Aghrane Heritage Group

01/01/2026

An interesting link below showing some of the extreme weather conditions we had in Connaught from 1224 to 1562.
Extreme heat never witnessed in a summer,lakes so frozen they can be walked across,heavy snow’s in spring that affected small birds so badly they were almost wiped out.

Extremes of weather recorded in the Annals of Connacht, 1224–1562 By Charlotte Murphy The unusually heavy rain earlier this year has led to fears (yet again) of a looming fodder shortage this summer, while yields of potatoes and other vegetables are expected to be very poor. While this has led to ...

27/12/2025

The image below shows the original entrance doorway and porch to the new wing of Castle Kelly in Aughrane and the entrance doorway to the Catholic Church of the Assumption in Castlecoote ,you will notice the similarities between them,the scrolling above the door exactly matching.
The stone from Castle Kelly’s extension when ruinous (burned in 1921) was taken by horse and cart to build the church in 1945.

To think the once Protestant landlord D.H Kelly’s extension is now a Catholic Church goes to show how life works in mysterious ways.
The sacristy of the Catholic Church in Athleague is also from the Castle Kelly extension.see image in comments

25/12/2025

Aughrane Castle in the background with the small lake reflecting its image on the water.
This lake was created by damming the flow of water under the Grand bridge ,the slots where the timber planks were slotted into are still present under it today.
It created an environment for wild birds and a feature in the landscape.This was later recreated by Pat McArdle R.I.P. the forester in Aughrane in the late 70s early 80s ,this resulted in the ducks returning to the lake again.Pat was also very interested in the history and wildlife of the area ,a man ahead of his time in many ways.He was a member of the Killian Killeroran historical society.



Image courtesy of Charles Christopher Neville Bagot III R.I.P. Buckinghamshire UK
Photo Lawrence Dublin
Image was used on the sales catalogue by the Bagots in c.1904

25/12/2025

P.J.Collerans ,M.McDonnells and M.O’Rourkes can be seen in the image below c.1970s

22/12/2025

An aerial photograph of the diamond Ballygar c.1970s
You can see the old fountain in the middle of the road ,and the prefabs in the secondary school.

In the close up photograph you can see what used to be the bodyguards houses for Kelly of Castle Kelly Aughrane with the arch for access by horse with stabling at the rear ,there were two arches one between Fallon’s bar and Finnerans and one between Brennans and Buckleys old houses.
In Brennans old house you will notice the lower left front window is out of line with the upper window ,this perhaps had an arch at some stage and was blocked up later on.

21/12/2025

Some of the famine relief letters from the Killeroran relief committee during the famine 1846/7
Below is the first letter page 1 and 2 typed out so it’s easier to read.

My Dear Sir R Routh

Our poor house is full
Fever is spreading rapidly
Distress is extending
Your funds are running low— humanily
Speaking the meal introduced by our relief
Committee and extended at a little above cost price to the poor labourers has been the means of keeping numbers from starvation and of preserving in some degree Public order
I regret to say private robbery is in the increase and I fear the distinctions between “Meum et Tuum” are broken to a degree that it will be very difficult to re establish
I send you on the other side a list of subscribers and of the donations we have recieved and if you would recommend us to His Excellency for a further donation it will enable us to continue our supply as it is at present
If not aided by my own private resources we could not go on
I hope government are turning their attentions SERIOUSLY to the tilling of the land this is now the QUESTION and if not solved IMMEDIATELY what is to become of us next year
Believe me
My dear sir
Very Faithfully yours
DHKelly

Note:
Sir Randolph Routh was commissary general and famine relief superintendent for Ireland

The Latin phrase in above letter stating “Meum et Tuum” means “mine and yours” or “mine and thine”

Note: The word “extended “ may be wrong but it’s hard to read his writing in places



Scanlon collection

20/12/2025

Ballygar Carnival fancy dress 1952
What a great photo ,all well know locally.I wonder what was the theme.
R.I.P to those who have passed

20/12/2025

Ballygar was once a haven for fishermen from the UK and parts of Europe for its fishing ,having the Suck and Shiven near its door.The French ,Germans and English stayed at Kenny’s bar apartments which were well looked after by Nonie Kenny and Tom ,fishing by day and food and a pint later that evening while taking about their catch that day.
The young locals all fished back then ,you would see a gang of lads on bikes with fishing rods in tow setting out for the days fishing.

A funny story on the article below from the Herald May 1968 about two locals who hooked a pike ,A young Denis O’Leary and Padraig Hannon.

14/12/2025

Kilconnell Abbey Co.Galway heavily linked to the many septs of the O’Kellys.
Founded by William Bui O’Kelly 1352/3
Several of the O’Kellys are buried within The abbey,including brothers Col.Charles and John O’Kelly from Aughrane,and Colla O’Kelly who fought in Kinsale.
The crest with the Enfield creature is evident on many stones and crypts within its walls.

11/12/2025

Articles relating to the funding and consecration of St.Marys Church Ballygar
The site and a donation of £100 was given to the Parish priest Fr.Wallace by the then Protestant landlord Denis H.Kelly ,this again shows the strange behaviour of Denis Kelly a know proselytizer on his estate especially in his younger years,this seams to have waned in in his later years especially after the death of his father Rev.Andrew Armstrong Kelly who died in Thornfield House in 1849,Thornfield house was at that time the home of John Mahon and his wife Leonora Kelly Mahon who was Armstrongs daughter.

In the below articles we see details how D.H.Kelly provides one of the finest sites in the town along with a £100 donation aswell as building a wall around it with pillars and gates and planting it with trees.The stone for the build came from Killeroran.

There was an extension to the church in 1957 which also included a bell tower,some stone from the demolished Thornfield House was used in the extension of the church.

08/12/2025

The extract below is taken from “On a western river” ,where a group are boating along the river Suck and visiting the different estates along or near it.
It gives a short description of Denis Kelly and a funny story about a trip to London with his nephew Tomas Kelly Mahon of Thornfield.

We are now approaching another part of the river which is made beautiful by its surroundings. On the Galway side there are wooded heights and Mount Mary beyond with plantations stretching to its summit and for miles inland. Here lies the great estate of Castle Kelly or Aughrane, according to recent nomenclature. It is now the Bagot estate and as such it gained widespread celebrity in connection with recent litigation, Mr. Bagot having left a will which was a mine of wealth to the lawyers. For many centuries it was the property of the Kelly family, the head of which ruled a very extensive district in this western land called Hymana. The last male representative of the family was Denis Henry Kelly a noble specimen of the true Irish gentlemen. For nearly half a century he was the owner of Castle Kelly. There he continually exercised a profuse but refined hospitality and his life was one long course of kindness and benevolence.
In ancient days the name of the family had been O Kelly, but the O' had been omitted at the request of an august person. Mr. Kelly told me that when he was a young man he had seen in the possession of his father an autographed letter from Queen Elizabeth requesting the head of the family of the period to omit the prefix and from that time the Ơ' had been discontinued. Mr. Kellys personal appearance was singularly attractive.
His features were beautifully formed and of classic regularity. Those faultless outlines must have largely helped an illusion of which he was once the innocent occasion at Madame Tussauds. He and his nephew were one day at that popular place of entertainment. He had been going about a good deal in London streets and been tired he said to his nephew, " now you walk round and I can sit down and have a rest and a read of the papers". The obedient nephew did walk round and returning in half and hour found his uncle the centre of attraction. The old gentleman was asleep with his paper on his knee, surrounded by spectators who were loud in the expression of their admiration at the life-like appearance of the image before them!

07/12/2025

A collection of images from Ballygar sports 1974-75 held in the sports field Aughrane
Ann Robert’s Sligo was all round winner in 1975.
John and Martin Egan are together in one image below,both accomplished athletes in their time.

Some imags featuring locals Tom Kenny,Paddy Feeney,Sean Collins and Noel Larkin Newbridge.