Rita Hayworth. Illustration by Derry Dillon.
Taken from the 2022 Past Tracks panel, the stories of Rita Hayworth and Prince Aly, the Shackleton Gardens, Luttrellstown Castle, the wrestler Stephen Farrelly, a strange poisoning and a remarkable barrister. Irish translations follow below.
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LOVE GODDESS OF ONGAR
The American actress Rita Hayworth was the No. 1 pin-up for American GI soldiers in World War Two. Her poster also features prominently in the film, The Shawshank Redemption. As well as starring in 61 films, she featured on the cover of Life magazine five times. The red-haired beauty also notched up five husbands, including Orson Welles and Prince Aly Khan, the playboy son of the Aga Khan. In 1942, Prince Aly bought Ongar Stud in Clonsilla as a base for his brood mares. Rita, whose grandmother was Irish, was a frequent visitor to Ongar during their short marriage. Hayworth Terrace and Hayworth Drive are named in her honour. See 1949 visit here.
THE WRESTLING CHOIR-BOY
Founded in 1902, the Palestrina Choir is the resident choir of St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin. One of its most unlikely past members is Clonsilla-born Stephen Farrelly who went on to become Sheamus, one of the most decorated stars in the history of World Wrestling Entertainment and the first Irish world champion in WWE history. A former bodyguard to Bono, the 6-foot, 4-inch Gaelscoil-educated superstar was a two-time International Heavyweight Champion before he moved to WWE. He has since been a four-time WWE world champion and he is one of just two players to have won a celebrated hat trick – the King of the Ring, the Money in the Bank and the Royal Rumble.
A FAIR BARRISTER
In the wake of the Easter Rising of 1916, the Clonsilla-based barrister William Evelyn Wylie was appointed chief prosecutor for the court martial of the rebel leaders at Richmond Barracks, Inchicore. The young barrister was serving in the Officers Training Corps in Trinity College when General Maxwell gave him the job. As a unionist, Wylie was utterly opposed to the rebellion. However, when the accused were denied legal counsel, he was so appalled that he insisted on being both defendant and prosecutor. He was unable to prevent the signatories of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic from being sentenced to death but he helped save two future Irish leaders, namely W.T. Cosgrave and Éamon de Valera. When he protested that Connolly was a dying man, Maxwell relieved him from prosecuting Connolly. Wylie went on to serve as a High Court judge in the emerging new Free State and employed Eamonn Ceannt’s brother as his registrar. He worked with Aine Ceannt, Eamonn’s widow, in founding the Irish Red Cross. He was also involved in founding the Army Equitation School in McKee barracks. Jonathan Shackleton’s uncle recalled how Judge Wylie used to say” It’s very important to have something to do first thing in the morning.” For Wylie, it was to check his horses.
THE SHACKLETON GARDENS
Surrounded by 4m walls, the 1.5-acre garden at Beech Park was created by the plantsman David Shackleton, a member of the Quaker family that worked the nearby Anna Liffey Mills. The plant collection included many of the finest alpines, exotics and other rarities in Ireland but declined after the family left in 1996. The gardens were bought by Fingal County Council in 2018 and a major restoration is underway. The Shackletons continue to be amongst Ireland’s foremost garden consultants and landscape designers. The old garage and rabbit house in the yard won Home of the Year on RTE 1 in 2020. The image of David Shackleton on the Past Tracks panel places him beside the silver leaved plant, a Celmisia, which was named “David Shackleton” for him by Charles Nelson when he was at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland. See also Ernest Shackleton.
THE CLONSILLA POISONING
Illustration by Derry Dillon.
In 1887, 38 horses belonging to Captain William Hollwey Steeds were poisoned in their stables at Clonsilla House. Thirteen died. The horses were generally used to bring tourists out in four-in-hand coaches to Bray, Greystones and the Glen of the Downs. Some frequently went out with the Meath Hunt and the Ward Union Hunt. The bran mash that the horses ate had been deviously sweetened with toxic lead acetate. Nobody was ever charged but it is assumed the poisoning was connected to the ongoing Land Wars in which hunts were targeted. Clonsilla House stood on the site of the present-day Portersgate houses. Captain Steeds’ initials WEHS can be seen on the cottage by the Church View triangle near St Mary’s Church.
WHEELS OF FORTUNE
Just over 800 years ago, the lands at Luttrellstown were granted to Sir Geoffrey de Luttrell, a friend of King John, Robin Hood’s famous foe. His descendants were among the leading Catholic families in the Pale but their popularity declined after Colonel Henry Luttrell allegedly betrayed his Jacobite allies at the Siege of Limerick in 1691. The historian and author Joe Joyce believes Luttrell had been wrongly condemned by history and that he may have been the victim of what we would now call psy-ops, psychological warfare. In 1800, the castle was purchased by Luke White, a financial genius who made his fortune as a bookseller, lottery agent and speculator. The castle, which Queen Victoria visited twice, was later owned by the Guinness family. In 1999, it hosted the wedding of the year when the football star David Beckham married Victoria Adams, aka Posh Spice.
A LITTLE EXTRA
- Man stricken dead for ploughing field where monks buried here.
- Leo Hilliard and the Easter Rising here.
CLUAIN SAILEACH
BANDIA ÁLAINN ONGAR
Le linn an Dara Cogadh Domhanda, ní raibh aon bhanaisteoir ba mhó a raibh saighdiúirí Mheiriceá splanctha ina diaidh ná Rita Hayworth. Tá a póstaer le feiceáil sa scannán The Shawshank Redemption freisin. Bhí príomhról aici i 61 scannán agus bhí sí ar chlúdach na hirise Life cúig huaire. Ar na Cúig fhear céile a bhí ag an spéirbhean rua seo bhí Orson Welles agus an Prionsa Aly Khan, ar mhac an Aga Khan agus banaí déanta é. Sa bhliain 1942, cheannaigh an Prionsa Aly Graífheirm Ongar i gCluain Saileach agus lonnaigh sé a láracha searraigh ansin. Seanmháthair Éireannach a bhí ag Rita agus is minic a thug sí cuairt ar Ongar le linn a pósta ghearr leis an bPrionsa. Ainmníodh Ardán Hayworth agus Céide Hayworth ina honóir.
AN CÓRBHUACHAILL CORAÍOCHTA
In 1902 a bunaíodh Cór Palestrina agus is é an cór cónaithe le Leas-Ardeaglais Naomh Muire i mBaile Átha Cliath é. Iarbhall den chór nach mbeadh daoine ag súil leis, seans, is ea Stephen Farrelly, fear a rugadh i gCluain Saileach agus atá anois ar na réaltaí is mó i stair na heagraíochta coraíochta World Wrestling Entertainment agus Sheamus mar leasainm air. Bhí sé seal ina gharda cosanta ag Bono roimhe seo. An sár-réalta seo atá 6 troithe 4 orlach ar airde agus a fuair a chuid oideachais i nGaelscoil, bhí sé ina ina Churadh Idirnáisiúnta Trom-mheáchain faoi dhó sula ndeachaigh sé le WWE. Ina dhiaidh sin, ba é curadh domhanda WWE ceithre huaire é agus tá sé ar dhuine den bheirt a bhuaigh an tréchleas mór le rá – Rí an Fháinne, Airgead sa Bhanc agus an Bhruíon Ríoga.
AN tABHCÓIDE FÉARÁILTE
Tar éis Éirí Amach na Cásca 1916, ceapadh an t-abhcóide William Evelyn Wylie, a bhí lonnaithe i gCluain Saileach, ina phríomh-ionchúisitheoir ar armchúirt cheannairí na reibiliúnach ag Beairic Richmond in Inse Chór. B’aontachtach é Wylie agus bhí sé glan in aghaidh an éirí amach. Ach chuir sé alltacht air gur séanadh abhcóide ar na cúisithe agus ní shásódh aon ní ansin é ach a bheith ina chosantóir agus ionchúisitheoir araon. Ní raibh sé ábalta cosc a chur leis an mbreith bháis a gearradh ar shínitheoirí Fhorógra Phoblacht na hÉireann ach chuidigh sé le beirt a shábháil; ba iad sin W.T. Cosgrave agus Éamon de Valera, beirt a bheadh ina gceannairí móra ar Éirinn ina dhiaidh sin. Bheadh Wylie ina bhreitheamh san Ard-Chúirt tráth ní b’fhaide anonn.
GAIRDÍNÍ SHACKLETON
Ba é an garraíodóir David Shackleton (sa phictiúr) a chruthaigh an gairdín 1.5 acra a bhfuil ballaí 4 mhéadar ar airde thart air i bPáirc na Feá. Baill de chuid Chumann na gCarad ab ea a theaghlach agus is iad a bhí i bhfeighil ar Mhuileann Anna Liffey. I measc bhailiúcháin plandaí an ghairdín bhí go leor de na plandaí alpacha, na plandaí andúchasacha agus na plandaí neamhchoitianta ab fhearr in Éirinn ach tháinig meath ar an mbailiúchán nuair a d’imigh an teaghlach in 1996. Cheannaigh Comhairle Contae Fhine Gall na gairdíní in 2018 agus tá athchóiriú mór ar siúl anois. Tá teaghlach Shackleton fós ar na comhairleoirí garraíodóireachta agus dearthóirí tírdhreacha is mó le rá in Éirinn.
NIMHIÚ CHLUAIN SAILEACH
In 1887, tugadh nimh do 38 capall, ar le Captaen William Hollwey Steeds iad, ina stáblaí ag Teach Chluain Saileach. Fuair trí chapall déag bás. D’úsáidtí na capaill chun turasóirí a thabhairt i gcóistí ceithre chapall go Bré, go dtí na Clocha Liath nó go Gleann Dá Ghrua. Is minic a thugtaí roinnt díobh amach le Lucht Fiaigh na Mí nó le Lucht Fiaigh Ward Union. Go slítheánta, rinneadh an brúitín bran a bhí á ithe ag na capaill a mhilsiú le haicéatáit luaidhe tocsaineach. Níor cúisíodh aon duine riamh ach déantar talamh slán de gur bhain an nimhiú leis na Cogaí Talún a bhí ar siúl agus ar tugadh faoi lucht fiaigh lena linn. Bhí Teach Chluain Saileach suite san áit a bhfuil tithe Gheata an Phóirtéara sa lá atá inniu ann. Is féidir túslitreacha an Chaptaein Steeds (WEHS) a fheiceáil ar an teachín in aice le triantán Church View gar d’Eaglais Naomh Muire.
ROTHAÍ NA CINNIÚNA
Breis agus 800 bliain ó shin, tugadh na tailte ag Baile Lotrail don Ridire Geoffrey de Luttrell. Ba chara le hEoin Shasana é, an rí úd a bhain cáil amach mar namhaid Robin Hood. Bhí a shliocht ar na teaghlaigh Chaitliceacha ba mhó le rá sa Pháil ach baineadh dá stádas nuair a cuireadh i leith an Choirnéil Henry Luttrell gur imir sé feall ar a chomhghuaillí Seacaibíteacha ag Léigear Luimnigh in 1691. In 1800, cheannaigh Luke White an caisleán. Saoi airgeadais ab ea é sin a rinne a shaibhreas mar dhíoltóir leabhar, gníomhaire crannchuir agus amhantraí. Ba le teaghlach Guinness an caisleán ina dhiaidh sin agus thug an Bhanríon Victoria cuairt air dhá uair. Ba ann a bhí bainis na bliana 1999 nuair a phós réalta an tsacair David Beckham an t-amhránaí Victoria Adams, nó mar is fearr aithne uirthi, Posh Spice.