Historical Postcard Collection: Carrick-on-Suir
Bailiúchán Chártaí Poist Stairiúla: Carraig na Siúire
The town's name can be traced to the presence of a rocky island which served as the foundation for the town that is today known as Carrick on Suir. The river divides Carrick, meaning "rock", with Carrickbeg to the south and Carrickmore to the north. At one time the town was developed and controlled by the Danes, who used the settlement as an inland base. Its foundation as a Norman town may be traced back to 1247; the year Matthew FitzGriffin was granted permission to hold a fair there.His family's influence resulted in the settlement being named Carrimagriffin, and it was not until the 18th Century that the name Carrick on Suir became popular.
Establishment of Carrick's Ormond Dynasty
Like other towns in the county, the development of Carrick owed much to the Butler family that gained control of the region during the 14th Century. Having already built a castle in the town in 1309, Edmond Butler was made Earl Carrick in 1315, a title that fell into disuse in 1328 when his son, James, became the 1st Earl of Ormond. It was James who founded the Franciscan Friary in Carrickbeg in 1336, whose first guardian, John Clyn, was one of the foremost annalists of the 14th Century.
"Black Tom"
Thomas, the 10th Earl, erected Ormond Castle in the 1560s, and the magnificence of the Tudor mansion seemed to reflect the fortunes of the Butlers, and Carrick, at this time. It was said that the castle was built specially for the proposed visit of Queen Elizabeth to the town, a visit that never materialised. "Black Tom", perhaps the greatest of the Butlers after Duke James, enjoyed a fascinating relationship with Elizabeth, who referred to him affectionately as her "black husband".The Queen, however, never made the trip to Carrick
, or indeed the altar.
The Confederacy and Cromwell
The greatest honours won by the Butlers were secured by Black Tom's grandson James, the 12th Earl and, later, Duke of Ormond. He commanded the King's forces until 1649, during which time the town fell first to Inchiquin, and then to Cromwell. The latter conquest resulted in a massacre of the town's garrison, and Reynolds, Cromwell's colonel, spared only 70 Welshmen from the sword. Failing to recapture the town, James joined Charles II in France, only to return after the Restoration of 1660. Upon his return, the town prospered.
The Turbulent 1800s
The wool and brewing industries flourished during the 17th and 18th Centuries, and development of the waterways around the town, and the favourable tide, increased boat traffic. The Act of Union in 1801, however, hit Carrick hard and the 1800s saw the slow death of what had been a thriving wool industry. The depression continued into the post Famine years and the Land War. Lord Clonmell and Earl Bessborough, two prominent landowners in Carrick, delayed land reforms in the 1880s and 90s resulting in some unrest in the town during the period.
Sporting Carrick
In discussing the town of Carrick on Suir, it would be remiss of one not to mention some of the sporting luminaries she has produced. Maurice Davin, one of the founders of the GAA, was born and lived in the town. Tom Kiely, an "All Rounder" (early decathlon) won several international events and in 1904, in St. Louis, became Tipperary's first Olympic gold medallist. But Carrick's greatest hero is of a more recent vintage. Sean Kelly, after whom the town square was named in the late 1980s, established himself during the 1980s as one of the top 5 most consistent cyclists of all time.
Sources - Bassett, "County Tipperary"; Power, "Carrick on Suir and its people"; Power, "Carrick on Suir, Town & District, 1800 - 2000"; Maher, "Ormonde Castle: An Anthology
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last updated on: Tuesday, 03-Aug-2010 15:40:10 IST
Tagann an t-ainm Carraig na Siúire ó oileán carraigeach a bhí mar bhunchloch an bhaile. Roineann Abhainn na Siúire an bhaile ina dhá leath, leis an gCarraig Bheag ó dheas agus an Carraig Mhór ó thuaidh. Bhí an baile faoi cheannas na nDanmhargach uair amháin, agus d’úsáid siad mar bhunáit intíre. Is féidir a bhunú Normannach a leanúint chomh fada siar le 1247; an bhliain a tugadh cead do Mhaitiú FitzGriffin aonach a bheith aige ann. Toisc tionchar a chlainne, tugtaí Carrimagriffin, agus níor éirigh an t-ainm Carraig na Siúire comónta go dtí an 18ú hAois.
Buntús Ríshliocht Urmhumhan na Carraige
Mar aon leis na bailte eile sa chontae, ba chúis iad na Buitléirigh le forbairt na Carraige, nuair a ghabh siad an réigiúin sa 14ú hAois. Bhí caisleán tógtha cheana féin acu sa bhaile, sa bhliain 1309, agus déanadh Iarla na Carraige d’Éamonn De Búitléir sa bhliain 1315. Thit an teidil as úsáid, áfach, i 1328, nuair a déanadh an chéad Iarla Urmhumhan d’á mhac Séamas. Ba é Séamas a bhunaigh an mhainistir Proinsiasach sa Charraig Bheag i 1336. Bhí caomhnóir na mainistreach, JohnClyn, mar dhuine de na hannálaithe ba suntasaí sa 14ú hAois.
"Tomás Dubh"
Bhunaigh Tomás, an 10ú hIarla, Caisleán Urmhumhan sna 1560daí, agus bhí ailleacht an mhaintí Túdarach seo mar scáth ar rath na mBuitléireach agus an an gCarraig ag an am sin. Dúradh gur tógadh an caisleán le haghaidh cuairt ón mBanríon Éilis nár tharla. Bhí gaol suimiúil ag “Tomás Dubh”, an Buitléireach ba chumhachtaí i ndiaidh an Diúca Séamas, le hÉilis, a thug a ‘fear chéile dubh’ air. Níor thug an Bhanríon, áfach, cuairt riamh ar an gCarraig, nó ar an altóir fiú.
An Chomhdháil agus Cromail
Ba gharmhac Thomáis, Séamas, 12ú hIarla agus ansin Diúca Urmhumhan, a bhain amach na honóireacha ba mhó do chlann Buitléir. Bhí sé i bhfeighil ar fhórsaí an Rí suas go 1649, ach ansin thit an Charraig go Inchiquin agus ansin Cromail. Nuair a ghabh Cromail an baile, cuireadh an garastún chun báis agus níor sparáil Reynolds, coirnéil Chromail, ach 70 Breatnach. Níor éirigh le Séamas an baile a athghabháil agus theith sé go dtí an Fhrainc le Searlás II. Nuair a tháinig sé ar ais, bhí rath ar an mbaile arís.
Na 1800 Trioblóideach
Bhí rath ar na tionscail olla agus grúdaireachta sa 17ú agus 18ú hAois, agus le forbairt na n-uiscebhealaí agus an taoide mhaith, d’fhás trácht na mbád. Bhuail an tAcht Aontais 1801 an Charraig go trom, áfach, agus d’éag an tionscal ólla go mall. Bhí spealadh sa cheantar tríd an nGorta agus isteach i gCogadh na Talún. Rinne an Tiarna Cluain Meala agus Iarla Bessborough, beirt tiarna talún mór le rá sa Charraig, leasaithe talúna a chur ar ceal sa cheantar, rud a chothaigh corraíl sa bhaile sna 1880daí agus ‘90daí.
Carraig Spórtúil
Agus Carraig na Siúire á phlé, fallaí a bheadh ann gan na pearsana móra spóirt a chuir sí os comhair an domhain a lua. Rugadh agus tógadh Muiris Ó Daimhín, duine de lucht bunaithe an CLG, sa bhaile. Chomh maith leis sin, ba ón gCarraig Tomás Ó Cadhla, “Ilspóirteach” (lúthchleasaí deich mír luath) a bhuaigh mórán tionól lúthchleas idirnáisiúnta agus, sa bhlain 1904, i St. Louis, a bhí mar bhuaiteoir boinn óir, an chéad buaiteoir boinn óir ó Chontae Thiobraid Árann. Is as bliain i bhfad níos úrnua an laoch is mó sa Charraig. Ainmníodh cearnóg an bhaile i ndiaidh Seán Ó Ceallaigh sna 1980, agus bhí an Ceallach mar dhuine de na rothaithe ba sheasmhaí riamh.
Foinsí - Bassett, "County Tipperary"; Power, "Carrick on Suir and its people"; Power, "Carrick on Suir, Town & District, 1800 - 2000"; Maher, "Ormonde Castle: An Anthology
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Cluain Meala - Nenagh - Tipperary - Roscrea - Templemore - Carrick on Suir - Cashel - Cahir - Thurles - Gleann Eatharlaí
nuashonraithe ar: Tuesday, 03-Aug-2010 15:40:10 IST