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Connacht Tribune 25th July, 1914 p.6
The Ballinderreen Corps marched from the town to Kinvara on Sunday under the command of Mr J. Linane and Mr L Quinn. On arrival at Kinvara, they drilled in front of Mr. T.P.Corless’s hotel, after which Mr. Corless entertained them. Afterwards they marched back to Ballinderreen, when the corps sang “A Nation Once Again,” and then dispersed.
Oh, for the gift of a fairy brush
And magic to guide my hand.
I’d paint, in the peace of a spellbound hush,
This strange and lovely land.
Cloud shadows on a barren hill,
On the rocky coast of Clare,
A watered sky, that goes drifting by,
And salt in the morning air.
Small fields of stone with rocks around;
A smiling woman at a door,
And always on our ears the sound
Of the sea, on the murmuring shore.
A grey keep in a field of green
Swans on Kinvara’s blue,
White pebbles on the sand, washed clean,
Age old, but ever new.
A wheeling gull, a curling wave,
The hiss of spreading foam,
Cliffs, and a distant secret cave,
Some ancient hero’s home.
Captain Meany
Connacht Tribune 3rd July 1920 p4
(abridged) How the Government Persecuted a Kinvara man and his friends. Mr William Hynes, Kinvara, one of the hunger strikers recently released from Wormwood Scrubbs, was arrested at Abbey, Loughrea, early in spring and confined in Galway prison. He was remanded on a few occasions while “The minions of the law” were trying to make a case against him, but subsequently he was released without a stain on his character. The Government, not to be outdone, arrested him a few weeks later, and deported him to Wormwood Scrubbs along with Mr Patrick Kilkelly, now the chairman of the Gort District council, and hundreds of others. Mr Hynes is the youngest son of Mr Patrick Hynes, Doongora, Kinvara and comes of a good old stock of fighting Nationalists. He is grandson of the late “honest Bartly Hynes,” of Killina, the first man in Ireland to be prosecuted for having his name in Irish printed on his cart, and who, to credit be it said, refused to pay the fine imposed by a pair of British “Removables.” His brother Mr Michael Hynes, was arrested after the Rebellion of 1916, and imprisoned at Frongoch. His cousin, the late Mr Patk Hamberry was jailed, following the Rebellion, and died as a result of his cruel treatment immediately after his release.
Connacht Tribune 5th December, 1959 p.10
Galway County Council decided,on the proposition of Senator R. Lahiffe, to approach Bord Failte with a view towards; (a) giving a grant towards the building of a promenade along the convent road from the quays at Kinvara and the erection of a swimming pool opposite Seamount College; (b) giving a grant towards the development of the beach at Traught, Kinvara.
Tuam Herald 22nd February 1919 p.4
(abridged)
Patrick Pearse was a barrister, but he may be said not to have practiced as he gave himself up to the work of education at which he was most successful. He once appeared in a Galway case. It was to defend the Kinvara Hero who, despite the law, persisted in having his name painted in Irish on his cart. The police prosecuted him and he was duly fined but he triumphed. Lady Gregory and Edward Martyn took up his case and Pearse ably fought it in the Dublin courts with the result that such stupid and silly prosecutions were abandoned and the brave Kinvara man, Bartley Hynes became a hero in spite of himself.
Connacht Tribune 24th June, 1961 p6
Kinvara’s Big Day
Sunday marks the opening of Kinvara Carnival which runs for three weeks and ends with the opening of the £3,500 Gaelic pitch which, with previous carnivals, it helps to pay for.
Begun three years ago this new pitch, the only enclosed playing pitch in the South Board area, requires only a successful carnival “run” to clear it of debt.
The Carnival opens on Sunday at Kinvara Pier at 5 p.m. when the Kinvara Dramatic Society arrives by boat and performs a pageant based on an adaptation of Lady Gregory’s “Rising of the Moon” by Mrs Thomas Donnellan, N.T. At the conclusion of the performance the Queen of the Pageant will be crowned and a fancy dress parade will take place through the streets of the town.
The dancing marquee is the main attraction of the Carnival and a Fancy Dress Ball will be held on Tuesday night, July 4th.
The new G.A.A. pitch will be formally opened on Sunday, July 16th when two games will be played, one between Fohenagh, 1960 County Champions, and Liam Mellowes.
The St. Patrick’s Brass Band, Galway, will be in attendance for the occasion.
Connacht Tribune 14th August, 1987 p.22
(abridged)
For the curious there is a fascinating connection between Connemara badoirí and Kinvara Pier – pointed out by that brilliant Cruinniú organiser and founder, Tony Moylan.
Along the pier wall is a capping of concrete applied in the 19th century. Here and there in the concrete are footprints. The legend is that while the concrete was drying some boats of turf arrived from Connemara and the badoirí in clambering ashore sank their footwear in it.
Connacht Tribune 23rd August, 1919 p.4
Kinvara is presently suffering from a turf famine, which is attributed to a notice put up under the heading of “Kinvara Sinn Fein Club”, fixing the price, owing to the exorbitant prices hitherto paid for seven cart loads at £6. Turf sellers have decided not to bring any further supplies to the village until the price – hitherto £7 10s per six cart load – be fixed.
Connacht Tribune 6th June 1975 p.29 (abridged)
After speaking at “The Crane”, Kinvara Maud Gonne McBride and Mary McSwiney came to the Greene’s hotel for refreshments. Apart from Dun Guaire, it is said to be both the oldest house and the oldest hostelry in Kinvara. Sean McBride stayed there for two weeks when trying to found the Clann na Poblachta Party. Michael Davitt addressed his Kinvara supporters from an upstairs window in the hotal.
Another caller was Patsy Conry (Padraic O Conaire) whose Asal Beag Dubh had Kinvara associations. In 1848 John Dillon escaped capture via the Quay, Kinvara, steered by John Holland from Kinvara.
Nearby is a large warehouse which was once owned by Persse’s of Galway for storing their whiskey. John Greene remembers Baron de Basterot’s young son in Duras House. The locals persuaded the young lad to try standing “on his head” and while some praised him for his efforts, others made off with the coins that fell from his pockets. Across from Greene’s hotel is an old parish church and graves, one with a curious inscription:
James O’Farrell lies under this stone,
Pray for him ye Christians
To sin he was prone.
The Burren and Beyond 