1960’s

Today, we are going to feature information Danny Dowling (1927-2021) recorded regarding the residents of the townland of Robinstown, Glenmore, around 1961.

BACKGROUND

The Irish for this townland, according to O’Kelly’s, The Place Names of the County of Kilkenny Ireland (1969, p. 116) is Baile Roibin, or  little Rob’s homestead. It is in the Civil Parish of Kilmakevoge and contains 322 acres. O’Kelly noted that “Glenmore R.C. chapel and national school adjoin the village to the north-west. There is one semi-circular rath.”

Tithe Applotment Books 1833

The Applotment Books record 18 tenants in Robinstown in 1833. The tenants include: [1] John Roche, 2 acres; [2] Pierce Lyons, 1 acre; [3] John Walsh, 7 acres; [4] Michael Murphy, 3 acres; [5] Richard Costello, 22 acres; [6] John Costello, 23 acres; [7] Laurence Meany, 21 acres; [8] Richard Meany, 16 acres; [9] Patrick Kehoe, 20 acres; [10] John Gehan (sic) 16 acres; [11] Edmund Grant, 10 acres; [12] John Power, 10 acres; [13] James Cashin, Sr., 4 acres; [14] James Cashin, Jr., 5 acres; [15] Thomas Edward, 9 acres; [16] Patrick Kenedy (sic) 9 acres; [17] Michael Aylward, 5 acres; and [18] Nicholas Gaffney, 1 acre. “These lands are held by lease from the Earl of Bessborough.”

Gaffney

See our post of 22 February 2020 concerning Nicholas Gaffney’s father, William Gaffney, a miller, was executed as leader of the local United Irishmen during the Battle of New Ross in 1798. The photo to the right of the Gaffney Mill, in the Village of Glenmore, was taken in Dec. 2021. Nicholas Gaffney according to a marker in St. James’s cemetery was 91 years of age when he died in 1873. However, a baptismal record reveals that Nicholas Gaffney was baptized on 19 September 1790 the son of William Gaffney and his wife Bridget Dunphy.

Meany

See our post of 9 February 2020 regarding the 1833 murder of a Catholiic landlord on the old coarch road on the hill of Glenmore. One of the men convicted and hanged in 1834 for the murder was Patrick Meany. Danny Dowling believed that Patrick Meany was from the Church Lane area of Robinstown. A quick review of the Slieverue parish records reveals that Griffith’s Valuation tenant, Laurence Meany (bapt. 1789 at Robinstown) was the son of Thomas Meany and Elizabeth Ryan. Griffith’s Valuation tenant, Richard Meany was his brother and baptized in 1779. They had a brother, Patrick Meany, who was baptized 5 March 1791. If this is the convicted killer he was executed in 1834 and he was 52 rather than 45 as reflected in one of the newspaper accounts.

1961 ROBINSTOWN, GLENMORE

In 1961, Danny recorded 20 families or households in the townland of Robinstown. Birthdates or birth years are provided for some of the older residents gleaned from available public records. For some time after drafting his notebook, Danny recorded the dates of death or simply recorded that a resident had died or left the townland.

The recorded information reveals that in 1961, 105 people resided in the townland of Robinstown with the population comprised of 58 males and 46 females. There is one infant recorded without gender identified. The largest family was the Kirwan family with twelve people recorded in that household. There was 1 household recorded with a single person living alone (Kieran Walsh). All information under residents of Robinstown not in Danny’s original list has been placed in square brackets [   ].

RECORDED RESIDENTS

Males = 58
Females= 46
1 Infant’s gender not identified

ELDEST RECORDED RESIDENT

The eldest recorded resident was Laurence Kirwan (10 June 1880-16 January 1963). Laurence was born the 12^th of June 1880 per the birth register the son of John Kirwan (publican) of Ballyrahan and his wife Mary Kirwan née Kelly. Laurence was a farmer and married Ellen Halligan on 29 April 1912 at Slieverue. The bride was the daughter of Edmund Halligan (farmer) of Drumdowney, Slieverue. At the time of his marriage Laurence was residing in Robinstown. He bought the Costello farm in Robinstown.

RECORDED WORK

Unusually Danny listed multiple work for several people in Robinstown. Only the first listed work is reflected here.

Farmer= 5 (3 males & 2 females)
Retired Farmers= 2 (2 males)
Farm Labourer= 4 (4 males)
Creamery Worker = 3 (3 males)
Creamery Manager = 1 (1 male)
Catholic Clergy= 3 (3 males)
Council Worker = 1 (1 male)
Clover Meats = 3 (2 males; 1 female)
Factory Worker = 1 (1 male)
Retired Teacher = 1 (1 male)
Tech Teacher = 1 (1 male)
Shopkeeper = 1 (1 male)
Shop Assistant = 4 (2 males; 2 females)
Sub-postmaster= 1 (1 male)
Railway (plate layer) =1 (1male)
Greyhound Trainer = 1 (1 male)
Greyhound Worker = 1 (1 female)
Garda Retired=  1 (1 male)
Garda= 11 (11 males)
Garage Proprietor= 1 (1 male)
Clerk (garage) = 1 (1 female)
Mechanic = 1 (1 male)
Lorry Driver= 1 (1 male)
Housekeeper=  3 (3 females)
OAP (old age pensioner) = 1 (1 male)

ROBINSTOWN, GLENMORE RESIDENTS (1961)

[1] PARISH PRIEST’S HOUSE
Brennan, Rev. Wm (8 April 1891) Catholic Priest
     Kennedy, Hannah (29 Jan. 1915) employee, housekeeper

[2] REDDY

     Reddy, Michael (4 April 1906) Council Worker
     Reddy, Mary (1 June 1890) wife
     Reddy, Eily, daughter
     Reddy, Eily (10 June 1915) sister
     Barron, Teresa, niece, shop assistant   “married July 1962”

[3] McBRIDE

     McBride, James (1 April 1907) Farm Labourer
     McBride, Patrick (20 June 1903) brother, farm labourer
     McBride, Mary (11 Sept. 1901) sister

[4] MURPHY

     Murphy, Richard (b.c. 1926) Farmer  [Died 12 June 2022 at the age of 97]
     Murphy, Johanna, wife
     Murphy, Richard D., son, child
     Murphy, David M. (b. 1960) son, child “Died in farm accident 1965”
     Murphy, Richard (15 Aug. 1883) father, retired farmer
     Murphy, Bridget (2 Feb. 1896) mother

[5] MURPHY

     Murphy, Michael, Garage Proprietor
     Murphy, Margaret, wife

[Michael Murphy the founder of Murphy Motors was killed in a car crash in 1974 at the age of 44. For further details concerning Michael Murphy see our post of 27 June 2020.]

[6] KIRWAN

     Kirwan, John (10 May 1915) Farmer
     Kirwan, Annie (b.c. 1919) wife
     Kirwan, Eileen, daughter, clerk with garage
     Kirwan, Josie, daughter, Clover Meats
     Kirwan, Mary, daughter, shop assistant
     Kirwan, Kate, daughter, secondary school
     Kirwan, Alice, daughter, at school
     Kirwan, Laurence, son, child
     Kirwan, William, son, child
     Kirwan, Edward, son, child
     Kirwan, Laurence (10 June 1880) father, retired farmer    “died 16 Jan. 1963”
     Kirwan, Edward (b.c. 1920) brother, assisting relative

[7] GRIFFIN

      Griffin, Thomas (19 Oct. 1897) Retired Garda
      Griffen, Mary, (14  April 1902) wife
      Griffen, Patrick John (26 Aug. 1937) son, mechanic

[Garda Griffin has featured in a couple of our blog posts 31 May 2023; 27 June 2020]

[8] McDONALD

     McDonald, Michael (b.c. 1929) Lorry Driver & Creamery Worker
     McDonald, Teresa, wife
     McDonald, Infant

 [9] WALSH

       Walsh, Kieran (25 April 1906) Farm Labourer

[10] BARRACKS

        Flynn, James (23 March 1901) Head, Garda Sergeant
        Bryan, John (2 July 1903) (left to Cappagh), Garda
        O’Donovan (b. c. 1940) assistant, r. Garda
       Thompson, James, assistant Garda
        Cunningham, Edward, assistant garda
        Murray, Patrick, Garda Sergeant
        McArdle, Michael, assistant Garda
        Malone, T.S., Sergeant
        O’Halloran, J.F.,Assistant, R/Garda
        Hurley, Joseph, Garda Sergeant
        Dixon, P.N., Gda Sergeant     

[Danny said there were usually 3 or 4 gards and a sergeant. It is assumed that Dany recorded all the men who transferred in or out of Glenmore in 1961.]

[11] WALSH

        Walsh, Patrick “Eric” (b.c. 1916) Factory Worker
        Walsh, Margaret (b.c. 1912) wife
        Walsh, Elizabeth, daughter, secondary school   

 (Moved to Waterford)

[12] BEAVANS/DEVANE

        Beavans, Henry Peter (3 March 1890) Retired Teacher
        Devane, Margaret Mary, daughter
        Devane, Ellen Carmel Ann, granddaughter
        Devane, John Gerard, grandson
        Devane, Margaret Mary,  granddaughter

[13] FURLONG

        Furlong, Francis (b.1918) Greyhound Trainer
        Furlong, Stasia (b.c. 1923) wife
        Furlong, Marita, niece, child
        Roche, Peggy, employee, domestic greyhound woman

[14]] ROCHE

         Roche, Richard (b.c. 1920) Plate Layer C.I.E.
         Roche, Ellen, wife
         Roche, Edward, son, child
         Roche, John, son, child
         Roche, Mary, daughter, child
         Roche, Anastasia, daughter, child

[15] FORRESTAL/O’BRIEN

        Forrestal, Michael (10 Aug. 1916) Creamery Worker
        Forrestal, John (b. 1927) brother, farmer
        Forrestal, Martin (b. 1930) brother, creamery worker
        Forrestal, Mary (b.c. 1923) sister
        O’Brien, John, brother-in-law, shop assistant
        O’Brien, Nancy, sister
        O’Brien, Francis, nephew, child

[See our post of 13 May 2020 regarding the tragic death of Martin Forristal (1879-1931) of Robinstown, Glenmore at the Glenmore Creamery.]

[16] CURATE’S HOUSE

       Murphy, Rev. James, C.C. (14 Aug. 1913) Curate   “Gone to Bennetsbridge”
       Morrissey, Margaret (28 Jan. 1896) employee, housekeeper
       Dunphy, Rev. Joseph, Catholic Clergy  “died 31 Dec. 1961”
       Phelan, Mary, employee, housekeeper

[17] HANRAHAN

       Hanrahan, Mary (14 Aug. 1892) Farmer and Shopkeeper
       Hanrahan, Richard (b. 1928) son, shopkeeper
       Hanrahan, Nicholas, nephew, university student

[18] IRISH

        Irish, Patrick (14 March 1906) Shop Assistant Creamery
        Irish, Johanna (11 June 1917) wife   [Known as Daisey née Walsh of Rochestown]

[19] CAHILL

        Cahill, William (b.c. 1923) Creamery Manager
        Cahill, Mary, wife
        Cahill, Joan Marie, daughter
        Cahill, Mary Selina, daughter
        Cahill, Bernadette Margaret, daughter
        Cahill, Aine E., daughter
        Cahill, Edward Joseph, son
        Nolan, Mary (12 Feb. 1890) Mother-in-law

Gone to reside at 72 Ard Muire, Ferrybank on 22 Oct. 1962 [Cahill’s lived in Danny Dowling’s house in the Village]

[19] McKENNA WALSH

       McKenna Walsh, Elizabeth (b. 1940) Farmer, Shopkeeper & Post Mistress
       Fluskey, Terence (25 Jan. 1885) uncle, acting sub-postmaster
       Walsh, Sean, husband, technical teacher, counterhand
        Walsh, Geraldine, daughter, infant
        Walsh, Helen, daughter, infant
        Walsh, James, son, infant

[20] POWER

        Power, William (27 Sept. 1879) Retired O.A.P.
        Power, Ellen (1 Nov. 1902) wife
        Power, Thomas (b.c. 1921) son, creamery worker
        Power, Kieran (b.c. 1925) son, Clover Meats
        Power, Liam, son, Clover Meats  (gone to reside Bigwood)
        Power, Mary, daughter-in-law
        Power, Helen, granddaughter
        Power,  grandson

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

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh