Local History

Welcome to our Local History Page that provides a glimpse into the past of our Kylemore neighbourhood, our local village of Laurencetown, and some nearby historical sites located in our region of County Galway.

(Please note that Laurencetown is often spelled as Lawrencetown.)

Today, Kylemore Acres Ltd. is located in what was once a Church building prior to 1860.  Like the local area that’s rich with history, the Church building has a rich history spanning nearly three centuries.  As we gradually discover this history, we hope to verify some legends and unlock some secrets.

The Church Building

 According to local history sources, after the Church building and the surrounding lands were acquired by Allan Pollock of Scotland (circa 1860), the building was used as a Presbyterian Church.  Shortly thereafter, a schoolmaster’s house was added to the church building.  The building continued to be used for Church services for an undetermined time period, but was also the Kylemore School from approximately 1865 to 1950.

When we began the Church building restoration project, we employed the services of a Scottish architectural consultant who previously worked on several other church and historical building restoration projects.  He estimated that this Gothic-style structure was built around 1760, about 100 years before the construction of the schoolmaster’s house.

We’ve endeavoured to restore the building to its former glory, with some improvements, while preserving the integrity and character of the structure.  Even the side arched windows that were blocked up when we acquired the property have been restored with custom-made wooden framed windows.

Restoration of the building will continue to be a labour of love for us over the next few years until the work is completed.

The Solstice

One of the secrets we’ve unlocked about this old Church building is its positioning to the rising and the setting of the sun.

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised. – Psalm 113:3 (KJV)

In the rear peak of the building is a round opening or window.  Every year on the Winter Solstice, the rising sun bursts the morning light through this round opening at 9:00am.

From the Rising of the Sun...	Rear Round Window of the Winter Solstice
...unto the going down of the same...	Shamrock Sunset of the Summer Solstice

Kylemore School
(excerpted from “Reminiscence:  Lawrencetown National School 1940 – 1990″)

Kylemore School was established by Allan Pollock of Lismany on the 1st of July 1865.  He had a fine schoolhouse and a six-roomed teacher’s residence built at a cost of £700.  Pollock engaged the services of a first class teacher named John Briars and his wife, from County Down to teach in the school.

Later that year, he applied to the National Board of Education for a grant to help with the running of the school.  Pollock stated that there were 26 pupils in attendance, but this could be raised to 100 pupils if the Roman Catholic and Protestant clergymen withdrew their opposition.  The pupils attending Kylemore School at that time were children of Pollock’s Scottish labourers who were of the Presbyterian faith, like himself.  He guaranteed that the male teacher would receive £78 annually, his wife £15 annually, and that they would have a free residence.  These were excellent conditions of work at that time.

John Gardiner, who was Pollock’s agent, established an evening school there in 1880.  The aim of this school was to provide an education for the young workmen and maidservants.  It operated from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm from Monday to Friday.  The fee was 3d weekly per pupil and the instruction was carried out by the day teacher.  About 20 pupils attended these classes.

Other teachers who taught in the Kylemore School up to 1900 include John Flanedy, B. Chambers, William Crawford and David McComb.  The school continued into the mid-20th century.  Unfortunately, further records were destroyed in a fire.

Kylemore School stone marker

In the 1840’s, Lawrencetown had a population of 397 people and 62 houses, a Roman Catholic church, a Methodist chapel, and a school, according to Lewis’ Topographical Dictionary.  During this same period, a Church of Ireland was erected in the centre of the village.

An earthenware industry operated for a number of years in the community.  Allan Pollock owned an corn mill in Kylemore that operated for almost 200 years, grinding oaten meal and Indian meal.  It was one of the first mills in the country to produce white flour.  Pollock’s descendents sold the mill in the early 1900’s to Tom Egan who later sold it to Tom Conway.  It continued to operate as a mill into the 1940’s.  The mill was purchased in the 1960’s by Paddy Lynch and was used for the protein meal industry.

During the 1860’s, a saw mill operated in Ohilmore, the small area between Kylemore and Lawrencetown village.

An R.I.C. barracks was situated in the lower Kylemore area adjacent to the Grand Canal.  The Gardai occupied the barracks for a brief time after the Treaty until the barracks were burnt by the Keogh Flying Column.  At this point, the Gardai relocated into the village of Lawrencetown until the 1930’s when the barrack was made redundant.

Baseball in Kylemore

History was made in 2009 when the game of Baseball was played in “Church Field” in Kylemore.  This is the same field that was part of the old Church and the children’s playground for the Kylemore School.  We estimate that the field hadn’t been used in over 50 years for recreational purposes.  In September of 2009, teams from Baseball Ireland’s Youth League came to play organised baseball.  The following article was written by Will Beglane, President of Baseball Ireland and a former pitcher for the Irish Olympic Baseball Team:

MOW THE FIELD AND THEY WILL COME!

Thanks to wonderful notion to mark out a baseball diamond on the farm field in front of his house (don’t know where he got that idea) we enjoyed one of the best baseball days ever down in the Townland of Kylemore a few miles outside Ballinasloe on the Portumna road. Richard Murray our Youth Secretary had kept the grass of Church Field mowed in preparation for this inaugural tournament.

The omens were good and we were blessed by perfect baseball weather. It may not be Iowa but this is the heart of Ireland’s Mid West. Richard’s directions led me to the bog road that runs along the side of the former school house. Church Field used to be the playground for the children who attended the school and its use dates back to the 17 th Century. There is no M50 traffic chaos down here and the only delays are welcome reminders of where you are. I had to give way to tractors hauling turf from the bog and cattle being moved to fresh pasture.

When I arrived the field was set up and the barbeque was sizzling. It doesn’t get much better than this. The teams arrived from Dublin, Cavan and Kerry. We had cadets and Little Leaguers. The field may not have been the most level of playing surfaces and the left field porch was probably a bit too short for our bigger cadets. However, this only served to add to the experience and we were able to improvise with some ground rules involving the power cables that hung below the trees in left (very rural Ireland).

I could recount in great detail and with great gusto the epic endeavours of the young ballplayers who hustled around the bases, threw and caught the ball with great endeavour and who despatched it skyward in the direction of the next field with the might of their bats. However, to single out any individual or team for special attention would be to do a disservice to the collective effort. Suffice to say, they were all great. If there is a recipe for great baseball days then we must have mixed all the ingredients to perfection.

Of course, none of this would have happened without the inspired imagination of Richard Murray (maybe a nod to WP Kinsella) and a willing team of helpers. Special thanks must go to the catering staff of Jackie Pierce and Diana Murray. The brownies were superb. I would also like to thank all the coaches, umpires and parents who helped make it a special day. And, of course, we have to thank the kids who came out to play.

Will Beglane – Coach and Umpire on the day

For more information on Baseball in Ireland, please go to the official Baseball Ireland website at: www.baseballireland.com

The Hymany Way and The Beara-Breifne Way

After the Battle of Kinsale in 1602, Donal Cam O’Sullivan Beare lost his castles in Dursey and Dunboy.  After withdrawing an army of supporters to a valley near Glengarriff, O’Sullivan Beare was forced to head further north to flee the English army.  On New Year’s Eve in 1602, he left the valley with four hundred fighting men and six hundred followers, consisting of women, children, porters, and servants.  Thus began his epic 14-day journey north to safety in Leitrim Castle.

The Beara-Breifne Way is the longest walk in Ireland and runs nearly the length of the country.  Trail walkers today will find themselves in some of Ireland’s most beautiful regions and least explored areas.  At present, the Beare-Breifne Way joins six defined local ways that are:  The Beara Way, Sli Mhuscrai Gaeltacht, Duhollow Way, Ballyhoura Way, Multeen Way and Hymany Way.  This last section of the walk passes through our local communities of Portumna, Meelick, Eyrecourt, Clonfert, Laurencetown, Clontuskert, Ballinasloe, and Aughrim.

The Hymany Way is the local trail way in East Galway, winding its way near the River Shannon and the River Suck, and through farmlands and bogs.  One section of The Hymany Way will bring the walker along the Poolad Bog Road that runs through our Kylemore Acres farmland.

To learn more about this magnificent walking trail and the history of the O’Sullivan Beare march, please visit www.beara-breifne.ie.