IMPROVEMENTS AT FURNESS

 

 

Messrs. Dunne and Sheridan, Painting and Decorating Contractors, Naas, have just completed a very extensive contract at Furness House, lately purchased from Mr. W. Osborne, who was declared the purchaser in the Courts some years back. It is unnecessary to go into a description of this once beautiful house and grounds as it has been so often repeated in these columns. Suffice it to say that since it has come into the hands of its present owner, the whole place has gone under great alteration, and no expense having been spared it is fast recovering its former grandeur. To go minutely into the work done by even the paint brush would indeed take up more space than would be at our disposal. We visited the place during the week, and on entering the hall the first thing to strike the eye is that it has been divided by an archway and the floor has been put down in parquet. The walls are papered in drab colour, with the figure of a dragon in dark terra cotta, with the wainscoting painted to match. On the right hand side stands a fireplace with a magnificent old white marble carved chimneypiece representing the vine. On the left, under the staircase, Mr. Synott has had a stove erected. Such a piece of wood and workmanship as is in the staircase it would, indeed, be hard to beat. It is, we believe, Spanish chestnut carved magnificently. When Mr. Synott saw it cleaned out he decided to leave it in that state, and we must agree with his taste as it would be sad to see a brush mar such work. A new study has been built looking out on the back lawn, and it is floored to match the hall. The anteroom is papered in green stripe, the painting work to match. The drawingroom is papered in plain tint of yellow, and the carved woodwork has been thoroughly cleaned and painted in white, showing off the fine workmanship. There is a beautiful ceiling in this room said to be put up many years ago by Italians. There is also a carved chimneypiece of great value. The spacious dining room is papered in terra cotta and has a new parquet floor. The chimneypiece of this room is of white Canea marble. The bedrooms are painted in blue terra cotta and cream; in each the woodwork is painted to match. Amongst the many improvements are a new laundry, linen rooms, with special heating apparatus; bath and schoolrooms, lavatories, telephone to servants’ hall, a water supply right through house, with a hose on each landing in case of fire. The kitchen, pantries and servants’ apartments have all been rebuilt and the woodwork painted in terra cotta. The woodwork of the sides and front is painted in olive green. Passing from the house into the stable-yard we find a new groom’s house, coach-house, harness and saddlerooms, and stabling for eleven horses. These are all fine airy boxes, fitted by Musgrave & Co, Belfast, with their patent fittings. They are splendidly paved and drained. The woodwork is stained and varnished, and the ironwork painted in brown. A new hay barn by Kennan & Sons has been erected. The garden has not been neglected and close on 1,000 fruit trees have been planted, and the greenhouses heated by one of Kennan & Sons’ heating apparatus.
Messrs Dunne and Sheridan are to be congratulated for the manner in which they have accomplished their big contract. Messrs. Good Bros, Brunswick street, had the contract for all work except the painting and decorating.

 

 Kill History Group

 

 

 

Spring & Summer 2010

 

 

Monday 22nd March:  Early Kildare Motoring
 (Bob Webster)

 

 

All meetings  take place in the Parish Meeting Room at 8.30 p.m.
(unless otherwise indicated)

Leinster Leader 27/12/1951

 

 

THE PEOPLE OF MOONE

 

FATHER REDMOND IS PROUD OF THEM!

 

“It is one of the proudest privileges of my life to live and minister among you!” These were the words used by the Rev. Father John Redmond, C.C., Moone, when he addressed a very large gathering of parishioners and their friends in Moone School on Tuesday evening, the concluding night of the Second Ring of Gold Cup. He had just been distributing over £80 worth of prizes, in cash and in kind, that night.
The prizes were scattered far and wide, for Dame Fortune partook of the nature of Santa Claus, and in true Christmas sprit she bestowed her favours over widely separated districts, for boundaries of parishes or of counties were no obstacle to her lavishness
The star prize of the night was a lovely three wave Pye radio set. Cash prizes in plenty came in quick succession, a ten pound note, two fivers, two fours, two threes, and three twos, and these were followed by four cases of wines, and eight large parcels of cigarettes, big enough not only to last through Christmas week, but also to see their lucky winners well through the begging of the first month of the New Year. Altogether, thirty-four people were made happier on this great night. The names of those who were fortunate enough to share in these prizes will be published in our next week’s issue.
   Father Redmond, in congratulating the winners, expressed his high appreciation of the great assistance which promoters and members in the Second Ring of Gold had given to augment the requisite funds for the repair and renovation of Moone Church. He said he did not know whom to praise most for the very edifying results-the committees responsible for the organisation of the Club, the hon. secretaries, treasures and promoters who worked so untiringly and who devoted their precious time so unselfishly in their weekly duties and collections, or the 1,800 members whose regular contributions week by week had helped to solve a big portion of the money problems, for without sufficient money the work of renovation would have to fall far short of their needs and of their wishes. Their membership was by no means confined to their own parishioners. The enrolment embraced a wide cross-section of many of the counties of Leinster, even across the Shannon to the Western coast of Connaught, and back again over the Irish Sea to many Irish homes in England.

£700 IN PRIZES
   The Second Ring of Gold had, in twenty weeks, distributed £700 in prizes, and a similar sum had been allocated to the Renovation Fund, after paying all incidental expenses. It was a great tribute to what could be accomplished in a small district by a warm-hearted people, imbued with the great desire to make their Church worthy of the King of Kings. He thanked, most earnestly, all those who had helped in any way, and he expressed the hope that the Third Ring of Gold, starting on 8th Jan. would, if possible, be even more successful. He reminded intending members that they should enrol their names at once with any of their promoters, or with the Hon. Secs., Ring of Gold, Moone, Co. Kildare.
    Incidentally, Father Redmond referred to the magnificent response by the people of Moone parochial district to his special collection. In addition to subscribing to the Ring of Gold, he announced that the 250 households in the district had contributed the amazing sum of £1,200, in four weeks, to the Renovation Fund. He believed that was an all-time record.
  He said that His Grace the Archbishop, Most Rev. Doctor McQuaid, who visited both the Church and Schools in Moone last week, had spoken in glowing terms of the people of Moone. He was highly pleased with the progress of the work of renovation, and with the improvements which he had seen. The Parish Priest, Very Rev. Father Cotter, had nothing but the highest praise for their loyalty, their devotion, and their unstinted generosity.
   “And in conveying my own appreciation,” said Father Redmond, “ I can never forget the wonderful help you have given me, and I shall always think of you as among the grandest and most generous people in this great country of ours, or indeed of any country in the world.”
    He concluded by thanking the Leinster Leader and the “Nationalist and Leinster Times” for their splendid and regular featuring of their advertisements and announcements throughout the year. These two papers were most helpful, and he could realise their extensive circulation and widespread popularity from the many responses received in answers to their advertisements, and from the frequency with which he heard their editorial articles and news items quoted. Their managers, editors and staff were worthy of the highest credit and most deserving of their best thanks.
    Then, having conveyed the ever-old but ever-welcome wish, “A Happy Christmas and a Glad New Year “ to everyone present, and to their friends who had helped in any way during the course of the year, the proceedings terminated to the echo of loud rounds of applause.

 

 

FORMER INTERNEE ON VISIT

 

A former Luftwaffe flyer who crash-landed in Wexford in April ’41 and was interned at Curragh Camp from then until the summer of ’46 renewed acquaintance with a number of friends in the Newbridge-Curragh area during the last week.

Austrian Max Galler, now working in his native country, stayed in Newbridge during his visit to the country and met many people whom he knew here during the Emergency.  One man with whom he was very anxious to renew acquaintance was Mr. Mick Sheehan of Newbridge and Curragh Camp in whose shoe repair shop at Curragh Camp Herr Galler worked for a time while interned.  The Austrian visited other places where he worked while here.  He was accompanied by his son Maxie, and had some amusing anecdotes to tell of the years when he was the enforced guest  of the Irish nation at Tintown, Curragh Camp.

 

Racing at the Curragh 100 years ago

  Perhaps a few little particulars of the arrangements of the Turf Club at the Curragh over 100 years since may be of interest to our racing friends during the week of the popular June meeting at the Curragh. After listening one evening for a considerable time to a discussion on “form” in respect of the probable winners at the Curragh during the week it struck the writer that some account of the manner in which our sporting forefathers got to work in the racing world in the olden time should not come amiss. My mind turned back to a book in my possession – a copy of the Racing Calendar, published in 1814 containing an account of “Plates, Matches and Sweepstakes,” run for in the year 1813 with an abstract of engagements entered into for future years. The names and addresses are also given of the subscribers numbering 1,800, and it is interesting to note that in very many instances at the present day the same old families and names are identified with the interests of the county generally in the same districts still in various ways as well as with hunting and sporting, while many worthy scions of the same old Irish families are to be found to-day in the County Kildare, and in the different hunting fields of Ireland.
 In “The Emigrant’s Return,” written by the late Canon Sheehan, of Doneraile, the lines occur where news being sought of Ireland :-

Is there frost on the field? Is there snow ion the hollow?
Is the air quite as crisp in the valley below?
Is there pink on the rider and silk on the horses?
Are the hounds baying loud to the Hark, Tallyho?
And over the burrows and over the fences
Do the horsemen still plunge when the hounds have the scent;
And the farmer forget in the glee of the moment
That to-morrow the agent will press him for rent.

 The air is still crisp on the hunting morning, when the Killing Kildare’s are baying loud to the Hark Tallyho, but the agent is gone, and the farmer can now, indeed, duly manage, in the “glee of the moment” without any latter thought of the morrow.
 In the volume referred to, written in the old fashioned type, the old rules and orders of the Turf Club are of much interest and the arrangements for the payment of riders, the choice of members of the Kildare Coffey House, the appointment of Stewards, the punishment for watching trials, the arrangement of matches, subscriptions and sweepstakes, as well as other matters incidental to the government of the turf are dealt with in somehow a rather quaint fashion. It would appear that a century back the members of the famous Daly’s Club were in exceptionally good standing with the Turf Club, as they were admitted members of the Turf Club and Coffee Room at Kildare without a ballot on paying the usual subscription. The members of the Turf Club indeed who attended the old Coffee Room at Kildare in those days were able to look after the main point of finance, evidently very well, as a prominent rule reads:- “That no member of the Turf Club will be allowed to dine with the club without first paying his subscription and arrears to the Treasurer. In 1813 the subscription to the Club and Coffee Room was increased to two guineas a year and two Crowns, while every winner was ordered to pay to the Keeper of the Match Book for the account of the club two guineas over and above the usual fees. The preliminary fees for admission to the Coffee Room were in that year increased to five guineas, while that to the Turf Club was increased to fifteen guineas, one guinea of each to go to the keepers of the Match Book.
 “It would seem that the Stand House was then recognised in practically the same way as it is now, as the following appears:- “The stables at the Stand House being now fitted up ‘tis directed that all horses (except those that stand on the hill) who are to start for any race on the north side of the Turnpike road shall assemble therein at least half an hour before the time appointed for starting and notice is hereby given that no excuse whatever will be admitted of for want of punctuality in any groom who shall neglect to comply with this regulation.”
 At this time military officers who were members of the Turf Club were not habit to the annual subscription for the time of their absence on duty out of “this Kingdom with their regiments.” They should, however, sign a declaration to this effect and deliver it to the Clerk.
 Some of the rules read – “That in future all new rules to be balloted for shall be balloted for before 12 o’clock at night on the Monday of each meeting subsequent to the meeting during which they have been stuck up instead of being ballotted for at nine o’clock.”
 In the racing at the Curragh of a 100 years ago, indeed there was evidently a forfeiture for the entertaining of members at dinner as shown in the following:- “That any members of this club residing within two miles of the Curragh who shall entertain at dinner a member of the club during the meeting shall pay to the Keeper of the Club one guinea for self and one guinea for each member entertained at his house during the meeting – this to be ascertained upon the honour of  the member who entertains. That whenever any member of the Club, himself to be an individual, shall propose a bet such bet shall not be taken up by any other person.”
 “That the Yearling Two Years Old Course and Three Years Old Course should be the Newmarket lengths instead of those present established.” “That each member of the Turf Club for whom the keepers of the Match Book shall keep an account, shall pay them not less than two guineas for each meeting, otherwise they are not obliged nor do not keep an account for such member.” “That in future no greater sum than one guinea for scales and stand, and one guinea to the judge shall be paid by the winner of any race at the Curragh, and that for any feather race (where a course scales are not used) nothing more than the guinea for the judge shall be paid.” “That all ballots shall take place before the hour of dinner.” “It is ordered that in future all horses to run for King’s Plate must be at the post precisely at two o’clock under a penalty not forfeiting two guineas before they are allowed to start.”
 It would appear at this time as if the Deputy Ranger was the starter. “The deputy Ranger must start whatever horses are at the post in half an hour after the time appointed by the Stewards.”
 At this time there was an infirmary at Kilcullen, which has been disused so long that the oldest inhabitant does not appear to remember. One of the order for the Stewards for 1813 says – “The Stewards of the Turf Club have resolved in future that any reference to them from country meetings, one guinea must be sent along with it, which will be handed to the Kilcullen Infirmary. The final rule runs: “The Gold whip, given by the Marquis of Sligo, to be challenged for on Friday of the June meeting, to be run for on Friday of the following October meeting, each person at the time of challenging to deliver the name of his horse or mare, sealed up to the Keepers of the Match Book, and to subscribe his name to a paper to be hung up in the Coffee Room. The Keepers of the Match Book shall hold up seals delivered to them until eight o’clock on Saturday of the meeting, in which the whip is challenged (at which time the possessor of the whip is to declare his Acceptance or Resignation of the whip) and then if the challenge is not accepted, return them unopened, but if the challenge is accepted he is to open them and declare a match or sweepstakes for 100 guineas each. P. P. weight fir age. Four miles.”
 The rules were signed by the Stewards 100 years ago by Right Hon. D. B. Daly, M. P.; Lord Viscount Cremorne and Jas. Daly, Esq., and published by order of the Stewards in the name of Robert Hunter.

 

COMPILED AND EDITED BY JAMES DURNEY

 

Much of the fabric of our landscape is being trampled on by the Celtic Tiger. In this article Brian McCabe draws attention to an increasingly vulnerable piece of road furniture
      -the milestone

 

 

There can be little doubt that the current comprehensive national programme of road-building and realignment is daily disturbing, uncovering and irrevocably changing the landscape and archaeology of this country in a widespread and unprecedented manner. We see the evidence of this on virtually every major road in the country as we go about our daily business-in my own case, on the road formerly known as the Naas dual carriageway, now referred to in signage (and in good Eurospeak) as the N7 national route.
        There have, of course, been the usual statutorily required archaeological digs along the line of the proposed new road in the past year or so, which have turned up many interesting and valuable finds at different points along the “road-take”. A number of other historical artefacts fall outside the scope of such examination, however, and are in danger of being overlooked in the headlong rush to upgrade our roads to cope with the ever-increasing volume of traffic, particularly to and from our capital city. Chief amongst these must be the humble (and increasingly scarce) milestones that in earlier times helped weary travellers to find and measure their way to and from our principal towns and cities.
          It was those master road-builders, the Romans, who first defined the centre of imperial Rome with a “Golden Milestone” and placed milestones on their great roads showing the distance to this datum so that travellers could mark their progress. In those days, truly, all roads led to Rome.
          While this island may never have been part of the Roman Empire, archaeological excavations over the years have uncovered much evidence of pre-Christian roads; indeed, early Gaelic literature and law-tracts contain many provisions in relation to roads and the importance of their upkeep. We do not know whether those built or maintained these roads had their own primitive milestones, but no doubt they had their own way of marking progress towards their desired destinations.
    While there is some evidence of what we would today regard as milestones in England from the seventeenth century, the earliest such examples in Ireland seem to date from the early eighteenth century.
    The problems involved in actually dating milestones themselves are enormous. Contemporary references are very rare and are difficult to associate directly with particular milestones. The earliest Irish documentary source would appear to be Watson’s Almanac, a Dublin directory first published in 1733 and which continued in existence until 1794. From 1779 onwards Watson referred his readers to Taylor and Skinner’s Roadbook of Ireland, which marked the mileage from Dublin to the more important towns.
     Road history, where known, may help the dating effort by providing some terminal dates. For example, where a road has been redirected at some known date in the past, older milestones may survive along the abandoned route or newer ones may stand on the more recent route. The relationship between milestones and administrative road history can be very difficult to define, however. The milestones that currently survive belong, generally, to the eighteenth and nineteenth century, and during the period roads were the responsibility, at different times, of the grand juries, the turnpike trusts and, particularly in the nineteenth century, the Post Office. All appear to have been responsible for milestones at one stage or another, but definitive connections with individual stones are very hard to establish.
     Another help in the dating process in Ireland is the official adoption of the English system of measurement, including mileage, in 1826. It can probably therefore be assumed that any stones that bear the longer Irish mile measurement were erected before this date. An “Irish” mile was 2,240 yards, whereas the “English” (or stature) mile was 1,760 yards. The difference arose from the use of different linear perch, the statute perch measuring five and a half yards and the “Irish” measuring seven. It should also be noted that prior to the completion of the GPO building in Sackville (O’Connell) Street in 1818, mileage in this country was measured from Dublin Castle.
     As with other artefacts, typology may help with dating but, as always, styles may overlap or be subject to regional or individual variation. An attempt at such typology was made in a paper by Joan Murphy and Kieron Murphy, read to the Old Dublin Society  in 1981 and published in the Dublin Historical Record, Vol. 25. They felt that the oldest-looking milestone in the greater Dublin area was to be found in the village of Kilcullen, Co. Kildare. It stands about three feet high, with a  crudely cut rectangular shape and roughly inscribed figures-“21” for the (Irish) mileage to Dublin and “C.K” standing for County Kildare. The stone is currently set into the wall surrounding the Cross and Passion Covenant at the junction of the N9 and N78
    Murphy and Murphy felt the stone pre-dated Watson’s Almanac, which gave a different distance to Dublin. It is possible that it may be a surviving stone from the original Dublin-Kilcullen turnpike, which was, in fact, Ireland’s first toll-road. This road, which has a long and interesting history, was set up by a special act of the Irish parliament in 1729. The rationale for this enactment-and an acknowledgment of how bad the condition of the road was at the time-was spelled out in the preamble, which began as follows:

“Whereas the Highway or Road leading from the City of Dublin through Kilmainham and Rathcoole to the town of Naas and from thence to Kilcullen Bridge in the County of Kildare, by reason of several hollow ways and of the many and heavy Carriages frequently passing through the same, are become so rulnous and bad, that in the winter Season many parts thereof are impassible for Waggons, Carts, Cars and Carriages and very dangerous for travellers and cannot, by the ordinary course appointed by the Laws and Statues of the Realm, be effectually mended and kept in good repair…Wherefore and to the intent that the said Highways or Roads may with convenient Speed be effectually mended and hereafter kept in good and sufficient Repair so that all persons may travel through the same with safety….it shall be in the power of the Lord Archbishop of Dublin (and Trustees) shall and may erect or cause to be erected one or more Gate or Gates, Turnpike or Turn Pikes in upon or across any Part or Parts of the said High ways or Roads and also a Toll House or Toll Houses and there shall receive and take the Tolls and Duties…”

This early experiment in road-tolling (despite being put forward as a temporary measure until the road could be upgraded) was to continue for well over 100 years, until the advent of the railways in the 1840s provided a faster and cheaper alternative transport system and the tolls were eventually-and reluctantly-lifted.
       Prompted by the (re)discovery of a previously forgotten milestone at Johnstown, and spurred on by the impending N7 roadworks, a group of us examined the road from Dublin to Kilcullen over a number of weekends to see how many old milestones still survived along the route. We established that seven such stones are still extant or can be accounted for. Virtually none of these are visible along the present road but can be found either along the line of the old (bypassed) road, in laybys or buried in heavy undergrowth. In one case the stone has been moved many miles from its original location. If one assumes that there was, in fact, a stone every mile along the 21-(Irish)-mile route of the original turnpike, then the rate of attrition for such stones can be clearly seen.
   The seven stones concerned are illustrated here, and those that are still (more or less) in their original location are plotted on the relevant section of Taylor and Skinner’s Maps of the roads of Ireland (1777). Since all of them carry the old “Irish” mileage we can, I think, assign them all to the pre-1826 period. This would seem to be borne out by a Travellers New Guide through Ireland, published in 1819, which describes what can be seen at each of the listed milestones “On the great southern Mail-coach road” through Kildare.
   If the stones concerned do, in fact, date from this early period, this would make them quite rare, and, accordingly, valuable from a historical point of view. Indeed, with the shift to metric road measurement from last year, one can truthfully say of milestones that “they are not making them any more.”
     I would therefore like to avail of this opportunity and use the pages of this prestigious publication, to appeal to all those involved (particularly engineers and, yes, archaeologists) to keep a careful lookout for buried or overlooked old milestones during the course of their week in relation to the ongoing road-building and road-widening programmes across the country.

Acknowledgments

My thanks to Mr. Liam Kenny, Director of the Association of County and City Councils, who first drew my attention to the existence of the “Johnstown” stone and who shared the subsequent hunt for other surviving stones. Thanks also to Mr. Pat Byrne and his son John for helping in the hunt and for the photos and drawing that accompany this article.

Archaeology Ireland Autumn 2006

 

 Kildare Observer 22^nd October 1932

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Saturday afternoon the Earl and Countess of Drogheda entertained the children and parents of St. John’s Parish, Monasterevan, to a tea party, and a very enjoyable evening’s amusement. On the lawn in front of the court were laid many and lengthy tables, beautifully decorated and provided with every good thing to please the taste of the youngsters and their parents, all of whom were most generously provided for. A number of varied coloured flags, joined with the dresses of the ladies and children, served to beautify the lawn, the scene being a very animated one when all were assembled to do justice to the good things provided. The guests were looked after by the Countess of Drogheda, Lady B. Moore, Mrs. Smithwick, Mrs. Lord, Mrs. Borrowes, and the Rev. Canon and the Rev. Fritz Smithwick, Mr. Borrowes, Mr. Brooks etc. To add to the enjoyment of the evening, the weather was gloriously fine, and everything helped to make the fete the entire success it was. After the tea was partaken of the rest of the evening was given over to all sorts of amusements, nothing being left undone to please the visitors. Swings, Aunt Sallys, see-saws, and boating on the river were part of the games enjoyed by the guests, while sporting events were provided for those wishing to take part in them, and for which liberal prizes were given by Lord Drogheda. All the events were run in heats owing to the number of contestants taking part. Football matches were also indulged in. In connection with the fete was the distribution of prizes to the successful children of the Scriptural Bible classes, the examinations of which were held in June last. The following were the successful competitors in the sporting events:-

Potato Race (for boys over 11 years)-1^st B. Edghill; 2^nd Allen Edghill.

Under 11 years- Wm. Sunderland, 2^nd A. Edghill

Girls over 11 years-1^st L. Pilgrim; 2^nd E. Lark

Girls under 11 years-1^st Lillie Wright, 2^nd, Adaline Clare.

100 Yards Boy’s Race (under 11 years)- 1^st Thos. Hall, 2^nd, H. Whiting

100 Yards (boys over 11 years)-1^st A.Wright, 2^nd. H. White

100 Yards (girls under 11 years)- 1^st Ethel Warren, 2^nd, Dolly Switzer.

100 Yards (girls over 11 years)-1^st M. Jameson, 2^nd, Emily Lark

Three-legged Race (boys)-1^st, M. Tyrell and John James; 2^nd C. Switzer and B. White.

Three-legged Race (girls)-1^st D. Switzer and A. Clare; 2^nd E. Lark and N. Switzer

100 yards (open)-1^st, Timothy Sheehan; 2^nd, Harry Storey.

Wheelbarrow Race (boys)-1^st. A. Edghill and Mat. Tyrell; 2^nd, B. Wright and B. White.

Thread Needle Race (juniors)-1^st, Wm. Fitzpatrick and May Sunderland

Thread Needle Race (seniors)-1^st Richd. Dowling and Rachel Worrell.

Egg and Spoon Race (boys)-1^st, Allen Edghill (only one competitor finished).

Egg and Spoon Race (girls)-1^st, Ethel Warren; 2^nd, E. Wright.

On conclusion of the ports the Rev. Canon Smithwick invited all present to witness the distribution of the prizes. He said they had a very happy day, and they should all be very thankful to the Earl and Countess for providing them with such a treat. They would first distribute the prizes won by the children in June last, and the Countess of Drogheda had graciously consented to present the children with their gifts. The children had done very well. Out of 62 children who had stood the examination, they had received 24 first prizes, 13 seconds, and 17 certificates of merit, leaving only 8 failures. He (Rev. Canon Smithwick) thought this very creditable, especially in the infants’ class, as they brought off 17 first prizes. The infants did very well, and it was very encouraging, as they were the rising generation, and he hoped they would prove a credit to their king and country in the future (cheers).

The Countess then distributed the prizes to the children, saying a kindly word to each. Lord Drogheda then presented the prizes to the winners in the sporting events, and on conclusion the Rev. Canon Smithwick, in a few well-chosen words, thanked the Earl and Countess for their kindness, also Lady B. Moore; their only regret being the absence of Lord Moore. In conclusion, he called for three hearty cheers for the Earl, Countess, Lady B. and Lord Moore, which were responded to with enthusiasm. The Earl of Drogheda thanked all present for their hearty cheers, and dwelt on the very creditable performance of the children at the recent examinations, saying it should be very satisfactory to Canon Smithwick, their teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Borrowes, and the children’s parents. In conclusion he (the Earl) would ask for cheers for the Rev. Canon and Rev. Fritz Smithwick, who had worked so hard that day to make their sports and party such a decided success. The invitation was heartily responded to, and a most enjoyable day was brought to a close. In the evening the senior members enjoyed themselves dancing up to 10 p.m. when all left for their respective homes.

 

 

 

 

 

Co. Kildare Golf Club, Historical Retrospect

(Continued from last Week.)

 

 

Mr. Gorry was succeeded by Mr. J.E. Hollingsworth a captain for 1921, the latter by Mr. J Barry-Browne for 1922, when the Knocks was relinquished and the present course, part of the farm now owned by Mr. J. Kennedy, Monread, taken over. During these years the Co. Kildare Golf Club found a place in the golfing notes of every sports journal in both islands. In the Irish Amateur Close Championship J. Gorry reached the 4th round, when Major C.L. Crawford by the extraordinary return of 12 and 11. In the Irish Amateur Open Championship of the same year at Portmarnock he had the bad luck to lose all his favourite clubs in the burning of the Skerries Pavilion, and was defeated in the 1st round by the Delgany player, Mr. J.L. Morgan. In May, 1921, we find the C.K.C. representative, Captain E. C. Carter, and two others the only amateurs to win their matches against the professionals at Portmarnock. In the same year also he figures prominently at Portmarnock (Irish Amateur Close Championship), at Hoylake (Amateur Championship of Great Britain), and at Newcastle (Irish Amateur Open Championship). Here he reached the final to be beaten 2 up by D. Wilson Smyth, the local skipper. Although the club was denied the pleasure and pride of seeing its representative proclaimed the national champion, it can be stated without fear of contradiction that no other inland nine hole course in the two islands has produced a player with such a fine record. In the course of the competition he had accounted for the following players:- E. Munn (North-West), Captain J.C. McClean (Hollywood), A.J. Marriott (Athlone), N. Manly (Royal Dublin), and A. Lowe (Malone). With Captain Carter of Royal Portrush, holder of the Amateur Welsh Championship for 1922, he has the distinction of driving a ball into Harlech Castle from the Royal St. David’s golf course. The Castle stands on a rock overlooking the course and is nearly 200 yards away from the nearest point on the links. Its battlement are 200 feet above the level of the course. While Carter’s feat was at the time entered in a historic book and was signed by witnesses, the writer has in his possession a signed statement by the late E.I. Gray that the feat was also accomplished by J. Gorry in his seventh attempt, and that seven other scratch men, one of whom was John Ball, failed on the same occasion.
                                        We now enter the last phase of the history of the County Kildare Golf Club. As the lease of the Knocks was due to expire on May 21st, 1992, a new links was acquired on February 1st, on a 21 years’ lease, all arrangements for their construction being delegated to an executive committee (Mr. Mansfield, D.L. president: Mr. Barry Browne, captain; Mr. McCann, hon. Secretary; Messrs. Gorry, Gibson and E. Kennedy). The lands on which it was proposed to construct the links were then owned by the late Mr. Valentine, Monread a very accommodating landlord. The links were laid out by Mr. Cecil Bancroft, and by December, 1922, the bunkering of the course, which on his suggestion had been postponed, was completed. The club house was removed, newly timbered and given a solid concrete foundation. The first captain of the new links was Mr. D.J. Lambe, of the Hibernian Bank, Naas, who at present acts as honourary auditor to the club. In the “Irish Times” (30/11/1922) J. P. Rooney (“Traveller”) describes the bunkers of the new course as “an improvement on anything I have seen attempted on an inland course in this country, being capitally constructed in every detail, while their artistic and solid appearance adds considerably to the attractions of what are sure to become in due course attractive holes.” “What appealed to me most”, he continues, “was the dryness and firmness of the turf; indeed the sandy nature of the soil-sand was found at almost every site for a bunker at a low depth-makes for dryness even in the worst of weather. Mr. Bancroft, in laying out the course, did his work after the fashion of an accomplished golfer; he seems to have excelled himself at a few holes. In fact it would be difficult to find on any inland course a better short hole than the 4th-a dead pitch of 110 yards on to a green almost encircled with substantial bunkers. Only a perfectly pitched-up shot will suffice at this very excellent hole. Another good short hole is the second (190 yards), which against the wind calls for a fine cleek shot-most novices would have to go all out with the driver-on to a small green, heavily bunkered at the sides and in front.” It may be added that Mr. Bancroft considered this hole the finest of its type and range in his experience. It has since been reduced in length by about 30 yards.
       Electric Competition: R.J. Coonan 28, M. Clarson and J. Fanning 29 ½ each.
       Tom Langan’s Sweepstake on the Williams’ Jug. The following are the starters, the names of those who drew them being given in paranthesis:-
         W. O’Brien (Miss L. McGuirke), R. Coonan (M. Clarson), S. Curry (H. Farrell), A. Fletcher (W. Martin), D. MacGiobuin (M. Wheeler), L. Malone (Mrs. Crowley), T.J. Gibson (W. Coffey), T.R. Gibson (Miss D. Langan), D. O’Connor (W. Browne), P. Doran (Miss O’Donnell), J. MacSparron (J. Burke), R. Morrison (R. Morrison), J. Barnwall (D. MacAodha), J. Lawlor (Miss M. Quinn), J. Dowling (Mrs. O’Hara), E. Trefolium (T. Kerrigan)
(To be continued.)

 

 

Kildare Hounds

        Friday, 7th January – Colbinstown

Ballintaggart was blank, found in Hatfield, ran through Kilgowan, left-handed, over Brewel Hill, and leaving Ballintaggart on the right, back to Hatfield, where he was left. Dixon’s was blank, and a lame fox in the Hangman’s Rock was killed; found in Gailey’s and going through Griffenstown on to Glenduff bottoms, where he was lost. Grange Con was blank. Then came a good hunt from the Black Bog, going over Tinoran hill to the old covert he came back and leaving the bog on his left, went down to Fenton’s bog, left-handed, over the road near Grange Con, through Knockrigg, on close to Ballinure, swung left-handed and leaving Thomastown on the right, through Barronstown, where hounds were stopped in failing light, after a good fifty minutes.

Saturday, 8th – Celbridge.
This was the worst day this season, and nothing of note was done.

Monday, 10th – The Curragh Stand House.
There was a lot of snow on the ground when horses moved off to draw the Curragh gorse, which held a brace of foxes, one was killed and the other was hunted down to the railway, which he ran nearly to the Curragh Siding, left-handed through the Pollardstown Stud Farm, on to Rathbride, where he got to ground. The snow was very bad on the hills, so hounds were sent home.

Tuesday, 11th – Bishopscourt.
Mrs. Kennedy entertained a large field at Bishopscourt before hounds moved off to draw Cullen’s wood. A fox went away at once towards Pigeon Hill, right-handed to the old covert in Bishopscourt, going through the new covert, past the house, crossed the road at the Blue Door going through Alasty; it looked as if he was going to Turnings, but swinging right-handed by Baronrath and leaving Boston on his left, through Mr. O’Connor’s farm, on over Oughterard, back to Bishopscourt, through the old covert, crossed the Naas-Dublin road near Kill and was lost a little further on, after one hour and ten minutes. Miss G. Kennedy took a bad fall in this hunt. Everyone wishes her a speedy recovery and hopes she will soon be out again. Arthurstown was blank. Found in Newtown bog - we went away towards Eadestown, right-handed, just up to the wall at Forenaughts, down by the old mill at Woolpack, through Mr. Traynor’s, back to Newtown, going straight through by Dassy Lodge, nearly up to Rathmore, over the road. Hounds were brought to their noses, but hunting slowly and well through Arthurstown on past Foddens, up close to Kilteel, where they pulled their fox down in the open, after a capital fox hunt of one hour and fifty minutes.
TALLY – HO.

 

 

After being long and anxiously awaited, we may be said to have at last reached the eve of our great National carnival of steeplechasing, the fame of which, it is no exaggeration to say, has extended to every portion of the civilized world. Wherever the love of sport has penetrated, there also has Punchestown been heard of, while in this country it is the one grand institution of which all classes of Irishmen, from peer to peasant, are justly proud. No other meeting of its kind in existence can equal it; the course is the most perfect for cross-country sport to be found; the management of the gathering is such that most competent judges pronounced it beyond further improvement. Tuesday and Wednesday next will be devoted to the celebration, and already visitors from various parts of the United Kingdom are flocking Kildarewards, the Dublin hotels filling rapidly. In addition to this, we hear that the country mansions in the vicinity of the course are opening their portals for the reception of guests, attracted by the re-union which it is only common justice to mention owes its unparalleled grandeur to the exertions of Lord Drogheda, its founder and warmest friend. The prevalence of harsh winds for the past eight or ten days has had the effect of rendering the ground in a very adamantine state, and those who observed the condition of the sod at the Curragh during the week, naturally enough arrived at the conclusion that should some rain not fall before Tuesday, the going must be very hard. However, those who are, or pretend to be, versed in matters meteorological assert with apparent confidence that a visitation from Jupiter Pluvius may be looked for within the next twenty-four hours, and if the rainy divinity banishes Eurus and Boreas for the remainder of the season, he will have conferred a benefit on mankind in general, and asthmatic people in particular. A fine Punchestown is, however, devoutly to be hoped for. We have experienced it in many kinds of weather, and always, and under all circumstances, with pleasure; but unless the sky is cloudless, the sun warm, and the ground dry, its magnificence is, as a matter of course, veiled. We learn that Mr. Waters paid one of his final visits of inspection on Friday (yesterday), and saw the finishing touches put on all the arrangements, and when he is satisfied that all things are in apple-pie order, he should be a bold critic who could find fault. The entries are numerous, and quality amongst the animals engaged compares most favourably with former years. Seldom, indeed, in recent times has a steeplechase handicap fared so well in the way of nominations as the Prince of Wales’s Plate, for which the adjuster of the weights allotted imposts to eight-and-twenty. The acceptances, naturally enough, number much less, but, all the same, it is reasonable to anticipate a very exciting contest.

 

Taking the programme in regular order, the most important event on the opening day will be the Conyngham Cup, to which the substantial sum of ₤400 in the shape of added money is given. For this there are two and twenty subscribers, and to sift the wheat from the chaff, we may say that the pick of the basket are Rhea, Sir Garnet, Foreman, Seaman and Attainment. The first named of those is a mare for whom we have more than ordinary respect, as she not only goes a good pace, but is a most accomplished fencer. However, when “class” comes to be considered, she cannot be said to rank as highly as Seaman or Sir Garnet, animals that are deemed capable of performing creditably in much higher arenas. If we could make sure that Sir Gartnet was fit and well we should hesitate before passing him, and as it is we shall not discard the son of Victor. Before the Liverpool meeting he met with an accident which necessitated his being scratched for the Grand National, and since then he declined a valuable engagement at Fairy House. In giving 10lbs. to Seaman at Longford last year he showed that he was a downright good animal, but it may be that Seaman was not then the horse that he now is. Mr Linde will no doubt send Seaman to do battle, as he certainly cannot win with Beaumorris after what we saw of him in the Dunboyne Cup at the Ward Hunt meeting last Monday. Foreman is a useful but slow horse, who keeps on the even tenor of his way, and over a course like the Conyngham might easily win, as he once did before. Of Attainment we know little at present, but she promised to make a good chaser. We are warned that danger is to be apprehended from Munster, who would, however, to our thinking be better suited over a short course, and in fine, providing for wins, we shall look for success of

SEAMAN or SIR GARNET.

And in the absence of either, FOREMAN may be a good substitute.

 

In the Bishopscourt Plate are several of whom little can be known, but good accounts are to hand, or there is form to guide to us regarding Perambulator, Beware, Pictus, and Rosemary, of whom the last-names cleared the decks at a military meeting at Cork not long since. Menasha is another that will trouble the best of those engaged, and for the winner I shall depend on

PERAMBULATOR and MENASHA,

Expecting to find ROSEMARY in the first three.

 

The race for the Drogheda Stakes is by no means an easy event to deal with, but in suggesting that SWANGROVE and PIRATE will take some beating, we may have a pair that will acquit themselves creditably.

 

For the Handicap Selling Plate, the pair that please us most are ULYSSES and BLUE BELL, and it will not surprise us if the latter makes amends for her defeat in the Hurdle Race at the Curragh on Thursday.

 

For the second day only four events can now be dealt with, as the weights for the Railway Place will not be fixed until the night before running. Should BEWARE miss fire in the Bishopscourt Plate she may credit Mr Blake with this event, and to her and ATHLACCA, having a preference for the latter, we shall leave the issue.

 

The Irish Grand Military reads best for SCORN and BLUE BELL.

 

Only nine have taken advantage of the cheap terms of getting out of the Prince of Wales’ Plate, and of the twenty standing in we are sure to find fifteen at the post. Neither time nor space will admit or any lengthened analysis of the chances of the probable starters, and we shall simply record our opinion that

TUG OF WAR or VALAHAKA

will win. If these two are defeated, it will probably be by LADY NEWMAN.

 

The Farmers’ Challenge Cup will probably be won by CASCADE or THEODORE, and the Kildare Hunt Cup by THE BIRD or ROYAL MEATH.

 

Research by Mario Corrigan

 

Typed by Carl Dodd

 

 

 

A spooky Kildare period house which was once at the centre of Ireland’s nuclear disaster plan has been put up for sale by the Dept. of Defence. Few now remember the place which Firmount House, south of Clane, had at the centre of the nation’s emergency planning when the Cold War posturing between the nuclear powers of NATO and the Soviet Pact was at its most threatening in the late 1960s.

Firmount House, built in an austere Victorian style in the 1870s, was converted from its early twentieth century use as a sanatorium to become the Civil Defence Regional Control Centre and the County Control headquarters for counties Kildare and Dublin. The fear among Irish government planners was that in the event of an exchange of nuclear missiles, atomic weapons might impact on Britain and trigger plumes of radioactivity borne on easterly winds across the Irish Sea. A Civil Defence network was set up and trained by the Dept. of Defence but organised at local level by the county councils. The Kildare Civil Defence comprised volunteers who formed a network of wardens. Their duty was to measure radiation in their localities and phone the readings into the control centre at Firmount where the County Manager and his team of advisers would plot the track of the radiation and, so the plan went, would activate warning and evacuation arrangements for the population.

As a warden in the Kildare Civil Defence, this writer recalls visiting Firmount during the National Fallout exercises and observing the County Control teams assimilating the information being phoned in by warden volunteers throughout Co. Kildare. Normally tranquil locations such as Carbury or Staplestown became hotspots on the map in the simulated fight against nuclear disaster. Local Civil Defence wardens phoned in messages in a coded patter indicating the intensity of radiation in their districts. However unlikely the scenario, the volunteer input was impressive as was the commitment of the County Council and Dept. of Defence staff who brought as much realism as possible to the exercise.

 Any impression that Firmount was some kind of high-tech command centre with arrays of radar screens and warning illuminations was quickly dispelled for the visitor– a few blocked-up windows, an old style-telephone exchange, and a kitchen equipped to feed a small army, were about the only concessions to its intended role at the heart of the nuclear alert system for the capital and adjoining counties.

Indeed there had been political sensitivity to media claims that Firmount amounted to a bolt-hole for the top brass in the event of a nuclear strike. The Minister for Defence, Mr. Michael Hilliard TD,  was on the defensive when he rebutted criticism in a statement to the Dáil in April 1967: ‘Considerable publicity by way of Dáil question and otherwise was given to County Control centres some months ago. I would like therefore to take this opportunity of saying that these controls represent a vital link in the Civil Defence system. Under operational conditions the county organization would be directed from them by the County Controller, usually the county or city manager, and his staff.’  Referring to Firmount he reported: ‘Work is in progress on the establishment of a Regional Control, which will be used as the Dublin City and County Control, at Firmount House, Co. Kildare. As a result of further work there during 1967-68 the centre will be operational.’ 

This Cold War role was not the first time that Firmount had a military connection. In 1917, at the height of the First World War carnage, forty beds were pressed into service at Firmount to tend military wounded – some 400 soldiers in all were treated. From 1908 until the early 1960s Firmount had served County Kildare as a fever hospital, named appropriately as St. Conleth’s sanatorium.  Perhaps the most notable name connected with Firmount, albeit to an earlier dwelling on the site, was that of Ellen Dease, from an Old Catholic family with north Leinster roots. Ellen was born there in 1820; after a young life of some privilege she felt a vocation to religious service and was professed as a Loreto sister in 1847. Within days she and four colleagues embarked ship on a hazardous voyage to Toronto where they ministered to a population ravaged by typhus and swelled by starving refugees from Ireland’s famine. She survived many hardships and presided over the foundation of fourteen Loreto convents in North America.

Tenders for Firmount House closed on 15th January marking the end of its ownership by the Dept. of Defence and the severing of a link with Ireland’s Cold War mobilisation in the 1960s. * My thanks to Mr. Pat Given, Clane History Society, for his help with this article. Series: 162.