History Titbits

The legend of Isabel de Clare's heart is outlined in the extract from the wonderful Norman Way brochure below. A certain amount of credence was added to the legend by HG Leask a renowned architectural historian, archaeologist and the first Inspector of National...

It is great to see this wonderfully restored six pounder ship's cannon now sited at the junction of Chapel Lane and High Hill St. In 1798 one such cannon was assigned to Major Vandelour of the Clare Militia who was tasked with defending the Maiden Gate against an...

THE NEW ROSS CONNECTION Two Irish women, Lady Eleanor Butler and The Hon. Sarah Ponsonby are known to history as the Ladies of Llangollen. In 1780 the two aristocrats caused controversy when they ran away together. They would spend the rest of their lives in...

A visit to St Mary's Church cemetery to check out the clean-up following the recent vandalism of graves prompted a bit of research into the inscription on one of the vandalised tombstones. This yielded the attached newspaper report on the event referred to in the...

There are numerous references in the Minute Books of New Ross Corporation to a significant building in the town called "The Cittadell".The name suggests that it was a sort of paramilitary type of stronghold but its exact location is never mentioned.The 2 extracts from...

Details of the murder which occurred in the grounds of Rosbercon Castle are outlined in the newspaper article below from The Welshman dated 15th january 1835.

THE ROTA FOR BUILDING THE WALLS OF ROSS 1265AD An example of what a "Traders Association" can do when they put their minds to it. MONDAY: Vintners, mercers, merchants, drapers. Until noon. Then the priests and mariners.(1000 men)TUESDAY: Tailors & clothworkers,...

Well, he actually did, if we are to believe the reverend bishop's account of this macabre piece of family history. Incidentally the bishop was court chaplain to Queen Victoria. SOURCE: Some Pages of my Life, William Boyd Carpenter, Bishop of Ripon, 1911

A LEGACY RUINED IN ROSBERCON In hindsight, it could appear as pure vandalism but it was not an unusual practice.There are many records, including in New Ross, where the ruins of ancient monuments were torn down and the stonework used in construction/repair of other...

The man commanding the Crown Forces in New Ross on 5th June 1798 was Dublin born General Henry Johnson. Below is a brief biography of the man. Johnson, Sir Henry, Bart., G.C.B., General, was born in Dublin in 1748, entered the army in 1761, and rose through the...

Many Rossonians assume that Sugar House Lane is so named because it at one time contained warehouses which contained or stored sugar, This is not entirely true as the Sugar House after which it was named was actually located on a site in South Street facing the top of...

One of the most momentous events of the Land War and Land League agitation of the 1880's in Co. Wexford is recounted below. "Forty nine persons, and in the number was included an old man of eighty, several women, and some children in arms, who had been evicted from...