At the Coronation hill of the O'Donnell Clan, Rock Of Doon, Donegal

 

Folk beliefs in rural Ireland

 The following was collected by myself in the 1990s from the Egan family of Dunmore, County Galway. 

When you go into a house, always go out the same door. 

To hear a hen crow is a sign of death.

If the weather at Candlemas (2  February) is fair there will be two winters in the year.

If you went into a house and they were churning you always had to give a hand with the churning or else there would  be no butter.

Men never liked to meet a lady with red hair going to a fair as they considered  it would  he bad luck and they would get a bad price for their stock. 

On bonfire night/ St John's Night 23 June you always took a coal from it and put it in the corn field for good crops.

If a person held a grudge against another farmer  he would put them eggs into his field  or cock of hay and it would  bring  bad luck to the farmer. 

At funerals the corpse  would always be brought  the old road even though the new road is much shorter.  

Never give milk away on May Day.

Galway City Tribun, 24 April 2020

The Gooseberries of Wrath

The Gooseberries of Wrath

By

Rónán Gearóid Ó Domhnaill

It was June of 1921, a few months before the Truce that would bring an end to the War of Independence. Around 15 members of the flying column lay in wait at Carrantryla, Dunmore. They had been tipped off that the RIC would come by that day. From a military point of view the IRA, outnumbering the enemy, were well prepared. Despite being armed the RIC were on the harmless mission of gooseberry picking that day. Within moments they would be dead. They however stopped at the estate gate and waited a while before mysteriously cycling away again. The watching IRA found their behaviour peculiar. It was as if someone had warned the RIC of their presence. The incident would not have merited much attention had I not recently discovered that my own relatives were involved in it.

My grandmother, Agnes Boyle, born at Carrantryla in 1915, often spoke of encountering the IRA in the woods there as a young child. Towards the end of her life in 2015 she spoke a lot of the Big House there, vivid in her mind but obliterated from the landscape in the 1940s. Her father, John Edward Deneny was the caretaker there. I was researching the murder of Thomas McEver when I came across the witness statement of Captain Thomas Mannion of Brackloon, who gave a statement to The Bureau of Military History in 1956. The Bureau was set up in 1947 by former IRA man and Minister for Defence, Oscar Traynor. Its aim was to record for future generations the actions of IRA volunteers during the fight for Irish freedom. The statements were given on condition that they would not be made public until all the witnesses were dead. Thus they remained closed until 2003. Part of the statement made reference to the unsuccessful ambush and described the role of my great grandmother in it. Mannion wrote:

“One day in June 1921, before the ambush on the Moylough/ Mountbellew Road, as far as I remember, about 15 or 16 men of the flying column under the command of Brigade Commandant Patrick Dunleavy took up ambush positions along the drive leading to Carrantryla House near Munmore. A small party of R.I.C. from Dunmore was expected to come to the house for gooseberries. They had been there some days before on the same mission, but they were told that the fruit was not ripe. Mrs. Denneny, wife of the owner of Carrantryla House, told Volunteer Martin Kenny of the Dunmore Company about the first visit of the R.I.C. and the date on which they were to come again. Volunteer Kenny told me, and I informed the flying column. Four R.I.C. came to the gate of the house, about half a mile from the house itself. They remained at the gate for a few minutes and then went away. We could not understand this as we were certain that they had not seen us.”

Mrs Deneny was the wife of John Edward. They say opposites attract and in this case political opposites most certainly did. While he represented British law and order his wife was more Republican inclined. Mary Deneny née Murphy was born in Knocknagoshel, County Kerry in 1878.  John Edward Deneny was born in Cavan in 1863, joined the RIC in 1882 and was posted to Kerry when the couple met and subsequently married in 1901.  Jobs were thin on the ground and working for the British administration was viewed as a chance to better yourself. The RIC was an armed colonial police force, the eye and ears of the British government. The recent furore over the commemoration of the RIC shows that they are poorly regarded and from 1919 onwards  were regarded as traitors yet this was previously not the case and with the exception of evictions were seemingly well regarded.  In 1902, Arthur Griffith, the founder of Sinn Féin wrote the following in The United Irishmen about the force:

“The Royal Irish Constabulary is a body of Irishmen recruited from the Irish people; bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh. The typical young constabularyman is Irish of the Irish; Catholic, and (as the word goes) Nationalist; the son of decent parents; his father a Home Rule farmer . . . his uncle a patriotic priest; his sweetheart the daughter of a local Nationalist district councillor and patriotic publican. He is smiled on by the Irish clergy; he is smiled on by the Irish girls; he is respected by the young fellows of the street corner and the country crossroads.”

To avoid conflicts of interest RIC members were never posted to their home county. He was serving in Rearcross, County Tipperary when he entered the 1911 census details for himself and the three other RIC men in the barracks. Perhaps for security reasons the details differ from those of a normal citizen. His surname is only represented by the initial D and reference to being an Irish speaker or having any children is left blank as are those of his three other colleagues. He retired in 1912 with the rank of sergeant. Rearcross was his last posting, a county where seven years later the War of Independence would start. We can only speculate how he would have fared had he still served during this time. As a boy I often asked about my great-grandfather. ”He was in the RIC” was the start and end of the information I received. It was neither praised nor condemned. It wasn’t really spoken about. After retiring he moved his family to Galway to take up the position of gamekeeper and caretaker at Carrantryla House.  Though not mentioned by name in Mannion’s witness statement as a former RIC man he would have been suspected of being an informer and the republican sympathies of his wife may well have kept him alive. After all it was she who helped set up the ambush. Peace came to Dunmore and the gooseberry incident was forgotten. Four men very nearly lost their lives and it was never revealed who warned them. The Deneny family continued to live in the Big House until its owner, a Major Handcock returned in 1928. John Edward died in 1949 and was buried in Dunmore. His grave makes no mention of RIC service. This is not unusual and it is mostly the gravestones of those who died prior to 1922 that mention any connection to the force. Mary Deneny died in 1955 and was buried with him.

Great War Plaque, Connolly Station, Dublin

Irish wine

Ireland is not really suitable for wine growing.The Romans called this place Hibernia, meaning cold place. There is however a tiny wine production of 500 bottles a year in North County Dublin. Its a nice Merlot but expensive.

https://llewellynsorchard.ie/premium-quality-from-irish-orchards/lusca-irish-wine/

Baby' s Grave, Balbriggan

In 2018, the body of  baby was discovered on a beach in Balbriggan.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/baby-found-on-balbriggan-beach-was-stillborn-postmortem-finds-1.3734502

I came across this in Second Hand bookshop in Kilkenny. A great find. The man knows how to write a story.

https://professionalstoryteller.ning.com/profile/brendannolan

The Head of Saint Oliver Plunkett, Drogheda

Viking remnants in Wexford

Man O War Pub - Balbriggan, County Dublin

Situated on a hill on the original Dublin to Belfast Road, the Man O’War Public House has been recorded in deeds dating back to 1595.

In 1732 an Act of Parliament established the tolled Coach Road called the Dublin to Dunleer Turnpike (1732—1855) and a turnpike (toll booth) was situated at the Man O’War Pub.

Weary travellers stopped at the Man O’War for refreshments as it was halfway along the turnpike route. Wolfe Tone had his breakfast here in July 1792. Other famous visitors include Dr. John Gamble and Austin Cooper who both wrote about their stay at the Man O’War.

Various highwaymen plied their trade along the route, the most famous of these being “Collier the Highway man” (1780—1849).

The origin of the name “Man O’War” is the subject of much speculation. Its location on a hill (mean bharr, meaning “middle height”) is an obvious answer, but more romantic views have been put forward. One is that the area was once covered by trees which were felled and used to construct British Man O’War ships. Another theory is that the name arose because of the cavalry barracks which was situated at nearby Malhenry.

However, the most popular story concerns the “Turks Head” — a massive wooden carving depicting a Turks Head which for ages adorned the pillar outside the pub. It was thought that this unusual figurine which came from a shipwrecked Man O’War ship, may have lent its name to the area.

http://www.manowar.ie/

Hook Head, County Wexford

Stamullen, County Meath

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/hundreds-in-sad-farewell-to-helicopter-crash-hero-26143309.html

Osprey Irish History Titles

The titles below are some of what Osprey has to offer Irish history buffs. They also cover Irish regiments of The Great War and the Second World War. 

Let It Grow- First time Experience of the Garden Allotment

I tried to get this article published back in August of 2019 but the main newspapers were not interested. I still feel it has something to say. The allotment was sadly closed during the corona epidemic. It will eventually reopen and we will rebuild.

Let It Grow- First time Experience of the Garden Allotment

Community gardens are becoming more popular in urban areas and are a common feature in several European capitals. I was deeply impressed by the mini-gardens dotted around Vienna, a city which was my home for five years, and to see and how much they enhanced the built up areas. Dublin too has several garden allotments around the city and county, though they are often massively under advertised and their relevance to quality of life is equally understated.  Last February, I realised I was spending way too much time on the couch and decided to try one out. Apartment living in Dublin has its limitations and though our gated apartment complex does have a communal garden, consisting of a few token trees and a patch of grass, it is not supposed to be used for anything.

The allotments are run by the council and the Belmayne allotments, just off the Malahide Road at Northern Cross, were launched in 2014. They were initially intended only for the residents of the area but now open to anyone in North Dublin. The choice of location is apt as more than 30% of the vegetables grown in Ireland are from North Dublin.  They cover a mere two acres but enhance the area greatly. The site itself was once the garden of a Big House which has long since disappeared from the landscape.

A communal area provides a place to relax. Anti-social activity is discouraged by a surrounding fence and a padlocked gate. Every February, two types of allotments from the 112 on offer are available at a very reasonable rate. The larger plot measuring 64 squares metres costs 120 euro while the smaller one, measuring 30 square metres costs 60 euro. We chose the latter as we were initially unsure whether we could make it work.

As I had no previous gardening experience I was unsure how to start. Other allotment holders were however quick to introduce themselves, offer the loan of tools and more importantly impart tips. So I pulled weeds and prepared the soil. We planted fool proof vegetables such as potatoes and onions and experimented with strawberries and raspberries, with varying degrees of success. The most interesting feature was a small pond I dug which I hope will attract frog spawn and which has developed into its own mini eco system.

Working the allotment is a way for the whole family to do something outdoors. It is ideal for young children and it is on their doorstep. My son is obsessed with Minecraft and while I recognise that computers will be a large part of his life so to do I realise the need for fresh air. After initial protestations the fine weather encouraged his participation. Both he and his twin sister are now content to pull weeds, water plants and dig for insects, all in a safe environment. Though only six years old, they can now identify several plants and insects that would leave many stumped.

The allotment like nearby Father Collins’ Park offers a refuge from the noise of the traffic. The pace of life suddenly slows down and only a few metres away from a busy road an oasis of tranquillity in the urban sprawl reveals itself.

It has also proven surprisingly inexpensive. Tools were acquired second hand and among allotment holders there is a readiness to share extra seeds and bulbs as well as avail of the use of the greenhouse on site. Twice a year the council delivers top soil free of charge. 

The allotment is more than just getting your hands dirty. The mushrooming residential developments leave little time for community and often a terse greeting from the neighbours, if at all, is all you can expect. Not so at the garden allotment where the allotment holders readily give you the time of day. The allotment is all about community building and experiencing quality of life. To further enhance this the allotment holders gather together at the end of the harvest for a barbeque and to discuss future plans. The future however like many other things is uncertain. It is not just the weeds that threaten to choke the allotment but the need for residential development may soon see their obliteration. 

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