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.