As a historian, Richard Franklin Donohue presents historical programs throughout the region. Please scroll down to review his offerings and upcoming presentations. Fees vary depending on the specific program and distance travelled. Mr. Donohue writes an article on Cromwell history called Rosetown Review which appears monthly in the Cromwell Life newspaper. Links to past installments may be found on this page.
This program begins with Gregorian chant from the 10th century and closes with music from the height of the Victorian era. Mr. Donohue accompanies himself with several musical instruments including a medieval hand drum, baroque recorders, and a spinet harpsichord. Each carol is introduced and explained and a printed program with translations is provided to the hosting organization for distribution to the audience.
Cantica Nativitatis was presented in 2022 in the following places:
Covenant Living, Cromwell, Connecticut ~ Granby Public Library, Granby, Connecticut ~ Hall Memorial Library, Ellington, Connecticut ~ Manchester Public Library, Manchester, Connecticut ~ Chester Public Library, Chester, Connecticut ~Palmer House, Stonington, Connecticut ~ Naugatuck Historical Society, Naugatuck, Connecticut ~ Creamery Brook, Brooklyn, Connecticut ~
2023 Dates:
Friday, November 10, 2023 at 7:30 - Canterbury Historical Society
Monday, December 4, 2023 - Private Event at Addison Place, Glastonbury
Thursday, December 14, 2023 - Private event at Ashlar Village, Wallingford
Friday, December 15, 2023 - Private Event at the Hearth of Glastonbury
The World War One Memorials of Connecticut
This program has been presented throughout Connecticut in the following venues:
Cromwell Historical Society ~ Berlin Historical Society ~ East Lyme Historical Society ~ Andover Public Library ~ Branford Historical Society ~ Bridgewater Public Library ~ Covenant Living of Cromwell ~ Derby Historical Society ~ Derby Public Library ~ East Hartford Public Library ~ Ellington Public Library ~ Essex Meadows ~ Glastonbury Historical Society ~ Goshen Public Library ~ Manchester Public Library ~ Mansfield Public Library ~ Norwalk Historical Society - Southington Historical Society ~ Pomperaug Woods (Southbury) ~ Lutheran Home (Southbury) ~ Watermark East Hill ~ The Village at South Farms, Middletown ~ Granby Public Library ~ Evergreen Woods, North Branford ~ Salmon Brook Historical Society ~ Creamery Brook, Brooklyn ~ Atria, Waterford ~ The Hearth at Glastonbury ~ Old Lyme Historical Society ~
Upcoming Dates:
Sunday, June 4, 2023 at 1:00 - Naugatuck Historical Society - Naugatuck, Connecticut
Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 6:00 - Westbrook Historical Society - Westbrook, Connecticut
Monday, November 20, 2023 - Private event at Addison Place, Glastonbury
The Town of iron toys:
the mechanical banks of the J.&E. Stevens Company
The Town of Iron Toys has been presented throughout the region in the following venues: Cromwell Historical Society ~ Covenant Living of Cromwell ~ Village at South Farms. Middletown ~Atria, Stamford~ Evergreen Woods, North Branford~ Village Gate of Farmington~ River Valley Retirement, Trumbull ~ Willington Historical Society ~ Crescent Point, Niantic ~ Woodbury Public Library ~ Stratford Public Library ~ Manchester Public Library ~ Creamery Brook, Brooklyn ~ Rockville Public Library ~ Granby Public Library ~Slater Library, Jewett City ~ Canterbury Historical Society ~ Masonicare at Ashlar Village, Wallingford ~ Kent Historical Society ~ Richard Storrs Library, Long Meadow, MA ~ South Hadley Public Library ~ Old Lyme Historical Society ~ Andover Public Library~ Granville Public Library, Granville, MA ~ Simsbury Public Library ~ Addison Place, Glastonbury ~ East Hampton Historical Society ~ Enfield Public Library ~ East Lyme Historical Society ~ East Providence Public Library ~ Derby Public Library ~ Newtown Historical Society ~
Upcoming Dates:
Topics in Cromwell History
Survey Of Cromwell History done in a FAQ fashion
Cromwell and the Civil War
Hallowed Ground- A virtual tour of Cromwell’s Historic Hillside Cemetery with biographies
Building Cromwell: a virtual house tour based on a soon to be completed audio tour
Rosetown Review: a collection of Historic stories
What's In A Name: The origin of the name Cromwell
ROsetown Review
Monthly articles published in the Cromwell Life
CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINKS TO READ THE FOLLOWING ROSETOWN REVIEWS:
AN EPIDEMIC OF IMPORTANCE: THE SPANISH INFLUENZA IN CROMWELL
IN HONOR OF THOSE WHO WENT FORTH: CROMWELL'S WORLD WAR MEMORIAL
THE ROSETOWN: CROMWELL'S SCENTS OF PLACE
MISS PIERSON'S FIGHT FOR SUFFRAGE
THE SAGE MYSTERY: CROMWELL'S TALE OF INTERNATIONAL INFAMY
PATRIOT'S CORNER ON STOCKING'S TRIANGLE
A GENTLEMAN SAILOR WITH A MIND TO MAKE HIS FORTUNE
THE EDUCATION OF WILLIAM REDFIELD
BUILDING CROMWELL: THE ITALIANATES OF MAIN STREET
SUCH OBJECTS OF BENEVOLENCE: THE LADIES SEWING SOCIETY OF NORTHWEST CROMWELL
LAYING THE CORNERSTONE: THE ZEBULON CROCKER BUILDINGS
THE TOWN OF IRON TOYS: THE MECHANICAL BANKS OF THE J & E STEVENS COMPANY
BECAUSE THEY PREACHED HELL SO MUCH: THE BAPTIST CHURCH IN CROMWELL
A PARISH BY AND OF THEMSELVES: CROMWELL'S COMMUNITY OF FAITH
A SENSE OF PLACE: GOODRICH HEIGHTS
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE: CROMWELL HIGH SCHOOL
CAPTAIN ABIJAH SAVAGE: CINCINNATUS OF THE UPPER HOUSES
THE BARBER AND THE BLIND TIGER
RATHER PIRATICAL: THE DEVIL'S BLOWHOLE
HAL MCINTYRE: THE CROMWELL BOY WITH BIGTIME TALENT
THE QUARRY HOLE: THE PUTRID PAST OF PIERSON PARK
HALLOWED GROUND: THE CEMETERIES OF HILLSIDE ROAD
BULKLEY EDWARDS: THE ULTIMATE CROMWELLIAN
A SENSE OF PLACE: WHERE THE STREETS HAVE OLD NAMES
FOR THE MATERIAL AND MORAL BENEFIT OF THE TOWN
HALLOWED GROUND: THE OLD BURYING GROUND
FROM SAIL TO STEAM: THE GOLDEN AGE OF RAILROAD IN CROMWELL
