LOUGH GILL’S STEAMSHIP STORY by Garreth Byrne The main source is a detailed article that appeared in the Sligo Champion on 12th January 1990: ‘When Steamers plied Lough Gill’ by John C. McTernan, Sligo County Librarian Between 1839 and 1885 three boats transported food and people between Sligo and Dromahair. They were Maid of the …
DROMAHAIR’S FORMER MILLING INDUSTRY by Garreth Byrne About the year 1820 the village of Dromahair came into being. Before that the population of a few hundred was concentrated around the higher ground of Drumlease. The Yorkshire-based landlord George Lane-Fox Senior arranged the laying out of the Main Street and Back Line. All dwellings, mostly with …
By Garreth Byrne If you travel the back road from Drumlease to Manorhamilton and approach a sharp corner at Kilcoosey crossroads, you will pass the remains of two country primary schools that closed many years ago. They are just around the corner a short walk from each other and testify to the gradual disappearance, through …
Not far south of Dromahair at Creevelea and Arigna are found the traces of three significant industrial developments based on the natural resources in the region, those of coal, their underlying fireclays as well as the significant reserves of iron ore . The industrial history continued with mining, the Arigna power station until the 1980s, …
On September 30th 2017, sixty years later, but right on time, a ghostly whistle blew, announcing the anniversary of the moment the last train departed from Dromahair Station. The audience stilled. Then Margaret Connolly introduced her wonderful talk at The Clubhouse, right beside Dromahair Railway Station to listeners who included many who had travelled on the …
by Margaret Mc Loughlin from Life Histories Archive” There were lots of exciting days growing up in Dromahair. The fair day was very exciting because it spanned two days. The day before was taken up with the bustle of the business people and the ordinary households getting all sorts of dogs out to guard our …
In full winter flow, the River Bonet below Creevelea Abbey reveals its formidable power as it descends towards Lough Gill, with it’s white water rapids over the underlying limestone providing exciting sport for kayak clubs. As the water level drops, the remains of a hydro electric turbine can be seen . Irish Water power, 7th …
Research indicates the now ruined O’Rourkes Hall beside the Bonet River in Dromahaire was built around 1220-1256. Below a description of the structure with suggested dates, compiled by Michael Moore in 2016. Excerpt ‘The Archaeological Inventory of County Leitrim’ Class: Castle – Anglo-Norman masonry castle Townland: DRUMAHAIRE Description: Situated on a high bluff overlooking a gorge of the …
Planxty O’Rourke by Mc Gauran & Carolan. Singer: Sean O Sé April 6th, 1589: “How naughtily O’Rourke hath always carried himself…He caused a picture of Her Majesty [Queen Elizabeth I] to be drawn at a horse tail and kept his Christmas according the the Pope’s computation” ” One of O’Carolan’s earliest friends was Hugh MacGauran, a …
“The Archaeological Landscape of Leean Mountain, Co. Leitrim” by Thorsten Kahlert and Tatjana Kytmannow. “A multi-seasonal landscape project, ‘Leean in Context’ uncovered a complex and vast prehistoric landscape embedded in a Early to Post Medieval pastoral landscape….. Since the first field season 2003 over 50 sites were recorded…” from the Standing Stone website .
MacDonald’s Irish Directory and Dromahair Introduction : In 1932 “MacDonald’s Irish Directory” was published by a Scottish publishing company. This listed a number of shops and other businesses in ‘Dromahaire’. I printed out a copy and showed it to Sean Johnston at his residence. We went down the list and he tried to remember what …
A song describing the legendary feasts of O’ Rourke , presumably held at the now ruined Banqueting Hall behind Villiers Castle in Dromahair . The poem is based on the Christmas festivities held in the Great Hall of the castle at Dromahaire, County Leitrim, by the Irish chieftain Brian na Murtha O Ruairc, Prince of Breffni, and …
A detailed Queens University Belfast study, Leean Mountain Prehistoric Landscape in Context reports evidence of human impact from 4000 BC, and documents managed forests, cereal cultivation, rock carving, and artefacts such as a Porcellanite Axe and a Bronze Age blade. Location http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/Leean/ Megalithic Period 4000 BCE “The top of the cap of the northern pedestal rock has been …
Along Drumlease Road “Patrick went out to the regions of the Callraige Trí Maige and built a church at Drumlease and baptised many.” Patrick “exiit ad regiones Callriigi Tre Maige et fecit aeclessiam iuxta Druim Leas et babtitzauit multos “. In the present day area of Dromahair called Drumlease you will find a protected, large …
Welcome here to our many visitors at home and abroad, from some thirty three countries to date – and counting . Dromahair Heritage Group is a collective of residents from the communities around Dromahair, County Leitrim, promoting cross cultural activities in this historic area. This includes not only recording the traces of human settlement through … Continue reading
At DROMAHAIR LIBRARY July 4th 4.30 2019 A framed photograph of the pupils from 1930 taken at Kilcoosey School will be presented to Dromahair Library by a member of Dromahair Heritage group, Garreth Byrne, who has researched the history of some schools in the area . All are welcome to attend and relive memories in … Continue reading
Most recently (2017) a portrait of Villiers, long thought to be a copy of a masterpiece by Rubens, has been authenticated as being in fact the original. International newspapers carried the story. Continue reading
The heritage group are hosting this café style event, where in a relaxed atmosphere, small groups can get together to celebrate the richness of our shared past and present culture in the wider Dromahair area. Photographs are precious mementos and bring the past to life. Bring along your old photos and albums you think might … Continue reading
Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railways Michael Hamilton, a company employee at Dromahair station, wrote about the SLNCR railway line, with gathered photos, entitled ‘Down Memory Line, Sligo Leitrim & Northern Counties Railway (1997)’ . Some railway mementos may be seen at the Club House.This video features many of those images. Notes From The Abbey Loop brochure Sligo, … Continue reading
TG4 . Telefís na Gaeilge . Bealach Glas agus An Lúb. This is a 2-minute TG4 item about Dromahair, the place name milestones carved by Seamus Dunbar , situated along the Abbey Loop walk, and the Ciorcal Gaelach which meets in Stanfords around 12 pm on Saturdays. Crank and Cog . Leitrim Observer. August 26th 2016 As part … Continue reading
Meitheal/Workgroup 2017. A great night was enjoyed on Friday February 17th by neighbours and new friends interested in local heritage in the Village tearooms . Thanks to all who contributed by their presence and enthusiasm to the evening. We look forward to many more. The Heritage Group – An Grúpa Oidhreachta – which has been active … Continue reading
Dromahair – Abduction, Revenge and Invasion 1170 History Ireland : Dervorgilla: scarlet woman or scapegoat? WikiPedia article : Diarmait Mac Murchada (c. 1110 – c. 1 May 1171) was a King of Leinster in Ireland. In 1167, he was deprived of his kingdom by the High King of Ireland . The grounds for the dispossession were that … Continue reading
