Danny Dowling (1927-2021)
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Notes from Ballyfacey, Glenmore, by Danny Dowling (1927-2021)
On 22 February 1971 Danny Dowling (1927-2021) interviewed Tom Freyne and his sister Mrs. Mai Vereker, natives of Ballyfacey, Glenmore. The information from their 1971 interview is provided below and additional information gleaned from headstones and newspapers etc. has also been provided in [square brackets]. This interview provides some interesting insights into what Danny called “extinct families” whose surnames disappeared in their townland or from Glenmore Parish.
The interviewees Tom Freyne and Mary “Mai” Vereker née Freyne were the children of Michael Freyne and his wife Mary Farrell of Ballyfacey, Glenmore. Michael Freyne, of Kilbride, Glenmore, married Mary Farrell, of Ballyfoyle, Rosbercon on 1 February 1894 at Rosbercon. Michael was a 30-year old farmer, and the son of James Frehne of Kilbride. The bride, Mary Farrell, was 25 years of age and the daughter of Edmond Farrell (farmer).
The Freyne Family of Ballyfacey, Glenmore
Michael Freyne (c. 1853-1925) and his wife Mary Farrell (c. 1866-1943), had at least 7 known children.
[1] James Frehne (b. 1894) never married.
[2] Bridget Freney (sic) (1896-1974) married Bill Doherty of Ballinlammy on 21 Nov. 1928. They had a family. It is believed that Bridie was the only Freyne sibling to marry and have children.
[3] Thomas Freyne (1897-1971) never married and farmed in Ballyfacey and Ballyfoyle. He died just 8 months after Danny Dowling interviewed him.
[4] Edmund/Edward “Ned” Freyne (1899-1985) never married. He spent several years in New Zealand and returned to Ballyfacey.
[5] Mary “Mai” Freyne (1900-1987) married Patrick “Patsey” Vereker of Davidstown in 1947 (Munster Express, Fri. 14 Feb. 1947, p. 8). Patsey Vereker (c. 1901-1961) was the son of John and Catherine Vereker of Davidstown.
[6] Johanna Freyne (c. 1903-1972) never married.
[7] Margaret Freyne (c. 1909-1993) never married.
My resident expert believes that when Ned Freyne came home from New Zealand he farmed the home place at Ballyfacey and his brother Tom moved to Ballyfoyle and farmed his mother’s home place. Today, Andy and Fidelis Doherty reside on the Freyne homeplace in Ballyfacey where Andy’s grandmother Bridie was born and raised.
The Interview
Mickey McGrath (c. 1864-1936) of Newtown, Glenmore
Mickey McGrath (c. 1864 -1936) of Newtown, was said to have been born in a little house located in the Cruckuck’s haggard which bounced Jack Dollard’s yard in Ballyfacey. Tom Freyne said that Mickie used to often go up to Ballyfacey to see where he was born and where his people came from. [Mickey McGrath was a thatcher who lived in Newtown. His little house was located near where Michael Hoynes’s gate is located (next to Martin Cass’s home). It was reported that Mickey often joked that he went to bed in Aylwardstown and had his breakfast in Newtown as his house straddled the two townlands.]
[Danny Dowling recorded in another notebook that Mickie’s son, John McGrath, worked for Kelly’s of Aylwardstown and he died as a result of an accident which he sustained while working. John McGrath, of Newtown. died on 4 August 1942 at the age of 39 of colitis. Patrick McGrath was present at his death.]
[In the 1926 Census Michael McGrath was 67 and his wife Kate was 65. He declared that he was born in Kilmakevogue and Kate stated she was born in Ballinlammy. They were married for 26 years and had one child. Unfortunately a marriage record could not be located.]
Darbystown, Tullogher
A family called Cleary had a farm in Darbystown, now [in 1971] owned by Martin Woods of Ballymartin. Martin Woods’s father acquired it.
The Harte’s of Darbystown were substantial farmers in their time. They used to milk 40 cows at one period. The Harte’s had the land in Haggard that Mary Statia Ivory now has [in 1971]. The Harte’s lived up the lane from the stream in Darbystown. The Doherty’s of Moulerstown [acquired] this farm.
Ballyfacey, Glenmore
The Walsh Family of Ballyfacey, Glenmore
[Jimmy Walsh of Ballyfacey and his wife Margaret Browner had the following family:]
[1] Kitty Walsh [Catherine b. 1839] never married and spent her life in Ballyfacey.
[2] Paddy Walsh [b. (1841)] never married. He had a bad leg and spent his life in Ballyfacey.
[3] Jimmy Walsh (1845) married Mary Dermody of Crowbally, Ballyhale. [They were married on 4 November 1875 at Knocktopher. Their fathers were James Walsh (famer) and James Dermody (farmer).] The Walsh farm in Ballyfacey had 22 Irish acres.
Jimmy Walsh and his wife Mary Dermody lived in the Ballyfacey home place and had four children:
[3a] James Walsh (1876-1946) married Lil Linegar (1892-1968). [On 18 Sept. 1918 James Walsh (carpenter) of Graiguenakill, Glenmore, and his wife, Mary Ellen Linegar, had a son they named James. Glenmore will forever remember him as Jim B. See our post of 12 Oct. 2025 regarding Jim B. (1918-1988)].
[3b] Margaret Walsh (b. 1878) married Mike Maher. They had no children.
[3c] Hannie Walsh (Johanna b. 1883) never married and
[3d] Mary Walsh (b. 1884) married a man named Whelan from Kilmacow.
The Walsh family members were great musicians. Old Jimmy Walsh, the father of the last generation, played the flute. All his children played the fiddle and the melodeon. Victor Power, the writer, visited the Walsh homestead regularly. [For further information on Victor O’Donovan Power (1858-1933) see our post of 12 Oct. 2026 and 27 Oct. 2020. ]
Old Jimmy Walsh told Tom Frehne that in the Walsh field at the head of the lane on the Haggard side a fair was held there in olden times. He also told Tom that there was a crock of gold buried in this field near the ditch of the road going over toward Aylward’s gate, and that a life had to be lost to get it.
Anty Walsh (c. 1851-1925) of Parkstown, Glenmore
Anty Walsh, of Parkstown, lived down near to the Mullinahone Stream. She had 7 acres of land, which Mullally’s now have. She died about 53 years ago at Mullally’s of Parkstown. [Further information was found in Notebook 13 with an undated entry. Anty Walsh died at the Mullaly home. And they got her land. Anastasia Walsh died at Parkstown on 5 Feb. 1925. She was a 74 year-old spinster. The informant for the death registrar was “Thomas Mullally, Davidstown, who caused the body to be buried.”]
Thomas Laherty (c. 1814-1892) of Ballyfacey, Glenmore
A man named Tom Laherty lived down near Frehne’s. He had a sister named Nell. [Thomas Laherty (c. 1814-1892) died on 22 November 1892 at his home in Ballyfacey. He was 78 years of age, employed as a farm labourer and married. His widow Ellen Laherty was present at his death. Ellen Flaherty (sic) of Ballyfacey died at the age of 80 on 6 April 1920 of pernicious anaemia. She was the widow of a labourer. It appears likely that Tom Frehne and his sister Mai Vereker thought Ellen Laherty was Tom Laherty’s sister rather than his widow.]
The Greene Family of Ballyfacey, Glenmore
The Greene’s of Ballyfacey were related to the Tobin’s of Ballyogreek, Mullinavat.
[The parents were Thomas Green (c. 1832-1896) and his wife Mary Delahunty (c. 1836-1922) who were married at Glenmore on 9 February 1869. Thomas Greene was a native of Jamestown, Glenmore, and his father was Patrick Greene. Mary was the daughter of Michael Delahunty of Ballyfacey, Glenmore.]
There were five members of the Greene family of Ballyfacey:
[Patrick Green b. 13 Dec. 1869 died prior to the birth of the twins in 1875.]
[1] Mick Green (b. 1873);
[2] Pat Greene (b. 1875); [Pat and Tom Greene were twins.]
[3] Tom Greene (b. 1875) emigrated to the United States, and there was never any account of him afterwards.
[4] Briget Greene (b. 1871) and
[5] another girl. [Margaret Greene (17 Feb. 1877-1945).]
[Per the 1901 Census their mother was Mary Greene and aged 65. Mary was still alive in 1911. Her son Patrick Green (sic) was 40; Michael was 38 and Margaret 36. Per the Death Register Mary died in 1922 at the age of 86.]
[In the 1926 Census Patrick Green was the Head of the house, and aged 52. His brother Michael (48) was still in the home as was his sister Margaret (aged 42). They were farming 38 statute acres.)]
Please send any corrections, additional information or photographs to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Please see our surnames and obituary pages for further information on Glenmore natives and residents. From our main blog page surname pages are under the Glenmore Families tab and the obituaries page is found under the Roots tab.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
The Victor O’Donovan Power Touring Company
Danny Dowling (1927-2021) read a lot of Victor O’Donovan Power’s short stories when he was a lad and as an adult he became very interested in the author. Victor O’Donovan Power (1858-1933) was a prolific writer and was a native of Rosbercon. In addition to several interviews Danny recorded regarding Victor O’Donovan Power, in Danny’s voluminous collection is one of Victor O’Donovan Power’s violins. If Danny recorded how, when or where he obtained the violin, this information has not yet been uncovered. Today, we are going to share excerpts from two interviews that Danny recorded in 1971 regarding Victor O’Donovan Power and in particular his Touring Company that operated in the mid to late 1920’s as explained to Danny by a man who worked in the company. See our previous post of 28 October 2020 for further information regarding Victor O’Donovan Power .
Statia Butler (1887-1973) A Native of Ballycroney, Glenmore
The first interview was of “Statia Butler, of Ballyden” dated 28 February 1971. Anastatia Butler (1887-1973) of Rosbercon, died on 29 August 1973, single, aged 86 at the County Home in Thomastown. The interview notes do not record it, but Danny may have interviewed Statia in the County Home. He often visited the County Home in Thomastown to visit elderly Glenmore people residing there. Per the 1901 Census, Anastatia Butler resided in Rosbercon with her family. She was 14; her sister Margaret was 24 and her brother James was 17. Their parents were James Butler (60) and his wife Ellen (52). Armed with this information we found Statia’s birth record. She was born on the 28th of April 1887 at Ballycroney, Glenmore, the daughter of James Butler (labourer) and his wife Ellen Berrigan.
A Physical Description of Victor O’Donovan Power
According to Statia Butler, “Victor O’D Power was a small thin man. [He] wore a hat with his grey hair protruding out.” He used to go often to Paddy Mullally’s of Ballycroney. He would sing, and play the fiddle.
Pat Sullivan, of Raheen, Rosbercon
The second longer interview was of Pat Sullivan, of Raheen, Rosbercon. This interview took place on St. Patrick’s Day (17 March 1971). Unfortunately, we were unable to locate any information on this interviewee.
Aileen Mary Josephine Hearne née Power (1857- c. 1937)
Pat Sullivan told Danny that Victor O’Donovan Power had a sister who was married to J.B. Hearne of Chilcomb House. A review of marriage records reveals that Mary Josephine Power of Chilcomb married James Bernard Hearne of New Ross at Rosbercon on 5 July 1881. The bride was the daughter of Michael Power and Ellen O’Donovan and her baptism records her given name as Aileen Mary.
James B. Hearne and Mary J. Power had six known children: [1] Mary Florence Hearne (b.1883); [2] Harold Hearne (1883-1883); [3] Victor Hearne (1883-1883); [4] Ellen Josephine Hearne (b. 1884) Ellen’s baptismal record wrongly notes that she married A. Dempsey in 1920. [5] Ethel Margaret Hearne (b. 1888) married Dr. Alexander Dempsey ( ? -1963) on 10 Jan. 1920 in Dublin; and [6] Michael James Hearne (b.1888) married Teresa Doyle, of Brandon, New Ross, in 1915.
Harold, Mary Florence and Victor Hearne were triplets. Victor died 21 days after his birth. Harold died at the age of one month. No death record could be located for Mary Florence Hearne. Ethel and Michael were twins born on Halloween 1888. By 1883 James B. Hearne was described on the birth records as a gentleman, however, in the death records for his children his occupation was listed as grocer. By 1915 James M. Hearne was the only living son of J.B. Hearne of Chilcomb House (Limerick Chronicle, Tues. 28 Sept. 1915, p. 2).
Thomas Victor O’Donovan Power (1858-1933)
Per the baptismal records of Rosbercon “Thomas Victor” Power was born 29 July 1858 at Chilcomb House. A year later Alfred James Power joined the family on 8 August 1859.
Pat Sullivan described Victor as having a slight build of medium height, with a moustache. He was a very jolly man. Pat Sullivan said that Victor lived where Jack O’Leary lived in 1971. His parents, Jack O’Leary and Mrs. O’Leary worked for Victor. He had one half of the house. One room downstairs and one room upstairs.
Pat Sullivan stated that Victor wrote his stories in a hut erected on J.B. Hearne’s land, although in fairness the land had originally belonged to the Power family. As noted above J.B. Hearne married into Chilcomb House. Jack Doherty, of Milltown, Glenmore, built the hut and brought it down on wheels. Pat Sullivan noted that in 1971 the hut was a hen house in Pascal Doolan’s, of Hoodgrove, Rosbercon.
Victor O’Donovan Power Touring Company
Pat Sullivan, of Butterbridge, Rosbercon, travelled with Victor Power in his traveling company at the end of 1924. It was known as the Victor O’Donovan Power Touring Company. Pat Sullivan went on tour with the Company twice. In the 1924/5 trip Pat Sullivan spent 9 months with the Company. Pat joined the Company when they were playing the old cinema in New Ross. The Company wasn’t too long started when Pat joined it at New Ross. They spent three nights there. It was the only place they played in Co. Wexford. The Company lasted 6 or 7 years. Harkem Smith also travelled with the Company.
Members of the Company included:
Frank O’Donovan—Dublin;
Lewis Dalton—Dublin;
Tom Tobins—Carrick-on-Suir;
Edith Kehoe—Dublin
Kitty McMahon—Dublin
Paddy Lonegan—Carrick-on-Suir
Cecil Wiseman—Leslie, West Cork (pianist and took parts)
Pat Sullivan—Buttersbridge (took small parts and on the door taking the money).
Another girl also was in the company and she had a daughter who also took part.
Pat Sullivan took part in the play, “The Heir of Liscarragh.” Pat was also the servant in David Carrick’s play. “The Lone House on the Moor,” was another play they produced.
Victor O’Donovan Power did not take any part in the performances. He only came now and again to visit the Company. It was a general show with music, songs, dances etc. The first year that Pat Sullivan went with the company they started at Cahir, Cashel Hospital. They also went to Doneraile, Midleton, Millstreet, Bandon, and parts of Clare. The Company spent 3 nights in each place and in some places a couple nights longer.
Hearne Family
Pat Sullivan and his wife believed that Victor only had a sister that married J.B. Hearne. They noted that J.B. Hearne had at least 2 children. They did not appear to know about the triplets or twins. Their daughter Ethel Hearne went to Belfast. She was married to an English Army Officer. When JB Hearne went bust in Chilcomb he went to Belfast where he died. He is buried in the Old Chapel Yard in Rosbercon. His wife is also buried there where the old chapel was located. A newspaper search turned up an obituary for J.B. Hearne. He died in 1952 in Cork at the age of 96 (New Ross Standard, Fri. 7 March 1952, p. 2.) Victor O’Donovan Power was mentioned in the obituary as well as the fact that Victor’s uncle was the Dr. Thomas Joseph Power (1830-1893) the Bishop of Newfoundland.
1926 Rosbercon Census
JB Hearne was 69 years of age and reported being born in New Ross. He was employed as a maize miller. His wife, Mary Josephine was 75 years of age (in the 1901 Census they were recorded as the same age). The 1926 House and Building Return shows that there were two Chilcomb Houses, namely: Chilcomb House and Chilcomb Park House. One house is occupied by the John O’Leary family (3 men and 1 woman) in three rooms and Victor Power (1 male) in 2 rooms. David Mulligan (1 man and 1 woman) resided in a tent. J.B. Hearne (his wife and 1 servant) occupied 10 rooms.
Victor Power recorded his age as 67. He was single, and for his occupation he listed that he was a novelist and playwright. He could read Irish but could not speak it. According to Pat Sullivan Victor wasn’t well off and said so himself. However, he was able to earn his living.
Victor O’Donovan Power’s Ramblings
According to Pat Sullivan, Victor used to visit Pat Sullivan’s and Johnnie Power’s of Butterbridge, Rosbercon; Pat Murphy’s of Ballycroney, Glenmore; Lanigan’s of Ballylog (the Rower?); Tom Lenihan’s? of Ballycurran, Tullogher; the Ryan’s of Guilcogh; Cahill’s of Ballygurrim and several other places. Victor mainly travelled the South Kilkenny area around New Ross and West Cork. However, sometimes people came to Victor. Pat Sullivan said that he saw Lil Linegar in an ass and car coming to visit Victor in Raheen.
Death
Victor was only sick for about 3 days when he died. He died in the Haughton Hospital of New Ross. “They brought him down from the hospital to Shanbogh out the new line.”
Victor had 3 fiddles one of which he called the Fairy Fiddle. He also had and played fifes and flageolets (similar to a tin whistle). Victor wanted his Fairy Fiddle buried with him, but it was not according to Pat Sullivan.
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Please send any corrections, additional information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com . We are particularly interested in finding more information on the interviewee Pat Sullivan (son of Pat Sullivan) formerly of Butterbridge and Raheen.
The drawing to the right is courtesy of The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. (1780 – 1950). Violin from Horní Lužice. Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/f5fc8920-c558-012f-b833-58d385a7bc34
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Two Priests Named Grant Buried Together in Glenmore
Update
The best thing about posting on a blog is that mistakes can be corrected and posts can be updated as additional information is found. Last night an advertisement from 1830 was found regarding the Graiguenakill Mill that was the home of Danny Dowling’s (1927-2021) good friend Nicky the Miller Forristal (1888-1979 ). The advertisement has been added to the original post of 7 June 2020. This may have been the time that James Cardiff (Nicky the Miller Forristal’s grandfather) acquired the mill.
Glenmore Grave: Rev. Wm. Grant (c. 1783-1821) & Rev. Thomas Grant (c. 1861-1929)
Close to the door into the porch of Glenmore Chapel (St. James) is an old crypt. The flat top of the crypt is inscribed, but difficult to read due to its age and exposure to the elements. Rev. William Grant and Rev. Thomas Grant died over one hundred years apart and any stated relationship between the two priests if recorded can no longer be read.
In 1821, the Saunder’s News-Letter (Thurs. 30 Aug. 1821, p. 2) recorded the death of Rev. William Grant the Curate of Glenmore as follows: “DEATHS–On the 21st instant, at Glinmore (sic), County Kilkenny, the Rev. William Grant, Assistant Catholic Priest in the Parish of Glinmore”. The flat top of the crypt records, “To the memory of the Rev. William Grant late curate of Glenmore, Who departed this life Aug. 17th 182?, Aged 38.”
The second inscription is for Rev. Thomas Grant died [illegible] 1929, Aged 68. The Death Register revealed that Rev. Thomas Grant, aged 68, PP, died on the 8th of Dec. 1929. A death notice was located in the Irish Independent (Sat. 14 Dec. 1929, p. 14) “Rev. Thomas Grant, P.P. who has died at Galmoy, Co. Kilkenny, was ordained at St. Kieran’s Kilkenny, 45 years ago, and ministered as curate for over 25 years at Clough, Rathdowney. About three years ago he was appointed P.P. of Galmoy.” Although buried in Glenmore, Fr. Thomas Grant does not appear to have ever been assigned to Glenmore.
The obituary of Fr. Thomas Grant’s sister, Miss Mary Grant (c. 1857 -1919) revealed that the two Grant priests whose remains were interned in the same crypt in Glenmore were great-uncle and great-nephew. We regret to announce the death of Miss Mary Grant, of Ballyvaring, Slieverue, which occurred on the 17th inst. The deceased was sister of the Rev. Thomas Grant C.C., Aghaboe, and grand-niece of Rev. Wm. Grant, who got the Chapel of Glenmore built. She was about 62 years of age…The chief mourners were: Rev. T. Grant (brother); John Grant (brother; Mr. John Grant and family; Mr. James Grant (Waterford Star, Sat. 27 Sept. 1919, p. 5).
Fr. William Grant’s Housekeeper
Danny Dowling (1927-2021) often laughed about the story of Fr. Grant’s housekeeper. Apparently the housekeeper was a formidable woman and gave out to Fr. Grant. He informed her that he would put her where all the parishioners would walk on her. Just at the door to the porch of the Chapel is a large flat stone that all parishioners entering the porch of the chapel must walk on. This is alleged to be Fr. Grant’s housekeeper’s grave. Unfortunately, due to the weather over the years and people walking on the stone the inscription can no longer be read.
Please send any corrections, additional information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Early Glenmore Notes by Danny Dowling (1927-2021)
Over seven decades Glenmore Village Historian Danny Dowling (1927-2021) recorded what people told him about Glenmore and nearby parishes. Recently while going through a large box of Danny’s notebooks we came across a small green pocket size spiral notebook with dated pages from January 1951. We believe this to be one of Danny’s earliest notebooks. Today, we present one entry that covers eight of the small notebook pages. The notes are presented as written by Danny. Any editorial explanations or comments have been placed in [square brackets]. Danny turned 24 in February 1951.
We believe that Danny recorded notes from conversations with his Jamestown neighbour and friend Wattie Power (1887-1961) and Wattie’s wife Alice Power née Curran (1881-1974). Prior to their deaths the couple moved from their farm in Jamestown to 114 the Quay in Waterford sometime before 1961.
13/1/51 [13 January 1951]
Mrs. Power remembers the time when there was no postman in Glenmore. At that time the people had to collect their letters from the post office. One incident which stands out in memory was when her brothers, children at the time, used to deliver the post to the P.P. Fr. Nolan. On that occasion her two brothers tore up the letters. One of which was an important one from the Bishop. She also remembers Powell’s house standing.
[William Powell (c. 1808-1880) was the first post master of Glenmore. He retired from the R.I.C. and opened the first post office around 1870 across from Francis O’Brien’s gate on the same side of the road as Hanrahan’s shop and post office. Powell’s wife Bridget died in 1891 in Robinstown. It is assumed that their house stood until after her death. See our post of 24 Nov. 2019 regarding the rise and demise of the Post Office in Glenmore].
[Fr. Edward Nolan (c. 1833-1898) is buried in Glenmore. He died 22 January 1898 aged 65. His headstone records that he was in the 38th year of his sacred ministry when he died. In 1883, according to the Waterford News (Fri. 18 May 1883, p. 3] he was moved from the Curacy of Mullinavat to Parish Priest of Glenmore. Thus, the incident regarding his letters being destroyed by the Curran boys occurred between 1883 and 1898. See our N. Surname page to read Fr. Nolan’s obituary.]
[Alice Curran (1881-1974) of Robinstown, Glenmore Village married Walter “Wattie” Power (1887-1967) of Jamestown. Alice had a sister Margaret (c. 1890-1946) who married Henry Bevans (c. 1890-1967) the principal of Glenmore (Robinstown) National School. In addition to being a principal Henry Bevans operated a bookshop and stationary business at 114 the Quay, Waterford. He and his wife lived above the shop and the Powers went to live with him sometime before 1961. For further information on the Curran family see our post of 30 Nov. 2019.]
Walter “Wattie” Power (1887-1961)
Wattie said there was a lime kiln around where Jim Dunphy’s cottage is now.
[Glenmore Grub in the Old Days]
A dish called Flummery was made from dried wheat ground in a quern. [See, “Ancient Ireland Grain Processing Quern Stones 101,” (2019) by Celtic RnR Tours.]
Wattie believed that it was made in the “praupeen” style. Praupeen [or prápin] was made from raw oatmeal and milk, either fresh or sour, and eaten raw. It was also made with cream. It was a common dish in Glenmore Parish down to Wattie’s early years. [Wattie was born in 1887]. It was generally eaten for supper and often during other times of the day.
[Typical Menu]
Typical days menu in Wattie’s father’s time—young days. [Wattie’s father Patsey Power was born in 1855].
Breakfast
Oaten bread and curds. Butter was used on the bread.
Supper
Boiled turnips and oatmeal dumplings, called dumblings, and sour milk. The dumblings were balls of oatmeal but with milk and boiled with the turnips. They say that there was no necessity then for Beacham’s pills. [In the 19th century English chemist Thomas Beecham marketed his pills as a laxative and general cure all for stomach and nervous ailments. It allegedly treated everything from constipation, headaches, melancholy and menstrual cramps.]
Dinner
Spuds, milk and salt and a salted herring. In the early days of Patsy Power they never sat down to a meal—they always stood as they had no seats. On the occasion of Fr. Power-a silanced priest ate standing up at Patsey Power’s, preyeats [potatoes] and herrings.
In lots of houses in those days a barrel of herrings was to be found. They bought the herrings fresh and salted them.
Patsy Walsh (son) told Wattie Power that when he was working with Johnny Mullins (present Nicky’s grandfather) of Flemingstown, he was sodding corn on this occasion and had been working from 7 am to 7 pm. when Johnny Mullins came down and said, “I think ‘gore you’d want a praupeen.” He sent him down a paper bag of oatmeal and a quart of sour milk.
Wattie himself brought out the dinner to Martin and Mick Fitzgerald, of Ballycroney, during the harvest time about 55 years ago [c. 1907] and it consisted of a square of oaten bread and a quart of sour milk.
At Dan Cody’s, of Carrigcloney, (present Danny’s great-grandfather) a workman said it was the best house for grub. He got oaten bread and curds for his breakfast.
[The Glenmore Creamery]
Mick Walsh of Haggard built the creamery in Glenmore, and the farmers of the parish dug the foundation, drew stones and other materials voluntarily.
[Land]
Field of Powers where rick was built was brought from its owner for 2/6 the price of a pair of brogues. [pair of shoes] The man who sold it was old at the time.
The 8 acres belonging to the Walsh’s of Jamestown, in Forristalstown was bought for £8 (£1 per acre) by Watt Walsh –present Tom’s grandfather from Pitt’s? Doherty’s father, Dicky Vorshalla. No one in Forristalstown would buy it from him.
[Jury Service]
When Dick Carroll, of Forristalstown, was called on the jury in Kilkenny he walked to and from Kilkenny, via Thomastown every night and morning. That was about 100 years ago now [c. 1861].
[Richard Carroll (c. 1804-1888) of Forristalstown, Glenmore is buried in St. James’s cemetery with his wife Ellen née Henneberry (c. 1813-1891) and family. It is 33 miles from Glenmore Village to Thomastown and a further 20 miles from Thomastown to Kilkenny City. ]
[Glenmore Men’s Fashion]
In Wattie’s father and grandfather’s time all the men wore corduroy knee breeches and long stockings and brogues.
[Wattie’s father was Patrick “Patsey” Power (1855-1942) the last native Irish speaker in the area. Patsey Power (1855-1942) was the son of Walter Power (c. 1809-1885) and his wife Catherine Merrigan.]
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Please send any corrections, additional information or photos to glenmore.history@glenmore-history
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
The 1870 drawing of the dapper fellow to the right is courtesy of The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. (1870). The stage Irishman Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/30376a40-c564-012f-9b7a-58d385a7bc34
The featured photo today is Danny’s 1951 green spiral pocket sized notebook.
From Danny’s Glenmore Photo Album 6.0 [Updated]
Today, we are featuring a harvest photo Danny Dowling (1927-2021) took at the Dowling Farm in Jamestown, Glenmore.
We believe that the photo was taken in the 1950’s. We believe that the women in the photo were Danny’s sisters. The only person positively identified thus far is the man kneeling in the front row, 2nd person from right, Richie Dunphy (c. 1936-2015) of Ballyverneen, Glenmore.
Can you identify any of the people in the photo? If so please indicate their placement in the photo, their name and townland if known to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
If you would like to view previous posts from Danny’s Photo Album see our,
[5] Post of 8 January 2025;
[4] Post of 4 May 2022;
[3] Post of 10 May 2022;
[2] Post of 24 May 2022;
[1] Post of 9 June 2022.
If you have any photos of Glenmore or Glenmore people you would like to share please send them to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Update: Thanks to Bernard and Jackie Walsh the following people have been identified.
Front row: (left side) (kneeling) First man with hat–Danny Aylward, Ballyfacey; the next man could possibly be Robbie Doherty Haggard.
Front row: (right side) (kneeling) from right Dinny Murphy, Milltown; Richie Dunphy (c. 1936- 2015) Ballyverneen; possibly Neddy Holden, Clune.
Second row: (standing) Mikey Dowling is standing beside his sister (she is holding a bottle); man with hands on his head is old Jack Fitzgerald of Busherstown.
Back row: (standing) from right Pat Fitzgerald, Busherstown; next with flat cap is Seamus Fitzgerald, Ballycroney
Josie Dalton (1907-1978) of Railway Cottage, Rathinure, Glenmore
Today, we are going to focus on a warm, quiet woman who lived her entire life in the railway cottage in Rathinure. The walls of the railway cottage can still be found along the abandoned railway line that operated from New Ross to Waterford. [For the past decade or so, the old abandoned railway line was to be transformed into a “greenway,” or walking/bicycling path, but this work has never been completed.] The isolated Rathinure railway cottage, had no electricity or well. It was only accessible by walking the train tracks or by narrow dirt farm lanes. After her mother’s death in 1947 Josie lived alone in that isolated cottage.
Josie Dalton often walked to neighbours’ homes in the evening for company or a game of cards etc. One of her favorite houses to visit was the Kirwan home. She walked to Glenmore for Mass or was taken as she got older by her neighbours. It does not appear that she ever held a job, but did odd jobs when extra help was needed on local farms such as at threshings or thinning beet etc. At the recent Kilcolumb Blessing of Graves (6 July 2026) attendees marveled at the thought of the elderly Josie Dalton nightly walking nearly a mile home alone on the isolated, eerie, lane past the ancient cemetery to her home with nothing but a torch or flashlight.
Danny Dowling’s Notes
Glenmore’s historian, Danny Dowling (1927-2023) shortly after Josie’s death recorded what Rathinure residents recalled about Josie. Josie’s father was a cobbler from Tullogher and moved to the Railway Cottage in Rathinure. Josie had two sisters and a brother Pat. All her siblings went to England and Josie lived in the isolated Railway Cottage until shortly before she died. Josie broke her leg and was found by a neighbour and taken to the hospital. She lived in a small mobile home where Willie Cummins had lived. Mick Mack’s house on the High Road, in Scartnamoe, had a lot where a mobile home was placed for Willie Cummins. Although Josie told friends she was going to return to the Railway House she died at the mobile home.
Josie was great friends with Mary Sean Og Kennedy (1881-1971). During the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Uprising, Josie was helping with the harvest at Mary Sean Og Kennedy’s and talk turned to Roger Casement and his State Funeral. It was recalled that Josie at the harvest stated that her grandfather arrested Roger Casement in Kerry in 1916. It was widely known that Josie’s grandfather had been with the R.I.C. (Royal Irish Constabulary). Unfortunately, the statement was not true. Josie’s grandfather, John Hearn (c. 1828-1899) was a constable with the R.I.C., but he was retired and dead long before 1916. The man credited with arresting Roger Casement on Good Friday (21 April 1916) in Kerry, after Casement came ashore from a German U-boat, was R.I.C. Sgt. Thomas John Hearn, Josie’s maternal uncle. (See our post of 3 Oct. 2021 regarding Mary Sean Og Kennedy (1881-1971) and her photo).
While it was true her father was a cobbler he was not from Tullogher. He was a native of Knockbrack, Glenmore. Both the Dalton and Hearn families are discussed below.
The Rathinure, Glenmore Railway Cottage
The railway between New Ross and Waterford was built between 1899 and 1904, The line officially opened in 1904. (See our post of 2 Feb. 2020 regarding the changes the building of the railway caused in Glenmore etc.)
Josie’s parents Michael Dalton (1875-1944) and Bridget Hearn (1874-1947) were married at Glenmore on 23 July 1901. At the time of their marriage Michael Dalton was a shoemaker. The bride and groom both resided in Glenmore. Her father John Hearn was dead. Michael’s father was Patrick Dalton, and he was alive at the time of the wedding. The witnesses to the wedding were John Hearn and Bridget Gaffney.
It is not known when the Rathinure Railway Cottage was built, but it appears that the only family to have resided in it was the Michael Dalton family.
The Children of Michael Dalton (1874-1947) and Bridget Dalton née Hearn (1874-1947)
[1] Patrick “Pat” Dalton (b. 8 Nov. 1903) At the time of Patrick’s birth “in Glenmore” his father was recorded as being a bootmaker.
[2] Catherine “Kitty” Dalton (b. 3 Nov. 1905) At the time of Catherine’s birth “in Glenmore” Michael Dalton was recorded as being a farmer.
[3] Johanna “Josie” “Maggie” Dalton (b. 30 Dec. 1907). Johanna was born at Rathinure, Glenmore and her father’s profession was listed as “milesman on railway.”
[4] Margaret Dalton (b. 9 July 1910) was born at Rathinure and her father’s profession was recorded as “railway milesman.”
The 1926 Census provides that Michael Dalton (51) and his wife Bridget Dalton née Hearn (51) were still residing in the Rathinure Railway Cottage. They reported in the Census that they had been married for 22 years and three children were born to them. In fact, they had four children. In 1926 all three daughters: Catherine Dalton (21); Josephine (sic) Dalton (18; and Maggie Dalton (16) were not employed and living at home.
By all accounts Michael Dalton was an industrious, quiet man. Although he worked for the railway, and daily inspected his section of track and opened and closed the Rathinure railway gates, he also repaired shoes and boots. One story that has been passed down in Rathinure provides that his wife Bridget went to town for messages (to shop) and had a “sup taken”. She got off the train in Aylwardstown and Michael met her to help carry the parcels home. She was quite merry and was allegedly overheard saying in Rathinure “How did I ever think of marrying a little shit of a man like you.” Michael allegedly said nothing in reply and they continued walking home. (Attributed to Jack Walsh (c. 1893 -1982) of Rathinure).
Leaving the Rathinure, Glenmore Railway House
Locally, it is believed that Josie’s brother Pat died young, but we could not locate a death record here or in England. Both Josie’s sisters went to England to work at an unknown time after 1926. Michael Dalton died 11 March 1944 at Rathinure a 68-year-old retired railway official. He died of chronic myocarditis. A post mortem was performed by the coroner Thomas Lanigan on 11 March 1944. See our D surname page for his obituary. Bridget Dalton née Hearn died 14 March 1947 at Rathinure, a 71-year-old widow of a plate layer. She died “probably of heart failure. Her daughter Johanna Dalton was present at her death.
Trouble Getting Home
Sometime around 1976 one of Josie’s sisters came to Glenmore to visit Josie. Traveling from Waterford she asked the bus driver to drop her at the skow bridge. When she alighted from the bus she did not know where she was. The area had changed greatly. She knocked on Claridge’s door and asked directions to Kirwan’s Lane. Jimmy Claridge (c. 1911-1987) pointed to the lane directly across the N25 from his house. She did not recognition the lane because the skow bridge bus stop over the years had moved a couple hundred metros towards Glenmore.
When Josie died in in December 1978 she was not in the Rathinure Railway Cottage as described in Danny’s notes. Both of her sisters returned to Glenmore for her funeral. Johnny Garvey (1943-2026) took the two elderly ladies to the Rathinure Railway Cottage by tractor across his fields (Peter Walsh, Rathinure, 9 Aug. 2026). All of Josie’s belongings fit into two suitcases that Johnny Garvey stored until the following year when the sisters collected them (Louise Garvey Dollard, 8 July 2026). Sometime after the volunteers from Glenmore History photographed and recorded all the markers in St. James’s Cemetery in 2020, Johnny Garvey placed a head stone on Josie’s grave.
The Hearn Family of Cappa, Glenmore
Josie’s mother Bridget Hearn was born at Cappa, Glenmore, on 18 March 1874, the daughter of John Hearn and his wife Catherine Murphy. John Hearn was a sub-Constable of the R.I.C. John Hearn 1847 joined the RIC in 1847. His first posting after training in Dublin was to Co. Kerry. In 1852 he was transferred to Co. Kilkenny. He married Catherine Murphy on 2 Sept. 1861 at Carrick-on- Suir, Tipperary. The birth of their children illustrates where John Hearn was posted during his R.I.C. career. He retired in Glenmore prior to 1878
Children of John Hearne (c. 1828-1899) and Catherine Murphy (c. 1842-1908)
[1] Thomas John Hearn b. 16 May 1864 at Ash Park, Carrick-on-Suir the son of John Hearne (policeman) and Catherine Murphy. He followed his father into the R.I.C. and was a Sgt. when he arrested Roger Casement in 1916. On 3 October 1894, at Limerick he married Hanoa Teresa O’Callaghan. In 1920 he retired from the R.I.C. He died 29 August 1933, a married man of 69 years of a coronary thrombosis. He was a retired Head Constable of the R.I.C. He died at his home 18 Wallace Ave, Cork. George A. Kennedy was present at his death. His death announcement in the Evening Echo (Wed. 30 Aug. 1933, p. 8) made no mention of his arrest of Roger Casement in 1916.
[2] Michael Hearn b. 15 May 1865 at Knocktopher, Kilkenny.
[3] William Hern (sic) b. 17 May 1867 at Dangan, Kilmacow, Kilkenny.
[4] Margaret Hearn b. 17 June 1868 at Dangan, Kilmacow
[5] Mary Catherine Hearn b. 19 April 1870 at Dangan, Kilmacow,
[6] James Benjamin Hearn b. 12 April 1872 at Glenmore. James Benjamin Hearn emigrated to the US about 1910. He settled in Peoria, IL. Married, worked as a journalist and raised a family. He died 2 Aug. 1930.
[7] Bridget Hearn b. 18 March 1874 at Cappa, Glenmore [Josie Dalton’s mother]
[8] John Hearn (b. 15 June 1878) His father was listed on the birth register as John Hearn, “ex-policeman.”
The Deaths of John Hearn (c. 1828-1899) & Catherine Hearn née Murphy (c. 1842-1908)
Per the death register John Hearn died 2 Oct. 1899 at Rosbercon. He was a married 68- year-old pensioner of the R.I.C. Information for the death register was received from D. Walshe, Coroner, Co. Kilkenny. For the full article regarding his death in Rosbercon on his way into New Ross see our H Surname Page.
Catherine Hearn died 27 April 1908. Per the death register she was a 65 year-old widow of a police constable. She died of Bright’s disease suffering with it for 2 years. Her residence was listed as Rathinure, Glenmore at the time of her death. It appears that she was living with her daughter Bridget Dalton née Hearn. Her son John Hearn was present at her death in Glenmore. Josie Dalton was only 4 months old when her grandmother died.
The Dalton Family of Knockbrack, Glenmore
Per the birth register Josie’s father, Michael Dalton (1875-1944), was born 9 May 1875 at Knockbrach, Glenmore to Patrick Dalton (labourer) and his wife, Catherine Phelan. Thus, Josie’s grandparents were Patrick Dalton (1837-1909) and Catherine Phelan. They were married on 22 Jan. 1866 at Glenmore. Both their addresses were given as Knockbrack, Glenmore. Patrick listed his occupation as “Tradesman” as was his father Patrick Dalton. Catherine Phelan was the daughter of James Phelan (labourer) and her profession was listed as farm servant.
Josie’s grandfather, Patrick Dalton was baptized 27 April 1837 at Knockbrack the son of Patrick Dalton and Joney Phelan. Joney Phelan was recorded in various baptismal records of her children as Johanna, Judith and Joney.
The Children of Patrick Dalton (1837-1909) and Catherine Dalton née Phelan
[1] James Dalton (b. 17 Sept. 1866)
[2] Patrick Dalton (b. 14 March 1868)
[3] John Dalton (b. 2 May 1870)
[4] Margaret Dalton (b. 21 Dec. 1872)
[5] Michael Dalton (b. 9 May 1875) Josie Dalton’s father
[6] Johanna Dalton (b. 13 March 1880)
[7] Mary Dalton (b. 9 June 1884). Her baptism records her name as Anne. On the birth register her father’s occupation is listed as “Bullock Doctor.” Her father registered Mary’s birth on 13 June 1884.
Patrick Dalton’s (1837-1909) Death
In the 1901 Census Patrick Dalton (1837- 1909) of Knockbrack was a 63-year-old widower. He was employed as a farm labourer and two of his daughters resided with him, his son-in-law and granddaughter. Johanna Dalton was 21 and not employed. Her sister Margaret Quinn née Dalton was 27. Margaret’s husband Stephen Quinn (1876-1929) was 25 and employed as a farm labourer. Ellen Quinn was just two years of age.
Patrick Dalton (1837-1909) was found dead on 16 January 1909 in a stream of water. It was recorded that he was a 70-year-old widower. His cause of death was recorded as “drowning” and his daughter Margaret Quinn “caused the body to be buried.” Strangely no newspaper article concerning his death could be located although he drowned and had worked as a “Bullock Doctor.”
By 1911 Stephen (35) and Margaret Quinn (née Dalton) (37) had moved their family to Fahy, Mullinavat. Ellen Quinn (10) was joined by two brothers (Patrick aged 8 and James 4 months) and a sister Katie (aged 5). Also, in the household was Stephen’s brother, George Quinn (33). Stephen Quinn was born at Rathinure in 1876 the son of Patrick Quinn (1835-1906) and his wife Ellen Quinn née Tracy (1847-1932). Josie Dalton’s father was a brother to Margaret Quinn née Dalton and Josie was a first cousin to the Quinn children of Fahy (Ellen, Katie, Patrick and James). For further information on Stephen Quinn, see our post of 23 Dec. 2025.
In the 1911 Knockbrack Census a Patrick Dalton was 32 and living with his wife Mary (34). It is assumed that he was a brother of Margaret Quinn née Dalton, but her brother Patrick was born in 1868 making him 43 in 1911 instead of 32. The Patrick Dalton in the 1911 Knockbrack Census reported that he and his wife married about 1909 and had no children in 1911. In the 1926 Census they were still residing in Knockbrack, Glenmore with their 18-year-old niece, Bridget McGrath. Patrick reported his age as 46, and his employer was a farmer named Michael Murphy who had 150 acres.
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For a concise account of Roger Casement’s life see, Michael Laffan, “Sir Roger Casement” which is from the RTE.ie Century Ireland series.
Special thanks to Louise Garvey Dollard for sharing the Memory Card of Josie Dalton and sharing her memories of Josie.
Please send any corrections, additional information, photos or suggestions for future posts to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh