Leonard Roarty from the Raymochy Historical Society and Raymochy History Links Project Group kindly offered to share his memories and family history with the Raymochy group one evening. Leonard's keen interest in history and his in-depth research into his own family history is very detailed and should offer inspiration for anyone wishing to research their own family history.
Enjoy and don't forget to leave comments!
(Note) A full transcription will be added soon.
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Douglas Bridge long ago by Collette Molloy
Let me introduce myself. My name is Collette Molloy. I am a present member of the Strabane and District Caring Services. I am married to John. We have six grown up children and six grandchildren. Prior to this I was Collette Bonner, the second youngest of nine children. Born to Bridget and John Bonner. Our family home was on Knockmillar Road, Douglas Bridge, Strabane.
My childhood memories are of endless happy days, spent playing with family members - four sisters and four brothers. There would also be chores to carry out. These included feeding poultry and fetching water from the well, running into the village of Douglas for messages from the local shops. One of the shops was owned by Johnny McNamee, the other by Alan McDowell, who also ran the post office.
School was also to feature in my weekly diary. My brothers and sisters would take me to the old school situated on the Ardstraw Road outside of Victoria Bridge. I then moved to the new school which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this month (September 2010). The journey to school seemed like an eternity for a five year old as there were no school buses in those days. The only mode of transport was 'Shanks Mare' as the old saying went. To those who do not comprehend this statement, the answer is 'walk'.
I grew up in a rural farming community, my father was a farm labourer who was employed by the local farmers. His duties included planting crops of wheat, corn and potatoes, feeding animals, tending the threshing mill etc. In the summer evenings he would cut turf, sow potatoes and veg and cut blocks of wood so that our family was well provided for. He was a hard working man who always put his family first. In the evenings neighbors would call around as our home was a ceili house where everyone was welcome. Names that spring to mind were Sammy Glenn and his brother Willie. The McDaid brothers who were uncles of my dads. Cards and darts would be played and even a good old ghost story would be told. My mother was the provider of food and drink, home made scones and big mugs of tea. She made everyone happy.
The visitors would say goodnight, the fire was doused, lights from the gas lamp turned off and the doors locked. These are some of the beautiful memories I have from long ago. Sadly the voices of my mother and father are silent now, as well as my brothers like most of those who have come and went to our little home. They have passed on to their eternal reward but the sweet memories of that by-gone age remain in my heart.
My childhood memories are of endless happy days, spent playing with family members - four sisters and four brothers. There would also be chores to carry out. These included feeding poultry and fetching water from the well, running into the village of Douglas for messages from the local shops. One of the shops was owned by Johnny McNamee, the other by Alan McDowell, who also ran the post office.
School was also to feature in my weekly diary. My brothers and sisters would take me to the old school situated on the Ardstraw Road outside of Victoria Bridge. I then moved to the new school which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this month (September 2010). The journey to school seemed like an eternity for a five year old as there were no school buses in those days. The only mode of transport was 'Shanks Mare' as the old saying went. To those who do not comprehend this statement, the answer is 'walk'.
I grew up in a rural farming community, my father was a farm labourer who was employed by the local farmers. His duties included planting crops of wheat, corn and potatoes, feeding animals, tending the threshing mill etc. In the summer evenings he would cut turf, sow potatoes and veg and cut blocks of wood so that our family was well provided for. He was a hard working man who always put his family first. In the evenings neighbors would call around as our home was a ceili house where everyone was welcome. Names that spring to mind were Sammy Glenn and his brother Willie. The McDaid brothers who were uncles of my dads. Cards and darts would be played and even a good old ghost story would be told. My mother was the provider of food and drink, home made scones and big mugs of tea. She made everyone happy.
The visitors would say goodnight, the fire was doused, lights from the gas lamp turned off and the doors locked. These are some of the beautiful memories I have from long ago. Sadly the voices of my mother and father are silent now, as well as my brothers like most of those who have come and went to our little home. They have passed on to their eternal reward but the sweet memories of that by-gone age remain in my heart.
The Old Factory by Elizabeth Molloy
The old factory I am writing about is where I live in Victoria Bridge. It still stands but is derelict. It used to be a glass factory and once it was a box factory. I think it was also once a railway station and also a Nestlé factory. There was lots of things in this factory.
I will be finding out a lot more about this factory, no one ever says anything about this place as its in Victoria Bridge, but in the past few years Victoria Bridge has expanded. My family has been in Victoria for 25 years or over. Anyway this factory has a lot of past in it and is part of social history because this is where people worked and met and it is industrial history because of the building.
I will be finding out a lot more about this factory, no one ever says anything about this place as its in Victoria Bridge, but in the past few years Victoria Bridge has expanded. My family has been in Victoria for 25 years or over. Anyway this factory has a lot of past in it and is part of social history because this is where people worked and met and it is industrial history because of the building.
The kinds of history I am interested in - by Roseanne Molloy
I am interested in finding out about local history. I recently saw a history project done on a walkway known as the Bridle Path (by Raphoe History Links Group), This caught my attention.
We could have the opportunity to repair the walkway and bring it back to life, but to make it wheelchair friendly spoiling the natural beauty of the pathway. Doing a project like this means I will be mixing different kinds of history and bringing them together.
I identify these different types of history as:
- Social: Because people may have used the walkway in the past either by foot or by horseback.
- Natural: Due to the flowers and the trees that might have grown there and the wildlife that you might have seen along the walkway.
- Architectural: The opportunity to repair and rebuild the walkway. Bringing it back to its natural beauty and making it accessible for everyone to enjoy.
Monday, 29 November 2010
Bog Artifacts by Dorothy Allen
Long ago I picked up a spade, not an ordinary spade, but one with a flange along one side. It turned out this was a turf spade for cutting turf of peat. I was told a story about the artifacts discovered in bogs such as butter barrels with butter preserved inside, butter pots and animal skeletons equally well preserved.
On a visit to a museum I saw many more artifacts all discovered in bogs. There were brooches, plates, torcs, bracelets, chalices, pots, religious relics and many more. In recent months a manuscript was discovered. It seemed peat was a good preservative.
Over the years I developed an interest in these relics. They tell a story of a cultural and social history from hundreds of years ago.
These artifacts relate to cultural history in the form of cooking pots, jewelery, skeletons etc. It relates to social history in the way people lived, religious history through reliquaries and manuscripts, and to technological history through axe heads, carved bones and flint implements.
History of the horse in Glebe, Co. Tyrone by Annette Mc Namee
When my ancestors first came to live in the Glebe the horse played a big part in their lives and to this day it is the horse that is very important in my life.
In the early 1800's and 1900's they were used to cultivate the ground by pulling a plough, turning the soil so seeds for a crop could be planted and later when the crop developed the horse would pull machinery used to harvest the crop. The horse delivered milk around Glebe and Sion Mills. They were shire or draft bred and as far as I know there were always three hardworking, faithful horses on the farm. In the 1940's the tractor was introduced which overtook the horse and by the middle of the 1950's the horse was not needed. My father still kept a horse only to breed from as he could sell the foals.
I also grew up with horses and started to ride when I was two and my daughter (who is now 20) has also been riding since she was two. My son also bought a thoroughbred mare to breed from.
The horse is very important in agricultural and social history. Throughout the years we can see how the horse was so important to the farming industry, but now the horse is mainly used for leisure purposes although there is still money to be made e.g. training racehorses, showjumping etc. Many people are now turning to these sports and there is a steady increase in sport with horses.
In the early 1800's and 1900's they were used to cultivate the ground by pulling a plough, turning the soil so seeds for a crop could be planted and later when the crop developed the horse would pull machinery used to harvest the crop. The horse delivered milk around Glebe and Sion Mills. They were shire or draft bred and as far as I know there were always three hardworking, faithful horses on the farm. In the 1940's the tractor was introduced which overtook the horse and by the middle of the 1950's the horse was not needed. My father still kept a horse only to breed from as he could sell the foals.
I also grew up with horses and started to ride when I was two and my daughter (who is now 20) has also been riding since she was two. My son also bought a thoroughbred mare to breed from.
The horse is very important in agricultural and social history. Throughout the years we can see how the horse was so important to the farming industry, but now the horse is mainly used for leisure purposes although there is still money to be made e.g. training racehorses, showjumping etc. Many people are now turning to these sports and there is a steady increase in sport with horses.
History of Manorcunningham by Elma Mc Clean
Manorcunningham was originally named 'The Manor of Fort Cunningham', the name taken from James Cunningham, the first proprietor. James would have built his home there and from that the village was gradually built up.
As the area was growing farm life began, also land would have been reclaimed from Lough Swilly. Manor then became a farming area of flax, wheat, potatoes, pigs, hens and cattle in small numbers to start with.
Manorcunningham is the principal village in the parish of Raymochy. Raymochy takes its name from the old Ray Abbey that is half a mile south of the village, no longer a meeting place but still used today as a burial place.
The Church of Ireland parish was built in the village in 1792. The first Presbyterian Church was built in 1746 in the town land of Errity. Also a number of years later a second Presbyterian Church was built in the village, due to a fallout in the congregation. A Roman Catholic church is also in the area in the town land of Drumoghill.
Land farms would have been of a small holding with a few animals, mainly pigs and hens. Wheat was grown and used to make bread for the large family holdings. Social skills would have been low as the primitive lives of the settlers did not allow for much socializing. Hard work was done by men, women and also small children.
As the area was growing farm life began, also land would have been reclaimed from Lough Swilly. Manor then became a farming area of flax, wheat, potatoes, pigs, hens and cattle in small numbers to start with.
Manorcunningham is the principal village in the parish of Raymochy. Raymochy takes its name from the old Ray Abbey that is half a mile south of the village, no longer a meeting place but still used today as a burial place.
The Church of Ireland parish was built in the village in 1792. The first Presbyterian Church was built in 1746 in the town land of Errity. Also a number of years later a second Presbyterian Church was built in the village, due to a fallout in the congregation. A Roman Catholic church is also in the area in the town land of Drumoghill.
Elements of History - Farming and Social
Land farms would have been of a small holding with a few animals, mainly pigs and hens. Wheat was grown and used to make bread for the large family holdings. Social skills would have been low as the primitive lives of the settlers did not allow for much socializing. Hard work was done by men, women and also small children.
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