The entire 1911 census (and most of the 1901 census) of Ireland is now available online for free. It’s a fantastic tool if you want to check your roots, and great to see their returns written in their own writing.
This is my great grandfather, Jerome Murphy’s census return from April 2nd, 1911. He was a shipping clerk for Cunard in Cobh, Co. Cork (then Queenstown). My granny, Marjorie is also there, aged 12. Check out your own at www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/
To see it bigger, click on the photo, and on the flickr page, click on actions>view all sizes
Not many posts recently, I’ll make up for it now. I’m taking the photos next month at Aidan McCann and Sharon Leddy’s wedding, so we went for a practice run up at Crover the other evening.
The Copperkettle website is iPhone friendly. If you read the copperkettle.ie website regularly using your iPhone or iPod Touch, you can add the logo above to your home screen simply by going to the site, tapping on “+” at the bottom of the screen, and choosing “add to homescreen” in the menu that comes up. That way you can visit easily anytime you like!
near Milltown, Belturbet, Co. Cavan was founded in the early sixth century. The original wooden buildings were replaced by stone in the 12th Century, and later added to in the 15th Century. You can clearly see the two periods by the different types of stone building in the tower. The monastery is associated with St. Mogue, who was born in nearby Templeport. It’s in a beautiful place overlooking two lakes in peaceful quiet countryside, however we weren’t the only visitors yesterday, these two Irish hares must have thought it was still March. There are some unusual headstones in the graveyard. The one below with the skull and crossbones is conclusive proof that we’ve been colonised by aliens, with it’s egg-timer on the left, coffin underneath, and space-shuttle on the right!
After a little further research (Thank You, Google), it’s possible these weren’t aliens after all. William Roulston explains the meaning of the strange pictures known as ‘Mortality Symbols’ on some headstones. The skull and cross-bones is a well known symbol for death. The coffin and the bell represent a funeral. The hour glass represents the time running out. These symbols tell us a lot about how people felt about life and death at that time. Headstones like these can be found around Fermanagh and in parts of Monaghan.
Crosskeys Pony Club had their Easter Trotting Run today from Kilnaleck to Mountnugent and back. Here’s Sean McGaughran, Conor Rehill and Brendan McPhillips at Killyfassey.
In Caldragh Cemetery on Boa Island, Lower lough Erne stand two unique stone carvings. Dating from the first century A.D. the larger of these is a Janus figure, two figures back to back with pear shaped heads and interlacing between the heads representing hair. seems to consist of a woman and a man, fastened together back to back by a solid band. Although the leather band does not really include the arms the hands of both individuals do seem to be tightened by shackles and they are unable to free themselves.
The male person is lusty and we wonder why he cannot turn around and mate with his partner. The male figure with a phallus underneath his crossed arms seems to be blind on one eye, which may refer to Odin, who was blind at the left eye as well. He gave his left eye to the giant Mimir who allowed him to drink from the source of wisdom.
The third figure which is known as “the Lustyman” because it was found on the nearby island Lusty More, may in fact be a female figure. Both figures are described as Celtic Idols. The Carvings appear to have weathered quite a lot in recent years.
