[Note: Special thanks to Manus and Luke O’Riordan for their photographs, knowledge and continuing friendship]

Max Levitas celebrated his 100th birthday this year surrounded by family and friends in Whitechapel, East London. At the end of the festivities, he called for the crowd to offer up a collection for the Morning Star newspaper. This minor incident symbolises Max’s absolute generosity and unbroken commitment to progressive, left-wing politics going back over 80 years.

Max, 2011. Photo -Spitalfieldslife.com.

Born in Portobello, Dublin 8 over a century ago, Max visited his native city last weekend. This article looks at his family background, his long political life and brings together pictures and stories from his recent trip to Dublin.

Family background:

Max’s parents, Harry Levitas from the Lithuanian shtetl of Akmeyan and Leah Rick from the Latvian capital of Riga, fled the anti-Semitism of Tsarist Russia in 1913 to join relatives already residing in…

TheLife of Rev John Murray provided insights into the development of an early Irish Methodist society. ‘The Methodists in this [Bandon], as in every other place where they sojourned, by degrees established a permanent residence. They first preached in the streets, practised much self-denial, and mortification, inveighed against the standing religion of the country, as impious and hypocritical, declaring the new birth only to be found among them.’ ‘They gained many proselytes; it became the fashion for multitudes to become religious; and it is in religion as in everything else, where once it is followed by a multitude, multitudes will follow. A meeting-house was speedily obtained, a society was formed, and classes of every description regularly arranged.’

‘Three classes [types] of the people were denominated Methodist: the congregation, who, as outer court worshippers, were only hearers and seekers; members of the society, who were classed; and members of the…

Some of the most popular and viewed posts I put on this site are in the series ”POSTCARDS FROM…”where I post snaps from places I happen to visit or pass through. These are mostly places in Ireland where I live. Many of them are a little off the beaten track, almost in a hidden Ireland but all are ‘Real’ Ireland.

I have created a new page on my site where I will place links to the posts in the series. The list will be added to from time to time. I hope you will enjoy!

The link to the page is HERE , but below is a list of all the places so far!

Places in Ireland 

Newcastle West, Co Limerick August 2013
Moneygall, Co. Offaly, ancestral home of Barack Obama. August 2013
Dublin September 2013.
Kells Co Meath January 2014
Bunratty, Co Clare, May 2014
Dun Laoghaire, Co…

He was a descendant of the marriage of Michael O’Sullivan, Bantry, (Heart Tax Collector and land Owner and reputed descendant of O’Sullivan Bere) and Mary Vickery, Whiddy Island.

From Ron Price a descendant of the extended family:

Between 1981 and 1990 I made notes immediately after speaking to various Co Cork people about my Cork ancestry. I now wish to make those notes available to anyone interested. Any clarification comments added at this stage are in square brackets. I would welcome any questions or comments.

Source: Thomas (Tommy) Bryan (b 1930) of Ballybrack, Glenville, Co Cork

Notes from conversation on 8 May 1989

– Definitely heard that William Dukelow was relatively prosperous. As well as his 5 sons who worked on the farm he had 2 hired men working from first thing in the morning. Mrs Roberts views, which are slightly anti-William perhaps influenced by his heavy drinking – she…