emigration to Newfoundland
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Mannion Collection Digitalised
Danny Dowling (1927-2021) often spoke fondly of his friend John Mannion, and they corresponded for decades concerning local people who worked or emigrated to Newfoundland. Professor Mannion, and his wife Maura, were frequent visitors with Danny and Mollie in Glenmore Village. We are pleased to help spread the word that the work to digitalise Professor’s Mannion’s hand written note cards and records has been completed and can be accessed at www.mannioncollection.cawww . These extensive records will be invaluable to anyone reasearching family that emigrated to Newfoundland. Below is a press release for tomorrow that provides more details concerning the records.
Taoiseach launches invaluable “Mannion Collection” records
PRESS RELEASE – SEPTEMBER 5, 2022
Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD was in Cork City Hall today to launch “The Mannion Collection” project, being the digitised version of the very extensive records held by Dr. John Mannion, retired Galway-born Professor of Geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland and his wife and research partner, Maura, reflecting their lifetimes’ work on Irish emigration to, and settlement in Newfoundland.
The project was jointly funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade and the Provincial Government of Newfoundland & Labrador and contains almost 160,000 records of individuals and families who migrated from South-East Ireland and settled in Newfoundland, primarily in the years 1765 – 1835.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD officially launched the project in the presence of Patrick Mannion, Cllr. Deirdre Forde, Lord Mayor of Cork and Her Excellency, the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Ms. Nancy Smyth. Waterford City & County Mayor, Cllr. John O’Leary was also in attendance.
An Taoiseach stated:
“I was delighted to be asked to officiate at this launch which expresses the spirit of the second sentence of Article 2 of our Constitution, revised as part of the Good Friday Agreement, that now reads: ‘‘… the Irish nation cherishes its special affinity with people of Irish ancestry living abroad who share its cultural identity and heritage.”
Moreover, I thoroughly enjoyed the examples of genealogy and that ‘completion of the circle’ of information which this dataset allows. We are seeing names and details and information here that will go a long way in strengthening relations and cultural ties between our two islands, and that can only be a positive thing.”
The digitisation work was carried out by dedicated technical staff at the Newfoundland and Labrador Statistics Agency in St. John’s, the NL Government’s central statistics agency. The project was co-managed and led by the Agency and Memorial University’s Dr. Sean Cadigan, with collaboration and support of the NL Irish Connections and Irish Newfoundland Connections groups.
Visiting Ireland for the launch, chairman of cultural body Newfoundland-Labrador Irish Connections, Councillor Ralph Tapper of Torbay, NL stated:
“The value of this record set cannot be underestimated, both from an Irish viewpoint and from a Newfoundland one … these are records from pre-Famine times that simply don’t exist elsewhere and are now available for researchers at home and abroad to fill in the gaps in their family history.”
The website holds extensive information on the largest single migration from a small confined geographical area – that of Southeast Ireland – to another small confined geographical area in Newfoundland.
The Cork launch was hosted by Waterford based group Ireland-Newfoundland Connections, who since 2005, along with its Canadian counterpart, Newfoundland and Labrador Irish Connections, has operated annual cultural and social gatherings in both places, alternating between South-East Ireland and the Irish heritage areas of Newfoundland, with over 60 communities in Ireland and 40 in Newfoundland and over 1,000 participants taking part so far.
The official launch of the project sees all these records available for the first time on a free to access on-line portal, now available at the URLwww.mannioncollection.cawww
Special thanks to Richard Corcelli for sending this press release to us. The featured emigration drawing above is by Henry Doyle (1868) courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Wallsh
Danny Dowling’s Appearance in Land & Sea: Talamh an Eisc
Commencing in 1964 the Canadian Broadcasting Co. began producing a television series entitled Land & Sea which went on to become their longest running series. In 1984 two Newfoundland men travelled to England and Ireland to visit their ancestoral lands. In this episode narrated by Dave Quinton, our very own Village Historian, Danny Dowling (1927-2021) appeared. In addition to the fascinating details that are provided regarding the descendents of the Irish in Newfoundland there is also some interesting footage of local scenery, New Ross and Waterford from the early 1980’s.
This episode is now available on you tube and can be accessed by clicking here. Danny appears at approximately 34:03 minutes. In the feature photo Danny is the gentleman on the right.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Glenmore Goats, Faggot Cutting and Other Miscellaneous Notes
Over the years Danny Dowling recorded a wide variety of interesting and sometimes unusual facts concerning various people, places and events in Glenmore and other areas of the Southeast of Ireland. Below are fifteen notes primarily taken from the last dozen notebooks that have been transcribed. We hope that while so many readers are housebound in the current pandemic that these notes might bring a smile, start a discussion, jog a memory or provide a little distraction.
Glenmore Goats—Goats were owned by almost every Glenmore householder and cottager in the early 1900’s. Small farmers had a couple of goats going with the cows. It was thought that the goats would eat vegetation that would be harmful to cows. A few years after the creamery opened it made an order prohibiting the taking of any milk from farmers who kept goats in the Glenmore Creamery area. Some farmers mixed the goats’ milk with the cows’ milk and brought the mixed milk to the creamery. When the butter was churned the butter was streaky because goats’ butter is very white. [DD Notebook 11, interview of Nicholas Forristal, on 22 Feb. 1974]
Father Crotty’s Housekeeper—When Father Crotty was the parish priest of Glenmore his housekeeper was Minnie McDonald from around Kilkenny City. She and her brother Jim McDonald worked for Fr. Crotty. In 1920 they went with him to his next assignment in Clogh. [DD Notebook 12, interview of Mrs. Hannah Dowling on 26 October 1981].
Lemon’s Sweets—Danny wrote in his notebook the following: “Lemon’s Sweets were founded by Mr. Graham Lemon, of Sackville Street, Dublin, in 1842. Lemon’s Sweets are still produced today in 2010.” [DD Notebook 15, miscellaneous notes].
Emigration to Newfoundland—According to Professor Mannion of Memorial University the main emigration period from Ireland to Newfoundland was 1720 to 1735. [DD Notebook 15, conversation with Professor Mannion.]
Coal after WW1—the discharging of coal at the Glenmore Creamery Coal Shed after the First World War, the barrow men got 4 d. per ton. [DD Notebook 16, interview of Nicholas Forristal on 28 September 1974].
Foxy Ned Grace—around 1900 Foxy Ned Grace was working at Patsy Purcell’s (his real name was Walsh) of Ballybrahee, Glenmore. One morning, old Patsy Purcell Walsh asked Foxy Ned if he would go out and pick some spuds. Foxy Ned replied, “ I will if they are hot ones.” [DD Notebook 16, interview of Nicholas Forristal on 28 September 1974].
Maggie Brennan, of Glenmore Village—was a talented musician. She played the melodeon, Jew’s harp mouth organ, and piano. Threshing dances were held in “Lizzie’s Hall” in Glenmore Village following the completion of the threshing of the corn after the harvest and Maggie Brennan often played at the dances. Jim Fluskey often asked Maggie’s sister Bridgie the day following a dance, “Were you at the racket last night?” Maggie Brennan married Willie Brown and Bridgie Brennan married John Hunt. [DD Notebook 11, interview of Bridge Brennan Hunt in July 2003].
Lost Hand in Horse Drawn Threshing Machine—Nick Codd was a thatcher, but did not work at it full time. He had a steel crook with a ring in it for a right hand. He lost his hand in a horse drawn threshing machine. He lived in the cottage opposite Mahon’s of Milehouse, Enniscorthy. [DD Notebook 16, interview of Myles Lambert, of Milehouse, Enniscorthy on 13 Sept. 1974].
Waterford Cinema—the Coliseum Cinema, on Adelphi Quay, closed on the 16th of January 1966. On the site of the Savoy Cinema, on Broad Street, the old Broad Street Cinema stood until it was demolished. Previously Power Brothers Drapiers were located on the site. [DD Notebook 14, miscellaneous notes].
Coal at Slieverue—The Waterford News, published on the 27th of September 1872 reported that explorations were being made today at the Slieverue coal seam by English miners. Some specimens of the coal have been shown in town and have been pronounced to be similar in quality to South Wales coal. [DD Notebook 14]
Arrived in Sydney—In 1850 the S.S. Panama took 153 girls to Australia. Two girls named Roache, aged 18 and 24, from Glenmore were on board. [DD Notebook 13, miscellaneous notes].
WW1 Soldiers from Ross—
(1) Doyle, Martin, Reg. No. 6547.
Rank Private, Irish Guards, 2nd Batt.
Killed in action, France on Sept. 18, 1915.
Born New Ross, Co. Wexford
(2) Doyle, Peter, Regimental No. 1458
Rank Private, Royal Irish Regiment, 6th Batt.
Killed in Menton, France on July 13, 1916.
Born New Ross, Co. Wexford. [DD Notebook 21, local men killed in Great War]
Faggot Cutting—Nicky Forristal saw faggots being cut on Carrigcloney hills for filling a brick hole in Robin Irish’s marsh in Carrigcloney (at the Ballyverneen side of the hill). Tommy Power, of Robinstown, and his sons were cutting the faggots. The art of faggot cutting was almost extinct in Nicky’s time but was quite common in his father’s time and earlier. They used to fill the exhausted brick holes with faggots, and then levelled off with a couple feet of earth. [Editorial note—Jack Walsh, of Rathinure, (c. 1893—c. 1988) explained to Peter Walsh, Rathinure that faggots were furze cut and tied into bundles like sheaves. Jack Walsh stated that at one time faggots were used to stabilise the banks of the river at Aylwardstown.] [DD Notebook 20, interview of Nicholas Forristal, Graiguenakill, Glenmore on 18 October 1974].
Ross to Waterford Main Road—The main road from Ross to Waterford was steamrolled in 1912 for the first time. It was tarred for the first time about 1929. [DD Notebook 20, interview of Nicholas Forristal, Graiguenakill, Glenmore on 18 October 1974].
Common Saying—used by the old people around Glenmore, “What comes by nature costs no money.” [DD Notebook 20, miscellaneous notes].
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh