Articles on Laois and Laois Connections
In this section, we look at various connections, stories, and information in relation to Laois
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Col. James Fitzmaurice – Ireland’s Greatest Aviator
Col. James Fitzmaurice – Ireland’s Greatest Aviator by Teddy Fennelly World War One hastened the advancement of aircraft technology. From use as an experimental armament of war in 1914, its enhanced mobility, stability and speed had established the airplane as an essential weapon of warfare by the time hostilities ceased in 1918. When peace was restored aviators and aviation companies could set their sights on vastly more ambitious projects than had been harboured by pioneers in 1914. There was a worldwide public fascination in the post-war years in aviation and in breaking new barriers in speed, distance and endurance. Transoceanic flight was now seen as an achievable ambition and flying…
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The Earl Grey Scheme and the Emigration of Girls from the Workhouses of Laois
The Earl Grey Scheme and the Emigration of Girls from the Workhouses of Laois During the Great Famine, dozens of teenage girls left the workhouses of Laois bound for Australia. Their emigration was part of a British government scheme to provide the British colony with wives and domestic servants, and to rid the workhouses of ‘dead weight’. Their story is part of our local history, the story of ordinary Laois girls – neighbors, family and friends of our own ancestors five generations ago. Two years ago, 3rd year students at Portlaoise College discovered the names of 14 girl emigrants on the Laois Genealogy website. The students’ discovered that these names…
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Crime and Punishment in Queen’s County: Agrarian Crime of the 1830s and Famine Crime 1845 – 1849
Crime and Punishment in Queen’s County: Agrarian Crime of the 1830s and Famine Crime 1845–1849 During the famine, there was widespread fear that the suffering of famine victims would erupt into the violent crime that would threaten property and property owners. There was the widespread talk of insurrection and outrage among resident landlords, merchants and well-off farmers (Nationwide, in 1847, 131 requests for protection of individuals; 275 requests for increases in police and 157 miscellaneous calls for extra police assistance.) One sign of an increase in crime is the progressive increase in the size of the force during these years, from 9,100 in 1845 to 12,500 in 1850 and 1,265…
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Queen’s County 1919 – 1923: Attacks on Big Houses and Protestant Landowners
Queen’s County 1919 – 1923: Attacks on Big Houses and Protestant Landowners Terence Dooley, in his book ‘The Decline of the Big House in Ireland’, wrote that between 1919 and 1923 ‘landlords, largely because of their socio-political, economic and religious backgrounds, were to suffer outrage and intimidation on a scale the like of which their class had not experienced in living memory.’ What of other Irish Protestants in the rural community? Did they suffer such attacks? Why did attacks on Protestants occur? House burnings, harassment, assault, threatening letters, the carrying off of livestock and other property, boycotts, land grabbing, and murder, why were Protestants sometimes subjected to this kind…
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The History of The Maltings, Portlaoise.
The History of The Maltings, Portlaoise. By Mervyn McGahey The Maltings in Portlaoise was established in 1866 by John Wrafter, Clonaslee, Licensed Maltster. This is according to the stone over one of the main entrances. The site is located at Coote Street, Portlaoise and encompasses approximately 6.5 statute acres. There are indications that malting had taken place prior to this date but I have no knowledge of this. The Wrafters had apparently operated a brewery in Clonaslee, which was discontinued in 1886. Malting continued in Portlaoise under the ownership of the Wrafters until around 1886 when the premised changed ownership and was procured by the Tyrrell family from Miltown in…
