On this Day. Great Excitement as the First Train arrived in Ballyshannon, Bundoran and Belleek

The GNR Railway station at Balyshannon nowadays the building is a private residence

On this day 7th June one of the great Ballyshannon, Belleek and Bundoran stories began. Check out photos, verses and memories of the GNR railway in this area since 1867.

The  Great Northern Railway, or the  G.N.R as it was known, opened for passengers in this area in June 1867 and brought major benefits to the business and local community in Ballyshannon and surrounding areas including  the seaside resort of Bundoran and the Pottery in Belleek. The line was extended to Belleek, Ballyshannon and Bundoran through the lobbying of John Caldwell Bloomfield and the directors of the Pottery at Belleek who  required the rail line to bring in raw materials and coal for their china.  The G.N.R. opened up new areas of the country and linked towns and villages over a wide area. Local communities benefitted from the arrival of the railway and the seaside town of Bundoran owes much of its early growth in tourism to the coming of the railway.

Customs down the right of the train at Bllyshannon 

First Passengers Arrived in   Ballyshannon on this day,  7th June 

Bundoran Junction, as it was called, was a spur on the Omagh-Enniskillen line leading on to Irvinestown, Kesh, Pettigo, Castlecaldwell, Magheramena, Belleek, Ballyshannon and Bundoran. 
The first passenger train crossed the metal bridge at Belleek on Sunday, 7th June 1867, on its way to Ballyshannon and onwards to Bundoran.

• The  railway brought universal time replacing local time which had been estimated by sunrise, sunset and the seasons. Greenwich Mean Time (G.M.T.) was introduced in 1880 and was regularly known as Railway Time. Clocks became the order of the day and punctuality became more a feature of peoples lives, as they now became aware of precise times with the arrival of the train
• The railways also carried the post and  newspapers became more popular as they were now accessible daily. Goods could be ordered and sent by rail and commercial travellers became a feature of life in Ballyshannon. Local crafts and industries were to suffer from the competition of  cheaper manufactured goods arriving by rail. 
• The local fisheries benefitted as  fish could be transported speedily by rail to reach Billingsgate Market in London the following day. Ice was transported from Belfast to Ballyshannon in five hundredweight blocks on the G.N.R. for Swan’s fishery which operated in what is now the Mulligan warehouse on the Mall. Wooden mallets were then used to break the ice which could last for the fishing season. 
• Two trains left Ballyshannon station daily for Dublin at 9.35 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. 
• Excursions from Ballyshannon were promoted by the G.N.R. and  became a regular feature as many people had their first adventures into the exciting world of travel . Local people went as a community on  bank holiday excursions to places like Derry and Portrush. 
• The railway brought in large numbers for local events such as The Harvest Fair Day, the Falgarragh Horse Races and the Gaelic League Aeridheachts which were held at Rockville close to the G.N.R. station. The local soccer club Erne F.C later called “The Blazers” used the railway to compete in the Irish Football Association Cup in 1907 against teams such as Omagh United and Strabane Celtic. Gaelic games fans travelled by rail to the Ulster finals and to All-Ireland Finals in Croke Park.
• Emigrants who in former times had emigrated from the Mall Quay or Derry now began their journey to Great Britain or America from the railway station at Ballyshannon. 

Approaching Bundoran station

Railway Military Memories from World War One and Withdrawal of British Forces

The sight and sound of  British Army troops with their bands, marching through the Port from the G.N.R. station on their way to the Rock Barracks, was to be a regular occurrence for local people. The garrison was changed from time to time and the railway was especially busy at times of war. With the building of Finner Camp in the 1890s the soldiers marched out through the two Ports, to Portnason  and on to Finner. This was to be  a regular feature as soldiers went to Finner for training during  the First World War ( 1914-1918) and also left on the railway for the Western Front in France. Not generally known is that a detachment of 200 soldiers of the 12th Reserve Battalion Royal Iniskilling Fusiliers from Finner Camp left by G.N.R. special train from Ballyshannon to take part in putting down the 1916 Rising in Dublin early in Easter Week.

Tuesday 7th March 1922 was an historic day in Ballyshannon as, following the War of Independence and the Treaty, British forces vacated the town for the final time. The Royal Irish Constabulary police force who were based at the barracks in College Street lined up outside the barracks and, as the clock struck eleven, the Irish Volunteer force moved in. Head Constable Doyle and the R.I.C. police officers marched off to board the Great Northern Railway at Station road. The barracks still stands opposite the former Vocational School.

 Train at Ballyshannon station in 1956  one year

before the railway sadly closed

Crossings between Belleek and Ballyshannon 

There were two crossings between Belleek and Ballyshannon. One was a level crossing at Maggie Dohertys. The second was at Annie McCabe’s (Annie McCaffreys). There were signals at these gates, two on each side. If the train was coming from Belleek, the gate next Belleek was opened first. At Ballyshannon there was a distant signal and a home signal. The distant signal was about a half a mile out the Bundoran line and a couple of hundred yards away from the cabin. The signalman carried a box  containing fog signals and these were activated if he noticed anything wrong on the line. The safety of passengers and crew depended on the signal system working properly.
Local Services on the Railway
The G.N.R. provided an essential service, during the Emergency 1939-1945, when petrol was in short supply for private use. The Bundoran Express from Dublin to Bundoran was introduced after the Second World War and it also led to an increased popularity for the pilgrimage at Lough Derg in Pettigo. In the autumn and winter the Sugar Train also ran  from Dungannon to Bundoran on Sundays. This train allowed passengers  to stock up on sugar and other items which were scarce in the North. Smuggling was quite prevalent and in October 1942 the customs introduced a lady searcher to check for smuggled goods at the G.N.R. station in Ballyshannon. Folk memory of the big snow which fell all over Ireland in February 1947 and which resulted in 20-30 days of snowfall is readily recalled by those who lived through the period. The G.N.R. train due in Ballyshannon on Tuesday 27th February at 9 p.m. did not arrive in Ballyshannon until 7 p.m. on Wednesday 28th February due to the snow. The line was blocked at Irvinestown and the passengers had to stay overnight in a heated coach. The railway crew saw to their needs and meals were provided in a local hotel. The train ploughed its way to Ballyshannon next day but the snow continued to cause problems. The only G.N.R. bus to arrive in Ballyshannon on that Wednesday was the workers’ bus from Tullaghan driven by Jack McAllister. It took four hours and twenty minutes to reach Ballyshannon from Tullaghan.

Local businesses which used the railway frequently included: Neely’s Mills, Myles’ Timber, Coal and General Hardware, Stephens Hardware, and Fancy Goods and F.H. Morgan on East Port. These firms, and others, had in earlier times  imported by ship through the Mall Quay. Cattle trains were also to be a feature at Ballyshannon station and this benefitted the farming community who now had  a more ready access to markets.  Some staff who worked for GN.R. locally  included: Eddie and Johnny Boyle, Jimmy Trainor, Andy Mc Shea, Patsy Mc Geown, Charlie Boyle, Pat Fannin, Pat Quinn, Jim Flanagan and Phillip Boyle. In earlier times employees included, W. Duffy, Ballyshannon agent, James Mc Donald, station master, and D. Beatty who was stationmaster in 1880. The G.N.R were later engaged with road transport and kept their buses and lorries in the Market Yard where they had a waiting room and an office, while still operating the trains from Station Road. Packie McIvor, Paddy Drumm, Michael Campbell and John Connolly were amongst the lorry drivers with G.N.R. The railway also ran buses from the Market Yard with Mary Gillespie working for the G.N.R. from a railway carriage beside her home in the Market Yard. Her daughter May was the founder of the Gillespie School of Dancing.

The GNR station was where many families bid farewell to their emigrant children 

Requiem for the G.N.R. 30 September 1957

A green flag waved, a whistle shrilled and the last passenger train steamed out of Bundoran railway station on Monday afternoon, 91 years after the first train had chugged its way in. Into history it rolled on its way, accompanied by the cheering of a crowd on the platform, the reverberating crash of fog signals and the shriek of the engine whistle.”

“The Donegal Democrat”  aptly summed up the end of the line for the G.N.R. as the reporter described the mixed emotions of crowds gathered on the platform as the last train left Bundoran station to the call of “Last train for Enniskillen”.  On the 30th September 1957 this last train, with upwards of one hundred passengers, left Bundoran and journeyed through Ballyshannon, Belleek and Pettigo. Many made the short journey to Ballyshannon and disembarked retaining their tickets as a memento of the great days of rail.The staff at Bundoran station were redeployed and a number of  families left the area as a result. . From Ballyshannon station Mr. Patsy McGowan went as goods checker to Dundalk and Mr. Johnnie Gallagher went as porter-signalman to Dublin. Initially three of the staff at Ballyshannon station were retained. Mr. J. Flynn, stationmaster, remained in charge of the road freight section, and  signalman J. Trainor and permanent way ganger J. Boyle remained at the Ballyshannon station.

The impact on the town of Ballyshannon, of the closure of the Great Northern Railway sixty three years ago in 1957 and two years later, the closure of the County Donegal Railway, coupled with the end of the  Erne-Hydro Electric Scheme in the early 1950s, had a lasting effect on the town  and its commerce. In this period "The Donegal Vindicator" newspaper also closed.  Bundoran faced a challenging time to retain its developing tourism and  bus transport increased greatly to the seaside resort. 

The closure of the Great Northern Railway in 1957 meant that business firms receiving goods from Dublin had no direct access by rail. The nearest railway was Sligo and this involved greater transport costs. Road freight now became the only viable option. The closure of the G.N.R  railway  sixty years ago was a major blow to the local economy and led, for a period, to increased isolation for this area.  So ended a rich history of railway service to the people of this area which began just over 150 years ago and which is still remembered with great affection by the older generation who travelled on the line.

Danny McIntyre of the Whitehill, Sheegus, Ballyshannon in his ballad entitled “Pictures from the Past” echoed what many people felt about the passing of the railways.

In dreams I see the trains run on their shining rails of steel,

The G.N.R. and narrow gauge, their image is so real.

                                        The platforms and the stations, the people young and old,

How bitter sweet the memories that dreaming can unfold.

The old GNR bridge on the right  with the new bridge on the

Ballyshannon-Bundoran By-Pass today.

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 for postage from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com

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.

                                                        

            

A Landmark of Old Ballyshannon.

The roofless Old Distillery building visible across the river Erne from the Mall Quay as   locals enjoy an ice cream and a bit of fishing in the May sunshine.

If you are able to go for a walk or a drive you might like to have a look at an iconic landmark in Ballyshannon as you pass along. This is also a good opportunity to help young people learn a little about their local area. If you are away from Ballyshannon hopefully you can see one of the great memories of Ballyshannon industry on your next visit. The ruins of the distillery where whiskey was made can still be seen from the Mall Quay or if you stand on the footbridge which is reachable from the Bundoran road opposite “The Limit” or from the Mall down the lane beside “Nirvana”.  

Ballyshannon Distillery was constructed on the site of a manor mill where tenants used to bring their grain in former days. That is why the area on the Bundoran road behind the distillery is known as Milltown today. The large stone distillery building has been roofless for well over a century. 

This distillery was opened in 1827 and was originally called Thomas Bennison, Andrew Hamilton and Company but this partnership dissolved in 1833. The distillery was then called the Ballyshannon Distillery Company. It re-opened in 1839 with new equipment installed by Mr. Craig of Derry. This re-opening had an unusual benefit for the poor as they depended on burn-beer and grains at a cheap price from the distillery to feed their cattle.

In the year ended 10^th October 1828; 501,939 gallons of cornwash were distilled and 48,462 gallons of whiskey produced. A big business in Ballyshannon.

In February 1846 the first ever steamer “The Unity” arrived at Ballyshannon harbour with barley for the distillery. The port of Ballyshannon was within sight of the distillery and this meant that alcohol could be easily transported by ship.The growth of the temperance movement in Ireland, from the 1840s, saw a decline in alcohol consumption, for a period, as many people took the pledge to abstain from drink.

A Fishy Tale:  In the early days of the Distillery the lessee of the Fisheries sued the Ballyshannon Distillery Company for damages. It was stated, that on the fish becoming intoxicated with the “wash” discharged from the distillery, they flounderd and flounced about the river, in a mad abandon, and some of them were seen to jump the Falls at unprecedented heights! Ballyshannon Distillery closed in 1852.

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 for postage from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com

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.

A Memorable Day in Ballyshannon 75 Years Ago and Some Familiar Faces

Where did the time go Tommy? 

Tommy Gallagher formerly of Bishop Street and in 2020 living in Cluain Barron  with his wife and family sang a duet with his sister at the Garden Fete and Fancy Dress in 1945 close to the town clock. (photo Brian Doyle)

Saturday 23rd May 2020. Check out one of the great annual days in Ballyshannon until modern times. In 1945 Ballyshannon's best known character today, sang a duet with his sister and he is living in Cluain Barron in 2020. Can you identify any of the three brothers in the photo of  The Big 3 world leaders of Stalin (Russia), Truman (U.S.A.) and Churchill (G.B.) who were in Ballyshannon 75 years ago? Who played the part of  the President of Ireland ( Uachtarán) and who was Lady Pompadour both are still out and about in town? Lots of other blasts from the past in this trip down memory lane. 

Saturday 30th May 2020. A Forgotten Ballyshannon Landmark and a Fishy Story.

The Garden Fete and Fancy Dress Parade 75 Years Ago

The Fancy Dress and Garden Fete was one of the  highlights of the social life of Ballyshannon in the not too distant past. Keep a close eye on the results of the Fancy Dress below,  including Ballyshannon's best known personality today singing duets with his sister. Note the President of Ireland ( Uachtarán) now living in Chapel Street and the prettiest tiny tot now living on the Bundoran road.  
Can you name any of the three brothers in the photo below? One was very well-known in the musical and business life of the town until recent times. Clue he is Stalin  the one with the moustache. Also check the choir members, dancers and actors who performed in Ballyshannon in 1945, as  some are still very well known in the town in 2020. Others you will  recall with affection.

l.to r. Stalin, Churchill and Truman pictured on Main Street where Saimer Court is today. Do you recognise Stalin? Answer at bottom of blog.

The Garden Fete and Fancy Dress Parade was an annual occasion when the community came together, dressed up, performed, enjoyed the fun and raised  needed funds for local charities. Over 600 people attended the Fancy Dress and Garden Fete at the rear of P.J. Stephen’s premises on Wednesday 25th of July 1945. (The site is occupied by the Saimer Court Shopping Centre today.) The parade commenced at the Courthouse  and led by the Ballyshannon Brass and Reed Band  under Eddie Lynch bandmaster, made a circuit of the town. The Courthouse mentioned  is now  the Tyrhugh Centre on the Mall.

• On arrival at the venue the large crowd were entertained to an open-air concert. Members of Frank O’ Donovan’s troupe opened the concert,  
• Followed by choruses from the pupils of the Convent schools who sang “ A-Hunting We Will Go” and “Away to the Woods”. Those participating were: Misses M. Lawn, K. Liddy, B. McGovern, D. Stewart, B. Cooney, M. Slevin, C. Lynn, H. Gallagher, C. Lawn, N. Curran and A. McGovern. 
• Ms. Rose Daly, Erne Street, recited, “Biddy’s Trip to Cork” and “ Biddy at the Pictures.” 
• The pupils of Finner School, under Mrs. Dundas, their teacher, performed a sketch entitled, “Heads and Heels” The cast were: Misses Joan White, Doreen Regan, Hazel Barr, H. Hamilton, and Masters Noel Hamilton and Ronnie Moorehead. Finner School also performed a Maypole Dance with; J. White, D. Regan, H. Barr, H. Hamilton, Sally McClelland and Peggy Hunter. 
• Ms. Maureen Slevin (later Maureen Kane), West Port, performed  song and tap-dancing numbers. 
• Thomas and Margaret Gallagher from Bishop Street sang, “ If you ever go to Ireland” and “The Rose of Arranmore”
  

• • Prizewinners in the Fancy Dress 1945

  
  

  Adults: Most Topical- Tyrolean Pair- Maureen Slevin and Blaithnaid Stephens.

  Most Original- Curly Wee, Polly Parrot and Cuthbert Colt- B. McGill O.S., P. Maguire O.S. and R. Grehan.

  Funniest- “Summer 1945” Patrick and John Stephens.

  Special award to “Modern Transport”- Michael McDonagh, Rose Daly, Annie Breslin, Dympna Duffy, Teresa Bromley.

  Children: Prettiest Costume- “Hawaiian Pair”- Anton and Eugene Noonan.

  Most original- An tUachtaran agus a Bhean- Helena Gallagher and Herbert Bromley.

  Funniest- “ A Dutch Pair”- Sean and Kathleen Tiernan.

  Firms- “The House of Stephens 1834-1945”- L.McGrath, B.McIntyre, K.McShea, L.Kerrigan, J.McDonnell. H.Campbell, G.McCarville, M.McCloskey, B.Loughlin and B.Stephens.

  Best Decorated Bicycle- Celine Kennedy.

  Tiny Tots- Prettiest- Margaret McShea as “Lady Pompadour”

  Most Original- John Holmes as “An Erne Schemer.”

  Funniest- Cecil, Aidan and Liam Stephens as “The Big Three".

  
  

  

  l.to r. Truman (Liam Stephens), Churchill ( Aiden Stephens)  and Stalin ( Cecil Stephens) in the parade for the fancy dress and garden fete in 1945. ( Paul Stephens)

  

  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 for postage from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com

  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.

  
  

  
  

Ballyshannon Woman Nursed with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War

Florence Nightingale and Ballyshannon Link

Saturday 16th May 2020. This blog remembers  a forgotten Ballyshannon woman, in the caring profession, who worked with Florence Nightingale the founder of modern nursing who  was born 200 years ago. She  lived in East Port  in the town and was with Florence Nightingale during her humanitarian work, tending to the sick and the dying in the Crimean War. It is also of interest that a Ballyshannon man won the Victoria Cross in the same war.  This local history blog is dedicated to all the health care workers locally who are doing a magnificent job in caring for our communities.
Saturday 23rd May. Next week's blog remembers a huge annual social event and Ballyshannon's best known character today  who sang duets with his sister 75 years ago.

Local Links to Florence Nightingale

A Ballyshannon lady Mrs. Margaret Coane was one of those who volunteered and went with Florence Nightingale to the front in the Crimean War (1853-1856). She was married to William Coane a tailor on East Port and was the mother of Ms. Mary Coane who also lived on East Port in the town. She lived in the far end of East Port just past where the Vincent Shop was until recent times. 
By the time of the 1901 Census Margaret Coane had died and her husband William was aged 62 and still lived in East Port  with his daughter Mary who was aged 26 and was a tailor's machinist. A regular occurrence is recorded in the 1911 census when William is now aged 77 and his daughter Mary is aged 39 and is listed as a seamstress. Ages in the 1901 and 1911 census  for many families are not too accurate at times! Anecdotal evidence is that because the old age pension came between the 2 census that ages increased by 1911!

Florence Nightingale- "The Lady with the Lamp"

 In 1938 Ms. Mary Coane had letters and photos in her home on East Port, received from Florence Nightingale “The Lady with the Lamp.” Whatever became of those valuable memorabilia one may never know? Perhaps they are still in an attic somewhere in the area? There are people still living in the area who remember Mary Coane as an elderly lady shopping in Morgan's shop in East Port. This Coane family were Catholics.

A Coane family lived on the Port as far back as 1786 when there were was an atrocity committed by the army from the Barracks at the bridge, resulting in the shooting dead of two innocent women named as Elinor Madden and Mary Mountain. One was shot adjacent to the barracks and the other near the Diamond in the town. These random shootings followed on from an army raid for poteen at the tavern of Denis McGowan on the Port. The soldiers were chased back across the bridge from the Port and the soldiers opened fire killing both women in what was a crowded Ballyshannon with the Fair Day in progress. In the shootings which followed a bullet lodged in a chest of drawers in Coane’s house in the Port.

There was also a very well known Coane family who were extensive landowners at Higginstown House, the ruins of which stand on the high ground overlooking the town of Ballyshannon about a mile or so above the Fr. Tierney Gaelic football park.They belonged to the Church of Ireland religion. There are also members of a Coane family who were Catholics  from Parkhill Ballyshannon and who are buried in the Abbey graveyard

Mary Coane of East Port remembered her mother who had worked with Florence Nightingale in the Crimea,talking about pilgrimages she made in the 19th century to Tobarshannon a holy well which was rediscovered recently during the  By-Pass excavations at Ballyhanna. Holy wells like St. Patrick's Well in the Abbey were once very popular places of devotion. The Abbey Well  is in a scenic location which is well worth a visit as the grotto and stations are still intact.

Lieutenant John Augustus Conolly born at Cliff Ballyshannon fought in the Crimean War and 

won the Victoria Cross. This was the same war in which Florence Nightingale came to prominence.

Second Ballyshannon person in the Crimea at the same period as Florence Nightingale

The Conolly family were the major landowners in the Ballyshannon area as they had bought the Folliott Estate for £52,000 in 1718. In 1831 Colonel Thomas Conolly commenced work on building Cliff House overlooking the Erne.  By August 1832 he had moved into his new house. The Conolly’s had resided at Cliff  prior to the building of Cliff House in 1831-1832, and John Augustus Conolly was born at Cliff, on the 30th May 1829. He joined the 49th Princess of Wales’s Hertfordshire Regiment and fought in the Crimean War, where on the 26th October, 1854,  the day after the charge of the  Light Brigade, he  won the Victoria Cross.

Lieutenant John Augustus Conolly, was commanding a company engaged in piquet duty that morning. During a surprise attack by the Russians,outside Sebastopol during the ‘great sortie’, on October 26, 1854:

                       Lieutenant Conolly was in command of his company on outlying picket.The Russians hurled themselves on the Second Division. They were met, in the first instance, by the 49th, resolutely led by Conolly, in frequent short, sharp charges, he himself engaging several of them in hand-to-hand fight,one after another, till at length, from loss of blood, he fell insensible, and had to be borne off the field. His gallant behaviour, no less than that of his men, elicited a General Order, in which all were deservedly praised. Soon afterwards he was promoted Captain into the Coldstream Guards as part reward for his bravery and devotion.

Conolly’s courage was observed by Lord Raglan and resulted in the award of the Victoria Cross in 1857. After his military service, Connolly served in the Dublin Metropolitan Police.He died at the  Magistrate’s House, Curragh, County Kildare, on the 23rd  December 1888 and is buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Harold’s Cross, Dublin. 

Limited edition quality hardback with dust jacket as above available when things return to normal in A Novel Idea and Local Hands Ballyshannon and Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town. Also available for postage from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com

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.

Ballyshannon Musings from Easter to May Bank Holiday

This collection of local history blogs was posted from Easter to the May Bank Holiday. A chance for you to look back at any that you missed or to share them with people at home and away who may be interested. Also an opportunity for new friends to read the short blogs many of which have a fun quiz attached. They can be found on this site  on the dates listed. Also  on Ballyshannon Genealogy and History Facebook pages where they  are freely available to everyone. The blogs can also be found on ballyshannon-musings.blogspot.com by any of your friends who are not on Facebook.

Saturday 16th May Next blog.  Read about  Florence Nightingale  the founder of modern nursing who was born 200 years ago  and about a Ballyshannon lady who  was with her during her humanitarian work, tending to the sick and the dying in the Crimean War.


16th April 2020. "Ballyshannon 130 years Ago"

17th April 2020. "The most photographed site in Ballyshannon Rory Gallagher's image"

18th April 2020. "Questions about Ballyshannon Never Asked Before"

19th April 2020. "The Wild Irish Girl and a Famous Ballyshannon Duel"

20th April 2020. "A Woman in Ballyshannon in Dublin Easter 1916, The Spanish Flu, Michael                                        Collins and attending the First Dáil"

21st April 2020. "Letters to Mothers in Erne Street and Sheegus from the Trenches of World War                                     One"

22nd April 2020. "Remembering the Most Successful Peaceful Protest in Ballyshannon

23rd April 2020. "Last train from Rossnowlagh to Ballyshannon a Nostalgic Trip"

24th April 2020. "The Mystery of Munday's Field in Ballyshannon"

25th April 2020. "The Man who Bought Ballyshannon"

27th April 2020. "Remembering a Ballyshannon Character, An unusual Claim and a Famous Remark"

28th April 2020. "The Great Fire of Ballyshannon and More"

29th April 2020. " Cures From Bygone Days in the Ballyshannon Area"

30th April 2020. " A Curious Court Case and Other Strange Tales in Ballyshannon"

1st May 2020.     " Local Customs for Special Days in the Ballyshannon Area"

2nd  May 2020.   " Ten Local Visitor Attractions in  Bygone Days"

3rd May 2020.    " A Ballyshannon Woman's Diary of Happy and Sad Events during the Great                                           Famine"

4th May 2020.     " Farewell to Ballyshannon"