Clancarty Trench

29/12/2024

Yet another item of interest from the Trench family is a bust said to be Admiral William Le Poer Trench, the third surviving son of the first Earl of Clancarty William Trench and his wife Anne. (p. 53-62 in the book). The bust is now in the care of the Farrant family but its origins are a complete mystery.

29/12/2024

Several items of Clancarty history have come to light since the book was published in October. The first is a two-page letter written by young Viscount Fred Dunlo (later the fifth Earl) when he was on his parent-imposed exile in 1889-90. (p. 206-11 in the book). He was in India in 1890 staying in the Kaiser I Hin Hotel, in Jaipur, Rajputana. It seems the British Resident Sir William Prideaux arranged for Dunlo to go on a hunting expedition - pig-sticking - with one Captain Tate. The letter shown here is Dunlo's note of appreciation. The second item is a news report in "Bystander" Magazine of 14 October 1908 at the time of the fifth Earl's marriage to Mary Ellis. The writer observed that Clancarty had strong views on the Irish land question. He was "by no means a landlord who wanted all the loaves and fishes for himself." He wanted to encourage those born on the land to live on the land - "a charming ideal a few hundred years ago." Doubt was cast on his views but "at least, Lord Clancarty has a workable scheme."

01/12/2024

I should have highlighted this article long before now but it's still good to see the support even from 15 weeks distant! Thanks Dave.

A New Zealander with a passion for history – and for Ireland through his wife’s ancestry as a member of the Guinness family – has just published a new book that traces the other side of her roots…embedded deep in the story of Ballinasloe. Rod Smith from Tauranga in New Zealand describes his ...

30/11/2024

On a visit to Garbally House, Father Colm Allman showed us a piece of furniture with an inscription that has puzzled him for years, and equally perplexes us. In a chest of drawers in one of the bedrooms, one of the drawers has some writing on the side that has no easy explanation - Brinsley Le Poer Trench 15 December 1893. The date is in the time of the fifth Earl Frederick and his wife Belle Bilton. But Brinsley le Poer Trench the eighth Earl was born in London in September 1911. So who is the person recorded in 1893? And why on the side of a drawer? Possible explanations welcome!

28/11/2024

In chapter nine of "Clancarty" which deals with the contribution of the ninth Earl, Nicholas Trench, I discussed the Labour Party's election pledge to abolish the hereditary peers from House of Lords should Labour become Government. Labour did win the election in July last year, and they have introduced legislation into the House of Commons to abolish hereditary peers. It is expected that the Bill will become law in early 2025 at which point the 9th Earl and his hereditary peer colleagues will cease to have a place in the Lords. A huge step in reforming the House of Lords. There are several articles listed on Google on the matter.

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26/11/2024

The final engagement was a book signing session at Salmons Department Store in Ballinasloe. Interest was quite high. Dermot Salmon bought 50 copies of the book and at time of writing this post was on his second 50. Keep up the good work mate! And many thanks to all the people who made the week such a success.

26/11/2024

The last talk was with the Athlone Rotary Club, a small but attentive group. They were keen to tell me that the All Black Barrett brothers learned all their rugby skills when their father Kevin as a farm manager in Ireland in 2000. The Barretts probably taught the Irish a thing or two but I didn't think that was a debate I would win!

26/11/2024

We were delighted to have at the launch a man with probably the longest Trench pedigree in the audience, Fiachra Trench and his wife Carmel McCreagh. Fiachra is a son of Terry Trench founder of the Irish Youth Hostel Association, businessman and author; and grandson of Wilbraham Trench, professor of history and English literature at Queen's University (now University of Galway). History flows in Fiachra's veins, but his life has been dedicated to music. He is an accomplished pianist, musical director, arranger and composer with contributions to a number of film scores among his many achievements. Carmel is a an equally accomplished jazz singer. I couldn't persuade him to speak - he is much happier at the keyboard - but it was a delight to see them both.

26/11/2024

I presented a copy of the book to Abbie McGowan, a librarian at Ballinasloe library, venue for the launch; was happy to meet John Soden whose painting of Garbally is in the book (p.vii); and to receive a copy of an earlier history of St. Joseph's College "Behind The Boundary Tree" from Conor Johnston. president of the Heritage Society.

26/11/2024

Saturday 19th October was the big day in Ballinasloe, the town once owned by the Trench family. It's not a big town and it is reshaping itself after the lost of three key employers, but there is a strong interest in the Trench family. Just about everybody seemed to have a connection somehow - either a relative who once worked at Garbally, former pupils and staff of St. Joseph's College, or descendants of former pupils. Over 70 people enjoyed the launch and there was the same buzz as in London with conversations exploring connections. Speakers included Conor Johnston, president of the Ballinasloe and District Heritage Society, sponsors of the function; Councillors Alan Harney and Declan Kelly, writer Nuala Ni Chonchuir, researcher Brid Mercer (whose family Gilgannon are well known at Woodlawn, home territory of the Ashtown branch of the Trenches), and Father Colm Allman, former president of St. Joseph's College, Garbally. The group photograph includes, from left, Pat Johnston, Bishop Michael Duignan, bishop of Clonfert; Councillor Declan Kelly, Glennis Smith, Councillor Evelyn Parsons, Conor Johnston, Rod Smith, Nuala Ni Chonchuir, Councillor Alan Harney, Brid Mercert, Abbie McGowan, and Father Colm Allman.

26/11/2024

Next day was a visit to Galway City Library to talk with local studies librarian Marion Nikolakos. She arranged the purchase of five copies of the book for libraries in the county. Thanks Marion.

26/11/2024

Time to talk about Ireland - seven busy days with friendly people, talking about the Clancarty book. First stop was Tuam, north east of Galway city, and home of the last Church of Ireland Archbishop, Power Le Poer Trench, based at St. Mary's Cathedral, (p.45 in the book). Tuam was later downgraded to a diocese and the Bishop today covers a wide part of west Ireland. Tuam is a smalll town but played a significant part in Irish history. That history is cherished by the active Old Tuam Society who hosted a talk on Clancarty. The history of Archbishop Trench and St. Mary's Cathedral was explained to us by the sexton Jarlath Canney. The group, pictured, at the meeting includes the Society's president Anne Tierney, historian Dr. Tony Claffey, and Bishop Michael Burrows.