Sad news for WAHS

We are very saddened at the news of the death of one of the long time members of the Waterford Archaeological & Historical Society, Mr Paddy Kenneally. Paddy was a dedicated member of the society and for many years served on the committee in various capacities.

Funeral arrangements as follows:

Removal From Thompsons Funeral Home
This Evening (Tuesday) At 5:15pm To St John’s Church
Requiem Mass Tomorrow (Wednesday) At 12 Noon
Funeral Afterwards To St. Mary’s Cemetery, Ballygunner

Ar dheis Dé go raibh sé.

Winter Solstice - South Kilkenny Historical Society

It's still time!

If you want to get to a megalithic tomb for the winter solstice, you can join South Kilkenny Historical Society at Knockroe (Sunset) 2012
Friday, December 21st
Meeting point and time: Owning Church car park, 2pm.
Remember the footwear - wellies in preference to high heels!

WAHS Annual Lunch 2012

On Sunday 2nd December last, members and friends from near and far attended our Annual Lunch in Dooley's hotel on the Quay. The guest of honour was His Worship the Mayor of Waterford, Cllr Jim D'Arcy. A good time was had by all, once we had enjoyed the mulled wine reception and the festive meal, a trip 'down memory lane' was presented by vice-chairman Eddie Synnott through a series of slides from the Munster Express photographic archives. Of particular interest were those of the outings of the then Old Waterford Society.

Seated: Fergus Dillon, Chairman, presenting a copy of  'Decies' to the Mayor, Cllr Jim  D'Arcy.
Standing: Michael Maher, Sonny Condon, Eddie Synnott, Kevin P Hall, Tony Gunning, Erica Fay, Séamus Reale, Béatrice Payet, Cian Manning, Donnchadh ÓCeallacháin, George Kavanagh.

WAHS Vice-Chairman Eddie Synnott, Mayor of Waterford Cllr Jim D'Arcy, WAHS Chairman Fergus Dillon

A view of the dining room.

Kilmainham Gaol Museum Collection & its Waterford Connections

On Friday 23 November 2012, Ms Anne-Marie Ryan gave a lecture on Kilmainham Gaol Museum collection, with a closer look on some items of Waterford interest.

Chairman Fergus Dillon introduces Ms Anne-Marie Ryan. 

The entrance gate of the gaol

Close up of the illuminated manuscript presented to Charles Stewart  Parnell
by Waterford Corporation when he  was made Freeman of the city. 

Jack Edwards bloodstained handkerchief.
Jack Edwards, Waterford IRA, shot in Kilkenny jail  in 1922.

Proud teacher? Ms Niamh Crowley chats with her past pupil. 

November Lecture & Annual Lunch

Our next lecture will take place on Friday 23rd November 2012.

Speaker: Ms Anne-Marie Ryan

Subject: Kilmainham Gaol Museum Collection & its Waterford Connections.

Time & Venue: 8 pm, Edmund Rice Heritage Centre, Barrack Street, Waterford.

Entrance fee: non-members € 5.00

ANNUAL LUNCH

Our Annual Lunch will be held on Sunday 2nd December in Dooley's Hotel on the Quay - at 1.30 p.m., and will be preceded by a mulled wine/soft drinks reception at 12.30 p.m.

Our after-lunch entertainment this year will be a slideshow presentation of  ‘Waterford in Bygone Years’ from the archives of the Munster Express by Vice Chairman Mr Eddie Synnott.

This social event is open to  non-members, at a cost of €25.00 per person, payment to be sent to our treasurer, Mr Tony Gunning,

The Big House for TV3 - by Big Mountain Production

In 1881 Ireland, 48% of women in Ireland were employed in the domestic class. In the 1911 census 230,802 people registered their occupation as servants working in houses in Ireland. Are you related to one of them?

We want to hear your stories or the stories of your ancestors who worked in the big houses.

Please get in touch with your stories if you or someone you know worked in one of the big houses.We would like to hear stories or anecdotes from all members of staff - cooks, maids, butlers, footmen, drivers or people who worked in the houses on a causal basis. We are also looking for relatives of former servants to take part in a living history experiment so please get in touch if you have a story. 

We are particularly keen to hear from people who have a connection to Strokestown House in Roscommon as well as other estates in Ireland.

Contact:Big Mountain Productions

Michelle O’Dowd michelle@bigmountainproductions.com 0852356977

For further information, please visit www.bigmountainproductions.com

Julian Walton's Lecture: the Victims of the Seahorse and the War Against Napoleon

The lecture dealt with the circumstances which led to the return of the  Seahorse to Ireland

Vice-Chairman, Eddie Synnott, introduces the speaker.

Captions helped to keep the audience up-to-speed with the movement of troops. 

A view of the audience

Julian Walton and Michael Maher deep in discussion.