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Abbeyleix Heritage House
Abbeyleix Heritage House is Laois' biggest history museum, community centre and business hub.
TRIVIA THURSDAY![]()
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This week's quiz is Christmas Trivia! Click on the link to give it a go:![]()
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PARENT AND BABY GROUP![]()
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Our last Parent and Baby/Toddler group meet up is on tomorrow Thursday 12th December. We will be back on 16th January 2025. Many thanks to all who have attended throughout the year!đâš
Todayâs post is of an Abbeyleix copybook, made in Ireland for Joseph Dobbs, who was a member of the Dobbs family that lived at Tunduff, Abbeyleix. The Dobbs family had been living in Abbeyleix for generations, before eventually moving away, mostly during the early 20th century. Joseph Dobbs owned several farms, as well as being a merchant. The student who owned this copybook was David Sheridan Spence, a young schoolboy who attended Preston school in Abbeyleix. Spence came from a privileged Protestant background, and was born in Clontarf, Dublin, in 1895, but later moved to Abbeyleix. He lived with his father, James Patton Spence, who was once a sergeant in the R.I.C. and then Head Constable of the Abbeyleix R.I.C. Station. His father, David Spence, was also in the R.I.C. ![]()
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James P. Spence faced an investigation in 1906 while he was Head Constable for not allowing Catholic members of the R.I.C. in Abbeyleix to âattend divine service on holidays of obligation.â He was also questioned about âDippersâ who had arrived in Abbeyleix and stayed in Tullyroe in early 1906. These preachers were a part of a religious sect, founded in Ireland in the late 19th century. Spence denied having ever attended any of their meetings, and denied having any support for them. By 1913 James P. Spence was working as head constable for the R.I.C. in Portlaoise.![]()
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Davidâs mother Henrietta Georgina Walker passed away in Abbeyleix in 1910 at the age of 49. David continued living in Abbeyleix with his father and attended school. David was a successful student, having won several awards and scholarships throughout his time at Preston. While at Preston, Spence received first Class Exhibitions in both Science and Arithmetic and two medals in Mechanical Science, amongst other accolades. In 1912 David began attending university. By the early 1920s David was living in Belfast, working as a medical doctor. ![]()
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Sources:![]()
Leinster Express 1831-current, Saturday, May 26, 1906; Page: 3, Irish Newspaper Archives![]()
Leinster Express 1831-current, Saturday, November 16, 1912; Page: 5, Irish Newspaper Archives![]()
UK, Medical and Dental Students Registers, 1882-1937, The Wellcome Trust; London, England; Medical and Dental Students Register; Reference Number: b24389535_i13753538, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. (2016)![]()
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#Laois #curatortuesday #abbeyleixheritagetown #abbeyleixheritagehouse #foundinthearchives
*RESTOCK* ![]()
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St. Laserianâs GAA Club Abbeyleix- From the Beginning, by Billy Phelan.![]()
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đAbbeyleix Heritage House
Todayâs post is of a letter that was written 103 years ago, from the Leix Social And Benevolent Society in New York to Frank Gowing of Kilminchy, Portlaoise. The Leix Social and Benevolent Society was founded in New York as a group that helped emigrants from the county in their new lives in the states. It was officially established in 1891, with its constitution being drawn two years before (1889). The society continued to be active for much of the twentieth century. Many memorabilia and documents from the society are held in the archives of Heritage House. ![]()
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Frank Gowing was a farmer, auctioneer and victualler from Kilminchy. His father was a former Justice of the Peace, while his mother Julia Gowing was a member of the Maryborough Ladies Land League during the early 1880s. Francis/Frank may have been a brigade quartermaster for the Laois Brigade, during the Irish War of Independence. The Leix Social and Benevolent Society wrote to Gowing in December 1921, wanting to give money towards the people of Laois. ![]()
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At the time of this letter, the Irish War of Independence had only ended in previous months, and the fate of Ireland hung in uncertainty. Many in Laois were involved in the conflict, and were members of the Irish Volunteers. Many households would have also aided and harboured people on the run from British forces. Laois, like other counties, had many of their men interned in places such as Ballykinlar and the Rath Camp in the Curragh. Internment camps were established by the British in attempts to stop the War of Independence. Ballykinlar in particular, which was a former military camp, had 2,000 people held there who were suspected of republican activity. There was much unrest in the county at this time, with cruel attempts of squashing nationalist resistance. In response, there were R.I.C. raids carried out. Many in Laois were also suffering from poverty.![]()
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Only 5 days after the letter was written, the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed, establishing the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland. This would also lead to the Irish Civil War. The Laois brigade would also fracture, much like Irish Volunteers all over the country, into Pro and Anti Treaty. ![]()
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Sources:![]()
Bureau of Military History, 1912-1921, Statement by Witness No. W.S. 1533 W. A. Tynan, bmh.militaryarchives.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1533.pdf![]()
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Leinster Express 1831-current, Saturday, November 14, 1970; Page: 3, via Irish Newspaper Archives![]()
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#Laois #curatortuesday #abbeyleixheritagetown #abbeyleixheritage #abbeyleixheritagehouse
