Lecture – The development of Dungarvan c. 1200 – 1900

Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society February Lecture – The development of Dungarvan c. 1200 – 1900

The WAHS lecture season for 2017 and 2018 continues on Friday 23rd March with a lecture titled ‘The development of Dungarvan c. 1200 – 1900’ by the historical geographer Mr John Martin at 8:00 pm in the St Patrick’s Gateway Centre, Waterford.



The town of Dungarvan developed in the shelter of the 13th century King John’s Castle and over the following centuries grew to be a bustling port, market town and administrative centre. John Martin’s lecture will focus on the development of Dungarvan, the layout of its streets, buildings and open spaces, from its foundation by the Anglo-Normans to the end of the 19th century. The medieval street pattern is still visible, as are the ruins of the castle, Augustinian abbey and parish church. The town walls no longer survive above ground, but recent archaeological investigations have confirmed their location as shown on a map dating from 1760. The dukes of Devonshire became a major landowner in the town in the mid-18th century, and carried out an extensive programme of urban renewal in the early decades of the 19th century. That century also witnessed the building of Catholic churches and schools, the impact of the Great Famine, and the coming of the railway.

John studied history and geography in UCD where his teachers included Professors Anngret Simms and Howard Clarke, both founders of the Irish Historic Towns Atlas project. He spent his working life as a planner, culminating as Principal Planning Adviser in the former Department of the Environment. Since his retirement in 2011, he has fulfilled a number of roles in the public service, including membership of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and the Waterford Boundary Review Committee. He spent his childhood summer holidays in Dungarvan, and was delighted when the opportunity arose to prepare the Historic Towns Atlas for the town. The Irish Historic Towns Atlas project was established in 1981. Its aim is to research the topographical development of a selection of Irish towns both large and small. Each town is published separately and includes a series of maps complemented by a detailed text section. The Irish Historic Towns Atlas is part of a wider European scheme, with towns’ atlases containing broadly similar information available for a number of countries. This allows the development of Dungarvan and other Irish towns to be studied in their broader European context.



Admission to the lecture is €5 (students €2.50), but is free for members of the Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society

Lecture: The development of Dungarvan c. 1200 – 1900

Speaker: Mr John Martin
Title: The development of Dungarvan c. 1200 – 1900
The lecture will focus on the development of Dungarvan, as an urban centre, from its foundation by the Anglo-Normans to the end of the 19th century.

Lectures are free for members, non-members €5.00

Images: Úna Ní Bhroiméil's lecture

Waterford Archaeological & Historical Society Chairperson Adrian Larkin and Úna Ní Bhroiméil pictured with the 2017 edition of the Decies journal.   

Adrian Larkin and Úna Ní Bhroiméil pictured with with Pat MacCarthy who is holding a copy of his newly published book 'The Redmonds and Waterford.A political dynasty 1891-1952'

Book: Lorrha People in the Great War

Lorrha People in the Great War

Lorrha (my native place) is the Northernmost parish in Tipperary.
To my knowledge, it is the first time a book has been compiled based on the experiences of people from a parish – whether Ireland or England – during the Great War.
It also includes some people who served in the Napoleonic Wars, the War of Independence and the Second World War.
The stories of about 80 people are detailed in the book (400 pages).
The book includes about 450 photographs, some of which date from around 1890.
As there are so many people from Lorrha who were prominent in Australian history, the Australian Ambassador to Ireland agreed to launch the book.

The following are some of the people whose stories are told:

Patrick Sullivan (cover photograph).  Member of Connaught Rangers, captured in the Great German Offensive of March 1918 and died in a Prisoner-of-War Camp five-weeks before the Armistice.

Martin O’Meara VC, served with the Australian Imperial Force and was awarded the Victoria Cross.

The Cronin Family who were prominent in the Republican movement.  Felix Cronin, a great friend of Michael Collins married Michael Collins’ fiancé, Kitty Kiernan.

Molly O’Connell Bianconi, grandniece of Daniel O’Connell and great granddaughter of Charles Bianconi.  Molly’s fiancée Cecil Kenny, was killed in the German Offensive of March 1918.  She was awarded the Military Medal for rescuing of wounded soldiers during the same Offensive.  A native of Boherlahan in Tipperary, the Bianconi family had connections with Waterford and Clonmel. Indeed, the nursing building on the Waterford Institute of Technology Campus is called the Mary (Molly) O’Connell Bianconi Building.

Sir Henry O’Neil de Hane Segrave (Harry Segrave). Broke the world land speed record on three occasions and also broke the world speed boat record.

Cornelius Aloysius Deane.  Father of Australian Governor General, Sir William Deane.  Sir William Deane visited his ancestral home in Lorrha in 1999.  The following year he performed the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics.

James Vernon Willington who was killed in Gallipoli.  His mother, Alice Peel Willington was a relative of British Prime Minister, Robert Peel.

Charles Walsh who saved the colours at the Battle of Albuera (Peninsular War, 1811).

Friedrich Bunselmeyer and Friedrich Rüter – served in the German army.  Their grand-daughter has lived in Lorrha for many years.

Many of those soldiers served with the Leinster Regiment, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, the Irish Guards, the Connaught Rangers.

Every parish in Ireland was affected by the Great War.
John Condon from Waterford was the youngest soldier killed in the War.
John Cunningham of Thurles was awarded the Victoria Cross.  He was also Killed in Action.

Gerard O’Meara