christopher Wandesforde was made I• graveyards. and are at present at work on Deputy Governor. but died two years later in 1642. During the churchyard attached to the Church of most of the ensuing years. the mines have been developed by the "t• the Holy Cross. Killeshin. W andesfordes but sometimes they were leased-particularly in In the course of the survey. many other the early I 800's when the Dobbs family worked most of the Jar potentially fruitful lines of inquiry have row seam. t suggested themselves: inquiries into fami When my father. R. H. Prior-Wandesforde inherited in the l ly histories; research into placenames late l 880"s he expanded the mines considerably. so that before (some of which occur in varied and in the First World War. there were five Pits producing coal and teresting spellings); study of tombstone some 500 to 600 men employed and an Overhead Ropeway t decoration. carving and lettering; study of construction. This connected the various mines. bringing the local stonemasons and their styles (many coal together at one point at the Deerpark Pit. which became the t: stones are signed); and sometimes even terminus Llf the branch rail line from Kilkenny in or about 1917. details of social history may incidentally Under the Mines Law properly qualified Mining Engineers be gleaned. There is much work to be had. pf course. always to be appointed and many of these were f done even in the seemingly restricted field ··character,··. One I can remember in particular-Mr. Whit of the humble tombstone! Anyone in taker-a tough Yorkshire man who, at one time had tried to t terested? make his fortune in the Klondyke gold rush. Although very Industrial archaeology: The Watermill tough. he was a just man and full of humour-liked and at Rathvilly. which appears on our cover respected by the men but they well knew that he could never be f this year. reminds us that Carlow has "codded." much to offer the industrial archaeologist. \11ninµ ha, '" long been a \\av of life in the district. that This mill might have been lost to us. like manv nf the families in the area have been miners for genera so many others. had it not been for the tiPn,. and the same familv names kept re.curring-so much so. timely preservation work carried out that mall\ ,,r the men had nick names in order to distinguish some years ago. Such preservation work bct,\l·cn the ,amc sur name,. is costly. and beyond the means of the 0. I hn "ere reall1 a closed community. as their way of life "a, C. S.. but the verbal recnrd and the "' wcc1ait,cd ah, ays cheerful. courageous. and entirely Joval photograph are not heyond our means. tu th,·1r t'clJ,,", in any case of danger. accident or hard,hip. Ol'r and it is here that we ma, make con c1 en "llC helped. Oitfo.:ult the~ could be to Management. but tribution. 11cr,ll11alil "hen I was Managing Director. I always felt that the Our opening lecture of the ·75 "76 aLc l,,n~ 1111k hd\\een u, all 11as still there. winter Sj;:Ssion. on October 16th last. was "'"'. through the scams becoming exhausted. it has all ended. given by Mr. Mawhinny. Chairman of the hut the 111e111or1 and tradition still remain. Irish Society for Industrial Archaeolog~ R C. Prior-Wandesforde. in Ireland. and he c<1nvinced an ar 38 Officers and Members of The Old Catlow Society 1975/76 Patron Browne, John. N.T., Ballinacarrig, Governey Park. Graiguecullen. His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Patrick Carlow. Doyle, Misses M. & D., "Innisfree," Sta Lennon, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. Burke. Joseph, Springfield Drive, Carlow. tion Road, Carlow. Burns. Alec. College Street, c;:arlow. Doyle. Miss Nellie, Granby Row, Life Vice-Presidents Byrne. Martha, 2 Ruthland Terrace, Carlow. Very Rev. P. MacSuibhne, M.A., St. Palatine, Co.. Carlow. Doyle, T. P. & Mrs., "Sunny Cedars," Patrick's College, Carlow. Mrs. M. Byrne, W. E., 34, Hillview Drive, Carlow. Killeshin Road. Carlow. O'Neill, Wilton Gardens, Cork. Mr. Liam Doyle, Thomas, Bough, Rathvilly, Co. D. Bergin, Editor, Nationalist & Leinster Canavan. Mrs. M., St. Joseph's Road, Carlow. Times, Carlow. Mr. Alec Burns, College Carlow. Dowling. Michael & Mrs., 316, Meadow Street, Carlow. · Cannon-Mulvey. Mrs. K., 8278 Caldwell Road, New York. Avenue, Long Island, New York. Duggan, Noel & Mrs., 874162, North & Chairman Carbery, D. Mrs., Green Road, Road, Rego Park, Long Island N. Mr. Brendan Kealy, B.A., H.D.E. Carlow. Duggan. Mr. P., Court View, Carlow. Carroll. Mr. Noel, 36 Clare Road, Drum Duggan. W. L. & Mrs., College Street, Vice-Chairman condra. Dublin 9. Carlow. Mr. Brendan Nolan Chmelar. Edward, Rathnapish, Carlow. Cogan, Pat, Killeshin Road, Carlow. Ellis, J. J. & Mrs., 24 New Park Road, Collins. Sean. 80 Elm Park Drive, Blackrock. Co. Dublin. Secretary Ellis, William, Burrin Street, Carlow. Mr. Sean O'Leary Rathnapish. Carlow. Conroy. F. J .. 403 Buffalo Street, Ithaca. Fenlon. Mrs. M. "Riverville," Treasurer N.Y. Montgomery Street, Carlow. Connolly, Miss Ann, The Poplars, Mr. Kevin Kennedy Fennell. Mrs. Eileen, Chaplestown, Bagenalstown. Co. Carlow. Carlow. Connolly, Mrs. Marion, The Poplars, Editor Fennelly. Mrs. J.. 17, Granby Row. Mr. Hu!!h Dolan Bagenalstown. Co. Carlow. Carlow. Connolly. Mrs. T., Ballyfoyle, Mageney, FitzGerald. Mrs. D .. Shinrone, Offaly. Assistant Editor Co. Kildare. . FitzMaurice. Mrs. B., Laurel Lodge, Mr. Alec Hurns Conroy. Miss M .. Castle Street, Carlow. Carlow. · Corcoran. E. & Mrs., 132, J .K.L. FitzRoy, Miss A.. Montgomery Street, Committee Avenue. Carlow. Carlow. Crombie, B. & Mrs., Pembroke, Carlow. Mrs. B. FitzMaurice, Miss I. MacLeod, Foley. Joseph. Sycamore Road, Mrs. M. Fenlon. Mrs. B. Crombie, Mrs. Crowe, Austin. "Sleibhte," 125, New Rathnapish. Carlow. T. Smyth. Mrs, S. Murphy. town Park Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Giddy, E. & Mrs .. Athy Road, Carlow. Messrs. T. Smyth. F. Hutton. M. Dooley. Cullen, Miss Mary, Tullow Road, Governey. Francis. Pollerton, Carlow. J. Moriarty. S. Murphy, J. West man. Carlow. Grecol, John L.. Cleveland, Ohio, 44101, Cullen. Sr. Nessa. Clochar na Trochaire. U.S.A. Delegates to Arts Council Ceatharloch. Hadden. W. V.. "Four Winds." Tullow Mr. Brendan Kealy Curry. Kevin. 12. Oakley Park, Tullow Road, Carlow. Mr. John Moriarty Road, Carlow. ,Hade, Miss P. Castle Street, Carlow. Harding. Rev. B. St. John's, Kilkenny. Delegates to the Historical Advisory Deane. Miss M .. St. Killian's Crescent, Harvey, Mrs. P.. Mill Park House, Committee of Carlow Co. Council Carlow. Kilbride. Co. Carlow. Mr. H. Dolan. Mr. A. Burns Delaney. Mrs. N .. "Renselar," Haughney. Eamonn. Pollerton Road, Graiguecullen. Carlow. Carlow. MEMBERS Dempsey. R. & Mrs.. Burrin Street, Hawkes. Miss S .. Castle Street. Carlow. Agar. J. R. & Mrs., 13 Larkfield, Carlow. Hayden. Patrick. Astoria, New York. Rathnapish. Carlow. Dolan. Hugh. 35. Oakley Park, Tullow Healy. Pat. Pollerton Castle, Carlow. Agar. Mrs. M.. N.T., Chaplestown, Road. Carlow. Healy. R., College Street, Carlow. Carlow. Dooley. Gerard. 14. St. Killian's Cres Hodges. C. G .. 9, Rose Court, Selby Alcock. Noel. 46, Staunton Avenue. cent. Carlow. Road. Mowbray Park. Cape, S.A. Governey Park. Graiguecullen. Carlow. Dooley. Miss Margaret. 14. St. Killian's Holden. Michael & Mrs .. Tullow Street. Crescent. Carlow. Carlow. Beasley. Mrs. Carmel. Nutley Hotel. 52. Dooley, Miss M .. Athy Road. Carlow. Bampfvlde Road. Torquay. Holton. Sr. Ann. Clochar na Trochaire, Dooley. Michael. 20. St. Killian's Cres Ceatharloch. Behan. Mrs. C.. Station Road. Carlow. cent. Carlow. Bolton. Liam. Keelogue. Killeshin. Hosey. Gerard. Staplestown Road, Dooley. Padraig. 14. St. Killian's Cres Carlow. Carlow. cent. Carlow. Brennan. Miss Ciss. Strawhall. Carlow. Hughes. John. Frederick Avenue, Dowling. John. "Maryville," Burrin Carlow. Brennan. Michael & Mrs .. Burrin Street. Street. Carlow. Carlow. Hutton. Frank & Mrs .. 6, Staplestown Doyle. Mrs. Ann. 17. Riverside. Carlow. Road. Carlow. Broderick. Sean. Pollerton Big. Carlow. Doyle. Mrs. C .. Sycamore Road. Brophy. Edward. Rathnapish. Carlow. Hyland. Mrs. Sadie. "Genazzano," Kil Rathnapish. Carlow. leshin Road. Carlow. Brophy. Michael & Mr, .. 35. Doyle. Miss D .. 36. Riverside. Carlow. O"Hanrahan A\enue. C,irlow. Doyle. James & Mrs.. Ballickmoyler James, Miss Margaret. Montgomery Brophy. Very Rei P J .. P.P .. Kilcock. Road. Carlow. Street. Carlow. Co. Kilaare. Doyle. J. & Mrs.. 98. Maher Road. James, T. R .. 82. Green Road. Carlow. Broughali. Mrs. Ina. "'St. Anthony's'" Governey Park. Graiguecullen. Jones. Mrs. A.. Montgomery Street, Rathnapi,h. Carlo\\ [)p\le. James Jnr.. 98. Maher Road. Carlow. 39 ~ ~' Jordan, Mrs. M., St. Mary's Park, Murray, Rev. Jas., St. Pius Church, 55 Ratusky, Mrs. M., Montgomery Street, Carlow. Elmhurst A venue, Providence R.I. Carlow. OZ908. Kealy, Brendan, B.A., H.D.E., Maryboro Reynolds, Miss K., 7 Governey Park, Murray, Mrs. K., 5, St. Joseph's Road, Street, Graiguecullen, Carlow. Graiguecullen, Carlow. Carlow. Kelly, Miss M. T., The Stream, Shaw, Misses Nan & Kathleen, 130, Castledermot Road, Carlow. J.K.L. Avenue; Carlow. Nicholl, V. & Mrs., Duckett's Grove, Kelly, Michael & Mrs., Burrin Street, Sheehan, Miss E., 2, Sailsbury Gardens, Carlow. Carlow. Welwyn Garden .City, Herts. Kelly, Mrs. Rutland, Carlow. Nolan, B. & Mrs., Burrin Street, Carlow. Sheehan, Miss K., N.T., 3, St. Killian's Kelly, William & Mrs., 26, St. Patrick's Nolan, Miss Chrissie, Burrin Street, Crescent, Carlow. Carlow. Avenue, Carlow. Sheehan, R., Morristown, N.J., U.S.A. Kennedy, Kevin & Mrs., 6 Oakley Park, Nolan, Mrs. Mary, Barrack Street, Slater, Val., Rathnapish, Carlow. Graiguecullen, Carlow. Carlow. Smyth, Miss Mary, 2 Leinster Crescent, Lillis, Maj. Gen. Jas., Blackrock, Co. O'Brien, Mr. & Mrs. T., Emerald Lodge, Carlow. Dublin. Carlow. Smyth, Michael, Newtown, Nurney, Co. Lillis, T. J. & Mrs., Lumclone House, O'Hanlon, Mrs. A., 74, Green Road, Carlow. Fenagh, Co. Carlow. Carlow. Smyth, T. & Mrs., 2, Leinster Crescent, Little, Lazerian & Mrs., Strawhall O'Hanlon, Mrs. J., College Street, Carlow. Carlow. Carlow. Stafford, Eamon & Mrs., Maryboro Little, Mrs. T. Montgomery Street, O'Hare, P. J. & Mrs., Rathellin, Street, Graiguecullen, Carlow. Carlow. Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow. Sunderland, Miss Patricia, Centaur Loftus, Mrs. G., Gurteen, Carlow. O'Keeffe, B. & Mrs., St. Killian's Cres Street, Carlow. Lombard, Mrs. F., Montgomery Street, cent, Carlow. Tobin, Miss K., 22, Pollerton Road, Carlow. O'Keeffe, Miss Mary, St. Killian's Cres Carlow. cent, Carlow. McCamey, George & Mrs., Pacelli Treacy, Miss Eileen, College Street, O'Laoire, An t-Athair Sean, Min., Tig na Carlow. Avenue, Graiguecullen, Carlow. Sagart, Ceatharloch. McDarby, John, Dublin Road, Carlow. O'Leary, Maria, Montgomery Street, Waldron, Austin & Mrs., Frederick McDonald, Mr. E., Clonmore, Hacket Carlow. Avenue, Carlow. stown. O'Leary. Sean & Mrs., Montgomery Wall, Miss B., Barrack Street, Carlow. McDonnell, Mrs. C., "Barnagree," Tul Street, Carlow. Walsh, Mrs. P., Hanover Bridge, Carlow. low Road, Carlow. Oliver, Miss B., Dublin Street, Carlow. Westman, James, "Dunluce," 23, Green McGrath, Mr. & Mrs. S., Killerig, Oliver, Sr. M., Presentation Convent, Road, Carlow. Carlow. Carlow. Woods, Kitty, Rainstown, Palatine, McGreal, Miss A., Athy Road, Carlow. Oliver, James & Mrs., "Carraig Rua," Carlow. McKenna, Fay & Mrs., "Maryville," Kilkenny Road, Carlow. Granby Row, Carlow. O'Neill. James, Castle Street, Carlow. MacLeod, Miss Iona, Pembroke, Carlow. O'Neill, Misses Leonie & Lucy, Barrack McNamara, Rev. F., The Presbytery, Street, Carlow. Carlow. O'Neill, Miss Mary, 167 Colclough MacShamhrain, Padraig, 52 Redesdale Avenue, Graiguecullen, Carlow. ,########################.. ###### Road, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. O'Neill, T. & Mrs., Granby Terrace, MacSuibhne, Very Rev. Peadar, St. Par Carlow. OLD CARLOW SOCIETY rick's College. Carlow. O'Neill, Miss Mary, Granby Terrace, FRIENDS OF MacSuibhne, Rev. Sean, St. Patrick's Carlow. THE MUSEUM PROJECT College, Carlow. O'Rourke, Mrs. M., Montgomery Street, Mannion, Frank & Mrs., 30 Monacur Carlow. To: S. O'Leary, Hon. Sec., Montgomery ragh, Carlow. Osborne, W. S., Bank Of Ireland, Street, Carlow. Moloney, Michael, N.T., Rathvilly, Ce. Carlow. Being an enthusiastic admirer of the Carlow. O'Shea, Mrs. M., St. Patrick's Avenue, Society's effort to establish a Museum in Monahan, John & Mrs., Castletown Carlow. Carlow and which is now being House, Carlow. realised. I hereby donate the sum of Moore, Mrs. E., Chaplestown, Carlow. Parkes, J., 40. Monacurragh, Carlow. £ towards the cost. Moore, W. & Mrs., "St. Anne's," Athy Patricia, Sr. M., Presentation Convent, Road, Carlow. Carlow. Name ...... Moran, Mr. J., Burrin Street, Carlow. Peter, Sr. M .. Brigidine Convent, Tullow, Address ...... Moriarty, John, N.T .. M.C.C. & Mrs., Co. Carlow. Tynock. Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow. Phelan, Mrs. M., Kilkenny or Morton, Mrs. Myrtle, P.O. Box 74, Archaeological Society, 10, College I wish to donate the following Article(s) for Walnut Creek. California 94597. Road, Kilkenny. exhibition in the Museum. Murphy. Miss Annie, Barrack Street, Pius, Sr. M., Presentation Convent, En Name ...... i\: Carlow. niscorthy. Co. Wexford. ~ I Proctor. T. & Mrs .. Ballaghmoon, Oak Address ...... I: Murphy. Kevin, Pollerton Little, Carlow. Murphy. Miss Olivia. Pollerton Little. Park. Carlow. Purcell. Mr. & Mrs. John, Montgomery ####r#,##########################4 ~'II Carlow. "I Murphy. Seamus & Mrs., Pollerton Little, Street, Carlow. Carlow. Purcell. Mr. & Mrs. J., 33, Abercorn Murphy, Lauri, Maryboro' Street, Gardens. Chadwell Heath. Romford, Es Graiguecullen, Carlow. sex. Purcell. Michael Jnr .. Kennedy Street, Murray, Aidan & Mrs .. 25, Dublin Street, Carlow. Carlow. Purcell. Pat, Quinagh, Carlow. 40 Gach rath ar Carloviana 6 Na Braithre Criostai Ceatharlach Bunscoil agus Meanscoil. GROUND LIMESTONE Quality you never experienced before NOW AVAILABLE FROM DAN MORRISSEY LTD. BALLYCROGUE, CARLOW Other quality products include: READY MIX CONCRETE, MORTAR. PRECAST CONCRETE, ALL SIZES, CONCRETE BLOCKS, KERB STONES, GARDEN EDGING, WALL CAPPING, PIER CAPPING. CILLS, LINTELS, PAVING SLABS. SPECIALS: BRICKS, BESSTONE, WASHED SAND, ROAD MATERIALS, GRAVEL, ALL KINDS OF GROUND ROCK, CRUSHER WASTE. CORR'S CAMERA Carlo·w and GIFT SHO.P Moto·rs STIL.:L AND MOVIE CAMERAS Ltd. EIDITORrS AND SPLICER'S PHOJEOTORS Main Fiat Gold and Silver Charms, Silver Pl,ate etc. Dealers LET US SOLVE YOUR GIFT PROBLEMS FOR CHRIS1MAS Tullow Road, 12 TULLOW ST., CARLOW Carlow PHONE 41174 Phone (0503) 41955 R. HEALY & SON FUNERAL DIRECTORS IJ I Pollerton Castle and College Street j Phone 41286 and 41868 DAY AND NIGHT SERVICE Personal Attention MUSICAL EVENl,NGS ON FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY WITH PIANO AND ORGAN ENTERTAINMENT COUNTY CARLOW'S OLDEST SINGING LOUNGE SMYTHS OF NEWTOWN OLD WORLD ATMOSPHERE Phone 27159 The Staff and Pupils of Presentation Secondary School, Carlow wish continued success to Carloviana CARLOW BAKERY COMPANY LTD. SEE OUR BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY OF CHRISTMAS CAKES WISHING ALL OUR CUSTOMERS A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR Tullow Street, Carlow Phone 41643 and 41245 Michael Doyle f\.)...,...,~s * rtl.t.~~l General Hardware ~G~~C~ Wallpaper and Paints * THE SHAMROCK CARLOW I 71 TULLOW STREET CARLOW 41257 I I Telephone Carlow 41847 GRAVES & Co. Ltd. NEW ROSS & WATERFORD PHONE 21203 4971 Contact your local agent for details: THOMAS P. KENNEDY t THE BEEHIVE LOUNGE BAR 54 Tullow St., Carlow Phone 0503/41518. Insist on Kellistown Fresh Eggs fresh daily from our farm ,11! Meaty, succulent chickens and fresh Eggs are sent out daily from BRENDAN BROPHY'S farm at Kellistown, Co. Carlow. Trade Enquiries : SEAN O'HARA, SMITHFIELD, DUBLIN Phone 774531 F. GROGAN, PEMBROKE, CARLOW Phone 41612 NOLAN'S Hughes Brothers CHEMISTS 35 RIVERSIDE & COLLEGE ST. FOR ALL HIGH-CLASS PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS Carlow * WORKS COLLEGE ST Manufacturers of the highest grade medicines. All the leading Brands of Ethical Pro ,.i prietaries stocked. Local Agent for Helena Rubenstein 's · Famous Cosmetics. Memorials erected in FILMS DEVELOPED AND PRINTED Marble, Limestone QUICK SERVICE BEST RESULTS and Granite E. J. Nolan ALL WORK CARRIED OUT UNDER M.P.S.I., Prop., PERSONAL SUPERVISION 1, DUBLIN ST., & 1, CASTLE ST., Designs & Quotations on Request ·CARLOW Phone: 41680 PHONE 41437 L&N SUPERMARKET TULLOW ST., CARLOW FOR EASY PARKING AND EASY SHOPPING WITH FANTASTIC PRICES FREE CAR PARK PHONE 41263 I FOR YOUR FRESH FRUIT E. Haughney AND VEGETABLES & Son P. DOOLEY Tel: 41367 Best House Coal, WHOLESALE FRUIT MERCHANT Anthracite, Machine CARLOW Turf & Briquettes Always in Stock Phone Carlow 41469 8 to 9 Tons Lorry Loads of I i Machine Turf & Briquettes I WE D~LNER DAIL'_ I ,. _J at cheap rates \ South East School of Motoring DUAL CONTROLS :-: EXPERT INSTRUCTIONS Phone: Carlow 41169 - Gorey 21373 Hugh Coogan St. Joseph's, Rathnapish, Carlow DOOLEYS FOR YOUR HIGH-CLASS FRUIT, SWEETS, CHOCOLATES, CIGARETTES AND BOOKS 62 TULLOW STREET CARLOW I .. Shop around at leisure where shopping is a pleasure -and always has been since we were selling Boys Tweed Suits at 3/6 to 12/6 each Y oµths '1.Do" 10/8 · to 25/- Mens ''Do"' 16/8 to 48/· ! We have just as good value today at todays pnces ! Ii' HADDENS DEPARTMENT STORES CARLOW FINEGAN'S II 11 We are now stockists of Lounge Bar T\VEED II 11 Perfumes, Talc & Toilet Preparations by Lentheric TULLOW STREET Also and Morny, Max Factor, Coty & POTATO MARKET Number Seven 11 Renowned For Excellence 11 11 FOLEY'S ~ MEDICAL HALL LTD. I OFF LICENCE A 66, TULLOW ST., SPECIALITY I CARLOW-Phone: 41519 EASIER FEEDING HEALTHIER STOCK BETTER PROFIT By using BAROMIL Compound Feeding Stuffs ·:· Tops in Quality ~ARPENTERS take over all the trying For best drinks and details of funerals from Relatives and Ex ecutors. Let us quote for "all-in" arrange- luxurious surroundings ments including come to CEMETERY NEWSPAPERS WREATHS, MEMORY CARDS, ETC. For the finest and most economical service in the county, telephone, call or write to: * CARPENTER BROS. STONEHAVEN FUNERAL UNDERTAKERS BARRACK STREET, CARLOW Prop. T. CLERKIN LUXURY LOUNGE BA!ll BUILDERS CARLOW TELEPHONE 41208 ,s,· t "" .,~ ~- ~ ~" " CJ ~· ~ (). ATHY TELEPHONE 21317 CONTRACTORS • .-! •, ~. ;,· ..... An Old Carlow Industry :::::A::ANM IN ERAL RLO ::::: FLAVOURED SODA ~~lGINGER WATERS STONEBEER GRAPE FRUIT TONIC WATER CIDERETTE COLA MANUFACTURED BY CASTLE ORANGE ORANGE CRUSH CORCORAN & CO. LIMITED Established 1827 Phone 41849 CARLOW II '