cot makers

Fifty years ago this past week, Danny Dowling (1927-2021) interviewed Denis Murphy (1901-1986) of Milltown, Glenmore (DD Notebook 31, Interview 6 March 1974 at Doherty’s of Milltown). Denis Murphy was a lifelong resident of Milltown, never married and worked as a labourer and fisherman. See our earlier post of 18 July 2020 for other information concerning Glenmore fishing and weirs.

Denis “Dinny” Murphy (1901-1986) of Milltown, Glenmore

Denis Murphy was the son of John Murphy (labourer) and Catherine “Kate” Merrigan (1859- ? ) who married on 21 April 1893. Kate was the daughter of Michael Merrigan (c. 1820-1891) and Mary Merrigan née Morrisey (sic) (c. 1823 -1885) of Milltown. See our M family surname page for further information on the Murphy families. See our post of 21 May 2020 regarding the Merrigan family of Milltown.

Denis Murphy was known as Dinny. During his 1974 interview Dinny recalled 26 cot crews salmon fishing on the River Barrow during one season about 58 years before his interview (i.e c. 1916). Dinny explained that there were four men in each crew, thus there were 96 men salmon fishing locally during that particular season.

The 26 cot crews fished from the following locations:

New Ross—15 crews
Ling Voor—3 crews
Gap—4 crews
Shanbogh Stocks—4 crews

Dinny reported that in the early 1930’s “he sold gilíns (pale)” to the locals at Ballygurrim cross. A gilín or pale are terms for young salmon. The price of gilíns was low. The price then went up to 6d. per pound, and Dinny bought some gilíns to sell at this price. The locals bought his supply but told him not to bring anymore at that price because the price was too high.

Local good cot makers were identified by Dinny as Ned Grace of Forristalstown and Patsy Aylward of Shanbogh.

Dissolving a Fishing Partnership

Dinny’s grandfather, Mikey Merrigan (c. 1820-1891) of Millstown, and Bill Roche ( c. 1814-1894) of Jamestown (Main Roche’s father) bought a cot together. “Bill Roche was a most contrary and cantankerous man and a bully.” On one occasion the crew in which Roche and Merrigan were members got into a dispute over a salmon they caught. Roche got contrary and told Merrigan that they would have to dissolve the partnership. As they owned the cot together Merrigan decided that either one or the other should buy out the other’s share.

The cot cost £12. This sum included the timber, fittings, and the making of it. “When it came time to pay the other off, Roche refused to agree to anything except that the cot had to be sawn in half. The cot was thereupon sawn in half.” Mikey Merrigan sold his share, or half of the cot, to “one of the Shivawns in Forristalstown who made a cattle trough out of it.”  Does anyone know which family in Forristalstown had the nic-name Shivawns?

In 1979 Danny interviewed Nicky the Miller Forristal (1888-1979) who told a similar story concerning Bil Roche insisting on a jointly owned cot being cut in half. In Nicky the Miller’s version the other party was Patsy Hennebery (Mártín) of Jamestown. They fished together for at least one season and Patsy Henneberry decided to go with another crew. He asked Roche, “How will we settle about the cot? Roche replied “we can do nothing with her except cut her in halves.” No matter what Henneberry suggested, Roche would not agree, in the end Henneberry, rather than see it cut in halves, left it to Roche.

Bill Roche (c. 1814-1894) of Jamestown, Glenmore

William Roche (c. 1814-1894) of Jamestown married Mary Murphy on 27 June 1844. The couple had 8 known children. The oldest four were born at Forristalstown and the last four were born at Jamestown. [1] William Roche (b. 1845); [2] William Roche (b. 1850); [3] John Roche (b. 1854); [4] Mary or Main Roche (b. 1855); [5] Patrick Roche (b. 1858); [6] Patrick Roche (b. 1860); [7] Anastatia Roche (b. 1863) and [8] Ellen Roche (b. 1866).

Main Roche married Thomas Walsh (aged 26) of Haggard on 21 January 1886. Thomas was the son of Edmund Walsh (labourer).  There is a section of a Glenmore road still known locally as Main Roche’s hill. If you exit Glenmore on the Cappagh Road the incline you encounter as you pass the turn off to the new Glenmore N25 roundabout is Main Roche’s hill. Main Roche would have travelled along this road coming and going to Glenmore. Does anyone know why this stretch of road became known as Main Roche’s hill?

Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com. The feature print above is a cigarette card depicting a salmon. The drawing of Annagh’s Castle is courtesy of the Dublin Penny Journal (30 Jan. 1836, available at https://www.jstor)org/stable/30003343) and two cots are depicted in the drawing. Annagh’s Castle is located on the River Barrow half way between New Ross and Glenmore.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh