The Tragic Death of John Millea (1870-1935) of Treanaree, Slieverue

There was a tragic farm death in 1935 on the border of the parishes of Glenmore and Slieverue that was reported across Ireland and in the United States.  Several newspapers wrongly reported that the death occurred of a Glenmore man. For a generation after the tragic event local parents would warn their children of the dangers of bulls often citing what happened to poor Johnny Millea. The description of the events was found in two Munster Express articles (Fri. 13 Sept. 1935, p. 5 & p. 8). Any additional information gleaned from other publications or sources are cited below. Please be advised that the descriptions of the death of the farmer and the bull are graphic.

The Death of John Millea (1870-1935) of Treanaree, Slieverue

An inquest was held on Wednesday, the 11th of September 1935, by Dr. J.D. Fitzgerald, Coroner for South Kilkenny, regarding the death of John Millea, Treenarea (sic), Slieverue, who was killed the previous day when attacked and gored by a bull.

The foreman of the jury was Thomas Mullally (c. 1897-1951) of Grogan, Glenmore other members of the jury included: Robert Walsh (1872-1951) Davidstown, Glenmore; James Verricker (sic) Grogan, Glenmore; John Kennedy, Ballinclare, Glenmore; John Doherty, Davidstown, Glenmore; William Murphy, Davidstown, Glenmore; and William Walsh, Davidstown, Glenmore.   Sergt. Nicholas Garvey (1895-1960) Glenmore, conducted the proceedings on behalf of the Civic Guards. [See our post of 3 October 2021 regarding Sergt. Nicholas Garvey and his time in Glenmore].

Testimony of Mrs. Mary Millea (c. 1865 -1948) of Treanaree, Slieverue

Mary Millea, aged 71, identified herself as the sister-in-law of the deceased John Millea. He was 64 years of age and was single. Together they were owners of the farm.  On Tuesday morning about 6 o’clock (old time) John got up and went out for the cows which were in the field at the back of the house. Mary was in the yard at about 6:15 when John came back with the cows. He put the cows in the shed and said that the bull had got out of the shed in which he had been tied. He said he would go look for the bull in Grant’s field. Per the Limerick Leader (Sat. 14 Sept. 1935, p. 12) the owner of the field was Edward Grant of Curraghmore, Slieverue.

Mary started milking the cows. About half an hour later the bull arrived in the yard. The bull was roaring when he arrived, and Mary was afraid of him. Mary went into another shed. She looked out and saw Johnny’s dog in the yard “howling piteously” (The Post, Wed. 18 Sept. 1935, p. 2). Mary became uneasy that her brother-in-law had not returned. Edward Donovan, Slieverue, came to collect the Millea milk. We believe that this Edward Donovan was from the Rathpatrick, Slieverue, Donovan family that sold milk in Waterford.

After telling Edward Donovan of her concerns she went to look for John. She went in the direction from which the bull had come home. She went into Grant’s field. She saw a white thing in the middle of the field and went over to it. She discovered that it was her brother-in-law. Several newspapers incorrectly stated that a number of neighbouring farmers, armed with sprongs [for our international readers a sprong is a long handled pitchfork] and accompanied by dogs, went in search of the deceased. We believe this may have described the men who later sought to find and destroy the bull (Limerick Leader, Sat. 14 Sept. 1935, p. 12).

Finding John Millea

John Millea was lying face down in the field. “Most of his clothes were gone except for his boots and the lower part of his trousers. She knew he was dead when she called to him and got no answer. She testified that she did not stir him because she wasn’t able.

Mary went back to the yard and told Edward Donovan that “Johnny is dead.in the field, the bull killed him.” Edward Donovan said that he would go down and bring back the body. Mary, Edward Donovan and a neighbour named Thomas Power [some newspapers report the name as Thomas Dower] went with a pony car and collected the body. The body was taken to the Millea house. Mary did not notice any wounds on John’s body except the marks on his face.

According to The Post (Wed. 18 Sept. 1935, p. 2) the body was rolled along the field by the bull and there were signs of a terrible struggle as patches of the field were torn up and contained blood. Pieces of the deceased’s clothing were scattered over the ground. As soon as notified Sergeant Nicholas Garvey and a Guard went to the scene.

The Bull

Mary testified that they had owned the bull for about four years. She said she never went near it. Her brother-in-law, the deceased, looked after it. She could not exactly say how long it was housed over the summer. She did not know it was “cross” and had never heard of it attacking anyone before. She discovered that the bull had done a lot of damage escaping from the shed by breaking a few gates and knocking down a churn.

According the Munster Express (Fri. 13 Sept. 1935, p. 8) following the tragedy, search parties sought the bull and found him with other cattle. After several unsuccessful attempts, where the bull charged them, they managed to drive him back to the farm. “Two men then procured shotguns and, not without difficulty, destroyed the bull, which was removed on Wed. morning to Messrs. O’Keeffe’s works at Gracedieu.”

Thomas Walsh (1908-1992) was a native of Davidstown, Glenmore, and son of juror Robert Walsh of the Inquest into the death of John Millea in 1935. Tom told his children about the event. Back in the 1930’s almost all cattle had horns, and bulls were particularly dangerous. He said that after Johnny Millea was killed a group of men gathered to kill the bull. A shotgun was attempted, but failed. The bull was stunned, and eventually the men used a sledgehammer to the forehead of the bull. Jack Donovan was identified as one of the men who killed the bull.  

Medical Evidence & Verdict

Dr. Coughlan, Waterford and Dr. Fitzgerald, Rosbercon gave evidence of the injuries sustained by the deceased.

The body was covered with bruises from head to toe. The nose was broken. The right eyebrow and scalp were covered with scratches, ribs were broken on both sides, and there was scarcely a whole rib in the body. There was a big bruise over the heart and a lacerated one over the liver. Both sides of the abdomen were contused and lacerated and the legs were bruised. Both lungs were ruptured and there were other severe internal injuries.

In reply to a juror, Dr. Coughlan said that in his opinion the deceased died within a few minutes of being attacked, very probably as soon as he received the blow over the heart, when a rib was driven into his heart. “The body had been reduced to the state of a ragdoll.” From the spot were some of his clothes were found to where his body was found was about 50 yards.

The Coroner, the Foreman on behalf of the jury, Sergt. Garvey on behalf of the Guards, joined in a vote of sympathy with the relatives of the deceased. The jury after a short retirement returned its verdict. John Millea’s death per the Death Register provides that he died 10 September 1935 at the age of 64. He was a bachelor farmer. His death was caused by “shock as the result of extensive injuries to all the vital organs by having been gored by a bull.” It is noted that an Inquest took place on 11 September 1935.

The Millea Family of Treanaree, Slieverue

The sad tragedy occasioned the deepest regret in the district where the deceased and his sister-in-law were very popular. The funeral to Slieverue was very largely attended.  (The Post, 18 Sept. 1935, p. 4). Mary Millea at Johnny’s funeral reportedly stated in praise of her brother-in-law that “Johnny never said a cross word to me” (Thomas Walsh (1908-1992) native of Davidstown, Glenmore).

Parents and Sibling of John Millea

John Millea was born 7 May 1870 at Treanaree, Slieverue the son of John Mallay (sic) and his wife Margaret Donovan. John Malay (sic) (c. 1840 -1900) and Margaret Donovan (c. 1837-1899) were married at Slieverue on 21 November 1865. As a young man John Milea went to America and spent 23 years there. Twenty-two years before his death he returned to Slieverue and worked on his brother’s farm. He took over the management of the farm when his brother died (Munster Express, Fri. 13 Sept. 1935, p. 6). Thus, John left for the U.S. in 1890 and returned to Slieverue about 1913.

John’s eldest brother, James Millea, who was known as Jamesey Millea, was born at Treenarea on or about 8 December 1865. He married Mary Phelan, of Shambo (sic) at Rosbercon on 30 August 1900. Mary was the daughter of Richard Phelan (farmer). James Millea died on 25 November 1924 at Treanaree. He was 58 when he died of chronic nephrites which he suffered with for a year before his death. His brother John was present when he died. James’s widow Mary (née Phelan), died at the age of 83 in the Holy Ghost Hospital in Waterford on 19 October 1948.

Newsworthy Death by Bull?

John Millea’s death was reported in a New York City newspaper, The Advocate (Sat. 5 Oct. 1935, p. 5). Unfortunately, no reference was made to John Milleas’s time in the U.S.

It was rather surprising how many death by bull articles were reported in Irish newspapers in 1935. Such was the appeal of such stories that even rumours were published. For example, the Waterford News & Star (Fri. 31 May 1935, p. 5) reported that “On Monday a strong rumour got about that a man had been attacked and killed by a bull in the vicinity of Waterford. On inquiries it was found that the rumour had absolutely no foundation.” 

Coverage of Millea’s Death

In addition to the 5 articles cited above regarding John Millea’s death at least 9 other Irish newspapers reported details of his death. See, New Ross Standard (Fri. 13, 1935 p. 11) “Killed by a Bull”; Irish Independent (Sat. 14 Sept. 1925, p. 5) “County Kilkenny Man’s Shocking Fate”; Irish Examiner (Wed. 11 Sept. 1935, p. 6) “Kilkenny Man’s Tragic Death”; Kilkenny People (Sat. 21 Sept. 1935, p. 5) “Killed by a Bull”; Belfast Newsletter (Fri. 12 Sept. 1934, p. 12, “Killed by a Bull”; Irish Press (Thur. 11 Sept. 1935, p. 1) “Railway, Dock and Farm Tragedies, reported that death occurred in Glenmore”; Meath Chronicle (Sat. 13 July 1935, “Farmer Killed by Bull”; Evening Echo (Thur. 11 Sept. 1935, p. 6) “Kilkenny Man’s Tragic Death”; and Connacht Tribune (Sat. 14 Sept. 1935, p. 20).

Coverage of Others Killed by Bulls

Additionally, there were several other articles in 1935 published in Irish newspapers regarding other men killed by bulls. The Irish Examiner (Tues.19 March 1935, p. 8) reported in March that a Matador in Mexico was killed by a bull. In July, Timothy Humphreys (62) of Cork was killed by his bull (Irish Independent (Mon. 8 July 1935, p. 10). The following month the Ulster Herald (Sat.10 Aug. 1935, p. 2) reported that Wm. Ferneyhough, aged 24, a farm labourer was gored in the throat and died. In September, Simon Hegarty, an elderly farmer was killed at Glenville, near Fermoy (Irish Examiner, Mon. 9 Sept. 1935, p. 6). It was reported in December that a farmer in Donegal, was killed by a bull, which had fatally injured the man’s sister (Irish Examiner, Mon. 23 Dec. 1935, p. 8).

Perhaps one of the more interesting bull related cases in 1935 involved the negligence case brought by the widow of a farmer killed by a neighbour’s bull. Pierce Whelan, Ballyclough, Kilworth, Cork was killed Christmas Eve 1934, by a bull belonging to Margaret and Mary Anne Leonard of Ballyclough. The civil case was heard in July 1935. The judge noted that when he was a young fellow, he had the utmost contempt for women as managers of farms. The care of a farm in the hands of somebody else would not at all be anything like the care and guidance of the master of the farmstead. The jury after that statement awarded £150 to the widow and children of Pierce Whelan (Evening Echo, Fri. 19 July 1935, p. 7).

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For some current statistics on deaths caused by livestock and advice regarding bulls see, Teagasc (2025).

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

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh

The featured photo above is from an old sales brochure and it is not the bull that killed John Millea. The newspapers did not report on the breed of the aggressive bull. Notice that the horns of the featured short horn bull have been blunted, and he is wearing a safety chain from his nose ring up around his horns.