Ireland’s agricultural heritage and the Fair Days of the 19th century will be brought to life when ‘Traditional Harvest Day’ returns for the first time since 2017 to Bunratty Folk Park on Sunday next September 17th.
Traditional threshing machine at work.
Rural Irish life and traditions from over a century ago will be showcased as part of the family day out, which will feature a display of vintage machinery and tractors, craft demonstrations, and dancers, musicians and performers from across the Banner County. (Co. Clare)
A traditional threshing machine will be put to work giving visitors an insight into how neighbours and friends once gathered during the harvest in the spirit of “meitheal”[Latter Irishword meaning ‘Group‘]. Enthusiasts will be on hand to speak about the evolution of the vintage farm machinery on display on the day, including tractors, and stationary engines. Visitors will also view a range of various ploughs, hay rakes, Root Cutter (Pulper), Turnip and a Mangel Seeder.
The public will be able to witness local craftspeople at work, including Michael Foudy, as he carries on the time-honoured tradition of basket making, Blacksmith Ger Treacy, Elizabeth O’Connor and Geraldine O’Sullivan who will demonstrating the ancient craft of wool spinning, using locally sourced wool, a practice first introduced by Neolithic farmers over 6000 years ago. Bunratty’s ‘Bean an Tí’s’ also will be on hand throughout the day to demonstrate the art of bread and butter making and with tasting opportunities for those who pay a visit to the Golden Vale and Loop Head Farmhouses.
As well as so much to see throughout the 26-acre site, there will be entertainment from Sean Nós Singer MacDara Ó Conaola, the Mary Liddy School of Music from Newmarket on Fergus, the Helen Hehir School of Dance, and resident musicians James Anglim and Michael Grogan, while resident Seanchaí Mike ‘Mickey Joe’ Flynn will regale stories of tales of bygone days and traditional ways from Corry’s Pub on the Village Street. At the Old Schoolhouse, located in the Village Street, the school master will be on duty to greet children and adults as they hand over their customary sod of turf for the tiny school room fire.
A range of native Irish and Heritage Breeds of animals will be located throughout the Folk Park paddocks on the day, including Irish Red Deer, Peacocks, Highland Cattle, Tamworth Pigs, goats, geese, bronze turkeys and the recently arrived Irish Wolfhounds Míde and Rian.
MsMarie Brennan, (Events Manager at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park), commented, “We are delighted to bring back this event after a six-year hiatus and to give everyone, both young and old, a flavour of what life would have been like in Ireland during harvest time at the turn of the 19th century. The essence of a Harvest Day was bringing communities together, to support, celebrate and toast the end of a good season,” she explained. “Threshing was backbreaking work, which started early in the mornings and continued until the end of the day with neighbours and friends, all gathering to help out. The machine, and all the activity about it, had a special attraction for children. Its moving belts, the noise from inside and the way it put out straw and oats, was as intriguing back then as the latest computer game is today. We are looking forward to providing a true glimpse of life in rural 19th century Ireland and celebrating the immense sense of community and hospitality that existed during harvest time. Throughout the Folk Park, for example, there will be plenty of activities available to visitors just like during the fairs of old” added Ms. Brennan.
Visit www.bunrattycastle.ie for more on the Traditional Harvest Day. Normal admission rates apply.
More than 300 farmers are today staging a protest outside the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party think-in in County Tipperary over proposed changes to a nitrates derogation and plans to hold further protests at this week’s Fine Gael meeting in Limerick and at the National Ploughing Championships.
Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) gather to protest at Horse and Jockey Hotel, outside Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Picture: G. Willoughby.
Members of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) have gathered at the Horse and Jockey Hotel, outside Thurles, Co. Tipperary, to call on Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to oppose an EU Commission decision to introduce a tightening of rules around the spreading of manure from January next.
Laois farmer and IFA Presidential candidate Mr Francie Gorman said the Minister and his Department were forcing farmers to the brink with the new rules, which he claims would force farmers to reduce their herd and acquire land to abide by the proposed increased limits.
“Farmers will not accept anything less that the nitrates decision being reversed and a total review of banding. Both of these moves combined will have a devastating impact on the smaller family farm, especially fresh milk producers,” commented Mr Gorman.
He continued, “As I informed the Minister at yesterday’s International Sheepdog Trials in Blessington, County Wicklow, the IFA has put forward a credible solution that will help Ireland meet its targets under the nitrates directive and avoid the inevitable loss of jobs and income that the new rules will bring about, if introduced in their current form. The situation is being exacerbated by the fact that an early decision on the CAP strategic plan has led to payments not being made on time.”
Mr Gorman said IFA members will step up their protests unless the Government changes its approach. “We will bring our protest with even greater numbers to the Fine Gael think-in on Friday in Limerick, and we will continue our opposition to the proposed rules at the National Ploughing Championships and at Department of Agriculture offices across the country until such time as the Minister starts fighting for our sector and the 170,000 people that it employs,” he concluded.
Ms Annie Moore (1874–1924), named in the song hereunder, was an Irish immigrant, and the first person in the United States to pass through federal immigrant inspection at the Ellis Island Station, in New York Harbour. As the first person to pass inspection at this then newly opened facility, she was presented with an American $10 gold piece, by an American immigration official.
Annie had set sail from Co. Cork, Ireland, aboard the Guion Line steamship ‘Nevada’ in the year 1892. Her brothers, Anthony and Philip, who journeyed with her, were aged just 15 years and 12 years respectively.
Her parents, Matthew and Julia, had arrived in the United States 4 years earlier, in 1888, and were both residing at No. 32 Monroe Street, Manhattan, New York, USA.
Annie would go on to marry the son of a German Catholic immigrant, named as Joseph Augustus Schayer (1876–1960), latter a salesman at Manhattan’s Fulton Fish Market, with whom she had possibly some eleven children.
She sadly died of heart failure on December 6th, in 1924, at just aged 50 years. She was buried in Calvary Cemetery, at Maspeth and Woodside, Queens, New York City, New York, USA.
Lyrics: Irish songwriter and novelist Brendan Graham.
Vocals: The distinctive Irish (Galway) singing voice of Sean Keane.
Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears
On the first day of January, eighteen ninety-two, They opened Ellis Island and they let the people through. And the first to cross the threshold of that Isle of hope and tears, Was Annie Moore from Ireland, who was only fifteen years.
Chorus Isle of Hope, Isle of tears, Isle of freedom, Isle of fears, But it’s not the Isle you left behind, That Isle of hunger, Isle of pain I will never see again, But the Isle of home is always on your mind.
Repeat Chorus In a little bag she carried all her past and history, And her dreams for the future in the Land of Liberty, And courage is the passport, when your old world disappears, But there’s no future in the past, when you’re fifteen years.
Repeat Chorus When they closed down Ellis Island in Nineteen Forty-Three, Seventeen million people, had come there for sanctuary, And in springtime when I came here and I stepped onto it’s piers, I thought of how it must have been, when you’re fifteen years.
Pre-deceased by his parents Edmond and Sarah, brothers Martin and Dinny, and sister Lizzy; Mr Ryan passed away peacefully while in the care of staff at Medical Ward 4, Tipperary University Hospital, Clonmel, surrounded by his loving family.
His passing is most deeply regretted by his loving wife Mai, brother Jimmy, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, grand nephews, grand nieces, cousins, extended relatives, neighbours and many friends.
The extended Ryan family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time and have made arrangements for those persons wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.
A 27-year-old Tipperary man, named as Mr Martin Harty, who was caught travelling in a stolen car in Cork city earlier this year, has been jailed for six months.
Mr Harty, with an address at No. 59 Summerhill, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, appeared before Cork District Court, and pleaded guilty to the accused charge, which arose out of an incident where he was found to be a front seat passenger in a stolen vehicle.
The crime was first detected on January 15th 2023, when Gardaí responded to a report that a stolen Vauxhall Insignia car was being driven in the area of Barnavara Crescent, Banduff Road, Co. Cork. The vehicle came to a halt at the rear of a house at Barnavara Crescent. Two men were then observed exiting the vehicle, before fleeing into a back garden. The front seat passenger was identified as Mr Harty who pleaded guilty to allowing himself to be carried in a stolen vehicle.
Mr Justice Olann Kelleher noted from 96 previous convictions; on this occasion it was the third time the defendant had travelled in a stolen car and that this latest offence merited a prison sentence.
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