January, 2020
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Glenmore Gold
As Danny Dowling pointed out in the Story of Glenmore, the exact length of time that man has been in the Glenmore area is difficult to determine. However, the discovery of cist burials containing cremated remains at Haggard, Ballinlammy and Ballygurrim, indicate that the area was inhabited in the Bronze Age which covered the period of time from approximately 2,000 to 500 B.C. After that time various groups have visited and sometimes inhabited the area. It was often believed that these people left valuables hidden in the ground, thus the subject of treasure being unearthed by ploughing was once a favourite subject around the kitchen fires in farmhouses.
In 1980 Danny interviewed John Walsh, of Jamestown, and was informed that in the spring of 1955, whilst ploughing the Glebe Field at Ballygurrim cross, Pat Walsh of Jamestown, uncovered a pottery urn that was buried about eight inches under the surface of the field. When it was first discovered John and Pat Walsh were rather excited as they thought the urn contained gold. The pottery urn was located near the top corner of the field, about 40 yards from the ditch. The plough struck and sliced off what transpired to be the bottom of the pottery urn. The inverted urn was filled with a greyish material resembling ashes tightly packed, and mixed with small pieces of bone, yellowish in colour. The sides of the urn had an overall thickness of a quarter of an inch or slightly less. The urn was decorated with a motif of continuous circles, and it was brown in colour.
There was no stone cist or any type of surround enclosing the urn, only the soil of the field which was tightly packed against it. John Walsh removed the contents of the urn, but found nothing apart from the greyish material containing the yellowish pieces of bone. He did not remove the urn itself owing to its fragility, but filled back the contents, and covered it over with the soil of the field. John Walsh explained to Danny that the burial urn would not have been discovered under normal circumstances. The normal and usual depth for ploughing with a horse was about four inches at that time. On this particular day Pat Walsh was engaged in deep ploughing.
In January 1958, Danny met Laurence Roche, of Haggard, Glenmore on the Quay in Waterford. Larry Roche related to Danny the story of the hidden treasure he found in about 1938 whilst ploughing in the Townland of Parkstown. The field belonged to the Roches of Haggard. The field had a slight rise in it and while ploughing over the rise Larry Roche uncovered a burial cist located about one foot beneath the surface of the field although it is not clear that Larry knew that what he uncovered was a burial cist. “It was constructed of four rough flags—one on each side standing up. There was also a flag on the bottom, and it was covered by another on top. The bottom of the cist was roughly 1 ½ feet square.”
Larry explained that when he lifted off the top flag, there was an earthenware urn in an inverted position in the centre of the cyst. He described it as being about 15 inches high and 7 inches in width at the mouth, and about ½ inch in thickness. There was a black sticky substance at the bottom of the upturned urn. The bottom of the urn, which was upturned, seemed to have been broken. The hole in the bottom of the urn was not big enough to allow a person’s hand to go through it into the urn itself. There were no markings of any description on the urn, and when handled it crumbled into bits of dust. What was left of the cist, Larry placed on top of the nearby ditch.
Per the details provided by Larry, and with Larry’s assistance, Danny sketched the burial cist. The sketch to the right is copied from Danny’s notebook.
Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill, Glenmore provided Danny in 1967 with the details of a story involving gold hidden on the Bolger farm in Cappagh, Glenmore. The Bolger family had a farm of 35 Irish acres in Cappagh and were present for a number of generations, long before the Ennetts came.
James Bolger, was the last owner of the farm in Cappagh. Nicky thought that James Bolger died in the early 1880’s. Nicky revealed that it was often said that James Bolger was the strongest man in Glenmore. Once when James Bolger was going to New Ross with three bags of wheat when he got to Main Roche’s Hill the horse sulked and refused to pull the cart and the three bags of wheat up the hill. James Bolger did nothing but unyoked the horse and pulled the cart and the three bags of wheat himself up the hill.
A man from the Co. Carlow dreamt repeatedly that there was a crock of gold in this field, opposite a tree in the orchard ditch, so many yards outside in the field. The man’s vision was so vivid that he was able to trace his way to Cappagh, and when he described the vision James Bolger showed him where the treasure was buried or supposed to be buried. It was said that after meeting James Bolder, and getting the information of the gold’s supposed place of burial, the man from Carlow never bothered about the money. Afterwards, the man from Carlow also had no connection with James Bolger. Danny recorded that “further information and tradition tells us that over a number of years, there were several attempts by local men to find it.” However, in the course of the digging for the crock of gold, the activities were suddenly brought to an end by the appearance of a ghostly man on horseback who “stopped the proceedings.” At his appearance the diggers scattered in all directions by fright of the ghostly man on horseback. After a number of these attempts at digging up the gold, the fear of the appearance of the ghostly man on horseback brought all attempts to recover this gold to an end. This treasure is still remembered, but its recovery has never been proven, and it is now part of the folklore the area.
James Bolger never mentioned the stranger and his dream to anyone except to Dick Duggan who was working in Ennett’s at the time. This Dick Duggan’s nephew, Tom Duggan, had the house in Weatherstown where Nick Mernagh’s daughter Jo Doyle is resident. Jo Doyle is 88 years young, and when I spoke to her today she verified that people in Glenmore often spoke of the gold of Cappah and the hunt for it, but she stated that she never heard that anyone found the Cappah gold.
The earliest notation in Danny’s transcribed notebooks concerning the finding of a treasure while ploughing was provided by Jack Power, of Jamestown, Glenmore. Jack Power told Danny that Pierce Butler, of Moulerstown, Glenmore whilst out ploughing a bog in Moulerstown found a gold dollar coin about 1915. Jack stated that Pierce received £70 for the gold dollar. Danny noted in his notebook that Jack Power provided him with the information in the early afternoon of September, 4th 1955. Jack died suddenly that same night at about 11:30 whilst on his way home from Ballybrahee. Danny expressed surprise at Jack’s sudden passing because Danny noted he thought Jack had at least another 10 years in him.
In August 1956, Matt Aylward, of Ballyfacey, Glenmore, also revealed to Danny that Pierce Purcell, of Moulerstown found gold about 25-30 years ago, or about a decade or two after Jack Power thought it was ploughed up. Matt Aylward said that Pierce Purcell found two gold bangles in a field while harrowing. Matt told Danny that Pierce Purcell took the two gold bangles to Dublin and sold them for £75. Although it is not clear what gold object, or objects, Pierce Purcell found while working in a field in Moulerstown, in the early part of the twentieth century, it was worth approximately £70. Unfortunately it is not known how old the gold object was, but whatever was found represents the only known gold discovered while ploughing in Glenmore.
If anyone has any other Glenmore gold stories please feel free to share the stories or preferably the gold.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Late 19th Century Glenmore: Population, Industries & Craftsmen
Danny Dowling located and took handwritten notes regarding Glenmore from George Henry Bassett’s, Kilkenny City and County Directory published in 1884. A few weeks ago we posted the extract of farmers and landowners from the Directory on the Glenmore-History webpage. Today, extracts of other categories of information in the 1884 Directory concerning Glenmore will be highlighted and supplemented with information gleaned from Danny’s research as well as interviews he conducted and recorded of local people.
POPULATION
In the 1884 Directory Glenmore is noted as having a population of 106. This population relates solely to the Village and not to the parish. Glenmore is also noted as having good salmon fishing and flanked by “handsome plantations.”
In 2016 Danny began an article on the population of Glenmore. The research conducted by Danny reveals that according to the 1841 census the population of the present area of the Parish of Glenmore was 4482. This was the highest population figure ever recorded for the townlands of the parish in their present size and extent. The Parish of Glenmore, as it is at present, was established in 1846. The population recorded in 1841 was resident in 679 dwelling houses. According to Griffith’s General Valuation of Property in 1850 there were 367 land occupiers in the parish, of these, 284 had holdings under 10 acres, and 288 had holding over 10 acres.
Twenty years after the 1841 census, the 1861 census illustrates that the population dropped to 2658 which represents a decrease of 40.6 per cent. In the same period the number of dwelling houses in the area dropped from 679 to 466. The residents of 231 dwelling houses disappeared within this twenty year period well known for the Great Famine and immigration. The 1901 census provides the population of the parish was 1964 persons residing in 367 dwelling houses, and 202 of the residents of the parish were classified as farmers.
Although the 1884 Directory refers to “handsome plantations” a photo believed to be taken in the early years of the 20th century shows the Village from the vantage point of the road known as the Churns. The hillsides along the road, as depicted in the photo, reveals that every inch of land in and surrounding Glenmore Village was being utilised either under cultivation or being grazed. The circa 1912 post card at the top of the post depicting the Village may be a better representation of the “handsome plantations.”
LANDLORDS OF VILLAGE
The landlords are listed in the 1884 Directory as Lord Bessborough and Mr. George J. Mackessy of Waterford. It is further noted that in 1884 all the houses in the village were slated, and none of the traders in Glenmore were licensed to sell liquors. Although there were a number of landlords outside the Village the excerpt of the 1884 Directory does not refer to any other landlords.
In his 1957 interview Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill (1888-1979) told Danny that 13 houses in Glenmore Village, in the townlands of Graiguenakill and Cappagh, were built to replace the dilapidated hovels which then existed. The 13 new houses were built about 1855 by Mackessy, of Waterford, who was the landlord. Nicky Forristal’s father (Patrick Forristal, 1849-1931) remembered seeing them built. Each house cost £30 to build and this amount included both the cost of the labour and the materials. Although 12 houses were planned, a 13th house was built when Kitty Bardin went to Waterford to Mackessy and made a pitiful plea asking for a house to be built from the remaining building materials. After Kitty Bardin’s death the 13th house later was occupied by Kate Ryan.
Thomas and James Malone of Shanbough, known as “the Masons” were the builders of the 13 houses and they were paid 1/6 per day (1 shilling and 6 pence). At that time a work day consisted of working from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The labourers on the job were paid 10d (pence) a day. The thatched hovels which preceded the 13 houses were in a terrible state of disrepair and contemporary eye witness accounts stated that the interiors of the cabins could be seen through the large holes which existed in the thatched roofs.
In 1963 Nicholas Forristal revealed that Mackessy also performed work on the stream in Glenmore. “It goes straight through the marshes towards the mill (Forristal’s) and was known as the canal. It was cut like it is now by Mackessy eight feet across from bank to bank and lined with stones. This work was carried out in James Dunphy’s time.” James Dunphy (c.1858 -1940) died in November 1940 at the age of about 82.
According to Danny, Mackessy lived in Lady Lane in Waterford and his Glenmore coach house still stands. The “Coach House” is located near the stream and at the end of the bridge on the south side of the Cappagh road. This building was built to house Mackessy’s coach when he visited Glenmore. On the other side of the stream on the corner of the bridge near the Glenmore pub was the Stage House built by Mackessy to store grain. For years politicians stood on the “stage” and sought the votes of the local people.
Danny’s notebooks, that have been transcribed, contain very little information regarding the Earl of Bessborough. Danny did record that in 1850, the Earl of Bessborough, owned the following townlands in Parish of Glenmore: Ballinaraha, comprised of 290 acres; Aylwardstown, comprised of 55 acres; Haggard, comprised of 543 acres and Robinstown, comprised of 321 acres. Nicholas Forristal revealed in a 1970 interview that “Nicholas Gaffney was Bessborough’s man,” and all Bessborough’s tenents had to deal in Nicholas Gaffney’s shops and go to his mill. If they did not deal with Gaffney the tenant’s would be in trouble with the landlord. Seven years later Nicholas Forristal told Danny that a man named
Hewetson, who lived in the big house in Bishop’s Hall, was the agent for Bessborough in the 1850’s. The Dominican Church in Bridge Street in Waterford, was built with the stones from the big house of Bishop’s Hall. (The present Dominican Church opened in 1876).
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
The 1884 Directory also provides that the Village of Glenmore had a Roman Catholic Church with Rev. Edward Nolan, Parish Priest and Rev. Micheal Corcoran the Curate. St. James was built in 1813. (Please see an earlier post for photos and information concerning the church.)
In 1884 the Village also had a dispensary and James B. Norris is recorded as the Medical Officer. A National School is also present in the Village and in the 1884 Directory John Curran was the Master and Mrs. Curran the Mistress. Danny recorded in his notebook that the National School system was established in 1831 and the Glenmore National School opened in 1835, thus the school was operating for 49 years in 1884.
Robert Fluskey is recorded in the 1884 Directory as the Postmaster. Another institution included in the 1884 Directory is the Royal Irish Constabulary with William Broderick, recorded as Sergeant. The Barracks of 1884 is today an empty building in the Village, but according to Danny the first Barracks was located in the field behind the Glenmore pub. Interestingly, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage lists the Forristal house in Robinstown, (just down the hill from the Church on the same side of the road) as being built in about 1870 and serving as the RIC Barracks in 1903. In October 2019 Danny stated that he was not aware that Forristal’s was ever a Barracks. Danny did state that in 1920 after the present Barracks suffered a fire a temporary Barracks was located in a house in Weatherstown.
Lastly, Michael Morrissey is listed in 1884 Directory as the Civil Bill Officer (today this post holder would generally be known as a process server). Danny in November 2019 explained that the Session’s Loft was at the top of Fluskey’s shop. The Session’s Loft was used as a courthouse and meeting room. It was not until 1898 that County Council’s came into existence and took over some of the work of the Session’s Loft.
CARPENTERS
James Dunne and David Walsh are listed in the 1884 Directory. In a 1973 interview Nicholas Forristal, informed Danny that David “the Carpenter” Walsh worked for Strange who was a landlord who lived in Aylwardstown House. David Walsh was constantly employed by Strange at 12 shillings a week with “no grub.”
Pat Coady, of Ballycroney, Glenmore in 1955 provided Danny with a list of Glenmore tradesmen who practiced their crafts from about the 1860’s to the turn of the 20th century. Carpenters on the Coady list include: Davy Walsh, Graiguenakill; James Dunne, Glenmore; Pat Coady, Ballycroney; Paddy Mullally, Ballycroney; Richard Young, Ballyfacey; and ____ Butler, Ballycroney.
COOPERS
John O’Hanrahan is the sole cooper listed in the 1884 Directory. The Pat Coady list of Glenmore craftsmen includes the following coopers: John Hanrahan, Glenmore; James Ivory, of Kilbride; James Dunphy, of Ballyverneen and Nial Brophy, of Slievecarrig, Tullogher (who died about 1914). In 1969, Paddy Forristal provided the name of Wattie “the Cooper” Grant, of Haggard, as another Glenmore cooper who worked in the late 19th century.
DRESSMAKERS
In the 1884 Directory three dressmakers are named: Margaret Bolger, Mrs. Fluskey and Mary Murphy. Nicholas Forristal, in a 1957 interview, noted that Peg Purcell of Busherstown in the 1870’s was a dressmaker and the first person in the district to get a treadle (foot powered) sewing machine.
GROCERS, FLOUR & PROVISION DEALERS
In the 1884 Directory, Robert Fluskey and Nicholas Gaffney are listed under this category.
MASONS
Edward O’Kill is the only person listed as a mason in the 1884 Directory. The Pat Coady list of Glenmore tradesmen has a much more extensive listing of stone masons including: Mick Moore, of Haggard; Mick Doherty, of Ballyveria (Dancer Doherty); Edward Neill, of Weatherstown; Tom Butler, of Flemingstown and the Malones, of Shanbough.
SMITHS
The 1884 Directory lists Edward Haberlin and Patrick Kelly as smiths. The Pat Coady list of Glenmore tradesmen provides the following men working as blacksmiths in the late 19th century: Edward Haberlin, of Aylwardstown; ________ Bohan, of Ballyhobuck; ______ Larrissey, of Robinstown; Paddy Kelly, of Graiguenakill; Dinny Bergin, of Coolnaleen; Tom Henneberry, of Jamestown; Dinny Merrigan, of Ballycroney; George Tracey, of Ballyfacey and Jack Donovan, of Gaulstown. Nicholas Forristal also named Billy and Tom Purcell, of Busherstown as blacksmiths.
TAILORS
Only 2 tailors are listed in the 1884 Directory, namely: John Condon and Philip Malone. The Pat Coady list of Glenmore craftsmen includes the following tailors: Philip Malone, of Mullinahone; Peter Dunphy, of Glenmore Village; J. Walsh, of Glenmore Village; Martin Roche, of Haggard; John Hogan, of Haggard; and John Condon, of Mullinahone.
BAKERS
Although not included in the 1884 Directory, the Pat Coady list of Glenmore craftsmen provides that Nick Hanrahan, of Glenmore Village was a baker. Nick Hanrahan later migrated to Baltinglass.
SHOEMAKERS
The Pat Coady list of Glenmore craftsmen includes the following shoemakers: John Scanlon, of Knockbrack; Jack Hogan, of Rathinure and John Duggan, of Kilbride; Richard Duggan, of Flemingstown (died 1956 at age of 88); John Cassin, of Glenmore Village; Mick Shanahan, of Glenmore Village and James Scanlan, of Glenmore Village.
THATCHERS
The Pat Coady list of Glenmore craftsmen includes the following thatchers: Pat Haberlin, of Forristalstown; Mick McGrath, of Newtown; Jimmy Power, of Jamestown; Richard Hennessy, of Ballyfacey, Tom Laherty, of Ballyfacey (died in 1892) and Martin Kennedy, of Kilbride.
MILLS
Danny in November 2019 named three mills that were operating in Glenmore Village in the 1850’s namely: the Gaffney Mills of Robinstown; the Grace Mill and the Forristal Mill, of Graiguenakill. In addition to grinding grain Gaffney’s also had what Nickolas Forristal referred to as a tuck mill where linen cloth and sheets were made. Old Jack “the Weaver” Walsh of Glenmore came from the Campile area of Co. Wexford, to work as a weaver in Gaffney’s. In 1959 Nicholas Forristal informed Danny that he had been given a couple of items including a shirt made in the Gaffney Mill and described them as “white and as coarse as a bag.”
BRICK MAKING
Danny wrote an article that was published in the Old Kilkenny Review in 1972 and entitled “Glenmore Brickyards: A Forgotten Industry” detailing the brick making that took place in the parish of Glenmore. Billy Forristal operated the last brick works in the Ballyverneen marshes. This business closed in about 1900. The New Ross-Waterford Railway started in 1902 and was completed in 1906. It crossed the Ballyverneen brick marsh and filled most of the brickholes. Earlier in the 19th century a man named Meany made bricks in a brick marsh nearer the river in Carrigcloney.
We hope that you have enjoyed this snapshot of late 19th Century Glenmore. Special thanks to Jacqueline Walsh for the old photos of Glenmore and Louise Walsh for the 2019 photos of Glenmore.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Glenmore Verses, Rhymes & Lyrics
Over the years Danny recorded a number of verses, rhymes and song lyrics that were recited or sung by Glenmore people. Today, we are going to focus on the local verses, rhymes and lyrics and reserve the lyrics concerning Carrickshock etc. for another day. On 4 January 2020, Danny described the contributions of verses, rhymes and lyrics that he recorded as the “giving of an account, in verse of various happenings, some complimentary and others most uncomplimentary.” The local people who composed or recited verses, rhymes and lyrics were probably not aware of the fact that verses, rhymes and lyrics are all mnemonic devices, or memory devices, that aid a person’s information retention or retrieval. These mnemonic devices were viewed as a form of entertainment, but are valued today as part of the local oral tradition where information and ideas were orally communicated from one generation to the next.
The Suitor
The jilted suitor, or “wannabe” suitor features in some of the local rhymes and verses. Mick Walsh, of Grogan, Davidstown in Glenmore was interviewed on the 10th December 1969, and stated that “Peg Harte was asked by a man to marry her, but she carted him. He was mad after her especially as she had a £1,000 fortune.” After being rejected the man wrote on a poster outside Mallinarrigle chapel, the following verse:
Eliza Harte of Darbystown,
She is little and nothing,
And no great things,
She made her fortune on eggs and hens.
Similarly, Michael Power, of Busherstown, Glenmore told Danny on St. Stephen’s Day 1969 that Pat “Pand” Sheehan was married to Mary “Purse” Walsh. Mary Purse before she married Sheehan “was doing a line with” Johnnie “Pint” Holden and “she let him down.” After being rejected Johnnie “Pint” Holden composed the following rhyme:
Bad luck to you ’ould lazy Pand,
You took my love away,
To spend her life to be your wife,
On the bogs of Ballinclea.
Father Neary–Hero of the Ballyfacy Evictions
A tribute verse to Father Neary, the parish priest of Mullinavat was recorded by Danny on the 6th of May 1958 during an interview of Wattie Power, of Jamestown, Glenmore. During the interview Wattie stated that during the Ballyfacey evictions, his mother along with Danny’s great-grandmother walked from Jamestown to Ballyfacey to protest the evictions. Father Neary was there and saved the tenants from being evicted and on that account a song was composed in Father Neary’s honour. For further information on Fr. Neary and the Ballyfacey evictions see our post of 8 March 2020. Wattie provided the following verse of the song:
The poor they lost a noble friend,
The rich they lost a guide,
The orphans lost a father,
When Fr. Neary died.
School Boy Rhymes
On the other extreme, Wattie Power also recited a rhyme from his youth that referred to a local hedge school that operated in the early 19th century by a man named Philip Wallace, of Redgap.
Phillips scholars against the wall,
A pint of piss would drown them all.
Wattie Power, in 1955, also told Danny that when Wattie was a chap Danny’s grandfather first recited to Wattie a rhyme connected with the practice of keeping hens in the dwellinghouse. According to Wattie up until about 1880 it was quite a common practice to roost hens on stout sticks called cársnáns inside the front door. In some cases the hens were kept on a roost which stretched right across the kitchen from wall to wall. Wattie and Michael Power saw such a roost in Brian McCabe’s old house in Jamestown. The incident which lead to the rhyme below happened somewhere in Glenmore.
You saucy hen of little wit, How dare you down on Cashen shit, Tis in your arse, I’d drive a peg, The way you’ll never lay another egg.
Bread
In 1955 Danny recorded two verses regarding bread that were commonly recited “100 years ago”. Although both are similar one was contributed by Wattie Power, of Jamestown, and the other came from “Nicky the Miller” Forristal of Graiguenakill, Glenmore.
I. Barley bread ’ld kill a man dead,
Rye bread will do him no harm,
Oaten bread will clean the blood
And wheaten bread will strengthen the arm.
II. Barley bread would starve you dead,
Yellow meal bread would do you no harm,
Oaten bread would strengthen your blood,
And wheaten bread would strengthen your arm.
The First Faction Fight
Wattie Power, in November 1955, also recited to Danny an old verse that he heard from the old people when he was a chap regarding St. Patrick’s Day.
The first faction fight in Old Ireland they say,
Was all on account of St. Patrick’s Day,
Some fought for the eighth,
For the ninth some would die,
And whoever said wrong,
They would blacken his eye,
Until Father Mulcahy, he told them their sin,
He said boys don’t be fighting but sometimes combine,
Don’t be always disputing about 8 and 9,
Combine 8 and 9, 17 is the mark,
And let that be his birthday,
Amen said the Clerk.
Ballad of the Drowninng of Two Donkeys
Nicky the Miller in a 1977 interview provided Danny with the following verses from a ballad composed about the “blackguardly deed” of drowning two donkeys in a late in Rochestown. For our international readers the lates of Rochestown are 10 to 12 foot deep drains in the marshes that flow into the river. A man by the name of Gahan, of Rochestown, Glenmore was suspected as being the culprit and was aided by another man. The donkeys were owned by a poor local man called James the Piper. Old James Whelan, “the Walker,” of Ballyhobuck, Glenmore often sang this ballad.
Ye drifters and ye travellers with me do sympathise,
And I hope this lamentation will draw tears down from your eyes,
Concerning this cruel murder that happened here of late,
And to piper’s pair of donkeys they were drowned in the late.
The night was cold and stormy and the north wind it blew harsh,
And for to get some shelter, they strayed into the Marsh.
At 11 or 12 o’clock, their enemy came that way,
And they shoved the pair of donkey down into the dark and dismal late.
And as for his wife Catherine, ‘tis she will feel the smart,
For she was at her liberty, when she had her ass and cart.
The Loss of My Coat
Nicky “the Miller” also provided Danny with the following which are a few verses from another ballad also sung by James Whelan.
The Loss of My Coat T’was beg’n in the month of December, I remember the day of the week, I was cuttin’ furze, earnin’ my wages, The I wasn’t inclined for to sleep, I woke with the blooming of róró, When I arrived at my business, I threw my good coat on the ground, Expecting to do my endeavours, My faggots to lie them right sound. Then I was called to my dinner, Away sure I whistled and bowled, When I returned to my business again, My coat was devoured by a cow, She instantly ran away among numbers, I couldn’t convict her on oath, I sat down in deep contemplation, Bewailing the loss of my coat. I think I will go across the Atlantic, If I can get a ship or boat, And I’ll sail into some warm climate, where I won’t want ‘era coat.
The Wall Families of Treanaree
Sometimes religion or religious practices are credited with being the inspiration, or the alleged inspiration of rhymes and verses. For example, Nicky Walsh, of Grogan, Davidstown, Glenmore, told Danny that there were 3 families of Wall in Treanaree, Slieverue, each with small farms. In the past to ensure that all parishioners contributed to the Church the names and amounts paid by parishioners were read out during Mass. It was said that the Slieverue priest when reading out the list of contributors to the collection unwittingly made a rhyme of the Treanaree Wall families that stuck.
Long Tom, Tom and Tommy,
Big Nick, Dick and Foxy Paddy.
Catechism
In 1958 in the Glenmore National School, Gerald Hines, of Ballybrahee, helped other young scholars with the spelling of Catechism both forward and backwards (although it is not clear the benefit of spelling the word backwards we have included it.)
Forward:
Catty Atty Told Elly Connolly How I Stole Money = CATECHISM
Backwards:
Master Sits In His Chair Each Time At Catechism =MSIHCETAC
Mrs. Deady’s Trimmings
Our final local verse today was said to have been a prayer said by Mrs. Deady, of Upper Ballyfacey, Glenmore as part of “the trimmings” after the praying of the rosary. In Glenmore the rosary after supper each evening was recited. Allegedly a passer-by overheard Mrs. Deady one evening. According to Tom Mullins, late of Flemingstown and Dublin, this verse was attributed to the Paddy O’Connor family of Ballyfacey. Mariah Deady, who is mentioned in the verse, taught some of the Paddy O’Connor brothers when they were at school.
God bless me and my man Pat,
Make Mariah and Mikey fat,
Us four, no more,
Amen.
Update—We will be posting on the webpage a guest article from Martin Forristal concerning Mount Ida in the next week. If you have a guest article concerning Glenmore, that you would like to have posted on the webpage please forward it for consideration to our email glenmore.history@gmail.com.
If you are not aware, material added to the webpage over the past couple of weeks includes: family updates, a list from 1884 of Glenmore farmers, and more useful links.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Glenmore Redmond Volunteers and the Fife & Drum Band
For many, history was a subject in school that concentrated on Kings and wars. The everyday life of ordinary people did not feature in history books or lessons, thus it is often difficult to determine how national events impacted on Glenmore people. Thanks to Danny Dowling’s interviews and research we have details of how Glenmore people reacted to evictions and supported various national political movements. Today, we highlight the 1914 establishment of the Glenmore Committee of Redmond Volunteers and the Glenmore Fife and Drum “Redmond Volunteer Band.”
In February 1970, Danny interviewed Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill ( 1888-1979) concerning the Redmond Volunteers of Glenmore. For our international readers, John Redmond (1856-1918) of Wexford, was a politician who advocated Home Rule for Ireland by peaceful, constitutional means. Today, Danny stated that Redmond endeared himself to locals when he was first elected to the House of Commons for New Ross in 1881 and was suspended within 24 hours after giving his maiden speech. Redmond and couple dozen other Home Rule for Ireland supporters, including Michael Davitt the founder of the Land League, were suspended from Parliament.
John Redmond was a great admirer of Charles Stewart Parnell and Redmond became the party whip for the Irish Parliamentary Party. After the Parnell divorce scandal in 1890 Redmond continued to support him. When Parnell died in 1891 he became leader of the minority Parnellite faction and was elected to Parliament from Waterford which he represented until his death. In 1912 the third Home Rule Bill was introduced and passed in 1914. Implementation of Home Rule stalled first with Ulster Unionists forming the Ulster Volunteers to resist Home Rule by threatening force and secondly, due to the outbreak of World War I. In response, the nationalists formed their own paramilitary group, the National Volunteers in 1913.
The National Volunteers split over Redmond’s support of the British war effort and his advocacy that National Volunteers should serve in the British army. The Easter Rising in 1916 is said to have taken Redmond by surprise, led by a faction of the National Volunteers. As the First World War dragged on support disappeared for Redmond and his policy of Home Rule for Ireland based on peaceful, constitutional means. Controversy still exists surrounding Redmond’s support of the British war effort. For example, in 2016 a banner featuring Redmond in Dublin was defaced by protesters (see, https://www.thejournal.ie/misneach-1916-college-green-banner-john-redmond-2681018-Mar2016/ ).
In Glenmore in early 1914 a meeting was held in the Glenmore School. Father Phelan, the Glenmore Parish Priest, presided over the meeting to discuss and elect the Glenmore Committee of “Redmond Volunteers.” The school was full, and a secret paper ballot was held for the election. The “Redmond Volunteers” Committee Members elected included: Nicholas Forristal, the Mill; Jack Dunphy, Ballyverneen; Pat Reddy, Kilbride; Pat Hanrahan, Glenmore; Jim Fluskey, Glenmore; Bill Power, Robinstown. Nicky Forristal topped the poll, and Pat Reddy, of Kilbride, came in second. John Dunphy of Ballyverneen, and Nick Curran, of Robinstown, were both not elected but due to the persistence of Father Phelan they were both co-opted onto the Committee.
Danny revealed this morning that the Parish Priest was not a supporter of Redmond. Danny does not know whether it was because Redmond supported Parnell after his divorce scandal or he could not support Redmond due to his personal political affiliations. Danny stated that several Redmond supporters returning from a night drinking in New Ross stopped to shout abuses outside the house where the priest resided waking local inhabitants. Another interesting fact was revealed. In about 1870 the Parish Priest, of that time, forced all three pubs in Glenmore to close. One of the pubs was situated just in front of the present Priest’s house and disrupted Mass with drunken shouts, inappropriate conduct and the banging of mugs on the bar. Glenmore remained a “dry” parish until 1963, therefore causing those seeking a drink prior to 1963 to travel outside of the parish.
Shortly, after the “Redmond Volunteers” Committee was established in 1914 the Glenmore Fife and Drum Band was founded as a “Redmond Volunteer Band.” The band trainer was Tom Butler a sanitary officer with the New Ross U.D.C. He came out to Glenmore once or twice a week. Peter and Stephen Mernagh of Foristalstown played in it, as well as Stephen Heffernan, of Aylwardstown, and Pat Kennedy of Kilbride. Jack Murphy of Weatherstown was the Drummer. Nicky Forristal stated that he was “no use at it at all.” Ned Murphy, Jack’s father, was a drummer in the St. Mary’s Brass Band of New Ross. (Ned Murphy died in the great flu epidemic of 1918.)
The Glenmore Fife and Drum Band gave a long time training in front of Peggie Gaffney’s house in the Village. They then went into the Board Room above Fluskey’s and ended up in the outbuilding opposite the Barrack’s across the Ballybrahee Road in the Village.
Nicky Forristal reported that the Glenmore Fife and Drum Band only played once outside the parish. The band played in New Ross at a parade of the Volunteers in Barrett’s Park about the beginning of the war on a holiday the 29th of June 1914. It was the only band at the parade of Volunteers that day. Nicky reported that “they weren’t able to play at all. All the children of Ross were mocking them. Nicky Denny, of Mullinahone, who was drunk that day, tried to get the drum off Jack Murphy to belt it.”
It is not recorded whether the band broke up due to disillusionment with Redmond, the war or due to some other reason such as the lack of appreciation for their musical efforts.
The painting of the fife player above is by Manet, entitled The Fife Player (1866) Musée d’Orsay.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh