'Dublin Jack' / Seamus Malone

“Dublin Jack” was a name I came across on a few occasions, especially when talking to those who were born or lived in the Castlemitchell area.  So far as I can find out “Dublin Jack” died in or around 1945.  An intelligent man, he was well known in the Castlemitchell area where he worked and lived for most of the year, travelling around and working when he could find work, for local farmers.  With the name “Dublin Jack” his birth place was readily identifiable, even if it couldn't be recognised from his accent or the strange language he used.  For “Dublin Jack”  had a language which owed little to the Queen's english.  The Bleeding Horse, a well known hostelry was a favourite haunt of “Dublin Jack” and the story has come down through the generations of the night the Gardai cycled out from Athy to raid the country pub.  The luckless late night patrons, including “Dublin Jack” were duly summoned to appear at the local District Court when the man from the capital addressed the presiding Judge.  In explaining his presence on the premises after hours “Dublin Jack” claimed:  “Every night before I hit the long jump I take in a long journey and I was only down to the church windows when the copper knocked to let him come in”.  Some of the locals who were well accustomed to listening to “Dublin Jack” and understood his language were called upon to explain to the Court what he had said and the translation involved explaining that “the long jump” meant “bed” and “a long journey” meant “a pint of porter” and “the church window” was “the bottom of a pint glass”.  It goes without saying that the colourful character is believed to have had the charge against him dismissed.

“Dublin Jack”  spent most of the year in the Castlemitchell/Churchtown area and the Bleeding Horse, or more correctly one of its many outhouses, provided the sleeping quarters for the knight of the road.  He wasn't in the ordinary sense one of the many men who travelled the Irish countryside in the 1930's, moving from one place to another in search of work, all the time sleeping rough and generally returning to the same places at different times of the year.  “Dublin Jack” spent most of the year in the Castlemitchell area and while he usually disappeared for the winter months he was always expected to return with the Spring to his favourite haunts near the Laois border.

“Dublin Jack” was believed to have been a nephew of James Carey, a leading member of the Invincibles who were involved in the Phoenix Park Murders.  The Invincibles were a breakaway group of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and five of its members were hanged for the murder in the Phoenix Park on 6^th May 1882 of Lord Cavendish, Chief Secretary of Ireland and his Under Secretary Thomas Burke.  Carey, who was a Dublin bricklayer, turned informer and in return he was sent to South Africa to start a new life.  However, he was shot dead on the boat bringing him and his family to that country while the boat was lying off the coast of Capetown. 

The extended Carey family left behind in Dublin, although innocent of any complicity in the work of James Carey, found it necessary to move out of the city.  “Dublin Jack” took to the road, while his brother who was a baker ended up in Celbridge in the north of the county.  There may be some persons who remember “Dublin Jack” who died over 60 years ago and if so I would be pleased to hear from them.

Anyone interested in the Invincibles should read “The Irish National Invincibles and their Times” by P.J.P. Tynan who was their leader.  He died in New York in November 1936, aged 94 years, and the Irish Independent of 20^th November of that year in announcing his death referred to him as “the man who at one time was well known in England as a loyal member of a select London volunteer regiment and was one of the Guard of Honour to Queen Victoria when she opened the new law courts in London.”  Another interesting London link with the Phoenix Park Murders was announced in the Freemans Journal of 22^nd June 1883 when the following report appeared.  “On Wednesday by the midday boat (London and Northwestern Route) from the North Wall the authorities consigned to the Messrs Tussaud Wax Works Exhibition, the car used by Kavanagh in the Phoenix Park murder of Mr. Burke and Lord Frederick Cavendish, also the mare who was on that day yoked to the car together with Kavanagh's whip and the identical clothes worn by him on that occasion.” 

In the past I have made brief references to Seamus Malone, a teacher, who so far as I can find out taught in the local Christian Brothers School sometime in the early 1920's.  Seamus who was a teacher of Irish and history spent approximately four years in Athy and during that time he was responsible for reviving the local G.A.A. Club.  At the same time he was very much involved in the Republican Movement and it was this involvement which would eventually cause him to leave the Christian Brothers school.  Two of his children, Sheila and Una, were born in Athy and the Malone family lived in Stanhope Street on the same side as Winkles newsagents.  Seamus was a good friend of Paddy Gibbons, a local journalist who lived in Woodstock Street, and both shared strong Republican affiliations.  Thomas Malone left Athy to take up a teaching post in Kilrush in County Clare and later taught in Newtown Quaker school in Waterford before ending his teaching career in a Jewish school in Dublin.  Seamus and his brother Tom Malone were very involved in the Irish War of Independence, Tom being a Commandant in the East Limerick Flying Column.  Tom Malone wrote of his experiences in the I.R.A. in a book published in 2000 under the title “Alias Sean Forde”, while his brother Seamus wrote of his I.R.A. involvement in a book published by Sairseal and Dill in 1958 called “Bfiu an Braon Fola” which Fr. Patrick Twohig, Parish Priest of Churchtown in County Cork translated and published as “Blood on the Flag” ten years ago.  I am sure there is no one around who remembers Seamus Malone, but perhaps somewhere there may be a reference to, or a photograph of, the man who spent four years amongst the Athy people.  Again if you can help in my research surrounding Seamus Malone I would be delighted to hear from you.

Elections to Athy Urban District Council were held on 15^th January 1920, even as the War of Independence was entering its second year.  One of the Sinn Fein councillors elected at that time was Thomas O'Rourke of William Street who coincidentally was joined on the Urban Council by Joseph O'Rourke, also of William Street.  Were they related I wonder?  Three months later Thomas O'Rourke and three of his sons were arrested by a group of Black and Tans and R.I.C. in a roundup of local I.R.A. sympathisers.  How long they were detained I cannot say but twelve months later Thomas O'Rourke and John Hayden, another Athy man, were reported in the local papers as having been used as hostages on an army lorry which passed through Athy.  John Hayden who was captain of the local I.R.A. company was a teacher in the Christian Brothers school in Athy.  John lived with his brother Paddy,  who was also involved in the I.R.A. at no. 7 Offaly Street.  He would again be interned during the subsequent Civil War and would, like many who opposed the Treaty, emigrate to America.  He returned to Ireland in 1934 and died 31 years later.  Thomas O'Rourke and his three sons remain somewhat of a mystery insofar as I have never been able to satisfactorily identify them.  If you think you can help me in that regard I would welcome hearing from you.

Eye on the Past 736

“Dublin Jack” was a name I came across on a few occasions, especially when talking to those who were born or lived in the Castlemitchell area. So far as I can find out “Dublin Jack” died in or around 1945. An intelligent man, he was well known in the Castlemitchell area where he worked and lived for most of the year, travelling around and working when he could find work, for local farmers. With the name “Dublin Jack” his birth place was readily identifiable, even if it couldn't be recognised from his accent or the strange language he used. For “Dublin Jack” had a language which owed little to the Queen's english. The Bleeding Horse, a well known hostelry was a favourite haunt of “Dublin Jack” and the story has come down through the generations of the night the Gardai cycled out from Athy to raid the country pub. The luckless late night patrons, including “Dublin Jack” were duly summoned to appear at the local District Court when the man from the capital addressed the presiding Judge. In explaining his presence on the premises after hours “Dublin Jack” claimed: “Every night before I hit the long jump I take in a long journey and I was only down to the church windows when the copper knocked to let him come in”. Some of the locals who were well accustomed to listening to “Dublin Jack” and understood his language were called upon to explain to the Court what he had said and the translation involved explaining that “the long jump” meant “bed” and “a long journey” meant “a pint of porter” and “the church window” was “the bottom of a pint glass”. It goes without saying that the colourful character is believed to have had the charge against him dismissed.

“Dublin Jack” spent most of the year in the Castlemitchell/Churchtown area and the Bleeding Horse, or more correctly one of its many outhouses, provided the sleeping quarters for the knight of the road. He wasn't in the ordinary sense one of the many men who travelled the Irish countryside in the 1930's, moving from one place to another in search of work, all the time sleeping rough and generally returning to the same places at different times of the year. “Dublin Jack” spent most of the year in the Castlemitchell area and while he usually disappeared for the winter months he was always expected to return with the Spring to his favourite haunts near the Laois border.

“Dublin Jack” was believed to have been a nephew of James Carey, a leading member of the Invincibles who were involved in the Phoenix Park Murders. The Invincibles were a breakaway group of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and five of its members were hanged for the murder in the Phoenix Park on 6th May 1882 of Lord Cavendish, Chief Secretary of Ireland and his Under Secretary Thomas Burke. Carey, who was a Dublin bricklayer, turned informer and in return he was sent to South Africa to start a new life. However, he was shot dead on the boat bringing him and his family to that country while the boat was lying off the coast of Capetown.

The extended Carey family left behind in Dublin, although innocent of any complicity in the work of James Carey, found it necessary to move out of the city. “Dublin Jack” took to the road, while his brother who was a baker ended up in Celbridge in the north of the county. There may be some persons who remember “Dublin Jack” who died over 60 years ago and if so I would be pleased to hear from them.

Anyone interested in the Invincibles should read “The Irish National Invincibles and their Times” by P.J.P. Tynan who was their leader. He died in New York in November 1936, aged 94 years, and the Irish Independent of 20th November of that year in announcing his death referred to him as “the man who at one time was well known in England as a loyal member of a select London volunteer regiment and was one of the Guard of Honour to Queen Victoria when she opened the new law courts in London.” Another interesting London link with the Phoenix Park Murders was announced in the Freemans Journal of 22nd June 1883 when the following report appeared. “On Wednesday by the midday boat (London and Northwestern Route) from the North Wall the authorities consigned to the Messrs Tussaud Wax Works Exhibition, the car used by Kavanagh in the Phoenix Park murder of Mr. Burke and Lord Frederick Cavendish, also the mare who was on that day yoked to the car together with Kavanagh's whip and the identical clothes worn by him on that occasion.”

In the past I have made brief references to Seamus Malone, a teacher, who so far as I can find out taught in the local Christian Brothers School sometime in the early 1920's. Seamus who was a teacher of Irish and history spent approximately four years in Athy and during that time he was responsible for reviving the local G.A.A. Club. At the same time he was very much involved in the Republican Movement and it was this involvement which would eventually cause him to leave the Christian Brothers school. Two of his children, Sheila and Una, were born in Athy and the Malone family lived in Stanhope Street on the same side as Winkles newsagents. Seamus was a good friend of Paddy Gibbons, a local journalist who lived in Woodstock Street, and both shared strong Republican affiliations. Thomas Malone left Athy to take up a teaching post in Kilrush in County Clare and later taught in Newtown Quaker school in Waterford before ending his teaching career in a Jewish school in Dublin. Seamus and his brother Tom Malone were very involved in the Irish War of Independence, Tom being a Commandant in the East Limerick Flying Column. Tom Malone wrote of his experiences in the I.R.A. in a book published in 2000 under the title “Alias Sean Forde”, while his brother Seamus wrote of his I.R.A. involvement in a book published by Sairseal and Dill in 1958 called “Bfiu an Braon Fola” which Fr. Patrick Twohig, Parish Priest of Churchtown in County Cork translated and published as “Blood on the Flag” ten years ago. I am sure there is no one around who remembers Seamus Malone, but perhaps somewhere there may be a reference to, or a photograph of, the man who spent four years amongst the Athy people. Again if you can help in my research surrounding Seamus Malone I would be delighted to hear from you.

Elections to Athy Urban District Council were held on 15th January 1920, even as the War of Independence was entering its second year. One of the Sinn Fein councillors elected at that time was Thomas O'Rourke of William Street who coincidentally was joined on the Urban Council by Joseph O'Rourke, also of William Street. Were they related I wonder? Three months later Thomas O'Rourke and three of his sons were arrested by a group of Black and Tans and R.I.C. in a roundup of local I.R.A. sympathisers. How long they were detained I cannot say but twelve months later Thomas O'Rourke and John Hayden, another Athy man, were reported in the local papers as having been used as hostages on an army lorry which passed through Athy. John Hayden who was captain of the local I.R.A. company was a teacher in the Christian Brothers school in Athy. John lived with his brother Paddy, who was also involved in the I.R.A. at no. 7 Offaly Street. He would again be interned during the subsequent Civil War and would, like many who opposed the Treaty, emigrate to America. He returned to Ireland in 1934 and died 31 years later. Thomas O'Rourke and his three sons remain somewhat of a mystery insofar as I have never been able to satisfactorily identify them. If you think you can help me in that regard I would welcome hearing from you.

Kildare v. Sligo / Michael 'Crutch' Malone / Seamus Malone

I was in the company of two Sligo men last Saturday as the sun finally set on Kildare’s race for the current years football championship. We were not in Croke Park but rather part of a family group gathered together to celebrate not one but two weddings which had taken place 40 years ago. Despite my best efforts to combine the celebrations with what I promised would be a quick visit to Croke Park, “sure I’ll be back in plenty of time”, the better half thought otherwise and mapped out my programme for Saturday afternoon. It was not to include a visit to Jones’ Road so I was dependent on the less than dulcet tones of local radio to follow the progress, or rather the lack of it, of Kildare’s footballing heroes.

When the final whistle went not even the two Sligo men felt able to raise a cheer for in truth, although born in Sligo their allegiances were the same as mine. For you see the two Sligo men were my brothers George and Tony, born in Ballymote and Easkey even before the hungry ‘40’s was a spec on the horizon. We were joined by another brother Jack, born in County Mayo and to complete the kaleidoscope of Irish counties wasn’t I myself always proud, especially during the football starvation years, of my Kilkenny heritage. Kildare for the football, Kilkenny for the hurling. Oh shades of ’98 when both my favourite counties inexplicably stumbled at the last hurdle when least expected to do so.

With Kildare’s defeat I am left clutching for reflected glory in my support of the Black and Amber. It is not often the Kilkenny cat in me is disappointed and that County’s wealth of success over the years prompts me to offer the loss of at least five hurling championships if, but only if Kildare could but once take ould Sam Maguire for a stroll down Athy’s main street.

During the week a letter was passed on to me from Kathleen Brodie, the great grand-daughter of Michael Malone, better remembered by the older members of the local community as “Crutch” Malone. “Crutch” because he had a deformed leg which was thrust up behind him, presumably necessitating the use of a crutch to get him around. He was a publican from Woodstock Street, his premises now owned and operated by Pat Dunne. Originally a native of Barrowhouse where he is today buried, he was for many years a member of Athy Urban District Council and a former member of the Town Council. He is perhaps best remembered today as author of “The Annals of Athy” published in 1932 or thereabouts, copies of which can still be found in many of the homes of Athy.

Kathleen Brodie was seeking the family details, photographs or memorabilia for a family album in the course of preparation for the August wedding of another Michael Malone, a great grandson of “Crutch” Malone. I would like to hear from anyone who can help Mrs. Brodie with her quest.

Help is also required, this time by myself, in compiling background information on John Keenan and his brother Tommy, both of whom served in the Irish Defence Forces during World War II. I understand that they served from 1939 with their father who had himself fought during World War II and who returned home from the 1914-1918 War suffering from serious injuries. My enquiries to date have located two Keenan families, one from Meeting Lane, the other and more likely connected with the family of my enquiry from Dooley’s Terrace. There must surely be many readers who can help me with my enquiries concerning John Keenan whom I am told left Athy around 1947. Looking forward to hearing from you.

While I am seeking your help can I put another name before you, that of Seamus Malone, a member of the teaching staff at Athy Christian Brothers School in the early 1920’s and one time Secretary of Athy G.F.C. It was Seamus Malone’s dynamic leadership which saw the local club develop with renewed energy after its earlier collapse during the years immediately following the 1916 Insurrection. Seamus spent some time in Mountjoy Prison during the Troubles and was later involved with socialism, although my information in relation to that aspect of his life is somewhat sketchy. I know he taught for a period in Newtown School in Waterford from 1936 but what happened to him thereafter is a mystery. It’s a long shot I know but maybe someone reading this has some connection with Waterford where I believe he lived out his last years. Perhaps you could pass on my enquiry to anyone living in the Waterford locality who might be able to fill me in on Seamus Malone’s life after he left Athy.

I received an interesting phone call during the past week from a reader who wanted to know if I was aware of an Athy woman who was one of the librarians of the American Irish Historical Society on 5th Avenue in New York. My interest aroused I had to confess that I had no knowledge of the good lady and her name Toomey struck no immediate chord. However, since that phone call I have been trying to recall names long forgotten and unless I am very much mistaken the name Toomey was once associated with the legal profession in Athy many years ago. I wonder is this a connection. Watch this space for updates on my search to find the missing link!