Foundation of the Goldsmith Society

PAGES PAST: Westmeath Examiner, March 27 1954

The debate over whether Oliver Goldsmith had been born in Elphin or Pallas was over: he was definitely born in Pallas, attendees heard at a meeting held in Burd’s Hotel, Ballymahon, in March 1954, called to set up an Oliver Goldsmith Society.

The meeting was attended by people from both Westmeath and Longford, and they agreed that the aim of the society should be to preserve any ruin associated with the poet, such as the rectory at Aughrim; to erect a statue at his birthplace at Pallas, County Longford, and to hold a Tostal exhibition of relics and works of the port, both in Athlone and Ballymahon.

Mr JF Moncrief, Pallas, who opened the meeting, said that their main objective was to form a society for the protection of relics of Goldsmith remaining in this country.

Speaking legally, he said, there was no foundation for anyone saying that the poet was born anywhere but at Pallas as his father and mother had written that place in the family bible as being his birthplace.

Mr Moncrief said all Goldsmith’s contemporaries were also agreed that he was born at Pallas and for that reason, all Goldsmith’s fans should get together and erect some sort of monument to him at that place.

He went on to say that a statue of Goldsmith “which [was] said to be there for the asking in Dublin, and about which we have heard so much” should be acquired and erected, and that signs should be erected on the Athlone to Ballymahon Road to direct tourists.

No year passed, Mr Moncrief continued, but people came from all over the world to see Goldsmith’s country and there was nothing – not even one signpost – to direct them, and actually, up to recently “when this controversy started, very few people in Pallas knew where he was born”.

In conclusion, he thanked those present for attending, saying that they should all put their heads together and do something really worthwhile.

One thing we have achieved, he said, is that they had proved beyond all reasonable doubt that Goldsmith was born in Pallas.

Mr R Hyland, ex-NT, Edgeworthstown, who was elected president, says that in England, places associated with poets such as Wordsworth and Shakespeare are wonderfully preserved and showplaces for tourists, while here in the midlands they had Goldsmith Country, associated with one of the finest poets the world had ever known, but they had neglected it terribly. Such also was the case with the Leo Casey Country and with Edgeworthstown.

He suggested the publishing of a brochure dealing with the Goldsmith Country and including in it information about Leo Casey and the Edgeworths.

It was lucky, he said, that there was now a society which could do something to perpetuate Goldsmith’s memory, or put down the untruth that he was born in Elphin. “We now have a society to speak in the name of Longford and Westmeath when people in Elphin claim him as their child,” he said.

Miss J Flood, Ballinagore, a member of Muintir na Tire, said that if anyone was dear to their organisation, it was Oliver Goldsmith, as, in all his works, he showed a deep understanding and love of rural life.

They should, she said, ask Bord Fáilte and other organisations to publicise the Goldsmith Country a lot more. Most visitors are disappointed when they see what little we have to offer in the way of relics of the poet and he was well worthy of remembrance, she said – as were Leo Casey and Maria Edgeworth.

Mr PA Moran, Muintir na Tíre organiser, said that they should maintain and preserve the links they had with the poet before they disappeared altogether. They should also, he said, make his works better known and promote the tourist potentialities of the Goldsmith Country. They were all agreed that Pallas was his birthplace, but the main thing now was to see that birthplace preserved.

The county council, he said, were all in favour of signposting the area. He pledged the full support of his organisation in all the society’s efforts.

Mr J Ross, county councillor, said that they should take practical steps to make Goldsmith better known and one way was to hold an exhibition during the Tostal period in both Athlone and Ballymahon.

Members present expressed agreement with the suggestion and it was decided to explore the possibilities.

Mr W English, Athlone, said that in connection with such an exhibition, he would possibly be able to procure a number of objects or relics of Goldsmith and his family which are still preserved in the midlands. Among objects mentioned by Mr English were a portion of the ‘Hawthorn Bush’, a portrait of Oliver presented by the poet to his sister Catherine; a part tea-service; and three solid silver spoons belonging to the poet’s sister.

A number of other people offered to procure material, and it was then decided to go ahead with the exhibition. Messrs W Hylands, JF Moncrief and J Ross were appointed to go to Dublin to inspect the statue with a view to purchasing it for erection at Pallas.

Officers elected were: president Mr R Hyland, Edgeworthstown; secretary Mr W Fallon NT, Ballymahon; treasurer Mr W English, Athlone.

Committee: Messrs JF Moncrief, Pallas; J McGarry, Ballymahon; J Sheehan, Ballymahon; W Nutton, Ballymahon, W English, Athlone and R Hyland, Edgeworthstown.

Messages regretting their inability to attend but wishing the society every success were received from Colonel HJ Rice, Athlone and Mr A Faulkner, NT, chairman of Athlone UDC.