Museum Annual General Meeting 2017

Our Museum AGM was held on 26^th October 2017 and was well attended.  Elected as Chairperson was William Fraher, Vice Chairperson Martin Whelan, Treasurer Mary Giblin, Secretary Christine King.  Elected to the committee were Eddie Cantwell, Christina Flynn, Christina Knight-O’Connor, Paul McLoughlin, Sarah Lucas, Jim Shine, Dennis Barron, Paula Uí Uallacháin.

Object of the Week - Peter Crotty's Boxing Gloves

Peter Crotty began fighting with the St. Mary’s Boxing Club in Clonmel, later training at the Dungarvan Battalion FCA, before joining the army for two years in 1943.  He won the Irish welterweight title for four straight years, 1949-1952, but lost his first match at the Helsinki Olympics when a cut opened over his eye and the fight was stopped by the referee.  He retired after the Olympics and worked in the building trade, often as a scaffolder.

In January 2006 a blue plaque was unveiled on Dungarvan Town Hall depicting his boxing achievements, and the gymnasium where he trained there with the Dungarvan Boxing Club is now called the Peter Crotty Iron Man Gym.  

Dungarvan also holds an annual Peter Crotty Memorial Boxing Tournament.

Ireland's Antarctic Explorers Talk by Michael Smith at SGC Dungarvan a Great Success!

The talk by the author of the number one bestselling book 'Tom Crean', Michael Smith, at the SGC cinema in Dungarvan on 18th October was a huge success and extremely well attended.  One of those in attendance was the brilliant actor Moe Dunford, with his father Michael who is a big fan of Tom Crean and was delighted to meet Michael Smith.

Extra chairs had to be brought down to the cinema from the museum as the demand for tickets was so great!  The talk was very interesting and was thoroughly enjoyed by all those present.  Our thanks to Michael Smith who very kindly donated the proceeds from the event to the Museum Society, and to Eddie Cantwell, Willie Fraher and all those involved in organising this event.

Eddie Cantwell, Michael Dunford, John Walsh, Michael Smith, Moe Dunford, Nioclás Ó Griofáin, Willie Fraher

Michael Dunford, Michael Smith, Moe Dunford, Eddie Cantwell

Michael Smith Giving His Talk

Willie Fraher Talking

Niall Byrne Memorial Lecture 2017 by Julian Walton - From Medieval Warlords to Anglicised Loyalists: The Powers of Curraghmore, 1400-1700

The Niall Byrne Memorial Lecture 2017 will take place in the Garden Room at the Medieval Museum in the Viking Triangle in Waterford.  As Niall’s main field of expertise was in medieval and early modern Waterford, Julian Walton has chosen as his subject for the lecture ‘From Medieval Warlords to Anglicised Loyalists: The Powers of Curraghmore, 1400-1700’.  

This looks like being a fascinating and popular lecture so it’s a case of first come, first served and booking is recommended!  Light refreshments will be served.  Call in to the Reception Desk at the Medieval Museum, or email museumreception@waterfordcouncil.ie, or phone 0761 102650.

Venue:         Medieval Museum, Viking Triangle, Waterford

Date:           Thursday 2nd November 2017

Time:           7.30pm

Admission:  Free

Object of the Week - Coal from the Wreck of the Ship Moresby, 1895

The ship Moresby of Liverpool was on its way from Cardiff to South America with a cargo of coal.  On Christmas Eve 1895 the ship was wrecked in Dungarvan Bay and most of those on board were drowned.  The following year many local people went out to the wreck to obtain items.  

In 1898 the Town Commissioners stated that they had no objection to locals removing the cargo of coal.

The story of the Moresby struck a cord with the people of Dungarvan and beyond, and remained in the memory of locals for a long time afterwards.

A number of artefacts from the wreck are on display in the museum.

Museum AGM 2017

The Museum AGM will be held on Thursday 26th October 2017 at 7.30pm.

Object of the Week - Dickens Leather Co. Ltd. Cast Iron Signs c.1937

The Dungarvan leather factory was one of the biggest employers in the town.  The factory was built in 1937 and employed over one hundred people.  The official opening was performed by the Minister for Industry and Commerce, Seán Lemass on 3rd May 1937.  The factory closed in May 1996.

There was a pedestrian walkway over Quay Lane, and a set of these cast metal signs were fixed to the exterior.

New Book Which Includes a Number of Images from Waterford County Museum - Atlas of the Irish Revolution

Waterford County Museum contributed a number of images to the recently published Atlas of the Irish Revolution.

This important work was published by Cork University Press, and is profusely illustrated throughout its over nine hundred pages.

Leading historians on the period have written on various aspects of the revolutionary period, including Dungarvan man Prionnsias Breathnach.

The book is now available in bookshops.

Waterford County Museum Receives More Great Reviews on TripAdvisor! September/October 2017

Within the last two weeks in late September and early October 2017 we have received three very positive reviews on the TripAdvisor website.  Two of the reviews were from different visitors from Australia, and one was from a visitor from Dublin.  One of the reviews from an Australian visitor was titled ‘Staff Who Go That Extra Mile...Literally’.  The visitor wrote a lovely review which included the following: ‘Staff made us very welcome in their professionally organised little museum...the highlight was Eddie...Eddie took us out to see the Workhouse...Eddie gave us detailed instructions on how to find the Famine Graveyard outside town, which we would never have found without his help.  This visit was all about the people and the history, which you brought to life.  Thanks so much Eddie and the staff at the museum!’  

Another review by the other Australian visitor included ‘this museum is certainly worth a visit if you are interested in the history of the area.  The displays are informative...the staff were particularly helpful and gave me some pointers on further research’.  

The Irish visitor wrote ‘this museum houses many local artefacts with its free admission it is well worth a visit to discover the history of Dungarvan and its locality’. 

We have received numerous positive reviews on TripAdvisor over the years, and also in our visitor’s book in the museum, from visitors from various parts of Ireland and from all over the world.  Waterford County Museum is a very strong visitor attraction in Dungarvan, both for local people and visitors from much further afield, and is very well worth a visit!

Object of the Week - A Wooden Folding Chair from the Pavilion of the Cunnigar Golf Course, 1920s

The Cunnigar was used as a venue for horse races and cricket matches in the 19th century.  The first golf course in Dungarvan was laid out on the Cunnigar in 1892.  It was redesigned in 1922 by Dennis Casssidy, a golfer from Castletroy, Co. Limerick.  Edmond Keohan rerfers to the course in his History of Dungarvan, 1924:

'A golf club was established in 1922, with Mr. E.A. Ryan, State Solicitor as President.  There was a great accession of members, and an expert from Dublin was procured who laid out the links on the Cunnigar.  A fine pavilion was erected in 1924 which will afford much shelter in time of rain.....'

In 1929 the club relocated to Clonea.