Left unto itself, the earth is one field.

Walls cannot reach below the grass to divide

the dark substance of clay, glued to itself

in a dream that is black and always cold.

John O’Donoghue

Ronan Gearoid O Domhnaill Publications

The Following is a brief overview of my publishing history.

Gone But Not Forgotten Historic Graves of Kerry (Cork 2018)

The Murder of Thomas McEver in The Tuam Herald 2018

The Disappearance of Patrick Waters in The Connaught Tribune 2017

Gone of the Way of Truth Historic Graves of Galway (The History Press April 2016)

Jeannie Hodgers Saighdiúr Lincoln (Cogar TG4 2015) programme contributor

Fadó Fadó More Tales of Lesser-Known Irish History (Troubador 2015)

Fadó-Tales of Lesser-Known Irish History (Troubador 2013)

Ireland’s Own contributor(approximately 40 articles (2006-16)

Saint Coloman in Word (2005)

Alte Irische Mythen und Legenden (BAG Verlag 2002, reprinted 2012), a collection of Irish legends written in German and launched at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Triangular Station, Dublin

Between 1829 and 1842 the island of Ireland was mapped in great detail. The British did this in order to collect their taxes more efficiently. They got their measurements from these stone structures. This example is to be seen at The Hell Fire Club in the Dublin Mountains.

Starving German Children 1945-47

The Saarbruecken Cecilien School greets the Irish donors.

I came across this colourful handmade book on a recent visit to the residence of the German ambassador here in Dublin. The author is unknown but it is known to be the work of German school Children from Saarbruecken and dates from 1946. The heartfelt letters are in gratitude to the Irish people who delivered food parcels to the starving German children. Postwar Germany was  a country in chaos with food shortages. It was also an unsafe place for children as so much dangerous war equipment was lying around.  Approximately 800 German children also arrived in Ireland at this time about whom I wrote in Fadó Fadó More Tales of Lesser- Known Irish History

The child writing the above letter describes how  everything was lacking after the war. They were faint from hunger and weak at the knees. Then the Irish donation came at the right time.

Kirwan Vault at Kilbannon, County Galway

I am always acutely aware when I write about historic graveyards that I only scratch the surface and am always glad of any additional information people can provide. I was recently contacted by Michael Kirwan whose family are interred in Kilbannon, close to Tuam. The Kirwans were one of the tribes of Galway who fled the city during the Cromwellian upheaval of 1653. Their burial ground prior to this was at the back of the Franciscan abbey on Francis Street in Galway City.  The vault seems to date from 1820, though the entrance is covered by an earlier Kirwan gravestone.

Lord have mercy on the soul of Honoria Kirwan and family who departed this life 27^th August 1798 aged 80

Branding Iron

Below is a link to a picture of a branding iron used in North East Galway. Some of the farmers still used the symbol of the landlord, decades after the Big House had vanished. This particular one bears the letter R, signifying the farmer Ruane.  

https://field-monuments.galwaycommunityheritage.org/content/archaeology/ruane-branding-iron-dunmore

 

St Patrick's Church, Duleek County Meath

The original church in Duleek was founded by St Cianán in the 5th century. The village name Duleek itself is believed to come from the Irish for stone church. The ruin we see today dates from around the 13th century. Unfortunately, when I visited there was a group of teenagers up to no good in the graveyard. The local community should provide alternatives for them. The adjacent Church of Ireland church is now a restaurant.

Malahide Abbey

Malahide Abbey, North County Dublin. Inside the abbey is a late medieval tomb, the 15th century resting place of Maud Plunkett. Access to the abbey is frowned upon. Access to the grounds is free of charge.

Why I don't like Josepha Madigan

When this is the viewpoint of our Minister for heritage, Ireland's heritage has much to fear.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/medieval-settlement-on-cosgrave-lands-not-unique-madigan-says-1.3866249


The letter below is apt.

Sir, – We have a housing crisis. It has become a national imperative to build homes for people. Good. But it cannot be at any cost. The system has to allow for circumstances where permission to build is denied or delayed and where we do not squeeze as many dwellings as are physically squeezable into every square inch on every plot of ground on every green field, brown field, nook or cranny in the country.

The system has to have balances. We have a Cabinet Minister responsible for securing housing. Good. And we have a Cabinet Minister with responsibility for protecting this State’s heritage. Good. This is the balance.

How worrying, therefore, and how depressing to read that the Minister, Josepha Madigan TD, whose role it is to safeguard Ireland’s historical and archaeological inheritance should describe the discovery of a site of around 60 burials, possibly from the Bronze Age, plus evidence of Iron Age occupation, and of an early medieval ring-fort, as “not a unique or unusual site but instead is quite common” (“Medieval settlement on Cosgrave lands ‘not unique’, Madigan says”, News, April 20th).

Such a site is anything but common. And it is not a renewable resource. When it is destroyed to make way for apartment blocks, it is gone forever. And destroyed it will be, since this State’s policy is not preservation in situ, but (something Orwell might have nightmared up) the absurdly named “preservation by record”, that is, destroy it, but claim you preserved it because an archaeologist filed a report.

The site itself, Beechpark, on Scholarstown Road in Knocklyon, Co Dublin, is in an area extraordinarily rich in historical and archaeological terms and it is heart-breaking to hear the Minister – our Minister for Heritage – speak of it as she did. How poignant to note that it was the former home of the late Liam Cosgrave TD, former taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael, Ms Madigan’s own party, a man who did care about this country’s history and this country’s heritage. – Yours, etc,TCD

Seán Duffy

Chairman,

Friends of Medieval

Dublin,

c/o Department of History,

Trinity College Dublin,

Dublin 2.

The Bell Book and Candle

A shout out to Paul Deacy, owner of The Bell Book and Candle, a quirky little bookshop in the West End of Galway City with a great selection of Irish Interest books, including three of my titles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5KBiugB4_Y&fbclid=IwAR0mXMBaZQnMBi4qWR1AeqUO9HIKsx2x218Xy4s-TmM3LKA8f0MKZ76xcyY

Well House at St Bridget's Well, County Clare

The above picture was taken at the Well House at St Bridget's Well, County Clare, nor far from the Cliffs of Moher. Not seen in the picture is a stream running into the well outside. The statues are votive offering and the prayers for intersession left behind are quite touching. The site in general is quite moving.

Just returned from a successful trip to Cong, County Mayo. I am pleased to announce that the local bookshop there, Rare and Recent Books has agreed to carry four of my titles. Check them out at:www.rareandrecent.com

holy well, Drumcondra

Artefacts of Cong, County Mayo

The above picture show the market Cross in Cong, dating from around the 14th century.The inscription in Irish, the main language of the Irish people until the mid 19th century, reads: "Or Do Niahol Ag Do Gilliberd O Dubthaigh raibh Abaidde Agt Cunga"(Pray for Niahol and Gilbert who were Abbots in Cong). The picture at bottom shows a medieval monks' fishing house.

Bang Bang Plaque, Dublin

A recently unveiled plaque in memory of a Dublin character known as Bang Bang. His claim to fame was his habit of shooting at people on the streets of Dublin using a key (now on display in The Little Museum Of Dublin) as a pistol. A much loved character and craytur, people either fired back or played dead while he made good his escape on a passing bus.  

Traces of the British Empire are still omnipresent on the streets of Dublin. This lamp pole shows shamrocks, the symbol of Ireland. The ones in London used to display roses until they were melted down to help the war effort during the Second World War. This example is outside the Rotunda Hospital.

Mind Your Will

Congratulations are in order to my uncle, Dr Hugh O'Donnell on the recent publication of his book.

https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Your-Will-Hugh-/dp/1788039653

Poulnabrone Domen, County CLare

This is the Poulnabrone dolmen  near Ballyvaughan in County Clare. It is the country's most well known dolmen and an iconic image of Ireland itself. The name comes from the Irish meaning "hole of the Quern stones" and it is approximately 5000 years old, older than the pyramids of Giza and Stonehenge. Sadly like so much of our unique heritage, it is poorly protected by the state and is watched over in daylight hours only by just one person. The Office of Public Works acquired the site in the late 1990s and since then the amounts of visitors to the free site has exploded. There are no facilities on the site and it is not unusual for tourists to dismantle the nearby old stone walls and built their own dolmens or to use the dolmen as a toilet. It is sad to be such a lack of respect among tourists and one wonders why the state does not encourage more respect to be shown?