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Updates
Register of Infants in Ballyfasy, Glenmore, Girls’ School
Due to requests information from the second page of the Register of Infants in Ballyfasy Girls’ National School has been added to our Glenmore & Nearby Lists Page. As time permits we will add the remaining 6 pages and then work on providing the Register from the Ballyfacy Boys School.
Weatherstown, Glenmore native Bridget Walsh née O’Rourke
Special thanks to Ann O’Rourke for sharing the photos of her sister Bridget Walsh née O’Rourke in her Confirmation dress made for her by Glenmore dressmaker Mairita Cummins née Hennessy (c. 1933-2023). Bridget was confirmed in 1963. In the early 1960’s Confirmations were held every three years, so Bridget was 13 and attending secondary school when her Confirmation was held. She was Confirmed in Rosbercon. In the group photo Bridget is on the right. In the photo below, the lady holding the camera is thought to have been a teacher. This photo will be added our post of 24 May 2026 regarding the Mairita Cummins née Hennessy Collection.
Please send any corrections, additional information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
From Danny’s Files: Mr. Justice Gardner Budd (1904-1976)
Our founder Danny Dowling (1927-2021) corresponded with people from all over the world. Some were people doing family research, others were academics researching specific events or industries, and one correspondent was a sitting member of the Irish Supreme Court, Mr. Justice Gardner Budd (1904-1976).
Today, we are going to present a letter Danny wrote in 1969 to Mr. Justice Gardner Budd who was seeking apparently information on the Budd’s of Kilmacow. There were apparently other letters, but they have yet to be uncovered in Danny’s vast collection. Carefully pinned by Danny to a copy of the discovered letter was an obituary for Mr. Justice G. Budd which Danny clipped from the Irish Independent (Tues. 10 Feb. 1976, p. 12). The featured photo above is from that obituary.
The Letter from Glenmore
Below is the letter in full and any additional information has been placed in square brackets. The letter is typed, 2 ½ pages in length on thin paper, measuring 8 inches (20 cm) by 10 inches (25 cm).
Justice Budd, Esq.
73 South Hill
Dartry
Dublin 6
30th May 1969
Dear Mr. Justice Budd,
Thanks very much for your letter of the 1st May which I received but am sorry for the delay in replying which was due to the fact that I was in hospital for three weeks.
The Budd family lived in the townland of Blossomhill, in the parish of Kilmacow Co. Kilkenny, until about the year 1881, when the last male member of the family in the locality left the homestead and went to live for a short time with Mr. William Power, of Christendom, in the parish of Slieverue near Waterford. He was William Joseph Poulter Budd. Whilst with Mr. William Power he became ill and was taken to London by his daughter Florence.
According to a letter from this Miss Florence Budd from London, dated the 30th of October 1881, to Mr. William Power her father had died and was buried in London. In this letter she thanked Mr. Power for his kindness to her father and she also stated that she was leaving her father’s furniture etc. to Mr. Power. This Mr. Budd had no male issue—only two daughters. One was married to an English Army Officer—Colonel Free, and the other daughter Florence to a gentleman named Blake, who was a Deputy Lieutenant for Co. Kilkenny. Mrs. Florence Blake had a son Poulter Charles Blake and they lived in London. According to Mr. Patrick Power, the present owner of the Budd property, two sons of the Blakes are living in Culpeper, Virginia, U.S.A.
The Budd residence at Blossomhill is now in ruins but a fine residence nearby, which the said William Joseph Poulter Budd, built but never actually lived in, still stands. Due to some trouble or other, he never put the finishing touches to this fine house but went to live as already stated with Mr. William Power of Christendom. I enclose herewith photographs which I took of the ruins and the aforesaid house which is now a cattle shed.
[Rev. Joseph Poulter (c. 1738-1789) of Dunkitt]
The Budd family is buried in the old Churchyard at Dunkitt and there is a tomb there with the following inscription which is now almost undecipherable:
“Here lieth the remains of Mary Ann Budd, wife of Tobias Budd of Dunkitt Esq.; who departed this live October 6th 1817, aged 35 years”
This Mary Ann Budd (1781-1817) was the youngest daughter and co-heiress of Rev. Joseph Poulter, Rector of Dunkitt, by his second wife, Margaret, daughter of the Rev. William Dennis D.D. of Waterford, and was born on the 12th of November 1781.
On another monument in the same graveyard is the following inscription:
“Sacred to the memory of Mary, wife of Thomas Lewis Mackesy M.D., a daughter of the Rev. Joseph Poulter, who died 18th October 1818.”
This lady was the eldest daughter of Rev. Joseph Poulter and his wife Margaret Dennis and was born on the 11th June 1776. Mrs. Mary Ann Budd and Mrs. Mary Mackesy (1776-1818) were sisters. The Poulters lived in Dunkitt House which is now occupied by a Mr. Porter. The aforesaid Rev. William Dennis was Rector of Kilculliheen, and he died on the 11th of April 1815 aged 59 years. From what I can ascertain the above Rev. Joseph Poulter had only two daughters in his family, Mrs. Budd and Mrs. Mackesy, and he divided his estate between the two of them. [See generally Wiki Family Tree for Joseph Poulter (c. 1738-1789.]
Attached to the Blossomhill residence of William Joseph Poulter Budd was an estate of about 100 acres at the time of his departure from there. As well as farming he worked a white limestone quarry, situated on the lands. He had about 40 men working for him in this quarry.
[Glenmore Landlords]
As far as the parish of Glenmore is concerned, a Tobias Budd, a minor, owned in 1830 the entire townlands of Flemingstown and Weatherstown. This information is from the Tithe Applotment Books of the old Civil Parish of Kilcoan. According to the same document a Mr. Budd is shown as the occupier of 12 acres and 2 roods in the townland of Flemingstown. Whether or not this Mr. Budd lived there I cannot say. In Griffiths General Valuation or Ireland circa 1850, a Mrs. James Budd is shown as the owner of the entire townland of Ballybraghy containing 160 acres and 2 roods and 32 perches. The family of Mackesy were also extensive landowners in Glenmore Parish. [See our post of 3 March 2025 regarding Glenmore landlord Dr. Mackesy].
As a matter of interest, I will now quote two entries from the Catholic Register of Marriages for Glenmore Parish which is now preserved in the Library of St. Kieran’s College, In Kilkenny:
“14th February 1780. Joyn’d in Wedlock by ye Certificate of Mr. James Budd; Mary Brenon of Ballinlammy unto Rich. Wallice of Mullinahone. Witness ye Rev. James Newman, Mr. James Cody and Mr. Patrick Brennon.”
“12th November 1780. Joyn’d in Wedlock by ye Certificate of Mr. Tobias Budd; Michael Mullally unto Mary Murphy both of Nicholastown. Witnesses Michael O’Naile, James O’Naile and William Murphy.” [During this period landlords sometimes provided certificates to regulate the lives of their tenants, manage their estates by ensuring that unauthorized subletting did not occur, and enforce the moral and behaviour the landlord set.]
With reference to the Budd Estate at Ballybraghy in the old Civil Parish of Kilcoan which is now part of the present Catholic ecclesiastical Parish of Glenmore, I would suggest you look up Record No. S. 4931 in the Records Branch of the Land Commission at 24 Upper Merrison St., Dublin.
Any information which you have on the Budd family and estate would be much appreciated by me as I am collecting material for the history of my area. I would also like to get a copy of said Record No. S.4931 and perhaps you could help me in this as well as copies of any old Estate maps which you may have.
When next you visit the area, please let me know beforehand and I will only be too glad to show you where the Budds lived and are buried etc.
In conclusion, I would like to correct the impression which you possibly got from my previous correspondence. I am not a member of the Garda force but a Health Authority employee—a Health Inspector.
Yours Very Sincerely,
Daniel Dowling.
Mr. Justice Gardner Budd (1904-1976)
Mr. Frederick Gardner Orford Budd was born on 11 April 1904 at Ennis Co. Clare. His father, Samuel Duquid Budd (c. 1864-1934) was employed as a bank manager at the time of his birth. His mother, Fanny Beatrice Orford (c. 1865-1955) was the daughter of Dr. Frederick James Orford of Leicestershire, and she was the second wife of Samuel D. Budd. His parents were married on 12 July 1899 in Surrey, England.
Samuel D. Budd married his first wife, Susan West Stuart (c. 1854-1897) on 30 May 1882 in a Church of Ireland in Galway. His father was recorded as James Budd, a merchant and Susan’s father was John Simson Stuart, a Senior R.I.C. Inspector. Susan West Budd, of Bindon? St., Ennis died on 27 January 1897, of albuminuria at the age of 43. She was the mother of 5 children.
Gardner Budd was educated at the Manor School, Fermoy, Co. Cork; Felsted in England and Trinity College, Dublin. He was a scholar of T.C.D. in history in 1925, the year in which he obtained a B.A. (Mod.) in history in 1925 and political science to be followed two years later with an LLD. He was called to the bar in 1927 and to the Inner Bar in 1940. [He married Oonah Blennerhassett in Sligo in 1931 and the couple had four children.] In 1951 he represented TCD on the university panel in Seanad Eireann. Later that year he was appointed a Judge of the High Court, a position he occupied until 1966 when he was raised to the Supreme Court. He retired from the Supreme Court right before Christmas 1975 and died 9 February 1976 (Irish Examiner, 10 Feb. 1976 p. 14). (For a concise outline of his important decisions see, Pauric J. Dempsey, Dictionary of Irish Biography.)
Waterford City Roots
The obituary of Sanuel D. Budd (c. 1864-1934) (Irish Examiner, Mon. 27 Aug. 1934, p. 4) provides some interesting details regarding Justice Gardner Budd’s Waterford City Roots.
“The death has taken place of Mr. Samuel Duguid Budd, a Waterfordman, who reached a very high position in Irish banking circles. He was son of the late Mr. James Budd, of [Waterford City*], and father of Mr. F. G. O. Budd, the well known barrister on the Waterford circuit. After a distinguished career in the Provincial Bank of Ireland, during which time he was for many years manager in Cork, the late Mr. Samuel Budd became Chief Officer of the bank. He retired from this position [in 1919 per the Southern Star (Sat. 2 Aug. 1930, p. 10)] and, was succeeded by his son-in-law, Mr. D. Bradshaw, the present Chief Officer. The late Mr. Budd was co-opted a member of the Representative Body of the Church of Ireland.” [*per the Munster Express, 31 Aug. 1934, p. 7]
James Budd of Waterford City
Samuel D. Budd (c. 1864-1934) reported in the 1901 Census that he was born in Waterford. Danny in a handwritten note recorded that in the Thomas S. Harvey (1865) Waterford Almanac & Directory for 1866 there were two entries for James Budd in the Directory. The first James Budd was listed as a commercial traveller living on Barker St. A second listing was for James Budd & Company, Guano Merchants on Thomas Street. [Guano was the excrement of seabirds and bats. It was historically prized as a fertilizer and a key ingredient for the production of gunpowder.]
Hopefully further correspondence between Danny and Justice G. Budd is discovered and we shall be able to update this information.
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
The Mairita Cummins née Hennessy Collection
Recently a small box of memorabilia was donated by the family of the late Mairita Cummins née Hennessy (c. 1933-2023) of Glenmore Village. This box is a treasure trove of information regarding local groups such as the Glenmore Social Club, Glenmore businesses, and the Hennessy family.
Mairita was the daughter of John Hennessy (1894-1981) and his wife, Hannah Flynn (c. 1889-1961). Mairita’s parents were married on the 28th of February 1922 at Kilmacow. Her father John, of Narabane, Kilmacow, was a blacksmith and the son John Hennessy (labourer). Hannah’s father was John Flynn, a blacksmith, of Weatherstown, Glenmore. Mairita’s parents met and married in Kilmacow. Her mother was working as a housekeeper for the Kilmacow parish priest. The old post card of Kilmacow was in the box. They moved to Glenmore first living in Weatherstown then moving into the Village. John Hennessy built his forge on the V Road.
Mairita was born and reared in Glenmore Village. She was the only daughter and had seven brothers including: Michael (died in infancy); Sean, Richie, Tommy, Packie ( -2014), Willie (1927-2018) and Ned. Mairita became a dressmaker and married Lory Cummins (c. 1936-1990) who was from near Campile, Wexford. She reared her family in Glenmore Village in the same house where she was born and reared. For a photo of Mairita and her obituary, see RIP.ie.
The Mairita Collection
Today, we are going to highlight some of the local receipts and orders found in the donated box. In the near future we will present other information from her collection. Perhaps the most important receipt or order form is the blank J. Hennessy and Sons, Horseshoeing & General Smithwork form. As stated above John Hennessy built his forge on the V Road and later his son Willie built a house next to the forge.
There is a receipt from Robert Fluskey and appears to be dated 26 April 1960 to May Hennessy. Purchases over three different days on the receipt include: ham, sausage, bacon, milk, eggs, cheese, and sweets. The total of the purchases came to £2 8s 4d. Robert Fluskey died in 1925, but apparently the shop continued to be operated in his name.
Also, in the box were receipts from Hanrahan Brothers, 12 North St. New Ross, grocery, provision and spirit merchants. These receipts are from the 1940’s. Dick and Pat Hanrahan, natives of Glenmore, ran this business.
Another receipt is from the Glenmore Co-opertive Creamery Society dated 22 October 1940. The receipt is made to John Hennessy for £4 and has a vintage 1930’s Eire 2 pinsin green postage stamp affixed to it.
Duplicate Order Books
The Fawn Coloured Order Book
Lastly, there were two duplicate order books in the collection. The proprietor would write the order and a carbon copy was made for him or her to keep. Most of the entries in the fawn coloured order book were from 1958 and were primarily orders for Mairita to make, alter or repair clothing. For example, Miss Mary Fitzgerald had a uniform made in April 1959. Her address was listed as Ardkeen Hospital (p. 67).
However, the most extraordinary item found in the book is on page 34 where John Hennessy wrote out the details of his service during the War of Independence. He noted that he was with Company D of Battalion 6 of the Kilkenny Brigade to June 1921. From June 1921 to July 1922 he served with the 9th Battalion. His address in 1921 was John Hennessy, Narabane, Kilmacow, Waterford. His date of birth was 16 April 1894 (p. 34). A quick review of the military archives confirms that John Hennessy was a member of Company D of the Old IRA. See p. 26 of the membership list of Kilkenny Brigade Companies.
An order on page 35 was from Charles Gray, Esq. of Castle Annaghs, New Ross, to William Hennessey for shoeing seven horses for £1 10s.
The Blue Coloured Order Book
The entries in the blue order book were primarily from 1961. Mairita and her brother Willie shared the blue order book. For example, on page 18 Willie did work for Murphy Motors, of Robinstown, Glenmore, for welding and repairing a manure spreader, and combine and also made parts for a spring harrow and draw bar.
On the back of page 17 we found the small pencil drawing that appears to be the Hennessy house in the Village. The drawing is not signed. A second drawing was found on the back of page 22 of a dress. On page 23 is an order from Mrs. R. Walsh, of Robinstown, for making a “frock.” Other customers included Mrs. E. O’Connor, of Graiguenakill, who had two blouses made, a coat and a skirt for the sum of £1 6s 6d (p. 20).
Mrs. J. Culleton, of Kilbride, ordered school slips, a coat, and shirt for 13s 6d. (p. 12). Mrs. R. Rourke, of Weatherstown, ordered blouses, a frock, a skirt, and was charged for spools of thread for a grand total of £1 13s 2 d.
It is apparent that the customers supplied the fabric for their garments as well as any necessary things like thread, buttons and zippers. If they did not provide the necessary items they were charged for the required spool of thread or buttons etc.
Curiosity led to attempting to determine the difference between a “frock” and a “costume.” A frock was generally a dress with the bodice and skirt attached. A costume was often called a tailored costume and was a structured two piece set, for example a tailored jacket and matching skirt.
In the coming weeks we shall present other items from Maritia’s wonderful collection.
For another post regarding Glenmore business receipts, see our post of 11 June 2020 regarding Glenmore Victualler & General Trader, Michael O’Hanlon (1897-1957). See generally, our post of 19 December 2020, “Early Glenmore Business Newspaper Advertisements.”
Special thanks to Mairita’s family for the donation.
Please send any corrections, additional information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
The Glenmore Athletic Club 1944-1946
A reader has a battered newspaper clipping that revealed that her grandfather won a race at a Glenmore Athletic Club Sports Day. Unfortunately, the clipping lacks a date or name of the publication where it was printed. In helping locate the date of the race we found a lot of articles regarding Glenmore’s Sports Days that name a large number of Glenmore athletes. A search of local newspapers revealed that the first fixture of the Glenmore Athletic Club took place on Sunday the 10th of July 1944 which was applauded as “a successful revival of athletics in Glenmore parish, after a lapse of over 10 years” (Munster Express, Fri. 14 July 1944, p. 4).
Today, we are going to focus on the Glenmore Athletic Club events that took place in 1944-1946. Any additional information we have included not gleaned from the Munster Express has been placed in square brackets [ ]. Can you help identify any of the athletes?
The First Annual Glenmore Athletic Club Sports Day 1944
Although WWII was still raging the Glenmore Athletic Club organised a sports day in 1944. The Munster Express (Fri. 14 July 1944) reported that “despite unfavourable weather conditions, a good crowd patronised the first annual sports of the Glenmore Athletic Club.” In a field provided by Richard Murphy, the fixture proved a very good success. The newspaper reported there was keen competition in each event, especially the track contests, where some finishes were exceptionally close. “Larry Kiely, who scored a dual success at the sports, is the son of T.P. Kiely, Carrick-on-Suir, a former world’s champion” (Munster Express, Fri. 14 July 1944, p. 4).
To illustrate the distances some athletes travelled for the 1944 event, it was reported that Nicholas Phelan of Conahy, aged 17, cycled to Glenmore and won the 440 yards Kilkenny County Championship event from keen competition. He cycled home subsequently, covering about 80 miles that day (Munster Express, Fri. 14 July 1944, p. 4).
Great credit was given in the article to the Officers and committee of the club, including Rev. William Brennan, C.C., President; T. Fitzgerald, Chairman; P. Fitzgerald, Treasurer; and William Walshe, Hon. Secretary. A special feature was the beautiful array of prizes. [See our post of 27 Feb. 2022 regarding William “Bill” Walsh (1912-1985) of Cappagh.]
The Results
Although the total number of events was not recorded 14 event results were published as follows:
100 yards (schoolboys under 14, confined to Glenmore Parish)—1st W. McDonald, Haggard; 2nd Billy Walsh, Mullinahone
100 yards (open)—1st Cpl. Martin (Army); 2nd Sgt. McGlynn (Army)
220 yards (confined)—1st Paddy Roche, Glenmore A.C.; 2nd Stephen Walsh, Glenmore A.C. [It is believed that Paddy Roche (1919-1989) was from Rathinure, later emigrated to England and Stephen Walsh was from Rochestown, later moved to Knocktopher].
440 yards (open)—1st L. Kiely , Carrick-on-Suir; 2nd M. Killian, Glenmore A.C.
440 yards, under 18, Kilkenny Co. Championship—1st Nicholas Phelan, Conahy; 2nd Richard Hennessy, Glenmore A.C. [Richard “Richie” Hennessy (c. 1925-2008) of Glenmore Village and later Ballycroney became a builder and built the Glenmore Community Centre.]
880 yards (open)—1st Larry Dillon, Glenmore A.C.; 2nd Larry Kiely [We believe that Larry Dillon (1921-2016) was a native of Rochestown. For more information on the Rochestown Dillon family see our post of 27 March 2021.]
One Mile Flat (confined)—1st Sean Robinson, Glenmore A.C.; 2nd Peter Egan, Glenmore A.C.
Three Miles Flat, Kilkenny Co. Championship—1st John Dunne, Ballycallan; 2nd Peter Egan
High Jump, County Championship—1st Cpl. Martin, 5 ft. 3 inch; 2nd William Kearney, Noreside A.C., 5 ft.
Broad Jump—1st Larry Dillon [Glenmore], 17 ft, 6 in; 2nd Stephen Walsh, 17ft, 2 in.
56 lbs without follow—1st Larry Roche, [Haggard] Glenmore A.C., 22 ft. 10in; 2nd John Forristal, Shanbogh, 17ft, 8 in [See our post of 4 July 2020 regarding the sport of weight throwing.]
One Mile Cycle (open)—1st William Walsh, Glenmore A.C.; 2nd Paddy Joy, Waterford Wheelers
Two Mile Cycle (ordinary machines)—1st James Kennedy, Kilbride; 2nd James Haberlin, Slieverue [James Kennedy of Kilbride was born in 1923 to Patrick Kennedy (carpenter) and his wife Johanna Grace.]
Three Mile Cycle (open)—1st P. Joy; 2nd Ed. Ryan, Waterford Southern Sprinters.
The newspaper published that “broadcasting arrangements” were carried out by T. O’Brien, Waterford, The broadcasting was a loudspeaker system rather than a radio or television broadcast. Judges were Rev. Fr. Brennan, C.C.; James O’Hanrahan, Richard Murphy and W. Forristal.
The Glenmore Athletic Club thanked the businesses and people who donated prizes and the list contains several businesses owned and operated by Glenmore natives including: Hanrahan Brothers, Glenmore & New Ross; Brady & Co., Waterford; George Wright, Waterford; Phelan’s of Waterford; Clover Meats Ltd, Waterford; Brooks of New Ross; Holden & Hanrahan, New Ross; Mrs. Heffernan-Walsh, [Lizzy J.K.] Glenmore; and Miss Jo Phelan, Rosbercon. Subscriptions were received from: Rev. W. Brennan, C.C., Glenmore; Glenmore Creamery Manager; Cherry’s, New Ross; Hickey’s New Ross; Doyle’s New Ross; Murphy’s, New Ross; James Power, Mile Post. See our post of 19 Dec. 2020 for early Glenmore business advertisements.
The Second Annual Glenmore Athletic Club Sports Day, 1945
The 1945 event was held in Robinstown on Sunday the 18th of June in a field owned by Laurence Kirwan. It was reported that the weather was ideal and the programme was comprised of 16 events completed in “record time.” Amplification was carried out by the Crescent Motor Garage, Wexford with commentators being W. Roche and William Walsh, the Secretary of the Club. The prizes were presented by Rev. J. Hynes, (sic) Ballybrahee, Glenmore, who was home from England on holiday (Munster Express 22 June 1945, p. 2). [Fr. John Hoyne (1916-1978) of Ballybrahee was ordained in 1942 for the diocese of Ossory. During his life he had a number of parish assignments including Callan, Glenmore and Bennettsbridge.]
Partial List of Results
The results of all 16 events are provided in the Munster Express, but few addresses of the winners were provided. The following is a partial list of the results featuring Glenmore athletes or those assumed to be Glenmore athletes.
880 Yards (Kilkenny Co. Championship)—2nd P. O’Connor, Glenmore [It is believed that this may have been Pat O’Connor a native of Ballyfacey and late of Rathinure. Pat O’Connor (c.1921- 2004) worked at the Creamery, married Kathleen Aylward and they lived on the High Road, Rathinure.]
100 Yards (boys under 14, confined)—1st W. Walsh; 2nd R. Cody [We believe R. Cody was Richard Cody of Carrigcloney].
880 Yards (confined)—1st Larry Dillon [Larry Dillon (1921-2016) see above, was a native of Rochestown and subsequently emigrated to Wolverhampton.]
Three Legged Race—1st D. Doherty & Miss Doherty; 2nd James Kennedy & Miss Mary Connolly
56 lbs (without follow)—1st Larry Roche, [Haggard] Glenmore
Glenmore School Sports Day
In the autumn of 1945, the Glenmore Athletic Club arranged a School Sports Day held in Robinstown. It was noted that “entries were not as large as anticipated” and for the first time events for girls were included (Munster Express, Fri. 19 Oct. 1945, p. 6).
80 Yards (boys under 10)—1st Larry Byrne [of Haggard. Larry never married. He followed the hunt and was an excellent horseman]; 2nd Kevin Cuddihy [Kevin was the son of the 2nd Glenmore Creamery Manager Tom Cuddihy. Kevin eventually became the third Glenmore Creamery Manager and was killed by a horse in 1973.]
80 Yards (girls under 10)—1st Mary Heffernan; 2nd May Phelan [We believe Mary Heffernan was Mary Alyward née Heffernan (1933-2026) of Rochestown].
100 Yards (under 12)—1st R. Cody; 2nd D. Cody [We believe that these were two Cody brothers from Carrigcloney, Richard and Fr. Daniel Cody (1937-2021).
100 Yards (under 14)—1st Billy Walsh; 2nd D. Cody
100 Yards (girls under 14)—1st Annie Sinnott; 2nd tie between Jo Fitzgerald and Jo Mernagh [Jo Meragh Doyle (1932-2021) late of Weatherstwn, see our post of 15 May 2022 for more information.]
440 Yards (under 16)—1st Christy Power [(c. 1932-c. 2020) of Carrigcloney]; 2nd Billy Walsh
880 Yards (under 16)—1st T. Mullally; 2nd R. Mullally [ Brothers Tommy and Richard Mullally of Davidstown]
3 Miles Flat (Kilkenny Co. Championship)—1st Larry Dillon, Glenmore Athletic Club; 2nd Thomas Byrne (holder) Noreside Athletic Club.
In a football challenge, Glenmore juniors defeated the senior team on a score of 1-5 to 0-3. The winners led at the change-over by three points to two. Michael Morrissey, Tullogher, refereed.
The Third Annual Glenmore Athletic Club Sports Day 1946
At its annual meeting in March 1946, the Glenmore Athletic Club elected officers. The Chairman was Thomas Fitzgerald of Moulerstown, while the Vice-Chairman was John Hennessey of the Village. The Secretary was William Walsh, of Cappagh and “Mr. Fitzgerald of Moulerstown” was the Treasurer. The Committee was comprised of T. Cotterell; P. O’Connor; T. Malone; D. Doyle; Larry Dillon; S. Walsh and P. Roche (Munster Express, Fri. 15 March 1946, p. 6).
The Glenmore Athletic Club’s annual Sports Day was held on Sunday the 14th of July 1946 at Robinstown. It was reported that the weather conditions were favourable and a large entry reflected leading athletes from Waterford, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny. The Club Secretary, William Walsh, of Cappagh, was praised for “Keeping the old flag of athletics flying in the South.” Nineteen results were reported and subscriptions were received from: Rev. W. Grace, P.P. Glenmore; Rev. W. Brennan, C.C.; Hanrahan Bros., New Ross; Mrs. Fitzgerald, Weatherstown; and the Moulerstown Dance Board Committee.
Partial List of Results
Below are the successful Glenmore athletes:
440 Yards (open)—2nd J. Conway (Glenmore AC). Seven competed.
880 Yards (confined to Glenmore parish)—1st Paddy O’Connor, Ballyfacey; 2nd Michael Fitzgerald, Coolnaleen. Seven competed [We believe this Paddy O’Connor was Pat O’Connor (c.1921- 2004) who worked at the Creamery, married Kathleen Aylward and they lived on the High Road, Rathinure].
100 Yards (boys under 12)—1st Michael Doherty, Ballinlammy; 2nd P. Fitzgerald, Aylwardstown. Ten competed. [We believe P. Fitzgerald was Petey Fitzgerald (c. 1932 -2025) a brother of John Fitzgerald of Rathinure who emigrated to the UK.]
100 Yards (boys under 14)—1st James Freeman, Glenmore; 2nd Richard Cody, Carrickcloney (sic). Eight competed. [Dick Cody (c. 1932-2024) of Carrigcloney was a farmer.]
220 Yards (boys under 18)—1st John Joe Aylward, Parkstown; 2nd Peter Roche, Rathinure. Eight competed. [John Joe Aylward (c. 1930-2018) never married and farmed. Peter Roche (brother of Jimmy Roche (c. 1926-2018) Rathinure is living in Canada.]
56 lbs. (without follow)—1st Larry Roche (Glenmore AC) [Haggard] 23 ft, 4 in. Five competed. [Larry Roche (1909-1965) of Haggard was a farmer and his obituary provides that he was a prominent athlete and won many prizes and championships for weight throwing at various sports meetings in Kilkenny and adjoining counties.]
Two Miles Cycle (ordinary machines, confined)—1st Paul Fitzgerald, Moulerstown; 2nd Joe Walsh, Ballinlammy. Eight competed. [Joe Walsh was brother of Thomas Kieran Walsh (1917-1977) a POW held by the Japanese. See our posts of 11 Nov. 2024 and 18 Nov. 2024 .]
Three Legged Race—Pat Roche, Haggard & P. McDonald, Haggard. Ten competed.
Please send any corrections, additional information or photos etc. to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Some Ballinlammy, Glenmore, Moran Family Photos
Special thanks to Robert Moran for sharing some of his family photos and correcting a typo and error on our post of 26 March 2023 regarding his great aunt Sr. Mary Theresa “Nellie” Moran (1925-2005). See our post of 26 March 2023 for details regarding the Moran family of Ballinlammy, Glenmore.
The Moran Farm of Ballinlammy, Glenmore
Please send any corrections, additional information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Finding an Answer Regarding Mother Jones (c. 1837-1930)
Several years ago, I was driving Danny Dowling (1927-2021) to a book fair and inquired if he had read anything of interest since our previous outing. Danny replied that he had read an article about Mary Harris Jones. I did not recognize the name, and Danny expressed amazement that I was not familiar with the greatest labour leader in American history.
After a good bit of teasing centring on my lack of education, Danny began to recite in detail the life of Mary Harris Jones. When he stated that her husband and four children died in a yellow fever epidemic it finally struck me that he was referring to “Mother Jones” an influential organizer for the United Mine Workers of America in the early 20th Century. I don’t think I ever knew her real name. She was always known as Mother Jones and is also known for fighting child labour. She led a march of children to Washington during Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency to protest the use of child labour.
I mentioned to Danny that Mother Jones is buried in Mount Olive, Macoupin County, Illinois, just off of Interstate 55 with informational signs on Interstate 55. (I-55 replaced the famous U.S. Route 66 between Chicago and St. Louis). Danny asked why she was buried there, and I had no answer until now. Last week while visiting Southern Illinois, I went to the grave and memorial erected for Mother Jones. I also visited the Illinois Coal Museum, of Gillespie, Illinois, which features several interesting mining displays including one of a life size cut out of the tiny Mother Jones. For a concise biography of Mother Jones’s work see, the AFL-CIO website. For a virtual tour of the Illinois Coal Museum see their webpage.
The Tragic Widow Found a Purpose
After the tragic deaths of her husband and children in 1867, Mother Jones for the remainder of her life dressed in black. It was only at her funeral that she wore a different colour. Mother Jones was laid out and buried in a lilac dress. A few years after her family’s demise her dressmaking business was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. She began to work as a union organizer and travelled the country. She referred to the coal miners as “her boys.” She also mobilized their wives and children to support the miners.
In 1897, she was dubbed “Mother Jones.” She was around 60 years of age. Historians have found her baptismal record in 1837 parish records in Cork, but she often gave her birth year as 1830. It is likely that she may not have known her exact date of birth.
Why Mount Olive, Macoupin County Illinois?
According to a large plaque listing various unions and others who donated to the memorial, Mother Jones asked to be buried with “her boys” who died in the Virden, Illinois, Massacre.
“When the last call comes for me to take my final rest, will the Miners see that I get a resting place in the same clay that shelters the Miners who gave up their lives on the hills of Virden Illinois on the morning of October 12, 1898 for their heroic sacrifice of their fellow men. They are responsible for Illinois being the best organized State in America. I hope it will be my consolation when I pass away to feel I sleep under the clay with those brave boys.”
The Union Miners’ Cemetery has an interesting history. It only came into existence in 1899 as a burial place for the members of the Miners’ Union killed at Virden in 1898. Apparently, the person or family that donated land to the nearby Mount Olive Cemetery objected to a memorial or memorial services for the miners. The Union decided to buy land for their own cemetery and several of the Virden miners were dug up and transferred to the new Union Miners’ Cemetery. For further details see Macoupin County, Illinois, Genealogy Trails webpage.
Although Mother Jones was always buried in the Union Miners’ Cemetery once the monument was built she too was moved to her present resting place. The feature photo above shows the flowers placed on the foot of her grave in the front centre of the large monument.
The Virden Massacre
At the Mother Jones’s Memorial, the Battle of Virden is referred to as the Virden Massacre. It occurred on 12 October 1898, after the Chicago-Virden Coal Co. rejected a nationwide agreement with the United Mine Workers of America. The agreement gave miners a wage of 40 cents per ton. Work was also to be reduced to 48 hours per week (comprised of 8 hour shifts in a 6 day week). The Virden mine was one of the biggest in Illinois; it employed 400 miners.
The Chicago-Virden Coal Co. locked out miners unwilling to accept the 30 cent a ton rate it offered. A strike ensued and an armed stockade was erected around the mine entrance indicating that the company was aware that the situation likely would turn violent. By the time of the massacre most of the local miners had been out of work for over a year.
To break the union and get the mine operational again, the Chicago-Virden Coal Co. hired 105 non-union black Alabama miners at 30 cents per ton. The Chicago-Virden Coal Co. failed to tell the black miners that there was an ongoing strike at Virden. As the Company shipped the black miners north by train members of the Thiel Detective Service Co. boarded the train in East St. Louis, Illinois armed with rifles.
The Company demanded that Governor Tanner send troops to protect the strike breakers and mine property. Tanner responded, to the sheriff of Macoupin County that “as long as the coal company persists in importing labor I will not furnish troops unless rioting occurs.” It was alleged by some newspapers that Tanner did not send troops because he was seeking votes from the labour element (The Daily Review (Decatur, IL) Tues. 29 Nov. 1898, p. 4).
When the train arrived in Virden it was swarmed by about 1,200 armed local miners. Both sides blamed the other for firing the first shot. The gun battle lasted for 15 minutes and left 13 people dead. Eight of the dead were local coal miners, four of the dead were mine “guards” and a switchboard operator of the railroad was killed. There were also a large number of men injured on both sides. It was reported that 30 other local miners were also shot but survived. The black Alabama miners were apparently not harmed and removed from the area. If memory serves me these men were abandoned in E. St. Louis by the Chicago-Virden Coal Co. and had to make their own way back to Alabama.
For further information concerning the Virden Massacre see, the National Public Radio (NPR) Illinois webpage .
Tanner Sends Troops
It must have come as a surprise to the greedy Chicago-Virden Coal Company that Governor Tanner sent several hundred soldiers to Virden and ordered them to stop the unloading of any “imported miners.” The troops were to preserve peace and protect life and property of “bona fide citizens” and disarm every person having arms (The Champaign (Illinois) Daily News, Sat. 15 Oct. 1898, p. 1).
Virgil Bishop, a Virden miner, filed a complaint charging various officials of the Chicago-Virden Coal Co. and their armed guards with conspiracy to murder and murder. It was anticipated that the families of the dead miners and the injured would file personal cases for damages also against the officials. To keep all trains from being stopped and searched the railroad quickly reached an agreement with Governor Tanner that they would not assist the Chicago-Virden Coal Company in further attempts to transport armed men or “imported miners” to Virden (Streator (Illinois) Daily Free Press (Sat. 15 Oct. 1898, p. 1).
Membership in the United Mine Workers of America soared. Within a month the Chicago Virden-Coal Company bowed to public and political pressure and agreed to the terms of the national agreement.
The Death of Mother Jones
Mother Jones died on Sunday, 30 November 1930 near Washington, D.C. The contemporary newspapers gave her age as 100 and just previous to her death she helped celebrate her 100th birthday. “For more than 60 years she was one of the most peaceful and militant personalities with which capital and labor had to deal” (Henderson County Graphic-Reporter (Stronghurst, Illinois)(Thur. 4 Dec. 1930, p. 4). At the time of Mother Jones’s death, Emmaline Pitt, United State’s Commissioner connected with the Office of the Secretary of Labor wrote, “She stood for all that was noblest and best in womanhood, for the defence of childhood believing as Christ taught, ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least one of these yet have done it unto me’” (Belleville (Illinois) Daily News Democrat, Mon. 1 Dec. 1930, p. 2).
Pursuant to her wishes Mother Jones was laid to rest in the private Union Miner’s Cemetery at Mount Olive, Macoupin County, Illinois. Notwithstanding it was during the Great Depression of the 1930’s a large memorial was built for the miners killed at Verdin and Mother Jones.
Mother Jones’s Quotations
“Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living!”
“I’m no angel, Get it straight. I’m not a humanitarian, I’m a hell raiser.”
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Please send any corrections, additional information or photos etc. to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh