Newsletters

Our latest edition is packed with fascinating local history, personal journeys, and historic archive discoveries. We begin with a recap of our recent group outing exploring the sights of Co. Longford. Moving into 19th-century emigration stories, Mike Lennon presents the journey of an 1866 letter sent from Baslick parish to the USA, while guest contributor Jackie Curran tells the story of her ancestor Margaret Kilgannon's journey from Tulsk to New Jersey in 1886. We also uncover a newly discovered 1889 obituary for Bernard Farrell, one of the parish’s great natives. Continuing his research into local trade, Mike Lennon shares another installment of customer records from an historic Simpson’s shop credit journal spanning 1945–1948. Finally, we step back into the local justice system with a reprint of an 1877 court case report from the Tulsk Petty Sessions. Happy reading!

Our latest edition is packed with incredible local history, spanning policing, parish treasures, newly released records, and family business stories. ​Noel Sheerin takes a fascinating look at an often-overlooked aspect of our past, exploring the history of local law enforcement under both the RIC and An Garda Síochána. Following this, our cover story by Breege Hyland brings the history of the wonderful Ancient Order of Hibernians banner to life. Once hung proudly inside Tulsk Church, Breege reveals why the back of this beautiful banner is just as interesting as the front! ​Mike Lennon has again contributed much to this issue, providing a valuable Tulsk context to the recently released 1926 Census, alongside Part 2 of the customer list from Simpson’s shop in Clooncullane dating back over a century. We also feature a wonderful history of Fahy’s shop in Glenvale/Glenvela, contributed by guest writer Caroline Fahy Bailey, which serves as a brilliant addition to our ongoing research for the upcoming August publication. Finally, you will have to keep reading to discover the very interesting story of the great stallion, Lapcock, who makes a special appearance in this issue! Happy reading!

In this issue we start off by re-printing an old history of Cargins House written in 1914, and here transcribed by Mike Lennon. Originally published by the Roscommon Herald, it includes a passage on the great harpist Turlough O’Carolan, and how he had a very special place in the story of that demesne, right in the heart of the parish. Something we talked about over the past while has been Tulsk Livestock Mart and we bring you a range of newspaper clippings from its ‘life and times’ in a special feature on this very important part of Tulsk’s recent history. Mike Lennon continues his look at Simpson’s of Clooncullane; in this issue bringing us a list of account holders at the shop during the years of 1915 and 1916. We also reprint here the story of the ‘Giant’s Grave’ at Sheegeeragh, a Duchas Folklore Collection entry from Clashaganny School in the 1930s. We featured this fascinating tale on social media recently, and it got much reaction. Rounding off our March edition is a look back at our 20 newsletters to date - a small way to mark this minor milestone for THS. We hope you enjoy the read!

This month's issue opens with Mike Lennon's fascinating exploration of the history behind the landmark known as Simpson's Cross. Breege Hyland follows with an insightful piece on the Roscommon Herd's Association, a 19th-century labour movement in which Tulsk and its people played a leading role. We are delighted to feature a guest article by Mary Hunt, who reflects on the heritage and beauty of Tulsk's Church of St Eithne & Fidelma. Manus Tiernan contributes a detailed study of the Dillon family of Brackloon and Rathmoyle, adding further depth to our local history. Rounding out the edition are evocative notes from the Roscommon Herald of Christmas in Tulsk in 1906, along with a special Ephemera Corner feature. We hope you enjoy the read!

In this month’s edition Mike Lennon looks at the interesting story of the eviction of Widow Cooke in 1888, which led to the incarceration of 13 Tulsk men during the era of the land wars. We look back at our Heritage Week event with a photo feature before we take a deep dive into John Redmond’s visit to Tulsk in 1903. That was also related to the land question and in a similar vein we’ve uncovered a Tulsk-related poem on the same theme, reprinted in this edition, from the Duchas Folklore Collection. Manus Tiernan writes this month on the history of Baslick Diocese in an article that nicely coincides with our Famine memorial unveiling at Baslick Cemetery in August. We conclude the issue with a report on our outing to Portumna Workhouse and Castle – featured on our cover this month. We hope you enjoy the read!

In this month’s edition Mike Lennon takes our readers to Japan, where the very interesting and tragic story of a Tulsk parish native unfolds in 1923, after a typhoon, fire and earthquake cause devastating damage. Melissa Keigher has another nice tale of Tulsk people abroad, with her focus this time on Castleplunkett native Jane Moran, who moved to Queensland, Australia in 1884. We re-print two parish-related stories from the Duchas Folklore Collection of the 1930s, while a special picture feature on the summer paintings of Roderic O’Conor (one such picture graces our cover) marks the current season. We then take a deep dive into the Ancient Order of Hibernians Tulsk Division 670. Founded in 1911, Jody Moylan traces the organisation’s lifespan through reports and notes from the local (and some not so local) newspapers. Details on how to join THS follow at the end of this month’s issue. We hope you enjoy the read!

In this issue Mike Lennon tells the very interesting, little-known tale of the ‘Battle at Cloonakilla’, which adds another layer to Tulsk’s nineteenth-century history. Breege Hyland then follows up her recent article on Rahardagh House with a look at the influence of forts and raths on local placenames. Noel Sheerin brings us our cover story this quarter – a detailed, 40th anniversary feature on the official opening of Tulsk Lord Edward’s GAA grounds in 1985. A special inclusion this month is the story of Tomona House, as written by the late Paddy Moffatt for the 2009 Co. Roscommon Historical and Archaeological Society Journal. We’ve also got a 20-year anniversary photo feature of a collection of images from Tulsk village in 2005, all captured by Ann O’Leary. We round off the edition with a primary source document from the Tulsk Relief Committee, written during the Great Irish Famine in 1846. It all makes for a big Spring issue and we hope you enjoy it!

Kicking off our Christmas edition is Mike Lennon’s very interesting story about the horse business in Tulsk from the mid-1800s – a big part of our parish history that is much overlooked. We follow with a pictorial look at ‘The Year in Brief’ while Manus Tiernan then brings us an insightful article on the inauguration stone of the Connaught Kings – a stone that is surprisingly well travelled! While we may or may not get a white Christmas (!) our photo feature on Tulsk Abbey and Cemetery under snow last month is a welcome and striking addition to our seasonal issue. Big shout out to the man behind the camera! One of our newest members, Breege Hyland, then brings us the intriguing story of the McDermotts of Rahardagh House. Let’s hope it’s her first article of many for THS. We round off the newsletter with two snow scenes from Percy French and Roderic O’Conor – two local legends that we like to check in on from time to time! Information on how to become a member follows at the end. We hope you enjoy the read!

This month we kick off with the very interesting story of the ‘Fashionable Marriage’ of Walter A. Jones and Bridie French Browne of Mount Browne House (formerly of Tulsk Parish) as it was covered in the local press way back in 1907. Mike Lennon has compiled the story. There’s news of our August trip to County Sligo, with pictures of a rare day of perfect sunshine! The little known, interesting and tragic tale of Slevin’s Thomas F. Neary follows, as Mike Lennon uncovers the life of this Tulsk parish native who was killed in action at St Mihiel in France during World War One. Manus Tiernan brings us the story of Father Plunkett’s monument in Drishaghaun; a wonderful tale of old Castleplunkett. We also cover the Society’s big event of Heritage Week 2024 - the plaque unveiling in Tulsk village, which took place last month. Rounding off our September issue is four short biography pieces of the plaque honourees, four natives we are truly honoured to call our own. We hope you enjoy the read!

In this edition, Mike Lennon concludes his excellent series on the schools of the parish with a look at the history of Rathnagly school (our cover photo, as the building exists today). Bernie Conry makes a special contribution to this month’s issue with a poem he wrote in memory of Rathcroghan’s Vincent Galvin. We also publish Part 1 of our natural heritage feature on the lakes of the parish, with THS exclusive aerial photography. Manus Tiernan concludes his two-part compilation on the journey of St Patrick in the region, while Noel Sheerin writes an anniversary special on the 1984 events that took place in Tulsk to celebrate the centenary of the GAA. Our Wells of the Parish series continues with the lovely well at Carrowtoosan. We hope you enjoy the read!

We hope our first e-newsletter of 2024 finds all our readers well. This month’s edition kicks off with Jody Moylan taking a look at the history of the Tulsk Fife and Drum Band of the late 1800s. Marty Brady tells the interesting story of the Dowell family of Mantua House, some of whom are buried at the Dowell family vault in Tulsk Cemetery. Mike Lennon continues his fine series on the schools of the parish – this time focusing on Castleplunkett NS, while Manus Tiernan brings us an old essay that was written in 1961 about St Patrick’s connection to the parish. Also in the current issue is ‘Well #5’ in our ‘Wells of the Parish’ series, and we also begin a new series – see if you can spot it! Details on how to become a member is covered at the end. Happy reading!

In this issue Mike Lennon continues his very interesting series on the history of the parish schools by looking at Rathcroghan NS. Melissa L. Keigher follows with another fine piece on family histories, and presents part-two of her enquiry into the life of Peter McDermott. Noel Sheerin reports on our cemetery survey work to date, while Marese Feeney investigates the rich pickings from the Castleplunket returns of the 1901 and 1911 Census. Our series on the parish wells continues (Cloonmahaan), we reprint some Shegeerah stories from the Duchas Folklore collection, while Isaac Weld and one-time Cargins native Mary Gorges also make appearances. We hope you enjoy this Christmas Special!