Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Dear Mikey,
I wonder now if one of our ancestors was Black Tom Butler. The 10th Earl of Ormond, who resided in Carrick Castle in the 16th century? It has a nice ring to it don’t you think…descendants of the Earl of Ormond?
Their original name was Walter but it was changed to Butler when King Henry made Therobald Fitzwalter the Chief Butler of Ireland. Apparently in those days the Butler was the person in charge of the wine – a very important job it seems – and being Chief Butler entitled him to levy a tax on all the wine imported into the country. This soon made the family very wealthy.
Black Tom was a close friend of Queen Elisabeth 1 and indeed his eldest son, Piers (born illegitimate) was said to be her child. They were certainly very close because her initials could be seen in all the murals and frescos that decorated the castle at that time.
The story goes that Black Tom got his nickname when suppressing the rebellion against Queen Mary of Sir Thomas Wyatt, who was known as White Tom. I also read somewhere that Ann Boleyn was born in the castle – not that it did her much good at the end of the day!
There are links right through history up to the present day linking the Butler name with the present-day Royal families of the Windsor and the Spencer. Black Tom is said to be Princes Charles’ 11-great grandfather and Princess Diana’s’ 14- great uncle. If we could establish a connection to Black Tom we would probably have as much right to rule England as the present incumbents!
I don’t know what Carrick was like in those days, but when I was growing up it had a bad reputation. All hard chaws and chancers. There was an area in the town known as Treacy Park where I think they ate their young. I once walked a girl in that direction after a dance at the Ormonde, and hen we got within roaring distance you could hear them sharpening their knives and hatchets. Discretion overcame valour and I ran faster than Master McGrath when I heard the racket. The only decent thing to come out of Carrick – apart from the New Road – was the Clancy Brothers.
Flow on lovely river flow gently along
By your waters so sweet sounds the lark’s merry song
On your green banks I wander where first I did join
With you lovely Molly the rose of Mooncoin.
That was one of the first songs I heard them sing. I knew it by heart because it was one of your favorites, and you had taught me to play it on your melodeon. You would have liked the Clancys. One of their best-known songs was ‘Whiskey In The Jar’. That would have appealed to you because you always had a drop of whiskey in the ould earthenware jar you kept in your room.
Your grand nephew
Tom.