Glenmore Co. Kilkenny
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From Danny’s Files: Glenmore’s Threshing Agreement 1907
Last week found in Danny Dowling’s voluminous files, was the following article, which was published in the Wexford People in 1907. This article highlights an agreement reached in Glenmore concerning the prohibition of intoxicating drink at “threshings, harvestings and hay making.”
The Workmen’s Compensaton Act 1906
The article provides that farmers were now liable for injuries to employees under the recently enacted Employers’ Liability Act (1906). We believe that the correct 1906 Act was the Workmen’s Compensation Act. Previously, in 1880 injured employees were given the right to seek their medical costs due to work related injuries. Although injured employees were given the right to sue their employer for their medical bills the burden of the case remained on the employee. The Workmen’s Compensation Act 1897 replaced the 1880 Act and allowed employees to merely show that they were injured on the job. However, the 1897 Act only covered blue collar, industrial workers. The 1897 Act was replaced and the categories of protected workers was expanded under the Workmen’s Compensation Act 1906. The 1906 Act made insurance mandatory on employers, thus introducing a social insurance scheme. The 1906 Act went into effect on 1 July 1907 and included agricultural workers as well as domestic servants for the first time.
Notwithstanding the legislation and the Wexford People article, while attempting to locate other articles regarding the Glenmore Threshing Agreement, we found an article in the New Ross Standard that squarely placed the Glenmore Threshing Agreement at the feet of Father Thomas Phelan, P.P. of Glenmore. Excerpts from the New Ross Standard are below.
The Wexford People Article
A NEW MOVEMENT IN GLENMORE. SPLENDIDLY INITIATED. We have just heard of the successful initiation on last Sunday, in the important parish of Glenmore, beautifully situated on the banks of our own dear Barrow, of a movement combining the farmers and labourers of the parish in their own interest, in doing away with the custom of giving intoxicating drink at threshings, harvestings and hay-making.
That the movement gives good hopes for success is evident from the fact that on the invitation of the clergy over eighty farmers came forward and signed the following resolution:—”We promise and agree that for the future we shall not give nor accept any kind of intoxicating drink at hay-making, harvesting, and threshings, and that we shall not allow our sons or servants to help at any place where intoxicating drink will be distributed.”
The signing of this resolution by the farmers of a parish is indeed a very healthy sign that they realise the dangers attending their work when drink is distributed, and the increased risk of accidents to workmen, for which they are now liable. Abuses were many in the past. Frequently it was our sad duty to report during each autumn accidents resulting in temporary or permanent injury to workmen, the loss of valuable lives, the consuming by fire of haggards of corn and hay, and the destruction of valuable machinery.
Under the Employers Liability Act every farmer is now liable in law for every accident to his workmen whilst in his employment, and we are not at all surprised to find that the intelligent farmers of Glenmore, under the guidance of their priests, have given the new condition of things full and earnest consideration, and have set themselves to reduce the danger and risks. For the benefit of employers generally it will be useful to point out that if a workman is killed as the result of an accident in his employment the employer is liable for three years’ wages, which Parliament has decided must be not less than £l5O nor more than £300; but if the accident result in temporary or permanent disablement then the employer is legally bound to pay his workman half wages for the whole time of his disablement. These are the main outlines of the recent Act of Parliament. and farmers who wish to study their position should procure a copy of the Act, or, better still, obtain guidance by some barrister. (Wexford People, Sat. 24 Aug. 1907, p. 5)
The New Ross Standard Article
“Mission at Glenmore”—On Sunday evening two priests of the Redemptorist Order, Father Burke and Father M’Hugh, closed a fortnight’s mission in Glenmore. “It was a grand and glorious success from the opening to the close. Old parishioners who have been blessed by many a mission proclaim this to be the most successful of all. It was favoured with delightful weather, an important factor in country missions…Today many parishes might envy the peace and happiness which reign supreme in Glenmore.”
“The temperance movement, initiated a few months previously by the priests of the parish for the abolition of the abominable custom of giving out drink on the occasions of threshings, was steeped home and completed by the invincible eloquence of the missionaries. No true son of St. Patrick, no Irishman possessing a spark of Christianity or love of fatherland, could withstand Father Burke’s seething denunciations of this ruinous custom. Every householder of the parish, no matter what his occupation or social standing has signed, without one single exception, a pledge drawn up Father Phelan, P.P.”
The pledge simply state that “neither to give nor to accept any intoxicating drinks on the occasions of threshings or hay-making, and not to allow either their sons or servants to help in any place where such drink is given.” “The farmers of Glenmore have led the way. May all Ireland follow.”
It also was reported that upwards of seven hundred solemnly pledged themselves to total abstinence for five years. Is Ireland “at last realizing the real bond of slavery?” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 4 Oct. 1907, p. 6)
Was It Honoured?
It is not known if the agreement was honoured, or if it was honoured how long it lasted. Older local farmers have indicated that a barrel of beer was provided at the conclusion of threshings, hay making and harvests for the workers as well as for guests at weddings and funerals. Father Thomas Phelan was instrumental in the renovation of St. James in 1910. See our previous blog post of 2 May 2020 regarding the renovation of St. James and where it was noted that the chapel bell was split in half during the 1907 missions.
Please send any additional information or corrections to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Ballyfacey, Glenmore (1961)
Today, we are going to feature information that Danny Dowling (1927-2021) recorded regarding the Glenmore residents of the townland of Ballyfacey, around 1961. However, first a couple of facts concerning 1961. Disney released in 1961 its classic 101 Dalmatians that has stood the test of time. On 13 August 1961, fences began to be erected in Berlin that later became the Berlin wall–which did not stand the test of time.
Place of the Waste Land
The Irish for this townland, according to O’Kelly’s, The Place Names of the County of Kilkenny (1969, p. 109) is Baile an fhásaigh which translated is place of the waste land. Situated in the old civil parish of Kilbride, this townland is divided into upper and lower Ballyfacy. The total acreage of Bllyfacey is 998 acres. According to O’Kelly “a great new forest stretches from Ballyfasey Upper widening through Ballynoony to Glenpipe…and Ballyfacey village nestles near the cross-roads.”
Ballyfacey Irish Field Names
Some of the field names recorded by O’Kelly include:
Bán an bhaile, the village bawn;
Bán ard;
Bán mórl Bán na lao;
Carraig an rointe, rock of the division (but O’Kelly states it might be carraig an rince, rock of the dancing; Croichtin;
Currachs’ Frachans, bilberry land;
Gort nua; Páircín na lao;
Páirc na stille, the spring well field;
Seangharraí; and
Stríoca fada, the long stripes.
Past Blog Posts
Ballyfacey was featured in our previous blog post of 8 March 2020 concerning the failed Ballyfacey evictions in 1885, and on 27 June 2022 we posted a short article on the The School Collection: Ballyfacey National School, Local Heroes.
Danny’s List
Danny Dowling, in 1961 recorded families or households in the townland of Ballyfacey. 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. The recorded information reveals that in 1961, 45 people resided in Ballyfacey Upper and 26 in Ballyfacey Lower, for a total of 71 residents. The population the townland was comprised of 35 males and 34 females. There were two children where it was not possible to determine the gender of the children. The John Phelan family was the largest family with thirteen members in the household. There were no households recorded of a single person living alone.
Recorded Residents
Males= 35
Females= 34 (The gender of 2 children not recorded.)
Eldest Recorded Resident= Bridget Walsh née McDonald (27 March 1870-25 Aug. 1961) of Ballyfacey Upper. Bridget died shortly after Danny made his list of residents. At the time of her death in August 1961 Bridget was 91 years of age. Her obituary from the Munster Express has been added to our W family page.
Recorded Occupations
Farmers = 12 ( 9 males including a retired farmer; 3 females)
Farm Workers = 9 (all males)
Co. Council Workers = 2 (males)
Creamery Workers = 1 (male)
Teachers = 1 (male)
Knit Organizer = 1 (female)
Shop Keeper = 1 (female)
RESIDENTS OF BALLYFACEY LOWER, GLENMORE
[1] O’CONNOR
O’Connor, George (9 Jan. 1881) Retired Farmer (dead—no date of death recorded)
O’Connor, Bridget (1 Aug. 1886) wife
O’Connor, John (21 Dec. 1913) son, farmer
O’Connor, Katherine, daughter-in-law
O’Connor, Bridget, granddaughter
[2] O’CONNOR
O’Connor, George (b. 1920) Farmer
O’Connor, Bridget (b. 1925) wife
O’Connor, Mary, daughter
O’Connor, Alice, daughter
O’Connor, Bridget, daughter
O’Connor, Patrick, son
O’Connor, Patrick (b. 1923) brother, creamery worker
[3] PHELAN
Phelan, William (2 Feb. 1902) Farmer
Phelan, James (6 April 1894) brother, farm worker
[4] RYAN/MURPHY
Ryan, Bridget (9 March 1882)
Ryan, John (6 Jan. 1912) son, Council worker
Murphy, Michael, son-in-law, Council worker
Murphy, Catherine, daughter
Murphy, Richard, grandson
Murphy, Bridget, granddaughter
Murphy, Margaret Mary, granddaughter
[5] FREYNE
Freyne, Edward (12 May 1889) Farmer
Freyne, Johanna (11 Feb. 1903) sister
Freyne, Margaret (4 March 1908) sister
[6] McDONALD
McDonald, James (23 June 1914) Farmer
McDonald. Patrick (11 Sept. 1918) brother, farm worker
RESIDENTS OF BALLYFACEY UPPER, GLENMORE
[7] O’MUIRITHE
O’Muirithe, Diarmuid (11 Nov. 1935) School Teacher (Family moved to New Ross)
O’Muirithe, Maire (31 Jan. 1935) wife, knitting organiser
O’Muirithe, Sean
O’Muirithe, Barra
O’Muirithe, (infant)
[8] AYLWARD
Aylward, Mary (2 Nov. 1904) Farmer
Aylward, John, son, farm worker
Aylward, Daniel, son, farm worker
Aylward, Bridget, daughter-in-law
Aylward, Matthew, grandson
Aylward, Mary, granddaughter
Aylward, James, grandson
[9] DEADY
Deady, Margaret (5 Feb. 1902) Farmer
Deady, John, son, farm worker
Deady, Anna, daughter
Deady, Patrick, son, farm worker
Deady, Michael, grandson
[10] DOLLARD
Dollard, James (27 March 1902) farmer
Dollard, Mary (27 May 1910) wife, (died 8 Jan. 1963)
[11] PHELAN
Phelan, John (17 July 1908) Farmer
Phelan, Statia (10 April 1916) wife
Phelan, Michael, son, farm worker
Phelan, Kathleen, daughter
Phelan, Mary, daughter
Phelan, John, son
Phelan, Denis, son
Phelan, James, son
Phelan, Noreen, daughter
Phelan, Thomas, son
Phelan, Anastatia, daughter
Phelan, Eileen, daughter
Phelan, Bridget, daughter
[12] WALSH
Walsh, Richard (8 Dec. 1913) Farmer
Walsh, Kathleen (15 Nov. 1914) wife
Walsh, Breda, daughter
Walsh, Philip, son, farm worker
Walsh, Thomas, son, farm worker
Walsh, Richard, son
Walsh, Andrew, son
Walsh, Bridget (27 March 1870) mother
[13] DUNPHY
Dunphy, Mary (27 March 1902) Farmer (died 24 Aug. 1961)
Dunphy, Richard, son, farm worker
Dunphy, Eileen, daughter-in-law
[14] YOUNG/O’LEARY
Young, Johanna (13 Aug. 1890) (died 9 Oct. 1960?)
O’Leary, Kate (25 Dec. 1910) niece, shopkeeper
Please send any corrections or further information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
From Danny’s Files: 1937 Application for a Glenmore Dance License
As previously published Glenmore from about 1870 until 1963 had no pub in the parish. Even pubs that were on the borders of the parish became the target of objections from the Glenmore clergy. (See our post of 31 March 2020 ). Today, we are going to feature an article from the New Ross Standard found in Danny Dowling’s voluminous files that provides some insight into the attitudes and legislation in 1937 concerning dance venues.
Glenmore Dance Licence Opposed
On Friday the 22nd of January 1937 the article “Dance Licences Opposed” was published in the New Ross Standard (p. 11). Richard Fitzgerald (1868-1955) of the Half-way House, Glenmore, applied for a dance license under the Public Dance Hall Act 1935. The Act came about due to the work of the Carrigan Committee that was established in 1930 by the Cosgrove led government to determine if new legislation was needed to deal with juvenile prostitution (Finola Kennedy, “The Suppression of the Carrigan Report: A Historical Perspective on Child Abuse,” 89 (356) Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review (2000) p. 354). Interestingly, what prompted the Committee was the increase in births outside of marriage which appears to have become equated with prostitution.
Schools of Scandal
The Carrigan Committee heard the testimony of clerical, lay and government witnesses, who all appeared to agree that the degeneration in the standard of social conduct had taken place. It was attributed primarily to the loss of parental control and responsibility during a period of general upheaval (the War of Independence, the Civil War). Notwithstanding the country returning to a “settled condition” the standard of social conduct had not improved. This fact was said to be “due largely to the introduction of new phases of popular amusement…The commercialised Dance Halls, Picture Houses of sorts, and the opportunities afforded by the misuse of motor cars for luring girls,” were identified as “the chief causes alleged for the present looseness.”
One Limerick Priest opined that the Dance Hall Craze began in his parish about 1925 and they became “Schools of Scandal” which were not subject to supervision, control or license (Carrigan Report, c. 16 available online at https://the-knitter.blogspot.com/2005/06/full-carrigan-report_24.html). What appears to be lacking from the Carrigan Committee’s contemplation was the impact of the limited free primary school education on young people. After attending a local national school until the age of 11 or 12 young people were sent to work often in shops, homes or farms away from the influence of their parents.
Public Dance Hall Act 1935
After the Carrigan Committee determined that the popular amusements were the cause of moral decay, to get control over the so-called “Schools of Scandal” the Public Dance Hall Act 1935 was enacted. Richard Fitzgerald sought a license under the Act to hold dances. He was represented by E.T. Lalor. The application was heard in the District Court of New Ross before District Judge J.V. Fahy. Ireland has and continues to have a unique feature in the District Court where the State is represented by a senior police officer. In this case it was Superintendent Feeney.
Glenmore Application
Richard Fitzgerald sought a dance license as secretary of the local Cumann of the Fianna Fail party. It was noted that Richard Fitzgerald was a substantial farmer, an ex-member of the Kilkenny County Council, secretary of the South Kilkenny Comhairle Ceanntair and a delegate to the Ard Fheis. Richard testified that his house was about three-quarters of a mile from the Glenmore Garda station and he produced a map made by a Waterford engineer of his premises. It was also noted that dances had been held on the premises over the past 25 years and no complaint had ever been made for any function held. The last dance was held about four years prior after a mumming exhibition. [For an explanation of mummying in Glenmore see our previous post of 5 December 2021.]
In anticipation of the application Richard spent about €50 making improvements, and he stated that he would not personally benefit from the dances. The parish records reveal that Richard Fitzgerald was born on 9 March 1868 at Aylwardstown to John Fitzgerald (farmer) and his wife Margaret “Peggy” Donovan of the Mill. Richard on the 30th of November 1911 married Mary Walsh, of Coolroebeg, Thomastown. Thus, at the time of the application proceedings in 1937 Richard was a married man of 69 years of age. It does not appear that Richard was attempting or applying to operate a “School of Scandal.”
The Application Hearing
From the onset of the application proceedings, according to the information in the newspaper account it appeared that the Judge was not well disposed toward the application.
“Justice—The apartment is described as a dance hall right off the kitchen. What did you call it before you christened it a dance hall?
Applicant—It has been used for the distribution of free milk. I am contractor under the scheme.” When asked by the judge if the free milk was for the dance Richard explained that the free milk was a scheme for the poor of Glenmore.
Richard Fitzgerald went on to testify that he resided on the premises with his wife, two sons and two daughters. He stated that there were about two thousand people residing in the parish. Superintendent Feeney asked if his premises were a suitable place to hold dances. Richard Fitzgerald replied, “We have no better place; we have no hall in Glenmore to hold anything.”
Suitability of Premises?
When pressed concerning the suitability of the premises Richard Fitzgerald stated that the Minister for Education and the Comba rte Ceanntair (sic) hold meetings there. The Judge responded “Leave that out of it. We are only discussing as to the suitability of the premises from the point of view of they being licensed for a dance; don’t be bringing in the Minister’s name.” Richard protested that he was simply addressing suitability.
After the questioning concerning the suitability of the premises Solicitor Lalor suggested that the judge could go out and inspect the premises. In response the judge stated that “…He had not the least notion. He would like to hear what the sergeant of the district had to say.” Sergeant Garvey (1895-1960) of Glenmore testified that he inspected the premises. In his opinion the room appeared to be suitable, and had been recently repaired. He considered the applicant capable of looking after a dance.
Sgt. Garvey’s only objection concerned the sanitary arrangements. He agreed that the premises had the usual sanitary accommodation for Glenmore. Superintendent Feeney then interjected that the circumstances would be different where over one hundred people would be gathered together. [For a previous article regarding Sergeant Garvey see our previous post of 3 October 2021.]
Objection of Parish Priest
Perhaps the strangest element of the case concerned the objection of the parish priest which was not articulated in the article. “Justice—How is it the parish priest has such a decided objection? Applicant—I don’t know. Justice—Don’t you think his views ought to be regarded with the greatest respect? Applicant—Yes, but he is prejudiced and a sickly man. Justice—We are all sickly.” From the newspaper account it does not state how the objection was made, but the priest did not appear in court to state his objections so he could not be questioned concerning his views and opinions.
Application Denied
The case concluded with the Judge announcing, “I would not dream of granting this application, especially in view of the objection of the parish priest, which I consider as reasonable and properly founded. I refuse the application, on the unsuitability of the house.”
On 24 November 2019 we published an article regarding the rise and demise of the Glenmore post office and in the article identified how the Half-way House of Aylwardstown, Glenmore obtained its name.
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
One Hundred Years Ago: July 1922
Tensions over the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the partition of Ireland continued into 1922. In June of 1922 elections were held in the Free State. Pro-treaty candidates won the majority of seats. The Civil War broke out shortly thereafter. Much has been written regarding the Battle for Dublin between Free State troops and Anti-Treaty Republican forces. Today, we are going to focus on events that occurred local to Glenmore as reported in contemporary local newspapers in July 1922.
Due to the length of the materials gleaned from local newspapers we will include the “Siege of Waterford” in our next post. In July 1922 the Anti-Treaty Forces were referred to by various names by various newspapers including Irregulars, Republicans and Executive Troops.
Fatal Typhoid Case in Glenmore
It was reported in the Munster Express that Mr. Patrick Dunphy, S.S.O. (Sub-Sanitary Officer), reported that owing to the recent fatal case of typhoid fever in the neighbourhood of Glenmore he made a thorough inspection of the village a short time ago. There were complaints made to him about the large number of pigs housed and fed in the village.
As the village was congested and low lying, he impressed upon the residents the necessity of keeping their places in a sanitary condition. In the greater number of cases the yards and out-offices were clean and well kept. One or two yards were unsatisfactory, as manure heaps were not removed, but since his visit the state of things had been remedied. (Munster Express, Sat. 1 July 1922, p. 5)
Impact of the Battle for Dublin
The Munster Express reported at the beginning of July that the Battle for Dublin commenced when Lt. General O’Connell, Assistant Chief of Staff of the Free State Army, was captured late at night in Dublin by what the newspaper referred to as Irregulars (Anti-Treaty troops). O’Connell was detained in the Four Courts as a hostage for exchange for Leo Henderson and others. Troops of the Irish Free State surrounded the Four Courts and demanded the garrison surrender.
When an armoured car was fired upon by the Irregulars two eighteen pound artillery pieces were fired at the Four Courts. Both sides used machine guns and the fighting lasted all day Wednesday the 27th of June. Dublin was completely isolated from telephone communications and no trains were allowed to enter the city. Up to Thursday afternoon there were 15 people killed and 37 wounded. A number of the casualties were civilians. (Munster Express, Sat. 1 July 1922, p. 5)
New Ross Man Killed
An 18-year-old New Ross man working at the Ormonde Hotel, Dublin was one of the civilian casualties. “The body of Willie Doyle, Robert St., New Ross, who was killed at the door of the Ormonds Hotel, Dublin, on Wednesday of last week during the fighting, was brought to New Ross on Thursday night. Mr. F. J. Mackey and the deceased’s brother journeyed to Dublin in a motor car on Thursday. They were unable to get the car into the city, and having succeeded in reaching the hospital they got the body out in a hearse. In the same hospital were a number of dead bodies awaiting identification.”
They reached New Ross some time after midnight. When they reached the Ferry Mountgarrett bridge it was drawn some hours previous by the Executive Forces (Anti-Treaty Forces). They were expecting Free State Forces to try to cross it to take New Ross. The coffin was transported in a boat, and the military had it placed in a lorry, and it was then taken to the home of his parents. The deceased was employed in the Ormonde Hotel for the previous year. It was reported he came out of the door to assist a wounded officer who fell there and got struck by a bullet beneath the heart and died about ten minutes later.
“He was a member of the Fianna in New Ross and was a great favourite with everyone in the town who knew him. The deepest sympathy is felt with his bereaved parents and the members of the family. The funeral on Friday evening to St. Mary’s Cemetery was of huge dimensions and representative of all classes and creeds. The coffin, which was draped with a large tri-colour flag, was borne on the shoulders of the IRA. The IRA with rifles reversed also formed a guard of honour. Preceding the coffin and following it were a large number of the Fianna and also members of the Cumam na mBan, all carrying wreaths…Three volleys were fired over the grave by the IRA.” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 7 July 1922, p. 3)
Tullogher Man Killed
Another local man killed in Dublin during the fighting was Mr. G. Walsh, Glenpipe, Tullogher. At the time of reporting his death the New Ross Standard was unable to report on which side he was fighting. His remains were brought home via New Ross, in a motor on Tuesday the 4th of July. (New Ross Standard, Fri. 7 July 1922, p. 6)
GPO & Four Courts
On Thursday the 28th of June the Waterford G.P.O. (General Post Office) and branch offices were closed about 2:30 pm when the Postmaster General, J.J. Walsh, TD sent out a notice instructing the suspension of all services including telegraph and telephone. During Wednesday and Thursday morning, prior to the notice, IRA censors had been placed in the telephone department by order of the local City Commandant of the Anti-Treaty garrison in the City. None of the other postal departments were interfered with prior to the closing. (Munster Express, Sat. 1 July 1922, p. 5)
The Four Courts fell on Friday the 30th of June to Free State forces. Fighting continued in Dublin during the week mainly in O’Connell Street. The Republicans lodged themselves on the north side of the street. The buildings they occupied included: the Gresham Hotel, Hammons Hotel, Tramway Offices, Sackville Hall etc. Shortly after noon on Wednesday the 5th of July the Hamman Hotel burst into flames. By late Wednesday afternoon ten buildings including three hotels were ablaze. (Munster Express, Sat. 8 July 1922, p. 5).
Frustration of Citizens
An editorial in the New Ross Standard entitled “From Bad to Worse” perhaps reflects the frustration of citizens.
“The situation in Ireland shows no sign of settlement. There are unrest and fighting everywhere and the populace simply lives in dread of what may occur next. The situation is nearly as bad as it was a year or more ago when the English myrmaidons (sic) patrolled the country. There has been fighting in Dublin resulting in the loss of several lives and the wounding of many persons. Now, Irishmen are pitted against Irishmen—brothers in the cause against brother in the cause…Irishmen are murdering and shooting down Irishmen, and there is every prospect that the civil strife will consume the provinces, and that Ireland as a whole may find itself in the same unhappy condition as her grand old capital…Both sides in the conflict declare they are well intentioned, but they differ in opinion regarding Free State and Republic.” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 7 July 1922, p. 4)
Immediately after the Battle for Dublin, the country braced itself for further battles and bloodshed. Public events were cancelled. The New Ross Regatta planned for the 12th was postponed indefinitely and the New Ross Agricultural Show was postponed to a later date, because of the “condition of things” (New Ross Standard, Friday 7 July 1922, p. 4). At an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Aonach Tailteann cancelled the event after receiving a telegram that the American Athletic Union decided it was impossible to send athletes to Ireland because of the fighting in Dublin. (Munster Express, Sat. 15 July 1922, p. 5)
Local Events
On Friday the 30th of June, Free State troops arrived in Mullinavant and took over the barracks which had been in the possession of the Republicans. The Free State troops gathered up all arms and equipment in the barracks and left. Later a group of Republicans returned to Mullinavat and resident’s homes were smashed and Mr. Nealson, N.T. was shot in his home. As a result of these actions Free State troops again came from Kilkenny City and arrested Pat Aylward, of Knockmoylan and Richard Kenneally of Ballynooney. It was also reported that the main road between Waterford and Kilkenny was blocked by felled trees.
Employing the same techniques used against the Black and Tans the Anti-Treaty forces cut telegraph wires and stopped telegraphic communications between Waterford, Cork, Dublin and London. Five railway bridges between Dublin and Belfast were blown up causing the suspension of railway traffic between the cities. (Munster Express, Sat. 15 July 1922, p. 5) English newspapers arriving at New Ross railway station on Wednesday, were seized by the IRA, taken away and burned. (New Ross Standard, Fri. 7 July 1922, p. 6)
An Executive Forces soldier named Duggan, a native of Cork, was admitted to Waterford Infirmary suffering from a bullet wound to his thigh. It appears that Volunteer Duggan, with two others, went to the house of H.R. Hamilton, estate agent, on Sunday night to seek billets for their company. They were fired upon as they approached the house. Hamilton was placed under arrest. (Munster Express, Sat. 15 July 1922, p. 5)
Aylwardstown Bridge Blown Up
The resumption of train services announced on Wednesday, the 20th of July, on the D.S.E. Railway between Waterford and Dublin was short lived. On Thursday a small bridge near Aylwardstown, Glenmore at the Waterford side of Glenmore was blown up.
“A large party of linesmen was immediately despatched from New Ross to effect the necessary repairs, but discovered in time that the bridge had been not only badly damaged but mined. In consequence of the discovery of this veritable death trap they were unable to carry out the work of restoring the bridge to a workable condition, and were compelled to return to New Ross. Technical experts were sent from the latter town for the purpose of disconnecting and removing the mines. The Dublin dailies, which had been sent by this route, were conveyed to Waterford by motor, arriving at 3:30 p.m.” (Munster Express, Sat. 22 July 1922, p. 5)
Michael Gaule of Glenmore
“Shot at Waterford—Following a search carried out by members of the Kilmacow (Co. Kilkenny) IRA on Saturday morning, in consequence of a robbery that had been committed in the district during the night, a man named Michael Gaule, Glenmore, was shot in the chest, and had to be removed to the Waterford Infirmary.”
“Gaule and two companions were found by the IRA search party lying asleep on the railway siding at a place called Milltown, and on awakening it is alleged that Gaule jumped up, grasped the lanyard of one of the IRA men’s revolver, and endeavoured to snatch the weapon from him. A shot was discharged, and Gaule fell wounded. At the Infirmary it was learned that the wound was a very serious one, but hopes were entertained for the injured man’s recovery.” (Irish Weekly and Ulster Examiner, Sat. 15 July 1922, p. 5)
In our next post we will highlight the July 1922 siege of Waterford City.
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com. The featured photo above is the Aylwardstown, Glenmore railway station.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Ballybrahee, Glenmore (1961)
Today, we are going to feature information that Danny Dowling recorded regarding the residents of the townland of Ballybrahee around 1961. The Irish for this townland, according to Kelly’s, The Place Names of the County of Kilkenny (1969, p. 109) is Baile Bhrachaidhe, which translates to Broughy’s homestead. Ballybrahee or Ballybrahy is in the old civil parish or DED of Kilcoan. There are 160 acres in this townland.
In the 1833 Griffith’s Valuation Applotment Records the townland had eight tenants: Martin Sullivan (42 acres); Michael Murphy (15 acres); Walter Grant (15 acres); Widow Walsh (6 acres); Patrick Kierivan (31 acres); Edmond Walsh (3 acres); James Freeman (house) and John Sullivan (13 acres).
Danny Dowling, 130 years later, in 1961 recorded 3 families or households in Ballybrahee. 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. No such entries are found in this townland. The recorded information reveals that in 1961, 21 people resided in Ballybrahee with the population comprised of 9 males and 12 females. The Hoynes family was the largest family with eleven members in the household. There were no households recorded of a single person living alone.
Recorded Residents
Males= 9
Females= 12
Eldest Recorded Resident= Kathleen Hoynes (1917-2018). Kathleen was 44 in 1961. For further information on Kathleen Hoynes (1917-2018), a Glenmore centenarian, see our previous post of 19 September 2021.
Recorded Work
Farmers = 3 (3 males) No other occupations are recorded.
BALLYBRAHEE, GLENMORE RESIDENTS
[1] HOYNES
Hoynes, Philip (b. 1918) Farmer
Hoynes, Kathleen (b. 1917) wife
Hoynes, Michael, son
Hoynes, Mary, daughter
Hoynes, Brigid, daughter
Hoynes, Anna, daughter
Hoynes, Gerard, son
Hoynes, Margaret, daughter
Hoynes, John, son
Hoynes, Carmel, daughter
Hoynes, Rita, daughter
[2] WALSH
Walsh, Patrick (b. 1921) Farmer
Walsh, Margaret, wife
Walsh, Theresa, daughter
Walsh, Martin, son
Walsh, Luke Bernard, son
[3] MURPHY
Murphy, Luke, Farmer
Murphy, Alice, wife
Murphy, Ellen, daughter
Murphy, Daniel, son
Murphy, Margaret, daughter
For further information on Luke Murphy (c. 1927-2003) see our previous post of 15 August 2021.
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Glenmore Postmistress: Alice Ryan née Cody (1918-2009) [Updated]
A frustration that Danny Dowling (1927-2021) often articulated was that his work was misquoted in newspapers. When we were working on the article regarding the Glenmore post offices in 2019, Danny spoke of how he put together a history of the Glenmore post office for a retirement celebration and two of the newspapers that covered the retirement got the history wrong. He worried that this wrong information published in the newspapers would mislead. This week we are featuring Glenmore Postmistress Alice Ryan née Cody (1918-2009) and the newspapers articles that frustrated Danny.
See our previous article of 24 November 2019 entitled “The Glenmore Post Office Its Rise and Demise” that identifies all four of the Glenmore Post Offices from 1870-2018).
Alice Ryan’s Parents
Alice Ryan née Cody (1918-2009) was the daughter of John Cody (1878-1957) and his wife Alice nee Cody (1874-1957) (Cody Headstone, St. James’ Cemetery, Glenmore). Her parents were married in Glenmore on 18 February 1901. John, the groom, was a labourer and his address was recorded as Glenmore. The bride Alice Coady (sic) was a servant, with an address recorded as Ballyverneen. John the groom, was the son of John Coady (deceased, labourer) and Alice was the daughter of Patrick Coady (deceased, carpenter). The witnesses were Patrick Forristal and Johanna Coady.
According to the Glenmore Parish records Alice Coady née Coady was born on 23 February 1874 at Ballycroney, Glenmore the daughter of Patrick Coady and his wife, Catherine Long. Her husband, John Coady was born on 24 December 1878 at Graiguenakill the son of John Coady (farm labourer) and Catherine Butler.
1901 Census Glenmore
Alice Ryan’s parents, according to the 1901 Census, began their married life living in a 3 room house in Milltown that they rented from Thomas Forrestal. John’s age was recorded as 22 in the 1901 Census while Alice’s age was recorded as 27.
At the time John and Alice Cody were married, John’s widowed mother Catherine Cody (age 45) was living in Glenmore Village (Graiguenakill Townland) with 7 of her children: Maria (age 19); Thomas (age 16); Bridget (age 12); Ellie (age 10); Stasia (age 8); Nicholas (age 4); and Richard (age 3).
Also present in the four room house were six boarders: Laurence Curran, of Co. Carlow (age 30); William Murphy, of Co. Wexford (age 60); John Kiely, of Co. Waterford (age 29); Mike Bearley of Co. Wexford (age 44); Peter Trainor, from Tipperary (age 40) and Richard Burke, from Co. Kilkenny (age 36). All of the boarders were single and worked as navvys (sic) (railway labourers).
Thus, there were 14 people living in this four room house in 1901. The house was in Catherine Cody’s name in the census (no landlord was recorded). Maria Cody (age 19) was working as a farm servant and interestingly Thomas Cody (age 16) was employed as a “post boy.”
1911 Census Glenmore
The 1911 census reveals that John and Alice Cody were residing in Graiguenakill (Glenmore Village) in a three room house with their two children; Pat (age 8) and Kate (age 4). Also present in the home were three of John’s siblings, Nicholas Cody (age 15), Richard Cody (age 13) and Johanna Cody (age 33). Also present is John’s nephew, John Cody (age 4). Thus, in 1911 eight persons were living in the 3 room house that was in John’s name (no landlord was recorded). It is assumed that John’s mother died and he and his family moved to Glenmore Village, however, it is not clear how the house went from 4 rooms in the 1901 census to 3 rooms in 1911.
John and Alice Ryan
According to Danny’s notes Alice Ryan née Cody was born on 30 September 1918. Unfortunately, her birth is just outside the available public records, but it does line up with the information recorded on the Cody headstone. Alice married John Ryan sometime in the mid 1950’s. According to Danny’s notes, John Ryan was born on 7 Sept. 1922 and was employed at Clover Meats. Shortly after John and Alice Ryan were married both of Alice Ryan’s parents died within a few months of each other in 1957. John and Alice Ryan had at least three children Mary Ryan, John Ryan and James Ryan.
Post Mistress
The New Ross Standard (Thursday 3 June 1993, p. 15) published an article in 1993 entitled “Alice was at her Post for Over 40 Years.” Corrections or comments not original to the article are placed in square brackets [ ]. It was noted that Alice spent about twenty of her forty year service in the employment of the Cluskey family, who had been operating the post office from the early days. Alice was the postmistress in her own right and in her own house from 1974. [We know that the second post office was located in Fluskey’s shop. The name Cluskey is obviously a typographical error.]
New Ross Standard
The article provides that Alice received from the people of the parish of Glenmore a beautiful Waterford Crystal table lamp to mark her retirement. It was presented to her by Father Dunphy who thanked her for her service to the community and wished her many years of happy retirement.
“Local historian, Danny Dowling … gave the interesting background to the post office system in Ireland. He referred back to the mid-80’s [this should be the mid 1800’s] when letter writing [by the masses] first began and recalled that no envelope, or stamp was used, but the open letter was conveyed by a courier. He [the courier] was paid by the sender and the charge was in keeping with the length of the letter. The gummed envelope and stamp came into being later, as did the post office, the postmaster/mistress and the postmen. “
“The first post office in Glenmore was run by Robert Fluskey whose son, James, took over in 1929. [The first postmaster in Glenmore was actually a retired RIC Officer named Powell. The first post office was opened around 1870. Robert Fluskey was the second postmaster]. The first postman employed was Edward Kehoe, Aylwardstown, who had to deliver letters on foot throughout the parish of Glenmore. A second postman was later appointed and the deliverymen were supplied with bicycles. Danny Dowling said that the post office had always been the centre of the community and he felt it would be a sad day if the present system was ever terminated.”
Alice thanked the speakers and said that she would treasure the presentation from the community. The evening concluded with song, music and dance. Joan Doyle performed step dancing and the ICA performed set dances. Music was provided by John and Liam Doyle.
The Kilkenny People
The Kilkenny People (Friday 4 June 1993, p. 11) also covered the event but added a few more details. For example, Alice actually retired in March 1993, her father John Cody was one of two post men and “Mr. Danny Dowling said that the Post offices had a busy time today with old age pensioners, children’s allowances and many other duties. It would be a sad day for the community if this system was abolished, he added.” The Kilkenny People article states that John Cody worked with Jim Power, Robinstown. This newspaper also made some errors. It wrongly stated that “Glenmore’s first post office opened in 1929 and was in the name of Edward Kehoe and his son James.” [Edward “Ned” Kehoe was never the postmaster and did not have any chidren.]
In addition to Alice Ryan and her father John Cody working for the postal service, thanks to the 1901 Census we also know that Alice Ryan’s uncle, Thomas Ryan, while a teenager, worked as a “post boy.”
John Ryan died in November 2003 and was buried in St. Mullins, Co. Carlow. Alice Ryan née Cody died on 14 October 2009 at the age of 91 and is buried in the Cody family grave, St. James’ Glenmore.
The featured photo above is from an old postcard of Glenmore Village. The second post office (Fluskey’s) is the tallest building on the right. The third post office (Ryan’s) was located on the left in the line of attached houses across from the pub. It was the second house from the corner near where the two people in the photo are standing. The post card has a caption “Glenmore, Waterford” which was the mailing address for much of the parish for many years.
Please send corrections, further information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
UPDATE
5 July 2022: Thanks to two readers we have further information concerning two of Alice’s sisters. In the 1911 Census, Katie Cody was four years of age and was the eldest of the sisters. Catherine “Katie” Cody (c. 1907-1973) married Thomas Walsh (c. 1905-1988) of Parkareid, Kilmacow. Another sister, Mary Ann Cody married Thomas Desmond of Slieverue. For over 40 years Thomas owned and operated Desmond Garage of Slieverue, the first local garage outside of Waterford City. Prior to their marriages both Katie and Mary Ann worked at Power Seeds of O’Connell Street, Waterford. Mary Ann Desmond née Cody’s obituary has been placed on the family pages under Desmond.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh