Successful Thomas MacDonagh Hedge School

The fourth annual Thomas MacDonagh Hedge School, held from September 16-19, was a resounding success. The 14 participants who took part in Nora O’Meara and Darragh Johnson’s genealogy workshops gave highly positive feedback, saying they left with the knowledge and practical tools to begin uncovering their family histories.

Culture Night is an integral part of the Hedge School programme. On Friday evening, 18 September, artist Fiona Nolan launched an exhibition by the North Tipperary Artists Collective. The participating artists were invited to respond to Joan Didion’s observation that “the past could be jettisoned...but seeds got carried”.

Fiona highlighted the individuality of each work and the sense of hope running through the exhibition. She noted that the artists had created their pieces with a shared commitment to cultural enrichment, personal value and freedom of expression.

Fiona also reflected on her own grandfather, who was a contemporary of Thomas MacDonagh and who shared a commitment to many of the same ideals of culture, value and freedom. Artist Deborah Lonsdale spoke about her painting Ancestral Mycelium, while Ann Carroll discussed the inspiration behind her work, The Hand of Creativity.

On Saturday morning, Zoë Reid, Keeper of Manuscripts at the National Archives of Ireland, gave the keynote address, From Biscuits to Bytes: Bringing the 1926 Census Online at the National Archives. In a fascinating lecture, Zoë outlined the monumental task of cataloguing, conserving, preserving and digitising 2,496 volumes stored in 1,299 archival boxes, resulting in more than three million rows of data.

Zoë gave a vivid account of the challenges faced by her team of 70 in deciphering handwritten records in both English and Irish. She illustrated the complexity of the task with the example of ‘Roman Catholic’, which appeared in 33 different spellings across the records.

Most importantly, Zoë brought the history contained within the census to life; people recorded in its pages became more than names as their stories were traced through the wealth of archival material now available.

The 1926 Census is an invaluable resource not only for academics and historians around the world, but for each and every one of us seeking to understand the people and communities that came before us.

Following a luncheon in St Kieran’s Church Hall, generously prepared by volunteers Greg Whelan and Brenda Ainsworth, historian and author Turtle Bunbury took to the podium to present Thoughts on Legacy: 1916 and a Man Named Todd.

Turtle’s talk explored the legacy of Christopher Stephen Andrews, known as Todd, who became executive chairman of CIÉ in 1958. In 1966, the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising, Todd Andrews suggested that fifteen national railway stations be named in honour of the sixteen executed leaders of 1916, with Pearse Station in Dublin named for both Patrick and William Pearse. The MacDonagh train station in Kilkenny named for Thomas MacDonagh, reflects his links to the city as a teacher in St Kieran's College.

LEGACY

In terms of legacy, Turtle reminded us that Todd is broadcaster and author Ryan Tubridy’s grandfather.

The talk also explored the lives of Muriel and Grace Gifford, sisters who married Thomas MacDonagh and Joseph Mary Plunkett respectively, bringing another personal dimension to the stories and legacy of 1916.

In the afternoon, Pat Leahy, Political Editor of The Irish Times and a family friend of the MacDonagh family, interviewed Joe MacDonagh, grandnephew of Thomas MacDonagh, and Michelle Drysdale, his great-granddaughter, about what it means to carry the legacy of their relatives.

For Joe, this meant ensuring that his own work and interest in Irish affairs were guided by the same integrity and positivity he associated with his great-uncle. Michelle reflected on the tragedy experienced by Thomas and Muriel MacDonagh’s two young children, who lost their father and then their mother, who died by drowning a year later.

For both Joe and Michelle, keeping the hope of their forebear alive is important, and they saw events such as the Hedge School, along with the teaching of history in schools, as a way of continuing that legacy.

Donagh MacDonagh’s grandchildren, Claire MacDonagh, her sister Helen Mordue and brother Ciaran MacDonagh, travelled from the UK to attend the Hedge School.

On behalf of the family, Claire generously donated three items to the museum: Muriel and Thomas MacDonagh’s wedding ring, with their names inscribed inside; Donagh MacDonagh’s christening cup; and a bust of Donagh MacDonagh.

Much to the amusement of the audience, Claire shared the story behind the bust, explaining that it had been chipped at the base by Brendan Behan, who threw it out of a window after being “outraged by its ugliness”.

Genealogist Darragh Johnson created a family tree of the MacDonagh family, which he unveiled with Una Johnston, Project Manager for the Thomas MacDonagh Hedge School. The museum created a copy of the family tree for each of the family members.

Una Johnston brought the Thomas MacDonagh Hedge School to a close by thanking all of the speakers, guests and sponsors, “whose generous support ensures the success of this event each year”.