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