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 Coastguard station Achill-beg
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| aussienoel |
Posted on 15/09/2009 00:14
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 Member  Posts: 30 Joined: 31/08/2009 |
Am I correct in thinking that the coastguard station referred to as "Achill-beg" in the 1840s and 1850s was actually on the island of Achill-beg? My reason for asking is that the 1897 map of Ireland's coastguard stations (map from National Maritime Museum) shows the station named "Achill-beg" as actually being on the island of Achill, somewhere near Cloghmore. If anyone has any definitive information about the Achill-beg station in the period 1848-1853 I would very much like to hear from them. I have found a low-resolution photograph of the "former coastguard station Achill Beg, 2001" at http://books.google.com/books?id=edEl7CW9MCIC&pg=PA42&dq=coastguard,+achillbeg#v=onepage&q=&f=false but I am unsure as to just exactly where this photograph was taken. Any help most gratefully received. Thank you. Noel |
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| kilmeny |
Posted on 16/09/2009 17:40
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 Member Posts: 37 Joined: 28/02/2009 |
Hello Noel, Thank you for bringing that book to my attention. On page 43, you'll see mention of a " Mr Ost, Chief Petty Officer in 1914.... " giving permission for the Henrys to stay in the old Coastguard Station on Achill Beg.... Well, this must have been William Ost, and his sister ( with whom they previously lodged....) was Ellen Marion Ost, living in what was the Colony, Dugort. I have posted info. on the Ost and Brown(e) Coastguards on Achill on this site, along with photos of William Ost and his father , John. Maybe your ancestors and the Osts and Brownes were colleagues and neighbours for some of the time? Please do tell me if you ever come across a reference to either family in that area. I haven't been able to find the whereabouts of the CG Station on Achill Beg, yet, either! There must surely be some official record showing it on a map ? Lovely, lovely paintings of Achill by Paul Henry......I'd love to find one ! Thanks for the info. Kilmeny Edited by kilmeny on 16/09/2009 17:53 |
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| Tony |
Posted on 16/09/2009 20:20
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 Administrator  Posts: 136 Joined: 28/04/2007 |
Hello Noel, The map of Irelands coastguard station does show, at the southern tip of Achill Island, a station called Achillbeg. There was a station here. The Coastguards were in Ireland from 1820 up to 1922. Large boat-houses with overhead accommodation for a Chief boatman and his family were built.The crew were stationed in rented cottages for many years. Suitable leases were hard to get, rents were inflated and the Admiralty decided to built the stations that we know of today. Traces of some of these large buildings also are gone forever. Some stations also had outlying detatchments of a small number of men. This has led to a number of difficulties as to where the coastguards were actually stationed. Many things occurred during this 100 years as stations were re-sited, new stations were built and many stations were closed down. On trying to photograph the 220 stations sited in Ireland I found it extremely difficult to locate some of them or their ruins. Local historians are the only people competent to answer our questions. Tony |
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| aussienoel |
Posted on 16/09/2009 23:58
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Member Posts: 30 Joined: 31/08/2009 |
Thanks very much for these replies. I kept searching and I am now able to answer my own question! I came across an excellent site for the Mayo County Library, and an 1838 Ordnance Survey map here: http://www.mayolibrary.ie/en/LocalStudies/MayoMapsOnline/os/1838_6inch/index.htm Click on "Townlands list grouped by Parish", then on "Achill", then "Achillbeg", and finally on "See the location on the 1838 Ordnance Survey Map in a new window." Play around with the map, and in the south-east part of the island of Achill-beg you will eventually see "Coast Guard Station." So, yes, it was on the island. Curiously, though, the building marked on the map was nowhere near the water, so the actual boats must have been secured on the coast somewhere else. Comparison with Google Earth suggests that the building shown on the map may still be standing, and may be the accommodation mentioned in the book referred to above. It's a bit tricky to work your way around the map, but well worth it to get an idea of what the area was like in the early 1800s. Noel |
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| aussienoel |
Posted on 29/09/2009 05:14
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Member Posts: 30 Joined: 31/08/2009 |
Just some further information for those who are interested. From "Achillbeg - The Life of an Island" by Jonathan Beaumont, page 33 (published 2005). "...a Coastguard presence was established on the island in the 1830s. It was situated just north of Tra Bo Deirge beach...islanders with personal memories prior to 1915 insisted there had been a coastguard station of some sort, although it was abandoned before 1900, probably as a result of the new one (1864) being opened across the water at Cloghmore...Island memory suggests that the Achillbeg building was burnt down about 1920...There is not the slightest trace of any sort of a building of this type today, and islanders whose childhood was from the 1930s onward have no idea where it might have been, as even they know of no trace of it." So, some conflicting accounts of the fate of the former station on Achillbeg. However, the mention of Cloghmore confirms the accuracy of the map of 1897. If anyone is interested I can send them a copy of the section on the Achillbeg coastguards. It's too much for me to type here. Please PM me with your direct e-mail address if you wish for a copy. Noel |
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| aussienoel |
Posted on 02/10/2009 07:48
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Member Posts: 30 Joined: 31/08/2009 |
Ah! It all becomes clear to me now. For the past 24 hours I have been trying to reconcile the statements in Jonathan Beaumont's book - that the CG station on Achillbeg had burned down about 1920 etc. - and the photograph of the "Former coastguard station, Achillbeg, 2001" in this book about the artist Paul Henry: http://books.google.com/books?id=edEl7CW9MCIC&pg=PA42&dq=coastguard,+achillbeg#v=onepage&q=&f=false The confusion arises thus. The original station known as "Achillbeg" was indeed on Achillbeg Island. I have confirmation of that. My coastguard at the station in 1849 gave his place of residence as "Achillbeg."In 1864 a new station was built at Cloghmore, but it retained the name of "Achillbeg" - the name referring to the "area" and not the precise location. The photograph in the book about Paul Henry is actually of the former station located at Cloghmore, not the one located on Achillbeg Island. The caption to the photograph is misleading. Q.E.D. Noel |
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| kristinemaiorana |
Posted on 03/02/2010 01:41
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New Member  Posts: 3 Joined: 03/02/2010 |
Hello Aussienoel My family is from the Achillbeg coastguard station. My GGGgrandfather worked there 1859 where his son was born Sept that year. James Lyons was his name and I am chasing info on his service record. I am also baseing a fiction novel on the information I have, so it is research for many a reason. You have previously mentioned the book 'Achillbeg' by Jonathan Beaumont and that you could send a copy of the section on Achillbeg coastguard to anyone. Please can I have you send it to me. kristinetony@optusnet.com.au happy hunting Kristine |
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| bpa |
Posted on 03/02/2010 09:07
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Senior Member  Posts: 134 Joined: 11/11/2009 |
The coastguard station is clearly marked on a 1840 (OSI 6-inc) map of Achillbeg. An easy way to access the map is to use the askaboutireland link to griffiths valuation http://www.askabo...laceSearch Enter Achillbeg into the "placename" field click search. When the two achillbeg entries show - click "maps" - then centre on Achillbeg and zoom in. The occupants link on the griffiths valuation shows who owned/leased land/buildings on the island around 1850-1860 elsewhere sometimes CG appear on these lists. Using the "Original page" link of the list indicates that item 29 was leased by "Board of Customs" but there is no 29 on the map - perhaps lost in a crease. : According to genuki there was an coastguard called Isaac Bowden who had son in Ireland in 1853 and on the Griffiths list there is an Isaac Bowden . If you want to overlay a satellite image to get today's location - click top right "hybrid" and move the slider to right. Edited by bpa on 03/02/2010 09:22 |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 03/02/2010 09:35
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 Administrator Posts: 906 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Hi Kristine I have tried to trace James Lyons service record, and can tell you the following: He entered the CG Service from the CG Tender Eliza on 20 September 1858, his first posting being Beale CG Station. To find out more about his early career you would need to visit the NA and consult Eliza's Muster Book in ADM 119/36 (1843 - Dec 1857). On 29 March 1859 he was transferred from Beale to Achill Beg, and then on 1 November 1866 to Rosses Point, Sligo. Unfortunately I have been unable to trace him from here. However, the record does show that on 15 October 1866 he was promoted to Divisional Carpenter. His record also shows that he was born on 2 July 1831, in Ballyshaland (this was difficult to read, so may be misspelt), Donegal. Hope this is of some help, and the best of luck with your book. Regards Martin Edited by crimea1854 on 03/02/2010 09:41 |
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| Tony |
Posted on 03/02/2010 11:21
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Administrator Posts: 136 Joined: 28/04/2007 |
Hello Kristine, It is possible that Ballyshaland refers to Ballyshannon, Co.Donegal. Regards Tony |
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| kristinemaiorana |
Posted on 05/02/2010 22:08
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New Member Posts: 3 Joined: 03/02/2010 |
thankyou so much guys, you have the right guy. I have his service ending at Rosses Point as it seems he drowned at this point, in the service. But I don't have his whole service record and I didn't have his date of birth and where......so thankyou so much. I shall now get my contact in the UK to go to the NA and check on these records.... How much xtra research do you guys do? I also have a possible Patrick Lyons also in the coastguards, James father. thanks Kristine |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 06/02/2010 08:55
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Administrator Posts: 906 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Kristine I have now checked out Patrick and am inclined to think this is James's father, because he gave the same place of birth as James, and joined the CG Service from there. I have tried to copy an extract of the record into this post in the hope that someone else can work out the name, but without success! A lack of technical skill on my part. However, it looks more like 'Ballyctheiland'. Co.Donegal, but Googling this returns no near hits. If someone does want to have a go at working out the name download ADM 175/16, and go to page 315 of 305. Returning to Patrick's record. He entered the CG Service on 18 October 1828, aged 27, being posted as a boatman to Kilcummin CGS. On the 5 October 1847 he was transferred to Keele, and then moved again on 7 Jan 1850 to Achill Beg, from where he was superannuated on 31 May 1858. Regards Martin Edited by crimea1854 on 07/02/2010 07:29 |
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| bpa |
Posted on 06/02/2010 13:31
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Senior Member Posts: 134 Joined: 11/11/2009 |
crimea1854 wrote: A lack of technical skill on my part. However, it looks more like 'Ballyctheiland'. Co.Donegal, but Googling this returns no near hits. I think this could be Ballyetherland, Killaghtee, St. John's Point, Donegal. In Griffiths valuation it is written as townland of Ballyederlan, parish of Killaghtee. In Griffith valuation there are a number of Lyons living in Ballyederlan not unexpected as Lyons is a common name in Sligo & S. Donegal but they could be related. |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 07/02/2010 07:31
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Administrator Posts: 906 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Congratulations bpa, I think you've cracked it  Martin |
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| kristinemaiorana |
Posted on 07/02/2010 23:46
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New Member Posts: 3 Joined: 03/02/2010 |
Again thankyou so much for your help. Where are you guys getting this info from???????? james service record...... patrick service record...... I know these things are at the NA but how do you get hold of them when in Aus when you don;t have unlimited download.....? Kristine |
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