Barbara Verschoyle built churches, schools and convents in Dublin in the 19th century. From an illustration by Derry Dillon, extracted from Past Tracks (2021).
The stories of a multi-millionaire opera singer, a remarkable Georgian lady, an ancient highway, the most powerful politician in 20th century Ireland, a Sunday morning assassination and how the Radisson Blu was once given as a prize to a victorious general. Extracted from Past Tracks, with Irish translations by Jack O’Driscoll.
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A GEORGIAN LADY
The Church of the Assumption, which opened in 1813, is the final resting place of the formidable Barbara Fagan. For nearly 30 years, this devout Catholic and her husband Richard Verschoyle, a Protestant merchant, served as agents to the 1,275-acre Fitzwilliam estate, which ran from Booterstown north to Merrion Square. Barbara not only convinced Viscount Fitzwilliam to build a church for his Catholic tenants, but also helped establish a girl’s school and convent in Booterstown, later taken up by the Sisters of Mercy. Among her personal belongings sold after her death in 1837 were 80 sets of jewellery.
THE COUNTESS OF BELLEVUE
Éamon de Valera, the most powerful politician in 20th century Ireland, lived in the east wing of Bellevue on Cross Avenue from 1933 to 1940; the Irish Constitution was drafted here in 1937. During the 18th century, Bellevue was home to Ellis Bermingham, a woman held in such high esteem ‘for her wit, taste, dignity of manners, and superior understanding’ that King George II made her Countess of Brandon. She was a notable patron of the arts, especially to her godson, Harry Mossop, the actor who ran the Smock Alley Theatre in Temple Bar. Her title became extinct when she died aged 81 in 1789.
ASSASSINATION
On a quiet Sunday morning in July 1927, Kevin O’Higgins, the 35-year-old minister for justice and vice-president of the Irish Free State, was shot dead at the junction of Cross Avenue and Booterstown Avenue. Mr O’Higgins, who lived at Dunamase House on Cross Avenue, had been right-hand man to W. T. Cosgrave, the head of the Free State, since the Civil War. Opponents held him responsible for the execution of 77 republicans during the conflict, including Rory O’Connor, his own best man. He was walking to mass at the Church of the Assumption when three anti-treaty men seized the opportunity to eliminate him.
Count John McCormack. Illustration by Derry Dillon, extracted from Past Tracks (2021).
THE SINGING COUNT
Recorded by Count John McCormack, ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’ and ‘Keep the Home Fires Burning’ are two of the best-known songs of the First World War. Born in Athlone in 1884, this brilliant tenor enjoyed operatic training in Milan as a youth. His hugely successful career reached an apex in 1932 when he performed at the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin. Record sales made him a multi-millionaire and a global star. He was appointed a Papal Count by Pope Pius XI in 1928, in recognition of his work for Catholic charities. From 1938 until his death in 1945, the count lived just around the corner from this station at Glena on the Rock Road.
ANCIENT HIGHWAY
Booterstown’s Irish name Baile an Bhóthar translates as ‘the Town of the Road’ and refers to the Rock Road that skirts along the coast beside the railway line. This was part of the Slíghe Chualann, one of the five great highways of ancient Ireland, and would have been especially busy in times of war when warriors assembled and armies marched, as well as during the frequent cattle raids.
GOUGH’S REWARD
Sir Hugh Gough was the Irish general who ‘won the Punjab’ for the British Empire when his army defeated the Sikhs in a series of battles in the 1840s. As a young man, he commanded the Irish troops who captured the Napoleonic standard at the battle of Barossa; one of his sergeants famously grabbed hold of the imperial eagle and roared out, ‘Bejaybers boys, I have the cuckoo!’ Gough finished his military career as a Field Marshal and a Viscount. His reward included St Helen’s, a handsome early Georgian villa in Booterstown, which was the Gough family home until 1899. St Helen’s is now the Radisson Blu St Helen’s Hotel. The nearby Stillorgan Castle, now run by the St John of Gods, was home to the Sherlock family, kinsman of Arthur Conan Doyle.
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BAILE AN BHÓTHAIR (Translations by Jack O’Driscoll)
FEALLMHARÚ
Maidin chiúin Domhnaigh in Iúil 1927, scaoileadh marbh Kevin O’Higgins, fear 35 bliain d’aois a bhí ina Aire Dlí agus Cirt agus ina leasuachtarán ar Shaorstát na hÉireann, ag acomhal An Bhóthair Trasna agus Bhaile an Bhóthair. Bhí an tUasal O’Higgins, a raibh cónaí air in Dunamase House ar an mBóthar Trasna, ina chrann taca ag W. T. Cosgrave, ceannaire an tSaorstáit ón gCogadh Cathartha ar aghaidh. Chuir a chéilí comhraic an locht air as 77 poblachtach a chur chun báis le linn na coimhlinte, a fhinné fir féin, Rory O’Connor, san áireamh. Bhí sé ag siúl chuig an Aifreann in Eaglais na Deastógála nuair a thapaigh triúr fear frith- chonartha an deis chun é a chur den saol.
AN CUNTA A CHANANN
Tá na hamhráin ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’ agus ‘Keep the Home Fires Burning’, a chuir an Cunta John McCormack ar taifead, tá siad ar na hamhráin is fearr aithne ón gCéad Chogadh Domhanda. Rugadh an teanór sárchumasach seo i mBaile Átha Luain in 1884 agus cuireadh oiliúint i gceoldrámaíocht air i Milano agus é ina ógfhear. Ba é buaicphointe a ghairmréime rórathúla an uair ar chan sé ag an gComhdháil Eocairisteach i mBaile Átha Cliath in 1932. Ba réalta dhomhanda é a thuill ór agus airgead as ceirníní a dhíol. Cheap an Pápa Pius XI ina Chunta é in 1928 mar aitheantas ar an obair a rinne sé ar son carthanachtaí Caitliceacha. Ó 1938 go dtí lá a bháis in 1945, bhí cónaí ar an gcunta timpeall an choirnéil ón stáisiún seo sa teach Glena ar Bhóthar na Carraige.
BEAN SHEOIRSEACH
Is ag Eaglais na Deastógála, a d’oscail sa bhliain 1813, a cuireadh Barbara Fagan, bean a raibh ainm na diongbháilteachta uirthi. Ba ghníomhairí eastát mhuintir Fitzwilliam iad an Caitliceach diaganta seo agus a fear céile Richard Verschoyle, ar cheannaí Protastúnach é, ar feadh beagnach 30 bliain. 1,275 acra a bhí san eastát céanna, a shín ó Bhaile an Bhóthair thuaidh go dtí Cearnóg Mhuirfean. Ní hamháin gur chuir Barbara ina luí ar Bhíocunta Fitzwilliam eaglais a thógáil dá thionóntaí Caitliceacha ach thacaigh sí le scoil cailíní agus clochar a bhunú i mBaile an Bhóthair, ar ghlac Siúracha na Trócaire ceannas air ina dhiaidh sin. I measc na ngiuirléidí pearsanta dá cuid a díoladh tar éis a báis in 1837, bhí 80 foireann seodra.
DUAIS GOUGH
Sir Hugh Gough
Ba é an Ridire Hugh Gough an ginearál Éireannach a ‘ghabh an Punjab‘ ar son Impireacht na Breataine nuair a fuair a arm an ceann is fearr ar na Suícigh i sraith cathanna sna 1840idí. Nuair a bhí sé óg bhí sé i gceannas na saighdiúirí Éireannacha a ghabh bratach Napoléon ag cath Barossa. B’in an cath, de réir an tseanchais, inar rug duine dá sháirsintí greim ar an iolar impiriúil gur bhéic amach, ‘Dar an leabhar breac beannaithe, tá an chuach agam, a bhuachaillí!’ Ag deireadh a ghairme míleata bhí Gough ina Mharascal Machaire agus ina Bhíocunta. Mar dhuais fuair sé St Helen’s, ar theach mór Seoirseach é i mBaile an Bhóthair agus bhí teaghlach Gough ina chónaí ann go dtí 1899. Tá Óstán St Helen’s Radisson Blu ann anois.
CUNTAOIS BELLEVUE
Bhí cónaí ar Éamon de Valera, an polaiteoir ba chumhachtaí in Éirinn sa 20ú haois, i sciathán thoir Bellevue ar an mBóthar Trasna ó 1933 go dtí 1940; is ann a dréachtaíodh Bunreacht na hÉireann in 1937. Le linn an 18ú haois, bhí cónaí ar Ellis Bermingham in Bellevue. Bhí an-mheas uirthi ‘as a deisbhéalaí, a breithiúnas, a dínit, a béasa agus a héirim aigne’ sa mhéid is go ndearna an Rí Seoirse II Cuntaois Brandon di. Níor bheag an méid a thacaigh sí leis na healaíona, go háirithe i gcás a mic bhaistí, Harry Mossop, an t-aisteoir a bhí i bhfeighil Amharclann Smock Alley i mBarra an Teampaill. Chuaigh a teideal in éag nuair a fuair sí bás in 1789 in aois 81 di.
MÓRBHEALACH ÁRSA
Déantar tagairt le logainm Baile an Bhóthair do Bhóthar na Carraige a théann feadh an chósta in aice leis an iarnród. Ba chuid de Shlí Chualann é sin agus bhí sé ar cheann de na cúig bhealach mhóra a bhí ann sa chianaimsir in Éirinn. Ní foláir nó go mbíodh an-siar is aniar air in aimsir chogaidh, nuair a bheadh na gaiscígh á ngairm agus na sluaite ag máirseáil leo faoi arm is faoi éide, gan trácht ar lucht na dtáinte bó, a bhí an-ghníomhach san am.