Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025

On the 27th of March 1971, Danny Dowling (1927-2021) interviewed Tom Jones (1905-1978) of Glenmore Village. The interview is only three paragraphs, but it does appear to answer the question of when the stream that once was the border between the townlands of Graiguenakill and Robinstown was altered in the Village.

Tom Jones’s Parents and Maternal Grandparents

Tom’s parents were George Jones (c. 1866-1945) and Bridget Murphy (1870-1945). Tom’s parents died within two months of each other. Tom’s maternal grandmother was Mrs. Mary Murphy (b.c. 1831) of Moulerstown. His maternal grandfather was Patrick Murphy (c. 1835-1912). According to Tom his grandmother’s maiden name was Rigby. She was born near Cat’s Rock, Glenmore. She worked on the building of the road from Glenmore to Tom Connolly’s. It is assumed that this referred to Tom Connolly, of the Mile Post. In any event, Mary was paid 2d per day for her work on the road.

Tom believed that his grandmother may have been married twice. He thought her first husband was Laurence Hartley’s father. A review of parish records provides that Laurence Hartley was born in 1901 to Laurence Hartley and Mary Murphy. The couple were married in 1888 in Rosbercon. This Mary Murphy was the daughter of James Murphy. Tom’s grandparents were married in 1869. However, it was his grandfather, Patrick Murphy, who was married twice not his grandmother.

According to Tom his grandparents met when Mary Rigby went on “binding operations down in his country” which he referred to as Iverk. On 30 September 1869, at Slieverue, Mary Rigby of Molarstown (sic) married Patrick Murphy (c.1838-1912) (widower) of Ballynooney East (Mullinavat?). Their fathers were recorded as Laurence Rigby (deceased farm labourer) and James Murphy (farm labourer).

1911 Census

Two children were born to this union. Tom’s mother, Bridget Murphy, was born in 1870 and his uncle, Jack Murphy, was born in 1872. In the 1911 Census, Mary Murphy née Rigby stated that she was 80 and her husband Patrick Murphy reported he was 76. The couple resided in Moulerstown, and their son Jack (aged 38) and his growing family lived next door.

The Death of Patrick Murphy in Glenmore Village

Tom stated in his interview that his grandfather, Pat Murphy was over 80 when he died. He was at the Jones house in the Village “when he got bad in Dunnes Workshop, Cappagh on a Good Friday. The same day a bridge was being built in the Village.” Mick Walsh, of the “Masonry Walsh’s,” [of Haggard] was on the building of the bridge. When Pat Murphy died he discontinued the work for the day. A death cert was located for Patrick Murphy. He died on 5 April 1912 of aortic regurgitation. His daughter Bridget Jones was present when he died. In 1912, Good Friday did fall on 5 April. Tom was only 7 years old when his grandfather died.

Moving the Stream in Glenmore Village

In his interview notes Danny wrote, “Before that time the water ran down in front of our house in the Village.” We believe that the stream that ran from the Creamery down into the Village ran in front of Danny’s house and was re-routed to meet the stream coming from Mullinahone at what is now the pub side of the bridge. There are two upstream arches visible from the Coach House. One is for the Mullinahone stream that once powered Gaffney’s Mill and the other is for the stream that flows from the Creamery down under the Vee Road, through what was Fluskey’s field behind Hanrahan’s, under Barry Jones’s drive, out next to the late Marita Cummings home and under the road where the Robinstown Road meets the Churns Road.

Tom also explained that the Dunne’s Workshop was for carpenters and it was located in an old house that once stood in Patsy Ryan’s yard [near where Pauline Power now lives].

See our post of 23 May 2020 regarding the pollution of the Village pumps within 2 decades.

Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh