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November Updates
As 2025 draws to a close–and we acknowledge our sixth anniversary–we wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on how much we have grown since our beginning. This history blog has generated:
Views–331,735
Visitors–125,045
Posts–442
We continue to slowly read, transcribe and archive Danny Dowling’s (1927-2021) vast collection. This past year we answered several dozen queries and settled a bet. We had the pleasure of meeting with visitors. We teamed up with Glenmore Tidy Towns to post 5 gold historical markers around the parish and more recently conducted a walking tour of Glenmore Village. Everyone we have contacted seeking information has been very helpful. We are always looking for ideas for new posts and guest authors. So please send on any ideas you may have.
We have been adding family information to the various surname pages. These pages contain entries from Danny Dowling’s (1927-2021) notebooks and notes, newspaper notices and articles as well as obituaries. Married women are generally listed under their married names with maiden names provided where known.
On our “Lists” page we added yesterday a 1837 Glenmore Subscribers’ List. This was a published list of locals (unfortunately without townlands). In addition to the names (which incidentally included two women) the amount that was donated was recorded. The “subscription” was to support the work of Daniel O’Connell (1775-1847). There are some local extinct names (e.g. Gaffney) and names that still flourish 188 years later in the parish such as Roche, Doherty and Aylward.
Lastly, the lovely wedding photo of Michael Walsh (Haggard) and Margaret Roche (Coolnaleen) is to the right. (Left to Right) John Roche (seated); Michael Walsh (standing); Margaret Walsh née Roche; Mary Dowling née Grace and Fr. John Grace.
Thanks to Tom Roche for sharing the photo of his aunt’s wedding. It has been added to our post of 26 October 2025 regarding the groom’s father Michael “the Mason” Walsh (1874-1948). The family were known locally as “the Mhicils, pronounced Vickles.”
We are still seeking a photo of Fr. Willie Brennan if anyone has one they would share.
If you have any suggestions or photos you would like to share please contact us at glenmore.history@gmail.com
Thank you for your support and looking forward to the coming year.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
From Danny’s Files: “The Land Grabbers”
While sorting through some of Danny’s vast collection yesterday, I came across the lyrics of a song published in the Kilkenny Journal on Christmas Day 1880. The title of the song is “The Land Grabbers” and it is was sung to the “King O’Toole” air.
When the Land League formed it was determined that in order to put pressure on landlords pressure would be placed also on people not to move into the property where the eviction occurred. It was hoped that if the property was idle a settlement between the evicted tenant and landlord would be reached, and the tenant returned to the property.
If a person moved onto the property he would be identified by the local chapter of the Land League as a “land grabber.” In several local cases houses and farms were idle for three or more years because no one was willing to take up the property for fear of being labelled a “land grabber.” Thus, landlords who believed that they could evict and find a better tenant or secure more rent were risking the property sitting idle for years.
Contemporary newspapers accounts reveal that the “land grabber” when spotted in a town or village would be followed by one or more persons ringing bells to attract attention. People would not deal with a land grabber. For example, merchants and publicans would refuse to sell anything to a land grabber and likewise the land grabber’s cattle, pigs and crops would not be bought on market days. A person who dealt with a land grabber risked the wrath of the members of the Land League and its supporters. (For a concise history of the era see, Joe Pellegrino, Irish History Since 1850.)
Glenmore Branch of the Land League
The Glenmore Branch of the Land League was formed in October 1880. Father Michael Cody, a native of Carrickcloney, Glenmore, and the Curate of Mullinavat, was arrested in December 1880 for making “threats” to a Land Grabber in Mullinavat. Shortly thereafter these lyrics were published in the Dublin Weekly News on Sat., 18 Dec. 1880 (p. 5) and in the Kilkenny Journal on Christmas Day.
See our post of 8 March 2020 regarding the Glenmore Land League and the Ballyfacey Evictions
See also our post of 14 June 2020, Creative Boycotting in Late 19th Century Ireland.
The Land Grabber Verse
“The Land Grabbers” (Air—King O’Toole)
Ring the Bell! Ring the Bell; Ring it up and down!
Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong; a Grabber is in town!
His goods are in the market, but there we’ll let them lie,
He’ll have to take them home again, for nobody will buy.
Dong-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! Rattle well the bell;
The Grabber wants to buy things; but nobody will sell,
For his silver or his coppers, no matter how they clink,
He cannot get a bit to eat, or get a drop to drink.
Ring the bell! Ring the bell! What will the Grabber do?
For riding on the highway his horse has lost a shoe,
But not a single blacksmith can anywhere be found,
To hammer in a nail for him, in all the country round.
Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! His servants will not stay,
The men have all deserted him—the women ran away,
He has to make his beds, and wash his bits of delft,
And when he wants his dinner, he must cook it for himself.
Ring the Bell! Ring the Bell!—The landlord oft is bad,
The agent and his bailiffs are enough to drive one mad,
But of all the hateful robbers by whom our land is curst,
Since Cromwell came to plunder us, the grabber is the worst,
In the Nation.
Please send any corrections or further information to glenmore.history@gmail.com
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Second 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 at the Glenmore barracks at the gate. This building has a long and interesting history in the village.
The Glenmore Barrack Sign
For those who can not easily visit the village to review the sign here are the contents of the sign.
“This building served as a Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Barracks until the Irish Free State was established. Danny Dowling (1927-2021), Glenmore’s eminent historian, recorded that an older RIC Barracks was established in the field behind the present pub sometime after 1822 and the building of the current building.”
“During the War of Independence this building was abandoned by the RIC and burned by Company C the ‘Glenmore Company’ of the 6th Battalion of the Kilkenny Brigade of the old Irish Republican Army. After the establishment of the Irish Free State the building was purchased from the Earl of Bessborough and repaired. For a couple of Years the Civil Guardians operated out of a house in Weatherstown. This building re-opened in 1925 and continued as a Garda Siochana station until c. 1995 when it was reduced to an administrative office that opened a couple days a week.”
For further information–
See our post of 11 April 2020 for a history of the barracks including the burning of it during the War of Independence.
See our post of 26 September 2021 for the rebuilding of the barracks and use of it by the Garda Siochana.
Please send any corrections or further information to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Photos from Peoria, Illinois of a Glenmore Native
In our post of the 26th of August 2024 we featured Monsignor Patrick O.’C. Culleton (1877-1960) a native of Kilbride, Glenmore.
Today we have three new photos of Msgr. Culleton. Special thanks to Patrick Kelly who shared these photos with us. In 1950 Msgr. Culleton was celebrating the golden jubilee of his ordination.
We will be adding these photos to the original post thanks to Patrick Kelly sharing these photos. If you have any photos of Glenmore natives please send them to glenmore.history@gmail.com where they will be preserved.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Bridie Doolan’s Tiny Glenmore Shop [Updated]
Bridget “Bridie” Doolan (1913-2007) was born in Glenmore Village on the 29th of June 1913 to Edward Doolan (labourer) and his wife Alice Rice (b. 1886). Edward Doolin (sic) and Alice Rice were married on 10 July 1912 in Waterford. In Glenmore the family lived in the house at the top of the street where Kitty Morrissey (Bridie’s sister) later lived. Bridie had a brother Paddy Doolan (1917-1997) (who married Nancy “Civil” Forristal) and two sisters Kitty Morrissey (wife of Phil Morrissey) and Mary Ellen Jones (wife of Tom Jones).
Danny Dowling (1927-2021) interviewed Bridie Doolan around 1961. He did not date his notes in his notebook but other entries are dated 1961. Bridie started a shop in 1930 when she was just 17 years old. At the time there were several shops operating in Glenmore. The shops in Glenmore Village included: [1] the Creamery, [2] Hanrahan’s, [3] Lizzie JK’s, [4] Fluskey’s and [5] Heffernan’s. Bridie’s shop was a tiny metal building on the “Vee” Road near what was then the Glenmore Creamery. The tiny shop was on Fitzgerald’s ground. It is assumed that the ground was Michael Fitzgerald’s, of Aylwardstown. His brother Richard Fitzgerald (1868-1955) had the Halfway House and farm in Aylwardstown.
Bridie Doolan’s Tiny Glenmore Shop
At the time Bridie opened her tiny shop local farmers brought their milk daily to the creamery on horse drawn or ass drawn carts either passing by her shop or turning into the creamery near her shop. In the early days of her shop Bridie sold tea, sugar, bread, mutton, beef, sausages, lamp oil, soap and candles. Danny Dowling (1927-2021) fondly remembered as a young lad standing with his nose pressed against the shop window to view the Christmas toys. He recalled an airplane that he wanted Santa to bring him. Unfortunately, Danny must have been on the naughty list as Santa did not bring the coveted toy airplane.
As time went on Bridie carried more household essentials and tobacco products. One local resident recently stated that Bridie was the first woman in Glenmore to have a license in her own name to sell tobacco products. Danny Dowling’s notes do not address tobacco products, but he did record that Kelly’s had a shed at the creamery side of the shop. In between the shop and Kelly’s shed was a space where Kelly’s used to house their horse. It is assumed that the Kelly referenced was Michael “Micky” Kelly (c. 1885-1946) of Graiguenakill, Glenmore.
Jim Power (1884-1947) the postman, told Bridie that in the space between her shop and Kelly’s shed was the location where all the old Powers were born. For a photo of Jim Power and information regarding his parents see our post of 22 Jan. 2025.
Bridie kept her tiny shop operating until about 1948 when she ceased trading. Today, only the shop remains the shed and horse house are long gone. Members of the Glenmore Tidy Towns over the past few years repaired and painted the tiny shop and replaced its window. It stands testimony to a woman who made her own way and a Village that once had 5 or 6 shops. Today, there is no shop in Glenmore Village except that of the Creamery that is a farm shop.
[Update 14 May 2025–The postcard to the right depicts a Glenmore cabin or cottage. The postcard was post marked in Glenmore and London. The London post mark is clear 23 May 1905. We believe that the Glenmore cabin or cottage was the place where the old Powers were born. In other words, we believe that this cottage stood between where later Bridie Doolan’s tiny shop stood and the Creamery which was being built in 1905. The addressee is Miss L. Erickson, 49 Kelmscott Road, Wandsworth Com., London S.W. The message reads, “Glinmore……Fancy living here with a family of 3 or 4. This is only a stone’s throw from my place. Will give you some idea of rural Ireland……B.” Was this a person working on the creamery? For further information on the establishment of the Glenmore Creamery see our post of 9 May 2020.]
Bridie O’Keefe née Doolan (1913-2007)
Bridie married Martin “Murt” O’Keefe (c. 1905-1985) and Danny Dowling recorded in 1961 that the following members of the family living in Glenmore included three daughters: Alice O’Keefe, Mary O’Keefe and Ann O’Keefe; and a son Edward O’Keefe. Another son William “Billy” O’Keefe was already away working. Murt O’Keefe in 1961 worked for the Kilkenny County Council.
Murt O’Keefe died in 1985 at the age of 79. Bridie died in 2007 at the age of 94. Both are buried in Glenmore.
Please send any corrections, additional information of photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
The photo featured above was taken in 2023 of Bridie Doolan’s tiny shop. For further information regarding Glenmore Village in the 1930’s please see our post of 9 April 2020.
Special thanks to Mick Breen for reminding me regarding the 1905 post card and the reader who originally shared it on our Facebook page.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh