Sixteenth century Dunguaire Castle was purchased and restored by Christobel Lady Ampthill in the late fifties, and subsequently became one of the three castles at which Shannon Development operates Medieval Banquets.
Dunguaire banquets, featuring entertainment which draws extensively on the literary associations of the castle’s location, commenced in 1966, three years after Bunratty Castle had commenced operation. Up to the end of last season, Dunguaire banquets had attracted approximately 60,000 visitors.
At the last meeting of the Gort Board of Guardians, Mr. Michael O’Donohoe (chariman) presiding, the following resolution was unanimously adopted, on the motion of Mr. Thomas. P. Corless, J.P., Co. C., seconded by Mr James Keane; That we, the Board of Guardians of the Gort Union, in view of the great distress in the Kinvara District and the great delay in commencing the repair of Kinvara Harbour, regret that the officials of the Galway County Council did not lay before the Council at their last meeting the plans of the Board of Works re Kinvara Pier and Harbour, and have them submitted to the Council for approval with a view to hasten the commencement of the work and give much needed employment.
At a specially convened meeting of the Kinvara Pier and Harbour Committee held on Sunday last, the very Rev. Thomas Burke, P.P., in the chair – the following resolution proposed by Mr. Thomas P. Corless J.P., M.C.C. and seconded by Mr John Flatley (Flatley and Joyce) was unanimously adopted;
Resolved;
That we, the members of the Kinvara Harbour Committee, desire to thank the Galway County Council for their generous grant of 1,000 pounds towards the improvement of the harbour. That, as the County Council have carried out the conditions mentioned in the letter of their secretary, dated March 6th, 1903, we now call upon Mr. Wyndham to at once allocate a sum of £1,200 out of the Marine Works fund to carry out the much-needed improvements of the pier and harbour, as the matter can no longer brook delay.
Mr Perry, County Surveyor, has inspected and made a report on the harbour. He considers it derelict and dangerous, and estimates that it would cost £3,350 to restore the pier, remove the silt, and extend the existing pier 50 feet into deep water. A special meeting of the Harbour Committee has been convened for Monday, to be held in Kinvara, to consider the matter
Like a bird on the bough of the brown hazel swinging. Photo: EO’D
Oh, to and fro on my bosom of love,
Like a bird on the bough of the brown hazel swinging;
While a husho falls from the stars up above,
And a lul-la-lo are the night-winds singing.
Sleep sthoreen bawn,
Sleep on till dawn;
Peace to my heart your sweet breath bringing.
Oh, wee-shee handies and mouth of the rose!
My share of the world in his warm nest is lying,
While husho falls as the blue eyes close,
And a lul-la-lo is the night-wind dying,
Sleep, flower of love,
Sleep cooing dove,
Softly above my heart’s glad sighing.
Allana macree, cling closer to me,
The daylight is flown and the pale stars are peeping,
While a husho falls o’er the land and the sea,
And lul-la-lo from the far hills creeping.
Sleep, sthoreen bawn.
Sleep on till dawn,
Angels their watch above you keeping.
Foy’s hill Fever Hospital Kinvara, Photo: Norma Scheibe
It is today our melancholy duty to record the deaths of four of our medical friends, who, within a few days, have been sacrificed to fever, with which they were afflicted during the discharge of their professional duties:-
On the 23rd inst. Doctor George Seymour, Surgeon to the Kilconnell Dispensary;
On the 24th inst. Doctor Charles Donnellan, of Winterfield, Medical Attendant to the Annadown Dispensary;
On the 25th inst. Francis Bodkin Esq., for many years Apothecary to the Clifden Poor House;
On the 26th inst. Doctor Edward Lambert, of Oranmore, a gentleman much beloved, leaving a widow, with a young and interesting family, to deplore his loss.
Independent of the above, we are sorry to add that serious apprehensions are entertained for the recovery of Dr. Mulville of Gort, and Dr. Hynes, of Kinvarra. Galway Vindicator
Turlough Hynes was parish priest of Kinvara and lived at Poulnegan. Archbishop James Lynch of Tuam ordained him priest in Cong in 1674. It seems likely that he was of the same family of Frs. Edward and Terence Hynes. A chalice in Kinvara bears this inscription: The gift of Pa French Esq., to the Rev. Fa. Ther. O’Heyne and his successors in the Parishes of Kinvarra and Duras.
The chalice was stolen, broken and repaired. A second inscription on the base records that the cup was replaced by Vicomte de Basterot in 1886.
Rev. Fr. Martin Coen
Mr. Robert Molloy, Minister for Defence, cuts the tape to mark the opening of Kinvara Boat Factory in Kinvara. Also in the picture are Mr. Joe Muldoon, Chairman, Kinvara Co-op., Toddie Byrne, Manager of the Co-op. and Mr. Bill Crampton, Manager, Kinvara Boats. Connacht Tribune 23rd March, 1979 p.31
Last Tuesday, January 1st, the world priemere of the new film “Turf Boats of Galway” was shown in Kinvara and the local makers of this hour long film have made arrangements for marketing 2,000 copies of it, mainly in the U.S. market. If the country at large needs an example of enterprise, this is it.
Behind the film is local man Gerard Conneely, who produced and directed the filming. Shooting totalled five hours and it was conducted earlier this year. Tomás Rua Mac An Iomaire of Carraroe was the cameraman and his brother Liam, was the narrator. Because there are two tracts attached to the film there can be two narrations, and one of these in Irish. Dolores Keane, the popular ballad singer, provides background music. The film will be made into a video cassette tape, suitable for use in the most ordinary video equipment both at home and abroad.
The main target for this tape will be the identified market of Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco, where people with Galway connections live. At present the issue of 2,000 tapes is looked on as sufficient for this first venture.
Gerard Conneely said yesterday; “Our aim is to break even with this venture and with the capital outlay recouped, to undertake another similar video later on in the year.”
The film basically concerns the history of turf boats in use in Galway Bay, from the earliest visual records to the last boats in the 1940’s. There are several old photographs intermingled in the story, as well as such historic photographs as that of the family group conversing with Charles Sturt Parnell at the Quay, Kinvara on November 9th, 1886, two days before the famous Galway Election, involving Captain O’Shea, husband of Parnell’s subsequent wife, Kitty O’Shea.
There are many delightful shots of Cruinniú na mBád and the revival of the Hooker Festivals in recent years. All in all a delightful film and one to be seen for its visual quality and the nostalgia evoked. The exiles will be pleased with its content and the expertise displayed throughout its production.
Kilcornan was a 16th century castle of the de Burgo. In the 1830’s the Redington family built a mansion around it and incorporated the old tower in the design. http://clarinbridge.galway-ireland.ie
Irish Examiner 31st December, 1881 p.3
Yesterday the County Galway Hunt was to have its meet at Kilcornan Castle at ten o’clock. Long before that hour horns were sounded in all directions for miles around. As early as nine o’clock no less than five thousand persons had assembled at the entrance gate to the Castle. A pile of stones were placed before the gate, and it was evident by the demeanour of the crowd that the hunt would be stopped at any cost. At ten o’clock Mr. Burton Persse, the master of the hounds, together with several gentlemen and the pack, arrived. The crowd moved in front of the gate.
The master asked what had they against him. A young man stepped forward and said, “No hunting will be allowed until the suspects are released (great cheering). Mr Persse said they could not release them. The young man said they had done their best to bring about coercion. Mr Persse denied that they did. The young man;
“You cannot deny the evidence you gave before the Bessborough Commission.”
Just then fifty soldiers and about seventy policemen, under the command of sub-inspectors and a resident magistrate arrived. The officers had a brief interview with Mr Persse and the young man again came forward and asked,
“Why did you bring police and military?”
Mr.Persse denied having any knowledge of their coming and said that he was always anxious to have the goodwill of the people.
The resident magistrate, addressing the crowd, said if they did no disperse he would give an order to cut them down.
The crowd was about to move when a young man, a stranger to all, rushed and in a loud voice said, “Halt! Death or glory.”
The crowd halted, and two policemen placed him under arrest and threatened to fire. He retorted and said that they would lose their lives or stop the hunt. With a desperate effort he shook off the two policemen, one of them falling over a low wall, and was soon lost in the crowd. All the efforts of the police failed to recapture him.
The huntsmen then rode off in the direction of Oranmore, but were met by another immense crowd, who hooted, groaned, and pelted mud at them. A gentleman was apparently looking for something in his pocket and a report went out that he was searching for his revolver, whereupon sticks and stones were freely flung at him, and he escaped by riding off at full speed. The master was informed if he let the hounds into any of the coverts not one of them would be allowed out alive. A report has just arrived that three gentlemen were more or less injured. In consequence of the opposition to the hunt the following circular has been sent to all the members; Ballinderry, Dec29th Sir, In consequence of the opposition to the hunting on Wednesday at Kilcornan, I am requested by the master of the hounds to call a meeting of the members of the hunt for Saturday next, 31st instant, at the Railway Hotel, Athenry, at two o’clock, where you attendance is particularly requested. Yours truly, J. W. Comyn, Hon. Sec.
The Burren and Beyond 