The Life and Achievements of the Remarkable Walter Jones Deserve A

Ambrose of Kildare and Henry of Clogher and afterwards of Meath. Two other sons, Michael and Theophilus, were to achieve high military rank and prominence on the side of the Parliamentary forces during the CivilWar of ·the 1640s. In 1647 after a three year stint in Cheshire, Colonel Michael Jones was appointed Governer of Dublin and commander of the Parliamentary forces in Leinster. Successes against the combined Royalist and Irish armies had gained him promotion to Ueutenant-General by the time Oliver Cromwell arrived at Dublin in August 1649. When Cromwell set out on -.his Irish campaign, he was accoinpanied by Jones, who Was second in command. However, Jones, having become ill with suspected cholera during the Waterford campaign, died on December 10th. in Dungarvan and was buried in St. Mary's Church, Youghal. Michael's brother, Sir Theophilus Jones, sailed to Ireland with Cromwell to take command of the Parliamentary army in Ulster. In 1659 he performed a different role by working for the restoration of Charles II. The third Jones brother to settle in Ireland, Henry, Dr. Walter A. Jones Ph.D. was a direct ancestor of Oliver Goldsmith. His The life and achievements of the remarkable Walter grandson, Rev. Theophilus Oliver Jones of Smith-Hill, Jones deserve a much more thorough study than can be EIphin, was the grandfather of the renowned poet achieved in this short article. Gaps remain to be filled through the marriage of his daughter Annie Jones to regarding events in his life, and many of his large the Rev. Charles Goldsmith. By my reckoning, Walter collection of writings have yet to be discovered. I Jones was a fourth cousin, thrice removed of became aware of Walter's work, while researching the Goldsmith. history of the 'Strokestown Democrat', to which he was As was the norm of the past, the various branches of a frequent contributor. Perhaps readers of this piece the Jones family fortified their positions in society by may be able to shed light on the whereabout of Jones' judicious marriages. Walter's father, John, married manuscripts,or indeed on any aspect of his life. Charlotte Browne of Burren Mills, Oak Park, Co. When Walter Jones died at Mount Browne Oocated Carlow and they raised four sons and one daughter in in the towniand of Falsk, just off the N5 about 2 miles Kilmore House. After attending Kilbride school, near on the Tulsk side of Strokestown) in January 1939, it Dangan fora few years, Walter moved to the Kilglass was sixty years after his birth in Kilrnore House, Co. Academy, Enniscrone, Co. Sligo. To prepare for Roscommon. He was buried in the family plot at university, he was spent to Primrose Grange Academy Annaduff, Drumsna. The family came from North at Sligo, where, in addition to studying the classics, the Wales, and first settled in Ireland in the early 1600s with seeds of his life long study and love of the Irish language the arrival· of three Jones brothers. They and their and culture were sown. While there, he contracted a descendants were destined to carve out distinctive serious form of jaundice, which the local doctors failed careers for themselves. to cure. He was sent home to Kilmore to die, but was Bryan Jones, from whom Walter was a 7th. cured by a quack recipe supplied by a neighbour, Mrs generation direct descendent (i.e. at 5th great Reynolds, who was a sister of the well-known grandson), held the post of Auditor at War and was Strokestown businessman, George O'Reilly. M.P. for Baltimore, Co. Cork 1639 - '49. He founded Continuing bad health, including smallpox, the Leitrim./Roscommon branch of the family at prevented Walter from entering Trinity College. Instead, HeadIort Castle, near Drumsna. His grandson, he went to live with his older brother, Arthur, who had Theophilus was an M.P. for Sligo in 1692 and for a chemist business in Doneraile, Co. Cork. Encouraged Leitrim,· 1691 - 1736. His great, great grandson, also by Arthur, he resumed his interest in history, literature TheophiIus, became a Privy Councillor in Ireland and an and folklore. He formed friendships with the local M.P. for Leitrim, Coleraine and Monaghan during the parish _priest, Canon Patrick Sheehan and Lord period 1767 - 1802. Castietown of Upper.Ossory, both of whom fostered his The second brother, Lewis Jones, was consecrated growing love for Irish cul"ture.He also became a serious Bishop of Killaloe in 1633. The same career path was student of botany. He was awarded a Ph.D. by the chosen by two of his sons, who also became Bishops, University of Leipzig for his studies of literature, philosophy and archaeology. 7 During his twelve year sojurn in Co. Cork, he exceeding One Hundred and Fifty Pounds'. produced several essays on local and family history. His Unfortunately, this instruction does not appear to have most renowned work was a translation from medieval been carried out. One avenue to be explored, which Gaelic of "The Black Letter Patent of Doneraile" for the might shed light on the whereabouts of the journal of the Cork Historical & Archaelogical Society. manuscripts, is the fate of Walter's large collection of He used the non-de-plume ' Mananaan MacLir', the books, which was reputed to contain rare first editions. ancient Irish sea God, for his folklore contributions to The collection was sold by public auction at Mount the same journal. He also authored a book "Synans of Brown in August 1940 by Galway auctioneers, Joyce, Doneraile", published by Guy & Co. of Cork, which I Mackie & Lougheed. have not been able to locate. Acknowledging his debt to Strokestown locals remember Walter Jones as a Mrs. Reynolds for saving his life as well as his interest in quiet and unassuming man, who might appear botany, he published several pieces on ancient herbal somewhat eccentric to those who did not know him cures. He travelled extensively throughout the south of well. However, his reputation as a scholar, antiquarian Ireland, studying its antiquities, excavating forts and and poet is undoubted. He researched and recorded a examining underground caves. vast amount of local history and we are lucky the local The antiquities of Roscommon were always close to papers published so much of his work. The absence of his heart, and it was on one of his expeditions to the original manuscripts leaves much more to be Rathcroghan that Walter met his future wife, "while discovered about him and his work. Hopefully, this gap taking shelter from a June sunshower under the will be filled by further research and a few lucky breaks. spreading branches of a stately tree in Lavally." She was Bridie Jane Browne, third wife and widow of Arthur Sources: Browne of Mount Browne, who had died in 1899. She was the daughter of Robert Ffrench of Larchgrove, and Will of Walter A. Jones, 22 Feb. 1939 (National Archives was connected to most of the leading Catholic families of Ireland) of Connacht. Following his wedding in 1907, Walter Archibald W M. Kerr, An ironside of Ireland (London, circa 1920) came to live at Mount Browne, where he and Bridie Burke's The landed gentry of Ireland, 1912 ed. p354 managed their 150 acre farm, and cared for her Journal of the Cork Historical & Archaelogical Society, mentally handicapped step-son, Arthur Browne Jr. 2nd ser., Viii (1902) Bridie died in January 1918 and was buried in Killina Roscommon Herald, articles by and about W A. Jones cemetery. from Jun. 1911 to Mar. 1939 The move to his native county increased Walter's Strokestown Democrat, articles by and about W A. Jones interest in its history and antiquities and in particular of . from Jul. 1917 to Feb. 1939. the Strokestown, Tulsk and Kilmore districts. He researched, wrote and published many articles up to the time of his death. I have traced many of his contributions, which appeared over three decades in the BRADY "Strokestown Democrat" and "Roscommon Herald". These include "The Ancient Sundial of Carnfree", "The Mulconry's of Cloonahee", "O'Connor's House at TRAVEL Cloonfree" and "The Burning of Bealnamullya Castle". Some of his interesting articles I have not yet found include "A '49' Officer of Strokes town , Captain Holden", "Bumlin, the Church of St. Midabarin", "The • Low cost Flights & holidays, Bone Caves of Clooncullane and Cregga" , and Hotels & Car Hire "Anthony McDermott of Strokestown, Author". There is a listing of his writings in a long obituary, which appeared over four editions of the 'Roscommon Herald' • ,.,:,.,:, •. ,:.•..,:.:,.•..:::•..,:.::.:.• ,.,.•....,! ..,:.•••:,•..,:.•..::.•...,•...,•. ,:,•. ,.,!.,:.•.....,•.....,•. ".• "•.•.,:•.01.,.••...,:.• :.,•..:.:'.:,•.•..•,.',••::,..:.••,•.•.. ::' ...,:.• ,.•..••• Ja,.•..• ~ .• ,.• :.• ·,'.· •• ·•• ·,.:.:· .• • •.• :.!.:.!.:.•.•.:.:,•.•. !,. during February and March 1939. ·.'.:;l1...•..a•.:.•~.'n;.r.:.~.·:nR.•...,.•,.•. ~.;,p.••.•.'ni.;!.·~.;.•. ·~!i•••!:! In its obituary on Walter Jones, the Strokestown ~IJ v·.:!.ii·i·'·'.I:: Democrat includes the following piece of information: !!jl!!IB~j!jn;R!lllgDi·j!j!! 'Just recently he has completed a work which had taken many years and a lifetime of research - a monumental history of Roscommon, from the earliest times down through the ages, consisting of over 100,000 words, illustrating every aspect of the county, its ancient clans and pedigreed families, its historical and economic development, and the story and associations of its ancient landmarks'. In his will dated February 1936, Walter directed the executor (his brother, Arthur Jones Itlill of Doneraile) "to publish my history of Roscommon and Leitrim and my poems now in manuscript at Northern Banking Co., Strokestown and also in my deed box in Email: brady travel @carrick-on-Shannon Mount Browne, Strokestown at an expense not 9.

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