A Grandee. Part 1

A Colclough Grandee. Part 1.

Slight deviation from names here, but it serves a purpose, whereas a grandee might be defined as a person of high status or eminence (rather than the classic Spanish or Portuguese nobleman). This will give me an excuse to quote from a book in my ‘library’. Evenings In the Duffrey (1875) Patrick Kennedy.

A background to this would be the days when an evening’s entertainment was the recounting of tales by the fireside.

                “When we were at leisure in the evening, some allusion was made to the subjects of the previous evening, but Jane and the youngsters clamoured against the introduction of any more old chronicles of sufferings and dismalities. Mr Lucas relieved their fears by saying that he would give them the substance of what took place at Duffrey Hall a short time after Denis’s imprisonment, but there should be nothing dismal about it. The gentleman who occupied the old seat at the time was Adam Colclough, brother of the Vesey whose disagreeable duty it had been to take Dennis into custody.

                The story teller went on… “The most ancient seat of the family is Tintern Abbey where our member Caesar Colclough now lives. It was founded about seven hundred years ago, and called after Tintern in Wales. A knight built it in consequence of a vow he made when in danger of his life at sea. The Colclough’s got possession in Elizabeth’s time, but they remained Catholics till within the memory of some old people I have talked with. The change of religion was made to prevent the estate passing out of the family. The first Protestant of the name often served Mass when a boy…” (Kennedy, 1875, p278.)

Despite the change in religion the locals spoke in admiration of their ‘masters’. The fireside story teller saying “ I do not remember to have ever heard of a tyrannical thing done by the family, and I have heard of numbers of kind and generous ones” (Kennedy, 1875, p 278.)

                The book provides and whimsical but useful description of the area of the Duffrey, “I would not desire a pleasanter occupation on a fine morning than a walk through KIlaughrim and Moynart wood, past Duffrey Hall, and up the gap of Scollagh, with glimpses of Black Stairs on the left and Mount Leinster on the right, marking the variety formed by the grey rocks and purple heath above, and the green patches lying like islands among them, and thecultivtated fields stretching with their stone fences, till they meet the clumps of big trees about Wood Brook, and the noisy Urrin as it tears down the pass that’s cut for it.” (Kennedy, 1875, P279.)

                Adam Colclough from the book is written as “The master of the house was taking his ease in a rustic chair in his garden; his three cornered hat hung on the back of this seat, and the curls of his wig were falling on his shoulders. The features were expressive of good nature, with a dash of testiness”.  The conversation took in hurling, hunting and farming. (Kennedy, 1875, P279.)

                Adam as the local landlord was asked to make judgements in disputes, people would come and petition him, he was generally spoken of as fair and just.  One of his tenants came to complain about a local squire and neighbour a certain Jones of Achasallach, the complainant was of a bardic nature hence;

A new song in honour of Adam Colclough

Good neighbours, and the nine muses, I pray you pay attention,

While I sing of the scare-crow that keeps us in subjection,

Though he dresses fine and grand, the real blood of the county,

Look on him with contempt for they’re all gentlemen of honesty.

Can he compare his bogs and heaths to the woods of Moghurry’

Where the bugles were a soundin’ and the huntsman a runnin’,

He thinks himself a lord, when he kills a black nosed sheep,

While three ox-beefs are slaughtered in Moghurry every week.

No, but he’ll go to Dublin to finish the old law-shuit,

He’ll put into his budget his ends and his awls:

He’ll lay them on his back, and carry ‘em very sassty,

He’ll step into his bulk, an’ he’ll folly his ould callin’.

Now this Jones of Achasallach is a monkey faced rascal;

He’s swarthy in the face, and admi’rable yella;

Not so by Adam Colclough, he’s both white and red;

He’s handsome when he’s dressed, and much handsomer in bed.

And Miss Kitty and Miss Mary, they’re both fair and tall,

They’re as courteous in behaviour as a fleet o’ man o’ war.

When they walk in crimson mantles under the old trees,

T’s Venus and Diana you fancy that you sees.

If you go to Achasallach, and stay but half a day,

You’ll surely have a belly-ache before you come away;

If you go to Moghurry in the beginning of the week,

You’ll get beer ale and brandy till Saturday night.

Now may our Duffrey heroes, and the Yellow Bellies all,

For ever best the Wicklow boys at hurling and football;

May Jones of Achasallach be banished over say,

And Colclough reign at Duffrey Hall for ever and a day.

This caused the gathered much amusement, Mr Colclough “whose sides were aching, cried out, ‘that will do, Peter; I really feel unworthy of praise, wrapped up, moreover, in such sublime poetry. No matter I will speak to Mr Jones, and I venture to promise that you will see your turf safely stacked in your barn…’ (Kennedy, 1875, Pp 285-287.)

Reference:

Kennedy, P., 1875. Evenings in the Duffrey (1875). 1st ed. Dublin: McGlashan & Gill

There are more anecdotes from Mr Kennedy’s  book, so we’ll call this part 1.

A place name in line with other posts, and a name I like, Graig na Manach, the monk's village in the Bearla (English).

Graiguenamanagh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Graiguenamanagh Gráig na Manach
Town
View of Graiguenamanagh and the church from the River Barrow
Graiguenamanagh Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 52°32′00″N 6°57′00″W / 52.533333°N 6.95°W / 52.533333; -6.95Coordinates: 52°32′00″N 6°57′00″W / 52.533333°N 6.95°W / 52.533333; -6.95
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	County Kilkenny
Elevation	32 m (105 ft)
Population (2006)
• Urban	1,545
• Rural	932
Irish Grid Reference	S705440

Graiguenamanagh or Graignamanagh (Irish: Gráig na Manach, meaning "village of the monks") is a town in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located on the R705 regional road by the border with County Carlow on the River Barrow at the foot of Brandon Hill. It is home to Duiske Abbey,^[1] the largest and perhaps the finest of the thirty-four medieval Cistercian abbeys in Ireland.

History

The River Barrow, historically a significant highway, was developed as a commercial navigation in the mid seventeen hundreds and Graiguenamanagh served as the main base for commercial barges operating on the river until barge traffic ceased in 1959. The barges that at one time lined the quaysides are now replaced by some one hundred pleasure craft.
Near to the town are the ruined remains of the early Christian church of Ullard, founded by Saint Fiachra in the seventh century. St Fiachra subsequently moved to France, where he is known as St Fiacre, and founded the celebrated monastery at Meaux. He is the patron saint of gardeners and taxi drivers; French cabs are often known as fiacres in his honour. Some few miles downstream from Graiguenamanagh the ruins of the ancient monastic establishment at St. Mullins are situated in an area of great beauty and historic interest.

Graiguenamanagh.

Year	Pop.	±%
1821	1,546	—
1831	2,130	+37.8%
1841	2,248	+5.5%
1851	1,710	−23.9%
1861	1,320	−22.8%
1871	1,272	−3.6%
1881	1,172	−7.9%
1891	973	−17.0%
1901	852	−12.4%
1911	844	−0.9%
1926	799	−5.3%
1936	845	+5.8%
1946	1,064	+25.9%
1951	1,076	+1.1%
1956	1,366	+27.0%
1961	1,244	−8.9%
1966	1,177	−5.4%
1971	1,303	+10.7%
1981	1,532	+17.6%
1986	1,485	−3.1%
1991	1,395	−6.1%
1996	1,374	−1.5%
2002	1,435	+4.4%
2006	1,376	−4.1%
2011	1,543	+12.1%
[3]

Recreation

Walking, cycling and watersports are among the more popular pursuits of Graiguenamanagh area and with the South Leinster Way meandering through the lovely Barrow Valley and traversing nearby Brandon Hill, scope is provided for a gentle stroll or a vigorous, day-long hike. The Barrow's aquatic facilities include fishing, swimming, kayaking and canoeing. Graigue, as the town is popularly known, is home to a rowing club, a canoe club, an athletics club, the G.A.A(Hurling and Gaelic football) and a soccer club, Highview Athletic.
In the centre of the town, its handsome modern library features a comprehensive Local History Section. It provides an Internet Service to the public and, in addition to its other functions, hosts periodic art exhibitions. The very active Graiguenamanagh Historical Society also sponsor a series of talks and lectures at this venue during the winter season. Adjacent to the library is The Abbey Centre, the home of a Christian Art Gallery and small museum. Here also for the genealogically inclined may be perused the Graiguenamanagh Parish Birth and Marriage Registers.

Duiske Abbey[edit]

View of the 13th-century nave in the early English style which was restored in 1974.^[4]

The Duiske Abbey, which takes its name from the little river Duiske (Blackwater) which joins the Barrow here, was founded by William Marshall in 1204 and was suppressed by Henry VIII in 1536. Significant remains of the monastery exist to the rear of the houses that line the east side of Lower Main Street. The abbey's large "Early English" gothic church, was restored in the 1970s and in its northern aisle a model shows the monastery as it was in the fourteenth century.

Goresbridge in Graiguenamanagh is associated with the Colclough name, many names appearing in my varied searches for family, a definite branch of the family here.