Hi, does anyone know where Stradbally was or is and how far records go back, I am trying to trace John Brannon b. 1745 in Stradbally, Thanks Earline

Hi there Sorry only one part went last time. Does anyone please know anything about this WILLIAM QUELCH? He could be related to my Henry Quelch whom I have been searching for so long. My Henry and his wife Mary Purcell's children were born in this very area. Sincerely Judy in Canada From Griffith' evaluaton in time frame 1848-1864 there is William Quelch Townland: Johnstown Glebe 435 County: Queen's Co Barony: Clandanagh Parish: Rathdowney Poor Law Union: Donalghmore Province: Leinster Does anyone please know anything about this WILLIAM QUELCH? I thought I would add to this and post Henry and Mary with kids Descendants of Henry Quelch 1 Henry Quelch 1795 - b: 1795 in Ireland .. +Mary Purcell 1798 - b: Abt. 1798 m: 1814 in Ireland ...... 2 Joseph Quelch 1816 - b: Abt. 1816 in Ireland .......... +Jane ( Fury) Fleury m: June 11, 1844 in Notre Dame, Montreal, Ille De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 John Quelch 1817 - b: January 24, 1817 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Honora Quelch 1818 - b: December 25, 1818 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 William John Quelch 1821 - b: February 18, 1821 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland .......... +Maria Dowd m: September 28, 1857 in Ile De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 Patrick Quelch 1823 - b: March 23, 1823 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Henry Quelch 1825 - 1863 b: August 24, 1825 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland d: 1863 in Canada .......... +Bridget Maher 1866 - b: Abt. 1866 m: June 05, 1854 in Montreal, Ille De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 Ellen Quelch 1827 - b: May 13, 1827 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Mary Quelch 1829 - b: June 29, 1829 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Edward W. Quelch 1832 - b: July 11, 1832 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Margaret Quelch 1834 - b: January 21, 1834 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland

Descendants of Henry Quelch 1 Henry Quelch 1795 - b: 1795 in Ireland .. +Mary Purcell 1798 - b: Abt. 1798 m: 1814 in Ireland ...... 2 Joseph Quelch 1816 - b: Abt. 1816 in Ireland .......... +Jane ( Fury) Fleury m: June 11, 1844 in Notre Dame, Montreal, Ille De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 John Quelch 1817 - b: January 24, 1817 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Honora Quelch 1818 - b: December 25, 1818 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 William John Quelch 1821 - b: February 18, 1821 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland .......... +Maria Dowd m: September 28, 1857 in Ile De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 Patrick Quelch 1823 - b: March 23, 1823 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Henry Quelch 1825 - 1863 b: August 24, 1825 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland d: 1863 in Canada .......... +Bridget Maher 1866 - b: Abt. 1866 m: June 05, 1854 in Montreal, Ille De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 Ellen Quelch 1827 - b: May 13, 1827 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Mary Quelch 1829 - b: June 29, 1829 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Edward W. Quelch 1832 - b: July 11, 1832 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Margaret Quelch 1834 - b: January 21, 1834 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland

Hi there Does anyone please know anything about this WILLIAM QUELCH? He could be related to my Henry Quelch whom I have been searching for so long. My Henry and his wife Mary Purcell's children were born in this very area. Sincerely Judy in Canada From Griffith' evaluaton in time frame 1848-1864 there is William Quelch Townland: Johnstown Glebe 435 County: Queen's Co Barony: Clandanagh Parish: Rathdowney Poor Law Union: Donalghmore Province: Leinster Does anyone please know anything about this WILLIAM QUELCH? I thought I would add to this and post Henry and Mary with kids Descendants of Henry Quelch 1 Henry Quelch 1795 - b: 1795 in Ireland .. +Mary Purcell 1798 - b: Abt. 1798 m: 1814 in Ireland ...... 2 Joseph Quelch 1816 - b: Abt. 1816 in Ireland .......... +Jane ( Fury) Fleury m: June 11, 1844 in Notre Dame, Montreal, Ille De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 John Quelch 1817 - b: January 24, 1817 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Honora Quelch 1818 - b: December 25, 1818 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 William John Quelch 1821 - b: February 18, 1821 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland .......... +Maria Dowd m: September 28, 1857 in Ile De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 Patrick Quelch 1823 - b: March 23, 1823 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Henry Quelch 1825 - 1863 b: August 24, 1825 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland d: 1863 in Canada .......... +Bridget Maher 1866 - b: Abt. 1866 m: June 05, 1854 in Montreal, Ille De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 Ellen Quelch 1827 - b: May 13, 1827 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Mary Quelch 1829 - b: June 29, 1829 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Edward W. Quelch 1832 - b: July 11, 1832 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland ...... 2 Margaret Quelch 1834 - b: January 21, 1834 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Leinster Province, Ireland

Hi there Does anyone please know anything about this WILLIAM QUELCH? He could be related to my Henry Quelch whom I have been searching for so long. My Henry and his wife Mary Purcell's children were born in this very area. Sincerely Judy in Canada From Griffith' evaluaton in time frame 1848-1864 there is William Quelch Townland: Johnstown Glebe 435 County: Queen's Co Barony: Clandanagh Parish: Rathdowney Poor Law Union: Donalghmore Province: Leinster Does anyone please know anything about this WILLIAM QUELCH?

(Here is the message Jane is referring to. I had not gotten around to sending it to both lists. Jim Cassidy kindly contributed a photo of his ancestors grave marker showing Queen's county and we thought it would be interesting to have a display of these markers online.) If anyone has a grave marker photograph showing they were from Queens Co. and would be willing to have a scan put online we would love to add it to the new Ancestors Markers Category at: www.rootsweb.com/~irllex Just let me know. Thanks, Christina

Has anyone on this list received a message which was sent to the IRL-LEIX list. The sender was Christina Hunt and she was asking if anyone would be interested in submitting gravestone photographs to the rootsweb irllex - (Laois/Leix) website which she hosts.......... The mail came in to the Leix list but I haven't seen it appear on the Laois list. Thanks Jane

The cemetery for Aghaboe is right beside the Priory of Aghaboe........... Stones there vary, some are in perfect condition - people are still being buried there then there aare the older stones this is one location which weather plays havoc with the older steons. You'll find a few dated in the 1800's but the majority are probably gone........ Last tiem I was there the gardener was cutting the grass - a huge area of grass. There may be an older cemetery located beside the Priory but I didn't find it.......... then again - the graveyard is located where the Church of Ireland church is now and I think that was a location for an old RC church. There are a few graveyards in that locality - lots of them in fact. All over the place. Rathdowney itself has one which has gone out of use in the last twenty years and then an older one with a few stones in the middle of the town. Catholics used to be buried in what is now the church of Ireland grounds - or has been since the mid 1800's or there abouts. The Laois Archaeological index sasy somethng about the protestant church being built on the grounds of the old Catholic church but then I can't see why we had another one after that which was then torn down and a new one put up- - three churches in one town over the space of 50-100 years - all RC - not logical. Older locals say the Archaeological project is wrong. Outside Rathdowney - Coolkerry way there is another graveayrd, in Clough another one - then there is I can't remember the name of it - it was restored by FAS before someone made a mistake and put the wrong stonein the wrong place after restoration and so no more of our graeyards are being restored by FAS - or anyone for that matter. Rathsaran is then a few miles from Rathdowney - Church of Ireland - and are you looking for Bolgers or who by any chance? - or Lees - we have them too Jane:-) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Irene Lee" <Irene_Lee@ngchak.org> To: <IRL-LAOIS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001 8:33 PM Subject: Cemeteries > Hi everyone, > > I will be visiting my husband's cousin Jim Bolger in Co. Laois this June and > I am wondering where the cemetery for Aghaboe Parish (Middlemount and > Rathdowney) is located, and what condition it is in. Would this be where the > family was buried back in 1820-1920? > > Any suggestions are welcome! > > > Thanks, > > Irene > Alaska > > > ==== IRL-LAOIS Mailing List ==== > This list is sponsored by the Laois, IrelandGenWeb website - http://www.rootsweb.com/~irllex/ > > >

Hi, searching for any information on the family of John Brannon b. 1745 in or near Stradbally, Queens Co. Ireland, was in American before Rev. War. also does anyone know of ship records that go back that far. Thanks Earline

Does someone have a list of all the Laois websites they have found? I have posted about my Grattan/Grattons being from Queens co (Laois) quite a while ago and havent had too much time to look into any more information. It seems like there are new websites being added all the time so I wanted to ask about all the websites! Also...just want to get thoughs on something too! My GGG Grandmother, Katherine Grattan came to New Brunswick in 1830 from Laois. There are several other Grattans that came to New Brunswick in various years all from Laois as well and came into the same area (miramichi) We have found one of her siblings, Michael and his family, which they live in California now. It is exciting because we have a picture of my GG Grandfather, and showed it to Michael Grattans family and they said he definitely has the Grattan nose. But anyways...what are the chances that all of these Grattans that came into New Brunswick, Canada from Laois are related? My guess would be pretty good, am I right? It really only seems like My Catherine Grattan and her brother Michael were close. They are found living next to each other in the census and they are sponsors for each others childrens baptisms. There was one Elizabeth Grattan( we though at first it was Michaels wife, but it turned out to not be) that was a sponsor, which we figured is probebly a sister or cousin. But we havent found anything else to link Catherine and Michael to the other Grattans from Laois, located in New Brunswick. Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreicated! Jennifer searching for Kelly, Grattan, Fitzpatrick and Breen in New Brunswick, Canada

Hi everyone, I will be visiting my husband's cousin Jim Bolger in Co. Laois this June and I am wondering where the cemetery for Aghaboe Parish (Middlemount and Rathdowney) is located, and what condition it is in. Would this be where the family was buried back in 1820-1920? Any suggestions are welcome! Thanks, Irene Alaska

Linda at DOTSYBABIN@cs.com writes: >>can anybody tell me exactly where it is/was, and point me in the right direction to get some history on this small town/village, of only about 470 acres.<< Linda, Rossdorragha is an average sized townland, about 6 miles ENE of Roscrea and about 4 miles a little west of NNW from Boris in Ossory. There aren't really any major roads in the area. The southern border of your townland would appear to be a road heading NE from Ballaghmore to Camross. The townland is located at 223 934 on Discovery map 54, and appears to be about half-wooded. The elevation at the lowest portion of the townland is about 450 feet, and rises to the northwest up to about 700 feet, where it borders the townland of Rossnabarnagh which continues to rise up the slope of the southern Slieve Bloom Mts.. Rossdorragha has about ten buildings in the townland, nearly all located on a short side road off of the Ballaghmore-Camross road. The townlands adjacent to Rossdorragha are Clonoonagh -to the west - and Cloncully - to the east. There are a couple of small streams passing through the townland, heading to the SE from the slopes of the Slieve Blooms. Pete Schermerhorn, in the glorious Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts

Good evening list, Thanks to Maureen, I think I've found "my" John Honnor. There is one listed on Griffith's Valuation living in the town of Rossdorragha, which I have found is in the civil parish of Kyle, so is located close to the border of Laois and Tipperary, near Roscrea. My Question of course is, can anybody tell me exactly where it is/was, and point me in the right direction to get some history on this small town/village, of only about 470 acres. Thanks once again, Linda Babin Louisiana USA Researaching FEEHAN/HONNER(HONNOR)/WALSH/CLARKE in Ireland and South Australia Slán agus beannacht leat . Linda Babin Louisiana USA Researaching FEEHAN/HONNER/WALSH/CLARKE in Ireland and South Australia

Good day list, I'm new to this list, and looking for information or connections to John Honner, born abt. 1810 in Queens County, Ireland. Married to Mary Maloney abt. 1829, Rel. Roman Catholic. They would have lived close to the Co. Tipperary border as verbal history says they did their marketing in Roscrea. Went to Australia in 1858 aboard the "Utopia". Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Linda Babin Louisiana USA Researaching FEEHAN/HONNER/WALSH/CLARKE in Ireland and South Australia Linda Babin Louisiana USA Researaching FEEHAN/HONNER/WALSH/CLARKE in Ireland and South Australia

Hello fellow listers I have discovered a convict ancestor who was a native of Cork but his trial took place in Laois. Does anyone have any ideas on where this was likely to have been? The trial took place on 4 March 1840, he was James Downey and he had stolen some money. Also does anyone have any ideas on what newspapers would have been likely to have reported on the trial? TIA Vicki from Australia

Concluding from :County Laois or Leix Richard Hayward 1949 (From 'This is Ireland, LEINSTER and the City of Dublin) Mountmellick was the only town in Ireland really created by the Friends as a Quaker settlement, and it was built on such solid foundations of work and honest value that it would be a Quaker town to this day, but for the refusal of the old manufacturers to modernise their methods. That failure, and certain regrettable misunderstandings within the Society about war-service and mixed marriage, so disintegrated the structure of the community that Sam Pim and some of his relatives are the only Quakers left in the vicinity today. I felt very sad about this when I went with my host to find the old Friends' Meeting House, which was built to hold a congregation of three hundred and was, often overcrowded, now in use as a Y.M.C.A. For there is no Quaker Meeting in Mountmellick today, and even the fine Friends' School, which stands close beside the old Meeting House, is now a Roman Catholic establishment. I remember this school years ago, a most graceful and spacious building with its front a mass of Virginia Creeper and its whole bearing somehow redolent.of the gentle Friends as Elia knew them, and I could have wept to-day to see its face reduced to that staring cemented uniformity which seems to express so well the level of taste of the present era. Across the Square is the shop opened by Jonathan Pim about 1730 and still prospering, and my mind went back to the time when an English officer confronted the good Jonathan and demanded: A length of rope fit to hang a man. I will not sell thee rope to hang one of God's creatures, said Jonathan. And, being a Quaker, he kept his word. We stayed that night, and for the next four nights, in Anngrove, the home of Samuel and Winifred Pim and their happy family, and it wasn't long before I had my little Irish harp out of my car and we were all sitting round the turf fire, singing songs and telling stories. Anngrove was built about 1698 by one Beale, a Quaker from Suffolk, and some time afterwards it passed by purchase to the Pims and has remained in their possession ever since. It is that most beautiful and lovable of things, a house that has been lived in for a long time, and that has retained its, old personality and grace despite the many additions and improvements which it has undergone. I do not know that I ever stayed in a happier house, and the greatest compliment I can pay my host and hostess is to record that, since childhood, I have carried in my mind a most gracious picture of the true and proper Friend, and friend, and that they but added to the rich, warm colours of that happy limnery. The capital town of Leix is Port Laoighise, but this revival of the ancient place-name has not gained much currency, and the people commonly use the name which Lord Deputy Sussex imposed in honour of his Queen-Maryborough, though they pronounce it Marraburra. It, stands on the Triogue River, a tributary of the Barrow, and though it is a neat and prosperous town of respectable antiquity it has nothing much to offer the tourist. We drove to this town, from Mountmellick, along the ancient way which runs parallel with the main road, but to the east of it, a most interesting old track that is perched all the way on top of a gigantic esker. I have already had something to say about these gravel ridges left by the rivers which flowed under the ice sheets of Glacial times, and this a grand example. >From Port Laoighise we followed the Stradbally road to Dunamase-Dún Masg, the Fortress of Masg, one of the traditional ancestors of the Leinster people. This ruined castle stands most dramatically on a massive outcrop of rock to the left of the road, a site commanding a gap in the hills and a vast extent of flat country, which, as the place-name indicates, has been fortified from the earliest times. The present picturesque ruins are those of the Norman successor of the old Irish stronghold, and whilst that successor was probably built by Wilham le Mareschal, William de Bruce, Lord Brecknock, is credited with rebuilding here in 1250, and the formidable Roger de Mortimer also took a hand in re-edification. In time Dunamase became the chief stronghold of the O Moores, and was the scene of many sanguinary conflicts in the Irish wars, being captured with bloody slaughter by Coote in 1641 and by Owen Roe O Neill five years later. But Cromwellian troops, under Hewson and Reynolds, put an end to it in 1650, and the thoroughness of their slighting, to use a technical term which is such a lovely understatement, can be seen to-day in the great masses of shattered masonry which lie all around in splendid confusion. The outlines of the fortress are clear enough, with a D-shaped bailey to the east, and a triangular walled-courtyard to the west of it. A round-faced gateway tower, with traces of a drawbridge, gives access to this courtyard, and a sloping way leads to the inner ward, a terraced heart-shaped area on the summit of the rocky boss. About the centre of the inner curtain the main gateway is much shattered, and the condition of the crowning rectangular keep, of thirteenth-century date but with sixteenth-century additions, is no better. The view from Dunamase is fine indeed, with the wide sweep of the flat Leinster plain stretching before you like a multi-coloured patchwork quilt, and little imagination is needed to understand the strategic importance of this place in earlier times. We traversed some pleasant,little byroads, winding amongst the pretty hills around Stradbally, to reach Timahoe-Tigh Mochua, the House of Mochua-with its splendid Round Tower. A Celtic monastery was founded here in the sixth century by Saint Mochua, and the tower and associated ruins represent the remnants of the more permanent stone buildings which were later erected on his foundation. This Round Tower is especially interesting because of its most beautiful Hiberno-Romanesque doorway, consisting of two divisions separated from each other by a deep reveal and a close examination of this little masterpiece, in the light of what I have already said about our native style of architecture, will reward you with many delightful surprises. It is a very pleasant run to Portarlington up in the extreme northern tip of Leix, and you will find this charming town a most delightful place. It is known in Irish as Cúl an tSúdaire- the Corner of the Tanner-and owes its English name to the grantee of 1667, Sir Henry Bennett, afterwards Lord Arlington, and much of its later prosperity to the expansion of the canal trade. The charm of its architecture lies in the fluid, anti-Georgian freedom of its general conception, but the hand of the modern builder is heavy upon it with all its graceless disregard for beauty and comeliness. The best remaining example is the exquisite double-bow-fronted house in the Killmalogue section of the town, where the last of the back-to-front houses has just lost its quaint character by the insertion of a street window. It is said that most of these lovely houses were built by Huguenot refugees after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and by retired Huguenot officers of the Williamite armies, and that they designed them with blank walls to the street, because their un-popularity with the Irish townspeople provoked the stoning of their normal window panes. Whether this is so I cannot say, but it is evident that Portarlington was indeed a very French town, for the Register of the French Church, which is the normal Parish Church, is full of names such as Tabuteau, Desvoeux, La Combre, Blanc, Vignoles and Corsellis, and until 1816 was written entirely in French. Similarly the Expenses Book of the Church is titled Livre de Comples, and, until 1782, its entries are also in French, though after that date French and English are inter-mingled. The Parish Register for the third of June, 1694, contains the names of Bellaquier, Gillet, Bonneval, Cellier, Champs, Boucher, Mercier and Aigues, and the fine set of church silver bears this inscription: Donné par son Altesse Royale Madame Wilheimina Carolina Princesse de Galles en faveur de I'Eglise Francoise Conformiste de Portaliengton, le 1 Mars, 1714-5. The rector very kindly showed us over his attractive little church, and gave me such access to his registers and treasures that I was enabled to take notes on the spot and include the foregoing most interesting information in my book. I expressed my warm thanks to him and I now do so again. Our host drove us back to Anngrove through Emo Park, the former residence of the Dawson family, who became Earls of Portarlington in 1785, but now a monastery and a Government afforestation centre. On the way out of Portarlington he pointed out the once-famous Arlington School, where such diverse characters as Edmund Burke and Lord Carson were pupils, but change has come upon it also and it is now a factory. The main drive of Emo Park is famous for its border of splendid Redwoods, Wellingtonia giganticum, and the rest of the older timber here is varied and beautiful, in comparison with the quick-growing larch and spruce which the Government seem set on planting everywhere to the exclusion of all our lovely native trees. In Emo Church is a most exquisite recumbent effigy, carved in marble by the sculptor Boehm, of Aline, Countess of Portarlington, who died in 1874 and is buried here. The treatment of the beautiful hands and arms is delicate and masterly. As we drove back to Anngrove the sun was setting in a splendour of tawny light that worked its magic with the flat boglands that lay between us and home. The stacked turf cast long prune-coloured shadows across the brown land, and the bog pools reflected the glory of a sky that was full of luminous clouds with edges the colour of burnished copper. This was Leix, warm- hearted, friendly, hospitable Leix, and we felt sorrow that we should be leaving it in the morning.

Hi, I'm new to this list. I am looking for my ancestors Stephen WEEKS & Ann LACUMBER who emigrated to PEI, Canada about 1822. They were reported to have come from King or Queens Co., or possible Kildare. Any info most appreciated, Dawn Ellis dsellis@nbnet.nb.ca http://www.geocities.com/dawnellis.geo

Jane, This sure brought back some memories. >Richard Hayward 1949 >(From 'This is Ireland, LEINSTER and the City of Dublin) > >We got into the car again and drove down a charming little road into >Rosenallis...burial ground of the Society of Friends. You can obtain the >key of this graveyard from the occupants of the cottage beside it, The cottage is still there and the gate was open when I visited but it is probably locked at night. At the time I had not made the Quaker connection with my Smith and Haslam family names but there were quite a few buried there and I did manage to photograph most of them. I attracted a lot of attention as I cycled around the countryside in October on a woman's pushbike taking pictures of every church and graveyard I came across. >The whitesmiths of Mountmellick were famous for their >bits and stirrups, and Pims sent the travellers all over England to >sell these much-esteemed products of Irish craftsmanship Are these the same travellers that set up their caravans along the sides of the roads outside of the towns? I often stopped to rest and chat with them as I cycled in and out of Mountmellick. Mountmellick is changing. The road known as Sarsfield/Bridge Street has been paved and there is a big hotel going up (probably open now) near the hospital above Irish town. There were mixed feeling but most seemed to think it was a good thing as they had big weddings and not enough space to put up out of town guests. There is a book 'The Quakers of Mountmellick' for sale at the Mountmellick Development Association/Laois Leader Rural Development Company for 5 punts. I'm not sure what the shipping would be. The four page bibliography is almost worth the price of the book. They do have a web page. If you ever go make sure to stop in for lunch. They provide training for local youth and the meals are large and inexpensive.

Continuing from :County Laois or Leix Richard Hayward 1949 (From 'This is Ireland, LEINSTER and the City of Dublin) We got into the car again and drove down a charming little road into Rosenallis, an amusing English corruption of the Irish place-name Ros Fhionn-ghlaise -the Wood of the Bright Stream-which the local people, for long without the Irish tongue, firmly believed to be derived from two Quaker ladies, Rose and Alice. But though the gentle Friends have firm roots in this place, the blessed Saint Brigit was here before them, and Colgan refers to a church in Rosenallis which was dedicated to her. To the left of the road for Mountmellick, just beyond the village, is the ruin of the old home of William Edmundson, pioneer Irish Quaker, and almost opposite is the oldest Irish burying ground of the Society of Friends. You can obtain the key of this graveyard from the occupants of the cottage beside it, and within the peaceful enclosure you may study the sequence of the development of Quaker headstones : in the earliest days of the Society no stones were used at all, then a small undressed stone with the bare name of the deceased was permitted, and finally a normal but still very plain slab was considered correct. Here you will find all the old Quaker names, Pim, Goodbody, Malcolmson, and a tablet at the wall which records: Near this spot is buried William Edmundson, the first member of the Society of Friends who settled in Ireland. Died the 31st of 6th month, 1712 O.S. Aged nearly 85 years. a vague declaration which shows that in Edmundson's time the earliest form of unnamed stones was in -use, as we would expect. This pioneer held his first Quaker meeting in Ulster, in the town of Antrim, but he was not well received there and soon came south to Leix. Our host, Sam Pim, naturally takes a great interest in this burying ground, and he showed us some unusual trees which he has planted there and which seem to be thriving. Ailantltus glandulosa, the Tree of Heaven, fittingly grows at each side of the inner gate, and near by is that mysterious tree of Cretaceous times, the Chinese Maiden Hair, a most remarkable deciduous conifer known as Ginkgo biloba. Peace be with the good Friends in their sleeping. Midway between Rosenallis and Mountmellick, to the right of the road, is Summer Grove, a fine early eighteenth-century house built by the Huguenot, John Sabatier. Jonathan Pim, famous for his seven daughters who sat in a demure row at the Mountmellick Meeting, House, bought Summer Grove from Sabatier, and it has been in the hands of Pims and their relations ever since. As you enter the charming hall three doors face you, spaced beneath a fine single tympanum, and the balustrade of the stairway is notable for its three balusters to every tread. There is some delicious plasterwork on the ceilings, with flowers and birds in high relief, and the house is a good example of the quiet elegance of its marvellous period. Mountmellick-Móinteach Mílic, the Boggy Land of the Marsh-is pleasantly situated on the Owenass, is further connected with the Barrow by a branch of the Grand Canal, and was at one time the principal Quaker town, of Ireland. The industrious Friends brought peace and prosperity to this place, as was their wont, and initiative too, for beet-sugar was manufactured here a hundred years ago. The whitesmiths of Mountmellick were famous for their bits and stirrups, and Pims sent the travellers all over England to sellthese much-esteemed products of Irish craftsmanship; nor were the Quaker ladies unmindful of the industrial expansion, for their needlework and Mountmellick sugar-sticks were celebrated and found a ready market everywhere. As we have seen, the Society of Friends made its Irish start in Antrim without much success, but, working down through Cavan to Leix, the Friends prospered as farmers and then went into business as manufacturers and merchants. Their habits of industry and strict integrity stood them in fine stead, and their love of their fellow-men, regardless of creed, won them high esteem with the Irish people, an esteem which, with their charitable works during the dreadful times of the Famine, grew into a warm regard and affection. The Irish people are notorious for long memories, and you will never hear an Irishman speak any word about a Quaker that is not a good word and a kind word.

The Fennellys emigrated from Queens County before and during the mid 1800s not the 1880s. Joyce