Events from History
The Barry family ran a successful dairy farm at Tombeagh, Hacketstown, Carlow and a retail business in Fleet Street, Dublin. The Barrys were a republican family and the eldest, Kathleen Barry, was a member of the University branch of Cumann na mBan. Her younger brother Kevin, a medical student, was hanged for his activities during the war of independence. Kathleen Barry was born in Dublin in the year 1896 On This Day
Photo by infomatique 
Reverie – Frank O’Meara
Artist Frank O Meara was born at 37 Dublin Street Carlow in 1853. Having completed his second level education in Carlow he moved to Dublin where he opted to study art instead of medicine. At the age of twenty he moved to Paris to study under the French painter Carolus-Duran. He visited the artist colonies of Barbizon and Grez-sur-Loing in the forest of Fontainebleau. He was a contemporary of Lavery and John Singer Sargent. He called one of his paintings ‘Towards Night and Winter’ and the critics regard it as his masterpiece. But it was the sale of his painting ‘Reverie’ at auction in London for almost half a million pounds sterling in the year 1999 that brought his work to the attention of a wider audience. Today paintings by Frank O Meara hang in places like the Ulster museum in Belfast and the Hugh Lane Gallery of Modern Art in Dublin. The artist returned to Carlow in 1888. He was suffering from malaria fever. He was only thirty five years old. Francis Joseph O Meara who is buried in the family plot in Bennekerry near Carlow died at his home in Dublin Street in the year 1888 On This Day
Éamon de Valera was one of the major political figures in Ireland during the 20th century. He served several terms as head of government and in his later years he served as President of Ireland.
Éamon de Valera was born in New York City in the year 1882 On This Day.
President Éamon de Valera with his ADC and Donie Nolan of Carlow
Courtesy Donie Nolan Facebook
St Clare’s Church in Graiguecullen, Carlow has a unique history. It was commissioned by Colonel Bruen of Oak Park and was built as St Anne’s Church of Ireland on the Athy Road on the East bank of the river Barrow in 1852. However due to falling congregation the church was sold for a nominal sum to the Parish Priest of Graiguecullen in 1926. The church was then dismantled and re-erected in Graiguecullen on the West bank of the river Barrow. Carlow engineering firm Thomas Thompson and Sons carried out the works and the building was completed in 1929. The new Church was opened and dedicated by Most Rev Dr Cullen Bishop of Kildare and Lerighlin in the year 1929 On This Day.
Photo by Irish Typepad
Professor Emer Colleran from Castlebar served as chair of Microbiology at the National University of Ireland Galway until 2007. During her time at the University she became a leader in bio energy production and waste water treatment.
Microbiologist and environmentalist Emer Colleran was born in Castlebar Co Mayo in the year 1945 On This Day.
Photo by EoinGardiner
