Volume 24

‘Close enough to toss a ship’s biscuit ashore’—the French fleet at Bantry Bay, 1796

IN 1796 A LARGE FRENCH INVASION FLEET SLIPPED PAST THE ROYAL NAVY AND MOORED OFF THE SOUTH-WEST COAST OF IRELAND AT BANTRY BAY. BATTERED BY STORMS, THE FRENCH TROOPS WERE UNABLE TO LAND AND RETURNED TO FRANCE. ‘WE WERE CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOSS A SHIP’S BISCUIT ASHORE’, WROTE WOLFE TONE BITTERLY IN HIS DIARY OF … Read more

Lord chancellor’s coach

By Lar Joye The National Museum of Ireland has a large collection of 80 horse-drawn vehicles, looked after by the Irish Folklife Department in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, consisting of side-cars, drays, street cabs, hearses, jaunting cars, barrel-top caravans, fire engines and commercial vehicles. In Dublin the Art and Industrial Division has a collection of twenty … Read more

The enigma of the ‘French’ linen-weavers of Cootehill and Swinford

RECOVERING THE ‘HIDDEN HISTORY’ OF AN ÉMIGRÉ COMMUNITY By Michael Brabazon Petit, Casinan, Visard, Douepurty, Petin, Arry, Tallon—the French names stood out in sharp relief against the familiar Nolans, O’Connors, Mellets and Gallaghers. The more I looked, the more I found: Royan, Callary, Pordon, Byenn, Caffel, Mossily. I was looking for my great-great-great-grandmother, Leuce Teat, … Read more