See also Raheny, Bayside and other Dublin areas here. A Viking Longphort Did …
Protected: Goniatite FossilThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Protected: Brachiopod FossilThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Captain William McClintock Bunbury, Part 3: Lisnavagh House & Westminster MP (1835-1866)This part takes up from William’s retirement from the navy, after 20 years at sea, and the complete revolution in his life in 1846 when, in the space of 5 weeks, he succeeded to his wealthy uncle’s fortune and became MP for Carlow, just as Peel’s government collapsed and the potato blight began to scorch the land. It looks at his sojourn in County Fermanagh, his marriage into the Stronge family of Tynan Abbey, his political term at Westminster and the construction of Lisnavagh House.
Protected: The Forgotten Cult of St John the Baptist in Medieval Ireland by Michael Brabazon & Turtle BunburyThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
The Cistercian Order in IrelandBetween 1142 and 1270, the Cistercian Order built 38 abbeys in Ireland from which, at their peak, they owned almost half a million acres in Ireland, including 48,000 acres at their mother-house, Mellifont Abbey. Famed for their agricultural prowess, the Cistercians were particularly adept at bringing sheep's wool to the markets of Flanders, by which means they became a corporate megastar – closely affiliated with the Knights Templar.
The Golden Age of Irish TennisDuring the Golden Age of the 1890s and early 20th century, Ireland’s tennis stars racked up nine Wimbledon titles (4 x men’s, 1 x ladies, 2 x men’s doubles and 2 x mixed double’s) as well as two Olympic Golds, the Australian Open, the US Open and, effectively, the Davis Cup. This is the story of some of those remarkable players.
County Waterford – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Waterford’s past.
The Fortunate Irish – Thoughts from the Immrama Festival of Travel Writing in Lismore, 2016Nick Ut’s harrowing photograph of Kim Phuc. These words of a Thich Nhat Hanh express …
County Cork and Cork City – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Cork and Cork City’s past.
County Carlow – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, pubs, families, events and places connected to County Carlow’s past.
Becher of Aughadown, Lough Ine and Bagenalstown HouseTracing a line of the Becher family of County Cork, Ireland, that descend from Phane Becher (c.1546-1592), including the Venerable John Richard Hedges Becher (1861-1946), Archdeacon of Ossory & Leighlin, John Hedges Becher (1888-1967) who worked on railways in India and Captain Edward Overington Becher (1896-1931), a decorated WWI officer, who died young.
Bunbury of Ardnehue & LiverpoolA lesser-known branch of the Bunbury tree is a Roman Catholic family of that name who lived in Ardnehue and Benekerry, near Johnstown, County Carlow, during the 18th and 19th century, from which outliers spread into Liverpool and Australia, and possibly Wisconsin and New Brunswick.
Unidentified BunburysUNIDENTIFIED BUNBURYS There are inumerable Bunbury references at the brilliant Registry of Deeds Index Project …
Thomas Gray & Dred Scott, 1847NB: These were planned for a more detailed story on Dred Scott that I planned …
Ireland – Birthplace of VampiresThe vampire cult owes an enormous amount to Irish writers such as Bram Stoker (Dracula), Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (Carmilla) and Thomas Crofton Croker, not to mention Abhartach, a psychotic dwarf chieftain from Donegal.
A Historical Odyssey through Dublin’s Literary PubsThe pub and the pen have always gone hand in hand, especially in Dublin. That’s why the city is so celebrated for its playwrights and poets and authors from Jonathan Swift to Oscar Wilde to Flann O'Brien to Sally Rooney. That's why Dublin is a UNESCO City of Literature, with an annual Book Festival; why three of the bridges that span the Liffey are named for writers; why it offers one of the richest literary prizes in the world; why Dublin was home to all four Irish-born winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature and why it has connections to all six of Ireland's Booker Prize winners. This story explores the pub side of things.
Dublin City – StreetwiseThe etymology (ie: origin) for the names of the streets, bridges, docks and other landmarks of Dublin. This is mainly focused on the docklands area as it is based on work I did for my 2008 book, ‘Dublin Docklands – An Urban Voyage’, which was commissioned by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority
Notes on Dunboyne & Ratoath, County MeathHighlighting John Butler’s succession and the Dunboyne Scholarship, plus Count Richard Taaffe’s 1931 wedding, Herbie Brennan’s ghost sighting, Colonel Blood’s daring exploits, fashion designer Patricia Crowley, political figures Joe and John Bruton, the patriot priest Patrick Lavelle, GAA legend Seán Boylan, and entomologist Alexander John Nicholson.
The Life & Times of Thomas Kane McClintock Bunbury, 2nd Baron Rathdonnell, of Lisnavagh, County Carlow – Part 1 (1848-1878)The Formative Years – Tom McClintock Bunbury (1848-1929) would become probably the most influential member of the Irish branch of the family in history. This section looks at his childhood, his Eton education, his time in the Scots Greys, the death of his parents and sisters, his marriage to Kate Bruen and his position as heir apparent to his uncle, the 1st Baron Rathdonnell.
La Touche of Marlay, Bellevue & HarristownArguably Ireland’s most prominent Huguenot family in the Georgian Age, the La Touche family descend from David La Touche, a refugee from the Loire Valley who served at the Battle of the Boyne and went on to found the bank of La Touche & Sons. His descendants were to be instrumental in the evolution of Ireland’s banking institutions over the 18th century, and spearheaded educational reform in the 19th. The Harristown branch included John “The Master” La Touche, a fanatical evangelist, and his daughter, Rose, whose tragic romance with artist John Ruskin resulted in her untimely death at the age of 25.
Of Rings, Raths & the Kings of Leinster: Around the Lisnavagh EstateIn the distant past, the raths around Lisnavagh were part of the power base of the Uí Ceinnselaig (Kinsellagh). This section considers the links to Rathmore, Rathvilly, the Oldfort ringfort and the Slíghe Chualann, as well as two kings of Leinster, Crimthann mac Énnai (who was baptised by St Patrick) and his father, Enna Kinsellagh .
Dr Bartholomew Mosse – Founder of the Rotunda Hospital, DublinDr Bartholomew Mosse was the founder of Dublin’s Rotunda Hospital, the first purpose-built maternity hospital in the world, which opened in 1757. This highly motivated surgeon and man-midwife achieved his ambition through his immense gift for corporate fundraising: running lotteries, staging concerts and productions in the theatre, including a number of Handel's oratorios.
Notes on Tullow, County CarlowCrosslow Stones, Rathglass The following is a simplified AI version of a story …
St. Columba (521-592) – the Making of a MissionaryThe story of the feisty Donegal missionary who brought Christianity to Pictish Scotland, after a devastating battle in Ireland, plus Iona's links to Lindisfarne … and how a court case that he was embroiled in set a useful precedent for anyone advocating Google’s right to free content.
The Pre-Bunbury History of Lisnavagh, County CarlowA look at the origins of Lisnavagh's name, and the various players – Butler, Leyn, Meredith, Gilbert and Korton – who were connected to the townland before the Bunburys arrived. The more I learn about the past, the more connected I feel to the future.
An Investigation into the Origin and Purpose of Ireland’s Round Towers, 2024There are 67 confirmed round towers in Ireland, where at least a part survives, as well as 23 sites that are generally accepted to have ‘once’ been home to a round tower. Could their original purpose have been astronomical?
Bunbury of Lisbryan, Spiddal, Woodville … and BorneoThis branch of the main Lisnavagh family initially settled between County Tipperary and Connemara. Descendants include a man who held the world record for shorthand writing, the Borneo settler for whom the Bunbury Shoals are named and the unfortunate Molly Bunbury who was murdered by her doctor husband in 1886.
Waterways Through TimeThe text version of Turtle's collaboration with Waterways Ireland in which he explores Ireland’s natural rivers and lakes, as well as the man-made canals that criss-cross the island. This starts with the geology and archaeological legacy of Ireland's waterways and how, the Blackwaters aside, almost every Irish river is named for a goddess of the mythical Tuatha de Danaan. I then delve into the spiritual aspects of the waterways with the onset of Christianity.
Protected: Ireland’s Schools (500-700 A.D.)There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
The Irish & the White House – Why Irish Eyes are SmilingThe White House was built by a fellow from Kilkenny and burned down by a man from Down. At least 22 of its presidential occupants had Irish roots, as did numerous other founding fathers and leading political figures in US history. This epic tale looks at the many, many connections between Ireland and the US presidents, including the White House staff over the years and the Irish links to the 2024 showdown between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
John McClintock of Trintaugh (1698-1765)John McClintock of Trintaugh, County Donegal, was the third surviving son of John and Janet McClintock of Trintaugh. A favourite of his older brother Alexander, which irked his other brother William of Cappagh, he was father to 13 children including Bumper Jack McClintock of Drumcar, Alexander McClintock of Seskinore and Anne McClintock (grandmother of the 1st Baron Lisgar).
William McClintock of Lifford (1724-disinherited)Disinherited for marrying his first cousin Francelina Nesbit, William had further heartache with the premature death in India of his son Alexander, a friend of the diarist William Hickey.
Naas Roll of HonourBetween 2020 and 2023, National Hunt horses that ran at Naas also won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the King George VI Chase, the Aintree Grand National, the Cheltenham Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the Cheltenham Triumph Hurdle and the Queen Mother Champion Chase, twice. On the Flat, they also scooped the Epsom Derby, the Epsom Oaks, the English 2,000 Guineas, the English 1,000 Guineas, the Melbourne Cup and four Breeders’ Cups.
Chapter 12: Naas Races 2020-2025From ‘The Centenary of Naas Racecourse (1924-2024) – Nursery of Champions’ by Turtle Bunbury. …
McClintock Wray of Donegal, Antrim and TyroneSee here for the full index of McClintock Family stories. John Wray (1752-1833) …
Kilkea Castle 8 – Nightfall (1887-1961)The FitzGeralds would face no end of challenges during the opening decades of the 20th century with two tragic deaths and the loss of a huge portion of their ancestral wealth. However, with the birth of the Irish Free State, Kilkea Castle in County Kildare remained home for many FitzGerald sons and daughters through both wars until 1961 when sold by the 8th Duke of Leinster.
Kilkea Castle – ContentsForeword Introduction 1 – The Time Before the Normans Charting the emergence …
The Life & Times of Thomas Kane McClintock Bunbury, 2nd Baron Rathdonnell of Lisnavagh, County Carlow – Part 3 (1914-1929)Following the final quarter of a century of Tom Rathdonnell's life from the outbreak of the First Word War and the Easter Rising through the Irish revolutionary period to his death on the eve of the Wall Street Crash.
The Life & Times of Thomas Kane McClintock Bunbury, 2nd Baron Rathdonnell, of Lisnavagh, County Carlow – Part 2 (1879-1913)Taking the story from his succession as 2nd Baron Rathdonnell in 1879 and the complexities of the Land Wars, through the glory days of Anchor, Bluebeard and the other Lisnavagh bulls, plus the marriage of his daughters, the death of Billy in the Anglo-Boer War and up to the eve of the Great War.
Moore of Loughall, County ArmaghProfiling the Moore family, ancestors of my fair wife Ally, who were flax-growers in County Armagh before making their mark in the world of railways, airplanes and medicine, with a focus on Tom Moore the huntsman, James Moore the blacksmith, Pilot Officer Stanley Moore and the surgeon Archie Moore.
John McClintock (1649-1707) of Trintaugh (Treantagh), County DonegalJohn was the oldest known son of Alexander McClintock and his wife Agnes (née Stinson / Maclean). The ancestor of the McClintocks of Drumcar, Lisnavagh, Seskinore and Red Hall, he was 21 years old when his father died. His wife Jenet was the daughter of John Lowry, a prosperous Scottish landowner who settled in County Tyrone. Also looking at links to Donegal townlands of Trentaghmucklaugh, Leck and Trensallagh.
William Knox D’Arcy (1849-1917) – The Irish Oil TycoonKnox D’Arcy was one of Australia’s greatest entrepreneurs. The only son of an Irish-born solicitor, he is regarded as the founding father of the oil and petrochemical industry in Iran. His company, Anglo-Persian Oil, was the forerunner of British Petroleum. He already owned a mountain in Australia that was stuffed with gold. His life was an epic in itself, an extraordinary rollercoaster ride of soaring fortunes and bitter disappointments.
The Glorious Madness – Tales of the Irish & the Great War (Contents)‘The Glorious Madness’ explores the lives of some of these people – including nationalists, nuns, artists, sportsmen, poets, aristocrats, nurses, clergymen and film directors – whose lives coincided with one of the most brutal conflicts our world has ever known.
Bunbury of Johnstown House, County Carlow, IrelandA branch of the Bunbury family lived at Johnstown House outside Carlow town for most of the 18th and early 19th century. This account looks at such characters as the travel writer Selina Bunbury and the pioneering postmaster Sir Henry Noel Bunbury, as well as connections to the Irish Volunteers, William Pitt, Charles Darwin, Sir Francis Galton, Oscar Wilde, the Connellan family and sub-branches in Liverpool, Essex, Miami and Cuba.
Haroldstown, County Carlow – Of Dolmens, Evictions and Eccentric HistoriansLocated on the River Dereen, this 350 acre townland includes the beautiful Haroldstown Dolmen, while neighbouring Ballykilduff appears to have been home to a Bronze Age settlement that was first charted by a drone in 2018. Closely linked to the nearby monastery at Acaun, its past owners include two former Lord Chancellors of Ireland and an eccentric newspaper man. It was also the scene of an appalling eviction of 173 tenants in the 1830s, including numerous widows.
Protected: The Cashel Man – Ireland’s Oldest Bog BodyThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Notes on County CarlowThe stories of a man born without limbs who became an explorer, as well as the Czech engineer who invented the water-bike, the murder of a Hollywood director, the prince of Antwerp who made Carlow his home, the crazy doctor who blew up Carlow Castle and the mystery of one of the world’s biggest ancient monuments. Extracted from Past Tracks, with Irish translations by Jack O'Driscoll.
William Robert Bunbury, 4th Baron Rathdonnell, M.C. (1914-1959)My grandfather packed a lot into his 44 years. Born during the Great War, he lost his mother at the age of eight and, an only child, became very close to his father, the 3rd Baron Rathdonnell. Educated at Charterhouse and Cambridge in England, he lived it up in the US in the late 1930s but life turned serious again at the age of 21 when his father died and he succeeded as 4th Baron. He married Pamela Drew, a free-spirited artist, a few weeks later. And then came Hitler’s War, in which he found himself in command of a squadron of tanks …
Commodore John Barry (1745-1803), Father of the American NavyThe Wexford man was the United States’ first commissioned naval officer, as well as its first flag officer. On his watch, the US Navy converted 40 acres of Brooklyn into one of the world's biggest shipyards. It stands next to the oldest park in Brooklyn, renamed Commodore Barry Park in his honour.
The Campaign TrailAn approximate chronology of historical places that I have visited over the decades, dull reading except for the most nerdly.
McClintock Family – ContentsAn inventory of the McClintock pages on this website.
County Tyrone – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Tyrone’s past.
County Antrim – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Antrim’s past
County Donegal – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Donegal’s past.
County Kerry – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Kerry’s past.
Tom MacGreevy – A Modernist Poet at War“I noticed that the soldiers on the opposing sides had ways of playing games with each other. Thus an English machine gunner might rattle off a few rounds to the rhythm of Daa, Da-Dah, Dah and stop. Back immediately would come the answering close of the rhythm from a German machine-gunner, Dah, Dah. ”
Juris Erratum (1991-1994)It was quite comfortable to sleep on; that I do remember. Wylie’s Land Law, I mean. A hefty tome of maybe 1400 pages of legal jargon pertaining to Irish property, equity, trusts and succession. Sometimes I got through a couple of pages before it happened. Mostly it struck me on page one. I’d think, ‘maybe I’ll just have a wee nap before I start, clear the auld cranium a little.’ The book would be shut and carefully positioned. My head would lean forwards, and I’d nod off, listening to the whirl of papers and biros and distant whispers emanating around the Berkeley Library.
Notes on the N81The Slíghe Chualann, one of the five great highways of ancient Ireland, which ran …
An tSlí Mhór (The Great Way) and the Esker RiadaThree parishes and circa 74 townlands across the island of Ireland are named after eskers, ridges formed in glacial times. This article offers a few thoughts on how and why some of Ireland’s present-day roads have been used for several thousand years.
County Dublin & Dublin City – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to the city and county of Dublin.
Protected: Matheson: 18-20 Upper Merrion Street (1954-1987)There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
SS Hibernia, the Duke of Westminster and the Senussi of LibyaHow an Irish ferry got tangled up with the Senussi of Libya.
The Centenary of Naas Racecourse (1924-2024) – ContentsThe contents for the book ‘The Centenary of Naas Racecourse (1924-2024) – Nursery of Champions', published in 2023. Established in 1924, Naas is renowned as a nursery of champions for both National Hunt and the Flat. It won Racecourse of the Year at the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners Awards in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Protected: 100 Objects of County Laois – ContentsThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Protected: The Stradbally AxeThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Around Lisnavagh: Neolithic to the Bronze AgeAs of April 2025, I have an inventory of (extant or vanished) 3 ring forts, 1 square fort, 1 standing stone, 1 dolmen, 1 monastery, 1 castle, 1 Bronze Age settlement, 2 graveyards and a cross-inscribed pillar stone, all located in a small stretch of land running from the summit of Knocknagan to Haroldstown, drawing in a little bit of Tobinstown, Lisnavagh and the townland of Acaun …. throw in an underground stream, the River Dereen and the mysterious shapes in Bowe's Grove, and the stage is set for yet more sleuthery.
Protected: The Skirk StoneThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Protected: Derrymullen Saddle QuernThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
The Townland of Tobinstown (in progress)A working document about the townland south of Lisnavagh and east of Haroldstown, including Tobinstown School and the old pub.
Reflections on Elizabeth Bowen (1899-1973)The author of ten novels and over 100 short stories, Elizabeth Bowen was one of the most remarkable writers of her generation. She was also my grandmother's first cousin and, arguably, best friend. I once found her CBE in my sock drawer and my mother inherited her typewriter. This is an account of her life, and her many loves, which I add to as new reflections strike me.
The Black Walnut of BallykilcavanReturn to 100 Objects of County Laoise Menu Ballykilcavan near Stradbally is home to …
The Paget Family & the Marquess of AngleseyDuring the 1820s, William McClintock Bunbury sailed around the coast of South America as 1st Lieutenant on board HMS Samarang to Captain Charles Paget (1806-1845), nephew of the 1st Marquess of Anglessy. Also on board was young Leopold McClintock, the future explorer, whose sister was to become Captain Paget's second wife.
Notes on Portmarnock, County DublinSee here for other stories of Dublin ***** The Pirate Station …
Protected: Matheson: 30 Herbert Street (1998-2007)There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
The Battle of Seddelbahr, 1915Tracking the Royal Munster Fusiliers and allied Irish regiments heroic but catastrophic amphibious assault on Gallipoli’s V Beach from the troop ship River Clyde in the face of heavy casualties and fierce Ottoman resistance.
The MacCarthys of MunsterAn account of the origins of the McCarthy family, and various branches thereof, plus the miscellaneous and colourful MacCarthy exiles living in France during the 18th century, with reference to the branches at Carrignavar, Gortroe and Spring House.
Villiers Stuart of Dromana, County Waterford – Lord of the DeciesTracing the lineage and history of the family, particularly focusing on Henry Windsor Villiers Stuart and his ancestors. The article details significant events, marriages, and titles within the family, highlighting their influence in Irish history, particularly in County Waterford, from the 13th century to the Victorian Age.
Kilkea Castle, Chapter 4 – The Geraldine Age, Part I – Rise and Fall (1273-1537)In the 1420s, Kilkea Castle in County Kildare was considerably extended and improved by the Earls of Kildare who would become the most influential dynasty in Ireland by the end of the century. With the Tudors came a sensational but disastrous rebellion that would bring the FitzGerald elite to the brink of extinction.
Blake of Menlo Castle, County Galway & Meelick House, County ClareLooking at one of the most celebrated of the 14 Tribes of Galway, whose properties included Menlo Castle and Meelick in Ireland, as well as Whitland Abbey in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The account considers all nineteen of the Blake baronets, Wild Geese and Wine Geese, as well as curious links to Cary Grant, Red Hugh O’Donnell’s assassin and Tony Blake, who was executed during the Korean War.
The Butler Family – Ormonde, Dunboyne, Ossory &c.The Butlers of Scatorish and Maiden Hall, County Kilkenny, descend from a branch of the Viscount Dunboyne’s descendants who settled at Priestown, County Meath, returning to County Kilkenny in the nineteenth century. Like almost every Butler on Planet Earth, they trace their lineage to Theobald Walter, an Anglo-Norman knight who arrived in Ireland in 1185 in the retinue of Prince John, Lord of Ireland
9. Kilkea Castle – Custodians (1961-2010)In 1961, the Marquess of Kildare – later the 8th Duke of Leinster – sold Kilkea Castle, his ancestral home in County Kildare, to the Land Commission. There then followed a succession of fascinating owners including an engineer who built most of Northern Ireland’s aeroplane runways, a veteran of the French resistance and the wife of Agent Zigzag, an extraordinary British double agent – as the castle evolved into a health farm and hotel. The castle hotel is now owned and run by Jay Cashman.
Kilkea Castle 7 – Twilight (1822-1895)In the 1830s, the 3rd Duke of Leinster began a lengthy restoration of his family’s ancient castle at Kilkea in County Kildare, giving it the shape that it has today. For the rest of the century, Kilkea would be home to the Marquess of Kildare. This era, which coincided with the Great Hunger, the Land Wars and the ever-louder call for Home Rule in Ireland, would end with the calamitous – and premature – deaths of the 5th Duke of Leinster and his beautiful wife, Hermione.
Kilkea Castle, Chapter 6: Hellfire (1668-1837) – The Dixon, Reynolds and Caulfield YearsDuring the late 17th century, Kilkea Castle in County Kildare was occupied by a series of well-to-do families while the FitzGeralds prepared to move to Carton. In the century thereafter, the dissolute Henry Dixon and the duplicitous Tom Reynolds did not bode well, and Kilkea would be the scene of high drama during the 1798 Rebellion, with Lord Edward FitzGerald centre-stage. Ultimately, it would find calm under the Caulfields before the FitzGeralds resumed control of Kilkea once more.
Kilkea Castle (5) – The Geraldine Age, Part II (1537-1773) – ResurrectionThe FitzGeralds rose from the ashes with the remarkable return of the Wizard Earl of Kildare in the 1550s. Despite a litany of premature deaths, his successors managed to ride out the turmoil of the 17th century intact, extending Kilkea Castle in County Kildare along the way. The castle also served as a Jesuit novitiate for 12 years before being extended in the 1660s. In the 18th century, the great-great-grandson of the Fairy Earl would become the first Duke of Leinster.
3. Kilkea Castle – The Wogan Years (1305-1425)By 1305, Sir John Wogan was the most influential man in Ireland. As a reward, King Edward I of England gifted him Kilkea Castle and its manor lands. The property was also of much interest to the FitzGerald family, now Earls of Kildare, who were partly descended from the de Ridelesfords. Meanwhile, the Pale itself soon became one of the bloodiest battlegrounds on the island of Ireland.
2. Kilkea Castle – De Ridelesford & the First Castle (1169-1304)Following the Cambro-Norman conquest of Leinster in the late 12th century, the lands around Kilkea and Castledermot in County Kildare were granted to Walter de Ridelesford, a man with strong links to the Knights Templar. The original stone castle – once among the most formidable in Ireland – was built by Hugh de Lacy in about 1180. Within 100 years, the manor had been divided between Walter’s female heiresses, Christiana De Marisco and Emmeline Longespée, which would bring the House of FitzGerald into the mix.
Kilkea Castle (1) The Time Before the NormansCharting the emergence of the landscape around Kilkea Castle in County Kildare from the end of the last Ice Age through the establishment of the ringforts at Mullaghreelan and Mullaghmast, as well as St Caoide’s church, to the eve of the Cambro-Norman conquest in the 1170s.
Kilkea Castle – An IntroductionKilkea Castle, originally built in the 12th century, has a rich history tied to the FitzGerald family, who became prominent landowners in Ireland. Over the centuries, the castle evolved through renovations and ownership changes. Today, it stands as a testament to heritage, family legacy, and enduring connections to Irish history.
Mormons on the March, 1847In 1847, Brigham Young lead the Mormon exodus to the promised land of the Salt Lake Valley while the Mormon Battalion embarked upon the longest military march in US history. This story also looks at Sam Brannan, founder of the California Star newspaper, and the early days of San Francisco, the California Gold Rush, baseball and roadometres.
Art of 1847Showcasing works by Dionysios Tsokos, Ford Madox Brown, Pavel Fedotov, Richard Airey, Antoine Wiertz, Charles Lees, David MacDonald, Friedrich Nerly, Thomas Websiter, John Everett Millais, Thomas Couture and others.
County Meath – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Meath’s past.
Tom Cruise’s Irish AncestryTom Cruise’s real name is Thomas Cruise Mapother IV. And he’s got so much Irish in him that he was awarded a Certificate of Irish Ancestry in 2013.
Mansfield of Morristown Lattin, County KildareThe Mansfield family have been in Ireland at least since the 12th century. Penalized for their Catholicism in the 17th century, fortune returned when they married the sole heiresses of the Eustace and Lattin families, as well as a fortune from the Danish colony of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. Latter day characters associated with the family include the parachuter Major Richard Mansfield, children’s author Brownie Downing and Fine Gael politician Gerard Sweetman.
Tim McClintock Bunbury (1881-1937), 3rd Baron RathdonnellTim became heir apparent to Lisnavagh and the lordship of Rathdonnell, after his brother Billy was killed in the Anglo-Boer War. As a young man, he was Private Secretary to the Governors of Ceylon and Fiji, and the High Commissioner of Australia. A key figure at the Imperial Institute, he served in the war in East Africa, Italy and Carinthia, now Slovenia. His only child was my grandfather.
The Irish Diaspora – Tales of Emigration, Exile & Imperialism – ContentsI was utterly elated by the first review of my 2021 book, ‘The Irish Diaspora,’ from BBC History Magazine, the UK’s biggest selling history magazine: ‘This fascinating assortment of case histories, spread across 1,400 years and six continents, is an impressive feat of research … The summaries of often-complex historical background to the lives explored are models of lucid compression.' Here's some further detail.
County Mayo – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Mayo’s past.
Water-Tender John King (1862-1938) – The Two-Time Medal of Honor Recipient from MayoSee here for more stories if County Mayo. See here for more stories of …
Protected: The Walkers – A Legal Family in DublinThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Daniel Robertson, an American Architect in IrelandAn eccentric and prolific architect. Robertson left his mark on such well-known Irish mansions as Killruddery, Powerscourt and Lisnavagh. An American of Scots origin, he grew up between South Carolina and Georgia before training as an architect in London. Having gone bankrupt in 1830, he moved to Ireland where he lived until his death in Howth in 1849.
Notes on Howth and the Howth Head Peninsula, County DublinWhen the ancient Egyptian cartographer Ptolemy sketched his map of the known world some 1900 years ago, he sketched the Howth Head peninsula on the north side of Dublin Bay as an island. Some hold that Howth was also known to the Phoenicians. Here are a dozen highlights from Howth's history from ancient deer to Russian mutineers, the famous gun-run to a lesser known hero of 1916.
Notes on Sutton, County DublinHighlighting subjects such as Ptolemy’s ancient map, the rabbit warren created by monks, St Fintan, Edmond Lauder (photographer), the artistic contributions of Harriet Kirkwood, the Easter Rising’s connections to Bob Monteith, the United Irishmen, James Joyce (author of Ulysses) and PJ McCall (ballad writer).
The Dublin Pals in Gallipoli, 1915Shortly after the First World War broke out, over 250 amateur Irish rugby players assembled on the pitch at Lansdowne Road as part of the IRFU’s new Volunteer Corps. The men were assigned to a ‘Pals’ battalion in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, created so that friends could serve together. Many joined D-Company, with which they sailed to fight the Ottoman Turks in Gallipoli in 1915. Some 70% of them were either killed or wounded within three weeks of their arrival.
The Monastic Townland of Acaun, County CarlowLocated just east of the Lisnavagh farmyard, Acaun is the smallest of Carlow County's 603 townlands. This account considers the origins of its monastery, mill-race and castle and touches on its connections to people such as Alice Kyteler, Bishop Ledred and Edmund Butler, Earl of Carrick.
Notes on Balbriggan, County DublinStories of Sinéad de Valera, a heroic sea rescue, Queen Victoria’s favourite stockings, a saint who kept bees, an emigrant who led one of the gangs of New York and the enterprising Baron Hamilton, amongst others.
Protected: Colonel Fitzmaurice’s Propellor ClockThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Protected: Helen Roe’s Magic LanternThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Sky Patrol With Erskine Childers in The Great WarErskine Childers is famed for steering the yacht Asgard into Howth in 1914, delivering 900 German rifles to the Irish Volunteers. Less well known is his work as as aerial observer for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during World War One, where he served over the North Sea, in Gallipoli, and Palestine. His last wartime role was advising the RAF on a Berlin air raid. An opponent of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, he was executed by the Irish Free State in 1922.
Protected: Padraig Pearse’s Order – ‘Q Ballfyin, 23rd 7pm’There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
FitzGerald of Carton House & Kilkea Castle, County Kildare – Earls of Kildare, Dukes of LeinsterThe dramatic story of one of the most powerful families in Irish history – their early years as French-speaking adventurers, their rise to being a vital cog in the running of the Irish colony, their rebellions against the kings of England and their stunning decline when the pay-off of a gambling debt backfired.
Easter Dawn – The 1916 Rising (Contents)Easter Dawn was one of the most successful books to arise over the course of the centenary commemorations of the Easter Rising, with positive reviews in newspapers such as the Irish Times and the Irish Independent, as well as magazines such as Socialist History. Easons' bookshop placed it in their top five ‘1916' bestsellers of the year.
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1847 – ContentsThe contents page for Turtle's book ‘1847: A Chronicle of Genius, Generosity and Savagery' (Gill Books, 2016).
Sackville Carden and the Naval Attack on the DardanellesThe first attempt to win the Gallipoli campaign was conducted by a Royal Navy fleet that was fatally below par. Having lost his nerve shortly before the attack was due to commence, poor old Vice-Admiral Carden was relieved of his command. One third of the fleet was either sunk or seriously damaged, with 700 men dead, before the action was called off.
The Birth of Cartier, 1847Tracing the history of Cartier, the global luxury brand, from its foundation in 1847 in Paris through its royal connections and innovative wristwatch created for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, ahead of a major 2025 exhibition at the V & A Museum in London.
Samuel Beckett’s Roots – Builders of DublinThe Beckett family, of Huguenot origin, were prominent Dublin builders in the 19th-20th centuries, constructing cottages in South Lotts and Ringsend, and elsewhere. William Beckett’s son, Samuel Beckett, became a celebrated writer, commemorated by the Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin’s docklands.
Ireland via the Olympics to the Tailteann GamesAn overview of an extraordinary sporting event that took place three times in the 1920s and early 1930s by Brian Hopkins, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Lancaster University.
Notes on Howth Junction & DonaghmedeSee also: Notes on Howth & the Howth Head Peninusla The Grange Most of …
Sultan Abdülmecid: A Tale of Pianos, Telegraphs, Etiquette and HungerIn 1847, the enlightened Abdülmecid, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, enjoyed a series of private piano performances by Franz Liszt, contributed generously to Irish famine relief, and green-lighted the laying down of Morse’s electrical telegraph, which he had test-run by transmitting messages to his extensive harem.
County Kildare – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Kildare’s past.
Lord Desmond FitzGerald & the Irish Guards in the Great WarA study of the Micks first two years in action in the Great War, as seen through the eyes of Lord Desmond FitzGerald, an officer, with attention to key battles such as Mons, Retz, La Bassée Road, Neuve Chapelle, Givenchy, Festubert, and Loos. Also homing in on figures like Father John Gwynn, Mick O’Leary VC, Gerald Madden and the Earl of Rosse.
Notes on Thomastown, County KilkennyThe Artist Mildred Anne Butler (1858–1941), one of the greatest painters of her time, …
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Admiral Sir Leopold McClintock & His FamilyAn especially accomplished branch of the family, descended from Harry McClintock, Collector of Customs at Dundalk port and uncle of the first Lord Rathdonnell. Harry's son Leopold would find lasting fame as the man who discovered the fate of Sir John Franklin's Arctic expedition, while another son Alfred became Master of the Rotunda. Leopold's children included a naval veteran of Gallipoli, a Royal irish Constable and a New Zealand emigrant, while his grandson was one of the great keepers of Irish language literature.
Bolands Mills & Bakery, DublinThe two austere, six-storey, cut-stone mini-skyscrapers of Bolands Flour Mills at Grand Canal Docks appear to have been built in the 1830s by Thomas Pim, an enterprising Quaker. In 1873 he sold them to Patrick Boland, owner of the nearby Bolands Bakery. By 1911, 202,779 barrels of flour were being ground annually by 40 milling stones, making it one of the largest mills in Ireland.
The Baron de St. Pierre & the Bunbury FamilyThe origins of the family, with their connection to the Baron de St. Pierre and Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, plus other links to Saint Boniface, the Barons Malpas, the de Boneberrys &c.
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General Alick Godley & the AnzacsGeneral Sir Alexander Godley never really recovered his reputation after what happened at the Nek on 7 August 1915. For generations to come he would be held responsible for the debacle. Godley’s Abattoir, they called it. There were no excuses. He made the wrong call. Twice.
Waterways Through Time – Season 2What impact did the Vikings and the Normans have on Ireland’s inland waterways? How did Turlough O’Connor earn the moniker ‘King of the Water’? How did the Knights Templar use the waterways during the Anglo-Norman invasion? Those are some of the questions Turtle tackles in the second series of the ‘Waterways Through Time’ podcast, launched in May 2023.
Notes on Clones, County Monaghan – A Fledging DocumentFORMER STATION MASTER DEAD. The Late Mr. John Alexander, Warrenpoint. To the deep …
Maxol – The History of an Irish Family CompanyReplete with episodes of brilliance, ingenuity, serendipity and success, this sweeping story tells Maxol’s fascinating story from the formative years of the McMullan family through the drama of global wars, oil crises, political conflict and economic hardship to its present-day responses to climate change, Covid 19 and technological advance.
Notes on Harmonstown, Artane & CoolockThe Drummer’s Kitchen 60 Rosemount Avenue, Haromonstown, was the childhood home of U2’s co-founder …
Notes on Rush and Lusk, County DublinKenure House The Kenure estate, just north of Rush, takes its name from Ceann …
Grafton Street, Dublin CityGrafton Street, Ireland's main shopping boulevard, started as a small, medieval cattle track that wound alongside the east bank of the Stein, the river that now flows underground between St Stephen’s Green and Trinity College. This account tells the tale of five Georgian houses running from 96-100 Grafton Street, as well as the Turkish Baths and 5 Grafton Street, and who their occupants were, including Weir's and the company that inspired Bono's name. It also provides a detailed listing of occupants of all houses on Grafton Street, compiled by Belinda Evangelista in 2023.
Rev. Alick McClintock (1775-1836) & the Tithe WarAlick – or Alexander – McClintock was the second son of ‘Bumper Jack' M'Clintock, of Drumcar, M.P., and his wife Patience (née Foster). In 1831, while serving as Rector of Newtownbarry (now Bunclody) in County Wexford, he became deeply embroiled in the Tithe Wars when 12 people were killed during what became known as the Battle of the Pound.
Halligan of Kilkea, Lisnavagh & Rathvilly, County CarlowFollowing the trail of a family well known in the Rathvilly area of County Carlow as funeral directors, garage mechanics and community stalwarts.
Strange Tales from Croke ParkLooking at the American Invasion Tour’ of 1888, the Tailteann Games of 1924-32 and the Thunder and Lightning Final of 1939.
Sporting Legends of Ireland (Contents)Portrait interviews with 44 of Ireland's leading sportsmen and women, probing the question as to whether they were simply born to greatness or was it all about how much they trained and a certain degree of luck.
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Sir William Gregory (1817-1892) – Governor of CeylonConsidered one of the finest governors of Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in the island's history, Sir William's legacy is complicated by the appalling treatment of Tamil labourers, as well as the Gregory Clause in Ireland during the Great Hunger. His wife was the famous Lady Gregory.
Anthony Trollope’s EpiphanyThe story of Trollope's rise, his Irish experience, his connection to Sir William Gregory and the inspiration behind Anthony Trollope’s Epiphany
County Tipperary – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Tipperary’s past.
County Galway – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Galway’s past.
County Offaly – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Offaly.
Index to Vanishing Ireland InterviewsA county-by-county index to all the people interviewed for the Vanishing Ireland series.
The Murphys of BallymurphyAn interview with Simon Murphy (1929-2015) & Jimmy Murphy (1934-2018), the cover stars of the fourth Vanishing Ireland book, about their life as cattle and sheep farmers in the Blackstairs mountains above Ballymurphy, County Carlow. ‘I go up the mountain every day,’ says Jimmy. ‘A couple of hours or more. It takes that time to straighten it all out, start in the morning, go see this, see that, but sure I was always at it, do you know?
Finlay of Corkagh House, ClondalkinThe saga of a family who flee Scotland with the downfall of Mary, Queen of Scots, and make their fortune in Ireland through private banking and a useful cousin that happens to own a handful of iron mines in Sweden. Covering events such as the 1798 Rising and Robert Emmet’s Rebellion, the story ends in tragedy with the death in war of the last three Finlay sons of Corkagh House, County Dublin.
Benjamin Benson – A Bermudan Evangelical in IrelandThe lesser known Irish connections to a former black slave who wrote ‘A Narrative of the Life of Benjamin Benson, Emancipated by the English Government, August 1, 1838, and Subsequently Sold as a Slave in the United States of America,' published in 1847.
County Monaghan – Choose a TopicChoose from topics on this page for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Monaghan's past.
The Charge of the Light Brigade, 1854114 Irishmen rode out with the Light Brigade in their famous charge. Indeed, a third of the ‘British' soldiers who fought in the Crimean War are reckoned to have been Irish, including 7,000 who died. This article looks at the charge, and those manifold Irish connections.
Notes on Seapoint, County DublinHighlighting the Martello Tower, built to defend against Napoleon’s invasion, as well as the tragic back story of Moya Llewelyn Davies, the rivalry between Copper Face Jack and media mogul John Magee, plus Barry Fitzgerald, an acclaimed Irish actor, and Sir Nicholas Lawless, who built the enchanting Maretimo residence overlooking Dublin Bay.
The McClintock Family in ScotlandThe McClintocks were a Scottish family who settled in north west Donegal (Trintaugh, Rathdonnell, Dunmore) during the early 17th century and spread east into Counties Derry, Tyrone (Seskinore), Armagh (Fellow's Hall) and Louth (Drumcar, Red Hall, Newtown). In 1798, John McClintock married Jane Bunbury and so gave life to the McClintock Bunburys of Lisnavagh. The McClintock genes claim to a number of historical celebrities including Generals Montgomery and Alexander, Speaker John Foster, the Barons Rathdonnell, Brigadier Dame Mary Colvin and the explorer Sir F. Leopold McClintock.
Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) – A Pioneering Feminist in IrelandBefore she became one of the founding philosophers of feminism, Mary Wollstonecraft was governess to Viscount Kingsborough’s daughters at Mitchelstown Castle in north Cork. While Mary went on to marry William Godwin (and so became mother to Mary Shelley, author of ‘Frankenstein’), one of her protégés Margaret, Countess of Mount Cashell, scandalised aristocratic society by eloping to Italy with a young Irish officer by name of Tighe.
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McClintock of Castrues & Prospect Hill, County DonegalA quick look at a Donegal branch of the family, including Lieutenant Henry McClintock, a protege of Admiral Lord Exmouth, who died before he could achieve his ambitions.
Reflections on Irish Identity, 2025Considering the impact of Ireland abroad from Cillian Murphy to St Patrick's Day to Mick Lynch and the Trade Unions, as well as the historical precedent behind the Biden presidency's support of the Good Friday agreement and the Irish diaspora around the world.
Well Done Ted – Edward Whitaker Lowndes (1884-1915)One of the most simple yet moving epitaphs in Beach Cemetery, near Anzac Cove is inscribed on the headstone for Trooper Edward Whitaker Lowndes of the 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade. “Well Done Ted.” So, who was poor Ted?
“Well done Ted”.
Bunburys in the Medieval AgeLooking at the Bunbury family during the 100 Years War and the Wars of the Roses, including a timely sickie on the eve of Agincourt.
The Irish in ChicagoBy 1890, Chicago had the third highest population of Irish emigrants in the USA. The city's heroes include Butch O'Hare, Captain Francis O'Neill, Richard Daley, Mother Jones and the men who built the I&M Canal. In the fall of 2024, Ireland House will open in the Chicago to house the Consulate General of Ireland and representatives from Ireland’s economic and trade promotion agencies. This page includes what is surely the most comprehensive list of Chicago-linked Irish-Americans online, thanks to Belinda Evangelista.
Bunbury of Cloghna, Cranavonane & MarlstonDescended from a younger son of Benjamin Bunbury of Killerrig, this branch settled in the region of the River Barrow in County Carlow. One ran The Bear Inn in Carlow. Another was a wine merchant on Bow Street, Dublin, who intermarried with the Mill family, wine merchants of Exeter. This marriage brought them to Marlston House, Berkshire. Family members include a leading diplomat in New Zealand, a Governor of St Lucia and a Privy Chamberlain to Pope Pius XI, as well as the ancestors of the Versturme Bunburys and the Guyana branch.
Hugh Mill Bunbury & the Guyana ConnectionPlantation owner Hugh Mill Bunbury of Guyana (Demerara) was born in Devon and moved to the West Indies as a young man. His daughter Lydia was disinherited for marrying the French Romantic poet Count Alfred de Vigny. His son Charles commanded the Rifle Brigade and married Lady Harriot Dundas. One grandson was Privy Chamberlains to the Pope, as well as heir to Cranavonane, County Carlow. Another was the much-decorated businessman, Evelyn James Bunbury.
Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz (1891-1980)Looking at the man who was handed arguably the biggest hospital pass in history – the role of Adolf Hitler's successor.
County Louth – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Louth’s past.
The Colleys of Castle Carbery, Mount Temple & CorkaghThe story of the Colleys is a rip-roaring account from the first dastardly Tudor to come to Ireland on Thomas Cromwell's watch through to the sad finale for Corkagh, the Colley house near Clondalkin, County Dublin. Among those profiled are the Duke of Wellington, the novelist Elizabeth Bowen, the Titanic victim Eddie Colley and the ancestors of the actors Ralph and Joseph Fiennes.
County Leitrim – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Leitrim’s past.
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Managing Partners and ChairsManaging Partners * Bob Matheson 1906-1947 Ernest Prentice 1947-1951 Peter Prentice 1951-1987 John Ross 1987-1988 Ernie Margetson 1988-1995 Donal …
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County Derry / Londonderry – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Derry / Londonderry’s past.
Admiral Rough Fitzgerald & the Order of the White FeatherThe Order of the White Feather, founded by Admiral Fitzgerald, pressured men to join World War I, sparking controversy and sacrifice.
Admiral Jack de Robeck (1862-1928) – Tales of Gallipoli and ArmeniaThe Kildare man who led the Eastern Mediterranean fleet during Gallipoli, expertly managing naval operations, later becoming British High Commissioner investigating the Armenian genocide.
County Cavan – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Cavan’s past
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Carlow Castle: Rise & FallA detailed history of Carlow Castle from its construction by the Normans over 800 years ago through to the present day, co-starring Prince Lionel of Antwerp and the extraordinary doctor who accidentally blew most of the building apart in 1814.
Notes on the Grand Canal DocksThe Grand Canal Docks, opened in 1796, were Dublin’s largest docks, linked to rivers Shannon and Barrow. Key figures include Éamon de Valera (1916 Easter Rising), U2 (formed nearby), Paddy O’Connell (football manager), Samuel Beckett and Aeneas Coffey (whiskey innovator). Historic sites include Boland’s Mill and Google Docks.
Notes on the Connolly Station area in Dublin CityLooking at stories of the sculptor John Henry Foley, the beautiful Montgomery sisters, the 1916 leader James Connolly, the eccentric Earls of Aldborough, the boundary wall around the Custom House docks and one of Europe's biggest red light districts.
County Limerick – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Limerick’s past.
Bill Harrington, 11th Earl of Harrington (1922-2009)This story followed my meeting with Bill in 2005 in which he told me he had personally arrested Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz, Hitler's successor as President of the German Reich. Sadly the facts don't add up but Bill, who was one of my grandfather's greatest friends, nonetheless lived an incredible life.
Bertha’s RevengeA two-time Guinness World Record-holder – the oldest and the most prolific cow ever recorded – Bertha passed away just three months short of her 49th birthday, being more than twice the lifespan of your average cow. This legendary Droimeann cow from Sneem, Co. Kerry, has been immortalised by an award-winning Irish gin.
Cecil Parke (1881-1946) – The Original Clones CycloneThe story of a legendary Irish all-round sportsman, who captained Ireland’s rugby team, won multiple tennis titles including the 1912 Australasian Championships and Wimbledon mixed doubles, and earned an Olympic silver medal. A World War I veteran wounded at Gallipoli, he was one of Ireland’s greatest sports figures.
Don Patricio O’Connell – Barça’s SaviourThe first Irish captain of Manchester United, who won six caps for Ireland, Patrick O'Connell began managing in Spain in 1922, leading Real Betis to their only La Liga title in 1935. As Barcelona manager during the Spanish Civil War, ‘Don Patricio' saved the club by organizing a crucial North American tour.
Crawford of Orangefield (Belfast), The Lodge (Antrim) & Nenagh (Tipperary)Ethel McClintock Bunbury, my father’s grandmother, was a daughter of Robert Ievers and his wife, Catherine (Kate) Crawford. Kate was the eldest daughter of Andrew Howard Crawford whose family were prominent bankers and merchants in Belfast during the nineteenth century.
McCarthy’s of Fethard, Co. TipperaryA dark and inviting interior, with tobacco-stained walls smothered by images of men clutching trophies, well-toned horses in mid flight, revolutionaries at play, the Bloody Sunday football team and Pope Leo XIV. McCarthy’s has a catchphrase: ‘We wine you, dine you and bury you’. Sure enough, the pub offers both an up-market restaurant and an acclaimed undertaker service. Coffins and hearses are parked in the former livery stables out the back.
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McClintock of Newtown (Louth) & Seskinore (Tyrone)This branch of the family descend from Alexander McClintock (1746-1796) of Newtown, County Louth, whose son Samuel succeeded to the Perry family home of Perrymount, also known as Seskinore, in County Tyrone. The story culminates in a sad episode in the 1930s, as well as the demolition of Seskinore.
Notes on Raheny, County DublinClick here for further tales of Dublin City and County Dublin, including Kilbarrack, Harmonstown, Sutton, …
Notes on Killester, County DublinSt Brigid in Killester Kilbride Road refers to the ‘church of Bride’ as in …
Luke Wadding & The Vatican EliteLuke Wadding was as close to an Irish pope as we've ever had – or certainly until 2025 when Kevin Farrell from Drimnagh served 17 days as camerlengo — or acting sovereign of the Vatican — between the death of Pope Francis and the election of Leo XIV. ‘Padre Luca' established the Irish College in Rome, which would be preeminent amongst the 29 Irish Colleges in Europe. A brilliant theologian and an exceptional diplomat, he also sowed the seeds for the global phenomenon of St Patrick’s Day.
The O’Mahony and the Bulgarian OrphansPeirce Charles O’Mahony (1850-1930), aka The O'Mahony, was a close friend of Charles Stewart Parnell. In 1904, he and his second wife Alice founded St Patrick's Orphanage in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. The city’s Plostad Pierce O'Mahony, a square, and Ulitza Pierce O'Mahony, a street, are named after him.
The O’Halloran’s: Merchants of Antrim & New ZealandEarly Origins The O’Halloran family motto is generally given as “Ripis rapax, rivis audax”, meaning …
Notes on Kanturk, County CorkTrixie Friganza (1870-1955) The vaudeville and early movie actress Trixie Friganza (1870-1955) was born …
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Notes on Athy, County KildareThe stories of Ernest Shackleton, a saviour ape, a Scottish invasion of Kildare, a World War One hero, a bare knuckle champ, amongst others, from the very first Past Tracks panel – installed in 2019 and illustrated by Derry Dillon. Nationwide filmed an episode with Turtle guiding viewers through the panel.
Bunbury Baronets in England (1618-1886)A quick overview of the Bunbury baronets in England, including the Jacobite supporter Sir Harry Bunbury and the family of Sir Charles Bunbury, Admiral of the Turf, and Henry William Bunbury, the artist.
Notes on Ballina, County MayoThe stories of one of Ireland's most successful presidents, the origin of the town ‘Font', a pioneer of showbiz in Chicago, the engineering ancestors of Joe Biden, a leading opponent of slavery and a strike by schoolboys seeking an end to corporal punishment and Wednesday's off. Extracted from Past Tracks 2021, with Irish translations by Jack O'Driscoll.
Notes on Broombridge & Cabra, County DublinClick here for further tales of Dublin City and County Dublin Eureka! Born …
Eulogy to Ben Rathdonnell (1938-2025)A eulogy to our father, who died on 28 February 2025. Delivered at St Mary’s Church, Rathvilly, County Carlow, on 5 March 2025.
The Dacres Dixon Family (1630-2025)Following a family famous for the Mason-Dixie line, who made their mark as astronomers, canal engineers and wildlife artists, with cameos by intrepid emerald hunters in Colombia and Venezuela, plus the Red Lion Inn in Henley-on-Thames and links to the families of Bevan, Hare (Earl of Listowel), Pelham (Earl of Yarborough) and Rathdonnell (McClintock Bunbury).
The Irish Diaspora – Reviews‘Bunbury's pacey but well-researched narrative is addictive … The research that underpins the short and engaging biographies delivers credible detail. His book is a delightful read … history at its most vibrant.’
Gerald Aungier (1640–1677) – Founding Father of BombayFor more on The Irish Diaspora. Gerald Aungier was instrumental in building Bombay …
The Piesse Family – Perfume, Colonialism and ExplorationOn the trail of Louis James Piesse, a key figure in early South Australian settlement and exploration, who participated in Charles Sturt’s 1844 expedition and supported immigrant aid. His brother Septimus co-founded the Piesse and Lubin perfumery. Another brother, Charles Alexander John Piesse, served as Colonial Secretary of Western Australia. The family’s activities spanned London, Dublin, Australia, India, and New Zealand during the 19th century.
Burials in Rathvilly Church, County Carlow, 1884A list of Church of Ireland burials for Rathvilly Church from the year 1884, extracted from the Richard Corrigan Papers and transcribed by Maribeth Nolan in Nov – Dec 2012.
Notes on Ardee, County LouthLooking at notable figures from Ardee, Ireland, including Sir George Grierson, a linguistic scholar known for his Linguistic Survey of India, Beatrice Hill-Lowe, the first Irishwoman to win an Olympic medal, and Éamonn Ceannt, a key leader in the Easter Rising.
Moore of Moore Abbey – Earls of DroghedaHeaded up by the Earl of Drogheda, the Moores resided in Monasterevin, County Kildare, for …
Sir Ernest Shackleton – By Endurance, We ConquerAn astonishing lesson in leadership from the Irishman whose attempt to cross the Antarctic by land left him with the immense challenge of leading his 27 crewmen on a godforsaken adventure through the world's most hellish waters and an uncharted mountain range.
Notes on Salthill and Monkstown, County DublinHoming in some of the icons of Monkstown’s history such as John Travers and James Eustace who occupied Monkstown Castle, the regicide Edmund Ludlow, Owen Guinneas, (ancestor of Arthur Guinness), the Waterloo surgeon Dr. Matthias Kenny, and astrophysicist Lady Margaret Huggins.
Naas Races – Chapter 4 – The 1940sThe post-war years were dominated by Vincent O’Brien who saddled three Grand National winners, as well as Cottage Rake (who won three consecutive Gold Cups) and Gold Cup winner Knock Hard. All five of those horses honed their craft at Naas.
Foster of County Louth – Ambassadors, Speakers, Lovers ExtraordinaireA family who rose through the hierarchy through their astute understanding of finance, property and agriculture, culminating with John Foster’s election as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons and his elevation to the peerage as Baron Oriel. With 6,500 acres at Collon, Dunleer and Glyde Court, County Louth, the head of the family also became Viscount Ferrard and Viscount Massereene, inheriting Antrim Castle. Includes the philanthropist Vere Foster and Lady Bess Foster, part of the Duke of Devonshire’s ménage à trois with Georgiana.
Eddie Colley’s Lousy Titanic BirthdayEdward Pomeroy Colley – a beloved uncle of my grandmother and the writer Elizabeth Bowen – had the lousy distinction of being the only person on Titanic to drown on their birthday. Prior to this, he was also a remarkable surveyor in British Columbia, Canada, and something of a favourite at Dublin Castle.
Naas Races – Chapter 5 – The 1950sNotable people and horses from a golden era, including legendary trainer Paddy Prendergast, with Martin Molony as a champion jockey. Vincent O’Brien achieved great success, including multiple Grand National wins. Other stars include Tom Dreaper, Mickey Rogers, and Clem Magnier, plus horses like Freebooter, Devon Loch, and Royal Tan. The Hyde family and Smurfit family also played their part in Naas’s racing legacy. .
Brabazon of Killruddery, County Wicklow – Earls of Meath, Barons ArdeeThe Brabazons came to prominence during the Tudor conquest of Ireland when Henry VIII dispatched the shrewd Sir William Brabazon to Ireland as Vice-Treasurer. He established the family at Killruddery and his grandson was created 1st Earl of Meath in 1627. Over the next 300 years, the family would consolidate their influence in Wicklow, Ireland and the wider world of the British Empire.
The Bunbury Family – Contents PageWith links to all the various branches of the Bunburys I have written about from Lisnavagh to Guyana, Suffolk to Liverpool, New Zealand to Cheshire.
Browne Clayton of Browne’s Hill, County CarlowAn account of the family who lived at Browne's Hill outside Carlow from 1763 through until the 1950s, including the Browne Clayton Column (modelled on Pompey’s Pillar in Egypt) in Wexford, and a more recent connection to the last days of the Cambodian dictator Pol Pot.
Titanic – The Irish ConnectionsAt least 79 of the 1,517 passengers and crew who died when Titanic sank were born in Ireland. Built in Belfast, the Irish connections of the White Star liner were many and varied.
Sir William Arrol (1839-1913), or, How A Boiled Sheep’s Head Shaped The Industrial AgeThe greatest bridge builder of his generation learned his craft while singeing hair off sheep's heads in a blacksmith's forge as a boy. He went on to build works such as the Forth Bridge and the Tay bridge in Scotland, the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, the Arrol Gantry in Belfast, Tower Bridge in London, the Nile Bridge in Egypt, the Hawkesbury Bridge in Australia and all the bridges along the Manchester Ship Canal.
Spotlight on Belfast – City of Music & JoyNational Geographic Traveller (UK) have marked Belfast on its prestigious Cool List 2024. Northern Ireland's progressive capital, developed as a mighty port and industrial centre during the 18th and 19th centuries. “Belfast's heart beats fervidly with music, it is in our DNA”, says Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody. In 2021, the city was awarded prestigious UNESCO City of Music status, while a Belfast-based group of artists and activists won the 2021 Turner Prize. In 2022, Kenneth Branagh's movie ‘Belfast' racked up seven Academy Award nominations. The city is on the up.
Barnewall, Baron TrimlestownNorman Roots The Irish family of Barnewall descend from Alanus de Berneval, “le …
The Irish Pub – A Potted History of the Irish PubThe inhabitants of Ireland have been guzzling beer ever since the biblical Great Flood swept this earth. Irish legend holds that practically the first feet to walk this land after the waters subsided were those of a brewer and an innkeeper. In medieval times, more inns began to spring up, offering accommodation as well as food, wine and cider. The rest, of course, is history.
Castlemore, County Carlow – A Vanished Town, a Solitary MotteOne of the most influential early Cambro-Normans was Raymond Le Gros, a nephew of Maurice …
Benjamin Bunbury (1642-1707) of Killerig, Lisnavagh & Tobinstown, County CarlowLooking at the life of the first of the family to truly settle in County Carlow, where he acquired Killerrig, Lisnavagh and Tobinstown, as well as his connections to the Dukes of Ormonde, Philip Wharton and some lousy days for a Quaker sheep-farmer by name of Thomas Cooper.
Notes on Hazelhatch, County Dublin, and Celbridge, County KildareHighlighting historical figures and events from around Celbridge and Straffan, such as Brian Boru, who fought at Glenmama; Arthur Guinness, founder of the Dublin brewery; William Conolly, the powerful Speaker; Thomas Dongan, a governor of New York; and Jonathan Swift, author and lover of Vanessa. Other notables include Ned Despard, Lady Aberdeen, Lady Caroline Blackwood and Damien Rice.
Notes on Ringsaskiddy, County CorkThe Palmer Shipping Company, based in Ringaskiddy, held the lucrative agency for The White Star …
Wicklow Street, DublinFor over five hundred years, Wicklow Street was part of a much longer thoroughfare known as Exchequer Street, named for the Exchequer built by the Anglo-Normans in the late twelfth century.
The Irish Roots of the Brontë SistersJane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey are considered three of the greatest literary classics of all times. The three novels were published in 1847 by the brilliant Bronte sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne. This is the lesser known story of their father, an Irish clergyman from County Down, and the Heathcliff-like story of his ancestors, as well as a look at Charlotte Brontë's connections to Banagher, County Offaly.
Rosemary Smith (1937-2023) – Rally DriverRosemary Smith, the most successful female rally driver in Irish history, tells how her triumphs in the 1960s began when she mastered driving on the potholey highways of old Ireland, and why she was once obliged to reverse 33 miles up the Khyber Pass.
County Wicklow – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Wicklow.
Barton & Childers of Glendalough House, Co. Wicklow“Fide et Fortitude” (By fidelity and fortitude) The story of the Barton family …
Barton of Straffan House, County Kildare, and Grove, County TipperaryThe remarkable tale of the family of ‘Wine Geese’ who, having arrived in Ireland in the last year of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, prospered in the wine trade despite the French Revolution. They owned the Châteaux Léoville Barton and Langoa vineyards from where some of the finest clarets in France are still produced to this day, and co-founded Barton and Guestier. With their profits, they purchased Grove House in County Tipperary, and Straffan House in County Kildare, better known as the K-Club.
Applause for Vanishing IrelandChristy Moore, Rob Kearney, John Spain and hundreds of others voice their approval of the Vanishing Ireland project on a page that Turtle secretly visits from time to time on the rare occasions he's feeling a little blue.
About Turtle BunburyAn overview of Turtle's professional career, including bundles of photos from the last two or three decades.
Willie Mullins – Commander of the TurfIn April 2024, Willie became the first Irish-based trainer to win the UK Jumps Trainers Championship since Vincent O'Brien in 1954. A month earlier, he became the first trainer in history to score 100 wins at the Cheltenham Festival. He's been in the saddle since he could toddle. This is an interview from 2010, when he was already an equestrian superstar.
Notes on Athenry, County GalwayThe stories of a best-selling novelist, Governor of North Carolina, a terrifying hurricane, a giant cake, ‘The Fields of Athenry’ song and a woman who refused to eat. Extracted from Past Tracks. Irish translation included.
Notes on Portrush, County AntrimHighlighting key historical events in Portrush, including Magnus Barefoot’s Viking battle, the visit of Brazilian Emperor Pedro II, Joseph Kennedy’s visit with JFK, and Rebecca Rice’s philanthropy, as well as the town’s cultural heritage and significance as a seaside resort.
Notes on Holywood, County DownLooking at some notable figures and historical events associated with Holywood, including golfer Rory McIlroy, sculptor Rosamund Praeger, and Captain Theophilus Alexander Blakely.
Arthur Pollok (1874-1966) of Lismanny, County GalwayRenowned as a skilled amateur huntsman, Arthur Pollok transformed the hunting scene with exceptional leadership and improved hound bloodlines. Despite challenges from local farmers and hunting controversies, his tenure remains one of the most successful in Kildare’s history. This story also links to connections to Grey Gowrie, the huntsman Bert Thatcher, and Will Strickland and Bert Gibbs, first and second whips during Pollok’s tenure.
Seamus McGrath (1921-2014) – Farmer & Actor – Killerig, County Carlow‘My grandfather was a bit of a character. A genius in his own right. He made a colossal amount of money in the late 1920s. He could foresee the Depression and sold every animal he had, except the milking cow. A year and a half later, after the crash, he bought them all back for a fraction of the cost.’
John McClintock, 1st Baron Rathdonnell (1798-1879)John McClintock, who inherited Drumcar House, County Louth, in 1855, launched a series of mostly unsuccessful campaigns to represent County Louth at Westminster. He served just one term from 1857-9, but he caught the eye of Benjamin Disraeli and was created Baron Rathdonnell in 1868. This story follows his life and times, his links to the Bunbury family, and his marriage to Anne Lefroy.
Past Tracks – An Illustrated Journey Through Irish HistoryAn overview of the Past Tracks project, where history panels have been installed at railway stations across Ireland to highlight local history and stories. Initiated in collaboration with Irish Rail and illustrator Derry Dillon, the project aims to engage commuters with Ireland’s rich past through intriguing narratives and vibrant illustrations.
The Japanese Gardens & the Irish National Stud, County KildareThe tale of Saburo “Tassa” Eida, founder of the Japanese Gardens, and the origins of the Irish National Stud thanks to Colonel William Hall-Walker, later Baron Wavertree.
Notes on Kildare TownHighlighting figures like St. Brigid, Gerald FitzGerald (8th Earl of Kildare), and Sheriff Johnny Behan and Saburo “Tassa” Eida. The article details the Curragh plains, the Japanese Gardens, and significant events like the Battle of Ballaghmoon and the establishment of the Irish National Stud.
Mick O’Dwyer (1936-2025) – GAA LegendThe renowned Gaelic football legend reflects on his life and career. From his childhood in Waterville to managing teams in Kerry, Kildare, Laois, and Wicklow, he shares his thoughts on family, life, and his passion for the sport.
Violet Gibson – The Irish Aristocrat Who Shot MussoliniThe astonishing story of a Dublin-born gentlewoman, who attempted to assassinate Mussolini when she was fifty years old, and her connection to – and eventual rejection by – one of Ireland’s most distinguished legal families.
Notes on Newbridge, County KildareSee here for more stories of County Kildare. The Welsh Priory The cavalry barracks …
Notes on Naas, Sallins, Kill and Johnstown, County KildareAn overview of the some of the main characters from the region from early historical figures like King Cerball mac Muirecáin, Philip Flatsbury, and ‘Black Tom’ Wentworth to more recent names such as Theobald Wolfe Tone, William Makepeace Thackeray, the 6th Earl of Mayo, and Evelyn Anthony. Historical sites include Jigginstown, Clongowes Wood, and Maudlins burial ground.
William McClintock (1697-1774) of Cappagh & the Pennsylvania LinksA branch of the Donegal family who made their mark in Pennsylvania, including the McClintock Slave Riot of 1847, when John McClintock was accused of instigating a riot that resulted in the rescue of a number of fugitive slaves
Notes on Dromod and Roosky, County LeitrimThe tale of the Dromod locomotive and the Furnace ironworks, as well as William de Vismes Kane, Bridie Clyne, Albert Reynolds, Maura McNally and Baron Harlech's links to President John F. Kennedy, plus how the Roman governor Agricola may have helped an Irish prince claim the High Kingship.
Naas – Nursery of Champions: IntroductionAt least 6,000 races have been run at Naas since 1924. Each competing horse has four components – the jockey, the trainer, the owner and the horse itself, with all its past and future history. As such, the selection of stories told in this book is but a microcosm of all that has passed. I hope it helps to showcase the way in which this magical racecourse has evolved since its founding fathers came together.
Notes on Monasterevin, County KildareExploring notable figures from the towns past from St. Abban, who entrusted the site to Evin to the composer Franz Liszt, as well as the Marquess of Drogheda; Wimbledon champion Willoughby Hamilton; Florence Fulton Hobson, Ireland’s first female architect; and Count John McCormack, the renowned tenor, who rented Moore Abbey.
Conolly of Castletown House, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, IrelandCharting the rise of Speaker Conolly, an innkeeper’s son from Donegal who became the most powerful man of his generation. His magnificent Palladian residence at Castletown House, Celbridge, is one of the Irish nation’s greatest treasures. Also looking at connections to the disastrous 1798 Rebellion, the beautiful Lennox sisters, the Charlston Blockade and the Irish Georgian Society.
Notes on Cobh (Queenstown), County CorkA mercy mission from Boston, the bells that rang out for Laurel and Hardy, Sonia O'Sullivan and a remarkable Titanic survivor are among the cast on Turtle's panel in Cobh railway station, illustrated by Derry Dillon, translated by Jack O Driscoll.
A History of Bishopscourt, Clones, Co. MonaghanBuilt as a rectory for the Church of Ireland during the Napoleonic Wars, Bishopscourt was considered such a fine abode that two Bishops of Clogher opted to use it as their main place of residence during the first decades of the 20th century. This tale takes in the Lennard family, scions of a natural daughter of Charles II, as well as Cassandra Hand, champion of Clones Lace; the dairying enterprise of the Mealiff family; the fabulously named Baldwin Murphy; and the enigmatic Archie Moore, Consultant Surgeon at Monaghan General Hospital.
The Vikings on Irish WaterwaysIn the medieval period, rivers and lakes were the principal highways that people used to get around. However, what happens when a darker force gains access to those same waterways? A force whose sole game-plan seems to be to raid and plunder and generally go on the rampage? The Vikings would be one of the most powerful influences on Irish life for the bones of 400 years.
Arthur Guinness (1759-1803) – The Brewing MaestroThe story of the man who founded the famous brewery at St James's Gate in Dublin, including his ancestral link to the MacCartans of County Down, the controversy of his birth in Celbridge , his bequest from Archbishop Price and his marriage to the heiress Olivia Whitmore.
Rogers of Airlie Stud and RadnorshireThe Rogers family have been breeding first-class stock for at least six generations, winning multiple Classic horse races as both breeders and trainers. Before they turned their attention to horses, they bred cattle. During the Victorian Age they were in the first rank of Britain’s Hereford cattle breeders.
Napier of Celbridge Park (Oakley Park), County KildareIn 1787, Oakley Park became the home of Colonel George Napier and his wife, the former Lady Sarah Bunbury (née Lennox).
Wogan-Browne of Clongowes Wood, County KildareA far too brief account of two families, Wogan and Browne, whose cast includes a leading light of the Brigidine nuns; a former aide-de-camp to the King of Saxony; an architect who was refereeing Gaelic football matches in 1798; and a popular rugby player who was shot dead in Kildare in 1922.
Finlay the Belfast Bruiser – Professional Wrestler‘Some people call me a fighting Irish bastard’, growled Dave Finlay Junior, ‘but NOT TO MY FACE!” With this immortal catch-phrase, the wrestler from Carrickfergus – variously known as Fit Finlay, Finlay or the Belfast Bruiser – launched his brilliant comeback in 2006 as one of the star performers of the multi-million dollar World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) business.
Rise & Fall of the Knights Templar – The Irish ExperienceThe Knights Templar have captivated people’s imagination ever since the Order was founded in 1119. One of the most powerful forces in Europe for almost 200 years, their initial purpose was to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land. In Ireland, they had manors and banking preceptories across Leinster, as well as anchorage for ships from Waterford Harbour to Galway City to the north-west coast. Their fall was astoundingly dramatic.
Chapter 1: ‘O, Sweet Adare!’ – The Early YearsReturn to Contents Extracted from ‘Adare Manor: The Renaissance of an Irish Country House’ …
Adare Manor – The Renaissance of an Irish Country HouseTurtle Bunbury’s 2020 book traces Adare Manor’s journey from its origins as a medieval manor house in County Limerick to its 21st-century status as a multi-award-winning, luxury five-star resort and venue for the 2027 Ryder Cup. Adare Manor was voted the No.1 Resort in Europe for a third consecutive year in the 2024 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards
County Sligo – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Sligo’s past.
The Hon. Charles Spencer Cowper (1816-1879)Exploring his connections to two Prime Ministers – Lords Melbourne and Palmerston – and to Classiebawn, County Sligo, the home of Earl Mountbatten at the time of the latter's killing in 1979.
County Laois – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Laois.
Notes on Coolmine and Blanchardstown, County DublinLooking at key figures associated with the area including St Patrick, Oliver Cromwell, Jonathan Swift and Alexander Kirkpatrick, plus the Cistercian monks, the Jelletts of Coolmine House, the Wine Merchant's School and a wolf hunt in the Great Scaldwood.
Thomas Bunbury II of Lisnavagh (1775-1846), MP for CarlowA chronological account of the bachelor Thomas Bunbury, eldest son of William Bunbury III of Lisnavagh and his wife Katherine (née Kane), taking in the tragic deaths of his father and sister, his time at Oxford, his connections to Bath and his role as an MP and magistrate in County Carlow on the eve of the Great Hunger.
Thomas Bunbury (1705-1774) of Kill, County CarlowThe life of a Georgian gentleman farmer in 18th century Ireland as he extends his land ownership from County Carlow into Longford and Kildare. Thomas Bunbury was grandfather of Jane Bunbury who married John McClintock of Drumcar, from whom the McClintock Bunbury family descend, and also of Field Marshal Viscount Gough.
Lefroy of Carrigglas (Longford), Ewshot (Hampshire) and Canterbury (Kent)Hailing from Cambrai in French Picardy, the Lefroy family arrived in England as refugees during the French Wars of Religion. Having prospered as silk merchants in Canterbury, two branches emerged. The Irish branch included Tom Lefroy, famed as the love interest of Jane Austen, before he became Chief Justice of Ireland. The English branch were based at Ashe in Hampshire where they were again closely affiliated with Jane Austen's family. Among the family were the first Lady Rathdonnell and the surveyor Sir John Lefroy.
‘Bumper Jack’ – John McClintock (1743-1799)The builder of Drumcar House, John McClintock was one of the most prominent MPs during the age of Grattan’s Parliament, serving as MP for Belturbet and Enniskillen between 1783 and 1797. He was also Chief Serjeant of Arms to the Irish Parliament (when his wife’s cousin John Foster was Speaker of the Irish House of Commons) and Treasurer of the Northern Rangers. This story also takes in the remarkable tale of John Suttoe, a black man who worked for the McClintocks and married Margaret O’Brien from County Louth.
Ireland’s Wine GeeseWe may not have the climate to grow our own vines, but the Irish have done a colossal amount to develop the wine trade and spread those succulent grape juices across this world from France to California to Australia and New Zealand.
John Henry Foley (1818-1874), Sculptor of an EmpireDublin-born John Henry Foley was one of the most prolific sculptors in history. His works adorned public squares from London to Kolkata to Virginia, USA, while there are more statues by him in Ireland than any other sculptor. These include the Daniel O’Connell monument on O’Connell Street and the statues of Burke, Goldsmith and Grattan on College Green. He was personally selected by Queen Victoria to sculpt Prince Albert for the Albert Memorial in London.
Notes on Drogheda, County LouthHighlighting historical figures and events connected to Drogheda, such as 1916 icons Major John MacBride and Éamonn Ceannt; Colonel Isaac Eure, the Regicide; Thomas Charles Wright, who founded the Ecuadorian Navy, and Michael Scott, a renowned architect, as well as wine merchants, inventors, and humanitarian efforts during the Great Hunger.
Father Phelan, Parish Priest of Rathvilly (1885-1903)“His patriotism and enthusiasm had a marked influence with his people, and when Father Phelan was in the zenith of his powers, Rathvilly was looked on to by the entire Co Carlow for light and leading. He was a patriot in the best sense of the word, and his love of country and people was second only to his love of God.”
The Yelvertons, Viscounts AvonmoreOriginating in Norfolk, the Yelvertons rose through the ranks in England to become, at various times, Baron Grey de Ruthyn, Earl of Kent and Earl of Sussex. Another branch moved to Ireland where Viscount Avonmore was a leading legal eagle in the Georgian Age. This takes in such events as the celebrated Yelverton v. Longworth case and explores connections to Blackwater (Cork), Portland and Belle Isle (Tipperary), and Whitland Abbey (Wales). Also covered are an early American connection and influential Australian emigres Charles Yelverton O'Connor and Henry John Yelverton.
Kennedy of Johnstown and Bishopscourt, County KildareOne of the most celebrated families of the Kildare hunting scene during the middle decades of the 20th century, the Kennedys were direct descendants of Sir John Kennedy, the Father of the Kildare Hunt. Indeed, for much of the 20th century, the area around Straffan was known as ‘Kennedy country’.
Notes on Sydney Parade, County DublinThe content revolves around historical figures and events associated with Sydney Parade in Dublin. It highlights contributions from individuals like Alfie Knight during WWI, Ellen Duncan’s role in the arts, and Sidney Herbert’s political contributions.
The Ards Explosion, 1917Major William Charles Hall died from injuries sustained in a bombing accident at Newtownards military camp. leaving a widow Olive (née O'Grady Roche). The incident also claimed the life of Corporal Parker and injured other officers.
Notes on Navan, County MeathThese short blurbs were written for a panel installed in the Riverside Maxol station in Navan, County Meath, in 2023. Illustrated by the wonderful Derry Dillon, they celebrate Francis Beaufort’s contributions to cartography and meteorology, the Navan Carpet Factory, Pierce Brosnan’s early life, and the musical achievements of Gloria Smyth, amongst other tales.
The Halpin Family: Lighthouse Builders, Port Engineers, PioneersA dynasty whose bloodlines interlink across multiple generations from their origins in the Huguenot stronghold of Portarlington, County Laois, to Wicklow, the Dublin Docklands, Meath and the distant lands of the USA and Australia. George Halpin, the ‘Founding Father’ of Irish lighthouses, constructed 53 lighthouses around the Irish coast, and did much to shape Dublin Bay and the Liffey. His nephew Captain Robert Halpin laid the Atlantic cable, while the article brings us to the present-day with the inventor, engineer and MacArthur fellow, Saul Griffith.
William Bunbury III of Lisnavagh (1744-1778)William was the great-grandson of the first Bunbury to settle in Ireland. He married the heiress Katherine Kane, shortly before he was elected MP for Carlow in Grattan's Parliament. He was planning to build a new house at Lisnavagh when he was tragically killed in a horse accident in 1778. After his death, his widow took the family to live in Bath until their eldest son, Thomas, was old enough to return. William's posthumous daughter Jane would produce the future heir of Lisnavagh …
Stronge of Tynan Abbey, County ArmaghThe dramatic tale of the Stronge family from their arrival in Ireland on the eve of the siege of Derry through to the brutal murder of Sir Norman Stronge and his son James by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1981.
Notes on Dundalk, County LouthArctic Explorer One of the largest sea channels on earth is named for Captain …
Richardson-Bunbury of Augher Castle, County TyroneWhen Benjamin Bunbury of Kilfeacle, County Tipperary, died in 1765, his estate passed to his …
Notes on Kilcock, County KildareJohn Huston at Courtown House. Illustration: Derry Dillon. Hollywood Royals Courtown House, just south-west …
Betty Scott (1923-2013) – The Inspiration for the Vanishing Ireland projectThe story of Betty Scott, who started work at Lisnavagh as a parlourmaid in 1941 and was the housekeeper from 1959 throughout my young life until she retired in 2007. Without Betty's influence, the Vanishing Ireland project would never have happened.
Ireland’s Forgotten Past A History of the Overlooked and DisrememberedAn alternative history that covers 13,000 years in 36 stories that are often left out of history books. Among the characters profiled are a pair of ill- fated prehistoric chieftains, a psychopathic Viking, a gallant Norman knight, a dazzling English traitor, an ingenious tailor, an outstanding war-horse and a brothel queen.
Ireland’s Forgotten Past – ContentsThe contents page for Turtle's best-selling book Ireland’s Forgotten Past, published by Thames & Hudson.
Adam Buck (1760–1833) – Maestro of the Georgian MiniatureBorn in Cork in 1760, Adam Buck was one of the finest neo-classical portrait and miniature painters of the Georgian Age. Known for his watercolour portraits during the Regency era, with neo-classical backdrops, his works are a perfect complement to the world depicted in the novels of Jane Austen. This is the story of a remarkable Irishman who pushed the erotic buttons of Georgian art.
Giles Blundell (1939-2000) of Slievenamon (Fethard)Giles was one of my father's best friends from his time in the Royal Navy. In 1972, he managed to avoid crashing a Royal Navy Buccaneer jet into East Belfast after it malfunctioned during a routine test flight but his courage came at a cost and he was invalided out of the Navy.
Rudall of London and CornwallThe ancestry and descendants of the Rev. Alfred Rudall, Vicar of St. Agnes in Cornwall, including the Clara Schumann link and the remarkable story of his nephew Lieutenant Alfred Rudall and Eva Halpin.
Captain William McClintock Bunbury, R.N., Part 1: The Early Years (1800-1818)The childhood years of the improbably named Captain William Bunbury McClintock Bunbury, who built the present house at Lisnavagh in the 1840s. Born in 1800, he lost his mother to a horse-fall the following year. His new stepmother was a sister of one of the most powerful men in Europe after the fall of Napoleon. Educated at Gosport in Hampshire, William entered the Royal Navy aged 13 in 1813.
Peart Robinson of Burnley & Chatburn, LancashireA cast that includes the extraordinary Dutch SOE operative Door de Graaf, the homeopathic surgeon Dr Drysdale, the German novelist Wilhelm Christoph von Polenz, a bailiff of Clithero, a pioneer of the Arts and Craft movement (John Gorges Robinson), the directors of Craven Bank and my great-grandmother's family.
Colvin of Monkhams Hall, EssexIsabella McClintock Bunbury (1874-1963), the eldest daughter of the 2nd Baron Rathdonnell, married Lt. Col. Forrester Farnell Colvin. Their children included Jack Colvin, a war hero, and Dame Mary Colvin, Director of the Women’s Royal Army Corps. The Colvin family originated from Monkhams Hall in Essex, with roots tracing back to Normandy. Isabella’s family connections included prominent figures in British society and military history, not least the Anglo-Boer War.
Jack Colvin and Hopit: The Tipperary War HorseThe story of a Tipperary horse that became a the best friend of Second Lieutenant John (Jack) Forrester Colvin during their four long years on the Western Front.
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My Father & Other AnimalsThis article was written as a tribute to the Veterinary Paddock in the Dublin Horse …
Notes on Lansdowne Road, Dublin CityThe Ringsend Cars Prior to a major land reclamation in the 18th century, most …
John Joe Conway (1935-2019)The enchanting memories of a cattle farmer and horse breeder from near Kilfenora, County Clare, who featured him in the third ‘Vanishing Ireland’ book. With an utterly fabulous gift of the gab, he recalls a series of terrifying run-ins with bulls, the ‘drudgery' that made women emigrate and his day out with Pope John Paul II.
Paddy Heneghan (1922-2012) – The Ghillie of Delphi, County MayoStill working flat out at the age of 86, Paddy was the third generation of Heneghan to work as a ghillie at Delphi Lodge. He knew all the secrets to becoming a fish whisperer by the time he was a teenager. He learned the hard way, earning the wrath of his grandfather when, aged seven, he cast his line and caught a pony …
Annie Conneely (1919-2017) – Housemaid, Cloonisle, County GalwayThe story of an Irish-speaking Connemara lady who was raised alongside Cloonisle Bay, near Roundstone. Annie recalled how her wily father had to start anew when his currach-rowing business collapsed with the arrival of the railway in 1895.
Michael King (1925-2006) – Politician, Postmaster & Farmer – Errislannan, Connemara, County Galway‘We used to go out on the long winters nights for five or six pints. We’d drink them slow, then drive home after. Now the pubs are all empty and people stay at home with a take out. If you’re not within walking distance of the pubs, you may forget it.'
Sonaí Choilm Learaí Ó Conghaile‘When the old people were here, there was always someone to look after everything. There were hens and the goose and the gander, cattle and sheep, and the land was always clear. But when my generation went to London working, we forgot our own village, our own house, and, by the time we got back, everything had gone wild.’
John William Seoighe (1919-2015) – The Oarsman of ConnemaraAn interview with one of the greatest oarsmen of currachs and Galway hookers to emerge in the 20th century, as well as his remarkable Connemara background and expeditions to Huddersfield and Jersey.
Pat Green (1926-2016) – Damhros, Letterard, Co. Galway‘Farming never paid around here,’ says Pat Green, as the evening sun spreads over the barren rocks beneath his Connemara home. ‘Just look at the colour of that land! It is not great by any means. There are more rocks than soil. Even if you had a thousand acres, you wouldn’t survive farming around here!’
Joseph Hanrahan (1930-2015)Farm Labourer & Trap Driver Kilsheelan, County Tipperary For the first eighty-one years of …
The Massacre of MullaghmastIn a matter of minutes, the massacre is over. 40 men lie dead, including the chiefs of the Seven Septs of Leix – O'Moore, O'Lalor, O'Kelly, O'Doran, O'Dowling, McEvoy and Devoy – and the chiefs of the O'Dunne, O'Molloy, O'Connor and O'More clans. Only two men escape. In an instant, native opposition in the Irish Midlands has been totally annihilated…
Notes on Athlone, County WestmeathThe stories of a Victoria Cross winning drummer boy, a world heavyweight boxing champ, a deadly hurricane, the Earls of Athlone, Count John McCormack, and a brilliant bandmaster who performed at the inauguration of six US presidents. Extracted from Past Tracks. Irish translation included.
Notes on Longford Town & County LongfordNotable historical links to Longford including James Kirkland, the Potsdam Giants; the codebreaker Alan Turing; Frank McCoppin, the first Irish-born mayor of San Francisco; Annie Oakley’s gun-slinging husband Frank Butler; the poet Pádraic Colum, as well as Jasper O’Farrell who laid out San Francisco’s streets and Frances Greville, a Georgian poet.
Charles Byrne (1761-1783) – The Irish GiantIt’s not often that a funeral director buys everyone a drink, but this undertaker had his reasons … The story of a giant from County Derry, a household name in 18th century London, the ongoing fate of his valuable corpse and the important role his DNA has played in identifying the “gigantism gene”.
Sir Henry Sidney – Lord Deputy of Ireland (1565-1578)Looking at his lengthy service to the Tudors – including his boyhood friendship with Edward VI – and his controversial terms as the Viceroy, or Lord Deputy, of Ireland.
Coptic Ireland – A ChronologyA chronology of events, mostly related to Egypt, some of which may have had a long term influence or impact on the evolution of Christianity in Ireland and, therefore, Europe.
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Captain William McClintock Bunbury, R.N., Part 2: The Sea Years (1813-1835)In 1813, 13-year-old William McClintock Bunbury joined HMS Ajax as a first-class volunteer, participating in his first sea battle the following year. Over the next two decades he would rise through the naval ranks and travel astonishing distances across the southern hemisphere. Most of this was on board HMS Samarang, a sister ship of HMS Beagle, and Charles Darwin was never far away. Meanwhile, as William IV succeeded George IV, and slavery is abolished, there is pile up of family tragedy in store …
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Protected: Hargreaves, Ashmore & CompanyThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Notes on Enniscorthy, County WexfordHighlighting notable figures from Enniscorthy, including Eileen Gray, a pioneering modernist architect and furniture designer; Martin Cash, an infamous Australian bushranger; acclaimed novelist Colm Tóibín, as well as Denys Corbett Wilson, the first aviator to fly from Britain to Ireland, and John P. Holland, the submarine inventor. Includes references to local landmarks such as Brownswood House and Enniscorthy Castle.
Notes on Rathdrum, County WicklowA look at some of the figures connected to Rathdrum, such as the gambler Buck Whaley, the rebel Anne Devlin, the St Louis “boss” Edward Butler, Sir Lawrence Byrne, a judge in the Lord Haw-Haw case; Samuel Hayes, a forestry pioneer; and Charles Stewart Parnell, an Irish politician.
Malone of Lisnavagh and Rathmore, County CarlowThe story of Joseph Malone, agent at Lisnavagh in the early Victorian era, and the Malones of nearby Rathmore.
William Francis de Vismes Kane (1840–1918) – A Gentleman Naturalist At LargeThe Monaghan-born naturalist and butterfly enthusiast who studied Ulster's ancient Black Pig's Dyke.
Hercules Mulligan (1740-1825) – The Tailor SpyLISTEN TO TURTLE’S PODCAST ABOUT HERCULES MULLIGAN READ OTHER TALES OF THE IRISH DIASPORA …
Guinness of Lodge Park, County KildareOverlooking a stretch of the River Liffey, Lodge Park was bought by the Guinness family in 1948 and it is presently home to Robert and Sarah Guinness. Robert descends from Samuel, a younger brother of Arthur Guinness the Brewer, who became a goldbeater in the 18th century. Samuel’s descendants founded the bank of Guinness Mahon and included Adelaide, 1st Countess of Iveagh, the financiers Loel and Dick, and Robert’s father, Richard, a prominent Engineer.
Notes on Greystones, County WicklowHighlighting the local links to Michael Collins, Éamon de Valera, and Kitty Kiernan, as well as the La Touche family, Count Michael Kutuzov-Tolstoy, Averil Deverell, Taylor Swift, Ronnie Drew, Waclaw T Dobrzynski, Lizzie Burnaby and Shane Ross.
Notes on Maynooth, County KildareA look at some key figures and events associated with Maynooth and its college. It highlights Richard Talbot’s role as Viceroy under James II, the establishment of Maynooth College, George Barrington’s criminal exploits, Empress Sisi’s visit to the college, and Theobald Mathew’s temperance movement, along with Joe Biden’s ancestor and the beautiful soul that was Marianne Faithfull.
Billy Bunbury, aka 2nd Lieutenant William McClintock Bunbury (1878-1900)Billy Bunbury was next-in-line to succeed his father as Lord Rathdonnell when a bullet ended his life in South Africa during the Anglo-Boer War. Billy, who stroked the Eton Eights to victory in the Ladies Plate at Henley twice in 1896 and 1897, was one of the youngest officers to die in the war.
The Normans on the Irish WaterwaysWithin 30 years of their arrival in Ireland, the Normans had built a network of castles along the River Barrow and were making moves to do the same up the River Shannon. At their peak, they would establish motte and bailey fortresses as far north as Clones and Lough Erne.
Notes on Mullingar, County WestmeathShort histories taking in Henry VIII’s creation of the county, Jonathan Swift’s connections, Peg Plunkett’s life as a courtesan, Mary Molesworth’s imprisonment, John Wesley’s Methodist influence, and James Joyce and J.P. Donleavy’s literary contributions, amongst others.
The Story of Guinness – Behind the Guinness GatesExploring the rich history of Guinness, the world-renowned stout brewed in Dublin. It traces the origins of the brewery founded in 1759 and highlights its evolution into a global icon. It also delves into the brewery’s impact on Dublin’s identity, its innovative brewing processes, and the philanthropic legacy of the Guinness family.
Behind the Guinness GatesBehind the Guinness Gate was the first podcast series launched by the Guinness Storehouse. Hosted by Turtle Bunbury, the 8-part series features interviews with rapper Mango, chef Niall Sabongi, flavour guru Kate Curran, the Iveagh Trust’s Rory Guinness and local historians Liz Gillis and Cathy Scuffil. The series also includes three episodes by about the formative years of St James’s Gate and the brewery’s strong sense of employment welfare and social philanthropy. An audio journey into the very heart of Guinness.
William Bunbury II (1704-1755) of Lisnavagh, Co. CarlowA grandson of the original Benjamin Bunbury of Killerrig, William (known as Billy) inherited Lisnavagh at the age of six, following the premature death of both his parents. He would preside over Lisnavagh for the next forty years, during which time he helped fund the construction of the Protestant church in Rathvilly. This chapter also looks at his sister Elizabeth Bunbury and her connection to the Lockwood, Minchin and Carden families.
Notes on Drumcondra, County DublinClick here for further tales of Dublin City and County Dublin Don Patricio …
Notes on Ballyhaunis, County MayoIn June 1905, the Times of London reported an ‘important decision on the part of …
The Night of the Big Wind, 1839The Night of the Big Wind was the most devastating storm in recorded Irish history. The hurricane of 6-7 January 1839 made more people homeless in a single night than all the sorry decades of eviction that followed – a hurricane so powerful that the Atlantic waves are said to have broken over the top of the Cliffs of Moher.
The Irish Pub – AcknowledgementsThis book is dedicated to our late friend Alex Davidson, Generosa Defunctus – Nosto Forever. When we put …
The Irish Pub – Select BibliographyReturn to Contents for The Irish Pub The following works were consulted during the …
Joe Biden’s Irish RootsJoe Biden was arguably the most ‘Irish' president to have occupied the White House. He enjoyed an especially successful visit to Ireland in 2023, his third since 2016. This is an ongoing exploration of his engineering forebears and his ancestral roots, including affiliated lines of the Scanlon, Blewitt, Finnegan, Arthur, Boyle and Roche families.
Notes on Bayside (Cois Bá) and Baldoyle, County DublinHighlighting key figures like Thomas Smith (inventor of Sudocrem), Ronan Keating (Boyzone member), and the legacy of Little Willie Hospital, as well as architectural innovations, local landmarks, and community initiatives.
Diana Drew (1912-1978)Educated at the Grosvenor School of Modern Art in London, Diana was a teenage prodigy whose works appeared at the successful British Lino-Cuts exhibitions in 1929, 1930 and 1931. A passionate yachtswoman and supporter of the Westmorland Tories, she became a Land Girl during the Second World War and devoted much of her time to looking after her mother, Sylvia Drew.
Notes on Heuston Station and Kilmainham, DublinLooking at stories of Captain Seán Heuston, St Maighneann, Oliver St John Gogarty, Grizelda Steevens, who founded a hospital, and Prior Keating’s defiance, alongside events like the Crimean Banquet and the Phoenix Park Tunnel.
Notes on Blackrock, County DublinSee also Booterstown and Monkstown. The Diver’s Baths The nearby Blackrock Baths were once …
Notes on Sandymount, County DublinLooking at notable figures and historical events associated with Sandymount, Dublin, including Nobel Laureates W.B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney, the Easter Rising, feminist activist Gretta Cousins, RTE icon Charlie Bird and cultural contributions like the Irish national anthem and local architecture.
Prologue – The Early History of Racing in NaasFrom ‘The Centenary of Naas Racecourse (1924-2024) – Nursery of Champions’ by Turtle Bunbury. …
Naas – Chapter 9 – The 1990sFrom ‘The Centenary of Naas Racecourse (1924-2024) – Nursery of Champions’ by Turtle Bunbury. …
John ‘Old Turnip’ McClintock (1769-1855) of Drumcar, County LouthA prominent player in Irish politics during the last years of the Parliament in Dublin, aided by his kinship with John Foster, the last Speaker of the Irish House of Commons and his opposition to the Act of Union, the Brexit of its day. Following the tragic death of his first wife Jane (née Bunbury) in 1801, he married a sister of the 2nd Earl of Clancarty, one of the power houses of European politics after Napoleon’s defeat.
Nellie O’Toole (1909-2010) – Nurse & Housekeeper of Rathvilly, Co. Carlow‘People don't laugh enough these days. Laughing is very good for your heart'. The wise words of Nellie O'Toole, who lived to be 102. Nellie was full of memories of her home village of Rathvilly during the awfulness of the Spanish Flu (or the Asian Flu, as she called it) and the War of Independence. Three brothers emigrated to the USA, including one who was a driver for Michael Collins. This article includes the full account of my serendipitous interview with Nellie, as well as a recording of her voice.
County Wexford – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Wexford’s past.
Adare Manor – An Epicurean JourneyIn his second collaboration with Adare Manor, Turtle traces the swift and remarkable voyage that has established it as one of Ireland’s principal culinary landmarks, the Oak Room's Michelin Star being confirmed again in 2024.
The Clonmel Show (1865-2015)The Clonmel Show has survived some of the darkest days in Irish history, through times of local agitation, national crisis, global conflict and Covid 19. This account was commissioned by the Clonmel Show Committee as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations in 2015.
A History of Ballyfin House, Co. Laois, IrelandConsistently ranked among the world’s top resorts, Ballyfin’s history reaches back to an age when the O’More chieftains dominated the surrounding lands. Its story encompasses multiple families – Crosbie, Pole, Coote and Wellesley – with Iron Dukes, bounders and heiresses in the mix, as well as its tenure as a Patrician school and its remarkable restoration in the present century. In 2024, it was voted the No. 1 Resort in Ireland & UK by Travel + Leisure Readers.
Bunbury of Kilfeacle & Shronell, County TipperaryFollowing the descendants of Mathew Bunbury (1675-1733), fourth son of Benjamin Bunbury of Killerig, Co Carlow, from Tipperary and Kilkenny to Borneo and Australia, including the family of Field Marshal Lord Roberts and Henry Sadleir Prittie, 1st Baron Dunalley.
Thomas Bunbury (1606-1668) – Oxford LinksThe Bunburys of Lisnavagh descend from Thomas Bunbury, son of Sir Henry Bunbury (1565-1634) of Stanney Hall, Cheshire. This page looks at his links to the Birkenhead family and Balliol College, Oxford, as well as Cromwellian links to Carlow town and the gruesome fate of his cousin Sir Arthur Aston during the siege of Drogheda of 1649.
McClintock of Dunmore House, Co. DonegalThe story of a branch of the family that came of age after the relief of Derry in the Williamite Wars of the 1690s, only for inconceivable tragedy to come in the form of a triple homicide on the eve of the Second World War. With a brief account of the McFarland family who bought the house outside Carrigans, County Donegal, in 1954.
Naas Races – Chapter 3 – The 1930sBringing the story onwards as Naas Racecourse evolves in the face of the Great Depression, the Betting Tax and the outbreak of the Second World War.
McClintock of Kilwarlin, County Down & Glendaragh, County AntrimMajor Stanley McClintock (1812-1898), JP When he died in 1898, the Northern Whig described …
McClintock ExtraNotes for as yet unidentified branches or members of the family.
Search by County, Historical Era or CategorySearch the History Quarter by County, by Historical Era or by Category.
Bumbry (Bunbury) of VirginiaThe eldest grandson of Sir Henry Bunbury went to North America as an indentured servant in 1660 and became a tobacco farmer in Virginia. His great-grandson Dick founded the Bunberry, or Bumbrey, family, from whom sprang Grace Bumbry, one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation. The family also connect to Abraham Lincoln’s assassin and Ronald Reagan’s near assassin.
McClintock of Fellow’s Hall, Co. Armagh and Rathvinden, Co. CarlowA line of descent from the McClintocks of Drumcar with links to the Curragh Mutiny, the Lonsdale who became Baron Armaghdale, the Tynan Hunt, the Stronge family, a scandalous elopement, the Land Commission that followed the Wyndham Act, and the death of a father and son who were both wartime pilots.
Germaine of Lisnavagh & Tobinstown, County CarlowDuring the 18th and 19th century, some of the lands at Lisnavagh and Tobinstown in County Carlow were rented by the Germaines, a family of Huguenot extraction who are said to have built several houses on the land. A rather unsettling story claims that, following the Tithe Wars, Philip Germaine was evicted and his property razed to make way for the new house at Lisnavagh … could this be so?
County Westmeath – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Westmeath’s past.
Notes on Donabate, Turvey and Portrane, County DublinHighlighting friendships between George Harrison and Jim Fitzpatrick, U2’s spiritual journey while composing their album “October,” and the influential work of Frances Power Cobbe in animal rights and women’s suffrage. It also recounts the dramatic romance of Mabel Bagenal and Hugh O’Neill, the legacy of Erskine Dunphy in the art world with Damien Hirst, and the impact of Turvey House on local history.
Notes on KilkennyFeaturing accounts of Ellen, Countess of Desart; Mick Jagger; Hubert and Peggy Butler (of Butler Gallery fame); Lionel of Antwerp & the Statutes of Kilkenny; Jonathan Swift, George Berkeley & Kilkenny College; Martin Renehan – White House Doorman; and the tragic fate of Petronella, servant to Alice Kyteler, burned at the stage by wicked Bishop Ledred. With Irish translations by Jack O’Driscoll.
The Benson FamilyOriginally from Westmoreland in the English Lake District, the Bensons were renowned for their clerical inclinations from the Tudor Age onwards. They were also closely associated with the Downshire Estates in Ireland and, later, the Pony Club in the UK. This history is based on an interview I conducted in about 2004 with the late Ian and Wendy Benson of Ballyvolane House County Cork.
Notes on Kishoge, Ballyowen, Clonburris, Grange and Balgaddy, County DublinHighlighting figures like St. Cuthbert, Jim Gavin, and Archbishop John Joseph Lynch, as well as landmarks such as Balgaddy, Kishoge, Ballyowen Castle, and Grange Castle, alongside archaeological findings and local traditions.
What’s in a Name? The Houses of St Columba’s CollegeSt Columba’s College in Dublin is named for the feisty Donegal missionary best known who brought Christianity to Pictish Scotland, but who are the houses at the school named for? The story behind Iona, Stackallan, Beresford, Clonard, Holly Park, Glen, Gwynne, Tibradden and Killmashogue.
Alexander McClintock of Trintaugh, County Donegal – The First SettlerIt is said that the first of the family to come to Ireland was an Alexander McClintock who arrived in Donegal 1597. A mercenary, perhaps, who fought during the Nine Years War? And yet it seems more likely he arrived as part of a settlement arranged by Bishop Knox of Raphoe circa 1620s. The first known McClintock home was a farm at Trintaugh near the River Foyle. They built the nearby church at Taughboyne. This page seeks to flesh out what we know of these early settlers.
The Irish Pub – ConclusionsThe economic realities were too complex for most old style pubs to survive in the new world. A fear of the breathalyser. The ban on smoking in public places. The temptation to sell one's licence, at considerable profit, to a Dublin pub chain or European hypermarket. The stay at home culture of the 2020s … here are some reflections on all this and that.
Jonathan Swift – A Tale of Two WomenThe celebrated satirist and author of such works as ‘Gulliver’s Travel’s’, Swift was Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin for over 30 years. However, perhaps the greatest conundrum of his life was how to maintain an intimate relationship with two women, without one finding out about the other.
County Clare – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Clare’s past.
Jim and Sarah Scullin: Australia’s Irish RoyaltyAn inspiring tale of migration and achievement, Michael McNamara from County Clare arrived in Australia in 1864, paving the way for his daughter Sarah to become the First Lady of Australia as the wife of Prime Minister Jim Scullin.
Notes on Hansfield & Phibblestown, County DublinHans Blackwood, Rita Hayworth, Honor Guinness, Thomas Willan, Patrick Bobbett and others, detailing connections to Phibblestown and notable events in their lives.
Lattin of Morristown Lattin, County KildareClick here for more stories of County Kildare. ***** The Lattin family were …
Howard of Shelton Abbey – the Earls of WicklowClick here for more tales of County Wicklow. “Inservi Deo et Laetare” (Serve God …
Notes on Arklow, County WicklowThe stories of the Arklow munitions factory, a 1920s party animal, an Olympic Gold medal winner, a spy called Agent ZigZag, a lady mariner, the man who made Jefferson presdient, and an old world cure for Charles Stewart Parnell's wounded hand. Extracted from Past Tracks. Irish translation included.
County Down – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Down’s past.
Priscilla Middleton (1910-92) of Altamont, County CarlowThere is a grave at Altamont, County Carlow, to a lady by name of Priscilla …
Notes on Dalkey, County DublinAccounts of the Dalkey hawks and the Atmospheric Railway, of Matt Damon, Tom Hanks, and Harry Styles, of the Kingdom of Dalkey, a gold rush and a woman who tried to kill Mussolini, of Flann O’Brien, Maeve Binchy, Gail Slater and the evolution of Sorrento Terrace, Vico Road and Monte Alverno, amongst other tales.
Notes on Tara Street, Townsend Street, Poolbeg Street and George’s Quay, DublinWhat’s In A Name? Developed as a completely new street in 1885, Tara Street …
Tom Smith – The King of CrackersThe story of Tom Smith, a London confectioner, who invented the Christmas cracker in 1847, inspired by a desire to sell more sweets. Despite numerous challenges, including fires and family losses, the company became a leading manufacturer of crackers.
Notes on Glenageary, County DublinHighlighting notable figures from Glenageary, including Marie Martin (founder of the Medical Missionaries of Mary), Sinéad O’Connor (renowned singer), and John Millington Synge (playwright).
A Short History of Irish GoldThere is gold in Irish hills, as evidenced by recent finds on the Armagh-Monaghan border, Slieve Glah in County Cavan and the Sperrins Mountains of County Tyrone. Ireland’s rapport with gold actually began about 4,000 years ago when the Bell-Beaker people arrived in from Europe, heralding the so-called Bronze Age.
Wingfield, Viscounts Powerscourt of Co. Wicklow, IrelandPowerscourt House is one of the most famous Georgian houses in Ireland. Built in the 1740s, it was devastated by fire in 1974 but subsequently rebuilt. The estate takes its name from the de la Poer family who built a castle here in Norman times. In 1608, the property came to the possession of Sir Richard Wingfield, a prominent general in the English army. This story of their descendants included one of Lord Byron’s closest friend, a man who hosted George IV to dinner and Sarah, Duchess of York. The Slazengers of Powerscourt are closely related to the present Viscount.
The Prince of Wales and the Curragh WrenIn 1861, Edward VII (then the Prince of Wales) spent 10 weeks at Curragh Camp, Ireland, where he engaged in a brief affair with Nellie Clifden, one of the camp’s notorious “Curragh Wrens.” Their liaison sparked scandal, impacting Edward’s relationship with his parents, especially after the death of his father, Prince Albert, soon after.
Villages at a Crossroads – Borris, Grangecon & CloghOver three centuries after Oliver Goldsmith wrote The Deserted Village, our small communities are once again facing a bleak future, with populations falling, pubs and post offices closing and long-held traditions fading away. An article Turtle wrote for The Irish Times Magazine in 2008.
Captain Jack White (1879-1945) & the Irish Citizen ArmyFor Jack White, that night at Beresford Place in November 1913 must have remained with …
May Morris (1913-2020) & Paddy Byrne (1924-2013) – Castledermot, County Kildare‘The children today are like how Kings and Queens used to be years ago,’ says May. ‘They are brought to school and picked up after. They wear lovely clothes and they go to lovely schools. I don’t know anything about the teachers now but they used to murder us!’
The Irish Pub – The ConceptOne day James Fennell proposed that the pair of us put together a book on Irish pubs. We would focus on the old style pubs, the ones that were starting to close down and fade away in every town, village and crossroads we passed through. The sort of pubs where, in the immortal words of one man, you could happily drink a ‘dirty great big black pint in the middle of the day'.
James McClintock of Trintaugh (1735-1786) & the Rathdonnell House LinkThe family fortune floundered when one extravagant individual kept 29 hunters and coach-horses in his stable, and always drove with four horses in his coach, but, on the positive side, the hymm-writer C F Alexander, Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein and Field Marshal Lord Alexander of Tunis were all part-McClintock.
Chapter 2: The Creation of Adare ManorThe building of Adare Manor by the 2nd Earl of Dunraven and his wife, Lady Caroline, was one of the biggest projects of its kind ever undertaken in Ireland. Completed over 30 years, it was built in an architectural style that was inspired by the Gothic Revival and the Tudor Revival. This chapter also looks at such epic rooms as the Great Hall and the Gallery.
George Bunbury of Moyle & Rathmore (1747-1820) MP for ThomastownExploring the life and lineage of George Bunbury, MP for Thomastown, including his link to estates like Lisnavagh and Phrumplestown, his connections to notable figures such as Catherine Campbell, Lord Agar and the impact of 18th-century Irish politics.
Notes on Leixlip, County KildareStories of Leixlip, Ireland, detailing events from Viking battles to the establishment of notable landmarks like Leixlip Castle and the Ryevale Distillery. It highlights influential figures such as Desmond Guinness and Kit Cavanagh, and discusses local heritage, architecture, and cultural contributions throughout the centuries.
Notes on Cork CitySnapshots from the history of Cork, from the Kingdom of Desmond, established in 1118 by Tadgh MacCarthy, to the city’s rise as a trade hub, the impact of the Wars of the Roses, and notable events like the Battle of the Starlings and the Great Hunger, emphasising Cork’s maritime significance.
Notes on Bray, County WicklowHighlights include Edward Breslin (hotelier and influential citizen), Father O’Flanagan (inventor and priest), Joshua Pim (Wimbledon champion), Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh (fifth president of Ireland), and Jim Hand (Arctic explorer).
The Wakefields & Christys of County DownThis family history is a spin-off from the story of the Fennells of Burtown House, …
Notes on Kilbarrack (Cill Bharróg), County DublinHighlighting figures like St. Bearach (early Christian saint), Roddy Doyle (renowned author), Eoin MacNeill (Irish revolutionary leader), and Francis Higgins (the “Sham Squire”), as well as local landmarks such as the dueling grounds.
The Trial of Bernard Farrelly of Clonkeefy, County Cavan, 1920In 1920, Bernard Farrelly was acquitted of murdering his nephew, Thomas Carroll, amid a complex trial involving circumstantial evidence, witness testimonies, and a contentious farm dispute in County Cavan.
Notes on Banteer, County CorkAnl overview of notable figures from Banteer, including Pat O’Callaghan, Ireland’s first Olympic gold medallist, Denis Horgan, a renowned shot putter, Deirdre O’Connell, a pioneer of Irish theatre, and John Christmas Deady, a poet and publican.
Notes on Bagenalstown (Muine Bheag), County CarlowSnapshots of Bagenalstown’s history, highlighting figures like Walter Bagenal, Beauchamp Bagenal, Father Albert Bibby, and John Moore, as well as McGrath's Tea, Sallie Young and a remarkable project to duplicate Versailles
Notes on Killiney, County DublinHighlighting notable figures from Killiney, Co Dublin, including Evelyn Wrench (postcard pioneer), Washington Matthews (ethnographer), Thomas Francis Meagher (revolutionary leader), Sir John Barrington (first Quaker Lord Mayor), and Winnifred Letts (Great War poet), among others.
The Irish Pub – Media Coverage & General Applause‘Delightful' says The Irish Times. ‘Fascinating' concurred the Independent-on-Sunday. ‘A brilliant history of the Irish pub' declared Country Life. ‘A masterpiece of pub porn' said the Sunday Independent. Turtle's 2008 book ‘The Irish Pub' – his third with photographer James Fennell – gathered plenty of the plaudits following its publication. It was selected as Bookseller's Choice for Christmas by Hughes and Hughes and short-listed in The Irish Times Christmas Gift Special. The sumptuous hardback sold over 5,000 copies in its first 3 months.
The Irish Pub – On The RoadOver the course of 2007 and early 2008, James Fennell and I visited every county in Ireland bar Leitrim, popping our heads into an estimated 700 pubs. We undoubtedly missed a heap of brilliant pubs but we returned home with 70 pubs photographed. We subsequently showcased 39 of those in the book, The Irish Pub, published by Thames & Hudson.
Notes on Castleknock, County DublinLooking at the connections to Caisleán Cnucha, Finn MacCool, the crusader Hugh Tyrell, the filming of “Young Cassidy,” local legends like the White Lady, the siege of Castleknock Castle, a remarkable German jockey and other tales.
Notes on Ashtown (Baile an Ásaigh), County DublinTales from the history of Ashtown, highlighting its medieval castle, notable figures like Hugh Tyrrell and Sir William Gregory, local landmarks such as Rathborne’s candle factory, and significant events including the Easter Rising and the establishment of the US Embassy.
Tenerirfe – The Island of Lost Arms & Comedy SealsTenerife ain't the sort of place you'd generally associate with snow. Nor would you particularly expect penguins to hang out there. But much is not as it seems on this, the largest of the seven Canary Islands, pitched out in the Atlantic Ocean, 275km off the coast of Africa. In the indigenous Guanche language, Tenerife means ‘snow-capped mountain' and sure enough there's a great big mountain at its centre …
Mackenzie of Druim, InvernessLooking at the lives of the Rev Hur Libertas MacKenzie, a Scots missionary who was in China from 1860-1899; his son Theodore, who was in charge of the Inverness District Asylum, and grandsons, including Admiral Hugh Stirling MacKenzie, commander of the Polaris submarine.
Bob Murphy (1909-2002) – The End of an EraA story about the first person interviewed for the Vanishing Ireland project, arguably the smartest dresser in Rathvilly, with a cameo from two eels. ‘We won’t get those people again,’ said his neighbour. ‘Bob was the end of an era.'
A History of the O’Leary and Cavanaugh Families – From Kerry to Houston via Oil CityThis epic story homes in on the descendants of Pat O’Leary, who emigrated to North America from Ireland at the height of the Great Famine. Following his marriage to fellow Kerry emigrant Catherine Maloney, he worked on the railroads of New York and Toronto. The O’Leary’s and their seven children then journeyed south to Pennsylvania where the oil industry was underway. Pat's grandson George O'Leary became one of the most influential figures in Houston, Texas. Also told are the back stories of the Maloneys of Knockalougha, County Kerry, and the Cavanaughs of County Leitrim.
Paddy Fagan (1924-2014) – Forester & Farmer of Enfield, County Meath‘I’m just ticking over,’ says the eighty-two-year-old forester, while tippling several litres of petrol from a billy-can directly into a chainsaw without spilling a drop. ‘And once you keep ticking, you’re not too bad.’
Tom Frawley (1920-2014) – Publican – Lahinch, County Clare‘If priests were allowed to marry, they wouldn’t have had half the number of scandals.’ When Tom Frawley makes his point, he does not slam his fist on the bar. He says the words with quiet certainty. He has thought the matter through thoroughly and he knows he is correct. Besides which, the bar is his so why would he want to go and bang it.
Mick Lavelle (1930-2013) – The Entertainer of WestportOne of the best-loved faces in Westport, County Mayo, Mick was renowned for rolling up on a nearby seat in Matt Molloy’s and breaking into song. He reckoned he knows the words to over a thousand songs. For instance, he knew ten about Donegal, four about Kildare and one about Carlow. ‘Everyone is so busy now’, he said stoically. ‘Well, there will be plenty of time when we’re dead and gone’.
The Harringtons – From the Beara to Butte City, MontanaAn off-shoot of the Harrington family of the Beara Peninsula in West Cork who made their way from Milleens near Eyeries, via the copper mines of Montana and the silver mines of Colorado, to the verdant pastures of Tipperary where they turned to cattle farming.
North Louth Burning 1816: The Wild Goose Lodge Inferno Retold by Brian HopkinsA savage murder in 1816 led to the execution of more people than were executed than in 1916, writes BRIAN HOPKINS. “Given the way witnesses were intimidated or bribed, it is not surprising to learn that more than half of the condemned were innocent.”
Hare, Earl of Listowel – ConvamoreDescended from a Cork merchant, the Hare family came to prominence when they bought significant lands in Counties Cork and Kerry in the late 18th century. Convamore, a splendid mansion just outside Ballyhooly, was built in the early 19th century to celebrate their elevation to the peerage. It was burned in the War of Independence.
The Irish Air Aces – Mick Mannock, Jimmy McCudden & George ‘McIrish’ McElroyFighter pilots in World War One were the football celebrities of their day, their actions eagerly followed by millions of people in their homelands. The top three air aces in the war were Edward ‘Mick’ Mannock, James McCudden and George ‘McIrish’ McElroy. All three were destined to die in the war. A rather lesser known fact is that all three had strong Irish connections. Mannock was born in Ireland to a mother from Cork. McCudden’s father was born in Carlow and McElroy was the son of a Roscommon schoolteacher.
Trim Castle – Ireland’s Oldest Stone CastleTrim Castle in Co. Meath which is not just the oldest stone castle in Ireland but also the largest of our Anglo-Norman castles. Here Turtle explores its links to such powerful dynasties as de Lacy, Mortimer, Wellesely and the House of York.
Michael Keogh – The Irishman who Saved HitlerIn 1919, an Irishman working as a policeman stopped a mob from pummelling a right wing radical to death on the streets of Munich. Michael Keogh would come to rue the day when the man he saved transpired to be Adolf Hitler.
McClintock of Derry-LondonderryRandom notes on a Derry Haberdasher who became a 1798 Patriot before his flight to Chillicothe, Ohio, and of a Captain James McClintock who was adjutant of the Derry Militia.
Hugh Gough – Of Opium Wars & the Punjabi SikhsHugh Gough commanded in more battles than any other British soldier of the nineteenth century save for his fellow Irishman, the Duke of Wellington. This included his victories in the Opium War and the Anglo-Sikh Wars. His mother was a Bunbury.
De Robeck of Gowran Grange, Co. Kildare & the Focks of EstoniaOriginating in Estonia and Sweden, the de Robecks came of age during the American War of Independence and the Napoleonic Wars, while Admiral de Robeck was one of the principal figures in the Dardanelles campaign of the First World War. Other family members have been pivotal to the success of events such as the Punchestown races, the Kildare Hunt and the Dublin Horse Show.
John Cooney (1922-2016) – Postman & Carpenter – Achill Island, County MayoWithin a minute of meeting him, he has hopped into the back of our car. ‘You met the right man! I’ve nothing else to do and I’m sober. Come on and I’ll show you around. There’s nothing between here and America but the Atlantic Ocean.’
Frank O’Brien (1922-2017) Landlord of O’Brien’s Grocery Bar, Athy‘You’d hear the same stories every week. Poor fellows. It all came back to them. They’d been prisoners-of-war and were badly shell-shocked. The things they’d seen.’ Frank O’Brien recalls the war veterans who drank in his family pub, as well as the Eucharistic Congress of 1932, the glory days of 1950s sport and the manner in which Lord Walter FitzGerald liked to shop.
Very Rev. Patrick Gill (1927-2024) – The Parish Priest of LecanveyThe Very Rev. Patrick Gill muses upon a horrendous pogrom in 1795 that drove 7,000 Ulster Catholics to Connaught, the impact of the Great Hunger on County Mayo and his own experiences administering a parish at the foot of Croagh Patrick.
Past Tracks – AcknowledgementsIt transpires that at least 180 people helped us put together the content for the …
Ussher of Eastwell, Loughrea, County GalwaySee here for other stories relating to County Galway. This branch of the Usshers …
A History of Molesworth Street, DublinA history of the central Dublin street from its origins as a playground for citizens during the Tudor age through its development by families such as Molesworth, Rosse, Dawson and Hamilton, to its gentrification in the 19th century and its reemergence as an urban hotspot in the 2020s.
Kilkea Castle – AcknowledgmentsThe Kilkea Castle book was a deep dive into the history of the FitzGerald family, as well as many other remarkable people and families associated with it. In the historical process, consultation is key. I was blessed by a magnificent cast of kind and supportive hands to help me shape, enhance, verify and enrich these tales.
The Bunbury Isaac FamilyIn 1758, Thomas Bunbury of Kill, County Carlow, married Susanna Priscilla Isaac, daughter of the County Down barrister John Isaac. Their descendants would hold properties such as Holywood (Hollywood), near Hillsborough, County Down, Seafield House, near Donabate, County Dublin, and Lisbryan (Lisbrien), County Tipperary. Among them were Thomas Bunbury, Bishop of Limerick, and other lines that sprang up in Jersey and Mozambique.
Murder in Roscommon – The Assassinations of the Rev. John Lloyd and Major McMahon, 1847Elphin, County Roscommon, Ireland Sunday 28 November 1847 Having delivered his morning sermon in …
Redmond Kane and the O’Cahan FamilyThe story of the O’Cahans of Limavady, who became the Kane family, prominent bankers, homing in on the attorney Redmond Kane of Mantua, Swords, County Dublin, one of the wealthiest commoners in Ireland during the late 18th century. He was also for many years the Solicitor to the Irish Company entrusted with management of what is now County Derry Londonderry. In time, the substantial Kane estates would pass to his grandson Colonel Kane Bunbury.
Walt Disney’s Leprechaun HuntBy the time of his death in 1966, Walt Disney was a household name across the world, having racked up far more Oscars than anyone else in history and established a multination company with zillions of dollars, as well as resorts and theme parks. A classic American success story from man whose ancestors emigrated to the US from Ireland in the 1830s but when it came to his Irish roots, Walt was all about the blarney. This article looks at his ancestry and his visit to Ireland on a research mission for ‘Darby O'Gill and the Little People'.
Kilkenny City – Cool for CatsOnce the medieval capital of all Ireland, Kilkenny has today firmly established itself as the nations' liveliest inland city, with non-stop entertainment throughout the sunny season and plenty enough craic on the other 365 days too. The city won the top “Cultural Destination” at the 2024 World Luxury Travel Awards.
Notes on Graiguenamanagh, County KilkennyKevin Costner’s great-grandfather Michael Costner was born in the village of Graiguenamanagh in 1855. He is …
Notes on Sligo TownSee here for other tales from County Sligo Churchill’s Mentor Winston Churchill arguably …
Despard of Coolrain and Cardtown, County LaoisBorn at Coolrain, County Laois, in 1751, Ned Despard followed the typical path of a …
County Roscommon – Choose a TopicChoose from these topics for stories of people, families, events and places connected to County Roscommon’s past.
The Centenary of Naas Racecourse – Book Reviews‘A fascinating canter through Irish history … gripping stories and great insight.' (Sunday Independent) … ‘Cannot give enough praise for this wonderful coffee table publication' (The Irish Field) … ‘A magisterial history … the most impressive publication relating to any aspect of Naas history yet to appear in the 21st century.’
Daniel Byrne, Cromwell’s TailorThe story of the Dublin-based tailor who created the uniform for Cromwell's New Model Army; the ‘redcoat’ would become one of the most emblematic sights of the British Empire.
Notes on Enfield, Rathcore and Johnstown Bridge, County MeathSee also Notes on Kilcock, here. United Irishwoman The novelist and playwright Katherine Frances …
James Hoban – Architect of the White HouseThe Kilkenny-born architect who designed and built the White House and then, after it was destroyed by a fellow Irishman in the War of 1812, rebuilt it! He also supervising the building of both the United States Capitol and US President James Monroe’s family mansion at Oak Hill in Aldie, Virginia.
Private William Eacrett (c. 1886-1916)” Dear Madam,
I am going on well.
I will write to you soon.
Trusting you are as well as possible.
I remain, Madam, with kind regards. etc. etc.
Your obt. servant
Wm. Eacrett’.
A brief look at the townlands just west of Lisnavagh and their association with families such as Gilpin, Gorman, Elliot, Lowry, Kehoe, Bryan, Carroll, Leary, and Murphy, as well as Viscount Allen, John Drought and the Bunburys, plus the discovery of the Ballybit Pot in 1861.
Naas Races – Chapter 8 – The 1980sFrom ‘The Centenary of Naas Racecourse (1924-2024) – Nursery of Champions’ by Turtle Bunbury. …
Croquet – The Forgotten Irish SportCroquet as we know it apparently originated on the west coast of Ireland. Alas, while the thought of Croke Park becoming the national stadium for future croquet clashes is endearing, one would be hard pushed to say croquet was strictly an Irish game. It was more of a gentry thing …
Mrs Yeats: W. B. Yeats Courtship of George Hyde-LeesA consideration of a work edited by Ann Saddlemeyer and published by Oxford University Press in 2011. An abbreviated version of this article appeared in the Irish Daily Mail in April 2011. The letters underline how Yeats was a lot weirder than most people think.
Tennessee – Sounds Good to MePeople are often very derogatory about the US having no history but Tennessee is riddled with ancient curiosities. Just north of Chattanooga, for instance, is Nickajack Cave where Paleo-Indians were playing scrabble long before our Neolithic ancestors had mastered the chisel.
Waterford – The Unconquered CityWaterford (aka Vadre-fjord) is the principal seaport and commercial hub of South East Ireland. One of Ireland's most colourful and enigmatic cities, it has become deservedly popular with those seeking to explore the many historical and natural wonders of the south coast.
The Incredible Mr KavanaghThe story of a remarkable Irishman, born without arms or legs, who became an explorer and member of parliament, as well as a huntsman, sailor, photographer and father of seven.
Meeting Jasper Conran – The Waterford Crystal YearsIn 1999, Jasper Conran was approached by the Waterford Wedgwood Group to design a range of crystal. He re-invigorated the sector by creating a range of contemporary Stemware. His crystal collections went on to win the Prince’s Medal ‘Homes & Gardens Classic Design’ Award in 2003 and 2006. Turtle traveled to London to talk with him for ‘The White Book'. This article was published in February 2006.
Bunbury of Russellstown and Bunbury Lodge, County CarlowAn unusual branch of the family, whose stars included Henry Bunbury (described by contemporary as ‘an agreeable oddity') and his son Thomas Charles Bunbury, who campaigned for Daniel O'Connell in the 1830s.
Gretta Carter (1921-2018) – Last of the Borris LacemakersRecollections of a deadly German bomb on Mount Leinster, the Borris lacemakers and meeting Mary Martin, the American musical actress and mother of Dallas star Larry Hagman.
Sir Henry Bunbury (1565-1634)Henry Bunbury was grandfather of the Benjamin Bunbury who first acquired the land in County Carlow, Ireland. Henry succeeded as head of the family in 1601 and was knighted two years later by the new king, James I. He appears to have been of Calvinist persuasion in religion, encouraged by his second wife Martha, but his first cousin Sir Arthur Aston was a prominent Catholic mercenary and his children would chose opposing sides in the Civil War.
Sir Roger Casement’s Peru Report 1910-1912Sir Roger Casement became a national hero in Ireland following his arrest during the 1916 Easter Rising and subsequent execution. However, in the decades before the rebellion, he was much better known as Britain’s foremost human rights activist. He was especially renowned for exposing the brutality of the Peruvian Amazon Company (PAC), a rubber firm consolidated in London, backed by British shareholders and utterly dominant in the remote Putumayo.
E.J. Morrissey’s of Abbeyleix, County LaoisIn more carefree times, there was an unofficial commandment that stated: ‘Thou shalt not drive through Abbeyleix without pausing in Morrissey’s for a pint’. The pub's best known landlord was Willie John Morrissey, a famous character in Irish folklore. He was the town rep for the Cunard Line in an age when the Abbeyleix Carpet Factory kitted out the Titanic with its elaborate rugs and carpets. Although loath to admit it, Willie Joe was so deaf that one effectively had to order a drink with a pen and paper.
McClintock and Schoales, Linen MerchantsIn the early 19th century, a man named William McClintock was one of the principals …
The Gough Family – Irish War HeroesA family with several Victoria Crosses and a Field Marshal to their name, the Goughs started out as clergymen in County Limerick before becoming imperial warriors with the British Empire.
Bunbury of Ballyseskin & WexfordThis is a lesser known branch of the Bunbury family, connected to Ballyseskin in the barony of Bargy in County Wexford. The founder of this branch may have been a Cromwellian officer, even if other Bunburys fought for the king, and its descendants include Walter Bunbury, MP for Clonmines in the reign of Queen Anne, and his formidable wife, Dame Elizabeth.
Campbell of Drumsna, Co Leitrim, & Bath, EnglandIn 1735, Thomas Bunbury of Kill married Catherine Campbell of Drumsna, Annaduff, Co. Leitrim. Her family were closely related to the great naval dynasty of Rowley, the Virginia tobacco merchant family of Martin, and to Sophia, Lady de Clifford, sometime Governess to the Princess of Wales. The broader family included Viscount Clifden, the Earl of Shannon, Sir John Conroy and Edmond Sexton Pery, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons.
Alexander McClintock of Drumcar (1692-1775)The “fairy godfather” of his nephews and nieces, Alexander McClintock was a barrister of note in Dublin during the early Georgian Age, and Attorney at the Court of Common Pleas. He acquired Drumcar, County Louth, which later passed to his principal heir, Bumper Jack McClintock of Drumcar. Alexanders wife was Rebecca Sampson.
Crosbie of Abbeydorney (Limerick), Viewmount (Carlow) & Crosbie Park (Wicklow)The Crosbie family descended from a once powerful Catholic dynasty whose influence waned during the religious troubles of the 17th century. Its best known members include Sir Edward Crosbie, executed for treason after the 1798 Rebellion, and his younger brother, Richard Crosbie, who became a household name across Britain and Ireland after his pioneering journey in a hot air balloon from Ranelagh to Clontarf in the summer of 1785.
Winifred Letts (1882-1972) – A Poet of the Great War & the Cuala PressWinifred Letts published a series of remarkable war poems during the First World War, in which she worked as a physiotherapist and nurse. The Dublin-based author also wrote poems for the Cuala Press, published children's books and penned a play staged by the Abbey Theatre.
Germanic Hunting ScenesHumans have inflicted unbelievable cruelty on animals over the course of time. One thinks of the Colosseum where a million animals are said to have perished in the name of human entertainment. The spectacle came of age again in the medieval period with Hapsburg aristocrats leading the way.
Nurse Colhoun & The Bombing of Vertekop, 1917It was not the first time the German bombers had struck. The previous summer, when the nurses first arrived at Vertekop, there had been three air raids. This was one was so much worse. Seventeen bombs fell on the Red Cross hospital that morning. When the dust settled, two nurses and four orderlies lay dead. For Nurse Annie Rebecca Colhoun, Macedonia had been an extraordinary contrast to her Irish childhood.
Notes on Castlebar, County MayoThe stories of the inventor of the torpedo, a global prima donna, a telephone pioneer, the short-lived Republic of Connacht, the inglorious Races of Castlebar, the rise and fall of the Earls of Lucan, and a gentleman who went to the gallows.
Pre-Norman FarmingMuch of this is based on my attendance at a lecture on ‘Pre-Norman Faming' by Professor Fergus Kelly in Rathvilly on 18 September 2024.
Carleton’s Country – The Rose Shaw CollectionRose Shaw was governess to the Gledstanes of Fardross House in County Tyrone during the early 20th century. She spent much of her time walking in the Clogher Valley, on the border of Counties Fermanagh and Tyrone, photographing local people. This page showcases 11 of her wonderful photographs.
Kelly’s Cellars – Bank Street, BelfastThe oldest licensed premises in Belfast is also one of its most alluring. The pub was a meeting place for the United Irishmen in the run up to the disastrous rebellion of 1798. It is still easy to imagine such characters plotting revolution here over dark ales and tankards of mead. The pub has changed little since the age of Wolfe Tone and McCracken.
Naas – Chapter 2 – The Roaring TwentiesThe formative years of the Naas Race Company, and the story of its original cast and dramatis personnae.
D’Israeli School, Bough, County Carlow.Benjamin Disraeli (c. 1766-1814), reputedly an uncle of the British prime minister, made a fortune as a lottery agent during the reign of George III. He prospered after his lottery office at 105 Grafton Street sold the winning ticket for a prize worth £30,000 in 1795. In his will, he left £3,000 for the establishment of a non-denominational school “for the education of the poor of Rathvilly” in his adopted county of Carlow.
House of McDonnell – Ballycastle, Co. AntrimThis Antrim gem has been in the same family for an astonishing fourteen generations. Most of what one sees is old world from the classic black light switches and coat hooks beneath the counter to the keyhole clock that gongs above the bar. This was an old man’s pub and to a large extent it still is. ‘We don’t do refurbishment’, says the present owner, Tom O'Neill.
Herman Görtz and Plan Kathleena German spy who was captured in Ireland during the Second World War.
In 1940, an Abwehr agent was parachuted into Ireland to persuade the IRA to assist a planned German military invasion of Northern Ireland via Lough Swilly, County Donegal. I'm not convinced Hitler's team ever thought the plan was a runner. They basically sent a solitary man to Ireland to orchestrate the invasion.
Osborne of Ballkyknockan, Craddockstown and TipperThe family who prospered on the Ballyknockan granite quarries in County Wicklow, several branches of which relocated to County Kildare where they became one of the best-known equestrian dynasties in Ireland during the 20th and early 21st centuries.
Henry of Straffan House & Lodge Park, County KildareDescended from a Presbyterian minister whose son struck gold in banking and linen, the family lived at Straffan House on the banks of the Liffey during the 18th century, as well as nearby Lodge Park. A high-profile marriage to the Earl of Milltown’s daughter gave them a prominent position in Irish society. Family members include Joseph Henry, one of Ireland’s greatest art connoisseurs; Admiral Hastings Yelverton, First Lord of the Admiralty; and Commander Michael Henry of the Polaris submarine.
Michael Brennan Roe (1937-2023) – Coalminer, Castlecomer, County KilkennyMichael holds out his miner’s hands, still etched with pallid blue stains from where coal dust got into the inevitable cuts. ‘You hear a lot of talk these days about child labour in Asia and Africa,’ he says quietly, ‘but it wasn’t so long ago they had it here in Kilkenny.’
The Sinking of RMS Lusitania, 1915In 1915 the horror of the First World War war ripped into County Cork when a torpedo sank the Lusitania off the Old Head of Kinsale; nearly 1200 people died in the attack.
The Choctaw Nation’s Extraordinary Gift to Ireland, 1847In 1847 the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma raised $170 for Irish famine relief. Their empathy was stirred by a similar experience during the early 1830s when between 1500 and 4,000 died Choctaw on the infamous ‘Trail of Tears’. This story explores the fate of the Choctaw and the two Irish-American brothers who helped them cross the Mississippi, and also looks at donations from the Muscogee, Cherokee and Mississauga people.
The Life & Death of Tomás Ceannt, aka Thomas Kent (1865-1916)Tom Kent’s nerves were so bad on the morning of his execution that the guards brought a chair in for him to sit upon. The man for whom Kent Station in Cork City would one day be named was buried in quicklime in an unmarked grave. This is the story of one of the more overlooked figure in the annals of the Easter Rising.
Sultan Abdülmecid & the Relief of Drogheda, 1847Drogheda, 1847. The gas-lit harbour lights burned through the dusk as the tug-boat hauled the …
Notes on Laytown, Bettystown and Julianstown, County MeathThe Crying Game Released in 1991, The Crying Game was the movie that propelled …
Notes on Ennis, County ClareThe Bear From Clare Perhaps the earliest evidence of mankind in Ireland was found …
Falkland of the IslandsMusings upon the Monaghan and Tyrone connections to Viscount Falkland and the islands that bear his name.
Saint Brigid of KildareIn Ireland, St Brigid is considered as venerable as the Blessed Virgin, mother of Christ, and second only to St Patrick in the hierarchy of patron saints. She's even been known to turn up in a Lindsay Lohan rom-com. Her story is a complex cocktail, embracing the deities of pre-Christian Ireland and the political machinations of the medieval church, as well as a series of revamps in recent times.
Mrs Lawlor (1880-1969) of Naas – Caterer ExtraordinaireFounded on the eve of the First World War, Mrs Lawlors Naas-based enterprise was reckoned to be the largest catering firm in Ireland by 1937. From the Dublin Horse Show to the Naas Races to the Grand Prix or the Eucharistic Congress, her tents were invariably to be found serving up to the crowds.
June Ann Fitzpatrick-Byrne – Ireland’s Tennis Star of the 1940 and 1950sThe story of one of Ireland's most enigmatic sporting stars who became a household name in the 1950s.
Kilkea Castle – Further ReadingIn terms of source material, as well as the persons acknowledged here, I salute the …
The Sinking of Recovery, 1787Notes on the sinking of a ship, on which John La Touche and General Daniel Corneille, former Governor of St Helena, owned some of the goods on board.
Bunbury of Killerig, County CarlowA lesser known branch of the Irish family whose members include the mistress to one of George III's sons, one of Australia's most celebrated clockmakers, a brilliant pianist, a Victoria Cross winner and the landlord of the Yellow-Lion Inn in Carlow Town, as well as a cameo by the creator of Big Ben.
William Bunbury (c. 1674-1710) of Lisnavagh, Co. CarlowWilliam was given the lease on Lisnavagh and Tobinstown by his father in 1695, the year before he married Elizabeth Pendred and commissioned the construction of the original house at Lisnavagh. This page provides some historical context on William's relatively short life, along with some speculations about the first house and its surrounding landscape.
Des Smyth – Champion Golfer‘What's great about golf is that you can start when you are four years old and you can play forever. You don’t get injured and it keeps you active. I’ve got friends of eighty years of age who jump out of bed in the morning to play a round. And they are marching! That’s living proof that there’s a long life after forty.’
The Magistrate: Benjamin Bunbury (1751-1823) of Moyle & KillerigBenjamin Bunbury was one of the younger sons of Thomas Bunbury of Kill but the death in a horse fall of his older brother William propelled him into the deep end as he took over the running of Lisnavagh, as well as Moyle and Killerrig, on behalf of his young nephew. He earned himself a reputation as something of a diplomat during the 1798 Rebellion but narrowly avoided being murdered by the Finnegan gang shortly before his death at the age of 72 .
Tankardstown, County CarlowMusings on the Carlow townland. Does anyone have any information on the Tankard family, sometimes Tancred, of County Carlow?
The Glorious Madness – Tales of the Irish & the Great War – ForewordBy the time you combine all the Irish or half-Irish who served in the British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and US armies during World War One, there was probably more than quarter of a million soldiers. As to the number of Irish-born died, 36,000 seems to be the increasingly accepted figure. My book a collection is not a definitive book of Irish involvement in the war. It is simply a collection of Great War stories with an Irish twist
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