Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland

River Barrow

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One Hundred Years Ago: July 1923

By July 1923 the Irish Civil War was over and local newspapers adopted an attitude of getting back to “normal.” With fewer atrocities to report articles concerning the issues plaguing the fledgling Free State Government often took centre stage with human interest stories appearing as filler. The coverage of crime was often related to land issues or was of a more petty nature. Today, we feature articles that appeared in local newspapers that Glenmore people would have read and discussed one hundred years ago.

Issues Facing the Free State Government

The unresolved issues that plagued the fledgling Free State Government included housing, the land question, industrial strife and what to do with the Civil War prisoners.

Housing

With respect to the housing issue, the New Ross Standard (Fri. 13 July 1923, p. 3) suggested a solution that had just been adopted in France. The newspaper claimed that its readers had expressed agreement with proposed French legislation that they believed could tackle the Irish housing crisis. Under the French initiative owners of vacant houses were compelled to keep authorities notified when their houses were vacant. The Mayor of every town received the power to requisition the vacant houses and let them at normal rents, thereby preventing houses from being unreasonably withheld from the public.

The Verdicts in the Shanbogh Land Cases

The thorny issue of how to recognise the right to private ownership of land and at the same time recognise the rights of tenants resulted in several high-profile cases. One of these cases that garnered national attention was the Shanbogh Land case. The verdicts in the Shanbogh Land case were published in July 1923.

Grace v. Holden et al

As we highlighted in our post of 24 July 2023, Edward Grace, of Forristalstown, Glenmore sued and sought injunctive relief in the High Court against James Holden and men who helped Holden dispossess Grace from land Grace was renting as a statutory tenant from the Boyd family.

Background

James Holden had been a tenant of about 60 acres and a dwellinghouse in 1880 on land in Shanbogh on the Boyd Estate when he was evicted. In 1920 about 24 acres of his evicted holding was allotted to Grace as well as the house where he originally lived.

Mr. Colfer, the solicitor for the Boyd Estate, testified that Holden was a poor man and had been living in the workhouse. Holden agreed to take the £500 offered in full satisfaction of all his claims, if any, against the lands of Shanbogh, and “the acquisition of the tenants interest in the lands by Edward Grace had his absolute approval.” Holden was quoted as saying,” I thought I would never get anything out of Shanbogh.” However, after agreeing to the £500 payment Holden in 1922 entered the lands with others and threw Grace out.

James Holden, was noted as being an old age pensioner; co-defendant Patrick McDonald was employed as a labourer and the other two co-defendants, Daniel Doolan and James Whelan were both farmers.

Grace v. Holden et al Verdict

The Master of the Rolls said that there could only be one result. He entered an injunction enjoining the four defendants from interfering with the statutory tenant Grace or the use of his land and also entered judgment against all four of the defendants.

Defendants Whelan and Doolan both undertook not to interfere with the plaintiff’s holding in future. Damages were found to be £340. Holden was said to be deaf, but McDonald expressed that he would not quit the land. McDonald affirmed to the Court he understood that he would be violating the injunction.

Other Shanbogh Verdicts

Other plaintiffs, and statutory tenants, in similar cases were also heard. Margaret Forrestal was awarded £100 against James Holden, Patrick McDonald and James Sullivan.

Patrick Forrestal was awarded £80 against James Holden, Patrick McDonald, Thomas Shea, James Whelan and Daniel Doolan, Sr.

Philip Malone was awarded £180 against James Holden, Patrick McDonald, James Whelan, Nicholas Forrestal, Thomas Shea, and Thomas Greene.

In the only case not involving James Holden and his nephew Patrick McDonald, John Aylward was awarded £100 against Daniel Doolan, Sr., Edward Doolan, Sr., Edward Doolan , Jr.; Daniel Doolan, Jr.; and Patrick Doolan (New Ross Standard, Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 6).

Daniel Doolan, Sr. and Edward Doolan, Sr. were brothers and the other Doolan defendants were sons of Edward Doolan, Sr. (Munster Express, Sat. 7 July 1923, p. 6)

Defiant Defendant James Holden

Notwithstanding the damages awarded against him and the injunction it was reported in the New Ross Standard (Fri. 27 July 1923, p. 8) that a process server accompanied by the military went to the house where James Holden was living in violation of the injunction issued by the High Court. Holden was served with an unspecified notice in late July.

For information on the “Eviction of James Holden” see, Danny Dowling’s (1927-2021) article published in Decies: The Journal of the Waterford Archaelogical and Historical Society (1976, vol. 2 p. 24).

Industrial Strife

In the Waterford area the strike involving the farm labourers was not resolved.  Transport workers supported the strikers. This had a knock-on effect on local industries that relied on agricultural produce such as mills, creameries, town markets and the bacon cellars of Waterford city.

“Owing to the trouble at the ports there has not been a pig market held at Thomastown for the past fortnight. Many pig feeders have had their pigs ready for market, but they are unable to dispose of them” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 20 July 1923, p. 5). Denny’s announced that “owing to traffic difficulties it was unable to receive pigs for slaughter until further notice” (Munster Express, Sat. 14 July 1923, p. 5).

Baton Charge

On Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th the Civic Guards drew their batons and charged a large crowd at the Yellow Road, Waterford City. Early on Friday a large number of pigs belonging to farmers in Kilmeaden were brought to Waterford and stored in J.J. Phelan’s auction paddocks.

Labour pickets took up position outside the premises to prevent the sale of the pigs. A large crowd gathered and expressed sympathy for the labourers. At 11 p.m. as the crowd continued to grow and become hostile they were ordered to go home. When they failed to move on the guards with drawn batons charged the crowd. A stampede followed. The charge lasted about 10 minutes afterwards the street was completely cleared. No person was injured.

There was a continuance of the trouble on Saturday night, however this time “it assumed the dimensions of a riot on a small scale.” The charge on Saturday night lasted 20 minutes and again the streets were cleared. “The pigs were later removed from the paddocks to the country under military escort” (Munster Express, Sat. 21 July 1923, p. 4).

Civil War Prisoners

Excitement was caused in Clonmel on the 14th when 41 prisoners escaped via a tunnel from the Emmet Barracks. The alarm was raised and 7 prisoners were captured in the yard next to the barracks (Munster Express, Sat. 21 July 1923, p. 4). Searches immediately commenced for the other escapees.

On Sunday the 22nd in the evening a public demonstration was held in the Tholsel Square, New Ross demanding the release of the Republican prisoners. There was a large attendance of people. The New Ross O’Hanrahan Pipers Band attended and played a selection of national airs (New Ross Standard, Fri. 27 July 1923, p. 4)

Glenmore in the News

The military posts at Newbawn and at Aylwardstown (Glenmore railway station) were abolished, and it was announced that Civic Guard stations were to be established at the Rower, Glenmore and Slieverue (New Ross Standard, Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 7). See our post of 26 September 2021 for further details on the Glenmore Garda station.

A Glenmore Motor Mystery

On or about the 10th of July, “some boat men on their way from Waterford” saw a Ford motor car in the Barrow river at Glenmore. The newspapers stated that it was a suggestion for a super-film thriller. It stood on its wheels on the mud on the Kilkenny side of the river at Blackrock, at the end of Carney bay (sic) on the middle reaches of the Barrow, about 8 ½ miles from New Ross.

“At low water it is high and dry, but at full tide it is completely covered. The nearest road running from Glenmore station to Rochestown point and thence to Ringville is two or three hundred yards distant, and behind the point where the car stands the Kilkenny bank rises to a considerable height straight up from the river and is thickly planted.”

“How the car reached its present position is a mystery. There are no marks on the bank, and the possibility of its having floated there from another point is negatived by the fact that its weight would be in the neighbourhood of 15 cwt” (Munster Express, Sat. 21 July 1923, p. 4; Free Press (Wexford) Sat. 14 July 1923, p. 8). Unfortunately, we could not locate any further information on this mystery.

Glenmore Defendants Summoned

Three different Glenmore men were summoned to the New Ross District Court for having unlicensed dogs.

Guard John O’Mahony summoned Peter Fitzgerald of Killvory, Glenmore for keeping two unlicensed dogs. Fitzgerald did not appear. The Guard testified that Fitzgerald told him that he only got the dogs recently and did not know the time for taking out the license.  District Court Judge Fahy replied, “The public had ample notice that the licences should be taken out before 31st March, and it was now the middle of July.” He fined Fitzgerald £1 and costs and ordered Fitzgerald to take out a license.

Guard Michael Hunt summoned Patrick Forrestal, Ballyverneen, Glenmore, for a similar offence. Forrestal said he only had the dogs two months and always took out licences. The Judge fined Forrestal 5s. and costs and ordered him to take out licences. He ended the hearing by stating, “The fine would be heavier if you did not appear” (Free Press (Wexford), Sat,.14 July 1923, p. 5).

Guard Michael Hunt also summoned Michael Fitzgerald, Glenmore for having two unlicensed dogs. In this unusual case the defendant reported himself to the Guard. The defendant explained that he could not get the forms in the post office on the 13th of April. He was not fined, but ordered to take out a license (New Ross Standard, Fri. 13 July 1923, p. 7).

Glenmore Winner at Waterford Feis

At the Waterford Feis held at the Presentation grounds on Sunday the first of July, Sean Murphy, of Glenmore took first in the Senior Hornpipe (Munster Express, Sat. 7 July 1923, p. 3).

Glenmore Sports

Not only was there an increase in sporting and other events special excursion trains were again running. The Dublin and South Eastern Railway provided a special excursion train for the Waterford Athletic & Cycling Sports held on Sunday the 15th of July. The train was scheduled to leave New Ross at noon with a ticket costing 2s.6d. and departing Glenmore at 12:11 p.m. with a fare of 1s. The train was scheduled to arrive in Waterford at 12:30 p.m. The return train to leave Waterford at 8 p.m. (Free Press (Wexford) Sat. 14 July 1923, p. 4).

The New Ross Standard (Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 7) announced that the senior Kilkenny football team–that was to play Meath in Croke Park on the 8th in the Leinster championship semi- final– a dozen of the team hailed from Glenmore. This match will be covered in our next post.

“A crowd numbering some hundreds witnessed an interesting football contest” on Monday the 2nd of July between junior teams representing Haggard and Glenmore South. “For junior teams it was a fine display in football. Haggard won by 1 goal, 5 point to 1 goal, 3 points. A return match is anticipated” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 7).

On Sunday the 22nd of July at Belmont, Ferrybank, Glenmore and Slieverue met in the first round of the Kilkenny Co. Junior Hurling Championship. Both teams were old rivals. Also, a friendly football match was played between Glenmore and Gracedieu (Munster Express, Sat. 21 July 1923, p. 5). Glenmore defeated Slieverue in the first round of the Kilkenny junior hurling championship on the score of 7-3 to 1-0.

Farming & Fishing

At the end of June new potatoes were offered for sale in New Ross. The first supply sold at 3d, per pound (New Ross Standard, Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 7). Following the change in the weather there was a brisk demand for cabbage plants at the New Ross fair with prices ranging from 7s. to 9s. per thousand seedings (New Ross Standard, Fri. 13 July 1923, p. 8).

A farmer was killed near Waterford through falling off a load of hay (New Ross Standard, Fri. 27 July 1923, p. 8). According to the Munster Express (Sat. 28 July 1923, p. 4) the farmer was John Hurley (60), of Ballyduff Lower. He was “carting hay from a field to his haggard, fell from the top of the haystack, and was killed.”

A trout weighing 4.5 lbs. was caught with a rod and fly in the Barrow, at Ballyogan, by a Ross man (New Ross Standard, Fri. 13 July 1923, p. 8).

“The Barrow was becoming famous as the hunting ground for strange creatures.” In July 1923, a porpoise was caught at St. Mullins, and further north a huge pike. A seal which one man swore was as big as a young calf, was also observed in the river. Eels reputed to be as thick as a man’s wrist were also landed. “If many more of the denizens of the ocean come up, the question of starting a zoo can be considered” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 27 July 1923, p. 4).

Love Was in the Air

The New Ross Standard noted that there was a boom in marriages with the end of the Civil War. In the month of June there were 60 weddings in New Ross and three in the adjoining parishes (New Ross Standard, Fri. 6 July 1923, p. 7).

At the meeting of the Thomastown District Council, an old man named Paddy Kiely, of Ballyhale, appeared before the meeting and made an application to be allowed to select a wife from the inmates of the County Home. The application caused much amusement, and Messrs McDonald and Wasterman were appointed to accompany Kiely through the house.

Eventually Paddy selected a woman named Jane Loughlin, and on being asked if she would consent, Jane asked to be allowed a month to consider. To this Paddy agreed, and promised to attend the next meeting (New Ross Standard, Fri. 20 July 1923, p. 5). No record could be located for a marriage between Paddy and Jane.

Miscellaneous Items

French photographers were “up in arms” against the French Tennis association, which prohibited cameras on the tennis courts because the female players revealed their legs. It was suggested by the photographers that the female players should be required to wear petticoats. The “lady players unanimously rejected” petticoats on the grounds that the garments would impede their game (Kilkenny People, Sat. 21 July 1923, p. 6).

Calls were made for the enforcement of the Vaccination Act. A smallpox outbreak occurred in England, and there was a great danger of it spreading in Ireland (New Ross Standard, Fri. 20 July 1923, p. 6).

It was announced that the weekly Ireland’s Own reduced its price to 2d. per copy (Munster Express, Sat. 7 July 1923, p. 6).

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh

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

Ballyverneen, Glenmore (1961)

Today, we are going to feature information that Danny Dowling recorded regarding the residents of the townland of Ballyverneen around 1961. The Irish for this townland is Baile uí Bheirnín, and Danny recorded that there was a settlement, or area in Ballyverneen, called Bearstown. We located one headstone in the cemetery adjacent to St. James that has the following transcription, “Erected by Richard Dunphy, of Bearstown, in memory of his father James Dunphy who departed this life 10th August 1841, aged 65 years.” We also found Bearstown recorded on the Ordinance Survey Maps (Between 1829 and 1842 the first large scale survey of Ireland was completed. OSI historical maps and information are available to view at Ordinance Survey Ireland. For other links to old maps click on our useful links button on our homepage.) It was only with the building of the New Ross to Waterford railway at the beginning of the 20th century that brick making in Ballyverneen ended.

Danny recorded eight families or households in Ballyverneen as well as a group of men who were dredging the river. Further information concerning the dredging operations is below. 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 43 people resided in Ballyverneen with the population of 24 males and 19 females. If the visiting dredgers are removed from the population there were 37 people residing in Ballyverneen (18 males & 19 females). The largest family recorded was the Forristal/O’Dwyer family comprised of eight persons and there were two households of a single person.

Recorded Residents

Males=24
Females=19
Eldest Recorded Resident= Laurence “Larry” Forristal(b. 11 Dec. 1886. Death register reveals that he died on the 27th June 1963.) Thus Laurence was 74 in 1961.

Recorded Work

Farmers= 2 (both males)
Farm/Agricultural Workers= 4 (all males)
Labourer= 6 (all males)
Carpenter= 1 (male)
Bookkeeper= 1 (female)
Domestic Servant = 1 (female)
Dredge workers= 6 (all males)

BALLYVERNEEN RESIDENTS

[1] LINEGAR

Linegar, James (b. 19 May 1889) General Labourer  (died but date of death not recorded)
Linegar, Annie (b. 1912) wife
Cass, Martin, step-son, General Labourer, (note moved to Aylwardstown)
Linegar, Kathleen, daughter, domestic servant
Linegar, Anne, daughter
Linegar, Josie, daughter
Linegar, Christopher, son

[2] DOOLAN

Doolan, Patrick (b. 1919) Co. Council Labourer
Doolan, Annie (b.1929) wife [known locally as Nancy]
Doolan, Mary, daughter
Doolan, Edward, son
Forristal, Mary (10 May 1896) mother-in-law [This Forristal family was known locally as the Civil Forristals.]

[3] KENNEDY

Kennedy, John (b. 1926) Carpenter
Kennedy, Margaret (b. 1934) wife
Kennedy, Patrick, son
Kennedy, Nora, daughter
Kennedy, Daniel, son

[4] DUNPHY

Dunphy, Ellen (b. 4 June 1898) Farmer
Dunphy, Seamus (b. 1927) son, farm
Dunphy, Margaret, daughter, bookkeeper [known as Maudie Dunphy & worked in Glenmore Creamery]
Dunphy, Mary, daughter [known as May Dunphy}
Dunphy, Richard, son, farm

[5] FORRISTAL

Forristal, Patrick (b. 28 Sept. 1898) Farmer
Forristal, Kate (b. 15 Aug. 1895) wife
O’Dwyer, Denis, son-in-law, farm
O’Dwyer, Margaret, daughter
O’Dwyer, John, grandson
O’Dwyer, Moyra, granddaughter
O’Dwyer, Kay, granddaughter
O’Dwyer, Margaret, granddaughter

[6] DUNPHY

Dunphy, Mary (b. 11 July 1915)
Dunphy, Thomas, son, farm worker (recorded that he moved to England)
Dunphy, Bridget, daughter 
Dunphy, Michael, son
Forristal, Laurence (b. 11 Dec. 1886) uncle, labourer (noted that he died, no date given in notebook. The death register records his date of date as 27 June 1963 ) [Larry Forristal was Nicky “the Miller” Forristal’s brother.]

[7] WALSH

Walsh, Michael (b. 1918) general labourer [locally known as Mick the Weaver.]

[8] DUNPHY

Dunphy, Richard (b. 5 July 1893) retired labourer

[9] DREDGE WORKERS

Robson, Richard Ernest (b. 1901) Skipper dredge boat
Davies, Thomas H. (b.1903) dredge worker
Johnston, Kenneth R. (b.1924) dredge worker
Matthews, Richard A. (b. 1906) dredge worker
Owen, William I. (b. 1923) dredge worker
Ethington, Fred, dredge worker 

Dredging at the Pink Rock

The New Ross Standard (Fri. 17 March 1961, p. 12) reported that in an effort to improve the condition of the River Barrow to allow larger ships to enter New Ross, the New Ross Harbouor Commissioners hired a dredge from a firm in Milford Haven. The dredge, named the “Basingstroke,” arrived on the 12th of March and began working. It dredged the Kilkenny bank channel at the Pink Rock and was to remove 30,000 tons. It was reported that the dredge had an output of about one hundred tons per hour and had capacity for about four hundred tons.  A crew of seven operated the dredge including John Culleton “whose parents live in the Ballymitty area.”

The dredging “on the Red Bank at the Pink Rock” was completed in mid-August with a “considerable portion of the toe of the dangerous sand bank which curtailed the length and draught of ships entering the port has been removed.”  The dredger removed 24,000 cubic yards of material at a total cost of £6,000 (New Ross Standard, Fri. 18 Aug. 1961 p. 12).

We hope that you have enjoyed or found this snapshot of Ballyverneen interesting and over the coming weeks we will feature the residents of other townlands from Danny’s notebook. The featured photo above is the railway underpass on the Ballyverneen road to the Pink Rock [known locally as the “County Road Bridge”. ]

Please send any corrections, additional information, or queries to glenmore.history@gmail.com. Thanks to all the readers who have provided additional information and we will continue to update as more information is provided.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh

[Updated] A Deadly Sunday Outing on the River Barrow: James Cassin, of Carrigcloney, Glenmore (c. 1868-1907)

Last summer when we were discussing the disappearance of Peter Forristal in 1916, Danny Dowling spoke about how Forristal and other young men who lived near the River Barrow often rowed across the River Barrow on Sundays to drink in a pub in Ballykelly. Glenmore was a dry parish where no alcohol was legally sold. For many living along the River Barrow the nearest pub was across the river in Wexford.

In about 1870 the then parish priest forced all three pubs in Glenmore Village to close.  A pub on the edge of the parish, the Shanty, lost its license shortly after the railway was built in 1904. Glenmore Parish Priest, Father Phelan was instrumental in that pub losing its license. After the pubs in and near Glenmore parish closed Glenmore remained a dry parish until 1963. Danny noted that the failure to allow a pub to operate in Glenmore parish sometimes led to tragedy as Glenmore people travelled to have a couple of pints. Today, we are going to highlight a 1907 tragedy that resulted in the death of a Carrigcloney, Glenmore man.

James Cassin, a married labourer, living in Carrigcloney, Glenmore drowned on the 15th of September 1907 in the River Barrow near Rochestown, Glenmore. The New Ross Standard on Friday the 20th of September published details concerning his death and inquest. The following information was gleaned from this article.

On Sunday the 15th of September 1907 James Cashen (sic) drowned leaving a wife and six children. It was reported that Cassin was employed in Cody’s, brickyards of Glenmore. Although the newspaper reported that the drowning took place at the “Blackrock” on the Wexford shore about midway between Aylwardstown and Rochestown, as reported in a previous blog post, the Blackrock Quay, of Rochestown, is where the ferry for the Ida steamship picked up Kilkenny passengers (see, https://glenmore-history.com/the-ida/).

It also was reported that some Rosbercon chaps were on the river in a “freakish, unreliable cot,” which they abandoned on the Carrigcloney bank of the river. They took a prong and left the cot on the river bank. Cassin, Tom Kelly and Michael Power went to the river and when they discovered that the prong was missing they got into the “freakish” cot and rowed to Ballinlaw. Ballinlaw is on the Kilkenny side of the river south of Carrigcloney. However, given other statements in the newspaper, it is likely that the three men rowed across the river, visited a Wexford pub, and while rowing back across the river the cot capsized.

A “girl” named Hannah Holden, of Fisherstown hillside of Co. Wexford heard the cries of two men clinging to the half sunken cot. She never saw the third man in the river. Hannah Holden ran “for all she was worth to the nearest house, that of James Kinsella, the only man who happened to be about for miles around. Kinsella, a delicate little man, who has to exist on a small out-door relief pittance barely sufficient to keep body and soul together, turned out to the rescue, trying to feel as brave as a lion, though inwardly quaking for fear of being unable to save his poor fellow-mortals from an awful death”

Kinsella and Hannah shouted words of encouragement to the two men. There was no boat in the slip, so Kinsella, Hannah and a young boy dragged a boat from a yard and across forty feet of deep mud to launch it into the river. It was recorded that Kinsella was so overcome with fear of being too late, that he could not “bear to look on the wretched strugglers, whose strength was fast ebbing, as evidenced by the weakening of their terrified appeals.” When the prong was afloat Kinsella took the oars and the young boy acted as his guide. “While he sculled to the wreck near the middle of the river…with great expertness as a river-man, Kinsella got his boat stern on to the drowning men, so as to avoid a second, capsize, and hauled the two exhausted men into the prong.” It was noted that this rescue was not the first time Kinsella saved lives on the river. “Brave Kinsella is sorely grieved that he was not about in time to save all three.”

(c) Map Quest–River Barrow

Cassin’s body was found on Monday evening and the inquest was held on Tuesday afternoon. The South Kilkenny Coroner, Dr. Walsh of Graiguenamanagh held the inquest which returned a verdict of accidental suffocation.  The inquest learned that the three men had three pints of beer taken, and “it is some consolation for the poor widow to know that the lost husband was quite sober when death overtook him.” It was reported that the cot was a featherweight racing skiff brought down river that day by three young lads from the New Ross area named Dooley, Fitzgerald and Kavanagh.  Cassin could not swim and being unable to grasp the upturned cot, he “could make no fight for life.” It was revealed that Kelly and Power could swim, but they were handicapped by their clothes and boots. They spent nearly an hour hanging on “for dear life” to the cot before Kinsella rescued them.

Lastly, it was reported that the remains of poor Cassin were laid to rest in the Glenmore graveyard on Tuesday evening. He was a son of Andrew Cassin, of Kilmacow, and a relative of the Cashens of Listerlin. His funeral was reported as being one of the largest funeral gatherings ever assembled in Glenmore. Although it was reported that he worked in the brickyards, it also stated that the deceased was esteemed and one of the best and most conscientious farm workers in South Kilkenny.

The Munster Express (“Boating Fatality on the River Barrow,” 21 Sept. 1907) and Kilkenny People (“Young Man Drowned, Heroism of a Young Lady,” 21 Sept. 1907) also reported the drowning, but both credited a Miss Costelloe of hearing the cries of all three men and rowing to them. Miss Costelloe was able to save two of the men but they watched in horror as Cassin sank from sight. No mention is made of James Kinsella or the young boy. The name of the deceased was incorrectly listed as John Cashen rather than James Cassin.

The Widow and Children

The 1901 Census for Carrigcloney, Glenmore provides that James Cassin (aged 33) was married to Ellen (aged 22) and their eldest child James was a year old and their second son John was three months old. A marriage record was then found for James Cassin and Ellen Malone. The couple married on the 13th of September 1899 in Piltown. James was listed as a labourer the son of James Cassin, also a labourer. It appears that the New Ross Standard erroneously listed his father as Andrew Cassin. The bride Ellen Malone, was listed as a farmer in Garryduff and she was the daughter of John Malone, farmer. The following birth certs were located for the six children of the couple all born at Carrigcloney, Glenmore: [1] James Cassin was born on the 23rd of December 1899; [2] John Cassin was born on the 15th December 1900; [3] Michael Cassin was born on the 14th of August 1904; [located by Adam Cashin] [4] Margaret Cassin was born on the 1st of April 1902; [5] Mary Cassin was born on the 7th May 1903; [6] Anastatia Cassin was born 15 November 1906 and [7] Ellen Cassin was born on the 22nd of February 1908 five months after her father’s death.

[UPDATED] The Cassin family could not be located in 1911 Census for Carrigcloney, Glenmore. However, Adam Cashin located the family in the 1911 Census living in Cappagh, Glenmore. Ellen Cashin (sic) was a widow, aged 32. The following children are living with their mother: John, aged 11; Michael, aged 6; Statia, aged 4 and Ellie aged 3. A nine year old named Margaret Cassin was found living as a boarder in the home of Johanna Devine a 60 year old widow, farmer in Old Court, Templeorum, Kilkenny. A ten year old James Cassin was living in Tullagher, Listerlin, Kilkenny in the home of Ellen Cassin a 68 year old widow. James is listed as an undefined “relative.” Also present in the house are Ellen’s sons Michael and Thomas Cassin, aged 40 and 36 respectively. Michael and Thomas Cassin are boot and shoe makers.

[UPDATED] The Cassin headstone was located in Glenmore cemetery. The inscription is as follows:

In loving memory of James Cassin Glenmore
Died 9th Sept 1907 Aged 39 yrs 
His wife Ellen Died 31st July 1963 Aged 85 yrs 
Their son John Died 7th Nov 1943 Aged 41 yrs 
Their daughters Margaret Died 2nd Jan 1926 Aged 24 yrs 
Ellen McBride Died 2nd Sept 1976 Aged 68 yrs 
Anastasia Doyle Died 1st Oct 1996 Aged 90 yrs

[UPDATED] The death cert for Ellen Cassin née Malone (c. 1879-1963) provides that she was still living in Cappagh, Glenmore when she died in 1963 at the age of 84. Her daughter, Ellen McBride was present when she died.

The Rescuers: James Kinsella (c. 1843-1909) & Hannah Howlen (c. 1879- )

In the 1901 Census of Fishertown, Wexford, James Kinsella, was 43 years old, and employed as a fisherman.  The bachelor was living with his 70 year old widowed mother Anne Kinsella. Both James and his mother could not be located in the 1911 census. James Kinsella died on the 10th of March 1909 at the age of 56. His death cert notes that he died of heart disease and had been suffering with it for 3 years. Thus, in September 1907, when he saved the two men clinging to the capsized cot, James Kinsella was suffering from heart disease that caused his death 18 months later.

In the 1901 Census of Fishertown there is no Hannah Holden or a Costelloe family. In the house listed next to the Kinsella home was the Howlen family. Hannah Howlen, aged 22, was the daughter of Michael Howlen, aged 62 and his wife Catherine aged 63. Also in the home were Hannah’s two brothers John (aged 28) and Michael (aged 24). All three men were fishermen. We believe that Hannah Howlen was “the girl” that raised the alarm and helped Kinsella launch the rescue boat.

The Rescued Men: Tom Kelly & Michael Power

In the 1901 Census two Michael Powers were located in Glenmore. The one closest to the river was Michael Power of Rochestown, an agricultural labourer, aged 25, married to Kate Power, aged 25. The couple had two children John, aged 1 year and Patrick, aged 1 month.

In the 1901 Census there were also two Thomas Kelly’s in Glenmore. Both lived near the river, however one was 70. Therefore we believe that Thomas Kelly of Griguenakill, aged 20, a railway labourer, in 1901 may have been one of the rescued men. Thomas was the son of Catherine Kelly, aged 53 in 1901. Also present in the home was her 54 year old brother Michael Breen, a farm labourer.

The 1899 Double Drowning at Rochestown Point

Eight years prior to Cassin drowning two men drowned in the River Barrow also returning on a Sunday from a visit to a pub. In 1899 two men were also rescued while clinging to a capsized boat and ironically their name was Kelly. The 1899 double drowning may be found at https://glenmore-history.com/a-double-drowning-at-rochestown-point-in-1899/ .

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh

A Double Drowning at Rochestown Point in 1899

Beginning in earnest in the 1950’s Danny Dowling interviewed and recorded the memories of the elderly residents of Glenmore and nearby areas including New Ross and Waterford. The two people Danny interviewed the most as reflected in the notebooks transcribed to date are his mother, Hannah Dowling née Murphy; and Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill, Glenmore. Danny generally refers to Nicholas Forristal as Nicky the Miller, and Danny’s face lit up this week when he recalled his old friend. Having spent a lifetime collecting information concerning the Parish of Glenmore and its people it isn’t often that Danny learns something new particularly concerning Nicky the Miller. The revelation came out of a homework assignment in the 1930’s completed by a boy from Rathinure, Glenmore for the Irish Folklore Commission.

Although Irish folklore was collected prior to 1935, in that year the Irish Folklore Commission was established by the government. A scheme was developed where schoolchildren would be given questions and asked to interview their parents and neighbours. From 1937 to 1939 each week of the academic year teachers across the country would select a heading and read out the questions and the children would copy it down and conduct their interviews. The Commission continued its work until 1971 when it was superseded by the Department of Irish Folklore at the University College Dublin. On our links page we have included links to the transcribed pages of local school Folklore interviews.

Paddy Kennedy of Rathinure on left & his brother Larry on right. Aylward children left to right: Seamus, Roisin, Brendan and Kevin. Photo taken by Maureen Aylward

Paddy Kennedy (1922 -1997) of Rathinure, Glenmore when a chap attending Ringville School, as part of the Folklore project, interviewed his father Patrick Kennedy, Sr. (c. 1871-  ). This is what young Paddy recorded:

In the year 1889 a very tragic boat accident occurred in which two young men were drowned. Their names were William Forristal and Pat Connolly. One Sunday they were visiting their friends in Cheek Point. Their boat came into collision with another boat as they were going to get a tow from her. The news was soon discovered and the river was immediately searched, but to no avail. On the second day their bodies was (sic) discovered. When they were taken ashore they were a pitiful sight. (National Folklore Collection UCD, The School’s Collection (vol.  845. p. 103) Ringville School, Roll 6621.),

A search of local newspapers did not reveal any recorded drownings in 1889 of men named Forristal or Connolly. However, a small article was located in the Waterford Chronical on Wednesday the 2nd of August 1899. It reported that on Sunday afternoon two men drowned in the Barrow river named John Forristal and Michael Connolly, natives of the Glenmore district. Their bodies had not been recovered.

Several other newspapers covered the incident and identified the two drowning victims as Patrick Connolly and William Forristal. The following facts were gleaned from a number of newspaper listed at the end of this post.

About one o’clock Sunday, the 30th of July, Patrick Connolly, William Forristal and two brothers named Kelly left Glenmore in a small boat that was called a “prawng” by the New Ross Standard.  They headed down the Barrow River and arrived without incident at the fishing Village of Cheekpoint. Cheekpoint is located at the confluence of the rivers Barrow and Suir on the southern shore. It is downriver from Waterford City which is on the Suir River and also downriver from New Ross which is on the Barrow River. The Glenmore men started upriver for home between five and six p.m. On reaching Rochestown Point on the Barrow River, about six or seven miles south of New Ross, they were overtaken by the Lady Annette tug which was pulling two “Grand Canal lighters” or barges with excursionists up river. There were a couple hundred people from Graiguenamanagh on the barges. It was reported that the excursionists had spent the day in Duncannon, Waterford.

The Lady Annette tug boat was built by Malcomson and launched from the Neptune Iron Works of Waterford City in April 1875. She was described in a newspaper account of her launch as a handsome little steam vessel of 85 feet in length, 13 feet in beam, 7.5 feet in depth, and 30 tons register. (Waterford Mirror and Tramore Visitor, 28 April 1875). The Lady Annette and the two lighters or barges she was towing upriver were owned by the Barrow Navigation Company. See generally, Andrew Doherty, Waterford Harbour Tides and Tales entries including; “The Lighters: Work Boats of the Suir” at https://tidesandtales.ie/the-lighters/.

“Sometimes boating parties effect a tow from passing steamers, and in this case the occupants of the prawng, although only a little more than a mile from their destination, directed their course so as to intercept the excursion party, whose craft were moving at full speed. There are different versions of what happened, but the more generally accepted one is that when the prawng came close to the lighter some of the men in the former tried clamber aboard the Canal boat, and that so a result this proceeding the prawng was engulphed. Anyhow, owing to imprudence on their part, the four young men were instantly swamped, and it is stated that Forrestal and Connolly passed under the lighter and were never seen again. Once the cry was raised the captain of the Canal steamer slowed up in as short a time as possible, and the Kelly’s were saved.” (New Ross Standard, 5 August 1899).

It was reported elsewhere that the two Kelly brothers succeeded in clinging to the bottom of the boat until rescued by a fisherman named Richard Whelan. Whelan rowed to the spot at once and took the brothers into his boat. Forrestal and Connolly were, lost to view immediately and after a search presumed drowned. The newspapers reported that the fate of the young men was greatly deplored the neighbourhood of their residence. It was reported that William Forristal, was the son of Patrick Forrestal, miller and farmer, and Patrick Connolly, was a labourer. None of the newspaper reported the first names of the Kelly brothers.

Glenmore Stretch of the Barrow River © Mapcarta https://mapcarta.com/18268316/Map

It was stated that the drowning cast a gloom over Glenmore. The two young drowning victims were described as very respectable young men, and Connolly was the only support of his poor widowed mother. “It is a consolation to think that both were in a state of sobriety when they lost their lives. As a matter of fact Connolly was a teetotaller.”

The search for the bodies continued all day Monday when twenty cots and trawlers were engaged in the search. At eight in the evening, just under Ringville, and near where the drowning occurred, Richard Cahill, of Ballycroney, and Patrick Forristal, of Ballyverneen, recovered the bodies, which were close to each other. The corpses were immediately conveyed to their respective homes in Graiguenakill, where they were waked till the following evening. It is believed that the Patrick Forristal, of Ballyverneen, who discovered the bodies was a nephew of Patrick Forristal, of the Mill, the father of the drowned William Forristal.

On Tuesday morning Dr Hackett, coroner, for the northern district of Kilkenny (in the absence of the South Kilkennv coroner) accompanied by Dr Walsh, of New Ross, arrived at Glenmore and viewed the bodies. Sergeant Stapleton had a jury summoned in anticipation of an inquest, but the coroner without explanation did not hold a regular inquest. He held what the newspaper termed an inquiry, with no jury and took some evidence on oath. Mrs Whelan, Ringville, stated that she witnessed the catastrophe from the shore, but could not tell exactly how it happened. The information which the coroner elicited amounted to there were three boats coming up the river. The three boats were overtaken by the excursion steamer. One of the boats got a tow, and it appeared that its occupants got aboard the canal lighter. The other two boats were then on the outlook for a tow. When the boat containing the four Glenmore men got alongside and caught hold of the lighter their boat suddenly jerked from the lighter and half filled with water. Forristal, it is alleged, believing the boat was about to sink, jumped over its side with the intention of swimming to shore, and in jumping into the river capsized the boat. The Kelly brothers held on to the prawng, and young Connolly held on to one of the Kelly’s legs, but only for a short time. Connolly sank, never to rise alive. Forristal, it is alleged, swam for the shore, but was not able to reach it. Patrick Power, of Robinstown, Glenmore and Richard Phelan, of Rathinure, Glenmore saved the Kelly brothers. A man named Manning exerted himself to save Connolly. Forristal, the newspaper stated if he swam a good distance as is now stated, does not seem to have attracted the attention of any of the rescuers.

Not only did the acting coroner fail to hold an inquest it appears that the deaths were never recorded.  

A double funeral took place on Tuesday the 2nd of August at 4 p.m. “The whole country side attended as a mark of sympathy and regret. Both young men were laid to rest in Glenmore graveyard and seldom before had so many mourners been seen at any funeral in the district.”

The Four Glenmore Men

William Forristal, of Graiguenakill, Glenmore was born on the 26th of January 1881. His parents were Patrick Forristal (1849-1931) and Margaret Forristal née Cardiff (c. 1853- 1905). Thus William was the older brother of Nicky the Miller (1888-1979). Nicky was only 11 years old when his brother drowned. Although Nicky was interviewed scores of times by Danny and openly discussed people and events, such as his mother’s death and his youngest brother’s emigration, he never once mentioned to Danny anything about William or his death.

Patrick Connolly, of Graiguenakill, Glenmore was born on the 4th of May 1878. He was the son of Thomas Connolly, of Aylwardstown and Kate Ryan. Thomas Connolly was a coachman for the Strange Family of Aylwardstown House. Thomas Connolly died on 19th of April 1886 of TB. His death cert notes he had the disease for 2.5 years. He was 33 when he died. Bridget Heffernan née Kennedy, of Aylwardstown, was present when he died. The 1901 census reveals that Catherine “Kate” Connolly née Ryan was living in Graiguenakill with her remaining son Michael. Michael was 15 and she was a 44 year old widow. Readers may remember Catherine from the blog “What’s a Shebeen” as she was the woman charged and found not guilty of running a shebeen in 1906. She was arrested for having 3 bottles of stout in her house which she claimed were for her son Michael when he came home from working in Waterford.

The names of the two Kelly brothers were never provided and the account of the event that was held in place of an inquest did not indicate their names or whether the brothers attended and testified. The 1906 shebeen case involved two Kelly brothers, Edward and Thomas Kelly. They were visiting Mrs. Connolly when her house was raided and they were arrested for being in a shebeen. Mrs. Connolly described them as neighbours. The 1901 census reveals that there was one family named Kelly in Graiguenakill headed by James Kelly. Although there is a son named Edward in the house in 1901 (aged 28) there is no Thomas Kelly,

Young Paddy Kennedy, when he interviewed his father, and was given information concerning the drownings of Forristal and Connolly, never revealed the family relationship between his father and the deceased William Forristal. Paddy Kennedy Sr. was a first cousin to William Forristal’s father. It is not known whether the children were instructed by the Folklore Commission not to record relationships. Perhaps it was the case that there was an assumption that the relationship was known because in the tight knit parish everyone knew everyone else’s family relationships often for generations. In any event, the father of Paddy Kennedy, Sr. of Rathinure was Tom Kennedy. Tom Kennedy had a sister Ellen Kennedy who married Paddy Forristal. Their son, Patrick Forristal, married Margaret Cardiff. Patrick and Margaret Forristal were the parents of Nicky the Miller and William Forristal.

These tragic deaths were only brought to light because 90 years ago a boy did his homework. The old copy book photo featured above is from the Irish Folklore Commission, School Project.

Special thanks to Kathleen and Patricia O’Connor for the photo of Paddy Kennedy and his brother Larry Kennedy, of Rathinure, with the Aylward children.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh

Waterford Standard of Wednesday the 2nd of August 1899; Waterford Chronical on Wednesday the 2nd of August 1899; New Ross Standard & Enniscorthy Guardian, Sat. 5 Aug. 1899   (same article)

Kennedy Marker, St. James Cemetery, Glenmore (2020)

The Ida

The parish of Glenmore is strategically placed mid-way between Waterford and New Ross. Previously we highlighted the roads that connected Waterford and New Ross as well as the railway line. Today, we shall highlight the Ida a river steamship that linked these two inland ports. According to Anthony Marimon in his 1856 book entitled, The Ancient and Modern History of the Maritime Ports of Ireland, in 1835 the port of Waterford had 115 merchant sailing ships. The first steamships had paddlewheels and were designed and built for rivers and canals.

One of the first river steamers to ply between Waterford and New Ross was the Shamrock which was built in Glasgow in 1836. The last steamer to daily ply between the two cities was the Ida (Waterford Standard, 17 August 1929). For interesting articles concerning the ships and photos of the ships see, Andrew Doherty, www.tidesandtales.ie , February 2018 blog posts. See the update below for information on the Eclipse sailing between Waterford and New Ross in 1829 in 2 hours.

Launch of the Ida

In addition to conducting interviews, over the years Danny Dowling has amassed a large number of newspaper articles relating to Glenmore and nearby environs. For example, the Waterford Chronicle on 27 September 1867 published an article describing the launch of the Ida at the Neptune Iron Works in Waterford. Miss Graves, the daughter of J.P. Graves, Esq. of Waterpark House, Waterford, broke the bottle on the bow of the ship and christened her Ida. This name was selected because the Barony of Ida links Waterford and New Ross and the steam ship would link the ports via the River Barrow. The steamer was described as being 156 feet in length and had a breadth of 92 ½ feet.

After her christening the Ida was equipped by the Neptune Iron Works with a “splendid pair of engines, of about 90 horse-power, with two large and powerful boilers, and two feathering paddle wheels for speed.” It was announced that Captain George Brennan would be at the helm. The Ida first steamed between Waterford and New Ross on the 31st of January 1868. She was accompanied by the Shamrock, and although a strong gale was blowing, and rain was pouring, the Ida made the journey in 70 minutes (Wexford People, 8 Feb. 1868).

The Ida, the National Archives

Danny interviewed Michael Forristal in 1969. Michael was born and raised in Rochestown, Glenmore but living in Ballybagley in 1969. Michael revealed that when he was young the Ida left Ross daily at 9:15 a.m.; by 10 a.m. it was at the Piltown Hulk; and at 11 a.m. it arrived at Waterford. It began its home journey at 3:15 p.m. when it left Waterford; arrived at the Piltown Hulk at 4 p.m. and was back in New Ross by 4:45 p.m. In Michael’s time, the master of the Ida was Captain Murphy of New Ross. The Ida was able to carry 600 passengers and cargo.

Rochestown Ferry

There was a ferry boat that operated from Rochestown. It ferried passengers across the Barrow to the Wexford side to Piltown Hulk or floating landing stage, to meet the Ida. This ferry was able to carry up to 40 passengers. The most Michael ever saw it carry was 34 passengers. It was powered by two men who rowed the ferry each using two oars. During his time, the two rowers of the ferry were brothers John and James Forristal, of Rochestown. John and James Forristal were the last rowers of the ferry boat. They were the sons of Michael’s cousin Johnny Forristal. They were each paid 6/= per week wages.

In 1976, Danny interviewed Nicholas Forristal, the Mill, Graiguenakill, Glenmore, who named Sean Jim and Sean Jack Forristal of Rochestown as the two men that manned the oars of the ferryboat from the Blackrock Quay in Rochestown, to the Piltown Hulk on the Wexford shore. He noted that the two men were first cousins and were paid by the Waterford Steamship Company. Today, Danny stated that he believes Michael Forristal and Nicholas Forristal were speaking about the same men given their names, but could not clarify whether the two men were brothers or cousins.

Another Glenmore man connected to the Ida was Edward Walsh, of Glenmore Village. Edward Walsh worked as a steward on the Ida. Edward and his sister Margaret were the children of David Walsh, who had a pub near the chapel in Glenmore. Danny interviewed Miss Margaret Walsh shortly before her death in 1955 at her home on Peter Street, Waterford concerning her brother’s work on the Ida.

Cargo

Nicholas Forristal stated that local farmers brought fiskins of butter by the Ida to the Waterford Butter market. Jim Phelan, of the bog in Shanbogh, was one of the men who brought fiskins of butter to Waterford via the Ida along with the Kearneys and Farrells, of Ballyfoyle. Today, Danny explained that a fiskin was a British measure of a quarter of a barrel, it was made by a cooper for cheese and butter and when filled weighed 56 pounds (25 kilograms).

Old postcard of Waterford Quay

It wasn’t all clear steaming for either the Shamrock or the Ida. On the 7th of June 1852 the Shamrock made two trips because the pig fair had been held at New Ross. On the second trip as the steamer approached the quay in Waterford the pigs rushed to one side of the ship causing water to be taken. The crew and the few men aboard were saved, but several pigs drowned although sailors and others along the quay rushed to save the animals (Derbyshire Times, 10 June 1854). In 1895, it was a frightened cow that caused panic on the Ida when it attempted to jump overboard and injured two elderly ladies (Wexford People, 27 April 1895). Two years later a young lady dancing on the deck of the Ida as she steamed toward Waterford fell overboard. Patrick Dooley, of Garrenbehy, quickly dived into the river and saved the young lady from drowning (New Ross Standard, 8 April 1932).

Ida Related Deaths

At least two deaths connected with the Ida appeared in newspapers. On the 3rd of January 1872, Patrick Scanlon while unloading cargo in New Ross at 9 p.m. fell into the river and drowned. At his inquest concerns were raised regarding the lack of railings to protect workers unloading cargo (Wexford People, 13 January 1872).

In the New Ross Standard on the 28th of December 1895 it was reported that 30 to 40 people were huddled in a cabin with no light. Half way to New Ross from Waterford (ie near Glenmore) a soldier named Noy died, but no one present was aware of his death due to the lack of lighting. The newspaper was scathing of the failure of the owner of the steamship to provide lighting for passengers.  “Surely the company might hang up a second hand oil lamp in this apartment of the boat, and on a winter’s evening squander a penny in paraffin …for their passengers.”

Rescued & Rescuer

Perhaps the biggest threat to the Ida occurred on Friday the 13th of February 1880. The Ida at about 4 p.m. was trying to berth at New Ross, but the Liverpool steamship Earnholm was also trying to berth. The Earnholm was owned by the New Ross Steamship Company and Captain Henry was at her helm.

The Ida was swept along by the strong spring tide, which was running at about six knots an hour and there was a strong gale from the south west. Captain Brennan let go his anchor nearly opposite Mrs. Plummer’s hotel, but the ship dragged her anchor and broke the stock of the anchor. Captain Brennan set the engines in motion, fearing that the Ida would strike the centre of the New Ross bridge. Ultimately he ran her into the bridge dock, and with her bow against the quay, her stern crashed against first cylinder of the bridge, at the Wexford side.

This caused a great commotion on the quay, and “people ran hither and thither and entertained great fears that the ship would become a total wreck, as the tide was fast rising and the ship’s stern was jammed tight under the bridge, so that the rising of the tide would keep her down.”  Captain Henry brought the Earnholm to assist the Ida, made fast to the Ida and when the Earnholm steamed ahead, the Ida was pulled from her perilous position. Although the Ida suffered some damage the hull sustained no damage.  

The Ida in January 1896 came to the rescue of the steamship Mermaid. The Mermaid left New Ross with a cargo of pigs and at the Pink Rock, of Glenmore, “a point on the river difficult to navigate” the steering failed and the ship struck the rocks and began to take water. The Ida was on her way to Ross, stopped to give aid, took on board all of the passengers and cargo and went on to New Ross. After depositing safely the passengers and cargo she returned to the Pink Rock with another ship, the Vandaleur, and together the two steamers could not pull the Mermaid off of the rocks (Wicklow People, 11 January 1896).

Glenmore Men Remember the Ida

The Kilkenny side of the new Rose Kennedy bridge is at the Pink Rock, in Glenmore (c) Irish Times 2020

In 1969, Danny interviewed Michael Walsh of 80 Manor Street, Waterford. Michael was 87 years of age and was born and raised in Rochestown, Glenmore. Michael stated that the Ida sailed between Ross and Waterford and the steamer Vandaleur sailed between Waterford and Duncannon. Both ships were plying at the same time and were owned by the Waterford Steamship Co. The Clyde Shipping Co. took over the Waterford Steamship Co. and the new owners then sold both of the river paddle steamers.  

Mikey Power of Jamestown, Glenmore was interviewed by Danny in 1957. Mikey reported that he worked in the Brick Marsh belonging to Billy Forristal that was located between where the two railway bridges are now situated. He worked for a whole summer in either 1899 or 1900. Work in the Brick Marsh usually started at 8 a.m. and finished at around 6 p.m. with a break for dinner at noon and a tea break at 4 p.m. They knew what time to break for the afternoon tea as the Ida passed every evening on her way to Ross. Billy Forristal’s brick works finished up about 1900 just shortly before the Ida ceased sailing the Barrow in about 1905. The Ross-Waterford railway line caused the Brick Works and Ida to both cease operating.

Old Postcard of the River Barrow near New Ross

For further reading see, Bill Irish (2001) Shipbuilding in Waterford, 1820-1880: A Historical, Technical and Pictorial Study.

The River Steamer Eclipse

Update: Andrew Doherty sent on the following article from the Waterford Mail (Sat. 16 May 1829, p. 4).

“COMMUNICATION BETWEEN WATERFORD AND ROSS. —That beautiful little steamer the Eclipse arrived the quay at ten o’clock morning from Ross with between twenty and thirty passengers, performing the voyage which is eighteen miles, in two hours. This vessel is quite new and has been brought over from Bristol to see if she can made to answer on our river. We think there is little doubt of the fact. As a mode of conveyance between this and Ross, it will have many advantages.

The present road is quite abominable —rough, and all up and down hill, …[and this] journey of ten miles usually occupies three good hours! The Steamer will do the thing in two ; she has plenty of room for stowage; she has a snug cabin ; the sail is quite delightful. The scenery up the Nore and Barrow, though little known, is really some of the most picturesque and beautiful in Ireland, and we dare this attraction alone will induce many persons to avail themselves of the advantage of the steam-boat. Some advertisements on this subject will be found worthy of attention; but we will not dwell on the subject at present further than to hope that fair trial will given the spirited English Gentleman’s undertakings, that it may meet with the success it so really merits.”

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh