The Deep River Rock ad has been on the telly box for some time now, but I never realised the picturesque bridge at the beginning of the ad is Carlow. A friend informed me it was, I didn’t believe him and consulted with the interwebs for a more trustworthy source of answers. The Monte Carlow Facebook page confirmed it was indeed the picturesque bridge at Milford.
The Carlow People ran an article this week on a ‘super freaky ode to Richie Kavanagh’. I felt compelled to investigate further.
Richie Kavanagh needs no introduction. Well maybe he does, for the younger generation that is. Richie Kavanagh is a singer song writer and all round entertainer from Carlow. His style of songs is what sets him apart. Slapstick humour and innuendo are key components to his music.
The Midnight Phil Eoin Callers is a cheesy 80′s style band from Dublin. I haven’t been able to find too much about them online. They have launched a new album, available to download free from their website. I’m guessing its an album of piss takes. They have put together a cheesy love song with the direction of their affection being Richie Kavanagh, specifically sex with Richie Kavanagh being desired. Lets hope they never make that video. Below is the video to their Richie Kavanagh song. I’m still undecided how funny it actually is, I have laughed, I have cringed, I have turned off. Have your say in the poll!
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Destination Truth is a television show all the way from the US of A. The show investigates stories of the unexplained from around the world. Their most recent show is based on one of Carlow’s most recognised sights, Duckett’s Grove. This episode is a live search for the presence of a Banshee.
The video below is the first of 12 from the episode available on You Tube here.
Bagenalstown or Muine Bheag is a small town in County Carlow. It is surprisingly well known, largely due to the location on what was the old Waterford to Dublin road and also the Muine Bheag train station commuters pass through daily.
On Friday last, it became known for a line in a sketch by the Apres Match guys. Check out the bizarre reference below.
Found the Culchie Adventures on You Tube. Five videos, all appear to have been created in Carlow by two bowsies from the area. Not to be taken too seriously! Picked the video below for the opening title alone!
Many people have heard of it, few have seen it, there appears to be little or no evidence of it. A zombie movie was made in Carlow, apparently. Scenes were shot in the RTC, now known as IT Carlow. Few other details are known. And so begins the quest investigate this legend.
Carlow made it’s first appearance on The Dragons Den, thanks to Eamonn Treacy from Kildavin. Eamonn has provided a simple answer to a common problem. The Bin Trasher attaches to your wheely bin and allows you to easily squash the rubbish already in the bin. Eamonn received investment from two Dragons. Well done Eamonn and best wishes with your venture.
Peter posted an excellent article showing images from Carlow,past and present here. Below are two videos recorded in 1994. The interesting thing about these videos is most of us will remember the changes. The most striking memories I take from the video are
- The old Haddens car park fountain, now a beer garden.
- The tree in the centre of Quinnsworth car park.
- The old Doyles Of The Shamrock, not long gone.
- Olivers factory still standing at the Haymarket
The videos were posted on YouTube in 2007, by vodazone8. Good job vodazone8!
I’m sure no doubh you have viewed my three videos by now, those being the ‘Carlow Past and Present’ videos which are available here, or, alternatively on my Youtube page under the user name ‘CroppyBoy1798′. If you haven’t viewed them please take the time to have a look at all three, they are only a few minutes a piece and are relevant to this write up.
The majority of the pictures came from a series of books by the Carlow man Michael Purcell whom is well known and regarded in all matters of local and county history, his books called ‘Carlow in Old Picture Postcards’ comprises of three volumes all packed with many images of the town and county back through time (or as long as photographs have been taken) and each image is accompanied by a description and information on the picture. Well worth the look should you chance upon them.
Having viewed these books a number of years back, and, already having an interest in history, I was fascinated to see images of the town which I grew up in and walked through almost everyday. To see areas I knew well 50,60 or even 100+ years back was quite something, but, a desire to see how that exact same area looked today also appealed to me. Not just to see a general image of how the area looked, but, to stand in the exact spot of the photographer and reproduce the image from the exact height, angle, etc and see how much, or in some cases, how little had changed.
As you are well aware the recent ‘Celtic tiger’ has borough about vast changes to many towns and cities around the country, none more so than Carlow which enjoyed vast growth, population increase and the building boom. To some degree Carlow may have lost some of that ‘old charm’ and many areas and buildings which Purcell showed in his books were consumed by housing developments, apartment complexs, shopping centres and roadways. In fact, when going out to research and photograph some of these areas I was surprised to see that there was absolutely no trace of them left what so ever, of course, I could still have photographed the general area and shown how it appear now, but, I believe this would have defeated the purpose, as to, as already stated, reproduce the exact image from the same spot. In some of the modern images only faint traces of the past remain, simple features such as window cills, doorways or a shop number are all that remain in some cases, however, it is still amazing in some instances to see how little some areas/premises have remained! For instance, have a look at the third video, the second clip of the old Post Office (now Barnado’s shop), the front has remained for the most part unchanged! As well as that of Colemans bicycle shop, also seen in video 3, although now a cloths shop the shop front itself has remained as it was 100 or so years back!
You will notice also that some of the images merged together in a different way, ie, people from the past appear in, or remain after a change has occurred, this I feel gives the transformation a bit more life and makes the graduation from past to present, or vice versa more personal, more real, its no longer a building or place, but a person, someone whom was once here and who is now long gone. So, perhaps when you walk by these areas in the future you might spare a thought for that person whom walked them before you.
Thus, as stated in the intro to the third vid its almost as if I become the photographer, photographing them, stepping back over the expance of time. Putting a spin on history and old images and hopefully making local history a little more accessible and interesting to younger generations.
Thanks for reading,
Peter
