New Exhibition Opened at Waterford County Museum

Last Wednesday, Mr. Eddie Cantwell, Vice President of the Museum Society welcomed members and guests to the official opening of ‘The Remarkable Brenans - Photographers, Cyclists, Printers, Artists and Antiquarians’, which tells the story of the Brenan family of Grattan Square for the first time.

Eddie thanked the curator William Fraher who researched and designed the display and the museum staff for their work in relation to the exhibition.  He acknowledged the Creative Ireland funding through Jane Cantwell, Creative Ireland Co-Ordinator with Waterford City & County Council.

He also thanked Bernie Guest, Heritage Officer and Joanne Rothwell, Waterford City and County Archivist.  He thanked especially the donors, Niall Hurley, John Nagle, Jane Casey and John O’Brien for loaning his Penny Farthing bicycle and for making display stands for both bicycles on show.

Pictured left to right: Dave Pollock, Eddie Cantwell and William Fraher.

Major New Waterford History Book Published

The Towns and Villages of the Waterford Greenway

A history of Dungarvan, Abbeyside, Stradbally, Kilmacthomas, Portlaw and Waterford. 

BUY IT ONLINE

(It's much cheaper to buy it locally due to the high postage cost)

A major new history book 'The Towns and Villages of the Waterford Greenway' is being launched on the 14th of December. Subtitled: A history of Dungarvan, Abbeyside, Stradbally, Kilmacthomas, Portlaw and Waterford, explores a thousand years of Waterford history in the company of some of the county's best known local historians. Lavishly illustrated with historic and contemporary photographs, this book takes you off the beaten track to explore the towns and villages of the Waterford Greenway.

This 270 page book, chronicling the history of the localities surrounding the Greenway, is the result of work by four heritage groups, eleven historians, three photographers and two illustrators over a two-year period. All profits from this book are being donated to Portlaw Heritage Centre, Stradbally Church Ruins Committee, Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society and Waterford County Museum.

The aim of the book was to create an accessible, well-researched history of the towns, villages and heritage along the Greenway. The book also features a concise historically accurate history of the railway. The target market for the publication looks beyond history enthusiasts. Locals wanting to learn about their native place, schools looking for history projects, visitors searching for an attractive souvenir of their visit, tourist businesses looking for accurate information for their guests are all catered for.

Authors contributing to the book included Eddie Cantwell, Ger Crotty, Cian Flaherty, William Fraher, Christina Knight-O’Connor, Cian Manning, Seán and Síle Murphy, Julian Walton, Martin Whelan and Willie Whelan. Photographers for the publication were Eamonn Bolger, John Foley and Pat Kenealy. The original illustrations were provided by Michael Power and Anne Lannon Power.

The project was initiated and managed for Waterford County Museum by Willie Whelan. The museum would like to thank Waterford Council, The Heritage Council and Waterford Leader Partnership for their support of this project.

The book will be stocked from Friday the 14th of December in the following outlets: Eurospar Abbeyside, Reader’s Choice, Shalloe’s Newsagents, Dungarvan Tourist Office, Waterford County Museum and Easons (all in Dungarvan). The book will also be available in Cunningham's Supermarket, Stradbally; Kilmacthomas Post Office; Dunhill Education Centre; Fogarty’s Shop, Portlaw; Portlaw Heritage Centre; Hickson's Centra, Kilmeaden; The Book Centre, Waterford; Waterford Museum of Treasures; Lismore Heritage Centre. If anyone has issues in sourcing a copy contact Waterford County Museum on info@waterfordmuseum.ie or phone 058 45960.

Cathal Brugha Exhibition

The museum currently has an exhibition on Cathal Brugha which will be on display for the next two weeks.

The exhibition includes a bronze bust of Cathal Brugha that was given to us on loan by Waterford Museum of Treasures.

Catherine & Cathal McSwiney Brugha pictured with Nioclás Ó Gríofáin (middle).

Dungarvan - The Birthplace of Irish Cycling

The Waterford Greenway has been a huge success with walkers and cyclists but how many people know that the first cycle club in Ireland was established in Dungarvan?  If you would like to learn more visit a new exhibition at Waterford County Museum titled: ‘The Remarkable Brenans - Photographers, Cyclists, Printers, Artists and Antiquarians’ which tells the story of the Brenan family of Grattan Square for the first time.

Edward Brenan was an amateur artist and historian who discovered the remains of mammoth, bear, deer, etc, in the Shandon Caves, Dungarvan in 1859.  He drew and sketched in and around Dungarvan in the mid 19^th century and we are delighted to have received a donation of a number of his sketches including a fascinating panorama of Dungarvan with the principal buildings marked.  Also included in the exhibition are his sketches of Irish Elk found locally and a selection of archaeological pamphlets of local interest which belonged to the family.

His son Richard Edward, postmaster and printer founded the first cycle club in Ireland - ‘The Dungarvan Ramblers C. C.’ in 1869.  He and his son David were also amateur photographers who recorded people and places around Dungarvan, Co. Waterford and beyond.  On display is a recently donated album of their work with remarkable images of people, places and events such as the Shanahan Eviction of 1887.  There are four large reproductions of stunning photographs taken by Richard Edward in Co. Waterford showing poor people outside of their humble country homes.

Also in the display are two penny farthing bicycles dating from the 19^th century and the first cup for a cycle challenge race in Ireland dated 1869.

The exhibition is open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm and admission is free.

Object of the Week - Rail Ticket - Dungarvan to Cork c. 1950s

You can find out more about the history of the Waterford to Dungarvan railway in the museum's forthcoming Guide to the Waterford Greenway which has a history of the line written by Martin Whelan and lots of wonderful photographs.

There is a sample copy of the guide on display in the museum at present.  The guide will be available for purchase shortly and will make an ideal Christmas present.