Decies 57 JOURNALOF THE WATERFORDARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORICALSOCIETY No. 57 2001 Irisleabhar Cumann Seandiilaiochta agus Staire Phort Liiirge ----------a Decies 57 BARDAS PHORT LAZRGE WATERFORD CORPORATION The Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society and the editor of DECIES gratefully acknowledge the generous sponsorship of Waterford Corporation towards the publication costs of this journal. WATERFORD COUNTY COUNCIL The Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society and the editor of DECIES gratefully acknowledge the generous sponsorship of Waterford County Council towards the publica- Decies 57,2001 ISSN 1393-3116 Published by The Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society Printed by Leinster Leader Ltd, Naas, Co. Kildare. Decies 57 Decies 57 CONTENTS PAGE Foreword J. J. Lee ......................................................................................................................... v Editorial.. ........................................................................................................................ vii List of Contributors ....................................................................................................... ix Waterford's Iron Exports and the 30 Years War T. P. Power ................................................................................................................... 1 A Spanish Poetess of Co. Waterford Origins: Maria Gertrudis Hore (1742- 1801) J. C. Walton ................................................................................................................... 3 The Watergate and the Excavations at Grady's Yard, Waterford B. Murtagh .................................................................................................................... 9 Reformation in Elizabethan Waterford N. J. Byrne ..................................................................................................................... 43 Lord George Beresford and three Waterford Elections, 1830, 1831 E. Broderick .................................................................................................................. 73 Litir Ghealach P. 0 Machain ................................................................................................................ 85 'To the Taxpayers of Waterford': the demise of Anglican political supremacy in Waterford city J. M. Hearne ................................................................................................................. 9 1 Political Activity in Cappoquin in the 1840's: Michael Cavanagh's obituary of Hugh Collender T. F. Overlander and P. 0 Machain ........................................................................... 103 Diary of a Young Lady, Mary Anne Power, 1868-1873 A. McCan ................................................................................................................... 131 From Camckbeg to Rome - the story of Fr. Michael Hickey M. Briody ................................................................................................................ 143 The First Urban District Council in Dungarvan R. Donnelly .............................................................................................................. 167 I.R.A. Activity in Waterford, 1919-1923 E. O'Connor ............................................................................................................. 181 John Condon T. Roper .........................................................................................................................195 Waterford Archaeological & Historical Society membership: ..................................... 197 * Decies 57 WATERFORDARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICERSAND COMMITTEEMEMBERS l999I2OOO OFFICERS Chairman: Fergus Dillon Vice-chairman: Ben Murtagh Hon. Secretary: James Walsh Hon. Treasurer: Brdid McNeill Hon. Editor: John M. Heme P.R.O.: Patrick Grogan COMMITTEE Eugene Broderick Nellie Croke Sonny Condon Erica Fay George Kavanagh Paddy Kenneally Renee Lurnley Jim Stacey All original contributions are the copyright of the contributors. The views expressed by each contrib- utor are not necessarily those of Waterford Archaeological & Historical Society, the editor, or of the editorial committee. Hon. Editor: John M. Hearne Editorial Committee: The Chairman (ex-officio), Eugene Broderick, Jack Burtchaell, Eamonn McEneaney. iv / Decies 57 OFFICERS Chairman: Fergus Dillon Vice-chairman: Ben Murtagh Hon. Secretary: James Walsh Hon. Treasurer: Brkid McNeill Hon. Editor: John M. Hearne P.R.O.: Patrick Grogan COMMITTEE Eugene Broderick Nellie Croke Sonny Condon Erica Fay George Kavanagh Paddy Kenneally Renee Lumley Jim Stacey All original contributions are the copyright of the contributors. The views expressed by each contrib- utor are not necessarily those of Waterford Archaeological & Historical Society, the editor, or of the editorial committee. Hon. Editor: John M. Hearne Editorial Committee: The Chairman (ex-officio), Eugene Broderick, Jack Burtchaell, Eamonn McEneaney. Decies 57 By J. J. Lee t is a real pleasure to salute Decies on the 25th Anniversary of its launch in I1976. The 'Pilot Issue' reminds one of the progress made since those early heroic but uncertain days. Local history was for long both the cradle and the Cinderella of historical studies in Ireland. While important work was published in local histori- cal journals from the middle of the 19th century, the founding of the periodical Irish Historical Studies as the flagship of historical enquiry in Ireland in the late 1930s paradoxically resulted to some extent in the relegation of local history to second class scholarly status. This was certainly not the intention of the founders of IHS, who indeed devoted substantial space to recording the publications of the local journals in its early years. However, the constant insistence on the 'scientific' nature of history, the very understandable and laudable desire to achieve interna- tional recognition for Irish history and historians, led unintentionally to a down grading of work on local history and to a certain condescension towards its 'ama- teur' status in contrast to the now 'superior' scientific standards achieved by 'national', not to say international historians. That tendency has now happily been suspended, as the intrinsic importance of local history has come to be realised. One might very well now say, who knows Irish history, who only national history knows. Of course, 'national' and 'local' his- tory are not mutually exclusive. For the best local history, like the best national history, has to be always seen in a wider context in order to allow us place our con- clusions in proper comparative perspective. Decies has made a notable contribution in this regard to deepening our knowl- edge and understanding of the history of one of the most 'historical' of all Irish localities, whose remarkable experience over the centuries is so graphically illus- trated in the splendid Granary Museum. This is not the place to refer to individual articles, but a survey of the contents reveals the wide range of subjects to which Decies has brought illumination. There is something of value here for students of virtually any aspect of Irish as well as of Waterford history. One aspiration of the pilot editorial that seems to me still wor- thy of further pursuit is the objective of interesting youth in local history through articles relevant to their secondary school studies. At a time of declining numbers taking the subject at second level, and indeed of the levelling impact of 'national', meaning mainly metropolitan influences, it is all the more important that young people be given an opportunity of relating to their own place, and imaginatively conceived articles can be one weapon in that struggle. It may be permitted a UCC historian to express pride as well as pleasure in the close connection of UCC with Decies. Of those who have given such sterling edi- torial services, for instance, Des Cowman was co-founder, as well as editor of the first thirty issues, while more recent issues carry the editorial stamp of Julian Walton, Greg Fewer and John Hearne. Decies 57 There is now nothing 'pilot' about the situation as Decies sets its face towards the half-century. With the enlightened support of Waterford Corporation, Waterford County Council and the combination of commitment and scholarship brought by editors and contributors, not only have the foundations been well and truly laid, but scholarship of enduring value has been firmly built upon them. Decies 57 HIS is the twenty-fifth anniversary of Decies, and as such is a very special Tmilestone in the history of Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society. For the past quarter of a century successive committees have, through thick and thin, ensured the continuous publication of the journal. The result of this painstak- ing dedication is that from very humble beginnings, Decies has progressed to its present professional and stylish format; a publication that members of the society, past and present, can rightly feel proud of. Though the format has changed, the founding principle of quality has never been compromised. Furthermore, the content of the journal has, from the start, been eclectic, reflecting the traditional wanderlust of Waterford's commercial diaspora. This has imbued the journal with a colourful and unique cosmopolitan resonance. Two articles from early editions (1977 and 1984) have been reproduced in an attempt to convey the flavour and diversity of the embryonic Decies.