Robert ‘Bob’ Monteith was the third son of four with five sisters born March 1, 1879 in Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow to Joseph (Cavan) and Mary Dillon (Wicklow) Monteith. He was baptized in the Episcopal Church in the diocese of Glendalough. At 16, he joined the British army claiming to be 18. After seeing action in India and Africa, he was honorably discharged on 21 March 1903. Back in Ireland, he secured a job in the Civil Service at an Ordinance Depot in Dundalk, Co. Louth. On weekends would cycle to Dublin to see his parents and siblings. One weekend, they took in a theater … [Read more...] about THE BOB AND MOLLIE MONTEITH STORY (part I)
Historical Happenings
ONE WAR ENDS – ANOTHER BEGINS
The end of WWI on 11 November, 1918 was followed by a general election in December. Ireland at the time was still suffering from post-1916 animosity and restrictions by the British government. The death of one of the many interned Volunteers, Richard Coleman, on 9 December was alleged by Sinn Féin to be indicative of the mistreatment of prisoners. Coleman’s funeral procession through Dublin bought that Republican party valuable support in the coming election. Of the 105 Parliamentary seats contested in Ireland, Sinn Fein won 73, Unionists won 26 and the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP) … [Read more...] about ONE WAR ENDS – ANOTHER BEGINS
AMERICA'S FIRST CHRISTMAS CARDS
In 1982, archeologist Dr. Robert Pyle investigated a petroglyph, or rock carving, in Wyoming County, West Virginia. Many such carvings exist whose origins are shrouded in mystery, but Pyle thought this one unique for the carving looked like early runic writing. He lychen-dated it as having been carved between 500 and 700 AD. He recorded every detail of the carving in 18 separate visits, and gave the story to a local newspaper. A reader clipped the article and sent it to the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce which published it in their periodical: Wonderful West Virginia. A copy of the … [Read more...] about AMERICA'S FIRST CHRISTMAS CARDS
CHRISTMAS IN IRELAND
The Christmas season in Ireland is a happy combination of modern and ancient customs that combine to bring a unique meaning to this special time of year. While Christmas shopping, decorated trees, and Santa Claus are evident everywhere, traditional customs that signify the true meaning of this holy season still remain in small towns and villages where some people still celebrate the holy feast as their ancestors had for generations. On Christmas Eve, the windows are decorated with garlands of holly and ivy with candles centered in each -- often in a hollowed-out turnip for support. The … [Read more...] about CHRISTMAS IN IRELAND
GEORGE WASHINGTON’S CHRISTMAS IRISH
There were a few Irishmen living in and around Trenton, NJ prior to the Revolutionary War. Among them were Paddy Colvin and Sam McConkey, who ran two Delaware River ferries; Paddy Lamb, who resided near Quaker Bridge on Assunpink Creek; and John Honeyman, a retired British soldier, now a butcher and cattle-dealer in nearby Griggstown. They were all there during a very special Christmas adventure. Toward the end of 1776, George Washington’s patriot army retreated from New York through New Jersey, headed for the Delaware River with the British army in hot pursuit. On December 1, he sent … [Read more...] about GEORGE WASHINGTON’S CHRISTMAS IRISH