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An Unusual Glenmore Memorial: Fr. Thomas Walsh (1911-1945)
Earlier this month as we were recording inscriptions on headstones in the cemetery adjacent to St. James’ Parish Church in Glenmore we came across a number of unusual memorials. Today, we shall highlight Columban Father Thomas Walsh who died on 13 December 1945, aged 34, in Burma. The stone where his name and details appear is located in the centre of the back part of the Glenmore cemetery.
The Walsh Family
From the information on the Glenmore headstone we were able to determine that Fr. Thomas Walsh was born on the 11th of April 1911 at the family home at 5 Thomas Street in Waterford. He was the son of James Walsh and Catherine (Kate) Walsh née O’Sullivan. His parents were married on the 4th of September 1906 at the Rosbercon Chapel. The bride was from Glenballyvalley, Tullogher and her father is recorded as Thomas Sullivan (farmer). The groom was the son of Richard Walsh (farmer). The groom is listed in the marriage records as being a brewery foreman. Danny Dowling on the 20th of July 2020 stated that he believed that the bride was from the Ballyfoyle O’Sullivans.
Fr. Thomas Walsh had two sisters and three brothers. Most of the following information was obtained from obituaries, marriage, birth and death records. The Walsh family resided in the Cathedral parish in Waterford. The boys were educated at Mount Sion C.B.S.
- The eldest of the family was Mary (Sister Madeleine) Walsh (20 Aug. 1907–23 Nov 1974). Mary became a Sister of Mercy. According to her obituary in the Evening Echo (30 Nov. 1974) she trained, as a nurse in the Mercy Hospital, Cork and worked in St. Finbarr’s Hospital from 1939 until her retirement in 1972. She was described as gentle, artistic and musical.
- The second child, was Catherine Walsh (12 Aug. 1908—22 June 1998) who married Walter Cullen (c. 1908—31 May 1998) and had at least three children.
- The third child of the Walsh family was Richard Walsh (16 Sept. 1909—17 Nov. 1996). Richard worked for Customs and Excise and resided in Dublin.
- The fourth child in the family was Fr. Thomas.
- James Walsh (24 Apr. 1912– ? ) was the fifth child and he married Dorothy Connolly, of Douglas Road, Cork on 23 Sept. 1941 in a nuptial ceremony conducted in Irish. James Walsh, or Seamus Breathnach, had an MA in Modern Irish and worked on the translation staff of the Oireachtas, and as a lecturer in the Leinster School of Irish. James or Seamus is the only sibling not listed on the Glenmore headstone.
- The baby of the Walsh family was John Joseph (Sean) Walsh (1 Mar. 1918—30 Oct. 1921). This child tragically died of tubercular meningitis at the age of 3 years, 7 months.
James Walsh, Sr. worked at Strangman Brewery in Waterford. On the birth cert of the eldest child, Mary, he is listed as a weightmaster in the brewery. At the time of Catherine’s birth he is listed as the firemaster at the brewery. By the time of Father Thomas was born his father was listed as “brewery foreman” on his birth records. Danny stated that quite a number of Glenmore men worked at this brewery over the years both full time and as seasonal workers. (For a concise history of Strangman Brewery see, https://waterfordwhisky.com/element/william-strangman/). When Fr. Thomas sent a letter, dated the 23rd of July 1929, seeking to join the Columban Missionary Society, he noted that his father was foreman in Strangman’s brewery and had been employed there for over 40 years.
In this application letter Fr. Thomas also revealed that he was an 18 year old student at Mount Sion Christian Brothers Schools (1915-1929) and described himself as “…healthy as the average boy of my age.” He noted that his eldest brother was in the Civil Service since 1927 and his other brother had completed his leaving certificate in accordance with the pupil teaching scheme. Fr. Thomas reported that he failed the matriculation exam in the summer of 1929. He explained that he failed geography but passed maths, Irish, English and Latin. His parents were not against him entering a Missionary Society, but desired that he should enter St. John’s College in Waterford because, it was “near home, friends, cheap etc.”
The brief biography found in Fr. Thomas’ file held in the Columban archive reveals that he was admitted to the seminary, at St. Columban’s College, Dalgan Park, Galway in 1929 and was ordained a priest on the 21st of December 1935. For his first, and as it transpired only, appointment he was sent to Bhamo, Burma as a member of the Maynooth Mission to China in 1936.
Burma Assignment
Bhamo, Burma, now Myanmor, is in the north of the country. The first efforts to establish Catholicism began in 1856 when French Bishop Paul Bigandet visited the northern region. In 1873, three priests were sent to form a diocese. The mission work stalled due to malaria. Between 1873 -1901 fourteen priests died or became incapacitated due to malaria. The mission was slow to spread in the Kachin populations until 1936 when the first St. Columban Missionaries arrived from Ireland. (Official Catholic Directory 2016, p. 184, Catholic Bishop Conference of Myanmar Yangon).
The Maynooth Mission in 1936 was led by the Right Reverend Mgr. Patrick Usher, of Tullyallen, Co. Louth, who led the “pioneer band of young priests who were specially appointed to this difficult mission field which is considerably larger in extent than the whole of Ireland.” Within this pioneer band of young priests numbering 24 was Rev. Thomas Walsh (Waterford) and Rev. Thomas Murphy (Naas). (Catholic Standard, 5 June 1942). In addition to the difficult climate, missionaries found that each of the hill tribes had its own language, and twelve languages were spoken in the province. (Catholic Standard, 18 Feb. 1949).
After the Maynooth Mission group arrived in Burma, according to a letter written by Mgr. Usher on 13 December 1945, Fr. Thomas Walsh was assigned to a mission station in Namhapalan, sixty miles north of Bhamo. The language of his parish was Kachan. “In a difficult and lonely mission he never showed that he gave his troubles or hardships a thought.” When he met any of the other priests he was full of jokes and good humour in his quiet gentle way “and no joke had a sting in it at another’s expense.” He became fluid in the Kachan language, built a school and dedicated himself to his people.
World War II
In 1942, the Japanese Imperial Army captured Burma which cut off war supplies to China via the Burma Road. Desperate to keep the Japanese fighting on two fronts, the Allies air dropped supplies and built the Ledo Road through Bhamo to supply China. The Ledo Road was eventually named the Stillwell Road after an American General and was completed in early 1945. American veterans of the China-Burma-India campaigns referred to the jungle terrain surrounding the famous Burma Road and Ledo Road as the “Green Hell.” (Catholic Standard, 18 Feb. 1949). This difficult terrain is where Fr. Thomas Walsh worked.
There are various accounts of the internment by the Japaneese of the Columban Fathers in Burma. In May 1942 when the Japanese Imperial Army captured Bhamo the missionaries were held for a month, released and ordered to report to Mandalay. At Mandalay they were assigned to a house in the Agricultural College. They were bombed incessantly by the Allies as they were surrounded by Japanese troops. They were moved to St. John’s Leper Asylum (James Durney, “The Emperor’s Kildare Slaves”(2013) http://www.kildare.ie/library/ehistory/2013/07/the_emprerors_kildare_slaves.asp ).
According to a March 1946 interview of Mgr. Usher he recalled that from October 1942, twenty-one of the priests of the Maynooth Mission were interned in Mandalay. Two of his priests were interned in Rangoon and two others had crossed into India via China. For the last 18 months of the war the Mandalay internees were interned in the leper hospital with about 500 leper patients and most of the other missionaries from northern Burma including a number of French and Italian missionaries. Mgr. Usher stated, “To be staying in a leper hospital is not as terrible as it may seem for those who, like us, were used to seeing lepers. It is certainly not pleasant to see sufferers from the disease, but the disease itself is not very contagious” (Catholic Standard, 29 March 1946). St. John’s Leper Hospital was conducted by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (Catholic Standard, 18 May 1945).
Contrary to the majority of films and books describing the brutal and inhumane treatment of civilians interned by the Japanese during the war, Monsignor Usher stated, “We were not treated too badly by the Japanese. They did not do very much for us, but they did not do much against us. They did not interfere with our private life. We could say Mass, but were not permitted to carry out our priestly duties.” He noted that it was a great worry that their parishioners were without priests for so long. He also said that the priests missed not having any communication with their relatives at home. They read all the books they could lay their hands on. When Monsignor Usher was asked about food, he stated that they were never hungry, although they did not have a variety of food. They lived mostly on rice, with some vegetables, tea and coffee. He stated that other missionaries fared much worse than they did. Mandalay was a good rice-growing area and was fairly self-supporting. (Catholic Standard, 29 March 1946).
As the Allies were fighting to liberate Mandalay on the 16th of March 1945, Father Thomas Murphy (of Naas) and a number of other priests were saying Mass at different altars in the oratory when a shell burst over the one story building mortally wounding Father Murphy and injuring five or six of the other priests (Catholic Standard, 29 March 1946). Father Thomas Walsh, (of Waterford) was one of the other priests wounded by the shrapnel. Although he had shrapnel wounds in both arms and with his back laid open with a great gash, he “hoisted on his back the first man he could see through the blinding dust and carried him to the dispensary conducted by missionary Nuns.” (Irish Press, 17 Dec. 1945).
The Rev. Edward J. McCarthy, sent a cablegram to the Columban’s, in Nebraska reporting Fr, Murphy’s death during the battle for the liberation of the priests. He explained that Fr. Murphy, was at one of the side altars, and was badly wounded when the shell exploded overhead. Fr. Murphy was anointed and died two hours later as he was being carried behind British lines. With the exception of the two Columban priests held in Rangoon, all Columban priests held by the Japanese in the Burma area were freed that day. (Catholic Standard, 18 May 1945).
After the War
Fr. Thomas Walsh after recovering from the wounds he received on 16 March 1945 returned to Bhamo in September. In early October he journeyed the 60 miles to his former mission station in Namhapalan and made a “complete tour of his district and found the position on the whole satisfactory.” Although his parishioners had been without a priest since 1942 the majority kept their faith (Usher, Letter 13 Dec. 1945). Most of the buildings used by the mission had been destroyed (Catholic Standard, 29 March 1946) and Fr. Thomas set about re-building his school which Msg. Usher noted was no easy task at that time (Usher, Letter 13 Dec. 1945).
In late November 1945, Fr. Thomas fell ill with malaria. He took a course of treatment, but after nine days when he could not shake off the illness he decided he needed to go to the hospital in Bhamo. His parishioners carried him to the foot of the hills and on the road he was picked up by an American truck and taken to the hospital in Bhamo. For three days he appeared to be improving, but on the 10th of December he took a turn for the worse. His lungs became congested. He received the last Sacrament fully conscious and did not have much pain. Although two Franciscan Sisters took turns staying at his bed side, and the hospital nurses and doctors did everything possible, Fr. Thomas died at 9:15 on the morning of the 13th of December 1945 of malaria at the age of 34. Msg. Usher wrote two personal paragraphs on the back of the letter he wrote that day. He noted the paragraphs were not for the Far East magazine. On the back of the page Msg. Usher expressed his grief and noted that the death of Fr. Thomas “is a terrible blow to us.” They had lost one of their very best missionaries and friend. He expressed that Fr. Thomas’ flock would be very saddened as “his people had a great affection for him. They could hardly help it because he had such an ardent affection for them” (Usher, Letter 13 Dec. 1945). Fr. Thomas Walsh was buried in the Christian Cemetery in Bhamo, Burma.
Gone But Not Forgotten
In a letter to his parents written a few months before his death, Fr. Thomas stated that had been offered an extended holiday in Ireland, but decided to stay at his post (Catholic Standard, 21 Dec. 1945). His father, James Walsh, Sr., died on the 10th of February 1956, at the age of 91, after falling while walking along the Quay in Waterford. His obituary stated that he was a native of Thomastown and worked for Strangman’s Brewery for 50 years until his retirement in 1936. Interment took place at the family burial ground at Glenmore (Munster Express, 17 Feb. 1956). His mother, Catherine Walsh née O’Sullivan died on the 5th of October 1970 at the age of 95. Her obituary in the Munster Express (9 Oct. 1970) reveals that one of Fr. Thomas’ nephews became a priest. Rev. Seamus (Fr. Majella) Cullen. O.F.M. was ordained in 1968 and was working in Rhodesia, Africa in 1970.
The Maynooth Mission to China, expanded in 1949, but by 1966 all missionaries were expelled from Burma. Only those who had been in the country prior to 1948 were allowed to remain. However, if a missionary left the country he or she could not return. The last of the Columbans left in 1977 (Fr. Pat O’Donoghue, “A Great Harvest, 24 June 2020 available at https://columbans.co.uk/a-great-harvest.) Eventually restrictions on missionaries eased, Burma has become Myanmar, and in 2010 Columban Father Neil Magill turned the old, disused, leper hospital, where the missionaries were interned by the Japanese during the war, into a higher education institution (Far East, Sept. 2015, “Education for the Poorest, but Brightest.”) In 2014 five Kachin priests were ordained and Fr. Bosco N-lam Hkun Seng when interviewed stated that his grandfather converted to Catholicism and his father studied in a Columban Mission School in Myitkina under Father Thomas Walsh who died of malaria in 1945 (Far East, March 2014).
Special thanks to Barbara Scally, Archivist, Columban Fathers, Dalgan Park and Louise Walsh for taking all the photos of the Glenmore headstones.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
For further information on Columban Father Thomas Murphy (1906-1945) of Naas, Kildare, see Columban Martyrs available at https://columbans.ie/about-us/columban-martyrs/
The Far East archive is available at https://www.columban.org.au/media-and-publications/the-far-east-magazine/archive/
The featured photo above of the fresco of St. Columban, was taken in 2007 by Davide Papalini – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brugnato-IMG_0141.JPG
For information regarding the work addressing leprosy in Burma/Myanmar see, https://leprosyhistory.org/geographical_region/country/myanmar
Wed & Dead Within a Week: The Widow’s Update
On the 21st of June we posted an article concerning the tragic circumstances surrounding the wedding and death of James Aylward, of Parkstown, Glenmore in 1909. Although the bride widow, Catherine (Kate) Aylward née Gaul was located in the 1911 census living with her father and brothers in Ballynooney West, of Rosbercon no further records could be located.
We are happy to report that through the help of a reader we were able to speak with a great-niece of the lady and learned that the woman widowed while on her honeymoon re-married, had four children and lived in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.
We were not able to locate a marriage record for the widow Catherine (Kate) Aylward née Gaul but we were able to find a child born in Moyhora, Castlecomer on the 31st of July 1916 to Michael Murphy and Kate Murphy née Gaul. The child was named Kate Murphy. Unfortunately the public birth records end in 1919 and we were unable to discover the names of the other three children.
In terms of the Gaul family it was verified that the father, Luke Gaul, died on 7 February 1917 at the age of 70 and Kate had two brothers. John born on 19 April 1873 married and stayed on the Ballynooney farm. William Gaule was born on 23 September 1879; he married Honara Dalton and farmed in Keatingstown, Hugginstown, Co. Kilkenny. They had eight children. It was said that Honara lived to be 101 years of age.
Lastly, Cissy Kennedy, a native of Rathinure, Glenmore, aged 90 verified last week that John Joe Aylward of Parkstown, Glenmore (nephew of the tragic groom) had a sister Nellie Aylward who married a farmer from Wexford and had two sons.
Below is the headstone bearing the name of the tragic groom located during the recent survey of the Glenmore cemetery.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Runaway Vehicles in Glenmore Village
Last week when Danny Dowling was speaking about traveling shows and entertainment that visited Glenmore in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he spoke about a terrible accident that occurred in Glenmore Village involving a circus wagon. He recalled that a man and two horses were killed.
Runaway Circus Wagon
The main road through the village has a very long incline which stretches approximately .5 k from the National School, down past the Church, past the old Garda Barrack’s, down to the gable end of Fluskey’s building. Fluskey’s housed the second Glenmore Post Office as well as a shop, (see blog post “Glenmore Businessman: Robert Fluskey (c. 1843-1925) and the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word” published 8 May 2020.) In cold weather the hill can be very treacherous, but Danny has recorded two serious events involving runaway vehicles on the hill that took place during summer months.
On the 4th of July 1941, a 17-year-old farmer’s son named Richard O’Neill, from Ballinglee, Ballymitty, Co. Wexford was fatally injured when the horse drawn circus wagon he was driving crashed into the gable end of Fluskey’s building. According to Danny the wagon hit with such force it cracked the wall of the gable end, and although the crack was patched and painted over several times, the crack was visible right up to this year when a new owner began renovating the building.
According to an article published in the New Ross Standard on 11 July 1941 the “runaway” horses galloped down the hill and the young driver Richard O’Neill could not control them. Unable to make the turn at the bottom of the hill the wagon crashed into the gable end of Fluskey’s and the driver was thrown between the horses. The driver was taken to the hospital at New Ross and transferred to the County Hospital where he died on the 5th of July. An inquest was held on the 7th before Mr. F. M. O’Connor, LLB, solicitor and Coroner for South Wexford. A brother of the deceased, John O’Neill of Ballinglee, identified his brother’s remains. Other witnesses reported that the deceased was in the employ of Richard McCormack, of the McCormack’s Variety Show, but no information was provided concerning how long he worked for McCormack. Very little is known about the McCormack Variety Show although there are mentions of it in the Leinster Reporter in 1928.
Garda Thomas Griffin, Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, testified that on Friday, the 4th of July, at 1 p.m. he was on the road in front of the Garda Barracks at Glenmore. He saw a four wheeled van coming down the hill, being drawn by three horses. The deceased, Richard O’Neill, was sitting in the driver’s seat, and was trying to control the horses. The wagon had a load of metal poles, seating accessories, circus tents, etc. The animals were going at a fast pace, galloping down the steep hill and the deceased was doing his best to control them.
The young driver had a tight hold of the reins and was leaning back in an effort to stop them. The galloping horses and wagon passed Garda Griffin and about 80 yards further down the hill the horses and wagon crashed into the gable wall of “a house.” We know that the house was in fact Fluskey’s building that housed a shop, the post office and the telegraph office. Garda Griffin stated that it seemed that the horses could not negotiate the corner round the house. O’Neill was thrown from his seat and landed between the injured horses.
Garda Griffin ran down to the scene, and two men from the Village, Patrick Walsh and Michael Walsh, rushed to assist. The three men removed the deceased from the injured horses. The deceased was badly injured and could not give a coherent account of what occurred. Garda Griffin when asked during the inquest if the vehicle had any braking system could not say because his attention was solely on the deceased. The deceased was removed to New Ross Hospital and he was then transferred to Wexford County Hospital for X-ray treatment.
Dr. J. A. O’Driscoll, the house surgeon, of the Wexford County Hospital, testified that he examined the deceased when he was admitted to the County Hospital at 11 am on Saturday the 5th. His condition was very grave. He complained of great abdominal pain and was deeply shocked. He received treatment and there was an operation. A part of the small intestine was found to be completely severed. He died at 8.15 p.m. on Saturday. In witness’s opinion the cause of death was perforation of the intestine, shock and peritonitis. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned.
Update 12 October 2025
The following updated information was provided by Jim B. Walsh (1818-1988) of Glenmore Village. See our post of 12 October 2025. Jim B. also remembered the day well that the circus waggon carrying the “king pole” went out of control coming down the hill opposite Mary Walsh’s of the chapel. There were two ponies under the waggon and it was driven by two young men. The one from Enniscorthy was killed when it crashed into Fluskey’s gable end. Both the ponies had to be put down. One had his leg severed from his body.
The wheels of the wagon were iron shod, and the brake block broke around Mary Walsh’s. The breaking of the brake block was responsible for the accident. It appeared that the driver had the ponies galloping when they were passing the chapel gate. The circus was to be in the field at the Barracks.
When the circus wagon crashed into Fluskey’s gable, the impact threw all of the tins and jars from shelves. The crash nearly knocked the wall.
The Runaway Tractor
Early in 2020 Danny when asked about Murphy Motors of Glenmore recalled his childhood friends, brothers Mikey and Richie Murphy, of Robinstown, Glenmore. Their father, Richard “Dick” Murphy, of Robinstown had the first tractor in Glenmore. Danny spoke about Mikey’s love of anything mechanical and how one of his tractors ran away with him and crashed into the village stream. In a 2002 interview Danny was told that Mikey’s runaway tractor had been “converted.” Mikey’s father, Dick Murphy, was so upset after the runaway incident that it was said that he took a sledgehammer to the tractor further converting it by breaking it into pieces.
The Waterford Standard published an article on 13 June 1953 concerning the runaway tractor. Thus, a dozen years after the horse drawn circus wagon crash, Michael Murphy (c. 1930-1974), of Robinstown, Glenmore was taken to the Houghtan Hospital in New Ross with minor injuries. He sustained these injuries when the tractor he was driving ran away 300 yards down “a steep” hill, crashed through a wall, and plunged into the stream near the bridge. The article states that, “Mr. Murphy remained in the driver’s seat and diverted the tractor from crashing into the gable wall of the Glenmore Post Office.” Danny reported that it was no easy job getting the tractor out of the stream.
According to an article that appeared in the New Ross Standard on 4 March 1960, Michael Murphy at a very early age took a keen interest in farm machinery. He began trading as Agricultural Machinery Services and started selling farm machinery in 1950 from the Murphy farm in Robinstown. By 1954 he became an agent of German Allgaier Porche tractor and soon Allgaier tractors were found across the parish on Glenmore farms. His business interests continued to expand and in March 1960 the current premises opened on the main Waterford to New Ross Road (N 25). In 1960 Thomas Clasheen, joined Murphy Motors as a director and general manager.
Twenty-one years after the runaway tractor incident Thomas Clasheen was tragically killed in April 1974 in a tractor accident on a farm he owned in Killenaule, Co. Tipperary. Thomas Clasheen’s obituary can be found in the 26 April 1974 edition of the New Ross Standard. Five months later in September 1974 Michael Murphy was tragically killed at the age of 44 in a two car crash. The New Ross Standard in an article published on Friday the 13th of September 1974 reported that he was killed three miles outside Kilkenny at approximately 12:50 p.m. at Grevine, on the old main Waterford/Kilkenny road. He left a widow, Peggy Murphy née Coady and six young children aged between 10 and 1 years of age. His brother-in-law, Fr. Dan Coady, was the celebrant at his requiem mass. There was a large and very representative attendance at the funeral.
Special thanks to Louise Walsh for the photo of the gable end of Fluskey’s building taken in October 2019.
The horse drawn wagon featured above was published in The Sphere (1954) (c) Illustrated News Group.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Blog update—a new list of information from 90 memory cards has been added to the lists page. Various obituaries, death notices and short newspaper articles have been added to family pages.
James Aylward (c. 1869 -1909) of Parkstown, Glenmore: Wed and Dead Within a Week
It isn’t often that an event in 1909 resulted in the type of sensationalised headlines that became much more common in the last decades of the twentieth century. However, the tragic death of a Glenmore bridegroom in 1909 resulted in headlines such as “Wed and Dead Within a Week,” “Married and Buried Within a Week” and “Shrovetide Sensation.” Amazingly all the older Glenmore residents that were contacted this week knew the story of the Glenmore man who died on his honeymoon. Much less is known about his widow.
The man behind the headlines was James Aylward, of Parkstown, Glenmore. James was married in the neighbouring parish church in Mullinavat on Monday the 15th of February 1909. His bride was Catherine “Kate” Gaule, of Ballynooney, Mullinavat. James Aylward died in Cork City during their honeymoon on Saturday, the 20th of February 1909 and was buried in Glenmore on Monday the 22nd of February 1909. Danny Dowling preserved the diary of James Aylward, of Ballyhobuck, Glenmore. James Aylward, of Ballyhobuck, recorded in his diary the following: James Aylward, Parkstown and Kate Gaule, Ballynooney married 15 February 1909 and James was buried the following week.
The death cert for James Aylward reveals that James died on the 20th of February 1909 of acute peritonitis and suffered with it for 36 hours. Thus he began becoming unwell on Wednesday only two days after getting married. Peritonitis is often associated with a ruptured appendix.
The following two newspaper accounts provide details concerning the honeymoon as well as how the widow after only five days notified her in-laws concerning James becoming ill and dying.
“Sad Death of Glenmore Bridegroom. MARRIED AND BURIED WITHIN A WEEK. On Monday were laid in graveyard, Glenmore, the mortal remains of Mr. James Aylward, Parkstown. Glenmore, a large farmer, in the prime of life, who was married only that day week. Mr Aylward had most auspicious marriage and went for a most extensive tour on the honeymoon. Himself and his wife went to Cork, via Loughren, County Galway, where a relative of Aylward lives. They reached Cork nearing the weekend. On Friday evening Mr. Wm Aylward, shopkeeper, Waterford, a brother of the bridegroom, was startled by receipt of a telegram from Mrs Aylward that her husband was taken suddenly ill. This wire only prepared for the worst, for shortly afterwards came the sad news that James Aylward was dead. The intelligence was grievously shocking for the deceased’s brother and all the friends, and the misery of the young bride alone in a hotel in Cork with her husband turned to clay can only be faintly imagined. The remains reached Waterford at ten o’clock on Saturday night, whence they were taken home by hearse and a sad cavalcade at a late hour. Interment took place on Monday, and concurrence is regarded as the saddest which visited the parish for a very long time.” (Waterford Mirror and Tramore Visitor of Thursday the 25th of February 1909).
“A SHROVETIDE SENSATION. – The sad sudden death, whilst on his honeymoon, of a young and well-known Glenmore farmer, the sad particulars of which are narrated elsewhere, shocked the neighbourhood and district. Last Monday week James Aylward, the owner of a large farm, and in good circumstances, left his home a happy. bridegroom. Last Monday finds his remains under the green sod in Glenmore graveyard. Death reached him in Cork on Friday evening. The return of the dead bridegroom to his home in Parkstown furnishes one of the saddest episodes that could well be imagined, and certainly the mournful spectacle made the deepest impression on the people. From bright gaiety to blackest tragedy is often but a very short step in this fickle world. The suddenness of the transition here could not well be paralleled except we go to the chronic plague stricken topics, where it is not unusual to meet a person in the best of health in the morning and meet that same person’s funeral in the evening.” (New Ross Standard of Friday the 26th of February 1909).
The bride and groom were both from local farming families from neighbouring parishes.
The Glenmore Groom
It is difficult to determine when James Aylward was born. On the marriage records his age is listed as 40 (c. 1869) and yet less than a week later on his death certificate his age is listed as 42 (c.1867). A review of the 1901 Census provides that James was 30 years of age thus born about 1871). On the marriage records his father is listed as John Aylward, deceased.
The Glenmore Parish records provided several facts concerning the Aylward family of Parkstown. John Aylward, of Parkstown, married Bridget Costello, of Robinstown, on the 7th of March 1859. The witnesses to the wedding were James Walsh and Honora Fitzgerald. Bridget Costello was born the 13th of February 1836. She was the daughter of Thomas Costello and Judy Costello née Aylward.
A baptismal record for James Aylward could not be found for the years 1867 through 1875. However, several other baptisms were recorded for other children born to John Aylward and Bridget Aylward née Costello of Parkstown, Glenmore including: [1] Mary Aylward was born on the 19th of March 1863 and baptized the following day; [2] John Aylward was born on the 1st of September 1865; [3] Patrick Aylward was born on the 26 of May 1868; [4] William Aylward was born on the 10th of November 1870; [5] Bridget Aylward was born on the 25th of October 1875; and [6] Johanna Aylward was born on the 19th of June 1880.
The father, John Aylward, was dead by 1901. The 1901 Census lists the mother Brigid Aylward as 60 years of age and heading up the household that includes: James Aylward (age 30); William Aylward (age 26); Bridget Aylward (age 26) and Hannah Aylward (age 19). The eldest child, Mary Aylward had married Patrick Butler, of Parkstown, on the 26th of February 1895.
As outlined in the newspaper accounts William Aylward by 1909 was a shopkeeper in Waterford City. According to Danny Dowling this week William Aylward’s premises were on O’Connell Street in Waterford. He commenced trading as a grocer and obtained a spirit’s licence. The 1911 Census for Waterford places William Aylward living on O’Connell Street, single, aged 36. He recorded that he was a grocer and publican. Residing with him is his youngest sister Johanna Aylward who was 26 years of age and also single. In 1911 on the Aylward farm in Parkstown the mother Bridget Aylward is 73 and two of her children are residing with her. Patrick Aylward who was not living on the farm in 1901 returned home to take over the farm, was single and listed as 39 years of age while his sister Bridget Aylward’s age is difficult to decipher.
Danny said that Patrick Aylward went on to marry and had a family. A search revealed that Patrick Aylward, of Parkstown, on 1 November 1917 at Rosbercon, married Bridget Doolan, of Shambough. Bridget was the daughter of Dany Doolan a farmer. The witnesses to the wedding were John Aylward and Margaret Doolan. On the 2nd of October 1919 Patrick Aylward and his wife had a daughter Bridget Aylward. Danny identified John Joe Aylward as another child. John Joe Aylward died a couple of years ago (20 February 2018) and his sister Peggy Aylward died about a decade earlier (2009).
The Mullinavat Bride
Catherine “Kate” Gaule was born at Ballynooney, Mullinavat, on the 7th of January 1875, the daughter of Luke Gaule and Margaret Gaule née Corcoran. Luke Gaule, of Ballynooney, Mullinavat, married Margaret Corcoran, of Liserlin, Tullogher on the 13th of June 1872 at Mullinargle (sic). Witnesses to the wedding were Laurence Gaule and Johanna Walsh. Luke’s father was listed as John Gaule, deceased, farmer and Margaret’s father was listed as Edmund Corcoran, deceased, farmer. Kate Gaule had at least two brothers: John Gaule was born 19 April 1873 and William Gaul born on the 23rd of September 1879.
Margaret Gaule née Corcoran died on the 17th of November 1897, aged 60 of heart disease. The 1901 Census provides that Luke was 54 years of age and three of his children were residing with him. John Gaule was 27, Kate Gaule was 25, and William Gaule was 22. John Gaule married Margaret Ryan, of Ballynooney on the 26th of January 1916 at Mullinavat. Margaret was the daughter of Patrick Ryan, a farmer. A William Gaule, of Keatingstown, Thomastown married on the 15th of October 1914, Nora Dalton the daughter of farmer Pat Dalton. William Gaule, of Keatingstown, was a farmer and the son of Luke Gaule.
Kate Gaule married James Aylward in 1909 and became a widow 5 days later. Danny Dowling this week stated that he did not know what happened to James Aylward’s widow. The 1911 Census reveals that she was living with her father and brother, John on the Gaule farm in Ballynooney. In the 1911 Census: Luke Gaule was a widower aged 64; John Gaule was single and aged 36 and Catherine Aylward, a widow was aged 35. It is believed that Luke Gaule died on the 7th of February 1917 at the age of 70. The townland is listed as Ballyvatheen rather than Ballynooney on the death cert, but the person with the deceased was John Gaule the son of the deceased.
While James Aylward’s life was tragically cut short, unfortunately, we don’t know what happened to his widow, Catherine “Kate” Aylward née Gaule. Did she re-marry? Did she live out her life with one her brothers and his family? We hope that a reader has the answer to what happened to the woman from Mullinavat who was widowed 5 days after she was married.
Update: In our blog post of 15 July 2020 we revealed what we learned about the widow.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
The featured image is of an ancient Egyptian funeral.
Glenmore Victualler & General Trader, Michael O’Hanlon (1897-1957)
When Danny Dowling was young his parents moved from Glenmore Village to the Dowling farm in Jamestown, Glenmore. Danny found a number of old receipts that belonged to his grandparents and placed them in a biscuit tin. A few years back Danny’s son Pat found the tin and placed all the receipts in a photo album. The artwork on the receipts is elaborate certainly more interesting than the cash register receipts of today. There are dog licenses, several receipts from New Ross businesses, but perhaps one the most rare has to be the receipt from the M. O’Hanlon, Victualler & General Trader of Glenmore establishment. Danny described the O’Hanlon establishment as a butcher shop that was located in the Village and operated by Michael Hanlon (sic), of Newtown Glenmore. Michael O’Hanlon was generally referred to as “Mick Hanlon” by Glenmore residents.
The shop was a very small one near JK’s (formerly Gaffney’s) and Danny believes that it was not in operation when he was a chap in Glenmore in the 1930’s although his grandmother’s receipt is dated May 1931. Danny said that he believed that Michael Hanlon was a native of New Ross and married into the Delaney farm in Newtown, Glenmore. He learned his trade in New Ross and after marriage he moved to Glenmore and opened the butcher shop in the village. For more information see Glenmore Village in the 1930’s published 9 April 2020.
A quick review of various vital records reveals that Michael John O’Hanlon was born on the 23rd of June 1897. His father was James O’Hanlon (c. 1856), a grocer and his mother was Margaret O’Hanlon née Culleton (c. 1866). The family was living on Mary St. in New Ross. By the 1901 census James O’Hanlon was employed as a publican. The 1911 census reveals that there were ten children in the family: Lizzie O’Hanon (c. 1885); Mary Ann O’Hanlon (c. 1886); Patrick O’Hanlon (c. 1889); Anastatia O’Hanlon (c. 1891); John O’Hanlon (c. 1892); James O’Hanlon (c. 1895); Peter O’Hanlon (c. 1896); Margaret O’Hanlon (c. 1899) and Annie O’Hanlon (c. 1900).
On 26 October 1921 at the Glenmore Parish Church, Michael John O’Hanlon, of New Ross, married Bridget Delany, of Newtown, Glenmore. Bridget Delany was born on the 28th of November 1893. Her parents were Michael Delany (c. 1851) and Kate Delany née Power (c. 1868). The bride’s father was a farmer. The groom’s brother, Peter O’Hanlon, and Julia Ryan were the witnesses to the wedding. At the time of his wedding the groom was employed as a clerk and his father was working as a waiter.
Danny remembers Mick Hanlon as a nice man. Mick Hanlon and his wife had a daughter Kitty who married Jimmy Reddy. A small death notice provides a little more information about the Glenmore butcher. In the New Ross Standard of the 10th of May 1957 the following death notice appeared:
Recent Death—Mr. Michael Hanlon, Glenmore, whose death occurred at the Co. Hospital, Kilkenny, on Friday of last week, was formerly prominently identified with rowing in New Ross. He was also a member of the New Ross Confraternity Band and a prominent singer. He is survived by his wife, daughter, brothers and sisters to whom sympathy is extended. Interment took place in Glenmore. R.l.P
The advertisement for the Hanlon, butcher shop, on Mary St. in New Ross was found in the New Ross Standard of 19 December 1924. It is believed that this James Hanlon was Mick Hanlon’s brother.
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Blog update
Inscriptions recorded on headstones in the Kilivory and Ballygurrim cemeteries have been posted on the “Lists” page. These inscriptions were recorded by Danny in the 1960’s. A few burials have taken place in these ancient cemeteries after Danny recorded the inscriptions and we updated Kilivory last Sunday.
Several obituaries or death notices have been placed on the family pages.
The pandemic shut down in Ireland is slowly being lifted and we are going back to a weekly blog (Saturday night) to allow more research and to organise the transcription of more of Danny’s notebooks. We hope that during the lockdown that the webpage and blog provided a helpful diversion. This week when I told Danny that the blog exceeded 20,000 hits during the pandemic he shook his head and said, “imagine that.”
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Prosperity, Pollution and the 1931 Glenmore Waterworks
Danny Dowling this week was able to identify five known hand operated public water pumps in the Village of Glenmore. One pump was located in front of where the Glenmore pub is now located. This was a deep well. Another pump was later located across the road at Rita Cummins née Hennessy’s gate on the footpath. A third pump was located outside the old National Boys’ School. Danny also stated that he was told that Gaffneys had a pump, but Danny did not know if it was in front of the buildings or at the side or rear of the property. Today, next to the Coach House a pump painted red still remains in the Village.
As previously discussed in our post of the 9th of May 2020, the Glenmore Co-opertive Creamery was established and commenced operating in 1905. According to the newspaper coverage at the time the site was chosen because it contained a spring and a stream. An expert who advised the founders noted that a creamery needed a good supply of clean spring water and a fast moving stream to carry away the waste generated by the operations of the Creamery. The stream at the Creamery went under the road; into Hanrahan’s field where the original Glenmore chapel was located; it ran down the hill under the Village Street to meet the stream from Mullinahone at the pub side of the bridge; flowed behind the Coach House into Cappagh; on to Graiguenakill and out into the Ballyverneen marshes and into the Barrow River.
On the 23rd of October 1931 the New Ross Standard featured a long article regarding the opening of the Glenmore waterworks.
“For some years Glenmore was faced with a serious problem in its water supply. The old pump had done its duty for generations, but in all material things the wear and tear of time inevitably leaves its impress. Gradually the old fundamental work became faulty and gave grounds for misgivings as regards the purity of the water feeding the storage vault. Shortly the situation was clarified when it was proved that the water was no longer safe for human consumption.”
Although the article implies that the water became unfit due to the wear and tear on the pumps, the article also reveals that the water in the Village pumps had become so unfit that farmers would not allow their horses to drink it. Danny believes that the discharges from the Creamery polluted the stream and then the nearby wells. It was reported that anxiety arose in 1929 in the Village concerning the state of the Glenmore water. The Very Reverend, Canon Holohan, P.P. and the Very Reverend, Dr. Gibbons, Curate out of concern for their parishioners set out to find a supply of good water for the Village. They wrote to Mr. Dooley, a member of the Kilkenny County Council and Mr. Flanigan, the engineer for the County Council. Mr. Dooley and Mr. Flanigan travelled to Glenmore on a very wet day. They examined the water, the old pump, took up buckets of water, and found that it was absolutely unfit for human use.
Originally a suggestion was made that another pump be sank in the village, but this was rejected as the likelihood was that the water in a new pump would also be polluted. Finally, the priests hit on a new source of water for the Village. Danny said that they chose the Tobar Mhuire Holy or blessed well in the Flemingstown Townland on the lands of Mrs. Mary Mullins, née Walsh. [Mary Mullins, née Walsh was the daughter of Patrick and Margaret Walsh, of Davidstown, Glenmore the couple who gave the sanctuary lamp to the Glenmore Parish Church during the 1910-1912 renovations that travelled to Crosspatrick Church.] Danny explained that Tobar Mhuire translates as St. Mary’s Well. The site of the well was considered ideal because it was at a good elevation over the village and thus would ensure a good pressure. It was reported that the water was pure and abundant.
The priests wrote the Board of Health, and correspondence went on for some time between them and the board. Mr. Flanagan, engineer, then drew up plans, specifications, and an estimate for the proposed work, and submitted it all to the Board of Health. The Board agreed to the plan and guaranteed that it would pay for the work. The work started in March 1931 by the contractor, Mr. Power. This work included the running a mile of pipe to the Village. According to Thomas Mullins, of Flemingstown, grandson of Mrs. Mary Mullins, the original pipe was cast iron and subject to leaks. The newspaper article indicates that fountains or faucets were placed in the Village and several of the houses in the village and the schools immediately connected as did some houses outside the Village that were adjacent to the main pipe. It was noted that it was predicted that in a short time the scheme would be a source of substantial revenue for the Health Board and would recoup the £1,200 expended on it. At the opening ceremony Councillor Dooley was thanked for working tirelessly to get the Glenmore scheme sanctioned, and for also securing a £300 grant for the project from the Government when President Cosgrove visited Kilkenny.
A couple of hundred people attended the opening ceremony held at the well. Speeches were given by various politicians and Father Holohan blessed the water. One politician told a joke concerning a thirsty man that provides a glimpse into the humour of the time. A thirsty man was working hard under a blazing sun. He went to a neighbouring house for a drink of water. He was handed a glass of water and asked if he would have a little stick in it. “What do you mean? How could a bit of stick improve it?” asked the thirsty workman in surprise. The householder explained, “In this part of the country a bit of stick means a little whiskey.” The thirsty man replied, “Well, if that is the case then, put a telegraph pole into it.” After the ceremony had concluded, Mrs. Mullins, who so generously gave the concession of land, was handed the apparatus, and she formally turned on the water to the main at the stopcock, midst applause.”
Although various works have been performed to the system over the past 89 years, and the Village has grown, the water supply to the Village of Glenmore is still the Tobar Mhuire Holy well. [UPDATE on 28 June 2020–The New Ross Standard reported on Thursday the 28th of June 1990 that “[t]he old metal pipes which were laid 60 years ago when the Village of Glenmore got its first water supply, are currently being replaced by the outdoor staff of Kilkenny County Council. The supply is provided by a well at Flemingstown.]
On a separate matter—with the partial lifting of the lockdown this week I drove to a socially distance visit with Danny. He was in very good spirits. On my way through Cappagh I spied a May Bush in front of Pat Dowling’s house. It was nice to be out of the house, visit with Danny and see this old tradition on the approach to the Village. Apologies for the quality of the photo.
Special thanks to Thomas Mullins, of Flemingstown for providing details concerning the well and waterworks.
The featured photo is the Village Stream taken at the water pump looking toward Cappagh, Glenmore.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Tobar Mhuire Holy Well in 2020