MY YOUTH IN TIPPERARY
MY YOUTH IN TIPPERARY Patrick J Hill I am thinking of a dear old spot, in Ireland o’er the sea, I see it in my dreams a lot, it still seems home to me. There I spent my boyhood days, the glens I did explore, While the sun beamed down its warm rays o’er…
Read MoreLament for Thomas Mc Donagh
Lament for Thomas Mc Donagh ………..Francis Ledwidge He shall not hear the bittern cry In the wild sky, where he is lain Nor voices of the sweeter birds, Above the wailing of the rain Nor shall he know when loud March blows Thro’ slanting snows her fanfare shrill, Blowing to flame the golden cup…
Read More20th CENTURY MINING IN SILVERMINES
The heritage and history of the Silvermines area is unique in terms of mining and for centuries now, mining has been carried out at various stages and with varying degrees of intensity. The earliest mention of mining in this area dates to 1289 when Italian miners from Genoa and Florence in Northern Italy came to…
Read MoreGleeson Clan Gathering
The Gleeson Clan Gathering runs from 19-24 August 2016 in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. There are tours & social events throughout the week and lectures on Friday 19th & Saturday 20th at the Scouts’ Hall on topics as diverse as chain migration, researching Estate Papers, DNA, the Ancient Annals, & the role of the Gleesons in…
Read MoreSilvermines Commemorates
A ceremony of comemmoration, took place on Sunday 8th May in Silvermines organised by the local historical society. As the congregation emerged from 11 o’cock mass in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Silvermines, they were greeted with the strains of a lone piper and as he played, three ladies in 1916 styles mingled with the…
Read MoreThomas McDonagh Centre
On Monday 7th March a group of Silvermines Historical Society members paid a visit to the Thomas Mc Donagh Centre in Cloughjordan. The centre has just launched a programme of events to commemorate 1916 and holds a marvellous collection of Thomas Mc Donagh memorabilia, aptly housed in the place that was his childhood home. In…
Read MoreBALLINACLOUGH IN THE MID 19TH CENTURY
The 1837 publication of Samuel Lewis’ ‘A Topographical History of Ireland’ painted a picture of Ballinaclough (Ballynaclough) at that time as a prospering parish situated on the River Arra with 1149 inhabitants living across 3,701 statute acres. It highlighted Ballinaclough’s improved agricultural systems (presumably cultivating wheat, oats and potatoes on conacre; though not specified) along…
Read MoreBEYOND THE BUCK GATE
In many ways it was very much an anachronism in our lives, but for those of us who grew up around Dolla and Silvermines in the ’fifties, Kilboy and the ‘Big House’ will always have certain associations and memories. My own childhood home was just across the fields from Lord Dunally’s cropped mansion, and only…
Read MoreCONRADH NA GAEILGE IN BALLINACLOUGH
A Branch of the Gaelic League was formed in Ballinaclough in 1954 by the late Padraig O’Coileain. Padraig, or Pat, as he was known locally was a primary school teacher and had a great interest in all things Irish. The branch began its activities in Hughie Droney’s hall, with Irish language classes and Ceili dancing,…
Read MoreANDY COONEY I.R.A. ACTIVIST AND MEDICAL MAN [1897 – 1968]
Many of those involved in the War of Independence had books published about their exploits. Dan Breen with My Fight for Irish Freedom [ 1924 ] was one of the earliest as was Piaras Béaslaí with his Michael Collins and the New Ireland [ 1929 ]. These were followed by many others including Guerrilla Days…
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