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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 bult 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 Glen Bar Fire 1987
This afternoon a reader contacted us by email enquiring whether we knew when the Glen Bar fire occurred in the 1980’s. Apparently the reader and another Glenmore native disputed the date of the fire. One believed the fire occurred in 1985 and the other believed it occurred in 1986. A quick newspaper search revealed that both gentlemen were wrong. The fire occurred according to the Munster Express on Tuesday, 3 March 1987. The short articles regarding the fire and re-opening are below.
Glenmore Watering Hole Badly Damaged–
“The well-known Glenmore licensed premises ‘The Glen Bar’ was partly destroyed by fire, which was first noticed by a neighbour in the early hours of Tuesday morning of last week, the owner of the establishment, Mr. Michael Barron and his family were not in the premises at the time as they live on the family farm some miles away. Michael is a current selector on the Kilkenny under 21 hurling team and he told us that limited business is being carried out in that portion of the premises not affected by the fire.”
“Units of Thomastown, New Ross and Waterford fire brigade services were quickly on the scene and had the fire controlled. The Glen Bar was purchased by Mr. Barron some years ago from its former owner Mr. Sean Walsh, and has, as the only public house in the parish of Glenmore, enjoyed a very good trade, needless to say most of the conversation is about hurling and we do hope that Mr. Barron’s premises will again see a prosperous trade after renovations have been carried out” (Munster Express, Fri. 13 March 1987, p. 20).
Five months later the pub re-opened. “The Glen Bar, Glenmore has re-opened its new lounge and has a full line-up of entertainment this weekend. On Friday top entertainer Pat Hogan and his band Travelling Sound will appear (Saturday is Glenmore Field Day). And on Sunday it’s the turn of Seattle” (Munster Express, Fri. 14 Aug. 1987, p. 23).
See our post of 8 May 2023 concerning the opening of a Glenmore pub in 1963.
Please send any corrections, additional information, queries or photos etc. to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Third Glenmore Gold Sign
Glenmore History in partnership with Glenmore Tidy Towns posted a few Glenmore historical signs around the village and parish earlier this spring and summer. Today, we are going to feature the Glenmore Gold Sign posted to provide information on the Ballyverneen, Glenmore Brick Works. The Gold Sign is on a tree along the road to the Pink Rock overlooking some of the fields of Ballyverneen located adjacent to the River Barrow. This area was bisected by the railway and was once a hive of industrial activity with several brick pits. For readers who cannot visit the area see below…
Contents of the Third Glenmore Gold Sign
Brickmaking in Glenmore took place in the Ballyverneen marshes during the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, if you look out across the marshes you can observe areas where water stands with little vegetation growing in or under the water. These are some of the pits from the old brick works. Brickmaking was a seasonal industry. Preparations began in March or early April depending on the weather. To prepare the site vegetation was removed, as well as the top soil. Water was then pumped out of the cut. A gang of 10 to 12 men would then begin the labour, intensive job of making bricks from the clay. On average 3,000 bricks per day were made. The bricks were burned for five days in clamps built near the Glenmore pill to allow the finished bricks to be placed on boats for transportation. The last clamp of the brick making season was usually burned from the 10th to 15th of August and allowed the gang to take part in the harvest.
Several local families operated brick works. The last men operating brick works on the Ballyverneen Marshes were Thomas and William Forristal of Ballyverneen. They ceased operations in 1899 when work began on the railway link between New Ross and Waterford. The railway line crossed the marches over the best mud deposits. After the railway was complete both men in 1907 attempted to return to brickmaking. Both ceased by 1910.
For details regarding local families, wages, the process and workers see, Danny Dowling, “Glenmore Brickyards: A Forgotten Industry,” (1974) Old Kilkenny Review, pp. 42-51.
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Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
For more information on Ballyverneen, Glenmore see our post of 21 April 2022.
The Glenmore Creamery & the Dublin Milk Strike of 1939
One of our readers came across the Glenmore Creamery being discussed in Dáil Debates regarding the Dublin Milk strike of November 1939. The 1930’s were a difficult time in Ireland and elsewhere. Today we are going to try to capture some of the difficulties faced by farmers during that era and the stance that Glenmore farmers and others took regarding the Dublin Milk strike.
Background
In October 1929 the Great Depression commenced. Economic hardship was placed on most countries around the world including Ireland. In the United States, for example, the economic plight of farmers resulted in dairy wars and even involved the gangster Al Capone (Dairy News Today (2024).
In Ireland in 1932 the Fianna Fáil government under de Valera commenced a protectionist economic policy and tariffs were introduced on a wide range of imported goods primarily from Britain. Britain was Ireland’s largest trading partner. The new government sought to make Ireland agriculturally and industrially self-sufficient.
That same year de Valera determined that the land annuities paid to Britain by Irish tenant farmers per the Land Commission were public debts from which the Free State was exempted. His government passed the Land Act 1933 which allowed the collected monies to be spent on local government projects. Thus, farmers were not relieved of their annuity burdens. The money was paid to the Irish government instead of the British government.
To recover the annuities the British Prime Minister imposed a 20% import duty on Irish agricultural products into the UK which comprised 90% of Ireland’s exports. Ireland responded with similar tariffs on British goods. Thus, the Economic War commenced. It primarily affected farmers, and it fuelled class tensions in rural Ireland. Similar to the Land War of the 19th century some Irish farmers refused to pay their property rates or their land annuities. The Irish Government impounded livestock, and sold the animals for less than their value. Boycotts thrived and roads were blocked etc.
Due to the hardships suffered by Irish farmers there was little demand for manufactured goods, thus Irish manufacturers were also affected. By 1935 Irish farmers without a viable market began to slaughter their cattle in great numbers. The Economic War ended in 1938 when both countries reached an agreement to remove the tariffs. (Tim Pat Coogan (2003) Ireland in the Twentieth Century).
Then on 1 September 1939 World War II commenced. Although Ireland maintained neutrality during “the Emergency” her nearest and largest trading partner was completely immersed in the war and introduced the rationing of food, clothing and other items.
The Dublin Milk Strike of 1939
Two months after the war commenced, a large meeting of the Irish Milk Producers’ Association (Leinster Area) was held on 6 November. At this meeting the decision to withhold milk to Dublin City was agreed. The milk farmers noted that they were being asked to supply war time milk at peace time prices. Notwithstanding the increases in the price of cows and the price of feed, they were being asked to supply milk at a price lower than the price they received in 1938. The Minister of Agriculture refused to consent to a 6d per gallon increase for wholesale milk (Evening Echo, Tues. 21 Nov. 1939, p. 2).
On Friday the 17th of November 1939 members of the Association decided to give effect to their decision. The Government brought in supplies of milk by special trains under Gardaí escort. The Co. Dublin Farmers’ Association supported the milk farmers and pledged to stop supplies of milk, vegetables and farm produce and stop all fairs and markets (Evening Echo, Tues. 21 Nov. 1939, p. 2). Initially the newspaper accounts noted that there was no impact from the Dublin milk strike.
Escalation
Before the strike the Dublin and District Milk Producers’ Association brought into Dublin 19,000 gallons of milk per day. After the strike commenced the amount supplied decreased to 10,000 to 12,000 gallons per day. The Association supplied numerous wholesalers who supplied the shops where the milk was generally sold over the counter to poor people (Irish Press, Thurs. 23 Nov. 1939, p. 8).
The Dublin Milk strike reached a new phase, on the 22nd of November. There were shortages of cabbage, turnips and mangolds in metropolitan markets. Prices almost doubled above their normal price. Less milk reached Dublin, but a shortage was not experienced (Irish Examiner, Thur. 23 Nov. 1939, p. 4). To deal with the threat of no fresh milk for the capital the Irish Government reversed the monopoly it had established limiting milk sales in Dublin to 5 surrounding counties. It also under threat of penalty requisitioned milk from various creameries across the country including Glenmore.
By Friday the 24th of November “a large number of farmers picketed the vicinity of the Dublin Cattle Market, and a strong force of Guards were on duty. Buyers and salesmen remained until the afternoon, but no animals appeared. Stock on the way to the market during the night and early morning were stopped by pickets” (Irish Independent Fri. 24 Nov. 1939, p. 9).
The Munster Express (Fri. 24 Nov. 1939, p. 5) wrote a very passionate statement regarding the milk strike and the general farmers’ strikes that broke out across the country shutting down livestock markets and fairs.
“Not since the days, now exactly 60 years ago, when Michael Davitt launched the Land League…had the spirit of the Irish farmers been stirred as at the present moment. They have borne with the agonizing disappointment of the Economic War and all the misery following in its train. …They braced themselves up to bear the burden enforced upon them until the last straw has, in the name of the war, been laid upon their broken backs…They are a class not easily roused to action, but being moved, aroused in the extreme. The increase since the war broke out in the prices of essential feeding stuffs, such as maize, bran and pollard, regarding which the standstill order has not operated…” In other words milk prices were capped but the price of animal feed etc. were not capped.
The End of the Milk Strike
By 1 December 1939, after the Minister for Agriculture met with the milk producers the milk strike was over, but the general farmer’s strike continued. The Minister for Agriculture refused to meet for some time with the farmers’ representatives. Over 80 farmers across the country had been arrested. The Minister for Justice announced that the Government was satisfied that the ordinary courts were not suitable for dealing with the farmer cases. Fine Gaels’ Dr. O’Higgins stood up in the Dáil and objected to the Government imposing Special Courts for the trial of farmers arrested during the strikes. He noted that Members of the Government had at one time or another done all the things that caused the farmers to now be arrested (Anglo-Celt, Sat. 2 Dec. 1939, p. 12).
Nevertheless, the Government pressed ahead with the Special Criminal Courts for the arrested striking farmers. Nine County Meath farmers, plead guilty to offences arising out of the milk strike. The defendant farmers were bound to the peace by the Special Criminal Court sitting at Collins barracks. The defendant farmers agreed to pay £4 14s for the value of the milk they spilled and £11 13s for witnesses’ expenses (Evening Herald, Mon. 4 Dec. 1939, p. 4). The ordinary courts were obviously well equipped to deal with these types of cases.
In the Dáil on 1 December, Timothy J. O’Donovan of Fine Gael representing Cork West stated that he believed that the milk producers of Dublin had a grievance. The producers got 1s 4d per gallon, and the distributors got 2s 4d. “At these prices one wondered who owned the cows” ((Anglo-Celt, Sat. 2 Dec. 1939, p. 12).
Glenmore Creamery
Timothy J. O’Donovan was not happy to allow the issue of the penalties imposed on creameries across the country to go unchallenged. During Dáil debates on Wednesday 15 May 1940, (Vol. 80, no. 4) O’Donovan requested the Minister for Agriculture to identify all creameries which failed or refused to respond to the Government requisition regarding the milk supply to Dublin during the milk strike of November 1939. He also wished to know if any of the creameries had been penalised as a result of their failure or refusal and the amount of the fine in each case. There were 38 creameries listed as fined and below are 3 local creameries with their imposed fines.
Glenmore Co-operative Creamery Ltd. was fined £35 6s. 5d.
Kilmacow Co-operative Creamery, Ltd. was fined £23 12s. 2d.
Mullinavat Co-operative Agricultural and Dairy Society, Ltd. £19 6s. 2d
It was reported in the Munster Express that “milk suppliers to Kilmacow Creamery, at a meeting after last Mass on Sunday [26 November 1939] unanimously decided not to send any milk to Dublin during the period of the strike. Glenmore and Mullinavat suppliers passed similar resolutions” (Munster Express, Fri. 1 Dec. 1939, p. 8).
Conclusion
“The Dublin Milk strike, if it did nothing else made several prominent politicians think a few times…The Minister for Agriculture was able to view the effects of the monopoly he created for limited the supply of milk to Dublin to 5 counties.” “For generations Dublin drew it supplies…from any district that had milk to spare…For at least 50 years it was a common sight to see churns of milk loaded on the early trains…consigned to Dublin distributors” (Irish Examiner, Sat. 2 Dec. 1939, p. 7).
The milk strike in 1939 was not the last milk strike held in Ireland. In 1953, another milk strike was debated in the Daíl. The 1953 strike was even covered by the New York Times. Perhaps readers will remember the milk strike of 1978? It was covered by RTE.
See our post of 27 December 2020 regarding rabbit trapping in Glenmore during World War II.
Special thanks to Veronica F. for forwarding the Dáil Debates regarding the Glenmore Creamery.
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Glenmore and The Black and Tans: Michael Heffernan (1878-1951)
Today, we are going to highlight the experiences of one shop keeper in Glenmore during the War of Independence (1919-1921) and the Black and Tans. The War of Independence in Ireland commenced in 1919 and the British Government responded in January 1920 by seeking to reinforce the RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) by hiring and sending unemployed former British WWI soldiers to Ireland. With minimal training in policing these recruits were violent and their treatment of the civilian population made them the best recruitment device for the old Irish Republican Army.
Michael Heffernan (1878-1951) was the son of a retired RIC sergeant Michael Heffernan (c. 1839-1914). After his retirement from the RIC, Michael Heffernan (c. 1839-1914) opened a shop in Glenmore Village on the Cappagh Road in the building adjacent to his home. Three generations of the Heffernan family operated the shop. The last Heffernan to operate the shop was Eily Heffernan (c. 1923-2003) (Michael’s daughter) who kept it open until her death. After her death it remained a shop for a short while, but later it became a chipper. As the Village continued to decline the chipper closed, and the building has sat empty now for several years. Currently fundraising and efforts have been made to re-open the old shop as a tea room/shop.
Michael Heffernan’s 1938 Letter
On 1 February 1938, Michael Heffernan (1878-1951) wrote a letter to support his nephew, Cornelius F. McLoughlin’s (1897-1967) application to have his service during the War of Independence recognised. In 1938, Michael Heffernan was a Peace Commissioner. Although the letter was meant to discuss his nephew’s work during the War of Independence the letter provides details regarding the activities of the Black and Tans in Glenmore Village. For information concerning Captain Cornelius F. McLoughlin (1897-1967) see our posts of 26 May 2025 and 2 June 2025.
Michael noted that “whenever anything happened in the locality, our house seemed to come in for attention.” Michael referred to the Black and Tans as raiders and stated that he was not always sure whether the armed men who appeared in Glenmore were Auxiliaries or Black and Tans. He reported little difference in the attitude of these men. Their main difference was that they wore different caps. “They were often in drink, and looking for drink.” One evening one was very drunk and pointing his rifle at various buildings along the street. (Heffernan letter, p. 4). At the time of the Black and Tans, Glenmore was a dry parish and this probably did not help relations between the drink seeking soldiers and the civilians of the parish.
In his five page typewritten letter Michael listed a dozen events involving the Black and Tans in Glenmore. “During the Black and Tan period we were raided several times, and at different hours. Nothing was found with us, and no one was caught in our house, although for months we kept a door to our yard to which our neighbour, Jim Walsh, then on the run, had easy access, so that he might pass through and lock it after him to delay pursuit in emergency. Only a person with an intimate knowledge of the place could know of this door.” (Heffernan letter p. 2).
Hiding Ammunition for the Irish Volunteers
During one raid the bullets he was storing for his nephew, Cornelius McLoughlin were not discovered. During another raid bayonets were put through a small paper bag of feathers that were being saved to make a pillow. The same day his wife’s prayers in Irish “came in for great attention.” (Heffernan letter, p. 2).
In what Michael described as a “narrow shave” his employee Molly Walsh saw the Black and Tans in the Village and rushed home and returned with a bandolier under her apron. Her brother, Jim Walsh, was an active volunteer. When Molly showed Michael the bandolier and he told her to take it away. She had intended to hide it in a small room off the shop. She grabbed a bucket and took the bandolier still hidden under her apron to the well in Ryan’s Marsh where she hid her brother’s ammunition. The Walsh house was not searched that day, but the Heffernan shop was. (Heffernan letter, p. 3).
Rounding Up of Glenmore Men
Michael recalled that the day after a hold-up on the railway by volunteers, he was raided again. “At four o’clock in the morning I was taken out to Fluskey’s corner where our hands were all examined; and we heard afterwards that this was because they were seeking a man with a finger missing. There were about 12 to 14 of us taken out that morning. That was the morning that Jim Fluskey (1882-1960) was very slow in answering and when at last he appeared fully dressed, he had a lighted candle in his hand, and we all, raiders included, thought that very funny.” (Heffernan letter, p. 2).
Michael named the following men who were pulled from their beds that morning. John Brennan, Ned Doolan, Jim the Weaver (pronounced locally as “Waver”) whose real name was Walsh, James Walsh, the carpenter; Jack Scanlan, George Jones, senior; Johnny Cody and J.K. Walsh (Michael’s brother-in-law). (Heffernan letter p. 3). For further details regarding Jim the Weaver Walsh, see our post of 19 May 2025.
On another date Michael was brought to the creamery and held there long after dark. He and others were forced to push a lorry up the Vee Road. “Fr. Bergin was hunted home that evening after being brought out to push the lorry. They were very excited, nervous and abusive that evening.” (Heffernan letter. P. 3).
Michael was brought to the chapel another evening and held against the wall. Michael spoke to the Captain about the fact that his wife was not home and four small children were alone in the house. The Captain told him at the house that he must go to the chapel. After some time Michael reminded the Captain of his unattended young children and was told by the Captain to slip away quietly down the hill. Michael was instructed not to look back as his men were out of control. Michael noted that they were very rough that evening and threatening. He did not record his thoughts as he quietly slipped away and walked down the long hill toward his home. (Heffernan letter, p. 3).
Interrogations
One morning Michael opened the shop door and saw Bill Purcell. Bill was working with Jimmy Hanrahan at that time. He was rushing back from the marsh at Cappagh where he had apparently put out the cows. As Bill ran he called out that lorries of Black and Tans were coming down the hill by the Churns. Michael went back inside and was just lighting the fire in the kitchen when the Black and Tans entered. They were very excited and demanded where the man was who just ran in. Michael told them that he had just gotten up to open the shop and that no man had come in. After some hesitation they appeared to accept his statement and left. When Michael next saw Bill Purcell he told Bill he had a “narrow shave.” The Black and Tans apparently lost sight of Bill while passing Fluskey’s shed and the carpenter’s house [where the Glen Bar is now]. This gave Bill a chance to race up Merrigan’s lane behind Patsey Ryan’s house. When Bill reached the high ground above the Village he waited until he saw the Black and Tans leaving. (Heffernan letter, p. 3).
After the breaking of the bridge at Main Roche’s, Cappagh, the Bklack and Tans visited Michael at 11 o’clock at night. They battered at the door and knocked out the key. This occasioned delay in opening as Michael had to search amongst bags of flour in the shop. They were impatient and when at last Michael opened the door he saw the whole street full of armed men. Half a dozen or so entered and questioned Michael about the broken bridge and his movements that night. (Heffernan letter, p. 3).
His wife brought home a small flashlamp from Waterford. Their eldest son, Paddy was about 7 or 8. That night the Black and Tans came down from the New Line [now the N 25 overlooking the Village] . They demanded to know who was signalling with a flash lamp from the Heffernan home. Michael explained that the children were playing with it, and the Tans went away apparently satisfied. (Heffernan letter, p. 4).
Destruction of Property
Although his home and store were subject to searches by the Black and Tans Michael did not record in his letter that his property was damaged by the Black and Tans except for his bee hives. On the high ground behind the Village Michael kept 40 beehives. The bee hives were searched by the Black and Tans and two or three were tumbled down the hill. The combs were broken and the bees perished. (Heffernan letter, p. 4).
On the Road to Waterford
One day after driving to Waterford for a load of meal, on the Waterford side of Carriganurra, before Denn’s of the Spa (pronounced as Spaw) three lorry loads of Black and Tans passed Curraghnore Lane. Michael paid no attention to them as they passed him and jogged along with his empty bags. Just beyond Denn’s Michael observed three Black and Tans who had left one of the lorries. They were standing on the roadside at his left with rifles resting on the ditch and pointed to cover Curraghnore Lane which led to the railway. It struck Michael that if he had attempted to turn down the lane the motion would have caused suspicion and perhaps drawn fire. Shortly after passing the lane the three lorries again passed Michael. Michael reached Waterford, and got back safely with his load of meal. (Heffernan letter, p. 4).
Michael also stated that “his man” Georgie Jones of the Village was stopped on the Waterford Road. The horse drawn car was searched and a parcel of school books, which were being returned, was closely examined for messages. (Heffernan letter, p. 4).
Michal Heffernan’s Long Glenmore Run
One Sunday in June 1921 Michael was a bit late for Mass. His wife was home ill. He found a crowd in the porch and went to the Sacrristy. As he was listening to Mass from the Sacristy, Pat Grant of Robinstown entered and said that the Black and Tans were on the New Line [N 25 overlooking the Village] and others had taken up positions in Fluskey’s field with mounted machine guns. Others were advancing toward the Chapel. “Pat said he would hook it and left in great excitement.” It dawned on Michael that as the only man in the Sacristy he would look suspicious and would find it difficult to explain his position although it was the custom of people to hear Mass from the Sacristy.
Michael thought it wise to leave quickly and ran after Pat Grant. They headed for the stile in the upper inside corner of the churchyard and crossed over to the Mass path under the high churchyard wall in Forristal’s field. Michael ran about 50 yards and crossed another ditch into a lane which was also known as the Mass Path fields which led down beside the Barracks and onto the Mill Road. Michael was running hard. (Heffernan letter, p. 4).
Michael jumped onto the Mill Road and “faced for Ballybrahee, bending low and keeping in the shelter of the hedges.” Just as Michael turned the next bend in the road, approaching John Condon’s and passing Jim Hanrahan’s field he heard a series of distant explosions which he took to be machine gun fire. Boughs from bushes fell down in front of Michael. Michael was staggered somewhat and nearly fell. He continued to run towards Ballybrahe. (Heffernan letter, p. 5).
When he reached Murphy’s cottage he turned up Mullinahone Lane. Where he knew he had good cover. He turned right to Mike Hyne’s land, and went down to the Long Bog through the wood near Ballybrahe Bridge. Michael came out at the iron gate from the bog and rushed up the road over Ballybrahe bridge. As he approached Dan Murphy’s quarry another long volley of machine fun fire passed over Michael’s head. This again startled Michael as he had been looking back and trying to keep out of the view of the New Line [ N 25]. (Heffernan letter, p. 5).
Michael continued to run until he reached Ballybrahe. There he turned down the lane at Mike Hynes’ house and crossed his lands into John Ennett’s fields. Through these he reached John Ennett’s house where he changed coats and collar and shoes. After changing Michael immediately left and caught his own pony in the paddock at Cappagh Lane and walked the animal home hoping that it would explain things if the Black and Tans were at his home. No one was waiting for him and he learned that all attending Mass that Sunday were detained and questioned. (Heffernan letter, p. 5).
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For further information on the children of Michael Heffernan (1878-1951) see our post of 17 January 2022.
For an account of a Black and Tan atrocity in Cork see, Three Minute Tales, “Black and Tans a Farmer’s Revenge.”
Please send any corrections or further information or photos of any person mentioned in this post to glenmore.history@gmail.com
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Two More Glenmore Post Office Postcards
Last Wednesday we posted a postcard of the second Glenmore Post Office in Fluskey’s shop. Two more similar but different postcards of the second Glenmore Post office in Fluskey’s shop were shared this past week. We were very excited to receive postcard 2 below because it is not within Danny’s collection and Pat Dowling noted that he has never seen it before.
Postcard 1– Posted 29 January 2025
The post card above features Danny Dowling’s (1927-2021) mother Hannah Dowling née Murphy (1903-1989) carrying a bucket to the Village pump. The Village pump was removed in 1931, thus we know that the photo was taken before 1931. For information on the Village pump see our post of 23 May 2020. The Village pump was located where the Glenbar is located today.
The house to the left of Fluskey’s is the house where Danny was born in 1927. Previously Mary Hanrahan, née Murphy (1863-1938) (Danny’s great-aunt) married James Hanrahan of Glenmore Village in 1905. They owned the house along with a farm of nearly forty acres. Her husband, Jimmy Hanrahan (c.1876-1920) died aged 44 of TB in 1920. Ten months later her son, John Hanrahan (1906-1921) died of appendicitis at 15 years of age. Mary Hanrahan née Murphy asked her niece Hannah Murphy to come to live with her. Mary Hanrahan née Murphy died in 1938 and Pat Dowling was present when she died. She gave the house and land to her niece Hannie Murphy, who was married to Pat Dowling, of Jamestown.
Special thanks to Mick Breen for sending on these two postcards and providing some close ups. This closeup of the postcard with Danny’s mother is very similar to the postcard we posted last Wednesday. There are three people who appear to be the same 3 people as last week, namely: Maggie Holden (b. 1911) of Weatherstown; James “Jim” Power (1884-1947) postman and Jim Walsh (1898-1958). for further details on these individuals see our post of 22 January 2025.
The graffiti behind the two men depicted looks the same as what was depicted on the postcard we posted on 22 January 2025. The difference between the photos is that the bicycle is gone from in front of the shop; the two men have moved away from the door and Hannah Murphy and the Village pump are visible as well as what appears to be a Model T automobile. Model T Fords were made in England from 1911 to 1927.
Given the three people depicted at Fluskey’s appear to be the same three people, dressed the same we believe that the postcard posted the 22nd of January and this one were taken the same day. It is not clear who owned the depicted automobile. It could have been a patron of Fluskey’s, or belonged or was being used by Jim Walsh or perhaps it belonged to the photographer.
Postcard 2– posted 29 January 2025
To the left is a head on shot of Fluskey’s without other buildings being depicted. There are 3 individuals depicted but all three are men. The post office and telegraph are present, but there is no graffiti on the walls. There is no bicycle leaned against the wall. There are window boxes in the windows and a sign over the door states C? Fluskey. A pony or cob is pulling a two wheel farm cart. The man to the right appears to be a farmer, and we wonder if the man to the left is Robert Fluskey based upon his dress and stance. The younger man in the centre we believe may be Jim Fluskey but this is a guess. We believe that this postcard is older than the postcard above and the postcard posted last Wednesday, 22 January 2025.
Unfortunately, the postcard was not mailed it has no stamp, postmark or written date. Mick Breen acquired it from a man in Scotland who collected post office postcards. The collector did not appear to realize the post card was from Ireland. It appears that Beatrice’s father once lived in Glenmore.
Have you seen this postcard before? Do you have other postcards of Glenmore that you will share? Please comment below or send corrections, thoughts, other postcards to glenmore.history@gmail.com
Dr. Kathleen Moore