Daisybank house, was a derelict three story Georgian mansion when I was growing up. Its only saving grace to me with its shattered windows and crumbling brickwork was an old orchard at its rear, with some very flavorsome apples. A visit to those apple...
It is reputed that one of the earliest of the parishes to be founded under the Norman system was at Faithlegg. The lands (some 4000 acres [including 199 at Cheekpoint and 353 at Faithlegg]) were granted by Henry II to Aleward Juevinis. Henry had landed at...
One of my earliest memories as a child was my mother bringing us off on a Sunday afternoon to visit our Nanny in the Russianside. It was a smaller place then. From the cross roads you passed the homes of Martin Nugent, Joanie Hanlon, Andy Lannen and Nellie...
Cheekpoint is both a village and a townland, and for many's the year there has been two explanations to the origins of the name, a practical, geographical placename and what is probably best described as a romantic version. The name Cheekpoint derives from...
I was never great at school. But one specific class I can remember as a highlight was a lesson one day on placenames. I don't recall if it was a planned session, or if it was an aside. But Michael White who was principal at Faithlegg was talking about how important...
A few years back a group of scientists were gathered and asked what was the 20th Century's greatest invention. Out of an eventual list of 100, refrigeration topped the bill. You might think the kitchen fridge is a relatively modern development, and I guess you'd be...
About forty years ago I went with Michael Duffin and his mother Catherine to have our hair cut by Mandy over in Woodlands Avenue. We got the hair cut first and then we went off for a stroll while Catherine received the full attention. Wandering along the avenue we...
One of the enduring memories of elections in our house was my fathers quip "vote early, vote often". Whether it was a local, national, EU, presidential or referendum, Bob would be wound up with the run in to the day and was positively buzzing when it came to the...
I read recently that some children do not leave home until 27 years of age. Although this has less to do with protection and more to do with finances, spare a thought for the child sailors of the 18th & 19th C. It will comes as no surprise of course to anyone who...
Paddy Moran was an old school fisherman. He was a brother to my Grandmother, Maura Moran, and I knew from her, just how hard she, Paddy and her other brothers worked the river from their earliest years. With the arrival of better nets, outboard motors and relatively...
Today marks one year of blogging about my community and giving a sense of just how rich this area is in terms of history, heritage and culture. A theme that runs through the writing is how the ordinary becomes a little more, once you take the time to look more...
I've often mentioned that the Cheekpoint of my childhood was a very different place to what it is today. One of those major differences was an active Herring fishery which was not just water based, but also provided land based employment. Back then the herring...
I first began fishing eels commercially in the spring of 1984. Pat Moran asked me to join himself and Gerry Boland as the previous year had been so hectic. I jumped at the chance and in the next few days there was a lot of hustle and bustle in preparing...
On a recent walk, an American visitor asked me if any royalty had sailed up the harbour. Rather smugly, I listed off several, though I said these were only the ones I knew about. Probably several others had done so, and countless ordinary souls making the city and...
For some reason, I have had, for as long as I can remember, this idyllic notion of the workings of a watermill. It includes a gushing stream of water, the clanking of gears turning in a fine stone building, the dust escaping from corn sacks as they are spilled into a...
Last summer whilst out kayaking on the river I chanced a trip up the Ballycanvan stream, which leads up to the ever-popular Jack Meades at Halfway House. I made the trip in an effort to track the route of the Lighters that would have supplied the Kilns at Jack Meades...
In years gone by, rural communities depended much more on local resources to sustain themselves and in agricultural terms mills highlight how important grain was as a crop. At home my grandmother told me they had a hand turned mill, the base of which is still in...
With St Patricks weekend coming up, my thoughts turned to that “wearing of the Green” day of my childhood, and particularly the 9am mass at Faithlegg Church. On reflection I guess the mass stands out, as in those days before it became a "festival" it was much...
In last weeks blog we met the Bolton family of Cornelius Bolton the elder, through the visits and writings of Arthur Young. At this time the families activities were generally of a pastoral nature. In a few short years however they would...
In the late 1700's an English man visited the Faithlegg and Cheekpoint area and recorded all that he was shown in great detail. It was a chance visit however. He had travelled from Curraghmore to Passage East with the intention of sailing via the Mail...
Familiarity breeds contempt they say and so I guess that's why, in Cheekpoint at least, not much is made of the Bolton Milepost. But did you know there was a series of them, leading into Waterford? What were they for and where did they go? It's a story, like the...
On the 5th October 1939, Coolbunnia man Pat Hanlon (able seaman) was captured as part of the crew of the SS Newton Beech by the German pocket battleship Admiral Graff Spee. No one could have foretold what would lead from the event, but by February 16th 1940 it would...
The traditional start of the Salmon drift net season in Ireland was, for many generations February 1st , Imboloc or St Brigid's Day. Once opened it stretched to August 15th. It closed each week between 6 am on a Saturday morning to 6 am on the Monday. Once the week...
Over Christmas I came across an illustrated map that suggested the Deerpark in Faithlegg is dating from the time of the Norman manor, specifically from the 14-15th Century. I have to say I was surprised at this and in the last few weeks...
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