From the BGHS 2015 Calendar

 Matt Phelan of Keiloge.

From the BGHS Feb 2011 calendar Blessing of the Boats in Cheekpoint

Blessing of the Boats in Cheekpoint

This is a rare post card photograph of the blessing of the boats in Cheekpoint. Notice the number of people kneeling on the quayside and the fishermen standing in their punts to receive the blessing. This tradition of standing in the boats for the blessing has been maintained down to the present time. However only one man was observed standing in his boat for the 2010 blessing. The photo was sent to Andrew Doherty by Brian Moran and family relatives of Andrew from Long Island. Andrew tells us that Brian's grandfather, Richie Moran , left Cheekpoint in the late 1920's and went to Long Island where his family has remained since.

BGHS 2021 Calendar February photo

 The BGHS 2021 Calendar February photo.

A group from the Carbally area travelled to Enniscorthy to see Big Tom.  L-R  Neddy Power, Brownstown; Eddie Power, Brownstown, Michael Corcoran(RIP), Kilmacleague West, Phelim McGuinness, not from Gaultier; Mossie Fitzgerald, Kilmacleague East.

The BGHS 2021 Calendar is still available. For more details email  baronyofgaultierhistorical@gmail.com or message this Page

January photo from the BGHS 2021 calendar.

 Set Dancing Champions 1975  

This photo shows the Gaultier Under- 18 Set Dancers. These dancers won both the Co. Waterford Set Dancing Championship and the Munster Set Dancing Championship in 1975. 

Back Row L- R: Margaret Mullally, Kieran Flynn, Marcella Power, John Barry.

Front Row L-R: .Myra Doyle, Niall Collins, Annette Fitzpatrick and John Fitzpatrick.

Copies can be purchased for €8 from the Society or at the following outlets: Centra, Dunmore East; Harbour Stores, Dunmore East; Glanbia, Gaultier; Suir Garages, Passage Cross; Delany's Pharmacy, Johnstown; Dowling's Pharmacy, Ardkeen; Londis, Ballinakill; Ardkeen Stores, Ardkeen; Burke's, Crooke and the Bookcentre, Waterford City Centre.

BGHS 2021 calendar is available now

 The BGHS 2021 calendar is available now in the following outlets: Centra, Dunmore East; Harbour Stores, Dunmore East; Glanbia, Gaultier; Suir Garages, Passage Cross; Delany's Pharmacy, Johnstown; Dowling's Pharmacy, Ardkeen;  Londis, Ballinakill; Ardkeen Stores, Ardkeen; Burke's, Criooke.

Michael Farrell 

The December photo 2010 Calendar

Gaultier 1967 City League Under-12 Winners

Back Row L-R: R. Quann, I. Power (RIP), P. Power, J. c. Flood, B. Power, P. O’Toole, D. Flynn.

Middle Row L-R: P. O’Sullivan, N. Collins, G.Flood, J. Quilty, R. Murphy, P. Power (RIP), M. Flynn.

Front Row L-R: E.Power, C. Power, P. Collins,K. Flynn.

BGHS 2020 Calenda December Photo. Stephen Whittle.

 

Stephen Whittle is one of the stalwarts in the story of the RNLI service operating out of Dunmore East.   Seafarers all along the south-east coast are thankful that Stephen was such a dedicated and skillful skipper of the different lifeboats based in Dunmore East. Numerous honours and awards have come his way to acknowledge the many lives saved by his seamanship and that of his crews. Some of these were presented to him personally at ceremonies in Britain.

Stephen was born in Portally near Dunmore East.  After school in Killea he took to the sea and within a few years along with his brother, Mick purchased the 50’ Portavogie-built Agnes Palmer.   Their success at different kinds of fishing was widely acknowledged. At the same time he began his service with the Lifeboat Service moving up through the ranks to the position of coxswain in 1966 and becoming coxswain/mechanic 9 years later, a position he held until 1984.  

What stories Stephen can tell of his days and rescues with the lifeboat!  One in particular came to mind when I asked him what used to be in his mind when setting out on a bad night. The rescue of the crew of the “Glenmalure” which had grounded on the treacherous ledge of rocks reaching out from Hook Head during a violent SSE gale remained vividly in his mind.  Stephen recalling his feelings when setting out on a rescue mission on such nights told me that he would pray to make the right decisions to keep his crew safe and do what he could to save lives. For his courage and outstanding seamanship and that of his crew that November night in 1970 Stephen was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal. His crew that night, John Power, Brendan Horgan, Sean Kearns, Joseph Murphy and John Whitty were each awarded a Medal Service Certificate.

 Meanwhile in his spare time he started building model boats and ships, which I hope one day will be put on public display. Stephen also drew a map of the coastal place names between Creadan Head and Saleens, an important and valuable work to which this writer is greatly in debt. Let us celebrate a heroic life.

Photo supplied Dunmore East RNLI

Article by Ray McGrath 

Dauntless Courage launch

Book Launch of ‘Dauntless Courage’: Celebrating the History of Dunmore East RNLI

Radio presenter Damien Tiernan will lead an online panel discussion (Wednesday 25 November at 8 pm) with ‘Dauntless Courage’ author David Carroll and Dunmore East RNLI volunteer crew members.

WLR FM radio presenter, former South East correspondent for RTE and author of ‘Souls of the Sea’ Damien Tiernan will lead the panel discussion with the author of ‘Dauntless Courage’ David Carroll who will also be joined by Dunmore East RNLI volunteer crew members Brendan Dunne and Neville Murphy. The launch is coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Glenmalure Tragedy which is featured in the book.

‘Dauntless Courage’: Celebrating the History of the Dunmore East RNLI, their crews and the Maritime Heritage of the Local Community. All proceeds from the book will be going to the local Dunmore East Lifeboat Fundraising Branch to support the saving of lives on our seas. 

After several years researching and writing of the book, the public unveiling will take place online with an in-depth panel discussion of the research involved in writing the book, the characters behind the lifejackets, the many acts of courage that took place far from shore, and a look at the local community that was so often the backbone of every crew that took to sea to save those whose lives were in peril.

The online event will take place on Wednesday 25 November at 8 pm for approximately forty minutes, with a live Q&A session for attendees afterwards. Registration for the event can be made here - http://www.dunmorelifeboatbook.com/book-launch/

David Carroll, author of Dauntless Courage said: ‘What has really struck me about writing this book has been the amazing goodwill and generosity of so many people who have helped to make this book possible, especially all the interesting and historic photographs and paintings that we have been given access to for inclusion in the book’.

Damian Tiernan, WLR FM radio presenter said: ‘I am honoured and delighted to be hosting this discussion, I have a long association with members of the RNLI in Dunmore and I worked closely with them over the years. The publication is a wonderful record of all that has happened complete with superb pen portraits and descriptions of events and superbly written and produced’.

 

Purchase of the book can also be made at http://www.dunmorelifeboatbook.com/product/dauntless-courage/ with all proceeds from the book going to the local Dunmore East Lifeboat Fundraising Branch to support the saving of lives on our seas. Orders and further information on the book can also be made by contacting dunmorelifeboatbook@gmail.com

November 2014 calendar image

This is the crew of the Naomi Deuglán, a forty five footer, that fished out of Dunmore East in the late 1940’s. Jack Whittle is fondly remembered for having brought me, as an insistent nine year old, on his back down the chain to the deck of this lovely little trawler which was the forerunner of the Scottish ringers that came to Dunmore in the 1950’s. John Glody who around this time became a Dunmore East pilot is a well remembered figure making his way to the Pilots’ Spy glass always available on a gate-pier on the Circular Road. Tommy McGrath, the boat owner and skipper, was a well known generous and much loved Dunmore fisherman who later would introduce the herring ringer to the Dunmore fleet. His cousin Mossie McGrath who lived in the lower village was, as I remember him a soft spoken man, hard worker and skilled Gaelic footballer-?who was on the 1929 Gaultier team that won the County Championship.

The coiled rope suggests that the Naomi Deuglán was engaged in seining at the time although she is generally associated with herring drifting.

KNOW YOUR TOWNLAND - Ballytruckle

Our Townland today is Ballytruckle

Ballytruckle has an area of:

1.1166 km²

0.43 square miles

275 acres

Borders

Ballytruckle borders the following other townlands:

Ballycourdra to the north

Grange Lower to the east

Kilbarry to the west

Kilcohan to the south

Kingsmeadow to the west

Manor to the north

Priorsknock to the north

Williamstown to the east

 

Ballytruckle is the 52nd largest townland in the Barony of Gaultier.

In the 1901 census there were 266 inhabitants

Anthony Foy, aged 37 was an Act Sergeant in the RIC and was a member of a household of 3 people.

Stephen Lynch, aged 40 was a general labourer. He was a member of a household of 6 people, which included 3 of his children who were born outside Ireland. One child aged 11 was born in India and also 2 children were born in America, aged 8 and 5.

Johanna Coffey, aged 59 was a dealer in milk and was a member of a household of 3 people.

In the 1911 census there were 541 inhabitants and the reason for the difference to the 1901 census is that the Ursuline Convent and School were not recorded in 1901.

William Richardson aged 38, a retired Bacon Merchant lived with his wife Laura Emily aged 33 and their son Lionel aged 10 in Prospect House. Both William and Laura Emily were born in Antrim while Lionel was born in Waterford. Cian Manning,  author of the book “Waterford City - A History” tells us that Lionel was born on the 4th December, 1890 in Westcliffe, Tramore.  Prospect House contrary to popular belief is not in the townland of Kilcohan but in the townland of Ballytruckle. Likewise Kilcohan Greyhound Stadium is in Ballytruckle townland and not in Kilcohan townland. The housing estate, Kilcohan is situated mainly in the townland of Ballytruckle.

Imelda Sullivan was aged 21 and was a sewing maid in the convent and she had been born in Australia.

Matthew Butler in his the “History of Gaultier” (1913)  tells us that the Danish invaders of Ireland were called various different names such as – Danes, Northmen or Ostmen but none of their leaders had  such a reputation for courage, ability and ferocity as Thorgil, or as he is also called Turgesius. From 830 to 845 he ravaged nearly all Ireland, but in the latter year he was defeated and put to death by Malachy, King of Meath. His name and fame were celebrated in various ways by his countrymen in Ireland, and so when the Danes were expelled from Waterford City by the Normans in 1171 they founded a village on the outskirts of the city and named it after Thorgil – Thorgil’s town. Later on these Danes became more Irish than English and adopting the Irish system of monenclature, called their village Ballythorgil, Ballythorkil. With the lapse of years the name became Ballythorkill or Ballyturkill and later on Ballytruckle as we know it today.

Michael Farrell 

BGHS Nov 2020 Calendar image

 Ballygunner National School under 11 Hurling Team 1984

 The Under 11 Schools Hurling Final 1984. Ballygunner 3-1, Mount Sion 1-5.

L-R  Back row:  David O’Sullivan, Paul Maddock, Gary O’Keeffe, Brendan English, Darragh O’Sullivan, Kenny Doyle, Par Haran, Declan Power, Alan O’Sullivan, Ollie Power and Jevon Alcock.

L-R Front row: Aidan Lyons, Damian Purcell , Sean Ormonde, Paul Flynn, Brian Power, Paul Forrest, Tony Carroll and Darragh Lapthorne.

Photo courtesy of The News and Star

October 2020 Calendar photo

 The October photo from our 2020 Calendar.

Our 2021 Calendar will soon be in the usual outlets.

Harvesting Sugar Beet

The photo was taken in 1967 on Ken Purcell’s Farm which was situated in the general area where Ballinakill Shopping Centre is today. The men in the photo are harvesting/pulling sugar beet for Ken Purcell who at that time was walking to Dublin on the 1967 NFA “Long March” to Dublin. In the Barony of Gaultier like many other Irish rural areas when there is harvesting or other vital farm work to be undertaken during a crisis, neighbouring farmers would always come to the farmer’s aid and the work would be completed. A similar incident took place on the farm of Bill O’Brien of Rathmoylan with the harvesting of tobacco in 1933 during the “Economic War” and the Nine County Waterford Farmers era.

        In this photo some of the farmers are holding “Bill Hooks” and others are holding “Cleavers”. Either one of these tools were used for the “topping” of the Sugar beet as the beet was pulled from the ground.

L – R: Eddie Lynch, Knockroe; Tom Aspel, Co. Wexford; Dick Walsh, Crooke; Eddie Delahunty , Kilcullen; Wille Gough, Carricksaggart; Seamus Barry, Newtown and Crooke; Martin Kent, Kilcullen Upper; Larry Farrell, Kill St Nicholas; Willie Gough, Kilmacomb; and Tom Burke, Drumrusk; kneeling in front.

September BGHS 2020 Calendar

        Presentation of RNLI Medal Service Badge Medals     

                                                                       

 Dr. Michael Woods, Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources in the Haven Hotel, Dunmore East for the Presentation of Medal Service Badges on Friday 4th December 1998.   

                                                          

Introduction

In 1997 the Royal National Lifeboat Institution decided that crew members who received a Medal Service Certificate as a result of participating in a Medal Service call should now receive a Medal Service Badge. These Certificates have been awarded since 1955.

The Director of the RNLI, Lt, Cdr Brian Miles OBE said in his letter of the 19th of September 1997: - 

The Medal Service Certificate and Medal Service Badge are not awards in their own right, but are a form of recognition that a man or woman took part in a medal service which by its very nature was particularly arduous, requiring fine seamanship, teamwork and dedication. It will be worn with pride by those to whom it is given.

Back Row L-R: Joefy Murphy, Jack Colfer, Brendan Horgan, Brendan Glody, and Sean Kearns, Mrs McCabe widow of Dr. McCabe, John Whitty, Paddy Kavanagh, Minister Dr. Michael Woods, John Walsh, Liam Murphy, David Carroll, and Geoff Power.

Front Row L-R: Stan Power Jr, Stanley Power, Unknown, Ena Power, John Rocky Power, Ned Power, Kieran Dwyer and Louis Dwyer.

The following article was not in our 2020 calendar due to space constraints. We stated in the calendar that we hope to give more information on this presentation in our Facebook Page and now we are giving that information.

RNLI Badge Medals

On the 11th March 1964 a Bronze Medal fourth clasp was awarded Coxswain Patrick Power for rescuing six men from the Dutch motor vessel Jans Brons 2 in gale force winds.

Medal Service Certificates were presented to : - Mechanic Richard Murphy R.I.P.

                                                                                        Bowman Stanley Power

                                                                                        Crew member Captain C.H.Hazzell R.I.P.

                                                                                        Crew member William Wescott-Pitt

                                                                                        Crew member Sir Brian Warren

                                                                                        Crew member Dr. Michael McCabe R.I.P.

                                                                                         Crew member Arthur Westcott-Pitt R.I.P.

These 7 men are now entitled to receive a bronze MSB.

On the 4th October 1961 a Bronze medal third clasp was awarded to Coxswain Patrick Power for rescuing a man from a disabled barge and saving a second barge in a gale force wind.

Medal Service Certificates were presented to: - Acting Second Coxswain Maurice Power R.I.P.

                                                                                     Acting Mechanic John Power

                                                                                     Acting Assistant Mechanic Arthur Westcott-Pitt R.I.P.

                                                                                    Crew member Geoff Power

                                                                                    Crew member Edward Power

                                                                                    Crew member Captain C.H.Hazzell R.I.P.

                                                                                    Crew member William Westcott- Pitt

                                                                                    Crew member Desmond Carroll R.I.P.

These 8 men are now entitled to receive a bronze MSB

This article is transcribed directly from a brochure for the RNLI Medal Badge Presentation held on the 4th December 1998, that is featured on the August page in this our 2020 Calendar.

Our next post is also RNLI related and we would ask you to read it also. As a maritime Barony we owe a great deal of gratitude to the brave men and women of this wonderful voluntary organization.

July 2012 Calendar photo

The Pilots of Waterford Harbour

By the19th Century Waterford and New Ross had become busy ports with increased traffic on the rivers Suir and Barrow.  It is not clear when official pilots were introduced to guide ships up the rivers but there are records of certificated pilots from about 1840 onwards. Hobblers were those who boarded ships on entering Waterford Harbour in order to get the job of tying ships up when they reached their berths in either New Ross or Waterford. They may have also acted as unofficial pilots. Increasing numbers of these were lost when they went further out to meet ships in order to get the job of Hobbling and this may have resulted in the introduction of official pilots. Boats like the Gull (Right), and the Lilly Doreen (Top left) and the Betty Breen (Bottom left) illustrate the type of craft used in the pilot service. It became tradition for certain families to provide pilots and names like Glody, Kelly, Rogers, Walsh and Burke appear regularly in the annals of the pilot service.

July 2020 Calendar photo

The July photo from the 2020 BGHS Calendar.

The Blessing of the Boats at Cheekpoint 1964

An annual ritual, the fishermen of the village and their families gathered for the event.  The punt in the photo was called the Bernadette and was built by Charlie McCarthy.  The punt was later bought by John Doherty.  In the background the site for Great Island Power station is being cleared.


Photo courtesy of Andrew Doherty
Article by Andrew Doherty

Our June photo from our 2016 Calendar

Boys outside Ballygunner Church 1922.

Back row L – R: Tom Phelan, Michael Joe Fitzpatrick, Mickey (Baker) Power, mickey (Froggy) Power, Jackie Howlett, Tom Veale, Mattie Dunne, Tom (Baker) Power.

Middle row L – R: Paddy (Pio) Long, Jimmy O’Neill, Richie Myler, Tom Ivory, Eddie Phelan, Tom Lyons.

Front row L – R: Tommy Murphy, Jimmy (Brasscock) Sullivan, Jasie Condon, Charlie Sullivan, Nicholas Aylward, Dick Ivory.

The June photo from our 2020 Calendar

The Dunmore East Regatta in the late 1940s.
The annual regatta began in 1862. For well over a century it was the highlight of the summer months for many people in Gaultier. Large crowds gathered in the village and congregated along the quayside and on the “Island” where these people are standing or sitting. The Island is no longer there. It was situated in the area now occupied by the West Wharf, the Ice-plant and the Yacht Club.

The spectators enjoyed the yacht racing, swimming and rowing races as well as special events like “The greasy pole”, model yacht races and one of the closing events, the Duck Hunt. The best place to see the “Duck” (a strong swimmer who had to evade the chasing pilot punt), was on the island where these people are gathered. A fancy dress parade was another enjoyable feature.

The starting “pistol” was usually a Shotgun but the pellets were first removed from the cartridges.

Elderly people from the rural countryside once told me that their one excursion away from the daily toil was the annual trip to Dunmore for the regatta and the luxury of sitting on a wall, eating ice-cream.

Article by John Burke

The Barony Echo Issue No 5. November 2015

                            

The Barony Echo is now in its second year.   The Society’s quarterly is for you – members and friends of the Society and for all who have an interest in and share a sense of the value of our local story. This story, our story is huge – too big for any one person to record.  It is a communal story that often goes beyond the boundaries of our ancient barony – a story that is being told in many parts of Britain and in the U.S.   It is being written about on a small island off the west coast of Canada and in the bustling city of Panama in Central America. Don’t forget that when we tell part of that story we are historians.   And so, to get a fuller picture of that story we need you to tell your story, to share a memory,  to give us, at the Barony Echo,  even a fragment, a copy of photograph, the name of a nearby place – a field, a well, a hill.   Please don’t let the story die; don’t bring it to the grave with you.   It is all part of the picture, part of our story.    And if you don’t have a story tell us what you would like to see in the Barony Echo.  Talk to a member of the Society,  send in a handwritten note to me at Woodhouse, Cheekpoint,  email the editor at woodhouseduo@gmail.com.

Gaultier Placenames

Ballygunner  ( Baile Mhic Gunair).   The names of the three townlands comprising Ballygunner – Ballygunnermore, Ballygunnercastle, and Ballygunnertemple, are all derived from the Viking, more correctly the Danish Viking,  Gunair,  who presumably controlled the area in the 10th century.   The old church according to Canon Power was dedicated to St Mochorog,  a contemporary of St Kevin of Glendalogh.  By the 16th century, probably under early Norman influence , the church was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin.     Power adds an interesting detail on the history of Ballygunner – he suggests that the original name referenced in the Annal, Wars of the Gaedhil, may have been Dun Fan Connrath.

Ballymaclode.   According to Canon Power,  a settler named McLeod gave the townland its name.   The townland is situated to the left of the road past Becketts on the Dunmore Road.  A gold collar,  probably from the Bronze Age,  was found in the townland in the early part of the 20th century.   There is an interesting sub-division in the townland which in Power’s time was known as Glennacruter ( Gleann an Chuithire – the Glen of the Harper).  Can anyone tell us if the name survives and where it is?

The Faithlegg Motte

The Norman Motte at Faithlegg is perhaps the earliest structure of the Normans in the south-east.  It probably dates from the arrival of Juvenis Ailward, the original Aylward who supplied the ships for the 1171 Norman invasion led by Henry 11.  The motte is located near Faithlegg Church and is on private land.   It is a substantial domed mound about 10 meters high upon which the early Normans built a palisaded stronghold.  An area of flat land extended from the motte.  This was called the Bailey – a place of safe- keeping which housed animals at night.   This word gives us words associated with law courts and law officers - the Old Bailey, bail, bailiff.

Where Passage Gets Its Name   (contributed by John Burke)

  The very earliest maps of Ireland have reference to Crook or Crooke. The reports state that Strongbow, King Henry 2nd and King John landed at Crooke. Although there was a ferry there long before the Normans came and before the Knights Templar were granted the rights to it, the name Passage doesn’t appear in official documents until the 14th century.  Passage comes from the Latin word for a ferry “Passagium”.  One of the first references to the name is in the “Registrum de Kilmainham” when mention was made in 1325 of “Passagium”.  The village was well established by the 14th century. On October 2nd 1394, King Richard 2nd with a massive force of 30,000 archers and 4000 men at arms arrived in Waterford. The Fleet anchored at Passage and the army marched to the city.

Society’s Donation to Waterford Hospice

Following the Barony of Gaultier Historical Society’s Barony Field Day in July a cheque for 10, 041 Euros was presented to Waterford Hopsice.    Several local organisations including the Life Boat Committee,  the Dunmore East Tidy Towns group, the Killea Road Bowling group worked with the Society in fund raising.   The highlight of the Barony Field Day was the Dunmore East Mayoral Election which itself raised a substantial amount.   The Society wishes to thank all who contributed to our very successful Barony Field Day and who helped with other fundraising activities such as the annual calendar.   The 2016 Calendar will be on sale shortly at local outlets in Dunmore, Crook,  Gaultier Glanbia,  Cheekpoint and  several outlets in Waterford.

Lecture Series

The Society’s 4th annual lecture series started  in September  with a very interesting talk on the  early settlement of the South East.  The speaker was Prof. Peter Woodman of UCC.   This was followed in October by a fascinating talk given by Society member and PRO, Michael Farrell.  The talk, entitled The Struggle for the Land in Gaultier and The Story and Exploits of the Carbally Ladies Land League was entertaining and very informative and very well received.   Michael has done extensive research on the period and he gives us the names and actions of those who participated and who contributed so much to the land reforms of the period.  A more complete summary of the talk will appear on the Barony of Gaultier’s web site and on our Facebook page.  The November talk by noted UCC author, Eibhar Walsh is entitled “Remembering Dunmore” and members are looking forward to this.  The lecture takes place on Thursday November 12 in the Ocean Hotel Dunmore East and starting time is  8 pm.   The spring 2016 session open on Feb 18 with archaeologist Claire McCutcheon talk on the Towers of Waterford Harbour.  Ms McCutheon has long standing Dunmore connections.  The March talk will be by Helvic historian Sylvester Murray whose subject is the History of Fishing on the South East Coast.

Waterford and Irish contributions to the making of Canada

Barony Echo editor is spending some time in Canada and has had time to pursue his interest in Irish contributions to the making of Canada.   The story of the Irish role in the making of Newfoundland, Canada’s easternmost province, is well known, particularly the part played by Waterford traders and settlers in the late 18th century and early 19th century so we’ll keep that for another day except to say that one day while driving along the Cape Shore south of St John’s my eyes were taken off the road for a moment by a sign which read Tramore Players.  I was to learn from its Director Arlene Morrissey , whose family came from County Waterford that the Theatre Company was named for the first postmaster in the area, a Mr Foley from Tramore, Co Waterford.   Dungarvan is remembered in New Brunswick through the legend of the Dungarvan Whooper.  This legend, well known throughout the Canadian Maritimes, is about a young Irish lumberjack who was murdered near the Dungarvan River in New Brunswick and whose ghost gives off terrifying howls near the spot where he was murdered.   We’ll relate the story of the Irish in Quebec another time but here in eastern Ontario there are settlements especially along what is known here as the Opeongo Line, a colonization route particularly associated with the Irish settlers of the 19th century with village names such as Barry’s Bay, Clontarf, Mount St Patrick, Killaloe, Westmeath, Tramore, McGrath,  Moloney’s Mountain,  Cormac,  and many more.   Across the Ottawa River in French speaking Quebec, many villages retain a strong Irish identity -  Mayo, Farrelton,  Brennans Hill.  The Opeongo line is about 2 hours’ drive north and west of Ottawa.  Future issues of the Barony Echo will carry articles on the Irish in the Making of Western Canada, particularly the contribution of Waterford man, John Palliser.

Nurse Mary Davis

Mary Davis of Sunnyside, Dunmore East, is buried in St Andrews graveyard in Dunmore East.  Her headstone tells us she was a nursing sister in the Boer War and in WW1.   It must have been a remarkable life in the service of others but very little is known about her.  We would be grateful if any reader could tell us anything about  especially her war time experiences.

A Waterford War Diary.

Gaultier man, Laurence Crotty, kept a diary of his 300+ days of war in 2014-2015.   The Society was fortunate to obtain a copy of his diary through the good graces of Damien Tiernan and the generosity of Laurence’s living relatives, Larry Gear and his sister Catherine Gear.  Laurence was from Ballinamintra near Dunmore East and his account of the time on the Western Front is both touching and revealing.  In June, 2015 Society members Michael Farrell and Ray McGrath  journeyed to Belgium and followed Laurence’s war time journey from just north of Paris where Laurence first saw action to his death during the second Battle of  Ypres in Belgium in July 1915.  An account of that journey with extracts from Laurence’s diary will appear in the Christmas edition of the Waterford News and Star.  Are dheis De a anam.

                                                “Cillineach”   (contributed by Michael Farrell)

When you are travelling from Waterford on the Airport Road, towards Cloghernagh, near the Airport there is a long straight stretch of road. This stretch of roadway is in the heart of the townland of Ballygarron. At one time there was a church and burial site in Ballygarron. It was situated on the left side, a hundred meters from the entrance to the Business Park, as you are travelling towards Cloghernagh.  Although there is no evidence of the church today, locals know where it was situated. At some stage the area became known as a place of fairy dwelling and was called a “lios”.  The tradition was that it would not be cultivated. In the 1843 Ordnance Survey Map, this spot is marked “Site of Killeenagh Burial Ground”.  Matthew Butler in his column in the Waterford News in the 1930’s, tells us that in Dr. Dinneen’s Irish dictionary we see that “Cillineach” means a place set for the burial of unbaptised children, and that such a place is generally near a “lios”.  Matthew Butler also states that long after it ceased to be a burial place adjacent to church, local Irish speakers spoke of it as a burial place for unbaptised children.  If you look closely at the particular field, you can see some timber posts which enclose a portion of the field that is not being farmed and is clearly showing lack of use. This area is the exact site of the “Cillineach”.

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Barony townlands

Do you know  the area of the Barony of Gaultier. Several of the townlands  in the present Waterford City are actually part of the Barony of Gaultier. Grange, Bishopscourt, Ballybeg, Ballytruckle, Kilcohan, Ballynakill, Farranshoneen, Ballynaneashagh  and Grantstown to name a few. Here is a map of the Barony of Gaultier.

May calendar images

Two images for you that we hope you will enjoy

The first is from this year's calendar

Passage East “Feile Na Scoileanna”
This photo shows the pupils from Passage East Primary School who presented “Our Little Country Garden” at the 1991 “Feile Na Scoileanna”.
Back row L-R: Paddy Lynch, Joanne Connors, Michael Walsh, Richard Doyle, Ronan Doyle, Ronan Harcourt, Neil Bolger, David Carey and Ms N. McKenna, Teacher. 
Rear Middle Row L-R: Fergal Doyle, Edwina Rellis, Tracey Gunnip, Joseph Upton, Edward Flynn,
Front Middle Row L-R:  Ricky Duffin,Ian Condon, Danielle O’Neill,Richard Moynan, Robert Harcourt, Patrick Galvey, Diarmuid Mason and Mark Rellis.
Front Row L-R: Nicholas Quinlan, Edward Mullen, Adam Baldwin, Sarah Lynch and Mairead Kennedy
Photo courtesy of The News and Star
Article by John Burke

Another May photo, this time its from our 2016 Calendar

Tug-o-War Cloghernagh 1982

Back row L – R: Vinny Foskin, Ballygunnertemple; John Delahunty, Harristown; Michael Corcoran, Kilmacleague West; Dick Doyle, Kilmacleague West; Davy Whittle, Ballyshoneen.
Front row L – R: Michael Power RIP, Kilmacquage; Tommy Kehoe, Rathmoylan; Eddie Walsh RIP, Ballygarron; Matt Phelan, Orchardstown; Declan Walsh, Ballygarron; Willie Hogan, Graiguearidda.