The Glenmore Cinema: William “Bill” Walsh (1912-1985)

Over the last couple of years while typing up Danny Dowling’s notebooks and writing articles for this blog there have been several times when I wished that I could have met some of the interesting former Glenmore residents. One such person was Bill Walsh (1912-1985) who before television was available brought films to Glenmore, and other local areas, and often took films to individual homes for people who were ill. He was instrumental in the founding of the popular Glenmore Athletic Club, was an avid cyclist and operated a dancehall in Mullinavat. Thanks to Marion Coady Hendrick née Walsh we now have further information regarding her father and the social history of Glenmore of the twentieth century created by his endeavours. Information not part of Marion’s article, gleaned from public records, is included in square brackets [   ].

My Father, by Marion Coady Hendrick née Walsh

Family Background

William “Bill” Walsh was born 110 years ago this coming week on 2 March 1912. He was born in Cappagh, Glenmore and lived his entire life in Glenmore. He was the youngest child of Patrick Walsh (1857-1933) and his wife Margaret “Maggie” née McGuiness (1868-1952).  Patrick and Maggie met when Maggie came from the North of Ireland to stay with relatives in Gaulstown. [The couple married on 12 September 1893 at St. John’s of Waterford. According to the marriage records Patrick Walsh, of Glenmore, was the son of John Walsh (deceased weaver) and Maggie McGuinness was residing on Hennessy’s Road, in Waterford, and was the daughter of James McGuinness (retired policeman).] Patrick and Maggie Walsh had nine children, including (1) Annie Walsh (b. 25 Oct. 1894); (2) Katie “Kit” Walsh (b. 12 Oct. 1896); (3) Jim Walsh (b. 30 Nov. 1898); (4) Mary “Molly” Walsh (b. 19 Feb. 1901); (5) Ellen “Eily” Walsh (b. 4 Aug. 1902); (6) Sarah Walsh (b. 4 April 1904); (7) John “Jack” Walsh (b. 10 June 1906); (8) Margaret “Gretta” Walsh (b. 5 Oct. 1908); (9) William “Bill” Walsh (b. 2 March 1912).

Patrick Walsh died in 1933 at the age of 76.  Patrick worked in the dairy in the Glenmore Creamery up until his death.  Bill at 15 years of age took over his father’s job in the dairy.  Sometime later there was an exam for the storekeeper’s position in the Creamery. Bill got the highest marks in the exam and got the job. He was a man of great intelligence, and this was borne out over his lifetime.  He also had the greatest attribute of all which cannot be picked up in any university, he possessed common sense in abundance. [Bill worked full time in the Creamery until his retirement in the late 1970’s.] In addition to Bill being employed at the Glenmore Creamery, his sister Molly Walsh (1901-1988) was employed there as the dairy maid. While working at the Creamery she met Larry Fortune, of Shanbogh and the couple later married.

In 1946, Bill Walsh married Margaret “Peg” Roche (1917-2012) when Peg returned from England after working there throughout WWII. They had been engaged for 5 years. Peg was the daughter of Edward Roche and Mary Roche née Forristal, of the High Road, Rathinure, Glenmore. Mary was born and reared in Forristal’s Mill in Graiguenakill, Glenmore and was a sister of Nicky “the Miller” Forristal.  Bill Walsh and his wife Peg had six children. The eldest three children were boys and the youngest three were girls. Their names are: (1) Pat Walsh; (2) Eamonn Walsh; (3) Jimmy Walsh; (4) Marion Walsh; (5) Ann Walsh; and (6) Monica Walsh. Sadly, Jimmy passed away at 3 years of age.

Athletic Life

In the St. Joseph’s Athletic Club, Third Annual Yearbook, 1984/85 a tribute was penned about Bill by Danny Dowling (1927-2021) under the heading “Well known athlete of former years passes away.” Danny described Bill as an “indefatigable worker for the advancement of athletics in the South East, particularly in the Glenmore/Rosbercon area, his lifelong association with the sport earned him the admiration and esteem of all who had the pleasure of knowing him. His colleagues in the sport of cycle racing included such well- known personalities as Richie Cotterell of Ballycroney, Tommy and Dick Hamilton and Jack Doolan of Tinneranny, and the late Paddy O’Brien of New Ross and the Parish Pump.”

Bill was a keen racing cyclist for many years, particularly in the 1930’s and 40’s when he took part in almost every road and track event in the South East. His intense interest in the sport was mainly responsible for the foundation in 1943 of the Glenmore Athletic Club, and some of his colleagues in this venture included Larry and Pat Roche of Haggard, Peter Egan of Mullinarrigle, Stephen Walsh, Rochestown, Tommy Cotterell, Ballycroney and Tommy Fitzgerald of Moulerstown.  The Glenmore Club remained active for many years and was responsible for keeping alive a vibrant interest in local athletics.  Its success in that regard is mainly due to the dedication and enthusiasm of Bill Walsh. Local athletes, of both the present and future, owe him a debt of gratitude for his unselfish dedication and service which he unstintingly gave in the interest of youth and sport. He was the personality portrait in the Munster Express on more than one occasion, as Hon Secretary of the Glenmore Athletic Club, highlighting the annual sports day at Skow Bridge the only one of its kind to be held annually in South Kilkenny.

Cinema in Glenmore

Before television came into use in the early 60’s the weekly film was a huge event in the social life of Glenmore.  JK Walsh’s was the venue right next to Danny Dowling’s house in the village. Every week the new film arrived.  First, they came as 3 reels but later one large reel the size of a bicycle wheel.  Bill had two projectors one large and one smaller.  He built a high wall behind the screen to mount the screen on, but also to make the cinema easier to heat.   The excitement before the film started was palpable. Some of the films included: Ben Hur, Quo Vadis, all the old cowboy films High Noon, Gunfight at the OK Corral. The boys in the village would run around firing cap guns for weeks after a cowboy film. The Song of Bernadette he showed “Pro Bono” to the Good Shepherd Nuns and girls.  On different days of the week, he showed films in Mullinavat, Hugginstown, and Bigwood. When he had a free night, he showed his film of the week to whatever invalid or bedridden person in the parish who wished to see it. For a screen he used one of his wife’s starched white sheets.

 In 1961, Bill installed new state of the art seating, it seemed the height of luxury to us after the benches.   The winter of 1962/63 was savage, the coldest for more than 200 years.  It began freezing on Christmas day 1962 and didn’t relent until March 1963.  The roof of Bill’s cinema collapsed under the weight of the snow. For a while he continued to show films in the old school, but with the advent of television the popularity of local cinema died out it was the end of an era for Glenmore cinema.

Mullinavat Dance Hall

In 1957, Bill in partnership with Paulie Fitzgerald Moulerstown, bought Mullinavat Dance Hall, known locally as Harney’s Hall. They installed a new maple floor which cost £1,000 (which is €1,269.74) an enormous sum at the time when the average wage was £8. (or €10.16) per week.  How we loved to slide around on that floor! There was a long tube which contained a kind of floor wax like Lux flakes that you shook on the floor, and it gleamed. 

The dancehall became a popular venue during the 50’s and 60’s.  It is where love stories began.  A wonderful place full of music and song, youth and vitality, noise, and energy.  Girls and boys from all over the country came to dance the night away, they waltzed and fox-trotted to the big bands, they huckle-bucked and jived, and twisted the night away.  The excitement of the Sunday night dance.

A lot of girls and boys cycled miles to get to the dances as evidenced by the headscarves, raincoats and bicycle lamps hung in the cloakroom. Hundreds of bikes were parked in Walsh’s Garden on the corner near Mill Bridge.  The girls dressed in beautiful dresses of every hue and the men wore suits.

 The dance halls had to close down during Lent, the torment of that, never had 7 weeks seemed so long.  During Lent we all had to lend a hand painting and refurbishing the hall for the grand opening after Lent.  St. Patrick’s Day was the exception when the hall opened for concerts and anyone off drink for Lent could have a drink on that day only.  Of course, there was no drinking in the dance hall, there was only a mineral bar, tea, and sandwiches. There was a license with the hall when it was first bought from Harneys, but Bill and Paulie having kept it for a while decided it was better to just have a mineral bar as most other dancehalls did at the time.  The drinking was done beforehand in the local pubs. On Sunday nights the pubs all closed at 10 p.m.  A big night which stood out in our minds as children was when Maggie Barry came to the Dancehall and all the mothers in the village went to see her.  My mother made the tea on a Sunday night and welcomed the girls from around the area into the house, they were waiting for our father to give them a lift to the Dance after he had finished showing films in one of the halls around the country.  We remembered as children the girls sitting us on their laps, they wore hoops in their dresses to make them stand out, and we would wiggle on their knees to get comfortable.  All consigned to history now. 

Mullinavat Fete

The Fete’s were also held at the Dance Hall, but in a huge marquee tent adjacent to it, to accommodate the crowds that came. The Junior and Senior hurling tournaments and the excitement of the hurling final. The Victors Showband and the Barrow Boys, Sean Dunphy and the Hoedowners.  Buses came from all over, people got a lift, walked, and cycled, it was the highlight of the summer. There was a spinning wheel, where you bought a ticket and if your number came up you got to pick a prize. Pongo, a tea tent which served the best homemade cakes, buns and sandwiches, fish and chips and ice cream were served.  Loud music and great excitement, people everywhere and of course the big bands and dancing in the Hall. Mullinavat was booming at that time. 

Bill sadly passed away on 1^st March 1985 the day before his 73^rd birthday. It was sudden and shocking to us all, he was always so full of vitality.  The day before he died, (he was in hospital for 2 days) when asked what he wanted for his birthday he said “I just want to go home, I’m only going to dig half the garden this year.” He stayed busy to the end.

On 19^th January 1987 the Hall was sold to Monsignor Maher, Parish House, Mullinavat.  There was a one off “Last Dance” held there on Sunday 1^st June 2014 and the hall was demolished in July 2014. Today the area where the Hall stood now house the local school and community hall.

Special thanks to Marion for sharing her knowledge, memories and photos and writing the above interesting article.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh