Latest news with #CoCarlow
BreakingNews.ie
06-07-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Myles Keogh: The Carlow man who fought in three wars
Myles Keogh, born in 1840 in Co Carlow, fought in three wars on two continents in his short life. According to the Dictionary of Irish Biography, Keogh was born on March 25th, 1840, at Orchard House, Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow. Advertisement He was the son of John Keogh, a farmer, and Margaret Keogh (née Blanchfield). Keogh was educated at the local school in Leighlinbridge, and he may also have later attended St Patrick's College, Maynooth, before leaving Ireland in 1860 to serve in the papal army. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Irish battalion (August 1860) and served under Major Myles O'Reilly and fought with distinction at the siege of Ancona. After the war, with the reduction of the papal army, he managed to retain his commission and served in the company of Irish Zouaves. He left the papal service in February 1862 and was awarded the Medaglia di Pro Petri Sede and the Order of St Gregory the Great by Pope Pius IX for his war service. Advertisement The Dictionary of Irish Biography's David Murphy then recounts that Keogh travelled to America, where the civil war was raging, hoping to obtain a commission in the union army. Armed with letters of introduction from Irish-American friends, Keogh and several other Irish ex-papal officers petitioned officials at the war department. Keogh was commissioned as a captain in April of 1862 and he was made ADC to Dungannon-born James Shields. He subsequently served as an ADC to Generals McClellan, Buford, and Stoneman, and was present at over 80 engagements, including the battles of Port Republic, Cedar Run, Second Bull Run/Manassas, and Antietam/Sharpsburg. Advertisement He fought with Buford's 1st Cavalry Division, which made contact with, and delayed, the confederate army on the first day of the battle of Gettysburg (July 1st, 1863). Keogh was captured in July 1864 with Stoneman while on a raid to Atlanta and he was imprisoned in Charleston, South Carolina. He was later exchanged and served until the end of the war. Brevetted lieutenant-colonel in April 1866, he immediately found himself without a regimental position because of postwar reductions. He again lobbied friends and the war department, and eventually succeeded in gaining a regular army commission as a second lieutenant in the 4th US Cavalry. In July 1866, Keogh transferred into the newly formed 7th Cavalry with the rank of captain. This élite regiment, commanded by Gen. George Armstrong Custer, served in frontier stations throughout the late 1860s and early 1870s. Advertisement Brief return to Ireland Keogh fought in the 1866–67 campaign against the Oglala Sioux and returned to Ireland on leave (1869), staying with his brother Tom Keogh at Park House, Co Carlow. While there he sorted out financial arrangements for two unmarried sisters, giving them a property in Co Kilkenny that he had inherited in 1863. On his return to the regiment (March 1870) he was given command of I Troop. Keogh's career remains inextricably linked with that of Custer, and he served with him during his last campaign in the summer of 1876. He was with Custer's battalion at the Little Big Horn river in the Montana Territory on June 25th, 1876, and, as the second most senior officer with the detachment, commanded the right-wing column of three troops. Advertisement Death and legacy There has been much debate as to what occurred when Custer engaged the Native American forces just after 3pm that day and, as he and all his men were killed, some doubt must remain. The Dictionary of Irish Biography said modern research and archaeological evidence would suggest that Keogh and his men fought tenaciously and were killed while trying to reach Custer's final position after the right wing collapsed. On June 27th, 1876, members of Gen. Terry's column reached the Little Big Horn battlefield and began identifying bodies. Keogh was found with a small group of his men, surrounded by the evidence of a fierce fight. His was one of the few bodies that had not been mutilated by the Native American force, possibly because of a papal or religious medal that he wore about his neck. Irish-born Lt James Henry Nowlan, a close friend, found Keogh's horse Comanche standing near the body. Comanche, the only army survivor of the battle, was retired and kept with the regiment until his death in 1891; his body was stuffed and is on display at the University of Kansas. The Dictionary of Irish Biography reports that Keogh was apparently responsible for introducing the tune 'Garryowen' to the 7th Cavalry; it is still used as a regimental march. Some Keogh letters and papers, covering the period 1861–75, are in the possession of the family. There is a stained-glass window in St Joseph's chapel, Tinryland, Co Carlow, commemorating Keogh, his brother Tom, and his sister-in-law Alice Keogh. He is also commemorated by a monument in Leighlinbridge and his name is inscribed on the Little Big Horn battlefield monument. Orchard House is still occupied by members of the Keogh family, and items relating to him, including a dress uniform, are on display in Carlow town museum. Keogh never married but at the time of his death was engaged to a Miss Martin, one of the Throop Martins of Auburn, New York. Initially buried on the battlefield, his remains were disinterred in October 1877 and buried with full military honours in the Throop Martin plot at Auburn cemetery.
BreakingNews.ie
06-07-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Burning ears, magpies, and the cure: Old Irish superstitions and remedies
Any Irish person, or anyone in the general vicinity of an Irish granny, has most likely heard a random, puzzling superstition or a scientifically questionable cure for a common ailment. From burning ears meaning someone is talking about you, to saluting or waving to a magpie to prevent sorrow, the Irish are superstitious folk. Advertisement And even if you don't believe in these old notions, chances are you know a family member or friend who obeys them and will swerve while driving trying to wave to a singular magpie. So let's dive into some old Irish superstitions and cures, both the well-known ones and the more obscure tales. Broken mirrors, itchy palms, inside out clothes Some of the more well-known superstitions include a broken mirror meaning seven years of bad luck for the person who broke it, itchy palms meaning money, and putting your clothes on inside out being a sign of good luck. According to digitised records in UCD's Irish National Folklore Collection, Dúchas, whether money is coming your way or not depends on which palm is itchy. Advertisement Sources from Garryhill, Co Carlow, claim that an itchy left palm means money/good fortune is coming your way, while it's generally thought that an itchy right palm means you will have to pay money out in the near future. There seems to be a pattern when it comes to good luck on the left, bad luck on the right, as a hot or burning left ear means someone is talking good about you, while a burning right ear means someone is talking bad about you. The superstition that putting your clothes on inside out is good luck may have roots in fairy folklore. One way to protect yourself from fairies when walking near a fairy fort was to turn your coat inside out when passing through. Advertisement The 'stray sod' phenomenon sees a person who is walking, usually at night, going astray and losing their sense of direction. This causes them to wander about aimlessly and, in most tales, this lasts until the sun comes up. Some say that it confuses them, and they become disorientated, while others say that it simply feels like they can keep walking and never come across anything. It feels like they never get any further. Poet Sandra Alcosser describes the patch of ground or grass classified as a stray sod as being "charmed by fairies". The victim will find that "the gate is gone and the path erased behind you". Advertisement The only way to get out of a stray sod trance is if someone gets you out of it. You can try and turn your jacket inside out, and walk with your head down, but this may not work. Some other old Irish superstitions include: To dream of a death is the sign of a birth; To dream of a wedding is the sign of a christening; You should wish and bow when you see the new moon for the first time; To dream you lost a tooth means you have lost a friend; To cry on your birthday means you will cry every day of the year; An itchy nose means you will fight with someone. When it comes to magpies, the old saying "one for sorrow, two for joy..." may run through your mind as you wave at one to send the bad luck away. 'One for sorrow, Advertisement Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret that will never be told.' According to TheFadingYear, the rhyme itself was first published in 1780, although like many others it is believed to be much older. Old Irish cures and customs Perhaps the most common and well known old Irish cure is that of using a dock leaf for a nettle sting. Rubbing the affected skin with a dock leaf is said to relieve the pain of the sting. A cure for a sty in the eye, or an otherwise painful/itchy eye, is to rub the sty/eye with a gold wedding ring while saying: "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." Other variations of this method claim that blessing yourself before and after using the ring is enough to get the job done. If you find yourself plagued by a wart, an old Irish cure tells you to bury the head of an eel in the ground and expect your wart to fall off when the eel's head rots. If you're looking for an old, scientifically sketchy cure for jaundice, why not try boiling a worm in milk for nine mornings, then straining off the milk and drinking it. Doesn't sound too appetising, to be honest. Ireland Tales from Irish folklore: People 'carried' by fai... Read More Those suffering with hair loss can breathe a sigh of relief as apparently the cure is as simple as washing the bald parts of the head with sheep's milk. Worth a try! A cure for any physical wound lies in the water of any of the blessed wells across the country, which seems to be the most reasonable out of these cures. Old Irish cures are as fascinating as they are impractical. I would personally love to know how they came about, where they originated from, and whether the reason they are still floating around is due to a good success rate! I suppose there's only one way to find out.
Irish Times
05-07-2025
- Irish Times
Passengers evacuated before fire engulfs Carlow bus
Passengers had to be evacuated from a bus in Co Carlow on Friday evening after it caught fire. The blaze, which broke out on a Wexford Bus shortly before 6pm at Glynn Crossroads, prompted an emergency response and traffic disruption along the N80 near the village of Ballon. All passengers were able to safely disembark before the situation escalated. No injuries were reported. The vehicle, operated by the private coach company, became engulfed in flames while in motion. The cause is unknown and the company has been contacted for comment. READ MORE Gardai assisted fire services at the scene of a bus fire on the N80 in Co Carlow on Friday. Video footage emerged online showing the fire breaking out towards the rear and rapidly spreading as the driver pulled over and passengers evacuated. By the time emergency services arrived, it was completely ablaze and empty. Fire crews extinguished the flames but not before the vehicle was entirely destroyed. The charred frame remained at the roadside as cleanup and investigation work continued. The road was temporarily blocked and diversions were put in place. Witnesses reported seeing flames and thick black smoke billowing from the vehicle as emergency crews arrived on the scene. A garda spokeswoman said they assisted fire services at the scene of a bus fire on the N80. 'No injuries were reported. The road, which had been closed for a time, has since been reopened.'
BreakingNews.ie
05-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Passengers make lucky escape after bus catches fire in Co Carlow
Passengers had to be evacuated from a bus in Co Carlow on Friday evening after it caught fire. The fire, which broke out shortly before 6pm at Glynn Crossroads, prompted an emergency response. Advertisement The fire on board a Wexford bus caused major disruption along the N80 just outside the village of Ballon. All passengers were able to safely disembark the bus before the situation escalated. No injuries were reported. The vehicle, operated by a private coach company, became fully engulfed in flames while in motion. Video footage emerged online showing the fire breaking out towards the rear, rapidly spreading as the driver pulled over and passengers evacuated. By the time emergency services arrived, the bus was completely ablaze and empty. Fire crews managed to extinguish the flames, but not before the vehicle was entirely destroyed. The charred frame now remains at the roadside as cleanup and investigation work continues. The road was temporarily blocked, and diversions were put in by emergency services and gardaí. Witnesses reported seeing flames and thick black smoke billowing from the vehicle as emergency crews arrived on the scene. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Irish Daily Mirror
04-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Horse bought for same price as Hewick sells for almost €300,000 before running
A horse purchased for just €851 has been sold for a colossal €298,126 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale in Australia. The Harry Angel colt was bought for a similar price as the fee paid for National Hunt hero Hewick, who has amassed over €900,000 in prize money for Co Carlow trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon. The colt by the same sire as Group One winners Tom Kitten and Private Harry is from the beautifully related Postponed mare Enclosure. Being sold by Alma Vale Thoroughbreds after being purchased by TJ Le Breton and her husband Greg of Temerity Park Stud, who paid A$1,500 (€851) for the horse as a weanling, the colt fetched A$525,000 (€298,126) at the sale on Tuesday as he went for 350 times more than the price that was paid for him last year to Hong Kong based trainer Manfred Man. 'He was bought online for $1,500 from Sledmere,' Alma Vale's Verna Metcalfe said. 'It's a huge result for Temerity Park – they're a very good client and they are battlers like we all are.''It's so good to get a huge result like that. It's awesome to be selling up at Magic Millions and getting results like that,' Metcalfe added. 'He turned up in pretty good shape,' Alma Vale's Oscar Englebrecht noted. 'We only put the polish on. 'He's been an absolute professional all week. He paraded so well. He had two really good judges on him and they really wanted to own him." 'We've had a pretty good year and it's great to end on a high,' he added. Willie Leung, speaking on behalf of the buyer, commented: 'Harry Angel is now a red hot sire and is very popular in Hong Kong. 'He's had a couple of really good winners in Hong Kong and that's why we got him for Manfred Man. 'This one looks really outstanding in the sale and with his outstanding pedigree I think he's a good buy. 'We come here for the best and I believe he's the best,' Leung added.
