Hello and welcome
to this week’s edition of Ireland’s Own
In this week’s issue we take a look back at the history of the Spanish Armada and Ireland. Philip II’s Spanish Armada set out from Lisbon in 1588 with the aim of invading England, but it never reached English shores. Instead many of the ships ended up wrecked along Ireland’s Atlantic coast. The main losses were on Ireland’s jagged coasts where exceptionally severe storms wrecked 24 of the ships making their return journey. These coasts were also the nightmarish setting where most Armada survivors were put to death by a Tudor regime struggling to extend its control over the whole island, writes author, Michael D. Barry, in his new book.
Charlotte Murphy recalls the history of County Limerick’s Kilmurry/Monaleen Parish Church which celebrates 150 years since its consecration in October 1874. Con McGrath tells the story of Glasgow-Irishwoman Agnes Kennedy McGearey who was ‘A Mother to Them All’: She was the Matron of the Casualty Hospital in Imphal, India, where she cared for those wounded jungle warriors – The Chindits.
Mary Bradford continues her look at the nursery rhymes our parents sang and now maybe we share their antics with our own children. Nursery rhymes originated back in 1795 and are still popular. But ever wonder what happened to those characters when they grew up, or, why they did what they did? This is a fun, light-hearted look at some of those characters now as adults.
In her ‘Irish Myths and Legends’ series, Gemma Grant concludes her four-part story, Fionn Mac Cumhaill and the Drinking Horn of Death. In The Ballad Sheet. Eugene Dunphy tells of a romance on board a jaunting car in ‘Trottin’ to the Fair’. Pauline Devine previews some of the great range of Irish language books for children of all ages this festive season.
Paddy Ryan takes a visit to Heywood Gardens, a hidden gem in County Laois while in ‘Can’t Stop Whistling’ MJ Wells wonders if we could have a national or even international whistling day.
This week’s original short story is ‘The Locket’, a Story of Old Seamus by Gerry McCullough. The GAA Year of 2000 is reviewed by Aidan Grennan and in ‘The Witness Statements’, read more about Frank Henderson, stalwart of the Dublin Brigade, part 3. Eamonn Duggan continues his examination of the statement by Frank to the Bureau of Military History.
We have a 12-page Owen’s Club section with more fun and games, features and fascinating facts for our younger readers.
Also in this week’s issue you can read Cassidy Says, Stranger Than Fiction, What’s In A Name?, Dan Conway, Pete’s Pets, Marjorie’s Kitchen, Song Words, Classic Films – The Wooden Horse, Reflective Perspective, Irish Folklore with Eugene Daly, Readers’ Memories, Classic US TV Favourites – The Invisible Man, Waterways of Ireland – Park Canal, Limerick, Lilt of Irish Laughter, Pen Friends, Irish Wildlife – American Mink and more.
I hope that you enjoy this week’s issue and I will look forward to catching up with you all again next week, all being well.
Best wishes, Seán Nolan, Editor, Ireland’s Own
