20th Century
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Glenmore and the New Ross to Waterford Railway Line
The Dublin Wicklow and Wexford Railway Company built the Dublin to New Ross line in stages down the coast. Dan Doyle, formerly of Ballyverneen told Danny Dowling in 1977 that the Bagnalstown station opened in 1848 and the railway bridge and tunnel between Ballywilliam and New Ross were built in 1885. The date is on the Kilkenny side of the bridge. It was in 1887 that the first train arrived in New Ross from Dublin.
Danny explained today, that planning for the building of a railway line between New Ross and Waterford commenced about the time the New Ross station opened. Originally the Glenmore station on the line was to have been built in Ballyverneen nearer the Glenmore Village. The landlords, Strange, of Aylwardstown House and Conn, of Mount Ida, lobbied and got the Glenmore station placed in Aylwardstown nearer their estates and further from Glenmore Village. Work began from the New Ross end of the Ross-Waterford line in 1899 and the line was opened in 1904. Although the Ross-Waterford line connected New Ross and Waterford City, the New Ross station was in Rosbercon, Kilkenny and the Waterford City station was in Ferrybank, Kilkenny.
Dan Doyle in his 1977 interview explained his family connections to the building of the railways. His grandfather, Dan Doyle of Ballywilliam, was the first of the family to work on the railway. He was a ganger on the Ballywilliam line and lived in the crossing gate house known as the Red House from the colour of its roof. Dan Doyle’s father, Ned Doyle, used to bring “grub” to Dan’s two elder brothers, Jack and Tom, when they were building the railway bridge between Ballywilliam and Ross. Later, Ned Doyle was responsible for a section of the Ross-Waterford railway line. A length of railway line was 3 ½ miles plus crossings and sidings. Ned Doyle’s section was from the station gates in Rosbercon to the Forristalstown Bridge in Glenmore. He had four men under him: Murt Cashin, of Mudhouse; Willie (Crows) Forristal; Tom Mullally and Bill Fortune, all of Shambogh.
During the building of the Ross-Waterford Railway line there was an influx of strangers into Glenmore and at least one skeleton was discovered. In 1977 Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill, Glenmore told Danny that a body was dug up during the building of the railway at Rosbercon. At the time it was said that the corpse was that of Nicholas* Gaffney of Glenmore Village. Nicholas* Gaffney lived in the late 18th century in the house [next to the house]* now occupied by Danny Dowling in Glenmore Village. Nicholas* Gaffney participated in the 1798 Rebellion, was captured, was hanged from the New Ross bridge and it was said that his body was buried in unconsecrated ground near the bridge by the British authorities.
*Corrections–Danny on 29 February 2020 asked that corrections be made. The first name of the man hanged in 1798 was William Gaffney. Nicholas Gaffney was a son of William Gaffney. A link to Danny’s 1983 article concerning William Gaffney may be found on the Link’s page.
Shortly after railway workers dug up the body in Rosbercon, Jim Comerford, of Ballyhale, Kilkenny was killed in the Shambogh cutting. Nicholas Forristal in a 1963 interview revealed that a man named O’Donnel was the ganger in charge of the work crew.
In addition to the obvious impacts on the landscape such as bridges and tracks cutting through fields and dividing farms, there were some subtle impacts. For example, in 1980 Richard Dunphy of Ballyverneen informed Danny that there is a field on Denis Dwyer’s farm in Ballyverneen that still bears the name it acquired during the building of the Ross-Waterford railway line. The 25 acre field comprised of a long, narrow strip of land was called the Magazine because powder and explosives were stored in it. Patrick Forristal, of Graiguenakill in 1980 also told Danny that when the Ross-Waterford railway was built, the line of track cut across the double ditch at Ballyverneen. This double ditch was used for a considerable time as a Mass Path for the people of Forristalstown to walk to mass in Glenmore. At this point of intersection, the railway company provided a wooden footbridge, to link both sides of the double ditch.
With the coming of the railway came the workers and businesses attempted to cash in on their steady incomes. Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, in 1972 described some of the entertainment that travelled to Glenmore. He identified McCormack’s Show as a stage show that annually came to Glenmore. “A family concern they gave months here at one time during the building of the Ross-Waterford Railway line.” They used to set up at the back of Peggy Gaffney’s house in Glenmore Village.
Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, in his 1977 interview identified and discussed some of the navies (laborers) who came to Glenmore during the building of the railway. Christy Lennon was a navie. He brought with him his wife, son Paddy and daughter Maryanne who was then about 30 years of age. Fred Bell, also a navie, was a native of Wexford Town. He brought his wife, daughter and son-in-law with him driving an ass and car. They lived for a long time in the wood in Ballyverneen. Bell left and went across the road on to railway property. Bell built a sod hut. All the walls were built of sods, reeds were on the roof, a hole in the wall for a window, the bare earth for a floor and a sod chimney with a railway sleeper holding up the chimney breast. There was a hole in the roof for the chimney. There was a kind of door. They slept on bags of straw and at night they stuffed the window with a bag of straw. Paddy English was Bell’s son-in-law. Another navie on the railway was a man named Coughlan who also built a sod hut in the same area nearer to the marsh. Hamilton Dick was a ganger on the railway and Hamilton Jim worked on the railway. They lived in Glenmore during the building of the railway and later moved to Rosbercon.
In the same interview Nicholas Forristal stated that Peter Kennedy of Rathinure told him that Kennedy and his cousins the Heffernan’s of Aylwardstown got a wagon of 11 tons of coal delivered at Aylwardstown Station shortly after the railway line opened. They paid 11/6 per ton carriage paid from Morrises of Waterford. It was the first wagon of coal delivered at Aylwardstown Station in 1904.
Mernagh has become a well known name in Glenmore. The Glenmore Mernaghs can trace their arrival to John Mernagh who was known as Jack. He was a ganger with the railway and according to the 3 April 1911 Census for Ballyverneen, Glenmore, he and his family arrived in Glenmore in about 1906. Jack Mernagh died in the autumn of 1911. According to his granddaughter Jo Doyle née Mernagh he came home from work, ate his supper and went out to help a neighbour named Forristal with the threshing. He was on the thresher feeding the oats into the machine when he lost his footing and fell into the machine. He was only on the machine for about 10 minutes when he was killed. The 1911 Census reveals that he was 53 years of age and had been married to Mary (aged 42) for 26 years. They were both born in Wexford and were the parents of 16 children, but only 12 of the children were alive in 1911. The ten children living with them in 1911 included: Patrick, aged 23; John, aged 21; James, aged 19; Stephen, aged 17; Bartholomew, aged 13; Thomas, aged 10; Adain, aged 8; Nicholas, aged 6; Mary, aged 5 and Lizzie, aged 3. The eldest three boys were employed as railway miler men and Stephen was employed as an agricultural labourer. All the children except Mary and Lizzie were born in Wexford. The 1911 census records that there were 12 members of this family living in a three room house owned by the Dublin and South East Railway.
On the same page of the Census also living in a three room house owned by the railway is the James Delaney family. James was 26 years of age and was a native of the Queen’s County. He was married for 3 years to his 23 year old wife Kate and the couple had two children. Patrick Delaney, age 2, born in Kilkenny and Mary Delaney, aged 9 months.
In 1919, Dan Doyle first went to work in a temporary capacity in New Ross station. The stationmaster was Daniel O’Brien a native of Bray. He had three clerks on goods side, one clerk on passenger side. There was a herd porter, checker, four porters and generally an extra man. There were also two platform porters, two signalmen and one night watchman.
New Ross in 1919 was a busy station, everything went by rail—people, food, and cattle. On the week before the Fair, 100 wagons were brought to Ross. Each of these had to be cleaned, washed, disinfected and whitewashed. The night before a fair a Dublin Special Train arrived with 30 wagons. The morning of the fair the Wexford Special with 30 wagons arrived and at least two specials from Waterford arrived with each Waterford train having 30 wagons. In May and October, when the big fairs occurred, three special trains would arrive the morning of the fair from Waterford.
The fixed time table of train arrivals and departures 100 years ago was:
6:30 A.M. IN…Goods train from Wexford
8:30 A.M. IN…Night goods train from Dublin.
9:30 A.M. Dep… Night food from Dublin with passengers from Ross de/. for Waterford
8:10 A.M. Passenger train out of Waterford. IN… at 8:30 in Ross.
10:25 A.M. IN…Mail, Passenger from Dublin.
11:05 A.M. Passenger out of Waterford. IN… at 11/30.
2:15 P.M. Passenger from Waterford for Dublin. IN…at 3:40.
3:15 P.M. Mail out of Waterford for Dublin. IN… at 3:40.
6:15 P.M. Mixed train to Waterford. Dep passenger and foods
5:05 P.M. Dep. Waterford food. Arrive Ross at 5:50.
Today, Danny stated that he often travelled by train from Waterford to Glenmore. He recalls that the trip between Waterford and New Ross took about 30 minutes. He believes that passengers trains stopped running in 1963 and freight continued, but all trains ceased in the early 1990’s. Danny has a list of the stationmasters of the Aylwardstown station and as soon as he can locate the list he will share it.
Special thanks to Jacqueline Walsh for the old photos of the Aylwardstown Station and the photo of the steam engine is from the National Library of Ireland.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Glenmore Redmond Volunteers and the Fife & Drum Band
For many, history was a subject in school that concentrated on Kings and wars. The everyday life of ordinary people did not feature in history books or lessons, thus it is often difficult to determine how national events impacted on Glenmore people. Thanks to Danny Dowling’s interviews and research we have details of how Glenmore people reacted to evictions and supported various national political movements. Today, we highlight the 1914 establishment of the Glenmore Committee of Redmond Volunteers and the Glenmore Fife and Drum “Redmond Volunteer Band.”
In February 1970, Danny interviewed Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill ( 1888-1979) concerning the Redmond Volunteers of Glenmore. For our international readers, John Redmond (1856-1918) of Wexford, was a politician who advocated Home Rule for Ireland by peaceful, constitutional means. Today, Danny stated that Redmond endeared himself to locals when he was first elected to the House of Commons for New Ross in 1881 and was suspended within 24 hours after giving his maiden speech. Redmond and couple dozen other Home Rule for Ireland supporters, including Michael Davitt the founder of the Land League, were suspended from Parliament.
John Redmond was a great admirer of Charles Stewart Parnell and Redmond became the party whip for the Irish Parliamentary Party. After the Parnell divorce scandal in 1890 Redmond continued to support him. When Parnell died in 1891 he became leader of the minority Parnellite faction and was elected to Parliament from Waterford which he represented until his death. In 1912 the third Home Rule Bill was introduced and passed in 1914. Implementation of Home Rule stalled first with Ulster Unionists forming the Ulster Volunteers to resist Home Rule by threatening force and secondly, due to the outbreak of World War I. In response, the nationalists formed their own paramilitary group, the National Volunteers in 1913.
The National Volunteers split over Redmond’s support of the British war effort and his advocacy that National Volunteers should serve in the British army. The Easter Rising in 1916 is said to have taken Redmond by surprise, led by a faction of the National Volunteers. As the First World War dragged on support disappeared for Redmond and his policy of Home Rule for Ireland based on peaceful, constitutional means. Controversy still exists surrounding Redmond’s support of the British war effort. For example, in 2016 a banner featuring Redmond in Dublin was defaced by protesters (see, https://www.thejournal.ie/misneach-1916-college-green-banner-john-redmond-2681018-Mar2016/ ).
In Glenmore in early 1914 a meeting was held in the Glenmore School. Father Phelan, the Glenmore Parish Priest, presided over the meeting to discuss and elect the Glenmore Committee of “Redmond Volunteers.” The school was full, and a secret paper ballot was held for the election. The “Redmond Volunteers” Committee Members elected included: Nicholas Forristal, the Mill; Jack Dunphy, Ballyverneen; Pat Reddy, Kilbride; Pat Hanrahan, Glenmore; Jim Fluskey, Glenmore; Bill Power, Robinstown. Nicky Forristal topped the poll, and Pat Reddy, of Kilbride, came in second. John Dunphy of Ballyverneen, and Nick Curran, of Robinstown, were both not elected but due to the persistence of Father Phelan they were both co-opted onto the Committee.
Danny revealed this morning that the Parish Priest was not a supporter of Redmond. Danny does not know whether it was because Redmond supported Parnell after his divorce scandal or he could not support Redmond due to his personal political affiliations. Danny stated that several Redmond supporters returning from a night drinking in New Ross stopped to shout abuses outside the house where the priest resided waking local inhabitants. Another interesting fact was revealed. In about 1870 the Parish Priest, of that time, forced all three pubs in Glenmore to close. One of the pubs was situated just in front of the present Priest’s house and disrupted Mass with drunken shouts, inappropriate conduct and the banging of mugs on the bar. Glenmore remained a “dry” parish until 1963, therefore causing those seeking a drink prior to 1963 to travel outside of the parish.
Shortly, after the “Redmond Volunteers” Committee was established in 1914 the Glenmore Fife and Drum Band was founded as a “Redmond Volunteer Band.” The band trainer was Tom Butler a sanitary officer with the New Ross U.D.C. He came out to Glenmore once or twice a week. Peter and Stephen Mernagh of Foristalstown played in it, as well as Stephen Heffernan, of Aylwardstown, and Pat Kennedy of Kilbride. Jack Murphy of Weatherstown was the Drummer. Nicky Forristal stated that he was “no use at it at all.” Ned Murphy, Jack’s father, was a drummer in the St. Mary’s Brass Band of New Ross. (Ned Murphy died in the great flu epidemic of 1918.)
The Glenmore Fife and Drum Band gave a long time training in front of Peggie Gaffney’s house in the Village. They then went into the Board Room above Fluskey’s and ended up in the outbuilding opposite the Barrack’s across the Ballybrahee Road in the Village.
Nicky Forristal reported that the Glenmore Fife and Drum Band only played once outside the parish. The band played in New Ross at a parade of the Volunteers in Barrett’s Park about the beginning of the war on a holiday the 29th of June 1914. It was the only band at the parade of Volunteers that day. Nicky reported that “they weren’t able to play at all. All the children of Ross were mocking them. Nicky Denny, of Mullinahone, who was drunk that day, tried to get the drum off Jack Murphy to belt it.”
It is not recorded whether the band broke up due to disillusionment with Redmond, the war or due to some other reason such as the lack of appreciation for their musical efforts.
The painting of the fife player above is by Manet, entitled The Fife Player (1866) Musée d’Orsay.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
To Rhode Island and Back: John J. Curran (1889-1976) of Glenmore
Much has been written about the conditions the people of Ireland faced in the 1840’s, the voluntary and forced emigration during that time, and the difficulties and often hostility faced at their destination. Most who went to North America went to large cities and never returned to Ireland. Danny Dowling’s research has uncovered and recorded unusual emigration circumstances. For example, in 1977 Danny wrote to Fr. John Lahey providing requested information concerning the Edward Doherty family of Milltown, Glenmore. Danny’s research revealed that contrary to the norm of a man emigrating with his family, or going alone and later sending for his wife and children, in this case Edward Doherty’s wife went out to America on her own, settled in Peoria, Illinois where she worked in a laundry. After a couple of years she sent home the fares for her husband and children to join her. When the family reunited they settled in Pike Township, Livingston County, Illinois where they “took a farm.”
John J. Curran’s Early Life
In 1971 Danny Dowling interviewed a Glenmore born man, John J. Curran (1889-1976) about his immigration to the US in December 1911. Six decades after the Famine, John Curran chose to immigrate to the US although he was educated and employed. Six decades after immigrating to the US John J. Curran chose to return to live in Ireland.
John J. Curran, formerly of Robinstown, Glenmore, was the son of John Curran and his wife Margaret Curran née Conway. It is believed that John J was their youngest child. Margaret was from Mooncoin. Her family were evicted from their farm and ended up in Mooncoin, Village.
The 1911 census was taken on Sunday the 2nd of April 1911 just eight months before John left. The census reveals that the father, John Curran, was 62 years of age and employed as a National Teacher. Margaret Curran was 63 years of age and was an “ex National Teacher.” The census also reveals that the couple had been married for 36 years and they had had 13 children, but only 9 were alive in 1911. The children living at home in 1911 include: Alice Curran, age 29; Nicholas Curran, age 27; Margaret Curran, age 24 and John Curran age 21. Alice and Nicholas were both National Teachers, no employment was listed for Margaret, and John J. Curran was employed as a draper’s assistant.
A draper was originally the maker of fabric, but later the occupation turned to dealing in fabric and sewing supplies. It is believed by 1911 the draper also dealt with the selling of ready-made clothing. John Curran, before going to America served his time to the drapery trade in Clery’s of Dublin where he had to live in. While in Dublin he played Gaelic Football with the C.J. Kickham’s Team. He was a full back with the Dublin team that defeated Kildare in the All Ireland Final held in Kildare about 1910. The Dublin team was comprised of 15 men and they won by 2 points. John also noted that he played Mayo in Ballina and Sligo in Sligo. John related that he also played on St. James’s team.
Emigration
In his 1971 interview John J. Curran recalled that he set off for America in December 1911. He travelled on board the S.S. Cedric from Cobh to Boston in a steerage cabin. The journey took 8 days and the fare cost £7-10-0. While on board ship John met a middle aged Irish American man from Laurence Massachusetts. For a joke the man took John’s money and travel papers etc. and kept him in suspense until the ship arrived in Boston when he returned all to him. He was a very decent man and treated John very well on the voyage.
John stated that when he arrived in Boston he was met “off the boat” by his uncle James Conway. John was then taken by his uncle James to a restaurant for a meal. When it was served John took off his cap and made the sign of the cross in the usual Irish manner whereupon his uncle rebuked him saying, “They don’t do that in America. They don’t bless themselves at meals.”
John stayed with his uncle Billy Conway for some time after his arrival. Billy Conway lived in Everitt Massachusetts a town about eight miles outside of Boston. John reported that his uncle James Conway worked in Lexington Massachusetts. The first job that John J. Curran obtained upon his arrival in the US was in a drapery store in Boyleston St., in Boston, where he earned 12 dollars a week.
John next went to work for the Jordan Marsh Department store which was the biggest store in Boston at that time. John earned 15 dollars a week. He stayed at the Jordan March Department store for about a year. John recalled that he moved to Providence, Rhode Island and on arrival he stayed in the Narraganset Hotel. His first job in Providence was with the Outlet Co. at 18 dollars a week plus commissions based on a percentage of his sales. The store superintendent was a man named Steiner and John stayed in this job for eight years.
John informed Danny that in his time in Glenmore Fr. William Walsh was the C.C. and afterwards he became the parish priest of Tullaroan. In John’s time Father Walsh was called Wild Father Walsh because he used to break up dancers with a whip. Father McGrath was another C.C. in Glenmore and John recalled that he was a gentle type of man.
Return to Live and Die in Ireland
Today, Danny said that John J. Curran returned to Ireland as an elderly man and at the time of his interview was living on the Quay in Waterford with his sister Alice Power née Curran. At that time Alice was the widow of Wattie Power of Jamestown, Glenmore and her niece was married to Henry Bevins who was a national teacher in Glenmore. In addition to teaching, Master Bevins also had a bookshop on the Quay in Waterford. The extended family lived above the bookshop. John J. Curran is buried in Glenmore. Danny described John J. Curran as a very nice, decent man.
US Records Add to the Story
Online US records were examined to determine if there were other facts available for John’s time in the US and the records located highlight the turmoil of the era.
All men in the US in 1917 were required to register for the WWI draft. On 5 June 1917 John J. Curran registered. His registration card provides that he was 27 and living at 54 Rowan St. Providence, Rhode Island. He stated that he was born on the 6 of September 1889 in Glenmore, Co. Waterford, Ireland. John recorded that he was a salesman for the Outlet Co., was married and had one child. The registrar recorded that John was of medium height, slender build, grey eyes and brown hair.
On 20 November 1917 John Joseph Curran filed a Petition for Naturalisation in the Federal Court in Providence, Rhode Island and thereby sought to become a US citizen. At that time he still was living at 54 Rowan St. in Providence and listed his occupation as a dry goods salesman. He reported that he was born on 6 September 1889 in Glenmore, Ireland and emigrated from Queenstown on the 17th of November 1911 and arrived in Boston on 7 December 1911 on the vessel Franconia.
John recorded on his petition that on the 13th of December 1911, less than a week after landing, he went to the Boston Court House and declared his intention to become a US citizen. John recorded that he was married to Alice whose date of birth was 7 February 1892, and they had one child also named Alice who was born on 6 July 1915. He declared that he had lived continuously in Rhode Island since 12 August 1912. John in his affidavit revealed that he had first applied for naturalization on 29 December 1916 but was unable to obtain required depositions and requested the court to dismiss his application to allow him to reapply at a later date. For his 20 November 1917 petition John presented an affidavit from the US Department of Labor, and two witnesses, Lewis Clarke (insurance agent) and Laurence Walsh (police officer).
The next significant US record located was John Curran’s passport application of 18 June 1922 when he applied for a passport for himself and his wife Alice and two minor children (Alice, aged 6 and Margaret D. aged 4). He noted that his father John Curran was dead, but he wanted to sail on the Adriatic on the 24th of June and intended to return to the US within 6 weeks.
John stated that he was a dry good merchant and the family intended to visit Ireland, England and France. He described himself as being aged 32, 5 feet 10 ½ inches in height, with no distinguishing marks, blue eyes, straight nose, medium mouth, long face, fair complexion and brown hair. Two photos were attached to the passport application; one was a photo of John J. Curran and the other was a group photo of his wife and daughters.
The US Federal Census of 1930 reveals that John J. Curran was living at 124 Whitford Lane in Providence and he was 40 years of age and the proprietor of a dry goods shop. Thus at the beginning of the Great Depression John J. Curran owned a shop and was an employer. His wife, Alice was 36 and in addition to their two daughters both of Alice’s parents were living with them. John’s father-in-law, John W. Shea was 62 and employed as a teamster of dry goods. John’s mother-in-law was aged 62, had been born in Ireland, spoke Gaelic and immigrated to the US in 1870.
The last available census is the US Federal Census of 1940 which provides that the Curran family was living at 58 Quincy Street in Providence. John’s daughter Alice was aged 24 and employed as a public school teacher, and daughter Margaret was aged 21 and employed as a file clerk. John’s wife Alice is listed as head of house and aged 48. John is not listed in the home although his father-in-law, widower, John W. Shea is present and aged 78. In 1942 John J. Curran registered for the WWII draft. This document reflects that John named his wife Alice as his next of kin with the 58 Quincy Street address listed as his home address. John J. Curran recorded that he was employed for the State of Rhode Island at the Howard State Infirmary in Cranston, Rhode Island.
Lastly, the Social Security Death Index provides that John J. Curran died in August 1976 and his last known address was in Ireland.
It is truly amazing the variety of documents and information that are available on line today.
Curran Headstone, St. James’s Cemetery, Glenmore
(Added 1 December 2019) The Curran headstone in St. James’s Churchyard, Glenmore provides the following:
John Curran died on 13 June 1912 aged 65; his wife, Margaret died on 15 January 1917 aged 67; both for many years National School Teachers of Glenmore. Their children: Joseph died young; Mary died on the 4th of September 1900 aged 24; Richard died on the 28th of December 1903 aged 23; Laurence died on the 21 of January 1922 aged 45; Nicholas died on 25 January 1925 aged 40; (side of stone) Annie Curran died on 30 January 1942; her sister Margaret Bevin died on 4 May 1946, aged 56 and John J. Curran died on 4 August 1976, aged 86.
Special thanks to my husband Peter Walsh for locating the Curran headstone.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh