Waterford County Museum

Visitor from Australia Traces the Steps of Her Orphan Girl Ancestor - Late Summer 2017

Helen Wilding with Husband Stephen Shipperlee and Eddie Cantwell

Helen Wilding with Husband Stephen Shipperlee Outside the Hospital

Eddie Cantwell has carried out quite a bit of research on the forty two orphan girls that were shipped out of Dungarvan Workhouse in 1849. He has also tracked down some of the living families of some of those orphan girls. He was delighted when Helen Wilding contacted him and said that she was going to visit Dungarvan.

First Helen visited Cobh, where her ancestor, fifteen year old Sarah Gleeson began her journey to Australia. Her visit to Cobh, St. Joseph’s Dungarvan and the Famine Graveyard was a moving experience for her. Helen, who is a research librarian in Melbourne, was very taken with Dungarvan. She said that ‘it would have been fantastic growing up with lots of friends around in a place like this. I thought the town had a really nice feeling. I felt really comfortable there as if it was somehow 'just right'. I was even really sad at the hurling outcome and I am never usually at all interested in sports!’

Helen paints little pictures in her notebook and adds notes. This particular one which she kindly gave to Eddie was taken from Meade’s Café.

Football Championship Medal from 1897 Won by Erin's Hope, and Boer War Medals

Waterford Football Championship Medal, Michael Cullinan

Recently (August 2017) Daragh Cullinan from Wexford called into the Museum to donate this medal which is from the 1897 Waterford Football Championship won by Erin's Hope, and presented to the Vice Captain Michael Cullinan.

Daragh also brought in two Boer War medals to show us. Jack Wall from 6 O'Connell Street, Dungarvan, served in the Imperial Yeomanry Division in South Africa, and later in World War I. He was also prominent in the West Waterford Hunt.

Boer War Medals, Jack Wall, 6 O'Connell Street, Dungarvan

Team of Organisers and Volunteers at Launch of Exhibition 'Neolithic Caves to Medieval Motte' 19th August 2017

Photographed by John Foley at the launch of our exhibition 'Neolithic Caves to Medieval Motte' which was held on Saturday 19th August are our team of organisers and volunteers, Danny Kiely, Paul McLoughlin, Eddie Cantwell, Christina Knight-O'Connor, Nora Foley, Sarah Lucas and Róisin Burke.

14th September 2017 - Kilmacthomas Historical Society Talk

Kilmacthomas Historical Society are holding a talk on the life and times of the famous Canadian explorer, John Palliser of Comeragh House. Guest speaker will be historian Mr. Sean Murphy.

Come and enjoy the evening!

Venue: Church of Ireland, Comeragh, Mahon Bridge

Date: 14th September 2017

Time: 7pm

Admission: €5

Object of the Week - Willow Pattern Plate, 19th Century

This pattern became popular in the late 18^th century. The potteries adapted the patterns on blue and white ware which was imported from China. Transfers were replacing hand painted ware. Initially there were a number of different patterns but the Willow pattern became the most popular. The background is always white and the image is blue.

The Spode factory was the first to produce china with the Willow pattern around 1790. The standard scene contains a garden, trees, a bridge, pavilion and two flying swallows at the top of the scene. The following is the story behind the scene:

Once there was a wealthy Mandarin, who had a beautiful daughter (Koong-se). She had fallen in love with her father’s humble accounting assistant (Chang), angering her father (it was inappropriate for them to marry due to their difference in social class). He dismissed the young man and built a high fence around his house to keep the lovers apart. The Mandarin was planning for his daughter to marry a powerful Duke. The Duke arrived by boat to claim his bride, bearing a box of jewels as a gift. The wedding was to take place on the day the blossom fell from the willow tree.

On the eve of the daughter’s wedding to the Duke, the young accountant, disguised as a servant, slipped into the palace unnoticed. As the lovers escaped with the jewels, the alarm was raised. They ran over a bridge, chased by the Mandarin, whip in hand. They eventually escaped on the Duke’s ship to the safety of a secluded island, where they lived happily for years. But one day, the Duke learned of their refuge. Hungry for revenge, he sent soldiers who captured the lovers and put them to death. The gods, moved by their plight, transformed the lovers into a pair of doves.

25th August 2017 - Visitor from Syria

We had a visit today from Mohammed Al Bashir from Daraa in Syria, accompanied by Finbarr Keohan. It was a very enjoyable visit for all concerned!

Finbarr Keohan, Staff Member Danny Kiely, Mohammed Al Bashir, Staff Member Kieran Lineen

19th August 2017 - Launch of Exhibition 'Neolithic Caves to Medieval Motte'

On Saturday 19th August Waterford County Museum, Gallows Hill Community Archaeology Group and Adopt a Monument launched our exhibition 'Neolithic Caves to Medieval Motte' as part of National Heritage Week. This exhibition details the archaeological digs which took place this summer at Gallows Hill and Dungarvan Valley Caves, with artefacts on display from Gallows Hill, beautiful photos from both digs, artwork by local artist Tony Hayes, and descriptions of what took place day by day.

At the launch there were two beautiful films of the digs made by John Foley, with very interesting talks by Róisin Burke of Adopt a Monument/Abarta Heritage, Christina Knight and Eddie Cantwell of Gallows Hill Community Archaeology Group and Waterford County Museum, followed by a viewing of the exhibition. The launch was well attended and those present found it very interesting.

Our thanks to all of the people whose hard work helped both the digs and the exhibition to take place who are too numerous to mention here.