February, 2020
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The Ida
The parish of Glenmore is strategically placed mid-way between Waterford and New Ross. Previously we highlighted the roads that connected Waterford and New Ross as well as the railway line. Today, we shall highlight the Ida a river steamship that linked these two inland ports. According to Anthony Marimon in his 1856 book entitled, The Ancient and Modern History of the Maritime Ports of Ireland, in 1835 the port of Waterford had 115 merchant sailing ships. The first steamships had paddlewheels and were designed and built for rivers and canals.
One of the first river steamers to ply between Waterford and New Ross was the Shamrock which was built in Glasgow in 1836. The last steamer to daily ply between the two cities was the Ida (Waterford Standard, 17 August 1929). For interesting articles concerning the ships and photos of the ships see, Andrew Doherty, www.tidesandtales.ie , February 2018 blog posts. See the update below for information on the Eclipse sailing between Waterford and New Ross in 1829 in 2 hours.
Launch of the Ida
In addition to conducting interviews, over the years Danny Dowling has amassed a large number of newspaper articles relating to Glenmore and nearby environs. For example, the Waterford Chronicle on 27 September 1867 published an article describing the launch of the Ida at the Neptune Iron Works in Waterford. Miss Graves, the daughter of J.P. Graves, Esq. of Waterpark House, Waterford, broke the bottle on the bow of the ship and christened her Ida. This name was selected because the Barony of Ida links Waterford and New Ross and the steam ship would link the ports via the River Barrow. The steamer was described as being 156 feet in length and had a breadth of 92 ½ feet.
After her christening the Ida was equipped by the Neptune Iron Works with a “splendid pair of engines, of about 90 horse-power, with two large and powerful boilers, and two feathering paddle wheels for speed.” It was announced that Captain George Brennan would be at the helm. The Ida first steamed between Waterford and New Ross on the 31st of January 1868. She was accompanied by the Shamrock, and although a strong gale was blowing, and rain was pouring, the Ida made the journey in 70 minutes (Wexford People, 8 Feb. 1868).
Danny interviewed Michael Forristal in 1969. Michael was born and raised in Rochestown, Glenmore but living in Ballybagley in 1969. Michael revealed that when he was young the Ida left Ross daily at 9:15 a.m.; by 10 a.m. it was at the Piltown Hulk; and at 11 a.m. it arrived at Waterford. It began its home journey at 3:15 p.m. when it left Waterford; arrived at the Piltown Hulk at 4 p.m. and was back in New Ross by 4:45 p.m. In Michael’s time, the master of the Ida was Captain Murphy of New Ross. The Ida was able to carry 600 passengers and cargo.
Rochestown Ferry
There was a ferry boat that operated from Rochestown. It ferried passengers across the Barrow to the Wexford side to Piltown Hulk or floating landing stage, to meet the Ida. This ferry was able to carry up to 40 passengers. The most Michael ever saw it carry was 34 passengers. It was powered by two men who rowed the ferry each using two oars. During his time, the two rowers of the ferry were brothers John and James Forristal, of Rochestown. John and James Forristal were the last rowers of the ferry boat. They were the sons of Michael’s cousin Johnny Forristal. They were each paid 6/= per week wages.
In 1976, Danny interviewed Nicholas Forristal, the Mill, Graiguenakill, Glenmore, who named Sean Jim and Sean Jack Forristal of Rochestown as the two men that manned the oars of the ferryboat from the Blackrock Quay in Rochestown, to the Piltown Hulk on the Wexford shore. He noted that the two men were first cousins and were paid by the Waterford Steamship Company. Today, Danny stated that he believes Michael Forristal and Nicholas Forristal were speaking about the same men given their names, but could not clarify whether the two men were brothers or cousins.
Another Glenmore man connected to the Ida was Edward Walsh, of Glenmore Village. Edward Walsh worked as a steward on the Ida. Edward and his sister Margaret were the children of David Walsh, who had a pub near the chapel in Glenmore. Danny interviewed Miss Margaret Walsh shortly before her death in 1955 at her home on Peter Street, Waterford concerning her brother’s work on the Ida.
Cargo
Nicholas Forristal stated that local farmers brought fiskins of butter by the Ida to the Waterford Butter market. Jim Phelan, of the bog in Shanbogh, was one of the men who brought fiskins of butter to Waterford via the Ida along with the Kearneys and Farrells, of Ballyfoyle. Today, Danny explained that a fiskin was a British measure of a quarter of a barrel, it was made by a cooper for cheese and butter and when filled weighed 56 pounds (25 kilograms).
It wasn’t all clear steaming for either the Shamrock or the Ida. On the 7th of June 1852 the Shamrock made two trips because the pig fair had been held at New Ross. On the second trip as the steamer approached the quay in Waterford the pigs rushed to one side of the ship causing water to be taken. The crew and the few men aboard were saved, but several pigs drowned although sailors and others along the quay rushed to save the animals (Derbyshire Times, 10 June 1854). In 1895, it was a frightened cow that caused panic on the Ida when it attempted to jump overboard and injured two elderly ladies (Wexford People, 27 April 1895). Two years later a young lady dancing on the deck of the Ida as she steamed toward Waterford fell overboard. Patrick Dooley, of Garrenbehy, quickly dived into the river and saved the young lady from drowning (New Ross Standard, 8 April 1932).
Ida Related Deaths
At least two deaths connected with the Ida appeared in newspapers. On the 3rd of January 1872, Patrick Scanlon while unloading cargo in New Ross at 9 p.m. fell into the river and drowned. At his inquest concerns were raised regarding the lack of railings to protect workers unloading cargo (Wexford People, 13 January 1872).
In the New Ross Standard on the 28th of December 1895 it was reported that 30 to 40 people were huddled in a cabin with no light. Half way to New Ross from Waterford (ie near Glenmore) a soldier named Noy died, but no one present was aware of his death due to the lack of lighting. The newspaper was scathing of the failure of the owner of the steamship to provide lighting for passengers. “Surely the company might hang up a second hand oil lamp in this apartment of the boat, and on a winter’s evening squander a penny in paraffin …for their passengers.”
Rescued & Rescuer
Perhaps the biggest threat to the Ida occurred on Friday the 13th of February 1880. The Ida at about 4 p.m. was trying to berth at New Ross, but the Liverpool steamship Earnholm was also trying to berth. The Earnholm was owned by the New Ross Steamship Company and Captain Henry was at her helm.
The Ida was swept along by the strong spring tide, which was running at about six knots an hour and there was a strong gale from the south west. Captain Brennan let go his anchor nearly opposite Mrs. Plummer’s hotel, but the ship dragged her anchor and broke the stock of the anchor. Captain Brennan set the engines in motion, fearing that the Ida would strike the centre of the New Ross bridge. Ultimately he ran her into the bridge dock, and with her bow against the quay, her stern crashed against first cylinder of the bridge, at the Wexford side.
This caused a great commotion on the quay, and “people ran hither and thither and entertained great fears that the ship would become a total wreck, as the tide was fast rising and the ship’s stern was jammed tight under the bridge, so that the rising of the tide would keep her down.” Captain Henry brought the Earnholm to assist the Ida, made fast to the Ida and when the Earnholm steamed ahead, the Ida was pulled from her perilous position. Although the Ida suffered some damage the hull sustained no damage.
The Ida in January 1896 came to the rescue of the steamship Mermaid. The Mermaid left New Ross with a cargo of pigs and at the Pink Rock, of Glenmore, “a point on the river difficult to navigate” the steering failed and the ship struck the rocks and began to take water. The Ida was on her way to Ross, stopped to give aid, took on board all of the passengers and cargo and went on to New Ross. After depositing safely the passengers and cargo she returned to the Pink Rock with another ship, the Vandaleur, and together the two steamers could not pull the Mermaid off of the rocks (Wicklow People, 11 January 1896).
Glenmore Men Remember the Ida
In 1969, Danny interviewed Michael Walsh of 80 Manor Street, Waterford. Michael was 87 years of age and was born and raised in Rochestown, Glenmore. Michael stated that the Ida sailed between Ross and Waterford and the steamer Vandaleur sailed between Waterford and Duncannon. Both ships were plying at the same time and were owned by the Waterford Steamship Co. The Clyde Shipping Co. took over the Waterford Steamship Co. and the new owners then sold both of the river paddle steamers.
Mikey Power of Jamestown, Glenmore was interviewed by Danny in 1957. Mikey reported that he worked in the Brick Marsh belonging to Billy Forristal that was located between where the two railway bridges are now situated. He worked for a whole summer in either 1899 or 1900. Work in the Brick Marsh usually started at 8 a.m. and finished at around 6 p.m. with a break for dinner at noon and a tea break at 4 p.m. They knew what time to break for the afternoon tea as the Ida passed every evening on her way to Ross. Billy Forristal’s brick works finished up about 1900 just shortly before the Ida ceased sailing the Barrow in about 1905. The Ross-Waterford railway line caused the Brick Works and Ida to both cease operating.
For further reading see, Bill Irish (2001) Shipbuilding in Waterford, 1820-1880: A Historical, Technical and Pictorial Study.
The River Steamer Eclipse
Update: Andrew Doherty sent on the following article from the Waterford Mail (Sat. 16 May 1829, p. 4).
“COMMUNICATION BETWEEN WATERFORD AND ROSS. —That beautiful little steamer the Eclipse arrived the quay at ten o’clock morning from Ross with between twenty and thirty passengers, performing the voyage which is eighteen miles, in two hours. This vessel is quite new and has been brought over from Bristol to see if she can made to answer on our river. We think there is little doubt of the fact. As a mode of conveyance between this and Ross, it will have many advantages.
The present road is quite abominable —rough, and all up and down hill, …[and this] journey of ten miles usually occupies three good hours! The Steamer will do the thing in two ; she has plenty of room for stowage; she has a snug cabin ; the sail is quite delightful. The scenery up the Nore and Barrow, though little known, is really some of the most picturesque and beautiful in Ireland, and we dare this attraction alone will induce many persons to avail themselves of the advantage of the steam-boat. Some advertisements on this subject will be found worthy of attention; but we will not dwell on the subject at present further than to hope that fair trial will given the spirited English Gentleman’s undertakings, that it may meet with the success it so really merits.”
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
A Deep Defile Called Glynmore in 1798
Danny Dowling has interviewed and recorded the memories of Glenmore people and sometimes long held family secrets were disclosed including secrets concerning events in the days following the Battle of Ross in June 1798. A contemporary work published in 1801 by Sir Richard Musgrave (1757-1818), an MP for Lismore in the Irish Parliament provides a useful background and sheds some light on Glenmore during the 1798 Rebellion. Musgrave’s work has the unusual title Memoirs of the Different Rebellions in Ireland From the Arrival of the English With a Particular Detail of That Which Broke Out on the 23rd of May 1798; The History of the Conspiracy Which Preceded It, and The Characters of the Principal Actors in It.
For a concise biography of Musgrave see, Waterford Museum or Library of Ireland .
The Battle of Ross commenced at sunrise on the 5th of June 1798 (around 4:30 a.m.) and by all accounts it was a bloody affair. Musgrave wrote that had New Ross fallen the rebels were planning to march on to Waterford. He applauded General Johnson who was in charge of the defence of New Ross and noted that during the battle the General had two horses shot out from under him.
About ten in the morning of the 5th of June, Colonel King marched two divisions of the Roscommon regiment from Waterford to reinforce the garrison of Ross which Musgrave noted was ten miles from Waterford. After he set off Colonel King came upon some deserters from Ross, who informed the Colonel that the Ross Garrison had been overpowered by numbers, exhausted by fatigue, defeated and slaughtered. They said that they fled to Thomastown and Ross had been burned. Given that Glenmore is half way between New Ross and Waterford, and Colonel King did not set off until 10 a.m., and Colonel King had not yet reached Glenmore, it seems likely that the deserters, if they had gone to Thomastown first, had fled New Ross soon after the battle commenced.
The Colonel “determined to do his duty” marched on to a high hill over a deep defile, called Glynmore, in a straight line, about 2 ½ miles from Ross. A defile is a military term that describes a pass or gorge where troops can only march in a narrow column. With a “good glass” the Colonel saw smoke coming from Ross, but could not discern any troops in it. He concluded that the deserters had been correct. The Colonel retreated to Waterford. Musgrave noted that rebels had retired to Corbet Hill in Wexford where they saw the Roscommon regiment. Not realizing that the Roscommon regiment retreated back to Waterford, the rebels believed that the soldiers were reinforcements for New Ross and decided not to renew the attack on New Ross that evening. Mulgrave believed that had they renewed their attack New Ross would have fallen.
The following day Colonel King again marched toward Ross. He brought two battalion guns and a piece of flying artillery. He found the people of County Kilkenny in a state of general insurrection. When he approached Glynmore, “a deep valley, with a river which is crossed by a bridge,” he perceived great numbers of people on all the adjacent hills, who fired signal guns. The rebels at Glynmore had made the bridge impassable, by breaking down one of the arches of the bridge. The soldiers made the bridge passable by laying beams and planks on it. Today, Danny Dowling articulated that he believes the Glynmore bridge mentioned is near the current bridge in what is now the Village of Glynmore. The Gaffney Mill was close to the bridge.
Colonel King sent before his main column his grenadier company along with a piece of artillery. (Today, grenadiers might be called assault troops). Musgrove reports that after a few discharges of the artillery piece a large body of rebels posted on the opposite hill dispersed. The day before, the local rebels captured 25 soldiers and Captain Dillon, of the Dublin regiment who had all deserted Ross. At the first discharge of the artillery the rebels “massacred 15 of the soldiers, and Captain Dillon, whose head they converted into a foot-ball.”
According to Danny Dowling, the local leader of the United Irishmen was William* Gaffney, of the Gaffney Mill in what is now the Village of Glenmore. Danny believes that the next quotation from the Musgrave book refers to William* Gaffney. “One Gaffney, the leader of the assassins (of Captain Dillon and 15 soldiers) was taken and hanged next day at Ross. He was a miller in very good circumstances.” Musgrave throughout his work denounces the idea that the rebellion was in anyway connected to the conditions suffered by the rebelling people, thus he made a point of highlighting the “good circumstances” of several rebels. Today, Danny stated that William* Gaffney was captured at Milebush, in Rosbercon, and was hanged from the old Ross bridge. His body was buried in an unmarked grave in Rosbercon. It was uncovered a century later when the Ross-Waterford railway line was being built and his remains were moved to Kilivory Cemetery in Glenmore Parish.
Also throughout his work Musgrave states that it was discovered that the Kilkenny rebels were to co-operate with the Wexford rebels regarding the attack on Ross, but the Kilkenny rebels “mistook” the day for the attack. He noted that this was fortunate as the Kilkenny rebels if present on the 5th would have cut off a great part of the Ross Garrison when they fled over the bridge, overcome with hunger and fatigue. Obviously this does not make a lot of sense given the fact that the Kilkenny rebels captured Captain Dillion and 25 soldiers on the 5th. Perhaps Musgrave meant that they were not present at the bridge itself.
Musgrave in his appendices provides a great deal of information concerning court martial trials that took place later in 1798. In a court martial held in Waterford on the 6th of July Garret Murphy confessed before some magistrates that John Forrestall, publican at New Ross, told him that the rebel army would march through the county of Kilkenny to Waterford, if the King’s troops were beaten at Ross. Two other court martials held on the 14th of June and on the 23rd of July in Waterford proved that Walter Power, Richard Connolly and James Hynes, went to the house of Mr. Valentine Lannagan, of Charlestown (Parish of Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny) with other rebels on the 7th of June. Lannagan overhead the men state that had it not been for the cannon, they would have cut off the Roscommon regiment, on the 6th of June, as two thousand United Irishmen had assembled in Glanmore (sic) to stop reinforcements reaching Ross.
Danny today noted that several local families reported to him that their ancestors heard the Battle of Ross. Danny recorded in Notebook 13 that a monument tree stood on the bounds of John Grennan and John Cotterell’s farms in Ballycurrin (Rosbercon) and Ballycroney (Glenmore). This tree marks the spot where Captain Dillon of the Roscommon Militia was killed and buried during the 1798 Rebellion. Pat Cody, of Ballycroney, Glenmore, in November 1955 told Danny that Captain Dillon was killed in Harmon (Cody’s) field in Ballycroney. The site of the grave is presently marked by a sycamore tree. Also, there were three British soldiers killed and buried in Hogan’s rath in Weatherstown after the Battle of Ross.
Tommy Cotterell, of Ballycroney, told Danny in 1971 that Old Paddy Mullally of Ballycroney told him that Paddy’s grandmother brought sups of water and buttermilk to the dying soldiers in Ballycroney, at the time of Captain Dillon’s death. It was often repeated that a lot of soldiers were killed in the Ballycroney area at the time of the Battle of Ross.
Bartley Holden, of Clune, Glenmore told Danny in February 1980 that in 1942 or 1943 Walter Holden, whilst ploughing in a field over Tobair a Tsagairt (Priest’s Well), ploughed up the skull of an English soldier. It fell into pieces when it was disturbed. Years before his grandfather had dug up the shin bone of a man. The grave was under a bank against the ditch of the road in a field known as “Soldier’s Field.” Local tradition provides that this soldier was at the Battle of Ross in 1798. He was wounded, and strayed out into the country. The Kneefes, of Ballycroney, took in the soldier and nursed him. One day when he was better he saw a group of English soldiers approaching and he threatened he would get the soliders to burn down the house. As he ran away the Kneefes followed him, and on overtaking him, they killed him with a spade and buried him. In 1980 the field was on Peggie Holden’s farm in Ballycroney, adjacent to the Ballygurin-Ballycurran Road.
Pat Cody, of Ballycroney, in his November 1955 interview revealed a similar account. Kneefe’s owned the farm in Ballycroney now occupied by Hennessy’s and Fitzgeralds. The Kneefe family lived where Lukey Fitz is now. This house was burned in 1798 by a stray British solider after the Battle of Ross. It appears that they gave him lodging and when leaving he set fire to the house. They followed and killed him in the field under Boland’s where he is buried under the headland adjoining the road.
Ballycroney wasn’t the only area of Glenmore where soldiers were killed and buried after the Battle of Ross. Nicholas, Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill, in November 1977 told Danny that there is a British Army Officer buried in the Power corner of Barron’s Field in Graiguenakill, down Kehoe’s Lane. On the evening of the Battle of Ross, or the day after, the officer rode a horse down to Kehoes and asked if he was on the right road to Waterford. The Officer was on his own, and he got down off the horse. He was armed and had a sword. From what Kehoe observed he appeared to be acting suspiciously and asked Kehoe to give him a leg up, which he did. Kehoe got afraid then, and he gave him a shot out over the horse. The officer fell and broke his neck. Kehoe then buried him, and kept the horse.
Perhaps the most unusual local 1798 story recorded by Danny was that of Wattie Power, of Jamestown, in 1956. Wattie’s great-grandfather was an elderly man during the Battle of Ross and lived in the house down the Ling Lane (Poll Guide Lane as it was formerly called). He was bedridden for several years before the Battle. One day two soldiers came down the lane and called into the house. The daughter of the house gave them a meal. After the meal one of them said he wanted to go down to the room, and she refused to let him down to the room. A violent struggle ensued and she bested him. The other soldier then stood up and said you got what you wanted and now you’re not satisfied. So come on now or you will get the contents of this meaning his rifle which he took in his hand. They both then went away. Wattie’s great-grandfather, who was in the bed, got an awful fright. Shortly afterwards when the soldiers were coming again his sons decided they would have to run for it. When they were going into the long bog they looked back and saw their elderly father coming in over the ditch from the road. He wasn’t up out of the bed for years. This reflects how terrified the people were at that period.
Locally, William* Gaffney although hanged was labelled a traitor and William* Gaffney will be the subject of a future blog.
The statue of the pikeman above is located in Wexford Town.
*On 29 February 2020 Danny asked me to correct the first name of the Gaffney man who was the South Kilkenny leader in the 1798 Rebellion. His name was William and he had a son named Nicholas. Apologies for any and all confusion. In the Links page a link is listed to an article Danny wrote in 1983 and published in Decies concerning William Gaffney.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANNY!
Today, the 15th of February 2020, is Danny Dowling’s 93rd birthday. When I visited Danny today he was enjoying his birthday cake with a number of family and friends. Danny while reflecting on his age stated that this week the theme of the blog should be, “Time Marches On.” He indicated that instead of one subject we should highlight interesting facts from across his notebooks and I’ve included interesting historical facts that Danny provided over the last few months.
Waterford Stable–Before automobiles Glenmore people who drove their ass or horse into Waterford went to a yard where later the Metropole was built. At this yard the Glenmore people would park their cart, and stable their horse or ass. If their business would take some time they might bring oats and hay to be fed to the animal while they transacted their business.
City of Waterford–At the turn of the 20th century the City of Waterford had its own abattoir on Morrison’s Road.
How Danny Met Mollie–Danny Dowling met his wife, Mollie Lambert (1926-2015) when he was a patient in the fever hospital in New Ross. Mollie was a nurse. Maureen Walsh, of Rochestown, Glenmore was working with Mollie and introduced her to Danny. Danny and Molly were married in Marshalstown, Enniscorthy and Danny’s brother Michael Dowling was his best man.
Kilcolumb Churchyard of Rathinure–Lots of Glenmore people from the western side of the parish went to work in Waterford, and until the mid 1800’s returned to be buried in Kilcolumb churchyard long after the church was converted to Protestant use and fell into ruins.
Glenmore Creamery–At one time there was a saw mill and canteen in the Glenmore Creamery.
Kearneybay–The settlement of Kearneybay, originally was down nearer the river.
Glenmore’s Last Native Irish Speaker–Patsy Power, of Jamestown, Glenmore, was the last native Irish speaker and died in 1947.
Nicholas [correction William] Gaffney, of Glenmore Village–was executed in Ross on 6 June 1798. He was involved in the 1798 Rebellion, was captured and hanged from the old New Ross bridge. [Correction 1 March 2020–Nicholas Gaffney was William’s son. A link to Danny’s 1983 published article on William Gaffney may be found on the Link’s page.]
Post Box House, Aylwardstown–The cottage that was located behind the wall containing the Aylwardstown post box was sometimes referred to as the Gate Lodge (to Aylwardstown House) or later it was often called the Post Box House. Danny identified three known families that resided in the house. Wattie Power, the post man, was reared there. The Halligan’s or Hannon’s lived in the house as well as the Irish family.
The Building of Mullaly’s House in Forristalstown–Michael Dowling, of Forristalstown, Glenmore in 1980 informed Danny that the stones of 13 dwelling-houses went to build Mullaly’s house in Forristalstown. [DD Notebook 1]
Summer of 1907–Danny copied the diary of James Aylward, of Ballyhobuck, Glenmore. In the diary it was noted that Summer of 1907 was one of the wettest in years. The harvest was out in the fields until the latter end of November. [DD Notebook 2]
Mick Keegan, from Runaway to WWI Veteran and Ross Publican–Dan Doyle, formally of Ballyverneen, Glenmore was interviewed by Danny in 1980. Dan Doyle worked on the railway and he provided information concerning Mick Keegan. Mick Keegan, was the son the station master in Aylwardstown, Glenmore. Mick Keegan ran away from home and was missing. At the time that Mick Keegan ran away his father had not become the station master in Rathgarogue. Tim McMahon, of Rathgarogue, then a member of the Irish Guards in England wrote home to say that a Mick Keegan was in the Irish Guards. It turned out the man in question was in fact the missing son of Keegan the stationmaster. Mick Keegan won the King’s Cup at Bisley, in the championship shooting before the First World War. This award enabled him to gain admission to every Irish Guards’ club in any part of the world. He was in the infantry. When the Royal Flying Corps was being established they were recruiting tradesmen and technicians. Mick Keegan joined as a carpenter. He rose to the rank of major, and was in the First World War. When the war ended, Keegan came back to Ross where he bought a public house where Maher’s Bakery was located in 1980. Keegan ran this with his wife until the Second World War started. He rejoined the Royal Air Force. [DD Notebook 3]
Quintal of Fish–Professor John Mannion, St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1976 informed Danny that a quintal (qntl) of fish is 112 pounds of fish. The word quintal is a middle English word used in the Newfoundland fish business. [DD Notebook 4]
Newtown, Glenmore–Nicky Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill, Glenmore was interviewed by Danny in 1957 and revealed that Newtown, Glenmore, is the old town of Kilmakevoge. Old Micky McGrath of Newtown told Nicky Forristal that the people lived in Killivory at first. They had a dispute with the landlord and when they moved they settled in Newtown hence the name. [DD Notebook 5]
Tombstone Inscriptions Recorded in St. Mary’s (Protestant) Graveyard of New Ross–In 1978 Danny recorded a number of inscriptions from headstones in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Here is one of the inscriptions. [DD Notebook 6]
Under this stone lie the remains of Margaret O’Donovan
Who died ripe in years and virtue
A.D. 1859
Christians who read this say
God give rest to her soul
Dog’s Road of Gurteens, Slieverue–Michael Cuddihy, formerly of Gurteens, was interviewed by Danny in 1980. Michael stated that at one time, long before the famine, a big lot of houses stood along the side of this road. A priest who had been appointed to Slieverue parish, was out on visitation and as he was passing this road, he found dogs in every house, and all of them were barking at him. He thereupon named the road “Dog’s Road.” Dog’s Road is situated in the townland of Gurteens, and Hackett, of Glasshouse, was the Landlord of the area and the houses in question. Hackett was not satisfied with the tenants, and he arranged with Boyd, of Ross, to have all the houses burned. This foul deed was executed on a Sunday morning when all the occupants were at mass. The ruins were later pulled down by horses and swings supplied by a family known as the “Gosh Walsh’s,” who had land in Gurteens. This family later lived in the lodge in Ringville. Among those who lived in the burned houses were Walshs, Powers and Lyons. [DD Notebook 7]
Waterford Street Fountains–Danny interview in 1971 James Ryan, Foreman Plumber, of Waterford Corporation. James stated that there were 300 street fountains in Waterford City when he came to work with the Corporation on the 19th of January 1931. There were also stand pipes for filling the water carts and about half a dozen of those still remained in 1931. [DD Notebook 8]
Kilkenny Assizes, notes from the Waterford Mail, 28 March 1825–Kilkenny, March 26, –the chief Justice arrived here on Friday evening, and on Saturday morning, at the usual time the Grand Jury was sworn. The charge was short. He congratulated the County on the state of the calendar, and the prospect of peace before us. No very important trials are expected. Two only for murder. Five o’clock—a man to be transported 14 years for having a 30 s., note no. 71,699, in his possession—knowing it to be forged. Another to be transported 7 years for robbing his master of a beam, for scales. [DD Notebook 10]
Buffalo Bill Circus Played Glenmore–Nicholas Forristal during a 1972 interview stated that he saw Buffalo Bill’s Circus in J.K’s field (over the Mill Road). They stayed one night there over fifty years ago. The night was bad and the crowd was small. At the start of the show it was stated, “We will do our best, the very best, and the best can do no more.” [DD Notebook 11]
Prices During the Economic Wars–In an undated interview with Nicky Walsh, of Grogan, Davidstown, Glenmore prices during the economic war of the 1930’s were recorded. Heifers aged 2 ½ years old were sold for £5 a piece; slaughter young calves sold for 10/= each and fat pigs sold for £1 each. [DD Notebook 12]
Update—over the past couple of weeks a second guest author’s paper was added, under the Irish menu pages have been added for field names and entries have been added to links and families.
Special thanks to Jacqueline Walsh for the old photo of the Post Box house and Louise Walsh for the photo of Kilcolumb Churchyard.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Murder on the Hill of Glenmore
As highlighted in a previous blog post–on the 8th of March 1833, Joseph Leonard, of Waterford, was stoned to death on the Hill of Glenmore about 3 miles from New Ross in Shanbogh Townland on the old Coach Road.
The Murder: Account I
In 1980 Danny Dowling interviewed Patrick Hennessy, of Hoodsgrove, Rosbercon concerning the murder of the landlord Joseph Leonard in 1833. According to Patrick his mother’s people were the same Malone’s that were involved in the murder. Patrick went on to explain that Master Moore, the National teacher, stated that there was a mill in Kilbrahan townland of Rosbercon. Meany who was executed for the murder of Joseph Leonard, along with the Malones lived on a farm where the mill was situated. According to Patrick Hennessy, Meany was thrown out of the farm before Leonard’s murder.
On the day of the murder, one of the Malone men was home on leave from the British army. He was a veteran of some wars. He said to the mother, Mrs. Malone, who was a Treacy born in Ballymagill, that if Leonard the landlord was living where he had been he would be murdered. Mrs. Malone said in reply, “Why can’t ye do away with him?” She was putting down the spuds for the dinner when her two sons went off to kill the landlord. When they returned she said, “Ye are bad men to take so long to kill him.” Later, she claimed not to have known that they had gone to kill Leonard. The Cashins lived at Shambogh, and a Cashin girl, “gave the game away.” One of the Malone brothers escaped and when he was caught, he was strapped to the wrists and made to walk or dragged between two mounted horse soldiers. In this way he either walked or was dragged to jail. More than likely it was the way he was conveyed to jail when arrested. After the trials the Malone family on their farm in Kilhalan got it tough.
The Murder: Account II
A second oral history of the murder was provided by Ned Fortune and was recorded and can be found in the Folklore Commission. According to this account Joseph Leonard was the landlord of Kilbrahan, a small townland to the north of Shanbogh. Although Joseph Leonard lived in Waterford he was in the habit of traveling to New Ross a few times a week. By all accounts Joseph Leonard was a “good man” and there was “no reason for killing him.”
Leonard was murdered on the 8th March 1833, where the Old Coach Road just enters Shanbogh. A lime-kiln is close to the spot. Leonard was beaten to death, the horse then galloped toward Ross till the body was observed hanging out of the chaise or car. A man named Cassin gave information to the police, and they went to a house in Kilbrahan of a man named Meaney. The police found the whip of the murdered Leonard. This evidence was regarded as conclusive and Meaney was sentenced to be hanged.
The Execution
The scaffold was erected at the scene of the murder. The hanging was witnessed by thousands of people. Mrs Greene recalled her grandmother telling of how she dressed up in her best for the occasion and went off to witness the execution. The place of execution and murder in now known as Leonard’s Corner. A man named Malone was also convicted of the murder. He escaped at the time, but twelve months later was arrested in Tipperary. He was brought to Kilkenny Gaol and later executed outside it. Cassin, the informer, was given money by the government to leave the country, he did, and was never heard from again.
Contempoary Newspaper Accounts
Danny has collected a large number of copies of contemporary newspaper articles that give further and often conflicting information concerning the murder, trial and executions. Similar to what often happens today with the media linking crime to terrorism some contemporary newspaper linked the murder to agrarian eviction violence. The Battle of Carrickshock occurred on the 14th of December 1832 and was fought over the imposition of Tithes for the upkeep of the Church of Ireland on Catholics and other Protestants. The Battle resulted in several of the police being killed. Most of the contemporary newspapers articles did not link the murder of Joseph Leonard to the White Feet, Carrickshock or any other cause.
The Murder
According to the contemporary newspaper accounts, Joseph Leonard left Waterford in high spirits at 11 in the morning for New Ross on the 8th of March 1833. He was on his way to New Ross to arrange to sell some “distrained” cattle belonging to a tenant. The sale was to take place on the 9th of March. It was reported that £125 of rent was overdue and Joseph Leonard offered to settle for the sum of £80, but the tenant refused. Joseph Leonard was described as an inoffensive gentleman. At 2 or 3 in the afternoon Joseph Leonard was walking alongside his horse that was pulling the gig up the hill of Glenmore.
As he walked along Joseph Leonard was attacked in an area where there were several houses nearby. According to Danny the nearby lime kiln became known as the murdering kiln because of the murder. A blunderbuss was fired at Joseph Leonard, but it missed. He was taken by three men who broke his right arm and they put his head on a low adjacent wall and beat his head with stones until he was dead. The killers then cut off his left ear. His corpse was placed in the gig and large stones were placed in front of the wheels to keep the horse from moving. Some accounts provide that the Wexford Car came along and brought the gig and corpse into Ross. Other accounts provide that a “country boy” came along and brought the gig and corpse into Ross. Joseph Leonard’s death is recorded in the Roman Catholic Parish records thus indicating that the newspaper accounts stating that the murdered man was a Catholic landlord were correct.
Arrests
Joseph Leonard’s corpse was returned to Waterford on the 11th of March 1833 and buried according to Danny in the St. Patrick’s cemetery of Ballybricken. A quick hunt through the cemetery on the 7th of February 2020 did not result in his grave being discovered. The newspaper articles record that the Kilkenny magistrate, Henry Alcock, Esq. acting on information received, from what was described as two children named Cashin, arrested four men at the funeral. Other newspaper articles provide that Magistrate Alcock arrested only one man at the funeral, Philip Malone, of Kilbrahon, Rosbercon. Eventually three men and one woman were charged in connection with the murder of Joseph Leonard.
Defendants Philip Malone and his mother
Philip Malone and his mother Mary Malone stood trial in Kilkenny in March 1834 and although Mary Malone was acquitted Philip Malone was convicted. He was sentenced to be executed by hanging in chains. The grand jury petitioned the court to allow the execution to be carried out at the place of the murder. The principal witnesses at the trial were: James Roche, a boy of 14, who witnessed “the transaction,” and James Cashen, aged 18, who gave King’s evidence as an approver. Apparently James Cashen was hired by Malone to kill Joseph Leonard. Another witness named in newspaper articles was Richard Cashen whose age is not revealed.
On the 17th of March 1834 Philip Malone was taken from Kilkenny City and transported to the place of the murder and hanged at 1 o’clock in the afternoon. Newspapers accounts provide that Philip Malone conducted himself in an exemplary manner and acknowledged the justice of his sentence. The execution was well attended and there was little sympathy expressed for the condemned. Philip Malone was described as a “remarkable as a man of great physical prowess.”
Defendant Patrick Meany
Patrick Meany, a neighbour, attended the hanging of Philip Malone and later while drinking in a public house was arrested by Magistrate Esmond of Kilkenny. Patrick Meany believed that because he did not do the actual killing he could not be convicted of a crime. Danny believes that Patrick Meany was originally from Robinstown, in Glenmore. Due to a land dispute he moved to Rosbercon. Patrick Meany stood trial in Kilkenny city for conspiring to murder Joseph Leonard. He too was convicted and sentenced to hang at the place of the murder. According to newspaper accounts an immense number of country people assembled and covered the surrounding hills around the place of the murder to witness the execution.
The condemned man left Kilkenny City on the 7th of August 1834 at 6:30 in the morning in a chaise chair. Just prior to execution he prayed and asked the attending priest to speak for him. The priest said that Patrick Meany asked him to convey that Meany was sorry for the expression he used against the prosecutor when he was convicted and hoped the people would pray to God to pardon him. Patrick Meany was described as being about 45 years of age, 5 feet 8 inches tall and of “Herculean make.” Although he was described as in “comfortable circumstances” he was dressed like a common labourer. The newspaper accounts noted that he was a widower, and left five children orphans. His eldest child was a daughter who was 18 and attended her father’s execution with her father’s sister and his son aged 14 also attended.
Aftermath of Executions
The night after the execution of Patrick Meany, four men attacked and stoned to death a soldier just outside New Ross. All four men were arrested.
The stigma to the families of the convicted murders continued for some time. Danny recorded in a 1974 interview of Nicholas Forristal, of Graiguenakill, Glenmore an incident that occurred near the Glenmore Parish Priest’s house in Robinstown. Father Aylward, the Parish Priest, asked a beggar if he “…was anything to Meany who killed Leonard the Landlord.” The beggar responded by asking Father Aylward, “How near related are you to the Belekums, who killed the girl on the mountain and buried her in a bog?”
The Victim
Very little information is recorded concerning the murdered Mr. Leonard. His age is not recorded and there is no indication that he was married at the time he was murdered.
House of Commons’ Account
In attempting to try to find information concerning the brother of Philip Malone, I came across perhaps the most unusual contemporary account of the murder conspiracy in the Evidence on Drunkeness: Presented to the House of Commons (1834) by James Silk Buckingham. In this account Philip Malone when the guilty verdict was rendered against him pointed to his 80 year old mother who shared the dock with him and said, “Yes, my Lord, I am guilty. She is the cause of it.” It was reported that his mother agreed to the price of the blood to be shed by her two sons. She watched Joseph Leonard approach and handed the pistol to her son. Malone was startled, “How can I murder the poor gentleman?” His mother called him a coward and handed him the remains of a ½ pint of whiskey which he drank and then went and killed his landlord.
Special thanks to Louise Walsh for the photos taken in St. Patrick’s Church Yard, Ballybricken, Waterford City.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Glenmore and the New Ross to Waterford Railway Line
The Dublin Wicklow and Wexford Railway Company built the Dublin to New Ross line in stages down the coast. Dan Doyle, formerly of Ballyverneen told Danny Dowling in 1977 that the Bagnalstown station opened in 1848 and the railway bridge and tunnel between Ballywilliam and New Ross were built in 1885. The date is on the Kilkenny side of the bridge. It was in 1887 that the first train arrived in New Ross from Dublin.
Danny explained today, that planning for the building of a railway line between New Ross and Waterford commenced about the time the New Ross station opened. Originally the Glenmore station on the line was to have been built in Ballyverneen nearer the Glenmore Village. The landlords, Strange, of Aylwardstown House and Conn, of Mount Ida, lobbied and got the Glenmore station placed in Aylwardstown nearer their estates and further from Glenmore Village. Work began from the New Ross end of the Ross-Waterford line in 1899 and the line was opened in 1904. Although the Ross-Waterford line connected New Ross and Waterford City, the New Ross station was in Rosbercon, Kilkenny and the Waterford City station was in Ferrybank, Kilkenny.
Dan Doyle in his 1977 interview explained his family connections to the building of the railways. His grandfather, Dan Doyle of Ballywilliam, was the first of the family to work on the railway. He was a ganger on the Ballywilliam line and lived in the crossing gate house known as the Red House from the colour of its roof. Dan Doyle’s father, Ned Doyle, used to bring “grub” to Dan’s two elder brothers, Jack and Tom, when they were building the railway bridge between Ballywilliam and Ross. Later, Ned Doyle was responsible for a section of the Ross-Waterford railway line. A length of railway line was 3 ½ miles plus crossings and sidings. Ned Doyle’s section was from the station gates in Rosbercon to the Forristalstown Bridge in Glenmore. He had four men under him: Murt Cashin, of Mudhouse; Willie (Crows) Forristal; Tom Mullally and Bill Fortune, all of Shambogh.
During the building of the Ross-Waterford Railway line there was an influx of strangers into Glenmore and at least one skeleton was discovered. In 1977 Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill, Glenmore told Danny that a body was dug up during the building of the railway at Rosbercon. At the time it was said that the corpse was that of Nicholas* Gaffney of Glenmore Village. Nicholas* Gaffney lived in the late 18th century in the house [next to the house]* now occupied by Danny Dowling in Glenmore Village. Nicholas* Gaffney participated in the 1798 Rebellion, was captured, was hanged from the New Ross bridge and it was said that his body was buried in unconsecrated ground near the bridge by the British authorities.
*Corrections–Danny on 29 February 2020 asked that corrections be made. The first name of the man hanged in 1798 was William Gaffney. Nicholas Gaffney was a son of William Gaffney. A link to Danny’s 1983 article concerning William Gaffney may be found on the Link’s page.
Shortly after railway workers dug up the body in Rosbercon, Jim Comerford, of Ballyhale, Kilkenny was killed in the Shambogh cutting. Nicholas Forristal in a 1963 interview revealed that a man named O’Donnel was the ganger in charge of the work crew.
In addition to the obvious impacts on the landscape such as bridges and tracks cutting through fields and dividing farms, there were some subtle impacts. For example, in 1980 Richard Dunphy of Ballyverneen informed Danny that there is a field on Denis Dwyer’s farm in Ballyverneen that still bears the name it acquired during the building of the Ross-Waterford railway line. The 25 acre field comprised of a long, narrow strip of land was called the Magazine because powder and explosives were stored in it. Patrick Forristal, of Graiguenakill in 1980 also told Danny that when the Ross-Waterford railway was built, the line of track cut across the double ditch at Ballyverneen. This double ditch was used for a considerable time as a Mass Path for the people of Forristalstown to walk to mass in Glenmore. At this point of intersection, the railway company provided a wooden footbridge, to link both sides of the double ditch.
With the coming of the railway came the workers and businesses attempted to cash in on their steady incomes. Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, in 1972 described some of the entertainment that travelled to Glenmore. He identified McCormack’s Show as a stage show that annually came to Glenmore. “A family concern they gave months here at one time during the building of the Ross-Waterford Railway line.” They used to set up at the back of Peggy Gaffney’s house in Glenmore Village.
Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, in his 1977 interview identified and discussed some of the navies (laborers) who came to Glenmore during the building of the railway. Christy Lennon was a navie. He brought with him his wife, son Paddy and daughter Maryanne who was then about 30 years of age. Fred Bell, also a navie, was a native of Wexford Town. He brought his wife, daughter and son-in-law with him driving an ass and car. They lived for a long time in the wood in Ballyverneen. Bell left and went across the road on to railway property. Bell built a sod hut. All the walls were built of sods, reeds were on the roof, a hole in the wall for a window, the bare earth for a floor and a sod chimney with a railway sleeper holding up the chimney breast. There was a hole in the roof for the chimney. There was a kind of door. They slept on bags of straw and at night they stuffed the window with a bag of straw. Paddy English was Bell’s son-in-law. Another navie on the railway was a man named Coughlan who also built a sod hut in the same area nearer to the marsh. Hamilton Dick was a ganger on the railway and Hamilton Jim worked on the railway. They lived in Glenmore during the building of the railway and later moved to Rosbercon.
In the same interview Nicholas Forristal stated that Peter Kennedy of Rathinure told him that Kennedy and his cousins the Heffernan’s of Aylwardstown got a wagon of 11 tons of coal delivered at Aylwardstown Station shortly after the railway line opened. They paid 11/6 per ton carriage paid from Morrises of Waterford. It was the first wagon of coal delivered at Aylwardstown Station in 1904.
Mernagh has become a well known name in Glenmore. The Glenmore Mernaghs can trace their arrival to John Mernagh who was known as Jack. He was a ganger with the railway and according to the 3 April 1911 Census for Ballyverneen, Glenmore, he and his family arrived in Glenmore in about 1906. Jack Mernagh died in the autumn of 1911. According to his granddaughter Jo Doyle née Mernagh he came home from work, ate his supper and went out to help a neighbour named Forristal with the threshing. He was on the thresher feeding the oats into the machine when he lost his footing and fell into the machine. He was only on the machine for about 10 minutes when he was killed. The 1911 Census reveals that he was 53 years of age and had been married to Mary (aged 42) for 26 years. They were both born in Wexford and were the parents of 16 children, but only 12 of the children were alive in 1911. The ten children living with them in 1911 included: Patrick, aged 23; John, aged 21; James, aged 19; Stephen, aged 17; Bartholomew, aged 13; Thomas, aged 10; Adain, aged 8; Nicholas, aged 6; Mary, aged 5 and Lizzie, aged 3. The eldest three boys were employed as railway miler men and Stephen was employed as an agricultural labourer. All the children except Mary and Lizzie were born in Wexford. The 1911 census records that there were 12 members of this family living in a three room house owned by the Dublin and South East Railway.
On the same page of the Census also living in a three room house owned by the railway is the James Delaney family. James was 26 years of age and was a native of the Queen’s County. He was married for 3 years to his 23 year old wife Kate and the couple had two children. Patrick Delaney, age 2, born in Kilkenny and Mary Delaney, aged 9 months.
In 1919, Dan Doyle first went to work in a temporary capacity in New Ross station. The stationmaster was Daniel O’Brien a native of Bray. He had three clerks on goods side, one clerk on passenger side. There was a herd porter, checker, four porters and generally an extra man. There were also two platform porters, two signalmen and one night watchman.
New Ross in 1919 was a busy station, everything went by rail—people, food, and cattle. On the week before the Fair, 100 wagons were brought to Ross. Each of these had to be cleaned, washed, disinfected and whitewashed. The night before a fair a Dublin Special Train arrived with 30 wagons. The morning of the fair the Wexford Special with 30 wagons arrived and at least two specials from Waterford arrived with each Waterford train having 30 wagons. In May and October, when the big fairs occurred, three special trains would arrive the morning of the fair from Waterford.
The fixed time table of train arrivals and departures 100 years ago was:
6:30 A.M. IN…Goods train from Wexford
8:30 A.M. IN…Night goods train from Dublin.
9:30 A.M. Dep… Night food from Dublin with passengers from Ross de/. for Waterford
8:10 A.M. Passenger train out of Waterford. IN… at 8:30 in Ross.
10:25 A.M. IN…Mail, Passenger from Dublin.
11:05 A.M. Passenger out of Waterford. IN… at 11/30.
2:15 P.M. Passenger from Waterford for Dublin. IN…at 3:40.
3:15 P.M. Mail out of Waterford for Dublin. IN… at 3:40.
6:15 P.M. Mixed train to Waterford. Dep passenger and foods
5:05 P.M. Dep. Waterford food. Arrive Ross at 5:50.
Today, Danny stated that he often travelled by train from Waterford to Glenmore. He recalls that the trip between Waterford and New Ross took about 30 minutes. He believes that passengers trains stopped running in 1963 and freight continued, but all trains ceased in the early 1990’s. Danny has a list of the stationmasters of the Aylwardstown station and as soon as he can locate the list he will share it.
Special thanks to Jacqueline Walsh for the old photos of the Aylwardstown Station and the photo of the steam engine is from the National Library of Ireland.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh