New Series of WDYTYA - Thurs 7th Aug, BBC1

I enjoyed the Brendan O'Carroll episode. It's good that the mystery of who shot his grandfather was solved and it was also an interesting history lesson for the BBC's British audience.

thought that was good... not a Mrs. Brown or Brendan O'C fan so wasn't expecting to warm to him at all

Probably more of a history lesson on the War of Independence etc for the UK audience, but the detail about only (mainly?) Auxiliaries operating Dublin city rather than Black & Tans was new to me

The Indo is on IrishNewsArchives, so there might have been an opportunity for a shortcut to his search there.

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

A bit more on Brendan's family here:

https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2014/who-do-you-think-you-are/brendan-ocarroll-149/

That article is a bit all over the shop in places (not a criticism of you Jellybaby for posting it)

"Maureen a secondary school teacher and the first Irish Member of Parliament" / "became Ireland's first female MP"...she was neither. Wiki says first female Labour Party TD.

"Major Hardy shot him dead and wounded 10 year old Gerard, Brendan's father" / "Brendan's father, Gerard, who was left for dead after the attack, was discovered by neighbour Michael McHugh and taken for medical assistance. Also a 'freedom fighter' for the Irish cause, Gerard became close to Michael and his wife Lizzie"....a freedom fighter as a 10 year old?
Also, if he was shot, I'm surprised that was not mentioned in the show.

Lastly, their online tree has Peter O'Carrol's year of death as 1970!!

Shoddy, shoddy workmanship, Ted.

I only got around to watching the Brendan O'Carroll episode yesterday, and found it very interesting. Nice use of military records/newspapers as other posters have already mentioned.

Being born and bred in Stoneybatter, was also good to learn the little bit of local history learned.

I struggled with this episode too and switched it off.

shanew wrote: »

'Duelling banjos'... high class stuff!.

Couldn't resist!

mod9maple wrote: »

Couldn't resist!

My banjo story ties in with my family tree. I researched my tree while my husband's brother did their side. Now, we both knew we were researching in the same county (Kerry) but little did we know that our families are VERY closely connected. I daren't connect my tree with his on Ancestry for fear that our branches overlap
My sons got a great laugh out of the idea that their parents could be very distantly related. They recently went to stay in a house in the part of Kerry we traced both sides to. I rang to see how they were getting on and eldest son told me there was something wrong with his brother. Mam, he's sitting out the front playing the banjo and he won't come in !
Sounds better told in person over a pint.

leaving duelling banjos aside for minute, hopefully forever... I love the idea of the gentile Victorian ladies and gentlemen sitting around in a posh living room to listen to a virtuoso banjo performance. Banjo was not a cool instrument in my world growing up, and always associated with not very good 'trad' players

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I thought that the RIC did serve in Dublin but it was the outskirts of Dublin not in the centre of the city, around the boundaries with other counties. Maybe I'm wrong though.

The Dublin Metropolitan Police [DMP] served in Dublin city only; the RIC served in the County and beyond.

There is an RIC page on Facebook, from which I have copied the following interesting explanation of why Dubliners talk about the police station, and people outside Dublin city talk about the police barracks:

"the RIC were a paramilitary force, and having a quasi military role, lived and worked in barracks. The DMP as an entirely civil police force, worked, and lived, in "stations." All over the State today, people still go to the "barracks" to transact their business. In Dublin, however they go to the station, or, police station."