tomorrow is the 87th anniversary of the michael collins assassanation-22nd august 1922 at beal na blath.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 21/08/2009 16:18:24    399337

a ya ollie, michael collins. a major figure in irish history. the only problem i have when i think about such great people i irish history is seeing liam neasons face as michael collins, similarly enough for scotish people i would suspect when they see mel gibson and then think of william wallace.!!!!!!!!

pridengalway (Galway) - Posts: 327 - 21/08/2009 16:31:31    399353

I know what your`e sayin Pride but I was in Clonakilty this summer and as youd expect in his home town you cant walk past a doorway without seeing his face , I mean Michael Collins not Liam Neeson , you understand.

gaelantrim (Antrim) - Posts: 1616 - 21/08/2009 17:59:13    399442

Just read all 17 pages of this thread, very interesting stuff, just wanted to add to inform snuff that there was a Rising in Dungannon as well in 1916 which also fell spectacularly short because of McNeills countermanding orders.

The more you know!

northernpower (Tyrone) - Posts: 40 - 22/08/2009 01:12:38    399679

William Sydney Clements became the Third Earl of Leitrim in 1854. Along with the title he inherited 90,000 acres of land spread across counties Leitrim, Donegal, Galway, and Kildare. In Donegal where he owned 55,000 acres of land people labelled him a ruthless tyrant for his countless evictions and his attacks on tenants' rights and abuse of his servants.
On Tuesday 2 April 1878. At 8:30 am Lord Leitrim set out from his house at Manorvaughan near Carrigart to travel into Milford a distance of about 6 miles. About three miles from Milford at Woodquarter on the shore of Mulroy Bay they were ambushed by two men. Lord Leitrim's two travelling companions were shot dead. Lord Leitrim was fatally struck on the head with the butt of the Gun.
Lord Leitrim would have been saved if he had of travelled with his police escort which was his custom however it was later revealed that all of the seven clocks in his house were one hour fast this resulting in him leaving his house one hour early.
Lord Leitrims body is in a white oak coffin which can be seen in St. Michans Crypt by the river Liffey

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 22/08/2009 10:25:01    399708

Its a popular myth that the GAA was founded in Hayes Hotel in Thurles. The truth is that it was first mooted as an organisation between Cusack and Nally in a meeting in the Phoenix Park some time before!

Dublin.....birthplace of the GAA!

Regards,

Snufalufagus.....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 26/08/2009 15:49:20    405006

The Sigerson Cup - the intervarsitys competition began in 1911.

The money used to buy the trophy was provided by Dr. Sigerson.

Dr. George Sigerson - translator and physician. Born Strabane, Co. Tyrone.
Professor of Botany, then Zoology at UCD.

In 1860 appeared his Poets and Poetry of Munster, a second series of texts and verse translations issued by John O'Daly.

His History of the Land Tenures and Land Classes of Ireland (1871) influenced Gladstone's thinking on Irish land reform.

Dr. Sigerson's major work was Bards of the Gael and Gall (1897), an anthology of Irish poetry in translation, arranged historically and prefaced by an introduction that presents the variety of Irish poetry across its different phases of development.

His bold contention in the preface that Irish poetry was a major European tradition in its own right influenced subsequent Irish literature in English and in Irish. Douglas Hyde, Thomas MacDonagh, Austin Clarke, Robert Farren (Ó Faracháin), F. R. Higgins, and John Montague were all indebted to him. The Easter Song of Sedulius (1922) is another translation.

Strabane Sigersons CLG is named in honour of this great Irishman.

lamhdearg (Tyrone) - Posts: 25 - 26/08/2009 16:53:27    405119

Its a popular myth that the GAA was founded in Hayes Hotel in Thurles. The truth is that it was first mooted as an organisation between Cusack and Nally in a meeting in the Phoenix Park some time before!

Dublin.....birthplace of the GAA!
Regards,
Snufalufagus.....Laochra Gael

Yawn, once heard it was founded in Loughrea another time heard it was Kilmallock. Every county wants to have founded the GAA. It was founded in Thurles and Thurles is the spiritual home of the GAA, best pitch, best atmosphere, the home of the GAA.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6490 - 26/08/2009 17:21:55    405175

Ramelton, is a small historical town in Donegal in North West Ireland. Ramelton has been given the status of a Heritage town. It was once the administrative centre of Donegal. It has the famed River Lennon running through it. It was the setting for the film "The Hanging Gale" which was set in the late 1800's. A family that lived in the village were James Gallagher and his wife, Maria McCloskie ( a teacher) who had eight sons and two daughters On of the sons ws christened David and his birth is recorded on a baptism certificate in the parish of Tullaughnish as 30th October, 1873 and he was baptized in the First Ramelton Meeting House on 8th January 1874. In 1878, the family joined hundreds of other Irish emigrants and embarked the Lady Jocelyn general screw steamship for a new life on the other side of the world under a scheme organised by George Stewart Vesey. The family settled at Katikati in the Bay of Plenty with many other Ulster families. It had initially been hoped that the family would set up a woollen business in New Zealand but their patron died unexpectedly and his successor did not support the initiative. The woman of the house had to subsequently become the chief breadwinner, teaching at the local school, but she developed cancer and died, leaving behind a young family. It is believed that one of the elder Gallaher sisters assumed the matriarchal role and it is unsurprising that young Dave Gallaher left Katikati at a relatively young age to find work in Auckland where he started playing rugby but ended up joining the army reaching the rank of sergeant major and fighting against the boers. In 1903 Gallagher returned to playing rugby and gained a place on the national team Gallaher was a capable performer, but it was his brilliance as a motivator that is more widely recalled. This was what helped him win the captaincy for the 1905 tour of Britain. It was the first time a national side had played the home nations (they also played in America and France) and it was on this tour that the All Blacks name was first heard. For this reason, Gallaher's side became known as the Original All Blacks. In essence, Gallaher strongly believed that forwards should be able to win possession, distribute it speedily and then support play around the field, interlinking with the backs. He was the finest exponent of the position of wing-forward position - dubbed 'The Rover' - which was invented in New Zealand. Gallaher finessed the role and brought the massive potential of its influence on the game to the disbelieving attention of the rugby world at large during the 1905 tour. Gallaher's team was also the first in world rugby to use the hooker to throw the ball into the line-out, to use code-words as signals for moves, to split the line out and throw the ball into the gap, and to use dummy runs. Most importantly, driven by Gallaher, they pioneered the blanket support of attack by forwards, something it took the best part of a century for the five nations teams to adopt. All Blacks rugby and blanket attack rather than defence were invented in North Donegal !!!

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 26/08/2009 18:52:32    405312

In the North Derry area, between the towns of Garvagh and Dungiven, a district known as Glenuilin (glen of the eagle) might give us a clue as to Dracula's origins. In the middle of a field in the remote townland of Slaughtaverty, is an area known locally as the 'Giant's Grave' but which may be more properly described as Leacht Abhartach (Abhartach's sepulchre). On the grave itself is a curling thorn bush under which lies a large and heavy stone.
During the fifth and sixth centuries, the Glenullin area was a patchwork of petty kingdoms, each with its own local ruler or 'king'. These kings may have been little more than tribal warlords and there is ample evidence of their rule, for the countryside is dotted with hill forts, ancient raths and early fortifications which marked their respective territories. Abhartach, according to tradition, was one of these chieftains.


Local descriptions of him vary. Some say that he was a dwarf, others that he was deformed in some way, but most agree that he was a powerful wizard and was extremely evil. So evil, in fact, that those over whom he ruled wished to get rid of him.


However, so terrified of him were they that they would not kill him themselves and so they persuaded another chieftain, Cathán, to perform the deed for them. Cathán slew Abhartach and buried him standing up in an isolated grave. However, the following day Abhartach returned, evil as ever and demanded a bowl of blood, drawn from the veins of his subjects, in order to sustain his vile corpse. In great terror, the people asked Cathán to slay him once more. This Cathán did, burying the corpse as before. But the following day, Abhartach returned again, demanding the same gory tribute from his people.


Cathán was puzzled and, depending upon the variant of the folktale, consulted either a local druid or an early Christian saint, as to why Abhartach could not be killed. Close by was said to have been the hermitage of a saint known as Eoghan or John who is credited with founding a place of Christian worship in the area (the site is still known as Churchtown although any related foundation has long since vanished). A 'footprint' on a stony prominence in the forest is also attributed to this saint and it is said that from here he flew from Gortnamoyah to say Mass in his own foundation. His name further appears in several local placenames -Killowen in Coleraine (about fifteen miles away) and Magilligan (about twenty miles away). It was to this saint that Cathán is believed to have gone. The venerable old man listened long and hard to the chieftain's tale.


'Abhartach is not really alive', he told the astonished Cathán. 'Through his devilish arts he has become one of the neamh-mhairbh [the undead]. Moreover, he is a dearg-dililat, a drinker of human blood. He cannot actually be slain but he can be restrained.' He then proceeded to give Cathán instructions as to how to 'suspend' the vampiric creature. Abhartach must be slain with a sword made from yew wood and must be buried upside down in the earth, thorns and ash twigs must be sprinkled around him and a heavy stone must be placed directly on top of him. Should the stone be lifted, however, the vampire would be free to walk the earth once more.

Cathán returned to Glenullin and did what the holy man told him. Abhartach was slain with a wooden sword and was buried upside down with thorns placed all around the gravesite. On top of the actual grave, Cathán built a great leacht or sepulchre which could be seen for miles around. This has now vanished but the stone remains and a tree, which grew from the scattered thorns, rises above it.

caughtredhanded (Tyrone) - Posts: 602 - 26/08/2009 22:05:46    405541

caughtredhanded thats the club Paddy Bradley plays for, Some of the finest gaels came out of that place

Orlaith (Derry) - Posts: 4282 - 26/08/2009 23:02:51    405653

Indeed it is my dear friend Orlaith. For anyone who cares to visit travel up the A29 through Maghera and Swatragh and take off left before you enter Garvagh. Have been meaning to put that story on for ages.

caughtredhanded (Tyrone) - Posts: 602 - 26/08/2009 23:30:18    405699

Very interesting read CRH, I am very familiar with the area and place names mentioned.

mugsys_barber (Tyrone) - Posts: 2160 - 26/08/2009 23:40:00    405714

There is a monument in the 'square' in Maynooth for a group of local Volunteers who left the town in 1916 to join the bucks of Dublin when the rising began. They formed up and went firstly to the Parish Priest (at the college) to get Gods blessing before marching to the city to get stuck in!

Regards,

Snufalufagus.....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 03/09/2009 17:01:25    414571

I must take a wee trip up to glenullin then:)

Orlaith (Derry) - Posts: 4282 - 03/09/2009 17:17:19    414595

Snufalufagus
County: Dublin
Posts: 1768

Where did the go in dublin??

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 03/09/2009 18:02:25    414650

There is a soccer club in Buenos Aires called Vélez Sarsfields named after a local lad whose family were Irish, and I think we all know who they were!!

Is there anywhere on this earth where Lucan boys are not at the forefront of everything!!

Regards,

Snufalufagus.....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 15/09/2009 15:22:14    426634

Lucan ??

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 15/09/2009 15:29:32    426642

Keep buying Erins Own lad and fair play to you for "being the longest poster" on the site

It is truly a privilege to have lived in the same era

Passer_By (Carlow) - Posts: 537 - 15/09/2009 16:45:37    426771

That proud Dubliner and Unionist, Edward Carson, was a member of Trinity Hurling club upon its foundation in 1879, thus predating the GAA. He played the game avidly during youthful summers spent with cousins in Tipperary and is even credited with writing part of the rules for the game

paddyogall (Mayo) - Posts: 5110 - 15/09/2009 19:12:43    426959