During October of 1993 some of the places mentioned in the Bagnall
chapter of Eva Plewman's book "A Family Tapestry" were visited and
the photographs posted here were taken, by a Bagnall descendant,
Betty Smith, and her husband Robert. Their photos and discriptions follow on this page.
To appreciate the photos then, they may be perused together with the
text of the Bagnall chapter of this book at http://members.xoom.com/ray970/
Leighlinbridge
The pictures start with the beautiful scenes in Leighlinbridge at
the"Black Castle" on the River Barrow in County Carlow. The bridge
crossing was of great strategic importance as it served the prehistoric
highroad from Tara to Gowran and Bennetsbridge. Dudley Bagenal
purchased the Castle and the Barony of Idrone in 1585. His brothers
acted as Constables until his son, Nicholas reached his majority in
1602. The castle was built in 1547-8. But the Mote-and-Bailey date to
1180. For more go to
http://www.itcarlow.ie/Carlow/blkcastle.html
Leighlinbridge Photo Page 1 of 3 click here Leighlinbridge Photo Page 2 of 3 click here Leighlinbridge Photo Page 3 of 3 click here
Ballymoon Castle
The pictures of the ruins of Ballymoon Castle show a barren
landscape. It was found about 1.2 miles from Bagenalstown East of
the center on route I-39. Nearby are the scars in the hillside from
where the stones for its construction are believed to have come. It is
dated with reasonable certainity to about the year 1310. Dudley lost
his life in an ambush in the Scalp Rocks about a mile south of
Ballymoon in 1587 during a feud with the Kavanaghs. He had taken up
residence there when he was ousted from the Constable post at
Leighlinbridge. For more on this history go to
http://www.itcarlow.ie/Carlow/CCBallymoon.html
Ballymoon Ruins Photo Page 1 of 3 click here Ballymoon Ruins Photo Page 2 of 3 click here Ballymoon Ruins Photo Page 3 of 3 click here
Dunleckney
About 1610, the building of the new family mansion at Dunleckney in
Bagenalstown, formerly Muine Bheag, began. The Smith photos reveal
three stages of building and reference is made to traces of an even
earlier stage. The final stage was built in 1835, but restorations and
improvements have continued to the present.
When the Smiths found the estate, a tour was most hospitably given
by a Mr. Richard Sheehan who was doing some gardening there. Then
in January of 1995, a year or more later Mr. Sheehan sent along the
Fieldcrest Manuscript, available at http://members.xoom.com/ray970/fieldcr.html (or click at bottom of this page) and the
beautiful copy of the watercolor of the doorway, with his note telling
who had painted it.
Dunleckney has now apparently become available as a country inn
and the information is that it has been modernized completely. It is
about 3/4 of a mile north of Ballymoon on a side road and is 2.5 Km
from Bagenalstown. See the bed and breakfast section on the Go
Ireland tourist guide web site at
http://www.goireland.com/low/VisitorsGuide/Accom.htm
Dunleckey Photo Page 1 of 3 click here Dunleckey Photo Page 2 of 3 click here Dunleckey Photo Page 3 of 3 click here
Dublin
Eva Plewman's book shows Bagnall family in Dublin about 1800 and
this branch of the family were the antecedents of Betty Smith. For
several generations they were, according to a city directory,
"bootmakers to the Lord Lieutenant". Many members of this part of
the family are buried in St Jerome cemetery.
In a memoir book by Richard Guy Pearse Bagnall of Vernon, British
Columbia, Canada he describes the funeral of Eleanor Plewman
Bagnall, his mother in 1896. "Mother had expressed the wish that 'all
of her poor people' regardless of their religion should ride in carriages
to the cemetary and back...The Salvation Army came in uniform,
accompanied by their very fine band. It was about three miles from
the residence to the cemetery, Mt. Jerome...some three to four
hundred assembled in the street..the procession moved off, the
Salvation Army providing bright music, chiefly hymns, which the
people joined in singing." This colorful story of the past era seems to
place the family in Dublin into the social fabric of those times.
The wedding between Anne Bagnall's son William Rothwell and
Eleanor Bell at Monkstown Church in Dublin took place about 1800 .
Dublin Photo Page 1 of 2 click here Dublin Photo Page 2 of 2 click here
General
Some further historical data on the Irish Bagenals from the early
1630's which puts their political and religous connections into
perspective is found at
http://www.goireland.com/Genealogy/scripts/Family.asp?FamilyID=
398
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To go to Fieldcrest Manuscipt Index Page click here To Go Back to Bagnall Home Page.click here. Send mail to Betty & Robert Smith by clicking here Send mail to Ray Parsons by clicking here
