20th Century
now browsing by category
From Danny’s Files: The Tragic Death of Mrs. O’Rourke (1893-1960) of Weatherstown, Glenmore
We recently found a newspaper clipping that Danny Dowling (1927-2021) had in his voluminous files regarding the tragic death of Glenmore native Johanna O’Rourke. Although the Munster Express article covering the inquest of Mrs. O’Rourke’s death in 1960 lists her first name as Brigid, the death register lists her first name as “Johanna.” The family headstone in Glenmore lists her as “Hannah.” We believe that the Munster Express was in error.
Johanna O’Rourke née Purcell (1891-1960)
Thanks to the headstone the deceased’s maiden name was provided, and we were able to find Johanna Purcell’s baptismal record. Johanna was born on 23 October 1891, at Weatherstown, the daughter of Edmund Purcell (c. 1864-1924?) farm labourer, and his wife Mary Cassin (c. 1866 -1943). Edmund Purcell (aged 23) of Forristalstown married Mary Cassin (aged 21) of Weatherstown on 4 October 1887. Johanna’s siblings included: Edmund Purcell (1887); Thomas Purcell (b. 1889); Mary Purcell (b. 1889); James Purcell (b. 1893); William Purcell (b. 1893); Ellen Purcell (b. 1896); Richard Purcell (b. 1898); and Mary Purcell (b. 1899). It appears that there were two sets of twins in this family.
[Correction 13 June 2022–Ann O’Rourke noted that the church records in 1889 reflects the baptism of Thomas, yet the civil record reflects the child’s name is Mary. It is believed that one child was born in 1889. Thomas O’Rourke emmigrated to the United States in 1926].
Johanna Purcell married Patrick O’Rourke (c. 1883- 1970) and the couple had at least two sons and two daughters: Edward O’Rourke; Michael O’Rourke; Bridie O’Rourke (1913-1982); and Eileen O’Rourke (1917-2008).
[Further information per Ann O’Rourke–The Purcell family lived in upper Weatherstown before moving to lower Weatherstown. John Flynn, a blacksmith, moved into the upper Weatherstown house. This information was provided to Ann by Danny Dowling (1927-2021) and Jo Doyle née Mernagh (1932-2021).]
The Inquest

The death register provides that “Hannah” O’Rourke of Weatherstown, Glenmore died on the 12th of May 1960 at the County & City Infirmary, John’s Hill, Waterford. An inquest was held by G. A. Nolan, solicitor and Waterford City Coroner, at the Waterford Municipal Library on the evening of the 13th of May.
Hannah O’Rourke’s cause of death was recorded as a coronary thrombosis. Hannah had been in the hospital since the 26th of April. Although she has been in the hospital over two weeks the inquest centred on an accident that Hannah suffered on the 26th of April while riding her bicycle to Glenmore Village.
Most of the information concerning the inquest was found in a Munster Express article (Friday 20 May 1960, p. 10).
Ellen O’Rourke of Weatherstown, Glenmore
The first witness to testify was Ellen O’Rourke, Hannah’s daughter-in-law. Ellen testified that her mother-in-law attended 7:30 a.m. Mass in Glenmore on the 26th of April 1960. About four hours later, she left her home in Weatherstown to go to Glenmore Village setting out on her bicycle. Ellen stated that her mother-in-law was in good health that morning. In the weeks preceding the 26th of April, Ellen testified that her mother-in-law complained of severe headaches and went to a dispensary doctor in Glenmore.
Thomas Murphy of New Ross
The second witness to testify at the inquest was Thomas Murphy, of 21 South St., New Ross. Thomas was a truck driver and stated that at about 11:30 on the 26th of April he passed Glenmore, having rounded a bend on his right, he saw a woman, who was later identified as deceased, coming down a hill toward him on a bicycle.
She was travelling fairly fast. When he first saw her, she was about 20 yards from him…As I looked I saw her wobble on her bicycle. She was on her correct side of the road. The machine was still wobbling as she passed me out. As I looked into the mirror on my truck after she had passed me, I saw her fall off her bicycle on to the roadway.”
Thomas testified that he immediately stopped and went back to her. He found her lying face down with her bicycle on top of her. He spoke to her, but she did not respond. “She was bleeding from her nose and did not move. I went for a priest and doctor.”
When Thomas returned she was still where she fell and was being supported by others who had come along. She was removed to the Waterford Infirmary. Thomas was questioned concerning the road and stated that it was about 16 feet wide where the deceased fell. He opined that she was traveling about 15 miles per hour.
Sergeant James Flynn of Glenmore
Sergeant James Flynn, of Glenmore, was the third witness. He testified that when he visited the scene of the accident Mrs. O’Rourke had been removed to the Infirmary, but her bicycle was still there. On examination he found it to be in fairly good condition and in good running order, with the exception of the rear wheel, which was a bit loose. According to Sergeant Flynn the bicycle was not damaged, the road surface was of tar and was dry. There was no signs of an accident except there was a pool of blood on the road. Sergeant Flynn examined Thomas Murphy’s truck and did not find any marks or evidence that it had been involved in a collision.
Dr. Kevin Hickey of Waterford

The last witness mentioned in the newspaper account was Dr. Kevin Hickey, of Waterford. The deceased was admitted to the Infirmary on the 26th of April after suffering, head, chest and arm injuries sustained when she fell from her bicycle.
Dr. Hickey testified that he was called to the Infirmary on Monday the 8th of May to attend the deceased, who was experiencing pain in her chest and down her arm. She was also shocked.
On examination, he confirmed that her condition was due to a heart attack which he stated had been coming on for some days. In his opinion her death was due to coronary thrombosis. Replying to the Coroner, he stated that the fact that deceased fell off her bicycle would have been a contributory cause to her death.
The Verdict
Sitting with a jury, Coroner Nolan said it was clear from the evidence presented that the deceased had not been involved in an accident with a vehicle. A verdict, in accordance with the medical evidence, that death was caused by coronary thrombosis was returned and recorded by the Coroner. In 1960, notwithstanding the fact that Hannah was in a hospital when she suffered a heart attack little could be done because open heart surgery was in its infancy.
Acknowledgements & Privious Posts
For information on the earliest bicycles in Glenmore see our post of 28 December 2019.
Special thanks to Ann O’Rourke for sharing her memories, photos of her grandparents, further information and corrections.
Please send any corrections or additional information etc. to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
The featured photo above is courtesy of the New York City Library, George Arents Collection, The New York Public Library. “Lady’s bicycle (3 speed gear and dynamo lighting).” New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 12, 2022.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
From Danny’s Glenmore Photo Album 4.0 [Updated]
The photo featured today was found in one Danny Dowling’s (1927-2021) photo albums. Danny was a lifelong resident of Glenmore.
If you can identify any of the eight people in this photo please post below or email glenmore.history@gmail.com.
As people are identified we shall update this page as we do with other photographs. Thanks to all the help we received from readers most of the people in the first three photos have been identified and we are contacting various family members to verify the identifications.
As always please let us know of any errors or omissions.
Thank you for your assistance.
[Update 9 June 2022 at 14:28 : Front Row from left: Billy Boland, Sr. of Milltown; Danny Dowling; –?– ; –?–; –?– Back Row from left: Josie Melody née Dowling, of Jamestown; Peggy Kennedy née Dowling, of Jamestown; smallest girl Nellie O’Halloran née Dowling, of Jamestown.]
[Update 12 June 2022–Front Row from left: Billy Boland, Sr. (1915-1998) of Milltown; Danny Dowling (1927-2021) of Jamestown; Johnny Coady, of Ballycroney; Neddy Holden, of Clune; and Billy Boland, Jr. (b. 1947) of Ballycroney. Back row from left: Josie Melody née Dowling, of Jamestown; Peggy Kennedy née Dowling (b. 1937) of Jamestown; smallest girl Nellie O’Halloran née Dowling (b. 1944) of Jamestown. It is believed that the photo was taken c. 1954.]
Jamestown, Glenmore (1961)
Today, we are going to feature information that Danny Dowling (1927-2021) recorded regarding the residents of the townland of Jamestown, Glenmore around 1961.
O’Kelly’s Place Names
Although we usually provide some of the entry for various townlands as reflected in O’Kelly’s, The Place Names of the County of Kilkenny (1969, p. 102) below is the entire entry: “Jamestown, Baile Sheamoc, little James’s homestead. Area 293 acres. Ballyguirrim ruined church is here with its adjoining churchyard. There is a well north of the church called Tobar an tsagairt. Dan Dowling, a local historian who has made tape-recordings of cures, charms and folklore from old residents over a wide area states that it was a custom up to 50 years ago for passers-by to leave a stone at the two sceach bushes growing near the old main road to New Ross. Boithrin sean-Philib is the name of a laneway here. Field names are Drom gabhar, and the Robbers’ field“.
Last Native Irish Speaker in Glenmore
When Danny was about ten years old his family moved from Glenmore Village to the Dowling farm in Jamestown. We previously published an article regarding Danny’s colourful great-grandmother Biddy Neddy Cody (Bridget Dowling née Cody (1831-1916) or often referred to in newspapers as the Widow Dowling.
Jamestown is also the townland where Patrick Power (c. 1856-1942) the last native Irish speaker in the parish resided. The National Folklore Collection, housed at UCD has the recording of Pádraig de Paor, from Jamestown, Glenmore (archival reference NFC 323: 174-183). Patrick was 85 at the time of the recording. It is available to read online, most of the 9 pages are in Irish.
1961
In 1961, Danny recorded eleven families or households in the townland of Jamestown. With respect to Danny’s list of residents’ 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. The recorded information reveals that 46 people resided in Jamestown with the population of 28 males and 18 females. The largest family recorded was the Dowling family comprised of 9 persons and there were 2 households of a single person.
Recorded Residents
Males= 28
Females= 18
Eldest Recorded Resident= Michael Greene (1873-1962). In 1961 Michael was 88 years of age.
Recorded Work
Farmers= 3 ( 2 males; 1 female)
Farm/Agricultural Workers/Labourers= 12 (all males)
Labourers= 1 (male)
Creamery Worker = (male)
Bookkeeper = 1 (female)
JAMESTOWN’S RESIDENTS
[1] POWER
Power, John (10 Feb. 1893) Farm Labourer
[2] POWER
Power, Michael (2 Nov. 1905) Farm Labourer
Power, (no first name recorded) wife
[3] DOWLING
Dowling, Hannah (25 March 1903) Farmer
Dowling, Daniel (15 Feb. 1927) son, health inspector
Dowling, Michael, son, farm worker
Dowling, Bridget, daughter, bookkeeper
Dowling, Edward, son, farm worker
Dowling, Margaret, daughter (married 25 Oct. 1961)
Dowling, Patrick, son, farm worker
Dowling, John, son, farm worker
Dowling, Ellen, daughter
[4] GREENE
Greene, Patrick (18 May 1912) Farmer
Greene, Bridget (14 Aug. 1913) wife
Greene, Michael, son, farm worker
Greene, William, son
Greene, Patrick, son
Greene, Margaret, daughter
Greene, Bridget, daughter
Greene, Michael (12 March 1873) cousin, retired (died 16 March 1962)
[5] WALSH
Walsh, Thomas (5 June 1886) Farmer
Walsh, Catherine (24 Sept. 1898) wife
Walsh, John, son, farm worker
Walsh, Patrick, son, farm worker
Walsh, Mary, daughter
[6] MURPHY
Murphy, Michael, Labourer
Murphy, Bridget, wife
[7] POWER/MALONE
Power, Mary (10 March 1885)
Malone, Michael, son-in-law, farm worker
Malone, Margaret, daughter
Malone, Henry, grandson
[8] MERNAGH
Mernagh, Thomas, Creamery Worker
Mernagh, Catherine, wife
Mernagh, Mary, daughter
[9] MERNAGH
Mernagh, John (19 Dec. 1921) Farm Worker
Mernagh, Johanna, wife
Mernagh, Edward, son, farm worker
Mernagh, Patrick, son
Mernagh, Margaret, daughter
Mernagh, James, son
Mernagh, Liam, son
Mernagh, Kieran, son
[10] POWER
Power, Michael (12 Dec. 1882) Farm Labourer
[11] DOYLE
Doyle, Laurence
Doyle, Johanna, wife
Doyle, Nicholas, son
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com. The featured photo above is the entrance to Ballygurrim Graveyard of Jamestown. The photo was taken in June 2020.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
From Danny’s Glenmore Photo Album 3.0 [updated]
The photo featured today was taken about 1970 by Danny Dowling (1927-2021) of Glenmore Village, outside the then parish hall (the old boy’s school) just inside the wall. Two of the depicted men at the back have been identified. Back row: the on the far left is Eamonn Jones, of the Village, and the man on the far right is Michael Hoynes, of Ballybrahee, Glenmore.
If you can identify any of the other people in this photo please post below or email glenmore.history@gmail.com. As people are identified we shall update this page as we do with other photographs. Thank you for your assistance.
[Update 24 May 2022, 19:32–Since the post went up this morning a number of readers have helped identify some of the people in the photo.]
Back Row, Left to Right: [1] Eamonn Jones, the Village; [2] –?–; [3] –?–; [4] –?–; [5] Mickey Fitzgerald, of Moulerstown; [6] Johnny Mackey, of Ballycroney; [7] Pat Dowling, of Cappagh; [8] Michael Hoynes, of Ballybrahee.
[Update 28 May 2022–Thanks to several readers we believe the people in the photo include: (back row left to right) [1] Eamonn Jones, the Village; [2] Paddy Mackey; [3] Mike Whelan, Ballywairy; [4] Mick Murphy, of Jamestown; [5] Micky Fitzgerald, of Moulerstown; [6] Johnny Mackey; [7] Pat Dowling Cappagh; [8] Michael Hoynes of Ballybrahe. (front left to right) Packie Morrissey ? and the child on the left is believed to be a nephew of Eamonn Jones. The little boy in front of Pat Dowling is Danny’s son Pat Dowling.]


