A Unique Diary of Ballyshannon Life in the 1840s

Some years ago, in Ballyshannon, a dusty bundle of papers was discovered inside an old piano. It was a diary, written by a young Ballyshannon woman, Mary Anne Sheil, during the years 1844 to 1848, a diary that, today, opens a window on to Ballyshannon’s living past.

Mary Anne was a daughter of Doctor Simon Sheil, land agent for the Conolly estates and holder of fishing rights on the river Erne. Her mother, Alicia O’Conor, was sister of the O’Conor Don, and lineal descendant of Roderic, last high king of Ireland. 

Life in the Big House

The diary begins in 1844 when both parents are already deceased. Mary Anne and her sisters have assumed housekeeping duties for their brother Simon who, like his father, is a doctor. The girls take turns to supervise domestic staff, keep accounts and receive visitors. However life is not all duty and so there are piano lessons with Mr. Walton Roberts from London who also teaches them to dance the polka and the waltz. Old Halloween on the 11^th of November, sees the family playing parlour games. Mary Anne records: “Julia, Catherine and I put apple peels over the door. Thady Carmichael came under the first, Owen Kean, the second, and the Rev. Coyle under mine, as if to prove its veracity.”

The Circus arrives in Ballyshannon 1844

The arrival of the circus on the 1^st of July 1844 throws Ballyshannon into a state of excitement. There is a circus parade and Mary Anne finds the scene in front of Sheil House “equal to Donnybrook Fair” with jugglers, tumblers, people riding on stilts, dancers,” and seven pairs of beautiful horses. An announcement that Hughes’s Modern Roman Amphitheatre of Arts is to perform next day at the circus ring on the Mall, and that the largest elephant in the world will be there, prompts Mary Anne and her sisters to bring a small boy for a sneak preview. The diary records “a peep through a keyhole” and a glimpse of the elephant which the small boy “particularly enjoys.” 

Poverty and Emigration  from the Mall Quay

However the 1840s are not only a time for circuses. A visit to the workhouse fills Mary Anne with dismay and she writes, “To the poorhouse we went. Oh! What a misery is in this world. I would pray never to die in a Poorhouse.” She is saddened too by the departure of emigrants and records:

We went to the Dungravin Hills to see the ship sailing off to America with 90 passengers from this town and neighbourhood for the Land of Liberty. They had music, which in some degrees removed the sadness of the scene, as they only played merry airs. Anne Rogers has been in floods of tears all this day after Susan Magrath who is gone.

Two Wedding Ceremonies

When a suitor enters Mary Anne’s life, she is reluctant to confide in her diary, telling us only that she “forgot to mention a remarkable event of yesterday, which was that Mr. John Allingham of Willybrook House sent us his picture to look at. Mr. J. Allingham surprised me in the garden, where we had a long walk. He said a great deal. I listened and said nothing.”

Mr. Allingham proposed marriage and Mary Anne accepted. He gave his betrothed a present of a starling in a cage and shortly afterwards they were married with two wedding ceremonies, one Catholic and one Protestant because theirs was a mixed marriage. Their four children were born during the terrible Famine years that followed and the young parents were fearful for the health of their babies, especially Alice, the youngest, who had to be vaccinated three times. 

A Window on Life in Ballyshannon in the 19th Century

Mary Anne writes less often in her diary now as family cares take precedence and eventually it comes to an end with the lines:

I should be very fond of this Journal, for often when I have set to it with a heavy heart, I have risen from it quite consoled.

And so our window on mid-nineteenth century Ballyshannon closes. 

I am ever for dear sweet Ireland in general, but Ballyshannon in particular

Mary Anne once wrote, leaving us to wonder whether she had any inkling, as she put pen to paper, that she was bequeathing a valuable historical legacy to her beloved town.

Radio Broadcast: This week's blog above contains the script of a Sunday Miscellany piece I researched  for RTE national radio a few years ago.





50% Reduction on postage for orders for this book to all destinations. Genuine special offer. 

Ideal local gift for Christmas and all special occasions. 

Contact anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com for further details and for orders of the book.

Signed hard back and soft back books available at special  price for postal delivery or collection. 





A New Local History Book suitable for those at Home and Away

A new book entitled: "Ballyshannon. Genealogy and History" reveals newly researched history and genealogy of the town, extending as far as the Rossnowlagh, Cashelard, Corlea, Clyhore, Higginstown and Finner areas. Includes the parishes of Kilbarron and Magh Ene.

The genealogy material provides detailed guidelines for anyone tracing their roots in the area or anywhere in County Donegal or Ireland. 

The book contains 500 pages and is richly illustrated with stunning colour, aerial photography, original illustrations and rare photographs of the area not seen before.

Topics 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/ 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.

Book Available from Anthony Begley West Rock Ballyshannon. anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com  Enquiries welcome for postal and other details. Also available at The Novel Idea Bookshop Ballyshannon, Ballyshannon and District Museum, Ballyshannon Tourist Office, The Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town.

The blogs are original and are not taken from the book above.

Final  Blog

7th September Complete Guide to Ballyshannon Musings 2012-2013

The blog archive of Ballyshannon Musings will still be available to read on the internet.

Ballyshannon Musings:  Good to hear that people connected to the Ballyshannon area enjoyed the blog worldwide and the site received thousands of hits. The site is called Ballyshannon Musings and there are a number of back issues available on the internet. Copy this link and it can be googled at http://ballyshannon-musings.blogspot.ie/ 

Ballyshannon a Market Town in Famine Times

 A directory of 1846 described the harbour at Ballyshannon where the sandbar was a hindrance for shipping and  the famous Assaroe waterfall  which was a very popular salmon leap. Ballyshannon was a prosperous market town at the outbreak of the Famine with the newly opened workhouse in 1843 serving a wide area  in Fermanagh, Leitrim and south Donegal..The directory also indicated ways in which the commercial life of the town could be improved including the provision of a canal to link with Lough Erne and a railway. A suggestion is made that the celebrated comic dramatist,George Farquhar was a native of Ballyshannon but Derry would also lay claim to this  dramatist whose work is still popular today. Further research required on his birthplace but you never know what a serious research might turn up.

A Market Town

 Ballyshannon as a market town held a weekly Friday market for grain and agricultural produce. Fairs were held on the second of each month with annual fairs on February 15th, September 18th, and December 18th. In 1841 the parish of Kilbarron had a population of 10,027;  the parish of Inismacsaint had a population of 14,693 inhabitants. and Ballyshannon town, which was partly in both parishes, had a population of 3,513 of these numbers.The Post Office in 1846 was located in the  Port where John  O’ Donnell was postmaster. 

The range of crafts and industries listed in Slater’s Directory, reveals a thriving commercial town prior to the Famine. It was to be another twenty one years before the Great Northern Railway opened in the town and brought with it mixed blessings. It did provide an opportunity to get goods transported to the markets including fish and agricultural produce. However imports of mass produced goods from the factories created by the  Industrial  Revolution  was to sound the death knell for a lot of small enterprises listed below which could not compete. 

Pioneers

James McGowan whose ship the Mayflower traded to St. John New Brunswick in Canada is listed as a timber merchant as is James Creden who was the builder of the workhouse and who had Creden's Quay named after him at the harbour. The first newspaper in County Donegal was the Ballyshannon Herald on the Mall in 1831 but by 1846 it had moved premises to Castle street with David Carter as editor. Listed amongst the physicians are Simon Sheil (senior) and his son by his first marriage John Barclay Sheil. His son by his second marriage Dr. Simon Sheil (junior) is remembered in the Sheil Hospital which he endowed. There were 25 licensed premises in the town along with Kelly's Brewery and Benison's Distillery. Lots of tailors and milliners to make and repair clothes which had to make do for a lot longer in those days.Candlemakers also provided light before the days of Miller's Gas works and  Myles' electricity.

. 
Gentry and Clergy per Slater's Directory

Allingham Edwd. Esq. J.P. Stonewald ,Allingham John, Esq. Willybrook, Allingham Robert, Esq. Willybrook Atkinson Thomas John, Esq. J.P.Cavangarden. Bloomfield John, Esq. J.P. Castlecaldwell Brady Patrick, Esq. Rockfield Cassidy Rev . Charles, Melvin Cottage Conolly Colonel Edward Michael, M.P. The Cliff Conolly William Esq. J.P. Mount Prospect Cotton Francis R. Esq. Higginstown Cullen Curnes Cross, Esq. Loughmaron House Cummins Rev. John, P.P. Kilbarron Davis Matthew, Esq. J.P. Main St. Dixon John, Esq. Tawley Dunbar Rev. John, Bundoran Dundas Mr. John, Main St. Ellis Rev. – Cockstown Erskine Wm. Esq. Ballahaney Cottage Fawsset Mrs. – Rowantree Hill Folingsby Joseph, Esq. Main St. Forde Captain – Bundoran Forde Mr. Francis, Chapel St. Franklin Lieut. Robert, College Lane Hales Rev. Edward, Mount Prospect Hamilton Abraham, Esq. BrownHall Hamilton Alexr. Esq. Cockstown Hamilton  Andrew, Esq. Ballintra Hamilton John, Esq. Cockstown Hamilton William, Esq. Cockstown Harding Captain John, Mall Johnston Capt. Jas. Kinlough House Johnston James, Esq. J.P. Magheramena House Johnston Robert, Esq. LaputaJohnston Robt. Esq. Kinlough House

Merchants

Allingham Robt. & John, Willybrook Chism Edward, Main st. Creden James, Port, and Enniskillen Green Andrew, Main St. Green John, Main St. McGowan James, Port

Milliners& Dressmakers

Gibson  Betsy, Main St. Gill Mary, College st. Gouldin  Elizabeth, Main st. Hicks Mary Ann, Rock Irvine Mary, Mall Keenan Elizabeth, Port Mc Bride Rachael, Main St. Mc Closkey Elizabeth, Port Murphy Catherine, Bachelor’s Walk

Music Teachers

Haggerty Lawrence, Chapel St. Kenny Elizabeth Johnston, Castle St.

Newspaper

Ballyshannon Herald (Friday) – Castle St – David Carter,  proprietor

Painters & Glaziers

Daly Edward, Main St. Heavy Joseph, Main St. Killen William, Main St.

Physicians& Surgeons

 Brien Edwd. Henry,  H.P. R.N. Castle St. Ivers Daniel, Castle St Kelly Edward, M.D. Main St. O’Donnell John, H. Port Shiel John Barclay, M.D. Bachelor’s Walk Shiel Simon, M.D. College Lane Thompson William, Castle St. Welsh John, M.D. Mall

Provision Merchants

Chism Edward, Main St. Green Andrew, Main St.

Public Houses

Bell William, Diamond Bidwell William, Diamond Corscaden James, Back St. Daly Francis, Bishop St. Donoghue Matthew, Main St. Edwards Robert, Bishop St. Gallaher Eliza, Port Gallaher Michael, Port Irwin Francis, Port Keenan James, Port Kelly James, Port Mc Cabe Charles, Port Mc Gowan Thomas, Market St. Mc Hughes Owen, Market St. McIntire James, Main St.

Mc Shea Daniel, Port McVitty William, Market St. Maguire Constantine, Port Maguire Philip, Port Mulhern Ann, Market St. O’Connor John, Port Sharkey Patrick, Main St. White Bryan, Diamond 

Rope& Twinemakers

 Anderson Finley, Port Joyce Michael, Main St. Mc Gloin James, Main st.

Saddlers Harness Makers

Dundas Hugh, Main St. Kirkpatrick John, Port

Salt Manufacturers

Green John, Port Teevan Andrew, Port

Straw Bonnet Makers

Mc Closkey Elizabeth Port Mc Gowan Bridget, Market St. White Bridget, Port Wilson Mary, Port

Surveyors- Land

Kelly John C. Mall Kelly Patrick, Bachelor’s Walk

Tailors

Campbell James, Castle St. Flanaghan Terence, Port Flynn William, Port Hare John, Port Higgins Edward, Market St. Irvine Henry, Mall Keane Hugh, Mall Keenan Francis, Port Matherwell Robert, Port Wilson James, Main St.

Tallow Chandlers  and Soap Boilers

Anderson Lowry, Market St. Green Finlay (and tobacco and snuff manufacturer) Main St. Maguire Bryan, Diamond Thompson George, Market St.

Tanners

Bonner John, Chapel St. Boyle John, Port Sharkey John, Main St.

Tea Dealers Wholesale

Green Andrew, Main St. Read Joseph, Main St. Stephens Hugh, Castle St.

Timber Merchants

Creden James (and slate, iron and coal), Port, and Enniskillen Green Andrew, Main St. Green John, Port McGowan Jas. (& slate & coal), Port

Wine& Spirit Merchants

Benison James & Co. (spirit, and distillers), Port Cockburn Walker, Main St. Kelly  Peter (& brewer & maltstr) Mall Stephens Hugh, Castle St.

Miscellaneous

Brown James, pawnbroker, Chapel St. Carolan John, hairdresser, Back St. Carter David, printer, bookseller andstationer, Castle street Craig Christopher, excise officer, Mall Gearon Edward, excise officer, Main St. Griffin Charles, supervisor of excise, Mall Johnston Frederick s. excise officer, Mall Kenny Robert, watch and clock maker,Castle St. McCullagh Henry, hairdresser, College St. Myles Robert, dyer, Port Sterrett Samuel, plumber, Main St. Stubbs Thomas T. bank accountant, Mall Sweeny Frances, stay maker, Main St. Walsh John, blacking manufacturer, Bishop st.

Places of Worship And their Ministers

Parish Church, Church lane –Rev. George Tredennick, rector; Rev. Henry C. Tuthill, curate. Roman Catholic Chapel, Chapel St. – Rev .John Cummins, parish priest: Rev. Daniel Coyle and Rev. John Mc Menamin, curates. Roman Catholic Chapel, Carrickboy – Rev. Bernard Kelly, parish priest: Rev. Edward Keon, curate. Presbyterian Chapel, Mall – Rev. Andrew Lowry, minister Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Mall, ministers various. Primitive Methodist Chapel, Main St.

Public Institutions 

Barrack, Barrack Hill – Thomas Weir, Barrack sergeant. Constabulary Station, Mall – Charles Haydon, sub-inspector; Charles Mc Cartney, head constable; Patrick Mc Glade, constable Custom House, Mall – Joseph Folingsby, Esq. collector, Patrick Heagney, comptroller; James E. Eccleston, locker, James Henry, tide master. Dispensary, Market St. – Simon Shiel, M.D. surgeon. Excise Office, Port – Charles Griffin, supervisor; Edward Gearom. Frederick Johnston & Christopher Craig, division officers. Revenue Police Station, Chapel St –James McFaddin, Stamp Office, Main St. John Scott, sub-distributer.

Union Workhouse, Carrickboy  Fras. Johnston,master, Mary Keenan, Matron; Edward Kelly, M.D. surgeon; Jas. Mc Gowan, jun. clerk to  guardians.

Coaches and Cars.

From Walker Cockburn’s Hotel.

 To Dublin, the Royal Mail, every day at  twelve;goes through Enniskillen,Lisnaskea, Cavan, Kells and Slane, to Drogheda, thence by Railway.

To Belfast, by the Dublin Mail, to Enniskillen, thence by the Belfast and Enniskillen Mail.

To Donegal, Mail Car, every day at ten minutes before one – also by the Mail to Londonderry.

To Enniskillen, Cars (from Bundoran) calls at Flanagan’s Hotel, Port, and at Constantine

Maguire’s, Port, every morning (Sunday excepted) at eight and nine during the bathing season –

also by the Mail to Dublin.

To Londonderry, the Royal Mail, every morning at ten;  goes through Donegal, Ballybofey,

Stranorlar, Raphoe and Johnstown.

To Sligo, the Royal  Mail (from Londonderry), every afternoon at twenty minutes past four;

goes through Bundoran.

Carriers

To Dublin, Charles and Thomas Galagher, once a  fortnight.

To Londonderry, Finlay Anderson, Terence Gallagher and John Flanagan, every Monday.

50% Reduction on postage for orders for this book to all destinations. Genuine special offer. 

Ideal local gift for Christmas and all special occasions. 

Contact anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com for further details and for orders of the book.

Signed hard back and soft back books available at special price for postal delivery or collection.

 

A New Local History Book suitable for those at Home and Away

A new book entitled: "Ballyshannon. Genealogy and History" reveals newly researched history and genealogy of the town, extending as far as the Rossnowlagh, Cashelard, Corlea, Clyhore, Higginstown and Finner areas. Includes the parishes of Kilbarron and Magh Ene.

The genealogy material provides detailed guidelines for anyone tracing their roots in the area or anywhere in County Donegal or Ireland. 

The book contains 500 pages and is richly illustrated with stunning colour, aerial photography, original illustrations and rare photographs of the area not seen before.

Topics 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/ 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.

Book Available from Anthony Begley West Rock Ballyshannon. anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com  Enquiries welcome for postal and other details. Also available at The Novel Idea Bookshop Ballyshannon, Ballyshannon and District Museum, Ballyshannon Tourist Office, The Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town.

The blogs are original and are not taken from the book above.


Final Blogs 

10th August "There goes a poet if he only know it"

                    "Only you're an ass you'd let the poet pass"

    

17th August "Ballyshannon a Market Town in Famine Times."(names of merchants and craft workers etc.)

24th August The Gaelic Revival in Ballyshannon a Hundred Years Ago.

31st August A Unique Diary of Ballyshannon Life in the 19th Century

7th September Complete Guide to Ballyshannon Musings 2012-2013

Ballyshannon Musings:  Good to hear that people connected to the Ballyshannon area enjoyed the blog worldwide and the site received thousands of hits. The site is called Ballyshannon Musings and there are a number of back issues available on the internet. Copy this link and it can be googled at http://ballyshannon-musings.blogspot.ie/ 

The blog archive of Ballyshannon Musings will still be available to read on the internet.

"There goes a poet if he only know it" "Only you're an ass you'd let the poet pass"

Ballyshannon 400 is going really well and I was amazed at the attendance at my Famine Walk on Monday 5th August when up to 200 people walked around Ballyshannon in glorious sunshine. Thanks to all who supported  this local history tribute to our forgotten Famine victims and especially to my colleagues Patricia Keane and Conor Carney who added greatly to the event with their songs, poems and stories.

On Friday 9th August I will be joining Michael Daly, Editor of The Donegal Democrat in the Abbey Centre at 3 p.m. when we will be looking back at the long history of newspapers in Balllyshannon. All welcome to this free event.

On Saturday 10th Patricia Keane and I will be doing a short reflection of about 30 minutes on the local history of the south side of  the Erne in Owen Roe's at 9 pm. as part of the Rock Parish Gathering. There will be other guests All welcome to this free event.

Check Town Council site or programme listing for events which continue until Sunday 11th August.

Anthony Begley

Francie Daly and William Allingham

Francis (Francie) Daly lived in Bachelor's Walk in the town and  was not married.  Daly was a painter and artist in brass and used to do ornamental brass plates and door knockers for the well to do. He also wrote poetry. Local anecdote would claim that Daly wrote some of Allingham’s poems. No substance has ever been provided for the claim or no specific poems identified as having been written by Francie Daly. William Allingham did say that he collected ballads at the fairs and perhaps this led to the suggestion, and that is all it appears to be, that Francie Daly wrote some of his poems. The work Allingham did on completing ballads may have given rise to this impression but his poetry was, one feels, his own work. 

Local lore  suggests that Francis Daly was walking down the Mall one day and as he passed William Allingham’s house, a voice from an upstairs window said: “There goes a poet if he only know it”. Daly turned around but couldn’t see anyone and replied: “Only you’re an ass you’d let the poet pass!”

An Erratic Genius

John Downey editor of  The Donegal Democrat described him as “an erratic genius and very few recognised the talent hidden by the somewhat peculiar exterior”. He composed a number of pieces of poetry few of which were ever published.He was a simple, unassuming person who was a familiar sight on the streets of Ballyshannon for many years. As an old man he read his poems and sung his own compositions to local youth in his home at Bachelor’s Walk.  Francie Daly died circa 1919.

Hallow-Eve Night’s Dream

The following is an extract from a poem entitled, “Hallow Eve’s Night Dream” by Francie Daly . The background to the poem is believed to be, that in 1885 Daly was infatuated with Lily Harris a tightrope walker from “West Bromwich” and in the poem he talks of waking up in the morning and seeing the track a snail makes on a wall-it had made the initials L.H.  Lily Harris had been touring the country with a theatrical company and performed in Ballyshannon where Daly saw her as a young man and she remained the girl of his dreams. The poem makes use of placenames which gives it a local flavour and the artist referred to is Daly himself as he was a house-painter and sculptor of a kind. Daly’s Fort on the Hills of Tullymore was where the Daly family resided before coming to live in town.

 

In eighteen hundred and eighty-five, the date being true and right,

Many colleens fair and young played “tricks” on Hallow Eve Night,

Twas gathering weeds round corn-stacks that many took a turn,

Pulling the yarrow, throwing reels, and more had nuts to burn.

There was one among them who was both fair and tall,

She says,” Now each has played a ‘trick,’ but I played none at all,

I have two nuts here in my hand from yonder hazel line

I shall burn them in my lover’s name to see if he’ll be mine.”

They only saw her when she spoke and at her they did gaze,

A blazing brand she lifted up, and set the nuts to blaze,

She watched the flames as they did unite, and to them there she said,

“A ring I see in the ruddy glow, my trick is truly played,

I must away my love to see, he rests by some bright stream,

And place these nuts beneath his head, perhaps on me he’ll dream,”

She quickly turned away from them, these maidens all in fright,

Saying fare ye well, I wish you joy, and “A Merry Hallow Eve Night.”

They all followed with their eyes, but she soon left their view,

Not knowing where she came from, nor where she was going too.

Says one on to another, “I’ve seen her once before,

She was coming down from Daly’s Fort on the hills of Tullymore.”

A bedroom door was on the lock; a fire was in the grate,

The artist he lay fast asleep when Morpheus showed his fate,

For a vision bright, all clad in white, and ornaments so rare,

With red-rose cheeks, coral lips, and yellow-golden hair,

She glided up to his bedside, and o’er him she did stand,

The gold ring off her finger she held it in her hand,

She says, “This is our marriage token I truly tell to thee,

                                    For when we are two in one you must come with me.

50% Reduction on postage for orders for this book to all destinations. Genuine special offer. 

Ideal local gift for Christmas and all special occasions. 

Contact anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com for further details and for orders of the book.

Signed hard back and soft back books available at special price for postal delivery or collection. 

 

 A New Local History Book suitable for those at Home and Away

A new book entitled: "Ballyshannon. Genealogy and History" reveals newly researched history and genealogy of the town, extending as far as the Rossnowlagh, Cashelard, Corlea, Clyhore, Higginstown and Finner areas. Includes the parishes of Kilbarron and Magh Ene.

The genealogy material provides detailed guidelines for anyone tracing their roots in the area or anywhere in County Donegal or Ireland. 

The book contains 500 pages and is richly illustrated with stunning colour, aerial photography, original illustrations and rare photographs of the area not seen before.

Topics 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/ 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.

Book Available from Anthony Begley West Rock Ballyshannon. anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com  Enquiries welcome for postal and other details. Also available at The Novel Idea Bookshop Ballyshannon, Ballyshannon and District Museum, Ballyshannon Tourist Office, The Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town.

The blogs are original and are not taken from the book above.


Final Blogs 

10th August "There goes a poet if he only know it"

                    "Only you're an ass you'd let the poet pass"

    

17th August "Ballyshannon a Market Town in Famine Times."(names of merchants and craft workers etc.)

24th August The Gaelic Revival in Ballyshannon a Hundred Years Ago.

31st August A Unique Diary of Ballyshannon Life in the 19th Century

7th September Complete Guide to Ballyshannon Musings 2012-2013

Ballyshannon Musings:  Good to hear that people connected to the Ballyshannon area enjoyed the blog worldwide and the site received thousands of hits. The site is called Ballyshannon Musings and there are a number of back issues available on the internet. Copy this link and it can be googled at http://ballyshannon-musings.blogspot.ie/ 

The blog archive of Ballyshannon Musings will still be available to read on the internet.

Cures of Bygone Days

 Famine Walk  in Ballyshannon on Monday 5th August all welcome.

On Monday 5th August 2013 at 2.30 p.m. I will be leading a Famine Walk from the Paupers' Graveyard to the Workhouse in Ballyshannon. The meeting point is the Abbey Centre in Ballyshannon and I hope you can make it as part of the Ballyshannon 400 Week. On the Famine walk we will hear stories, songs and verses from the Great Famine of the 1840s and recall the suffering endured by our ancestors in this area. Conor Carney and Patricia Keane well known in the arts world in Ballyshannon will  sing and recall Famine memories on the walk.

The workhouse at Ballyshannon housed people from:

• The  Belleek area as far as Churchill, Devenish and Boho in County Fermanagh 
• Kinlough, Glenade and Tullaghan areas in County Leitrim 
• Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Ballintra and Rossnowlagh areas in County Donegal.     

If you know anyone from the areas above please invite them to come along to remember people from their area who are forgotten today, some of whom would be buried in the Paupers’ graveyard. The walk will be at a leisurely pace. All welcome.

                                                                                                                                    Anthony Begley

Cures of Bygone Days

 

In the days before doctors and chemists were as plentiful as today people relied on herbs and faith healing to cure their illnesses. Below are cures which were collected by school student from the old people in the 1930s in a folklore study. Naturally today there are medical remedies and advice for patients which was not available in bygone days and the cures below are not practised today.

Ringworm:  A cure for ringworm was to pass a wedding ring round it three times, reciting the prayer, in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Another cure for ringworm was to get some clay and mix it with spittle and then make a worm crawl around it on the floor. The clay was then rubbed on the ringworm and the worm was then made to crawl around the affected part. This was done three times. This cure was handed down from a man to a woman and from a woman to a man. 

Sprain: A sprain could be cured with woollen thread and by saying some prayers. The thread was twisted around the part where the sprain was and this was kept there for some days. Another cure for sprain was to make the sign of the cross two or three times on the forehead, then the person rubbed their hands on the ground and then rubbed the sprain and shortly afterwards the sprain disappeared. 

Mumps:  If a person had mumps he went to the seventh child in a family whose mother and father had the same name. This person put a donkey’s winkers on the person to be cured and led him to the river and gave him three drops of water. This treatment was performed for three consecutive days. 

A Stye in the Eye: If a person wished to be cured of a stye in the eye he got nine whitethorns of a gooseberry tree and pointed them at the sky. Then he would be cured. 

Toothache: The seventh son cured a toothache by rubbing it with his hand. One never got a toothache if one made a promise (such as not shaving on a Sunday) and never broke it.  A visit to the dentist was only for the well off but for a severe toothache the doctors in the 19th century had to bleed the gums with leeches.

Warts:  A cure for warts was to steal a piece of meat or bacon and rub it on the warts. The meat was then burned and as it rotted the warts would disappear. Another cure for warts was to wash them with water taken from a hole in a rock. 

Whooping Cough: When  a child had whooping, also called chin cough, an ass’s milk was considered a good remedy. 

A Cold: Mary Ann Sheil wrote about cures the people had for the common cold in the 1840s when they took jam drinks to alleviate the symptoms.

Natural Remedies: Garlic was considered good for colds and coughs. The juice of dandelion was considered good for cancer.  People boiled dandelion and gave the water to a person with a sick stomach. Bogbine was used for the good of the blood. Nettle tea was given to children with measles. Celery seeds when boiled and strained and then drunk were a cure for rheumatism. Roots of parsley when boiled and drunk were good for kidney disease.  

A Men Only Cure for Cows!  When a cow lost her milk she was said to be touched by the little people. She got dull and gave no milk. To cure her a red hot coal in the tongs was brought to the byre. This was passed over the cow from head to tail and then under her, coming out at her shoulder when a sign of the cross was made on her back. At the same time three Our Fathers and three Hail Marys were said. This was done three times on three different days. Then the cow would get her milk back.  For this cure to work the cow had to be kept in the byre all the time and the cure had tobe made between sunrise and sunset and never on a Friday. Only men could make this cure!  

^{Next Blog}

10th August "There goes a poet if he only know it,

                      Only you're an ass you'd let the poet pass!"

Lots Happening for Ballyshannon 400 Gathering 5th-11th August. Check out week of events

Check out the events/venues you might like to attend in the summer and  later in the year :

• http://donegalgathering.com/july-august/august-2013/ballyshannon-400/
• http://donegalgathering.com/tag/the-kildoney-mens-case/ 
• http://ballyshannonfolkfestival.com/  
•  http://www.ballyshannonshow.com/ 
•  http://www.ballyshannonmuseum.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/LocalHands
• http://allinghamartsassociation.com

A New Local History Book suitable for those at Home and Away

A new book entitled: "Ballyshannon. Genealogy and History"  reveals newly researched history and genealogy of the town, extending as far as the Rossnowlagh, Cashelard, Corlea, Clyhore, Higginstown and Finner areas. Includes the parishes of Kilbarron and Magh Ene.

The genealogy material provides detailed guidelines for anyone tracing their roots in the area or anywhere in County Donegal or Ireland. 

The book contains 500 pages and is richly illustrated with stunning colour, aerial photography, original illustrations and rare photographs of the area not seen before.

Topics 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/ 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.

Book Available from Anthony Begley West Rock Ballyshannon. anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com  Enquiries welcome for postal and other details. Also available at The Novel Idea Bookshop Ballyshannon, Ballyshannon and District Museum, Ballyshannon Tourist Office, The Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town.

The blogs are original and are not taken from the book above.

Ballyshannon Musings:  Good to hear that people connected to the Ballyshannon area enjoyed the blog worldwide and the site received thousands of hits. The site is called Ballyshannon Musings and there are a number of back issues available on the internet. Copy this link and it can be googled at http://ballyshannon-musings.blogspot.ie/