Tipperary Museum of Hidden History, Clonmel.
These talks will be available as a monthly podcast from 9th October 2021 to April 2022. Speakers include: Brian Hanley, David McCullagh, Dr. Gemma Clarke,
Seán Hogan, Brenda
Malone, Gabriel Doherty and Pat McCarthy.
For further details contact Julia at 0761
065254
Email: juliawalsh@tipperarycoco.ie
There will be three autumn lectures by Julian Walton. The lectures will be given on alternate Thursdays, commencing on 7th October.
Starting at 8 p.m. The programme is as follows:
7 October: “Me today, you tomorrow:” the monuments of James Rice in
Waterford and John McCragh in Lismore.
21 October: “What I did in the summer of 1833:” The journal of Henry, third
Marquis of Waterford.
4 November: “I shall
be Glad to get out of this Dungeon as soon as possible:” The schooling of
Master Clifton 1751-1760.
If
you know anyone interested in attending these lectures or live streaming from home,
please contact Dunhill to be added to their mailing list.
Admission charge of €5 per lecture (can be
paid over the phone or by cash in the centre.
For further details contact
Dunhill Multi- Education Centre
Tel:
051-396934
Email:
enquires@dunhilleducation.com
Waterford News 16th November 1923
Serious Illness of Mgr.Count Bickerstaffe-Drew.
The mother of
Mons. Count Bickerstaffe-Drew was before her marriage, Miss Mona Brougham Drew,
of Heathfield Towers, Youghal. Her
distinguished son (who is now in his 65th year) was private
chamberlain of his late Holiness Pope Leo XIII, and subsequently of Pope Pius
X. He was created domestic prelate of
his Holiness in 1904. He is a Knight of
the Sacred Military Order of the Holy Sepulchre and Count. His other distinctions are numerous and
world-wide.”
The Count was
born in 1858 and died in 1928. He
converted to Catholicism in 1878. He was
ordained in 1844 and served as a chaplin in the British army for more than 30
years.
We are delighted that our
new Gallowshill exhibition has now been completed, with the arrival of a new
display case. This now houses the archaeological
artefacts from Gallowshill e.g. pottery pieces, human anatomy, mineral sample,
weapons and ammunition etc. This compliments our new information panels
explaining the history of Gallowshill, Dungarvan Caves, Vikings and Medieval
Dungarvan.
This project has been
supported by the Heritage Council under the Community Heritage Grant 2021.
Margaret (Rita) Clancy (1900-1979) was a member of a very old native Dungarvan family. She was a primary School teacher at Carriglea National School a few miles outside Dungarvan. Waterford County Council instituted a Public Library service, with headquarters at Lismore with Mr. Fergus Murphy (Father of Dervla Murphy) the first appointed County Librarian. The next task was to establish the first branch library in the county, the choice was Dungarvan. They had the books and the Council would provide a room, but they did not have the funds to pay a librarian. Rita was approached and asked to accept the post of Honorary Librarian, and open the library in the evenings, which she graciously did.
She opened the first library
branch to be established in the county on February 18th 1931. It was located in the only available room on
the top storey of the Dungarvan Town Hall.
Unstintingly she worked long and arduous hours in the service and
interest of her fellow-townspeople.
Increased numbers of borrowers and lack of space necessitated a
"temporary" move to a premise at the top of Friary Street. Unfortunately the economic state of the
country at the time meant the new Dungarvan Branch Library building was still a
long way off.
In her lifetime Rita Clancy
became a legend for her courtesy and helpfulness, even in the most trying
circumstances. The needs of each
borrower meticulously attended to and at all times devoid of favour.
On Monday, 1st March 1976
after 45 years service Rita retired from the library service and may well have
looked back with nostalgia and pride on a most exacting task, more than
adequately accomplished. Rita had many
outstanding characteristics especially her gentle and unassuming nature and her
great Christian charity by word and deed.
She was always patriotic and had been a member of Cumann na mBan. In 1969 the now retired N.T. began helping in
the establishment of St. John's Special School Dungarvan. A few years later she was asked to return to
St. John's to cover for those who were taking courses. She is remembered for her ability to keep
control of her classes, some of which had challenging pupils.
While crossing the road Rita
was hit by a drunk driver and died from her injuries on 8th October 1979. Her
funeral was one of the largest and most representative ever seen in Dungarvan.
A testimony to her great popularity and the high esteem in which she was held
by the people of Dungarvan.
Many thanks to Hillary
Keane, for providing this information about Rita Clancy.
The
committee and staff of the museum were very sad to hear of the recent passing
of John Young and we would like to extend our condolences to his family. John made a notable contribution to
preserving Dungarvan’s history with his publication “A Maritime and General
History of Dungarvan 1690 – 1978”. In
later years John was best known as a tour guide. He guided many groups around the town and
imparted both his knowledge and love for the locality to them. For many
visitors John’s tour was the highlight of their holiday.
Ar
dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
Sceulta Micil An Rinn
All who have been to Ring Irish College have pleasant
memories of the daily lesson that consisted of the telling of his life’s
adventures at home and abroad by Micil O Muirgheasa, the college Seanchaí.
These stories were written on the blackboard by one of the professors and
copied into their notebooks by students. Many an earnest student had found
material for a writer’s study of Irish the notebooks containing Micil’s
stories. The wish was often expressed that some person would collect these
stories and have them published in book form before Michil, who is now 73 years
old, would pass away.
The task was taken up by ‘An Fear Mór’
[Seamas Ó hEochadha] of Ring College and this week we got the
fruits of his labour in a handsome book published by the Educational Company of
Ireland, containing twelve of Micil’s stories, and adorned with two striking
photographs of Michil, one on the outer cover representing him in repose, and
another as a frontispiece in which he was snapped relating on of his stories
with a characteristic gesture and striking facial expression. That the twelve
stories in the book are word for word as they came from Micil’s lips is all
that need be said by way of recommending them as Irish of the first water. A
striking feature of the language in the stories is its simplicity – a feature
of all language spoken naturally and spontaneously in Irish is an interesting
and helpful feature of the book. It runs to 75 pages and costs only 1/6.
Dr Vincent A. Fitzsimon – Link with Lismore of the Past
Waterford News 13 July 1923
American exchanges chronicle the death of Dr Vincent
A. Fitzsimon, of Lonsdale, Rhode Island, which had been for close on 40 years a
successful medical practitioner in that town. Old-time residents of Lismore
will remember the famous Academy conducted for many years by Prof. Andrew
Fitzsimon, and, after his death, from 1863 to 1869, by his son and daughter,
Vincent and Lizzie, among whose pupils were the present Governor General of the
Irish Free-State, [Tim Healy], Miss Julia Crotty [author], Mr. Maurice Healy,
ex M.P., Mr. Thomas C Walsh [poet], and other notables.
Born in Lismore in 1839, Dr Vincent was assistant to
his father from 1859 to 1863, and then took over the school till 1869 when he
decided to go to America. Having matriculated at Dublin University in 1868, he
left his native town the following year, and within five years graduated M.D.
at Bellevue Medical Hospital, New York. For 10 years he practiced at Harbour
Grace, Newfoundland, and settled in Lonsdale. Although pursuing a strenuous
career he found time to write two learned works, ‘The Christ of Promise’ and
‘The Gods of Old’.
He married Miss Kate O’Grady of Lismore and had five
children. The sons were Tom, Vincent and James, the two former being university
professors, and the third a popular priest, Father James A. Fitzsimon, Rector
of St. Brigid’s Church, Thornton, Rhode Island. Vigorous to the last, Dr
Fitzsimon bore the weight of his 84 years lightly, and he died after a brief
illness at the residence of his son Tom, in Providence…A solemn Requiem mass
for the repose of his soul was celebrated in St Paul’s Church, Providence. Over
20 priests were in the choir, and at the conclusion the remains were borne to
St Joseph’s Cemetery, Ashton, where also lie his mother, his sister, and his
eldest brother, Father James A. Fitzsimon. Dr Fitzsimon was an uncle of
Chevalier Grattan Flood, Mus.D. (Enniscorthy), and of Professor Frank Flood of
Roxburg, Mass.
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Our new panels are now in
place in the art and photography sections.
We hope to further replace other existing panels with this new design.
The final Gallowshill dig
took place between 27th August and 2nd September. We are waiting to hear the results of any
findings of interest. Well done to
Chrissy, Eddie and all the volunteers for the hard work on this project over
the last few years.
Waterford County Museum would like to thank the Royal Irish Academy for their financial assistance. Thanks also to the Heritage Council for their grant aid towards our new Gallowshill/Archaeology display in the museum.
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| Jack Sheehan - a recent visitor to the museum |
We always welcome visits from school groups to the museum. Now that schools are reopened we are available from Monday to Friday 10.15 a.m. to 4.45 p.m. If you would like to arrange for a group to visit the museum contact us on (058) 45960 or by email at: info@waterfordmuseum.ie
First Hunt Ball at Curraghmore House
Waterford Standard, 14 January 1939
Curraghmore House was the delightful venue for the
Waterford Hunt Ball on Wednesday night. This
was the first Hunt Ball ever held in the famous mansion, and everyone present
hoped it would not be the last!
The beauty and comfort of the surroundings, the joyful
rhythm of Major Watts’ United Hunt Band, and the excellence of the food and
wines, all combined to make the night one of uninterrupted gaiety. There was a revival of an old-time custom,
too. It is years and years since I
remember dance programmes being issued. At Curraghmore the guests were given the
dainty programmes with pencils attached, and they were able to book their partners
in the real old-fashioned style. Dancing
was in the beautiful dining room, and an idea of its size may be gleaned from
the fact that there were upwards of 100 couples present.