September 1911

Seagoe Parish Magazine.

SEPTEMBER 1911.

Farewell Words.

[The following " Farewell Words" from the Rev.

W. T. Grey will, we know, be appreciated by

his many friends in Seagoe, and all will wish

him a pleasant and prosperous voyage.]

Llandudno, North Wales,

August 29th, 1911.

MY Dear Friends in Seagoe,—Just a word of

farewell before I start on the long voyage

which is to end in the Land of the Rising Sun."

I am more than grateful to the Rector and to my

friends at Eden Villa, whose kind hospitality made

it possible for me to visit Seagoe from time to time

during my furlough, and who did so much to make

my visits the happy ones they were.

I shall long remember the three weeks I have just

spent amongst you, and I particularly valued the

kind way in which the Rector permitted me to come

in contact with your parochial life. I have been

allowed to minister to some of your sick and dying,

and it was like old times to find myself on three

consecutive Sundays sitting in the dear old choir,

reading the Prayers, and speaking to you from the

pulpit. It has been a source of the greatest satisfaction

to me to notice the various ways in which the

life of the Parish has developed and advanced

during the last six years. I hope you will all pray

daily that God's Holy Spirit will bless more and

more all that is being done in His name in Seagoe,

and that He will lead you into all the truth. Only

don't let your prayers be limited by the boundaries of

your Parish ; never get up from your knees without

Offering up at least one short petition that the

Kingdom of God may be extended throughout the

world ; and you won't forget, will you, to make

special mention from time to time of your own who

are in the Mission field, namely—the Misses Dawson

in South America and myself in Japan

And now I must thank you for the wonderfully

warm welcome I received on all sides. To one like

myself, possessing no longer a family home, there is

a certain loneliness in returning after a lapse of years.

But whatever degree of loneliness I was conscious of,

completely disappeared before the affectionate smiles

Of recognition that greeted me when I appeared in

the Parish of Seagoe. It warmed my heart to find

I was so well remembered ; and I go back to Japan

cheered with the conviction that the friendships I

have renewed will find constant expression in mutual

intercessory prayer during the years that must elapse

before we meet again.

You won't think me guilty of unreal sentiment if,

in wishing you goodbye, I sign myself

Your affectionate Friend,

WM. T. GREY.

P.S.—It may interest you to know that the 1st

Lesson for the morning of August 24th contained

the words—" Behold I am with thee, and will keep

thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring

thee again unto this land." This seemed to me like

a direct message from Heaven, and as I read it in

the train that was carrying me ont of Ireland I was

greatly comforted.

Death of Mr. A. Costello.

We announce with much regret the death of Mr.

Atkinson Costello, of Carne, which took place on

Tuesday, August 8th. For many months Mr. Costello

had been in failing health, and within the last few

months it had become quite evident that he could not

recover. He bore his illness with great patience and

submission to the Divine will, and

when death came it was an easy and

happy transition from pain and

weakness to the glory of his

Father's presence. Mr. Costello was

always greatly interested in Seagoe

Parish, and the fact that Carne

Church Hall stands upon his

ground is an evidence of his

strong attachment to the Church.

For many years he was elected to serve on the Select

Vestry, and his wise counsel was much appreciated

by the members of the Vestry. On the appointment

of the Rev. J. E. Archer as Rector of Seagoe in

October, 1905, Mr. Costello kindly consented to act

as Rector's Churchwarden for 1906-7. The funeral,

which took place to Seagoe Graveyard on Thursday,

August 10th, was attended by a large number of the

residents. The rector gave a short address at the

service in the Church, referring to Mr. Costello's

work and character. A handsome wreath was sent

by the Clergy and Select Vestry. We offer our sincere

sympathy to Mrs. Costello and the members of the

family. On the Sunday following the sad event the

Rev. W. T. Grey in his sermon made a touching

reference to Mr. Costello's death.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

Bishop's Social— October 10th.

We are very glad to be able to announce that our

new Bishop, the Right Rev. C. F. D'Arcy, D.D., has

kindly consented to be present at a Social Meeting in

Seagoe School on Tuesday, October 10th. This will

be a good opportunity for all our Seagoe people to

meet with and get to know their Bishop. The

Bishop is not altogether stranger to the Parish, for

it was he who held the Confirmation in the Parish

four years ago, when the late Bishop Welland was

too ill to attend. His beautiful address on that

occasion is still remembered by many of our people.

We expect the Social will be a record one for

Seagoe Parish. Strong committees have been formed

for the arrangement of the programme and for the

decoration of the school. Twenty-four ladies are

accepting tables at their own expense, and provision

will be made for 350 to 400 guests. The proceeds of

the Social resulting from the sale of the tickets will

be spent on the further improvement of Seagoe

School. The price of the tickets will be one shilling

each. No one under 16 years of age will be admitted.

The tickets are now on sale.

Excursion to Whitehead.

The members of the Bible Classes have arranged

for an Excursion to Whitehead on Saturday, Sept.

16th. The price of the tickets will be 2/- each for

members of Sunday or week-night Bible Classes,

and 2/6 for non-members. The train will leave

Portadown station at 7-30 a.m.

Whitehead is a delightful place for an excursion.

It is out on the open sea, and the Scotch shore of

Ayrshire can be clearly seen in the far distance.

There is fine bathing, and the coast walk and rock

path round Blackhead and past the Lighthouse is

magnificent. In the Quarry near the station may be

seen a miniature Giant's Causeway. Those who

prefer inland walks can go to Ballycarry, or to

Kilroot, where the famous Dean Swift at one time officiated.

One of the sights of Whitehead is the continual

procession of gannets and other large sea-birds winging

their way across the waves to their nesting place at

Ailsa Craig. The picturesque Gobbins Cliffs may also

be visited from Whitehead. Our excursionists will

also be interested in the smugglers caves at Blackhead.

Secure your tickets at once.

Rev W. T. Grey.

Mr. Grey sails from Liverpool by the White Star

liner " Runic," on September 12th. The date of

sailing was delayed for nearly a month owing to the

strike. Mr. Grey will have traversed 23,000 miles

before he reaches his destination. His ship goes

first to Capetown, thence to Australia, where he

hopes to spend three weeks. He then changes to a

Japanese liner and sails north, calling at the Philippine

Islands, eventually reaching Japan at the

beginning of the year. He will pass through all the

seasons of the year in the space of three months

Autumn here, Spring in South Africa, Summer in

Australia and Winter in Japan.

Items.

Seagoe Physical Culture Class will shortly resume

its work. The class will meet weekly in Seagoe

Orange Hall.

The Rector has been appointed a member of the

committee for arranging a New Hymnal for the

Church of Ireland.

All copies of the August number of the Magazine

were sold within a week of its publication.

The Sunday School Excursion this year almost

paid its way. In fact there may be a small balance

in hand when all charges have been met.

A good many cases of scarlatina have occurred in

Edenderry. As a precaution milk should be boiled

before using. We are glad to say the cases are of

mild type.

The G.F.S. trip takes place (D.v.) on Saturday,

September 9th. This is always a very pleasant event.

This year the Associates, Members and Candidates

will drive to Laurencetown.

We hope that the young people who leave Seagoe

Parish for America will attend the services of the

Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States.

Our Church brethren across the sea have the same

Book of Common Prayer, the same Hymns, the same

Bible and the same Church traditions. There may

be slight differences in the form of the services, but

in all essential respects they are the same as in

Seagoe. The Rev. Manning Bennett, Rector of St.

Mary's, South Manchester, U.S.A., is anxious to get

helpers in his large Parish of 14,000 souls. Some

of our Seagoe emigrants should offer their services.

We are glad to notice that in the erection of new

tomb-stones in Seagoe Graveyard the old stones,

(some of great age) are being re-erected in front of the

new ones. It is a great pity to allow the old stones

to disappear.

Mr. Robert Gracey, People's Churchwarden, has

recently improved the appearance of the Church by

cutting the ivy, and has also cleared away an old

tree from the School playground.

Mr. Cecil Winter, who has frequently taken

District Services in Seagoe, was one of the ill-fated

party on the motor charabanc, of whom ten were

killed. Mr. Winter providentially escaped injury,

and we sincerely congratulate him.

A fine, new Chancel is being erected in Knocknamuckley Church.

SEAGOE PARISH

A parishioner has recently, we hear, destroyed no

less than 32 wasps' nests. This is a record.

Seagoe people will thank Mr. Dorman, the county

surveyor, and his assistants for the splendid new

asphalted paths along Seagoe Road.

An appeal on behalf of the Diocesan Poor Parishes

Fund will be made in Seagoe Church on Sunday

morning, September 3.

Baptisms.

" He shall be lent to the Lord as long as he liveth. "

August 5th— Wilson, son of Thomas Henry and Frances Jane Holmes.

Joseph Henry, son of William Henry and Elizabeth Harrison.

James, son of James and Sarah Hara.

Margaret Jane, daughter of William and Sarah Jane Gregson.

Alexander, son of William and Sarah Jane Gregson.

William Brown, son of William James and Margaret Cordy.

Irene Doris, daughter of Hugh and Margaret Shields.

James Henry, son of William Joseph and Anne Watson.

Marriage.

' Thy vows are upon me."

August 30^th William Robinson, Drumnacanvey, to Sarah Jane Thompson, Ballygargin.

Burials.

" Until the day break."

August 8th Dynes Atkinson, Drumnagoon, aged 78 years.

10th—Anne Calvert, Breagh, aged 59 years.

Atkinson Costello, Carne, aged 52 years

16th —John Best, Lisniskey, aged 64 years.

17th Alexander Hughes, Belfast, aged 55 years.

18th —Margaret Wilson, Seagoe, aged 72 years

27th —Margaret Killow, Edenderry, aged 38

29th —John Wells, Edenderry, aged 78 years.

James Henry Watson, Killycomaine, aged 4 months.

31st—Thomas Haddock, Kernan, aged 70 years.

Offertories for August.

Sundays—Morning, £4 17s 8d ; Communicants, 13s 5d

Evening, £2 15s 6d.

Week-days—8s 9d.

Total, £8 15s 4d.

Old Seagoe Notes,

An Account of the Barony of O'Neilland,

Co. Armagh, in 1682.

[We are indebted to Mr. T. J. Atkinson, LL.B., for

the following most interesting contribution to our

columns. The references to Fruit Culture and

Cider are especially interesting, dating as they

do from the year 1682.]

The following description of the Barony of

O'Neiland or O'Neilland (now the Baronies of

O'Neilland East and West) was compiled at the

instance of Dr. William Molyneux, who was

commissioned in 1682-3 to collect (principally from

clergymen) statistical accounts of Irish Districts for

publication in Moses Pitt's Grand Atlas*, and was

first published in the Ulster Journal of Archæology,

vol. IV:, Pt. 4, in July, 1898.

*The Atlas was not completed, and the portion relating fo

Ireland was not reached.

O'Neiland Barony, in the Couunty of Armagh,

Portadown, November 26th, 1682.

Sir,—In obedience to your request, I have made

enquiry touching the massacre of this town, and doe

find that seven score was the full number that lost

their lives in that inhumane butchery—they, too,

consisting for the most part of women. and children,

their husbands being sacrificed to a more early rage ;

the manner thereof was by forcing them into the

water of that part of the Bridge which the Rebels at

their first setting out had cut down, thinking thereby

to intercept the English, which lay on the East side

of the river, from molesting their intended villanies

The chief commander of the Rebells in this bloody

expedition was one Captain Tool M'Cann, a native of

this Parish.

Portadown is so called from Purt and Dunam,

Purt in Irish being a port, and Dunam, a place to

land upon from off the Bann River, which runs

through this town, over which stands a fair wood

bridge near upon a thousand foot in length. This

river parts the Diocese of Armagh from that of

Dromore. It divides also the Barony of Nealand

into East and West. That proportion of land lying

on the East side of the river is called Clanbrazill,

which lately gave title to an Earldom ; that on the

West side, especially that part of it which joins

Lough Neagh and the Bann, Clan Cann, probably so

called from the M'Canns, a family of Irish gentry

formerly owners thereof. This river has its banks

adorned with spacious and profitable woods; is

replenished with salmon, trout, pike, and eel, has a

slow and smooth course, fetching its rise from Sleaghnekirk,

so called in the County of Down, from

whence it gently glides into Lough Neagh. What

has been reported of the virtue of this Lough in

petrifying wood has so little of truth in it that 'tis

unfit to abuse posterity with a fresh relation thereof,

the long stones, as they call them, being usually

found in dry and sandy hills. Besides, a gentleman

of this county, to try the experiment, fastened an oak

stake in a private place of the Lough near upon

twenty years ago, the same retaining still all the

qualities of wood, without any alteration in the least

otherwise than what is usual to wood lying so long

in water. The circumference of this Lough, with the

nooks and bendings thereof, can be no less than an

hundred miles.

The soile of this Barony of O'Nealand is very deep

and fertile, being productive of all sorts of grain,

as wheat, rye, barley, oats, etc. The vast quantity

of wheat that is yearly carried hence into the country

of Antrim, besides the maintenance of above two

thousand families with bread, which number I find

to inhabit this small Barony, most whereof being

English, do plainly demonstrate it to be the granary

of Ulster, and one of Ceres' chiefest barns for corn ;

and as it excells all the rest for corn, so it challenges

the preference for fruit trees, good sider being sold

for 30 shillings the hogshead. Some of our gentlemen

can make already twenty or thirty hogsheads in

a season, which is but a small increase to what may

be expected when their orchards and yearly new

plantations come to their perfection. The farmers

are enjoined by their leases to plant apple trees

proportionable to the quantity of their land ; so that

if the sinfulness of the people do not forestall those

blessings of peace and plenty which God in his

bounty designs for us, this county twenty or

thirty years hence will be little inferior to the best

cider county in England. The great plenty of oak

wood which this Barony affords makes our houses

much better than those of other parts where that

assistance is wanting.

The very roads are here so well planted with

houses and other improvements that they seeme to

be but as one continued town. Our churches are

not so large as decent and well situated, having this

to make them renowned that they are once a week

filled with loyal and comformable Protestants. The

market towns of this Barony are Loughgall,

Legacorry, Portadown, and Lurgan, all inconsiderable

save the last, in and about which is managed the

greatest linen manufacture in Ireland. Those few

Irish we have amongst us are very much reclaimed

of their barbarous customs, the most of them speaking

English, and for agriculture they are little inferior

to the English themselves. In a word the fertility

of the soile, the curious inclosures, the shady groves

and delicate seats, that are everywhere dispersed over

this Barony doe all concur to make it a paradise of

pleasure. I have travelled through several parts of

England, but did never meet with any county or

part thereof surpass this of O'Nealand in anything

conducing either to profit or pleasure, the buildings

only excepted. Sir, I presume your own knowledge

en informe you of the truth of most that I have

said ; and if there had been anything more of remark

in this Barony that could be any way usefull to that

good and ingenious designe you are about, which

will undoubtless undeceive our very neighbouring

Kingdome, as well as more remote parts, in their

mean and despicable opinion of this nation, it should

have been freely communicated by

Sir, Your humble servant,

WILLIAM BROOKE.

A Curious Discovery, 1839.—While the

excavations for the making of the Railway through

Seagoe in the year 1839 were in progress the workmen

unearthed an underground cellar half-way

between the Rectory and the old Church. The cellar

contained a number of very ancient stone jars. Perhaps

some of our readers could give us some further

particulars about the cellar and the jars. If anyone

possesses one of the jars it would be an interesting

relic of old Seagoe days. A tradition exists that in

old times there was an underground passage

connecting the Rectory with the old Church.

It is just possible that this cellar may have formed

part of the underground passage. We are indebted

to Mr. David Walker, of Seagoe Villa, for this

information.

Old Seagoe, 1861 .—The Rector has received

from Miss Atkinson, of Eden Villa, an interesting

and carefully made pencil sketch of Old Seagoe

Church before the West Gable fell. The Rectory

is also visible in the background, and an old-fashioned

engine with lofty funnel is passing along the line.

From this drawing it would be possible to produce a

correct picture of Old Seagoe Church as it stood

before 1814. The sketch was made in April, 1861„

by H. Magenis.

The Heating of the Church,

Mr. W. R. Atkinson, our Hon. Treasurer, is anxious

that those who have kindly promised subscriptions to

the new heating apparatus should pay them in to

him as soon as possible as Messrs. Musgrave have

furnished their account.

Hacknahay School,

Miss M. B. Stevenson, Principal of Hacknahay

School, has been appointed Principal of Slieve-na-man

National School, in the Parish of Bryansford,

County Down. We are very sorry to lose the services

of Miss Stevenson, who has fulfilled her duties with

great efficiency.

Miss Margaret Reid, of Lower Seagoe, has been

appointed Principal of Hacknahay School temporarily,

pending the erection of the new school. Miss Reid

has had a large experience of teaching, and acted for

several years as Monitress in Seagoe School.