Poor Law and Tramps
John Mitchel is even today frequently lambasted for claims he made that British…
Church at Kilnasaggart?
The Kilnasaggart Stone plaque recently referred to continues with a description of its…
From Irish, Placenames
The many explanations of the Gaelic derivation of local place names is often a…
Sligh Miodluachra
Five great roads emanated from the Hill of Tara in Meath (once again in the news as Bertie’s government controversially determines to drive a motorway through the vicinity!) to the rest of Ireland. The northern-bound road, the Slighe Miodluachra, meaning the way of the middle rushy place, was well-named certainly as it traversed the Gap of the North at the townlands of Carrickbroad (the robber’s rock) and Edenappa. This is the location of Kilnasaggart.
Mummers Rhymes
The Mummers were frequently accompanied by a few young men dressed in women’s…
Use of a Handkerchief!
You may have wondered why there’s just the tumbled remains of a forth…
Mummers, Sheetrim, 1930s
‘Heartsore imagining the years without The Doctor, Darkie and Wee…
Travelling Companion
A certain young man climbed on board of the overnight ‘sleeper’ train alone. He did not intend…
Abbey Newry History
Scanning the Down & Conor Historical Society Journal of 1938 recently I found the following entry which I now include as it opens a few new pieces of information (well, new to me!). The transcription below is not exact.
Run for your life, Granny!
There was a gasun hurdin’ in the bog one day and didn’t three gentlemen from the Big House come with two big brindle hounds lookin’ for a hare an’ a chase.
‘Is there no hares at all here?’ says they to the gasun.
Agnes: Poverty Ended
Dear Agnes, You are doubtless aware of the so-called Poverty Report published…