For the last 10 years, I've been immersed in an intensive study of Irish history. The result of all that research is a recently published book, Dwelling Place of Dragons. It allows three people to present their view of history as it unfolded rather than how it is viewed by historians look back. As a result, this is history that evokes emotions as readers become involved with the experiences of three Ulster Presbyterians, George Henderson, the editor of The Newry Commerical Telegraph, a prominent Ulster newspaper, an Irish farmer who recounted the events of Ireland day by day, and his nephew John Martin. Both James and John were Irish nationalists, a position of great peril during the 19th century. John became a national leader, a man well known throughout Ireland, England and America. The story they tell will make clear to readers the reality, the peril of life in Ireland that drove millions of them away to distant lands.
Yesterday marked an important opportunity in Northern Ireland. Local government returned there after several years absence with both Catholic and Protestant leaders working to better the lives of the citizens of Northern Ireland. At the moment, this is just an event in the history of Ireland. Its significance will depend on what happens next.
One of the great obstacles to a secure peace is the lack of information about Irish history. The residents of Northern Ireland study English history rather than that of their own country. I learned this amazing bit of information one morning, as I made my first visit to the battlefield of Dolly's Brae. As I drove around the area with a friend, I explained how the battle unfolded. I noticed a strange look come over his face. I asked him what he was thinking. He told me that it was very strange to learn about Irish history from an American lady.
At that moment, I knew that I had to put what I had learned into a book form. Dwelling Place of Dragons resulted. It is available from Amazon.com. Enjoy.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
The Sad Death of Margaret Gallagher
Margaret Gallagher was unlucky. She was born during hard times which would seem like the "good old days" when the great Irish Famine struck in 1845. Still she was somehow able to survive the first few years after the potato blight struck.
Like many other Irish families, she had reached the end of her resources by the winter of 1850, having at some point become a widow. There was no help for her in Clones, County Monaghan, where she lived with four surviving children. Having no hope for survival if she stayed where she was, she, her, 3 sons and a daughter set out to walk to Belfast in search of work. They arrived cold and exhausted on a Monday to begin the search for work. Unfortunately, they could find none.
Margaret had to find some help for her children. So with great reluctance, she applied to the Belfast workhouse for shelter for her daughter and youngest son. They were refused help and directed to return to Clones where they could enter the workhouse where she belonged.
On Saturday, January 1850, they left Belfast more desperate than when they arrived. Still Margaret and her children had the strength to reach Lisburn by nightfall. They pawned the few extra clothes they had left, and received two small donations from begging. That gave them enough money to find shelter for the night and a bit of bread and coffee for breakfast.
The two oldest sons decided to leave Margaret there to hurry to Armagh for help. The remaining family members arrived in Moira by nightfall. They encountered a Clergyman's wife who gave them enough money for shelter, but they were unable to beg for something to eat.
Portadown was the next major town on their seemingly endless walk. There they met one of the sons who had gone on ahead. He had been given a shilling. They would have shelter from the cold and a bit of food for another day.
Margaret and her family had gotten a mile and a half outside Portadown, when she declared that she needed to stop for a rest. She sat beside the road for a short time, when the children noticed that she was becoming unusually pale. Her breathing slowed, became intermittent, and then stopped.
The children went for help, and the coronor, Mr. Atkinson was summoned. He pronounced Margaret dead. That evening, he held an inquest and pronounced that she had died from "destitution."
While Margaret had been scorned by government institutions, she had found some help from kindly strangers. Both actions were important elements of Irish history.
Like many other Irish families, she had reached the end of her resources by the winter of 1850, having at some point become a widow. There was no help for her in Clones, County Monaghan, where she lived with four surviving children. Having no hope for survival if she stayed where she was, she, her, 3 sons and a daughter set out to walk to Belfast in search of work. They arrived cold and exhausted on a Monday to begin the search for work. Unfortunately, they could find none.
Margaret had to find some help for her children. So with great reluctance, she applied to the Belfast workhouse for shelter for her daughter and youngest son. They were refused help and directed to return to Clones where they could enter the workhouse where she belonged.
On Saturday, January 1850, they left Belfast more desperate than when they arrived. Still Margaret and her children had the strength to reach Lisburn by nightfall. They pawned the few extra clothes they had left, and received two small donations from begging. That gave them enough money to find shelter for the night and a bit of bread and coffee for breakfast.
The two oldest sons decided to leave Margaret there to hurry to Armagh for help. The remaining family members arrived in Moira by nightfall. They encountered a Clergyman's wife who gave them enough money for shelter, but they were unable to beg for something to eat.
Portadown was the next major town on their seemingly endless walk. There they met one of the sons who had gone on ahead. He had been given a shilling. They would have shelter from the cold and a bit of food for another day.
Margaret and her family had gotten a mile and a half outside Portadown, when she declared that she needed to stop for a rest. She sat beside the road for a short time, when the children noticed that she was becoming unusually pale. Her breathing slowed, became intermittent, and then stopped.
The children went for help, and the coronor, Mr. Atkinson was summoned. He pronounced Margaret dead. That evening, he held an inquest and pronounced that she had died from "destitution."
While Margaret had been scorned by government institutions, she had found some help from kindly strangers. Both actions were important elements of Irish history.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Families
As a child, I always felt deprived. I could see that friends and neighbors had large families that gathered together for special events and holidays. But my own family was very small. I had one set of parents, one sister, older and smarter than I. Far away and infrequently part of my life, I had one living grandfather, 3 aunts, 3 uncles, and 5 cousins.
There was little I could do about this sad situation, but I vowed that when I grew up, I would create my own large family. Thanks to a very understanding husband, I was able to accomplish this, adding a new set of parents, grandparents, 2 more Aunts, and finally 6 children. I was content.
However, my understanding of what a family was changed drastically when I watched the important TV program "Roots." Only then, did I come to understand that I had a long family history buried away somewhere, and that I might be able to discover who my ancestors were. At the time, I was too busy to conduct such a search, but I knew that I would when I could.
Thanks to some information left to me by my mother, I was able to trace my family further back in time than most people interested in family history. Though almost all of my family came from Ireland at one time or another, I was able to locate where they had come from, and even find some living relatives.
For many recreational genealogists, this would be enough information. But I had always enjoyed history, and stopping with just names, dates and location seemed too limiting. I needed to find out how they lived, and what events of history shaped their lives, and sent them away from Ireland.
It was this passion for history that led me to undertake an intensive study of Irish history during the critical events of the 19th century. The final result of this study has resulted in a recently published history of Ulster during this time period. Those who read Dwelling Place of Dragons will understand how valiant their ancestors were, and how desperate times drove them to leave Ireland for new opportunities in other lands. This book is available at Amazon.com
March31, 2007
There was little I could do about this sad situation, but I vowed that when I grew up, I would create my own large family. Thanks to a very understanding husband, I was able to accomplish this, adding a new set of parents, grandparents, 2 more Aunts, and finally 6 children. I was content.
However, my understanding of what a family was changed drastically when I watched the important TV program "Roots." Only then, did I come to understand that I had a long family history buried away somewhere, and that I might be able to discover who my ancestors were. At the time, I was too busy to conduct such a search, but I knew that I would when I could.
Thanks to some information left to me by my mother, I was able to trace my family further back in time than most people interested in family history. Though almost all of my family came from Ireland at one time or another, I was able to locate where they had come from, and even find some living relatives.
For many recreational genealogists, this would be enough information. But I had always enjoyed history, and stopping with just names, dates and location seemed too limiting. I needed to find out how they lived, and what events of history shaped their lives, and sent them away from Ireland.
It was this passion for history that led me to undertake an intensive study of Irish history during the critical events of the 19th century. The final result of this study has resulted in a recently published history of Ulster during this time period. Those who read Dwelling Place of Dragons will understand how valiant their ancestors were, and how desperate times drove them to leave Ireland for new opportunities in other lands. This book is available at Amazon.com
March31, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
Peace for Northern Ireland
How wonderful that the first message on my new blog could be about peace in Northern Ireland!! However, it is wise to remember before enthsiasm overwhelms us that peace remains only a possibilility. To transform that possibility into reality will take hard work, commitment, and patience.
I've just returned from a book tour in Northern Ireland which happened to coincide with the election there. Therefore, politics was a frequent subject of conversation. There seemed to be general agreement among the politically savvy that the majority of Nationalist and Unionist voters would be really upset if the moment of peace was wasted. Most felt that this was the first such hopeful moment in the long and painful history of Irish relgious animosity.
There was, however, one other moment of opportunity that I know of. It occurred during the summer of 1830, almost 177 years ago. The leaders of the town of Newry called a meeting to declare religious peace. Speeches were made by the leaders of the Catholic, Presbyterian and Established churches asking their members to extend the "hand of friendship' to friends and neighbors of all religions. They expressed a fervent hope that the Newry Peace would spread throughout the country, that relgious hatred and intolerance would end in Ireland forever.
Sadly the peace movement was soon overwhelmed by events which the Newry leaders could not influence or control. The process by which this tragedy occurred are detailed in my book, Dwelling Place of Dragons. Hopefully this time, peace will prevail.
March 30, 2007
I've just returned from a book tour in Northern Ireland which happened to coincide with the election there. Therefore, politics was a frequent subject of conversation. There seemed to be general agreement among the politically savvy that the majority of Nationalist and Unionist voters would be really upset if the moment of peace was wasted. Most felt that this was the first such hopeful moment in the long and painful history of Irish relgious animosity.
There was, however, one other moment of opportunity that I know of. It occurred during the summer of 1830, almost 177 years ago. The leaders of the town of Newry called a meeting to declare religious peace. Speeches were made by the leaders of the Catholic, Presbyterian and Established churches asking their members to extend the "hand of friendship' to friends and neighbors of all religions. They expressed a fervent hope that the Newry Peace would spread throughout the country, that relgious hatred and intolerance would end in Ireland forever.
Sadly the peace movement was soon overwhelmed by events which the Newry leaders could not influence or control. The process by which this tragedy occurred are detailed in my book, Dwelling Place of Dragons. Hopefully this time, peace will prevail.
March 30, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)