19th Century
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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 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
Santa and Driving Out the Hunger in Glenmore
Christmas
To date 19 of Danny Dowling’s notebooks have been transcribed. Within the 19 transcribed notebooks there is very little recorded regarding Christmas or New Year’s in Glenmore during earlier times. However, in 1969 Danny Dowling interviewed Nicholas Forristal (1888-1979) of The Mill, Graiguenakill, Glenmore. Nicholas Forristal is usually referred to by Danny as “Nicky the Miller.” Nicky informed Danny that in his childhood there was no Santa Clause. Children before the First World War in Glenmore did not believe in Santa and he “did not come around.”
During Nicky’s youth the emphasis at Christmas was on “plenty of grub, steak and beef.” The grocers with whom people dealt gave big hampers to their customers at Christmas. Nicky recalled that his uncle, Billy Forristal of Ballyverneen, Glenmore, one Christmas received ½ a gallon of whiskey as a Christmas gift from Stevenson’s the Grocer’s in North St., New Ross, where Mace was located in 1969.
New Year’s
In a 1958 interview Nicky the Miller discussed a custom entitled “driving away the hunger,” which was performed on New Year’s Eve. He noted that it was practiced all over the parish of Glenmore during his youth and other parishes in “his father’s time.” Nicky’s father was Patrick Forristal, (1849-1931) of The Mill, Graiguenakill, Glenmore. Nicky’s father was born during the Famine. Paddy Forristal performed this custom each New Year’s Eve during Nicky’s youth.
The procedure for “driving away the hunger” began with a griddle of oaten bread being baked on the fire. The cake when baked was divided into 4 pieces. The head of the house took one portion in his hand, stood up from the table and walked to the front door, and as he struck the back of the door with the bread he recited the following verse three times:
Fógramég, Fógraméy, Gortamac,
Anoct Go Blén Anoct
Agus Anoct Féinye
Ó Faireac Go Deíreac
Igír na Torcac
Na Gort Gan Bolenstóce
[Update 25 November 2023–Thanks to Trish Bradfield for sending a translation for this old Irish verse. “Tell me, tell them, about the Famine tonight, and all year from my heart that no hunger goes untold, from here on in.”]
After each time the verse was recited everyone in the house would stand up and give a shout. After completion of ceremony, all in the house would get bit of the lump of bread used for striking the door. All in the house would then sit down and eat the bread with a jug of milk.
It was said that at driving away the hunger ceremonies in the Rower area the hunger was driven to Woodstock.
On behalf of Glenmore-History.com we wish you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year with plenty of “good grub!”
The drawing of Santa above was done by Thomas Nast in 1881 and entitled “Merry Old Santa Claus.”
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Glenmore Folk Remedies For Humans & Animals
From the beginning of time people have attempted to treat illnesses with home or folk remedies. Today, many of the remedies that were employed 100 years ago may be unknown to most of us. In 1955, Walter Power of Jamestown, Glenmore was interviewed by Danny Dowling regarding folk remedies that Wattie observed prior to 1900.
Three times over the door or Trí hárd don doras
This was a rite to cure weakness or sudden illness and was observed in the parish of Glenmore down to about 1895. This remedy consisted of kneeling on the doorstep with one knee on each side of the trestle and at the same time picking a wee bit of dust from the outside of the threshold and dropping it into a small drop of water in a cup which was held in one hand. Another pinch of dust was taken from the middle of the top of the threshold and likewise deposited into the water. The third and final pinch was taken from the floor inside the threshold. When this was deposited into the water, the water was given to the sick person to drink three sups of it whilst what was left of it was emptied on the back of the fire in the kitchen. Wattie reported that this remedy never failed to revive a sick person. It used to be given to a person with amackum (bad appearance).
Cure for Rickets
Another cure which was in vogue up to about 1895, was that for rickets. This consisted of getting an ass and bringing him into the kitchen and giving him something to eat. The patient had to creep right under his (the ass’s) belly from one side to the other and back again. Then the patient went round to the ass’s head whence he crawled between the front legs right under it, and out under the hind legs and again back in under the hind and out beneath the front. This was repeated three times and corresponded to making the sign of the cross three times. Wattie Power told Danny that he went through this treatment when young and remembered it vividly.
In 1975, Danny Dowling interviewed his brother-in-law Tom Barron of Ballyconway, Thomastown, regarding some folk remedies that Tom had witnessed people use.
Measles
A cure or treatment for measles was sheep saffron (dung) and white wine mixed together. The mixture was then given to the patient to drink.
Warts
If you happened to find a stone with a hole in it containing water that water could be rubbed on warts to get rid of the warts. It was always a cure so long as the stone was found without looking for it.
Ringworm on Calves
Ringworm on calves was treated with waste oil and black sulphur mixed together and spread on the affected parts.
Worms in Cattle-tails
If a cow had a worm in her tail, a slit would be made in the skin of the tail and a bulb of garlic inserted. According to Tom Barron this was always a success.
Foot Rot in Cattle
To cure foot rot in cattle the farmer would watch where the animal let down the affected foot on the ground. The sod would then be cut in the shape of a half diamond on the spot, and the sod would be turned upside down, and the sod squeezed back into from where it was cut. As the grass withered away, the foot is at the same time curing. According to Tom Walsh of Rathinure this treatment was referred to as treasluach in Glenmore (pronounced tras-loock).
Farcy in Horses
To treat farcy in horses the farmer would get two small pieces of the she dog root, slit the skin of the horse’s forehead, and then insert the two small pieces of the she dog root in the form of a cross. According to Tom Barron this was a great cure.
Sores & Cuts on Cattle or Humans
Nicholas Forristal, of Graiguenakill, Glemore, in 1977 reported to Danny that urine was a common remedy for sores on cattle, but humans also used it. If a man cut his finger the cure was to urinate on it a few times. For sore hands, “got from binding corn,” the old people always used to put urine on their hands. It was a sure cure. Nicholas Forristal believed it was the salt content of the urine that healed the sores and cuts.
Remedy for Rheumatism
Joseph Flynn, late of Busherstown, Glenmore, but then of Grantstown in Co. Waterford, in an undated interview, provided the following remedy for rheumatism.
1 ounce cream of tartar
1 ounce epsom salts
One lemon.
Put the lot into one pint of water, and bring to boil. Then allow it to simmer until the lemon is dissolved. Then strain into a bottle which must be kept corked. A wine glassful of the liquid must be taken each morning before breakfast.
Abuse of Remedies
In 1989, Tom Walsh of Rathinure, Glenmore was interviewed by Danny and provided information concerning the “cunnawee” for the treatment of warts, the headache stone of Kilcolumb, and misadventures that befell individuals who abused the cures.
The “cunnawee” (yellow hound) was said to be served to St. Patrick by the inhabitants of Ballincrea in an effort to poison St. Patrick. Before St. Patrick began to eat he blessed the meal presented whereupon the hound instantly came alive. The hound jumped off the plate and crashed into a stone leaving the imprint of its head in the stone. Water was always supposed to be present in the impression. People with warts went there to put the water on their warts and it would get rid of the warts. Often offerings were left.
A man named Murphy from Davidstown, who was very fond of drink, went to this stone at the “cunnawee” to see if he could find any offerings. He found seven pence and a halfpenny with which he went to the pub and drank it. Sometime afterwards, he got a sore throat that turned out to be cancerous from which he died. The locals used to say it was on account of taking the offering money from St. Patrick’s stone.
Saint Columbcill’s stone is in the field west of the Kilcolumb church ruins in the townland of Rathinure. The stone has three large hallowed out bowls and originally had two small holes in one side of the stone. It is believed that this stone was the holy water font of the church and it was removed from the church during penal times and dumped in the field where it has remained. Local lore has it that any person who can place his head in the centre “bowl” at the same time placing one knee in each of the other two “bowls” will never suffer from headaches. This was a common cure for headaches in the old days. Tom Walsh related that one of the small “holes” where a thumb was able to fit in, by persons desiring to rid themselves of headaches, was knocked off by the swing of the plough striking against it. It appears that the man was ploughing the field and kept so near the stone that the damage was caused. He was dead before the next morning.
Update–New family information was added to the family page over the past week. To date 19 of Danny’s notebooks have been transcribed and only information from three notebooks has been placed on the family page so far.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Dying, Funerals & Wakes in Glenmore
There is nothing more certain than death, and nothing more uncertain than the time of death. Thomas Payne
Danny Dowling’s notebooks contain several references to the folklore and customs surrounding dying, funerals and wakes in Glenmore prior to the twentieth century. While some of the folklore and customs are similar to those found elsewhere in Ireland some appear to be unique to this area.
Banshee Announces Death
The notebooks contain local examples of the warning of the Banshee announcing death. For example, Nicholas “Nicky the Miller” Forristal (1888-1979) of Graguenakill, Glenmore reported to Danny in June 1957 that the banshee alerted relatives to the death of Peggy Kennedy of Rathinure. The Michilín Kennedy’s had a farm of about 40 Irish acres in Rathinure, Glenmore. There were four siblings including Michilín, Paudín, Risteardín and Peggy. None of the siblings married. The last of the family was Peggy Kennedy who sold the farm to Billy Forristal of Ballyverneen for £400. Billy was a distant cousin to Peggy.
Nicholas Forristal stated that he saw Peggy Kennedy a few times. She was aged between 80 and 90 years of age when she died in about 1877. It was widely reported that the night she died the banshee passed through Billy Forristel’s yard in Ballyvarneen at about 1 o’clock. He was in bed and heard the screeching. Billy said to the wife “gor Peggie must be dead.” He got up saddled a horse and rode to Rathinure. When he arrived he found that Peggy was “just after dying.” Another local example was provided by Alice Mackey, nee Power of Glenmore. Alice told Danny in March 1989 that she was minding Main McCabe in Jamestown. Alice heard the banshee screech once inside the house and then Main died.
The Wake
In Glenmore after a person died the mirror in the house would be covered with a cloth. Sometimes the mirror would be turned into the wall. Clocks were stopped at the time of death. The deceased was laid out on his/her bed and waked for two nights. The body was never left unattended by close family. Friends would call to the house to pay their respects. Pipes, tobacco, snuff and whiskey were provided to those calling to the house.
Wattie Power, of Jamestown in his 1956 interview revealed, that at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, wakes were events for all types of pranks. He said that James Power at big Mary’s wake in Clune lifted her corpse out of the bed for a prank. The farmers’ barns were the usual venue for games, when the wake happened to be in a farmer’s house. Nicholas Forristal, of Graiguenakill, in 1977 recalled that Blind Jack and Blind Man’s Bluff were games played at wakes. Blind Jack consisted of blindfolding one man with a púcín and then asking him to guess who struck him across the jaw, from those in the group.
The Rahawn
The deceased would be placed in a coffin usually on the morning of the third day. The coffin would be placed on four chairs outside the door. After removal of the coffin the chairs were turned upside down until after the deceased was buried. Nicholas Forristal in July 1957 also recalled that at the funeral of his grandfather, James Cardiff, a keener was present. He noted that a rahawn, was the word used to describe the keen or rhyme that was sung concerning the deceased’s good points. A keener or group of keeners would sing at the wake and funeral. The grave for the deceased would be dug by neighbours and friends. The grass on the grave would be carefully skinned off and the skinned grass would be rolled up and placed to one side.
Funeral Procession & Prayers at Crossroads
Before professional undertakers the coffin would be carried by the pall bearers to the churchyard. The old churchyards around Glenmore were in use well into the twentieth century when all burials took place in the churchyard adjacent to St. James Parish Church. According to Nicholas Forristal until the 1880’s the coffin would be left down at certain locations where prayers would be said usually at crosses (crossroads). For a history of St. James see our post of 19 November 2019.
Danny recalls being told that stones were thrown at certain monumental sceachs as the funeral procession passed. This occurred at the crossroads of Jamestown there were two old sceach growing in Greene’s haggard where the shed is now. When a funeral passed this spot on the way to the churchyard, the chief mourners always fired a stone at the sceachs over the ditch from the roadside. Danny never saw a stone being thrown at these sceachs, but he does remember a heap of stones at the bottom of these sceachs. The area was cleared about 70 years ago for the erection of the shed. It is believed that the throwing of the stones was a symbolic gesture of keeping evil away from the deceased.
No Chapel or Priest
The funeral procession would bring the coffin straight to the Glenmore churchyard where it was carried around the churchyard before interment. The chapel was not used for funeral services, and no priest attended the burial. This was not unique to Glenmore. (See, James Mooney, “The Funeral Customs of Ireland,” 25(128) Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society (July-Dec 1888) pp. 243-296, available at https://www.jstor.org/stable/983061). Andy Heffernan, of Aylwardstown, was married to Bridgie Roche of Rathinure. He told Danny that one morning at a funeral in Glenmore churchyard for a deceased of Rathinure they saw the priest ride by on his horse on the way to join the hunt. The priest did not stop, acknowledge the funeral procession, or offer any prayers for the deceased.
Month’s Mind
Danny noted that a month’s mind or requiem mass was held one month after the death if the family could afford it. Before the twentieth century it was held in the house of the deceased. In some areas a year’s mind was sometimes celebrated in the chapel on the first anniversary of the death. After the interment in the Glenmore churchyard the rolled up grass would be unrolled and placed on the new grave. This was referred to as putting the “green quilt” on the grave.
Workhouse Deaths
Circumstances for the poor were very different. Some of the deceased who were poor were buried at night without any wake. If a Glenmore person died in the workhouse in Waterford the deceased would be put into a large bag by the Workhouse. The bagged corpse could be collected by a family member and it was common for the corpse to be transported to Glenmore on the back of the family member who collected it. Today, Danny recalled the often repeated story of the two men who collected a corpse at the Waterford Workhouse. The corpse was carried to Slieverue where it was left outside the pub while the men went in. They collected the corpse and carried it on their backs to Kilcolumb graveyard where they buried it. Today, Danny said that there is a Stranger’s plot in the Glenmore churchyard. It is at the very back of the churchyard in the right hand corner where strangers who died in Glenmore were buried.
Undertakers
According to Danny there was never an undertaker in Glenmore. However, Tom Fitzgerald, a native of Weatherstown, Glenmore, was an undertaker with premises in New Ross in the first half of the twentieth century. He also owned a butcher’s shop. Charlies Linegar when interviewed in 2005 noted that Dead Man Kielthy worked on Tom Fitzgerald’s hearse as a helper. He also had a covered car which held about four persons. If his covered car was utilised for important persons such as the gentry Fitzgerald would place plumes on the horses. Danny believes that Kielthy was from Gaulestown in Glenmore. With the coming of the professional undertaker horse drawn hearses, and later motorised hearses, replaced the walking funeral procession in Glenmore.
It is believed that one of the last funeral processions where a coffin was carried by pall bearers from the deceased’s home to the Glenmore churchyard occurred during the winter of 1947. Bridget Heffernan née Kennedy of Alwardstown died at the age of 93 and the roads were drifted shut with snow. Her coffin was carried by pall bearers across the fields from Alwardstown to Glenmore.
Glenmore Grave Robbing?
In Glenmore after a funeral the chapel door would be left open and the chief mourners would spend a certain number of nights in the chapel to ensure that the new grave would not be robbed. Danny stated today that Nicholas Forristal told him that prior to around 1880 a man who lived at the bottom of the “churns” in Glenmore used to dig up a fresh corpse, place the corpse in a large basket in a horse drawn cart, drive the corpse into Waterford and sell it to a doctor who would use the corpse for training new doctors. The man on his return trip from Waterford was said to fill the basket with bread and bring it back to Glenmore. It is not known if grave robbing actually occurred in Glenmore or if it was fireside story based on grave robbing occurring elsewhere and reported in newspapers.
Wearing the Clothes of the Deceased
Alice Mackey née Power in 1989 described the custom of people wearing the clothes of the deceased. She said that it was a common practice the Glenmore area for generations but was dying out. When Main Gaule, of Busherstown, was dying she gave Alice instructions that Statia Brennan of Shanbough was to wear the clothes, shawl, blouse and skirt for Main’s soul after Main died. Statia Brennan was to bring to Main’s clothes to Main’s house before mass and put them on. After Mass she was to return and take them off before returning to her own home.
This was to be repeated on the two following Sundays. According to Alice, Statia Brennan, didn’t carry out the instructions to the detail as instructed. After wearing them for the first Sunday, she brought them to her own home in Shanbogh. For the purpose a new shawl had to be purchased in Watt Holden’s in Ross. Today, Danny said that as a chap he was told that the wearing of the deceased’s clothes was to ensure that the deceased would not be naked in the hereafter. He recalled that the Holden’s of Clune wore the clothes of a deceased for an entire year.
The Will of Peg Freany
Perhaps one of the most interesting entries in Danny’s notebooks concerns the Will of Peg Freaney of Tory Hill, Mullinavat. Nicholas Forristal, in his June 1957 interview stated that Peg died about 1882 and stipulated in her Will that a gallon of whiskey for every £100 she left should be drank at her wake. Peg left £1300 and her wishes were carried out.
Special thanks to Louise Walsh for the photos of the graveyards.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
The Glenmore Post Office: Its Rise and Demise
Stephen Ferguson, the author of The Post Office in Ireland: An Illustrated History noted that the Irish Post Office was established by an Act of Parliament that separated it from the British Post Office in 1784. At that time there were 145 post towns in Ireland, and by 1814 the number of post towns increased to 379. Ferguson also highlighted the difficulties of transporting the mail. He quoted from the diary of Amhlaoibh Ó Súilleabháin, a hedge-school master from Callan, who wrote in 1829 that the post coach from Dublin to Cork took 21 hours. Ó Súilleabháin found this an improvement because 50 years earlier the post coach from Kilkenny to Dublin took up to 2 days to arrive. However, it would be a further 50 years before Glenmore would obtain its first post office.
Two Post Coach Roads
Although two post coach roads passed through the parish of Glenmore, the Village of Glenmore did not obtain a post office until around 1870. The most prominent post coach road was the Waterford to New Ross road. Part of this route is easily found today if one follows what locals refer to as the “High Road.” The High Road runs through Scartnamore, Rathinure, Aylwaystown to Graiguenakill. The Halfwayhouse in the townland of Aylwardstown still bears the name of the midway point on the Waterford-New Ross post road where coaches stopped to change horses.
In 1989 Danny Dowling interviewed Tom Walsh (1908-1992) of Rathinure, formerly of Davidstown, who noted that the “Mountain Road” was formerly part of the Thomastown-Waterford Post Coach Road. The route was via Mullinarrigle, Ballyfacey, Haggard, Ballinlammy, the Árs Mhor and the Mountain Road to Slieverue where it joined the New Ross to Waterford Road. The cross or connecting road between the Mountain Road and the Main Waterford-New Ross Road at Gaulstown was known as the Grugán.
In 1836, the “New Line” was opened providing a more direct road through the parish from Waterford to New Ross, and today the N25 still follows sections of the “New Line” above the Village of Glenmore. Eventually post coaches were replaced with lighter horse drawn cars and until the post office in Glenmore was established the Waterford and New Ross mail car would stop along the route at points where inhabitants would gather to collect their letters and packages. The speed of delivery was greatly increased with the opening of the Ross-Waterford railway in 1904 with a small station established in Aylwardstown.
In 1977 Danny interviewed Dan Doyle, formerly of Ballyverneen who worked as a ganger on the building of the Ross-Waterford railway. Dan Doyle stated that in 1919 he was working in the New Ross station and the fixed time train table brought 11 trains into New Ross daily. At 10:25 a.m. a train carrying mail from Dublin arrived and at 3:15 p.m. a train carrying mail from Waterford for Dublin arrived in New Ross. Even after the coming of the railway local mail was still collected from and delivered to the railway station in Aylwardstown in horse drawn vehicles or bicycle and delivered to Glenmore inhabitants via bicycle.
The First Glenmore Post Office
The first Glenmore post master was William Powell a retired policeman. He first came to Glenmore as a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and was stationed in the Glenmore Barracks. When Powell retired he opened in his dwelling house the first Glenmore post office in about 1870. The first Glenmore post office was situated on the opposite side of the road up the hill from the Barracks. At the time of the first post office the inhabitants of the parish had to collect their mail at the post office. The Powell house no longer exists, but if it did it would be directly opposite Francis O’Brien’s house. William Powell, died on the 1 August 1880, aged 72 and his widow Bridget Powell died in Robinstown on 9 August 1891.
The Second Glenmore Post Office
The second Glenmore post office was located in the shop of Robert Fluskey. While the post office was in Fluskey’s shop the services expanded to include a delivery service and the local telephone exchange was established. Edward “Ned” Kehoe of Aylwardstown was the first man ever appointed to deliver the post in Glenmore. He had a bicycle to travel around and was provided with a whistle to indicate he was in the area. Ned Kehoe would visit various areas of the parish on designated days, stop at a cross roads or group of houses and blow his whistle. The local inhabitants would gather to collect their mail. Ned Kehoe was born about 1875 and was the son of Patrick and Kate Kehoe of Aylwardstown. Ned Kehoe was known as being an industrious fellow. In addition to being a post man he farmed his 10 acre farm and also worked on various projects including the building of the chimney at the Creamery.
The Third Glenmore Post Office
The third Glenmore post office was located in Alice Ryan’s dwelling house which is opposite the pub. It is believed that delivery to each house in the parish on a daily basis began either during the later years of the second post office or at the beginning of the third. Today, many of the older inhabitants recall Foxy Wattie Power and Tommy Power who delivered daily in Glenmore. Each man was responsible for delivering to half of the parish.
The Fourth Glenmore Post Office
The fourth and last post office was Hanrahan’s located opposite and down the hill from the Church. The Glenmore post office closed in November 2018 upon the retirement of Kathleen Hanrahan, thus ending almost 150 years of the Glenmore Post Office. At the time of the closure the range of services provided by the post office was extensive including a variety of savings accounts, social welfare payments and payment of licence fees and utility bills etc.
Today all that remains is the post box outside the Village Shop which is run by Noeleen Fogarty née Hennessey at Hanrahan’s. A post box at the cross roads just above the old Aylwardstown railway station is still visible in the wall. An examination of the old post box reveals that it was made during the reign of Edward the VII (1901-1910) and was later painted green. It was established at the time of opening of the railway station as a convenience for travellers. Today it bears a notice that it is no longer in service.
Special thanks to Jacqueline Walsh for the old photos of the second Glenmore Post Office, and Louise Walsh for the recent photos.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh