Ned of the Hill

In August 2020 while we were researching the Champion 1906 Glenmore Football Team a sports journalist that wrote, under the nom de plume Ned of the Hill, for the Munster Express wrote several articles objecting to the unfair treatment of the Glenmore Football team (click here for the football article). In August 2020 Danny Dowling (1927-2021) stated that he thought that Ned of the Hill may have been Edward Walsh (1862 -1946) the proprietor and editor of The Munster Express in 1907. Glenmore and other areas of South Kilkenny featured heavily in The Munster Express in the early years of the twentieth century under Edward Walsh. A column entitled “Glenmore Notes” appeared regularly in the first decade of the century to be eventually replaced by “Echoes from South Kilkenny.” Ned of the Hill, disappeared and returned, in 1922, when Ned of the Hill authored a column entitled “Summer Rambles in the Walsh Mountains” which are located in South Kilkenny. Today, we are going to feature Edward Walsh (1862-1946), his newspaper, and Ned of the Hill

Ned of the Hill

In August 2020 we contacted John O’Connor of The Munster Express who stated that The Munster Express was originally launched as a farmers’ paper and was particularly popular in South Kilkenny. Its founding editor, Joseph Fisher, was very active in the Land League and was a leading member of the Farmers’ Club. Joseph Fisher died in 1882 and his sons took over the business. In 1889, Joseph’s son William, as editor of The Munster Express was jailed for the newspaper’s support for the Land League and its opposition to rack rents. Edward Walsh (1862-1946) purchased the newspaper from the Fisher family.

John O’Connor identified two individuals who may have been Ned of the Hill at various times during the early twentieth century. The first ‘Ned’ identified by John O’Connor was a schoolteacher or school principal, named Edward Walsh, from the Carrickshock and Hugginstown area. John did not know if the schoolteacher, Edward Walsh, was related to the proprietor, Edward Walsh.

The second ‘Ned’ identified by John O’Connor was a Mr. E.V. Drea, a town councilor in Waterford. E.V. Drea’s daughter in the early 1950’s was the subject of a news item in The Munster Express and within there was reference to her deceased father having been ‘Ned.’ (Email from John O’Connor dated 31 Aug. 2020).

For a tradition of Ned of the Hill see Duchas, Éamonn an Chnoic. 

For the Pogue’s rendition of see their You Tube, Young Ned of the Hill.

Glenmore Connection

Danny Dowling recalled that Edward Walsh (1862-1946), although born in Waterford City was related to one or more Glenmore families, but Danny could not recall the details. This past week while going through some of Danny’s voluminous files a copy of an obituary provided one link between Glenmore and Edward Walsh (1862-1946). The Munster Express on 8 February 1908 published an obituary for Mrs. Mary Aylward (c. 1838-1908) of Rochestown, Glenmore. It was reported that in addition to being the wife of James Aylward (c. 1831-1916) “she was the mother to Mr. John Aylward, Arundal Square and to Mr. Bartholmew Aylward, Peter Street, and Michael Street, Waterford, and cousin to Mr. E. Walsh, T.C., Editor and proprietor Munster Express.” Other cousins of the deceased lady listed in her obituary include: John Holden, Edward Cody, John Cody, Thomas Neville, Michael Neville, Thomas O’Meara, Joseph Croke and William O’Neill.  “Amongst those who attended the funeral from Waterford included…E.V. Drea…”

It is not known if Edward Walsh (1862-1946) and Mrs. Mary Aylward (1838-1908) were first or more distant cousins, but it appears from the obituary that the proprietor and editor was making a point including their relationship and other cousins that they presumably shared. Mary Aylward married James Aylward on 12 Feb. 1857 at Rosbercon. The only information that is listed is his address is listed as Ballynock. It is assumed that Mary Aylward née Aylward was from Rosbercon or Glenmore parish very near its border with Rosbercon parish. James Aylward and his wife, Mary Aylward née Aylward had at least twelve known children:

[1] Patrick Aylward (bapt. 24 Jan. 1858); [2] Ellen Aylward (b. 22 June 1859) ; [3] Tobias Aylward (b. 30 Nov. 1860); [4] Catherine Aylward (b. 7 May 1862); [5] John Aylward (b. 10 Feb. 1863); [6] Thomas Aylward (b. 25 May 1865); [7] Bridget Aylward (b. 16 Jan. 1867); [8] James Aylward, (b. 25 Oct. 1868); [9] John Aylward (b. 16 Feb. 1870); [10] James Aylward (bapt. 4 Aug 1872; [11] Michael Aylward (14 April 1874); and [12] Bartholomew Aylward (b. 19 April 1876). Four of the Aylward children had Holden godparents including: Bartholomew Holden, Mary Holden, Catherine Holden and John Holden.

Edward Walsh’s (1862-1946) obituary in The Munster Express (Fri. 12 July 1946, p. 4) provides that he was “…born in Waterford on the 23^rd November 1862, he had reached the ripe age of over 83 years. He was quite active up to a few months ago and enjoyed perfect health throughout his long and eventful public and business life. The youngest of a large family, in the natural sequence of events, he survived them all. Sprung from good old County Kilkenny business, professional and farming stock on both paternal and maternal sides, he was connected with many of the oldest families in the South of Ireland, extending right down to the confluence of the Suir, Nore and Barrow to within a couple miles of, and in view of, his native City of Waterford.”

Parents & Siblings

Edward Walsh (1862-1946) was the son of Patrick Walsh and Catherine Doherty. His parents were married on 6 March 1848 at Trinity Within, Cathedral, Waterford. Unfortunately, the parish records do not provide any information as to the location of their births, the names of their fathers, or their ages. However, the records do reveal that the couple had at least seven children all baptized at Trinity Within, Cathedral, Waterford including: [1] John Walsh (bapt. 28 May 1850); [2] Joseph Walsh (bapt. 22 Aug. 1851); [3] Joseph Walsh (bapt. 27 Feb. 1853); [4] Ann Walsh (bapt 6 Nov. 1854); [5] Joanna Walsh (bapt. 3 March 1856); [6] Brigid Walsh (bapt. 7 Feb. 1858) and [7] Edward Walsh (bapt. 23 Nov. 1862). In 1854, Ann’s godfather was Joseph Doherty which may aid in discovering the location of Catherine Walsh née Doherty’s birth.

Edward Walsh (1862-1946)

Although his obituary takes up nearly a page of The Munster Express ( Fri. 12 July 1946, p. 4) very little is revealed concerning his early life in Waterford City. From the 1901 Census it is known that he was married to Margaret (c. 1865-1935) (née Power). The couple were living at 15 Peter Street, Waterford in a class 2 house comprised of 9 rooms with 5 windows across the front and one outbuilding. Edward’s profession is listed as Master Cork Manufacturer. It is assumed that he plied his trade from the outbuilding. Edward could read and write Irish. The census records that six children are in the household from 9 to 2 months of age. Also present in the home is his brother-in-law William Power, aged 45, who is married and employed as the clerk of the R.C. Cathedral. All the family except Margaret and her brother William Power were born in Waterford City. Margaret and William Power were born in Co. Waterford. By 1911 the family had moved to 6 Hanover Street, Waterford. Edward is 48 year of age and the proprietor of a newspaper. He and Margaret had been married for 21 years and had 10 children but only 8 were living in 1911. William Power, aged 59 is still with the family and still employed at the Cathedral. Two sons were employed at the newspaper, Patrick (aged 19) as a journalist and Edward (aged 16) as a printer. The house was a 12 room first class house occupied by 10 people.

In addition to losing two children under the age of 2, Edward and Margaret lost two adult sons within a period of three months. William “Willie” Walsh, aged 21, died on 26 October 1921 at 37 The Quay, Waterford of TB. He was under medical care for 18 months and his profession was listed as printer (Waterford Death Register). Three months later on 27 January 1922, John Walsh, aged 22, died of meningitis after a severe attack of influenza. At the time of his death John was employed at the National Bank of Cahir and previously had been in their Wexford Branch (New Ross Standard, 3 Feb. 1922, p. 5).

In addition to running and editing The Munster Express, Edward Walsh was also involved in Waterford politics, was a staunch Nationalist and supported a number of charities. He twice served as Mayor of Waterford and also served as the High Sheriff. It was reported that 30 years prior to his death (c. 1916) he was offered a knighthood, but he declined it because there was not an All Ireland Parliament functioning in Dublin. He was a life master of the Holy Ghost Hospital, Waterford; President of St. Joseph’s Young Priests Society, Waterford and President of the Cathedral Confraternity; Director of the Tourist Association; and served on the Waterford Corporation for 40 years. He also served as a member of the governing bodies of Dublin and Cork University Colleges. In recognition for his services in the cause of Irish Nationalism he was presented with a plaque of Daniel O’Connell by Isaac Butt (Irish Press, Wed. 10 July 1946, p. 4). Resolutions of Sympathy were extended after his death to his family by Glenmore Comhaire Ceanntair, Fianna Fáil (Irish Press, Thurs. 1 Aug. 1946, p. 9.)

We hope that one or more readers may be able to shed some more light on the connections between Edward Walsh and his Glenmore and South Kilkenny connections.

Special thanks to John O’Connor and Liam Murphy for information they provided.

Please send any correction or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh