4/30/2014

Medieval Drogheda




Old Drogheda Society





Illustrated Lecture

Medieval Drogheda

by


Dr. Pat Dargan

in

In the Governor’s House Millmount

 


Tonight Wednesday 30th April 2014 @ 8 pm.
 
         
       This lecture will explore the foundation and development of medieval Drogheda. The lecture will include the ideas that underpinned the creation of the Norman town. It will explore the parts played by the founding Norman magnates, the medieval forms, spaces and architecture of the settlement, as well as the concept of Drogheda as a Medieval Town.
Dr. Pat Dargan is an architect and planner by profession with a special interest in the heritage aspects of Irish settlements. He has lectured and published extensively on Irish town and village development at both national and international level.
Bookstall on night.
 
Drogheda Museum
Millmount Governor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097
 

4/29/2014

Battle of Clontarf



Old Drogheda Society





Tomorrow: Wednesday April 30th @8pm  Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf 

Lecturer: Professor Seán Duffy TCD.

Venue: The Conyngham Arms Hotel, Slane, Co. Meath.

Hosts: Slane History & Archaeology Society.
 





Tomorrow: Wednesday April 30th @8pm The Battle of Clontarf 1014 

Lecturer: Prof. Colm Lennon (NUI Maynooth).

Venue: The Town Hall, Balbriggan. 

Hosts: Balbriggan & District Historical Society.





Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/28/2014

A Dail Girl’s Revolutionary Recollections


Old Drogheda Society




Tomorrow: Tuesday 29th April @ 7.30pm – A Dail Girl’s Revolutionary Recollections – Kathleen Napoli McKenna

A talk:  by Tim McKenna at Oldcastle Library.

Kathleen Napoli McKenna (1898-1988) was born in Oldcastle, to a strongly nationalist family, whose circle of friends included Arthur Griffith, Douglas Hyde, and the poet Brian O’Higgins. 

In 1921 she went to London for the Treaty negotiations as secretary to Arthur Griffith, head of the Irish Delegation. 

She later served as private secretary to Desmond Fitzgerald, Kevin O’Higgins and William Cosgrove. 

She resigned in 1931 to marry Capt Naopli, moving to Libya and Albania before settling in Italy. 

Her nephew Tim McKenna will speak about his aunt’s memoirs of those revolutionary years. 

Her memoirs were published by the family and the book will be available for sale on the night.


Drogheda Museum
Millmount Governor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/26/2014

Céilí House


Old Drogheda Society




Céilí House from RTE Radio 1 tonight at 9pm from Drogheda! 

With items from Drogheda Arts Festival Millmount Traditional Day (coming Sunday 4 May 2014) and Drogheda's pitch for the fleadh


Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/25/2014

Beyond The Grave


Old Drogheda Society



April 25th - 27th  Beyond the Grave - The social and physical acts surrounding burial and death in both modern and ancient Ireland.  Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, For further details click here.




Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/24/2014

A Meath man Down Under



Old Drogheda Society




Thursday 24th April @7.30pm - Meath Archaeological and Historical Society Annual General Meeting at Meath County Library, Navan. 

Lecture will follow AGM. From the Plains of the Royal County to the Western Australian Wheatbelt: A Meath man Down Under, Senator Paddy Lynch (1867-1944) 

Lecturer: Dr Danny Cusack.


Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

Tonight: Lecture will followFollowed by a lecture 'From the Plains of the Royal County to the Western Australian Wheatbelt: A Meath man Down Under, Senator Paddy Lynch (1867-1944)' by Dr Danny Cusack.



Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/22/2014

Golden Jubilee Dinner Reminder


Old Drogheda Society




The Old Drogheda Society will celebrate the Golden Jubilee of it's foundation in 1964, with a Golden Jubilee Dinner on this Thursday, April 24th in the Westcourt Hotel.

The hotel is anxious to get an idea of the numbers. If you haven't booked and intend going could you please contact our admin office on 041-9833097 or e-mail info@droghedamuseum.ie  


Tickets (€20)  can be collected at the door on the night.




Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/15/2014

Whatever happened to the `Bullring`?


Old Drogheda Society




Community Historian Brendan Matthews regales ODS readers and guests another little gem plucked from the archives.

The Bullring, a well known place-name in Drogheda, situated south of St. Mary’s bridge at the bottom of Shop St, dissected by John St. and the Marsh Road and bounded on the south and west by James’s St. and the dual carriageway.

4/14/2014

Old Drogheda Society Celebrates its Golden Jubilee



Old Drogheda Society






OLD DROGHEDA GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION


The Old Drogheda Society, with many members in County Meath, is fifty years old. The Society is a vibrant, energetic organisation dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the history and heritage of the town for the benefit of its citizens and for the entertainment and enlightenment of the many visitors that it attracts from all over the world. 


From its foundation a half century ago, it has grown into one of the most active and successful local history societies in the country and is regarded as a role model for community organisations. To mark this milestone the Society will hold a Golden Jubilee Dinner on Thursday April 24th in the Westcourt Hotel.

The inaugural meeting of the Old Drogheda Society was held on the 17th April 1964 when a group of citizens came together, fired by concern for the preservation of Drogheda's historical monuments and determined to collect, preserve, interpret and display historical material relating to the town & surrounding areas.

The formation of the society was initiated by Hugh McCabe, a member of the Old Dublin Society and a military historian with many connections to Drogheda. A meeting was called to form a historical society and the first elected committee consisted of Hon President – Joseph Carr, Hon Vice Presidents – Thomas Markey and Patrick L Cooney. Chairperson – Liam O’Reilly, Secretary – Moira Corcoran, Treasurer – William E Berney.

The general committee consisted of Alderman Peter Moore, Mayor of Drogheda, Cllr Pat Carr, Bernard Anderson, Caithlin Ni Cairbre, Maeve Mullen, Molly Reid, Sean Corcoran, Dominic McQuillan, James Garry and Cecil Pobjoy.


On April 28th 1974 the society achieved one of its key objectives when it opened a museum in a vacant house in Millmount. Though the museum has since relocated across the courtyard in Millmount, it is widely regarded as one of the leading independent community museums in Ireland. Indeed it the first and, to date, the only voluntary- managed museum in the country to be awarded Full Accreditation status by the Heritage Council.

In 1976 the Society published its first journal, which had had just 28 pages with articles by Mary Delany, Sean O’Sullivan, Anne Crilly, Moira Corcoran, Mary Malone and Patrick L Cooney. Publication of the Journal is now an annual event and is one of the highlights of the year.


Today the Society’s activities and events are many and varied. With the objective of “Learning with Fun” it runs a series of Spring and Autumn lectures, evening outings to places of local historic interest during the summer months, an annual day away and weekend away to places of historic interest. It also organises the prestigious John Boyle O’Reilly Autumn School, an annual Traditional Day in conjunction with the Drogheda Arts Festival, an open day under the banner of Irish Walled Towns Day and a Schools Education Programme for local schools.


Over the years the society has published more than 30 books and oversees the running of the museum, which attracts thousands of visitors each year. This year over 2,000 visitors from North America, on CIE International Tours will avail of walking tours of historic Drogheda, provided by museum guides.

The Jubilee Dinner will be an evening of great craic and entertainment, with several surprise guests celebrating the exciting journey so far and looking forward to the future. It will be a trip down memory lane illustrated by music, song, stories and a specially prepared audiovisual display. Among the contributors to the entertainment will be some of those who participated not only at the 25th anniversary celebration but even some who were present at the founding meeting.

All, whether members, past members or not yet members, are welcome to this evening of celebration. Tickets for the event, costing €20, are on sale from Drogheda Museum Millmount and Drogheda Tourist Office.
 


Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/12/2014

Brian Boru of Clare

Old Drogheda Society





Tonight: Saturday 12th April @7:30pm 

Lecture: Delivered by Séamus Mac Gabhann: Brian Boru of Clare: over-king of Meath and Emperor of the Irish. 

Later: Fíor-Chéili. 

Venue Duleek Parish Hall, Duleek, Co. Meath. 

Organising body:  Cairde Rince Céilí na hÉireann 


Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/11/2014

No Parking Please


Old Drogheda Society



The Millmount Archaeological Remote Sensing (MARS) Project

Tomorrow morning, Saturday, April 12th, from 8 am until 12 noon, as part of the above project, the team will be in the courtyard in Millmount using  geophysical techniques including ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography, seismic tomography and  microgravity.

We are requesting that no cars be parked in the courtyard from 8 am until 12 noon. It is expected that the work will be completed by 12 noon and there will be no restrictions in the afternoon.      


Drogheda Museum Millmount
Governor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/10/2014

Welcome to `Collier Country`.



Old Drogheda Society



Community Historian Brendan Matthews with another in a run of his stories that bring local history to life.


Throughout the summer months of 1796, the following notice was posted up within the town of Drogheda, along with appearing in the Drogheda Journal newspaper.

I have received information on oath, that John Bynge, alias George Mortimer was one of the persons concerned in robbing his majesty’s mail and that he is lurking in the suburbs of this town. Bynge, alias Mortimer is about 5ft 6in tall, with sandy hair, fair complexion and lightly built. When last seen, he was wearing a brown overcoat, blue body coat, red waistcoat, corduroy breeches and white stockings.


The notice was signed by the Mayor of Drogheda, George Evans and it carried a reward of 30 guineas. At the time this highwayman was, `lurking in the suburbs of Drogheda`, a young 16 year old lad, by the name of Michael Collier was about to embark on a similar conquest of highway robbery.

Michael Collier was born at Lisdornan, Co. Meath, less than 5 miles south west of Drogheda in 1780 and he became the last of the great highwaymen of Ireland in the later 18th and early 19th century. Loved, feared and respected, Collier was a man of the poor and stories of his exploits abound. He died of the dreaded cholera disease in 1849 and was laid to rest in the Cord burial ground in Drogheda.

Michael Collier however, was not the only member of his family to take to the highways in such a daring fashion. His younger brother, Richard, was also charged with the highway robbery of a farmer named Patrick Downey, just outside Drogheda in January 1834. In an attempt to protect his property, Patrick Downey used a pitchfork, which he reportedly thrust into the hat of Richard Collier.

Collier was eventually arrested on the Platten road and the hat he was wearing when he was apprehended was perforated with holes, such as Downey previously described he had made. On Tuesday 25th February, 1834, Richard Collier was found guilty of highway robbery and received a sentence of `transportation for life`.

The original Collier homestead at Lisdornan was situated overlooking beautiful green pastures that now forms part of the M1 motorway and within sight of an area that is now known as the Drogheda Toll Booth.

In the days of Michael and Richard Collier and indeed John Bynge, alias George Mortimer, a similar toll was paid on major highways that were known as `Turnpike` or toll roads, which were in use from 1729 until 1856. Often when the `Gentry had paid the road toll they would be met with yet another tax, in the form of a highwayman, who would gladly relieve them of more booty, thus making the rest of their journey a little lighter; although perhaps with a heavy heart.

The majority of motorists who pay through the Drogheda toll booths today would be unaware that they are travelling through the ancient townland of Lisdornan, home of the Collier brothers. And a commemorative statue of Michael Collier would perhaps have been a more suitable piece of Art along the M1, than the, “disappearing lights” at nearby Kilsharvan!

Stop and deliver to the Drogheda toll booth doesn’t have the same appeal or romanticism as, “Stand and deliver to Collier” either, but at least if you were to encounter the latter, in his day, he had the decency to wear a mask.


Welcome to Collier Country.


Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/09/2014

4,500 Year Old Finds - Lough Corrib, Galway







There have been a series of very important Viking artifacts and Bronze Age & Iron Age log boats, including one vessel dating back 4,500 years, found in Lough Corrib, Co. Galway.

Three of the Viking battle axes recovered will form the centre-pieces of the National Museum's Battle of Clontarf Exhibition which is opening tonight.

For full details, click here: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/log-boat-dating-back-4-500-years-found-in-lough-corrib-1.1754885

And here: http://www.thejournal.ie/vikings-artefacts-found-in-lough-corrib-1406103-Apr2014/

4/08/2014

The Loss of the Mary Stoddart



Old Drogheda Society



Tomorrow: Wednesday 9th April @8pmThe loss of the Mary Stoddart in Dundalk Bay – April 1858 

Lecturer: Local historian, Charley McCarthy.

Venue: The County Museum, Dundalk.
  
This event involved a week long series of heroic rescue attempts and the sad loss of life commemorated in the town by the fine Kelly monument in Roden Place. 

This event is organised by The Old Dundalk Society.




Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

St Colum Cille and the Oldest Literature in the Irish Language.


Old Drogheda Society




Tomorrow: Wednesday 9th April @8pm St Colum Cille and the oldest literature in the Irish language. 

Lecturer:  Jacopo Bisagni.

Venue:  The Lismullin Institute

Admission: €5 Including refreshments. 

The first historical mention of Skreen occurs in the year 974. The name Skreen derives from ‘The shrine of St. Colum Cille’. The early Irish poem Amrae Coluimb Chille (Eulogy of Saint Colum Cille) is traditionally considered to be one of the earliest complete literary texts composed in the Irish language, being usually dated to the years immediately following Colum Cille's death in AD 597. However it appears that things may be much more complex, in this lecture, a series of new hypotheses will be presented in regard to the date, process of composition, and transmission of the Amrae.



Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/07/2014

Celebrate the ODS Golden Jubilee









The inaugural meeting of the Old Drogheda Society



was held on the 17th April 1964.


To mark this historic event


the Society will hold a celebration dinner


in the Westcourt Hotel on


April 24th 2014.


Come and join us


for a trip down memory lane with


music and song.


Non members welcome


Tickets €20.00


Further details to follow

4/04/2014

Birth of Aviation in Ireland



 
Old Drogheda Society



announces A Moylagh Historical Society event.

Tonight: Friday 4th April @8pm.

Lecture:  Patrick Donoghue, retired pilot Air Corps and Air Lingus, delivers The Birth of Aviation in Ireland.

Venue: Moylagh Community Centre.

Subscription: €5.




Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/03/2014

Drogheda Samba Festival Table Quiz

 
 
Old Drogheda Society



Announcement from Drogheda on the Boyne Tourism, Drogheda Tourist Office, The Tholsel,
West Street, Drogheda, tourism@drogheda.ie

Tonight: Thursday April 3rd Drogheda Samba Festival Table Quiz.

Venue:  Foley's Trinity Street @ 9pm.

Table of Four € 40 - Individuals catered for - Free Finger Food and free Drogheda Samba Festival teeshirts for first 10 teams to register.

For the past 20 years, Drogheda Samba Festival has been an important part of Drogheda's drive to attract visitors to the town, with many overseas visitors joining people from various parts of Ireland and locals for a three day celebration of Latin Music.

The festival gave a welcome economic boost and provided a great atmosphere on the streets of the town.

Because of cuts in funding and sponsorship there is a real danger that unless this shortfall is made up by fundraising that the festival may not go ahead this year and the organisers are hoping that Drogheda people will respond to their appeal to support this important fundraiser.

Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

Separate Lectures on the Romans and Michael Collins



Tonight: Thursday 3rd April @7pm The Romans in Ireland by Dr Ger Dowling (Discovery Programme) at St Columban's College, Dalgan Park. 

A Meath Archaeological and Historical Society event.

Tonight: Thursday 3rd April @7pm ‘as nothing has moved her in living memory: mourning and burying Michael Collins' by Dr. Anne Dolan, Trinity College Dublin.

Latest @ 1142 am. The Meath Archaeological and Historical Society regret that the talk scheduled for tonight 3rd April 'The Romans in Ireland' has  been postponed and rescheduled to Thursday 11th December @ 7.30pm at Dalgan Park. This arose because of an over sight in the booking arrangements for this talk. MHAS regret any inconvenience caused.
 

Lecture in the Milestone Gallery, Glasnevin Cemetery Museum. Tickets €10. To book please For further information contact the Museum at 01 882655001 8826550 or email: booking@glasnevintrust.ie 

For further lectures see Glasnevin Cemetery Museum website.


Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/02/2014

Miss Parnell - The Uncrowned Queen of Ireland.



Community Historian Brendan Matthews with another of his illuminating local history pieces that bring to life our past.

Sunday morning, 8th May 1881 and the final touches are being put in place throughout the streets of Drogheda in preparation for the arrival of Miss Anna Parnell, president of the National Ladies Land League and sister of Charles Stuart Parnell.

The principal streets were highly decorated with the flowers of early summer, while a large number of banners from the various guilds of the town were arched over the streets.

Charles Stuart Parnell had advised his sister to set up the Ladies National Land League a couple of months earlier, when he and his fellow men realised that their own movement was to be suppressed and imprisonment was imminent.

By the time Miss Parnell arrived by train, the streets of Drogheda were thronged with thousands of people from the town and countryside, to honour this great woman and to show their support for her fight against the unjust treatment of the labouring tenants of Ireland by an alien establishment and dominant landlordism.

Shortly before lunchtime, Miss Parnell stepped off the train and was greeted by the people amidst loud cheering and applause. The West gate, Greenhills and the Marsh Fife and Drum bands were also in attendance and played a selection of Irish Airs.

Miss Kirk, president of the Drogheda Ladies Land League then stepped forward and presented Miss Parnell with a bouquet of flowers, before the long procession left the railway station for West Street, led by the various trade bodies with their beautiful banners, which were reported to have been the, `richest and most artistically painted in Ireland.`

After Miss Parnell had lunched at the White Horse Hotel she made her way among the ever swelling crowd to the Mall on the North Quay. She had come to Drogheda to address a meeting of the executive of the ladies land league in Mayoralty House, but before going into the meeting she did address the huge crowd briefly and, in thanking the people of Drogheda for their support, she stated that she would be staying the night in Drogheda, as she was attending an eviction of a tenant family at Gormanston the next day.

Among the local women who also attended the executive meeting were, the Misses Johnson, Miss Malone, Mrs. Burke, the Misses Elcock, Miss Smith and Miss Tighe.

Anna Parnell became such a driving force behind the Land League movement, with strong militant tendencies, that by the end of the summer of 1881 the British Government began to panic and viewed the women as a threat in a growing rebellion.

Irish politicians also saw the Ladies Land League as a danger to their plans and, after the "Kilmainham Treaty" Charles Stuart Parnell agreed to suppress the Land League as a whole and in 1882 it was dissolved.

Anna Parnell was furious with her brother and they never spoke to each other again.

She retreated to Cornwall and lived under an assumed name until her death in 1911 in a swimming accident, and her death went unnoticed, due to her false identity.

In 1904 she had written an account of what happened in 1881-82, which she titled, The Great Sham, in which she slammed the male leaguers of the movement and this manuscript lay undetected until 1986.

Many of her brother’s close associates also secretly revealed that, 'Anna Parnell would have worked the revolution to a much better conclusion than her brother.`!

We should never forget the `uncrowned Queen of Ireland`.



Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097

4/01/2014

Quietly






Julitta Clancy of the Meath Peace Group with some information about a about a play in the Solstice Arts Centre, Navan later today and tomorrow


Hello there,


Quietly - award-winning play addressing reconciliation in the North comes to Navan.

Your group may be interested to hear about Quietly, an award-winning play from the Abbey Theatre on Tour which will run at Solstice Arts Centre in Navan on Tues 1 & Wed 2 April. This work by Belfast writer Owen McCafferty and addresses peace and reconciliation in the North. It is a powerful story about truth and forgiveness which has already won three major awards.

I would be very grateful if you could forward this information to anyone in the Meath area that you think might be interested in attending. Please find link to review and trailer videos below. All details are on the poster attached. Tickets are €20/€18 and group discounts are available at Box Office.

Drogheda Museum
MillmountGovernor's House,
Millmount,
Drogheda
0419833097