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Topic Newspapers 29 August, 2013

Kinnegad takes trip down memory lane for Heritage Week

KINNEGAD people took a trip down memory lane whilst celebrating Heritage Week and the Kinnegad Gathering, which coincided with each other last week.
books. There was a huge interest in the roll books. People were interested to find themselves in the roll books or members of the family, said Cllr. Leonard.

KINNEGAD LIVE
A live concert held in The Hilamar on Friday night last, August 23, showcased a wealth of talent from across the parish as young people took to the stage, providing a wonderful evening of entertainment in aid of the Kinnegad Youth Club.

Relatives reunited in Tipperary: The Loughman Gathering in Co. Tipperary attended by the Loughmans from Gaybrook and Larry Cooney from Mullingar.

BALLAD & TRADITIONAL NIGHT

Cllr Ruth Illingworth at the monument to General Richard Henry Jackson in Kinnegad.
BY MICHELLE CRAWLEY

The festivities began on Thursday , August 15 when Kinnegad welcomed Pride of Place judges to the town and the parish enjoyed 10 days of celebrations. We enjoyed 10 days of wonderful events. It was fantastic. We are delighted with the turn out and the success of the events expressed Cllr. Denis Leonard, a member of the organising committee.

HISTORICAL WALK & TALK

Kinnegad celebrated its historical heritage with a walking tour guided by local historian, Ruth Illingworth. The tour, which began at the old school, encompassed historical sites across the town, including the Church of Ireland graveyard, the Church of the Assumption, where Ruth provided information about two famous parishioners General Jackson and Cardinal Glennon, before stopping at the new Boreen

Bradach heritage board, which was launched earlier in the week, as part of the Kinnegad Parish Community Tourism Project. After the walk, Ruth gave an hour long talk on the history of Kinnegad, where she gave accounts of the changes that have taken place from celtic to modern times. J.J Farrell, a local farmer, also spoke about the changes that have taken place in agriculture down through the years and gave an account of farming life, as well as the fairs in times gone by .

MEMORIES OF SCHOOL
Another night of remniscing followed on Thursday, August 22, when Rose Flynn, a former principal of St. Etchens N.S, spoke nostalgically about school life. On the night, the group looked back on how teaching and school life has changed in recent years, as well as taking a look back on school memorabilia and the roll

A thoroughly enjoyable and successful fundraiser was held in The Hilamar on Saturday night last, August 24, with all proceeds going towards the autism unit planned for the new Rathwire National School. On the night, musicians from across Westmeath performed on stage, including members of Ballynacargy Comhaltas, and the Nally family from Ballymore. It was a fantastic night and a great initiative. It was a wonderful concert showcasing the great talent within the county . Over 800 was raised on the night for the Rathwire N.S autism unit, said Cllr. Denis Leonard. Other events included; set dancing in the old school for those light of feet or who just wanted to give it a try , traditional nights in the local public houses, and a variety show held in The Downs Hall in aid of senior citizens. The ten day celebration came to a close at the hugely enjoyable Clonard Vintage Festival held on Sunday last, August 25.

After-Mass chat in Hollyford: Members of the Loughman family from Gaybrook chat with Liams aunt 95 year old Mary (Babie) Noonan last Sunday morning. Pictured from left Siobhan Loughman, Mary Noonan, Mairead Loughman and family history author, Liam Loughman.

Cousins reunited: At the social evening in the Ponda Rosa in Annacarty Larry Cooney, extreme right, was joined by his cousins, Athlone native Camilla Loughman, Portumna native Oliver OShea, and Marie Healy from Delgany Co. Wicklow.

Mullingar men part of very successful Tipperary Family Gathering

Gaybrook author, Liam Loughman and his family, along with Topic reporter Larry Cooney, were reunited with their relatives, many of whom they had never previously met, for a nostalgic Gathering event in Dundrum, Co. Tipperary last weekend.
BY LARRY COONEY

Side view of Old School house in Kinnegad which walkers were able to have a look around on their tour of historical sites.

Patricia Lynch (nee Murrayhill) and Chris Nolan (nee Kenny) who returned home to Kinnegad for The Gathering festival there.

JJ Farrell, Rosaleen Ronan, Rose Flynn, Cllr Ruth Illingworth, Cllr Denis Leonard and Michelle Bray pictured before taking part in a walk around historical sites in Kinnegad on 19 August.

Westmeath homes beginning to bounce back

The cost of renting a home in Westmeath is beginning to improve after years of decline according to the latest report carried out by daft.ie
BY DWAYNE LEAVY

The report showed, that in the last year, the cost of renting a home in Westmeath has gone up in line

with most other counties and cities. The average cost of rent rose by 0.8 in the last year, which is in line with the average across Ireland. The average price of

rent is now 568 in Westmeath, the costliest in the midlands. It seems that after years of falling house prices that the trend is now starting to reverse,

Along with their other cousin, Portumna-based Dolores OShea, both Liam and Larry were the co-ordinators of what proved to be a very successful and memorable event, which began in Dundrum House Hotel last Friday evening and also ended there following lunch last Sunday afternoon. Almost eighty of the visitors, from as far away as Auckland, New Zealand and California, USA and more closer to home in the UK, who all stayed in Dundrum were joined by as many more relatives from the local area for an event that was billed as a once in a lifetime occasion and it is safe to say that many who attended will have been left with nothing but positive memories of an unforgettable weekend.

Loughmans work on the family history, dating back over 350 years. It ended in their native Hollyford when youngest of nine of the Loughman family Rogie sold the Foilmacduff homestead in 2002. And a visit to that same homestead was also one of the highlights of the weekend. There the two surviving members of the Loughman family, sisters Mary (Babie) Noonan and Nonie Cooney were reunited around the hob in the old kitchen courtesy of the current proprietor Johnny Ryan, who threw open the entire farmyard for an organised barbecue that included music from a young folk group - Na Broic and also a display from four young Irish dancers. Although it was wet and miserable on Saturday afternoon, the party lasted over three hours.

The iconic moment of the Tipperary Gathering weekend: Sisters Nonie Cooney (85) from Birmingham and Mary (Babie) Noonan (95) from Kilross were reunited last Saturday in the kitchen of the house in Hollyford Co. Tipperary where they were reared back in the late 1920s.
adjoining village of Annacarty the Ponda Rosa was the venue for a social evening to round off a memorable day to the sound of the music of Sean Doran and Sammy Smith from Mullingar. Everyone visited the family plot in Kilpatrick cemetery on Sunday followed by Mass in Hollyford at 11.00am and the final Gathering photograph overlooking the Slieve Felim Mountains. Just before he departed for home on Sunday afternoon Liam Loughman said: I never quite knew how my version of the family history would be received but after such a wonderful weekend it has probably been one of the most satisfying projects I have ever undertaken in my life and I would be pleased to help any other families who might also like to know more about their own backgrounds.

FAMILY HISTORY
Many of those who attended were interested and even intrigued by Liam

FARMYARD BARBECUE AND SOCIAL EVENING

Later that evening just a few miles away in the