Emigration has always been the safety valve for our country. Without it we would inevitably have succumbed to the terrifying depths of deprivation all too common in Third World countries. One of the earliest records of emigration is that found in the "Journal of the House of Commons of the Kingdom of Ireland" for 1796 which was published as a special report of the Commons Committee set up in 1743 to investigate abuses of enforced transportation during the previous seven years. The 2,000 or so transportees listed in the Report were convicted felons or vagabonds sent over seas between 1735 and 1743. Amongst them was Graham Bradford, a Freeman of Athy of whom it was recorded in the Borough Council Minute Book of the 16th of October 1738 "was convicted in his Majesty's Court of Kings Bench of wilful and corrupt perjury and that he was pilloried and is now transported into some of his Majesty's plantations in America". It is interesting to note that the Minute Book was signed by nine members of the local Borough Council including Alexander Bradford, George Bradford and William Bradford.
The millions who left Ireland to journey by sailing ship to America during and after the Famine are listed in the seven volume "The Famine Emigrants - Lists of Irish Emigrants arriving at the Port of New York 1846 - 1851". Included amongst them were many hundreds who left Athy and South Kildare during that time. Unfortunately the lists do not give the County of origin so that we cannot identify the local people who left Ireland to start a new life in America. The voyage from Liverpool to New York usually took three to four weeks, longer in winter months. The majority of the sailing ships carried between 200 and 300 passengers while some of the larger vessels were capable of accommodating up to 500 people. Those fleeing from the Irish Famine and its aftermath had the dubious distinction of being the last group to cross the Atlantic under sail. The accommodation provided in steerage for the poor Irish emigrants was a breeding ground for cholera and dysentery. Ship Fever grew to alarming proportions during the Famine years and in Black '47 the Irish who died at Grosse Isle, an Emigration depot 30 miles below Quebec on the St. Lawrence River, numbered in excess of 5,000. Subsequent changes in shipping law required ventilation of steerage quarters and other improvements which greatly enhanced the prospects of Irish emigrants safely arriving in America.
In 1868 John J. Bealin, whose late father Mark Bealin had a bakery in the premises at the corner of Leinster Street now owned by Mrs. Lehane, left Athy for America with his older brothers William and Mark. Born on the 28th of December 1854 John J. had attended the local Christian Brothers School but when his father died and his mother remarried the three sons went across to Liverpool to join one of the new fangled steam ships then plying their trade between there and New York. The journey which in the earlier sailing ships took weeks could now be completed in less than 15 days. Bealin and other Irish emigrants alighted at America's first immigration depot Castle Clinton, three hundred feet off the southern tip of Manhattan.
Emigration to America continued to increase throughout the 19th century leading to demands to regulate entry into that country. Immigration laws were passed denying entry to Chinese nationals and "any convict, lunatic, idiot or any person unable to take care of himself or herself without becoming a public charge". On the 1st of January 1892 Ellis Island was opened as an immigration depot and the first person through its doors was 15 year old Annie Moore of Co. Cork whose statue now graces the refurbished Ellis Island Immigration Museum which is a major tourist attraction for New York tourists.
Between 1891 and 1901 the town of Athy suffered a population decrease of 1,267, many of whom can be expected to have emigrated to America. Amongst those who left may have been Bridget Greene, a 26 year old spinster who sailed from Queenstown as a steerage passenger with two pieces of luggage on the White Star Line R.M.S. Teutonic arriving in New York on the 15th of April 1897. She is now immortalised in print as one of the 141 steerage passengers on that boat whose names are included on a display panel in the Ellis Island Immigration Museum in New York Harbour. Listed only as from Co. Kildare she was one of the thousands who daily went through the inspection process which one had to successfully undergo to gain entry to America.
On landing each immigrant had a number tag pinned to his or her clothing for identification purposes. Jostling three abreast they made their way up the steep flight of stairs to the great Registry Room. Public Health Doctors examined each person for any one of sixty diseases which would exclude a hapless emigrant from the mainland. The disease which resulted in most exclusions was trachoma, an infectious eye disease. Doctors used button hooks to lift up each persons eyelid for evidence of inflammation which would indicate the presence of trachoma. From there the frightened emigrant passed on to the next room where inspectors posed questions to ascertain each persons social, economic and moral fitness. It could take hours if not days to successfully circumvent the system of checks before one was permitted to take the ferry to Manhattan. If turned away for any reason the unfortunate person faced the sad, lonely boat journey back to Ireland.
Many of Athy's finest left the town for America in the early 1920's. The local G.A.A. Club suffered enormously at that time from the loss of young players who sought their future in the States. Sapper O'Neill and Michael Mahon, two County footballers were just two of the great footballers who left Athy for America in the 1920's. Mahon emigrated in October 1927 and on the night before the local G.A.A. Club, then called Young Emmets, held an "American Wake" for him in the Town Hall. Like so many others he was never to return to his home town.
The White Star Line which had boats travelling to New York and Boston from Liverpool, stopping at Cobh, operated through agents in Athy two of whom were T.J. Brennan of Duke Street and Edmund Mulhall of Barrow Bridge House. The price of a tourist cabin in 1928 for a single journey ranged from £22 to £25 depending on the time of year and the ship on which one travelled. This was a considerable sum at a time when a pint cost ten pennies, the equivalent of little more than 4p today.
One of the many interesting features of Ellis Island Immigration Museum is the American Immigrant Wall of Honour. Here are recorded some of the names of those 12 million immigrants from all lands who passed through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954. Virtually ever nationality is represented on the Wall of Honour, the largest wall of names in the world which will remain for posterity in the shadow of the nearby Statue of Liberty. The names of all those who left Athy since the Great Famine of 150 years ago can never hope to be recorded. Some are remembered but for the most part they are forgotten, a lost diaspora which sought tolerance, opportunity and freedom in a foreign country.
Thursday, April 25, 1996
Thursday, April 18, 1996
Leinster Street 1932 (2)
Continuing our survey of Leinster Street in 1932, we retrace our steps and start with the shop opposite the Leinster Arms Hotel. That first building bearing the name Athy Co-Operative and Agricultural Stores. It was known locally as the Co-Op Stores and its neighbour was a shop owned by Delaneys. The Leinster Arms Hotel yard lay between Delaneys and Miss Darby's house. The yard provided secure parking for the Hotel patrons and was watched over by the ever vigilant Paddy Webb of St. Patrick's Avenue, a ex-Army man who was later Caretaker of the C.Y.M.S. Hall in Stanhope Place. Miss Bridget Darby was a teacher in Churchtown and a member of Athy Urban District Council. Indeed she may well hold the distinction of being the first female member of that body. She was a member of the Fianna Fail party and very involved in the Irish Language Revival movement.
Next door was another private house before we met Hutchinson's Hibernian Hotel. Mr. Hutchinson was an electrician who carried on extensive electrical business for many years. He later lived in Church Road. The Hibernian Bank, the finest building in the street, is now occupied by the Hibernian Insurance Company. It was next door to the small two storey house of Dan Neill, a local Building Contractor. In the 1950's Dan owned the lands now occupied by the Kingsgrove housing estate on the Carlow Road and his only employee in those days so far as I can recall was Jim "Salty" Doyle of Butlers Row. Duthie Larges had extensive premises fronting on to Leinster Street as well as commodious buildings extending back up Chapel Lane. Once the largest garage and only foundry in Athy it continued in business until the early 1980's. Dooley's Bakery occupied a premises now owned by Mrs. Hughes. This was an extensive business with several bread delivery vans on the road. It was owned by Paddy Dooley, brother of Michael Dooley of Duke Street.
Across Chapel Lane was T.C. Walsh's pub, later Hickeys and now "Cheers" Bar. Doran's clothes shop was next door to Campbells harness maker while "Sapper" Neill was still carrying on his butchering business in the adjoining premises. It was later acquired by Willie McGrath who was in time to open McGrath's tearooms in the same premises. Hylands were next door to Jacksons and then a large emporium consisting of a grocery, hardware shop, drapery, shoe shop and garage. The business was put into receivership in the late 1950's given the now infamous Russell Murphy some early experience of Irish provincial business live. Part of the premises was sold in 1963 to a consortium which included Pat Flood who is now retired and living in Chanterlands.
Fran Doran's clothes shop was next with Johnny "Mockers" McMahon's sweet shop alongside Mick Egan's tailoring shop. What is now Sunderlands was believed to have been a small sweet shop and lodging house while Wynnes shoe repair shop was then a private house owned by Mick Howard who worked in Blanchfields Sawmills. Kellys lived next door followed by Miss Johnson's shop. This prompts me to ask if this was where Paddy Johnson lived after moving from Boher Bui when St. Michael's Cemetery was extended. He is believed to be the only man legally buried in his own back yard, lying as he is inside the front wall of St. Michael's Cemetery where his small house was once located.
The next house was occupied by a Mr. Langton whom I believe to have been an uncle of Tom Langton, well remembered and beloved Postman and Fireman now long deceased. Mrs. O'Meara's pub to where Barney Dunne first came to work in the 1930's is now called The Anglers Rest. There are still three public houses here and 64 years ago the last two were owned by Paddy Kelly and Jim McEvoy. Alex Kelly who died quite recently was a son of Paddy Kelly while Jim McEvoy present proprietor of the Railway Bar is a son of the late Jim McEvoy.
Conroys sweet and grocery shop was followed by a row of houses occupied by George Ellard's father, Mick Langton - a postman like his son Tom, Jack Roche, 'Locky' Murray, Mick Ellard, Miss Watts who worked in Jacksons and John Maher who was a Drayman for C.I.E.. Across Kirwan's Lane was to be found the Railway Bar, owned by Pat O'Brien whose brother Michael owned and operated the Nags Head also in Leinster Street. Next came three houses occupied by the Reilly family, the May family and Isaac Thompson and his family. Nellie Reilly, later had a sweet shop in the front room of the family home before she emigrated to England in the 1950's. The large house now known as the Care of the Elderly home was then occupied by Mr. Rogers, an Englishman, who was Caretaker of the Peoples Park and agent for the Duke of Leinster.
Looking back at the names of those who lived and worked in Leinster Street 64 years ago it is not surprising to find that many of those names are no longer there today. Some physical changes are also noted in the street, particularly in relation to the small row of houses which adjoined Conroys shop. These houses are now gone, the last occupied by Mrs. Ellard having been demolished last year. The three small houses adjoining Blanchfields in the square are now roofless shells. Elsewhere on the street businesses have changed and private houses have been converted to shops. I wonder what the future holds for the street in 1060 when another 64 years will have elapsed.
Next door was another private house before we met Hutchinson's Hibernian Hotel. Mr. Hutchinson was an electrician who carried on extensive electrical business for many years. He later lived in Church Road. The Hibernian Bank, the finest building in the street, is now occupied by the Hibernian Insurance Company. It was next door to the small two storey house of Dan Neill, a local Building Contractor. In the 1950's Dan owned the lands now occupied by the Kingsgrove housing estate on the Carlow Road and his only employee in those days so far as I can recall was Jim "Salty" Doyle of Butlers Row. Duthie Larges had extensive premises fronting on to Leinster Street as well as commodious buildings extending back up Chapel Lane. Once the largest garage and only foundry in Athy it continued in business until the early 1980's. Dooley's Bakery occupied a premises now owned by Mrs. Hughes. This was an extensive business with several bread delivery vans on the road. It was owned by Paddy Dooley, brother of Michael Dooley of Duke Street.
Across Chapel Lane was T.C. Walsh's pub, later Hickeys and now "Cheers" Bar. Doran's clothes shop was next door to Campbells harness maker while "Sapper" Neill was still carrying on his butchering business in the adjoining premises. It was later acquired by Willie McGrath who was in time to open McGrath's tearooms in the same premises. Hylands were next door to Jacksons and then a large emporium consisting of a grocery, hardware shop, drapery, shoe shop and garage. The business was put into receivership in the late 1950's given the now infamous Russell Murphy some early experience of Irish provincial business live. Part of the premises was sold in 1963 to a consortium which included Pat Flood who is now retired and living in Chanterlands.
Fran Doran's clothes shop was next with Johnny "Mockers" McMahon's sweet shop alongside Mick Egan's tailoring shop. What is now Sunderlands was believed to have been a small sweet shop and lodging house while Wynnes shoe repair shop was then a private house owned by Mick Howard who worked in Blanchfields Sawmills. Kellys lived next door followed by Miss Johnson's shop. This prompts me to ask if this was where Paddy Johnson lived after moving from Boher Bui when St. Michael's Cemetery was extended. He is believed to be the only man legally buried in his own back yard, lying as he is inside the front wall of St. Michael's Cemetery where his small house was once located.
The next house was occupied by a Mr. Langton whom I believe to have been an uncle of Tom Langton, well remembered and beloved Postman and Fireman now long deceased. Mrs. O'Meara's pub to where Barney Dunne first came to work in the 1930's is now called The Anglers Rest. There are still three public houses here and 64 years ago the last two were owned by Paddy Kelly and Jim McEvoy. Alex Kelly who died quite recently was a son of Paddy Kelly while Jim McEvoy present proprietor of the Railway Bar is a son of the late Jim McEvoy.
Conroys sweet and grocery shop was followed by a row of houses occupied by George Ellard's father, Mick Langton - a postman like his son Tom, Jack Roche, 'Locky' Murray, Mick Ellard, Miss Watts who worked in Jacksons and John Maher who was a Drayman for C.I.E.. Across Kirwan's Lane was to be found the Railway Bar, owned by Pat O'Brien whose brother Michael owned and operated the Nags Head also in Leinster Street. Next came three houses occupied by the Reilly family, the May family and Isaac Thompson and his family. Nellie Reilly, later had a sweet shop in the front room of the family home before she emigrated to England in the 1950's. The large house now known as the Care of the Elderly home was then occupied by Mr. Rogers, an Englishman, who was Caretaker of the Peoples Park and agent for the Duke of Leinster.
Looking back at the names of those who lived and worked in Leinster Street 64 years ago it is not surprising to find that many of those names are no longer there today. Some physical changes are also noted in the street, particularly in relation to the small row of houses which adjoined Conroys shop. These houses are now gone, the last occupied by Mrs. Ellard having been demolished last year. The three small houses adjoining Blanchfields in the square are now roofless shells. Elsewhere on the street businesses have changed and private houses have been converted to shops. I wonder what the future holds for the street in 1060 when another 64 years will have elapsed.
Thursday, April 11, 1996
Leinster Street 1932 (1)
1932 - The Year of the Congress. Perhaps one of the most easily remembered dates in our recent history. Equalled only by the epoch making Easter Rebellion of 1916 but with this difference. There are not many whose memories can extend back 80 years to the time when Pearse and his colleagues set out to change the course of Irish history. The Eucharistic Congress is however another matter. There are many who can recall the pomp and ceremony which surrounded the biggest religious ceremony ever witnessed in this country. It was a year which was forever to be fixed in peoples memories.
Some of our elders can still recall the events in Dublin that year but it's to a man, then only 12 years of age, to whom I turn for his memories of Leinster Street in the year of the Congress. 'Robbie' Robinson of whom I wrote recently remembers the street which he walked through each morning and afternoon as he travelled to and from the local Christian Brothers School.
Starting at the junction of Emily Square 'Robbie' recalls Henry Sylvester's Public House which is now incorporated into the Leinster Arms Hotel. In more recent years it had been an off-licence and in my young days was the site of Miss Dallon's sweet shop. Henry was the father of Mona Sylvester who later owned a sweet shop in Emily Row. A first class musician she was leader of the Ivy Band which played at local dances in and around Athy in the 1940's and early 1950's. The Leinster Arms Hotel was next door managed then by Miss Darcy. An Inn or Hotel has been on this site since the 18th century and perhaps even longer.
Freddie Darling's barber shop and the Misses Dillon's sweet shop were next in line followed by the public house now owned by Des Noonan but then operated by Jim Nelson. Fred Darling was a superb tennis player whose brother Harry Darling, also a barber in Kildare Town, was perhaps the finest tennis player in County Kildare. The Dillon sisters premises was subsequently acquired by Charlie Prendergast who carried on an electrical business there for many years. Their brother was "Chopsie" Dillon who had a butchers shop further up the street. Blanchfields lived next door and when I had my offices in the same building I recall Eoin Blanchfield paying a visit to what was once his old home and telling the sad story surrounding the tragic death in the house of his young brother.
John Maher's Public House and Undertaking business was next door, today still carrying the name Baptys over the front door even though Bapty, son of John Maher is now long dead. John's father was the first funeral undertaker in Athy who started his business in the 1880's from premises at the corner of Kirwan's Lane which is now a Chinese Take-Away. Johnny Bollards Printing Works was next and I recall meeting some years ago Johnny's son who is now an official of the Bank of Ireland. Athy Tea Rooms and J.C. Reynolds, Dentist, came before 'Chopsie' Dillon's Butcher shop. 'Chopsie' is not to be confused with the man of the same name who had a pub in Barrow Quay. J.C. Reynolds and his son Ken were prominent members of the Social Club in St. John's Lane and Ken is included in many of the photographs of the Social Club drama players of the 1940's and 1950's. Archie Sullivan, a cobbler, and Mrs. Brennan's shop were under the same roof just before Meeting Lane. Archie died in England some years ago and his remains were brought home for burial in his beloved town of Athy.
Across the lane named after the Quaker Meeting House built on the site of the Dispensary in 1780 was Lawler's Hotel. Next door was a private house and then Mrs. Candy's sweet shop. Her son Denis Candy was County Manager in Meath when I took up my appointment as Town Clerk of Kells in the 1960's. James and Nell Mulhall, parents of "Hocker", "Smiler" and "Gussy" lived in No. 14 next to the Nags Head Public House owned by Michael O'Brien and further up the street was William Scully's public house now owned by Clancys. The Railway Hotel was the second of three Hotels on Leinster Street, this establishment being owned by Tom Flood, an old I.R.A. veteran who had been imprisoned in Mountjoy Jail during the War of Independence. Empeys, Painters and Decorators occupied what is now the video shop. Most Rev. Bishop Walton Empey, Bishop of Kildare and Meath, lived here while a young man next door to McLaughlins Public House which is today still operated by Bridie and Kitty McLoughlin. Their father James McLaughlin, born in Buncrana, came to Athy in the 1920's from Belfast. Mrs. Grimes sweet shop was next door followed by Mrs. Blanchfield's private house and Dillons private house. The two end houses were occupied by Matt Murray, Plumber, who was later succeeded by his son of the same name and Peter Hyland whose son Tom was one time Caretaker of St. Michael's Cemetery. In the small recessed square at the end of the street was to be found Blanchfields sawmills and their private house next door to the small houses occupied by "Compri" Nolan, "Golly" Germaine and Anthony Nolan. "Golly" was an ex-World War I veteran whom I recall as one of the great characters of Athy when I was growing up. To be continued.
Some of our elders can still recall the events in Dublin that year but it's to a man, then only 12 years of age, to whom I turn for his memories of Leinster Street in the year of the Congress. 'Robbie' Robinson of whom I wrote recently remembers the street which he walked through each morning and afternoon as he travelled to and from the local Christian Brothers School.
Starting at the junction of Emily Square 'Robbie' recalls Henry Sylvester's Public House which is now incorporated into the Leinster Arms Hotel. In more recent years it had been an off-licence and in my young days was the site of Miss Dallon's sweet shop. Henry was the father of Mona Sylvester who later owned a sweet shop in Emily Row. A first class musician she was leader of the Ivy Band which played at local dances in and around Athy in the 1940's and early 1950's. The Leinster Arms Hotel was next door managed then by Miss Darcy. An Inn or Hotel has been on this site since the 18th century and perhaps even longer.
Freddie Darling's barber shop and the Misses Dillon's sweet shop were next in line followed by the public house now owned by Des Noonan but then operated by Jim Nelson. Fred Darling was a superb tennis player whose brother Harry Darling, also a barber in Kildare Town, was perhaps the finest tennis player in County Kildare. The Dillon sisters premises was subsequently acquired by Charlie Prendergast who carried on an electrical business there for many years. Their brother was "Chopsie" Dillon who had a butchers shop further up the street. Blanchfields lived next door and when I had my offices in the same building I recall Eoin Blanchfield paying a visit to what was once his old home and telling the sad story surrounding the tragic death in the house of his young brother.
John Maher's Public House and Undertaking business was next door, today still carrying the name Baptys over the front door even though Bapty, son of John Maher is now long dead. John's father was the first funeral undertaker in Athy who started his business in the 1880's from premises at the corner of Kirwan's Lane which is now a Chinese Take-Away. Johnny Bollards Printing Works was next and I recall meeting some years ago Johnny's son who is now an official of the Bank of Ireland. Athy Tea Rooms and J.C. Reynolds, Dentist, came before 'Chopsie' Dillon's Butcher shop. 'Chopsie' is not to be confused with the man of the same name who had a pub in Barrow Quay. J.C. Reynolds and his son Ken were prominent members of the Social Club in St. John's Lane and Ken is included in many of the photographs of the Social Club drama players of the 1940's and 1950's. Archie Sullivan, a cobbler, and Mrs. Brennan's shop were under the same roof just before Meeting Lane. Archie died in England some years ago and his remains were brought home for burial in his beloved town of Athy.
Across the lane named after the Quaker Meeting House built on the site of the Dispensary in 1780 was Lawler's Hotel. Next door was a private house and then Mrs. Candy's sweet shop. Her son Denis Candy was County Manager in Meath when I took up my appointment as Town Clerk of Kells in the 1960's. James and Nell Mulhall, parents of "Hocker", "Smiler" and "Gussy" lived in No. 14 next to the Nags Head Public House owned by Michael O'Brien and further up the street was William Scully's public house now owned by Clancys. The Railway Hotel was the second of three Hotels on Leinster Street, this establishment being owned by Tom Flood, an old I.R.A. veteran who had been imprisoned in Mountjoy Jail during the War of Independence. Empeys, Painters and Decorators occupied what is now the video shop. Most Rev. Bishop Walton Empey, Bishop of Kildare and Meath, lived here while a young man next door to McLaughlins Public House which is today still operated by Bridie and Kitty McLoughlin. Their father James McLaughlin, born in Buncrana, came to Athy in the 1920's from Belfast. Mrs. Grimes sweet shop was next door followed by Mrs. Blanchfield's private house and Dillons private house. The two end houses were occupied by Matt Murray, Plumber, who was later succeeded by his son of the same name and Peter Hyland whose son Tom was one time Caretaker of St. Michael's Cemetery. In the small recessed square at the end of the street was to be found Blanchfields sawmills and their private house next door to the small houses occupied by "Compri" Nolan, "Golly" Germaine and Anthony Nolan. "Golly" was an ex-World War I veteran whom I recall as one of the great characters of Athy when I was growing up. To be continued.
Thursday, April 4, 1996
Woodstock Castle
Last week the South Kildare Branch of An Taisce hosted a talk in the Town Hall dealing with Woodstock Castle. Concern has been expressed at the present state of disrepair of this important building which has stood on the site for over 700 years. The recent granting of heritage status to Athy was in part a recognition of the building heritage of the town. If we wish to maintain Athy's claim to that heritage status then we must show a willingness to save and protect those local buildings which are an important part of our heritage. Chief amongst those must be Woodstock Castle which stands some distance from the centre of the town. It was built in the 13th century by the St. Michael family of Rheban following the allocation to them of lands in the area by Strongbow. Following such land division it was customary to construct a fortified building at a place of strategic importance and so it was that Woodstock Castle was built on the western side of the Ford of Ae, a river crossing on the Barrow.
The first castle built on the site was probably of wood which was replaced in time by the stone building which still stands as a lonely sentinel guarding the west bank of the River Barrow. More properly referred to as a Hall Keep it was the Manor Castle of Woodstock and figured large in the developing history of Athy, especially in the medieval years. It was to Woodstock Castle that the Friars of the Holy Cross came in the early years of the 13th century to establish their monastery. The area in which that monastery was located was known as St. John's, a name still retained for the laneway which runs parallel to Duke Street. The future town, then a mere village, was taking shape on the west bank of the River and in 1253 the Dominican Order founded a second monastery in the area, now known as The Abbey at the rear of Emily Square.
The village of Athy was home to French speaking Anglo Normans and understandably the native Irish, who lived in the wooded regions of the area now known as Laois and beyond, soon vented their displeasure by attacking the village. On at least four occasions during the 13th century the village of Athy, including Woodstock Castle and the monasteries, was attacked and badly damaged by the warring Irish.
The settlers were a resilient lot and on each occasions rebuilt their settlement. At this time another settlement was to be found near Rheban Castle which was also built by the St. Michael family again near a river crossing. Nothing now remains of that settlement other than the remains of Rheban Castle itself. The survival of the Athy settlement while neighbouring settlements were disappearing might have been due to nothing more than mere chance. Rheban, like Athy, was attacked on many occasions but unlike its neighbour Rheban was soon deserted and reverted to its original rural status as did the nearby medieval village of Ardscull. Another village settlement to disappear was Ardreigh on the Carlow side of Woodstock Castle.
It was Sir John Talbot, Viceroy of Ireland, recognising the strategic importance of Athy on the Marches of Kildare who built a bridge across the Barrow and a Fortress to protect it. In time Whites Castle became the focus of future development on the east bank of the river. The earlier village settlement on the west bank may have been abandoned at this stage given the difficulties of protecting it from the Irish. Whites Castle, then garrisoned and protecting the only bridge across the river afforded greater protection for the settlers who lived and worked in the village on the east bank. Woodstock Castle which was still occupied and remained so up to the 17th century was left virtually isolated. Nevertheless it continued to present itself as a formidable fortress while it was occupied.
As originally constructed Woodstock Castle was a rectangular keep which in architectural terms might be more correctly described as a "Hall Keep". It is a classical example of an Anglo Norman construction of the early 13th century and similar if larger examples can be found at Grennan, Co. Kilkenny and Greencastle, Co. Down. Woodstock has been subject to alterations especially in the 16th century. A tower at the southeast angle of the original Keep was added then as an additional defensive feature. On the west face of the tower at first and second storey level are a pair of circular gunports set within rectangular openings. This form of gunport first appeared in England in the 1520's. The gunports which are now blocked up served to defend the Castle on the only side which did not have an enclosing wall. They were used in connection with floor cannons and above each gunport are to be seen viewing slits to enable the gunner to look out while firing the cannon. These features are of national importance, being very fine examples of 16th century gunports, very few of which are to be found in Irish castles.
Other alterations made in the Castle in the 16th century including the raising of the walls to provide another storey and the insertion of large windows in the west, east and south walls. All these windows have hood mouldings with the finest example to be found at the northeast corner of the east wall. These features probably coincided with the leasing of the Castle to William Sheregolde in 1560 under a Lease which provided for improvements to be carried out by the Lessee.
Woodstock Castle has survived for over 700 years but it now needs urgent repair work to protect some of its more important features. It would be shameful if we were to allow the first building erected on the future town of Athy to be lost to future generations. It is a priceless if somewhat sadly neglected building which could and should be restored to enhance Athy's claim as a heritage town. Athy Urban District Council are the owners of Woodstock Castle and now that the area around the Castle is being landscaped perhaps it is now an opportune time to look at the possibility of saving this 13th century building.
The first castle built on the site was probably of wood which was replaced in time by the stone building which still stands as a lonely sentinel guarding the west bank of the River Barrow. More properly referred to as a Hall Keep it was the Manor Castle of Woodstock and figured large in the developing history of Athy, especially in the medieval years. It was to Woodstock Castle that the Friars of the Holy Cross came in the early years of the 13th century to establish their monastery. The area in which that monastery was located was known as St. John's, a name still retained for the laneway which runs parallel to Duke Street. The future town, then a mere village, was taking shape on the west bank of the River and in 1253 the Dominican Order founded a second monastery in the area, now known as The Abbey at the rear of Emily Square.
The village of Athy was home to French speaking Anglo Normans and understandably the native Irish, who lived in the wooded regions of the area now known as Laois and beyond, soon vented their displeasure by attacking the village. On at least four occasions during the 13th century the village of Athy, including Woodstock Castle and the monasteries, was attacked and badly damaged by the warring Irish.
The settlers were a resilient lot and on each occasions rebuilt their settlement. At this time another settlement was to be found near Rheban Castle which was also built by the St. Michael family again near a river crossing. Nothing now remains of that settlement other than the remains of Rheban Castle itself. The survival of the Athy settlement while neighbouring settlements were disappearing might have been due to nothing more than mere chance. Rheban, like Athy, was attacked on many occasions but unlike its neighbour Rheban was soon deserted and reverted to its original rural status as did the nearby medieval village of Ardscull. Another village settlement to disappear was Ardreigh on the Carlow side of Woodstock Castle.
It was Sir John Talbot, Viceroy of Ireland, recognising the strategic importance of Athy on the Marches of Kildare who built a bridge across the Barrow and a Fortress to protect it. In time Whites Castle became the focus of future development on the east bank of the river. The earlier village settlement on the west bank may have been abandoned at this stage given the difficulties of protecting it from the Irish. Whites Castle, then garrisoned and protecting the only bridge across the river afforded greater protection for the settlers who lived and worked in the village on the east bank. Woodstock Castle which was still occupied and remained so up to the 17th century was left virtually isolated. Nevertheless it continued to present itself as a formidable fortress while it was occupied.
As originally constructed Woodstock Castle was a rectangular keep which in architectural terms might be more correctly described as a "Hall Keep". It is a classical example of an Anglo Norman construction of the early 13th century and similar if larger examples can be found at Grennan, Co. Kilkenny and Greencastle, Co. Down. Woodstock has been subject to alterations especially in the 16th century. A tower at the southeast angle of the original Keep was added then as an additional defensive feature. On the west face of the tower at first and second storey level are a pair of circular gunports set within rectangular openings. This form of gunport first appeared in England in the 1520's. The gunports which are now blocked up served to defend the Castle on the only side which did not have an enclosing wall. They were used in connection with floor cannons and above each gunport are to be seen viewing slits to enable the gunner to look out while firing the cannon. These features are of national importance, being very fine examples of 16th century gunports, very few of which are to be found in Irish castles.
Other alterations made in the Castle in the 16th century including the raising of the walls to provide another storey and the insertion of large windows in the west, east and south walls. All these windows have hood mouldings with the finest example to be found at the northeast corner of the east wall. These features probably coincided with the leasing of the Castle to William Sheregolde in 1560 under a Lease which provided for improvements to be carried out by the Lessee.
Woodstock Castle has survived for over 700 years but it now needs urgent repair work to protect some of its more important features. It would be shameful if we were to allow the first building erected on the future town of Athy to be lost to future generations. It is a priceless if somewhat sadly neglected building which could and should be restored to enhance Athy's claim as a heritage town. Athy Urban District Council are the owners of Woodstock Castle and now that the area around the Castle is being landscaped perhaps it is now an opportune time to look at the possibility of saving this 13th century building.
Thursday, March 28, 1996
Tourist Trail for Athy
I have been writing recently the first draft of the new Tourist Trail for Athy which will hopefully be printed in time for the summer season. While doing this I realised just how rich Athy is in relation to historical buildings. Living in the area for so long tends to dull ones appreciation of what is around us and the discipline of putting down on paper the local buildings and localities with historical connections only serves to reactivate a proper sense of appreciation.
The most visible reminder of our past is of course Whites Castle, a resplendent tower of stone, guarding the bridge over the River Barrow. Built in 1417 by Sir John Talbot, Viceroy of Ireland, its unique position in the centre of Athy makes it a focal point for all historical enquiry relating to the town. The Bridge over which it originally stood guard has long since been replaced and the existing bridge dates back to May 1796. Just imagine that's two years before the most harrowing Rebellion of 1798 which engulfed Ireland in bloodshed and grief. Athy and district was now spared in those dark days and Whites Castle, then a jail, held many locals in its dark cells. One of the most famous of those prisoners was Thomas Reynolds, one time resident of Kilkea Castle and notorious informer who somehow ended up here for a while before Dublin Castle authorities realised that they had jailed one of their own.
That same Castle and the Bridge witnessed the harrowing experience of seven Narraghmore men who were taken from the jail and frogmarched across the Bridge to the banks of the Canal to be hanged. Later beheaded their heads were stuck on the Bridge as a warning to others not to get involved in rebellious activity. Many who pass over that same Bridge today know nothing of those terrible times when fear stalked the streets of Athy.
Across the River near Greenhills stands the tall stone skeleton of what was once the proud Castle of Woodstock. This 13th century edifice altered in the 15th century replaced an earlier wooden castle on the site which was built by the Anglo Normans to defend the Ford or river crossing on the Barrow. So it is that two Castles stand on the banks of the Barrow River, separated not only by the "dumb waters" but also in time by almost two centuries. They represent the early and middle years of Anglo Norman influence in Athy and District and are priceless reminders of the heritage of those periods.
The later commercial life of the developing town of Athy is encapsulated in the fine building with the quite remarkable northern facade which acts as a distinctive backdrop to Emily Square. The Town Hall built in the early years of the 18th century marked Athy's transition from village to market town and the fine expanse of open space around it then known as Market Square was a hive of activity where local traders and townspeople mingled with the farmers and their produce. It is not always easy to visualise while standing amongst the parked cars in what is now a municipal car park that not so many years ago men and women worked here while children played among the stalls unburdened by any requirement to attend school. Indeed in a doorway of the Town Hall one local man carried on business as a cobbler for over 20 years, each morning setting up his tools providing a welcome service for the farmers who came to the town.
The building heritage of the town is graced by many fine Churches from the ultra-modern, at least in the context of the 1960's, of the Dominican Church to the earlier examples of ecclesiastical architecture such as the Presbyterian, Methodist and Church of Ireland Churches. The 14th or 15th century Church in the grounds of St. Michael's Cemetery is yet again an important element in the story of Athy. Built on a site outside the medieval walls of the town it served as the first secular Catholic Church in Athy and later in post-Reformation days as a Chapel for the Church of England.
Further out the Dublin Road in the direction of Gallowshill, where many unfortunates paid the ultimate penalty for breaches of the criminal code the fine cut stone building of the former Model School and Agricultural School is to be found. It is a very attractive building part of which would be ideal for recounting in display models and in the spoken and written words the story of the Model and Agricultural Schools of the last century and the Lancastrian system of education. Maybe the Office of Public Works in conjunction with the local Heritage Company might look at the possibility of doing this.
Another possible area of co-operation this time between the Heritage Company and the Eastern Health Board could be in recreating the Workhouse and the Famine experience in what remains of the original Athy Workhouse. The original part of the building to the front of St. Vincent's Hospital presents a fine panorama of what the Poor House was in the 1840's and it is here in part of that building that an opportunity exists for recreating what was an important part of our town's story.
Athy originally the Anglo Norman town later a garrisoned town has a proud history stretching back 800 years. The survival of so many important buildings in the town enables us to relive our past in a context which must enliven our understanding and appreciation of history. There is a marvellous opportunity awaiting Athy as a heritage town to develop its own distinctive historical past in a manner which can prove not only commercially beneficial but also personally satisfying to those who live in Athy.
The most visible reminder of our past is of course Whites Castle, a resplendent tower of stone, guarding the bridge over the River Barrow. Built in 1417 by Sir John Talbot, Viceroy of Ireland, its unique position in the centre of Athy makes it a focal point for all historical enquiry relating to the town. The Bridge over which it originally stood guard has long since been replaced and the existing bridge dates back to May 1796. Just imagine that's two years before the most harrowing Rebellion of 1798 which engulfed Ireland in bloodshed and grief. Athy and district was now spared in those dark days and Whites Castle, then a jail, held many locals in its dark cells. One of the most famous of those prisoners was Thomas Reynolds, one time resident of Kilkea Castle and notorious informer who somehow ended up here for a while before Dublin Castle authorities realised that they had jailed one of their own.
That same Castle and the Bridge witnessed the harrowing experience of seven Narraghmore men who were taken from the jail and frogmarched across the Bridge to the banks of the Canal to be hanged. Later beheaded their heads were stuck on the Bridge as a warning to others not to get involved in rebellious activity. Many who pass over that same Bridge today know nothing of those terrible times when fear stalked the streets of Athy.
Across the River near Greenhills stands the tall stone skeleton of what was once the proud Castle of Woodstock. This 13th century edifice altered in the 15th century replaced an earlier wooden castle on the site which was built by the Anglo Normans to defend the Ford or river crossing on the Barrow. So it is that two Castles stand on the banks of the Barrow River, separated not only by the "dumb waters" but also in time by almost two centuries. They represent the early and middle years of Anglo Norman influence in Athy and District and are priceless reminders of the heritage of those periods.
The later commercial life of the developing town of Athy is encapsulated in the fine building with the quite remarkable northern facade which acts as a distinctive backdrop to Emily Square. The Town Hall built in the early years of the 18th century marked Athy's transition from village to market town and the fine expanse of open space around it then known as Market Square was a hive of activity where local traders and townspeople mingled with the farmers and their produce. It is not always easy to visualise while standing amongst the parked cars in what is now a municipal car park that not so many years ago men and women worked here while children played among the stalls unburdened by any requirement to attend school. Indeed in a doorway of the Town Hall one local man carried on business as a cobbler for over 20 years, each morning setting up his tools providing a welcome service for the farmers who came to the town.
The building heritage of the town is graced by many fine Churches from the ultra-modern, at least in the context of the 1960's, of the Dominican Church to the earlier examples of ecclesiastical architecture such as the Presbyterian, Methodist and Church of Ireland Churches. The 14th or 15th century Church in the grounds of St. Michael's Cemetery is yet again an important element in the story of Athy. Built on a site outside the medieval walls of the town it served as the first secular Catholic Church in Athy and later in post-Reformation days as a Chapel for the Church of England.
Further out the Dublin Road in the direction of Gallowshill, where many unfortunates paid the ultimate penalty for breaches of the criminal code the fine cut stone building of the former Model School and Agricultural School is to be found. It is a very attractive building part of which would be ideal for recounting in display models and in the spoken and written words the story of the Model and Agricultural Schools of the last century and the Lancastrian system of education. Maybe the Office of Public Works in conjunction with the local Heritage Company might look at the possibility of doing this.
Another possible area of co-operation this time between the Heritage Company and the Eastern Health Board could be in recreating the Workhouse and the Famine experience in what remains of the original Athy Workhouse. The original part of the building to the front of St. Vincent's Hospital presents a fine panorama of what the Poor House was in the 1840's and it is here in part of that building that an opportunity exists for recreating what was an important part of our town's story.
Athy originally the Anglo Norman town later a garrisoned town has a proud history stretching back 800 years. The survival of so many important buildings in the town enables us to relive our past in a context which must enliven our understanding and appreciation of history. There is a marvellous opportunity awaiting Athy as a heritage town to develop its own distinctive historical past in a manner which can prove not only commercially beneficial but also personally satisfying to those who live in Athy.
Thursday, March 21, 1996
Undertakers of Athy
Undertakers. Have you ever wondered how such an inappropriate name was first applied to a group whose job is to dispose of the dead. Nowadays they are known, not by the simple appellation but by the more stately sounding Funeral Directors. They perform a most trying job and one which up to not so long ago was performed by the community at large.
In the past friends and neighbours of the deceased carried the coffin, dug the grave and carried out the burial services without the assistance of an undertaker or Priest. This was the way of the countryside up to 100 years ago and with the dawn of this century formal funeral undertaking came to the fore. One of the earliest undertakers in Athy was Mrs. Maher, grandmother of Bapty Maher who in time carried on the business from the rear of his public house in Leinster Street. Many are the stories told of late night imbibers of liquid nourishment who sought to conceal themselves in the empty coffins at the back of Bapty's when the local Gardai were so inconsiderate as to make a late night call to the premises.
Joseph Rigney started up his undertakers business in Blackparks just after the ending of World War I. Today the business is being carried on by Joe Rigney, his grandson. In the early years coffins were made locally. Initially Blanchfields of Leinster Street met the requirements of all the local undertakers but in time Rigneys made their own until it was no longer an economic proposition to do so on a regular basis. However, Martin Joe Rigney, son of the founder of the firm who served his time as a coffin maker, still turns out an occasional coffin on request.
The cost of a funeral in 1919 understandably bears little comparison to today's cost. For a five pound note you could then have an oak coffin and a horse and hearse to bring you on your last journey. Ten shillings less gave you an elm coffin. Society funerals, as they were then called, justified the use of plumes on the horses, black for adults, white for young persons or single ladies. They continued in use until the early 1930's when to the undoubted relief of the horses the plumes were put away for the last time. Although they presented an imposing sight as the funeral cortege winded its way through the streets of the town the plumes were heavy and were consequently disliked by the horses.
A hearse pulled by horses was believed to have been first used in Athy by Mrs. Maher and the tradition continued up to 1936 when the first motorised hearse appeared on the streets. The petrol scarcity experienced during World War II limited the local undertakers to a twenty mile radius from their home basis and in 1940 led to the re-introduction of the horse drawn hearse. Indeed horses remained an important mode of transport for local funerals up to 1950. The difficulties of the War years can be gauged from the experience of Rigneys who used up three months petrol rations in journeying to Dublin for a local nun who died in Hospital. There was nothing to do but to garage the motor hearse until the petrol coupons again became available.
During the late 1930's there were three funeral undertakers in Athy. Mahers of Leinster Street, Rigneys of Blackparks and Tommy Stynes who had just started up business in Leinster Street. Today the only undertakers in Athy are Rigneys who have provided a funeral home in Bennetsbridge.
One of the endearing features of ceremonies surrounding the dead in the not too distant past was the Wake. No funeral homes then to receive the mortal remains. Instead the body was kept in the home overnight and an open house was kept while the neighbours and friends talked and comforted the relations throughout the long day and night before the removal to the Church. Much has been written of the Irish custom of waking the dead and Sean O'Suillabhain wrote an engaging book on the subject "Irish Wake Amusements" some years ago. In it he recounted the story telling, dancing, card playing and "horse playing" which was all part of Irish Wakes up to the last century. Clerical opposition to some of these practices resulted in Bishops forbidding unmarried men or women from attending wakes from sunset to sunrise under pain of mortal sin. As late as 1927 the Synod of Maynooth forbade the holding of unchristian and unseemly wakes "at which the corpse was present". Presumably if the corpse was put outside you could enjoy yourself without fear of clerical censure!
Bringing the dead to the local Catholic Church was not a straight-forward matter even up to 46 years ago. One had to pay thirty shillings to bring the dead person inside the door of the Church and if you had enough money to pay for a sung Mass the corpse was allowed to rest before the Altar. If you were unable to pay the appropriate fee then the corpse went directly from the house to the Graveyard without the benefit of clergy but with the local Sacristan James McNally who said the De Profunds at every crossroads on the way to St. Michael's. This was the origin of the custom whereby the hearses today stop at the corner of Emily Square on their way to the local cemetery.
It was Fr. John McLoughlin of fond memory who put an end to this practice and from 1950 onwards every dead person was brought to the Church. It took a little longer to effect a change in the practice whereby the poor dead of the County Home were buried without the attendance of clergy. Instead a box of clay blessed by a Priest was available and a handful of the clay was thrown onto the coffin after it was put into the grave. It was Tom Carbery, a local Councillor, then living in St. Martin's Terrace who at a local Council meeting raised this issue which so scandalised many that thereafter a Catholic curate was available for all burials.
In the past friends and neighbours of the deceased carried the coffin, dug the grave and carried out the burial services without the assistance of an undertaker or Priest. This was the way of the countryside up to 100 years ago and with the dawn of this century formal funeral undertaking came to the fore. One of the earliest undertakers in Athy was Mrs. Maher, grandmother of Bapty Maher who in time carried on the business from the rear of his public house in Leinster Street. Many are the stories told of late night imbibers of liquid nourishment who sought to conceal themselves in the empty coffins at the back of Bapty's when the local Gardai were so inconsiderate as to make a late night call to the premises.
Joseph Rigney started up his undertakers business in Blackparks just after the ending of World War I. Today the business is being carried on by Joe Rigney, his grandson. In the early years coffins were made locally. Initially Blanchfields of Leinster Street met the requirements of all the local undertakers but in time Rigneys made their own until it was no longer an economic proposition to do so on a regular basis. However, Martin Joe Rigney, son of the founder of the firm who served his time as a coffin maker, still turns out an occasional coffin on request.
The cost of a funeral in 1919 understandably bears little comparison to today's cost. For a five pound note you could then have an oak coffin and a horse and hearse to bring you on your last journey. Ten shillings less gave you an elm coffin. Society funerals, as they were then called, justified the use of plumes on the horses, black for adults, white for young persons or single ladies. They continued in use until the early 1930's when to the undoubted relief of the horses the plumes were put away for the last time. Although they presented an imposing sight as the funeral cortege winded its way through the streets of the town the plumes were heavy and were consequently disliked by the horses.
A hearse pulled by horses was believed to have been first used in Athy by Mrs. Maher and the tradition continued up to 1936 when the first motorised hearse appeared on the streets. The petrol scarcity experienced during World War II limited the local undertakers to a twenty mile radius from their home basis and in 1940 led to the re-introduction of the horse drawn hearse. Indeed horses remained an important mode of transport for local funerals up to 1950. The difficulties of the War years can be gauged from the experience of Rigneys who used up three months petrol rations in journeying to Dublin for a local nun who died in Hospital. There was nothing to do but to garage the motor hearse until the petrol coupons again became available.
During the late 1930's there were three funeral undertakers in Athy. Mahers of Leinster Street, Rigneys of Blackparks and Tommy Stynes who had just started up business in Leinster Street. Today the only undertakers in Athy are Rigneys who have provided a funeral home in Bennetsbridge.
One of the endearing features of ceremonies surrounding the dead in the not too distant past was the Wake. No funeral homes then to receive the mortal remains. Instead the body was kept in the home overnight and an open house was kept while the neighbours and friends talked and comforted the relations throughout the long day and night before the removal to the Church. Much has been written of the Irish custom of waking the dead and Sean O'Suillabhain wrote an engaging book on the subject "Irish Wake Amusements" some years ago. In it he recounted the story telling, dancing, card playing and "horse playing" which was all part of Irish Wakes up to the last century. Clerical opposition to some of these practices resulted in Bishops forbidding unmarried men or women from attending wakes from sunset to sunrise under pain of mortal sin. As late as 1927 the Synod of Maynooth forbade the holding of unchristian and unseemly wakes "at which the corpse was present". Presumably if the corpse was put outside you could enjoy yourself without fear of clerical censure!
Bringing the dead to the local Catholic Church was not a straight-forward matter even up to 46 years ago. One had to pay thirty shillings to bring the dead person inside the door of the Church and if you had enough money to pay for a sung Mass the corpse was allowed to rest before the Altar. If you were unable to pay the appropriate fee then the corpse went directly from the house to the Graveyard without the benefit of clergy but with the local Sacristan James McNally who said the De Profunds at every crossroads on the way to St. Michael's. This was the origin of the custom whereby the hearses today stop at the corner of Emily Square on their way to the local cemetery.
It was Fr. John McLoughlin of fond memory who put an end to this practice and from 1950 onwards every dead person was brought to the Church. It took a little longer to effect a change in the practice whereby the poor dead of the County Home were buried without the attendance of clergy. Instead a box of clay blessed by a Priest was available and a handful of the clay was thrown onto the coffin after it was put into the grave. It was Tom Carbery, a local Councillor, then living in St. Martin's Terrace who at a local Council meeting raised this issue which so scandalised many that thereafter a Catholic curate was available for all burials.
Thursday, March 14, 1996
Michael 'Robbie' Robinson
His father George Robinson enlisted in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers at the start of World War I. Home on leave he married his sweetheart Mary Nolan of Ballyshannon before returning to the trenches. He was one of the lucky ones, surviving a bullet wound in the leg. At the end of the War he returned to farm work as a ploughman eventually ending up head ploughman with Condells of Prusselstown.
Michael Robinson, one of his six children was born on the 8th of August 1920 at Thomastown, Kilcullen and has lived in Athy since 1928. Known to everybody as "Robbie" he has a remarkable recall of life in Athy since the early 1930's. After attending the local C.B.S. he got his first job from Captain Hosie, as he was then known in the local Foundry at the top of Leinster Street on the 25th April 1935. The I.V.I. Foundry was established by Hosie in what was previously the Pound Field adjoining St. Michael's Terrace. The field has been designated as a site for the proposed new Technical School for Athy to replace the old school building then in use in Stanhope Place. For whatever reason another site on the Carlow Road was later purchased and it was there that the new Technical School was opened in 1940.
Captain Hosie acquired the Pound Field after it was no longer required as school site and established the I.V.I. Foundry. He has previously worked in Duthie Larges of Leinster Street, an extensive business which had a Foundry Works in Chapel Lane. Hosie left Duthie Larges to open a garage in 1928 where Maxwells is now located and when McDonnell's Amusements left the Pound Field in 1934 for the last time John Blanchfield of Leinster Street began the levelling of the site for the new Foundry buildings.
The first casting was made in the Foundry on the 21st March 1935 and the following months saw Michael Robinson join the firm where he was to remain for 48 years. His nickname "Robbie" was given to him on his first day in the job by Captain Hosie and has remained with him ever since.
He recalled some of the people who worked in the I.V.I. in those early years. Hannah Hosie and Miss Large of Rheban were in the office while in the Foundry itself were men such as Mick Webster, Upper William Street, Tommy Pender of Mount Hawkins, "Compri" Nolan of Leinster Street, Hepburn of Duke Street, Paddy Donegan of Duke Street, Tom and Paddy Hickey of Bert and Sean Dooley of Levitstown. He recalls Malachan Campbell, a Scotsman, as the Foreman to whom he reported on his first morning at work. The working hours were from 7.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m and on Saturdays from 7.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., for which "Robbie" received 5/= each week.
Some weeks ago when writing of Meeting Lane where "Robbie" and his family lived for a short while, I mentioned the nickname "Black Sam" by which he was known to some people. Those who knew him by that name thought that it arose out of his involvement in the Black and White Minstrel shows in the Town Hall in the 1930's. "Robbie" who has a fine tenor voice did indeed take part in many concerts and shows in the Town Hall but as he explains the name "Black Sam" had a more romantic provenance. Apparently when he was interviewed for the job in the I.V.I. in 1935 it was confidently expected that another man known locally as "Black Sam" who was dating a Cunningham girl from Meeting Lane would get the job. Michael got the job and with it the name of the man whom many believed he had replaced in the I.V.I.
During his 48 years in the I.V.I. he saw the Foundry go through many good and bad times. In the early years manufacturing agricultural implements was the main stay of the business but the outbreak of World War II brought a downturn in demand. All pig iron and coke used in the Foundry were imported from England and during the years 1939 to 1945 pig iron could not be brought into the country. It was then that scrap metal was utilised whenever and wherever it could be obtained while a limited supply of English coke was supplemented by supplies from Irish coal mines. The Foundry closed down for short periods during the War when supplies of coke and iron were not available.
The end of the War saw a resurgence in the Irish building industry and the making of rainwater goods gave a new lease of life to the Foundry. At the height of its activity upwards of 150 men were working in the I.V.I. Hosie, who had enlisted for the duration of the Second World War returned as Colonel Hosie while sadly his only son who might have been expected to follow his father into the Foundry business was killed in action. Colonel Watson, an Englishman, was employed after the War as General Manager of the Foundry and later on George Hudson came from Wales to take over as Works Manager. Mr. Hudson is retired and living in McDonnell Drive and it is to him that Michael and others who worked in the Foundry gave credit as the man "who put the I.V.I. on his feet".
The post-War success was not to be sustained and the business was to close in 1986 having been taken over some years previously by Waterford Foundry.
"Robbie" over the years has involved himself in many aspects of community life in Athy and has used his talents as a singer to benefit many local charities. Indeed he spent a time in the late 1940's and early 1950's as lead singer with the Ivy Band lead by Mona Sylvester of Emily Row. But that is another story for another day.
"Robbie" is now living in retirement in Clonmullin with his wife Caroline whom he married in 1942. Caroline's family owned and ran the "Caledonian Amusements" which wintered in Athy in 1939 and subsequent years. The amusements were located in the area known as the Chapel Well where the car park is now located opposite St. Michael's Church. Caroline and her sister Nora married locally, Nora subsequently emigrating to England with her husband "Thrush" Kelly. Of "Robbie's" and Caroline's four children their son George known as "Bargy" and daughter Caroline are living in Athy while their eldest son Michael is in Australia and the youngest Victor in Wexford.
Michael Robinson, one of his six children was born on the 8th of August 1920 at Thomastown, Kilcullen and has lived in Athy since 1928. Known to everybody as "Robbie" he has a remarkable recall of life in Athy since the early 1930's. After attending the local C.B.S. he got his first job from Captain Hosie, as he was then known in the local Foundry at the top of Leinster Street on the 25th April 1935. The I.V.I. Foundry was established by Hosie in what was previously the Pound Field adjoining St. Michael's Terrace. The field has been designated as a site for the proposed new Technical School for Athy to replace the old school building then in use in Stanhope Place. For whatever reason another site on the Carlow Road was later purchased and it was there that the new Technical School was opened in 1940.
Captain Hosie acquired the Pound Field after it was no longer required as school site and established the I.V.I. Foundry. He has previously worked in Duthie Larges of Leinster Street, an extensive business which had a Foundry Works in Chapel Lane. Hosie left Duthie Larges to open a garage in 1928 where Maxwells is now located and when McDonnell's Amusements left the Pound Field in 1934 for the last time John Blanchfield of Leinster Street began the levelling of the site for the new Foundry buildings.
The first casting was made in the Foundry on the 21st March 1935 and the following months saw Michael Robinson join the firm where he was to remain for 48 years. His nickname "Robbie" was given to him on his first day in the job by Captain Hosie and has remained with him ever since.
He recalled some of the people who worked in the I.V.I. in those early years. Hannah Hosie and Miss Large of Rheban were in the office while in the Foundry itself were men such as Mick Webster, Upper William Street, Tommy Pender of Mount Hawkins, "Compri" Nolan of Leinster Street, Hepburn of Duke Street, Paddy Donegan of Duke Street, Tom and Paddy Hickey of Bert and Sean Dooley of Levitstown. He recalls Malachan Campbell, a Scotsman, as the Foreman to whom he reported on his first morning at work. The working hours were from 7.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m and on Saturdays from 7.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., for which "Robbie" received 5/= each week.
Some weeks ago when writing of Meeting Lane where "Robbie" and his family lived for a short while, I mentioned the nickname "Black Sam" by which he was known to some people. Those who knew him by that name thought that it arose out of his involvement in the Black and White Minstrel shows in the Town Hall in the 1930's. "Robbie" who has a fine tenor voice did indeed take part in many concerts and shows in the Town Hall but as he explains the name "Black Sam" had a more romantic provenance. Apparently when he was interviewed for the job in the I.V.I. in 1935 it was confidently expected that another man known locally as "Black Sam" who was dating a Cunningham girl from Meeting Lane would get the job. Michael got the job and with it the name of the man whom many believed he had replaced in the I.V.I.
During his 48 years in the I.V.I. he saw the Foundry go through many good and bad times. In the early years manufacturing agricultural implements was the main stay of the business but the outbreak of World War II brought a downturn in demand. All pig iron and coke used in the Foundry were imported from England and during the years 1939 to 1945 pig iron could not be brought into the country. It was then that scrap metal was utilised whenever and wherever it could be obtained while a limited supply of English coke was supplemented by supplies from Irish coal mines. The Foundry closed down for short periods during the War when supplies of coke and iron were not available.
The end of the War saw a resurgence in the Irish building industry and the making of rainwater goods gave a new lease of life to the Foundry. At the height of its activity upwards of 150 men were working in the I.V.I. Hosie, who had enlisted for the duration of the Second World War returned as Colonel Hosie while sadly his only son who might have been expected to follow his father into the Foundry business was killed in action. Colonel Watson, an Englishman, was employed after the War as General Manager of the Foundry and later on George Hudson came from Wales to take over as Works Manager. Mr. Hudson is retired and living in McDonnell Drive and it is to him that Michael and others who worked in the Foundry gave credit as the man "who put the I.V.I. on his feet".
The post-War success was not to be sustained and the business was to close in 1986 having been taken over some years previously by Waterford Foundry.
"Robbie" over the years has involved himself in many aspects of community life in Athy and has used his talents as a singer to benefit many local charities. Indeed he spent a time in the late 1940's and early 1950's as lead singer with the Ivy Band lead by Mona Sylvester of Emily Row. But that is another story for another day.
"Robbie" is now living in retirement in Clonmullin with his wife Caroline whom he married in 1942. Caroline's family owned and ran the "Caledonian Amusements" which wintered in Athy in 1939 and subsequent years. The amusements were located in the area known as the Chapel Well where the car park is now located opposite St. Michael's Church. Caroline and her sister Nora married locally, Nora subsequently emigrating to England with her husband "Thrush" Kelly. Of "Robbie's" and Caroline's four children their son George known as "Bargy" and daughter Caroline are living in Athy while their eldest son Michael is in Australia and the youngest Victor in Wexford.
Thursday, March 7, 1996
1935 All Ireland Final - Cavan v. Kildare
The Irish Press for Saturday the 21st of September 1935 had under a front page headline "Greatest Game This Year - Expectations for Final Tomorrow - Cavan -v- Kildare", the story of the second meeting between these two Counties in an All Ireland Final scheduled for the following day. The pundits expected the Final to go the way of the first meeting between the Counties when Kildare were victorious. "No Gaelic game for several years aroused so much interest" wrote the Press reporter who alerted his readers to "a minor sensation created when the Kildare selectors decided to drop the goal keeper who played in all their matches this year". The player dropped was Patrick "Cuddy" Chanders of Athy, the County team's regular goal keeper who had kept his goal intact throughout the Championship games leading up to the All Ireland Final. He was replaced by Jim Maguire of Naas who had played for some years on the County team but never as goal keeper. The G.A.A. Club in Athy were incensed at what they felt was unfair treatment of their Club member and sent a telegram of protest to the team's training quarters at Oakley Park, Celbridge. All to no avail, even though it was rumoured that the Kildare mentors were reconsidering the matter on the morning of the Final. Many of the team members including Paul Matthews, team Captain, and Tommy Mulhall both colleagues of Chanders in Athy, were unhappy with the Selectors decision as were Castledermot players Paddy Martin and Patrick Byrne.
Some persons have claimed that Chanders allegedly poor performance in a challenge game against Meath was the reason for his demotion. In that game he had conceded six goals but did so while playing behind defenders who were not regulars on the County team. Given his solid performances in the Kildare shirt since first being selected it does seem insufficient reason for dropping him on the eve of an All Ireland Final.
Kildare had beaten Cavan on their own home ground in a challenge game some months previously. They were expected to run out easy winners in Croke Park on All Ireland day. Maybe it was over confidence which led the Kildare mentors to pick Maguire instead of Chanders. The Athy man was seen as a "pick and shovel man" and might have been regarded as a less suitable ambassador for Kildare football than Maguire. This claim gained currency in the aftermath of Kildare's defeat given that as All Ireland Champions Kildare would be expected to travel to America the following May. As Paddy Chanders proved in his later life not least by his dignified acceptance of what was a very strange decision by the Kildare mentors he was as good an ambassador as any Club or County could ever hope to have.
The radio programme on Athlone wavelength that Saturday night included a short item immediately following the second news at 10.45 p.m. when the Captains of Cavan and Kildare spoke for a few minutes from the Dublin studio on their chances in the great match. Kildare Captain, 29 year old Paul Matthews from Athy said "I think we will win. We are better in fact than against Mayo and are by no means underestimating the strength of Cavan whom we know as great Championship fighters. There may not be a great deal in it but what little there is will I think be on the side of Kildare".
Another Athy Club player on the team was Tommy Mulhall described by the Press with Mickey Geraghty, Frank Dowling and Jimmy Dowling "as the smartest quartet of footballers seen out in the past ten years". Tommy at 24 years of age was playing in his first All Ireland Final at right half forward.
The papers on Monday the 23rd of September told the sad tale so far as Kildare followers were concerned. "All Whites had no answer to Brefni, bustle and dash" ran the headline in the Irish Press. In a game in which the older style of high-catching and long kicking of Cavan was matched against the skill and craft of Kildare, Cavan were victorious. The splendid fielding of the Cavan men was especially noted at midfield where Paul Matthews did not play as well as expected and where his colleague Kit Higgins was injured early in the first half. Cavan ran into an early lead and were 1-5 to 0-1 in front three minutes before the end of the first half. Tommy Mulhall then scored a goal after the ball had rebounded off the upright following a shot by Tom Keogh. The half time whistle blew with Cavan leading 2-5 to Kildare's 1-2.
On the resumption Cavan continued their scoring spree adding another goal and point before Kildare replied with a point by Paul Matthews. But the result was inevitable and despite Kildare's efforts to cut back on the Cavan lead, the final whistle went with Cavan running out relatively easy winners on the score line of 3-6 to 2-5.
Paul Matthews, a Louth man who had never played football before coming to Athy, in the post-match interview acknowledged that on the day Cavan were speedier and showed rare dash and opportunism. As the last Kildare team Captain in an All Ireland came off the field at Croke Park he wished Cavan every luck and promised that Kildare would soon be back. Paul was not to know that 61 years later the short grass County is still awaiting its opportunity to erase the memory of the All Ireland defeat of 1935.
Interestingly enough Jim Maguire who played in goal in such controversial circumstances "had not much of a chance of stopping the three shots which beat him", according to the Irish Press report of the match. Jim played three more matches in goal for County Kildare letting in nine goals, an average of three per match. Cuddy Chanders was recalled to the County team two months after the All Ireland final and continued to play as County goalkeeper until February 1936.
We will never know if his presence on the team on All Ireland day would have made the difference between defeat and victory. Certainly the Kildare defence did not play as well as expected. Were they unsettled by the controversy surrounding Chanders? We will never know. As Patrick Chanders sat on the substitutes bench on All Ireland day in company with Jim Fox and Barney Dunne, another Athy Club player, he may have wondered what part Athy's defeat by Castledermot in the first round of the Championship in Narraghmore on the 11th of August 1935 had played in his demotion. Castledermot represented by Paddy Martin and Patrick Byrne, fellow County players, put four goals past the County goalkeeper that day. Was it an ominous sign which first planted the seeds of doubt in the minds of the Kildare mentors?
Some persons have claimed that Chanders allegedly poor performance in a challenge game against Meath was the reason for his demotion. In that game he had conceded six goals but did so while playing behind defenders who were not regulars on the County team. Given his solid performances in the Kildare shirt since first being selected it does seem insufficient reason for dropping him on the eve of an All Ireland Final.
Kildare had beaten Cavan on their own home ground in a challenge game some months previously. They were expected to run out easy winners in Croke Park on All Ireland day. Maybe it was over confidence which led the Kildare mentors to pick Maguire instead of Chanders. The Athy man was seen as a "pick and shovel man" and might have been regarded as a less suitable ambassador for Kildare football than Maguire. This claim gained currency in the aftermath of Kildare's defeat given that as All Ireland Champions Kildare would be expected to travel to America the following May. As Paddy Chanders proved in his later life not least by his dignified acceptance of what was a very strange decision by the Kildare mentors he was as good an ambassador as any Club or County could ever hope to have.
The radio programme on Athlone wavelength that Saturday night included a short item immediately following the second news at 10.45 p.m. when the Captains of Cavan and Kildare spoke for a few minutes from the Dublin studio on their chances in the great match. Kildare Captain, 29 year old Paul Matthews from Athy said "I think we will win. We are better in fact than against Mayo and are by no means underestimating the strength of Cavan whom we know as great Championship fighters. There may not be a great deal in it but what little there is will I think be on the side of Kildare".
Another Athy Club player on the team was Tommy Mulhall described by the Press with Mickey Geraghty, Frank Dowling and Jimmy Dowling "as the smartest quartet of footballers seen out in the past ten years". Tommy at 24 years of age was playing in his first All Ireland Final at right half forward.
The papers on Monday the 23rd of September told the sad tale so far as Kildare followers were concerned. "All Whites had no answer to Brefni, bustle and dash" ran the headline in the Irish Press. In a game in which the older style of high-catching and long kicking of Cavan was matched against the skill and craft of Kildare, Cavan were victorious. The splendid fielding of the Cavan men was especially noted at midfield where Paul Matthews did not play as well as expected and where his colleague Kit Higgins was injured early in the first half. Cavan ran into an early lead and were 1-5 to 0-1 in front three minutes before the end of the first half. Tommy Mulhall then scored a goal after the ball had rebounded off the upright following a shot by Tom Keogh. The half time whistle blew with Cavan leading 2-5 to Kildare's 1-2.
On the resumption Cavan continued their scoring spree adding another goal and point before Kildare replied with a point by Paul Matthews. But the result was inevitable and despite Kildare's efforts to cut back on the Cavan lead, the final whistle went with Cavan running out relatively easy winners on the score line of 3-6 to 2-5.
Paul Matthews, a Louth man who had never played football before coming to Athy, in the post-match interview acknowledged that on the day Cavan were speedier and showed rare dash and opportunism. As the last Kildare team Captain in an All Ireland came off the field at Croke Park he wished Cavan every luck and promised that Kildare would soon be back. Paul was not to know that 61 years later the short grass County is still awaiting its opportunity to erase the memory of the All Ireland defeat of 1935.
Interestingly enough Jim Maguire who played in goal in such controversial circumstances "had not much of a chance of stopping the three shots which beat him", according to the Irish Press report of the match. Jim played three more matches in goal for County Kildare letting in nine goals, an average of three per match. Cuddy Chanders was recalled to the County team two months after the All Ireland final and continued to play as County goalkeeper until February 1936.
We will never know if his presence on the team on All Ireland day would have made the difference between defeat and victory. Certainly the Kildare defence did not play as well as expected. Were they unsettled by the controversy surrounding Chanders? We will never know. As Patrick Chanders sat on the substitutes bench on All Ireland day in company with Jim Fox and Barney Dunne, another Athy Club player, he may have wondered what part Athy's defeat by Castledermot in the first round of the Championship in Narraghmore on the 11th of August 1935 had played in his demotion. Castledermot represented by Paddy Martin and Patrick Byrne, fellow County players, put four goals past the County goalkeeper that day. Was it an ominous sign which first planted the seeds of doubt in the minds of the Kildare mentors?
Thursday, February 29, 1996
Mulhall Barbers Athy - Alex Kelly, Matt Murray, Tosh Doyle
Mens barber shops have given way to unisex hair stylists who cater for all-comers no matter how long or short their tresses. Here in Athy we have retained two establishments which in another generation would be called barber shops but which given the advent of electric razors are now best called male hairdressers. Both Gerry Lynch and Peter Delaney carry on a craft which in my younger days in Athy was largely the preserve of the Mulhalls. Indeed Peter Delaney carries on business in what was “Smiler” Mulhall’s barber shop. The Mulhall brothers, Michael known as “Hocker”, Christy known as “Gus” and Jim known as “Smiler”, were amazingly the first generation of Mulhalls to carry on business as barbers. Their father James married Nell Mulroe, a girl from Spiddal, Co. Galway whose family had come to live in Athy at the end of the last century. Jim and Nell emigrated to New York where they lived for many years and where some of their six children were born. Returning to Athy James took up employment with the local Council collecting refuse with a horse and cart. This work he carried on for many years, all the time living at Leinster Street in the premises now occupied by Data Print. Their eldest son William entered the postal services in London in 1913 and like so many others enlisted to fight in World War I. He was gassed and succumbed to malaria, returning to recuperate in a soldiers home in England where he was traced by his family. Returning to Athy he was to join up again during World War II and was wounded on D-Day. After the war he remained in England where he later died while employed in London.
His brother Michael “Hocker” who was born in America married Ellen Rainsford of Rathstewart and in time set up business as a barber in his parents premises in Leinster Street. His own son Jim also became a barber, as did his grandson Shay, both of whom operate out of a premises in Finglas in Dublin. “Hocker” died in 1947 and his business in Leinster Street was taken over by his brother Christy “Gus” who had previously worked as a barber in Mackens of O’Connell Street, Dublin. Christy married Meg Neill, a butcher’s daughter from Leinster Street and their son Jimmy also followed his father into the barbers business working in Dublin. “Gus” died in the 1950’s and the premises now occupied by Data Print was in time acquired by Nortons.
The third brother Jim “Smiler” had his barber shop in Duke Street where Peter Delaney currently carries on his craft. “Smiler” spent twenty-one years in America and there met Bridie Hackett of Co. Tyrone whom he married. They had no family. Like some of his brothers and sisters “Smiler” had dual American and Irish citizenship. His barber’s business in Duke Street flourished until he died in the 1970’s when it was acquired by the present owner.
The daughters of the late James and Nell Mulhall married and lived in Dublin. Margaret married a Leonard of Rathstewart and lived in Cabra while Molly married a Bramley from where I cannot say and lived in Drimnagh.
The Mulhall family tradition as barbers first established with the three Athy brothers continues today with “Hocker’s” son Jim Mulhall sometimes resident of Grangemellon and “Hocker’s” grandson Shay. “Gus’s” son Jimmy is also a barber and like his cousins operates out of premises in Dublin.
As I prepared this Eye on the Past I was informed of the death of Tosh Doyle, late of St. Patrick’s Avenue. Following close on the passing of Matt Murray and Alex Kelly, the loss of this triumvirate of elders of Athy is a sad blow for our town. I had spoken to Matt in relation to his involvement in the GAA in Athy while Alex unfortunately was on a lenghtening list of people I had hoped to interview in the future. Sadly the opportunity has now gone and I can only now hope to recapture the music and story of this remarkable musician by reference to secondary sources.
I had the good fortune to interview Tosh Doyle in the company of his old friend Tim O’Sullivan on a long October evening in 1994. As I later wrote, listening to Tosh was to open the flood gates of memory. He was a man with a story to tell and in its telling Tosh reaffirmed my belief in the relevance of oral history. He recalled the past and the people who inhabited his memories with an accuracy which was uncanny for a man then nearing eighty years of age. He was a modest man who was liked by his neighbours in Athy, for everyone was Tosh’s neighbour. He was the man who was happiest in his own place. May Tosh, Alex and Matt rest in peace.
His brother Michael “Hocker” who was born in America married Ellen Rainsford of Rathstewart and in time set up business as a barber in his parents premises in Leinster Street. His own son Jim also became a barber, as did his grandson Shay, both of whom operate out of a premises in Finglas in Dublin. “Hocker” died in 1947 and his business in Leinster Street was taken over by his brother Christy “Gus” who had previously worked as a barber in Mackens of O’Connell Street, Dublin. Christy married Meg Neill, a butcher’s daughter from Leinster Street and their son Jimmy also followed his father into the barbers business working in Dublin. “Gus” died in the 1950’s and the premises now occupied by Data Print was in time acquired by Nortons.
The third brother Jim “Smiler” had his barber shop in Duke Street where Peter Delaney currently carries on his craft. “Smiler” spent twenty-one years in America and there met Bridie Hackett of Co. Tyrone whom he married. They had no family. Like some of his brothers and sisters “Smiler” had dual American and Irish citizenship. His barber’s business in Duke Street flourished until he died in the 1970’s when it was acquired by the present owner.
The daughters of the late James and Nell Mulhall married and lived in Dublin. Margaret married a Leonard of Rathstewart and lived in Cabra while Molly married a Bramley from where I cannot say and lived in Drimnagh.
The Mulhall family tradition as barbers first established with the three Athy brothers continues today with “Hocker’s” son Jim Mulhall sometimes resident of Grangemellon and “Hocker’s” grandson Shay. “Gus’s” son Jimmy is also a barber and like his cousins operates out of premises in Dublin.
As I prepared this Eye on the Past I was informed of the death of Tosh Doyle, late of St. Patrick’s Avenue. Following close on the passing of Matt Murray and Alex Kelly, the loss of this triumvirate of elders of Athy is a sad blow for our town. I had spoken to Matt in relation to his involvement in the GAA in Athy while Alex unfortunately was on a lenghtening list of people I had hoped to interview in the future. Sadly the opportunity has now gone and I can only now hope to recapture the music and story of this remarkable musician by reference to secondary sources.
I had the good fortune to interview Tosh Doyle in the company of his old friend Tim O’Sullivan on a long October evening in 1994. As I later wrote, listening to Tosh was to open the flood gates of memory. He was a man with a story to tell and in its telling Tosh reaffirmed my belief in the relevance of oral history. He recalled the past and the people who inhabited his memories with an accuracy which was uncanny for a man then nearing eighty years of age. He was a modest man who was liked by his neighbours in Athy, for everyone was Tosh’s neighbour. He was the man who was happiest in his own place. May Tosh, Alex and Matt rest in peace.
Thursday, February 15, 1996
Archival Depository for Athy
I am put in mind today to write of the urgent need for an archival depository for Athy and South Kildare as a result of two telephone calls I received yesterday afternoon. The topic is one I first raised publicly when my booklet on the history of St. Vincent's Hospital was launched last year. One of the phone calls which prompts a return to that issue concerned a number of copies of World War II period newspapers, not in themselves of any great intrinsic value. What was important was the recognition by the caller of the importance of not discarding material which might be helpful to social historians. The second phone call concerned a Rate Collectors book issued by Athy Board of Guardians in the last century. This is an important record even if it relates only to a small part of the Poor Law Union which was the functional area of Athy Workhouse in the last century. The fact that the book had survived was in itself nothing short of a miracle given that the Board of Guardians Minute Books were destroyed some years ago. Their loss is immeasurable and presents great difficulties to any historian seeking to unravel the story of the administration of Poor Law in South Kildare in the 19th Century.
When Athy Museum Society was founded in 1983 it was specifically intended to act as a focal point for those people with material of historical interest, documents or otherwise who recognise the necessity of preserving same for future historical research. Some of the local sports clubs have gifted to the Society Minute Books which are now being held in safe keeping knowing that they will form the basis of a future historians quest for the minutiae of local history.
It is amazing how and where local historical material turns up. Some years ago a then resident of Naas passed on to me a Minute Book dated 1838 which commenced with the inaugural meeting of Athy Literary and Scientific Association. How it came into his possession he could not recall, nor could he throw any light on the nature or purpose of the Association. Fortunately in the course of my research some years previously I had learned of the group which within months of its formation was to become Athy Mechanics Institute. So it was that their first Minute Book came into the possession of Athy Museum Society. The whereabouts of the remaining Minute Books of the Mechanics Institute which existed up to about 60 years ago is still a mystery. Who knows, they may still be lying in somebodys attic awaiting recognition.
When one considers the large numbers of organisations and clubs which have flourished in Athy and South Kildare some times all too briefly in this and the last century, the wonder is that more documentary evidence of their existence is still not with us. There is of course the perennial problem with voluntary clubs. Minute Books tend to disappear with the arrival of a new Club Secretary. It is not malice or anything bordering on recklessness which results in the loss of these Minute Books, rather a lack of regard for historical records and a failure to realise their importance in a local context.
One period of the town's history which is well represented by memorabilia is that of the Great War and the Museum Room in the local Town Hall has a veritable Pandora's box of World War I material on display. All of it came from local people whose family members had fought and sometimes died in the terrible conditions of the battle fields stretching from the Dardenelles to France and Flanders.
The recent drainage work on the Grand Canal opposite St. Vincent's Hospital produced many interesting finds for the seemingly tireless "treasure hunters" who gathered there each day. The more interesting of these finds included bottles and buttons bearing the names of long forgotten Athy businesses. Some of these finds will shortly be displayed in the Museum Room adding another piece to the jigsaw of our local history.
The recent granting of £175,000.00 of public funds to finance the provision of a Heritage Centre in Athy is very welcome indeed. The higher profile which is now accorded to local history generally is a confirmation of its importance in assessing and validating current events and indeed proposals for the future. A knowledge of our past gives us a better insight into why and how things are as they are. This in turn permits us to ensure that decisions, especially those relating to the physical development of our town do not ignore the relevance and importance of what has been handed down to us by previous generations.
The piece this week can be read as an affirmation that local history is coming into its own. It might also be considered as a appeal to all local groups and associations to recognise the importance as source documents of club records and to ensure as far as possible that these records are preserved. All of us play a part, consciously or otherwise, in the continuing story of our local history. The most important unfulfilled need in this area is the provision of an archieval resource where local documents, whether old business records, club minute books or whatever can be gathered in and saved for future research. I wonder if the local Library might consider taking the initial steps by formulating and implementing an archival policy which will ensure the preservation of written records relevant to Athy and South Kildare.
When Athy Museum Society was founded in 1983 it was specifically intended to act as a focal point for those people with material of historical interest, documents or otherwise who recognise the necessity of preserving same for future historical research. Some of the local sports clubs have gifted to the Society Minute Books which are now being held in safe keeping knowing that they will form the basis of a future historians quest for the minutiae of local history.
It is amazing how and where local historical material turns up. Some years ago a then resident of Naas passed on to me a Minute Book dated 1838 which commenced with the inaugural meeting of Athy Literary and Scientific Association. How it came into his possession he could not recall, nor could he throw any light on the nature or purpose of the Association. Fortunately in the course of my research some years previously I had learned of the group which within months of its formation was to become Athy Mechanics Institute. So it was that their first Minute Book came into the possession of Athy Museum Society. The whereabouts of the remaining Minute Books of the Mechanics Institute which existed up to about 60 years ago is still a mystery. Who knows, they may still be lying in somebodys attic awaiting recognition.
When one considers the large numbers of organisations and clubs which have flourished in Athy and South Kildare some times all too briefly in this and the last century, the wonder is that more documentary evidence of their existence is still not with us. There is of course the perennial problem with voluntary clubs. Minute Books tend to disappear with the arrival of a new Club Secretary. It is not malice or anything bordering on recklessness which results in the loss of these Minute Books, rather a lack of regard for historical records and a failure to realise their importance in a local context.
One period of the town's history which is well represented by memorabilia is that of the Great War and the Museum Room in the local Town Hall has a veritable Pandora's box of World War I material on display. All of it came from local people whose family members had fought and sometimes died in the terrible conditions of the battle fields stretching from the Dardenelles to France and Flanders.
The recent drainage work on the Grand Canal opposite St. Vincent's Hospital produced many interesting finds for the seemingly tireless "treasure hunters" who gathered there each day. The more interesting of these finds included bottles and buttons bearing the names of long forgotten Athy businesses. Some of these finds will shortly be displayed in the Museum Room adding another piece to the jigsaw of our local history.
The recent granting of £175,000.00 of public funds to finance the provision of a Heritage Centre in Athy is very welcome indeed. The higher profile which is now accorded to local history generally is a confirmation of its importance in assessing and validating current events and indeed proposals for the future. A knowledge of our past gives us a better insight into why and how things are as they are. This in turn permits us to ensure that decisions, especially those relating to the physical development of our town do not ignore the relevance and importance of what has been handed down to us by previous generations.
The piece this week can be read as an affirmation that local history is coming into its own. It might also be considered as a appeal to all local groups and associations to recognise the importance as source documents of club records and to ensure as far as possible that these records are preserved. All of us play a part, consciously or otherwise, in the continuing story of our local history. The most important unfulfilled need in this area is the provision of an archieval resource where local documents, whether old business records, club minute books or whatever can be gathered in and saved for future research. I wonder if the local Library might consider taking the initial steps by formulating and implementing an archival policy which will ensure the preservation of written records relevant to Athy and South Kildare.
Thursday, February 8, 1996
Convent Lane in 1930s
Small as Athy is and was in the 1950’s a traditional awareness almost tribal in its origin maintained a barrier around the circumference of the area to which as young fellows we felt free to roam. I and the other youngsters in Offaly Street had security in our own street and the areas such as that part of the People’s Park nearest to the Rectory and “The Line” as far as the Railway Bridge. But no where else. There was nothing sinister in this, merely an unstated acknowledgement that we were comfortable in our own area and felt little or no need to wander into other parts of the town.
One area which was on the periphery of our youthful domain was Convent Lane leading from Duke Street to the Dominican Church. A trip down “the line” across the Horse Bridge would invariably mean an excursion through the Dominican field exiting through Convent Lane and back down Duke Street to Offaly Street. As a young fellow in the 1950’s I can recall some of the tenants of the houses still occupied in that lane. Miss Burley, the Malone sisters and Miss Johnson, dressmaker, were the last three occupiers of the small one storey houses now long demolished.
In the early 1930’s Convent Lane was a much narrower roadway than it is now. At the head of the lane facing into Duke Street was to be found John Farrell’s butcher shop in what is now Rachels. On the opposite side of the laneway and facing the Post Office was a stationers owned by two elderly ladies called the Miss Byrnes. Their shop was to be demolished in the 1960’s to widen the laneway. Immediately behind the shop as one went up the laneway was a high cut stone wall with a gateway. Beyond the gateway were three small houses with a long row of terraced houses on the opposite side of the laneway which started at the end of Farrell’s house. Between this row of terraced houses and Farrells stood the entrance gateway to the rear of the Garda Barracks.
Sixty five years ago the occupier of the first house in that terrace was James McNally, Sacristan in St. Michael’s Church. His daughter Maggie who later married in Dublin lived with him. They subsequently transferred to Convent View and in 1937 Jim and Mary Eaton were appointed tenants. Next door was Essie Johnson and her sister May. Essie for many years walked out with Paddy “Sooty” Hayden of Meeting Lane who was a delivery breadman for Dooley’s Bakery in Leinster Street. They never married but Essie did marry, her husband later drowning tragically in the River Barrow. She was a dressmaker and worked a lot for Shaws. Over the door of her small house was to be always seen a sign “E. Johnson Dressmaker” and there she continued to live as one of the last tenants in Convent Lane. Her sister May married Jim Maher of Barrowhouse and they lived in Geraldine.
In No. 3 lived Mrs. Katie Hogan, formerly Katie Wade who worked in Henry Grattan Donnelly’s house in The Abbey. She had no family. Her next door neighbour was Pat Quinn and his wife Mary. Pat worked in the I.V.I. in the later years. They had no family. Ned Timpson and his wife Bridget and their only daughter Mary were their next door neighbours. Mary was later to marry Athy’s most famous musician, the legendary Joe O’Neill and is now living in St. Joseph’s Terrace. Ned was a regular soldier in the English Army and had served in the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. Like his brother Jack Timpson who had served in the 8th Huzzars, both survived the First World War and Ned Timpson and his family were later to live in the Gate Lodge of Ardreigh House which was then occupied by Bob Osborne, Solicitor before the Timpson family moved on to The Bleach.
Mick Johnson and his family lived in the adjoining house for a while before transferring to Convent View where some of the family still live. The Malone sisters, two well-educated ladies from the Luggacurran area later lived in Johnson’s house and were one of the last people to live in the Lane. The O’Rourke family with their son Jackie and daughter May also lived in the Lane leading to what was once Riversdale House but by then the Dominican Monastery. Jackie married Nan Breen and now lives in Offaly Street while his sister May died some time ago while living in McDonnell Drive.
The last house was occupied by the Burleys. They had previously lived in St. John’s Lane and Miss Burley, a daughter of the family, occupied the old family home until her death. Those familiar with John Minihan’s photographic essay on Athy will be familiar with his picture of Miss Burley peering at a magazine wall rack in St. Dominic’s Church. She was a very quiet gentle lady who had suffered a horrific facial disfigurement in her early years.
There were three houses facing Miss Burley’s house at the entrance to the Dominican Church. The Hayes family lived in the first house. Jack Hayes worked on the Barrow Drainage while his wife Margaret sometimes worked part-time in the Parish Church. Of their four sons two are dead, Christy in America and Jack who died a young man in Convent Lane. He was a member of the L.D.F. and when he died of T.B. he was accorded a military funeral. His brothers Ned and Jim are now believed to be in England. I can remember visiting Mrs. Hayes in the early 1960’s and coming away with a lasting impression similar to that experienced when I visited an old lady in Kells in Co. Meath in 1967. Both were widows and lived alone. In Mrs. Hayes’ case I felt my social conscience gripped by the frustration of an economic system which forced young men to emigrate to find work and compelled old women to live out their final years alone without their family. I have never forgotten Mrs. Hayes and I am constantly reminded of the elderly woman living alone in a small house in Kells who told me of her young husband’s death in World War I. She had no children and remained throughout her life a widow, mourning not only the loss of her young love but the joys of family and companionship. Cruelty comes in many guises.
Next door to the Hayes’s lived Stephen and Mary Anne Shortall and family. Their children James, Richard, Ellen and Annie are now believed to be living in England. Stephen worked on the Grand Canal and had married Mary Anne who was originally from Edenderry.
I am uncertain as to who lived in the third and last house in the 1930’s but I understand that Paddy Howard and his family lived there before they moved on to Geraldine Road.
The terrace of houses were owned by John Farrell, the butcher who lived at the Duke Street end of the laneway. In the 1960’s the last of these houses were demolished. Today no trace remains of the small houses which had been built on Tanyard Lane following the closure of George Dakers Tanyard at the close of the 18th century. With the arrival of the Dominicans following their transfer from what is now Kirwans Lane the approach road was renamed Convent Lane. The shop units and apartments recently built in the area give us little hint of what Convent Lane was like even 35 years ago.
One area which was on the periphery of our youthful domain was Convent Lane leading from Duke Street to the Dominican Church. A trip down “the line” across the Horse Bridge would invariably mean an excursion through the Dominican field exiting through Convent Lane and back down Duke Street to Offaly Street. As a young fellow in the 1950’s I can recall some of the tenants of the houses still occupied in that lane. Miss Burley, the Malone sisters and Miss Johnson, dressmaker, were the last three occupiers of the small one storey houses now long demolished.
In the early 1930’s Convent Lane was a much narrower roadway than it is now. At the head of the lane facing into Duke Street was to be found John Farrell’s butcher shop in what is now Rachels. On the opposite side of the laneway and facing the Post Office was a stationers owned by two elderly ladies called the Miss Byrnes. Their shop was to be demolished in the 1960’s to widen the laneway. Immediately behind the shop as one went up the laneway was a high cut stone wall with a gateway. Beyond the gateway were three small houses with a long row of terraced houses on the opposite side of the laneway which started at the end of Farrell’s house. Between this row of terraced houses and Farrells stood the entrance gateway to the rear of the Garda Barracks.
Sixty five years ago the occupier of the first house in that terrace was James McNally, Sacristan in St. Michael’s Church. His daughter Maggie who later married in Dublin lived with him. They subsequently transferred to Convent View and in 1937 Jim and Mary Eaton were appointed tenants. Next door was Essie Johnson and her sister May. Essie for many years walked out with Paddy “Sooty” Hayden of Meeting Lane who was a delivery breadman for Dooley’s Bakery in Leinster Street. They never married but Essie did marry, her husband later drowning tragically in the River Barrow. She was a dressmaker and worked a lot for Shaws. Over the door of her small house was to be always seen a sign “E. Johnson Dressmaker” and there she continued to live as one of the last tenants in Convent Lane. Her sister May married Jim Maher of Barrowhouse and they lived in Geraldine.
In No. 3 lived Mrs. Katie Hogan, formerly Katie Wade who worked in Henry Grattan Donnelly’s house in The Abbey. She had no family. Her next door neighbour was Pat Quinn and his wife Mary. Pat worked in the I.V.I. in the later years. They had no family. Ned Timpson and his wife Bridget and their only daughter Mary were their next door neighbours. Mary was later to marry Athy’s most famous musician, the legendary Joe O’Neill and is now living in St. Joseph’s Terrace. Ned was a regular soldier in the English Army and had served in the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. Like his brother Jack Timpson who had served in the 8th Huzzars, both survived the First World War and Ned Timpson and his family were later to live in the Gate Lodge of Ardreigh House which was then occupied by Bob Osborne, Solicitor before the Timpson family moved on to The Bleach.
Mick Johnson and his family lived in the adjoining house for a while before transferring to Convent View where some of the family still live. The Malone sisters, two well-educated ladies from the Luggacurran area later lived in Johnson’s house and were one of the last people to live in the Lane. The O’Rourke family with their son Jackie and daughter May also lived in the Lane leading to what was once Riversdale House but by then the Dominican Monastery. Jackie married Nan Breen and now lives in Offaly Street while his sister May died some time ago while living in McDonnell Drive.
The last house was occupied by the Burleys. They had previously lived in St. John’s Lane and Miss Burley, a daughter of the family, occupied the old family home until her death. Those familiar with John Minihan’s photographic essay on Athy will be familiar with his picture of Miss Burley peering at a magazine wall rack in St. Dominic’s Church. She was a very quiet gentle lady who had suffered a horrific facial disfigurement in her early years.
There were three houses facing Miss Burley’s house at the entrance to the Dominican Church. The Hayes family lived in the first house. Jack Hayes worked on the Barrow Drainage while his wife Margaret sometimes worked part-time in the Parish Church. Of their four sons two are dead, Christy in America and Jack who died a young man in Convent Lane. He was a member of the L.D.F. and when he died of T.B. he was accorded a military funeral. His brothers Ned and Jim are now believed to be in England. I can remember visiting Mrs. Hayes in the early 1960’s and coming away with a lasting impression similar to that experienced when I visited an old lady in Kells in Co. Meath in 1967. Both were widows and lived alone. In Mrs. Hayes’ case I felt my social conscience gripped by the frustration of an economic system which forced young men to emigrate to find work and compelled old women to live out their final years alone without their family. I have never forgotten Mrs. Hayes and I am constantly reminded of the elderly woman living alone in a small house in Kells who told me of her young husband’s death in World War I. She had no children and remained throughout her life a widow, mourning not only the loss of her young love but the joys of family and companionship. Cruelty comes in many guises.
Next door to the Hayes’s lived Stephen and Mary Anne Shortall and family. Their children James, Richard, Ellen and Annie are now believed to be living in England. Stephen worked on the Grand Canal and had married Mary Anne who was originally from Edenderry.
I am uncertain as to who lived in the third and last house in the 1930’s but I understand that Paddy Howard and his family lived there before they moved on to Geraldine Road.
The terrace of houses were owned by John Farrell, the butcher who lived at the Duke Street end of the laneway. In the 1960’s the last of these houses were demolished. Today no trace remains of the small houses which had been built on Tanyard Lane following the closure of George Dakers Tanyard at the close of the 18th century. With the arrival of the Dominicans following their transfer from what is now Kirwans Lane the approach road was renamed Convent Lane. The shop units and apartments recently built in the area give us little hint of what Convent Lane was like even 35 years ago.
Thursday, February 1, 1996
Passage of Time - Athy 1970
The passage of time was the theme of a project recently undertaken by the sixth formers of Scoil Mhichil Naofa. Their work unveiled to admiring parents in the Halla Mor last week dealt with life in Athy in 1970 and what they predicted it would be like in 25 years time. Time locked in a capsule until 2020 it will give a future generation of Athy schoolgirls, not yet born an opportunity to see through the eyes of a previous generation glimpses of past life in our town. The 2020 Project which I understand is a European nature conservation initiative not only requires the girls to record the present but also to look back and forward 25 years.
The changes in Athy over the past 25 years have been quite substantial. A generation ago the Wallboard Factory and the I.V.I., both centres of manufacturing activity, welcomed each morning the men who sweated and laboured for their hard-earned wages. These factories are now gone, spawning in their wake a number of smaller enterprises which happily continue today.
The loss of these two factories which in 1970 had been operating for 35 years and 25 years respectively was not the only dismal news on the industrial front in the intervening years. Minch Nortons, the famous malting business first started in 1847 had almost 78 men employed in its local malting works 25 years ago. Today mechanisation has caused that number to plummet to about six men. In every sphere of activity, especially industrial and farming the same story is revealed. Less men and women are required today to meet the production targets set for their parents 25 years ago.
Some things have not changed. Just a few years prior to 1970 Athy Urban District Council submitted to the Department of Local Government as the present Department of the Environment was then called, its proposals for meeting the new road requirements of traffic passing through Athy on the main Dublin/Kilkenny route. Traffic projections based on figures compiled in 1967 indicated the urgent need for a new road which would free Leinster Street and Duke Street of much of the traffic passing through Athy. Ever optimistic, the local Council chose two alternative routes for the proposed road. The Inner Relief Road and the Outer Relief Road were to remain as lines on the carefully prepared road Engineer's drawing ever since.
Butlers Row, Janeville Lane, Beggars End, Kirwans Lane and Chapel Lane were some of the places where families were still living in 1970. The various housing developments in the Woodstock area were prepared and planned, with insufficient thought it must now be said, to replace the older housing stock in Athy. In time Butlers Row and other old terraces in the town were vacated. Windows and doors were blocked up providing a visual backdrop of decay where previously home life had once been evident. The decay of 1970 was not confined to the older type of private houses, but was evident also in the public buildings of the town. The Town Hall housed the Urban District Council Offices and in the Ballroom on the first floor a shirt manufacturing unit. The latter is now housed in the recently re-opened factory on the Dublin Road and the local Council has managed in the intervening years to create its own piece of architectural history. The aptly called "Glass Taj Mahal" in Rathstewart unblushing stands a mute testament to the prolificacy of a local Council which prepared for the future by discarding its historical links with the most splendid building in Athy - The Town Hall.
Luckily that same Town Hall was saved by the timely intervention of An Taisce and ultimately by the co-operation of Kildare County Council and AnCO - The Industrial Training Authority, in a major rebuilding programme which went on for many years.
Twenty five years ago school boys still travelled the same route taken by their fathers and grandfathers on their way to the Christian Brothers School in St. John's Lane. On their way they passed at one end the Social Club while at the other end Ted Vernal's Forge and Carberys building yard were still going strong. The Christian Brothers have since left Athy while the Secondary School in St. John's Lane has closed down to be replaced by the ultra modern school building in Rathstewart. The builders yard, the forge and the Social Club are now no more.
Closed also is Dreamland Ballroom the mecca for dancers which first opened its doors in 1961. In 1970 it was still going strong but was to be sold within years by its owner, the irrepressible future politician and Taoiseach Albert Reynolds. Today the Dancehall which played host to the showband stars of the past is a sports hall but its future is uncertain and it may well go the way of the Social Club which once stood in St. John's Lane.
Our town which for a short period in the late 1950's boasted two cinemas has witnessed the recent closure of its last cinema, the relatively new Grove Cinema. Hopefully when the time capsule prepared by the schoolgirls in Scoil Mhichil Naofa is opened in 2020 the Grove Cinema will still be there as a popular centre of entertainment for the growing population of Athy.
My wish for Athy is that in 25 years time it will be home to many young families living in a friendly and healthy environment. Would it be too much to hope that the orderly development of the town on the twin waterways of Barrow and Canal will by then be facilitated by an Outer Relief Road which would take away from the heart of Athy the fumes, noise and danger of passing traffic.
The changes in Athy over the past 25 years have been quite substantial. A generation ago the Wallboard Factory and the I.V.I., both centres of manufacturing activity, welcomed each morning the men who sweated and laboured for their hard-earned wages. These factories are now gone, spawning in their wake a number of smaller enterprises which happily continue today.
The loss of these two factories which in 1970 had been operating for 35 years and 25 years respectively was not the only dismal news on the industrial front in the intervening years. Minch Nortons, the famous malting business first started in 1847 had almost 78 men employed in its local malting works 25 years ago. Today mechanisation has caused that number to plummet to about six men. In every sphere of activity, especially industrial and farming the same story is revealed. Less men and women are required today to meet the production targets set for their parents 25 years ago.
Some things have not changed. Just a few years prior to 1970 Athy Urban District Council submitted to the Department of Local Government as the present Department of the Environment was then called, its proposals for meeting the new road requirements of traffic passing through Athy on the main Dublin/Kilkenny route. Traffic projections based on figures compiled in 1967 indicated the urgent need for a new road which would free Leinster Street and Duke Street of much of the traffic passing through Athy. Ever optimistic, the local Council chose two alternative routes for the proposed road. The Inner Relief Road and the Outer Relief Road were to remain as lines on the carefully prepared road Engineer's drawing ever since.
Butlers Row, Janeville Lane, Beggars End, Kirwans Lane and Chapel Lane were some of the places where families were still living in 1970. The various housing developments in the Woodstock area were prepared and planned, with insufficient thought it must now be said, to replace the older housing stock in Athy. In time Butlers Row and other old terraces in the town were vacated. Windows and doors were blocked up providing a visual backdrop of decay where previously home life had once been evident. The decay of 1970 was not confined to the older type of private houses, but was evident also in the public buildings of the town. The Town Hall housed the Urban District Council Offices and in the Ballroom on the first floor a shirt manufacturing unit. The latter is now housed in the recently re-opened factory on the Dublin Road and the local Council has managed in the intervening years to create its own piece of architectural history. The aptly called "Glass Taj Mahal" in Rathstewart unblushing stands a mute testament to the prolificacy of a local Council which prepared for the future by discarding its historical links with the most splendid building in Athy - The Town Hall.
Luckily that same Town Hall was saved by the timely intervention of An Taisce and ultimately by the co-operation of Kildare County Council and AnCO - The Industrial Training Authority, in a major rebuilding programme which went on for many years.
Twenty five years ago school boys still travelled the same route taken by their fathers and grandfathers on their way to the Christian Brothers School in St. John's Lane. On their way they passed at one end the Social Club while at the other end Ted Vernal's Forge and Carberys building yard were still going strong. The Christian Brothers have since left Athy while the Secondary School in St. John's Lane has closed down to be replaced by the ultra modern school building in Rathstewart. The builders yard, the forge and the Social Club are now no more.
Closed also is Dreamland Ballroom the mecca for dancers which first opened its doors in 1961. In 1970 it was still going strong but was to be sold within years by its owner, the irrepressible future politician and Taoiseach Albert Reynolds. Today the Dancehall which played host to the showband stars of the past is a sports hall but its future is uncertain and it may well go the way of the Social Club which once stood in St. John's Lane.
Our town which for a short period in the late 1950's boasted two cinemas has witnessed the recent closure of its last cinema, the relatively new Grove Cinema. Hopefully when the time capsule prepared by the schoolgirls in Scoil Mhichil Naofa is opened in 2020 the Grove Cinema will still be there as a popular centre of entertainment for the growing population of Athy.
My wish for Athy is that in 25 years time it will be home to many young families living in a friendly and healthy environment. Would it be too much to hope that the orderly development of the town on the twin waterways of Barrow and Canal will by then be facilitated by an Outer Relief Road which would take away from the heart of Athy the fumes, noise and danger of passing traffic.
Friday, January 26, 1996
Joe "Onie" Walsh
Among those who attend St. Michael’s cemetery each November to honour Athy’s dead in World War I is to be found a sprightly man of advancing years who proudly steps forward to place a cross on the grave of Michael Byrne who died in November 1918. In honouring his mother’s brother Joe Walsh, known locally as “Lowly” remembers also his fallen comrades who served with him in World War II.
Son of master tailor Joseph Walsh and Teresa Byrne, “Lowly” was born almost seventy-five years ago in Barrack Street. His nick-name comes from his maternal grandfather’s ready response to the oft repeated enquiry from neighbours as to the health of his small, then sickly grandchild. “Lowly” was to remain Joe’s name thereafter.
Having left school at ten years of age he started work one year later in P.P. Doyle’s brick yard with all the other young fellows from Dooley’s Terrace where his parents were then living. The winter months were spent picking stones out of the yellow clay while in summer he was put to “hacking” bricks, building them up one on top of the other ready for firing in the kiln. His older brother Michael also worked in the brick yard but sadly he died at nineteen years of age.
When the asbestos factory started in 1936 “Lowly” got a job there. With the outbreak of World War II like so many other Athy men he called to the local Garda Station to enlist in the Irish Army. Garda Connell took his details and the next day “Lowly” was brought with a number of other locals to the Curragh Camp. Conditions in the Irish Army were not good. Indeed his abiding memory of his three years spent in the Irish Army is what he still recalls after a lapse of fifty-four years as the “scandalous Army food”. Conditions in the Army were so bad that there was wholesale desertion by the disenchanted recruits who travelled by train to Belfast to join the British Army.
“Lowly” followed the same path and in 1942 he joined the RAF. He was stopped on his way to Dublin by two military policeman but was lucky to escape the fate of his friend Bobby Bachelor, also a deserter, who spent ninety days in detention following his arrest by “Cushy” Ryan, a military policeman from Athy. An indication of the large number of Southern Irish Army deserters can be gauged from “Lowly’s” description of the fifty or sixty recruits who on arrival at Belfast railway station with him marched with practised steps in strict military formation to the recruiting barracks.
While training to be a rear gunner “Lowly” responded to a request for volunteers to go to France and joined the Motor Transport Light Repair Unit. He passed through Caen where even the graveyards had been bombed and on into Ghent in Belgium where his unit camped for some time. Moving into the Ardennes forest they were attacked by the Germans. This was the arena where Hitler gambled on an offensive against the allies. The Germans were first checked by the Americans and eventually routed by an Allied Counter Offensive in January 1945 which became known as the Battle of the Bulge.
“Lowly’s” unit passed on into Holland and he still recalls the abject poverty of the war-torn people of that country and Belgium after the Germans had retreated. The people were starving, unlike the soldiers who were liberating them. Cigarettes and bars of chocolate supplied each week to the Allied soldiers sustained a barter system in these countries whose economies were destroyed during the War. “Lowly” eventually ended up in Berlin where he stayed two weeks in the stadium which had hosted the Olympic Games in 1936. He also recalls visiting the Reich Chancellery where Hitler had committed suicide in his bunker in May 1945.
Demobbed in June 1946 “Lowly” was unable to return to Athy until Bill Norton, the Labour T.D., successfully raised in the Dail the possibility of an amnesty for deserters from the Irish Army. The numbers involved were such as to necessitate the granting of this amnesty, otherwise the Irish Army authorities would have been overwhelmed by the number of the soldiers returning to their homeland. Anyway it was privately acknowledged that the unsatisfactory conditions in the Irish Army contributed hugely to the mass exodus across the border.
“Lowly” returned to Athy in June 1947 and for the second time got a job in the Asbestos factory. He married Kathleen Brennan of Crettyard in July of the following year and they lived in Geraldine before moving in time to Convent View where they still reside. Later on he joined Bord na Mona, continuing to work there until he retired in 1985.
“Lowly”, a good soccer player, played for Carlow A.F.C. as did the late Gerry Sullivan, a Waterford man, both of whom with “Cymbal” Davis of Joseph’s Terrace and Louis Poperlensky founded Athy A.F.C. in or about 1950. Mick McEvoy of St. Joseph’s Terrace was the first Treasurer, with Willie O’Neill, commonly called “Woodbine Willie” and Gordon Prole Snr. as Club officers.
Another club in which Joe was involved was the handball club which was re-started by George Ryan, Mick McEvoy, Shay May, James Delaney and Joe “Lowly” Walsh. The handball alley was out of repair and those involved each paid six pence a week to pay for the repairs which enabled many to continue playing the game which had such a long tradition in Athy. Good handballers remembered by Joe included brothers Jack and Henry Foley, Tom Day and George Aldridge, all of Barrack Street, Mickey Costello of Shrewleen, Willie Frazier of Higginsons Lane, Jack Delaney and George Roche, both of Woodstock Terrace, Bill Aldridge and George Ryan.
“Lowly” Walsh has a wonderful life story to tell, only snatches of which I have been able to relate. His delightful recounting of times spent both in and out of his native town give an interesting insight into events of national and local interest. His recall is sharply focused as he re-lives both the happy and sad experiences of a life lived to the full. The “Lowly” child of the 1920’s who outlived many of his contemporaries has carried throughout his life a nick-name which age has demonstrably shown to be a less than accurate description of his constitution.
Son of master tailor Joseph Walsh and Teresa Byrne, “Lowly” was born almost seventy-five years ago in Barrack Street. His nick-name comes from his maternal grandfather’s ready response to the oft repeated enquiry from neighbours as to the health of his small, then sickly grandchild. “Lowly” was to remain Joe’s name thereafter.
Having left school at ten years of age he started work one year later in P.P. Doyle’s brick yard with all the other young fellows from Dooley’s Terrace where his parents were then living. The winter months were spent picking stones out of the yellow clay while in summer he was put to “hacking” bricks, building them up one on top of the other ready for firing in the kiln. His older brother Michael also worked in the brick yard but sadly he died at nineteen years of age.
When the asbestos factory started in 1936 “Lowly” got a job there. With the outbreak of World War II like so many other Athy men he called to the local Garda Station to enlist in the Irish Army. Garda Connell took his details and the next day “Lowly” was brought with a number of other locals to the Curragh Camp. Conditions in the Irish Army were not good. Indeed his abiding memory of his three years spent in the Irish Army is what he still recalls after a lapse of fifty-four years as the “scandalous Army food”. Conditions in the Army were so bad that there was wholesale desertion by the disenchanted recruits who travelled by train to Belfast to join the British Army.
“Lowly” followed the same path and in 1942 he joined the RAF. He was stopped on his way to Dublin by two military policeman but was lucky to escape the fate of his friend Bobby Bachelor, also a deserter, who spent ninety days in detention following his arrest by “Cushy” Ryan, a military policeman from Athy. An indication of the large number of Southern Irish Army deserters can be gauged from “Lowly’s” description of the fifty or sixty recruits who on arrival at Belfast railway station with him marched with practised steps in strict military formation to the recruiting barracks.
While training to be a rear gunner “Lowly” responded to a request for volunteers to go to France and joined the Motor Transport Light Repair Unit. He passed through Caen where even the graveyards had been bombed and on into Ghent in Belgium where his unit camped for some time. Moving into the Ardennes forest they were attacked by the Germans. This was the arena where Hitler gambled on an offensive against the allies. The Germans were first checked by the Americans and eventually routed by an Allied Counter Offensive in January 1945 which became known as the Battle of the Bulge.
“Lowly’s” unit passed on into Holland and he still recalls the abject poverty of the war-torn people of that country and Belgium after the Germans had retreated. The people were starving, unlike the soldiers who were liberating them. Cigarettes and bars of chocolate supplied each week to the Allied soldiers sustained a barter system in these countries whose economies were destroyed during the War. “Lowly” eventually ended up in Berlin where he stayed two weeks in the stadium which had hosted the Olympic Games in 1936. He also recalls visiting the Reich Chancellery where Hitler had committed suicide in his bunker in May 1945.
Demobbed in June 1946 “Lowly” was unable to return to Athy until Bill Norton, the Labour T.D., successfully raised in the Dail the possibility of an amnesty for deserters from the Irish Army. The numbers involved were such as to necessitate the granting of this amnesty, otherwise the Irish Army authorities would have been overwhelmed by the number of the soldiers returning to their homeland. Anyway it was privately acknowledged that the unsatisfactory conditions in the Irish Army contributed hugely to the mass exodus across the border.
“Lowly” returned to Athy in June 1947 and for the second time got a job in the Asbestos factory. He married Kathleen Brennan of Crettyard in July of the following year and they lived in Geraldine before moving in time to Convent View where they still reside. Later on he joined Bord na Mona, continuing to work there until he retired in 1985.
“Lowly”, a good soccer player, played for Carlow A.F.C. as did the late Gerry Sullivan, a Waterford man, both of whom with “Cymbal” Davis of Joseph’s Terrace and Louis Poperlensky founded Athy A.F.C. in or about 1950. Mick McEvoy of St. Joseph’s Terrace was the first Treasurer, with Willie O’Neill, commonly called “Woodbine Willie” and Gordon Prole Snr. as Club officers.
Another club in which Joe was involved was the handball club which was re-started by George Ryan, Mick McEvoy, Shay May, James Delaney and Joe “Lowly” Walsh. The handball alley was out of repair and those involved each paid six pence a week to pay for the repairs which enabled many to continue playing the game which had such a long tradition in Athy. Good handballers remembered by Joe included brothers Jack and Henry Foley, Tom Day and George Aldridge, all of Barrack Street, Mickey Costello of Shrewleen, Willie Frazier of Higginsons Lane, Jack Delaney and George Roche, both of Woodstock Terrace, Bill Aldridge and George Ryan.
“Lowly” Walsh has a wonderful life story to tell, only snatches of which I have been able to relate. His delightful recounting of times spent both in and out of his native town give an interesting insight into events of national and local interest. His recall is sharply focused as he re-lives both the happy and sad experiences of a life lived to the full. The “Lowly” child of the 1920’s who outlived many of his contemporaries has carried throughout his life a nick-name which age has demonstrably shown to be a less than accurate description of his constitution.
Thursday, January 25, 1996
Mullaghmast Rath
I paid a visit to Mullaghmast last Sunday to see again the famous Rath which has figured in Irish history from as far back as 82AD. The site consists of a raised circular rampart breached at two sides allowing grazing cattle to wander through at will. It is now difficult to image that here was once the Palace of an Irish King frequently mentioned in the ancient Annals.
In 82AD O'Toole, a member of the South Kildare Clan whose territory was called Omurethy, waged war on his son-in-law Eochy King of Leinster for leaving O'Toole's daughter to marry her sister. We are told that O'Toole destroyed the Palaces and Fortresses of Naas Mullaghcreelan and Mullaghmast.
Again we find in Keatings history of Ireland the oft repeated reference to Felimy the Law Giver who was King of Ireland from 111 to 119 A.D. During his reign the Munster men invaded Leinster as far as Mullaghmast. The dispossessed clans appealed to the King of Ulster and with his help proceeded to drive out the Munster men from the area. Defeated at a small Ford on the River Greise the Munster men retreated to a Ford on the River Barrow where Ae the son of a Munster Chieftan was killed. It was from him that the future town of Athy got it's name being the anglicised form of the Gaelic place name Ath Ae, meaning the Ford of Ae, being the place where Ae was slain. Thus was Mullaghmast and Athy first linked in history.
Another connection between the two ancient places was forged in the second century when Con of the Hundred Battles, King of Ireland, sought to enforce his right to a Cow Tribute against the son of the King of Leinster resulting in a Battle at Mullaghmast. Victory went to Con's opponent who then proceeded to take over the Royal Palace of Tara. The Cow Tribute or Borumha was an important element in the relationship between King and subjects and in our own locality we have Aughraboura the area where the Cow Tribute was once paid. In 241A.D. another King of Ireland, this time Cormac MacArt burnt the Palace of Mullaghmast to revenge a massacre perpetrated by the son of the King of Leinster.
In 727 Mullaghmast was the site of a pitched battle between the Clans of Dowlings and Kinsellas resulting in a victory for the latter. Following the Battle of Clontarf which saw the Irish victorious over the Danes, the Armies of Desmond and Thomand camped at Mullaghmast on their way home to Munster. The usual rivalry between the two great Munster tribes overlooked in the face of the coming enemy now resurfaced and the men of Desmond thought they would take advantage of the Thomand men who were weakened by exertion and carrying many wounded. Those nursing wounds used moss to stem the flow of blood and declared their intention of playing their part in the fight against the Desmonds. The latter on hearing this left the area whereupon the men of Thomand travelled onwards to Ath Ae where they drank the water from the River Barrow and cleaned their wounds. However it was in 1577 that occurred an event which was to fix the name of Mullaghmast in Irish memories for ever more. Tradition relates that leaders of the Seven Septs of Laois and their followers who had waged a constant war against English settlers were summoned to the Rath at Mullaghmast under terms which guaranteed their safety. On their arrival they were set upon and murdered depriving the ancient territory of Laois of so many of the O'Moores, O'Kellys, O'Lalors, Devoys, McEvoys, O'Dorans and O'Dowlings. Tradition has us believe that one of the O'Lalors escaped on horseback, hurrying back through the countryside to his own place. The horse wounded in the escape collapsed and died near Brackna Woods giving to the area a name which it still bears - The Bleeding Horse.
A carved stone commemorating the massacre of 1577 was placed in the centre of the Rath in 1991 by the Greise Valley Development Association. This is the only visible reminder of the horrible happenings of 400 years ago.
On Sunday the 1st of October 1843 the Liberator Daniel O'Connell spoke at a Repeal Meeting in Mullaghmast. The SequiCentenary of that event so well documented in Irish histories was celebrated in 1993 with the unveiling of a suitably inscribed stone on the roadside nearest to the Rath of Mullaghmast. The fields nearest to the road on the Mullaghmast crossroads side of the Rath are believed to be those in which O'Connell's Repeal Meeting was held. On the same side of the Rath and next to the roadway is the famous long stone of Mullaghmast reputed to mark the grave of a Munster Chieftan. The seven foot high granite stone is the only one of its kind in the area and was evidently brought from afar to its present site.
Mullaghmast once had another six small Raths in the earlier mentioned Repeal meeting field but they have been razed leaving the larger Rath of Mullaghmast as the only visible reminder of the once great Palace of Mullaghmast.
Last Sunday afternoon the area was quiet with not another person in sight. It was difficult to believe that almost 2,000 years ago this was an important settlement, a lordly place fit for Kings.
The grazing cattle were unconcerned as I moved amongst them hoping to catch an echo from the past. The air was still as I gazed across the rich plains of South Kildare and on the horizon I imagined I could see the marching Army of a Munster Chieftain as it made haste to Mullaghmast. But for a moment only I held the vision and then it disappeared leaving me to regret the passing of time and the glories that were once Mullaghmast's.
In 82AD O'Toole, a member of the South Kildare Clan whose territory was called Omurethy, waged war on his son-in-law Eochy King of Leinster for leaving O'Toole's daughter to marry her sister. We are told that O'Toole destroyed the Palaces and Fortresses of Naas Mullaghcreelan and Mullaghmast.
Again we find in Keatings history of Ireland the oft repeated reference to Felimy the Law Giver who was King of Ireland from 111 to 119 A.D. During his reign the Munster men invaded Leinster as far as Mullaghmast. The dispossessed clans appealed to the King of Ulster and with his help proceeded to drive out the Munster men from the area. Defeated at a small Ford on the River Greise the Munster men retreated to a Ford on the River Barrow where Ae the son of a Munster Chieftan was killed. It was from him that the future town of Athy got it's name being the anglicised form of the Gaelic place name Ath Ae, meaning the Ford of Ae, being the place where Ae was slain. Thus was Mullaghmast and Athy first linked in history.
Another connection between the two ancient places was forged in the second century when Con of the Hundred Battles, King of Ireland, sought to enforce his right to a Cow Tribute against the son of the King of Leinster resulting in a Battle at Mullaghmast. Victory went to Con's opponent who then proceeded to take over the Royal Palace of Tara. The Cow Tribute or Borumha was an important element in the relationship between King and subjects and in our own locality we have Aughraboura the area where the Cow Tribute was once paid. In 241A.D. another King of Ireland, this time Cormac MacArt burnt the Palace of Mullaghmast to revenge a massacre perpetrated by the son of the King of Leinster.
In 727 Mullaghmast was the site of a pitched battle between the Clans of Dowlings and Kinsellas resulting in a victory for the latter. Following the Battle of Clontarf which saw the Irish victorious over the Danes, the Armies of Desmond and Thomand camped at Mullaghmast on their way home to Munster. The usual rivalry between the two great Munster tribes overlooked in the face of the coming enemy now resurfaced and the men of Desmond thought they would take advantage of the Thomand men who were weakened by exertion and carrying many wounded. Those nursing wounds used moss to stem the flow of blood and declared their intention of playing their part in the fight against the Desmonds. The latter on hearing this left the area whereupon the men of Thomand travelled onwards to Ath Ae where they drank the water from the River Barrow and cleaned their wounds. However it was in 1577 that occurred an event which was to fix the name of Mullaghmast in Irish memories for ever more. Tradition relates that leaders of the Seven Septs of Laois and their followers who had waged a constant war against English settlers were summoned to the Rath at Mullaghmast under terms which guaranteed their safety. On their arrival they were set upon and murdered depriving the ancient territory of Laois of so many of the O'Moores, O'Kellys, O'Lalors, Devoys, McEvoys, O'Dorans and O'Dowlings. Tradition has us believe that one of the O'Lalors escaped on horseback, hurrying back through the countryside to his own place. The horse wounded in the escape collapsed and died near Brackna Woods giving to the area a name which it still bears - The Bleeding Horse.
A carved stone commemorating the massacre of 1577 was placed in the centre of the Rath in 1991 by the Greise Valley Development Association. This is the only visible reminder of the horrible happenings of 400 years ago.
On Sunday the 1st of October 1843 the Liberator Daniel O'Connell spoke at a Repeal Meeting in Mullaghmast. The SequiCentenary of that event so well documented in Irish histories was celebrated in 1993 with the unveiling of a suitably inscribed stone on the roadside nearest to the Rath of Mullaghmast. The fields nearest to the road on the Mullaghmast crossroads side of the Rath are believed to be those in which O'Connell's Repeal Meeting was held. On the same side of the Rath and next to the roadway is the famous long stone of Mullaghmast reputed to mark the grave of a Munster Chieftan. The seven foot high granite stone is the only one of its kind in the area and was evidently brought from afar to its present site.
Mullaghmast once had another six small Raths in the earlier mentioned Repeal meeting field but they have been razed leaving the larger Rath of Mullaghmast as the only visible reminder of the once great Palace of Mullaghmast.
Last Sunday afternoon the area was quiet with not another person in sight. It was difficult to believe that almost 2,000 years ago this was an important settlement, a lordly place fit for Kings.
The grazing cattle were unconcerned as I moved amongst them hoping to catch an echo from the past. The air was still as I gazed across the rich plains of South Kildare and on the horizon I imagined I could see the marching Army of a Munster Chieftain as it made haste to Mullaghmast. But for a moment only I held the vision and then it disappeared leaving me to regret the passing of time and the glories that were once Mullaghmast's.
Friday, January 19, 1996
Butlers Row
Continuing the story of Butlers Row, Athy, last week I mentioned the Mahon family who lived there over 65 years ago. John, a good footballer died young and his brother Michael a superb player with few equals on the football pitch emigrated to New York in October 1927. On the night before he emigrated the local G.A.A. Club, then called Young Emmets, made a presentation to Michael at a function in the local Council offices in the Town Hall. He had played for Athy Senior Team in the 1923 Senior Championship Final when Athy was defeated by Naas and was later chosen for the Kildare County Senior team in the year he emigrated.
In Number 6 Butlers Row lived Fran O'Rourke who had married Kate Cunningham of Meeting Lane. He was a carpenter working for the railway company in their Inchicore Works commuting to Athy each weekend by train. His sons Paddy Joe, Thomas, Frank and Hughie are dead as is a daughter Josephine who was married to the late Joe Moloney. A son Peter is living in Londonwhile a daughter Breda is married to Michael O'Meara and living in Geraldine. George and Mary Ryan were appointed tenants of No. 6 in 1942 and lived there until 1950 when they transferred to No. 63 Pairc Bhride. Their son George born the same year as myself was in my class in St. Joseph's Boys School. He died in 1949 and I can still recall the entire class under Sr. Alberta praying for George, little realising the finality of death. He was buried in St. Michael's Cemetery one week after another of our young friends Jimmy Bracken of Emily Square who had drowned underneath the Barrow Bridge. That was a sad week in November 1949.
George Ryan Senior was a first class handballer who won the All Ireland Hardball Junior Doubles title partnered by "Wiggie" Costello of Shrewleen in 1936. While living in Butlers Row George won the All Ireland Hardball Junior Singles title in 1946. Sadly he died in 1969.
In the next house lived Mr. & Mrs. O'Brien and their daughter. I have no information about them. They were followed by Mick O'Shea, his mother and grandfather who moved from Garden Lane off Meeting Lane. Mick and his sister Molly who had spent many years in England later moved down to No. 2 Butlers Row. Mick who worked for many years in the I.V.I. Foundry was the last tenant of Butlers Row living there for some time after the remaining houses fell vacant. He and Molly now live in Kirwans Court off Leinster Street.
"Robbie" Robinson and his wife Caroline later moved into No. 7. Robbie worked in the I.V.I. Foundry and was known locally as "Black Sam" because of his frequent performances as a blacked up minstrel in local musicals in the Town Hall. Their son Michael who is now in Australia was home for Christmas and renewed acquaintances with his school pals with whom he attended the Christian Brothers School in the 1950's.
The Stapleton family lived in No. 8. There were three brothers and one sister, all now long dead. Jim and Larry were bakers in Bradleys bakery which was located at the rear of the present Delaney's Barber Shop in Duke Street. Mick was unemployed largely due to ill health while their sister Mary kept house for her bachelor brothers. Tom and Maria Langton and family replaced the Stapletons. Tom was a local postman and fireman and both himself and his wife were wonderful ballroom dancers known far and wide for their dancing skill.
Next door in the 1930's we find Mr. & Mrs. Dargan, their son Jim and two daughters. They later moved to Offaly Street taking over the house vacated by the Stafford family. Mr. Dargan worked in Duthie Larges and his son Jim was in his early years in the Irish Army. Jim took part in many of the musical shows in Athy over the years. His sister Katie who never married was reputed to have the cure for haemorrhage. When the Dargans moved to Offaly Street the new tenants were Tommy and Eileen Pender. Tommy worked in the I.V.I. Foundry and when the family were still young they moved to Offaly Street taking over Sunderlands house. In doing so Eileen Pender was moving to live opposite her own family home where her brother John Evans and parents were still living.
Mr. & Mrs. Dempsey and their daughter Lil lived in the second last house in the Lane. "Cruiser" Dempsey as he was known was the Porter in the Hibernian Bank in Leinster Street. He was a small man with a moustache and always wore a cap. Lil married a railway porter named Tobin and moved down the country. Mick Corr, his wife and two sons later lived in the house and Mick is now living in Nelson Street, his wife sadly dying while they were living in Butlers Row.
At the end of Butlers Row lived Mr. & Mrs. Hendricks. He was a photographer and used the wall of the Leinster Arms Hotel yard to hang his photographs of local events and people which he wished to sell. Hendricks was an exceptionally tall man whose wife was equally exceptionally small. Paddy Dunne his wife Molly and family later lived in Hendricks house.
The houses in Butlers Row were privately owned. It may be assumed that the name indicates the original owner or person responsible for their construction. Peter P. Doyle of Woodstock Street at one time collected the rent averaging 2/6 per week on behalf of the then owner George Dillon who was a butcher in Leinster Street. On his death George willed the Butlers Row property to his nephew Tommy who lived in Ardreigh and in time he sold the 11 houses to Mona Sylvester of Offaly Street. Mona is reputed to have paid £100 for the entire housing scheme and she continued to collect the rents to the end.
Butlers Row is now no more. The roofless remains of the houses which once echoed to the lively sounds of family life now wait for the bulldozers to knock the remaining walls. In recording the names of those who lived there over the years since 1930 inevitably some names will be missed and some mistakes made. If you can help to add to what is published here I would welcome hearing from you.
In Number 6 Butlers Row lived Fran O'Rourke who had married Kate Cunningham of Meeting Lane. He was a carpenter working for the railway company in their Inchicore Works commuting to Athy each weekend by train. His sons Paddy Joe, Thomas, Frank and Hughie are dead as is a daughter Josephine who was married to the late Joe Moloney. A son Peter is living in Londonwhile a daughter Breda is married to Michael O'Meara and living in Geraldine. George and Mary Ryan were appointed tenants of No. 6 in 1942 and lived there until 1950 when they transferred to No. 63 Pairc Bhride. Their son George born the same year as myself was in my class in St. Joseph's Boys School. He died in 1949 and I can still recall the entire class under Sr. Alberta praying for George, little realising the finality of death. He was buried in St. Michael's Cemetery one week after another of our young friends Jimmy Bracken of Emily Square who had drowned underneath the Barrow Bridge. That was a sad week in November 1949.
George Ryan Senior was a first class handballer who won the All Ireland Hardball Junior Doubles title partnered by "Wiggie" Costello of Shrewleen in 1936. While living in Butlers Row George won the All Ireland Hardball Junior Singles title in 1946. Sadly he died in 1969.
In the next house lived Mr. & Mrs. O'Brien and their daughter. I have no information about them. They were followed by Mick O'Shea, his mother and grandfather who moved from Garden Lane off Meeting Lane. Mick and his sister Molly who had spent many years in England later moved down to No. 2 Butlers Row. Mick who worked for many years in the I.V.I. Foundry was the last tenant of Butlers Row living there for some time after the remaining houses fell vacant. He and Molly now live in Kirwans Court off Leinster Street.
"Robbie" Robinson and his wife Caroline later moved into No. 7. Robbie worked in the I.V.I. Foundry and was known locally as "Black Sam" because of his frequent performances as a blacked up minstrel in local musicals in the Town Hall. Their son Michael who is now in Australia was home for Christmas and renewed acquaintances with his school pals with whom he attended the Christian Brothers School in the 1950's.
The Stapleton family lived in No. 8. There were three brothers and one sister, all now long dead. Jim and Larry were bakers in Bradleys bakery which was located at the rear of the present Delaney's Barber Shop in Duke Street. Mick was unemployed largely due to ill health while their sister Mary kept house for her bachelor brothers. Tom and Maria Langton and family replaced the Stapletons. Tom was a local postman and fireman and both himself and his wife were wonderful ballroom dancers known far and wide for their dancing skill.
Next door in the 1930's we find Mr. & Mrs. Dargan, their son Jim and two daughters. They later moved to Offaly Street taking over the house vacated by the Stafford family. Mr. Dargan worked in Duthie Larges and his son Jim was in his early years in the Irish Army. Jim took part in many of the musical shows in Athy over the years. His sister Katie who never married was reputed to have the cure for haemorrhage. When the Dargans moved to Offaly Street the new tenants were Tommy and Eileen Pender. Tommy worked in the I.V.I. Foundry and when the family were still young they moved to Offaly Street taking over Sunderlands house. In doing so Eileen Pender was moving to live opposite her own family home where her brother John Evans and parents were still living.
Mr. & Mrs. Dempsey and their daughter Lil lived in the second last house in the Lane. "Cruiser" Dempsey as he was known was the Porter in the Hibernian Bank in Leinster Street. He was a small man with a moustache and always wore a cap. Lil married a railway porter named Tobin and moved down the country. Mick Corr, his wife and two sons later lived in the house and Mick is now living in Nelson Street, his wife sadly dying while they were living in Butlers Row.
At the end of Butlers Row lived Mr. & Mrs. Hendricks. He was a photographer and used the wall of the Leinster Arms Hotel yard to hang his photographs of local events and people which he wished to sell. Hendricks was an exceptionally tall man whose wife was equally exceptionally small. Paddy Dunne his wife Molly and family later lived in Hendricks house.
The houses in Butlers Row were privately owned. It may be assumed that the name indicates the original owner or person responsible for their construction. Peter P. Doyle of Woodstock Street at one time collected the rent averaging 2/6 per week on behalf of the then owner George Dillon who was a butcher in Leinster Street. On his death George willed the Butlers Row property to his nephew Tommy who lived in Ardreigh and in time he sold the 11 houses to Mona Sylvester of Offaly Street. Mona is reputed to have paid £100 for the entire housing scheme and she continued to collect the rents to the end.
Butlers Row is now no more. The roofless remains of the houses which once echoed to the lively sounds of family life now wait for the bulldozers to knock the remaining walls. In recording the names of those who lived there over the years since 1930 inevitably some names will be missed and some mistakes made. If you can help to add to what is published here I would welcome hearing from you.
Friday, January 12, 1996
Butlers Row in 1930s
The local Urban Council will shortly commence building houses for the elderly in what was once Butler’s Row, a short narrow cul-de-sac off Offaly Street. Butler’s Row consisted of 11 small two storey houses on the left hand side of the lane which ended at the entrance gate to an orchard. The apple and pear trees which provided generations of young boys from the area with illicit nourishment are no more, and the orchard itself will soon form part of a new housing scheme which will have a pathway linking it with Offaly Street and Meeting Lane.
When the original houses in Butler’s Row were built I cannot say, but the roofless shells which are still standing were once homes to countless families. At the entrance to the lane in the 1930’s was Webster’s sweet shop on the left hand side and Pat Dowling’s public house and grocery on the right.
The first house on the lane was also the largest. It had, like all the others, one room at ground floor level but two bedrooms upstairs. Every other house had one large bedroom upstairs. In that first house lived Billy Leakes with his sister Bertha and her daughters Mary and Bertha. Billy had lost both legs in World War I and was confined to a wheelchair. Despite this handicap he worked as a sack mender for Minch Norton’s and for Jackson’s, also occasionally repairing sacks for local farmers in his own house. Billy was an experienced fisherman, and his fishing rods had pride of place on the wall of the living room of his small house. He was often to be seen each evening sitting in his wheelchair at the end of the lane, chatting to the local people on their way to the Picture Palace in Offaly Street. He died in January 1949. His daughter Bertha worked in the Church of Ireland Rectory for Rev. Dunlop. She died approximately ten years ago, having emigrated to England, and is buried in a cemetery in Eastbourne, where coincidentally, her friend, May Sunderland, formerly of Offaly Street, is also buried. May was an usherette in the Picture Palace before she emigrated to England. Following Billy Leakes’ death, Jim and Sarah Doyle and their family came to live in No. 1 Butler’s Row.
In the adjoining house in the 1930’s lived Mr. & Mrs. Tom McHugh and family. Tom had a foundry in Janeville Lane which continued in operation into the late 1950’s. Some of the men who worked in McHugh’s Foundry included Mannix Thompson, Des Donaldson and Paddy Eaton. The McHugh family included John, Tommy, May, Annie, Gertie, Babs, Matt and Una. Annie died in Butler’s Row before the family moved to No. 7 Offaly Street. Mick O’Shea and his sister Molly later moved into the second house in Butler’s Row.
In the third house over 60 years ago, lived Granny Murphy, even then a very old woman, remembered for the large white apron she always wore. With her was her son Seanie, whom I believe is now in England, and her daughter-in-law Maureen who worked in Murphy’s of Sunnyside. Maureen later remarried Jack Carroll, who was in the Irish Army.
Next door lived Mrs. Stafford and her children John, Peter and Julia. They later moved to No. 28 Offaly Street which adjoins the present Credit Union office. John Stafford was later to occupy the premises opposite the courthouse now owned by Jim Lawlor, from where he operated a bicycle shop and a hackney business. Replacing the Staffords in Butler’s Row were Matt Collingwood, his wife Lil and their family. Lil was a daughter of Mrs. Woods of Meeting Lane, who operated a dairy at the end of Janeville Lane, where Bill Cash and his family later lived. Matt was caretaker of the local courthouse. The entire Collingwood family emigrated to Luton in the mid-1930’s. I believe that one of Matt’s daughters is married in England to Johnny Hoare’s brother, while a son, Thomas, is married to Mick Dunphy’s daughter, formerly of The Bleach. After the Collingwoods, the house was occupied by Jack and Ciss Webster and their young family. Jack was a painter and local fireman, and Ciss, who is now living in Offaly Street, is remembered by me for her early start as an office cleaner in Bob Osborne’s solicitors’ office in Emily Square. In the 1950’s I invariably met Mrs. Webster walking to work as I plodded my way to serve 7.00 o’clock morning Mass in the Parish Church. Her son Tom, who was a good friend of mine when we were growing up, is now a fire officer in Athlone.
Mrs. Mahon, a widow, lived in No. 5 with her children Molly, Stacia, Michael, John and Betty. John, who was a good footballer, died of T.B. while living in Butler’s Row. His team-mates from Athy Gaelic Football Club carried John’s coffin from Butler’s Row on the day of his funeral. His brother Michael was one of the stars of Gaelic football in Athy and he emigrated to America in October 1927. On the night before he departed, members of the G.A.A. Club, then called Young Emmets, made a presentation to Michael at a function in the urban council offices in the Town Hall. He had played for the Athy Senior Team in the 1923 Senior Championship Final when Athy was defeated by Naas, and was chosen for the Kildare County Senior football team in the year he emigrated. Michael Mahon later returned to Ireland, and is believed to be the only Athy man to win an All-Ireland Senior Football medal which he received for playing for his county in the 1928 championship, even though he did not figure in the final of that year. The Mahon family members are all deceased.
Tommy Moran and family lived in the house next door to the Mahons before they transferred to St. Patrick’s Avenue, where Mrs. Moran is still living. Tommy was a master tailor, a craft once very much in vogue in the pre World War II years but which went into decline with the advent of ready-made suits. Jack Bennett and his family replaced the Morans in Butler’s Row, transferring from Janeville Lane on the far side of Offaly Street. Jack worked as a baker in Bradbury’s. His daughter Mary Whelan now lives in Pairc Bhride.
In No. 6 Butler’s Row lived Fran O’Rourke, who was married to Kate Cunningham of Meeting Lane. He was a carpenter who worked for the railway company in their Inchicore Works, commuting to Athy each weekend by train. His sons Paddy Joe, Thomas, Frank and Hughie are dead, as is his daughter Josephine, who was married to the late Joe Moloney. Another son, Peter, is living in London, while a daughter Breda is married to Michael O’Meara and living in Geraldine Road. George and Mary Ryan were appointed tenants of No. 6 in 1942 and lived there until 1950 when they transferred to No. 63 Pairc Bhride. Their son George, born the same year as myself, was in my class in St. Joseph’s Boys School. He died in 1949 and I can still recall the entire class under Sr. Alberta’s guidance praying for George, little realising that we would never see him again. He was buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery one week after another of our young friends, Jimmy Bracken of Emily Square, was drowned underneath the Barrow Bridge. That was a sad week in November 1949.
George Ryan Senior was a first class handballer who won the All Ireland Hardball Junior Doubles title partnered by “Wiggie” Costello of Shrewleen in 1936. While living in Butler’s Row, George won the All Ireland Handball Junior Singles title of 1946. Sadly he died in 1969.
In the next house lived Mr. & Mrs. O’Brien and their daughter. I have no information about them. They were followed by Mick O’Shea, his mother and grandfather who moved from Garden Lane off Meeting Lane. Mick and his sister Molly, who had spent many years in England, later moved down to No. 2 Butler’s Row. Mick, who worked for many years in the I.V.I. Foundry, was the last tenant of Butler’s Row as he continued to live there for some time after the remaining houses fell vacant. He and Molly now live in Kirwan’s Court off Leinster Street.
“Robbie” Robinson and his wife Caroline later moved into No. 7 Butler’s Row. Robbie worked in the I.V.I. Foundry and was known locally as “Black Sam”, allegedly because of his frequent performances as a blacked up minstrel in local musicals in the Town Hall. Their eldest son Michael, who is now in Australia, was home for Christmas, and renewed acquaintances with his school pals from the Christian Brothers School of the 1950’s.
The Stapleton family lived in No. 8. There were three brothers and one sister, all now long dead. Jim and Larry were bakers in Bradley’s bakery which was located at the rear of the present Delaney’s Barber shop in Duke Street. Mick was unemployed, largely due to ill health, while his sister Mary kept house for her bachelor brothers. Tom and Maria Langton and family replaced the Stapletons. Tom was a local postman and fireman and both himself and his wife were wonderful ballroom dancers, known far and wide for their dancing skill.
Next door in the 1930’s we find Mr. & Mrs. Dargan, their son Jim and two daughters. They later moved to Offaly Street taking over the house vacated by the Stafford family. Mr. Dargan worked in his own forge and also in Duthie Large’s while his son Jim left Athy Christian Brothers School to take up a cadetship with the Irish Army. Jim Dargan, who later left the Army to work with his father in the family forge, participated in many of the musical shows in Athy over the years. When the Dargans moved to Offaly Street the new tenants of No. 9 Butler’s Row were Tommy and Eileen Pender. Tommy worked in the I.V.I. Foundry and when his children were very young, the family moved to Offaly Street, taking over Sunderland’s house. In doing so, Eileen Pender was moving to live directly opposite her old family home, where her parents were still living at the time.
Mr. & Mrs. Dempsey and their daughter Lil lived in the second last house in Butler’s Lane. “Cruiser” Dempsey as he was known, was the porter in the Hibernian Bank in Leinster Street. He was a small man with a moustache and always wore a cap. Lil married a railway porter named Tobin and moved down the country. Mick Corr, his wife and two sons later lived in the house and Mick is now living in Nelson Street, his wife sadly dying while they were living in Butler’s Row.
At the end of Butler’s Row lived Mr. & Mrs. Hendricks. He was a freelance photographer, and used the wall of the Leinster Arms Hotel yard to display his photographs of local events and people which he offered for sale. Hendricks was an exceptionally tall man whose wife was very small. Paddy Dunne, his wife Molly and family later lived in Hendricks house.
The houses in Butler’s Row were privately owned. It may be assumed that the name indicates a previous owner or perhaps the person responsible for constructing the houses in the 19th century. Peter P. Doyle of Woodstock Street, at one time collected the rents averaging 2/6 per week, on behalf of the then owner George Dillon, who was a butcher in Leinster Street. On his death George willed the Butler’s Row property to his nephew Tommy who lived in Ardreigh, and in time he sold the 11 houses to Mona Sylvester of Offaly Street. Mona is reputed to have paid £100 for the entire housing scheme and she continued to collect the rents until the last house was vacated.
Butler’s Row is no more. The roofless remains of the houses which once echoed to the lively sounds of family life now await the bulldozers to knock down their crumbling walls. In recording the names of those who lived there over the years since 1930, inevitably some names will be missed and some mistakes made. If you can help to add to what is written here, I would welcome hearing from you.
When the original houses in Butler’s Row were built I cannot say, but the roofless shells which are still standing were once homes to countless families. At the entrance to the lane in the 1930’s was Webster’s sweet shop on the left hand side and Pat Dowling’s public house and grocery on the right.
The first house on the lane was also the largest. It had, like all the others, one room at ground floor level but two bedrooms upstairs. Every other house had one large bedroom upstairs. In that first house lived Billy Leakes with his sister Bertha and her daughters Mary and Bertha. Billy had lost both legs in World War I and was confined to a wheelchair. Despite this handicap he worked as a sack mender for Minch Norton’s and for Jackson’s, also occasionally repairing sacks for local farmers in his own house. Billy was an experienced fisherman, and his fishing rods had pride of place on the wall of the living room of his small house. He was often to be seen each evening sitting in his wheelchair at the end of the lane, chatting to the local people on their way to the Picture Palace in Offaly Street. He died in January 1949. His daughter Bertha worked in the Church of Ireland Rectory for Rev. Dunlop. She died approximately ten years ago, having emigrated to England, and is buried in a cemetery in Eastbourne, where coincidentally, her friend, May Sunderland, formerly of Offaly Street, is also buried. May was an usherette in the Picture Palace before she emigrated to England. Following Billy Leakes’ death, Jim and Sarah Doyle and their family came to live in No. 1 Butler’s Row.
In the adjoining house in the 1930’s lived Mr. & Mrs. Tom McHugh and family. Tom had a foundry in Janeville Lane which continued in operation into the late 1950’s. Some of the men who worked in McHugh’s Foundry included Mannix Thompson, Des Donaldson and Paddy Eaton. The McHugh family included John, Tommy, May, Annie, Gertie, Babs, Matt and Una. Annie died in Butler’s Row before the family moved to No. 7 Offaly Street. Mick O’Shea and his sister Molly later moved into the second house in Butler’s Row.
In the third house over 60 years ago, lived Granny Murphy, even then a very old woman, remembered for the large white apron she always wore. With her was her son Seanie, whom I believe is now in England, and her daughter-in-law Maureen who worked in Murphy’s of Sunnyside. Maureen later remarried Jack Carroll, who was in the Irish Army.
Next door lived Mrs. Stafford and her children John, Peter and Julia. They later moved to No. 28 Offaly Street which adjoins the present Credit Union office. John Stafford was later to occupy the premises opposite the courthouse now owned by Jim Lawlor, from where he operated a bicycle shop and a hackney business. Replacing the Staffords in Butler’s Row were Matt Collingwood, his wife Lil and their family. Lil was a daughter of Mrs. Woods of Meeting Lane, who operated a dairy at the end of Janeville Lane, where Bill Cash and his family later lived. Matt was caretaker of the local courthouse. The entire Collingwood family emigrated to Luton in the mid-1930’s. I believe that one of Matt’s daughters is married in England to Johnny Hoare’s brother, while a son, Thomas, is married to Mick Dunphy’s daughter, formerly of The Bleach. After the Collingwoods, the house was occupied by Jack and Ciss Webster and their young family. Jack was a painter and local fireman, and Ciss, who is now living in Offaly Street, is remembered by me for her early start as an office cleaner in Bob Osborne’s solicitors’ office in Emily Square. In the 1950’s I invariably met Mrs. Webster walking to work as I plodded my way to serve 7.00 o’clock morning Mass in the Parish Church. Her son Tom, who was a good friend of mine when we were growing up, is now a fire officer in Athlone.
Mrs. Mahon, a widow, lived in No. 5 with her children Molly, Stacia, Michael, John and Betty. John, who was a good footballer, died of T.B. while living in Butler’s Row. His team-mates from Athy Gaelic Football Club carried John’s coffin from Butler’s Row on the day of his funeral. His brother Michael was one of the stars of Gaelic football in Athy and he emigrated to America in October 1927. On the night before he departed, members of the G.A.A. Club, then called Young Emmets, made a presentation to Michael at a function in the urban council offices in the Town Hall. He had played for the Athy Senior Team in the 1923 Senior Championship Final when Athy was defeated by Naas, and was chosen for the Kildare County Senior football team in the year he emigrated. Michael Mahon later returned to Ireland, and is believed to be the only Athy man to win an All-Ireland Senior Football medal which he received for playing for his county in the 1928 championship, even though he did not figure in the final of that year. The Mahon family members are all deceased.
Tommy Moran and family lived in the house next door to the Mahons before they transferred to St. Patrick’s Avenue, where Mrs. Moran is still living. Tommy was a master tailor, a craft once very much in vogue in the pre World War II years but which went into decline with the advent of ready-made suits. Jack Bennett and his family replaced the Morans in Butler’s Row, transferring from Janeville Lane on the far side of Offaly Street. Jack worked as a baker in Bradbury’s. His daughter Mary Whelan now lives in Pairc Bhride.
In No. 6 Butler’s Row lived Fran O’Rourke, who was married to Kate Cunningham of Meeting Lane. He was a carpenter who worked for the railway company in their Inchicore Works, commuting to Athy each weekend by train. His sons Paddy Joe, Thomas, Frank and Hughie are dead, as is his daughter Josephine, who was married to the late Joe Moloney. Another son, Peter, is living in London, while a daughter Breda is married to Michael O’Meara and living in Geraldine Road. George and Mary Ryan were appointed tenants of No. 6 in 1942 and lived there until 1950 when they transferred to No. 63 Pairc Bhride. Their son George, born the same year as myself, was in my class in St. Joseph’s Boys School. He died in 1949 and I can still recall the entire class under Sr. Alberta’s guidance praying for George, little realising that we would never see him again. He was buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery one week after another of our young friends, Jimmy Bracken of Emily Square, was drowned underneath the Barrow Bridge. That was a sad week in November 1949.
George Ryan Senior was a first class handballer who won the All Ireland Hardball Junior Doubles title partnered by “Wiggie” Costello of Shrewleen in 1936. While living in Butler’s Row, George won the All Ireland Handball Junior Singles title of 1946. Sadly he died in 1969.
In the next house lived Mr. & Mrs. O’Brien and their daughter. I have no information about them. They were followed by Mick O’Shea, his mother and grandfather who moved from Garden Lane off Meeting Lane. Mick and his sister Molly, who had spent many years in England, later moved down to No. 2 Butler’s Row. Mick, who worked for many years in the I.V.I. Foundry, was the last tenant of Butler’s Row as he continued to live there for some time after the remaining houses fell vacant. He and Molly now live in Kirwan’s Court off Leinster Street.
“Robbie” Robinson and his wife Caroline later moved into No. 7 Butler’s Row. Robbie worked in the I.V.I. Foundry and was known locally as “Black Sam”, allegedly because of his frequent performances as a blacked up minstrel in local musicals in the Town Hall. Their eldest son Michael, who is now in Australia, was home for Christmas, and renewed acquaintances with his school pals from the Christian Brothers School of the 1950’s.
The Stapleton family lived in No. 8. There were three brothers and one sister, all now long dead. Jim and Larry were bakers in Bradley’s bakery which was located at the rear of the present Delaney’s Barber shop in Duke Street. Mick was unemployed, largely due to ill health, while his sister Mary kept house for her bachelor brothers. Tom and Maria Langton and family replaced the Stapletons. Tom was a local postman and fireman and both himself and his wife were wonderful ballroom dancers, known far and wide for their dancing skill.
Next door in the 1930’s we find Mr. & Mrs. Dargan, their son Jim and two daughters. They later moved to Offaly Street taking over the house vacated by the Stafford family. Mr. Dargan worked in his own forge and also in Duthie Large’s while his son Jim left Athy Christian Brothers School to take up a cadetship with the Irish Army. Jim Dargan, who later left the Army to work with his father in the family forge, participated in many of the musical shows in Athy over the years. When the Dargans moved to Offaly Street the new tenants of No. 9 Butler’s Row were Tommy and Eileen Pender. Tommy worked in the I.V.I. Foundry and when his children were very young, the family moved to Offaly Street, taking over Sunderland’s house. In doing so, Eileen Pender was moving to live directly opposite her old family home, where her parents were still living at the time.
Mr. & Mrs. Dempsey and their daughter Lil lived in the second last house in Butler’s Lane. “Cruiser” Dempsey as he was known, was the porter in the Hibernian Bank in Leinster Street. He was a small man with a moustache and always wore a cap. Lil married a railway porter named Tobin and moved down the country. Mick Corr, his wife and two sons later lived in the house and Mick is now living in Nelson Street, his wife sadly dying while they were living in Butler’s Row.
At the end of Butler’s Row lived Mr. & Mrs. Hendricks. He was a freelance photographer, and used the wall of the Leinster Arms Hotel yard to display his photographs of local events and people which he offered for sale. Hendricks was an exceptionally tall man whose wife was very small. Paddy Dunne, his wife Molly and family later lived in Hendricks house.
The houses in Butler’s Row were privately owned. It may be assumed that the name indicates a previous owner or perhaps the person responsible for constructing the houses in the 19th century. Peter P. Doyle of Woodstock Street, at one time collected the rents averaging 2/6 per week, on behalf of the then owner George Dillon, who was a butcher in Leinster Street. On his death George willed the Butler’s Row property to his nephew Tommy who lived in Ardreigh, and in time he sold the 11 houses to Mona Sylvester of Offaly Street. Mona is reputed to have paid £100 for the entire housing scheme and she continued to collect the rents until the last house was vacated.
Butler’s Row is no more. The roofless remains of the houses which once echoed to the lively sounds of family life now await the bulldozers to knock down their crumbling walls. In recording the names of those who lived there over the years since 1930, inevitably some names will be missed and some mistakes made. If you can help to add to what is written here, I would welcome hearing from you.
Friday, January 5, 1996
Pasley-Glynn Cine Variety Company
I was handed an old leather attaché case a while ago and asked to look through its contents. The bearer of this request was himself the scion of an illustrious old theatrical family, and as one might expect, the contents were an interesting mixture of theatrical ephemera dating from the 1930’s and the 1940’s.
The bag itself was stamped with the letters J.M.A.P., which after a little detective work I deduced were the initials of Jonathan M.A. Pasley, one half of the Pasley-Glynn Cine Variety Company which flourished in the midlands almost 60 years ago. Posters for the Company’s performances in Newbridge Picture Palace and the cinema in Mountmellick were found neatly folded in the leather bag. The earliest poster for the Newbridge Cinema, of which P. Foy and J. McGovern were named as lessees, gave a programme, for Saturday and Sunday November 20th and 21st, of “Buck Jones” on the screen and a supporting variety show. No details of the variety performance or the performers were given except to indicate admission charges of 4d, 9d and 1/4d.
The poster for the Mountmellick performance indicated admission prices of 2/=, 1/4d and 8d and might consequently be a few years later than the Newbridge show. Again, the Pasley-Glynn Cine Variety Company were offering the latest in variety with a change of film every night of the week. This time however, the variety programme was detailed, with J.M.A. Pasley billed as Ireland’s own male impersonator. The Two Namrehs, a German comedy acrobatic duo, shared billing with Mr. Knoto, a Japanese contortionist. Mon Nomen, “Never has Ireland seen such a Genius” came near to the end of the programme as did E.T. O’Rourke-Glynn described as Ireland’s Youngest Basso. Glynn, was of course, Ernest O’Rourke-Glynn of Athy, the other half of the Pasley-Glynn Cine Variety Company. It would seem that the Company operated in the mid-1930’s with Pasley as musical director and E.T. O’Rourke-Glynn as director and secretary, with offices at Rathloe House, 47 Upper Rathmines Road, Dublin and the Theatrical Stores, Athy. The latter address was the home of the O’Rourke-Glynns. In a handbill printed for performances in the Electric Cinema, Kildare, it was claimed for the Pasley-Glynn Company “This is the first Cine Variety Company which ever toured Ireland”.
The bag yielded up tickets for a performance of what was described as a “Spectacular domestic costume Irish drama by O’Rourke-Glynn”, titled ‘Mavourneen’, given in the Town Hall, Athy on Wednesday and Thursday the 15th and 16th of June 1936, in aid of the Arranmore disaster fund. A letter from the Town Clerk of Athy Urban District Council J.W. Lawler, dated the 5th of December 1935, expressed the Council’s appreciation of the offer ‘to carry out a play in the Town Hall, Athy, for the bereaved relatives of the Arranmore disaster and to contribute 50% of the proceeds for the worthy cause.”
Another poster advertised dancing in the Ritz Ballroom, Carlow, on Wednesday the 4th of October 1939, and on every succeeding Wednesday, to Ernest Glynn’s Cabaret Band. Tickets were 1/6d, with dancing from 9.00 p.m. to 11.30 p.m.
The varied career of Ernest O’Rourke-Glynn was highlighted by other pieces of theatrical ephemera found in Pasley’s old leather attaché case. Programmes for the Gaiety and the Olympia Theatres in Dublin featured performances in the early 1940’s for which costumes were designed and supplied by O’Rourke-Glynn. A copy for May 1944 of the “Commentary”, a theatrical magazine edited by Sean Dorman, reported :
“The costumes of Lilac Time produced at the Gaiety by the Rathmines and Rathgar Musical Society last month were some of the loveliest seen in Dublin for a long time. They were the work of Ernest O’Rourke-Glynn, character actor, scene designer and theatrical customaire. Mr. O’Rourke-Glynn comes of a very old theatrical family, his grandfather being Nicholas O’Rourke-Glynn who presented the brilliant violinist Irene Vanburgh to Ireland in 1868 when he opened his first professional company. His father Nicholas O’Rourke-Glynn Jnr. was a writer, actor and producer”.
Ernest O’Rourke-Glynn advertised his scenic studios and theatrical costumes from showrooms and offices at 126 St. Stephen’s Green West, Dublin in the early 1940’s, with his works and stores at Duke Street, Athy. He built and painted scenery to order, and had costumes on hire for all plays, pantomimes and grand operas. A typed note found amongst the papers showed that canvass back drops of a kitchen scene, a prison cell, a library, a palace hall, a landscape or a seascape could be purchased from O’Rourke-Glynn’s stock at £5.5.0 for the standard 12ft. by 9ft. stage size.
Shutting Pasley’s attaché case was like closing a book on theatrical life of 60 years ago. Jonathan Pasley and Ernest O’Rourke-Glynn are now long gone to their reward, but someone out there will remember their Cine Variety Company which toured the midlands before the start of the Second World War.
The bag itself was stamped with the letters J.M.A.P., which after a little detective work I deduced were the initials of Jonathan M.A. Pasley, one half of the Pasley-Glynn Cine Variety Company which flourished in the midlands almost 60 years ago. Posters for the Company’s performances in Newbridge Picture Palace and the cinema in Mountmellick were found neatly folded in the leather bag. The earliest poster for the Newbridge Cinema, of which P. Foy and J. McGovern were named as lessees, gave a programme, for Saturday and Sunday November 20th and 21st, of “Buck Jones” on the screen and a supporting variety show. No details of the variety performance or the performers were given except to indicate admission charges of 4d, 9d and 1/4d.
The poster for the Mountmellick performance indicated admission prices of 2/=, 1/4d and 8d and might consequently be a few years later than the Newbridge show. Again, the Pasley-Glynn Cine Variety Company were offering the latest in variety with a change of film every night of the week. This time however, the variety programme was detailed, with J.M.A. Pasley billed as Ireland’s own male impersonator. The Two Namrehs, a German comedy acrobatic duo, shared billing with Mr. Knoto, a Japanese contortionist. Mon Nomen, “Never has Ireland seen such a Genius” came near to the end of the programme as did E.T. O’Rourke-Glynn described as Ireland’s Youngest Basso. Glynn, was of course, Ernest O’Rourke-Glynn of Athy, the other half of the Pasley-Glynn Cine Variety Company. It would seem that the Company operated in the mid-1930’s with Pasley as musical director and E.T. O’Rourke-Glynn as director and secretary, with offices at Rathloe House, 47 Upper Rathmines Road, Dublin and the Theatrical Stores, Athy. The latter address was the home of the O’Rourke-Glynns. In a handbill printed for performances in the Electric Cinema, Kildare, it was claimed for the Pasley-Glynn Company “This is the first Cine Variety Company which ever toured Ireland”.
The bag yielded up tickets for a performance of what was described as a “Spectacular domestic costume Irish drama by O’Rourke-Glynn”, titled ‘Mavourneen’, given in the Town Hall, Athy on Wednesday and Thursday the 15th and 16th of June 1936, in aid of the Arranmore disaster fund. A letter from the Town Clerk of Athy Urban District Council J.W. Lawler, dated the 5th of December 1935, expressed the Council’s appreciation of the offer ‘to carry out a play in the Town Hall, Athy, for the bereaved relatives of the Arranmore disaster and to contribute 50% of the proceeds for the worthy cause.”
Another poster advertised dancing in the Ritz Ballroom, Carlow, on Wednesday the 4th of October 1939, and on every succeeding Wednesday, to Ernest Glynn’s Cabaret Band. Tickets were 1/6d, with dancing from 9.00 p.m. to 11.30 p.m.
The varied career of Ernest O’Rourke-Glynn was highlighted by other pieces of theatrical ephemera found in Pasley’s old leather attaché case. Programmes for the Gaiety and the Olympia Theatres in Dublin featured performances in the early 1940’s for which costumes were designed and supplied by O’Rourke-Glynn. A copy for May 1944 of the “Commentary”, a theatrical magazine edited by Sean Dorman, reported :
“The costumes of Lilac Time produced at the Gaiety by the Rathmines and Rathgar Musical Society last month were some of the loveliest seen in Dublin for a long time. They were the work of Ernest O’Rourke-Glynn, character actor, scene designer and theatrical customaire. Mr. O’Rourke-Glynn comes of a very old theatrical family, his grandfather being Nicholas O’Rourke-Glynn who presented the brilliant violinist Irene Vanburgh to Ireland in 1868 when he opened his first professional company. His father Nicholas O’Rourke-Glynn Jnr. was a writer, actor and producer”.
Ernest O’Rourke-Glynn advertised his scenic studios and theatrical costumes from showrooms and offices at 126 St. Stephen’s Green West, Dublin in the early 1940’s, with his works and stores at Duke Street, Athy. He built and painted scenery to order, and had costumes on hire for all plays, pantomimes and grand operas. A typed note found amongst the papers showed that canvass back drops of a kitchen scene, a prison cell, a library, a palace hall, a landscape or a seascape could be purchased from O’Rourke-Glynn’s stock at £5.5.0 for the standard 12ft. by 9ft. stage size.
Shutting Pasley’s attaché case was like closing a book on theatrical life of 60 years ago. Jonathan Pasley and Ernest O’Rourke-Glynn are now long gone to their reward, but someone out there will remember their Cine Variety Company which toured the midlands before the start of the Second World War.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)