Flemingtown Glenmore Kilkenny
now browsing by tag
Flemingstown, Glenmore (1961)
Today, we are going to feature information that Danny Dowling recorded regarding the residents of the townland of Flemingstown around 1961. The Irish for this townland, according to Kelly’s, The Place Names of the County of Kilkenny (1969, p. 109) is Baile Phleimeann, or Fleming’s homestead. The townland is comprised of 196 acres and located in the civil parish of Kilcoan. Flemingstown had a hamlet which is found on the Ordinance Survey. Tobar Chuain, St. Cuan’s holy well, is a quarter of a mile from St. Cuan’s church site, and Tobar Mhuire are in this townland. Tobar Mhuire is the source of the Glenmore Village water. See our blog post of 23 May 2020 concerning the Glenmore Village water works in the 1930’s.
In the 1830 Griffith’s Valuation Applotment Records the townland had two listed landlords namely: Mr. Wm. Dennis of Waterford and Tobias Budd, a minor. Interestingly these two were also the listed landlords for Weatherstown. It was noted that there were no leases in Flemingstown. The listed tenants included: Patrick Mullins (45 acres) Laurence Mullins (18 acres); Patrick Mullins and Patrick Walsh (23 acres); John Butler (18 acres); Thomas Butler (22 acres) John Mullins (18 acres); Patrick Skierivan (12 acres); ? Hartilly (house); Tobias Budd (12 acres); and Bros. Fowd? (house)
Danny Dowling in 1961 recorded only 3 families or households in Flemingstown. 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, 16 people resided in Flemingstown with the population comprised of 7 males and 9 females. The Fitzgerald family was the largest family with seven members in the household. There was no household recorded of a single person living alone.
Recorded Residents
Males= 7
Females= 9
Eldest Recorded Resident= James Fitzgerald (1888-1963) who was a native of Knockbrack, Glenmore. At the time of his death in 1963 James was 74 years of age, thus he was 72 in 1961. A copy of his obituary is located on our family page and may be accessed by clicking here. It provides that James was a native of Knockbrach, Glenmore and married Lizzie Burke. According to local farmers James bought the Felix Mullins farm in Flemingstown.
Recorded Work
Farmers = 3 (3 males)
Farm workers = 2 (2 males)
Motor mechanic = 1 (1 male)
Rate collector = 1 (1 male)
Shop assistant = 1 (1 female)
Domestic servant =1 (1 female)
FLEMINGSTOWN RESIDENTS
[1] DUGGAN
Duggan, Richard (12 Dec. 1894) Farmer
Duggan, Mary (26 Feb. 1901) wife
Duggan, Thomas, son, motor mechanic
Duggan, Richard, son, rate collector
[2] MULLINS
Mullins, Nicholas (3 July 1913) Farmer
Mullins, Maureen (1923) wife
Mullins, Mary, daughter
Mullins, Geraldine, daughter
Mullins, Breda, daughter
[3] FITZGERALD
Fitzgerald, James (12 Oct. 1888) Farmer (died 26 Jan. 1963)
Fitzgerald, Elizabeth (8 March 1900) wife
Fitzgerald, Paul, son, farm worker
Fitzgerald, James, son, farm worker
Fitzgerald, Elizabeth, daughter, shop assistant
Pender, Joan, boarder, domestic servant
Fitzgerald, Mary, daughter-in-law
As often happened in the past sometimes in a single townland two or three people shared the same name which often led to confusion. To remedy this nic names were bestowed. Sometimes the reason for the nic names are obvious sometimes they are not. Danny Dowling interviewed Mary Stapleton, of Slieverue in 1977 [DD Notebook 4]. Mary stated that there were three Paddy Mullins in Flemingstown, at the one time in the 19th century. They were known by the following names: (1) Pad Fada—Mary Stapleton’s grandfather [Long Paddy]; (2) Pad Mór—[Big Paddy]; and (3) Pad Beg—[Small Paddy].
For earlier blog posts on former Flemingstown folks click on the dates below:
Fr. John Duggan (1932-2021) of Flemingstown, Glenmore and his connection to the American Football Classic, Superbowl IX (post of Nov. 14, 2021).
James Mullins (1841-1912) of Flemingstown, Glenmore who became the Clerk of the Carrick-on-Suir Union (post of 10 January 2021)
Edmund Hartley (1836-1915) a native of Flemingstown who emigrated to the US and returned for a visit in 1913 (post of 18 October 2020).
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
The featured photo above was on the front page of the Irish Farmer’s Journal of 9 September 1961.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Fr. John Duggan (1932-2021) of Flemingstown, Glenmore and Super Bowl IX
This week while we were preparing to post the obituary of Fr. John Duggan the reference therein to his time served as Chaplain to the Pittsburgh Steelers caused a search of a pile of future “From Danny’s Files” articles. In the pile was a Kilkenny People article entitled “Priest Who Prays for Success,” (Fri. 27 Dec. 1974, p. 6). This week we are going to feature the association and circumstances of Fr. John Duggan becoming unofficial chaplain, or as the press in the United States dubbed him, the “lucky charm” or the “secret weapon” of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ football team in the early 1970’s. To put this into context the Pittsburgh Steelers did not have a winning season from 1933 until Fr. Duggan came on the scene.
Fr. John Duggan was born on 7 February 1932 to Richard Duggan and his wife Molly Duggan née O’Gorman, of Flemingstown, Glenmore. Fr. Duggan attended St. Kieran’s College and Maynooth Seminary and was ordained a priest on 17 June 1956. He went on to earn an MA in Education and a PhD in Counselling from Boston College and had a fellowship to Harvard. It was during the three years when Fr. Duggan was pursuing his PhD that he is credited with helping the Pittsburgh Steelers become Super Bowl champions.
Arthur J. Rooney, Sr. (1901-1988) nicknamed “The Chief” was the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1933 he established the Steelers as an expansion team in the National Football League. Much has been written concerning Rooney’s big win at a race track that funded the team for several early years. Although Rooney was lucky allegedly at the racetrack, his football team did not enjoy much success. Prior to 1972 the team only played in one post season game. This occurred in 1947 when they played one game in the Eastern Division Playoffs and lost 21 to 0 to the Philadelphia Eagles.
In 1969, The Chief hired a young Chuck Noll (1932-2014) as head coach and kept him on as head coach notwithstanding his first year record was only 1 win and 13 loses. In 1970, the American Football League and the National Football League merged and “The Chief” agreed to leave the NFL Eastern Conference and joined the AFC central conference. The Steelers became a powerhouse, and today Noll is credited with building the team through the recruiting of gifted players via the football draft. Noll recruited players like Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw and “Mean” Joe Green who was a leading member of the infamous “Steel Curtain” defence. In 1972, the Steelers after over 40 years of losses began a remarkable 8 year run of playoff appearances, and 13 straight years of winning seasons. They are the only team to accomplish two consecutive Super Bowl wins twice with these four Super Bowl wins in six consecutive seasons. Chuck Noll at the time was the youngest head coach to have won the Super Bowl.
At the same time the two football leagues were merging, and Chuck Noll was trying to find his feet as head coach, in the spring of 1970, two young Americans were on a tour of Ireland. Tim and Pat Rooney, two sons of the Chief, stopped at the church where Fr. Duggan was parish priest in an attempt to locate the birthplace of one of their ancestors. While Fr. Duggan was speaking to the Rooney brothers’ he asked them what kind of business they were in, and Fr. Duggan thought they said “vestments.” He invited them to attend Mass the following day, so he could show them the beautiful vestments that had been made in Paris. They came and after Mass explained that they were in investments not vestments. They invited Fr. Duggan to get in touch if he ever got to America as they would take him to a football game. “I thought they were just fans. I didn’t know until I got here that their family actually owned a team” (Kilkenny People, Fri. 27 Dec. 1974, p. 6).
Fr. Duggan went to the U.S. the following year to take some summer courses. He contacted the Rooney brothers and they flew him to Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Steelers had a shockingly bad record the year before winning only 1 of 13 games. In 1971, while Fr. Duggan was present the team won the first four games. Fr. Duggan stated, “I didn’t know much about the game. It was confusion, especially the change of teams from offence to defence and the specialty teams.” After he returned to Ireland the team lost four out of the next six games. The following year Fr. Duggan learned that he would be back in the U.S. for three years to study full time for a doctorate (Kilkenny People, Fri. 27 Dec. 1974, p. 6). While working on his doctorate Fr. Duggan was based at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.
“The Chief sat me down and told me he wanted me to become the Steeler’s chaplain. He thought the team had a good chance to win the division and that to date the priest was undefeated. As it turned out the Steelers did win the division that year” (The Boston Globe, Tues. 14 Jan. 1975, p. 22).
During his three years in the U.S., Fr. Duggan travelled to all the Steeler games home and away, at the request of the Rooney family. During these weekends he became close to the players, and often counselled them when they had problems. Fr. Duggan was said to have stated that he offered “…mass every weekend during the season so that no players be injured badly and that in all games involving the Steelers, the better team will win. But, I have an understanding with God that the Steelers are the better team always.” As part of his unofficial duties to the team on the eve of every game, he offered a Mass, with different players, regardless of their religion, helping him with the readings” (The Boston Globe, Tues. 14 Jan. 1975, p. 22). [John]”Frenchy” Fuqua, a running back who is not a Catholic volunteered as a reader. “That afternoon Frenchy had one of the best games of his career,”…”Frenchy came to me and said when can I do another reading?” (Kilkenny People, Fri. 27 Dec. 1974, p. 6).
It was widely reported that the night before the Central Division championship game played between the Steelers and the Oakland Raiders, in December 1972, Father Duggan was in the stadium. Father Duggan was asked to leave because the Raiders did not want anyone watching their closed practice. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazetted (23 Dec. 1972, p. 11) thought this very odd and reported that the Steeler team, coaching staff, and their families were at a Christmas party in the stadium club overlooking the field. “All the Steelers had to do to see the Raiders was look out the club’s huge picture windows. None seemed that interested.” Some newspapers reported that there was an exchange between Father Duggan and an official from the Raiders. One reported that Father Duggan allegedly objected to leaving stating, “But I don’t know enough about football to do any harm.” The Raider official was alleged to have replied, “You are a priest aren’t you? That makes you dangerous. Art Rooney has every priest in the country pulling for him tomorrow.”
The Steelers won the game, 13-7, in the last five seconds when Franco Harris caught a pass that had deflected off of Fuqua and ran 60 yards for the touchdown. That catch is often referred to as the ”Miraculous reception,” or the “Immaculate reception.” (Kilkenny People, Fri. 27 Dec. 1974, p. 6). After winning the Central Division championship newspaper articles began to appear linking Fr. Duggan to the team’s success. It was noted that Chuck Noll was a man of intense faith, but did not proclaim “his creed with evangelistic fevor…he attended the Thanksgiving Mass offered by Fr. Duggan” the day after the game at a chapel adjoining the Rooney home. Noll was the reader, Dan Rooney, the general manager and Ed Kiely, the publicity director for the team, served as altar boys. According to Kiely, “Fr. Duggan’s presence, apparently has helped us…He was present for 12 of our games and saw us only lose once.” (New Castle News [New Castle, Pennsylvania] 19 Dec. 1972, p. 20).The following week the Steelers lost to the undefeated Miami Dolphins in the final AFL championship.
Super Bowls are played in January based upon the previous season. Super Bowl IX was played on 12 January 1975 in New Orleans. For the first time the Pittsburgh Steelers made it to the Super Bowl and played the Minnesota Vikings. The Steelers defence was said to hold all in awe. Several newspapers noted the attendance of Fr. Duggan. “One unheralded part of the Steelers’ game plan is Rev. John Duggan, a priest from Kilkenny, Ireland…the Mass saying lucky charm [is] at every Steelers’ game (The Cincinnati Enquirer, 14 Jan. 1975, p. 21) and the Steelers won 16-6.
Later, in what appears an attempt to explain how the lovable losing Steelers, became Super Bowl IX winners, journalists began to refer to Fr. Duggan as Rooney’s secret weapon. The Pittsburgh-Post Gazette that just noted in 1972 that Father Duggan had been asked to leave the stadium because the Raiders didn’t want anyone at their practice later in 1975 published a column written by Joe Browne where he outrageously wrote that “maybe this is why the Stealers crushed Oakland and went on to become Super Bowl champs…John Duggan, an Irish priest who’s nuts about the Steelers, walked in on a secret practice of the Raiders. John Madden, Oakland coach, tactfully asked him to scram. Father Duggan snorted, “I didn’t come to spy on y’—I came to lay a curse on y’” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Wed. 19 Jan. 1975, p. 27).
Father Duggan while in New Orleans after Super Bowl IX gave an interview to the Boston Globe where he noted that the Chief had paid for everyone including waterboys and the entire ground crew from the Steelers to come to New Orleans for the Super Bowl. A week before the big game Dan Rooney, the General Manager, asked Fr. Duggan to make preparations for a Mass of Thanksgiving for 9 a.m. the day following the game—win or lose. Fr. Duggan explained that for them “just getting this far was reason enough to be thankful.” On the eve of the Super Bowl, as was his custom Fr. Duggan offered a Mass. Rocky Bleier gave the first reading and five of the Chief’s grandsons served the Mass. Although Fr. Duggan denied that he provided pep talks to the players he did state that he selected appropriate readings. The reading by Bleier pertained to courage and the Christian athlete. The second reading was on the body and its ability to withstand suffering. “After all these years of losing, for the Steelers…[from 1933] I felt that we should say something about suffering. They had their share.”
In a short conclusion that indicated the true depth of his understanding of football the self-described “simple parish priest” stated that he was returning to Ireland in June and “you might say I have prayed out my options” (The Boston Globe, Tues. 14 Jan. 1975, p. 22).
The obit published by Fr. Duggan’s parish in Rhode Island is contained on our obituary page, and we extend our condolences to his siblings and families and the members of his parish. Please send any corrections or further information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
[Updated] From Glenmore to Clerk of the Carrick-on-Suir Union
Today, we are going to highlight James Mullins (1841-1912) a native of Flemingstown, Glenmore, who for over four decades held the post of Clerk of the Carrick-on-Suir Union. James Mullins was the eldest of fourteen children of Patrick Mullins (c. 1817-1884) of Flemingstown, Glenmore and his wife Julia Mullins née Brenan (c. 1812-1891).
Clerk of the Union
In 1834 the Poor Law came into effect. Civil parishes were grouped together to form Unions. The Catholic parish of Glenmore is made up of multiple civil parishes and because it lies between two urban centres was split. The western portion of the Catholic parish of Glenmore was in the Waterford Union and a small portion of the eastern part belonged in the New Ross union. Each union had to provide a workhouse for the housing and relief of the poor and provided medical care. Each Union was operated by the Board of Guardians. The Poor Law Guardians (PLG) were elected. The clerk of a Poor Law Union was a civil servant responsible for organising meetings and taking minutes of the Board of Guardians, organising the elections and submitting reports to the national officials. From 1871-1919 the national officials were the Local Government Board.
The obituary for James Mullin published in 1912 is very long even for that period of time. Interestingly it reflects that the deceased was still working after the age of 70. It also provides a lot of detail concerning how the funeral proceeded etc., but the obituary fails to mention that the deceased never married. His numerous sisters are mentioned, but no first names were provided for his sisters. According to the death register James Mullins died on the 10th of June 1912, at his home on Castle St., Carrick-in-Suir, County Tipperary of “acute nephrites uremia.” Margaret Walsh was present at his death. What her relationship was to James Mullins is not recorded. However, the 1911 Census identifies three women in James Mullin’s home. His sister Johanna, aged 53, is listed as a housekeeper as is Margaret Walsh who is aged 46. Another servant Johanna Flynn is 24 years of age. All four inhabitants are single and it is recorded that they were all natives of Kilkenny.
Excerpts from the Obituary of James Mullins (1841-1912)
Munster Express (Fri. 15 June 1912, p. 5) Death of a Well Known and Popular Poor Law Official–It is with deep regret we have to announce the death of Mr. James Mullins, the well-known, efficient and popular Clerk of Carrick-on-Suir Union. The sad event took place rather unexpectedly on Monday morning last at deceased’s late residence, Castle street, Carrick-on-Suir. Deceased had been forty-three years Clerk of Carrick Union. His conspicuous ability and integrity and firmness as an official during all these years won for him the esteem and admiration and confidence of the various Boards with which his important position brought him in contact. Prior to coming to Carrick-on-Suir he served for a short time as Clerk of Thomastown Union. The late Mr. Mullins was born at Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, a few miles from Waterford City, a little over 70 years ago. He belonged to an old well-known and highly respected family, which is most respectably connected in the Counties of Kilkenny and Waterford. Deceased had been engaged at his post as Clerk of Carrick Union with his wonted devotion to duty up to Saturday week, on which day at the Guardians’ meeting he was granted a fortnight’s leave of absence. When applying for the leave he mentioned that he had been suffering for some days previously from a cold. The Guardians then present at the meeting little thought that it was to be the last which their late Clerk, who had served them with such devotion for nearly half a century, would ever attend. The Guardians and ratepayers of Carrick Union have lost in the late Mr. Mullins a most conscientious and able official, whose sole ambition in life was to serve them faithfully. Much sympathy is felt, for the relatives of the deceased in their bereavement.
The remains were conveyed on Wednesday morning last from deceased’s late residence to St. Nicholas’s Catholic Church, Carrick-on-Suir, where a Requiem High Mass was celebrated for the repose of the soul of the deceased, in the presence of a large number of relatives and sympathisers. The celebrant of the Mass was the Rev. M. Cheasty, C.C., Carrick-on-Suir assisted by two other priests. [The obit then lists 14 other priests making up the choir…The-coffin was borne to the hearse from the church by six of the senior members of the Carrick-on-Suir Board of Guardians.]
The chief mourners were:—Mrs. Garvey, Waterford; Mrs. Stapleton, Glenmore; Mrs. Hassett, Glenstown; Mrs. Duggan, Clonassy; Miss Mullins, Whitestown; Miss Mullins, Flemingstown, sisters.; Messrs. Felix Mullins, Flemingstown; Walter Mullins, Whitestown; John Mullins, London, brothers; Messrs. N. Garvey, John and Pat Hassett. P. Mullins, nephews; the Misses E. and M. Terry and Miss Fox, nieces; Messrs. Thos. Terry, Rathgormac; Michael Hassett. Glenstown; Michael Stapleton, Glenmore; J. Fox, Carrick-on-Suir, brothers-in-law.
Amongst those who sent wreaths were: Mrs. Garvey, Mrs. Stapleton, Mr. and Mrs. Fox, Dr. J. Dwan, N. Garvey and Paddy, Aggie, Julia, and Willy; Sisters of Mercy, Carrick-on-Suir: Mrs. Hassett, Messrs. W. J. and T. Mullins, the Misses E. und M. Terry; Mr. and Mrs. Vickery. Provincial Bank, Carrick-on-Suir; etc.
The funeral started from Carrick for Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, at 12.30. It was the largest and most Representative seen in the district for many years past. All the members of the Carrick-on-Suir Board of Guardians and District Council and the intern and extern officials of Carrick Union walked in the cortege. There were also present all the professional and principal merchants of Carrick, and a very large number from the Co. Waterford and from South Tipperary and South Kilkenny. On the way to Glenmore large numbers joined the cortege at Piltown, Fiddown, Mooncoin and Waterford. Mr. James Hurley, Main Street, Carrick-on-Suir, had charge of the funeral arrangements.
As the cortege passed through Waterford it was joined by the following, amongst many others whose names we were unable to ascertain:—Dr. J. H. J. Jackman; John Mackey, Clerk of the Waterford Union; Mr. David Hyland, Chairman Waterford Board of Guardians, and Mrs. Hyland; Edward Walsh, T.C., Editor “Munster Express;” Patrick Grant, J.P., Slieverue, Chairman, No. 2 District Council; the employees at Garveys, Johnstown; John Kavanagh. John Walsh, and J. and K. Walsh, George’s Street, City; Felix Walsh, Thomastown; Walter Dower, Thomas Casey, Maurice Power. DC. Moonamintra: Patrick Kennedy. Assistant Clerk. Waterford Union: Robert Moloney, do.; J. Cosgrave, Master of the Union; M. Dunphy, Assistant Master: P. Walsh and William Healy, R.O.’s; M. Walsh, Master. Carrick Union; Thomas H. Doolan, Waterford: Michael Curran, D.C., Ballincrea; Richard Mullins, Gaulstown; John Irish, Ballinlammy; Matthew O’Keeffe, John Vereker. D.C; Lloyd Hutchinson, Jas. Kirwan, Gaulestown; Tobias Vereker. Ed. Vereker, Mr. Kennedy, Raheenara: Mr. Rrowne (of Messrs. Flynn and Young; J. Mullins, E. and M. Terry, Carrick; Michael Brennan, Walter Bishop. W. Aylward, John Hartley, Slieverue: Andrew Irish, Rathpatrick; Mrs. and Miss Keating and Miss Grant, Rathpatrick: Richard A. Dee, Frank Ryan, Ringville: John O’Neill, D.C. Ullid; James Farrell D.C.; John Hynes, Milepost; P. McDonnell, Ballintlea; T. Morrissey, Carrick-on-Suir; Michael Maher. D.C.; Dr. M. P. Coghlan, and many others who joined the funeral between Waterford and the family burial ground at Glenmore. We tender our sincere sympathy to the bereaved relatives of the deceased, whom we had the pleasure of knowing for a long number of years in his official capacity.—R.l.P. (Munster Express, Sat. 15 June 1912, p. 5).
The Leinster Reporter (Sat. 26 Oct. 1912, p. 3) reported that James Mullins left a personal estate valued at £8,112. He left £100 for the celebration of Masses; £200 to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for the poor of Carrick-on-Suir, and the residue he left among members of his family. According to the Calendar Wills & Administrations (1858-1922) on the 26th of July 1912 at Waterford the Will was probated and “granted to Julia Garvey, Widow; Walter Mullins and Thomas Terry, Farmers. Effects £3,112 18s. 7d.”
The Family of James Mullins (1841-1912)
Luckily details concerning the ancestors of James Mullins were recorded by Danny Dowling in 1971 when he interviewed Mary Stapleton of Slieverue. Mary Stapleton was a niece of James. Further details were obtained from Mullins headstones in the Glenmore cemetery, parish records and the death register. As was common in the 19th century when a daughter named Mary died a later child born to the couple was also named Mary. As is often the case the given names of some of the children was not the name that the child used during his or her lifetime.
Partial Inscription from the headstone at Glenmore [dates need to be verified]
Erected by Patrick Mullins of Flemingstown
In memory of his mother Margaret Mullins alias Croak
Who Died SepT 1st 1827 Aged 71 years
James his son who Died Nov 1st 1883 Aged 16 yrs
Keyran his son who Died Dec 15th 1835 Aged 22 years
And James his brother who Died April 27th 1886 Aged 34 years
Above named Patrick Mullins
Died in the year 1848 Aged 59 years
And his wife Margaret Mullins nee Howley
Died in Sept 1863 Aged 87 years
Great-Grandparents—Keiran Mullins, of Flemingstown, Glenmore married Margaret Croak (c. 1756?-1827) of Tullogher. Margaret Mullins née Croak died 1 Sept. 1827 at age 71.
Grandparents—Patrick Mullins (c. 1784-1848) of Flemingstown, Glenmore married Margaret Howley (c. 1776?-1863) of Ballytarsney, Mooncoin. [Editor’s note–Patty Brown & Ann Fitzgerald located the baptismal record for Patrick Mullins, of Flemingtown, baptized on 30 January 1784, son of Kyran Mullins & Margaret Croake. The parents of Patrick (1784-1848) have been corrected above. Updated 30 Jan. 2021]
Parents—Patrick Mullins (c. 1817-1884) of Flemingstown, Glenmore married Julia Brenan (c. 1812-1891) of Ashgrove, Mooncoin on the 2nd of March 1840 at Mooncoin.
There are 14 known children of Patrick Mullins and Julia Mullins née Brennan and include:
- [1] James Mullins (bapt. 30 July 1841-10 June 1912) Clerk of the Carrick-on-Suir Union
- [2] Mary Mullins (bapt. 31 Dec. 1842-1863) Never married.
- [3] Patrick Mullins (bapt. 17 June 1844-1852) Never married.
- [4] Felix Mullins (bapt. 11 April 1846- 24 Jan. 1919) Farmer in Flemingstown, Glenmore, never married.
- [5] Margaret Mullins (bapt. 15 Dec. 1847- 3 Aug. 1923) Margaret Mullins married Thomas Terry (farmer) of Rathgormac Castle, Co. Waterford.
- [6] Catherine Mullins (bapt. 23 June 1849– ) Catherine Mullins married Patrick Duggan (farmer) of Clonassy, Mullinavat on the 9th of March 1886.
- [7] Alicia Mullins (bapt. 2 March 1851- ) Alice Mullins married Michael Hassett (c. 1854) (farmer) of Clenstown on 4 March 1889 at Glenmore. The bride gave her age as 30 when she was actually 38.
- [8] Kieran Mullins (bapt. 26 Dec. 1852–22 April 1912). Kieran Mullins (farmer) of Whitestown married Johanna Phelan, of Carbally, Tramore, Co. Waterford. They had at least one son.
- [9] Judith Mullins (bapt. 17 May 1854– ) Could this be Johanna Mullins who died on 19 September 1917, aged 62 and is buried with her brother Felix in Glenmore?
- [10] John Mullins, (bapt. 19 April 1856-Nov. 1942) Customs & Excise Officer—never married.
- [11] Walter Mullins (4 Dec. 1859-8 April 1921) Farmer at Whitestown, never married.
- [12] Elizabeth Mullins (16 Sept. 1861-
- [13] Mary Mullins (17 May 1865-16 March 1946). Married Michael Stapleton, a sergeant in the R.I.C. on 26 Nov. 1903.
- [14] Ellen Mullins (4 March 1867- )
From the various obituaries we know that one of the girls, who went by the name Julia, married an N. Garvey, and another seems to have married a man named Power. Unfortunately we could not locate the correct marriage records.
[Per P. Walsh after Felix Mullins died this Mullin’s farm in Flemingstown was sold.]
The featured photo above is from an old postcard depicting the bridge at Carrick-on-Suir. Both Mullins headstones are located in St. James Cemetery, Glenmore.
Readers are encouraged to send further information or corrections to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
[Updated & corrections on 30 January 2021]
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Edmund Hartley (1836-1915) Native of Flemingstown, Glenmore: Homecoming 1913
For over 6 decades Danny Dowling corresponded with hundreds of people across the globe who sought information about an ancestor who came from the Glenmore area. One of the queries recorded in Danny’s notebooks is the information he sent to Edmund Hartley Marvin, Sr. concerning his ancestor, Edmund Hartley, of Flemingstown, Glenmore.
Edmund Hartley was baptized on the 12th of April 1836, in Glenmore, he was the son of Edmund Hartley and Mary Hartley née Kennedy of Flemingstown. It is not known what happened to Edmund, Sr. but around 1850 Mary Hartley née Kennedy died and shortly thereafter Edmund and his brothers James (c. 1825-1910); William (1 Jan. 1833 – 7 Aug. 1905); and Philip (c. 1828-7 Dec. 1889) emigrated to the United States. James and William settled in Michigan while Philip and Edmund settled in New York State. According to the 1910 Census, Edmund Hartley married another immigrant Bridget Kelly (1839-1912) in 1858. The couple had eight children and five were living in 1910.
Recently a letter written by Edmund Hartley, regarding his homecoming in 1913 was discovered in the New Ross Standard. Edmund Hartley wrote that he left Ireland in 1852 and returned 61 years later when he spent 5 weeks touring Ireland. It must have been a bittersweet homecoming when he visited Glenmore and only encountered four people who remembered him. This remarkable letter provides an insight into the changes he noted in travel, agriculture and Ireland from his emigration at the end of the famine until his return sixty-one years later. The year following his wife’s death, Edmund Hartley travelled to Europe in 1913 with two priests, his son James J. Hartley and his nephew James E. Hartley.
New Ross Standard—Friday, 14 Nov. 1913–VISIT TO IRELAND.
“During the summer Mr. Edmund Hartley, of Monroe County, New York State, with his son, Very Rev. Dr. Hartley, President of St. Bernard’s College, Rochester, and his nephew, Rev. J. E. Hartley, P.P. Rochester, made a tour to Ireland. Mr. Hartley who is 77 years, and exceedingly brisk and agile for his years, was born in Flemingstown, in the parish of Glenmore. It was his first visit since he left Ireland in 1852. The two priests, who were born in America, enjoyed their stay in the land of their fathers and left full of hope that they would at some time come back again to Erin. Since his return Mr. Hartley has given his experience in the American Press, and his letter is so interesting we reproduce it with pleasure. Mr. Hartley is a near relative of Father Hartley, P.P. Cushinstown, and to all the Hartleys in Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny district.
EDMUND HARTLEY GIVES INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF HIS VISIT.
It was 61 years ago last May since I left Ireland for America. As I was young at the time, I had no notion of going to work, but Intended just to come over for some money; but my relatives got me a job the second day after landing, and I have been pretty busy since, yet I always wanted to pay a visit to the old home, if I got a chance, which happened this summer when my son and nephew were going to Europe. At the time I left Ireland it was the most desolate country in the world, for the famine and fever had carried off a million of the people and another million fled across the ocean from their unhappy land. Of course we took any boat that would carry us: mine was a sailing vessel of eighteen hundred tons that was blown about for fire weeks before we got sight of land, and some days we feared we would be blown to the bottom of the sea. Several died on the voyage and were thrown overboard. We all had to provide our own meals—that is we cooked our own potatoes in a large kettle in the kitchen and ate the bread we brought along with us.
So you can imagine my surprise at the improved conditions of travel when I boarded the steamer Baltic on June 12th. It is over seven hundred feet long, weight about twenty-four thousand tons, and can ride the wares smoothy even a rough sea, and makes nearly four hundred miles a day. The meals are like those served in the finest hotel and each morning there was a newspaper, the ‘Ocean News’ placed near our plate at breakfast, containing several pages of the latest news from all parts of the world. The menu for dinner and the list of steamers that were in communication with our boat that day. One can send a wireless message from any part of the voyage. Several greeted their friends, from mid ocean. When 1,200 miles from shore I sent a message that reached home within five hours the same day. The wireless system is not only a great aid in distress, but also a means of avoiding collision with other boats in a fog. Of course, icebergs have no wireless plant, and the captains now take a southerly route to avoid them. For three days after leaving New York, our boat seemed headed for Spain instead of Great Britain, the captain was so anxious to avoid icebergs.
There was practically no sea sickness on the outward and return trips, and the company did not save anything from passengers missing their meals. Our trip included Ireland, England, northern France and Belgium, all except Ireland, rich and prosperous countries; yes anyone who has visited Ireland will admit that it is one of the most beautiful countries of the world; and we spent five weeks journeying through mountains, valleys, and plains, viewing the ruins of its ancient schools, abbeys, and castles, the famous round towers and Celtic crosses, which it would take too long to describe. It might surprise some to be told that Ireland was once called the land of Saints and Scholars, and her schools in the sixth, seventh and eighth centuries were among the most, celebrated of Europe. Even today she has beautiful churches, well attended by the people and excellent schools and colleges, in spite of all the obstacles placed in the way of religion and education for centuries.
Ireland has few industries except in the province of Ulster and farming is the occupation of the greater part of the people; and the condition of the famers interested me chiefly. So far as I could judge from traveling through twenty of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, the farmers are now in a better condition than ever before. Formerly they had to pay an excessive rent, in some cases greater than the value of the entire crop, and if any improvements were made in land or buildings, the rent would he increased; but now they have to pay only a moderate rent, about one-third of the old rate, and with these moderate payments they can possess the farm as their own, under the conditions of the Land Purchase Acts. Many of the farmers are now free holders and no longer tenants and all the profits of the farm are theirs. The landlords have in many cases consented to sell at least the power parts of their immense estates, yet some are unwilling to sell any part. I saw one estate of fifty square miles and not an acre would the landlord sell. The recent Land Purchase Act has a clause compelling the landlord to sell some portion for the good of the community. The methods of farming have changed altogether in recent years. The potato is no longer the principal crop; for cattle raising and dairying are followed chiefly and only a small part of the farms is under tillage. Considerable oats are raised, but no wheat or barley, though flax is largely cultivated in the northern counties.
The best American implements are used on the larger farms. I attended several fairs and noticed that cattle and farm produce brought higher prices than here in Monroe county. As the Irish soil is rich and the sesame so mild that cattle can graze nearly all through the year the farmer there have an advantage over us, yet I prefer farming near Fairport. Many of the Irish prefer a change of work too, and emigrate to the States or Canada, and the wages in Ireland will hardly coax them back. Yet when Home Rule is granted them next year, there may be greater inducements to keep the young people from emigrating. It is a pity that so many homes have been cleared away to make grazing land, the cattle taking the place of the people.
In my own county of Kilkenny the population had not decreased so much as elsewhere, yet many houses I know have disappeared. The large round stones the strong men used to toss were in the same place near the churchyard where I saw them over 60 years ago; but I met only four person who knew me in boyhood, though several of the younger people proved to be my own relatives. Some were clergyman, others school teachers, or else rich farmers, and although they had become rich they were glad to see me.
I have been asked if I kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland. I climbed up the Blarney Castle, which is nearly five hundred years old, but as part of the floor is fallen away just near the famous stone, I just bent over and struck the stone with my blackthorn stick and kissed it, and if I did not get the full gift of blarney, still I may have enough to last the rest of my life.
I stood on the famous battlefield of Clontarf and the Boyne and near Waterloo, but I think more of having stood at the graves of O’Connell and Parnell in Glasnevin Cemetery and of Gladstone in Westminster Abbey.
The great cathedrals, museums, picture galleries and colleges are the first objects visited by the tourists, and we saw as many as would take day to describe. The most interesting were the cathedrals in Queenstown, Killarney, Thurles, Armagh, Condon, Brussels and Paris, the Tower of London, British Museum and National Gallery, the Louvre in Paris, the Palace of the French King at Versailles and their tombs at St. Denis. We visited the International Exposition at Ghent, the greatest exposition ever held in Europe. All kinds of manufacture were there, but the flying machines interested me most.
The weather was cool all through the trip of nine weeks, and we were surprised to read accounts of the warm weather in the United States. Edmund Hartley”
The Travellers
Edmund Hartley (1836-1915) Native of Flemingstown, Glenmore
Two years after his homecoming Edmund Hartley was tragically killed on his farm in New York State. The Syracuse Herald (New York) of the 14th of April 1915) published an article, “Aged Father of Prelate Killed by R., S.& E. Car,” detailing the tragic demise of Edmund as follows:
Fairport, April 14—Edmund Hartley was struck and instantly killed by a local car on the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Trolley road at Hartley’s private crossing a few feet north of Stop 15 shortly before 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon. The car was the local one here at 1:50 p.m. and was in charge of Motorman Frank Emmes of Syracuse. Mr. Hartley, who is 79 years old leaves three sons, the Rev. Monsignor J.J. Hartley, head of St. Bernard’s seminary; William who lives on the farm just south of Fairport, and Philip of this village; two daughters, Mrs. M Marvin of Adrian, Michigan and Margaret, who lives on the farm. To view Edmund’s grave marker see, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103632748/edmund-hartley .
Rev. Monsignor James J. Hartley (1860-1943)
James J. Hartley was ordained in 1885 by Bishop Bernard J. McQuaid the first Bishop of Rochester, New York. Bishop McQuaid sent the young priest to Europe, instructing him to visit the great university, reap the benefits of travel and increase his knowledge of the subjects he would teach. Much of his time abroad was spent in Louvain and Rome. In 1894, McQuaid founded St. Bernard’s Seminary and James J. Hartley was appointed Proctor. In 1907, Pope Pius X conferred a degree of Doctor of Divinity on James J. Hartley. (Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester, New York, Sunday, 24 March 1907)
Although his father in his 1913 letter did not provide the name of the relative that found him a job within days of his arrival in the US, the Democrat & Chronicle 1907 article states that “Dr. Hartley is a cousin of Bishop James J. Hartley” (1858-1944) of Columbus, Ohio who was bishop of Columbus from 1904-1944.
The Right Reverend Monsignor James J. Hartley, D.D. prothonotary apostolic and rector-emeritus of St. Bernard’s Seminary died on 11 December 1943 at the age of 83. (The Ithaca Journal (New York) 13 Dec. 1943).
Rev. James E. Hartley (1852-1920)
James E. Hartley was born the 14th of October 1852 in Fairport, Monroe County, New York the son of Philip Hartley (c. 1828-1889) a native of Flemingstown, Glenmore. James E. Hartley was ordained a priest the 21st of December 1878. After ordination he severed as an administrator of St. Mary’s of Ithaca and Our Lady of Victory, Rochester. He was appointed rector of the parish of Palmyra in August 1893 where he remained until he suffered a stroke on the 18th of March 1920 and died in the rectory of St. Anne’s on the 29th. He was survived by two sisters: Mrs. Hanna Curran and Mrs. Mary A. Coffey.
The Cousin—Bishop James J. Hartley (1858-1944)
Bishop James J. Hartley of Columbus, Ohio (June 26, 1858 – January 12, 1944) fourth bishop of Columbus served from his consecration in 1904 until his death in 1944. According to the Diocese of Columbus website Bishop Hartley was born at Davenport, Iowa the eldest child of Edward Hartley and Catherine McManus. His parents were married at St. Patrick’s in Columbus, Ohio in 1858, moved to Davenport and returned to Columbus. After his return to Columbus, Ohio, Edward Hartley (1828-1910) kept a saloon on West Maple St. and the family lived upstairs. He was also a Columbus policeman for several years. See, http://www.colsdioc.org/AboutUs/TheBishopsofColumbus/tabid/276/Default.aspx .
Bishop Hartley’s father, Edward (1828-1910), according to the 1900 census came to the US in 1838. It is believed that Edward Hartley was a native of Weatherstown, Glenmore. It was reported in the 1900 census that he was born in Ireland in March 1828. Because of his son’s position in the church, Edward’s death in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio was widely reported in newspapers in November 1910.
Special thanks to Jane Marvin Dempsey for graciously allowing us to use her photo of her great-grandfather Edmund Hartley (1836-1915) which is the featured photo above.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh