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One Hundred Years Ago: July 1923
By July 1923 the Irish Civil War was over and local newspapers adopted an attitude of getting back to “normal.” With fewer atrocities to report articles concerning the issues plaguing the fledgling Free State Government often took centre stage with human interest stories appearing as filler. The coverage of crime was often related to land issues or was of a more petty nature. Today, we feature articles that appeared in local newspapers that Glenmore people would have read and discussed one hundred years ago.
Issues Facing the Free State Government
The unresolved issues that plagued the fledgling Free State Government included housing, the land question, industrial strife and what to do with the Civil War prisoners.
Housing
With respect to the housing issue, the New Ross Standard (Fri. 13 July 1923, p. 3) suggested a solution that had just been adopted in France. The newspaper claimed that its readers had expressed agreement with proposed French legislation that they believed could tackle the Irish housing crisis. Under the French initiative owners of vacant houses were compelled to keep authorities notified when their houses were vacant. The Mayor of every town received the power to requisition the vacant houses and let them at normal rents, thereby preventing houses from being unreasonably withheld from the public.
The Verdicts in the Shanbogh Land Cases
The thorny issue of how to recognise the right to private ownership of land and at the same time recognise the rights of tenants resulted in several high-profile cases. One of these cases that garnered national attention was the Shanbogh Land case. The verdicts in the Shanbogh Land case were published in July 1923.
Grace v. Holden et al
As we highlighted in our post of 24 July 2023, Edward Grace, of Forristalstown, Glenmore sued and sought injunctive relief in the High Court against James Holden and men who helped Holden dispossess Grace from land Grace was renting as a statutory tenant from the Boyd family.
Background
James Holden had been a tenant of about 60 acres and a dwellinghouse in 1880 on land in Shanbogh on the Boyd Estate when he was evicted. In 1920 about 24 acres of his evicted holding was allotted to Grace as well as the house where he originally lived.
Mr. Colfer, the solicitor for the Boyd Estate, testified that Holden was a poor man and had been living in the workhouse. Holden agreed to take the £500 offered in full satisfaction of all his claims, if any, against the lands of Shanbogh, and “the acquisition of the tenants interest in the lands by Edward Grace had his absolute approval.” Holden was quoted as saying,” I thought I would never get anything out of Shanbogh.” However, after agreeing to the £500 payment Holden in 1922 entered the lands with others and threw Grace out.
James Holden, was noted as being an old age pensioner; co-defendant Patrick McDonald was employed as a labourer and the other two co-defendants, Daniel Doolan and James Whelan were both farmers.
Grace v. Holden et al Verdict
The Master of the Rolls said that there could only be one result. He entered an injunction enjoining the four defendants from interfering with the statutory tenant Grace or the use of his land and also entered judgment against all four of the defendants.
Defendants Whelan and Doolan both undertook not to interfere with the plaintiff’s holding in future. Damages were found to be £340. Holden was said to be deaf, but McDonald expressed that he would not quit the land. McDonald affirmed to the Court he understood that he would be violating the injunction.
Other Shanbogh Verdicts
Other plaintiffs, and statutory tenants, in similar cases were also heard. Margaret Forrestal was awarded £100 against James Holden, Patrick McDonald and James Sullivan.
Patrick Forrestal was awarded £80 against James Holden, Patrick McDonald, Thomas Shea, James Whelan and Daniel Doolan, Sr.
Philip Malone was awarded £180 against James Holden, Patrick McDonald, James Whelan, Nicholas Forrestal, Thomas Shea, and Thomas Greene.
In the only case not involving James Holden and his nephew Patrick McDonald, John Aylward was awarded £100 against Daniel Doolan, Sr., Edward Doolan, Sr., Edward Doolan , Jr.; Daniel Doolan, Jr.; and Patrick Doolan (New Ross Standard, Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 6).
Daniel Doolan, Sr. and Edward Doolan, Sr. were brothers and the other Doolan defendants were sons of Edward Doolan, Sr. (Munster Express, Sat. 7 July 1923, p. 6)
Defiant Defendant James Holden
Notwithstanding the damages awarded against him and the injunction it was reported in the New Ross Standard (Fri. 27 July 1923, p. 8) that a process server accompanied by the military went to the house where James Holden was living in violation of the injunction issued by the High Court. Holden was served with an unspecified notice in late July.
For information on the “Eviction of James Holden” see, Danny Dowling’s (1927-2021) article published in Decies: The Journal of the Waterford Archaelogical and Historical Society (1976, vol. 2 p. 24).
Industrial Strife
In the Waterford area the strike involving the farm labourers was not resolved. Transport workers supported the strikers. This had a knock-on effect on local industries that relied on agricultural produce such as mills, creameries, town markets and the bacon cellars of Waterford city.
“Owing to the trouble at the ports there has not been a pig market held at Thomastown for the past fortnight. Many pig feeders have had their pigs ready for market, but they are unable to dispose of them” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 20 July 1923, p. 5). Denny’s announced that “owing to traffic difficulties it was unable to receive pigs for slaughter until further notice” (Munster Express, Sat. 14 July 1923, p. 5).
Baton Charge
On Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th the Civic Guards drew their batons and charged a large crowd at the Yellow Road, Waterford City. Early on Friday a large number of pigs belonging to farmers in Kilmeaden were brought to Waterford and stored in J.J. Phelan’s auction paddocks.
Labour pickets took up position outside the premises to prevent the sale of the pigs. A large crowd gathered and expressed sympathy for the labourers. At 11 p.m. as the crowd continued to grow and become hostile they were ordered to go home. When they failed to move on the guards with drawn batons charged the crowd. A stampede followed. The charge lasted about 10 minutes afterwards the street was completely cleared. No person was injured.
There was a continuance of the trouble on Saturday night, however this time “it assumed the dimensions of a riot on a small scale.” The charge on Saturday night lasted 20 minutes and again the streets were cleared. “The pigs were later removed from the paddocks to the country under military escort” (Munster Express, Sat. 21 July 1923, p. 4).
Civil War Prisoners
Excitement was caused in Clonmel on the 14th when 41 prisoners escaped via a tunnel from the Emmet Barracks. The alarm was raised and 7 prisoners were captured in the yard next to the barracks (Munster Express, Sat. 21 July 1923, p. 4). Searches immediately commenced for the other escapees.
On Sunday the 22nd in the evening a public demonstration was held in the Tholsel Square, New Ross demanding the release of the Republican prisoners. There was a large attendance of people. The New Ross O’Hanrahan Pipers Band attended and played a selection of national airs (New Ross Standard, Fri. 27 July 1923, p. 4)
Glenmore in the News
The military posts at Newbawn and at Aylwardstown (Glenmore railway station) were abolished, and it was announced that Civic Guard stations were to be established at the Rower, Glenmore and Slieverue (New Ross Standard, Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 7). See our post of 26 September 2021 for further details on the Glenmore Garda station.
A Glenmore Motor Mystery
On or about the 10th of July, “some boat men on their way from Waterford” saw a Ford motor car in the Barrow river at Glenmore. The newspapers stated that it was a suggestion for a super-film thriller. It stood on its wheels on the mud on the Kilkenny side of the river at Blackrock, at the end of Carney bay (sic) on the middle reaches of the Barrow, about 8 ½ miles from New Ross.
“At low water it is high and dry, but at full tide it is completely covered. The nearest road running from Glenmore station to Rochestown point and thence to Ringville is two or three hundred yards distant, and behind the point where the car stands the Kilkenny bank rises to a considerable height straight up from the river and is thickly planted.”
“How the car reached its present position is a mystery. There are no marks on the bank, and the possibility of its having floated there from another point is negatived by the fact that its weight would be in the neighbourhood of 15 cwt” (Munster Express, Sat. 21 July 1923, p. 4; Free Press (Wexford) Sat. 14 July 1923, p. 8). Unfortunately, we could not locate any further information on this mystery.
Glenmore Defendants Summoned
Three different Glenmore men were summoned to the New Ross District Court for having unlicensed dogs.
Guard John O’Mahony summoned Peter Fitzgerald of Killvory, Glenmore for keeping two unlicensed dogs. Fitzgerald did not appear. The Guard testified that Fitzgerald told him that he only got the dogs recently and did not know the time for taking out the license. District Court Judge Fahy replied, “The public had ample notice that the licences should be taken out before 31st March, and it was now the middle of July.” He fined Fitzgerald £1 and costs and ordered Fitzgerald to take out a license.
Guard Michael Hunt summoned Patrick Forrestal, Ballyverneen, Glenmore, for a similar offence. Forrestal said he only had the dogs two months and always took out licences. The Judge fined Forrestal 5s. and costs and ordered him to take out licences. He ended the hearing by stating, “The fine would be heavier if you did not appear” (Free Press (Wexford), Sat,.14 July 1923, p. 5).
Guard Michael Hunt also summoned Michael Fitzgerald, Glenmore for having two unlicensed dogs. In this unusual case the defendant reported himself to the Guard. The defendant explained that he could not get the forms in the post office on the 13th of April. He was not fined, but ordered to take out a license (New Ross Standard, Fri. 13 July 1923, p. 7).
Glenmore Winner at Waterford Feis
At the Waterford Feis held at the Presentation grounds on Sunday the first of July, Sean Murphy, of Glenmore took first in the Senior Hornpipe (Munster Express, Sat. 7 July 1923, p. 3).
Glenmore Sports
Not only was there an increase in sporting and other events special excursion trains were again running. The Dublin and South Eastern Railway provided a special excursion train for the Waterford Athletic & Cycling Sports held on Sunday the 15th of July. The train was scheduled to leave New Ross at noon with a ticket costing 2s.6d. and departing Glenmore at 12:11 p.m. with a fare of 1s. The train was scheduled to arrive in Waterford at 12:30 p.m. The return train to leave Waterford at 8 p.m. (Free Press (Wexford) Sat. 14 July 1923, p. 4).
The New Ross Standard (Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 7) announced that the senior Kilkenny football team–that was to play Meath in Croke Park on the 8th in the Leinster championship semi- final– a dozen of the team hailed from Glenmore. This match will be covered in our next post.
“A crowd numbering some hundreds witnessed an interesting football contest” on Monday the 2nd of July between junior teams representing Haggard and Glenmore South. “For junior teams it was a fine display in football. Haggard won by 1 goal, 5 point to 1 goal, 3 points. A return match is anticipated” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 7).
On Sunday the 22nd of July at Belmont, Ferrybank, Glenmore and Slieverue met in the first round of the Kilkenny Co. Junior Hurling Championship. Both teams were old rivals. Also, a friendly football match was played between Glenmore and Gracedieu (Munster Express, Sat. 21 July 1923, p. 5). Glenmore defeated Slieverue in the first round of the Kilkenny junior hurling championship on the score of 7-3 to 1-0.
Farming & Fishing
At the end of June new potatoes were offered for sale in New Ross. The first supply sold at 3d, per pound (New Ross Standard, Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 7). Following the change in the weather there was a brisk demand for cabbage plants at the New Ross fair with prices ranging from 7s. to 9s. per thousand seedings (New Ross Standard, Fri. 13 July 1923, p. 8).
A farmer was killed near Waterford through falling off a load of hay (New Ross Standard, Fri. 27 July 1923, p. 8). According to the Munster Express (Sat. 28 July 1923, p. 4) the farmer was John Hurley (60), of Ballyduff Lower. He was “carting hay from a field to his haggard, fell from the top of the haystack, and was killed.”
A trout weighing 4.5 lbs. was caught with a rod and fly in the Barrow, at Ballyogan, by a Ross man (New Ross Standard, Fri. 13 July 1923, p. 8).
“The Barrow was becoming famous as the hunting ground for strange creatures.” In July 1923, a porpoise was caught at St. Mullins, and further north a huge pike. A seal which one man swore was as big as a young calf, was also observed in the river. Eels reputed to be as thick as a man’s wrist were also landed. “If many more of the denizens of the ocean come up, the question of starting a zoo can be considered” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 27 July 1923, p. 4).
Love Was in the Air
The New Ross Standard noted that there was a boom in marriages with the end of the Civil War. In the month of June there were 60 weddings in New Ross and three in the adjoining parishes (New Ross Standard, Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 7).
At the meeting of the Thomastown District Council, an old man named Paddy Kiely, of Ballyhale, appeared before the meeting and made an application to be allowed to select a wife from the inmates of the County Home. The application caused much amusement, and Messrs McDonald and Wasterman were appointed to accompany Kiely through the house.
Eventually Paddy selected a woman named Jane Loughlin, and on being asked if she would consent, Jane asked to be allowed a month to consider. To this Paddy agreed, and promised to attend the next meeting (New Ross Standard, Fri. 20 July 1923, p. 5). No record could be located for a marriage between Paddy and Jane.
Miscellaneous Items
French photographers were “up in arms” against the French Tennis association, which prohibited cameras on the tennis courts because the female players revealed their legs. It was suggested by the photographers that the female players should be required to wear petticoats. The “lady players unanimously rejected” petticoats on the grounds that the garments would impede their game (Kilkenny People, Sat. 21 July 1923, p. 6).
Calls were made for the enforcement of the Vaccination Act. A smallpox outbreak occurred in England, and there was a great danger of it spreading in Ireland (New Ross Standard, Fri. 20 July 1923, p. 6).
It was announced that the weekly Ireland’s Own reduced its price to 2d. per copy (Munster Express, Sat. 7 July 1923, p. 6).
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
One Hundred Years Ago: March 1923
Although the Civil War continued in March 1923 there were spells of comparative quiet interrupted by attacks. On Monday, 5 March after such a period of quiet every military post in Dublin city came under a simultaneous attack (New Ross Standard, Fri. 9 March 1923, p. 5).
By the middle of March 1923, there was widespread belief in Dublin that the country was near the end of the Civil war. Although the public generally believed that the policy of executions was abandoned, in fact, they continued. In Wexford three executions were carried out during the week of 16 March arising from an armed raid on 15 February. All three of the men were volunteers in the War of Independence. One of the executions clearly illustrates the horror of civil war where brother is pitted against brother. John Creane, aged 19, of Clonerane, Taghmon, was executed in Wexford in March 1923. He had one brother in the Free State Army and another in the Civic Guards (New Ross Standard, Fri. 16 March 1923, p. 6).
Today, we are going to feature the local events of March 1923.
Attack Near Glenmore Station
On Monday the 5th at about 8:30 p.m. a mixed passenger and goods train, was ambushed as it travelled near the Aylwardstown station.
Over a distance of 700 yards fire was opened on the train from both sides of the railway line by a large party of Irregulars. The passenger section of the train contained military and civilian passengers, and it was peppered with bullets. The glass in several of the doors and windows was smashed. When the firing started, the military on the train took whatever cover was available and returned fire. They were successful in driving back the attackers. No casualties were suffered by the troops, but it was presumed some of the Irregulars were wounded.
The six or seven passengers had a “most unnerving experience.” During the shooting they remained on the carriage floors. The noise of the attack, which lasted about ten minutes, was heard in the city. When attacked the train was travelling at a fast speed over a stretch of level road. The driver and fireman remained at their posts although unsheltered they escaped injury while they managed to deliver their train and freight at Waterford close to the scheduled time. (Freeman’s Journal, Wed. 7 March 1923, p. 4 & Munster Express, Sat. 10 March 1923, p. 3). The Derry Journal (Wed. 7 March 1923, p. 5) reported one civilian was wounded.
Other local attacks on the railway included a raid on the Mullinavat railway station on 1 March where the armed men unsuccessfully attempted to burn the signal cabin (Kilkenny People, Sat. 10 March 1923, p. 5). Irregular operations at the Bennetsbridge railway station were more successful; it was destroyed by fire (New Ross Standard, Fri. 2 March 1923, p. 8). On the 18th armed men attempted to burn the signal cabin at the Dungarvan railway station, but the fire was put out by the military. The signal cabin was not used for over 8 months before the attempted fire (The Waterford News, Fri. 23 March 1923, p. 5).
A raid also was carried out on the Waterford (G.S.W.R.) goods yard on Monday. Around midnight armed men entered the yard and held up the inspector and night staff. The raiders then ransacked wagons loaded with goods awaiting transit from Waterford. Fourteen wagons were broken into and goods scattered in disorder around the yard. Goods were stolen but no estimate of value was provided (The Waterford News, Fri. 23 March 1923, p. 3).
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Local Battles
A two-hour battle took place between National troops and Irregulars north east of Mullinavat on Thursday morning between Smithstown, Glenpipe and Listerlin. Two columns of national troops were in the district. One came from Kilkenny City and the other from Waterford. The Kilkenny troops came in contact with the Irregulars at Glenpipe, where they had outposts. The National troops captured one outpost with no fight, but the Irregulars became aware of their presence and opened fire. The Waterford column, advanced from the opposite direction. Rifle and machine guns were used by both the National troops and Irregulars. Three Kilkenny National soldiers were slightly wounded. The casualties on the Irregular side were not known. Six Irregulars were captured (Munster Express, Sat. 10 March 1923, p. 5).
A sharp attack was made on the New Ross military posts on the night of the 21st. The shooting lasted nearly 90 minutes (The Waterford News, Fri. 23 March 1923, p. 5). “The miniature effigy of a pig over the old bacon factory on the New Ross Quay was pieced through the centre by a bullet” during the attack (New Ross Standard, Fri. 30 March 1923, p. 7).
At Glenmore (Co. Waterford) within 3 miles of Dungarvan, the military found a large quantity of arms and ammunition concealed under a bee hive (New Ross Standard, Fri. 2 March 1923, p. 8.)
Raids and Attacks on other Infrastructure
On the road from Dungarvan to Waterford more bridges were destroyed early in the month. Cars traveling between Waterford and Dungarvan were obliged to go by Ballyvoile, which “is rather dangerous, as the cliff road is much cut up…” and lorries could not use it safely (Munster Express, Sat, 3 March 1923, p. 6).
Some post offices in the New Ross District were raided and money and stamps taken (New Ross Standard, Fri.9 March 1923, p. 5). In Kilkenny post offices were raided at Bennetsbridge and Nine-Mile-House by armed men. On 1 March armed men smashed the telegraph machinery. On the evening of the 5th armed men again entered the Nine-Mile-House post office, burned the cash account book and all official forms. They departed with 9 shillings in cash, a similiar amount in stamps, and £16 in postal orders (Kilkenny People, Sat. 10 March 1923, p. 5).
Stately Homes Burned
During the War of Independence several stately homes belonging to the Anglo-Irish aristocrats or British sympathisers were burned. However, commencing in late February 1923 the homes of T.D.’s, civil servants etc. were targeted. Below we have highlighted some of the homes destroyed in Kilkenny and Wexford during this period.
Lord Bessborough’s mansion near Piltown was burned. The damage to the house and furnishings was estimated at £100,000. Ratepayers of each county were responsible for all damage caused by burnings after 6 February 1923. The State paid the awards for the damages done prior to that date. Bessborough House was destroyed about midnight by armed men, who came with petrol and all the necessary paraphernalia for a big fire. Only a few servants were in the house and “prevailed of the opportunity presented to clear out.” “The flames leaped at times to a height of 60 feet over the highest part of the mansion. All the contents of the house were burned, and nothing but the gaunt, charred walls”… remained (Munster Express, Sat. 3 March 1923, p. 6) Lord Bessborough who was known as Fred Ponsonby, was one of the landlords of Glenmore.
Ballynastragh House, near Gorey in Co. Wexford, the home of Sir Thomas Esmonde (1862-1935) was burned on 9 March 1923 by Irregulars (Kilkenny People, Sat. 17 March 1923, p. 7).
Wilton Castle, the residence of Captain P.C. Alcock, situated about 3 miles from Enniscorthy was burned to the ground on Monday the 5th by armed men. It was the fourth mansion in the Enniscothy area to be burned. The New Ross Standard recounted that Wilton Castle was the seat of the Alcock family for 250 years. After the 1807 election for an MP for Co. Wexford. William C. Alcock, of Wilton Castle, challenged John Colclough, of Tintern Abbey, to a duel over some remarks Colclough made. Colclough was engaged to marry Alcock’s sister. The duel proceeded, and Colclough was shot dead. Alcock became insane through grief and after lingering six years died 4 September 1813 (New Ross Standard, Fri. 16 March 1923, p. 4).
For further information on the 250 mansions burned or bombed see The Irish Times.
Arrests & Surrenders
Around the middle of the month it was reported that over 208 Irish men and women were arrested in England and Scotland. All the persons taken into custody in England were conveyed under escort to Liverpool and placed aboard the British cruiser Castor which sailed to Ireland. The people arrested in Scotland were put aboard two destroyers: the Wolfhound and the Victory and they too set out for Ireland (Kilkenny People, Sat. 17 March 1923, p. 7).
Closer to Glenmore the following arrests were published. Eamonn Aylward, a former anti-Treaty T.D. was arrested near Windgap and removed to Kilkenny military barracks. He was released a couple days later, but the terms of his release were not provided. National troops operating at Glenpipe, arrested a man named Reidy (Kilkenny People, Sat. 10 March 1923, p. 5).
Some anti-Treaty soldiers decided to surrender and take the oath. One “well known” Irregular surrendered to the military in Kilkenny with his arms and having undertaken to cease activities was allowed to return home. An Irregular named Thomas Ryan, Kilbrahan, New Ross, surrendered to the New Ross garrison with arms (Kilkenny People, Sat. 31 March 1923, p. 6).
The newspapers also attempted to track prisoner movements. For example, about 100 prisoners were transferred from Kilkenny Prison during the last week of the month (Kilkenny People, Sat. 31 March 1923, p. 6) and an unknown number of prisoners were removed from Waterford prison on the 28th (The Waterford News, Fri. 30 March 1912, p. 11).
Waterford Axe Murder
In February we highlighted the gruesome axe murder of Mrs. Anne Devereaux and her eleven-month-old daughter Kathleen at No. 29 Slievekeale Road in Waterford City. The victim’s brother-in-law, William Devereaux, was charged with the murders and in early March a preliminary hearing was held where Devereaux entered a plea of not guilty (The Waterford News, 2 March 1923, p. 2 & Munster Express, Sat. 3 March 1923, p. 6). See our previous post of 20 February 2023 for further details of the murder.
Glenmore Football
The Kilkenny County Final Senior Football match between Glenmore and Cottierstown was to be played on Sunday the 10th. It did not take place because the Cottierstown team did not show up at Knocktopher to play. The Glenmore team showed up ready to play. “The matter was to be discussed at the next meeting of the County Board (Munster Express, Sat. 24 March 1923, p. 3).
On 25 March at Mullinavat Glenmore was to play the Barrow Rovers in the final Southern Division Kilkenny Junior Football Championship (Kilkenny People, Sat. 24 March 1923, p. 9). “It was a grand contested game. The scores at half time were one point each.” The ending scores were Tullogher 1 goal, 4 points to Glenmore 1 point. (New Ross Standard, Fri. 30 March 1923, p. 6).
The Glenmore Football Club passed votes of sympathy with Messrs. Thomas Forrestal and James Roche, two respected members in their recent bereavement (New Ross Standard, Fri. 30 March 1923, p. 6). Another local death reported was Joseph Gaule, a publican of Big Wood on the 7th of March. His funeral went to Kilmacow and was largely attended (Munster Express, Sat. 10 March 1923, p. 5). A review of the death registrar reveals that Joseph Gaule was only 40 years of age, a married farmer/publican and living at Fahee. His brother-in-law, James Hobin, was present when he died of a suspected heart attack.
Farming & Fishing
The Waterford Fair of March 1923 was held at Ballybricken on Monday the 5th where buyers were in large attendance. Yealings sold at £7 to £10, two year olds sold from £12 to £16 and up to £18, while mutton sold for 1/6 to 1/8 per lb. Trade in cows and bulls was dull. There was a fair demand for a good supply of pigs and the horse fair was small (The Waterford News, Fri. 9 March 1923, p. 5).
The amount of rainfall in February 1923 caused great difficulty for farmers. In February 1923, 8.62 inches rain fell. The average of 20 years ending 1922 was 4.12 inches. Prior to February 1923, the previous record was set in 1904 of 7.77 inches (The Waterford News, Fri. 9 March 1923, p. 5). On the other hand, the massive rain is credited with improving fishing. Barrow fishermen reported that salmon were favourable. At Graiguenamanagh salmon were fetching 3s. per pound (New Ross Standard, Fri. 30 March 1923, p. 7).
Lastly, it was reported that an expert was lecturing famers that the use of nicotine, obtained from home grown tobacco, could be used to cure sheep scab and to kill the warble fly which caused over £1,500,000 damages annually (Kilkenny People, Sat. 31 March 1923, p. 5).
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
The featured drawing above is of the Celtic Cross Stamp issued by the Free State Government for St. Patrick’s Day 1923 (Freeman’s Journal, Fri. 16 March 1923, p. 7).
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
AYLWARDSTOWN, GLENMORE (1961)
Today, we are going to feature information that Danny Dowling (1927-2021) recorded regarding the residents of the townland of Aylwardstown, Glenmore, around 1961. The Irish for this townland, according to O’Kelly’s, The Place Names of the County Kilkenny Ireland (1969, p. 115) is Baile Aighleirt, which translates as Aylward’s homestead. The townland is comprised of 557 acres and is found in the Civil Parish of Kilmakevoge.
A Brief History
O’Kelly cites Carrigan as stating that Gleann silin, the cherry glen or valley, may have been the ancient name for the area. Aylwardstown House built in 1609 has the date chiselled on the blue limestone, Roman-arched doorway with Celtic design floreated, and the original timbers in the “offices houses” were still in place in 1969. Mr. [James] Kelly, the owner in 1969, stated that his grandfather bought the house and lands from the Strange family.
O’Kelly relates that the Half-way House at the cross-roads was a public house until 1836 when the new New Ross/Waterford main road was opened to traffic. [Locally the new portion of the new road was called the “New Line.”] the Half-way House located on the High Road was by-passed. Until 1836 it was a halting place for the stage coaches. For more information concerning the “New Line,” and “High Road” see our post of 14 December 2019. Fields in Aylwardstown include: Cnoc; Cnoc na gcaor, hill of the berries; Garrai; Gort an leachta, field of the monument; Pairc bheag and Pairc mhor.
The last sentence of O’Kelly’s entry for Aylwardstown states that “Leacht Ui Dheaghdha, the monument of O’Dea is by the main roadway.” According to a snippet inserted by Danny Dowling in the Souvenir Programme in 1981 “…the burial place of the legendary Celtic chieftain O’Dea who gave his name to the Barony of Ida…is opposite this half-way house.” The burial mound survived into the 20th century but no trace of the site now remains. (Glenmore Hurling & Football Club’s, Souvenir Programme (14 May 1981) p. 37 marking the official opening of the club grounds).
Aylwardstown Tenants in 1833
In the 1833 Tithe Applotment Books, the townland of Aylwardstown is found in the civil parish of Kilmacanoge (sic). The townland, along with others, was held by lease by Mr. Strange from the Earl of Bessborough. Laurence Strange was the landlord of the townland although he was not the owner of the land. There are 17 tenants listed in the 1833 Applotment Records including: Laurence Strange Esq., 63 acres; Patrick Murphy, 26 acres; John Heffernan, 26 acres; Edmond Henebry, 26 acres; Pat Delahunty, 13 acres; Dennis Ryan, 19 acres; Thomas Hines, 1 acre; David Kehoe, 2 acres; Thomas Haberlin, 2 acres; Richard Fitzgerald, 25 acres; Pat Fitzgerald, 12 acres; Thomas Kehoe, 9 acres; James Irish, 29 acres; Widow Doherty, 19 acres; James Ryan, 17 acres; and James Morrissey, 26 acres.
Danny’s List
In 1961, Danny recorded 19 families or households in Aylwardstown. 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 or left the townland. The recorded information reveals that in 1961, 96 people resided in Aylwardstown with the population comprised of 50 males and 46 females. The largest family was the Aylward family with 11 in the household. There was 1 household recorded with a person living alone (James Fitzgerald known locally as Jim Bryant). All information under residents of Aylwardstown not in Danny’s original list has been placed in square brackets[ ].
Recorded Residents
Males= 50
Females= 46
Eldest Recorded Resident
The eldest resident recorded in the townland was Alice Harrison née Morrissey (2 April 1874) who was 86 years of age in 1961. Alice died on 16 June 1962 at Aylwardstown, Glenmore, at the age of 87. Alice was a widow and her niece Mrs. Mary Aylward née Morrissey, was present when Alice died. Alice was the daughter of Patrick Morrissey and his wife Mary Kehoe, of Aylwardstown. Alice’s brother Thomas (b. 3 July 1871) was Mary Aylward née Morrissey’s father. Alice was married first to a man named Kennedy and as a widow married John Harrison on 30 April 1911 in Waterford. At the time of her marriage Alice was a publican in Ballybricken and John was an engineer.
Recorded Work
Farmer= 10 (10 males; 0 females)
Farm Worker= 10 (10 males; 0 females)
Creamery Worker= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Post Office=1 (1 male; 0 females)
Factory Worker= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Clover Meats= 3 (2 males; 1 female)
Railway Employees=3 (1 male; 2 females)
Fisherman= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Blacksmith (retired)= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Electrician = 1 (1 male; 0 females)
ESB labourer=1 (1 male; 0 females)
Domestic= 3 (0 males; 3 females)
Shop Assistant= 1 (0 males; 1 female)
Trainer= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Lorry Driver= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Secretary (garage)= 1 (0 males; 1 female)
Aylwardstown Residents
[1] CASHIN
Cashin, Mary Anne (22 March 1883) DEAD [no date recorded]
Cashin, Anastatia, daughter
Cashin, Alice, daughter, domestic
Cashin, Maryann “May” [1946-2021] granddaughter
[2] CONNOLLY
Connolly, Thomas (11 Nov. 1907) Fisherman
Connolly, Mary (18 Nov. 1898) wife
Connolly, Martin, son, electrician married [moved to New Ross]
[3] HALLIGAN
Halligan, John (6 June 1908) Farm Labourer
Halligan, Mary (14 May 1908) wife
Halligan, Michael, son, creamery worker
Halligan, Mary, daughter, Clover Meats married [moved to Waterford]
Halligan, John, son, at school
[4] HEFFERNAN
Heffernan, Andrew (23 June 1893) Farmer
Heffernan, Bridget (26 June 1896) wife
Heffernan, John, son, assisting father
Heffernan, Alice, daughter-in-law
[5] DELAHUNTY
Delahunty, Patrick (12 Nov. 1910) Farmer
Delahunty, Mary, wife
Delahunty, Richard, son
Delahunty, Eileen, daughter
Delahunty, Ellen (10 May 1888) mother
Delahunty, James (c. 1916) brother, assisting relative
Delahunty, Edward, brother, assisting relative
Delahunty, Nora, sister
[6] HANNON
Hannon, Peter (21 Aug. 1907) CIE Ganger Gone to England, January 1964
Hannon, Margaret (24 Dec. 1909) wife, haltkeeper
Hannon, Ceclia, daughter
[7] KELLY
Kelly, James G (1 Jan. 1916) Farmer
Kelly, Maura (3 May 1928) wife
Kelly, Nicholas J. (12 June 1954) son
Kelly, Thomas G. (17 Nov. 1955) son
Kelly, Catherine Grace, daughter
Kelly, JoAnn M., daughter
[8] CASS
Cass, Martin, Post Office Worker
Cass, Alice, wife, Haltkeeper CIE
[9] FITZGERALD
Fitzgerald, James (6 June 1897) Farmer
[10] FORAN
Foran, James (15 May 1905) Farmer [last of the Glenmore thatchers]
Foran, Anastasia, wife
Foran, John, son
Foran, Thomas, son
Foran, Patrick, son
Hynes, Mary (28 May 1917) sister-in-law
[11] HABERLIN
Haberlin, John (6 June 1885) Retired Blacksmith
Haberlin, Edmund, son, farm labourer
Power, Stephen, Trainer
[12] ROCHE/FITZGERALD
Roche, William (12 Nov. 1913) Farmer
Roche, Margaret, wife
Fitzgerald, Ellen, sister-in-law, Clover Meats
Fitzgerald, Mary (8 Jan. 1913) mother-in-law
[13] POWER
Power, John (6 Feb. 1906) Farmer
Power, Eily (1 April 1908) wife
Power, Kathleen, daughter
[14] KENNEDY
Kennedy, Richard (15 March 1885) Farmer (died 5 Jan. 1964)
Kennedy, Patrick, son, assisting father
Kennedy, Richard, son, lorry driver (moved to Carriganurra)
Kennedy, Ellen, daughter (gone to England)
[15]] IRISH/PHELAN
Irish, Catherine (26 Oct. 1901) Farmer
Irish, James (10 July 1902) Brother-in-law, assisting relative
Phelan, Mary, daughter
Phelan, James, son-in-law, farm worker
Phelan, (child) [Assumed to be Michael Phelan]
[16] FITZGERALD
Fitzgerald, Michael (23 March 1917) Farmer
Fitzgerald, Catherine, wife
Fitzgerald, Mary, daughter
Fitzgerald, Ann, daughter
Fitzgerald, Carmel, daughter
Fitzgerald, Richard, son
Fitzgerald, John, son
Moore, Joseph, farm labourer [Joe Moore was also listed in Ballinlammy. See our post of 23 Dec. 2020 regarding Joe Moore.
[17] AYLWARD
Aylward, Patrick (17 March 1912) Farmer
Aylward, Mary (5 July 1910) wife
Aylward, Mary, daughter, secretary garage
Aylward, Michael, son, assisting father
Aylward, Ellen, daughter
Aylward, Catherine, daughter, shop assistant
Aylward, Alice, daughter
Aylward, John, son
Aylward, Patrick, son
Aylward, Richard, son
Harrison, Alice (3 April 1882) aunt, retired
[18] DORAN
Doran, Peter (10 June 1910) Factory Worker
Doran, Margaret (10 April 1908) wife
Doran, Kathleen, daughter, domestic
Doran, Margaret, daughter, domestic
Doran, Ann, daughter
Doran, Peter, son
O’Connor, Philip, step-son, Clover Meats
[19] KEHOE/BOYLE
Kehoe, Stephen (2 April 1918) Farm Labourer
Kehoe, Mary (20 Oct. 1919) wife
Kehoe, John, son
Kehoe, Stephen Noel, son
Kehoe, Mary, daughter
Kehoe, Michael, son
Boyle, John, Brother-in-law, Labourer ESB (moved to Rathinure)
Boyle, Margaret, sister-in-law
Boyle, James, nephew
For further information concerning the Half-Way House see our post of 24 July 2022
For further information on the Aylwardstown, Glenmore railway station see our post of 16 Oct. 2021, and for information on the New Ross to Waterford railway line that ran through Glenmore see our post of 2 Feb. 2020.
Did you know that the first plane that landed in Glenmore landed in Aylwardstown? See our post of 10 Dec. 2020 that contains old newspapers clippings.
Special thanks to Jackie Walsh for the photo of the Aylwardstown lodge house where her grandfather was reared. Special thanks to John Kirwan for sharing his father’s Glenmore Hurling & Football Club, Souvenire Programme (14 May 1981). Special thanks to Brian Forristal for the photo of Tommy Connolly, of the River.
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
A Glenmore Fire & the “Hell Fire Jack” Steam Engine
Today, we are going to highlight a fire that destroyed a Glenmore home on 26 January 1935. Just after the beet train called by the locals, “Hell Fire Jack,” started off from the Aylwardstown station, a fire broke out in the top of a rick of hay in Richard Delahunty’s haggard near the Aylwardstown station. The rick was located near the gable end of the thatched dwelling house. Immediately the residents of the nearby four farmers’ houses were on the scene. The wind was very severe and blowing in the direction of the thatched dwelling house. Despite the valiant efforts of the volunteers the dwelling house burned to the ground, but a portion of the hay rick was saved. (Waterford Standard, Sat. 2 Feb. 1935, p. 5). It was reported that the volunteers were greatly hampered because they did not have any fire fighting appliances, but armed themselves with buckets and threw water on the flames. “Mr. Delahunty’s loss [was] stated to be considerable” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 1 Feb. 1935, p. 3)
The Court Case
Richard Delahunty (c. 1867-1954) filed a case against the Great Southern Railways for £300 damages for the burning of his dwelling house, furniture and effects as well as the hay destroyed due to the negligence of the defendant railway or its servants. The three-day trial before Judge Sealy at the Kilkenny Circuit Court was reported in the Munster Express (Fri, 8 May 1936, p. 2).
In the 1930’s juries were still used for tort or civil cases, and an all male jury was selected to hear the case. The men were drawn from both rural and urban areas of the county and included: James Ryan, Killeen, Graiguenamanagh (foreman), Thomas F. Walsh, Ballykeeffe Castle; John Scanlon, Coolbawn; Laurence Kenny, Ballyvalden; Benjamin Fogarty, Ballyouskill; John Gaffney, Lacken, Bennettstown; Michael Kennedy, Gaulstown, Tullaroan, Denis Buggy, Grovine; Danniel Cullen, Blanchfields Park; Patrick Dwyer, Baysrath; Edward Dunne, Mountgale; and Michael Dunne, Kilbricken.
Opening statement for Delahunty–In 1903 the railway erected the railway line linking New Ross and Waterford. At that time Mr. Delahunty appeared before the compensation tribunal and one of his grounds of complaint was that the railway company were laying the line too close to his house and that sooner or later his place would be burned. Three decades later his prophecy came true. “On January 26, 1935, a goods train entered the station at Glenmore; it was returning to Waterford and as it passed through Aylwardstown it had to go up a fairly steep gradient. While the engine was not the engine invented by Stevenson, the inventor of the first steam locomotive, it was a bit antediluvian, and as it ascended the gradient it expressed its distress in no mistaken manner. It was chucking and staggering, and belching smoke trying to get up the hill, and it was emitting gusts of fire and hot cinders.”
Opening statement for the Great Southern Railway—An ordinance survey map was produced with the scene of the fire marked. In November 1935 the defence barrister inspected the area and found a burned three-roomed house with a barn adjoining it. From the railway line to the point of the hayrick nearest the house was a distance of 118 feet 9 inches, and the distance between the rick and the house itself was 5 feet 6 inches. The house had been thatched. There was a gradient in the railway line at Glenmore and when passing by Mr. Delahunty’s farm towards Waterford a train would be going uphill. He estimated it would cost £142 18s. to reconstruct Mr. Delahunty’s house.
Richard Delahunty’s case consisted of six witnesses including himself. Richard Delahunty, testified that he owned 60 acres of land. He lived in the house his entire life. At the time of the construction of the railway he protested because the line was being placed too close to his haggard and there was danger of a fire. In fact in 1905 or 1906 there was a little cock of straw burned. On January 26, 1935, about 4:30 p.m. he was in his house and about two minutes after he heard a train pass he saw the hay rick on fire. The day was dry but there was big gale of wind from the direction of the railway line toward his house. Four tons of hay burned. He often saw showers of sparks coming from engines passing by and he often saw grass and bushes 15 yards from the line burning from the sparks. About 20 years before, on a wild day, a shower of sparks fell around him while he was in his haggard.
Andrew Hefffernan (c. 1893-1975) testified that his farm adjoined the plaintiff’s. On day of the fire there was a northerly wind blowing. On that evening he was in his yard and heard a goods train. He knew it was a goods train from the puffing noise it made going slowly up the hill. A couple of minutes later his son told him that Delahunty’s rick was lighting. He immediately went into Delahunty’s haggard and the rick was burning at the top at the end nearest the house. He rejected the idea that a spark from the dwelling house caused the fire. A spark from the dwelling house would have had to go against the wind to reach the rick. He testified that he often saw sparks being emitted from engines drawing trains in the direction of Waterford, and he knew the sparks were carried a distance of 20 yards from the railway line.
John Connolly (c. 1889-1972) of Scartnamore, Glenmore, stated that on the day of the fire he was loading beet at the Aylwardstown railway station. About 4:30 a beet train came into the station and after some shunting operation proceeded to Waterford. He did not know how many wagons were attached, but the engine was very heavily loaded. The train went out of the station “hard pressed” travelling very slowly. When asked if the train was puffing the witness replied “As far as I could see she could not puff anymore.” A few minutes after the train left the station, he saw the rick in Delahunty’s haggard on fire. He testified that at night he was often able to see sparks flying out and in some instances more than sparks—partially burned coal. Locally the beet train was called “Hell Fire Jack.”
James Delahunty, son of the plaintiff, testified that the beet train that evening was overloaded and he formed this opinion from the noise the engine was making and its slow progress from the station. Within a few minutes of the train passing he saw the hay rick on fire.
Sergeant Nicholas Garvey (1895-1960) Glenmore, stated that when he received a report regarding the fire, he went to the scene about 6 p.m. The roof of the dwelling house was smouldering between the walls and the rick was on fire. About a quarter of the rick was destroyed and the rest saved. There was no fire or signs of fire in the boiler-house. There was a very strong wind blowing from the railway station across to Delahunty’s haggard. About a week before the fire he had patrolled that section of the railway line and saw sparks coming from an engine travelling toward Waterford. He could not say how far the sparks travelled, but it was a calm night. He also observed small bits of partially burned coal along the railway line. Sgt. Garvey did not indicate how or why he was patrolling the railway line, but the line does run near Rathinure where as was highlighted in the blog last week, Sgt. Garvey went courting.
Robert N. Tweedy a consulting and electrical engineer from Dublin testified that he inspected the engine that was used on the beet train the evening of the fire. He testified that the design of the engine allowed small pieces of burning coal to be emitted into the air. In North America spark arresters were required, but he admitted that a spark arrester would considerably increase the cost of running an engine. Another solution would be to increase the size of the smoke box and at the time of the trial smoke boxes being fitted on engines were 50 percent larger. He testified that this was a light goods engine, and starting up with 16 trucks of beet in order to pull the Glenmore gradient the throttle would have to be fully opened. This increased the risk of live coals being blown out of the coal box. This engine was never fitted with a spark arrester and given the weather conditions in his opinion a piece of live coal could have been ejected a sufficient height to land on the hay rick. On cross-examination the railway sought to show that spark arresters and other alterations to its fleet of engines would be extremely expensive for the railway. The expert witness replied that the practical thing to do would be for the railway to scrap its 59 old engines “because they have lasted long enough and have paid for themselves” or stop using inferior cheap coal.
The defence case by the Great Southern Railway generally consisted of a dozen railway employees testifying and often contradicted each other. Arthur Plumer, engineer with the GSR for 15 years testified that the gradient nearest plaintiff’s house was about 1 in 200. He admitted on cross examination that he knew very little regarding the train which slipped her brakes years before on the same stretch of line. Mr. Batmont, draughtsman, produced the plan of the engine which depicted a brick arch in the engine designed to stop sparks from passing up through the funnel. William Finn, shed foreman, Waterford, said that he examined the arch in this particular engine which was renewed on 6 November 1934. After the Delahunty fire the arch was examined and was in perfect condition. John Wyse, fitter’s helper, also examined the arch and found it to be in perfect condition. F. Johnson, assistant divisional loco. Supt. Waterford, said after he received a report of the fire he too looked at the engine and found the arches to be perfect. He admitted that the life of arches varied from two days up to three months. The fire took place almost three months after the engine was allegedly renewed.
Ernest G. Cox, the New Ross stationmaster, said the train left his station and would arrive in Glenmore about 4:30. It was the beet train and was for the Thurles Sugar Factory. The total weight of the contents of the 16 wagons according to the advice notes was 104 tons, 7 cwt. 3 qurs, plus the weight of the wagons. The weight was disputed by another defence witness, Michal Carroll, weighbridge check, who said the actual weight was 204 tons, 8 cwt. 1 qr. Denis Doyle, Halt-keeper, testified that the train took on two wagons of beet at Glenmore. Given that two wagons were added at Aylwardstown station no railway defence witness could testify correctly to what load the engine had when it left the Aylwardstown station.
Perhaps the most interesting of the railways witnesses was James Reale, the driver. He testified that he arrived at Glenmore at 4 o’clock, where he had to do some shunting at the New Ross end of the platform. “The engine was not overloaded. If he had been given an overladen train he would not have taken it.” He went on to testify that the engine did not leave the Aylwardstown station under great pressure. On cross examination he said that he was not offended that his train was described as “Hell Fire Jack” as all beet trains were called that. When pressed further he said that he did not know why they were called “Hell Fire Jack” and perhaps realizing the significance of the name added, “They might be the ‘Ghost Train’ for all that.” William Madigan, guard on the train, produced the train log. The train arrived at Glenmore at 4:12, left at 4:30 and arrived in Waterford at 5. John Barker, the fireman, said he did not notice the engine emitting sparks and the engine was not under any particular strain. Thus, all the employees of the railway denied that “Hell Fire Jack” was under any strain in Glenmore or emitting sparks.
C.E. McCreery, auctioneer and valuer, inspected the ruins of the dwelling house for the defence. He described the house as made of cobblestones, mortar and yellow clay. He estimated the value of the premises at £100. The value of the furniture £23 and the value of the hay at £10. In his opinion the house could be reconstructed for £40. (In 1936 McCreery & Sons were located at 40 Parliment St., Kilkenny.) Edward Bredin, the chief works manager of the railway stated that it would cost a total of £37,000 for all renewals as suggested by Mr. Tweedy. From his standpoint the brick arch used was the most efficient. Michael McGinnity, assistant to the chief mechanical engineer, stated that an engine running from Glenmore to Waterford would be capable of carrying from 360 tons to 370 tons. The engine in question would be capable of carrying 33 full wagons up the gradient at Glenmore without the engine labouring or being distressed. Engines of this type covered 2.5 million miles. Several other “experts” employed by the defendant were called who all testified that the measures employed in North America would not work here. The most interesting alleged expert was Col. Owen O’Brien who testified that he worked for English railways for years and visited France, the United States and Italy to conduct experiments regarding the various types of spark arresters and the reduction of sparks. The newspaper article does not indicate if Col. Owen O’Brien published the findings of his alleged experiments.
After the three day trial the jury found for Richard Delahunty and awarded £175 with costs and expenses.
Unfortunately, this was not the end of the fires in Glenmore caused by the steam trains pulling loads to Waterford, but no buildings were destroyed in later fires. On several occasions the banks along the railway caught fire. In the late 1950’s a fire spread from the railway bank up as far as Michael Roche’s slotted unit on the east edge of Rathinure. A few years later another fire burned several fields and ditches.
Special thanks to Jacqueline Walsh for the photo of the Aylwardstown, Glenmore railway station. Please send any and all corrections, or further information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Glenmore and the New Ross to Waterford Railway Line
The Dublin Wicklow and Wexford Railway Company built the Dublin to New Ross line in stages down the coast. Dan Doyle, formerly of Ballyverneen told Danny Dowling in 1977 that the Bagnalstown station opened in 1848 and the railway bridge and tunnel between Ballywilliam and New Ross were built in 1885. The date is on the Kilkenny side of the bridge. It was in 1887 that the first train arrived in New Ross from Dublin.
Danny explained today, that planning for the building of a railway line between New Ross and Waterford commenced about the time the New Ross station opened. Originally the Glenmore station on the line was to have been built in Ballyverneen nearer the Glenmore Village. The landlords, Strange, of Aylwardstown House and Conn, of Mount Ida, lobbied and got the Glenmore station placed in Aylwardstown nearer their estates and further from Glenmore Village. Work began from the New Ross end of the Ross-Waterford line in 1899 and the line was opened in 1904. Although the Ross-Waterford line connected New Ross and Waterford City, the New Ross station was in Rosbercon, Kilkenny and the Waterford City station was in Ferrybank, Kilkenny.
Dan Doyle in his 1977 interview explained his family connections to the building of the railways. His grandfather, Dan Doyle of Ballywilliam, was the first of the family to work on the railway. He was a ganger on the Ballywilliam line and lived in the crossing gate house known as the Red House from the colour of its roof. Dan Doyle’s father, Ned Doyle, used to bring “grub” to Dan’s two elder brothers, Jack and Tom, when they were building the railway bridge between Ballywilliam and Ross. Later, Ned Doyle was responsible for a section of the Ross-Waterford railway line. A length of railway line was 3 ½ miles plus crossings and sidings. Ned Doyle’s section was from the station gates in Rosbercon to the Forristalstown Bridge in Glenmore. He had four men under him: Murt Cashin, of Mudhouse; Willie (Crows) Forristal; Tom Mullally and Bill Fortune, all of Shambogh.
During the building of the Ross-Waterford Railway line there was an influx of strangers into Glenmore and at least one skeleton was discovered. In 1977 Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill, Glenmore told Danny that a body was dug up during the building of the railway at Rosbercon. At the time it was said that the corpse was that of Nicholas* Gaffney of Glenmore Village. Nicholas* Gaffney lived in the late 18th century in the house [next to the house]* now occupied by Danny Dowling in Glenmore Village. Nicholas* Gaffney participated in the 1798 Rebellion, was captured, was hanged from the New Ross bridge and it was said that his body was buried in unconsecrated ground near the bridge by the British authorities.
*Corrections–Danny on 29 February 2020 asked that corrections be made. The first name of the man hanged in 1798 was William Gaffney. Nicholas Gaffney was a son of William Gaffney. A link to Danny’s 1983 article concerning William Gaffney may be found on the Link’s page.
Shortly after railway workers dug up the body in Rosbercon, Jim Comerford, of Ballyhale, Kilkenny was killed in the Shambogh cutting. Nicholas Forristal in a 1963 interview revealed that a man named O’Donnel was the ganger in charge of the work crew.
In addition to the obvious impacts on the landscape such as bridges and tracks cutting through fields and dividing farms, there were some subtle impacts. For example, in 1980 Richard Dunphy of Ballyverneen informed Danny that there is a field on Denis Dwyer’s farm in Ballyverneen that still bears the name it acquired during the building of the Ross-Waterford railway line. The 25 acre field comprised of a long, narrow strip of land was called the Magazine because powder and explosives were stored in it. Patrick Forristal, of Graiguenakill in 1980 also told Danny that when the Ross-Waterford railway was built, the line of track cut across the double ditch at Ballyverneen. This double ditch was used for a considerable time as a Mass Path for the people of Forristalstown to walk to mass in Glenmore. At this point of intersection, the railway company provided a wooden footbridge, to link both sides of the double ditch.
With the coming of the railway came the workers and businesses attempted to cash in on their steady incomes. Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, in 1972 described some of the entertainment that travelled to Glenmore. He identified McCormack’s Show as a stage show that annually came to Glenmore. “A family concern they gave months here at one time during the building of the Ross-Waterford Railway line.” They used to set up at the back of Peggy Gaffney’s house in Glenmore Village.
Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, in his 1977 interview identified and discussed some of the navies (laborers) who came to Glenmore during the building of the railway. Christy Lennon was a navie. He brought with him his wife, son Paddy and daughter Maryanne who was then about 30 years of age. Fred Bell, also a navie, was a native of Wexford Town. He brought his wife, daughter and son-in-law with him driving an ass and car. They lived for a long time in the wood in Ballyverneen. Bell left and went across the road on to railway property. Bell built a sod hut. All the walls were built of sods, reeds were on the roof, a hole in the wall for a window, the bare earth for a floor and a sod chimney with a railway sleeper holding up the chimney breast. There was a hole in the roof for the chimney. There was a kind of door. They slept on bags of straw and at night they stuffed the window with a bag of straw. Paddy English was Bell’s son-in-law. Another navie on the railway was a man named Coughlan who also built a sod hut in the same area nearer to the marsh. Hamilton Dick was a ganger on the railway and Hamilton Jim worked on the railway. They lived in Glenmore during the building of the railway and later moved to Rosbercon.
In the same interview Nicholas Forristal stated that Peter Kennedy of Rathinure told him that Kennedy and his cousins the Heffernan’s of Aylwardstown got a wagon of 11 tons of coal delivered at Aylwardstown Station shortly after the railway line opened. They paid 11/6 per ton carriage paid from Morrises of Waterford. It was the first wagon of coal delivered at Aylwardstown Station in 1904.
Mernagh has become a well known name in Glenmore. The Glenmore Mernaghs can trace their arrival to John Mernagh who was known as Jack. He was a ganger with the railway and according to the 3 April 1911 Census for Ballyverneen, Glenmore, he and his family arrived in Glenmore in about 1906. Jack Mernagh died in the autumn of 1911. According to his granddaughter Jo Doyle née Mernagh he came home from work, ate his supper and went out to help a neighbour named Forristal with the threshing. He was on the thresher feeding the oats into the machine when he lost his footing and fell into the machine. He was only on the machine for about 10 minutes when he was killed. The 1911 Census reveals that he was 53 years of age and had been married to Mary (aged 42) for 26 years. They were both born in Wexford and were the parents of 16 children, but only 12 of the children were alive in 1911. The ten children living with them in 1911 included: Patrick, aged 23; John, aged 21; James, aged 19; Stephen, aged 17; Bartholomew, aged 13; Thomas, aged 10; Adain, aged 8; Nicholas, aged 6; Mary, aged 5 and Lizzie, aged 3. The eldest three boys were employed as railway miler men and Stephen was employed as an agricultural labourer. All the children except Mary and Lizzie were born in Wexford. The 1911 census records that there were 12 members of this family living in a three room house owned by the Dublin and South East Railway.
On the same page of the Census also living in a three room house owned by the railway is the James Delaney family. James was 26 years of age and was a native of the Queen’s County. He was married for 3 years to his 23 year old wife Kate and the couple had two children. Patrick Delaney, age 2, born in Kilkenny and Mary Delaney, aged 9 months.
In 1919, Dan Doyle first went to work in a temporary capacity in New Ross station. The stationmaster was Daniel O’Brien a native of Bray. He had three clerks on goods side, one clerk on passenger side. There was a herd porter, checker, four porters and generally an extra man. There were also two platform porters, two signalmen and one night watchman.
New Ross in 1919 was a busy station, everything went by rail—people, food, and cattle. On the week before the Fair, 100 wagons were brought to Ross. Each of these had to be cleaned, washed, disinfected and whitewashed. The night before a fair a Dublin Special Train arrived with 30 wagons. The morning of the fair the Wexford Special with 30 wagons arrived and at least two specials from Waterford arrived with each Waterford train having 30 wagons. In May and October, when the big fairs occurred, three special trains would arrive the morning of the fair from Waterford.
The fixed time table of train arrivals and departures 100 years ago was:
6:30 A.M. IN…Goods train from Wexford
8:30 A.M. IN…Night goods train from Dublin.
9:30 A.M. Dep… Night food from Dublin with passengers from Ross de/. for Waterford
8:10 A.M. Passenger train out of Waterford. IN… at 8:30 in Ross.
10:25 A.M. IN…Mail, Passenger from Dublin.
11:05 A.M. Passenger out of Waterford. IN… at 11/30.
2:15 P.M. Passenger from Waterford for Dublin. IN…at 3:40.
3:15 P.M. Mail out of Waterford for Dublin. IN… at 3:40.
6:15 P.M. Mixed train to Waterford. Dep passenger and foods
5:05 P.M. Dep. Waterford food. Arrive Ross at 5:50.
Today, Danny stated that he often travelled by train from Waterford to Glenmore. He recalls that the trip between Waterford and New Ross took about 30 minutes. He believes that passengers trains stopped running in 1963 and freight continued, but all trains ceased in the early 1990’s. Danny has a list of the stationmasters of the Aylwardstown station and as soon as he can locate the list he will share it.
Special thanks to Jacqueline Walsh for the old photos of the Aylwardstown Station and the photo of the steam engine is from the National Library of Ireland.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh