Glenmore Co. Kilkenny
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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
The Legend of Biddy Neddy Doolan née Cody (1831-1916) [Updated]
The following account or accounts was primarily obtained from the Wexford People newspaper of 11 August 1880. On 9 August 1880, a twenty-one year old newly qualified solicitor named Charles Boyd died from a gunshot wound he received the previous afternoon as he travelled in a horse drawn car with his father, brother and cousin to visit a farm near Glenmore. The father of the slain man was Thomas Boyd who immediately announced that the attack on his family was an agrarian outrage. He had purchased the lands of Shanbogh in about 1870, moved into Chilcomb House, in Rosbercon and raised the rents of some of the tenants. Thomas Boyd was approximately 60 years of age in 1880, a solicitor with a good practice in New Ross. He owned a considerable amount of property extending from his home almost two miles down the river. The newspaper reported that he was a Sessional Crown Solicitor for the county and was also Crown Prosecutor for County Tipperary.
Within a day or two of the shooting eight people, all from the area, were arrested for the murder of Charles Boyd, including siblings John, Michael and Anastatia Whelan; their cousins Walter Whelan and James Holden; and their brother-in-law Thomas Murphy. Two workmen Patrick Thompson and James Power were also arrested. The prisoners were remanded and conveyed to Kilkenny jail. In a future post we will examine the newspaper accounts of the murder itself and the murder trial, but today we would like to highlight the gossip that was freely reported in local as well as national newspapers concerning the attack being motivated by J.T. Evans Boyd’s maltreatment of the Widow Doolan known in Glenmore as Biddy Neddy. Biddy Neddy was a member of the Neddy Cody family of Ballycroney, Glenmore.
There is much confusion within the Wexford People (11 Aug. 1880, p. 5) with the Freeman’s Correspondent noting that there were all sorts of rumours as to the cause of the outrage, the most popular being that “Mr. Boyd had a dispute with a widow named Doolan.” The Freeman Correspondent then went on to directly link Thomas Boyd (the father) to the dispute with the WIdow Doolan. On the same page the Wexford People’s correspondent linked the dispute to J.T. Evans Boyd. James Murphy in his book Rosbercon Parish: A History in Song and Story (2000), covers the murder, but fails to make any mention of the Widow Doolan. It is alleged in the book that three men from TIpperary mistakenly killed Charles Boyd instead of his brother Evans who had molested in Tipperary one of their female relatives (p. 327). Unfortunately no references are provided, so the source of this allegation is not known.
Biddy Neddy became something of a local legend for refusing to abandon her farm in the face of a wealthy man, who was not her landlord, attempting to take over and push her out. Armed with a gun she fired shots over the heads of the herd he placed on her land and drove them from her farm (Bartley Holden interview 1974). When bailiff’s threatened to arrest her people from all over the parish turned out to support Biddy Neddy. These events took place just weeks before the first Glenmore meeting of the Land League and days before the murder of Charles Boyd. For information on the formation of the Land League and the Ballyfacey Eviction riots of 1885 see our previous post of 8 March 2020.
The following appeared in the Wexford People, on Wednesday the 11th August 1880 ( p. 5).
“The cause of the murder of Charles Boyd is said to be agrarian, although it has been freely hinted that there were other reasons for the attack. The following may, perhaps, throw some light upon the subject…”
Rumours reached New Ross on Saturday of an active dispute about land between Mr. J. T. Evans Boyd and a widow named Doolan, residing at Jamestown, about 3 miles from New Ross. “Wishing to ascertain the exact state of affairs” the Wexford People sent a “Special reporter” to the residence of Mrs. Doolan. Why was the newspaper interested, before the murder, concerning the dispute between Boyd and the Biddy Neddy? Boyd was not the landlord of Biddy Neddy’s holding in Jamestown. According to the newspaper, Boyd’s account was that 2 or 3 years previously the Widow Biddy Neddy Doolan found it difficult to pay her rent, and Boyd advanced the money. To cover the advance it was arranged that Boyd put some cattle on the Doolan farm to graze. Boyd alleged, according to the newspaper that a dispute arose as to amount to be paid for the grazing. Cattle that Boyd had put on the farm were driven out.
The reporter proceeded on Sunday morning, the 8th of August, the day of the attack on the Boyd family, along the old road and noted that it was in a terrible dilapidated state. After he crossed a broken down bridge over a little stream which divided Shanbogh, the townland owned by Boyd, from Jamestown, and from the top of a hill gained a view of the comfortable looking homestead of the Widow Doolan, girthed by a profusion of poplars and sycamores. He followed the path to the house and found on closer inspection…”the place wore an aspect of listlessness almost bordering on despair…” Biddy Neddy Doolan was at Mass in Glenmore, so the reporter waited. When Biddy Neddy returned from Mass she provided information concerning her side of the dispute.
“The Rev. John Lymbery, of Fethard Castle, Countv Wexford, is my landlord, and Mr. Henry Mackesy, of Waterford, his agent. This farm was taken by my husband’s brother, Daniel Doolan, in the year of the bad times (1848 probably), and I have been living in it with my husband, Patrick Doolan, since the 8th day of July, 1856.” The couple were married on that day in Glenmore church. “His death occurred about 13 years ago. There were originally 65 acres in the farm, but about three years after my husband’s death I lost the eight acres in Ballycroney. I was £100 in arrears with my landlord shortly after my husband died, but the landlord allowed me to pay it back by annual instalments of £5 each, which was added to the yearly rent, making it £7O, instead of £65. A few years ago, Mr. Evans Boyd came to me and asked to buy some straw which I had for sale. He asked me what I was going to do now, and when I said that I did not know, remarked that it was a pity that I should lose such a fine property. He said it was a great shame that I should be robbed by those Yankees, (meaning a man who had married my daughter, and who had been in Australia for some time). Mr. Boyd then said he would stand by us. This was in February, 1879. In the latter end of that month Mr. Boyd went to the agent and paid half a year’s rent £32 10s, but he got full value for that in grass, as my landlord, the Rev. Mr. Lymbery, told me. He sent 84 sheep, 29 heifers and some cows to graze on the land, from May till October, and they remained there off and on; he changed them according as he desired. He then paid a full year’s rent for 1879. For this we paid himself with five acres of hay in July, five and-a-half acres of corn—barley and oats—of my own sowing, two sows with eight bonhams each… and a yearling heifer valued at £4, which he took to my disadvantage, as if the animal remained with me I would have got twice that amount for it.”
Biddy Neddy went on to state that Boyd, apparently not happy with the grazing and the animals he took also removed two ploughs and a harrow, which deprived Biddy Neddy of the ability to till her land. Additionally, two cars and the horse tackling were removed. Biddy Neddy stated, “for the loss of which I could not go to mass, fair or market… He would never give me any reason for taking them. My own horses helped along with his horses, to till the land—even to the drawing of the manure. He then wanted me to sell the horses off the land. I did not know it then but I know it now very well that the whole thing was managed to get me out of the place—and off to America or Zululand. He gave us flour and meal, but we earned it by our own labour on the land, and we were sometimes almost cases for doctor’s treatment before he would give it to us, so much so that only for the kindness of the neighbours in lending us meal, we would have starved.”
“He said that Ireland, England, Scotland, Waterford or Dublin would not hold me, that I should go to America… He wanted to get rid of me altogether, but I would not go… He told [my daughter Brigid] on the 28th June that if myself, my son Daniel and my daughter Ellen went to America, he would get Bridget a situation in a friend’s house, and would at the end of two years, either give her up the farm or £100.”
“Last Friday week he sent up one of his workmen with the cattle. I told the man that he (Mr. Boyd) had plenty out of my place now, and that neither himself or his cattle would come in here again. …A man came next day. When I asked him for his authority he said he had none, but that he would put the cattle in there in spite of me. I drove the cattle out on Sunday morning, and sent my son and daughter with them. On Monday, Hammond, the bailiff, came for a settlement, and said he would seize on a cow of my own which I had here unless Mr. Boyd’s cattle were allowed to remain. I then asked him for his authority which he said he would get and that he would put me in jail… On Tuesday they brought in the cattle in spite of us and left bailiffs to watch them night and day, but although some men searched the place for them that night they could not be found. Mr. Evans came on Tuesday while I was in town, and asked my daughter Bridget what sort of d—n hum-bugging this was (refusing to allow the cattle in)… my daughter Bridget told him that the row was all because he wanted me to go to America…Then Hammond and four more bailiffs came on Thursday, and pretending to have authority, began to pull down the fence, and said the cattle would now go in. Bridget asked him to show his legal authority, and he said he would. He pulled a paper out of his pocket, but would not give it to her to read. She then asked him if he would give her a copy of it, but he excused himself by saying that he had no pencil and paper to write the copy, although she ran into a neighbouring house and got both pen and paper, he refused to give her a copy. There were a few of the neighbours present on this occasion, and they kept Hammond and the rest off the ground. When be saw he could not get in that day he told the people he would come next day with a lot more police, bailiffs, and the whole town of Ross, and get in in spite of us.”
“The very next day (Friday) sure the country side came to the place, armed with pitchforks, scythes, sticks, and other weapons, but the bailiffs did not put in an appearance, and have never meddled with me since.” Biddy Neddy opined that Boyd got double if not treble the amount which he paid on her account. At the end of her “graphic narration” Biddy Neddy concluded that she would prefer to have her life down upon the threshold of her own homestead, than to accept any remuneration whatever, and be banished from her native country.
With the parish register we were able to verify that Patrick Dowling married Bridget Coady of Ballycroney at Glenmore on 7 July 1856. Bridget was baptized at Glenmore on 18 September 1831 at Ballycroney. Her parents were Edmund Cody and Mary Cody née Kirwan. Patrick Dowling and his wife Biddy Neddy had six known children: [1] Edmund Dowling, bapt. 19 April 1857; [2] Mary Dowling bapt. 8 Sept. 1858 bapt. (record lists her mother as Margaret Coady (sic); [3] Bridget Dowling, b. 6 January 1860; [4] Margaret Dowling, b. 2 September 1861; [5] Daniel Dowling, b. 21 Dec. 1862 and [6] Ellen Dowling, b. 9 February 1865.
Although Biddy Neddy stated that her husband Patrick Dowling died 13 years before her confrontation with Boyd over the grazing of her farm, no death certificate could be found for 1867 which is about the time public records began to be kept.
In terms of the Yankee who Evans Boyd referenced who married Biddy Neddy’s daughter, the Glenmore parish records reveal that Mary Dowling married Edward Mullally on 4 March 1878.. The Civil records reveal that Edward was a farmer and the son of Edward Mullally of Ballykenna. On 1 Feb. 1879 Edward Mullally and Mary Mullally, née Dowling had a son they named Edward Mullally who was baptized at Jamestown. No death records could be located for Edward or his wife, or any further children. It is believed that the couple with their young son emigrated as stated in the account of Biddy Neddy in the Wexford People.
Biddy Neddy died at the age of 85 on 17 April 1916 at her home in Jamestown that she refused to leave in 1880. Her son Daniel Dowling was present at her death. She was buried in Ballygurrim Graveyard. Her son, Daniel Dowling was the paternal grandfather of our founder Danny Dowling (1927-2021).
The feature photo is the gable end of the Ballygurrim Church ruins. The photo was taken in 2020.
Special thanks to Adam Cashin for correcting the confusion over the names of the Boyd men. [Updated and corrected 15 Nov. 2021]. Please send any further information or corrections to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Bittersweet Blog Milestone
Today, as we celebrate the second anniversary of Glenmore-History.com we are happy to announce that the blog has had 100,285 views and 25,298 visitors to the site. This post represents the 160th post. These milestones are a bit bittersweet because our founder Danny Dowling (1927-2021) is no longer physically with us to marvel at how far and wide his work has spread since 3 November 2019.
Over the past year we began posting on facebook because many readers could not, or had difficulty, accessing the blog website itself. Several photos that appeared and were shared on facebook have not been featured on the blog site and are included below to share with readers who aren’t on facebook. In addition to the blog posts we continue to add content to the website pages (obits, memory cards, articles by guest authors etc.) and update older posts with new information and photos that readers send in. We were delighted to share a link to Danny’s appearance on the Canadian programme Land and Sea and understand that Danny’s book on the Streets of Waterford is going to be featured at Eigse Slieverue this year. As more details become known about Eigse Slieverue we will share them.
Thanks to each and every person who has helped grow Glenmore-History.com, and we remain committed to Danny’s firmly held conviction that historical records should be freely accessible to allow individuals to discover their roots.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
The feature photo above is Danny Dowling taken in 2020 at one of the Glenmore-History.com meetings. The group photo of the family of Edward & Mary Roche (née Forristal, the Mill), of the High Road, Rathinure, Glenmore, was shared by Marian Coady Hendrick. The photos from c. 1905 of Glenmore Village and the Churns road were shared by Salvator Mundi. The photo of Danny’s brother and sister-in-law, Pat and Mary Dowling (28 October 1967) of Cappagh, Glenmore was shared by their grandson Paraic Dowling. The photo of New Ross’s longest married couple, Glenmore native Patrick Condon (1898-1989) and Johanna Condon née Henneberry (married 1927) was shared by their son Frank Condon as well the photo of Kitty Murphy née Walsh, of Mullinahone, Glenmore. Other photos have been added to the original post.
Local Accounts of Body Snatching
Long before newspapers became available on the internet to search, Danny Dowling (1927-2021) spent a considerable amount of time in libraries reading old local newspapers in his quest for information on Glenmore. Often when Danny would come across an article that he found interesting he would make a notation in his notebook recording the newspaper, date and page. Below are excerpts from several articles that Danny collected on body snatching, resurrectionists or as the Waterford Mail newspaper dubbed them the “sack-em ups.”
It is well documented that in the 18th and 19th centuries medical institutions in order to teach anatomy to medical students required fresh cadavers. Unfortunately, the majority of bodies that could be obtained legally were those of executed criminals. The demand by medical institutions far exceeded the supply. Doctors resorted to paying for “illegal” fresh cadavers without asking how the cadaver was obtained. While medical students and professional body snatchers worked at night in nearby grave yards digging up corpses two Irishmen living in Edinburgh, Scotland, hit upon a labour saving plan. William Burke and William Hare, obtained the freshest cadavers because they resorted to killing others who lived in their boarding house. William Burke (1792-1829) was hanged in January 1829 for his role in murdering and selling the bodies of 16 people over a 12 month period. Ironically Burke’s body was given to the medical institution where he sold his victims. These events led to the Anatomy Act of 1832, that increased the means of legally obtained cadavers. Now the bodies of the poor, such as those dying unclaimed in hospitals, workhouses, and prisons could now legally be taken for dissection. This legislation does not appear to have stopped the trade.
In November 1833, the Waterford Mail newspaper under a headline “Resurrectionists in Waterford,” reported that a woman named Johanna Power, was interred the previous week a few miles from town. “From the unusual circumstances of two medical young gentlemen driving into town in a peculiar kind of vehicle, long after midnight on Tuesday morning, some suspicion about the resurrection of the body were excited, and a search being accordingly instituted, the remains of poor Johanna were found entombed within a sack, on the upper floor of a store in Michael Street.” After the discovery, the body of the old woman was recommitted to the earth, in what the newspaper stated was “a much decent coffin and attended by a much larger funeral than before.”
“But curiosity was still at work to find out the “Sack-em ups,” and from a combination of circumstances with which we are not acquainted, suspicion at last settled upon the Messrs. Kenney.” In what was a resurrectionist riot, “a large mob rushed down towards the cross accordingly, about noon, on Thursday, and broke the shop windows of these gentlemen, and it was evident that the rioters would have proceeded to an attack of a more violent nature, but for the timely presence of the Mayor and constables. A party of soldiers were ordered from the barracks, but the rioters were nearly dispersed before they arrived.” Mr. Kenney’s shop remained closed, as it was feared that the mob would repeat the attack (Waterford Mail, Sat. 16 Nov. 1833, p. 2).
The problem appeared to be much worse in the Dublin area. The Waterford Mail also reported in 1833 that in Mark’s church yard “the resurrectionists raised no less than seven bodies in all, succeeded in taking away five, and left two more exposed behind them” (Waterford Mail, Sat. 9 Feb. 1933, p. 1). In December the church yard of Monkstown was entered and several graves opened with the grave clothes and coffins left scatted about the Church yard (Waterford Mail, Sat. 21 Dec. 1833, p. 4). In 1834, two resurrectionists were shot in the Rathfornham churchyard while attempting to disinter the body of a lady. The shootings were reported to the Rathfarnham police when a servant of Baron Smith reported that there was a wounded man lying in his master’s lawn. The wounded man gracing the lawn was Christopher Carney who told the police that he and two men named Dighan and Hanbury were in the Rathfarnham Church yard at 3 a.m. When they were digging into the grave two shots were fired from the watch house attached to the Church yard. Carney was wounded in the thigh and abdomen and Hanbury’s arm was broken. The police subsequently arrested James Hughes and Anthony Neil, the men who shot the resurrectionists. Hughes and Neil had been placed as guards to protect the grave of the lady. A search of the grave yard revealed that the resurrectionists had a loaded pistol with their tools (Kerry Evening Post, Sat. 4 Jan. 1834, p. 2).
After the 1830’s very little was reported in local newspapers concerning the trade. However, in 1859 a news item from the Cincinnati Gazette was published under the headline, “A Man Hung by a Corpse.” “A body snatcher who had stolen a corpse from a graveyard in the neighbourhood of that city” placed the corpse in a bag. He closed the bag with a cord which he placed around his shoulder. While attempting to climb over a high fence, the corpse fell on one side of the fence and the body snatcher on the other. The cord slipped around the body snatcher’s throat and he was choked to death (Wexford People, Sat. 26 March 1859, p. 3).
The Waterford Mirror and Tramore Visitor, published an article in 1865 concerning a related trade on the Thames. “Every night throughout the year boats start on an unholy mission. Men live by fishing for corpses. This ghastly trade is at least as profitable as regular labour…” It was noted that often there was a reward for the recovery of a corpse offered for the body by a friend or legal representative of the deceased. Also, there were sometimes valuables or money in the pockets of the deceased. However, at the very least the coroner paid six shillings for every corpse brought to him. It was alleged that after stealing the money or valuables the corpse was usually slipped back into the river to enable another man to claim the six shillings. Although it was alleged that the Thames Police took prompt charge of all bodies that they see there were not enough boats or men to cover the river. London Express. (Waterford Mirror and Tramore Visitor, Wed. 6 Sept. 1865, p. 4).
In 1890, the Waterford Standard published an article announcing, or perhaps warning readers, that luminous harness had been patented. A horse being driven at night “looks like a sheet of lightening. There are luminous match boxes, and luminous ghosts to scare away grave robbers. After every great grave robbery metallic coffins come in by the score…” “one coffin surrounded by bars of wrought iron, binding the casket and extending out from it at such a distance that when set in the earth it would be impossible to move it except by derrick” (Waterford Standard, Sat. 30 August 1890, p. 4). It appears obvious that body snatching or grave robbing continued to be a concern locally.
In Glenmore right through the early 20th century, after a funeral the chapel door would be left open and the chief mourners would spend a certain number of nights in the chapel to ensure that the new grave would not be robbed. Nicholas Forristal (1888-1979) of the Mill, Graiguenakill, told Danny that prior to around 1880 a man who lived at the bottom of the “churns” in Glenmore used to dig up a fresh corpse, place the corpse in a large basket in a horse drawn cart, drive the corpse into Waterford and sell it to a doctor who would use the corpse for training new doctors. The man on his return trip from Waterford was said to fill the basket with bread and bring it back to Glenmore. No newspaper report has been found regarding any body snatching or grave robbing occurring in Glenmore in any of the cemeteries. It may have been a fireside story told to entertain the young and based on events that occurred elsewhere and reported in local newspapers. For further information on Glenmore funeral practices see our previous post of 8 December 2019.
The drawing of William Burke above was made by a portrait artist who sat on the jury of the murder trial. Available at
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Burke.jpg.
The featured photo above is the Kilcolumb grave yard taken in 2019 by Louise Walsh.
Please send any additional information or corrections to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Glenmore Ploughing January 1959
Previously in our blog post of 7 March 2021 we highlighted the establishment of the Glenmore Ploughing Association in 1938. Today, we are going to feature three ploughing events that took place in County Kilkenny in January 1959 and the Glenmore men and woman who organised or competed in these events. Although tractors had been available for some time in 1959 the hydraulics were limited to lifting the plough, no power steering, no cabs and no heaters for cold January days. The featured photo is the committee responsible for the competition at Glenmore and are identified in the newspaper photo as: front row, left to right J. Kelly; J. Culleton; P. Fitzgerald; M. Heffernan; W. Grace; and N. Mullins. Back row, left to right—J. Doherty; P. Hynes; T. Aylward; P. Roche; J. Irish; M. Fitzgerald; M. Kirwan; S. Barron; and J. Freyne. The two men in the front row to the far right were not identified. (Munster Express, Fri. 23 Jan. 1959, p. 8).
County Kilkenny Macra na Feirne Ploughing Competition—17 January 1959
Not much was published in the newspapers concerning this event, but it was reported that Thomas Mullally, of Davidstown, Glenmore, was the winner of the Kilkenny Macra na Feirme Ploughing competition at the Racecourse held on Saturday, 17 January 1959. Sixteen entries were received for the competition (Munster Express, Fri. 23 Jan. 1959, p. 8).
County Kilkenny Ploughing Championship, 20 January 1959
The County Ploughing Championship was held in Aylwardstown, Glenmore on the fields of Michael Fitzgerald and James Fitzgerald and Michael Heffernan, of Kearney Bay and James Kelly, of Aylwardstown were the honourable secretaries (Munster Express, Fri. 9 Jan. 1959, p. 5). The advert to the right also provides details concerning the classes as well as entries could be made by phone to “Glenmore 5.” On the appointed day Mr. P. Doyle, Mooncoin, “brought off a treble” when he won the senior title and was awarded the Smithwick and Glenmore Ploughing Association Cups. M. Muldowney, of Kilkenny, was second and Richard Mullally, of Davidstown, Glenmore, the former all Ireland Champion, third (Munster Express, Fri. 23 Jan. 1959, p. 1). There were 36 competitors in the County Championship and Thomas Ryan, of Glenmore came in third in the Novice class while Joseph Walsh (c. 1913-1980) of Rochestown, Glenmore tied for third in the senior horse class with P. Murphy of Piltown. (New Ross Standard, Fri. 23 Jan. 1959, p. 10).
National Ploughing Championship—28-29 January 1959
The two-day National Ploughing Championship as held at Burnchurch, Co. Kilkenny at the end of January 1959. Over 200 entries were received and notwithstanding the fact that there was a heavy snowfall and frost the site of the match was declared “ideal” by contestants (The Cork Examiner, 29 January 1959, p. 8). Glenmore members of the national committee included J. Kelly and T. Mulllly (Irish Independent, 27 Jan. 1959, p. 5).
It was noted prior to the competition that Peggy Mullally, of Davidstown, Glenmore, was the reigning “Queen of the Plough” but she faced stern competition from leading “farmerettes” from several counties (Irish Independent, Wed. 28 Jan. 1959, p. 9). Successful Glenmorians included: Thomas Mullally, of Davidstown, who came in third in the Individual, three furrow class while his sister Peggy Mullally was second in the “Farmerettes’ class” (Irish Independent, Fri. 30 Jan. 1959, p. 4).
Although baking competitions are often found in modern farm shows and ploughing championships, in 1958 wholemeal bread baking competition was introduced at the National Ploughing Championship with a milling twist. Competitors were supplied with a quantity of Irish wheat that the competitor had to grind it in a small mill then bake their bread in electric ovens. This competition continued in 1959 and was sponsored by the National Ploughing Association, the ESB and the Department of Education. (Farmer’s Journal, Sat. 24 Jan 1959, p. 33).
The photo of Joseph Walsh, Richard Mullally and Thomas Mullally were all taken at the County Championship held at Aylwardstown Glenmore on 20 January 1959. All three photos were taken by photographer (c) Simon J. Farrell and appeared in the Munster Express (Fri. 30 Jan. 1959, p. 5).
Special thanks to Michael Hoynes for sharing the group photo of the Committee above. Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Death Comes in Three: 1868 Inquests
In our previous blog of 29 August 2021 we highlighted three Glenmore inquests that took place in 1866. Today, we are going to feature three inquests that were held in 1868 involving the deaths of three men under entirely different circumstances. One died from pneumonia, another from asphyxia, and the third drowned in a well.
John Forrestal (c. 1813-1868) of Carrickcloney, Glenmore
On 18 November 1868 an inquest was held at Carrickcloney on the body of John Forrestal, aged 55. It was reported that the deceased was formerly a farmer who retired from the management of the farm in favour of his younger brother, Thomas Forrestal. Evidence was produced that the deceased had complained of having a pain since the previous week. “No doctor attended him as he said he did not want one. He had had tea and whey, but no medicine. His sister-in-law, Mrs. Thomas Forristal, deposed that she had used some of both the tea and the whey herself, and had not received any bad consequence from it. He took to his bed, in the barn, in which he remained till his death, which took place on Sunday morning. It was given in evidence that the deceased and family lived on good terms. Neither clergyman nor Doctor had seen the man, and he was discovered dead in bed about 10 o’clock, on Monday. A man slept in the barn, and had not been aware of his death.”
Dr. Cane examined the body and testified that the deceased’s death was caused by pneumonia, and that the valves of the heart were also diseased. Dr. Cane went on to explain that “pneumonia is a disease of the lungs, and the death took place from natural causes…there was nothing to indicate poison.” The jury accordingly found a verdict of ” Death from natural causes” (Kilkenny Moderator, Sat. 21 November 1868, p. 3).
For further information concerning the dispensary doctor, James Butler Norris Cane (c. 1840-1906), who was the doctor covering Mullinavat and Glenmore for decades, see our previous blog of 29 April 2020.
Patrick Darmody of Smithstown
On 31 October 1868 the body of Patrick Darmody, a schoolteacher, from Smithstown, was found by a farmer named Walsh dying in a field at Ballynooney half way between Mullinavat and Glanmore (sic). Earlier in the week the deceased had stopped at the farmer’s house. At said time the deceased stated that he was suffering from a sore throat, and had great difficulty in swallowing. He obtained some medicines from a “quack doctor” named Doolan, at Mullinavat. The medicine comprised an internal wash for the throat, and a bottle for external application. Both of the bottles were properly labelled, and the external medicine had a caution on the bottle that it was poison. “The chief object of the inquiry was to ascertain if the man had received injury from the use of either of these prescriptions, or if he could have accidentally used internally that intended for external application. It appeared, however, from testimony adduced, that the deceased had been most careful and cautious in the use of the bottles.”
Dr. James Cane, Mullinavat, examined the body as well as the bottles and testified that the death was due to asphyxia. The deceased had a large abscess on his right parotid gland that pressed on his trachea. He observed that there was no injury on the body caused by the medicines applied or otherwise. On this evidence the jury—of which Mr. William Costello, of Mullinavat was Foreman — arrived at a verdict ‘Death from natural causes’” (Kilkenny Moderator, Wed., 4 Nov. 1868, p. 3).
John Walsh (c. 1833-1868) of Forristalstown, Glenmore
An inquest was held on 12 September 1868 at Forristaltown, near Glanmore (sic) on the body of John Walsh, a farmer’s son, who had been discovered dead in a well adjoining the farm yard, on the previous morning. The coroner’s jury heard that the deceased was going to take a cow to the fair of Ross early the morning in question. When the family got up at the usual time, about six o’clock, the cow was discovered in the field, although John Walsh was not in his room. A search was then made for the deceased, whose body was discovered at the bottom of a well 30 feet deep, head downwards, and even the feet nearly covered with water. “It appeared his sister, Ellen, discovered his coat in his room, and knowing that it had been his habit to go to the well in the morning to raise a bucket of water to wash his person, she went there, and, looking down, saw his feet above the surface. She promptly let herself down by a rope, and shortly, assisted by her cousin, named Edward Doherty, got up the body. The windlass over the well was found out of order, the iron handle, at one end, being out of its place; and it was conjectured that the deceased had lost his balance in consequence of the sudden disarrangement of the machinery and fallen into the well, head foremost. The skull was injured, and it was conjectured it came into contact with the bucket in the fall. The deceased was 35 years old and unmarried.”
Dr. Mullin, of Ross, was summoned by the constable to determine if the injury to the deceased’s head had been inflicted maliciously before death. After examining the deceased’s body Dr. Mullin concluded the head injury was accidental. The jury arrived at a finding that the deceased came to his death by having accidentally fallen into the well (Kilkenny Moderator, Wed. 16 Sept. 1868, p. 3).
Thus, the juries in all three of the 1868 inquests above found that the deaths were accidental although it is understandable, under the circumstances, how each of the deaths needed to be investigated. Each of the inquests gives fascinating insight into the ordinary lives of local people from the man who would not see a doctor, a teacher who relied on a “quack doctor,” to a tragic accident on a fair day and his extraordinary sister finding and retrieving the corpse by climbing down into the well.
The drawing of the well above is older than the wells of the 1860’s and it does not have a windlass. Robert, Hubert (1733-1808). Woman drawing water from a stone well. 1763 – 1764. Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America, http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/90b4e4a4-4c99-1240-e040-e00a180601fd. (Accessed October 21, 2021.)
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh