History Titbits
Snippets of history from the town of New Ross. A look at back quirky news stories, unusual events and major milestones for the town.
STONE MAD
Have you ever spotted the many stone pillars below as you pass along our streets? Have you ever wondered what their purpose was? Some of them are strategically placed to protect corners of and entrances to buildings from damage by cart or barrow wheels. Others may...
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING
The wheel of fortune has certainly turned for New Ross. The town has experienced many ups and downs over the centuries alternating between prosperity and stagnation.There is an interesting take on the state of 14th century New Ross in the narrative below.
IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE
There is a Latin inscription in the keystone of the arch in the doorway of The Tholsel. It reads " LIBERTATE ASSERTA VICIT VERITAS" and is illustrated in Hore's History of the Town & County of Wexford (see below).We tried Google Translate and the result didn't...
QUAKER FAMILY SETTLES IN NEW ROSS
The Elly family were well-known merchants and ship owners in 18th and 19th century New Ross. They gave the name to Elly's Walks located near the current entrance to the Brandon House Hotel (see map). The practice of giving a male child his mother's maiden name as his...
A TOMB WITH A VIEW
One can only marvel at the artwork and intricate detail of this monument situated in the south transept of St Mary's Church. Attached to the built up north wall of the South Transept is a very well preserved tomb with a central cross, the head & arms of which are...
WE BID YOU ALL ADIEU
No information other than names etc. But just try to imagine the many before and after stories involved.Some of the names were spelt as they sounded which may explain some Irish American surname variations.
A list of “Marksmen”
NEW ROSS VOTERS ON TARGET Below is a list of "Marksmen" for the town as per the British Parliamentary Papers of 1837. However, the definition of the term is not what you might think..... Marksmen (i.e. illiterate voters),
ANOTHER PART OF OUR QUAY FRONT HERITAGE
This building built in 1861 was originally the premises of The National Bank in the town until the company merged with Bank of Ireland and the Hibernian Bank in 1969. It then became known as Bank of Ireland 20 The Quay, New Ross.There were then two branches of Bank of...
THE ASSAULT ON THE THREE BULLET GATE.
ON THIS DAY 221 YEARS AGO: JUNE 5th 1798.THE ASSAULT ON THE THREE BULLET GATE. A SHORT ACCOUNT.At approximately 3:30 in the morning Matthew Furlong approached the Three Bullet Gate under a Herald's flag with a letter from Bagenal Harvey for General Johnson. It is said...
PILGRIM’S PRESENT TO POPE
In the Holy Year of 1950, an Irish pilgrimage to Rome brought along a memento of New Ross craft. SOURCE: The Advocate (Melbourne) May 25th 1950
BACK WHEN THE TOWNSPEOPLE OF NEW ROSS SHOWED THEIR “CAN DO” ATTITUDE
There is a belief that we should learn from history and not live in it. Perhaps then there is a lesson for modern New Ross regarding cooperation and community enterprise in the events of 754 years ago. THIS TOWN NEEDS A WALL They commenced, accordingly, on the feast...
MURDER MOST FOUL The clippings from Welsh newspapers below from May 1863 set a background of intrigue and tragedy worthy of any crime series or novel.