Cabra History.Com

I would like to let you know of the passing of my aunt, Patty Grant (nee Halpin) from Dunmanus Road. She was married to Derek Grant from Killala Road, who oddly enough was mentioned in someone else’s post just this week. They lived in Australia, my father and two of his siblings just returned from there, after attending her funeral. The day after her passing, some of us here in NY, went to a local Irish Festival, where The Dublin City Ramblers were kind enough to play a song for Aunt Patty. Will try to check back, but if you could post this comment, I would appreciate it. I am attaching a recent picture of 8 of her siblings. From left to right they are: Sean, Philip, Leo, Tony, Helen, Noel, Joseph, Christy,  (not pictured, Cora )

I received this email from a good friend of mine in Australia where he has lived there for a good many years. He too is originally from Cabra West. Hopefully he will soon join the chatter on the website. This is an account of his holiday travelling across Australia. Now it’s not bad for a young lad who grew up with no Ar*** in his trousers and I applaude him for what he has achieved out there. Like so many other people who left Ireland, he worked hard all his life to get where he is today. Well here goes…!!!

Well we did get away on time and everything went well on our part. The caravan behaved as it should so no worries there. The first part of the journey was driven in bright but cool weather and we got to Narrandera in 7 hours. Stopped for the night and observed this big black cloud coming over. So into the caravan we went and the heavens opened up at 5pm. Next morning we had had 144mm of rain about 5 inch’s.  What a start. On to our next port of call which was Parkes where the Hugh telescope is and we spent a pleasant 2 hours there while it was still raining outside.  Ah well away we go again. We were going to stop at Dubbo but the rain came down harder. We couldn’t see the road for rain, so we kept going to Coonabarabran (tongue twister) still raining. Bloody hell we thought.  But we had to stop overnight. Away we go again to Tamworth , a big town. Filled up with LPG and on to Armadale once again we kept going,, IT BLOODY SNOWED. Next stop, Glen Innes right at the top of the Great Dividing Range but at last, it wasn’t raining.  Big blue skies, great we thought. Stayed the night and woke up with a thick frost on the ground and it was minus 2, ah well we are nearly at our destination in Ballina.  Northern New South Wales.  Found a site we liked and stayed for seven days.  Went up through lower Queensland to see my sister at  Maroochydore, stayed 3 days and back to Ballina. Went for a few side trips and saw humpback whales in the distance for the very first time. 

So away we go again to Cuffs Harbour on the New South Wales coast. A couple of night’s there and  a trip down the coast  where all the banana’s are grown. Weather by now is fine but a little cool. Not swimming weather at all.  Then the highlight, we went out on a boat to spot some whales. Well it was fantastic, the Humpbacks where coming under the boat and surfacing with there big heads out of the weather. This was all about 12 foot away. What a memory. And to think the bloody Japanese want to slaughter them.  2 days later we moved on to Port Macquarie.  Weather is getting warmer.  Again a few side trips.  As ever the gypsy, we headed down to Port Stephens, a lovely spot in the summer but in our kind of weather, well not so nice.  We contacted a friend there and spent a delightful two days talking and drinking.  By now we are getting weary with all the driving.  So lets head home which is still  a thousand kl away.  

So we drove a long way to Canberra the nations capitol. Spent two days at the war memorial and parliament house, Australian institute of sport and a few other attraction’s. Now we are getting tired.  Mt wife drove the 400 kl to Albury on the NSW Victorian border and stayed for one night only. This time we treated ourselves to dinner at a club add watched the Aussie’s beat New Zealand. hurray.

Last day now and I drove the 387 kl back home.  It’s great to go away but its even better when you get home. A few statistics: we covered 5,500 kl and  to reach half way up Australia. We would still have had to drive another 2,780kl to reach the top. Some the towns, Not cities we went through included. Melbourne, Wandong, Shepparton, Mooroopna, Tocumwal, Parkes, Dubbo, Coonabarabran, Gunnedah, Glen Inns, Tenterfield, Casino, Lismore, Ballina, Murwillumbah, Mudgeeraba, Brisbane, Maroochydore, Nambour, Caloundra, Caboolture, Surfers Paradise, Grafton, Nambucca Heads, Woolgoolga, Wollongong, Coolongolook, Bulahdelah, Kurri Kurri, Cooranbong, Woy Woy, Liverpool,  Phew?, Canberra, Gundagai, Albury, Wangaratta, Glen Rowan (Ned Kelly country), Euroa, and a few little ones before we hit Langwarrin. Would we do it again, not unless we took our time and spent two weeks on the road before we reached Cairns which is always hot.  But there again. We could have got on a plane and spent a week in Northern Queensland with no fuss for the same amount of money.

DID YOU EVER GO TO THE CABRA GRAND CINEMA?

I am collecting stories and people’s memories of the cinema.
If you are interested in participating, please contact me:

 Stephen
0863980427
galvin70@hotmail.com

====================================================  Willie Lynch once lived in the keyhole on lower Carnlough Road. He headed off to the United States to find fame and fortune. Willie is an accomplished musician and singer. He has entertained in pubs, clubs and on ocean liners. He plays with a very successful band of fellow musicians. Here is the latest update from Willie so click on and pay him a visit. There’s plenty to see…so just click right here and enjoy…http://www.willielynch.com/ ===============================================

Tribute to Marie O’Reilly

Published by Martin Coffey under News Edit This

Subject: Tribute to Marie O’Reilly > Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 21:46:14 +0000 From: lisconlon@hotmail.com> > > Good Morning family friends and loved ones. > Today (16 May) is the 2 year anniversary of my mother’s passing. > I want to remember her today with a special tribute. My husband prepared a beautiful slideshow of her life for her funeral service. It was enjoyed by all on the day. We have uploaded the slideshow onto YouTube. If you would like to take a few minutes to watch the slideshow just click on the following link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgL98qOlcr0. If for some reason you have trouble getting there just go to You Tube and type ‘Tribute to Marie OReilly’ in the search field. That should get you there too. >> Have a wonderful day today. >> Lots of love….Lis ) >   > p.s. feel free to pass this link on to anyone you think might have an interest. ==========================================================

Photographs from a disappearing Dublin

Published by Martin Coffey under News Edit This

 Pat Farrell is from Broombridge Road in Cabra West and is an amateur photographer with over forty years experience. When he was 12 years old Pat’s parents, along with his younger brother moved into Cabra West from the tenement houses in Church Street . The house was originally situated across the road from the famous Tap pub. If you actually stand in the middle of the road across from the pub on Church Street you will find yourself on the exact spot where their house once stood.  Pat had originally attended school in Brunswick Street and he had one of the most famous and well known of school teachers, Paddy Crosby. Paddy of course is well known to us all from his days presenting the television show “The School Around the Corner”. Pat’s wife is one of 24 children. Like so many young boys and girls of his time Pat started his working life at the very early age of 14 years old. His first job was with Strand Electric in Abbey Street who where the Theatrical Stage Lighting Company of Ireland.  It was from there that Pat became interested in stage lighting and is still involved in it today. He lit many shows in the Olympia & the Gaiety Theatres. During his time in Stage Lighting the company replaced all the stage lighting in Saint Finbarr’s Hall in Cabra West when the hall was fully refurbished. When the hall was due to open a major fire broke out on the stage and prevented the opening until all the stage lighting was again replaced and other damaged areas were fixed. During all that time of lighting up the stars Pat followed up with his own love of amateur photography. In the 1980’s Pat and his camera went on a walk-about in Dublin city where they captured the everyday life and heart of that city. Pat developed all his original black and white photos himslef. When Pat discovered the Cabra History.Com website he volunteered it access to his own website of photography. Here you will find an Aladdin’s Cave of beautiful black and white photographs depicting a way of Dublin life that has sadly left us, never to return. Pat’s site shows scenes of Streets Markets, the Horse Market, the Daisy Market, the Ivy Market and much, much more. Many thanks to Pat for giving permission to allow the Cabra History.Com website display his photo collection. So here it is folks…just click on the following and enjoy…MC  www.dublinphotos.net

Cabra is the modern Spanish word for goat, but the origin of this town’s name is probably not found in local flocks. In fact, Cabra more likely descends from “Al-Cabri” a local poet from the 10th century whose full name was Muqaddan Irn Muafaa. This would take us back to the town’s Arab heritage. The history of Cabra, however, goes even farther back with experts tracing it to the Palaeolithic age. Later it became an important part of the Roman empire. During the Visigothic period, the town reached new heights of splendour and became an Episcopal see. However, when the Muslims came, Cabra became the capital of the province and an important centre of olive oil production. Cabra is also rich in churches, including the spectacular Asuncion y Angeles converted from a mosque to church, but still retaining its 44 dramatic red marble columns, reminiscent of the mosque in Cordoba, and its five naves. This magnificent church has an 18th century red marble altarpiece by Melchor de Aguirre.Across the Plaza Vieja is the church of San Juan de Dios, founded in 1568, and extensively rebuilt in the 18th century to feature some extraordinary baroque interior design: a high balustrade worked in an undulating formation to suggest the walls are moving. The town is also full of convents and senorial houses, one of which is the seat of the Cabra Philharmonic Orchestra. Meanwhile the Condes de Cabra palace is now used by nuns as a convent. Cabra’s  Museo de Aceite (olive oil museum), well worth a visit. It was built in the middle of the nineteenth century, and now traces the 2,000 year history of olive oil in the area, including life-size reconstructions of Greek and Roman presses. The famous Andaucian diplomat, politician and writer Juan Valera was born in Cabra and his home has been turned into a museum which is open to the public. In 1240 the town became part of Castille until 1455, when it was given to Don Diego Fernandez of Cordoba as a “condado”, roughly the equivalent of an earldom (or county), by Henry IV.Every town and village in Andalucia offers local specialities worth trying and Cabra is no different. If you’re just visiting for a short time, stop for a coffee and a pastry in the Plaza de España which offers an excellent selection of local “pasteles”. The best are supposed to be the “bizcotelas” by the Madres Agustinas. Also highly recommended are the pestiños and the gajorros. If you’re planning to enjoy lunch or dinner in Cabra then ask your waiter for a local speciality (“un plato típico) and you’ll surely be served a savoury meat and vegetable plate.