Our Museum AGM was held on 26th 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.
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.
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| Eddie Cantwell, Michael Dunford, John Walsh, Michael Smith, Moe Dunford, Nioclás Ó Griofáin, Willie Fraher |
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| Michael Dunford, Michael Smith, Moe Dunford, Eddie Cantwell |
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| Michael Smith Giving His Talk |
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| 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
Admission: Free
Object of the Week - Coal from the Wreck of the Ship Moresby, 1895
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.
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.
