Know your Townland - Ballynakill,

We are back this week with our popular series on the Townlands of Gaultier. Sorry for our absence over the last weeks and it might be a hit and miss over the summer months also.

Ballynakill Church - commonly called the Brass Cock and a very interesting graveyard

This week our townland is Ballynakill, Canon Power tells us in his book that Baile na Cille means (“Homestead of the Church”) but who ever put up the attached sign had a different idea. Maybe Canon Power was wrong and maybe he is right. Please let us know what you think? The translation of the sign “Baile Mhic Coiligh” to the best of my knowledge is “Home of the son of Coiligh”.  I might be totally wrong but would love to hear what you think.

                   Ballynakill has an area of:
• 1,517,107 m² / 151.71 hectares / 1.5171 km²
• 0.59 square miles
• 374.89 acres / 374 acres, 3 roods, 21 perches
                  Ballynakill borders the following other townlands:
• Cove (Gaultier) to the west
• Farranshoneen (Gaultier) to the west
• Grange Upper (Gaultier) to the west
• Grantstown (Gaultier) to the south
• Knockboy (Gaultier) to the east

In the 1901 census there were 114 inhabitants in Ballynakill. Robert Dobbyn who was aged 76 was a Land Agent. William G Davis Goff, aged 62 and his son Herbert Davis Goff, aged 29 were both Brewers. Lubelle Morris, aged 51 was a widow and gave her occupation as “Interest of Money”.In the 1911 census we find Lubelle or Subelle as her name is recored and her son Richard aged 35 are living in what is now the Haven Hotel in Dunmore East. William Power aged 30 and his brother John aged 34 in the 1901 census had as their occupation “Nursery and Farming”. In the 1911 census Mary Power aged 35 has as her occupation “Forest Seedswoman”. Were these Powers the Powers of “Power’s Seeds”?    Henry Oliver Broomhead aged 44 and his wife Catherine Mary aged 37 had six children , three boys and three girls.
   
In 1911 there were 189 inhabitants in Ballynakill and 29 or 15% could not read or write.

A transcript of the legible graves in the above churchyard via Steve Rogers

Michael Farrell is currently society chairman
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The Knights Templar in Gaultier

Dr Dr Niall Byrne opens the BGHS  lecture season with his talk

The Knights Templar in Gaultier.

Knights' Seal -  horse shared  indicating poverty

An audience of over 50 people was present at the Ocean Hotel, Dunmore East on September 27 to hear Dr Niall Byrne give the opening talk of the Barony of Gaultier Historical Society’s  2010-11 lecture season.  Dr Byrne’ s topic was the story of the Knights Templar in Gaultier,  particularly their connections to Crooke and Leperstown.   Dr Byrne’s scholarship came through in his detailed and well illustrated presentation which was very well received by the audience.  The talk was followed by refreshments generously provided by the Ocean Hotel.  This was a great start to our season and really whetted the appetite for the talks to come over the next  seven months. 

The story of the Templars is a  gripping, multilayered slice of history reaching across almost all the countries of Europe and into the Middle East during the time of the Crusades.  The Templars although outlawed by the principal monarchs of Europe in the early 1300s morphed into other quasi military orders such as the Knights Hospitallers and even coming down to the present day in the origins of the Knights of Malta.  They are mostly remembered for their presence in the Middle East during the wars of conquest  between Europeans and Muslims, always  in the guise of saviours  under their respective religious banners. 

The Templars were granted lands on either side of Waterford Harbour by a grant of Henry 11 soon after his arrival here in Gaultier in 1171,  Crooke being the site of a substantial  manor of thousands of acres.  No doubt they had a military presence in Waterford  Harbour but their main recorded contribution seems to have been in agriculture, the 1328 audit of their Crook lands giving detailed testimony to this.  They grew large quantities of cereals , probably bringing much of Gaultier under cultivation.  It is thought that this was grown as feed for the horses used by the Knights across Europe and especially in the Holy Lands.  This opens up a fascinating story of shipping and trade that would have been an important part of Gaultier life in those years.

Dr Byrne concluded his talk by tracing the origins of Waterford County and City Infirmary in Leperstown with the rents and produce of this area going to finance the Leper Hospital of the medieval period, it s successor, the Fever Hospital of Waterford which eventually became the Infirmary. 

The Society wishes to thank Dr Byrne for this fascinating and important contribution to the history of Gaultier and to a great start to our current season.


More information on the knights in Ireland here 

Summer Solstice in Gaultier, Co Waterford

On Saturday 18th June the Gaultier Historical Society arranged a very succesful event to mark the Summer Soltice at Harristown Megalithic Passage Tomb. For many of the large number of attendees it was their first visit to this historic location that is only 2 miles from bustling Dunmore East village in Co Waterford. Society  Chairman Richie Roberts welcomed everybody including a group from Vancouver, Canada and there was a well chosen range of short talks from members on the historic importance of the location and the tomb itself.

Chairman Richie Roberts

 Eamon Gavin spoke about the differing types of tombs and dolmens etc. Noel McDonagh detailed the rich  range of local history that is connected to the druids. There was a nice recitation of  Yeats' poetry from Ray McGrath and Cathy Desmond played a haunting tune on the violin.

Harristown

The group adjourned to Aggies Pub in Killea where mine host Pat Flynn served up the traditional ribs and colcannon supper. The evening was rounded off with some excellent music from local musicians.