Let Me Sing of What I Know (2)

Let Me Sing of What I Know (2)

Last week’s blog looked at the lives of two newspaper editors who contributed much to the local history of the area and this week concludes with a look at the lives of two other newspaper editors of the past. Our local newspapers are in many cases the only written record of events which were important to our ancestors. They are in a sense a witness to events which would otherwise be forgotten.

Cecil King (1908-2000) was born in Ballymote Co. Sligo in 1908 and  purchased The Donegal Democrat in 1948. He had been chief reporter in The Derry Journal and, with the help of a few friends, purchased the Donegal Democrat from the Downey family. While working in The Derry Journal Cecil had a world scoop as he was the first reporter on the scene when Amelia Earhart landed near the city, on her first solo flight from America. His arrival in Ballyshannon coincided with the Erne Hydro-Electric scheme when the town doubled in population, work was plentiful and it was said that in boarding houses the beds never cooled, as men worked around the clock for Cementation, Harvey and McLaughlin and the other contractors. He was joined by his brother Gervase King who had been working with the Ulster Herald Group in Omagh. Commercial enterprises in Ballyshannon thrived during the Erne-Scheme and this additional prosperity helped the local newspaper. Nevertheless Cecil also saw the downside of the major reconstruction of the town, as the Assaroe Waterfall and the picturesque bridge of 14 arches were demolished and the successful salmon fishery declined.

Cecil King had a great insight into local and national history and was for many years Treasurer of County Donegal Historical Society and President of the Society from 1984-1986. His index to The Donegal Annual showed great foresight as in pre-computer days it allowed local historians and the public an easy access into the contents of the annuals. The Donegal Democrat kept the history of County Donegal to the forefront by frequently publishing articles reflecting our rich history. In 1989 Cecil King published his reminiscences entitled Memorabilia. He recalled in a forthright manner the challenges in modernising the newspaper, the evolution of the local economy, politics and personalities in the county from the 1920s. His son also called Cecil continued the newspaper business on his retirement. Cecil King (senior) died on the 9^th February 2000 and is buried in the Abbey graveyard Ballyshannon.

John Ward (1927-2009) was a journalist and newspaper editor who bridged the gap between the printing press and the internet. He was a grandson of John McAdam, founder of The Donegal Vindicator, and John Ward was the last editor of the newspaper which closed on East Port Ballyshannon in 1956. He moved to Dublin where he became an official reporter in Dáil Éireann. From there he emigrated to Canada where he recorded the debates in Hansard for the Canadian parliament.

The valuable experiences of this reporter and researcher led to his development of an internet website which happily, thanks to his family, can still be located on the internet at www. vindicator.ca. This website records much local history which has not been recorded elsewhere and is regularly read by people living in the town and worldwide who enjoy reading memories of their native area. He had a keen memory with great attention to detail as he recalled what life was like growing up in Ballyshannon from the 1930s. All the local characters and sporting and social events are recorded in a very clear and easy manner which owes much to his newspaper training. He has a compendium of stories recounting the history of the falls of Assaroe which he had ambitions of restoring, and his website has influenced the thoughts of many natives at home and abroad.

New Local History Book: “Ballyshannon Genealogy and History” by Anthony Begley details the history of the Ballyshannon area in the 19^th and 20th centuries including fishing,

sport, tourism, social history, flora and fauna, The Independence struggle, The Emergency, buildings, townland history and lots of reminiscences. 

None of the material used in the blogs is taken from this book. The book covers an area roughly from Ballyshannon:

·        To Rossnowlagh, to Belleek, to Finner/ Bundoran to the Loughside, to Corlea, to Cashelard and towards Ballintra. Includes all the parish of Kilbarron and the local parts of Mágh Ene parish. Contains

·        500 pages with much material on how to trace your roots. All the gravestone inscriptions in the 3 local cemeteries are recorded and indexed for ease of location.

·        Includes many rare images and modern colour aerial photographs of the area.

Available from The Novel Idea Ballyshannon/The Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town or can be ordered on line from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com Price €25 softback plus postage if required. A limited number of hardbacks also available. Enquiries welcome.

Ballyshannon Musings: Please let people with connections to Ballyshannon and surrounding areas know about this site, particularly people who are not living locally and those who are abroad. The site is called "Ballyshannon Musings" and there are a number of back issues available at ballyshannonmusings.blogspot.com

New items will be posted every week or so on Ballyshannon Musings during 2013; the year of “The Gathering”. Keep in touch. Google “The Gathering in Ballyshannon” for more details of events you might like to attend.

Next Week’s Blog is called “Farewell to Ballyshannon” and records the emigrant tale of a twelve year old boy leaving Ballyshannon for America over a century ago.

Let me sing of what I know

Let Me Sing of What I Know (1)

A wild west Coast, a little town,

Where little Folk go up and down,

Tides flow and winds blow:

Night and tempest and the Sea,

Human Will and Human Fate:

What is little,what is great?

Howsoe’r the answer be ,

Let me sing of what I know.

                                                             William Allingham

Ballyshannon was the first town in County Donegal to publish a newspaper when The Ballyshannon Herald was printed on the Mall in 1831. This newspaper tradition was continued in the town with The Patriot, The Liberator, The Donegal Independent, The Donegal Vindicator and the Donegal Democrat. The newspaper tradition is another indication of the commercial prosperity of the area as local newspapers depended on local commercial outlets for advertisements.

Local newspapers are of great interest and value to the local historian and to the genealogist as they may be the only source for local events which were not written down elsewhere. Local newspapers also record advertisements, obituaries, property sales, sport, national events, and a host of local memories. Two of the pioneer editors in the development of newspapers in Ballyshannon were John McAdam and John Downey

John McAdam was born in Glasgow in 1856 and came to Ireland to work on The Tuam Herald. In 1889 he was invited by the Land League to set up a newspaper in Ballyshannon. The Donegal Vindicator was established on East Port in the town and supported Parnell and the Home Rule Party until the Parnellite Split over Kitty O’Shea. 

McAdam had a keen sense of social justice and also an interest in recording local history which is invaluable today. Two of the local papers The Ballyshannon Herald and The Donegal Independent merged into The Donegal Independent in 1884 with Samuel Delmege Trimble as proprietor. McAdam eventually gained control of The Donegal Independent which merged into The Donegal Vindicator. John McAdam was also proprietor and editor of The Derry Weekly News and The Tyrone Herald.

The  period of the independence struggle was a dangerous time for the McAdam family who courageously reported on local incidents in the struggle. The British Army raided the newspaper offices and arrested Eily and Kathleen McAdam and seized newspapers and files. They were later released without charge. During the Civil War (1922-1923) armed men entered the newspaper premises and smashed the printing press. Nevertheless despite intimidation the paper still continued to record local political and  community events  and is an important source in trying to gain a balanced viewpoint, alongside government records of the period.

John Downey, first editor of The Donegal Democrat was a son of Michael and Mary

Downey from Cashelard, and he was educated by Master Thomas McIntyre who had his school in College Street in Ballyshannon. He was employed in different printing establishments in Ballyshannon; working firstly with P.A.Mooney of The Donegal Independent. Later he worked in The Donegal Vindicator on East Port where was foreman in the printing works for John McAdam. In 1909 he was goal-keeper for the Aodh Ruadh Hurling Club and a staunch supporter of Gaelic games. Sinn Féin swept all before them in the 1918 General Election and the time was ripe for a new local paper  to reflect the changes in the country.  In 1919 John Downey established his own newspaper, The Donegal Democrat, with the backing of local business man Cecil Stephens, himself a keen local historian. The Donegal Democrat reflected the new nationalist Ireland and this newspaper also came under close scrutiny from the British Army at Finner.

John Downey presented The Democrat Cup for the  County Donegal  club championship in Gaelic games. He was also actively involved in promoting the Irish language through the Gaelic League. Downey had a keen interest in drama, the local brass and reed band, handball, the Red Cross and on every movement for the good of the town. He regularly recorded the activities of these clubs and also has left a rich legacy of local history which is not available anywhere else. In particular the two local newspapers courageously recorded the independence struggle of the 1920s which gives a rare and valuable insight into local incidents. Both papers were raided by the British military from nearby Finner Camp who on occasions seized documents and files. John Downey was buried in Cashelard on Friday 23rd of May 1947. Members of the Downey family still reside in Ballyshannon today.

The Year of the Gathering: Please let people with connections to Ballyshannon and surrounding areas know about this site, particularly people who are not living locally and those who are abroad. The site is called "Ballyshannon Musings" and there are a number of back issues. New items will be posted every week or so during 2013-The year of “The Gathering”. Keep in touch.

New Local History Book: “Ballyshannon Genealogy and History” by Anthony Begley details the history of the Ballyshannon area in the 19^th and 20th centuries including fishing,

sport, tourism, social history, flora and fauna, The Independence struggle, The Emergency, buildings, townland history and lots of reminiscences. 

The book covers an area roughly from Ballyshannon:

·        To Rossnowlagh, to Belleek, to Finner/ Bundoran to the Loughside and towards Ballintra. Contains 500 pages with much material on how to trace your roots. All the gravestone inscriptions in the 3 local cemeteries are recorded and indexed for ease of location. Includes many rare images and modern colour aerial photographs of the area.

Available from The Novel Idea Ballyshannon/The Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town or can be ordered on line from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com Price €25 softback plus postage if required. A limited number of hardbacks also available. Enquiries welcome.

Next Week’s Blog on local newspapers concludes with the contributions to local history of Cecil King, editor of “The Donegal Democrat,” and John Ward, editor of “The Donegal Vindicator”.

Ten Rarely Asked Questions about the Ballyshannon Area

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

Ideal local gift for all special occasions.

Available at The Novel Idea Bookshop Ballyshannon, Ballyshannon and District Museum and The Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town.

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

 Book Available from Anthony Begley West Rock Ballyshannon. anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com  Enquiries welcome for postal and other details. 




 
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.

Ten Rarely Asked Questions about the Ballyshannon Area

The questions (and answers) below are based on the history of the Ballyshannon area and have probably never been asked before. Ballyshannon is a very ancient, historic town and in November 2012, as part of the very successful Allingham Festival, a talk entitled “Forty Shades of Ballyshannon” drew a capacity crowd to the Abbey Centre and once again proved that there is huge interest in the history of the area.  Conor Carney and Patricia Keane added to the event with their professional readings and songs of old Ballyshannon. This talk was in memory of Louis and Kathleen Emerson who did tremendous work in keeping history alive in Ballyshannon and Co. Donegal. Most of the questions below were discussed at the talk in November and so this time I include the answers.

1.      According to legend who was involved in the first case of adultery in Ireland?

Ballyshannon lays claim to being the oldest town in Ireland with Parthalon and his followers settling here in prehistoric times. Unfortunately the annals record that his wife Dealgnait was unfaithful with a manservant Topa. (The full story is contained in the book “Ballyshannon Genealogy and History” listed above).

2.      Where was a 2,000 year old French sword found in Ballyshannon?

This sword was found in their nets by fishermen in the harbour at Ballyshannon around 1916. The sword was given to local historian Hugh Allingham, later sold to Andrew Lowry, a noted Donegal antiquarian, and today is in the National Museum in Dublin. This is called the Ballyshannon Sword Hilt as the piece of blade found became detached. A 2,000 year old sword from the La Tene period proves that trading at Ballyshannon goes back a long, long way. A copy of the sword hilt can be seen in The County Museum in Letterkenny and in Ballyshannon and District Museum.

3.      Who had the first licence for a pub in Ballyshannon?

This goes back to 1629 when Michael Folliott, a son of the first Baron of Ballyshannon and Robert Dillon, second Earl of Roscommon, were given the first licence to set up taverns, sell wines and to make liquor in Ballyshannon.

4.      This man was put in prison for eloping with a young lady and is remembered in a ballad?

The man in question was Willie Reilly and he eloped with Helen Folliott (Folliard) of Wardtown Castle which overlooks the Erne estuary near Ballyshannon. She was called The Colleen Bawn and there is a famous ballad devoted to the couple who were associated with Wardtown. Older people in the locality can still recite the ballad beginning:

“Oh rise up Willie Reilly and come along with me”

William Carleton wrote about their elopement and what followed. This is not to be confused with other tales of Colleen Bawns in other parts of the country. It’s about time our Colleen Bawn was recognised. The impressive shell of Wardtown Castle can still be seen today.

5.      What local woman disguised as a man became a national celebrity for a short time?

This true romantic tale could be made into a blockbuster movie. The lady was Anne Jane Thornton (1817-1877) who disguised herself as a sailor to leave Ballyshannon in search of her lover in America. Her adventures became public in “The Times” newspaper in London in 1835 and she became a celebrity for a time.

6.      Who came to Ballyshannon in 1922 and are still here 90 years later?

The Garda Síochána (police) arrived in College Street on the 13^th October 1922 to take up residence in the former R.I.C. Barracks. (This building is now the home of Mary and Benedict Dorrian)

7.      In the 1930s “sitting out in cars” was declared illegal. And the reason?

Last week’s blog discussed this topic and it would appear that it was feared the morals of the country would be in danger if couples were allowed sit in cars outside dance halls at the time!

8.      What Ballyshannon telegram led to an international debate?

This was a telegram sent by John Cleary to Frank Gallagher, solicitor for the fishermen, at the height of the affair concerning the Kildoney fishermen and others. They fought for the rights of local people to fish in the channel at Ballyshannon.

This event will be commemorated in 2013 on the 80^th anniversary of the winning of the case in 1933. A plaque will be unveiled at the Mall Quay on Monday 5th August 2013 with lots of events on the day. Google “The Gathering in Ballyshannon” for more details. It is hoped that people will return from abroad and elsewhere in Ireland to mark the unveiling of a memorial to those involved in this victory for the people. Hope to see you there. I will devote a blog to this historic event in 2013.

9.      Where was the first public library located in Ballyshannon in 1948?

Sixty four years ago, on the 22^nd December 1948, the first public library was opened in the old workhouse building on the Rock. Interestingly the library was run on a voluntary basis for a period at the beginning.

10.  What was a Belashannighan?

This was a name invented by internationally known author Seamus McManus who was originally from Mountcharles Co. Donegal. A Belashannighan was a person who loved the old town of Ballyshannon and who was, “proud of their great, true and beloved poet,” William Allingham. You don’t need to be born in the area to be a Belashannighan. So greetings Belashannighans wherever you are.

19th Century Commercial Ballyshannon

19th Century Commercial Ballyshannon

Last week’s blog showed how shops in the town were geared up for Christmas in 1889 and this week we take a brief look at some of the factors which made Ballyshannon a significant town one hundred and thirty years ago.

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Ballyshannon was a thriving commercial town in the 1880s although there was a recession at that time also:

•   The town served a wide hinterland in Fermanagh, Leitrim and Donegal. It was by far the most prominent trading town in south Donegal, if not in the county. (Partition in the 1920s was to have a significant effect on the local economy).  
• The town had all the normal civic offices but also had  2 banks- The Belfast Bank (now Gallogley’s Jewellers) and the Provincial Bank (now A.I.B.). The Belfast Bank with its iconic clock tower cost £4,000 to build and in return for being allowed to build outwards, narrowing the street, the bank provided the town with the clock which is still there today. Such was the planning process at the time!

•   There were  6 churches in Ballyshannon consisting of 2 Catholic, 2 Methodist, 1 Presbyterian and a Church of Ireland . ( In 2012 big changes as there are 3 churches- 2 Catholic and 1 Church of Ireland).
• Ballyshannon had a brewery, dispensary, post office, the Great Northern Railway station, numerous hotels and shops and a workhouse which also served a wide area in Fermanagh, part of Leitrim around Kinlough, Tullaghan, Bundoran, Rossnowlagh and close to Ballintra. 
• The military presence had been in the town since the Ulster Plantation and there was an English military barracks at the top of the steps at East Rock. ( the perimeter wall can still be seen in places). There was an R.I.C. police barracks on Main Street opposite Dorrian’s Imperial Hotel.
• The Market House still stood in the centre of town  (close to where O’ Reilly’s Fish shop is today), and two weekly markets were held in the Market Yard- a flax and pork market on a Thursday and one for grain and agricultural goods on a Saturday. The town was an important centre for fairs with one held on the second day of every month except of course in September when the Harvest Fair was held. Agriculture played an important role in the local economy.
• The harbour still saw cargoes such as coal and timber landing although shipping was much reduced in numbers due to the sandbar at the mouth of the harbour, shipwrecks, lack of insurance and competition from the railways. Emigrants in the 1880s used the train, which had a regular connecting service, and not the harbour as in former times. The Coastguard houses were occupied by staff and there was an Excise office and Weighmaster in the Market Yard.
• Fishing was a major source of income for local people, for the Erne Fishery Company and for local hotels. The first tourists to stay in the  Ballyshannon area were fishermen. Probably the finest craft in the town was that of Michael Rogan of the great fly-tying family who carried on the craft at West Port. (nowadays the Credit Union building).
• The Great Northern Railway (G.N.R.) arrived in Ballyshannon in 1867 and Bundoran was the end of the line locally. The railway connected scattered communities with the town, developed the seaside resort at Bundoran, brought in mail and newspapers and manufactured goods. Cattle could be exported to Britain starting their journey on cattle trains at Station road. Fish could be transported from Ballyshannon and be in the London market at Billingsgate the following day. The railway made it easier to emigrate and families gathered at the Station Road to bid farewell to loved ones commencing their journey abroad. (The County Donegal Railway (CDR) railway station was built in Ballyshannon at the beginning of the 20th century and then the town had 2 railways which were on either side of the river. Because of the width of gauge the two railways were not connected. Rossnowlagh and Creevy became popular with locals who used the C.D.R. train and many areas were now connected with town).

However the growth of the industrial revolution brought mass production of goods which were conveyed by railway to towns like Ballyshannon. Local hand crafts couldn’t compete and started to decline because of competition from imports and changes in society. Trades and crafts which gradually disappeared included salt manufacturers, candlemakers, tanners, saddlers, cart makers, white smiths, black smiths, weighmaster, shoemakers and brewers although Dicey Reilly’s is soon to resume this ancient Ballyshannon industry in 2012-2013.

Spread the Word: Thanks to people who contacted me in the past few weeks and are enjoying the blog in Hong Kong, New York, London, Australia, Canada, England, Zambia, Switzerland, U.S.A. and various parts of  Ireland. Please let people with Ballyshannon connections know about this site, particularly people who are not living locally and those who are abroad. The site is called "Ballyshannon Musings" and there are a number of back issues. New items will be posted every week or two. Keep in touch.

New Local History Book: “Ballyshannon Genealogy and History” by Anthony Begley details the history of the Ballyshannon area in the 19^th and 20th centuries including fishing,

sport, social history, flora and fauna, The Independence struggle, The Emergency, townland history and lots of reminiscences.  The book covers an area roughly from Ballyshannon:

•  To Rossnowlagh, to Belleek, to Finner/ Bundoran to the Loughside and towards Ballintra.
•   500 pages with much material on tracing your roots. All the gravestone inscriptions in the 3 local cemeteries are recorded and indexed for ease of location. Includes many rare images and modern colour aerial photographs of the area.  
• Available from The Novel Idea Ballyshannon/The Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town or can be ordered on line from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com Price €25 softback plus postage if required. A limited number of hardbacks also available.

Next Week’s Blog will look at how dancing and “sitting out” in cars was looked at in the  Ballyshannon area in the 1930s. Times have really changed!!