Through the Eyes of the Brontes.: Back to Lively Banagher, Ireland

Banagher

It has been months since I last posted although I have been doing many Bronte related activities in the meantime! I shall catch up with these in due course.

Today, however, I wish to take you with me to Banagher, Ireland following my recent visit there from 19th to 21st April 2024 to take part in, and enjoy, the inaugural Banagher Bronte Group (BBG) weekend. What a lively, informative and fun weekend that turned out to be!

This trip was my third to Banagher, located in the Irish Midlands, and the town to which, as a young boy, Charlotte Bronte's husband, Arthur Bell Nicholls moved in July 1825 with his older brother Allan. The boys went to live with their maternal uncle, the Reverend Alan Bell and his aunt Harriette Lucinda Bell when they were aged just six and nine years old respectively.

Arthur Bell Nicholls

Aunt Harriette Lucinda Bell

Arthur's parents, who lived in Killead, Co. Antrim in the north of Ireland, were unable to afford to bring the boys up with the large family they had already produced, and so it was deemed more beneficial for them to be fostered by their mother's brother and his wife.

Tully Farm Killead, Co. Antrim where Arthur Bell Nicholls lived with his birth parents and siblings prior to moving to Banagher in 1825.

The boys must have been greatly confused to be uprooted from their parents, siblings and family home at such a young age, but, despite this early childhood trauma, they did go on to enjoy a wonderful childhood in a loving and lively family, even receiving an excellent classical education at the Royal School of Banagher adjacent to their home in Cuba Court, with the headmaster being their very own uncle Alan Bell!

Cuba Court, Banagher now demolished

Both boys went on to achieve great things, with Arthur receiving a Divinity degree from the prestigious Trinity College, Dublin and Allan becoming the manager of the Grand Canal at Dublin. This canal ran westward from Dublin to the border of County Galway in the east and carried freight, and passengers in large boats. Allan went on to name one of his daughters Charlotte Bronte Nicholls and apparently died a very wealthy man.

Trinity College, Dublin Arthur's alma mater.

The campanile at Trinity College, Dublin

It was also to Banagher that Arthur Bell Nicholls brought his new wife Charlotte Bronte whilst on their 34 day honeymoon in July 1854. The newlyweds arrived on 7th July 1854 and stayed for one week with his loving, fun, cultured and educated family at the imposing Cuba Court house before heading off along the Shannon, which runs through Banagher, to continue on their honeymoon tour.

They travelled to Killaloe, Limerick, Kilkee, Tarbert, Tralee, Killarney and the Gap of Dunloe, through the Caha Mountains to Glengarriff and Bantry Bay, heading off to Cork via Bandon and on back to Dublin before taking the paddle steamer to Holyhead on Anglesey, Wales and returning home to Haworth on 1st August 1854. It was an epic honeymoon tour!

The route Charlotte and Arthur took on their 1854 honeymoon. (Athlone was a possible stop off point)

If you would like to read more about Charlotte's and Arthur's honeymoon trip through North Wales and Ireland you can read my earlier blog which tells how my Bronte travelling companion and I attempted to travel in the honeymooners' footsteps, as best we could, in August 2022. Here is a link to this blog The honeymoon of Charlotte and Arthur. There are six posts within the blog relating to the newlyweds' one week stay in Banagher.

You may also be interested to read two excellent books written by two Irish authors, Pauline Clooney and Dr Michael O'Dowd relating to the honeymoon of Charlotte and Arthur both, published in 2021, and which I used to help plan the honeymoon journey through Ireland.

Two excellent books written by Irish authors about the honeymoon of Charlotte and Arthur.

When my friend and I arrived in Banagher for the very first time on a Sunday evening in August 2022, the town looked very quiet and gave the impression that nothing very much would be going on at all! How wrong those first impressions were! Unbeknown to us, we had arrived in a very vibrant town committed to celebrating it's fascinating history and the people who have been resident their over the years. Two famous residents were Charlotte Bronte and Arthur Bell Nicholls. For any Anthony Trollope fans he was resident for a number of years too.

A quiet looking Banagher on a Sunday evening in August 2022

The BBG logo is of Hill House (now Charlotte’s Way B&B) where Arthur Bell Nicholls lived from 1861-1906.

Last year, a group of local Banagher history and Bronte enthusiasts decided it was time to create the Banagher Bronte Group to remember, celebrate and promote the town's Bronte connections. The group is now affiliated to the Bronte Society, similar to other excellent Bronte groups operating worldwide, namely those in London, Brussels, Japan and beyond!

The Banagher Bronte Group's first event was to remember their local Banagher man Arthur Bell Nicholls on the 117th anniversary of his death on 6th December 1906 by holding a wreath laying at his grave at St Paul's Church Banagher on that date in 2023.

St Paul’s Church, Banagher with the graves of the Bell family in the foreground. Arthur Bell Nicholls’ grave is the cross in the bottom right which he shares with his second wife Mary Anna to whom he was married for 42 years.

Arthur Bell Nicholls and Mary Anna's grave - a photo taken prior to the current weathering of the headstone.

The group's next main event was to plan for and deliver their inaugural Banagher Bronte Group weekend to coincide with the birthday of Charlotte Bronte on 21st April 1816. This only took place, however, after the town's St Patrick Day parade on 17th March in which a cast of twenty-two well-attired members of the group dressed up as characters from 1854 related to the Brontes, going on to win the best new entry in the Banagher St Patrick's Day parade. Here is the trophy they won.

Best newcomer trophy in the Banagher St Patrick’s Day parade awarded to the Banagher Brontë Group.

Here are some of the cast of twenty-two - click on any photo to enlarge.

You can see a film of this parade here: Banagher Bronte Group participating in the Banagher St Patrick Day's Parade.

Prior to the inaugural festival, the group also managed to make a pilgrimage to Haworth in March 2024 meeting up with the Bronte Parsonage Principal Curator Ann Dinsdale where they were thrilled to be shown the collection of letters held by the museum and written by Arthur Bell Nicholls to Martha Brown, a long-serving domestic servant in the Parsonage, who spent many months over the years staying with Arthur and his second wife, his cousin Mary Anna Bell, at Hill House Banagher, following the death in 1861 of Patrick Bronte. In total Arthur lived for 45 years in Banagher following his return from Haworth.

Some of the Banagher Brontë Group heading up Main Street for their meeting in the Brontë Parsonage research library.

Standing by Tabitha Aykroyd’s grave, the Brontës’ loyal servant for thirty years.

Standing on Church Lane Haworth with the school house left and St Michael and All Angels’ Church behind where all of the Brontës, with the exception of Anne, are buried.

James Scully, Banagher local historian and founder member of the Banagher Bronte Group studying Arthur Bell Nicholls' letters to Martha Brown with Ann Dinsdale in the Bronte Parsonage research library.

Principal Curator Ann Dinsdale showing the letters of Arthur Bell Nicholls written to Martha Brown.

Arthur’s letters.

Some of the BBG in the Brontë Parsonage research library.

BBG member, Dr. Maebh O’ Regan, made a film of the group’s visit to Haworth. They also visited Thornton, Saltaire and York. You can view the film here: Brontë Banagher Group film about their Haworth trip.

So now let's see what we enjoyed at the BBG inaugural Bronte festival.

On 19th April we were treated to the premiere of “An Evening with Charlotte Brontë” a magical evening of music and poetry specially curated by Dr Michael O’Dowd and his wife Christine. The presentation focussed on the poetry, songs and music beloved of the Brontë family, particularly the melodies of Thomas Moore and the poems and ballads of Robbie Burns. The narrative and music were greatly appreciated by the audience who, in true Irish style, enjoyed singing along. It was a truly wonderful and novel start to the weekend, taking place in the warm and welcoming lounge of Corrigan’s - a superb pub in Banagher.

Christine and Michael O' Dowd who curated a marvellous evening of song, music and poetry enjoyed by the Brontes too!

Christine on vocals and the guitar. Michael the narrator and excellent backing vocalist!

An appreciative audience in the beautifully dressed lounge of Corrigan's Corner Pub.

Corrigan's Corner House, Banagher.

Corrigan Corner House pub.

Enjoy this video of one of the songs from the evening

The following day, Saturday 20th April, the audience enjoyed three talks at Crank House. The first was delivered by me and called 'Falling in Love With Arthur'. (The question is, how could you not?!!) I presented the different opinions and feelings people had about Arthur Bell Nicholls showing how their initial negative feelings gradually changed as they got to know him better. Patrick Bronte was vehemently opposed to Charlotte marrying Arthur and Martha Brown once declared she hated him. Even Charlotte was originally disinterested and cool towards Arthur. However, they all eventually changed their minds, with Patrick bequeathing the vast majority of his estate to 'My beloved and esteemed son-in-law The Rev Arthur Bell Nicholls, BA'. and with Martha choosing to return to Ireland with Arthur, following Patrick's death in 1861, to live with him and his second wife Mary Anna (whom he married in 1864) spending months at a time with them over the years at their home Hill House. And, of course, as we all know, Charlotte went on to marry Arthur, falling head over heels in love with him and referring to him as 'my dear boy.'

The crowd gathering for Joanne's talk.

Joanne delivering her talk 'Falling in Love With Arthur.'

Joanne's tee-shirt! Following her talk she hoped all attendees would join her on 'Team Arthur'!!

Joanne's 'Arthur Bell Nicholls' personality and characteristic-traits weighing scale'!!

The positives definitely outweigh the negatives!

Pauline Clooney then delivered her well researched and compelling talk about Charlotte Bronte and her paths to publication, her attitude to a writing life and how, consequently, this attitude illuminates her creative silence from 1852 until her death in March 1855.

Pauline Clooney delivering her talk: Currer Bell's Silent Years 1852-1855.

Dr Maebh O' Regan then treated us to a talk called 'The Art of Branwell Bronte' telling us that from their earliest years the Brontes were passionate about art and were particularly inspired by the wood engravings of Thomas Bewick. She explained that Branwell showed great promise as a portrait artist but felt his true vocation was in literary composition.

Dr Maebh O'Regan's talk: 'The Art of Branwell Bronte'

In between the talks attendees could admire the work of the Banagher Craft Group who had stitched and embroidered the following Bronte related pieces. Can you recognise who is who?

Following the Saturday talks and films at Crank House we wandered up Main Street to admire the Bronte related art work and photos on display in the shops and pubs.

Here we see some specially commissioned portraits by Jennifer Kenny Phibbs (New York & Shannon Harbour) a previous resident of Banagher and now an artist living in New York. Jennifer produced these in 2023. Arthur is in the centre with Charlotte to the left and his second wife and first cousin Mary Anna to the right.

Arthur in his later years.

On Sunday 21st April, the 208th anniversary of Charlotte's birth, we all met to walk in glorious sunshine to the site of Cuba Court (now demolished) and the remains of the Royal School of Banagher adjacent to the house.

Walking in beautiful sunshine to Cuba Court.

Standing at the gates to Cuba Court through which Charlotte Bronte and Arthur Bell Nicholls passed on 7th July 1854 when Charlotte was brought to meet Arthur's adoptive family for a week of their thirty-four day honeymoon.

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James Scully read a passage to us from Pauline Clooney's excellent historical novel at the part where Charlotte sees the gates and hopes this may be the way to Arthur's family home. She was to get a rather pleasant surprise at how grand Cuba Court was, dispelling any previous beliefs she had harboured that he was a poor Irish curate from a simple Irish family.

Here is a video of James reading from Pauline's novel

The site of Cuba Court. The building is of the ruins of the adjacent Royal School of Banagher where Arthur was educated and went on to teach.

The remains of the Royal School of Banagher, which, with sufficient funding, could be made into an excellent Bronte visitor and study centre akin to the Thornton Bronte Parsonage project.

Following our Cuba Court walk we attended a service at the Bell's and Arthur's church - St Paul's in Banagher. It is always worth attending a church service when following in the Brontes' footsteps as one can imagine them sitting in the pews listening to the service and joining in with the hymns. Charlotte would have attended this church during her one week stay whilst on honeymoon.

The Bell family's stained glass window in which Arthur and all the Bell family are remembered. This window was probably paid for by Arthur's widower Mary Anna. She, however, in true Mary Anna style, does not appear on the window. She has a simple brass plaque on the rear wall.

The names of Arthur and his adoptive family can be seen on the stained glass memorial window made by the Rev A L Moore of London who also has stained glass in Ely Cathedral Cambridgeshire.

The BBG attendees in St Paul's Church of Ireland, Banagher.

Following the church service we went to Hill House, the home of Arthur Bell Nicholls which was gifted to him and her daughter Mary Anna (Arthur's second wife) by his Aunt Harriette. This beautiful house which stands on 'The Hill' at the top of Main Street is now run as an exquisite B&B called Charlotte's Way. So of course, this is always my home whenever I visit Banagher.

Hill House

Inside Arthur's home

Beautifully and sympathetically appointed

Once at Hill House / Charlotte's Way we sang happy birthday to Charlotte and enjoyed a slice of Bronte cake with tea in the same room that Arthur had been laid out in on his death. 😱

Bronte cake is named after the town of Bronte in Sicily, just a half mile from Mount Etna. The name means 'Thunder', after one of the cyclops who lived under the volcano. Bronte in Sicily is famous for its green coloured pistachios which are crushed and sprinkled on top of the Bronte cake. It was delicious!

Tea and cake in Hill House

James with the Bronte cake

Singing happy birthday to Charlotte

The weekend had been wonderful from beginning to end. I returned to Dublin airport and sadly left Ireland behind. More fond memories had been made following in the footsteps of the Brontes.

A huge well done also to the organisers of the inaugural Banagher Bronte Festival...it was a delight from beginning to end.