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The Shared Stories of North Pembrokeshire and North County Wexford

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The Shared Stories of North Pembrokeshire and North County Wexford

Shared Stories Introduction

This document aims to highlight some of the wealth of historical stories, archaeology and folklore that connects the north-west Pembrokeshire coast in Wales, with north Co. Wexford in Ireland, with a particular focus on the communities of St Davids, Fishguard, Goodwick, Ferns, Enniscorthy and Gorey. Even on the surface, these communities have much in common, being largely historically focused on the coast for their living, whether from trade or fishing, but the connections go much deeper and much further back in time.

We will discover the shared stories of north Co. Wexford and north-west Pembrokeshire and how the two regions have influenced each other through the movement of people, ideas, technology, culture, religion, and occasionally, conflict. We will examine these connections from the time of hunter-gatherers in the Mesolithic Period, passing on to the time of the first farmers in the Neolithic, the transformative arrival of metalworking in the Bronze and Iron Ages, to the time of St David and his Irish pupil St Aidan. From those early days of Christianity, we travel on to the time of castles and conquests with the Normans and their role in Pembrokeshire and Co. Wexford. We will look at later trade and commerce and explore some of the folk tales and traditions in the two regions.

These stories reveal that the Irish Sea has never been a barrier; it has always been a highway.

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What’s in a name?

St Aidan arrives in County Wexford

Many of the surnames found in County Wexford have a link to medieval Pembrokeshire. This connection dates back over 800 years to the time when King Diarmait MacMurchada ruled Leinster.

When he was overthrown in the 1160s, Diarmait sought assistance from the Cambro-Normans of Pembrokeshire. In payment for their help, King Diarmait gave these knights and soldiers of Pembrokeshire land in County Wexford. They settled on this new land with their families, and their surnames are still used in the area today. For example, the surname Roche is believed to come from Godebert ‘the Fleming’, who held Roch Castle in Pembroke in 1130. The Prendergast surname comes from a village in Pembrokeshire (now a suburb of Haverfordwest) named Prendergast. The surname Walsh or Breathnach means Welsh in Irish. Those that bear the ‘Walsh’ surname in County Wexford are believed to be descended from Philip ‘the Welshman’ who settled here in 1172.

Other surnames that have connections to Pembrokeshire and Wales, in general, include Keating, FitzGilbert, FitzStephen, Montmorency, de Quincy, de Barry, Carew and Caunteton.

Photo Credit: Abarta Heritage. Norman Knight: Claíomh Living History

Sources: 

Ireland and Wales in the Middle Ages: an overview by Proinsias Mac Cana
The medieval castle in Ireland and Wales: Essays in Honour of Jeremy Knight by John Kenyon and Kieran O’Conor
“Norman ancestors, Norman surnames,” Youghal Celebrates History: http://www.youghalcelebrateshistory.com/posts/youghal-roots/norman-ancestors-norman-surnames/.

Citation:

Tara Clarke, “What’s in a name?,” Ancient Connections, accessed August 8, 2023, https://rediscoveringancientconnections.omeka.net/items/show/23.
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St Aidan arrives in County Wexford

St Aidan arrives in County Wexford

Over 1400 years ago, St Aidan left his teacher, St David, in Wales and returned to Ireland. He took a boat from Pembrokeshire and sailed across the Irish Sea to County Wexford.

As he landed at Ard Ladrann (present-day Ardmine), St Aidan saw a group of defenceless pilgrims being robbed. To stop the crime, he sounded his bell and drew the robbers attention. Distracted, the robbers let the pilgrims escape but captured St Aidan and brought him to their chieftain, Dima. 

In atonement for his men’s attack on the pilgrims, Dima granted St Aidan some land in County Wexford. St Aidan then used this land to build his first church on Irish soil. 

Sources: 

Bethada Náem nÉrenn: Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. 2 by Charles Plummer.

Citation:

Abarta Heritage, “St Aidan arrives in County Wexford,” Ancient Connections, accessed August 8, 2023, https://rediscoveringancientconnections.omeka.net/items/show/18.
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The Famine by Jim McClean

Contributed by Jim McClean

A poem about the Great Irish Famine

Citation:

The poem was added to this website by Colm Morris with permission from the author Jim McClean., “The Famine by Jim McClean,” Ancient Connections, accessed August 8, 2023, https://rediscoveringancientconnections.omeka.net/items/show/33.
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A Town of Trees

Contributed by Lorraine O’Dwyer

A Town of Trees

Once Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales were covered in a thick temperate Celtic Rainforest. Over the centuries the trees were cut down and used for everything from weapons and tools to heat and shelter.
Some trees were considered of much more value than others though.
According to the Brehon Laws, the laws of Ancient Ireland, the trees were sectioned into four groups. They were:
The airig fedo (‘nobles of the wood’), the aithig fedo (‘commoners of the wood’), the fodla fedo (‘lower divisions of the wood’) and the losa fedo (‘bushes of the wood’).
To harm or cut down a Noble tree without the permission of your Chieftain could see you fined 2 and a half milk cows!

The village of Ferns gets its name from the Alder Tree or Fearna in the Irish language. There was a large Alder forest surrounding Ferns and it makes perfect sense that a Celtic army would make a settlement here as the Adler was the Tree of the Warrior.

Firstly, when boiled the bark and leaves make a powerful antibacterial bath that heals conditions like athelets foot, lice and prevents sores or blisters from becoming infected.

When the leaves are heated up in a cloth bag, they act in a similar way to products like deep heat, just what you need for those aching muscles after a day on the battlefield!

The wood, while not great for an average campfire burns incredibly hot as charcoal. Making it the favoured fuel of the Blacksmith. He needed it to make and mend axeheads, arrowheads, and swords.
And speaking of which Alder is so lightweight yet terribly strong making it ideal for spear shafts, axe handles and shields.

Finally, when you cut into the bark of the Alder, the sap oxidizes, turning to a bright crimson red colour. And so the warriors saw a kinship with the tree that bled as they did.

Today the Alder forest is long gone, but if you ever wonder why the mighty MacMurragh tribe settled here, now you know!

Citation:

Lorraine O’Dwyer, “A Town of Trees,” Ancient Connections, accessed August 8, 2023, https://rediscoveringancientconnections.omeka.net/items/show/29.
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St Aidan’s holy well

St Aidan's holy well

When St Aidan and his monks were building the monastery in Ferns, they became very thirsty. Some of the monks went off to find water but came back complaining that there was none nearby. Clearly, they hadn’t walked the two kilometres to reach the River Bann.

Tired of listening to their complaining, St Aidan ordered them to cut down a nearby tree. When they had done this, a spring of water gushed up from the ground forming a pool which the monks enjoyed. However, word of the pool quickly spread, and local women came to use the water to wash their clothes.

St Aidan and his monks were not happy with the use of the holy water and ordered the women to stop. All but one of the women obeyed. This girl was the daughter of Becc, a local chief who owned land in the area. As punishment for her disobedience, St Aidan performed a miracle that caused her clothes to stick to the well’s rocks and for her, in turn, to stick to her clothes.

The other women ran to the chieftain Becc and told him what had happened to his daughter. Being unable to release her by force, Becc entreated St. Aidan to free her. The father’s humble apology touched St Aidan’s heart, and he prayed for the girl to be released. Once she was free, Becc and his family converted to Christianity.

Sources: 

Bethada Náem nÉrenn: Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. 2, by Charles Plummer

Citation:

Abarta Heritage, “St Aidan’s holy well,” Ancient Connections, accessed August 8, 2023, https://rediscoveringancientconnections.omeka.net/items/show/27.
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The Excommunication of William Marshall

The Excommunication of William Marshall

William Marshall was known to many as the ‘greatest knight who ever lived’. When he married Isabel de Clare, the daughter of Strongbow and the granddaughter of King Diarmait Mac Murchada, William became the Earl of Pembroke and the owner of vast amounts of land in Wexford.

William and Isabel’s marriage was highly successful. They produced ten healthy children and founded many castles, churches, and towns throughout Leinster. However, William’s luck turned when he refused to return some land belonging to the church in Ferns.

As punishment for this, the Bishop of Ferns excommunicated William. This meant that he could not receive the holy sacraments, i.e., he could not confess his sins or receive the last rights. Despite this, William refused to give the land back to the Bishop, even on his deathbed.

William died in 1219, but this was not enough for the Bishop of Ferns. Furious that he still did not have the lands, he cursed the Marshal line promising that it would end with William’s childless sons. This seemed a bit ridiculous as William had five strapping and healthy lads to carry on the family name, but sure enough, over the following years, each of those healthy sons died without an heir.

William Marshal’s land and fortune were then split between his five healthy daughters and their children, who avoided the dreaded curse.

Sources: 

Ancient Connections the shared stories of Pembrokeshire and Wexford by Dr Gwilym Morus-Baird, Tara Clarke, Dr. Conor Ryan, Angharad Wynne and Neil Jackman.

Citation:

Abarta Heritage, “The Excommunication of William Marshall,” Ancient Connections, accessed August 8, 2023, https://rediscoveringancientconnections.omeka.net/items/show/17.
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St Aidan and the Sea Monster

St Aidan and the Sea Monster

On the evening before Easter, St Aidan was visited by an angel in his monastery in Ferns. The angel warned him that his old friend and mentor, St David, would be poisoned during the Easter feast. St Aidan was panicked but could do nothing about it. There was no way he could sail across the Irish Sea in time to save his friend.

Hearing this, the angel told him to send one of his trusted companions to the beach. St Aidan complied and sent one of his fellow monks. The monk found the angel standing not beside a boat but next to a massive sea monster! This monster carried the monk across the rough waters of the Irish Sea to Pembrokeshire.

The monk made it to St. David just as the Easter feast began. After hearing the Wexford monk’s story, St David lifted the poisoned bread in front of everyone and divided it into three pieces. He gave the first piece to a dog who died immediately. The second piece he gave to a crow, who also died. St David then blessed the third piece and ate it! To the shock of everyone in the room, St David did not die. His powerful blessing had saved him.

Thanks to the warning from the angel, St Aidan, and the Wexford monk, the patron saint of Wales survived. This solidified the friendship between St Aidan and St David and the bond between Ferns and Pembrokeshire.

Sources: 

The Life of St David by Richard Sharpe and J. R Davies in St David of Wales: Cult, Church and Nation, edited by J. Wyn Evans and Jonathan M. Wooding.

Citation:

Tara Clarke, “St Aidan and the Sea Monster,” Ancient Connections, accessed August 8, 2023, https://rediscoveringancientconnections.omeka.net/items/show/24.
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The Feast of St Aiden

Contributed by Lorraine O’Dwyer

The Feast of St Aiden

St Aidan once had his own Feast Day in Wexford, the 31st of January. It was mainly celebrated in the area surrounding Ferns and certainly no further than the confines of Wexford itself.
No work would be done on that day and a Holy Mass dedicated to St Aidan would be held.
The well, situated just outside the Cathedral in Ferns is dedicated to St Aidan and is said to cure toothaches!
A little further away is the village of Oylgate (Trans. the ridge of the goats) Here you will find St Davids Holy Well,
The water from this well is supposed to rid you of warts!

Sources: 

Duchas Folklore collection

Citation:

Lorraine O’Dwyer, “The Feast of St Aiden,” Ancient Connections, accessed August 8, 2023, https://rediscoveringancientconnections.omeka.net/items/show/32.
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A Man of Peace During War

Contributed by Colm Morris

A Man of Peace During War

Throughout the ages, men and women have been recorded in the annals of history for great achievements or discoveries. Some for their deeds of bravery and valour in battle, others for their cruelty, and there are those remembered for their achievements through peaceful means. I recently came across some writings about Joseph Haughton, a Ferns businessman during the 1798 Rebellion. These accounts convinced me that Joseph Haughton was a man of peace. His impact may not have had a global effect, but it certainly had a huge impact on the lives of the people of Ferns at that time.

Joseph’s family came to Ireland from Haughton Hall, Lancashire, England, in the late 1600s. Joseph established an extensive business (family grocery and general drapery) in Ferns in 1792. He and his family were Quakers or members of the Society of Friends.

There were many Quakers in Ireland at this time, with meetinghouses in Ballintore, Enniscorthy, Wexford and New Ross. Joseph and his family ‘waited on the Lord and worshipped him in spirit and truth’ at the meeting house in Ballintore, Ferns. During the time of unrest in the 1790s, Joseph encouraged his fellow Quakers to give up their guns and weapons in case they might be stolen and used against their fellow man in these uncertain times. Before asking anyone to destroy their weapons, Joseph destroyed his own first outside his premises on the main street of Ferns in full view of the public.

Shortly after the destruction of the Quaker’s arms, the government ordered all guns be given to the magistrates to defend the royalists. The local magistrates were not pleased with the Quakers actions; the Earl of Mount Norris then asked Joseph if the militia in Ferns could use his premises as a guardhouse. Joseph refused, not because he could not accommodate them but because it would seem like he was condoning war. In reprisal, the Earl of Mount Norris instructed that no protection should be given to Joseph or his family during the war.

The militia stepped up their activity against those suspected of being United Irishmen, burning their homes, crops, and pitch capping them. One man in Ferns was about to have his home and crops burned by the militia when Joseph intervened and pleaded with the officer to spare the house for the man’s wife and children. The officer accused Joseph of meddling, but the home and crops were spared. Later, when the United Irishmen came to power, Joseph helped that same officer in the militia in reverse circumstances.

Further evidence of Joseph’s belief in pursuing peace is his refusal to sell rope and linen to the military for the purpose of hanging and pitch caping those who had earlier not handed weapons to the military. The army took the rope and linen by force, offering payment which Joseph refused to accept. Joseph believes this act of righteousness and trusting God was instrumental to preserving himself and his family when the United Irishmen rose to power.

Throughout this time, Joseph was constantly in danger; the King’s army might discover that he was giving food and shelter to the United Irishmen, or the United Irishmen might react badly to the fact that he was looking after Protestant women and children who needed shelter. Joseph said, ‘I found the more I attended to what was right in my own mind, the more I seemed to be respected by them’.

Joseph recorded his memories of the 1798 Rebellion in July 1811 and died in 1845. His family business continued to prosper up to the 1940s when it was taken over by Gilberts, then Eddie Murphy, Joseph Harney and later by John and Mary Gathings. It is presently owned by Pat Durack and continues to be a thriving business. A plaque on the wall unveiled in 1998 by Ferns Development Association commemorates Joseph Haughton and ensures his rightful place in the village’s history.
 

Sources: 

Article written in 1988 by Colm Morris

God’s Care of Friends during the Irish Rebellion by Joseph Haughton in Friends in Ireland edited by Alice Mary Hodgkin and published by the Friends’ Tract Association in London

Citation:

Colm Morris, “A Man of Peace During War,” Ancient Connections, accessed August 8, 2023, https://rediscoveringancientconnections.omeka.net/items/show/34.