29/6/2005 Avoca Much has been said about this place, and I doubt I can do it no more justice than many others have before me , but why not more from someone who is only ever so slightly biased towards it's beauty. We all should know that the words of Thomas Moore who immortalised in time Avoca in his poem of the "Sweet Vale of Avoca" they were inspired by the Meetings of the Waters near to Avoca township in 1807 And I tell you that our resident poet Daz has also captured Avoca in words ( if he shares them with you ) are worthy of a read. But his were most likely inspired by the lips meeting an entirely different kind of water in the local, many years later, than when Thomas Moore sat down to write his words beside the river. I cannot exaggerate the beauty of Avoca, especially in Autumn, with the leaves on the trees turning to all shades of gold, and orange, one must stand and view this scene for themselves to understand why such a place can leave an everlasting impression upon your mind and deep within your heart. If you have the energy and a willing body the view from Cronebane Hill ( 812 feet above sea level) is worth the climb, where you will view the valley of Avonmore, Avonbeg and Avoca, and look to the valley of Glenmalure and Glendalough ( future words on those places later) and see the Mountains of Lugnaquilla, which when said by a local rolls fluently off their tongue in such away the mountains come alive, with love. At Cronebane sits a tiny pebble, only 4 meters long, 3 meters broad and 3 meters high, just a wee pebble *folklore says it was tossed here by Finn McCool and is known as one of his hurling stones.* And according to local tradition yet once again there was more of these stones around the area but an over enthusiastic clergyman in the 17th Century went about blowing them up, as he believed that it added to the paganism. The mottee stone has handles so you may climb to the top of it to enjoy the view, but it is not for the faint hearted on a windy day, I can assure you, as there are no railings. It is said that one of the landed gentry *Robert Howard* placed these handles here so he and his bride could sit together and take in the view at sunset. Castle Howard lies secreted, in the woodland, to the right and can only be noticed as your approach the Mottee stone. The castle was originally built as a fortified house for the early mining masters of Avoca, during the 17th Century, it was sold later to Robert Howard, a brother of the viscount Wicklow as his marriage settlement , formerly known as *Cronebane Lodge* Avoca Valley of course was the location of the Copper mines. Modern mining is believed to have commenced about 1730, Roe and Company of Macclesfield ( UK) were the main share holders in the mine in this era, The company Chairman being Abraham Mills, from Chester. Among other shareholders were, Thos Weaver, John Jeffers, Brian and Robert Hodgeson (various spelling of this name) Richard Walker, Thos Leyland and John Bolton. The Williams Family ( one I am seeking details of ) came from Cornwall and were predominant share holders at East Avoca from 1832, they introduced to the area a new energy source in -Steam power and today the engine houses and chimney stacks, that once pumped water and hoisted ore, rise majestically through the trees and surrounds reminding you of an era passed long gone now, as you stop to view these mighty chimney stacks and engine houses, you also notice the mounds of yellow soil left behind. But such colour only adds to the beauty of this place. With its backdrop of trees with its different shades in the Autumn season and its forty shades of green in the Springtime. The Avoca river divides not only the mining into East and West but it also is the division line between the surrounding district, in as much as it was the line between which church you may or may not have attended, even to the burial ground your ancestors were laid in. Mining was recorded on the Eastern side in 1734 and on the Western side in 1780, mining in the west ceasing in c1813 after a disagreement with the owners. Then around 1915, copper prices dropped, and mining ceased in East Avoca. But as we know from time to time and even today they still, are testing and researching the soils around Avoca. 1839 saw the King Of Sicily placing a high tax on the export of Sulphur, and with the industrialisation in Britain, this created a huge demand for this sulphur source, and this led to an increase in employment in Avoca as it became the main source for this product. 1840 saw almost 2,500 people employed in the Avoca Mines, West Avoca sending their exports through Arklow, and East sending theirs via Wicklow Port. Henry Hodgeson mined at west Avoca from the 1820's and he developed the mineral tramway, (this track later becoming the main railway route,) to the port of Arklow ( Julie Claydon ancestors) this tramway was built to the Arklow Port, and through Henry Hodgeson's generous sponsorship of Famine relief the building of the Arklow Port. Little spoken of is the Whaley family ( more on this man later also) they actually had a small lead mine in a portion of West Avoca. The Avoca village with its little four legged resident tour guide ( Riggs) is set in the image of the past of yesterday, with its narrow streets, it makes you wonder of days of yesterday when no doubt it rang to the hills of many different voices, and sounds of engines pumping, of past miners, who lived in the township or its surrounds, these days the name Avoca has sprung readily to the lips, as it gained recognition through the Television show called Ballykissangel and my quirky nature, will not resist the oft repeated correction it has and always will be *Avoca* because long before the TV sitcom there was Avoca and long after the TV show has faded in memory there will still be Avoca, Co Wicklow Ireland. But it was not always called Avoca, indeed there was a time when it was called Ovoca, and Newbridge .( more on this later) Miners names that have passed through Avoca area that I have found to be still around in 1901but to name few, William Toole aged 31, Suphur, Albert Wynne aged 68, Mining engineer, Thomas Toole aged 22 his brother James aged 25 Copper, George Tuke aged 42, Copper, John McGrath, aged 71 Ochre, Thomas Byrne aged 60 Sulphur, William Barry aged 22, Sulphur, James Brien aged 48 Sulphur, Laurence Donnelly aged 50 Ochre, John Heffernon age unknown, Sulphur, John Breen aged 44 Coal, Edward Brien aged 70, Coal, Samuel Bradford aged 59 Coal, George Reid aged 58 Coal, John Kniveton aged 27, Ochre, Edward Gaffney aged 56, Coal, James Higgins _Mine Captain And a later miner Mr Beatie died as a result of a mine accident, buried in Avoca Roman Catholic church Yard,along no doubt with many a miner who was buried in this and other surrounding graveyards around the village of Avoca, some dying of natural causes and others from mining mishaps. More on these towns later Cheers for now Cara