The Tragic Voyage of Paul and Aga Mueller - An Illustrated Talk by Brian Mulvihill

Brian’s talk deals with Aga Mueller and her father Paul and their failed voyage from Germany to Argentina in a sixteen foot boat named Berlin.  The journey that they chose to undertake was indeed an epic one and Brian will trace their journey to its end and all that happened in between.

The story is a fantastic one with twists and turns that people will not believe, it’s worthy of an Agatha Christie novel, with a cliff hanger ending.  The story does not end with the ending of the voyage and goes right up to the modern day!  Brian has spent many years researching this particular project, and it most certainly is going to be a very interesting talk.

Brian worked for many years in Dungarvan Crystal prior to the factory closure.  He then returned to college and retrained as a teacher.  This retraining included a yearlong work placement at a camp in America.  Upon qualification, Brian secured work with the Waterford Wexford ETB and he currently works as a tutor with Dungarvan Youthreach.

This talk takes place in the Town Hall Theatre, Dungarvan on Wednesday the 20^th of February at 8pm.  There is an admittance fee of €5, and as always, all are welcome.

Roots Ireland

Roots Ireland has added 18,500 civil marriage registration records for County Waterford to its website.  These date from 1864-1912.  The entries for Templemichael stop at 1877.

See www.rootsireland.ie for further details.

Stories from Old Newspapers

Major Bridget O’Connor and Vietnam

The following article was published in the Dungarvan Observer on the 4^th of May 1968.

‘News reaches us this week of a distinction gained by a member of a well known local family serving with the U.S. forces in Vietnam.  Major Bridget O’Connor, Army Nurse Corps, United States Army, has been awarded the Bronze Star medal for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces in Vietnam during the period January 1967 to January 1968.

The citation states that Major O’Connor ‘consistently manifested exemplary professionalism and initiative in obtaining results.  Her rapid assessment and solution of numerous problems inherent in a counter insurgency environment greatly enhanced the allied effectiveness against a determined and aggressive enemy.  Despite many adversities she invariably performed her duties in a resolute and efficient manner’.

We would like to hear further details of Bridget’s career so if you have any information please contact us at the museum.

Photo of the Week

Can you identify the people and place in this photograph?  If so please let us know.

Tom Hayes RIP

We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to museum staff member Tony Hayes and his family on the death of his father Tom Hayes.

Stories from Old Newspapers

Some unexpected finds were reported in the Dungarvan Observer on the 4^th of April 1939.  Could the human remains have dated from the Famine period, and do the Power family still have the coins?

Gruesome Find at Barnawee

‘While engaged in widening corners at the crossroads leading to Clonea and Ballinacourty, County Council workmen unearthed the skeletons of at least seven human beings.  The skeletons which were found in a kind of long trench did not appear, from the position of the remains, to have been buried in the usual way, one at least being in a more or less sitting position, while another lay on its side.  An authority on such matters who visited the place expressed his view that the remains were buried over 100 years ago’.

George III Coins

The work of erecting fourteen working men’s houses at Kilmacthomas is proceeding apace.  Mr. B Nolan, builder, Waterford is the contractor, and one of his employees is Mr. Patrick Power, Old Road, Kilmacthomas, who while carrying out some excavations…unearthed two coins from the reign of George III.  Both are in good condition and are dated 1805.

Photo of the Week

Can you identify the people and place in this photograph?  If so please let us know.