Founder of Athenry G.A.A.: Patrick C. Kelly 1885 and Parish Splits by Ronan Killeen

This is an extract from Jarlath Cloonan's book Athenry GAA Story: A History of Gaelic Games in Athenry and for those of you in the world that never learned Irish history read the introduction to my article on the Athenry Land League Part 1.

Patrick C.Kelly: Courtesy of Athenry GAA website

During 1885 G.A.A. clubs, or as they were known then were called branches and established all over the country. Athenry was no exception and was among the first to affiliate to the new association. The club elected Patrick C. Kelly of Cross Street as Captain and his election immediately caused divisions within the Parish.

   The National League was opposed to Kelly and had refused him admission to the League. They claimed he had ‘taken land from which a tenant had been evicted’ and they started a hurling club of their own in opposition the one headed by Kelly.

Patrick C. Kelly never intended that his club should be the cause of disunity within the parish and hoped that it would help the League in its aims and objectives. An attempt was made by the Hurling club for unity, when a meeting of the League was asked if the ‘Hurlers’ could join the League. The Rev. Chairman told the young man who asked the question that as far as the National League were concerned no such organisation existed and anyone wishing to do so in the normal way.
   The Athenry Branch were refusing to acknowledge the existence of the Hurling Club and the Association to which it was affiliated because of Kelly, and belief that the G.A.A. was rival organization.
   Despite the opposition the Hurling Club prospered by winning all their games except one which had been against Craughwell on the 29 August 1885 which was played in Athenry. After two hours play the game was abandoned with the scores level. Craughwell late claimed that they had won the game, but, according to the Athenry men, the issue had still to be decided.

On St. Patrick’s 1886 Kelly made a speech at the Hurler’s Ball in the Athenry Hotel:

‘Brothers Hurlers, the way you have received my name gives me great pleasure and the confidence you placed in me when you elected me as your Captain was not misplaced. Through many matches we played I led you to victory except against Craughwell which is still to be settled and I have great hopes victory will be hours.’

In 1886 the National League forwareded their affiliation fee to the Central Branch of the G.A.A. The split in the parish worsened with all kinds of allegations being made by each side against the other. After recieving the League letter Michael Cusack, then General Secretary of G.A.A. wrote:

'There is a most flourishing Branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association in the Parish of Athenry, Mr. P. C. Kelly is Captain. The National League has started another Branch but I have neither the power authority to recognise it. The president Mr. Davin's opinion is that I should write to the Captain of the team which took the field first and ask him if it is desirable that another club be formed in the Parish.

If Mr. Kelly answers 'yes' I have no doubt the executive will gladly announce the new club and accept the affilation fees which I have recieved. 

Should  Mr. Kelly, however, express himself satisfied that our movement is in a sufficiently flourishing condition in Athenry and that it does not stand in need fo another prop, the matter drops for the present and thos who desire to abide by the recommendation of the Thurles meeting can be hardly play with the Athenry Branch of the National League'



Cusack's appiontment of Kelly as arbitrator in the dispute led to widespread critism 'If the G.A.A. continues to acknowledge P.C. Kelly's club in preference to the exponents of the Natioanl Movement in Athenry the sooner the G.A.A. was the cry from the local press. They had claimed the young fellows he led were expelled from various Branches of the National League and challenged him to produce even 21 players whose condcut in Nationalisht affairs could bear investigation..
   The Hurling Club and Kelly were infuriated by the allegations, as were many other clubs in the County. A week later Michael Connolly, Secretary of the Craughwell Branch of the National League and Hurling Club, spoke in favour of Kelly - 'he leads a thousand men who can bear the strictes investigation and who are members of the League and Hurling Club and it is a gross falsehood to state that the men he leads were expelled from the League'.
   Kelly and the rest of the hurling club were enraged by these allegations, as were many other clubs in the County. Appeals for unity to the Leagues and hurlers from leading personalities failed and the split spread into several parishes.
   Kelly's replied to Cusack's letter to him regarding the situation in Athenry and arranged the largest Hurling Tournament ever held in the Country up to that time in a show of strength. He invited the Central Branch of the Association to send a representative to Athenry  on the day of the Tournament, Ascension Thursday, June 3rd. So deep were the divisions in the parish that on the same day the National League arranged a tournament game against Newcastle also at Athenry. The Constabulary (see Royal Irish Constabury Athenry on this blog) moved reinforcements to the town on the day and they patrolled the streets with loaded revolvers. Their action was unnecessary and, apart from a few minor incidents, everything passed off quietly.
   The split itself continued and on Sunday 25 July both Clubs were invited to play in hurling tournaments at Craughwell. Again the local press represented by one of Kelly's biggest critics, and his comments added further to the already explosive relationship that existed between the two factions in the Parish. He wrote 'P.C. Kelly's Club started early in the morning, they had five cars, including the sub-agents trap supplied by 'Gerared himself for the benefit of the boys who are doing the work of the landlores so well'. The article then went on to state that 'the National League did not leave until after mass'.

The league Club played Dooris at Ballymana and it appears that Kelly's team played Craughwell G.A.A. at a different venue. On the way home the two sides met at Craughwell and hurley's were used in anger. A young man named Doherty was struck and injured by one of Kelly's team and in the row that followed the Craughwell Gaelics' favoured Kelly's side.
   With matches being played all over the country the need arose for a central body to contol the games. Notices appeared in the local papers calling on all G.A.A. Clubs to meet in Athenry on Sunday 24 October 1886. Arrangements for Galway's first county G.A.A. Convention were made by Patrick C. Kelly and took place in the Athenry Hotel at Cross street. It was hope that by meeting in Athenry the split could be resolv ed and the Central Branch sent the Assocaitions's Vice-President Mr. P. Hocter to the Convention.
   To amid loud applause Kelly was selected  to take the chair and addressed the gathering. He thanked the delegates for their great attendance and for calling on him to preside. Aince its inception, he told them, the G.A.A. had to contend with many difficultuies, yet it was still making progress. They wanted to keep the young men of Ireland at home and stop emigration.

Kelly continued ' In Athenry district he was sorry to say that they were opposed by a group that resorted to every device possible to destroy the movement in the interest of a rival association' . He trusted the meeting would have the effect of bringing all together in harmony and that the other side would see the folly of persisting further in their attitudes.
  They wanted all to be united in one family. Their opponents had accussed them of adjoining landlords and deserting the cause of the people and had written to their friends in America about them. The G.A.A., Kelly continued, wanted to revive the Old Irish games and pastimes and, in doing so, they would have the support of every true  Irishman without any relation to politics, which were not at all.
   The meeting had a very laudable  object in endeavouring  if possible to reconciled both sides. The delegates agreed that the disunity  was deplorable and disadvantageous to the two sectors.  Apart from the support and encouragement which the clergy gave the rival club, it had at its head John F. Broderick who was very popular in the district and whose energy was a great acquisition to the club. The National League reacted to the G.A.A. Convention by issuing a long statement. It read:

'The Chairman posed as an outraged man, he propagated sports which he considered would be a means of keeping the young men of Ireland at home and because of such action he was assailed without stint  or limit by the National League. The accusation if it could only hold, would, indeed justify any action he could take to defend the National Sports.
   Like the famous proclaimation  of Tooley Street went ofrth the mandate from Athenry that Galway should assemble in solemn conclave, and if it did respond, if a circumscribed area of half a score miles denote the compass of the County. The meeting we read was convened fro the purpose of cementing the feud but as it takes two to make a fight it also inferentially should take two to heal the wound.
   Mr. Hocter said that Athenry was the only town in Ireland in which any opposition was afforded the Gaelic Athletic Association . For his information be it known to him that the Athenry National League have no quarrell with the G.A.A. but that it cannot  stultify its mission, even for the sake of sport by accepting for leadership of national pastimes a man deemed unfit to enter its ranks. The G.A.A. is open to all sections according to the dictum of the Chairman. If this is the standard of its excellence the  Athenry National League can well afford to disassociate itself from them and pursue the tenor of its own way by alliance of National Sports and National Politics.
   The National League initiated Sports in Athenry under the auspicces of the G.A.A. and forwarded its affiliation fee to Mr. Cusack. The money was not acknowledged or refunded and the club today is as strong as the League and 'thee is perfect synonimity while on the opposite side the usual muter of a team of 21 can not be gathered from the extreme ends of the Parish. If a club so withered by decay presumes to speak for Galway, they are at liberty to do so outside the Parish of Athenry, as with that Athenry has no concern, but if it presumes to speak the voice of the Parish, the householders within a radius of 12 miles confine will attest to the contrary.

The National League Committee member s signed the statement. The accusations made left little room  for any move by the G.A.A. Central Branch to resolve the dispute. It as a clash between leading local personalities and two National Organisations' politics.Michael Cusack was dismissed as General Secretary of the Assocaition at a meeting in Dublin on 4 July 1886 for among other reasons, failing to keep accounts.
   On 23 October 1887- over 30 clubs were represented at the County Convention in Athenry. Michael Connolly and John Lynskey represented Athenry with Patrick C. Kelly present as Chairman of the County Committee. Delegates passed a motion 'that no Branch of the Association be allowed compete in the championship unless each member belong to the Parish'
  The motion became a rule of the Association  that has remained to the present day. Trouble at the National Congress in Thurles resulted in a split that would have smashed the Association were it not for the intervention of Dr. Croke. All rancour was rancour was removed and within six weeks the matter was settled.
   Patrick C. Kelly was one of the Galway delegation that attended a reconvened Congres on 4 January 1888. The split in Athenry was also finally resolved in 1888, with the acceptance by the Central Branch of the affiliation of 'Dr. Croke Footbal Club' and, 'The Old Guard Hurling club' from the Parish.

Athenry and the 1798 Rebellion by Ronan Killeen

In 1775 the American colonists had successfully rebelled against British rule, while in France the monarchy had been overthrown by the Revoultion of 1789.
   In 1798 the revoultionary organisation - United Irishmen were inspired by theses acts and were responsible for Ireland's insurrection in 1798. The Society of United Irishmen held its first meeting in Belfast on 18 October 1791, a gathering summoned by Samuel Nielson, Theobald Wolfe Tone and Thomas Russell. All three of the founders were Protestants as so was James Napper Tandy, who helped host the society's second meeting in Dublin a few weeks later.
   Not all members thought alike, in any case, Wolfe Tone arguing passionately for universal sufferage, to include Roman Catholcs, as a means of presenting a genuinely 'United' Irish front against English domination, whilst other Protestants remained uncomfortable about the idea of mobilizing a mass electorate of papists.

Sheer sectarian prejudice played its part but many genuinely radical Protestants would have wondered how progressive politics were to be advanced by electorates brought up from birth to slavish obedience to its parish priests. For most of this era these issues were brought at the Society’s meetings and in the columns of its widely read newspaper, the Northern Star.
   In 1793 the Convention Act was enacted which was to outlaw quasi-parlimentry gatherings while the Gunpowder Act prevented the legal import of guns, such as legislation, it was subsequently argued, compelled the society to choose between extinction and plotting in secret. 
   In 1795 the clergyman-turned-agent William Jackson came to Dublin to test the reaction among radicals there to the idea of an invasion on the part of his French revolutionary masters, he little realized that his travelling companion, John Cockyane was an English spy. Tone had said enough to the unguarded jackson
to covince the authorities that he and his fellow United Irishmen were a real threat: The United Irishmen Society was suppressed and Tone himself was forced into exile:

'I...sought for aid wherever it was to be found'-Wolfe Tone

Tone would eventally tell the military court which tried him, and he may indeed to some extent had been driven by desperation. From the middle of the decade, the society had nowhere to go but towards armed insurrrection: by the middle of 1796 it had completed its reinvention as an oath-bound revoultionary organization.

  The planned French invasion of  that year had been foiled which smashed the 33 feet long fleet of Admiral Hoche which was fatal blow for the plans of the United Irishmen. At the beginning of 1798, the Society of United Irishmen could boast some 280,000 members and a small expeditionary force was sent by the French came late.
    The famous Wexford uprising in paticular was to some extent 'peasants revolt' and involved secterian massacres of which the UIS would have never approved of. In Dublin and Kildare the rebellion went ahead in spite of the opposition of important sections of a divided leadership.
   Volunteers in Ulster also rose spontaneoulsy in support of their fellows in south-east Leinster, exasperated by caution of their nominal chiefs, while 2,000 rallied to the revolutionary banner of General Humbert in the west and were massacred. The insurrection of the '98 failed.

Was there one in Galway? Apparently so, according to Patrick K. Egan's article 'Progress and Suppression of United Irishmen in the Western Counties in 1798-1799'  in the Journal of Galway Archaeological and Historical Society.
   Three men from Athenry Mathias Kinnamore, Micheal Kinnamore and John Higgins committed the crime of houghing and carrying away the flesh of cattle forcebly. Their trial was on the 6 March 1799 and there sentence was to find security for 7 years. They were the lucky ones compared to the rest of men who were executed in the Loughrea, Gort, Galway and Tuam areas and others who were given 5,000 lashes!
   I remember being up in the National Archives of Ireland last year and when I was looking through the rebellion papers I found that a Luke Conway was arrested for taking an illegal oath in 1798 (The United Irishmen?) at the Athenry Post Office.
 

    

Thirsty Athenry 1934 by Ronan Killeen

Hansberry's Hotel. It is still a pub but the hotel is not in use.

Connaught Tribune  report  9 June 1934

THIRSTY ATHENRY

     _______  

Public House to Every 35 Persons

     _________

At Galway Circuit Court on Tuesday before his lordship, Judge O'Donnell, Mrs Mary Hansberry applied for a hotel licence in respect of her hoter at Galway-road Athenry. Mr. T. J. Connolly, B.L. (instructed by Mr. Hogan and Shields, solisters appeared for the applicant.

   Mr. R. J. Kelly, S.S. who appeared for the State, opposed the application on the grounds that there were already sufficent licensed premises in Athenry. Mr. Connolly said the hotel premises in Athenry. Mr. Connolly said the hotel premises had been extended considerably during the past twenty five years and were now a very respectable hotel equipped with all modern convienences and had adequate accomadation. Its old world appearance made it attractive to visitors and an exencsive trade was done. There was a demand by many visitors for drink with their meals and the present application rose from their demand.

Mr. Robert Powell B.E., proved plans of the premises and the applicant gave evidence as to improvements to be carried out to the premises during recent years. Superintendent Murphy, Athenry said the population of Athenry was 1,033 and there were 29 licensed premises in the town -a ratio of one public house to every 35 persons.

   His Lordship: They must be very thirsty people (laughter). The witness added the applicant was a very decent woman who carried on, what was in his opinion, the best business in the town. - His lordship granted the application. [sic]



Athenry Western Sack and Bag Factory by Ronan Killeen (Revised 2018)

On Tuesday 28 May 1935 the Athenry Western Sack & Bag Factory was officially opened by Mr Gerald Boland TD who was Minister for Post and Telegraphs. The road that led to the building was decorated with bunting anda large crowd had come to see him with the Gardaí giving him a guard of honour under Chief Superintendent Clenton, Ballinasloe, and Garda Kelly, Athenry.

 

The Big Launch 

 

On the platform were Mr Weir, MD of the factory, TD’s Stephen Jordan and Sean Broderick; JJ Ruane; Haley B Murtagh and C.Taylor; directors of the company, Dr C Foley; RM Burke; Tohermore, Tuam; R Collins Superintendent of the Agricultural College

Athenry; Rev Mr North Bombfard, M Hession, Mayor F Carr, Newtown; Mr Bowes Daly of Dunsandle, and Dr Tom Powell

.
Mr Weir said he was proud and happy to see the fruits of their labour of the past eighteen months realised in the shape of  hand some factory and he expressed the hope that the undertaking, though small, would help in the promotion and growth of other industries. On behalf of the directors and shareholders of the company he welcomed the Minister. Larry Lardner then read a public address of welcome from the AIDPC (Athenry Industrial Development Promotional Committee).

 

The sugar beet factories had required one million sacks for pulp and another million for sugar, and the Government could induce the companies to give orders for the sacks to the Athenry Western Sack & Bag Factory. Indeed Minister Boland was happy that the

Minister for Industry and Commerce would do all he could to induce the directors of the sugar company to place their orders with the Athenry factory.

 

Political Unity

Both Mr RM Burke and Mr Broderick stated that they were glad to see support given by all political parties joined together and supporting industrial revival. Mr Jordan, said it was through Mr Weir’s technical knowledge, expert advice, and sound judgement

that the factory had been established. They also had to thank the Government for helping them with the loan and the promptitude with which local capital was subscribed.

Mr Ruane was confident that if the people of Athenry stood together, as they did in promoting the factory, and forget politics;they would have everything as a centre of distribution that a small town wants to make a success of any industry.

After the public address the Minister and visitors were then shown inside the factory and saw about forty girls at work at different sewing machines it cutting, make-up and stitching of bags. The factory had a capacity of turning out a million bags each year and there was a genuine

feeling that Athenry was finally getting some much needed and much deserved industry.

 

Sthe Irish Times on 18 October 1952 included a photograph of these women which was included in an article ‘Energy and enthusiasm to one man are helping to revive a forgotten town’. The names of those women, pictured below left, were N Higgins, Peggy Hanley, W Holian (forewoman), Annie Hanley and Kathleen O’Toole.

Above photo sources Connacht Tribune 1st June 1935 and Irish Times 21 July 1962 clipping courtesy of the South East Galway Archaeological and Historical Society

Galway Blazers:Fatal Accident in the Hunting Field 1901 by Ronan Killeen

Galway Express  Newspaper 23rd November 1901

On Tuesday the meet of the Galway Blazers was held at Knockbrack, the residence of Capt. H.T. Hall. Having found a fox a run was made across towards Castle Ellen, the residence of Mrs.Lambert. At the back of Castle Ellen House a very sad accident took place, which unfortunetly has resulted fatally. It appears Mr.Ormond, who recently  crossed from England for the hunting season, and was staying with his brother-in- law, Captain Preston at Moor park (Moorepark) was coming at pretty stiff pace, and was about taking a wall at the rear of Castle Ellen House.
   The horse which was a fine well spirited animal came along very well until clost to the wall when it instantly bolted,, with the result that Mr.Ormond was thrown over the horse's head and came with his own head and came with his own head against the wall. The injuries were of most serious nature, and from his first great doubts were entertained of his recovery.
    He was at once taken to Castle Ellen House although in an unconsious condition, and Doctors Quinlan and Mansel were soon in attendance and did everything that medical science could suggest but death took place early wednsday morning. The greatest sympathy is expressed by all in the locality here at the sad berevement of Captain and Mrs Preston of Moorepark. Although not long in the neighbourhood of Athenry they have made themselves very popular by their genial manner. Mr.Ormond was only 22 years of age.

John J Killeen

Above: John J. Killeen (Date of photo unknown)

This is an ancestor of mine John J. Killeen, who is supposed have been born in Athenry 1841? He emigrated to America and joined the US Navy. In 1873 he became a Chief Boatswain. He died in  Everett, Massachuttes 1907. That's all I know

The Case Of Stephen Jordan: Hissing the King and his allies 1915 by Ronan Killeen

Picture: Mr. Quinn, Frank Hynes and possibly Stephen Jordan on the right.

Photo from The-Quinns-of-Athenry.

On the 27th November 1915 in the Irish Times a Unionist paper at the time it was reported...

In the King's Bench Division; Dublin before Mr.Justice Gibson and Mr.Justice Kenny, in the case of Stephen Jordan, Shoemaker, of Darla (Davis) street, Athenry, who on prosecution brought against him on summons by District Inspector Collins under the Defence of the Realm (consolidation) Regulations, 1914-1915, fir hissing photograph's of the King and his allied crowned heads, and cheering for the Kaiser and his allied crowned heads at a cinematograph exhibition in the Athenry Town Hall on the 12th of June last.
   He was sentenced to one month's imprisonment, with hard labour, by the magistrates at Athenry Petty Sessions on the 25th June last, and also in the cases of in which Leo Egan, John Cleary and Michael Regan were convicted at the Petty sessions for aiding and abetting Jordan's hissing the photograph's mentioned, and cheering the Kaiser and his crowned heads, and were ordered to give bail for good behaviour in twelve months, or in default to be imprisoned for one month.

Mr. T.F. Ward (instructed by Messrs. John C.Conroy and Son) applied to have the conditional orders granted by Mr.Justice Ross quashing the convictions made absolute on the ground that if the petty sessions court was illegally constituted, in much as one of the magistrates adjudicating of the High Sheriff County Galway, Mr.Frank Shawe-Taylor, of Moor Park, Athenry.*
    The other magistrates were Messrs Kildare, R.M. Samuel Taylor, and W.G. Moriarity. The statute 7 William IV. c.13 prohibited a High Sheriff from exercising the office of the justice of peace for the county of which he was High Sheriff during his term.
   It appeared that the objection was not taken at the Petty Sessions proceedings, as the fact referred to was not known to the defendants’ representatives until afterwards. The conditional orders had been already absolute in the King's Bench office. The court granted the application, making the conditional orders absolute, and quashing the convictions.

I will be talking about Frank Shawe-Taylor when I get to the Irish War of Independence in a couple of months.

Athenry Land League Part 2: Peter Broderick in Galway Jail by Ronan Killeen

Above: Peter Broderick's Arrest Warrant 1881

An article that was written in the Galway City Tribune by John Flately on 3rd January 1997.




"The Protestant church is tolling a very sweet peal, the Catholic churches also, all seeming to mock us in out lonely cages" - Peter Broderick





In 1881 November 9th, the gates of the Galway Jail were thrown open and Peter P. Broderick of Athenry was hurried inside as prisoner, a political suspect, suspected as principal of inciting to boycotting under the Act previously passed that year 'FOR BETTER PROTECTION OF PERSON AND PROPERTY IN IRELAND'.

Broderick was a shopkeeper and farmer. He was hurried in the Governor’s Office where the Warden showed the warrant to the Governor back to the Constable and from the Constable to the Chief Warden. In the office the charge was read, entered in a 'huge book’ and a receipt of Broderick's delivery signed and given to the constable.



In the office with two chief wardens, distinguished by the gold braid on their caps and the glittering crown on their coat collars-as well as a clerk, registered Peter Broderick's name, age, complexion, colour of hair, eyes, appearance and all the 'hue and cry' evidences. His height was measured at five feet eight inches. He handed over his possessions, two one pound notes and a penknife.

Chief Warden Number One searched for other possessions but found nothing else. Then followed the last act in the day’s drama, Peter being marched from the office to his cell, a trip that took him through the whole house. His first impressions were "The repeated banging of doors, clinking of keys and martial tread of office bearers". The gas was burning in his cell the bed prepared and he was locked in.

He looked around and measured the cell, sixteen feet long by five-and-a-half feet wide, the bed was placed on a kind of camp stool or folding bedstead. It comprised a straw mattress, two sheets marked in large letters 'Galway Gaol', two blankets and a quilt-all except the fibre mattress were prison property.



Peter Broderick got a warm reception form the other prisoners. Their comments were consoling: “You here too. Good God, isn’t this too bad”, “Bad luck to them that sent you here”. O’Beirne of Ballinamore (possibly another prisoner) went and found ‘something to cheer Peter up’ and Peter was in better fettle.A few minutes before eight o’clock the warden commanded “All in”, and in they filed back to the cells.

Prisoners on two occasions during Peter sojourn there brought up with the authorities the need to sheet the sides of a shed in the yard. After a few days of the arrival at Galway Jail Broderick received from home a consignment of personal items indicating social expectations of the time.

• Two pairs of cuffs,

• Six Collars

• Four Collar studs

• One Razor

• Strap

• Tooth Brush

• Soap

• One handkerchief

• Holy Water

• Beads

• One pillow

• Two pillow cases

• Blankets

• Sheets

• Counterpane quilt and a table cover



He made an inventory of this a week later. Isolation from the world outside, from the everyday bustle of life in Galway was almost total. An old factory whistle and the Angelus Bell ringing at 6 a.m. awakened the prisoners. Church bells pealing in early and mid-morning gave Peter the disting impression there was rivalry between the churches in the town.

"The Protestant church is tolling a very sweet peal, the Catholic churches also, all seeming to mock us in out lonely cages" . On Sunday 22nd January 1882, Peter heard the Galway Band in the distance today, but no attempt was made to approach our quarters, as it would probably be an infringement on the loyalty of the serfs.



One the 6th of December 1882 the Warden visited Peter at breakfast wanting to know what he would have for breakfast. the following day. The choice was limited to stir about and coffee, for one week. At supper the Warden asked about his preference for the coming week, tea or cocoa. In both cases he opted for the first alternative.

The following morning Peter returned from exercise (in the dark) to find 'a bright culinary utensil of gigantic proportions was laid on the table. The weapon for onslaught on the stirabout-a big iron spoon-a pan filled almost to the top with stirabout and a saucepan of milk was the inviting repast for a cold morning.

'As I attacked my skilly. I really began to feel a foretaste of prison life. The stirabout was pretty fair but abounded with salt'.

He didn't like it and turned to the cocoa with a bit of bread and butter (got in on the previous day). He observed in the refuse collected that "almost as such made its way back to the cookhouse as came from it."

For dinner that day there were 'two big pieces of coarse bread and wretchedly strong and a pint of coffee. was in his opinion 'equally as good in every was as that supplied from outside'. He was hopeful

: "All in all the fare (Prison fare) was not so bad as an outside world believes it to be. I expect (D.V.)* to be able to rough it.



By mid-December Peter was arranging for breakfast to be served from outside. Others did the same. The outside supplier was Mrs.Mason. Visitors came virtually daily and the prisoner had the choice of seeing them or not. They were welcome in nearly all instances, through Peter refused to see a certain gentleman for quite a while.

On February 7th 1882, he was visited by two men and 'felt very indifferent towards their attention'. On February 13th a woman from kilconnell visited giving Peter 'the usual santimonious consolation'. On Monday, February 20 he read in the Galway Observer that he was "Careworn and thin from confinement". The following Sunday, February 27th at Mass in Galway Jail, Fr.Creaven the celebrant 'commented strongly on the necessity of fasting'. (Sic)



Peter Broderick wasn't the only man put in jail at the time.



Martin Connelly, Athenry, Farmer was in Galway Jai

R.T. Kelly, Athenry, Farmer was in Kilminham Jail



Athenry Land League Part 3: Also coming soon.

Athenry: Samuel Lewis and the Corporation Book Of Athenry by Ronan Killeen

First some of you  may ask "Who was Samuel Lewis?".  It is unSamuel Lewis was a topographer which comes from the word topography. Topography is were the configuration of a surface and the relations of man-made and natural features are recorded by someone. The reader will probably get a better understanding by reading the next piece of the article...

Here is what Samuel Lewis wrote about Athenry in 1837;

I have to explain two words first

Portreeve - A portreeve, or 'port warden' is a historical British political appointment with a fluctuating role which evolved over time.

Burgess - Burgess is a word in English that originally meant a freeman of a borough (England) or burgh (Scotland). It later came to mean an elected or un-elected official of a municipality, or the representative of a borough in the English House of Commons.

"The Portreeve, Brugesses, and Freemen of the corporation," and consisted of a "a portreeve and an unlimited number of burgesses and freemen; the above [Elizabeth's I] grant empowers  them to appoint a common clerk and "all other nessary tenants as Trim used", but only inferior officers are a serjeant-at-mace, craner, pound-keeper, two appraisers, and, a bellman, who are appointed by portreeve".
The portreeve and about twenty burgesses were elected  annually while the limits of the borough comprehended the town and a surrounding the agricultural, called the "Liberties".
The town returned two members to the Irish Parliment until Act of Union  came into  effect on 1 January 1801. £15,000 was paid in compensation to the trustees of the marriage settlement of Theophilous Blakeney... (see previous article).

The Corporation Book of Athenry, which one volume of it, was in the possession of Rev P.Delaney parish priest of Carna, in  October 1988. This lists the proceedings of the corporation from 1781 to 1840.

In 1837 Lewis wrote that the portreeve;

...who has the power to appoint a deputy, is a justice of the peace within the borough and its liberties, clerk of the market, and sole judge of the borough court. The town or portreeve's court shield is held for all please, real and personal, to an unlimited amount, as often as business requires, which of late has been but seldom, and generally on a Monday, not in any fixed court-house or place, but in different parts of the town...
The market, with a fair in October, was granted  to Sir W.Parsons, Bart., in 1629, and is on a Friday, but is only indifferently attended; and fairs for sheep and cattle are held onMay 5th, July 2nd, and Oct 20th, of which that in July is the largest. A constabulary police force is stationed here (This is obviously the Royal Irish Constabluary of Athenry) - Samuel Lewis.

This system of agriculture in the parish of Athenry, which comprised of 1,954 statue acres, was then somewhat improved and there was a considerable quantity of unreclaimed bog. The Catholic parish was co-existence with that of the established church and the town cotained a Catholic church, a plain slated building. About 330 children were educated between the parochial school and four private pay schools in Athenry , while another 170, or so, were educated in three schools at Monivea and Newcaste.
In 1831 1,319 people lived in 250 houses in Athenry. By 1986 the town  could boast a population of 1,642,   790 males and 852 females.

Theophilous Blakeney of Abbert by Ronan Killeen

Theophilous Blakeney of Abbert served as a member of parliament for Athenry from 1766-1776 and from 1783-1799. During the intervening period he became M.P. for Carlingford. As a captain in the Royal Sussex Regiment he saw service in Quebec and Staten Island in 1761; in 1772 he was a Surveyor General for Connaught; and in 1773 was appointed High Sheriff .
He married Margaret Stafford of Gillstown, County Roscommon in 1782. Theophilus died in 1813 and was succeeded by his son, John Henry Blakeney. The Blakeney's replaced the Bermingham's as Athenry's premier family when Thomas, Lord Athenry, the first and only Earl of Louth, who died in 1798.





















Something short pre- New year 2011 eh?

Christmas Special: Athenry Concert in 1901 by Ronan Killeen

Christmas Special...

This month I am quite happy to set a lighter tone to Athenry Local History. Northgate street nowadays is a street of stores and pubs but I bet not everyone from Athenry knew that there was actually a hall on Northgate Street (I certainly didn't!). We will begin...
   On the 10th of January 1902 The Tuam News reported about a concert that took place on December the 26th and 27th 1901. An annual concert for a charitable cause (The article does not state what the charity was for!)


"The very spacious hall at Northgate Street, was suitabily prepared for the occasion, and, as a variety of entertainment aswell as (a?) concert was part of the programme, stage and scenery were to suit were tastefully arranged.
   As benefiting the move in preservation of Mother Tongue, the boys of the Athenry National School rendered as opening item "An Chruit re scar," the Harp, harmonized in our own language an astonished as well as pleased the audience. The precision in pronunciation of our own Gaelic, aswell as the thorough harmony throughout was most gratifying, the audience showed their appreciation by repeated encores.
   "Through the Last Glimpse of Erin" was very sweetly song by Miss.Dolan. That splendid son "Bantry Bay" was done justice by Mr.P. Kelly, and Miss Ryan, whose sweet singing has been heard at local concerts rendered "Killarney" in admirable style. "When shall day break in Erin," that favourite new song was sung by Mr.T.Higgins in splendid style and loudly applauded.


The comic element was well kept up with the "Galway Militia", (local Comic), John F. Kelly and "Crockery Ware" by W.P. Higgins. Both acquitted themselves well . Miss Barbra Leonard, Miss Delia McDonagh and Miss Alice Nolan rendered their songs with taste and after duets with Misses Mahon and Nolan, and Mr and Mrs Graham, the singing with glee by female school children was rendered in the very taking style.
   Variety entertainment was opened by (a?) stump speech by John F.Kelly and indeed Athenry audiences know how inimitable he is in this role. With a blend of local monstrosities he fairly convulsed those present.
  
A feature of the night entertainment very much appreciated was the stepdancing of Messrs. W.P Higgins, T.Monaghan, and P.Keane. The Irish jig was certainly tipped in style of the highest praise.
The entertainment was brought to a close with the laughable farce "The Irish Doctor," in which the leading parts were taken by Messrs.Kelly, Mahon, Lardner and Nolan, must successfully. Altogether the entertainment was most enjoyable. The pinaforte of accompaniments of various songs were tastefully executed by Miss May Kelly, Mrs. Broderick and Miss Dolan.


- Correspondent.


Well Readers that it is it until sometime in January so..............


MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL,


KIND REGARDS,
                               Mr.Ronan Killeen