Ballyshannon Musings
Monday 13 March 2023
Wednesday 16 March 2022
Ballyshannon Memories of St. Patrick's Day 2022
Limited edition quality hardback with dust jacket as above available in A Novel Idea and Local Hands Ballyshannon and Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town.Also available signed copies, and inscriptions, for postage or collection from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.comTopics include: How to go about Tracing your Roots/The first settlers in the area/ Newly researched history of the town of Ballyshannon and the townlands in Kilbarron and Mágh Éne parishes/ Records of the first travellers and tourists to Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Belleek, Rossnowlagh and Ballintra/An aerial guide to place names along the Erne from Ballyshannon to the Bar/Flora and Fauna of the area/ 5 Members of Parliament from Ballyshannon/ A history of buildings and housing estates in the locality/Graveyard Inscriptions from the Abbey graveyard, St. Joseph’s and St. Anne’s /Rolling back the years with many memories of the Great Famine, Independence struggle, hydro-electric scheme, Gaelic games, boxing, handball, Boy Scouts, soccer, mummers, characters, organisations, folklore and lots more.
Thursday 15 April 2021
On this day 90 years ago a rare event remembered by a Ballyshannon woman.
St. Joseph's Church with the Fr. Tierney Memorial visible inside the railing to the left of front door |
Memorial to Fr. Tierney in St. Joseph's Church |
Limited edition quality hardback with dust jacket as above available in A Novel Idea and Local Hands Ballyshannon and Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town. Also available signed copies, and inscriptions, for postage or collection from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com |
Saturday 3 April 2021
On this day 90 years ago a rare event remembered by a Ballyshannon woman.
St. Joseph's Church with the Fr. Tierney Memorial visible inside the railing to the left of front door |
Memorial to Fr. Tierney in St. Joseph's Church |
Limited edition quality hardback with dust jacket as above available in A Novel Idea and Local Hands Ballyshannon and Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town. Also available signed copies, and inscriptions, for postage or collection from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com |
Wednesday 17 March 2021
Ballyshannon Memories on St. Patrick's Day
Rag Tree at St. Patrick's Well Ballyshannon |
Happy St. Patrick's Day to those at home and away with Ballyshannon connections or interests. Nostalgic memories today include customs and cures at St. Patrick's Well, photos of the town band on St. Patrick's Day and remembering the man from California who gave St. Patrick's statue to our town.
The present St. Patrick's Well in Ballyshannon was opened in 1929 although pilgrims had visited the site to worship for hundreds of years.
"Pray for the Donor" inscription on statue of St. Patrick. Donor revealed below. |
Rag Tree at St. Patrick's Well |
Ballyshannon Brass and Reed Band at St. Patrick's Well in 1947 Front (l.to r.) Cyril Curran, Leo Masterson (young boy), John McCafferty Middle Row: Freddie McDonagh, Patsy O' Donnell, Sean Fox, Jim Dolan, P.J. Goan, Tom Gallagher, Jim Gallagher, Jimmy Daly. Back Row: Bob Gallagher, Jim Gallagher, James Gallogley, Packie McIvor, Jimmy McNulty, John Davy, Pat McGahern, Seamus Gallagher, Jimmy Coughlin. |
Ballyshannon Band at Sligo Parade St. Patrick's ' Day 1979 Front (l.to r.) Padraig McGarrigle, Danny McGeever, Seamus Gallagher, Bob Gallagher Second Row (l.to r.) Jack Grimes, Packie Gallagher, Jimmy Rafferty, Francis Gallagher, Tom Gallagher, Anthony Begley, James Hoey Third Row (l.to r.) Mickie Gallagher, Fergus Lawlor, Michael Dalton, P.J. Goan, Jim Gallagher Fourth Row Eamon Gallagher, Cecil Stephens, Michael Gallagher, Eugene McLoughlin John McGahern. |
Band members at St. Patrick's Day Parade Donegal Town 2012 (l.to r.) Danny Carron, Anthony Begley, Tom Gallagher, Michael Donagher |
Tuesday 9 March 2021
On Ths Day. A Memorable Event in Ballyshannon with Rare Photographs
Sean T. O Kelly at the opening of Falgarragh Park in March 1936. The Sheil Hospital in the background. Local men have a grandstand view from the wall of the Sheil Hospital. |
Do you recognise any local people in these 3 rare quality photographs at the opening of the biggest housing story in Ballyshannon on the 9th March 1936? The opening was beside the Sheil Hospital which will be the biggest building project in our lifetimes. Next blog will be on St. Patrick's Day.
The second largest housing scheme in the Ulster counties of Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan was opened at Falgarragh Park Ballyshannon by Sean T.O’Kelly, Minister for Local Government and Public Health on Monday 9th March 1936. Mr. O’Kelly had played an important role in the 1916 Rising, twenty years before, and was later to become the second President of Ireland. On his visit he firstly inspected the new housing scheme at East Rock which had recently been built on the site of the Rock Barracks. Fr. Timoney blessed the houses and the Minister inspected and complimented the workmanship in their construction. He then visited the Mall Hosiery where the proprietor Mr. Swan presented him with a beautiful cardigan made in the factory. He also visited the Mall Quay and surrounding areas where he praised the new seating, shelter and dance platform recently completed as part of the Town Improvement Scheme. He also visited the Mall Laundry where he was welcomed by the proprietors Mr. & Mrs. M. Ward.
This was the end of the era of thatched houses in Ballyshannon in what is known as The Ballyshannon Clearances when sub-standard houses were replaced by new houses.
Sean T.O' Kelly cutting the tape. On extreme left is Cecil Stephens Town Clerk, Dean McGinley is on the right of Sean T. O' Kelly and Major Myles T.D. is on the left in the light coloured coat. |
Limited edition quality hardback with dust jacket as above available in A Novel Idea and Local Hands Ballyshannon and Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town. Also available signed copies, and inscriptions, for postage or collection from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com |