COMPILED AND PUBLISHED BY BALLYMOTE HERITAGE GROUP CELEBRATING 30 YEARS 1984-2014 ISSUE NO.47 2014/2015 PRICE €8.00 The Corran Herald Annual Publication of Ballymote Heritage Group Compiled and Published by Ballymote Heritage Group Editor: Stephen Flanagan Design, Typesetting and Printing: Orbicon Print, Collooney Cover Design and Artwork: Brenda Friel Issue No 47 2014/2015 ––––––––––––––– The Corran Herald wishes to sincerely thank all those who have written articles or contributed photographs or other material for this issue Ballymote 25th Annual Heritage Weekend Thursday 31st July The Teagasc Centre, to (Right over railway bridge on Tubbercurry Road) Monday 4th August 2014 Ballymote, Co. Sligo Organised by Ballymote Heritage Group - Celebrating 30 Years (1984 - 2014) Thursday 31st Sunday 3rd Classic Film at 3 pm. Afternoon Tea at Temple The Art Deco Theatre & Cinema House with Classical & The Sound Of Music Baroque Music 7:30pm Tickets €12.50 Admission, Adults €6,Children €3, (Accompanied children free) Tickets from Tighe’s Shop, Ballymote must be purchased in advance from Tighe’s Shop, st Ballymote. Remaining tickets Friday 1 available on opening night 8.30pm. Official Opening 8.30 pm. Lecture: Sligo’s Hidden Mary Kenny, Author & Journalist Bridges Gary Salter, Conservation Lecture: Poets and Priests of Ireland Engineer Senior inWorld War 1 Executive Engineer, Mary Kenny, Author & Journalist Sligo County Council Saturday 2nd Monday 4th 9 am. Outing: Derek Hill 9 am. Outing: Westport House & House and Glebe Gallery, guided walking tour of Churchill, Co.Donegal, historic town and Raphoe Heritage Town 8.30 pm. Lecture: Family Names in Guide: Martin Timoney, BA FRSAI the Place-names of Sligo MIAI Research Archaeologist & Author Dr. Conchubhar Ó’Crualaoich 8.30 pm. Lecture: The Faddan More Psalter John Gillis, Senior Book and Manuscript Conservator, 071-9133409 Ltd Print Orbicon Trinity College Dublin 2 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2014/2015 Contents Page Ballymote Heritage Group: How it all began (Eileen Tighe) 4 30 years of the Ballymote Heritage Group 5 Patrons, Members and Officers of Ballymote Heritage Group 1984 – 2014 (Submitted by Eileen Tighe) 7 A Walk on the Beach (Bernie Gilbride) 8 Rathmullen School 1958 (Provided by Brendan Lavin) 9 Prehistory in the Bricklieve Mountains (Sam Moore) 10 Clontarf (Joan Gleeson) 14 Happiness is... (Bernie Doyle) 14 A trip to Aran (Bernie Gilbride) 15 The First Domestic Incident (John McDonagh) 17 Radio (Bernie Gilbride) 17 The Role of Women and Religion in the 1916 Rising (Sandra Murphy) 18 Fighting the Famine in Ireland (PJ Duffy) 24 Changing Times at the Market Yard (Bernie Gilbride) 25 Of Rabbits, Pheasants and Partridge (John McDonagh) 26 The Hunter-Gather (Joe Mc Gowan) 28 The Gods of the Neale (Bernie Doyle) 29 Woulfe Flanagan - The Sligo Connection (John C McTernan) 30 Extracts from the Past (Submitted by Padraig McDermott) 33 Novices and Postulants Walking to Work (Submitted by John Coleman) 33 Catechist, Linguist and Parisian churchman – the life of Rev Dr Andrew Donlevy LLD (Neal Farry) 34 The Irish Anti-Partition League (Submitted by John Coleman) 39 Under African Skies (Bernie Doyle) 40 A Memorable Monsignor (Submitted by John Coleman) 42 The Venerable Nicholas Postgate (Frank Tivnan) 42 Divisions within the Sligo Volunteers at the outbreak of the First World War (Padraig Deignan) 43 Memorabilia from our Recent Past 48 The French at Mullaghmore (Joe McGowan) 49 Coal mining in Arigna (Michael Lavin) 50 Gathering at Carrowmore in 3,500 BC (Lynda Hart) 51 Some 19th century Sligo townland maps in the National Library of Ireland (Martin A Timoney) 53 Deaths of two notable Ballymote residents Jim Kielty and Bernie Dwyer (John Coleman) 57 Vanished Shop Fronts - 2 (Photographs collected for the Gathering photography exhibition) 58 ‘Sincere but Mistaken Men’ – the letters of Joseph McGarrity (Michael Farry) 60 Remembering Keenan Johnson (Reprinted from The Law Society Gazette) 65 A mathematical giant from Screen (Nial Friel) 66 The FCA in Ballymote 67 Markee Castle and the Cooper family (Sam Moore) 68 I’ll forgive but I’ll never forget (Mary Kelly-White) 73 1952 Sligo Senior Gaelic football team (Photographs collected for the Gathering photography exhibition) 74 The Elderly Neighbour (Bernie Doyle) 75 Ballymote and the Shelbourne Hotel (John Coleman) 76 Party Piece to Masterpiece (PJ Duffy) 77 A treasure of Ballymote (Jim Higgins) 78 The first motor vehicles in Sligo (Aidan Mannion) 80 The Lavin Brothers from Killaraght (Tommy Kilcoyne) 82 Students at Coláiste Mhuire (Photographs collected for the Gathering photography exhibition) 83 Invoices from Ballymote Businesses (from the family collection of Tom Wynne of Lissanney) 84 Early Printing in Sligo (John C McTernan) 86 Ballymote Children’s Band, 1960s (Submitted by Mollie Cawley) 87 Ballymote in Slater’s Directory of 1894 (David Casey) 88 Heritage Weekend 2013 (pictures by John Cawley & Paddy Conboy) 89 First Holy Communion class 2014, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal, Ballymote 90 Confirmation classes 2014 91 Knockminna N.S. First Communion and Confirmation classes 2014 92 Ballymote Heritage Group 93 Sponsors 93 3 THE CORRAN HERALD • 2014/2015 Ballymote Heritage Group: How it all began by Eileen Tighe, President, Ballymote Heritage Group The seed was sown for what was to Una Preston was still thinking ahead Our editor is now Stephen Flanagan, become Ballymote Heritage Group and after about a year in existence she James’s son, who is continuing the in the winter of 1983 as a result of a suggested that we publish what she high standard set by his father. growing interest in archaeology in the called a monthly newsletter covering As our group became well locality. Joyce Enright, archaeologist, local events such as sport, music, etc. established with strong attendance at under the auspices of Sligo VEC, The idea was taken on board and the meetings and lively discussions, the delivered a course in archaeology late James Flanagan accepted the role idea of setting up a heritage weekend in Ballymote Vocational school and as editor. At our monthly meeting of lectures and field trips was explored. it was attended by many, including Keenan Johnson (later Chairman of Our first Heritage Weekend took place the late Una Preston, the late James Ballymote Heritage Group) suggested from Friday 3 August to Monday 6 Flanagan, Betty Conlon and myself. ‘The Corran Herald’ as a title and this August, 1990, in the Teagasc Centre, After the course ended Una proposed was accepted. Requests for material Ballymote. Speakers were Eamon to me that a history and archaeology for publication were generously met; Barnes, then DPP, who performed group be formed in Ballymote saying, writers who contributed to the first the official opening ceremony, Frank ‘If you get the speakers I’ll arrange issue were: James Flanagan, Una Tivnan, Mary Timoney, Brigid Dolan, the venue.’ Preston, Stan Casey, Tom McGettrick, Bishop Flynn, Michael Gibbons and A further course was given by Joyce Elizabeth Brennan, Keenan Johnson, Ted Nealon. Guides for the field Enright and enthusiasm was now Neal Farry, Alfie Banks, John trips were Martin Timoney and Tom beginning to spread. On Wednesday Cunningham and Eamon Sweeney. McGettrick. Our MC for the Heritage 30 May 1984 a group of interested The job of printing was given to Weekends was James Flanagan. In people came together for what was to John Joe Kielty who at that time had conjunction with the first Heritage be our inaugural meeting in the Castle a small printing press in Ballymote. Weekend an Art Exhibition by local Hotel, Ballymote. Officers elected John Joe was very helpful and our artists, which was coordinated by at that meeting were President, first issue, which was a mere 12 A4 artists Brenda Friel and Nuala Dockry, Thomas Tighe; Vice–President, pages and sold for twenty five pence, took place in the Loftus Hall. Yvonne Perceval; Chairman, Tom was launched in the Castle Hotel The Heritage Weekend has been very McGettrick; Secretary, Eileen Tighe; on the 25th October, 1985, by the successful over the years and the high Treasurer, Michael McDonnell; late Ted Nealon, TD, who was then standard of its lectures and outings has PRO, Una Preston. Members at that Minister for Arts and Culture. The continued to attract audiences from first meeting also included May O Corran Herald did not turn out to far and near. This year as we celebrate Donnell, Gerard O Donnell, Nuala be the local newsletter that Una had the 25th anniversary of the inaugural Dockry, Gary Conlon, Nellie Tansey, envisaged; rather it emerged as a weekend we remember our recently Elizabeth Murray, Carmel Rogers, periodical with a strong emphasis on deceased patron Matilda Casey. The May Donnellan, Gladys Hannon, the historical. Initially published a success of the Ballymote Heritage John Perry, Mary Rose Cryan, Anne number of times a year it is now an Weekend is testament to the hard Mulhern and Anne Henry. Apologies annual 90-page publication in its 29th work, dedication and commitment of were received from Matilda and Stan year with a cover designed by artist its many members past and present, Casey and Keenan Johnson. Joyce and Brenda Friel. Over the course of 47 alongside the unfailing support of her husband Martin continued to help issues a wide variety of articles and our many lecturers, guides, patrons, and advise us and we also got great photographs documenting local life, sponsors and friends. On behalf of help and encouragement from Martin history, archaeology and culture have the Ballymote Heritage Group I and Mary Timoney, archaeologists appeared. Print runs have increased extend sincere thanks to all who have who have remained with us all the over the years catering for a growing contributed in so many ways over the way. demand and interest; it is widely read years to bring us to where we are this At that first meeting many matters with issues going overseas every year year 2014, celebrating thirty years of of a historical and archaeological even as far afield as Australia.