โจ Exciting Update โจ
As part of my research for Finding Ossory: The Barnaby and Joan Project, I recently received a very special reply connected to Cullohill Castle. A kind friend of the castleโs long-time resident reached out to me, and Iโve been welcomed to visit during my trip next year.
What makes this so meaningful is that this person has lived in the shadow of Cullohill Castle for their entire life โ nearly a century โ and has kept its story alive by welcoming visitors and supporting the community.
Iโm beyond grateful for this opportunity. It feels like one more step in truly retracing Barnaby Fitzpatrickโs path and shining a light on the Fitzpatrick story.
While it took some time I finally received a letter from Upper Ossory today.
The owner of Barnaby's castle is 93 years old and has been living beside it her whole life, for privacy I won't say her name.
But she does not have email so I can only write to her by hand.
She is amazed at how I "left no stone unturned." When it came to finding her, she is happy to be of help for my research and book.
I mailed it to her at the start of September. She wrote that she received her letter on the 18th, and finally, after weeks, her letter arrived with me on the 14th of October.
She spoke of how the well Barnaby and the Fitzpatrick family would drink from was half full of water when she was a child, and how they kept a heavy metal lid over it to protect it.
So much history, I'll have to write to her again, she even was kind enough to send me an information packet.
Now I know of a certain choice Barnaby made during his marriage that affected him and Joan personally. I won't say yet because | want to know more about it.
But because of her information packet, l've managed to narrow down the likely time when he did such a thing in question. I never had a likely date until now.
Iโll keep you posted.
Drafting my letter back to her! Iโm trying to fit as much as I can since it takes 14 days for her to get it, same with me.
I just received my letter 2 from her today, she was speaking to me about Barnabyโs father, Brian and how the remains of the chapel on the grounds was Brianโs own personal chapel.
I always knew that the chapel belonged to the family, but for her to specify that it was Brianโs own personal chapel makes it even more interesting.
She was also speaking to me about the gate that had been stolen in 1517, while I knew of this she gave even more context behind it, history in Ireland was often passed by word-of-mouth and she knows a lot more.
She also put me in contact with a man of who she knows that live lives in the village of cullahill, I have to venture to his house. She gave me his own personal address, and this man can put me in touch with a well-known archaeologist and historian that can help.
๏ฟผ she wished me a merry Christmas and looks forward to seeing me once I arrive in Ireland.
Iโll be honest this is a rather lonely road with me being the single man steering the ship, but I am optimistic and although. I would love help, and an ๏ฟผarmy to follow me, this is just the beginning and Barnaby, Joan, Margaret theyโre rising to the light.
@elin-moon thought youโd like an update
