Our day began with a visit to Carrick-on Shannon to have a morning coffee in an Internet-cafe.Reception wasn't really that great - Doug went from table to table while I wondered if they would ask us to leave! Emails done, we set out to look for some of the family graveyards and stately homes that had been part of the Waldron presence in this area. (At one time they managed 1500 acres.) We found a Protestant Church - St Ann's, and a graveyard at Drumsna.There was a family vault that had been built by Hubert Kelly Waldron, who married his cousin Elizabeth Barbara Waldron. Their 3 sons died in infancy and they were survived by their daughters, one of whom (Barbara Elizabeth) inherited the house called Ashfort and married John Hamilton. The children were surnamed Waldron-Hamilton. A couple of Waldrons were County Sheriff in the early 1800s.
A walk through the village resulted in more interesting 'finds'. We looked through an open door and noticed a vintage car. The owner appeared and we had a neat time talking to him.He was an entertaining character with a collection of Ford Model-Ts and a Morris Bullnose Cowley. Look at the snake's head on the horn! He was also very interested in family history. Anthony Trollop had visited the village, and had written some of his works while staying at Taylor's Inn. 'Our man' had recently played the part of Trollop in a local production produced to promote the area. (He had a fine beard.)
Other interesting features included a battle in 1795 with 3000 soldiers on this bridge.(It is still in use and has never been rebuilt.) And more recently a man shot in the street by the 'Black and Tan' soldiers in the 1920s.
After lunch we then went looking for Ashfort.This is another house that the Waldrons owned in the district. Here is a picture of the old house taken about 1923. The present owners demolished it fairly recently as the roof had gone and it was in danger of collapsing.(it had consisted of 32 rooms.) These are the gates! The property is farmed by Ann & Paddy Sheridan, Ann is related to the Waldron-Hamiltons. They made us most welcome when we knocked on the door. Bush telegraph had kept tabs on us and they were expecting our visit!
After a cuppa and a chat, they took us to a nearby graveyard which had Waldron graves from before 1800. It also had a vault for the Lloyd family (no connection) which had been broken into and you could walk in beside the coffins! Gaaa!
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