Joe Moore (c. 1904-1976) Made Glenmore His Home

At Christmas 2020 Danny Dowling (1927-2021) spoke at length concerning rabbit trapping in Glenmore. He believed that Joe Moore, who Danny described as “a poor harmless man,” came to Glenmore to trap rabbits and never left. Danny recalled that Joe was from Wexford. By all accounts Joe was a colourful character who worked with a number of Glenmore farmers over a span of four decades. For further information on local rabbit trapping see our previous post of 27 December 2020.

When Joe first arrived in Glenmore he stayed with Danny’s uncle, Martin Murphy, of Ballinlammy. Josie Dowling (Danny’s sister) was helping her Uncle Martin and took Joe his dinner. Joe had been sleeping in the loft over the dairy. Joe started to give out to Josie. Josie responded that he should be glad to get the dinner. With that Joe threw the food at her.

Joe then moved next door to Doherty’s of Ballinlammy. The two farm yards abutted. Joe stayed with Doherty’s for a long time. Joe used to suffer with headaches. Bridie Doherty raised turkeys and had tablets to treat a disease called black head. Joe took the tablets one day in an attempt to relieve his headache. The tablets made him very dizzy.

Joe left Doherty’s and went to Johnny Garvey’s in Rathinure. He was with Johnny for about six months. One Sunday after Mass Johnny was standing at the Church gate talking. Joe was across the road sitting on Hanrahan’s wall talking. Suddenly and without warning Joe walked across the road and hit Johnny.

Joe next went to Michael Fitzgerald (c. 1917-1982) of the Halfway House, Aylwardstown, Glenmore. Michael Fitzgerald was known locally as Mikey Bryan. Joe worked on the Fitzgerald farm for years. Michael Fitzgerald secured a chalet for Joe that was placed in the football field near the house. My husband Peter Walsh remarked that Joe was great with machinery. During his stay in Rathinure Joe repaired Peter’s bicycle. Joe loved music and played a mouth organ.  When Peter walked home from school passing the Halfway House he often heard Joe’s gramophone playing old records. Marion Cody Hendrick recalls that Joe sold lilies every Easter at the Glenmore church gates.

Joe never drove and was involved in some sort of accident with a car. Michael Fitzgerald set Joe up with a solicitor. Joe received a settlement and soon thereafter he started receiving visitors. When asked who were his visitors, Joe responded that he didn’t rightly know, “but they say we are cousins.” In 1976, while on his bicycle on his way to Glenmore Village Joe was tragically killed while trying to cross the N 25. The following article appeared in the Munster Express (Fri. 1 Oct. 1976, p. 23).

“FATAL ACCIDENT AT GLENMORE: Joseph Moore, Aylwardstown, Glenmore, single and aged 81, died in Ardkeen Hospital, Waterford, on Sunday last from injuries sustained when struck by a car as he was cycling across the main Waterford-New Ross Road near Glenmore village on Friday evening last. He was travelling from the direction of Aylwardstown and had emerged from the by-road when he collided with a vehicle. The motorist, who is from Taghmon, Co. Wexford, was not injured, but the car was damaged to some extent.

Joe, who was a native of Moore’s Cross, Palace, County Wexford, had been living in Glenmore for the past forty years, and was a popular and familiar personality in the parish, being also a keen follower of Gaelic pastimes. He is survived by a sister, Mary, and other relatives. The remains were removed to Rathgrogue Church, Co. Wexford, on Monday evening, and following Requiem Mass on Tuesday morning the funeral took place to Carnagh Cemetery, do. The attendance included a number of former colleagues of the old IRA, with which deceased and his family had been actively associated during the national movement, as well as representatives of the various clubs of Glenmore parish.”

Danny believed that his cousin Michael Murphy (c. 1950-2021) and Richie Doherty, both of Ballinlammy and Michael Fitzgerald, the Halfway House, Aylwardstown attended Joe’s funeral.

The earliest record that could be located regarding Joe, to verify his age, was the 1911 census. In 1911, Joe was recorded as being 7 years of age and his sister Mary was 6 years old. The two children were residing with their aunt Eliza Moore (aged 40 and single) and their uncle Edward Moore (aged 30 and single). Edward was working as a farm labourer, and the family resided in a three room house in Whitemore, Wexford, Palace West. The landlord was Philip Kelly. No birth record could be located for Joe or his sister Mary in Wexford.

Do you remember Joe Moore?

The featured photo is of Joe Moore on his bicycle on the High Road, outside the Halfwayhouse in Aylwardstown, Glenmore. Special thanks to Richard Fitzgerald and Anne Fitzgerald for sharing the photos of Joe and the Moore graves from their family album.

Although the inscription to the right is difficult to read it appears to state–“Underneath this stone doth lie the remains of that noble boy who by his deeds and action ? in Wexford his body was brought to earth. Now each Christian for him should pray, and to heaven straight direct his way. As on his oath that day in truth did die, it is there he fought most manfully. John Moore, son to James Moore and Margaret White of Robinstown, who was killed by the army 11th July 1798? aged 23 years. Lord have mercy on his soul.

Please send any corrections or further information concerning Joe Moore to glenmore.history@gmail.com

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh