Youghal man John McGrath who lived in the Clock Gate from 1939 to 1959 speaks about his memories of those day and other stories. The tower built in 1777 was part of the towns fortifications. It served the town as a gaol and a public gallows until 1837. It then became a family home until 1959 when the last family left, which was the McGrath family.

Having grown up in the Clock Gate, John left for Britain during the 1950’s as did many of his contemporaries. There he observed the post-war housing improvements in Britain, thus, on his return he urged his parents to seek more comfortable and conventional accommodation. They reluctantly left the clock gate in 1959. The McGrath home offers a glimpse into the social, political, and economic changes experienced during the twentieth century.

The Clock Gate is undergoing extensive renovations and near completion of this phase of the refurbishment & development works.

Click on the HD Video (45 mins) below to hear the extraordinary story of “The McGrath’s of the Clock Gate”.

Photos and related videos below

Local Youghal man John McGrath who lived in the Clockgate Tower from 1939 to 1959 speaks about his memories of those day and other stories. The tower built in 1777 was part of the towns fortifications. It served the town as a gaol and a public gallows until 1837. It then became a family home. Video by Dan Linehan

http://www.youtube.com/user/irishexaminer?feature=watch

Community Radio Youghal launches new 3 part documentary series ‘The Pattern Of St. Declan’

On Saturday the 2nd of March at Halla Deuglan in Ardmore, Community Radio Youghal (CRY104FM) launched a new 3 part documentary series ‘The Pattern of St. Declan’ which will begin airing on the station on Sunday the 10th of March at 1pm. The series has been made with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland under the Sound and Vision scheme.

This series of half-hour programmes will look at the history, tradition and buildings surrounding St. Declan of Ardmore. The series includes interviews and recordings from the present-day Ardmore Pattern Festival and involves the participation of members from the Pattern Festival Committee; local historians; and visitors and contributors to the Festival.

St. Declan is an early Irish saint who preceded the arrival of St. Patrick to Ireland and is credited with having converted the Déisi in the late fifth century following his arrival in Ardmore. Because of St. Declan, the village of Ardmore was a bishopric and city up until the late 12th century, at which time the See of the bishop was incorporated with Lismore.

In the past, thousands of people from near and far made the trip to Ardmore to observe St. Declan’s Pattern, which involved various devotional activities relating to St. Declan’s life. Since 2007, the Ardmore Pattern Festival has run a family fun festival aimed at reviving the traditional Pattern of Ardmore in a modern context.

The first episode will look at St. Declan’s early life and will involve recordings from the recreation of the fabled landing in Ardmore that takes place each year at the pageant that re-enacts his landing as part of the Festival on Pattern Day. The second episode will centre on a visit to the historical buildings that remain in Ardmore that were borne from St Declan’s time there. The buildings are some of the earliest in Ireland. Finally, the third episode will look at St Declan’s Way, which runs from Ardmore to Cashel and will focus on St Declan’s work away from Ardmore and his spreading of Christianity in Waterford.

Justin Maher, producer of the series, said: ‘We hope the series will be of great benefit and will entertain our listeners while allowing us to strengthen our link with the Pattern Festival, whose committee strive to sustain Ardmore’s heritage and traditions.’

‘Community Radio Youghal’s link with Ardmore dates back almost thirty years, with one of our first outside broadcasts having been made here in 1984. We are delighted to be able to make this programme exploring the life of St. Declan and allowing us to celebrate the tremendous amount of hard work done each year to preserve St. Declan’s legacy through the Ardmore Pattern Festival.’

 

The Pattern of St Declan airs from Sunday the 10th of March on Community Radio Youghal. You can listen in on 104FM in Youghal and the surrounding rural areas of East Cork and West Waterford or online at www.youghalradio.com This programme was made with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

The 11th annual antique fair in aid of the Lourdes Invalid Fund, will take place on SUNDAY MARCH 10TH (Mothers Day) at the Walter Raleigh hotel Youghal.
Proven over the years to be a great day out, with something of interest for everyone. A vast selection of antiques and collectibles, Jewellery, coin, china and small items of furniture and silver ware, vintage bags and leather will be on display for you to purchase if you please. In the afternoon our local antique expert Mr Loughnane will be on hand to value any item you might bring along, you never know what treasure you have hiding away. A great day out for all the family, come and browse at your leisure, tickets only €3

The proceeds enables people to available of a wonderful opportunity to visit the shrine at Lourdes. To those who have travelled it has been a source of comfort and consolation, and they return home renewed in heart and spirit. So do come along and support this very worthy cause.
Date: SUNDAY MARCH 10th 2013
Venue: Walter Raleigh Hotel
Time: 11am to 6 pm
TIckets only €3 available on the door also at Wm Neville’s.
Prize on door ticket. 1st prize: hamper from SCOTT’S. 2nd prize; Antique cash drawer or €100 euro compliments of Pat and Ann Lynch; Foxes Lane Museum
SEE YOU THERE

The brand new hour long documentary will be aired on Sunday the 27th of January at 1pm on CRY104fm and repeated on Thursday the 31st at 4pm.

“It stands in the centre of our town, a magnificent building that has seen it all and survived World Wars, the famine, floods, storms, emigration, and several recessions; a building which is a landmark in Youghal. A building which was the lifeblood of our community and provided employment to many over 400 years, and was the social hub and focal point of a town and a community that has seen its fortunes fluctuate over the years.

Click on the HD Video below to see the launch of the new radio documentary

Merrick’s Department Store, once Youghal’s premier retail outlet, now lies empty,and is a stark reminder of the economic times that we live in. But the building also offers us a reminder of more prosperous times, when the town of Youghal had almost full employment with a thriving port and industries which were the envy of towns throughout Ireland and Merrick’s Department store was at the heart of this thriving community”

The launch took place on Monday the 21st of January at the Mall Arts Centre of “Merricks” a brand new hour long documentary celebrating the now defunct department store which served the people of Youghal for almost 500 years and pays tribute to the people who worked there and which will be aired on Sunday the 27th of January at 1pm on CRY104fm and repeated on Thursday the 31st at 4pm.

The programme captures key living memories of the building, the business and the life that was Merrick’s department store. The staff and management of CRY feel that this one hour documentary will will be a valuable archive of one of Youghal’s great institutions.

The programme also includes Vox Pops from former customers and also highlights the impact of the closure of Merrick’s has had on the town and the wider community. The huge old building that lies empty in the centre of the town is a bleak reminder every day of Youghal’s recent decline but also serves as a reminder of what a significant store Merrick’s was and might yet be again in the future.

 

 

Tourism and heritage have become two of the most important factors in bringing some much needed economic relief to Youghal town, particularly with the recent loss of industries. There has been a concentrated push to highlight Youghal’s unique selling points over the past number of years. In some quarters tourism and heritage have been cited as the future for the town such are its outstanding qualities. Delivering tourism and heritage is another thing with local knowledge and expertise a crucial requirement.

The East Cork Further Education and Youthreach Centre, Youghal are delighted with this new course as can be seen with the happy bunch of students pictured enjoying the Christmas break. This is a one year full time course where students will learn a broad range of skills necessary to work in the tourism industry and will develop the knowledge necessary to start their own business.

David Stanton, Fine Gael TD for Cork East has welcomed the approval of €158,741.03 for the refurbishment of the Clock Gate Tower in Youghal. The funding, sanctioned by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, will go directly from South and East Coast Area Development (SECAD) to Youghal Socio-Economic Development Group who will oversee the works.

“I am pleased that Minister Hogan has given sanction to SECAD to allocate almost €159,000 for the renovation and conservation of Youghal Clock Gate Tower. I understand that this funding will become available as soon as it has received formal approval from the board of SECAD”, said Deputy Stanton.

The funding is being provided under the Village Renewal and Development measure of the European Union’s Rural Development Programme 2007-2013.

“This funding will cover phase 1 of the refurbishment of the Clock Gate Tower which is Youghal’s iconic historic monument in the centre of the town. The Tower currently stands vacant and this is a huge loss to Youghal town and its tourism product. Phase 1 of the planned works will ensure the building can be restored to its original character and phase 2 will involve improvements to the inside ensuring can be reopened to the public and preserved for future generations.

Deputy Stanton had been working very closely with Mayor of Cork County, Cllr Barbara Murray to ensure the project received funding. Cllr Barbara Murray, a member of both Cork County and Youghal Town Council and Youghal Socio-Economic Group has also welcomed the funding allocation.

“Members of Youghal Socio-Economic Group worked very hard on this funding application and I know I can speak for all of them when I say that this project will be a huge asset to Youghal. Youghal Town Council have already committed €50,000 to the project and I have been assured by Cork County Manager that Cork County Council will also fund the project”, said Cllr Murray.

It is envisaged that the Youghal Clock Gate Tower will be open in 2014.

Want to do something for our town, your family, our young people. Join us to pray the novena to Blessed Dominic Collins. 9 Days of prayer which begins on Tuesday 23rd October and finishes Wednesday 31st October, Feast of Blessed Dominic Collins. Mass will be celebrated in Holy Family Church, Youghal, in his honour at 7.30pm, 31st October 2012. Bearing witness to faith. All Welcome. Click on the short video below to find out more about the life of Blessed Dominic Collins

“Taken to Youghal on 31st October 1602, he was marched by a troop of soldiers through the streets to the place of execution”

Blessed Dominic Collins (1566-1602) Irish martyr, Jesuit brother
When the Desmond Rebellion was put down in 1583, Dominic Collins of Youghal became a professional soldier in the Catholic armies of Europe. Ten years later he joined the Jesuits in Santiago de Compostela. Sent back to Ireland in 1601 as a companion to Fr James Archer SJ with the Spaniards going to Kinsale, he was eventually captured and put to death for his faith. Patrick Duffy tells his story.

Early life: a soldier of fortune
Dominic Collins was born into a leading Catholic family in Youghal, Co Cork in 1566. Both his father and his brother served as mayor in the town.and he may have attended the Jesuit school set up in the town in 1577.
The local people recognised Elizabeth as Queen, but did not want Anglicanism as the new religion. So when the Desmond Rebellion was crushed (1583), there was little else for a young Catholic man of ambition to do but to seek a career on the continent. Sailing to France, Dominic enlisted in the Catholic army of the Duke of Mercoeur and quickly became a military governor. He later transferred to the Spanish army and was in the garrison at La Coruña.

Joins the Jesuits
Here in 1598 he met the Jesuit priest, Father Thomas White from Clonmel, who had earlier founded the Irish College at Salamanca and had come to La Coruña to hear the confessions of Irish soldiers during Lent. Dominic confided in Fr White his intention of joining the Jesuits. Fr White explained the difficulties of studies for the priesthood. Dominic said was happy to be a Jesuit brother.
The Jesuits were reluctant to accept him, feeling that a battle-hardened soldier would not settle into religious life, but Dominic persevered and was admitted to the novitiate in Santiago de Compostela. Here he proved his mettle when the Jesuit College was struck by a plague. Dominic tended the victims, nursing some of them back to health and comforting the others in their last hours.
A report sent to Rome at this time describes him as a man of sound judgment and great physical strength, mature, prudent and sociable, though inclined to be hot-tempered and obstinate.
Battle of Kinsale
At this time Ireland was in turmoil. O’Neill and O’Donnell had revolted in Ulster and in 1601 King Philip III of Spain decided to send an army to help them. An Irish Jesuit, Father James Archer, who was acting as O’Neill’s envoy with Rome and Spain, asked that Dominic, who knew the needs of soldiers, be sent with him to Ireland.
Siege of Dunboy Castle
After the shock defeat of the Irish and the Spanish at the Battle of Kinsale, Fr Archer went back to Spain. Dominic went with O’Sullivan Beare’s men to the Beara peninsula and was along with a group of 143 soldiers under the command of Richard McGeoghegan, who took refuge inside Dunboy Castle. This was a small square fortress on the mainland overlooking Beare Island. Here Lord Carew, the president of Munster and an army of 4,000 soldiers besieged them for several months.
During the siege, Dominic, though a veteran of many battles, could not as a religious take part in the fighting, but he could and did give bodily and spiritual assistance to the wounded and the dying. Knowing too how keen Carew would be to capture a Jesuit, he thought that by handing himself over as a hostage he could negotiate an honourable cease-fire. But Carew refused any negotiations and the besieged surrendered. Carew ordered Dominic and two others to be kept prisoners while the rest were hanged in the market-place, fifty-eight on that day, and the remaining twelve four days later. A plaque on the ruins of Dunboy Castle today commemorates their brave struggle.
Interrogation and torture
The three surviving prisoners were brought to Cork for interrogation. As the other two had little to reveal, they were soon executed. But Carew interrogated Collins, hoping he could persuade him to become a Protestant and thus gain a propaganda victory. He alternately tortured Dominic and made him primises of preferment to high ecclesiastical office. Some of Dominic’s own family visited him, urging him to save his life by pretending a conversion which he could afterwards repudiate. But Dominic would have none of it, and clearly made a choice of a martyr’s death.

Martyrdom
Taken to Youghal on 31st October 1602, he was marched by a troop of soldiers through the streets to the place of execution – the first time he had seen his home town in fifteen years. He wore his black Jesuit gown and addressed the crowd in Spanish, Irish and English, cheerfully telling them that he had come to Ireland to defend the faith of the Holy Roman Church, the one true path to salvation. So moved were the crowd that the hangman fled and a passing fisherman was forced to do the job.
Influence
Left hanging on the gallows, the rope eventually broke and Dominic’s body fell to the ground. Under cover of darkness, local Catholics took his body away and buried him with respect in a secret place. From that day he was venerated as a martyr in Youghal and his fame quickly spread throughout Ireland and Europe. In the Irish Colleges of Douai and Salamanca the Jesuits showed his portrait and many favours and cures were attributed to his intercession.
Although used to the rough life of the army camp, Dominic always kept a strange innocence and gentleness. He is one of the most attractive of all the Irish martyrs.

Catryn Power, Specialist in Heritage, Archaeology & Forensic Anthropology  presentation at the recent Youghal Celebrates History Conference 2012. The presentation gave an informative insight and understanding of burial customs at the St. Mary’s Collegiate Church graveyard, Youghal. The 10th Annual Conference was held between the 29th -30th September at The Mall Arts Centre, Youghal. The Theme of this year’s Conference was Pomp and Circumstance- ‘Tales from the Tombs of St. Mary’s Collegiate Church’.

PARADISE REGAINED: A history of burial at the church and graveyard of St. Mary’s Collegiate Church and the future management of its conservation.

A highly valued place for Youghal local community to respect and commemorate its dead loved ones, for about 900 years. Ritual practices changed according to the century, tradition and the pocket, from simple coffin-less and earth-cut burials of lay people in shrouds, sometimes held together with pins, to the burials of the high-status individuals in table top tombs, others with obelisks in the yard of the church to the burials in vaults sunk into the church floor; the occasional one in medieval times, in poisonous (to the excavator) lead. Graveyards, overflowing with burials, and rotting burials under church floors causing sanitation problems, as well as dreadful odours, brought further changes to burial methods. The fear of corpse robberies still saw new cages placed around tombs etc.

An integrated conservation management of such monuments as the graveyard and the church is a significant challenge. Old monuments need attention: metal fixtures rust, stone cracks, earth settles. Descendants move away. Economies have financial difficulties. Unmarked burial areas require recognition and retention. The character of these Monuments must be preserved in perpetuity. Good conservation policies and archaeological practices must be maintained. There are some worrying issues of conservation at St. Mary’s; appropriate conservation specialists are essential. Erosion is evident on the external surfaces of the building.The church and graveyard are in good condition, nevertheless.

 

More info: http://corkarchaeologist.wordpress.com/

Western Front Association Cork Branch Tour Saturday 13th of October 2012 - 9:30am until 6:00pm

On Saturday the 13th of October the Cork Branch of the Western Front Association will present a military themed tour entitled, ‘VC Winners buried in Cork’. The tour will be presented by Mr. Adrian Foley who is the Branch Events Officer. There will be a short presentation given by a number of speakers at each of the sites visited

Participants are advised to wear suitable footwear as some of the locations are on uneven ground.
A fee of €20, which does not include the cost of lunch is applicable to all those w
ho are travelling on the bus. This can be paid on the day.
The tour will be presented as follows

1. 09.30am. Departure from Cork City Library, Grand Parade, Cork
2. 10.10am. Arrival in Aghinagh, Co. Cork. This is the burial site of Lt. Gen. Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart VC. A short description of his life will be given by Adrian Foley.
3. 10. 30am. Depart for Kilmichael.
4. 10.45am. Arrival at Kilmichael Ambush Site. Mr. Gerry White who is The Branch Chairman and also a leading historian will give a short report on the events of November 28th 1920.
5. 11.00am. Depart for Beal Na Blath.
6. 11.15am. Arrival at Beal Na Blath. Mr Gerry White will give a short report on the events of August 22nd 1922 in which General Michael Collins was killed.
7. 11.30am. Depart from Beal Na Blath for Crookstown. Tea/Coffee etc. (20 minutes)
8. 11.50am. Depart for Cork City
9. 12.30pm. Arrival at St. Finbarr’s Cemetery.
Here we will visit both The Republican burial plot and The RBL Veterans burial plot. This plot contains over 80 veterans including many of those who served with The Disbanded Irish Regiments
10. 12.50pm. Depart St. Finbarr’s Cemetery.
11. 1 .00pm. Arrive at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Tory Top Road. A short description will be given on the life of John Dunlay VC of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders who is buried here.
12. 1.15pm. Depart for Cobh Old Cemetery.
13. 1.50pm. Arrive at Cobh Old Cemetery. Mr John Hennessey will give an account on the life of Master Frederick Parslow VC who is buried in Cobh.
14. We will also visit the mass graves of the victims of The SS Lusitania. An account of the disaster will be given by Tim Sweeney.
15. 2.30pm. Depart for Cobh town for lunch.
Time allocated for lunch will be 45 minutes.

16. 3.20pm. Visit to The Lusitania Memorial in Casement Square, Cobh.
17. 3.30pm. Depart Cobh for Aghada
18. 4.10pm. Arrive at Upper Aghada Cemetery. We will visit the grave of William Cosgrove VC of The Royal Munster Fusiliers. There will be a wreath laid on behalf of The RMFA by Dolores Cosgrove who is the niece of Michael Cosgrove.The Cork Branch WFA will also lay a wreath here. There will be a number of photos taken at this point for The Royal Munster Fusiliers Association and The Cork Branch WFA. After the photos Mr Eddie Tucker will give an account on the life of William Cosgrove VC. It is widely accepted that Pte Patrick Green VC is also buried here. Mr. Michael Kenefick will also give a brief description on his life.
19. 4.45pm. Depart from Upper Aghada for Fort Carlisle Cemetery.
20. 5.00pm. Arrive Fort Carlisle Cemetery. This is the burial location of Major G.L.Compton Smith DSO. Mr. Michael Kenefick will give an account of the life of Maj. Compton Smith.
21. 5.30pm. Depart for Cork arriving at 6pm approx.

Related Film
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930)

Watch All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) in Entertainment  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

All Quiet on the Western Front is a 1930 American Anti-war film based on the Erich Maria Remarque novel of the same name now in the Public Domain. It was directed by Lewis Milestone, and stars Louis Wolheim, Lew Ayres, John Wray, Arnold Lucy and Ben Alexander.

All Quiet on the Western Front is considered a realistic and harrowing account of warfare in World War I, and was named #54 on the AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movies. However, it fell out of the top 100 in the AFI’s 2007 revision. In June 2008, after polling over 1,500 workers in the creative community, AFI announced its 10 Top 10—the ten best films in each of ten “classic” American film genres; All Quiet on the Western Front was ranked the seventh best film in the epic genre.

In 1990, the film was selected and preserved by the United States Library of Congress’ National Film Registry as being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The film was the first to win the Academy Awards for both Outstanding Production and Best Director.

This film is in the PUBLIC DOMAIN

Cast
Richard Alexander as Westhus
Ben Alexander as Franz Kemmerich
Lew Ayres as Paul Bäumer
William Bakewell as Albert Kropp
Edmund Breese as Herr Meyer
G. Pat Collins as Lieutenant Bertinck
Owen Davis, Jr. as Peter
Russell Gleason as Müller
Harold Goodwin as Detering
Scott Kolk as Leer
Arnold Lucy as Professor Kantorek
Beryl Mercer as Mrs. Bäumer, Paul’s mother
Walter E. Rogers as Behn
Slim Summerville as Tjaden
Louis Wolheim as Stanislaus Katczinsky
John Wray as Himmelstoss
Arthur Gardner (producer) as classroom student