Rev. J. G. Digges (1858-1933)

[mickjoe]

Rev. J. G. Digges.jpg

Rev. J. G. Digges (1858-1933)

Rev Joseph .G. Digges lived at Clooncahir, Mohill. He is regarded as the father of Irish Beekeeping.

Modern Irish beekeeping owes much to a local man, the Reverend Joseph Robert Garven Digges, who although born in Dublin, he spent much of his life in Mohill, Co. Leitrim. Educated at the High School of Erasmus Smith in Harcourt St., Dublin, he later entered Trinity College as a pensioner in 1879, being awarded the degree of B.A.(Resp.) in 1882 and in 1885 an M.A. Ordained in 1883, he became deacon in Kilmore, Co. Cavan, and then curate in Mohill until 1884 and then 1884-5 at St. George's, High St., Belfast. In 1885, he became the private chaplain to the Clements family (the earls of Leitrim) at their Lough Rynn estate at Mohill. He served Farnaght and Mohill churches and from 1933 the parish of Cloone.

The Reverend Digges had his first bee-keeping lesson in 1885, at Clooncahir, and thereafter was hooked. He joined the Irish Beekeepers Association and was chairman from 1910 to 1921. He was editor of the Irish Bee Journal, (from 1912 called The Beekeeper's Gazette) published from May 1901 to October 1933. In the 33 years of publication, he only missed 4 issues - the May 1916 issue was blown up on the way to the printers during the Easter rising of that year.

Becoming proficient in bee-keeping, and anxious to promote the method of removing the honey crop from the hive without killing the bees, by using moveable frames, he started travelling extensively throughout Ireland on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, attending agricultural shows and lecturing. He promoted the "Congested Districts Hive", Designed to me made and used in the poorer areas of Ireland to provide an income where the land was poor.

A great believer in promoting local industry, he helped to found the local co-operative creamery and the bank in Mohill, and was a director of the Cavan & Leitrim railway and also of the Arigna mines. Digges "was to earn high repute as a first class trouble shooter" (Flanagan, "The Cavan & Leitrim Railway" 1966) and was always sent in when problems arose.

He also published a book: The Irish Bee Guide, later renamed The Practical Bee Guide. A Manual of Modern Beekeeping, a book which came to be regarded as the standard book of bee keeping in Ireland. The book went through many revisions and reprints following its initial publication in 1904. It was self published in 1904 (by Lough Rynn Press), by the 4th edition in 1918, the publishers were Simpkin Marshall Hamilton Kent & Co. Ltd. London - later it was published by Talbot press, Dublin until its 16th edition in 1950. It sold 76,000 copies. The book was republished in 2004 to celebrate its centenary of publication.

He died dramatically during a confirmation service in Farnaght in 1933 and is buried in Mount Jerome cemetery in Dublin, beside his wife who had died in 1926. He had married Edith Bate in Belfast in 1885 and they had a son and daughter, spending their life in great comfort in the beautiful rectory at Clooncahir. A splendid stained-glass memorial window by Ethel Rhind (1877-1952) was placed in the church, which shows St. McDomnoc (Molagga) bringing the bees to Ireland.

(This text is based on an article by Petra Coffey and email of Jim Ryan)

[Womblemum]

Wonder if Digges Lane of Chatham/St King St is named after him?

[quinner]

Wonder if Digges Lane of Chatham/St King St is named after him?

maybe digges street is too

[Womblemum]

maybe digges street is too

is there a Digges St????

[quinner]

is there a Digges St????

yes...between aungier street and mercer street.....facing bishop street, if it's still there.....used to be a great pub on the corner

[Womblemum]

yes...between aungier street and mercer street.....facing bishop street, if it's still there.....used to be a great pub on the corner

tnx for that. know the road but never knew the name!

[quinner]

tnx for that. know the road but never knew the name!

i remember a sweets wholesalers went on fire there..........

[mickjoe]

yes...between aungier street and mercer street.....facing bishop street, if it's still there.....used to be a great pub on the corner

This is what I found on Digges Lane.......



Digges Lane, where Today FM's Marconi House now stands, was initially known as Beaux Lane.

It's current name recognises a forebear of the Dublin MP David La Touche (1729-1817), and of the Smock Alley actor West Digges (1720-1786), more on whom a little later.

The Theatrical Tradition

The area around Digges Lane, although having had an unsavory reputation in the 18th Century (the name Bow Lane is derived from the original name Beaux Walk, being a favoured walk for gentlemen not unlike the red light district in Paris), has a theatrical background. This is indicated by the naming of Drury Street (formerly Little Butter Lane) after it's London counterpart Drury Lane, home of the Theatre Royal and heart of the West End.

In the 18th Century, Dublin was often referred to as “another London” and was said to be the fifth largest capital in Europe. Consequently Dublin was a nursing ground for aspiring theatrical talent and it was typical for those who aspired to the English Stage to serve their apprenticeship in Ireland.

Madame Violante, an Italian woman who had an entertainment Booth in Dublin, would train groups of children for a performance of the beggars opera. From this group of youngsters, Peg Woffington, daughter of a Dublin fruit seller, was introduced to drama and would go on to become a famous actress and sharp wit, receiving overwhelming acclaim in British productions.



I Predict A Riot

Madame Violante's theatre (despite lacking a royal patent and therefore "illegitimate") was a serious rival for the renowned Smock Alley Theatre run by Thomas Sheridan. Irish audiences were known for a lively participation in performances, and Sheridan had implored the actors and actresses of Smock Alley not to entice the public, arguing that many people had volatile political opinion, and reacted strongly to certain parts of the performances.

West Digges, an actor who first came to fame in Dublin, was starring in a production in Smock Alley alongside Peg Woffindton in March 1754, and as a protest against Sheridan's instructions, he refused to repeat popular lines for the audience. This resulted in a serious riot where the ladies were asked to withdraw and the gentlemen of the audience proceeded to demolish the theatre. The place would surely have been burnt to the ground but for the courage of the servant who evicted the angry mob.

Modern Day

The connection of Digges Lane with the world of entertainment continues right through to modern day. From 1990 the Digges Lane Dance Centre and The Irish College Of Dance could be found here and today, of course, it houses your favourite national radio station, Today FM.

The Other Digges



At the turn of the 18th Century, David Digues de La Touche founded a fabric manufacturing business in Castle Street which became a gathering-place for fellow Huguenots. His business soon found itself safe-gaurding money and valuables for Hugeunot families travelling outside the capital. Some of this money would be advanced as loans at reasonable rates of interest, and so the La Touche Bank was born.