Eugene McCloskey's Blog (16)

This very successful event was held yesterday in aid of Mary Mullan's children in Guatemala appeal. The weather was fair, the craic mighty and the refreshments out of this world. Thanks to all who participated, donated and helped in any way. A few pictures taken on the day are attached.…

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A limited number of copies of this book, which was published in March 2012, remain and can be had from Waterstones Coleraine, Limavady Arts & Cultural centre or by telephoning 02877742377. It is likely to be completely sold out within the next 4/6 weeks.  

 

Saturday 24^th March was a momentous day for Gelvin Historical Society. This was the day  they launched their book GELVIN THE HOME PLACE.   The event which was held in the Library Main Street  Dungiven was very well supported by all age groups.  Martin McDonald from The Heritage Lottery Fund and John Hamilton from Causeway Museum Service were in attendance.   Martin McDonald officially launched the book by presenting the first issue to Paddy Mullan from…

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We will launch GELVIN THE HOME PLACE, a history of the area covering the 100+ years after the great famine, on Saturday 24th March 2012 at 12 noon in The Library Main Street Dungiven. Everyone is welcome to come along.

Books can be ordered by post from Eugene McCloskey, 191 Legavallon Road, Dungiven BT47 4QW and will also be available in local outlets following the launch. They  can also be ordered by telephone (please see the accompanying press release document).…

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For the past number of months members have been active in compiling the history of the area and its people covering the past 100/150 years. We will in the near future be in a position to amalgamate the information gathered with the results published in book form by early 2012. A community archive will also be set up.  What we have done and what we are proposing would not be possible without the financial input already agreed  with…

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On Sunday last 1st August a large number of descendants of Dan Diamond (Lenamore) and Bridget McCloskey (Lenamore) gathered at Gelvin school to hear Dan and Bridget's great great great grandson Paraic Rafferty describe in detail the Diamond family tree containing 1118 names. Paraic gave a slide show and talk touching on all the descendants (several hundred) from 1817. The Diamond name has been extinct in the Gelvin area for 45 years and descendants from Scotland, Mayo, Belfast, Omagh, Portrush,… Continue

The photographs and text accompanying this article were taken and written thirteen years ago in 1997 following a school reunion arranged by Mary Mullan and Sinead McNicholl. The intervening years have seen considerable change at the old school and indeed at this time a portion of the exterior is being re-plastered. This should ensure the future of the building for many more years.

The past 13 years have also brought about change in the appearance in some if not in all of those who…

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The text and photographs relate to events on 26th August 2006 when the site was officially launched following work carried out in the earlier part of that year.

Galvin was always a two teacher school (principal and assistant teacher) with the number of pupils rarely exceeding 50. The building had two classrooms separated by a wooden partition and pupils progressed from the junior room to the senior room at the appropriate level of learning. Teachers tended to stay for relatively short spells. However Michael Gillespie, who came from Moville in Co Donegal, served as Principal from 1908 until 1941. Thelma McLaughlin came to the school in 1947 as…

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There was a lot of nostalgia at Alduff on 6th June 2009 when over 50 local residents gathered to witness and participate in paring, cutting, lifting, wheeling and spreading. All of the older participants had spent many days in the moss during the 1940's, 50's, 60's and 70's and were delighted to have had the opportunity to once again display their skills. Many stories were told and old times remembered. A good quantity of turf was cut and saved in the weeks that followed and were…

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It was decided in the Autumn of 2009 that, due to difficulties encountered when attempting to paint the side of the building facing Legavallon Road and the gable towards Ballymacallion, we should re-plaster both walls.

Application for financial assistance was made to the Big Lottery Fund (Awards for All) and we were awarded a grant of £3358. Work is expected to commence in the next 2/3 months and should take 3/4 weeks to complete. We are grateful to the Big Lottery for their…

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The 2010 calendar is the third produced by the group and as in past years all profits have been donated to a deserving charity. The chosen charity this year was The Northern Ireland Children's Hospice and a cheque for £1250 was recently presented to a Hospice representative. Approximately 360 calendars were sold plus a quantity of turf harvesetd during the summer of 2009. We extend thanks to all sellers and to the purchaser of the turf who prefers to remain anonymous. A big thank you to all… Continue

Sean and Carmel Canning from Ballyness leave on Saturday 9th January for Australia to attend their son Michael's wedding. Michael will wed Joanne Hickey at Coffs Harbour just north of Sydney on Saturday 30th January.
We wish Sean and Carmel a safe journey each way and an enjoyable stay down under. We also wish Michael and Joanne every happiness in their married life. Sean and Carmel return again on 2nd February.

On Saturday 7th November 2009 members of the group joined in an information gathering trip to Lenamore to learn something of the history of the settlement and its people. The facilitator for the event was Dr Wes Forsythe, lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Ulster, who gave an insight into what life would have been like during the late 19th/early 20th century. Local man Donal Boyle, adviser with Environment & Heritage Service, also contributed to what was a most enjoyable… Continue

A successful reunion, attended by approximately 90 past pupils of Gelvin (Galvin) school, was held on a very wet day in July 1997 some thirty years after the school ceased to function as a seat of learning. An account of this unique occasion was recorded in issue No27 of the Benbradagh magazine (an annual production detailing stories and events of current and historical interest in the Dungiven area). The writer’s account described the state of the building as follows ‘’sadly the school has… Continue