Kildare: literature, books, history etc

Wordless

Any recommendations on books about Kildare? Our county is mentioned in one or two classics. A Portrait of the Artist...by Joyce mentions Clongowes, Kavanagh mentions Athy, Behan, The Curragh Camp to name but a few! Con Costello, that wonderful historian, who many of us would remember from his articles in The Leinster Leader, now sadly departed, had an excellent book on The Curragh entitled 'A Most Wonderful Station'. He also had a few articles on The Wrens in the Curragh. James Durney has some excellent reads on the county such as 'The Civil War in Kildare'. Anyone got any recommendations?

Elixxe

Maura Laverty (1907 - 1966) was an author, journalist and broadcaster known for her work on the Irish soap opera Tolka Row, broadcast on Telefis Eireann in the early 1960s and for her cookery book Full and Plenty.

She was born in Rathangan, Co. Kildare.

Her first novel Never No More was published to widespread acclaim in 1942. It was based in County Kildare, drawing heavily on personal experiences during from her early teen years.

Full & Plenty, published in 1960, is described as the definitive cookery reference book in every Irish kitchen.

Her further works include novels, plays and children's books.

Wordless

Elixxe wrote: »

Maura Laverty (1907 - 1966) was an author, journalist and broadcaster known for her work on the Irish soap opera Tolka Row, broadcast on Telefis Eireann in the early 1960s and for her cookery book Full and Plenty.

She was born in Rathangan, Co. Kildare.

Her first novel Never No More was published to widespread acclaim in 1942. It was based in County Kildare, drawing heavily on personal experiences during from her early teen years.

Full & Plenty, published in 1960, is described as the definitive cookery reference book in every Irish kitchen.

Her further works include novels, plays and children's books.

Thanks for that I never heard of her! One of the reasons I wanted to start the thread.

Elixxe

Here's another County Kildare writer/poet, who is likely to be less well known.

Teresa C. Brayton (1868 – 1943) was an Irish nationalist, writer and poet.

She was born Teresa Boylan at Kilbrook, Kilcock, Co. Kildare. She emigrated to America in the 1890s and settled first in New York but later moved to Boston. She married Richard Brayton, a French-Canadian and became well known in Irish-American circles. She published poetry extensively in many American newspapers and magazines and was closely associated with the 1916 Rising.

In 1913 she published her first book of poetry called Songs of the Dawn and Irish Ditties. The Flame of Ireland appeared in 1926 and Christmas Verses in 1934. Her main themes were the exile's nostalgic loss of homeland, nationalism and religion.

She visited Ireland frequently from America and was acquainted with many of the Irish political leaders of the time. She returned permanently to Ireland in 1932 and died in her home in Kilbrook, Co. Kildare, in 1943. A memorial to her was erected by President De Valera in Kilbrook in 1959, over her grave.

Her best-known poem is "The Old Bog Road", set to music by Madeline King O'Farrelly from Rochfortbridge, Co. Westmeath.

An anthology of her poetry and short stories was published in 2002 by the Teresa Brayton Heritage Group, Kilcock.

Here is the first verse of her poem entitled 'KILDARE', which appeared at Chrismas-time in the Leinster Leader in 1910:

Say what of Kildare?-is she waking or sleeping?
Now the day of our testing is growing apace.
And mighty as winter-tossed billows on leaping
Wild ‘farrahs’ ring out from the lips of our race!
What of Kildare, ever foremost and ready,
Whenever our warflag was raised for the right.
Has she lifted her standard, true hearted and steady.
Where Kildare ought to be-in the thick of fight!

Above information is mainly derived from the Co. Kildare Online Electronic History Journal : An Electronic Journal for the publication of material relating to the history, archaeology and heritage of Co. Kildare. It's on the Kildare County Council/Libraries website (see eHistory). I don't think I can post a link.

Wordless

Thank you for the information. I had actually heard of her on a programme about the canals that go through Kildare. I never copped that Brayton park in Kilcock must be named after her.

Wordless

Durney's Far From The Short Grass was a good read it detailed the men from Kildare that were involved in the two world wars. As I mentioned he also has a book on The Civil War in the county. Contrary to popular belief Kildare was a rebellious county especially during 1798. After that we ended up with a ton of barracks' all over.

Wordless

Martin Malone is another Kildare writer and he often does courses/talks in our libraries. A little bit from Wikipedia
'Valley of the Peacock Angel' (2013)
The Only Glow of the Day (2010)
The Silence of the Glasshouse (2008)
The Broken Cedar (2003)
After Kafra (2001)
Us (2000)

The Lebanon Diaries (2007)

Wordless

For anyone interested Ireland and The Crimean War by David Murphy has a bit on Kildare, most interesting is the case of a Newbridge man charged with the murder of a fellow soldier while serving in the war.

Wordless

Cuirrech Lifé: The Curragh of Kildare, by John Feehan of UCD is a beautiful book on the geography, history, flora and fauna of The Curragh.

sparksfly

Just a few links that might interest you.
They reference publications that specifically relate to Kildare heritage topics.
Mario Corrigan from Newbridge library is also a great source of information having penned many books himself.


http://www.kildare.ie/heritage/
http://www.kildare.ie/library/ehistory/burial_grounds_and_graveyards/
http://athyeyeonthepast.blogspot.com/1998/01/mario-corrigans-book-on-1798-in-kildare.html
http://www.itsyourtime.ie/kildare-news-item.asp?entry_id=10791
http://kildarelocalhistory.ie/

Wordless

sparksfly wrote: »

Just a few links that might interest you.
They reference publications that specifically relate to Kildare heritage topics.
Mario Corrigan from Newbridge library is also a great source of information having penned many books himself.


http://www.kildare.ie/heritage/
http://www.kildare.ie/library/ehistory/burial_grounds_and_graveyards/
http://athyeyeonthepast.blogspot.com/1998/01/mario-corrigans-book-on-1798-in-kildare.html
http://www.itsyourtime.ie/kildare-news-item.asp?entry_id=10791
http://kildarelocalhistory.ie/

Thank you kindly for posting the links Mario is a great historian, librarian and also handy on the bass guitar! Athy eye on the past has some quality articles too!

Wordless

Nialler 9 is another great writer from the Kildare area. One of the main movers and shakers in the Irish music scene.

sparksfly

Came across this on Facebook, first paragraph copied.

PLEASE SHARE - THIS THURSDAY NIGHT BOOK LAUNCH
Kildare Town: Snapshots in time
Cill Dara Historical Society is pleased to announce the launch of its new publication, Kildare Town: Snapshots in time, compiled by Mario Corrigan and Joseph Connelly. It will be launched in Kildare Town Community Library, in the Eurospar Centre on Claregate Street, on Thursday, 12 December, at 7 p.m.

prospect

My wife has a few books about Kildare at home, I'll dig up the details for you later.

Badly Drunk Boy

My younger brother has a good few books on Kildare and its history. The most recent addition to his collection is about the Irish Ropes factory in Newbridge. A good few of my family are in it but the fact that they got wrong was about my father, who worked there longer than anyone else in my family.

I'll ask my brother for the names of the books.

Wordless

Cheers all. Good to see a bit of interest.

Wordless

Phenomenal book on The Curragh http://www.kildare.ie/library/ehistory/2008/03/cuirreach_life_the_curragh_of.asp

Wordless

Can't believe I forgot about Mary Leadbeater, Poet, author and diarist. Known in particular for her eyewitness account of 1798.