Youghal A to Z
The book ' An A to Z of Youghal' by Youghal native Tom FitzGerald
Wednesday, September 3, sees the publication of An A to Z of Youghal, part of a series of new guides to Irish towns and cities. The publisher is Youghal native Tom FitzGerald. “Youghal is an ideal choice for this guide,” says FitzGerald. “The story of Youghal reflects the story of Ireland - with a unique local twist in the tale. The format of the guide aims to make these incidents accessible to readers.”
The execution of Irish Martyr Brother Dominic Collins
Ranging from pre-history to the Twenty-first Century, An A to Z of Youghal looks at the various saints and scoundrels who have lived in the town - among them duellists, sailors, soldiers and spies as well as pirates, rebels and witches. Topics include the impact of the Black Death in the Fourteenth Century when half of the town was wiped out, the story of veteran soldier Dominic Collins who became a Jesuit and met with the most gruesome fate in Youghal at the beginning of the Seventeenth Century and the trial of Florence Newton from Youghal as a witch - the last witch-trial in Ireland. Youghal people who made an impact on history include Abraham Dowdney who became a US Congressman as well as another US Congressman Mike Walsh. It was Walsh who started the infamous Gangs of New York, when he formed the Spartans to lend muscle to his political platform. His arch-enemy Bill “The Butcher” Poole, wasn’t long in following suit and formed rival gang the Bowery Boys.
Duellists - " Pistols for two and coffee for one"
Other episodes in Youghal’s history include an account of the Knights Templar and their fortress at Rhincrew and Youghal’s part in the legend of the Templars’ fabled treasure, the fate of the Duncannon, a frigate that blew up in Youghal harbour - for all the wrong reasons, and the infamous story of the Cork and Youghal Railway Company - one of the biggest financial scandals of the Nineteenth Century.
“The guide includes a range of almost fifty topics that readers can dip in and out of,” says FitzGerald. “Each item gives the background to events in Youghal, that some readers may not yet know about. The history of Youghal is far more interesting than the dreary and inaccurate tales of Raleigh and the tedious Boyles. Youghal people have made a significant contribution to the political and artistic development of the country. Figures such as leading feminist and political activist Anna Haslam, cinema pioneers the Horgan Brothers and Liam O’Leary and the famous artist Sampson Towgood Roche have tended to be overlooked. Similarly, events in the town such as the landing of the Free State Army to take the town from Irregular guerrillas during the Civil War are not very well documented. The book contains exclusive photographs of those events. Youghal has also featured in the writings of many authors ranging from James Joyce to Séan O’Faolain to William Trevor. Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, visited the town and was inspired to create characters such as Youghal of the CID and the Earl of Blackwater who feature in Holmes’s cases.”
‘Weaving’ by sculptor Séamus Murphy at the entrance to Seafield Fabrics-Youghal
An A to Z of Youghal is on sale at: Centra, Upper Strand; Sammy Revins, Upper Strand; Alan Prim’s Bookshop, South Main Street; Read & Write, North Main Street; Gallery 126, North Main Street; Cree’s Card Shop, North Main Street; John Kennedy’s, North Main Street; and other outlets. The book will be available worldwide via online sales from September 8.
Photo: The execution of Irish Martyr Brother Dominic Collins-by Owen Murphy
Photo: ‘Weaving’- sculptor Séamus Murphy by Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)
atozguides {at} gmail(.)com
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Comments
* All comments are moderated before publishing.This book is certainly a fascinating read. I was amazed to hear that it has almost sold out – especially as it does not feature at least twenty Youghal names/photo’s per page like some other local publications I have read.
This is a well researched and nicely written account of the lesser known histories of our ancient town. I certainly was interested to learn that about the phallucentric origins of Fianna Fail – my goodness! I shall certainly be voting Green next time ‘round.
FitzGerald manages to clear up all those local half-truths and semi-myths to create a well rounded reference book that really should be taught in the schools around the environs of Youghal.
I cannot wait to see what he comes up with next!
Fantastic book! Really well written and researched. Everybody should check this book out. I intend to post a few of them to friends and family in foreign lands for Christmas. Looking forward to the next A to Z. Well done Tom Fitz!
Mel
Best wishes to Tom FitzGerald with his fascinating book on the people and history of the town. The stories are remarkable-so easy to dip in and out of- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes in Youghal to the tragic fate of the Miller family in the Famine and the gruesome death of Dominic Collins are just a few of the compelling stories. Definitely a Must-Read book and not just to anyone from the town either! - Looking forward to book two already –
Again best of luck from all of us here at YoughalOnline.com