It was a very special occasion when a book depicting the History of Inishcrone was appropriately launched in the MacFirbis Centre Kilglass beside the village of Inishcrone. The centre commemorates the first historians to the ancient Irish O’Dubhda chieftains of Tireragh.
The book “Inishcrone and O’Dubhda Country” by native Conor P. MacHale, a graduate of U.C.D., was officially launched by Terry Reilly, Editor of The Western People, the newspaper of the area which is celebrating 120 years of presenting news and events of the North West to the people.
A good attendance of local people expressed great interest in the publication which contains lists of their relatives and friends mostly long gone to their reward. Present also were a number people from America, Australia, Canada, Scotland, England and other parts of Ireland all descendants of the O’Dubhda chieftains of Tireragh who had also come for a clan gathering. Also there were Martin and Mary Timony, well known archaeologists, and Tony O’Donoghue who recently published the History of Crossmolina.
Chairman of the MacFirbis Centre Paddy Tuffy introduced Mr. Terry Reilly, who officially launched the book, said local history was enjoying renewed interest which was most heartening.
“The Western People has dipped into its immense photographic archives to put together a lovely book of photographs, which will be available early in October. And I have been encouraged to reprint Dear Old Ballina which is now on sale again.
“As Conor McHale will attest, there is no money in books on local history: one gathers bits and pieces of history and wants to share them with the community
“Conor MacHale has been a prolific writer on local history: of course, he did not take his interest in history from the wind .., his mother, Gertie, has enjoyed a lifetime as a writer and author, She was the first female reporter to work on the staff of the Western People during the 2nd World War, served in Sligo as the paper’s staff reporter, and was still something of a female pioneer in a man’s world when she headed off to work for the Irish Press in the 1950s. In 1971 she wrote the highly acclaimed ‘Stories from O’Dowda Country’ which Conor says awakened his interest in local history.
“This book of 180 pages plus digs deep into the history of Enniscrone...we read of O’Dubhdas, St Patrick and the Vikings, the Pope and Scurmore, the Black Pig, property, landlords, people the Great Famine and terrible experiences, shipwrecks, pubs, hotels the great Parson Greer, fishing, storms, the bathouses, churches and schools. In fact everything that shaped Inishcrone and its people is touched upon,” he said.
The book should prove a great help to schools and all those interested in local history or indeed in tourism. People coming to the seaside resort or any holiday place are very interested in knowing more about it and often go to the local library looking for information and they are lucky if they can find it. There are many wonderful local historians around the country but unless it is written down it tends to get lost. Inishcrone now has the benefit of this book, although the author said he had material for another two books on the area. It is interesting to note that the picture on the front cover, which depicts an old I.R.A. parade passing Hopkins pub in 1953 was taken by the author’s late father who was the local chemist and amateur photographer for forty years. The colourful map of Killala Bay on the back cover is by Conor’s artist son Fiach and based on two sixteenth century maps of the bay.
Inside there are old photos of such landmarks as Scurmore Hotel, Marine Hotel and ballroom, also the Alpine Hotel taken the day before it was demolished a few years ago.
It is now available in bookshops at 20 euros and from tel./fax (01) 2884250 or (096) 36159 or email heritage@iol.ie