HARDRESS WALLER, AGE 90, RYNSKAHEEN, DROMINEER (Part 2)

I paid a return visit to Hardress Waller’s home to record more of his memories and stories. Another gentry family lived on the lake shores, the Hickies of Terryglass, in Slevoir House and they were fondly recalled. While going through the family photograph album he spoke about the family’s patronage, their positions and their involvement in many activities including the malting business and in Guinness’s in Dublin. He spoke about his early days in Summerville House and about the fact that the IRA were billeted there. His family moved to Ridgemount, Ballymackey and then to Kells Grange, Co Kilkenny, and finally in 1935 to Rynskaheen, beside Lough Derg, where he lives today. In the interview he talked about his love for horses, and says he was a good rider from an early age and hunted with the Nenagh Harriers. We looked at a painting of Waller Castle, Newport, painted in the 1840s and Hardress explained the history of the castle. This meeting provided a platform for most interesting recording which I knew I would have to complete another day.