1920’s
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One Hundred Years Ago: August 1923
In August 1923, one topic dominated the local newspapers, the general election. Some newspapers dubbed it the “hurried” election. In many respects the issues concerning voters 100 years ago are still issues today such as housing, industrial strife, and inflation. Today, we highlight the local candidates and some of the other news that made it into the local newspapers in August 1923. Unfortunately, only one reference to Glenmore could be located in the local newspapers.
CIVIL WAR ISSUES
As peace settled across the 26 counties the government began to release some of the prisoners it held. Local released prisoners included Miss Lena Cleary, of Whitechurch, New Ross and Miss S. Browne, of New Ross. These ladies were released four months after being arrested by the military (New Ross Standard, Fri. 10 Aug. 1923, p. 6). At the end of August James Hartley, of Weatherstown, Glenmore was released from Wexford Military Barracks (Free Press (Wexford), Sat. 25 Aug. 1923, p. 4).
The National troops stationed in Thomastown since July 1922 left for Kilkennyin early August 1923. The barricades were removed from around the house in Thomastown where the military had been stationed (New Ross Standard, Fri. 10 Aug. 1923, p. 6).
INDUSTRIAL STRIFE
Industrial strife continued to plague the Free State. Locally, farmers had limited markets for their produce. The New Ross Standard reported that due to the “continuation of the strike at ports and other labour troubles” the weekly pig and fowl markets were suspended for over 3 weeks. (Fri. 3 August 1923, p. 5
The following week the New Ross Standard (Fri. 10 August 1923, p. 3) outlined the events that led to the port strikes.
Port Strike
“During the past few years the wages of dockers in the Free State have been the highest in Europe. The workers at the Free State ports were included in every increase of wages which were granted in Great Britain both during and immediately after the European War. At the larger ports they were in receipt of as much as 16 shillings per day, with the result that shipping freights were maintained at a fantastic level to the growing detriment of trade and commerce.”
“The British employers redued the wages of their men, and by stages the rate of pay fell to 10 shillings per day at all the big ports. The Dublin dockers and fellow workers in other Free State ports refused to discuss any reduction. Matters went from bad to worse until the last straw was laid on the camel’s back by an irregular and unauthorised strike of seaman. When the port of Dublin became paralysed the employers decided to enforce the over-due reduction of dockers’ wages. On 16 July all work ceased.”
DEADLY WEATHER
On the 2nd of August, what several newspapers described as a hurricane, swept through this area. A 15-year -old girl gathering firewood on the 2nd named Magge Lawlor, of 55 Ferrybank was killed by a tree that fell on her (Munster Express, Sat. 4 Aug. 1923, p. 5).
“The hurricane” had a serious impact on crops of grain, potatoes, manifolds (sic), and turnips all blackened (New Ross Standard, Fri. 10 Aug. 1923, p. 8). [We have had a few queries concerning manifolds. Having conferred with my resident farming expert it is believed that these were beet like vegetables used as fodder. They were stored in pits and had to be well covered to protect them from the frost. When fed the “mangals” were put through a turnip machine otherwise cattle could choke on the roots. For further information see, the Gardening Know How webpage.]
FARMING
In several areas apple trees were badly shaken by the August storm resulting in nearly all the fruit being blown off the trees. “Potato blight has made its appearance in places in the New Ross district. So far it is not serious (New Ross Standard, Friday 10 August 1923, p. 6). On the other hand the weather appeared to agree with mushrooms which were described as plentiful. “Reports came from almost every district to that effect” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 10 Aug.1923, p. 5).
At the end of the month it was reported that at the New Ross market cabbage was realising as high as 3d. per head and hay sold for £4 to £5 per ton (New Ross Standard, Fri. 31 Aug. 1923, p. 3).
The price of food according to the New Ross Standard was an issue the new Dáil would have to tackle. While the price of cattle was within 4 to 6 shillings per cwt. of pre-war prices, the price of butcher’s meat almost doubled. Almost every article required in the household costs an exorbitant price” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 17 Aug. 1923, p. 4).
THE GENERAL ELECTION
Free speech and free elections were challenging in the newly established Free State. The Kilkenny People summed up the “hurried” election of 1923 as the people’s choice for construction or destruction (Sat. 25 Aug. 1923, p. 5).
The general election was set for the 27th of August. In the days before radio and television candidates held meetings to try to persuade voters to support them. It was reported that during the election campaign 90 meetings were held in New Ross and surrounding districts (New Ross Standard, Fri. 31 Aug. 1923, p. 3)
Unfortunately, meetings of all parties were subject to disruptions and heckling of candidates was common. In some instances violence erupted and intimidation caused some meetings to be cancelled.
Election Meetings Disrupted
A Farmers’ Party candidate at Ramsgrange, Co. Wexford on Sunday the 19th was assaulted by a crowd of young men and boys. He was struck with clenched fists, rotten eggs, “and sound ones too.” He was covered from the top of his hat to his boots. His hat, overcoat and suit of clothes were destroyed. The Labour Party was also stopped at Ramsgrange from holding a meeting. The candidates were threatened and their election literature burned (New Ross Standard, Fri. 24 Aug. 1923, p. 5).
By the time the New Ross Standard (Fri. 31 Aug. 1923, p. 3) went to print at the end of the month it was reported that “It is too early to ascertain what sections or parties have been successful at the general election. The result of the polling will not be completely known for some days…whatever parties have been successful, and whatever Government may result, we trust that at long last it will be enabled to devote itself uninterruptedly to uplifting the country and promoting prosperity and happiness of the people.”
Kilkenny-Carlow Candidates
Below is a list of the candidates for the Kilkenny-Carlow seats and the names of the candidates deemed elected are in bold.
(1) Michael Barry, Tombeagh, Co. Carlow, Farmer, ran as a Republican.
(2) Thomas, Bolger, of Downings, Co. Carlow, Farmer, ran as a Cumann na nGaedheal.
(3) Edw. John Broughan, of Ballybrommell, Co. Carlow, Farmer, ran as a Farmer’s Party candidate.
(4) Liam T. Cosgrave, of Beechpark, Templeogue, Co. Dublin, President of the Executive Council, and Minster for Finance, ran as a member of Cumann na NGaedheal.
(5) Edw. Doyle, of Laragh, Co. Carlow, Agricultural Worker, ran as a member of Labour.
(6) Patrick Gaffney, of Connolly Cross, Carlow, Agricultural Worker, ran as an Independent (Other newspapers noted that he was a miller.)
(7) John “Seán” Francis Gibbons, of Ballylarkin, Co. Kilkenny, Farmer, ran as a member of Cumann na nGaedheal.
(8) Denis John Gorey, of Burnchurch, Cuffesgrange, Co. Kilkenny, Farmer, ran as a member of the Farmer’s Party. See our post of 6 June 2022 for details regarding the attack on Gorey’s home and the General Election of 1922.
(9) Michael Shelly, of Green St., Callan, Co. Kilkenny, Merchant, ran as a Republican. (Waterford News & Star, Fri. 24 Aug. 1923, p. 16).
WATERFORD BOXER—Battling Brannigan
“In Dublin on Wed. 22d August, Battling Brannigan, the promising young Waterford pugilist, will meet the coloured exponent, Sam Minto, who last year gave Kid Doyle a great fight” (Waterford News & Star, Fri. 17 Aug. 1923, p. 16). It isn’t clear whether Brannigan fought Minto more than once, but according to a short article in the Munster Express in 1952, fighting “Patsy Brannigan (Gerald Hurley) despite an early injury to his hands, gained a points victory over Sam Minto.” The fight took place at the Theatre Royal, in Waterford almost 30 years earlier. (Munster Express, Fri. 16 May 1952, p. 9).
Gerald Hurley (c. 1901-1985)
Gerald Hurley (c. 1901-1985) was born in Chicago and moved to Waterford at the age of three. Although he trained as an alto singer for the Westminster Cathedral choir and sang professionally, in 1919, he began boxing as a lightweight. During a boxing career that spanned a decade, Hurley became the lightweight champion of Ireland, and went on to hold the welterweight Irish title. He never had a manager, and secured international fights.
At the same time he was a “much sought-after” professional classical singer. His dual career might explain why he fought under the name of Battling Brannigan. Hurley retired from professional boxing in 1929, but continued his professional singing. He became a physical education and boxing teacher (Munster Express, Fri. 29 Sept. 1972, p. 24) at Dublin secondary schools and also taught at the Garda Depot, Phoenix Park (Waterford News and Star, Fri. 29 Nov. 1985, p. 16).
Memories of Waterford
While living in Waterford he resided in Grange Terrace, Waterford (Munster Express, Fri. 19 Oct. 1979, p. 25). In 1959, he was residing at 32 Belgrave Square, Rathmines Dublin (Munster Express, Fri. 31 July 1959, p. 4) In a letter to the editor of the Munster Express, he recalled friends killed during the Civil War in Waterford City and working at putting up the wooden poles in the city when the first electric lights were installed (Munster Express, Fri. 31 July 1959, p. 4). His kin around Waterford city in the 1950’s included his brother Tim Hurley, of Barrack St., his nephew Michael Butler, hairdresser of Manor St. and the Moran family of Parnell St. (Munster Express, Fri. 31 Dec. 1954, p. 5)
AUCTIONS
After the establishment of the Free State several Anglo-Irish families, such as the Butlers of Kilkenny Castle, sold their estates and moved from Ireland. In the summer of 1923, the local newspapers advertised several auctions and as illustrated below not all sales were large estates.
Cholastown, Slieverue, Co. Kilkenny An auction of a small holding belonging to Thomas McDonald, was advertised to be sold by Auction on the 7th of August (Tuesday) at noon (new time). The land was in Nicholastown and contained 18 statute acres with a forge and outbuildings. The land was held in fee simple subject to a terminable annuity payable to the Irish Land Commission of £4 2s. 8d.
The land was described as, being in grass, well fenced and sheltered with excellent tillage and grazing qualities with an ample and constant spring water supply (Waterford News & Star, Fri. 3 Aug. 1923, p. 8).
HUMOUR RETURNS
During the dark days of the War of Independence and Civil War very few jokes were published in local newspapers as fillers. In August 1923, perhaps to lighten the mood during the general election several jokes were published such as the two below.
Plucking in Haste—Knitting in Leisure
“In the Hounalow district a young Farmer’s wife, after making some hop beer, threw the hops into the garden, and several ducks ate them up. The ducks became so drunk that the farmer thought they were dead and placed them in a shed. The wife plucked them in the evening. In the morning the couple were awakened by a terrific noise in the shed. The ducks were running abound bereft of feathers. So, the farmer’s wife had to make some little jumpers until their feathers grew again” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 31 Aug. 1923, p. 5). [For our international readers a jumper is a sweater.]
Faith in Surgeon
“A London surgeon found that a serious operation was necessary upon the daughter of a woman who came with her to the hospital. The details of the operation were explained, and the consent was asked for of the mother to the operation being performed. ‘Oh,’ was the reply, ‘It is all very well to talk about consenting, but who is going to pay for the funeral!’ (Kilkenny Moderator, Sat. 18 Aug. 1923, p 7).
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The feature phto above is the crowd in Carlow awaiting the arrival of President of the Dáil, W.T. Cosgrave. The photo was published in the Freeman’s Journal (Tues. 21 Aug. 1923, p. 7) by a member of the Freeman’s staff. Cosgrove arrived in Carlow by airplane.
Please send any corrections or further information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh