Jonesborough, County Armagh
Encyclopedia
Jonesborough, known before the Plantation of Ulster
as Bollanclare (from ), is a small village
in County Armagh
, Northern Ireland
, one kilometre from the border with County Louth
in the Republic of Ireland
in the Ring of Gullion. It is about 8 kilometres south of Newry
. In the 2001 Census
it had a population of 273 people. In 1837 it had 174 inhabitants. It lies within the Newry and Mourne District Council
area.
Jonesborough is famous for its weekly Sunday open-air market which can attract thousands of people.
Roth Jones founded the village in 1706. Jones was the landlord of the area in the early part of the 18th century. The village was previously known as Four Mile House.
, both Protestant members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary
(RUC), were shot dead by the Provisional Irish Republican Army, while travelling in Buchanan's car, near Jonesborough. See also The Troubles in Jonesborough
.
Kilnasaggart stone stands in in a field not far from Kilnasaggart Bridge. It is a tall pillar stone, 2 metres high, and inscribed with some Ogham script , crosses, most within circles, and a Gaelic inscription. The pillar-stone is said to have originally been a pagan site for Druidical worship and sacrifice. It is also believed to commemorate an ancient warrior or boundary. Also at this spot there is an ancient graveyard believed to have belonged to the Druids. The Pillar Stone stands at the Northern edge of a double circle of graves, the outer ring of graves being larger in size than the inner ones, with the feet of the dead pointing towards the centre. The graves cannot be seen as they are completely covered in grass. At the base of the stone there are some small stones with crosses engraved on them.
One of these small stones has a peculiar shape to it and it is supposed to fit into the cavity on the top of the pillar stone. There is a legend attached to this stone which is perhaps the only remaining trace of paganism left here. This whole area west of Slieve Gullion, including Dromintee, was known as Gleann-na-Samhaisce, "The Glen of the Heifer". There once was a famous cow here in this glen who gave milk in abundance to everybody who came, always filling the bucket. However, a person attempted either through greed or malice, to milk her into a sieve. This angered the cow so much that she stamped her foot on this stone and then fled the valley forever. The shape of her hoof remains in this stone to this day.
Kilnasaggart Pillar Stone
The name Cill na Sagart means Church of the Priests and it is believed a monastery stood here, although there is no trace of it today. According to local folklore, the monastery was knocked down so that the materials could be used to erect Moyre Castle.
When the monks settled here they adopted the pagan pillar stone and inscribed it with the inscriptions of crosses, some with circles. Part of the older ogham inscription, an ancient form of writing , was hammered off. The crosses were a sign of the triumph of Christianity and the inscription a re-dedication of the stone. This is in Gaelic with one or two words either in Gaelic or Latin. It reads "this place Ternoc son of Ciaran the Little, assigned it unto the keeping of (or in return for the protection of) the Apostle Peter".
Some say that this Ternoc, son of Ciaran the Little died in 714 or 716 and others say that he was Tighernach brother of Thomain, Archbishop of Armagh in 623. Both Ternoc and Thomain are believed to be buried near the stone. It does appear however, that Ternoc was a holy man and devoted himself and his possessions to the service of God. This stone is the earliest Christian monument in Ireland.
Moyry Castle, is built on solid rock, It is almost square, 8 metres each way and is three stories high. There are musketry loopholes on each wall except the North facing wall. This wall held the fireplaces which protrude on the outside. From this time (1601) on this place became known as Ballinemoyree or place of the moyre and was called in Irish "Bother a Mhaighre". A captain Anthony Smith, was made constable of the castle and left to guard the pass with twelve men.
In the patent rolls in 1606 King James I set aside the following area for the maintenance and security of the castle, fort and ward of Moyry: the towns, Dromintee, Carrickbroad, Dromad, Faughilotra, Faughiletra, part of Feede. The man who ordered the castle to be built was called Lord Deputy Mountjoy, who replaced Lord Deputy Essex who was beheaded after signing a truce with the enemy, the O'Neills. Lord Mountjoy's real name was Charles Blout. He was 36 when he was sent to Ireland by Queen Elizabeth. He was a soldier, Courtier, Scholar, Bookman and was also deeply religious. He could also speak French and Italian.
It was Mountjoy's belief that "in every fort some little keepe (or tower) of stone be built, neither need these little castles be works of any great charge for they may be easily made such as this people will hardly force them". After this the Moyry pass was a relatively safe passage from North to South. In 1641 the confederates garrisoned the castle and in August-September 1689 King William's army, under the command of Schomberg marched from Belfast, through this pass to Dundalk on their way to the Boyne.
In one account of this journey this area is described as having vast mountains between which there is a great bog. Through the middle of this bog is a long road with a deep ditch and a small stone bridge. The road runs towards a place called the Four-mile house the present Half-way house. The bog is believed to be the Dun-a-ree bog which is now believed to be part of the railway embankment.
The most famous story of this area, is about a cat. Mountjoy left his warder and 12 men to garrison the Castle in 1601. Shortly after this, his warder shot a local man reputed to be a wizard, as a spy. The wizards sole companion was an enormous black cat, who in revenge, destroyed the garrison. He slit the throats of the army's flocks and herds and carried them off. And so, for many a long day, the Cat of Moyry Castle was a terror to the soldiers of the pale.
In 1907, Mr. Walsh, the stationmaster at Adavoyle was scalded by steam from a locomotive, and Mr. Fitzpatrick the gateman at Meigh was killed by a goods train at the Meigh level crossing in 1919. On 29 April 1921 at the 'top' of the station, bolts were loosened on the track and 9.30pm Belfast to Dublin goods halted; there is no record of any casualties. King George V opened the first Parliament in Northern Ireland in June of that same year, and the 10th Hussars who had attended that event returned by train on the 24th inst. There were three special trains, and the third one was attacked near Adavoyle. Four men died at scene, three soldiers and the guard Frank Gallagher from Donegal who was stationed at Grosvenor Street Goods Depot. Two further soldiers died later and two Railway officials were seriously injured, they were Andrew Berkeley of the Traffic Department and the assistant Guard Dan Madden.
Forty horses died, some having to be shot because of their serious injuries. It was said that soldiers wept for their dead horses as they had been through the entire 1914-1918 war together. A massive grave was dug and the horses buried at the scene of the accident. There were four officers, one hundred and thirteen men and four horses on the train which was attacked, in all fifteen vehicles were destroyed. For many years there were reports of a ghost train travelling south; gatemen saw its lights but on opening the gates to let it through, no train appeared, it was possibly connected with the derailment of the train carrying the 10th Hussars and horses south to the Curragh. The event of the railway opened up an entirely new means of travel between Dublin and Belfast; from 1925 this entire line was known as the Great Northern railway or simply as the G.N.R. Adavoyle Railway Station
Plantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
as Bollanclare (from ), is a small village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, one kilometre from the border with County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
in the Ring of Gullion. It is about 8 kilometres south of Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
. In the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
it had a population of 273 people. In 1837 it had 174 inhabitants. It lies within the Newry and Mourne District Council
Newry and Mourne District Council
Newry and Mourne District Council is a local council in Northern Ireland. It includes much of the south of County Armagh and the south of County Down and has a population of approximately 93,400. Council headquarters are in Newry, the largest settlement and only city in the area; it has a...
area.
Jonesborough is famous for its weekly Sunday open-air market which can attract thousands of people.
History
The Troubles
On 20 March 1989, Robert Buchanan (55) and Harry Breen (51)1989 Jonesborough Ambush
The Jonesborough ambush took place on 20 March 1989 near the Irish border outside the village of Jonesborough, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Two senior Royal Ulster Constabulary officers, Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan, were shot dead in an ambush by the...
, both Protestant members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
(RUC), were shot dead by the Provisional Irish Republican Army, while travelling in Buchanan's car, near Jonesborough. See also The Troubles in Jonesborough
The Troubles in Jonesborough
The Troubles in Jonesborough recounts incidents during, and the effects of the Troubles in Jonesborough, County Armagh, Northern Ireland.Incidents in Jonesborough during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities:-1978:...
.
People
- James Heslim was born in CorkCork (city)Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
. He lived at Jonesborough and worked as a trimmer. He was one of those who lost their lives when the RMS Titanic sank in April 1912. - Sean Gerard Hoey, accused of the Omagh bombingOmagh bombingThe Omagh bombing was a car bomb attack carried out by the Real Irish Republican Army , a splinter group of former Provisional Irish Republican Army members opposed to the Good Friday Agreement, on Saturday 15 August 1998, in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Twenty-nine people died as a...
of 1998, is from the village. The charges also included five other bombings, four bomb conspiracies, and six murder conspiracies. He was acquitted after a trial. - Connor Phillips (Radio, Television Presenter and DJ) was born and brought up in the area. Connor has worked for RTE, Downtown radio and works with Northern Irelands biggest commercial radio station Cool FM
Kilnasaggart Pillar Stone
One of these small stones has a peculiar shape to it and it is supposed to fit into the cavity on the top of the pillar stone. There is a legend attached to this stone which is perhaps the only remaining trace of paganism left here. This whole area west of Slieve Gullion, including Dromintee, was known as Gleann-na-Samhaisce, "The Glen of the Heifer". There once was a famous cow here in this glen who gave milk in abundance to everybody who came, always filling the bucket. However, a person attempted either through greed or malice, to milk her into a sieve. This angered the cow so much that she stamped her foot on this stone and then fled the valley forever. The shape of her hoof remains in this stone to this day.
Kilnasaggart Pillar Stone
The name Cill na Sagart means Church of the Priests and it is believed a monastery stood here, although there is no trace of it today. According to local folklore, the monastery was knocked down so that the materials could be used to erect Moyre Castle.
When the monks settled here they adopted the pagan pillar stone and inscribed it with the inscriptions of crosses, some with circles. Part of the older ogham inscription, an ancient form of writing , was hammered off. The crosses were a sign of the triumph of Christianity and the inscription a re-dedication of the stone. This is in Gaelic with one or two words either in Gaelic or Latin. It reads "this place Ternoc son of Ciaran the Little, assigned it unto the keeping of (or in return for the protection of) the Apostle Peter".
Some say that this Ternoc, son of Ciaran the Little died in 714 or 716 and others say that he was Tighernach brother of Thomain, Archbishop of Armagh in 623. Both Ternoc and Thomain are believed to be buried near the stone. It does appear however, that Ternoc was a holy man and devoted himself and his possessions to the service of God. This stone is the earliest Christian monument in Ireland.
Moyry Castle
In the patent rolls in 1606 King James I set aside the following area for the maintenance and security of the castle, fort and ward of Moyry: the towns, Dromintee, Carrickbroad, Dromad, Faughilotra, Faughiletra, part of Feede. The man who ordered the castle to be built was called Lord Deputy Mountjoy, who replaced Lord Deputy Essex who was beheaded after signing a truce with the enemy, the O'Neills. Lord Mountjoy's real name was Charles Blout. He was 36 when he was sent to Ireland by Queen Elizabeth. He was a soldier, Courtier, Scholar, Bookman and was also deeply religious. He could also speak French and Italian.
It was Mountjoy's belief that "in every fort some little keepe (or tower) of stone be built, neither need these little castles be works of any great charge for they may be easily made such as this people will hardly force them". After this the Moyry pass was a relatively safe passage from North to South. In 1641 the confederates garrisoned the castle and in August-September 1689 King William's army, under the command of Schomberg marched from Belfast, through this pass to Dundalk on their way to the Boyne.
In one account of this journey this area is described as having vast mountains between which there is a great bog. Through the middle of this bog is a long road with a deep ditch and a small stone bridge. The road runs towards a place called the Four-mile house the present Half-way house. The bog is believed to be the Dun-a-ree bog which is now believed to be part of the railway embankment.
The most famous story of this area, is about a cat. Mountjoy left his warder and 12 men to garrison the Castle in 1601. Shortly after this, his warder shot a local man reputed to be a wizard, as a spy. The wizards sole companion was an enormous black cat, who in revenge, destroyed the garrison. He slit the throats of the army's flocks and herds and carried them off. And so, for many a long day, the Cat of Moyry Castle was a terror to the soldiers of the pale.
Adavoyle railway station
The Ulster Dublin and Drogheda main line company opened a double track in 1850, which extended from Dundalk to a point north of Adavoyle station. This was a temporary station known as the "Wellington Inn" and was in use from 1850-1852 whilst a track was being cut through the curving rocks, now known as "the Wellington" possibly after the engineer responsible for feat. Until this length of line was ready a coach ran between the Inn and Portadown. Another station north of Dundalk was formerly known as Plaster but the name was then changed to Mountpleasant and Jonesborough. The section of line through the "Wellington" to goraghwood was opened in 1852, and going south through this, the steep gradient meant that goods trains laboured under their loads and even with a good head of steam they didn't exceed 15 m.p.h.In 1907, Mr. Walsh, the stationmaster at Adavoyle was scalded by steam from a locomotive, and Mr. Fitzpatrick the gateman at Meigh was killed by a goods train at the Meigh level crossing in 1919. On 29 April 1921 at the 'top' of the station, bolts were loosened on the track and 9.30pm Belfast to Dublin goods halted; there is no record of any casualties. King George V opened the first Parliament in Northern Ireland in June of that same year, and the 10th Hussars who had attended that event returned by train on the 24th inst. There were three special trains, and the third one was attacked near Adavoyle. Four men died at scene, three soldiers and the guard Frank Gallagher from Donegal who was stationed at Grosvenor Street Goods Depot. Two further soldiers died later and two Railway officials were seriously injured, they were Andrew Berkeley of the Traffic Department and the assistant Guard Dan Madden.
Forty horses died, some having to be shot because of their serious injuries. It was said that soldiers wept for their dead horses as they had been through the entire 1914-1918 war together. A massive grave was dug and the horses buried at the scene of the accident. There were four officers, one hundred and thirteen men and four horses on the train which was attacked, in all fifteen vehicles were destroyed. For many years there were reports of a ghost train travelling south; gatemen saw its lights but on opening the gates to let it through, no train appeared, it was possibly connected with the derailment of the train carrying the 10th Hussars and horses south to the Curragh. The event of the railway opened up an entirely new means of travel between Dublin and Belfast; from 1925 this entire line was known as the Great Northern railway or simply as the G.N.R. Adavoyle Railway Station
See also
- List of towns in Northern Ireland
- List of villages in Northern Ireland