Dr.Richard Henebry, the Déiseach Musical Priest, by Dr. Méabh Ní Fhuartháin

Dr. Méabh Ní Fhuartháin who will give a talk on Fr. Henebry.

Dr Méabh Ní Fhuartháin is currently Co-ordinator of the BA with Irish Studies at the Centre for Irish Studies, NUI Galway.  A native of Waterford, she returned to Ireland following graduate work and lecturing in the United States. Méabh has a particular interest in the culture of music in Ireland.  She has contributed articles and reviews to various journals and is subject editor on the forthcoming Encylopaedia of Music in Ireland (UCD Press, 2012). Her research on Dr Richard Henebry is part a a larger archive digitisation project currently underway at UCC.

Revd Dr. Richard Henebry was born into an Irish speaking farming family in Mount Bolton, Portlaw, Co. Waterford in 1863. He was involved with the foundation of Ring College and also taught there for a time. The family were  musical, Henebry played the fiddle and he had a great interest in traditional singing and uilleann piping. During the 1890's and early 1900's he worked in America as professor of Irish in Catholic University of Washington DC and in Berkeley University in California.

While working in the America he became friendly with Capt. Francis O'Neill in Chicago and other Irish musicians. Suffering from ill health he returned to Ireland in 1903 and made a valuable collection of early cylinder field recordings in Waterford in 1905.  These led to correspondence with leading German ethnomusicologists in Berlin, and formed an influential component of his theories on Irish scale and intonation.

From 1909 until his death Henebry was professor of Irish Language and Literature in University College Cork. He had a great interest in Irish music and produced writings and books on the subject, including his handbook of Irish music. He died in Portlaw on 17 March 1916 and was buried at Carrickbeg.

Méabh's talk will take place on Wednesday January 18 at 8.00pm in the Town Hall Theatre.  Entry fee of €5, and all are welcome to attend.

New Poetry Book "Songs of a Stargazer" Launched at Museum

John Daly presenting the Canadian Ambassador Loyola Hearne with a copy of his poetry on his recent visit to the museum

John Daly a long serving committee member of the Museum Society published his first book of poems"Songs of a Stargazer" last Friday night December 9 in the museum.
The book was officially launched by Frank Daly in the presence of a large number of friends and museum members.

John has been writing poetry for a number of years and publishes regularly in the local press.  We wish John the best of luck with this publication, which is available for sale here in the museum, at Eason's store and Michael Power's book shop. Priced at €10 this book would make a lovely Christmas present. To view more images of the event follow us on facebook

Visit of Canadian Ambassador to Museum

Canadian Ambassador Loyloa Hearne addressing the Audience at the Museum

We were delighted to welcome his Excellency Ambassador Loyola Hearne to the Museum to mark the Ireland Newfoundland links. The Mayor of Dungarvan was represented by Clr Michael Cosgrove. Also in attendance was Denis McCarthy, acting County Manager and committee members of the Ireland Newfoundland connections.


The Mayor praised the work of the museum and stated that it was an important asset to the town and county. The museum President, Nioclás Ó Griofáin recalled the links between West Waterford and Newfoundland and referred to booklet - The Newfoundland Emmigrant Trail, edited by Paula Uí Uallachain which was launched last year at the museum.  To view more images  Visit us on Facebook

Recent Visits From Waterford Schools

Group of the Students from the Adult Education Center in Waterford City.

In recent weeks we had the pleasure of visits from schools in the east of the county. The first school to visit was the boys from 3rd year of the CBS in Tramore and were given a guided tour by Michael Fitzgearld. They were delighted by the enactment of the loading of the Brown Bess Musket shown on the iPad.

The following week on the 30 November we had 35 adult students from Adult Education Center in Waterford who are frequent visitors to the museum and were very impressed with our latest exhibition the Big Houses of Co Waterford.

Win A Historic Waterford Photo For Free In Our Competition

As a little Christmas present to our Facebook Fans and Twitter Followers, Waterford County Museum is having a competition. You can win a photo of your choice from the 5200 photos of historic County Waterford, Ireland on our image archive at www.waterfordcountyimages.org. Entering the competition is free and we will give out 4 photos to both Facebook and Twitter competitions.

To Enter On Facebook: Share the competition post and like our page. We will draw 4 names from all the people who enter and allow you to pick a photo of your choice. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/waterfordcountymuseum

To Enter On Twitter: RT the competition post and follow our page. We will draw 4 names from all our twitter followers who retweeted and allow you to pick a photo of your choice. Find us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/waterfordmuseum

Some Rules

1. Closing date of the competition is 5pm 10th December, (Irish Time)
2. This competition is for fun and is a little thank you for people's support over the year.
3. We will post a photo to any country as part of the prize.
4. We are a charity with an interest in promoting Waterford's history. That is the primary goal of this competition.
5. No-one on the museum committee is allowed enter.
6. You can select from any of the 1400 images on our web site marked 'Buy Photo'. You can select from any of the other 3500 photos we must ask the photo donor for permission to send you the image.
7. Judges decision is final.

Latest Decies Journal Published

Decies Journal No 67

The latest issue of Decies has just been published. There is the usual fascinating collection of articles. Of particular interest is the article by Margo Griffin titled From Waterford to Worcester: Records from a Massachusetts Archive. This tells the story of Richard O'Flynn (1829-1907) of Newtown, Kilmacthomas who settled in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1851. He opened an antiquarian bookshop which was commercially successful. He was a founder of the Worcester Society of Antiquity and had a particular interest in recording the history of the Irish in Worcester. All of his research was recorded in twenty folio volumes.

This article refers to the Co Waterford people recorded by O'Flynn. These include fascinating pen pictures of the individuals, such as Jeremiah Kane of Dungarvan who became one of Worcester's famous detectives. There are people from Stradbally, Dungarvan, Ring, Mothel, Kilmacthomas, Fenor etc. Copies of the journal are on sale at the museum at €20.

Living History in An tSeanphobal

On Saturday November 26 the Parent's Association of Ballymacart National School in Old Parish are holding a history event.  This event is being held to celebrate the fact that Old Parish is the oldest parish in Ireland and also to launch their newly restored school inspection books from 1866.

The event will run from 1.30 - 5.30pm.

1.30 -2.00 - Unveiling of a plaque at the site of the Old Parish soup kitchen.
2.00 - 2.30 - Official opening of the restored school inspection books.
2.30 - 3.00 - History of the school from 1840 - Martin Coffey.
3.15 - 4.30 - Lecture on the famine - Willie Whelan.

Also in the afternoon:

• Genealogy - One to one on how to trace your family - Eddie Cantwell & Nioclás ó Griofain.
• An tSeanphobal young musicians.
• 70 years of Aisteoirí an tSeanphobal (Actors Group)
• Old Parish Photos.

Exhibitions will include farm machinery from a by-gone age, plough, pulper, pony and trap, household items that have been replaced in modern life, the gramophone player and wireless. Some school items, ICA memorabilia and other exhibits. Of special interest for the children on the day will be the creating of a time capsule.

The museum are happy to be invited to attend and participate in this event with our President Nioclás, Eddie, Willie and Martin all giving talks.