Rossmore - Turf
Cutters
Source: 'The
Parish of KILLESHIN, Graiguecullen'. 1972. by P.
MacSuibhne.
-
- Turf cutting at Rossmore
c1935.
- Cutting the first sod.
-
Left -Right: Pat Kelly,
Rossmore. Michael Whelan, Ardenteggle, Fr. T
Burbage, P.P. Michael Dooley, Rossmore, Liam
Bolton, Killogue, Padraig MacGamhna centre, Fr.
E.I. Campion, C.C., Alban O'Kelly, Organiser.
|
-
- Turf Cutting at Rossmore
c1935.
-
The four gentlemen
standing in a group off to the left are:
Michael Malone, Fr. P. MacSuibhne, Dr. Lane,
M.O., Ballickmoyler and Fr. E.I. Campion, C.C.
|
Rossmore 1967 |
Rossmore 1967 |
Rossmore 1967 |
Above photos taken by William Muldowney
c.1967
Parish
Personalities
Rossmore Turf Cutters
During the Economic War the government sent
organisers all over the country to set up Turf
Co-operative Committees. Alban O’Kelly from the West of
Ireland came to Carlow area. He waited on Fr. Campion
C.C. who called a meeting of the turf-cutters of
Rossmore. A branch was formed with Liam Bolton as
secretary. A turf-cutting competition which was held on
Easter Monday 1935 at Rossmore Bog was a great success.
Ten or twelve competed for the best turf-cutter. First
prize £5. Second, a pound of tobacco. Third, a slane.
Jack Lowry, Clongrennan was first, Michael Farrell,
Rossmore second, Joe Toole, Rossmore third. Three Jim
Dunnes in three generations were highly commended. The
organiser and Tom O’Toole of the Sallies, Rathdangan
were the judges of the competition. In the evening
there was a tug-o-war between the Rossmore turf-cutters
and the Clogrennan lime-burners. The latter won.
The photo above shows Fr. Campion C.C. with Dr.
Lane M.O., Ballickmoyler. Michael Malone of Rossmore
with the beard was photographed by the
Nationalist
at the time and referred to as “The man with the sharp
eye.” In his lifetime he seems to have collected a
great deal of wisdom, for Fr. Campion who greatly
esteemed him called him” The Wiseacre.” Fr. Mac Suibhne
is shown trying to gather a little of the wisdom from
him. Michael and many others were before their time in
the beard fashion. The others include Joe Toole and
Jack Lowry with their helpers as well as the three Jim
Dunnes. The other photo shows Padraig MacGamhna cutting
the first sod, Fr. Burbage P.P., Fr. Campion CC. and
others including the organiser Alban O’Kelly. Alban
retired from Bord na Mona in October 1961. He died in
March 1971. R.1.P. Tom O’Toole is a brother of Seamus
in whose memory the Rathdangan Hall is named. Seamus
was killed in cogadh na gcarad, the civil war. R.I.P.
- A hand drawn map of part of the Lands of
Rossmore surveyed by order of the Revd Edwd
Kenny January 1808., from the Earl of Bandon
Estate Papers.
Source: Carlow library and
cork-city-library website
History of peat
use in Ireland
In Ireland peatlands are a characteristic part of
the landscape and over the years have been used for
a variety of purposes. Peatland mammals, birds and
wild berries would have provided a source of food
for the Stone Age people who arrived in Ireland
6,000 years ago. The Stone Age people also brought
livestock to Ireland and would probably have
utilised peatlands for grazing, a practice that
continues today on upland bogs. In Ireland the first
written records of peat being used as a source of
fuel date back to the 7th century but evidence
suggests that peat was being used before then.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries a number of
alternative uses for peat were developed including
the manufacture of wrapping paper and postcards from
peat fibre.
In general the lower layers of peatlands yielded
peat which was used for fuel. The upper layers, of
raised bogs in particular, were used to produce peat
moss which had a number of uses.
Source:
http://www.peatlandsni.gov.uk/index.htm
[
ROSSMORE COAL ] [
KELLY of ROSSMORE ]
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