Strange to grow up in an area that burgeoned by the investment of the great industrialists with such proud names rooted in Old-English and rich in Anglo-Saxon origins such as Ashworth and Hoyle. Also to be surrounded by place names that also derive from Old-English with many other influences: Stacksteads, Bacup, Todmorden, Tunstead, Haslingden, Loveclough, Rawtenstall, Baxenden ...just to mention a few.
Yet, being amongst so many people with far from indigenous Lancastrian surnames and to attend schools where loads of your class mates had Irish family names.
I've tried to recall as many as I can that I associate with growing up in Rossendale, I probably have forgotten some and maybe invented a couple of others but please feel free to add any Irish surnames you know that are common in the Rossendale Valley:
Doherty, Cahill, Egan, Regan, Melia, Flanagan, Byrne, McShea, Harkin, McFadden, Harrison, Daley, Sweeney, Grogan, Sharkey, Ruane, Murray, McGuire, Melvin, Hernon, Kearns, Clarke, Connolly, Keough, Moran, McTiernan......
Please list any more below
Internet links on meanings of surnames:
http://surnames.behindthename.com/names/usage/irish
http://www.surnamedb.com
Gaelic Speaking Mayo
Interesting to see that East Mayo still came under the Gaeltacht in the 1911 census and many people who came to Rossendale, East Lancashire came from families that used both Irish and English:
(Irish Census Information for 1901 & 1911 can be found here www.census.nationalarchives.ie )
(Irish Census Information for 1901 & 1911 can be found here www.census.nationalarchives.ie )
Sword Dancers!
Well, well, well ...who would have thought my Aunty Mary (Melvin) was a sword dancer:
+Friends.jpg)
Stacksteads Catholic Working Mans Club (aka Stacksteads Irish Club)
Stacksteads Catholic Working Mans Club, opened at Huttock End Lane in
1910, eventually it moved to today's Rosemount Working Mens Club (info & picture courtesy of Wendy Ann Andrew)
A brief introduction
This project will look at documenting, archiving, preserving and
above all 'celebrating' the lives of Irish Diaspora and their
descendants in the Rossendale Valley. I am aware there has been a lot of
work carried out on the Valley's connection with Michael Davitt, but
this project is about celebrating everyday people and everyday life,
that was somehow a little bit out of the ordinary because you were part
of an Irish family in Rossendale, East Lancashire.
So, as they say, "If You're Irish Come into The Parlour" ...and even if you are not, all welcome. At this stage we are looking for stories, anecdotes, myths, legends... images, sound recordings etc., that you would like to share about The Irish in Rossendale. No matter how small or insignificant they may seem, once they are all brought together they will have a significant impact.
There is a particularly strong connection between East County Mayo, Ireland and East Lancs., and this is an element that will be explored hopefully in diverse ways and potential through international links with our relatives in Mayo.
In addition to the blog we have a Facebook Page so please sign in and like the page and join in with the craic.
If you have any stories you wish to share or any questions please email us here
Best regards
James
So, as they say, "If You're Irish Come into The Parlour" ...and even if you are not, all welcome. At this stage we are looking for stories, anecdotes, myths, legends... images, sound recordings etc., that you would like to share about The Irish in Rossendale. No matter how small or insignificant they may seem, once they are all brought together they will have a significant impact.
There is a particularly strong connection between East County Mayo, Ireland and East Lancs., and this is an element that will be explored hopefully in diverse ways and potential through international links with our relatives in Mayo.
In addition to the blog we have a Facebook Page so please sign in and like the page and join in with the craic.
If you have any stories you wish to share or any questions please email us here
Best regards
James
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