The Riverstown Story

Co Sligo

Introduction

By Jack Johnston, Editor

Riverstown Village, situated between the rivers Unshin and Douglas, is the traditional capital of the barony of Tirerrill. It has however, always been a small place in terms of its population and productive economy. The 1659 census listed 18 inhabitants in Ballyederdaown while Bishop Synge recorded just 47 souls at the time of his Elphin Census (1749). The population reached its zenith in 1831 when 421 people were living in 89 households. Since then this total has fallen steadily with the current figure being just over 250.

Despite its smallness, the place discharged the functions of a small town with three churches, two village schools, two corn mills, a constabulary barracks, a courthouse and a dispensary. The opening of the creamery in 1898 gave the village a much needed boost at the end of a century in which emigration had taken its toll.

Riverstown has seldom caught the headlines in Ireland’s national story with possibly two exceptions. In 1908 young John Stenson was shot during a cattle drive at Ardcumber and in 2001 the President of Ireland came to the village to open the new Sligo Folk Park.

The Riverstown Story brings together a wealth of history for this part of Sligo. Some 46 contributors combine here to record the life of its churches, its schools, its societies and its sport and entertainments. Significant contributions from Pat O’Brien, Andrew Kearns and Francis Kearns have greatly enhanced the work. Hugh Kelly has been a fountain of knowledge on all aspects of the story and has provided a detailed insight into the history of the Co-Op. Annemarie Brehony researched the schools but more particularly provided the magnificent painting which we adopted for the cover.

The ‘historians’ at Riverstown had the advantage of an excellent library at the Folk Park, and some already published material in their various Vintage annuals. We were all able to tap into the Museum library created by Hugh Kelly and John Taylor and the girls who worked on the ‘Teamwork Project’ in the early days of the Millview site. Personally I would like to acknowledge the help I was so courteously given by John Mc Ternan and to record how important his Avena series of Sligo reference has been to anyone working on the county’s history.

I first ‘discovered’ Riverstown in 1994 when I visited Millview shortly after it had been purchased. I met Hugh Kelly and was quickly infected by his vision and enthusiasm at that time and made a few return visits to see the Folk Park taking shape. Little did I know in 1994 that ten years later I would come back to spend many pleasant hours here as an editor.

Bridie Sweeney, the Riverbrooke Project Manager, has been a key player in all aspects of the production. I want to thank her for all her help in liaising with contributors and for organising the novel ‘history clinics’ each time I came down to meet them. Thanks is also due to Louise Monaghan for her work on the Index.

Jack Johnston
31 January 2005

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