Students have a blast
ON SATURDAY, June 24, Enniscorthy Historical Re-enactment Society was invited by the Byrne Perry summer School, Gorey, to re-enact the Battle of Tubberneering for over 90 students from Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.
The battle which took place on June 4, 1798, was a victory for the United Irish rebels who surprised and ambushed a British force of 400 men under Lieutenant Colonel Walpole killing 100 of them before the rest threw done their weapons and uniforms and fled the battlefield. Colonel Walpole was among the dead. Three cannon were captured by the rebels which were later used at the Battle of Arklow.
Enniscorthy Historical Re-enactment society re-enacted the battle complete with cannon to the delight of the students who cheered enthusiastically for the Rebels with every blast. Historian Dr Kevin Whelan gave the students a detailed account of the battle and called on EHRS chairman Ray Murphy to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Pike and the Brown Bess Musket both used in the battle.
From there it was on to one of Wexford’s best kept secrets – Ballymore House and Museum owned by Margaret Donovan, who made everyone welcome and gave a concise history of her lovely historic home and invited them to enjoy the marvellously interesting and extremely well kept Museum. Both house and museum are privately owned and run and are a credit to Margaret and also to her incredibly well informed grandchildren Charlie and Ben, about 11 and nine respectively, who were so eager to tell visitors all about the Donovan family.
The museum is an Aladdin’s Cave of historic treasurers, including detailed, documented accounts of the compensation claimed and paid to the Donovan family in recompense for the loss and damage caused when the United Irish Rebels confiscated the house and held it for five weeks in 1798, the family having fled to Dublin. There are also wondrous collections of butterflies, moths, sea shells, birds eggs, along with guns, swords and musical instruments, some brought home by members of the family from South Africa. I marveled at the items of clothing all so well preserved and presented like great grandmother’s wedding dress dated 1888 and a ladies’ riding outfit from the same period with the waists on each garment definitely not larger than eighteen inches. Scarlet O’Hara eat your heart out.
Everything in the museum is in excellent condition and so well displayed and depicts the Donovan’s family journey through the generations and is a most valuable piece of Wexford history so lovingly preserved.
But don’t take my word for it go and see for yourself it is open most weekends July/August/September.