Robert Fluskey (c. 1843-1925)

When Danny Dowling was a boy in Glenmore Village in the 1930’s he lived next to Fluskey’s Shop which also served as the post-office and telegraph office. At that time Jim Fluskey ran the business with his wife Mollie née Murphy of Davidstown, Glenmore. The Glenmore business was established by his father Robert Fluskey in about 1880. Danny believes that Fluskey purchased the shop from the Walsh family that then relocated to Waterford. One of the Walsh family members who operated the shop in Glenmore later, when quite elderly, lived on Peter St. in Waterford and spoke to Danny about her families shop in Glenmore.

By 1930 Robert Fluskey’s shop was the busiest and most thriving shop in Glenmore Village. This shop sold all types of foodstuffs, bran, flour, and meat such as bacon, cigarettes and tobacco etc. They also sold animal feed such as meal, bran and pollard.  Even today the building that served as the Fluskey shop is now a remodelled house and still is referred to locally as Fluskey’s. Although emigration and religious vocations were common in most Irish families in the early twentieth century the Fluskey family was unique in the proportion of the women that joined one order, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

The first Fluskey to come to Glenmore was Robert Fluskey (c. 1843-1925). Robert, called Bob, by the local people, was originally from Ullard, Graiguenamanagh. He left Graiguenamanagh and was working in Waterford at the Chapman’s on the Quay. He lived on Barronstrand Street and married his first wife, Catherine Power (c. 1835-1880) on 6 May 1878 in Waterford. The marriage records record that the newlyweds were both servants. Robert’s father was listed as James Fluskey, a farmer. Catherine worked as a house-keeper for Egan’s according to Danny’s interview of Nicky Forristal of the Mill, Graiguenakill. Danny on 29 May 2020 stated that Egan’s was where Penney’s is located today. Her father in the marriage records was listed as Walter Power, a farmer. Soon after their marriage they moved to Glenmore. Catherine Power died in Graiguenakill, Glenmore on the 24^th of January 1880. She was 45 years of age and she died from an ovarian disease which she had for 2 ½ years. Her husband was present when she died and his profession was listed as grocer. Although Power is a common name in the Parish of Glenmore, Danny does not know if Catherine Power was a native of Glenmore or had family connections here.

Robert Fluskey married his second wife, Catherine Dunne on the 30^th of May 1880 at Glenmore. Catherine Dunne was a dressmaker and her father was recorded as the late James Dunne, a carpenter. According to Danny, Robert Fluskey was an able, straight businessman and within a few years of moving to Glenmore his shop was thriving and his business interests expanded. By 1884 he was recorded in the County Directory as the Postmaster of Glenmore.

Robert and his second wife had eight children according to the 1911 census. In 1911 only six children were living.

[1] James Fluskey was born on the 22^nd of January 1882. After his father’s death James ran the Glenmore business and became the Glenmore Postmaster. Mollie Fluskey née Murphy died on the Bank Holiday Monday in August 1957. According to Danny’s notes she was about 65 years of age. Jim Fluskey died on the 24^th of June 1960.

[2] John Fluskey was born the 28^th of November 1883 and died on the 14^th of July 1900 at the age of 17. He was ill for two weeks with meningitis and TB.

[3] Terence Fluskey was born on the 29th of January 1885. Terence Fluskey became a clerical worker in Waterford where he was living on the 29th of April 1919 when he married Statia Maher, of Rochestown, Glenmore. The couple were married at Glenmore. Statia was the daughter of Michael Maher, farmer.

[4] Bridget Fluskey was born on the 12^th of June 1886.

[5] Kate Fluskey was born on the 11^th of December 1887 and died of TB on the 17^th of June 1904 at the age of 16.

[6] Mary Ellen Fluskey was born on the 17^th of March 1889.

[7] Anna Theresa Fluskey was born on the 1^st of August 1891.

[8] Elizabeth Ita Fluskey was born on the 25^th of January 1897.

Catherine Fluskey née Dunne died on the 10^th of June 1916 of a cerebral embolism at the age of 65. Her son Terence was with her at the time of her death. Her husband, Robert Fluskey, died on the 28^th of September 1925. At the time of his death his youngest daughter Lizzie was with him.

An obituary appeared in the New Ross Standard edition of 9 October 1925. Robert Fluskey’s obituary makes interesting reading and is unusual for the time as no chief mourners are listed. In fact none of his children are named not even his three daughters who took religious vows.

OBITUARY MR. ROBERT FLUSKEY, GLENMORE. The regretted death of Mr. Robert Fluskey took place at his residence, Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, on Sept. 28th. He had reached the ripe age of 82 years, and though he had been in failing health for some time the end came rather unexpected when fortified by the rites of the Catholic Church, of which he was a devout, loyal and faithful, member, he passed peacefully to his reward. The deceased had the distinction of giving three daughters to the Church, and who are nuns in the great Order of the Word Incarnate, U.S.A. He had spent many years in business in Glenmore, where he was regarded as the soul of honesty and uprightness in all his business transactions, and was universally esteemed, which was shown by the very large number who attended his funeral and paid him their last mark of respect at the graveside. The funeral took place to the family burial ground, Glenmore, after Office and High Mass, at which the Rev. M. Holohan, P.P, Glenmore, presided. Celebrant, Rev. C. Bergin, Glenmore; deacon, Rev. Thomas Green, C.C. Rosbercon; sub-deacon, Rev. W. Murphy, C.C, Ferrybank; master of ceremonies, Rev. J. Bergin, C.C. Slieverue. In the choir were the Very Rev. Canon Doody, P.P, Ferrybank: Very Rev. L. Coghlan, P.P. Rosbercon; Rev. J. Madden, P.P, Mullinavat;  Rev. M. Halloran, chaplain, Belmont; Rev. N. Hennessy, C.C, Tullogher; Rev. C. Kennedy, chaplain, Kilmacow; Rev. P. Delaney, Dean, St. Kieran’s College; Rev. P. Staunton, C.C. Mullinavat. R.I.P.

A year after her father’s death, Elizabeth Ita Fluskey followed her older sisters and emigrated to the US. Her emigration papers are now available on line. She arrived in the US on the 14^th of June 1926 aboard the SS. Cedric. She reported that she was to work as a student nurse at St. Michael’s Hospital of Newark, New Jersey. She had grey eyes, was 5’7” in height and weighed 138 pounds. Unlike her older sisters who became nuns, Elizabeth married Michael McKenna, a native of Monaghan, on the 1^st of June 1934 in Brooklyn, New York. The couple had three children Robert, Mary Ann and Betty Ann McKenna. Michael McKenna died on the 2^nd of July 1949 and Elizabeth McKenna, née Fluskey died in November 1985. Danny explained that Elizabeth’s daughter, Betty McKenna came to Glenmore from America as a young woman and stayed. She married Sean Walsh and had family.

Fluskey Women of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word

Robert Fluskey’s daughters

Bridget Fluskey (1886-1970) joined the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word Order and became Sister Mary, Our Lady of Good Counsel and was a teacher. She died on the 13^th of October 1970 at the Incarnate Word Convent in San Antonio, Texas.

Mary Ellen Fluskey (1889-1974) became Sister Mary Irma. Sister Mary Irma died on Christmas Day 1974 at the Incarnate Word Convent in San Antonio, Texas, where she is buried in the convent cemetery. Her obituary in the Antonio Express newspaper states that she was survived by her sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth McKenna, of Brooklyn, New York and Sister M. Ciaran Fluskey S.P. Holy Oaks, Massachusetts. Her death certificate notes that she was a retired practical nurse.

Anna Theresa Fluskey (1891-1980) also became a Sister of Charity of the Incarnate Word. It is believed that Anna was the Sister M. Ciaran Fluskey listed in Mary Ellen’s obituary above. A Massachusetts death record was found for Anne T. Fluskey that reveals that she died on the 11^th of January 1980 at Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Robert Fluskey’s Great-nieces(?)

Alice Fluskey (1904- 1984) was the daughter of Terence Fluskey, of Hoodsgrove, Rosbercon and Kate Fluskey née Haberlin. The 1911 Census reveals that Terence was a laborer and he and his wife had two sons and two daughters. Alice was the eldest at 4; Richard was 3; Thomas was 1 and Mary was two months. Kate Fluskey died on the 20^th of May 1915 at the New Ross Workhouse at the age of 41 of gastritis cardiac debility. After their mother’s death Alice and Mary were sent to live with Jim and Mollie Fluskey in Glenmore. It is believed that Terence and Jim were first cousins. The marriage record for Terence Fluskey and Kate Haberlin provides that Terence was the son of Richard Fluskey [corrected 10 May 2022] of the Mile Bush, Rosbercon and Kate Haberlin was the daughter of Thomas Haberlin, a laborer from Forristalstown, Glenmore.  James Fluskey and Mary Doherty were witnesses at this wedding.  According to the New Ross Standard of 19 September 1924 Alice professed her religious intentions at the Incarnate Word Convent in San Antonio, Texas. She became Sister Mary Ellen.

Mary Fluskey (1911-1999) like her sister Alice, and older Glenmore cousins, entered the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word Order.  She became Sister Catherine. Mary was the last of her family and the last of the Fluskey women who entered the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. Her obituary is below and provides a great deal of detail concerning her vocation.

The photos of Eliz. (Lizzie) Fluskey and Michael and Eliz. (Lizzie) McKenna are old passport photos. In the featured colour photo of the Village, Fluskey’s is the two storey bluish building on the left of the photo.

This post was updated on 30 May 2020 after Danny Dowling provided additional details on 29 May 2020.

The photos of the Fluskey grave markers were added 21 June 2020.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh