Joseph Doorley was a native of Carlow, Ireland. He was a member of the Congregation of Christian Brothers. He established schools in New York City; New Rochelle, New York; Chicago, Illinois and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Past pupils of the schools which he founded include American singer, songwriter and musician Don McClean and Argentinian and Leinster Rugby Union footballer Felipe Contepomi.

Joseph Doorley was born at Cloneen, Nurney, Co Carlow in 1878. He was the fourth of five children of John Doorley and his wife Maria Whitty. Maria Whitty was a native of Milltown House Co. Kilkenny. James was baptised at the nearby St. Patrick’s Church, Newtown by Fr Edward Kavanagh on March 31st 1878.

When Joseph was five years old his father died. The five children were raised by their mother. Joseph was educated at Newtown National School where Mr O’Mahoney was the Principal. He excelled at school and having completed his primary education was retained in Newtown School as a monitor.

It was intended that Joseph would proceed to teacher training. However Newtown School was visited by Br Joseph McCormack, a Christian Brother who was on his postulating rounds. Following the visit, Joseph Doorley decided to join the Christian Brothers. At the age of 17 he entered the Christian Brothers training school in Baldoyle, Co Dublin in July 1895. He was given the name Brother Ignatius.

Having completed his training Br Ignatius taught for a time at O’Connell’s Schools in Dublin. He was transferred to the Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) in Cork City in 1904. He worked in the commercial department and was appointed sports master in charge of the school rugby team. CBC had remarkable achievements in University College Cork and the rugby team produced two international players, Harry Jack and Vincent McNamara who played for the Ireland national Rugby team.

In 1909 Br Doorley was chosen to be the Superior of the first Christian Brothers’ High School established in New York City. He remained in charge until the school was well established before being transferred to New Rochelle, New York where he established Iona College on October 16th 1919. In 1927 he established St Leo’s High School in Chicago.

At the age sixty-nine Br Doorley set out for Argentina to establish the first Christian Brothers’ school in South America. Colegio Cardenal Newman (Cardinal Newman College) was established in Buenos Aires in 1948. Today it is a bilingual, day, co-educational primary and secondary school. It is an important centre for Rugby union in Argentina. Br Doorley died aged 68 in 1963. He is buried in Recoleta cemetery in Buenos Aires.

Br Joseph Ignatius Doorely, Christian Brother and native of Carlow, Ireland, who founded schools in New York City; New Rochelle, New York; Chicago, Illinois and Buenos Aires, Argentina was born in the year 1878 On This Day.

‘Follow me up to Carlow’ is a ballad which was written by P J McCall. The ballad celebrates the victory by Fiach McHugh O’Byrne over an English army of 3,000 soldiers at the Battle of Glenmalure in 1580. P J McCall was a songwriter and poet who was a native of Dublin, Ireland. His father John was from Clonmore, Co Carlow and his mother Eliza May Newport was from Rathangan, Co Wexford. Apart from his writing McCall also collected several old Irish airs.

Patrick Joseph McCall was born at 25 Patrick Street, Dublin on March 6^th 1861. His father was a historian, folklorist, writer and patriot who ran a public house and grocery shop on Patrick Street. P J went to school in St Joseph’s Monastery, Harolds Cross and spent his summer holidays in Rathangan in Wexford. Living among the people of Rathangan he heard the ballads and music of the locality.

P J McCall would later become famous as the author of songs such as: ‘Follow Me Up to Carlow’, ‘The Boys of Wexford’, ‘Boolavogue’, ‘The Lowlands Low’, ‘Kelly the Boy from Killanne’ and many other ballads. ‘The Boys of Wexford’, ‘Boolavogue’ and ‘Kelly the Boy from Killanne’ were written to commemorate the 1798 Rising.

In 1900 P J McCall married Margaret Furlong, the sister of the poet Alice Furlong. In 1902 he took over his father’s business which included editing Old Moore’s Almanac. However he was able to organise his business affairs so well, he could concentrate on his literary and political activities. The McCall family home became a centre for writers and musicians.

In 1902 McCall was elected to represent the Wood Quay ward in Dublin and he became a Poor Law Guardian. He was a member of the Pan-Celtic Society, a literary association which had been founded in Dublin in 1888. When it later became the Irish National Literary Society McCall was its first Honorary Secretary.

P J McCall, poet and composer of songs such as, ‘Follow Me Up to Carlow’ died aged 58 in the year 1919 On This Day.

Photo by brookscl

Carlow

Boléro is an orchestral piece composed by the French composer Maurice Ravel. Premiered in 1928, it is widely regarded as his most famous musical composition. The composer of several orchestral works and the ballet Daphnis et Chloé, Ravel is the most popular of all French composers.

Maurice Ravel was born Joseph Maurice Ravel in Ciboure in south western France in 1875. His interest in music was encouraged by his parents from a young age. He was admitted to the Paris Conservatoire at the age of 14. At the Conservatoire he composed renowned works such as Jeux d’eau in 1901 and the Miroirs in 1905. Apart from Boléro Ravel’s later works include Le Tombeau de Couperin and La Valse.

Maurice Ravel, French composer of the famous orchestral piece Boléro, was born in the year 1875 On This Day.

Photo by Garuna bor-bor

Boléro

Photo by Renaud Camus

Maurice Ravel, 1875-1937

David Buick was an inventor who founded of the Buick Motor Company in 1903. The Buick brand is one of the most successful in the United States. It is part of General Motors which it established in 1908. Over one million Buick cars are sold annually in China, United States, Canada and Mexico.

David Buick was born David Dunbar Buick in Arbroath, Angus, Scotland on September 17^th 1854. At the age of two he moved with his family to the United States. He worked for time in the plumbing industry before developing an interest in internal combustion engines.

In 1899 Buick established the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company. His research lead to the revolutionary overhead valve (OHV) engine. OHV engines are used by most engine manufacturers today. Having established the Buick Motor Company in 1903, Buick left the company in 1906. He was involved in several other unsuccessful business ventures and worked for a time as an instructor in the Detroit School of Trades.

David Buick, an inventor who founded of the Buick Motor Company in 1903, died aged 74 in the year 1929 On This Day.

By Navigator84 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68351100

Photo by Hugo-90