2010 Coach Outing
Members of the Donegal Historical Society in Glendalough during the 2010 coach outing.
Members of the Donegal Historical Society at Cavan County Museum during the 2010 coach outing.
Arranmore Field Day 2010
Members of the Donegal Historical Society at grave of some of the victims of the 1935 boat tragedy during the Arannmore Island Field Day.
Our first Field Day of 2010 was one of poignant and sad remembrance as we recalled the Arranmore disaster in this the 75th anniversary of that awful tragedy. For any emigrant, homecoming is the most joyful emotion, an experience shared by the entire family at home waiting with anticipation and excitement. What presents from Glasgow would be in their suitcases? What football matches had they been to and would relate to their their younger siblings? What films did they enjoy seeing in Scotland?
On Saturday evening, November 9th 1935, 19 islanders perished in the sea just off Arranmore on the last leg of their homeward journey, having spent the previous months tattie-hoking (harvesting potatoes) in Scotland. There was just one survivor, Patrick Gallagher. "The whole island was weeping," wrote Barney Gallagher in his book, 'Arranmore Links' . Barney was an islander and was there at the time.
Our Field Day began in the Ionad Culturlann, part of the island co-operative's holiday village, with an illustrated talk by Seán Boner about the disaster. We then walked the short distance to the graveyard to visit the mass grave in which 17 of the victims lie buried. Its location is close to the Chapel strand, the mainland in the distance and numerous islands in between. Sadly, not all the bodies were recovered.
We strolled from there along a path close to the shore, past the old graveyard they call 'the Caiseal' which brought us to St. Crone's, the beautiful island church and inside Seán gave us a brief history of the church. It was built in 1825 as a barn style church but extended into a cruciform structure in 1917. We were then bussed to the lighthouse, originally built in 1798, and we were fortunate to be able to enter and climb up the narrow spiral staircase to experience a truly magnificent view. Some of the more intrepid of the group went down a few of the cliff steps, certainly not an experience for the faint-hearted.
Finally, on to the Glen Hotel for another very welcome view - copious amounts of tea and sandwiches! The hotel itself is steeped in history; it was once the home or 'The Big House' of the island landlord, John Stoupe Charley and the building, on a slight rise overlooking the sea, still retains its old-world atmosphere.
The highest degree of thanks is extended to everyone on Arranmore who made the Field Day so memorable: the staff we met at the Coop, on the Siob buses, up at the lighthouse, at the Glen Hotel and on the fast ferry. And of course, a special word of thanks to Seán Boner, our guide and seanchai for the occasion, himself a native of Arranmore and whose father Packie taught for many years at Aphort school..
FIELD DAY AT GARTAN
St. Colmcille, (521AD - 597AD) one of Ireland's greatest saints was born at Gartan, baptised in Templedouglas and first went to school in Kilmacrennan. For our second Field Day of 2010, Christy Gillespie, Principal of Schoil Cholmcille, An Tearmann, was our guide as we sojourned, "in Colmcille's footsteps."
The first stop en route was the newly-constructed Columban monument near the National School, modelled on the abbey at Kilmacrennan. Here we were shown the famous mitred head, said to represent Archbishop Art O'Friel. This is a stone with an absolute wealth of history behind it, eg, it would have witnessed the inauguration of Red Hugh O'Donnell.
One of the most poignant moments of the Field Day was the visit to Ethne's Well (Ethne was Colmcille's mother). On the path up to the well, there is a child's burial ground, marked on the old maps as the Calluragh burial ground. This was the era when babies who died before they received the Sacrament of Baptism were buried close to a sacred place. This site used to be packed on June 9th each year, Colmcille's feast-day, for a turas. Sadly, that lovely old tradition has long gone.
Then on to Rath Cno, once the home of Colmcille. Later a monastery was erected on the site. In the nearby graveyard, Christy showed us the grave of Manus a Phice (Manus the Pikeman), a great hero of 1798.
The final two venues were Doon Well, probably the most famous holy well in Donegal, and then on to Doon rock with its wonderful panoramic view, once the place of inauguration of each new O'Donnell chieftain. From here, they could survey their entire kingdom from the Swilly to Gweedore. Cahir O'Doherty made his last stand here at Doon to try and keep the Irish way of life alive after the Flight of the Earls, but without success.
The Gartan district is truly spectacular and has been fairly-well spared the concrete intrusion that unfortunately has been the fate of other rural havens. This Field Day complemented the one in Derry last year, with Dr. Billy Kelly as our guide, as we toured the city named in the saint's honour - Doire Cholmcille.
FIELD DAY IN DOOCHARY, August 2010
Beside the placid waters of the Gweebara river, Col. Declan O'Carroll, President of the Donegal Historical Society, introduced our guide for the occasion, Mrs. May McClintock, one of the best-known and most erudite historians in the county. We were soon to discover that Doochary may be a small quiet village but it has a wealth of history.
The Placid river at Doochary
May began with a detailed account of the era of landlordism in the vicinity - Marquis Conyngham owned land on the southern bank of the tidal part of the Gweebara estuary. In 1906, a large number of locals fished the estuary in tidal waters below the bridge in order to enact a legal test case. Conyngham brought the case to court, as he had to, if he believed he could control the estuary fishing which he had been doing up to then. The lower court found in his favour but the High Court reversed on appeal.
Historically, the legalities are utterly fascinating, though quite complex, and one of the central issues was when the Magna Carta of 1215 AD was first applied to Donegal. It was argued that it applied in SE Ireland soon after its completion but was not applied to the Doochary district until 1541 AD when Manus O'Donnell surrendered his lands to King Henry 8th and then had them regranted back to him. The Doochary case held that the notion of a private fishery did not exist under Brehon law and, that being so, the fishery belonged to the State and so could not be granted to Conyngham's predecessor under a Plantation Grant or Patent of the 1670's.
May then paid tribute to a Doochary native, Dominic O'Kelly (1897 - 1970), a poet, teacher and journalist, also known by his pseudonym, "An Ceallach." He was May's teacher in the Prior School in Lifford and she informed us that her appreciation of the history and folklore of Donegal was due to his influence. Dominic was educated at St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny and later in Rome, where he obtained a degree in Philosophy. A native Irish speaker, he wrote for several Irish language publications, eg Amarach, Inniu, and An tUltach. and did a weekly column in the People's Press for some years on "Wild West Donegal." He was Principal of schools in Donegal, Sligo and Mayo. In 1934 he founded Cumann Gaelach na Rossan.
Peadar O'Baoighill then gave us a wonderful rendition of, "Gaoth Barra na dTonn", written by Donall MacDiarmada, also known as File Ghaoth Barra." This song has been recorded by many musicians down through the years including Clannad.
We then walked the short distance to a local holy well, Tobar Sorcha, and from there to St. Conall's Church. This Church was built in 1896 and still has the book presented by Lord Mayo, the local landlord, for the opening ceremony - St Patrick's Day, 1897. Dr. Patrick O'Donnell, Bishop of Raphoe officiated at the occasion.
St. Conal's Church.
Mr. J.C.T. MacDonagh of Ballybofey was the Society's founder; he became President of the Society in 1958/59. His son, Terence, who now resides in England, and his daughter Etta, who resides in the USA were in Doochary for the Field Day. They expressed their utmost appreciation of the sterling work being done to continue the work and aspirations of the Society's founders which began at that first meeting in Lifford in December 1946.
L to R, Terence MacDonagh, May McClintock,Rev. Dr. O'Baoighill, Col. Declan O'Carroll & Etta MacDonagh-Dumler
Program of Events for 2010
Tue. Mar 23rd - A.G.M. in Jackson's Hotel, Ballybofey at 8pm
Wed. May 12th - Annual School's Competition in Jackson's Hotel, Ballybofey at 7pm
Topics: Emmigaration, Sport, Historic Buildings, Railways, and Graveyards
Fri.- Sun. May 28th - 30th - Coach outing to Glendalough
Visiting places of historical interest.
Sun. June 13th - Field Day on Arranmore Island (Guide: Sean Boner)
Sail to the Island to visit historical sites there
Meet at Burtonport pier at 2.30 pm.
A reasonable fee will be levied to cover the cost of ferry and bus.
Sun. July 25th - Field Day in Kilmacrennan / Termon (Guide: Christy Gillespie)
Starts 3 pm at car park of The Lagoon Bar, Termon (TBC)
Visiting historical sites in the area
Sun. August 8th - Field Day in Doochery - Dooey (Guide: May McClintock)
Starts 3 pm at the Ice House in Doochary
Visiting historical sites in the area
Sun. August 29th - Field Day in Ballyshannon (Guide: Anthony Begley)
"Allingham Country."
Starts 3 pm in the Market yard, beside bus office
Visiting old barracks, Allingham's birthplace on the Mall
and burial place in St. Anne's, Mullinashee and more.
Sat. Sept. 18th - Paddy McGill memorial lecture
Heritage Centre, Ardara at 8.30pm
Speaker: Eunan O'Donnell
Lecture title: "Attorney P.M. Gallagher, 1851-1927."
Wed. Nov. 10th - Emerson Memorial Lecture
Coláiste Cholmcille, Ballyshannon at 8.30pm
Speaker: Michael McDonagh, Snr. ARCH., NRA
Title: "Ballyhanna - the story of a lost Church and its people."
Launch of the Donegal Annual
The Donegal County Manager, Mr. Michael McLoone, will be this year's Guest of Honour to launch the Donegal Annual on March 9th at 7p.m. in Jackson's Hotel, Ballybofey.
Mr. Sean Beattie and his editorial team have excelled themselves once again with this publication, one that is most eagerly awaited by everyone aware of the unique history of the county.
They say never to judge a book by its cover but disregard that proverb for this occasion. The cover has a wonderful sketch entitled, New Mill, Bunbeg, which appeared in, "Facts from Gweedore, useful hints for Donegal tourists." (Dublin, 1846).
As always, the Annual is aware of the huge geographical spread of the county and strives to encompass as much as possible each year. The following random selection of contents is ample evidence of the vastness and range of the topics included in the current publication.
The first article is by Brian Lacey on "Medieval Columban pilgrimages in Derry and
Donegal."
Donegal is linked with Tyrone in a feature by Sean Bonner on "The Herdmans of
Sion Mills and their connection with the Rosses."
Not too far from Sion Mills is Baronscourt, home of the Duke of Abercorn. Malcolm
Mc Clure writes about "The Duke of Abercorn's visit to Ardara."
Donegal is often flagged by tourists as a place of great peace and serenity. It
wasn't always so. Kenneth Dodds examines disturbances in Ballybofey, Stranorlar
and Donegal Town in 1898.
Ballybofey's forgotten poet, David B. Cunningham is the subject of Rev. Raymond
Blair's article.
One of our 2009 Field days was to Manor Vaughan as guests of the Hon. Hedley
Strutt and he contributes to the Annual this year with "A view from Manor Vaughan."
Most Field Days acknowledge the huge historical importance of the county's
churches and Rev. John R. Walsh puts the spotlight on one in Inishowen, "A glorious
treasury, the stained glass windows in the Church at Desertegney."
Helen Meehan goes to more distant shores for her research on "A Donegal writer in
Germany."
This is just a few of the many articles. In addition, there are the book reviews, Donegal Studies 2009, the Schools' Competition and Proceedings of the Society for the past year. So, the date for your diary is Tuesday, March 9th at 7 pm in Jackson's Hotel.
Archives
2009 news items can be found in Archives