Jamestown, Glenmore (1961)
Today, we are going to feature information that Danny Dowling (1927-2021) recorded regarding the residents of the townland of Jamestown, Glenmore around 1961.
O’Kelly’s Place Names
Although we usually provide some of the entry for various townlands as reflected in O’Kelly’s, The Place Names of the County of Kilkenny (1969, p. 102) below is the entire entry: “Jamestown, Baile Sheamoc, little James’s homestead. Area 293 acres. Ballyguirrim ruined church is here with its adjoining churchyard. There is a well north of the church called Tobar an tsagairt. Dan Dowling, a local historian who has made tape-recordings of cures, charms and folklore from old residents over a wide area states that it was a custom up to 50 years ago for passers-by to leave a stone at the two sceach bushes growing near the old main road to New Ross. Boithrin sean-Philib is the name of a laneway here. Field names are Drom gabhar, and the Robbers’ field“.
Last Native Irish Speaker in Glenmore
When Danny was about ten years old his family moved from Glenmore Village to the Dowling farm in Jamestown. We previously published an article regarding Danny’s colourful great-grandmother Biddy Neddy Cody (Bridget Dowling née Cody (1831-1916) or often referred to in newspapers as the Widow Dowling.
Jamestown is also the townland where Patrick Power (c. 1856-1942) the last native Irish speaker in the parish resided. The National Folklore Collection, housed at UCD has the recording of Pádraig de Paor, from Jamestown, Glenmore (archival reference NFC 323: 174-183). Patrick was 85 at the time of the recording. It is available to read online, most of the 9 pages are in Irish.
1961
In 1961, Danny recorded eleven families or households in the townland of Jamestown. With respect to Danny’s list of residents’ birthdates or birth years are provided for some of the older residents gleaned from available public records. For some time after drafting his notebook, Danny recorded the dates of death or simply recorded that a resident had died. The recorded information reveals that 46 people resided in Jamestown with the population of 28 males and 18 females. The largest family recorded was the Dowling family comprised of 9 persons and there were 2 households of a single person.
Recorded Residents
Males= 28
Females= 18
Eldest Recorded Resident= Michael Greene (1873-1962). In 1961 Michael was 88 years of age.
Recorded Work
Farmers= 3 ( 2 males; 1 female)
Farm/Agricultural Workers/Labourers= 12 (all males)
Labourers= 1 (male)
Creamery Worker = (male)
Bookkeeper = 1 (female)
JAMESTOWN’S RESIDENTS
[1] POWER
Power, John (10 Feb. 1893) Farm Labourer
[2] POWER
Power, Michael (2 Nov. 1905) Farm Labourer
Power, (no first name recorded) wife
[3] DOWLING
Dowling, Hannah (25 March 1903) Farmer
Dowling, Daniel (15 Feb. 1927) son, health inspector
Dowling, Michael, son, farm worker
Dowling, Bridget, daughter, bookkeeper
Dowling, Edward, son, farm worker
Dowling, Margaret, daughter (married 25 Oct. 1961)
Dowling, Patrick, son, farm worker
Dowling, John, son, farm worker
Dowling, Ellen, daughter
[4] GREENE
Greene, Patrick (18 May 1912) Farmer
Greene, Bridget (14 Aug. 1913) wife
Greene, Michael, son, farm worker
Greene, William, son
Greene, Patrick, son
Greene, Margaret, daughter
Greene, Bridget, daughter
Greene, Michael (12 March 1873) cousin, retired (died 16 March 1962)
[5] WALSH
Walsh, Thomas (5 June 1886) Farmer
Walsh, Catherine (24 Sept. 1898) wife
Walsh, John, son, farm worker
Walsh, Patrick, son, farm worker
Walsh, Mary, daughter
[6] MURPHY
Murphy, Michael, Labourer
Murphy, Bridget, wife
[7] POWER/MALONE
Power, Mary (10 March 1885)
Malone, Michael, son-in-law, farm worker
Malone, Margaret, daughter
Malone, Henry, grandson
[8] MERNAGH
Mernagh, Thomas, Creamery Worker
Mernagh, Catherine, wife
Mernagh, Mary, daughter
[9] MERNAGH
Mernagh, John (19 Dec. 1921) Farm Worker
Mernagh, Johanna, wife
Mernagh, Edward, son, farm worker
Mernagh, Patrick, son
Mernagh, Margaret, daughter
Mernagh, James, son
Mernagh, Liam, son
Mernagh, Kieran, son
[10] POWER
Power, Michael (12 Dec. 1882) Farm Labourer
[11] DOYLE
Doyle, Laurence
Doyle, Johanna, wife
Doyle, Nicholas, son
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com. The featured photo above is the entrance to Ballygurrim Graveyard of Jamestown. The photo was taken in June 2020.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Very interesting; I wasn’t aware that Michael Greene (1873-1962) ever lived in Jamestown, his death record list him as dying in the w. home (Is this workhouse, feels a little late for the workhouse still to be used) but lists him as being from Ballyfacy (where he was born on the family farm). I assumed he maintained the family farm his entire life. I guess towards the end (he was nearly 90) he struggled and moved in with the Jamestown cousins (neither he nor any of his siblings married)
Its actually a surprise to see that all of Main Roches descendants (my paternal gr gr grandmothers sister) had all left Jamestown by 1960. her descendants were Walsh, Murphy, Power and Roche families but none of them are the individuals listed in Danny’s poll, which is a surprise. I had assumed that one of them had kept the old Roche home
Hi Adam, the workhouse system was abandoned in 1922. A lot of elderly Glenmore residents were sent to the County Home in Thomastown, but I’m not sure if the County home was still operating in 1961. I’m wondering if the W stands for Wexford Home?
Kathleen
Hi Kathleen,
Given your information I think the w. home might just be a badly wrote co. home. Some of the other records on the page look more like co than w. So presumably it was the County Home in Thomastown. Was the County Home located in the former Workhouse?
Adam
Hi Adam,
I’m not certain. I seem to recall a Workhouse in that area as there was a publicized fight where a man found destitute in England was to be sent back to his “home” workhouse, but there was confusion as to whether he was from the Parish of Glenmore or the townland of Glenmore (near Thomastown.) Under the Poor Union most of Glenmore was attached to Waterford and part of the eastern side of the parish was attached to New Ross. With the dissolution of the Poor Law Unions the counties became responsible. I’ll see what I can find out. Kathleen
I found a few newspaper articles featuring my Gr Gr Grandad Tommy Cashin’s vehement opposition to incorporating Ida into Thomastown Poor Law union from New Ross and Waterford (he was VC of Ida District Council and New Ross Guardian). There was clearly pressure (I assume from the county council) to place all parts of Kilkenny under Kilkenny Poor law unions. Tommy’s primary objection was the cost to the family to transport the body of the deceased from Thomastown verses New Ross\Waterford to the family plot. Given the workhouse acted somewhat (badly, but with no alternative) as a care home\hospital\hospice for the poor elderly it was a legitimate concern for many and its pleasing that he was able to oppose such a move until the Workhouses were eliminated.