Glenmore in the News

While searching for various information in local newspapers we often come across short interesting articles that provide a glimpse of long forgotten Glenmore events or people. Today, we are going to present some of the articles collected from primarily the twentieth century while conducting newspaper searches of local newspapers. If you have any additional information concerning these events or people please leave a comment below or email us. The email address is listed below.

Glenmore Police Blotter

Sheep Dipping

In 1914, a number of Glenmore residents were summoned by Sergeant Kirby  of the R.I.C. for failing to send notice of intention to dip sheep within the sheep dipping period. The first defendant was James Doherty [no townland was published].

The Judge (to defendant), “Why did you not give notice?”
Defendant—”I had one little pet lamb.”
The Judge—”But that is a sheep. What is the penalty?
Sergeant Kirby—”You can fine him as much as £5; but I had cases at Ross the other day in which fines of 1s were imposed.”

Other Glenmore residents that were summoned for similar offences included: John Fitzgerald, Knockbrack, fined 5 s.; Paul Fitzgerald, fined 5s.; Catherine Raftis, Rochestown, fined 5s; Mary Walsh, do., fined 2s 6d; Patrick Walsh, fined 5 s. (Evening News (Waterford), Thurs. 8 Oct. 1914, p. 3).

Stolen Glenmore Bicycle 1942

Supt. Feeney prosecuted John Walsh, Annestown, on a charge of taking a bicycle at Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, the property of Mr. Hynes (sic) of Ballybrahee. The bicycle had a value £4. He was also charged with taking a pair of boots the property of Mr. John O’Connor, Annestown. The defendant pleaded guilty.

Garda Doghlan, New Ross, gave evidence and said that the defendant admitted stealing a bicycle in Glenmore, but that he did not know the owner. The Garda said the frame of the bicycle was in a house and the wheels in a shed. He admitted getting the boots. There was no attempt to hide the bicycle; the Garda stated that the defendant told him where to find the bicycle.

The defendant was the son of a respectable farmer, and was in continual employment since leaving school. His employer, Mr. O’Connor of Annestown, gave the defendant a good reference and testified that he was a very good employee. The defendant’s solicitor stated that the defendant was in Glenmore and took the bicycle from Glenmore to New Ross, intending to return it. He then alleged that the owner of the bicycle was a good friend of the defendant.

The Judge imposed a sentence of one months’ imprisonment on each charge with both sentences to run concurrently (New Ross Standard, Fri. 18 Dec. 1942, p. 7).

Defendant Jim Fluskey (1882-1960)

During World War II, or what was known in Ireland as “The Emergency,” the disruption to shipping resulted in shortages and often consumers bought items that turned out not to be what the consumer requested. In order to tackle this problem weighing scales, food and drugs etc. were inspected more often than before the war.  

In 1943, James Fluskey, of Glenmore Village, was charged with selling a substance that was not ground coffee. Gerald T. Griffin, of Foods and Drugs testified that he went to Fluskey’s shop and requested three quarters of a pound of ground coffee from Mrs. Fluskey. He sent the sample to the analyst who reported that the item was not of the nature requested.

Garda Griffin stated that he believed that Mrs. Fluskey made a mistake in giving him Café for coffee. The solicitor for the defendant Fluskey explained that Café was supplied in 1 lb. and ½ lb. packets, but as customers were in the habit of purchasing small quantities some of the packets were emptied into a biscuit tin. Besides this tin was another tin in which coffee was kept. Unfortunately, neither tin was labelled and Café was sold in mistake for coffee. He said Mr. Fluskey was 45 years in business and had never been in court before.

The justice said he would impose a nominal fine of 6d. defendant to pay the analyst’s fee (New Ross Standard, Fri. 29 Oct. 1943, p. 5). See our posts of 28 May 2020 and 22 November 2020 for further information on the Fluskey family and business.

Glenmore Sports

T. Kennedy Famous Glenmore Handball Player

The Waterford Chronicle reported in 1905 that “three very interesting and closely contested handball games were played in the Waterford Racquet Court.”  It was noted that handball had lost some of its popularity but was being revived.

The first match was between J. Knox and F. Brennan, the Kilmacow and Slieverue champions against J. Grant another Kilkenny player and J. Hurley, a famous Kilkenny player. An exciting game was won by Grant and Hartley only by four aces.

The second game was won by Brennan and Knox with a lead of three aces. “The final match was the piece ‘de resistance.’ The contestants were J. Hurley and T. Kennedy, the famous Glenmore Player, against J. Grant and the celebrated Irish champion, Trooper Joseph Quinlisk, R.I.C.

“The spectators showed exceptional interest in the match which created the greatest enthusiasm.” “The betting was very considerable, a large sum having exchanged hands, one of the players retiring from the court with a far larger amount than when he entered.” The match was won by Grant and Quinlisk by only a single ace (Waterford Chronicle, Sat. 6 May 1905, p. 2). Does anyone know who T. Kennedy was?

South Kilkenny Hot Rod Motor Racing Club

Paddy Mackey, of Mullinahone,, Glennmore was the Founder and later Hon. Secretary of the of the South Kilkenny Hot Rod Motor Racing Club. In 1976, Paddy was elected Hon. Secretary of the Irish Hot Rod Racing Federation, the governing body of the sport, at its annual general meeting, held in Cahir House Hotel, Cahir, Co. Tipperary.

Paddy was educated at the Glenmore National School and C.B.S., New Ross. He was  married, the father of three children, and employed at the Sunraised Fruit Co. Ltd., Waterford (Munster Express, Fri. 6 Feb. 1976, p.1).

Glenmore Homecomings in 1998

“Paddy Kehoe formerly of Rathnure (sic), Glenmore spent a very enjoyable month’s holiday with his sister Mary Delahunty, Aylwardstown. During his visit he visited all his nephews and nieces and also attended all the GAA games played locally and also the Leinster Senior Hurling Final. Paddy emigrated to the USA 41 years previously and came home on several occasions.

Also home on holidays was Larry Dillon (1921-2016) formerly of Rochestown, Glenmore, who spent a holiday with his brother Paddy in Slieverue. Larry was in Wolverham(sic), England for over 35 years and paid yearly visits to Glenmore (New Ross Standard, Wed. 22 July 1998, p. 23). See our previous post of 27 March 2021 concerning Larry’s sister, Ciss Dillon (1919-1997).

Glenmore Lands & Buildings

In 1901, a small notice appeared in the New Ross Standard concerning Daniel Cody’s lands.

“WARNING is hereby given that any person found trespassing on my lands at Carrigcloney, Graiguenakill, and Ballinamoney (sic), otherwise than on the Mass Path, will from this date be prosecuted— Daniel Cody, Carrigcloney “(New Ross Standard, Sat. 19 Jan. 1901).

A decade later the Waterford No. 2 Rural District Council, which had charge of most of Glenmore parish, it sought tenders “to repair and cope a wall at Forrestall’s (sic) Mill, Glenmore.” However, no tender was received by the Council (Evening News (Waterford) Mon. 27 Nov. 1911, p. 3).

On the 7^th of November 1917, Mount Ida, of Rochestown, Glenmore, a freehold residential estate of 154 acres, the property of Philip Conn, was put up for sale by public auction. The poor law valuation was £135 5s. Mount Ida was purchased by William Forrestal, of Ballyverneen, Glenmore for £4,700 (Enniscorthy Guardian, Sat. 17 Nov. 1917).

In 1958, Glenmore Creamery began “reconstructing” its buildings. When completed it was reported that it would be one of the finest creameries in South Kilkenny. The new premises were built by Glenmore contractor, Patrick Kennedy, of Kilbride, Glenmore (Munster Express, Fri. 3 Oct. 1958, p. 8).

Shortly after the reconstruction a house that was adjacent (in front of where the weigh bridge is now) went up for sale in 1961. The owner selling the property was Mrs. Anastatia Walsh. This was the house where Paddy Griffin (1937-2022) and his brother Larry Griffin (c. 1940) were raised.

Glenmore Farming Accidents

In August 1899, a sad occurrence took place at Michael Delaney’s farm, at Newtown, Glenmore. While threshing some corn with a horse-power machine, a man named Tom Fowley was feeding the machine and went to stop the machine. “John Gahan jumped to the feeding table and pushed a sheaf of corn into the machine,” which brought Gahan’s hand into the machine.  The hand entered the drum beaters to the arm, which was mangled and torn to pieces. “Young Gahan lost an enormous quantity of blood, and when Dr. Sheehan, of New Ross attended him, he found the poor fellow in such a bad plight that he could not guarantee that his life would be saved.” He remained in a precarious condition (Evening News (Waterford) Sat. 26 Aug. 1899, p. 2).

No death for a John Gahan could be located in the 1899 death register. The Delaney farm was near the farm of Laurence Gahan and his wife Bridget Doherty. It is believed that it was their son John Gahan (b. 8 Dec. 1879) was the unfortunate victim of the threshing accident.  John Gahan (farmer) of Kilmakevogue, Glenmore, married Mary Haberlin, (c. 1884) of Aylwardstown on 21 August 1911 at Glenmore.

In July 1907, a “labouring man, named Donovan,” was making a rick of hay in Ballinlammy, Glenmore. He fell 9 feet from the rick, landing on his head and broke his neck. The deceased “belonged to Slieverue” (Evening News (Waterford), Sat. 27 July 1907, p. 3).

The death register recorded that John Donovan (c. 1878-1907) died at Ballinlammy on 23 July 1907 at the age of 29 when he fell from a hay rick and died instantly. John Donovan was not married, and Richard Doherty was present at his death perhaps indicating that the accident occurred on the Doherty farm.

First Cousins in Slander Suit

In 1918, Andrew Heffernan (c. 1898-1975) of Aylwardstown sued his first cousin, Peter Kennedy (1878-1962) of Rathinure, for slander arising from an argument during a party at the home of John Irish, of Aylwardstown. John Irish was also a first cousin of Peter Kennedy. Below is the public apology issued and published by Peter Kennedy.

I, Peter Kennedy, of Rathinure, Glenmore, in the County of Kilkenny, Farmer, hereby withdraw and apologise for the statements I made against the character of Mr. Andrew Heffernan, of Aylwardstown, Glenmore, aforesaid, by accusing him and his family of being dishonest, in the presence of several guests at the house of Mr. John Irish, of Aylwardstown, on the 17th July last. The statements then made by me were altogether unfounded and entirely untrue, and I deeply regret the pain, annoyance and injury such statements may have caused Mr. Heffernan. I have paid all legal expenses incurred by Mr. Heffernan in connection with the action for slander which he has taken against me, and also the expenses of the publication of the apology. Dated this 11th day of November, 1918. ((Signed)PETER KENNEDY. Witness, Thomas C. Brazil, Solicitor’s Assistant, Waterford. Daniel Dunford and Co. Solicitors, for Andrew Heffernan, O’Connell-Street, Waterford (New Ross Standard, Fri. 15 Nov. 1918).

Misc. Articles

In November 1931, Cullen’s travelling circus paid a visit to Ballyfacey, Glenmore. It was reported that the circus was well attended nightly (Munster Express, Fri. 20 Nov. 1931, p. 8).

Glenmore historian Danny Dowling (1927-2021) made the news in March of 1952. “HEALTH INSPECTOR TRANSFERRED Mr. D. Dowling, a native of Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, who had been temporary health inspector for Waterford Corporation, has secured a permanent position from Kildare County Council” (Waterford Standard, Sat. 15 March 1952).

Please send any correction, further information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com.

The featured photo of the handball players is courtesy of the Digital Public Library of America <http://hdl.handle.net/10339/88339>.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh