Published: Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 5:00pm

Strong Westmeath input into Ríocht na Mídhe

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With the history of Westmeath to the fore once again, it's no surprise that the journal of Meath Archaeological and Historical Society, Ríocht na Midhe, is so popular in this county.

The 2010 edition of the popular journal will be launched at the Columban Fathers headquarters in Dalgan Park, Navan on Wednesday night of next week, February 10 at 7pm.

While the celebrated periodical is concerned mainly with the history of the Royal County, under the guidance of former NUI Maynooth lecturer, Seamus Mac Gabhann, close attention is paid to Westmeath every year.

2010 is no exception. This year's 'Ríocht' features an article by Mullingar teacher and historian, Dr. Tom Hunt, which gives a graphic account of the career of champion Westmeath athlete, Walter Newburn.

In the 1890s, the golden era of Irish athletics, Newburn won two AAA long jump titles, in 1898 and 1899, and in the first of those years he was the first athlete in the history of athletics to exceed 24 feet in the long jump.

The Westmeath theme continues with Eoghan Ó hAnnracháin's penetrating study of the unjust execution in 1846 of Brian Seery in Mullingar. Seery, a married man with a large family, was hanged after being tried twice in quick succession, based on evidence given by a local landlord that Seery had assaulted him.

His judicial killing, which took place at the onset of the Great Famine, is still deplored in his native area of Castletown-Geoghegan, where a monument was erected to his memory in 1986.

Meanwhile, Professor Cathal Ó hÁinle (Trinity College, Dublin), a native of Ballinahown, unveils a treasure trove of folklore collected by pupils of his native parish in the Schools' Collection of the 1930s, under the direction of his late father, Tomás.

The study sheds a fascinating light on the folk mind of the period, and on the power of tradition and belief in local communities.

Eminent Westmeath historian, Dr. Patrick Fagan vividly recalls his youth in Crookedwood in another article. Born in 1922 at the foundation of the Irish Free State, he clearly evokes the formative legacy of the 19th century.

He recalls the great adventure of attending the Eucharistic Congress in the Phoenix Park in 1932, when he was ten years of age.

Other interesting articles include John Smith's study of the use by the British of Oldcastle Workhouse as an internment camp for German and Austrian men of military age living in Ireland during World War I; Dr. Brid McGrath on the Athboy elections of 1640 and 1642; Noel Tier on the Battle of Ashbourne in 1916, and Peter Whearity on Belgian refugees in Ireland during World War I.

Ríocht na Midhe 2010 is available from bookshops and from Society Secretary Oliver Ward, Nobber, Co. Meath.