Dromantine History
Dromantine will be extensively featured on Newry Journal for a short while. Every…
Ballymoyer House: National Trust
The Synnot family soon after arrived in the parish of Ballymoyer and leased eight townlands from the See of Armagh. In 1778 Sir Walter Synnot [High Sheriff of County Armagh 1783] built the original Ballymoyer House in the townland of Ballintemple. The family was involved not only in the linen trade but also owned lead mines in the vicinity.
‘The lands were healthy and barren previous to 1778, when Sir Walter Synnot erected a house and became a resident landlord; scarcely a tree or shrub was to be seen and the agricultural implements were of the rudest kind. He constructed good roads in the vicinity and planted forest trees [Lewis S. 1837].’
The Ballymoyer House Demesne Was Extensive and Ornate
‘The mansion built by Sir Walter Synnot and the demesne attached to it is laid out and planted in a tasteful style. Three mountain streams after debouching from the glens of their upper course, unite in the lawn and form a scene both beautiful and romantic.'[Parliamentary Gazetter 1844].
By 1838 the family had bought the eight townlands and continued to improve the estate. By the latter part of the 1870s they owned 7,321 acres. In 1901 the demesne had passed through marriage to the Hart-Synnot family who presented it to the National trust in 1937.
Today Ballymoyer (estate and woodland walk) is still a National Trust property and is well worth a visit. It is located close to Whitecross, nine kilometres from Newry and four kilometres from Newtownhamilton.
… Abbey Newry History …
Gullion Legends
Slieve Gullion is the most mystic of Irish mountains, linked with Irish literature through the ‘Chase of Slieve Gullion’. It is associated with many Irish heroes of old, principally Cuchullain – and Cullain the smith to King Conor MacNessa whose name by proxy, the boy Setanta borrowed.
Pearls & Gold
‘Pearls and gold galore lie in the lake but the devil a one has iver seen them for the dragon won’t iver let a body near them, who has not the rightful blud of the owner in him.
Characters Galore – Marty Bogroll et al.
Real characters about town are few and far between of late and indeed…
Book of Armagh
Only a few early manuscripts from ancient Ireland survive and they are among our…
Railway Bar
The ‘Railway Bar’ session unfortunately missed by our Oz visitors John and Annette Macan proved one of the best for a long while. We had three visiting sessionists, an excellent bluegrass banjoist from Belfast, another prize-winning banjo player and a singer/guitarist. We also had many ‘student’ sessionists who join us this time of year, among them Rosie Ferguson and a beautiful young fiddler whose face I recognise but whose name I don’t know. We were crowded – up close and personal – and the latter, and her friend had to squeeze past me on the way to the bar. My wife was highly amused at my painfully-obvious attempts to keep my hands to myself each time they passed!
Fox to hoard the Ducks
Wise local sayings of the past, like proverbs in any language refer to a much wider field than that of the animals, people or things alluded to. As a mental exercise, why not imagine you are explaining the real meaning of each to a visiting non-English speaking tourist!
Hector: Fabian
‘Once’, Fabian went on, ‘my father ordered me on to Hill Street with the handcart laden with herring, to catch the shoppers who mightn’t make it as far as the market.’
‘Pat Phillips, my cousin, who was also selling herrings, protested to the town inspector Mickey Short. He banished me from the scene. Pat’s brother, Larry is still selling there!