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Community Historian Brendan Matthews, Stamullen Meath, Drogheda (2026)

09/04/2026

History Walk. Community Historian, Brendan Matthews will present the first History and Heritage Walk n Talks for the summer period of 2026 this Wednesday evening, April 15th beginning outside Scholars Hotel King Street in Drogheda at 7.30pm. Titled, “150 Years of the Catalpa Rescue”: Step into one of the most daring escape stories in Irish history — the Catalpa Rescue when the last remaining Fenian prisoners held in Western Australia escaped on board the Catalpa Ship. This immersive Walk n Talk will uncover Drogheda’s hidden revolutionary network of the 1850s–1870s — and the local men who risked everything, sailing the world’s most dangerous seas to freedom. This event will take around 1 hour to complete.Free event | Donations welcome and all are welcome to come along on the evening.

06/04/2026

History & Heritage Walk n Talks 2026

with Brendan Matthews.
150 Years of the Catalpa Rescue
Step into one of the most daring escape stories in Irish history — the Catalpa Rescue.
Join Community Historian Brendan Matthews on Wednesday, April 15th at 7:30pm for the opening walk of the 2026 season. Starting outside Scholars Townhouse at the top of King Street, this immersive Walk n Talk will uncover Drogheda’s hidden revolutionary network of the 1850s–1870s — and the local men who risked everything, sailing the world’s most dangerous seas to freedom. This event will take around 1 hour to complete.
Free event | Donations welcome

18/03/2026

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. `Fatal Car Accident`. Image depicts a copy of the Death Certificate for young Patrick Healy. It is Sunday afternoon April 9th back in 1916 and young six year old Patrick Healy of Windmill Lane in Drogheda is playing with five other children along the nearby North Road. He had left his home around 3.30pm after having his dinner with his family including an older brother who had been home from England, where he worked in a munitions factory. Coming down the north road at the same time was Mr. McGee of Dromin in Co. Louth driving his Darracq motorcar; he was on his way to Dublin accompanied by three other passengers. It appeared that the children were playing some type of `daring` game, whereby they were running back and forth across the road in front of on-coming traffic. Mr. McGee was travelling at around 17 miles per hour and as he approached the children he began to sound the horn of his Darracq, but as he neared the kids, a boy of around 14 years old darted across the road in front of him and he was followed by young Patrick Healy. Mr. McGee immediately reduced his speed to 3 or 4 miles per hour and along with applying the brakes, he swerved his car to the right but unfortunately he struck the young boy with his heavy vehicle. It later emerged that an old woman living on one side of the north road was giving some lemonade drinks to the children and that they had all managed to get across the road safely except young Patrick. After the accident, the young lad was conveyed to the cottage hospital, however he died from his injuries the following Saturday, April 15th 1916. Young Patrick Healy, the six year old from Windmill Lane in Drogheda; an early victim of a road traffic accident having been struck by a motor vehicle 110-years-ago next month. Researched, written & compiled by Community Historian Brendan Matthews.

17/03/2026

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. `Hidden gem`. Photo by Brendan Matthews captured in the spring of 2025 depicts the wonderful Triple-Arch Stone Bridge spanning the Colp river that flows into the great Boyne River here at Mornington. The construction of this bridge, dating to c.1840, displays the magnificent skill of the Masons where they incorporated the wedge-shaped stones to create the arches (Voussiors) and also the ashlar limestone breakwater stones on the northern elevation of the bridge.

16/03/2026

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. “Saint Patrick and Saint Sheelah`s Day”. Photo, by Brendan Matthews, depicts the table-top grave-stone-slab of Father Patrick Ennis, Parish Priest at Stamullen, 1779 – 1814 which may be seen in front of the Principal Window of the ruins of St. Patrick`s medieval Chapel in Stamullen Graveyard. A very old custom that was once carried on across Ireland was that of St. Sheelah`s Day, which was celebrated on March 18th, the day after St. Patrick`s Day. In folklore tales, Sheelah was supposed to have been either the wife or the mother of St. Patrick and apparently she was scorned by the people in honour of Patrick and so in the lead up to St. Patrick`s Day she sends bitter winds and often snow in our direction so as to ruin the day for Patrick. A book that was written and published in 2004 titled `Sheela-na-gigs- Unravelling an Enigma` mentions that the Irish emigrants to Newfoundland in the early 19th century and before the famine, celebrated St. Sheelah`s Day on March 18th when they drowned the shamrock from the day before by drinking large amounts of whiskey and drowning the shamrock in the last glass of the day. The book, which was written by Barbara Freitag also records: `that the celebration of St. Sheelah`s day had all but died out in Ireland by the later 18th or very early 19th century`. However, a Drogheda Argus newspaper obituary, following the death of local highwayman, Michael Collier (The Robber) and referring to his `daring exploits` on the road, recorded that in the year 1813: `some of the inhabitants of Stamullen who were celebrating St. Sheelah`s Day by indulging in large amounts of whiskey when the then parish priest of Stamullen, Father Ennis went and broke up, what he termed as, `a pagan indulgence`. Among the folk who were apparently celebrating St Sheelah in the old village of Stamullen on that faithful day in 1813 was the infamous Michael Collier, alias `Collier the Robber`. A few short words were exchanged between Fr. Ennis, Parish Priest of Stamullen and Collier whereby the Priest informed the infamous highwayman `that he would be better off clearing out of Stamullen and from this illegal drinking den as the military were not too far off in search of him`. Father Ennis remained as Parish Priest of Stamullen until his demise which took place during the month of October in 1814; this was a period when the infamous local Highwayman was at the height of his notoriety. Today, it is all but impossible to try and find anyone who has ever heard of celebrating St. Sheelah`s Day in Stamullen; indeed, the writer of the book on the enigmas of the Sheela-na-Gig stated that the tale of celebrating St. Sheelah`s Day on March 18th had;`All but died out across the country with an exception in a small part of the west`. So, with the terrible bitterly cold north-east winds that are often experienced around St. Patrick`s Day, it looks as though St. Sheelah may be sending these bitter winds and sleet in our direction to spoil the day of our National Apostle and of course the ancient Pattern Festival Day at Stamullen, where it is recorded within the Book of Armagh that Saint Patrick had actually established an Early Christian Church in the Valley of the Delvin River and had baptised Benignus who then became his successor at Armagh. Researched, written & compiled by Community Historian Brendan Matthews.

02/02/2026

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. “Tom`s Fight For Irish Freedom”. Photo by Brendan Matthews, taken in 2022, depicts the former homestead of the great Tom Carton on the Moorechurch Road at Julianstown. Tom played an instrumental role in the `Fight for Irish Freedom` back in 1920/21 and was a close friend of the great Tipperary Republican Dan Breen. Breen had often stayed at the home of Tom Carton during the War of Independence with Britain and, in the aftermath of the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War, Breen spoke very fondly of Tom Carton and a number of other local Republicans in the Julianstown, Balloy and Gormanston area.

23/01/2026

Community Historian, Brendan Matthews. "Another Brick in the Wall. Advertisement regarding two local brick-work manufactories , dating to March 1909. The extract from the map on the left depicts the brick-works at Dardistown, which was situated a short distance to the north-east of the Castle, while the extract from the map on the right depicts the brick-works at Cooperhill, which was located on the right-hand side of the road down a long lane as you head towards Beamore Cross from Cooperhill and was located just over 1 kilometre to the north of Cooperhill Cross. Extract from the 25” map of 1908, courtesy of the Ordnance Survey of Ireland. In the 1970`s, local Julianstown man, Paddy Matthews, gave a great account to the Julianstown Irish Countrywomens` Association, of his employment at the Dardistown Brick Works back in the year 1910 when he was just 10 years old; being employed at 1 shilling per day: The following is an account of his duties. “The clay, which was blue in colour, was dug up in the winter time, about three men were employed to do this. In the spring time, holes were bored into the clay so as to allow water pe*****te into it and the clay was then loaded onto a bogie which ran on a railway line. The bogie was drawn up by a wire rope and the clay was then tipped into a machine which mixed it. A worm in this machine then forced the clay out through a mold and, as it came out in a large slab about 3ftx1ftx3inches in size, it was cut by one wire. It was then shoved over and upwards and a lever was pushed which cut it through with ten wires into ten bricks; this operation was generally done by one man and a boy. Thirty of these boards of bricks would then be loaded onto a barrow, with no sides and wheeled into a drying shed. They would be left there for five weeks and then turned (called hacked), until they were dried out and became a greyish colour. When they were dry, the bricks were wheeled into a kiln and baked. The kilns were called `Clamped Kilns`. Bricks were heaped in a clamp with slack over each layer of bricks and flues were left through them. They were then set fire to and burned until the bricks were red and hard”. A magnificent tale recording a working day in the life of former Shallon resident, Mr. Paddy Matthews when he was but just 10-years old back in the year 1910. Researched, written & compiled by Community Historian, Brendan Matthews.

21/01/2026

Community Historian, Brendan Matthews. “Watch-this Space”. Jim McCullen Remembered. Photo, from the Drogheda Independent Files, depicts the late great Jim McCullen sitting at his desk at No. 9 Shop St. Drogheda. During the initial days of the dreaded Corona Virus Covid-19 Lockdown back in late March and early April of 2020, the late great Jim McCullen passed away suddenly at his home at the Pump Farm in Gormanston on Friday April 3rd 2020; the news of his death having been met with sadness and shock both locally and across the greater north-east region, North Fingal and indeed well beyond. Known locally for many years as Jim `the gentleman`, the `D.I` Man, or by some just simply he was known as `The D.I. `. Everyone loved to have a chat with Jim McCullen, he was like a magnet once he stopped to chat with people; he could draw news out of them in an inquisitive yet a charming way; always the perfect gentleman, level-headed, very observant and extremely fair in his many years as a brilliant journalist with his beloved Drogheda Independent. Jim worked as a journalist for the Drogheda Independent for more than 40 years, much of it in the political arena of journalism, until his retirement which he took in the spring of 2007 when he bowed out of his office in Shop Street Drogheda, leaving behind many colleagues who were genuinely bereft at his departure, for not only were they colleagues but great friends and very much admirers of the big gentleman who had also nourished and encouraged a great number of younger and budding journalist who were lucky and had chance to meet, work and learn from Jim, such was his skills and knowledge of seeking and capturing the best stories for the local & regional newspaper. Following his departure from the Drogheda Independent in April of 2007 Jim decided that he would begin a journey of genealogy, tracing his family tree and becoming, what I had termed `an historical journalist`. I had great pleasure in helping Jim with his task and, just like his days at the D.I., once he had gotten the `bit between his teeth` on finding out more and more about his family ancestry there was now no stopping him. He was away again on the hunt, always seeking more and more information and documentation. When he would call each week to see me, he would arrive at the house, a copy of the Irish times under his arm; which I often thought that he must have read that particular newspaper several times as he knew everything that was within its pages and always had comments to make particularly on the Irish political front. As he would arrive at the gate he would talk of the day in general, about the weather, the local & national issues, “I was speaking with one of my contact-sources today”, he would say and they were telling me such & such” and being the true Journalist that he was, Jim would never reveal of course who those `contact/sources` were, but only the content of what he had been told. After his retirement he also loved to stroll around the grounds of Gormanston Castle meeting and chatting with others before he would pop over to Stamullen and perhaps bought himself an ice-cream, had a coffee and took a stroll around the village graveyard. Jim would then call to my home and every time he would have a list of new queries, questions, more questions and suggestions regarding tracing particular lines and avenues of his family tree. We would also keep in touch via text messages and once again, after he would return home from my house in Stamullen to his humble abode in nearby Gormanston, there would always be further queries and questions by text on how to further his research. He already had a huge amount of knowledge regarding his family ancestry, much of it coming down through oral history within the extended family and on many occasions he would often be accompanied by his brother John who himself had a huge interest and quest in tracing the family history. However, just like the excellent journalist that he was and the positions which he had formerly held within the Drogheda Independent, including that of Deputy Editor, Jim loved the documented material; the `facts`; the proof to see documents in `black & white`; another piece of the jigsaw of his genealogy in place. He loved researching his family tree and making the connections that eventually brought some of his ancestors to reside at the Pump Farm in Gormanston in the 19th century; the very home in which Jim passed away on Friday April 3rd 2020 and a homestead in which he was immensely proud of. As he would depart from my home with any latest family info that we may have come up with and discussed in great detail as to its content, significance & accuracy; he would again revert back to some great wit and with that familiar gleam in his eye he would say back to me regarding his family tree, `Very well Brendáin” and with his usual & witty journalistic catchphrase he would say; “Watch-this-Space`. Gentleman Jim McCullen, Pump Farm, alias Rose Cottage, Gormanston, who passed away 6-years-ago this coming spring. Written by Community Historian, Brendan Matthews.©2026

12/01/2026

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. “The C**k of Gormanston”. Article on the right regarding a Planning Application for an extension to the former and renowned C**k Tavern Public House in Gormanston ; this particular planning application which was made back in the month of January in 1990; 36-years-ago this very month. The photo on the left, taken by Brendan Matthews in the spring of 2025 depicting the same old, but now closed up and delapidated, C**k Tavern Pub. The following is an extract taken from the very lengthy Poem titled “The C**k of Gormanstown” which was written in the early years of the 20th century.
I`am a simple Carter and I`m always on the road
My destination Drogheda either with or for my load
I stop to take refreshments every morning going down
In that place of peace and plenty called the C**k of Gormanstown.
"When I enter in this tavern I greet, "Good morning boys"
The worthy 'P***y Rooney is the first to meet my eyes
And he seated on the `furrum' as he lowers the porter down
A regular brewery advertisement for the C**k of Gormanstown.
Beside this drinker seated on a `Casey-Connolly` barrel
Sits that fluent gifted speaker known as `Abbela McArdle
And he stating Erin`s sufferings since the cruel British Crown
Had its name engraved on Erin and the C**k of Gormanstown.
At my elbow near the window stands a lad called Lanky Dan
And the dark-eyed Spaniard `Hammey` with the drunkard T. Kinnane
I knew they wanted liquor for they never bought a round
From the time that I did enter in the C**k of Gormanstown.
There is one I nigh forgot him though I bear him no regard
He`s that famous stocking hosier known as John George Appleyard
His terrific oaths and language would hell`s arches tumble down
He`d mesmerise the devil in the C**k of Gormanstown.
There Tom Caffrey and the `Skinim` with John Tynan “Bye-the bye`
They were seated on the `furrum` and the matter did enjoy
But at last they grew uneasy and they wore a rueful frown
For their pints were getting empty in the C**k of Gormanstown.
“So I ordered beauteous Lena for to get them all a gill
And with some rare agility this maid began to fill
I slapped out on the counter a ready new half crown
For which I was applauded in the C**k of Gormanstown”

11/01/2026

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. “Times Past”. Image depicts an Advert for a position of a Foreman Fitter at the local Sullivan Engineering Plant at Stamullen village dating back to the month of January in 1978. Inset can be seen the late Johnny and Joe Sullivan who were the back-bone of this extremely successful Engineering Plant at Stamullen for many a long year employing dozens of people from across the greater North-East area. A one-time great local industry and a great boost to the local economy of times past. The advert for a Foreman Fitter which appeared in the Regional Press 48-years-ago this very month.

10/01/2026

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. “Hidden Gems”. Photo by Brendan Matthews depicts the beehive-shaped stone monuments which are located on a raised earthen platform overlooking the north-bound carriageway on the M1 Motorway just before exiting at Junction 7 at the City North Hotel. The beautiful beehive-shaped monuments is the work of the renowned artists Robert McColgan and Irene Benner and their work was commissioned by Fingal County Council as part of the Motorway Art that was undertaken around the turn of the New Millennium to coincide of what was then known locally as the `Balbriggan By-pass`. The artwork represents two local archaeological sites & monuments that are both situated along the coast at Bremore in Fingal just to the north of Balbriggan town. Firstly, the five stone monuments, as depicted by the two great artists, represent the five ancient Burial Tombs that are located in the vicinity of Bremore Head overlooking the Irish Sea between Gormanston and Balbriggan. The Tombs, pre-dating the great Tombs of the Boyne Valley ,were constructed by our Neolithic ancestors who first landed along the shores of north Fingal and along the Delvin Estuary in east Meath more than five-thousand-years-ago. Secondly, this particular artwork also represents five Beehives which are associated with Saint Molaga who came from Wales in the seventh century and set up his Monastery at Bremore. Saint Molaga is reputed to have been the first Christian Monk to have introduced Beekeeping to Ireland and hence the beehive-shaped monuments as displayed in the M1 Motorway artwork. The monuments took just over two years to construct with the greatest detail being afforded to their construction. The beehive-shaped stonework is constructed in the corbel fashion with each stone laid having been first intricately hand cut and set in place so that it interlocks, projects and also rests on the stone below making the whole structure very solid. The local place-name within the townland of Bremore where St. Molaga first established his Monastery in the 7th century, is recorded under the wonderful name as “Lambeecher” meaning the “Church or place of the Beekeeper”. Researched & Written by Community Historian Brendan Matthews.©2026

09/01/2026

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. “Local Sporting & Community Legends”. Image, extracted from the old Drogheda Argus Newspaper, depicts an advert for a local Gaelic Football Match at Termonfeckin back in the first week of December 1886. At an Executive meeting of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), held in Thurles County Tipperary in September 1886, two Drogheda delegates who attended the meeting expressed their concerns about the games not being extended to the counties of the north and the Drogheda men, not only flew the flag of the Boyne-siders but, were also greatly responsible for the initial extension of the Gaelic games into the Province of Ulster. The delegates who attended the meeting were Francis Wade and James Weldon and the first thing Mr. Weldon spoke about at the meeting was the inconvenience of delegates coming from the Boyneside all the way to Thurles and he asked the Executive to consider holding future meetings nearer Dublin. Mr. Francis Wade then proposed that, `Ulster should be given two vice-presidents and as Drogheda was the gap of the North and the first to take up the Gaelic cause, he would move that it be given one of the vice-presidents and that Alderman Mangan, who was the most popular man in that part of the country, be elected to the honorary position of vice-president. The people in the North and in the district that he represented were of the opinion that you here in the South want to keep the Gaelic Association amongst yourselves and that you did not wish to give the North a look in at all. By giving two vice-presidents to Ulster it would show that you were not actuated by selfish motives and it would be a strong inducement to Ulster to join the association`. Mr. Bracken, a member of the Executive, denied this statement by Wade, saying that, `When they started the association in the South, Ulster refused to join and not only did they stand idly by, but sneered at the movement and under that circumstances he would oppose the election of the vice-president for Ulster`. Mr. J. O`Crowley, another member of the Executive, took exception to the remark made by Mr. Bracken, stating that, `As far as Drogheda was concerned, they had joined the association in early 1885. Drogheda had taken up the movement earnestly and never in any town in the South did he see so much enthusiasm displayed for the success of the Gaelic as that which he witnessed amongst the people of Drogheda`. James Weldon said that, `It was all very well for Mr. Bracken to talk of the great headway that had been made in the South; they had matters there pretty much their own way. They had no enemy to fight in the South, as they had in the North and they had many difficulties to contend with in Drogheda. The Gaelic association never intended that it should be a provincial association and to make it a national association, they should endeavour to win over Ulster; it was a country worth fighting for (hear, hear). There was as good Irishmen in Ulster as in any part of the country. He believed that if the vice-presidents were elected for Ulster it would be the means of bringing all Ulster into the association`. Mr. O`Crowley said that; `The men of Drogheda had firmly planted the association along the Boyne and that the movement in Drogheda was making gigantic strides in the North, while the fact that two delegates had come all the way from the Boyne-side to attend the convention was a strong argument that the people of Drogheda had thrown themselves heart and soul into the movement`. Several other delegates then expressed themselves in favour of conceding two vice-presidents to Ulster; however, the proposal was then deferred until the annual general meeting at the end of the year. As a result of this meeting, the seeds of the G.A.A. had now been planted in Ulster, but what would have happened if the two Gallant Drogheda men hadn’t made that faithful trip to Thurles in the month of September back in 1886 and stated the case for their fellow countrymen in the North?: the meeting of which took place 140-years-ago this coming autumn. Researched, written & compiled by Community Historian Brendan Matthews. ©2026

Community Historian Brendan Matthews

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