TO dip into the pages of that quaint and long out of print volume, "Chronicles of The County Wexford", brought down to the year 1877 and compiled by George Griffiths, Enniscorthy is akin to taking a step into the past. Here are contained extracts culled from old chronicles, manuscripts, newspapers and history textbooks. There is information about long ago battles, ornithology, weather, and even magpies. In his interesting column "In Time's Eye" in this newspaper, recently, Y mentioned that my friend Arthur Reynolds out, Ballsbridge way was being pestered by magpies. In the year 1682, one Colonel Solomon Richards, a veteran officer in Cromwell's army lived in Wexford town. Here is what he had to say about magpies: ... One remark more is that there came with a black easterly wind, a flight of magpies, under a dozen, as I remember out of England, or Wales, none having ever been seen in, Ireland before. They lighted in the Barony of Forth where they have bred and are 59 increased, that they are now in every village and wood in this county. My own garden, though in the town of Wexford is continually frequented by them and they are spread, more thinly into other counties and parts of the kingdom.
Invaders
"The natural Irish much test them, saying they shall never be rid of the English, while these magpies remain The observation is that the English magpies entered Ireland in the same county where the Englishmen first entered it, and in the English barony also". So much for magpies.
We learn that Bishop Ram who lived in Gorey died on November 24th, 1634 of apoplexy in Dublin. He was Protestant bishop of Ferns and a friend of Dean Swift who in verse once referred to him, as the "Great Ram of Gorey". A surprising comment taken from "Chronicles of Holinshed and contained in Griffiths's work is that the walls of New Ross, were originally "in Circuit equal to London walls". In a reference to the Esmonde family of Wexford, Griffiths states: "The family of Lord Esmonde came to this country in the reign of Henry II called East Mount in Pembrokeshire (hence the name).
The Esmondes who lived at Johnston Castle, now the seat of the Agricultural Institute, were disposessed in 1656, but Griffith observes. Yet the last Sir Thomas Esmonde a Catholic, died in the castle on December 31st 1868 - 214 years after he expulsion of his family.
An extract from an old chronicle quoted by Griffiths states, in 1186 Donagh or Murragh MacMurragh, King of Leinster, was treacherously slain at a public assembly in, Dublin while in conference with the Danes who, as a mark of indignity, buried him with a dog.
On the subject of weather, there is this note: "The year 1803 was remarkable in the County Wexford for a very warm dry summer. Many springs dried up and even some of the small rivers. The crop of grass and, particularly hay was very deficient, the straw of the corn was also short but corn yield was immense.
"The winter following was unprecedented for the severity of its story. There were 11 large, vessels wrecked between Kilmore and the Hook lighthouse and many more must have foundered off the coast from the quantity of masts; spars and dead bodies that were driven ashore."
Cromwell letter
There is, too, an extract from a letter written by Cromwell to Parliament concerning the retaking of Enniscorthy by rebel forces: "The enemy surprised Enniscorthy in this manner, some Irish gentlemen feasted the soldiers and sent in women to sell them strong water (whiskey) of which they drank too much and then the Irish fell upon them, took the garrison and put all the officers and soldiers to the sword."
An interesting reference to the theatre where Wexford Festival is held annually is as follows: "The theatre erected by Wm. Taylor in High Street opened for the first time, 1832."
An amusing incident involving Caesar Colclough barrister at law and Charles Kendal Bushe who became Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, is recorded. Both travelled the Leinster circuit and on one occasion going from Wexford to Waterford Collough wishing, to shorten the journey determined to cross on, the ferry from Ballinlaw, despite warnings from the boatmen of a strong gale. The party set out and arrived safely which prompted Bushe to deliver a parody of the words of Julius Caesar to the sailors faced with similar perilous circumstances - "Courage you bear Caesar and his fortunes." Here is Bushe's parody:
While meaner souls the tem-
pest strike with awe,
Intrepid Colclough crosses
Ballinlaw
And cries to boatmen shiv'ring in their rags,
"You carry Caesar and his saddle bags."