Longford Historical Society release new edition of Teathbha

The work of Longford Historical Society in preserving the heritage of the county is a labour often unapplauded, but once a year when they publish their journal Teathbha the county can hold a tangible rendering of their toil.

The new edition of the Journal of County Longford Historical Society, Teathbha, was launched last Thursday, November 28 in Longford Library. Now in its twenty-third edition the journal contains articles about a broad variety of topics relating to Longford’s history.

“We have a very dedicated group of members in the Historical Society,” Martin Morris, Longford County Archivist and the editor of Teathbha said, “They come to lectures, to the AGM, and they come to any events like the launch of Teathbha.”

Martin believes the interest in local history is at an all time high: “James MacNerney, my predecessor, was the one who made Teathbha an annual. I think since it became an annual publication, which is some years ago now, people see it as part of the year. There's a lot of interest in local history in Longford. This is a time when it's in bloom in a big way.”

The enduring appeal of the publication is such that the fresh minted copies are very much in demand: “People love to read about places and people. Places that they know about or that they know something about, or people they may not have heard of, or in some cases they know a little about, but they want to know more. A lot of our contributors are local as well.

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“Even the ones that don't live locally, some have local connections, but it's the local history that is really popular. It's one of those areas that's perennially popular. Teathbha is a celebration of the county. A celebration of what makes us unique.”

Every place has its own unique history, and each person's connection with the history is rooted in their life experience. The diversity of the stories in Teathbha is down to the contributors.

“The contributors are the people who make the journal,” Martin explains, “I have very little trouble getting new material, because people come forward with it. We have regulars, and we have newcomers, and we have people who are interested in a part of history. Year after year, they come back and they come up with new material.”

The Journal of County Longford Historical Society is a good read, but also a repository of knowledge that could otherwise be lost. A valuable document detailing histories both private and public.

“That's one of the good things about it. There are people who feel they have something that's of interest to say. If they don't write it and contribute it to Teathbha or another publication, it'll never see the light of day. It may be a lived experience or they may have spent a number of years researching the subject. Rather than publish a book, they can produce a couple of articles on this subject. The Society assumes the cost of publishing.”

Teathbha is now an annual publication, but it wasn't always so. This 23 edition represents 55 years of the County Longford Historical Society work, and the quality of that material stands for itself.

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Whereas many people think of history as the big incidents, the big happenings, the reality is that history is an amalgam of all the little lives. Teathbha covers the big history, but it also preserves the details of the lives that went on during those times.

Martin says the journal plays an important part in recording local history: “In order to understand history properly, you have to begin at the grass roots. Why was there a War of Independence in Ireland? It was because in enough localities around the country, people took up arms and they fought for their freedom.

“Why was the Great Famine a catastrophe on an island-wide level? Because it affected every parish in Ireland. To understand the minutiae is really important, because you can make bland generalisations about things, but the local history really gets to the nub of it. You can compare and contrast and you can see the colour and the stories that relate to your own particular place.”

Every year the demand for the book is high. Martin points to the quality of the submissions for this public appetite: “The quality of the writing is just fantastic. My job as editor is not all that onerous, because those who write for it are very experienced .”

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In the 55 years since the first publication the range of contributors has widened: “I suppose one of the things that has changed from when Teathbha was first published, is the fact that there are courses in local history. A lot of the articles written in recent years are by people who have certificates, diplomas, degrees, people who went back to college as mature students and they pursued their dream.

“People who had an interest in local history and they worked in another job. And when they retired, they said, well, now I have time in my hands, what will I do? I'll go and do a course. And we're reaping the benefit of their commitment and their interest now because they're writing for us.”

This iteration of Teathbha covers a broad range of topics. You can read about the Annals of the Four Masters; the saints associated with Longford; the Enlightenment in the county; the Ordnance Survey; an intriguing piper’s tune; and stories from Dromard.

There are three articles on Longford’s diaspora; locals who went to South Africa in 1820; Kenagh people in the Falkland Islands; and Private Luke Baxter, who fought in the American Civil War, on both sides.

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The launch was performed by Ardagh native and well-known historian and author Dr Mel Farrell. Dr Farrell is an expert in the politics of the Irish Free State and has published widely on that and on the Irish Revolution.

“The topics covered in this issue span a millennium and a half,” Dr Farrell tells the Leader, “You go from early Christian Ireland right up to the late 20th century with the article on the history of the Scór Sinsir competition. You're covering a wide span of history in this particular issue.”

He says the County Longford Historical Society has put together a great annual: “We have a lot of heritage around us, a lot of history around us. We have a wonderful local history society here. Teathbha is a wonderful publication and I've been around the country.

“I've seen different local history societies and the one in Longford is second to none. And at €15 Teathbha is an ideal Christmas present for anybody who has a history lover in the family.”

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Growing up in the historic village of Ardagh it's no shock Dr Farrell pursued the career path he did: “I was very fortunate in that I knew all four of my grandparents. I knew one great grandparent as well. I had a sense of the early 20th century and the formative events there in terms of the War of Independence, the foundation of the State.

“From a very early age, I had an interest in it. And I was very fortunate in St Mel's College as well. I had history teachers who encouraged that interest. And then from there, I went on to study in Maynooth.”

The 2024 edition of Teathbha has contributions about the county’s population in 1901 and the early development of hurling. If your name is Quinn, you might like to learn about the family’s fortunes in the medieval period.

There is something for everyone in this year's annual. There are also reflections on our townland names and an account of the County Longford Field Names Project. Copies of the journal cost €15 each are available at outlets throughout the county.