TRADERS

Carlow County - Ireland Genealogical Projects (IGP TM)


Victor Hadden
1919-1976

A tribute to the late
Mr. Victor Hadden of Carlow

About the author

Victor Hadden was born in 1919, and spent most of his 57 years in Carlow. He was educated in a small school in a hall behind the Methodist Church in Carlow, and later in Wesley College, Dublin. His career was in the retail trade, but his interests were many and varied, not least his interest in local history - hence this book.

Victor's articles in the Carloviana, the Journal of the Old Carlow Society of which he was Editor for several years, are constantly in demand by historians who are aware that in consulting them, they do so with confidence, relying as they can for authenticity and veracity on the man who wrote them. His lectures, always illustrated with colour slides and drawings, regularly drew a full house attracted equally by the subject matter, and by the close personal affinity the speaker displayed with the people, the places, and the times of which he spoke.

He led a busy life at all times. As secretary to the Arts Council, he was instrumental in giving the town of Carlow many fine concerts by the most eminent musicians and singers in the country. In a broader field, he was governor of Wesley College and of Gurteen Agricultural College, and made President of the Drapery Chamber of Trade.

A deeply religious man, his faith permeated all his dealings and he demonstrated the sincerity of his beliefs in his short "Outlook" talks on television and his "Thought for the Day" on RTE radio. This was a side of his rather shy personality which, was a revelation to those who thought of him simply as an upright, honest businessman. He had the honour of representing his Church in Rome at the first Vatican Council for the Laity, an event to which he was an important contribution.

Having just retired from business life in 1976, Victor Hadden could have hoped to devote himself more fully to writing and research, and the many other interests with which his wide-ranging genius was occupied. However, this was not to be due to his untimely death later that year.

Extracted from an appreciation of Victor Hadden printed in Carloviana, Vol. 2 No. 25, 1976/77

Source: "Come Capture Castles in County Carlow"


"Come Capture Castles in County Carlow"

by Victor Hadden., in 1994. ISBN 0 9524581 0 1
The images show the Front and Back of the book.

About this book

In 1971, my late father, Victor Hadden completed his research on Come Capture Castles - a history of 13 castles in County Carlow from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Sadly, he died in 1976 without ever having this book published.

The work lay on a shelf for many years until his family, encouraged by the Old Carlow Society and the Carlow Heritage Society on the basis of its historical value, decided to publish this book in Victor's memory.

I have typeset and illustrated this book, altering it only very slightly to update a few details, but my aim was to keep as much as possible to the original text and format.

I am very grateful to many people for their help in numerous ways in bringing this book to fruition. The Old Carlow Society for allowing the use of material previously published in their journal. William Ellis, who contributed many photographs for the book. Eilis O'Neill and Amy Monahan, whose artistic works appear on the front and back jacket of the book. Karl McDonough for photography. Ivy Crowe, Victor's sister, and her husband, Ken, for proof-reading the text. Paddy Godfrey, for permitting the use of photographs taken by his late brother, Donal Godfrey. Carmel Flahavan for her assistance in the reference section of Carlow County Library. Tommy Clarke for permission to include his comprehensive list of approximately 100 castles which he has identified in County Carlow. Jimmy OToole and Jim Cavanagh, for further proof-reading, valuable advice and encouragement.

The chapters of this book are arranged in chronological order, beginning with the Norman period in the second half of the twelfth century, and ending in the early nineteenth century.

Each chapter deals with a particular episode or personality in the life story of a castle which stood (and the remains of which may still stand) somewhere in or near County Carlow.

Bearing this in mind, it is possible to read straight through the history of County Carlow as such; or alternatively, to follow the stories of its castles separately, by reference to the list of Contents within the book.

The text provides, in most cases, a general indication of the approximate site of each castle; and in some cases, certain paragraphs have been repeated to remind the reader of chapters on the same castle, which he may already have read on earlier pages.

Avril Hogan, 1994

Source: "Come Capture Castles in County Carlow"



History of Haddens
Source: Friends and Neighbours 1986
Haddens of Carlow, Tullow Street c1968
(Photo W. Muldowney)
Hadden's receipt c1964.
19-19 Tullow Street, Carlow.
Their Motto:
"Its a Better Buy at Hadden's"
(From my own collection)

On 27th April 1984 Hadden's was completely destroyed by fire and was re-opened as the Haddens Centre, the modern shopping complex that we know today.

Haddens Fire in Tullow Street approx. 7.40am 27th April 1984
Source: Facebook

Looking down from the Fire Brigade Ladder at 10am 27th April 1984
Source: Anna Nolan Gough.
Haddens Fire rear entrance 1984. Source: Facebook
     
Hadden's after the fire

Source: Turlough O Brien

Rubble from the fire
     
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Script from Ray Hayden.
(Facebook) Yes it was roofers who caused the blaze. Two of Mr. McLoughlins men who were laying hot tar on the flat roof adjacent to Haddens roof and some how the bucket of tar had fallen over where there was a gap between Haddens and McLoughlin roof. Some hours later a fire started. I was living in Tullow street at the time of the fire so I got to see the front and back of the fire works, great entertainment! Nobody was hurt, it took a lot of water from the barrow to put it out and took just a little short of two days before the went out. I have no pic's its all a memory of the past.

Please report any images or links which do not open to  mjbrennan30@gmail.com
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