CARNAUN NATIONAL SCHOOL 
Saturday, August 21,1999
THE TUAM HERALD Page 7.
The Book Shelf by TONY GALVIN
Doing full credit to a marvellous and absorbing volume such as Finbarr O'Regan's The Lamberts of Athenry is almost an impossible task because of the nature of space constraints in a newspaper - attempting to list the material contained let alone its merits could drive a reviewer demented. Suffice to say that this is a thoroughly enjoyable read and a significant contribution to the understanding of the history and heritage of not only the Athenry area but the West of Ireland and indeed the country as a whole. The volume was born of the efforts of Finbarr O'Regan and his team of young researchers at Carnaun NS who set out to record the history and heritage of their area using the story of the Lambert families as a nucleus to weave this great story around. Its publication coincided with the holding of a very successful symposium on the history of the Lambert family held in June. The area around Athenry boasts an unusually high number of grand houses, explained by one contributor as partly the result of the Tribes of Galway moving out to country estates but still wishing to remain within travelling distance of the city - the source of the mercantile wealth which allowed the luxury of acquiring country estates in the first place. A map on page 59 pinpointing some of the 'Big Houses' around Athenry accompanies an chapter entitled 'Landlords and Gentry around Athenry' which was contributed by Patrick Melvin, Leinster House Librarian. This article provides a fascinating insight into the ebbs and flows of the fortunes of many of the landed gentry of the area and how far from a stable and secure existence many of them actually led. Debt and death ensured that estates constantly changed hands and with this in mind it is remarkable that so much has been gleaned on the Lambert family and compiled in this valuable publications. Athenry's medieval heritage has deservedly won attention and wider recognition in recent years but this book redresses the historical imbalance by highlighting the rich heritage which lies beyond the ancient walls of the town. History did not stop here once the town went into decline. The rich farmland and access to the port of Galway attracted the attention of adventurers and planters and the Lambert family settled in Ireland as beneficiaries of Cromwell's ethnic cleansing. And so what became known as the Protestant Ascendancy obtained a firm grip on the land of Ireland which was not to be relinquished until the Land Acts of the late 19th century. What makes this volume so interesting is that every effort has been made to trace the local linkages so the reader can trace the progress of history through the familiar landmarks of the area. Some of the 'Big Houses' are still in use, most like Belleville are ghostly ruins and a few like Castle Ellen are gaining a new lease of life and once again finding a role in the community. Whatever our feelings about the landed gentry, history in the light of the Famine and land clearances had understandably not been kind to their class, we must accept that they played an integral role in the shaping of modern Ireland and who we are today. This invaluable publication by recording one small area of the country's history in microcosm not only gives us a fascinating insight into local history but instils in the reader a clearer understanding of our general history, in the greater picture. The Lamberts of Athenry is not just the story of one extended family, it is the story of an area illustrating in an accessible and entertaining manner where that family fitted into the overall picture. The reader can trace the story of the locality from Norman times, through wars and rebellions, famine and land agitation and meet figures such as Edward Carson who played hurling as a youth in the fields around Castle Ellen. Great care has been taken to bring history alive for the reader and the inclusion of Castle Lambert Tapes, recorded accounts of troubled times as recalled or told by local people, brings history alive and brings the connection between the generations up to date. Indeed my own favourite tape is an account of how Isaac Butt, the great Westminster parliamentarian, defended a man named Barrett who was accused of attempting to assassinate a landlord known as Captain Lambert on July 11th 1869. It seems that Barrett's father had been evicted from his holding at Moorpark by the Captain and his son travelled from London to get revenge. The landlord was shot but not killed and Barrett was brought to trial. And now comes the most interesting part of the story. Three witnesses were presented before a court, presumably in Galway, two of whom testified that it was not Barrett who was seen in the area and the third claiming it was because, according to the teller of the tale, he expected a reward for doing so. The judge, showing the wisdom of Solomon, gave the witnesses a needle and thread each. The first two managed to thread their needles but the witness who claimed Barrett did the deed could not and so the case was dismissed. What need of legal eagles like Butt when there was a foolproof system like this of ascertaining the truth. This volume is highly recommended for anyone who has the slightest interest in our history, both local and national, and is a credit to all concerned. The Lamberts of Athenry by Finbarr O'Regan. [One has to admitt that Tony certainly has the ability to recognise genius!! Extract fron 'Book Shelf by Tony Galvin' "By a remarkable coincidence, or what the mystics call synchronicity, my reading Carlo Gébler's 'How to Murder a Man' coincided with the arrival on my desk of 'The Lamberts of Athenry' which was reviewed here last week. Both books compliment each other and combined, fact and fiction, will give a unique perspective of the 19th century land question for those interested in our history. To School through the superhighway - Carnaun National School paves the way For to witness the ease in which the young pupils there have not only grasped but mastered the latest communication technology and moulded it to suit their own educational needs is enough to transform any grown technophobe into a gibbering wreck. Not alone have they mastered the use of the computer in the classroom but, more importantly, the invaluable skill of gleaning precise and useful information from the Net (a lot more difficult than it sounds) and then combing this information with the results of their other research to present a fascinating picture of the life and history of a rural community as it is today and how it developed down through the years. Principal Finbarr O'Regan explains that the pupils are not learning computers but learning to use them to broaden their horizons and gather information. He says the pupils are going out into the community and making a valuable contribution to local knowledge, while in the process learning a great deal themselves and this is the best possible way to put the advantages offered by new technology to use. To this end the school has its own website which ensures that while they learn about the rest of the world, the rest of the world can also learn of what is happening in Carnaun N.S. Here there are sections on everything from local community projects to what is happening in the school's garden and wildlife pond. There are pages for past pupils and on local history, on placenames and for keeping in contact with friends at other schools - and all presented in such a professional manner that the site had already won recognition from Telecom Internet by being awarded three shamrocks from Doras. It used be said that the computer would herald the end of the book but this is not just being proved false internationally, with record book sales being reported, but Carnaun's mini-band of authors, historians, researchers, artists and IT whiz kids, under the watchful eye of their editor-in-chief, are also playing their part in this welcome trend because their hard work and efforts have spawned a new book on the Lambert family of Athenry which is to be launched in June. The children help to enhance the grounds by taking care of their own nature garden and wildlife pond - in the process learning more about, the everyday wonders of nature which surround them as well as witnessing the seasons as they change around them. Once inside the school the visitor gets another impression of their labours. Well researched projects and art work line the walls with well-informed pupils more than willing to elaborate on the material they have gathered and answer any queries. The lasting impression one gets after visiting Carnaun N.S. is the evident pride of place among the pupils which manifests itself in the interest they take in the history of their locality and the effort they are willing to put into projects bring this history to life and give it real meaning, not only for themselves but the whole community. It was this interest in their own place which first got the school interested in the Lamberts of Athenry, one of the great land-owning families of the area and a family whose story is intertwined with the story of the locality. Their research unearthed such a wealth of information and stirred up so much interest that the project has now expanded way beyond its original objectives and is at this very moment undergoing a metamorphosis into a fully fledged book with the working title of The Lamberts of Athenry. The material covered will be of great interest to historians as it will serve as a microcosm of Ireland's troublesome history over the last few hundred years. It traces the distribution of land from Cromwellian times right through the famines of the 19th century to the breaking up of the great estates under the various Land Acts and the work of the Land Commission under the new Free State government. To mark the launch of the book a special weekend symposium has been organised for the weekend of June 18th20th. Members of the extended Lambert family are being contacted right across the globe, again using the Net, and it is hoped as many as possible will return to Athenry for a great reunion. The book itself will be launched in Castle Ellen which is being lovingly restored to the condition it was in when Edward Carson holidayed there in his youth, his mother being a Lambert also. A bus tour of all the sites associated with the family will also be part of the symposium as will lectures and discussions on various topics touched on in the book. Proceeds from the publication will go towards funding yet more projects and research at Carnaun NS - where learning is still a joy and the joy of learning is still very much alive.  SCOIL NÁISIÚNTA CARNÁIN  ÉIRE |