2013 - Cloonfad Parish Magazine

Contents
A Note from the Editor and Gathering Committee
Articles and Photographs:
Cloonfad Gathering 2013
Second Level Education in Dunmore
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4
10
Dunmore IWC/DCS 50th School Reunion
12
The Journey That Took a Lifetime
14
The Cunninghams of Culkeen
16
21st Birthdays
The Good ‘Ol Days – A Fairy Tale
The Official Translation Service
Three Counties Heritage Week Exhibition
The Ballinlough Gathering 2013
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17
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20
Roscommon Herald Article 1936 – Dancing in County Roscommon
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Queen Maeve of Connacht Passes Through Cloonfad (1st Century BC)
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RIC in Cloonfad
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Five Generations of the Mullarkey Family – Photographs
Photograph of Cloonfad Knitting Co-op in 1966
Down Memory Lane – Photographs
The White Rose
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25
27
28
Gaillpolli and The Logboy Connection
30
Working Down Under
34
From Kildare to Cloonfad
The Pattern – Poem
Research Your Family History
Some Texas Towns Touched by Green
It’s Simply Called The Cake
Strong Farmer Revisited
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35
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37
38
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Local History by John Dowling
40
The Mount Delvin Regans
44
Jokes by Shaun Weston
43
Red Cross Cadets
46
Sr. Catherine Burke SJE
51
Gurteen Last Century
The Inspection
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52
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Contents
Mum of the Year Finalist
53
Down Memory Lane – Old Photographs
54
Snapshots – Contemporary Photographs
58
John F. Kennedy Memorial Card
The Enchanted Bush
Wedding Photographs
Organisations:
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62
Killtullagh Branch of Roscommon Assoc. Supporting People with Special Needs
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Cloonfad Development Association
67
Cloonfad Foróige Club
68
Cloonfad Cemetery Committee
Mary Immaculate Prayer Group
Sport:
66
67
Cloonfad Utd. Season Review 2012-'13
71
Gaelic4Girls
77
Micheál Glavey’s GAA Report 2013
Schools:
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Granlahan N.S. Win in a Thriller
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Granlahan N.S. First Holy Communion Class 2013
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Granlahan Soccer Champions
Gallagher Cup Day in Granlahan and School Meet Ryan Tubridy
Pat & Mary Kenny Art Competition
Cloonfad National School – Poetry & Jokes from 1st and 2nd Class Pupils
Births – Deaths – Marriages:
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84
Parish Records from October 2012 to October 2013
86
Patrons
Cloonfad N.S. 1st Holy Communion Class and Confirmation 2013
87
Weddings and Deaths from 50 Years ago (1963)
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Note from the Editor
Welcome to the 22nd edition of the Cloonfad Magazine!
I've always felt priliveged to be entrusted with the care
of this magazine and never more so than with this
edition as we document and remember the wonderful
Gathering held in our village this year. Well done to
everyone who participated and made it such a
celebration of all that is great about Cloonfad. Its
success was due in no small part to the group effort of
the many community and voluntary organisations active
in Cloonfad. The effort put into hosting the Gathering
was a wonderful reflection of the hard work carried out
by all of those organisations whose ongoing endeavours
range from providing essential services for our
community, to making life that much more colourful, rich
and enjoyable for all of us.
With Christmas approaching our thoughts are once again
with those far from home and we hope that the
magazine brings you a little reminder of Cloonfad.
Browsing through this magazine you may meet, in
images or in words, old friends no longer with us. For
those, and all members of our community who have
passed away, we pray that they may rest in peace. We
offer our sincerest sympathies to the families in our
parish who have lost loved ones during the past year.
We remember in particular Fr. Michael Flannery who
served as curate in Cloonfad for many years and was
held in such high esteem by all who knew him.
A big thank you to all who shared with us their
wonderful stories and memories and produced such
high quality articles. Thanks also to the hard working
committee who, among many other tasks, coax and
cajole stories from our more shy and retiring
contributors. We received a huge amount of material
this year and unfortunately were not in a position to
include everything. We have tried to give the best
representative selection of the material received and any
remaining items will be included for publication in future
editions.
On behalf of the committee I thank our patrons, whose
support is vital to the continued existence of the
magazine, and I ask you to support our business patrons.
Special thanks to the local shops who stock the magazine
and particular thanks to Teresa O’Malley for all her help
and assistance.
If you have something you would like to share with us,
the email address is cloonfadmag@live.ie or any
member of the committee is happy to help. New
members are more than welcome to our AGM which will
be held in January. This year's hard working committee
are: Terry Fitzmaurice, Eddie Birmingham, John P. Burke,
Jackie Ronane, Frank Greene and Kathy Greene.
We very much hope you enjoy this year’s edition. On
behalf of the committee I wish you all a very happy and
peaceful Christmas and New Year.
Noreen Finnegan Costello,
Magazine Editor
Gathering Weekend 2013
At one of the first meetings we had somebody who said
that they would be happy if even 10 people came home
and enjoyed themselves for the Gathering weekend. It
far surpassed our expectations.
A word of gratitude to Pat Mullin for officially opening
the Gathering. His lovely words that Friday night touched
many people and it was an honour for us to have him
represent our immigrants.
I have a few people to thank – thanks to the hardworking
committee – Noreen Costello, Sean Brennan, Geraldine
Finnegan, Michael Kirrane, Terry Fitzmaurice, Brendan
Cregg, Michael Brennan, Gabriel Griffin, Helen Greene,
Dermot Burke, Sean and Rose Miskell, Tommy Shannon,
Brian Flatley and all the organisations and individuals
who supported us in our preparations and during the
weekend. Thanks to all who took part in the clean-up of
the cemetery, the village, the scenic walks and the
community centre.
Thanks to everyone who helped with fundraising and
contributed donations so generously.
What made the weekend great was the amount of
people who travelled to be with us. We are really
grateful to everyone who came.
Thanks to all the priests - Fr. Joe Feeney, Fr. Tom
Commins, Fr. Tom Griffin, Fr. Jimmy Heneghan, Fr. John
Dunleavy - who concelebrated the Cemetery Mass.
It would take forever to individually thank everyone
because so many helped, so I’ll finish by thanking every
single person that helped us in any way.
Francis Greene.
Chairperson of the Gathering Committee
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Cloonfad Gathering 2013
By Kathy Greene
“There must be a few men and women reading this
short article, who attended school in Cloonfad in the
1950’s. There must be a story or two out there, waiting
to be aired and shared. Why don’t we make
arrangements to have a re-union, a bite to eat and
drink, and a chat about old times before it’s too late?”
This quote, from the closing paragraph of Tom Hosty’s
article in last year’s Cloonfad Magazine, set people
thinking about a reunion for the village. Many Cloonfad
people, over the last few generations, have made the
decision to emigrate from Ireland and settle in different
areas of the country and around the world. Surely there
would be an interest in having a small get-together
sometime over the next year where people would be
able to reconnect with friends and family whom they
hadn’t seen for years – or even decades?
2013 was widely advertised as the year of The Gathering
in Ireland – billed by Fáilte Ireland as a year-long
celebration of all things Irish, where towns and villages
across the country would organise “clan gatherings,
festivals, special sporting events, music and concerts”
for their respective areas. A meeting was called in the
Community Centre in November of 2012 to find out if
there was any interest in such an event for Cloonfad. A
representative of Roscommon County Council attended
to explain The Gathering Initiative and to answer any
questions about it. From there, a committee was formed
and it was decided to host a Gathering/Reunion in
Cloonfad on the June Bank Holiday Weekend 2013.
Thoughts then turned to fundraising for the weekend.
Ideas were tossed around as to how this might be
achieved, and an application for a grant was made to the
County Council. Committee member Gabriel Griffin
suggested a quiz night, to be held in each of the three
village pubs, over a number of months leading up to the
reunion. The first of these was held in Griffin’s pub in
December 2012, then in Keane's in March 2013 and
finally in Jacob’s pub the following April, and they are to
be sincerely thanked for all their help. Great craic was
had at each of these fundraisers, led by quizmaster
Gabriel, and they gave everyone an idea of what we
could look forward to at the main event!
As the weekend drew nearer, so many people came out
to help get the village into tip-top shape for the
weekend. Flowers were planted, walls were painted,
pathways were swept, and bunting was draped.
Cloonfad was featured in a four page spread in the
Roscommon Herald promising a great weekend,
displaying our “action-packed schedule”, and showcasing
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some of the best features of our village, including the
Scenic Walks and our “great community spirit”. The local
schoolchildren produced fantastic displays which were
exhibited both in the school and the community centre,
and took part in a village clean-up organised by the
school. The community centre was transformed from
sports hall to dance hall/exhibition room.
Suddenly, it seemed, the weekend was upon us. The
event on Friday evening was a cheese and wine
reception where people could view school roll books, as
well as articles and photographs from the archives of
local newspapers over the last 100 years. Fr. Joe Feeney
was asked to plant a tree to commemorate the event,
which is now placed beside the Community Centre.
Asked to officially open the event was Pat Mullin, a
native of Cloonfad, who attended the National school
from 1938 to 1947. He immigrated to England in 1950
and returned in 1955 to help with the building of the
family home. In 1956 he left again for England, before
heading to the United States later that year. It took Pat
fourteen days to sail from Southampton to Montreal,
followed by a twelve hour train journey to New York,
where he eventually settled and raised his family. His fine
decent character is typical of so many of our emigrants,
and he has always had such an interest in everything
relating to Cloonfad, never losing touch with his roots
over the years. Before cutting the tape, Pat spoke a few
words about Cloonfad and his dreams of his home
village, which touched everyone present at the
ceremony. The evening was a great success, and people
really enjoyed being able to find the names of beloved
family members in the display of photos and articles
from newspapers, and in the roll books which were
dated as far back as the 1800’s. The atmosphere was
emotional as people searched for and found the names
of their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents
in the books. The crowd then made their way to Keane’s
pub for refreshments.
On Saturday afternoon the 10th Annual CloonfadMozamba Sponsorship Walk took place. Local walkers
were joined by the visitors to the area, and were treated
to some home baked goodies at the lovely Resource
Centre in Cloonerkaun, before continuing on to explore
the numerous beautiful routes available to them in the
Scenic Walks area.
On Saturday evening there was a large crowd in
attendance for the Cemetery Mass, which was remarked
upon by Fr. Joe Feeney, who concelebrated the Mass, as
one of the largest crowds seen there in years. Fr. Joe was
joined by Fr. Tom Griffin and Fr. Jimmy Heneghan, both
from Cloonfad, and by Fr. John Dunleavy and Fr. Tom
Cemetery Mass Choir
Serving at the Cemetery Mass (L-R): Roisín Kerrigan, Lorna
Donnellan, Aidan Flanagan, Robert Burke, Cillian Costello.
Frank & Margaret Brennan, Chloe Brennan, Carmel Mulchrone,
Seán Brennan, Padraig Cunniffe, Paddy Joe Greene.
L-R: Fr. Tom Griffin, Fr. Tom Commins, Fr. Joe Feeney,
Fr. John Dunleavy, Fr. Jimmy Heneghan.
Mozamba Walkers and Friends at the Resource Centre.
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Commins. The local choir performed some lovely hymns
and the Mass was a very special part of the weekend.
Then it was time for the big Reunion Party! Behind the
scenes, the community centre had been transformed
from exhibition hall to dance hall, and the stage was set
for the night’s entertainment, including Gerry Geraghty,
Matt’s Lads and Kevin Prendergast. Thanks to the
fantastic turnout, there was plenty of craic, reminiscing
and tales from the past. A tasty buffet was beautifully
presented by Rose Miskell and her helpers, and Gabriel
Griffin and staff did a great job on the bar. We were also
joined by the Straw Boys traditional dancers who got
everyone on to the dance floor!
On Sunday, two local teams competed in a soccer match
for the Eddie Gibbons Memorial Cup. We were delighted
to have Eddie’s nephew Kieran Leahy, who travelled from
Carlow, there to present the cup to the winning team.
The community centre was then host once more to the
Heritage Day. A fantastic display was presented in the
hall by local craftspeople and businesses. A fine churn of
L-R Carmel Mulchrone, Sheila Gallagher, Mick, Bridie,
Cathy and Mícheál Lynch.
Some members of the Gathering Committee
Back row (L-R): Dermot Burke, Michael Brennan, Seán Brennan,
Seán Miskell, Terry Fitzmaurice, Brendan Cregg
Front row: Pat Mullin, Helen Greene, Geraldine Finnegan, Noreen
Finnegan Costello, Rose Miskell, Frank Greene, Fr. Joe Feeney.
Missing from photo: Gabriel Griffin and Michael Kirrane
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butter was produced by Margaret McCormack and her
helpers, and a huge platter of brown bread and butter
disappeared within minutes! Helium balloons for the
children were provided by Georgina Costello of Dee’s
Newsagents in aid of a local charity. ME Beauty provided
a manicure service, and a complete event planning
service was offered in the form of Helen Gunning
Photography, Cakes by Joanie and Kat’s Flowers, as well
as handmade greetings cards by Suzi G. Stephen
Costello’s collection of wood carvings made a beautiful
addition, and the imaginative Forest Folk presented by
Pat and Shaun Kearney were a great talking point. Tomás
Burke’s handcrafted Ships in Bottles display was admired
by all for its intricacy. Anne Jennings, Amanda Howard,
Josie Costello and the Dunmore Women’s Centre all
displayed their varied talents in painting, knitting,
candle-making and other crafts.
Meanwhile, outside, the grounds of the Community
Centre were a hive of activity, with barbeque provided
by Tom Jennings and staff, a display of vintage vehicles,
and bouncing castles for the children. The Tug O’ War
attracted plenty of attention and provided great
entertainment. The Kiltevna Ladies Team challenged a
few brave Cloonfad men, who were left red-faced after
a close match! The Michael Loftus/Padraig Cleary cup
was awarded to the Kiltevna Men’s Team.
On Sunday night the weekend came to a close in Jacob’s
Three Counties Pub. Music was provided by Gerry
Geraghty and refreshments were served. The night was
a fitting end to great weekend, where many memories
were recalled and made, owing to the many people who
made their way back to Cloonfad for any or all of the
events. What had started out as a casual suggestion,
from an article in this magazine, and thanks to the efforts
of the local community and especially the returning
visitors, turned out to be an unforgettable reunion
weekend.
Home for the Gathering. L-R Virginia Roddy (nee Geraghty) Sligo;
Rose Geraghty (wife of Nick Geraghty) - Leicester UK;
Evelyn Geraghty (Chicago); Nick Geraghty (Leicester UK).
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Second Level Education in Dunmore
By Tomás Burke
This year Incarnate Word College, Dunmore celebrated
the 50th anniversary of its founding. The celebrations
were launched as far back as April and ended with a
memorable Anniversary Mass in Dunmore Church on
Saturday, 21 September. The Mass was concelebrated by
Canon James Ronayne, Dunmacreena, Fr. Francis
Mitchell, Garrafrauns and Fr. Michael Gannon,
Graigueachullaire, past pupils of the College. Sr. Rita
Prendergast, who founded the college, and Sr. Pauline
Nugent spoke at the Mass. Afterwards a superb meal
was enjoyed by hundreds of past pupils together with
past and present staff members. Memories were
recalled, stories were exchanged and a historical 50th
anniversary booklet was launched. The organising
committee, which included Michael Brennan, Newtown,
deserves immense credit. Now might be a good time to
recall a brief history of second level education in
Dunmore.
Dunmore Vocational School was opened in 1953. It
provided an excellent education for the students of the
town and district, over a two year cycle, culminating in
the Group Certificate. But a student wishing to do the
Leaving Certificate was in difficulty because secondary
schools were few and far between. Some girls went
boarding into the Mercy and Presentation in Tuam, but
because of the cost, boarding wasn’t for everyone. Some
boys went into Tuam CBS using whatever transport came
to hand.
But change was on the way and much of the change was
brought about by the influence of Joseph Walsh,
Archbishop of Tuam. His educational policy was to
provide each small town in his diocese with a co-
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educational secondary school. In the space of about
twenty-five years, under his leadership, something of an
educational revolution took place.
A string of new, mostly co-educational, secondary
schools sprung up, in quick succession - Claremorris,
Louisburg, Headford, Newport, Carna, Carraroe, Clifden,
Ballyhaunis and Achill. A clear pattern emerged. The
local people would express a wish for a secondary
school. Archbishop Walsh would broach the subject with
the local religious order, in most cases the Mercy Order,
and request them to open a secondary school. He
encouraged them to use their convent as a school if no
other suitable building was available. This is what
happened in Glenamaddy, Dunmore’s near neighbour,
in 1959, when the Mercy Order opened a co-educational
secondary school in their convent. The school was having
a positive impact on the morale of that area and the
people of Dunmore were inspired to take action.
It so happened that Dunmore had a unique
religious order in the town, the Incarnate
Word Sisters. This Order was founded in
Texas, in 1869, to care for the homeless
poor, in hospitals, schools and orphanages.
San Antonio became the Order’s U.S.
headquarters. They then opened a
recruiting house in Holland but because of
visa restrictions after World War 1, the
Holland house was closed and sold and the
Order moved to Dunmore, July 6, 1925.
When the first two Incarnate Word scouts
(Sisters Mary John and Cleophas) arrived in
Dunmore that summer, they nearly bought
the stately Carrantryla House which was
for sale. It would have made an ideal
headquarters but it was too far from the
town and from the parish church. But the
Sisters’ attention was drawn to another stately home,
also for sale, on a hill overlooking the town. This
property belonged to Michael Costello, a retired doctor,
reputed to be the first man to own a car in Dunmore. He
also had a reputation for outstanding generosity. He was
later to die as a result of a tragic car accident on his treelined avenue. The Sisters bought Dr. Costello’s house and
land which he called “Drimglass” (meaning the green
ridge) and took up residence, as already mentioned, on
July 6 1925. This would be their home and convent for
the next fifty-four years (1925 – 1979).
Inspired by what had happened in nearby Glenamaddy
in 1959, a formal delegation (Conor Fahy, Kevin Kelly,
Kevin Bowman, Dr. Cooke and Fr. John Sweeney)
speaking on behalf of the people of
Dunmore, met with the Sisters of
the Incarnate Word and asked them
to explore the possibility of founding
a secondary school. Archbishop
Walsh added his influence to the
request by sending in a written
application. After due deliberations,
word came back to the people of
Dunmore that the new school would
be opened in September 1963.
Some rooms in the Convent would
serve as classrooms until a new
school could be built.
The opening day of the new
Incarnate Word College was
Tuesday, 3 September 1963. Sixty
students enrolled, 18 boys and 42
First Leaving Cert Examination Class 1967.
girls. The best description I can give
Back row (L-R): E. Canny, P. Murphy, M. Spelman, A. Mooney, M. Murphy,
of opening day is to quote from a
M. Burke, M. Martyn, J. Prendergast.
diary kept by the nuns. “This was a
Front row: A. Finnegan, M. Staunton, A. Burke, K. King, A. Heneghan.
big day in the history of the
Included also are 3 lay Postulants in the darker outfits.
Congregation. Today, Incarnate
didn’t make life any easier for her either when they
Word Secondary School, the Congregation’s first in
would
only allow her to do the H.Dip in Education
Ireland was formally opened. The first pupil to arrive was
through
Irish. But there was plenty of help at hand too
Helen Lowery, Kilmurry.” The programme for the day still
and she got a lot of sound advice from Fr. Costello, head
survives. It began with Mass at 9.45, celebrated by Fr.
of the new Boys’ school in Ballyhaunis and from Martin
John Sweeney and Fr. Noel Lyons, Ballyhaunis, who had
Folan, principal of Dunmore Vocational School.
been appointed by the Archbishop as school chaplain.
Sr. Florence welcomed all and introduced the Sisters to
Sr. Rita’s deep faith and varied interests in art and music,
parents and pupils. Sr. Rita Prendergast, the school
poetry and literature sustained her. She was very proud
Principal, then spoke about traditions and discipline and
of the fact that her brother composed Ireland’s first
good study habits. She called the class of ’63, “frontier
entry in the Eurovision Song contest, “Walking the
students”. After looking around the school and getting
Streets in the Rain”, sung by Butch Moore in 1966. She
some textbooks, the students were dismissed at 1.00pm.
herself took first place and a cheque for £100 in a
The Incarnate Word Sisters who worked in the school in
the early days were Sr. Emma Moyles, Church St.,
Dunmore, still hale and hearty at 94, Sr. Lucy from
Armagh, Sr. Carmen Roche from Enniscrone and Sr.
Florence Byrne from Athlone town, where her neighbour
at one time was none other than the great Count John
McCormack. Sr. Florence became a legend in her own
lifetime. She must have given piano lessons to the entire
population of Dunmore! She was also responsible for
recruiting many new postulants into the Incarnate Word
Order, including many girls from the Cloonfad area.
Sr. Rita Prendergast, from the Curragh, Co. Kildare, was
school Principal and was the real driving force behind
the new school. It was she who dealt with the
Department of Education on a day-to-day basis, trying
to find solutions to the many teething problems facing
the new school. One of the biggest problems was the
refusal of the Department to pay the Sisters’ salaries
until the quality of their degrees and their Irish language
qualifications could be verified. The authorities at U.C.G.
government sponsored poetry competition marking the
50th Anniversary of the 1916 Rising. You would imagine
that a young Seamus Heaney would have walked away
with that one!
So from a few simple sparse classrooms in the old
convent, the school moved into a beautiful new building,
designed by Aitken Austin, built by Malachy Burke and
blessed by Archbishop Walsh on October 16, 1967. Free
education and free transport were introduced the same
year. Later a magnificent sports hall was added. Then in
1979, after fifty-four years in the town, the Incarnate
Word Sisters moved back to the U.S. and the Mercy
Sisters, those great stalworth’s of education, moved in.
Finally in 1990 under a programme of rationalisation,
Dunmore Vocational School merged with Incarnate
Word College and formed Dunmore Community School.
It was the end of one era and the beginning of another.
Today Dunmore has a Community School of which we
can all be proud.
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Dunmore IWC/DCS 50th School Reunion
By Michael Brennan
Dunmore Incarnate Word College (IWC)/Dunmore
Community School (DCS) celebrated its 50th Anniversary
(1963-2013) on Saturday, September 21st 2013.
The celebration commenced at 4pm with concelebrated
Mass in Dunmore Church. The chief celebrant was Fr.
James Ronayne, PP Clifden, who was the first student
from the school to be ordained a priest. Fr. James was a
classmate of mine in the school from 1964-1969 and we
spent many happy days together. A large crowd attended
the mass and it was the first time some people had met
since the first class did the Leaving Cert in 1967. The
sermon Fr. James gave at the mass was as good as I have
heard for many a long day and well received by the
entire congregation. He was definitely keeping notes
while we attended school. Many different presentations
were made at the end of the mass including one special
presentation to Sr. Rita who was the first principal of the
school when it opened in 1963. Sr. Rita had returned
from San Antonia, Texas for the celebration and she
spent the evening mixing with all the students, especially
those who attended in the early years, eager to find out
their life stories.
The next part of the celebration was going up to the
school, viewing all the old photos from earlier years and
seeing your classmates that you spent many happy days
with. Meeting people from other classes and trying to
put a name on them was very challenging but most
enjoyable. A presentation was made to the school of a
specially carved piece of wood by one of the first
students, Sean Prendergast, from the 1963 class. Sean
has indeed special talents.
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The next and final part of the evening was to attend the
meal in the Donnellan Hall which was catered by the
Gormley Sisters and their staff from Granlahan. The meal
was very well presented and enjoyed by all. A very
pleasant evening was spent by all attending, mixing with
different people and having photos taken with their
school class.
A special word of thanks to Gay McManus, school
principal and all his staff for all the help they gave to
make this a very special evening.
We must not forget the Committee that worked so hard
for the past six months in organising the function and
producing a beautiful magazine that was launched on
the night and is currently on sale in all the local shops. A
worthwhile read for all the past students especially
those far away from home.
Many thanks to all the people from the Cloonfad area
that attended the function on the night
Sr. Anne Marie Shaughnessy, Mary Conneely and Tom Fahy
pictured at the launch of Dunmore IWC/DCS School Reunion
Pic courtesy of Tuam Herald.
Paula Jennings
Brian Greene
Caroline Brennan
Celebrations
Heather Melia
Lorraine Brennan
Gerard Fagan
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The Journey That Took a Lifetime
By Jacinta Regan
The morning air is crisp and cool at the head of the
Ballykilleen road. My teeth chatter as we wait for the
lights of the bus to appear. “Here it comes! No wait,
that’s a tractor, maybe the next one will be it.” Time
passes slowly in the cold, but nothing moves as slowly
as the school bus. We watch in the dark for the outline
to appear on the Dunmore road, no housing estates to
impede our view, just trees and telephone wires, I am
sure the view is very different now. At last the bus
appears and we wait quietly for our turn to board. Three
stops and it is our chance.
The old doors creak open and we are met by tepid air,
an improvement from the outside at least. The bus
driver gives a quick greeting and the doors shut behind
you. Now the real challenge begins. Where to sit?
Leaving certs to the back, first years to the front, very
few ever manage to cross the divide. I slip sleepily to my
usual seat and offer an earphone to my regular morning
comrade. We sit in silence, listening to the next song on
the mp3 player. It was far too early for teenagers to be
expected to make conversation.
We turn down the road, and stop at the various houses
along the way, some are ready, many are late. The usual
culprits sprint towards the bus stop as the bus driver
hoots his horn. The perfect opportunity is immediately
created for pupils to delight in the misery of their fellow
travellers. Many let out howls, and applause erupts as
the red faced sprinters make their way onto the bus in
shame. The distraction over, I return to my music.
The bus weaves its way around the sharp bends. One
soon becomes accustomed to the locations where it is
necessary to “hold on tight”. The bus hits a bump and a
school bag falls from the rack onto the floor, another
round of applause erupts! Suddenly we hear beeping
coming from behind the bus, the back row of Leaving
Certs turn to see the source of the disturbance. Laughter
begins to materialise as the bus driver is made aware of
high sped pursuit being made towards the rear of the
bus. The bus pulls in at the next available space (not
always easy to uncover on a country road). An irritated
mother performs some erratic driving and positions her
car in front of the bus, just to be certain it cannot resume
its journey without her precious cargo. A fellow traveller
emerges from the car, drowsy eyed and embarrassed, he
makes his way onto the bus to be met by another round
of applause. (What can I say? We were easily amused.)
Finally we reach the gates of the school. The rebels
amongst us prepare to make a mission to Eurospar. If
they are to be successful in their expedition they must
ensure that they are not sighted. A sausage roll was
worth the risk I suppose! The emergency exit door is
opened and they slip away unnoticed. The rest of us
make our way to the study hall, to be met by our
warden. On a good morning you were given a juice and
a breakfast bar, on a typical morning you were given a
table and chair. The choicest tables were the ones beside
the radiator, perfect to defrost beside after a morning of
standing and waiting for the dreaded “early bus”.
Morning study was the perfect opportunity to complete
the unfinished (untouched) homework from the night
before, or for others to catch up on their sleep. At half
eight we were released to mingle with the rest of the
school population. It was necessary to inform everybody
that you had been on the early bus, if not for the pity,
just to remind your friends that your parents did not care
about you at all, because if they did they would have
driven you to school. (A common teenage ideology).
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14
The Good Ol’ Days – A Fairy Tale
By Tom Hosty
"Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen
We daren't go a-hunting
For fear of little men"
– William Allingham
My dearly loved Grandma, Maggie, firmly believed in fairies.
Not the cute little elves with saucy eyes and gossamer wings
that you see in print today. No, fairies were tough, unfriendly,
rather hostile beings inhabiting the wild places and jealously
guarding their rights against encroaching humans. All her
married life within sight of Kiltullagh Hill she lived in a
landscape rich in fairy forts, fairy trees, mysterious stones. A
standing stone crowns the very highest point of Kiltullagh, well
above the old church said to have been built by St Patrick.
Doubtless a sacred place long before St Patrick came along, the
Christians built their church as high as they dared but thought
it wise to stay a respectful distance from the temple of the
older religion. Grandma explained to me as a child that two
giants, one on Kiltullagh and the other in Cloonarkaun had a
disagreement. No surprise that it quickly turned violent. Great
stones were thrown by both sides. The strange holes in the
side of the Kiltullagh stone were caused by the finger nails of
the giant as he flung his missile.
Grandma's son, my father, gave short shrift to his mother's
pagan mythologies. Superstitions like that were probably sinful
too, as beings like fairies could only be related to the devil. An
unusually straight thorn tree growing on father's land would
yield an ideal trunk for blocking a gap (gates were very
expensive in those hard times) and he announced his intention
to cut it down. It was reputedly a fairy tree and Grandma
warned him against it; there would be consequences. But of
course he paid no heed. Nothing bad happened for ages. Then
one day as he was moving the heavy trunk to open the gap, he
slipped and fell. The trunk came down on top of him and he
had a very painful cracked rib for weeks. Grandma was not
surprised; the fairies had long memories and were not of a
forgiving nature.
Before rural electrification the countryside was very dark at
night. With no television or radio, people often gathered of an
evening in someone's house and regaled each other with storytelling. John McWalter's was one such house, Martin Moran's
another in my locality. After hours of listening spellbound to
tall tales and ghost stories you'd set off on foot or bicycle for
home. Unimaginable dangers lurked behind every bush and
the skin would crawl on the back of your neck at any sound or
movement among the furze. Moonlit nights were no better –
you could see farther and imagine more.
I must tell you of a close encounter I had with a fairy. It was in
the turlough below Kiltullagh, near Lisheenabanragh, a ringfort
that we knew as the Furze Hill. Gnarled thorn trees abounded.
Like the Furze Hill itself they were fairy property and not to be
trifled with. It was okay to pass there during the day but as
night came on it was best avoided. As seven or eight year old
boys in the 1950's my brother and I had the job of counting
father's sheep in a couple of fields on Kiltullagh Hill. It was a
long tedious walk there if you followed the public road, much
shorter if you cut across the fields. Only problem was, the
shortcut passed very close to the Furze Hill. We were brave
boys and used the shortcut. We didn't dawdle and we'd keep
our eyes peeled as we passed through the danger area. One
evening we glanced behind us, into the setting sun. The
western sky was glowing red, the old thorn trees just black
silhouettes. There was something else too, a small figure not
much bigger than ourselves, one long arm holding on to a
gnarled tree. He hadn't been there just seconds ago as we
passed. I suppose we weren't totally surprised but it was
something you'd think would happen to other people and
never to yourself. We were very afraid and needed to get away.
The thing to do was back off slowly. Sudden movements were
to be avoided as they might alert the fairy if he hadn't already
spotted us. But as we began moving so did the fairy. We
speeded up. So did he, with an awkward shambling gait. We
realised he seemed to be trying to cut off our route to home.
We ran for our lives. Looking back breathlessly after a minute
we realised he was no longer to be seen.
We recovered our composure and agreed we'd use the longer,
safer route in future. Days or weeks passed and then accounts
of the Hosty boys being chased by a fairy began to circulate at
school. Of course we hadn't told anyone about our little scare
but now some details that only the fairy could know were
emerging. Bill Moran, who lived across the turlough from us,
was the source. Our 'street cred' took a tumble for a while.
Seems Bill happened to be using the same shortcut that
evening and seeing the Hosty boys gawking he realised the
potential for a little hoax. I had the great pleasure of meeting
Bill at the Gathering last May. We hadn't met for over fifty
years and though the incident had slipped his mind he
confirmed that his family too had sheep on the hill that he
regularly counted. No doubt it made a bigger impression on
me anyway.
Sadly, the fairies seem to be in decline now; have been for
some time. Not yet extinct, they could do with being classed
as an endangered species. The unique Irish folklore associated
with them needs to be preserved. The problem is not to do
with living in a more scientific and sceptical age. The Tooth
Fairy and Santa Claus are still flourishing but of course they are
totally bland and sweet and serve the consumer culture well.
I hanker more for the grumpy old fairies whom we grudgingly
respected and who contributed immeasurably to the preservation of the ancient historical monuments of the Irish
countryside.
15
The Cunninghams of Culkeen
By Jack Ronane & Paddo Cunningham
Pat Cunningham settled in Culkeen sometime in the first
half of the 19th century. He farmed about 20 acres of
arable land there and had a stretch of bogland also. He
had three sons, Pat, Tom and Jim, and two daughters,
Brigid and Mary. Tom and Jim later moved to Ballyhaunis
and were married there. Brigid married into the Ruane's
of Crub and Mary became Mary Lyons in Arderin, Co.
Roscommon.
Pat, who spent a few years in America, returned home
in the mid 1890's and married Maria Glynn from
Monivea. Pat acquired the family farm and Maria's
dowry of a good size farm in Coillte Barra (Kiltobar)
which improved his lot considerably. He had a small
shop also in Culkeen for a number of years which
eventually burned down. Pat made a good living raising
store cattle and sheep. He had horses, a pony and trap
and a sidecar.
Pat and Maria had six children, Luke, Mary, Seamus,
Theresa, Nora and Jude. Luke was a member of the old
I.R.A., as were many of his generation. He had the rank
of Captain, Cloonfad Company, Loughglin Battalion,
South Roscommon 2nd Brigade, Old I.R.A. He joined an
Garda Síochána in May 1922 and was one of the first
thousand recruits. His number was 991. He was
stationed in Ballygar for a number of years, finishing up
in Carraroe, West Galway. He was there from 1937 until
he retired in 1962. He passed away in 1976. Luke's son,
Mícheál, held the post of 'Chief Translator' in the Official
Translation Service from 1986 to 1996 and also has the
distinction of being the first person to broadcast news in
Paul Coggins – London manager and
Granlahan native who guided London on their
historic journey to the 2013 Connacht
Senior Football Championship Final.
16
Irish in 1967.
Mary stayed at home with her parents and was taken ill
shortly after their deaths. She died in 1963 and is buried
in Ballyhaunis graveyard. Seamus would have taken over
the family farm but died of cancer in 1937. Theresa died
in England in the mid-fifties and is buried there.
Nora and Jude spent 30 and 40 years in New York. Nora
returned home in the late fifties and built a home on the
site of the original homestead (a family by the name of
Howard live there now). Jude married a man of German
extraction called Freddie Brigman and returned home
about 10 years after Nora. The land was seized by the
Land Commission and parcelled out in the midseventies. Nora died in 1978, Jude in 1982 and Freddie
in 1992.
Pat's brothers, Tom and Jim, who had settled in
Ballyhaunis, commenced business in partnership from
the premises that now houses Ladbroke's Bookermakers.
After a number of years the partnership was dissolved
and Jim started a career as a commercial carver for the
Cork Bacon Company. Tom started a business in Abbey
Street. Tom had a family of seven of which Michael
(Mido) returned from America in 1955 to continue the
bar, grocery and travelling shop business. Sadly he died
in a drowning accident in Lough Mask in April 1958. The
business continued, run first by his wife and, later, his
son Patrick (Paddo) and his wife Nora, and continues to
trade today as a supermarket under the Londis banner.
Paul Coggins' nieces and nephew supporting him at the
London v Leitrim match in Carrick-on-Shannon.
Sunday, June 23rd 2013, Connacht GAA Football Championship Semi-Final.
London 2-11 Leitrim 1-13.
The Official
Translation Service
By Thomas Lally
When the members of the first Dáil met in the
Mansion House in Dublin on the 21st of January
1919, all of the day’s business was carried out
through the medium of the Irish language. It was
Deputy George Plunkett, from Roscommon, who
proposed the motion on that historical day, in the
following words:"Molaimse don Dáil Cathal
Brugha, an Teachta ó Dhéisibh Phortláirge do bheith mar
Cheann Comhairle againn inniu."(I propose to the Dáil
that Cathal Brugha, the deputy from County Waterford,
be our Ceann Comhairle today). Deputy Brugha took the
chair and commented briefly on the work that awaited
the Dáil: "...an obair is tábhachtaighe do rinneadh in
Éireann ón lá tháinic na Gaedhil go hÉireann..." (...the
most important task to be carried out in Ireland since
the Gaeil arrived in Ireland...). Afterwards, the Ceann
Comhairle moved that four clerks be appointed for the
day – Risteárd Ó Foghlú, Diarmuid Ó hÉigeartaigh, Seán
Ó Núnáin and Pádraig Ó Síocháin. The translation service
grew out of this small group.
On the 22nd of January, 1919, the day following the
declaration of the Irish Republic, the Dáil met in private
session and appointed Cathal Brugha as Prime Minister
pro tem and Seán T. Ó Ceallaigh as Ceann Comhairle.
Also the staff who were to be charged with processing
parliamentary documents and keeping the official record
of the proceedings of the Dáil, in Irish and in English, was
established on a permanent basis. Mícheál Ó Loinsigh
was appointed the Official Translator.
The first meeting of Dáil Éireann, 21 January 1919.
When Saorstat Eireann (the Irish Free State) was set up
three years later, the official translation service of the
Oireachtas was established under the standing orders of
Dáil Eireann. It was stated that the Clerk of the Dáil
would be charged with providing an official English
translation of all laws enacted in Irish and an official Irish
translation of all laws enacted in English.
During his time with the Oireachtas, Mícheál Ó Loinsigh
was employed as 'translator on the secretarial staff of
the Dáil'. In practice, the service came under the
direction of Colm O Murchadhda, the Clerk of the Dáil.
On Mícheál Ó Loinsigh’s death in 1942, Liam Ó Rinn took
over. However, Liam Ó Rinn died in 1943 and Tomás Page
was then appointed Chief Translator. Page was the first
person to be officially recognised with the title of 'Chief
Translator'. A number of distinguished individuals have
held the position since Tomás Page’s retirement in 1955,
among them a Mícheál Ó Cuinneagáin, whose family
originated from Culkeen in Cloonfad. Micheál held the
post from 1986 to 1996 and also has the distinction of
being the first person to broadcast news in Irish in 1967.
17
Three Counties Heritage Week Exhibition
By Kevin McGuire
An exhibit was put together in August at
Cloonfad Community Centre as part of
National Heritage Week.
Entitled 'Three Counties - History and
Heritage' it focused upon the histories of the
parishes of Kiltullagh, Annagh, Bekan,
Dunmore, Garrafrauns and Kilvine. There
were profiles of Jack Judge (writer of 'It's A
Long Way To Tipperary', whose ancestors
were from Carrowbeg/Ballyglass), Devlisborn Bill Naughton (the author who inspired
the idea for Coronation Street and who
penned Alfie), and Tulrahan's connection to
the infamous Captain Boycott. There were
also exhibits on castles/ancient sites in and
around Dunmore, the significance of the
O'Flynn dynasty of Kiltullagh to the history of
Connaught, Cloonfad's role in the War of
Independence, and the development of rural
electrification in the region.
Attending the Three Counties Heritage Week Exhibition were:
(L-R) Michael McGreal (Roscommon County Council);
Eddie Birmingham (Cloonfad Magazine Committee); Gerard Hanberry
(author of Wilde biography 'More Lives Than One');
and Nollaig Feeney (Roscommon County Heritage Officer).
In all, between seventy and eighty people visited over
the two evenings and the Roscommon County Heritage
Officer, Nollaig Feeney, was astonished at the extent of
history in the area. Thanks to Eddie Birmingham, Teresa
Birmingham, Noreen Finnegan, Dermot Morris, Miriam
Winston, Michael Ocock, Rena Burke, Hubert
Birmingham, Lorraine Fitzmaurice and Fr. Feeney. We
hope this will be the beginning of renewed interest in
and development of heritage in Kiltullagh and surrounds.
18
19
The Ballinlough Gathering 2013
By Dermot Morris
The Ballinlough Gathering 2013 is drawing to a close,
after a hectic year of celebration of all that is good and
wholesome in the village and its hinterland.
The concept of the Ballinlough Gathering was first
mooted and promoted by the Community Development
Council and was driven by a very energetic and
dedicated committee who were in turn animated and
guided by exceptional leadership in the persons of Joan
McDermott (Chairperson), Rena Burke (Secretary), and
John Gill (Treasurer). The committee ensured that
planning and preparation for each and every event was
thorough; nothing was left to chance and every avenue
and pathway was explored in order to ensure success.
Their work was complemented and supported in every
way by the Lough O’Flynn race committee, particularly
John Doherty (Chairperson) and Breege Comer
(Secretary).
The Gathering was launched on New Year’s Eve on the
square in Ballinlough, in the presence of a large and
enthusiastic crowd, who partied as only Ballinlough
people can on such occasions.
Perhaps the highlight of the Gathering was the series of
events that took
place in the town in
the last week of June.
These
events
included children’s
art, poetry and prose
competitions; adult
art, photography and
craft competitions; a
musical recital and
readings by Patsy
McGarry of The Irish
Times in the Church
of Ireland; lecture,
talk and discussion on
Oscar Wilde and the
O’Flynn connection;
an archaeological and
historical exhibition centred on the Lake O’Flynn
Crannóg and dugout; a photographic and memorabilia
collection; a 10k run around Lake O’Flynn; a community
quiz; a mini fleadh on the shores of the lake; an
exhibition of traditional farm and cottage crafts and
displays by the pupils of both Carrick and Ballinlough
National Schools. Of course there was no shortage of
music, song and dance to entertain and cheer all
interests, ages and dispositions.
The informality of the events listed above was comple-
20
mented and enhanced by a number of formal events.
These included a very well attended Mass in Ballinlough
Cemetery celebrated by Fr. Joe Feeney P.P. and an
equally well attended Community Celebration in
Ballinlough Church of Ireland of the “Home Coming”,
conducted by Cannon Liz McElhinney. The Gathering
celebrations have continued with a number of events
organised for particular local groups and visitors. All of
these were very successful.
The Ballinlough Gathering 2013 will conclude with the
promise of a great evening and night of activities in
Ballinlough on New Year’s Eve.
The Ballinlough Gathering 2013 was an extraordinary
success on every front. In terms of the physical
environment the whole community responded to the
challenge by enhancing and refurbishing shops, houses
and derelict areas etc with commitment and good taste.
Perhaps the most significant and certainly the most
celebrated physical legacy of the gathering is “An Bád
Breac” which sits proudly on the square. This monument
is the product of an inspired vision, a collaborative
engagement between Kiltullagh Enterprise, the
Gathering Committee,
Roscommon County
Council and the very
talented craftsmen of
FÁS who constructed
it and brought it to
fruition.
“An Bád Breac” is not
merely a symbol of
fishing, boating and
Lake O’Flynn. It is
much more – it
epitomises
a
community working in
harmony, in unison
and in solidarity, the
identical same values
that influenced and informed the construction of the
Crannóg thousands of years ago.
In terms of the social and psychological legacy of the
Gathering two sayings probably say it all: “Ní neart go
cur le chéile”, “There is strength in numbers” and “Is
feidir Linn”, “Yes we can”.
A community that empowers itself, that takes responsibility for its own future, that works together to achieve
that future is a happier, healthier and richer community
in every way. A community that has such a sense of itself
will inevitably dispel cynicism, negativism, disillusionment, and disenchantment – the enemies of
genuine human and community progress.
The response of the Locals and Diaspora to the
challenges of the Gathering demonstrate that
Ballinlough is one such community. This is reassuring for
everyone as the torch passes on to another generation
as it must and should.
21
Dancing in County Roscommon
26th Sept. 1936
– PARISH PRIEST’S PLEA FOR RESTRICTION –
Dancers can't go to work for two days after a dance
At Ballinlough District Court, before Mr. H. C.
Hamilton, D.J., there were applications for renewals of
two dance hall licences at Cloonfad.
Mr. William Dillon-Leetch, solicitor, Ballyhaunis,
appeared for applicants Martin Gannon and Thomas
Burke, proprietors of one of the halls. He applied to have
this amended so that the licence would be in the name
of Martin Gannon only, and said the parties had agreed
to this.
Mr. Hamilton, D.J., consented to the amendment.
Mr. M. O’Clery, T.D., solicitor, appeared for John
Fitzmaurice, proprietor of the other hall.
Inspector E. O’Sullivan, representing Superintendent
J.J. Molloy, appeared for the Gardaí authorities.
Very Rev. F. McDermott, P.P., appeared personally to
move an application in regard to both dance halls.
Seargeant P. Rooney was called by Inspector O’Sullivan
and stated he knew both halls. Gannon’s (the new hall)
was the larger and the better of the two. Mr. Fitzmaurice
ran three dances in his hall last Christmas and it was
necessary for the Guards to be on duty from 7 o’clock
until 12 o’clock.
Inspector Sullivan – Were there any rows?
Mr. Dillon-Leetch – I object to this.
Inspector Sullivan – I am conducting the case and not
you.
Mr. Hamilton D.J. – If you are conducting it Inspector,
you must do so under the ordinary rules of evidence.
Mr. Dillon-Leetch – The inspector has no right to be
here before you except under your special permission.
Only the Superintendent has a right to appear in matters
of this kind, and, as far as I understand, the inspector
has not even asked your permission. If he has any
particular personal bias against me, he must not bring it
into a case of this kind.
Inspector O’Sullivan said he had no bias against Mr.
Dillon-Leetch or any practitioner.
Sergeant Rooney further stated that he did not like the
sanitary arrangements in Fitzmaurice’s hall. There was
a structure in the ladies’ cloakroom enclosed by a piece
of timber and going under the floor of the dance hall.
Mr. Hamilton, D.J. – What about the gents? – There is
none.
The witness further stated that the accommodation on
the ladies’ side was fairly good at Gannon’s hall but there
was no gent’s room.
Is there a necessity for further accommodation? – Well
the regulation only says ‘Sanitary Arrangements’.
Mr. Hamilton, D.J. – I don’t know if the people of
Cloonfad are particularly interested in a matter of this
22
kind. What about the conduct of the halls? – There were
complaints of rowdiness last Christmas time – in the
halls or outside? – Both inside and out.
Mr. Dillon-Leetch – Were any proceedings taken
against the disturbers? – No – Then may I take it that the
disturbances were trivial? – They were not – Then why
were they not proceeded against? – There were organised
parties who came from outside. One party seemed to
have a grudge against the other. – There were no
complaints since then? – No. There is nothing against
either of the applicants.
Mr. Hamilton, D.J., said he was very glad that Fr.
McDermott was present to give the Court the assistance
of his views on these applications.
Very Rev. F. McDermott, P.P., said: - Apart altogether
from the owners of these halls, against whom I have
nothing whatever – they are most decent people – I would
like to say that it is practically impossible to preserve
anything like decent order under the conditions
prevailing for some time past in the district of Cloonfad.
Parties come from outside, even from distant places, who
are altogether strangers to Cloonfad and who make this
place a sort of rendezvous. They have no affiliations with
this parish beyond making themselves a great source of
obstruction and a nuisance. In the exercise of your duty
you have granted certain concessions to these dance
halls, which, in Cloonfad, amount to doubling the
number of dances which was already large. But what I
object to principally is the concession for late hour
dances and I ask you most earnestly to restrict the hours
to eleven o’clock.
Mr. Hamilton, D.J. – And none for any later than that
hour?
Father McDermott – No, and for the reason I have
stated – that Cloonfad is a particularly dangerous place.
The conductors of these halls are very respectable young
men and I am sorry – very sorry – to have to speak here
against them, but as against that I must say that I have
received more complaints of a general nature than in the
past with regard to abuses associated with these dances.
Strangers come there to Cloonfad from Ballyhaunis,
Ballinlough, Castlerea, Dunmore, and Tuam, both boys
and girls. They remain in the place until late hours. That
is most objectionable, and the people of the district tell
me that the young people who go to these dances are
absolutely unable to turn out to their work the following
day or often even on the Tuesdays. They have altogether
taken their own lead by disobeying their parents and
attending these dances which are now the principal
industry of the place. Unhappily, we have a good number
of unemployed, and it is unfortunate that we have not
something of a Vocational educational nature in
which they might be profitably or instructively
employed. Cloonfad is very much neglected. On
this side of the parish we have no halls whatever
and consequently people here have no complaints
but on the Cloonfad side, people can be found on
the roads in the early hours of the morning
returning from these dances. I ask you to restrict
these all-night dances to half or less than half of
their present number and that you will allow no
other dance later than eleven o’clock, and that
admission will not be granted to any person
under 18 years of age. I would be sorry to restrict
amusement for children, but these halls are very
dangerous places, and are centres of attraction
for people from outside and I ask you very
earnestly to restrict these concessions as far as
you possibly can.
Mr. O’Clery said his client was anxious to meet
Father McDermott’s wishes as far as possible. He
was willing, if the other applicant would agree, to
have the halls licensed on alternate nights, and
that would reduce the number of dances considerably. If restrictions were applied to Cloonfad
that were not applied in other adjacent districts
the hall proprietors in Cloonfad would be under
a grievance.
Mr. Dillon – Leetch said one of the great
objections was to overcrowding and that could be
met by allowing the halls to be run in opposition
to each other. It was grossly unfair that a
complaint should be made by the Guards now,
nine months after the incident, while no
prosecution was made at a time when the
allegations could be met. He renewed his
application for the usual Sunday and holiday
night dances, and for eight dances from 7.30 to 2
a.m. He did not consider that a dance until 2a.m.
could fairly be described as an all-night dance.
Mr. Hamilton, D.J., said he was very glad to
have the views of Father McDermott who was
respected and loved by the parishioners, and to
those views he would attach a great deal of
weight. Cloonfad was a small place but it had two
halls. It seemed a good thing to have competition
and thus people got better service than they
would have under a monopoly. Last year, he fixed
the closing hours for the long dances at 2 a.m. He
considered that was a fair compromise between
those who wanted them kept on until 5 or 6 a.m.,
and those who disapproved of any late hours. It
was not a nice thing that the Parish Priest should
have to come forward in opposition to these
applications, but, while the halls were in charge
of respectable people there were less desirable
characters who came into Cloonfad on the
occasions of these dances. He considered the
circumstance would be met if he allowed each
hall four dances, instead of eight, up to 2 a.m. He
also allowed the usual Sunday and holiday night
dances except where the holiday falls on a
Saturday from 7.30 to 11p.m.in winter and to 12
in summer. He made it a condition of the licence
that no person under the age of 18 be admitted
to the dances.
Extract from the Roscommon Herald,
26th September 1936
Five Generations
of the Mullarkey Family
(Jim Jimmy, Ballinross)
James Mullarkey,
Ballinross.
Born 1860. Died 1939.
Patrick Mullarkey,
Ballinross.
Born 1896. Died 1975.
Jarlath Mullarkey,
Ballindine.
Born 1948.
Kieran Mullarkey,
Ballindine.
Born 1978.
David Mullarkey,
Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.
Born 2011.
23
Queen Maeve of Connacht
Passes Through Cloonfad – 1st Century BC
By Martin Meehan
Why a Queen? Well, it was the tradition then for the
crown of Connacht to pass through the female line.
Maeve was married to Ailill and though based in Sligo,
she also spent time in Rathcroghan in Roscommon in a
location central for the province. The fair haired Maeve
ruled from her bronze pillared palace in a fortress on top
of the hill of Cruachan. To this day it has one of the best
preserved Royal Celtic Sites and it is located between
Frenchpark and Tulsk.
was crowned “The Warrior Queen of the Damned” such
was the degree of destruction, starvation and death that
was caused to her warriors in her selfish endeavour.
Another story traces the tracts of a journey by Maeve
through Cloonfad. The Kingdom of Connacht was jointly
ruled over by King Ailill and Queen Maeve. This
particular tale tells of a punitive raid by them on one of
their sub-tribes, the Gamanrad. The purpose of this raid
was the pursuit and rescue of cattle. The Gamanrad were
a large and powerful tribe. Generally, they were under
The famous story known as “The Battle of Cooley” of the
the control of the king of Connacht and their territory
strong quest between Maeve and Ailill to decide which
extended from the river Drowes in the north to the
of them was the wealthier was taught to us in our
Burren in County Clare in the south and from Loop Head
national school days. All of their possessions, coins,
to the forests of Limerick. They were based near
jewels, slaves, cattle, etc. were compared. Everything
Belmullet and Maeve’s route from Rath Cruachan, east
was of equal value except for their bulls. Ailill’s white
of Loughlinn, to Dun Morgan, near Blacksod Bay, took
bull, called ‘Finn Beannach’, was reputedly only matched
her through Ballinlough, Cloonfad, Ballyhaunis,
by the Brown Bull of Ulster, known as the Magic Bull that
Aghamore, Knockroe and
could sire fifty calves in a
Carramore. She crossed the
day. This did not please
Suck south of Ballymoe and
Meave. The bulls were in
proceeded over the high
effect, of great importance,
ground to the south of the
protecting the people and
present road via Kilsallagh,
fertility of their herds. So
Cloonminda, Pollreman to
Maeve set about upon her
Cloonfad, passing Slieve Dart
quest to capture the Magic
(i.e. over Moin Coindedha)
Bull for herself. She sought
where she would have
the opinion of her magician
turned north at the end of
before embarking on her
the high ground before
journey. He told her that
The image of Queen Maeve was printed on the £1 Irish
coming to the Dalgan river
even if nobody else Pound note until the introduction of the Euro in Jan. 2002.
to make for Loch n-Airnedh.
returned from the battle
that she would. Feifelm, the prophetess, came out of the
The Dalgan has now been drained and does not flood as
fairy mound at Cruachan to inform Queen Meave that
much as it did in the past. I have heard that it flooded
her armies would be covered in blood if she continued
much land along each side of its banks in the past. The
on her quest for the Brown Bull of Cooley. (The entrance
lands past the fort, at the present-day Black Fort Bridge,
to the other world is believed to be in a place now called
west of Cloonfad, at the end of the low lying ground,
‘The Cave of the Cats.’)
may well have been flooded. Because of these floods
this would have been her natural place to make the turn
But Maeve ruled her kingdom with a hand of iron and
to the north. This place is named as Ath nDub Glaise.
proceeded to send one thousand warriors to their
Perhaps it should have been Ath nDub Claise, meaning
certain deaths to capture the Magic Bull. Maeve and her
‘the Black Fort’ (make shift bridge) in the wet land. They
army did manage to capture the Magic Bull but while she
would have gone along the high ridge following near the
was on her way back, he scented the White Bull and
present road from Cloonfad to Ballyhaunis. This may be
broke loose of his shackles. He trampled everyone in his
way and killed everyone who was within sight of the
Cruad-drom or it may be the western end of the
great bullfight. The Magic Bull was last seen with the
“Course-top”, a ridge which runs east to west - the
flesh of the White Bull atop his great horns heading back
western end being almost immediately east of the road.
for Cooley. Upon arrival back home he was still in such a
Loch Manning and Island Loch were probably one lake
rage that his heart burst. After this expedition Maeve
forming Loch n-Airnedh. The army would have camped
24
at the southern end. To the
inhabitants of Cloonfad who
would have lived in various
moats dotted around the
locality, the experience of
seeing Maeve’s army must have
been akin to the modern day
equivalent of watching the
American Armed Forces on their
advancement into Iraq on Sky
News.
Sometime in the future
someone may extend a
Cloonfad walk trail to Rath
Croghan in one direction and as
far as St Patrick’s Well on the
shores of Lake Manning in the
other direction. This of course
would be for the seasoned
walkers the numbers of which
are more numerous in recent
years. The one difference that they would have to
Maeve’s warriors is that they would have a better chance
of coming back alive!
Section of Map showing the route drawn up by
R B Aldridge, c.1961.
Cloonfad Knitting Co-op Export Aran Knit
Jumpers to USA and Canada in 1966
Members of the Cloonfad Knitting Co-operative with parcels of Irish Aran Knit Jumpers ready for export in 1966.
Front row L-R: Mary Hamilton, Patsy Regan, Elizabeth Regan, Unknown, Mary O'Malley, Mary Regan, Mary Fleming, Unknown,
Mary Mongan, Fr. J Canny.
Back row: Patrick Hamilton, Nora Jennings, Margaret Cosgrave, Mary Costello, Molly Griffin,
Bea Cummins, Emily Dempsey.
25
R.I.C. in Cloonfad
By Eddie Birmingham
The RIC or Royal Irish Constabulary, was set up in Ireland
in 1822 to keep law and order under British rule. It was
mostly Welsh and English men that joined first and they
were followed by a lot of Irishmen. It was a way of
bettering themselves as there was not much work in
Ireland then, the only other option being the boat.
Locally the barracks in
Ballinlough was built in
1830 and the barracks
in Cloonfad was built
sometime after the
famine. RIC men at the
time were trained along
army lines in the use of
firearms and drill.
According to the late
Thomas Moran from
Curragh, old Johnny
Mullarkey, Cornabanny,
told him when the RIC
came to Cloonfad first
Badge of the Royal Irish
they set up a tent
Constabulary
around a big stone in
Pat Burke's land and
used it as a table and got smaller stones as seats while
the barracks was being built. The barracks was built in a
village called Swinefield a mile outside Cloonfad. It was
a two storey structure with small windows and a slated
roof. A woman from the village worked there cleaning
and cooking; she never wore a shoe and the soles of her
feet were as tough as leather. She always climbed in over
the big gate going in and coming out even though there
was a smaller gate further down. Like most people at the
time she was an Irish speaker.
In the 1911 census it said five men were stationed in
Cloonfad, all Catholic farmers’ sons, from Tipperary,
Longford, Donegal, Tyrone and Mayo. It didn’t give their
names, only initials but their ages ranged from the
youngest of 23 to the oldest of 46.
The RIC was set up to protect the privileged class and
the big landlords and keep their ear to the ground and
pass information onto Dublin Castle. Part of their job was
to protect the rivers from poachers, make sure people
had dog licences and to patrol the villages and roads.
One of the stories passed down was that while the RIC
were out in the countryside checking dog licences, a
woman that had no license saw them coming grabbed
her dog and put him inside her shawl and started rocking
him like a baby. "What age is the baby mam?" she was
asked. "Three and a quarter months," she answered.
26
"Well, that is the first time I saw a baby with a tail, mam."
Corcorans in Swinefield had a corn mill across from the
barracks and Ger was telling me his father and uncles
were out catching salmon in the stream one night, when
they were followed by the RIC men and they had to drop
the gaffe in order to get away. Months later his father
Tom was sowing cabbage and an RIC man came across
and threw the gaffe in the garden and said, "You might
need this again, Tom" and walked away.
The late Paddy Dillon, Gurteen, told me a couple of
stories from them times. Two RIC men patrolling
Cloonfad found a Shaughnessy man from Fidaune drunk
and asleep up at the bridge. The story is that they threw
him in over where he was found dead next morning.
People didn’t like it at the time but nothing was done
about it. Another night when three men from Gurteen
were going home from the pub they came across a big
RIC man on the hill at Burke's; they made him carry them
piggyback style down as far as Gurteen cross. Next
morning when they realised what they had done they
packed their bags and went over to England "The lions
den" for safety. But the RIC got their pound of flesh, they
got brothers of the men that had committed the offence
up before a judge and were sentenced to a couple of
months of jail.
When the troubles started the RIC called to all houses
looking for guns but in a lot of cases the IRA had been
before them and collected the guns. The biggest thing
people had against the RIC was they took part in
evictions and the poor people had to stand by and watch
the battering rams knock their thatched homes. The RIC
made sure no one interfered with the men that did the
demolition and they were hated for that. Another story
I was told of them times was of a Curran family near
Irishtown. The father was an RIC man, and his two sons
were on the run with the IRA, when the truce came they
got them over to England and they joined the British
Army, one became a pilot and was killed in a War out in
some desert, the other son visited Ireland in later years
but by this time he had become anti-Irish and would not
mix with the men he had been on the run with. I went
to school with sons of an RIC man in the 50’s they had it
hard, while the Meitheal existed in all villages at the time
it did not apply to them and they told me they had to go
outside the village to get help with the farming.
The barracks in Swinefield was burned in 1920 by the
local IRA but the RIC had left before that. The only trace
of the barracks left is a cill, John Pa Burke managed to
salvage, which he built into the wall in the front of his
new house inscribed “R.I.C. Barracks, Streamstown”.
God be in my head
Michael’s Baptism completed
and my understanding
God be in my eyes
and my looking
God be in my mouth
and my speaking
God be in my heart
and my loving
God be at my end
and my departing
One of Fr. Michael’s favourite prayers
Ag Críost an Síol
Ag Críost an Fomhar
© KPS Memorial Cards (094) 9388231
In Loving Memory of
Canon Michael Flannery
Milltown, Co. Galway
Born 4th April 1935
Ordained 19th June 1960
Died 12th February 2013
Rest in Peace
Go raíbh leaba aige i measc na Naoimh
Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam
First Wedding to
take place in
Cloonfad Church in
1954 of Tom Hosty
and Bridie Noone.
Bernard Greene,
Sonny Fleming,
Steven Hosty,
Tony Griffin,
Pat McWalter,
Brother Patrick,
Margaret O'Leary,
Tom Hosty,
Margaret Hosty,
Bridie Noone,
Kate Noone,
Anne Hosty,
Mary Noone,
Lena Costello,
Delia Griffin,
Tom Noone,
Bridie Noone,
Alice Hosty,
John McWalters,
Michael Noone.
Visiting Cloonfad in 2011. L-R: Pat Clarke, Sr. Bridget Clarke, Sr. Julie Hickie.
Winnie & Paddy Cunniffe
27
The White Rose
By Tomás Burke
In a 2003 nationwide poll of viewers conducted by the
German TV Channel ZDF, in a programme called
"Greatest Germans", she was the highest placed woman
of all time. "Brigitte" a German magazine for women
voted her "The greatest woman of the 20th Century."
Hundreds of schools, streets and squares are named in
her honour. Numerous biographies in German and in
English have been written about her. She has been
commemorated on German stamps. A 2005 film of her
short life ran away with several prestigious awards.
Today she is a legend in German history, an iconic figure
of a young woman of extraordinary courage who stood
up and defied the worst tyrant the
world has ever known. Her name was
Sophie Scholl and this is her story.
She was born on 9 May 1921 in the
Town Hall of Forchtenberg where her
father Robert was Mayor. She was
baptized Sophie Magdalena after her
mother in the local Lutheran Church.
She was the fourth of six children. She
had three sisters Inge, Elizabeth and
Thilde and two brothers, Hans and
Werner, both of whom she idolized.
The family lacked for nothing
materially and Sophie had a happy,
secure childhood. She started junior
school at seven, was very intelligent
and learned quickly and easily. The
Sophie Scholl
children were encouraged to read the
Bible and were raised according to
strong Christian principles. They were taught to
recognise the dignity of each individual, to show respect
and tolerance for all and that injustice and violence had
no place in the Christian human heart.
In 1932 the Scholl family moved to the town of Ulm in
southern Germany and took up residence in a beautiful
house on Cathedral Square. Robert took over an
accountancy office for economic and tax consultancy.
That same year, at the age of twelve, Sophie started
secondary school. This coincided with the coming to
power of Hitler and the National Socialists better known
as the Nazis. One could say at this point that Sophie’s
idyllic childhood was over.
While at secondary school Sophie did well in her studies,
excelling at English and Art. Some of her drawings and
paintings from this time show a maturity and sensitivity
way beyond her years. Her anti-Nazi comments at school
28
angered some of her teachers and more than once she
was summoned before the Principal and told to change
her attitude otherwise she would be barred from
entering University which her heart was set on. In 1934
she joined the Hitler Youth as did her classmates,
membership of which had become compulsory. She
even rose to the rank of leader but her heart was never
in it. Her father Robert was jailed for making a critical
remark about Hitler in front of an employee. Her
brothers, Hans and Werner, together with their friends
were arrested and interrogated for supposedly forming
a youth movement contrary to that of Hitler’s. These
events alienated her from the Hitler
Youth. It became clear to her that her
view of the world differed from the
one imposed by the Nazis. Her interest
in theology and philosophy grew. She
believed in God, in every person’s
dignity, in peace, freedom and
tolerance. On the other hand, Nazi
ideology stood for barbaric atheism,
mass murder, intolerance and racism.
She was now on the road to passive
resistance.
Sophie graduated from secondary
school in 1940. Her aim was to get to
Munich University where her brother
Hans was already enrolled as a
medical student. A Nazi requirement
(1921-1943)
for entry to University was a six month
stint in the National Labour Service.
Liking children and hoping to avoid this imposition,
Sophie took a job for six months as a nursery school
teacher at the Froebel Institute in Ulm. But this did not
satisfy the Nazi authorities. They forced her to do two
six month stints of National Labour Service, the first in
Krauchenwies and another in Blumberg. The barracklike, soul destroying National Labour Service made her
even more anti-Nazi. Finally, in May 1942, she was
allowed register for biology and philosophy at Munich
University.
In Munich, Hans introduced Sophie to his close group of
friends, Christoph Probst, Willie Graf, Alexander
Schmorell, Hans Leipelt and Kurt Huber, professor of
philosophy and psychology. Sophie was perfectly happy
with this group. They enjoyed hiking in the mountains,
skiing and swimming. They read literature, played music
and often attended concerts. But this group had
something else in common. They were all politically
motivated and had formed a secret
resistance society called "The White
Rose". Aware of the terrible dangers
involved, Hans tried to keep this a
secret from Sophie but she found
out. Once she did she became totally
committed. She crossed the line
between passive and active
resistance.
From June 1942 to February 1943
thousands of people in Southern
German cities found leaflets in their
post-boxes, calling for resistance
against the Nazis. Each leaflet
carried the heading "The White
Rose" and each ended with the
instructions
to
copy
and
redistribute. The leaflets were
Hans and Sophie Scholl and their friend Christoph Probst.
typewritten and reproduced on a
duplicating machine hidden in the basement of a friend’s
throughout. An eyewitness account described him as,
house. Addresses were taken at random from telephone
"Raging, screaming, yelling to the point of his voice
directories. The leaflets were sent by post from different
breaking." On the other hand, the three accused carried
cities in order to hide their activities and whereabouts.
themselves with great dignity and courage. During the
Obtaining the printing apparatus, ink, paper, envelopes
trial Sophie admitted to the leaflet campaigns and said,
and stamps was a high risk for the group. This was the
"So many people think exactly what we have said and
first open attack on National Socialism and the
written, but they just don’t dare to say so." At 1.30pm
authorities were outraged. The police conducted a
Freisler passed death sentences on Hans and Sophie
fruitless search for the perpetrators.
Scholl and Christoph Probst. At 5pm that evening all
Then on Thursday, February 18, 1942 Hans and Sophie
made a fatal mistake. They decided to bring copies of the
sixth leaflet in a suitcase into the University. Together
they laid out the leaflets outside the classroom doors
along the empty corridors. The idea was that the
students would pick up the leaflets as they emerged
from lectures. With time running out and with still some
leaflets left in her hands, Sophie threw them over the
balustrade from under the clock on the third floor. They
fluttered down onto the floor of the atrium below. She
and Hans were spotted by the caretaker Jacob Schmid.
He detained them and took them to Dr Haeffner, the
University Dean. Shortly after, they were arrested by the
Gestapo.
When arrested Hans had with him the draft of another
leaflet written by Christoph Probst. Probst was the only
member of the group married with children. He was
immediately arrested. All three faced non-stop interrogations over the next four days. In an effort to spare their
friend, Hans and Sophie confessed to carrying out the
campaign of resistance of "The White Rose" and took all
the blame. The trial took place on Monday 22 February
in the Palace of Justice, Munich. The presiding judge was
the notorious Roland Freisler. The trial began at10am
and made a mockery of justice. Freisler ranted and raved
three were executed by guillotine. Just before his
execution, Hans shouted, "Long live freedom." Sophie’s
last words were, "What a beautiful, sunny day and I must
leave. What does my death matter if thousands of
people are shaken up and aroused by our actions." She
then walked courageously to her death.
The three friends lie side by side in the burial plot next
to Stadelheim Prison in Munich where they were
executed. The other four members of "The White Rose"
group, Willi Graf, Kurt Huber, Hans Leipelt and Alexander
Schmorrell were arrested, tried and executed in March
1943. Later that year the sixth leaflet that Sophie
dropped from the third floor into the atrium was
smuggled via Scandinavia to England and British
airplanes dropped more than five million copies over
Germany. By the summer of 1945 Hitler and the Nazis
were defeated. Their Reich, which they said would last
a thousand years, lasted twelve. Today in Munich
University, at the spot from which Sophie dropped the
leaflets, there is a memorial plaque to the members of
"The White Rose" The inscription reads, "For upholding
human values they died an inhuman death. The truly
independent spirit can never bow to the dictates of an
arbitrary power."
29
Gallipolli and The Logboy Connection
By Kevin McGuire
Almost one hundred years ago John Martin Lyons, his
brother Austin Joseph, and many more friends and
neighbours set out from their homes in rural
Queensland, Australia, to play their brave parts in the
Great War in Europe.
John was 26 years and eleven months when he signed
up in September 1914 and Austin was 21 years old in July
1916 when he enlisted for National Guard service. Both
boys listed their occupation as ‘farmer’ and named their
father Austin and mother
Nora as next of kin.
Neither knew whether
they would live to see
their parents again.
Overall there was a 65%
casualty rate among
Australian soldiers from
1914-18
from Culnacleha, Cloonlara and Bekan. Uncle James
settled in Taabinga village with his wife and children,
opened a popular general store and served as a member
of Kingaroy Shire Council for a number of years. Their
father Austin Snr worked on the Roma-Mitchell,
Highfield and Tenterfield-Glenn railways before
purchasing a ranch outside Brisbane, which he named
‘Logboy’ in tribute to the local church he had attended
as a boy in Ireland. Austin Snr and James passed on their
J.M. Lyons joined up with
his regiment, the 5th Light
Horse, at Liverpool Camp,
Sydney, in December 1914
as a signaller and rifleman.
The regiment was raised
from volunteers mostly
comprising members of
local militia groups around
Queensland,
Darwin,
Northern New South
Wales and beyond. In the
1890s the Australian Family photo of Austin Lyons Snr (of Culnacleha, Logboy), his wife Nora (nee Morley, of
Bekan) with John Martin or 'Jack' and Austin Jnr. at the back
outback had suffered
drought and depression
and thus armies of Citizen Force were raised as a short
extensive knowledge of horses, transportation, cattle
term answer to the lack of finance and manpower. The
and rustic living to John and Austin. Australia was
mounted brigades exhibited distinct characteristics of
emerging as a new country of pride and prosperity with
initiative, flexibility and independence of mind. They
its sons going off to fight the good fight against the
were quite different from regular armies where
German threat. The Brisbane Courier reported on the
authority was not to be questioned. From their
5th of October 1914: “Mr John Lyons, of Logboy, has left
childhood and early teens these young ‘bush-tuckers’
to join the Second Expeditionary Force, thus making the
had developed shooting and riding skills and were expert
twelfth to leave this district for the front. Prior to leaving
horse-handlers. They were particularly adept at handling
some 40 members of the local Light Horse, of which Mr
endurance horses such as the native South Australian
Lyons is a corporal, gathered to do him honour. He was
Walers. Both horse and man were much in demand
presented with a wrist watch, a silver mounted pipe, and
during the Boer War and became increasingly important
a wallet with cash”. John Martin trained at Enoggerra
to the Allies as the First World War campaigns
Military Camp, west of Brisbane, for two months before
developed.
travelling to Sydney in December 1914 for final
embarkation details.
John and Austin’s parents, aunt, uncle and some cousins
had arrived in the little agricultural town of Kingaroy
(130 miles north-west of Brisbane) a generation before
30
The 5th Light Horse Regiment sailed on the HMAT A34
Percic from Sydney on the 21st of December 1914 and
The Percic - the ship that the 5th Light
Horse Regiment sailed to Egypt/Gallipoli in.
disembarked at Egypt in February 1915. The
mounted troops volunteered to operate as
infantry and were sent to Gallipoli in Ottoman
Turkey in May 1915. The Gallipoli Campaign
was a defining moment in Australian and New
Zealander history and is commemorated
every April in the Southern Hemisphere with
Anzac Remembrance Day.
The Allies (Britain, France, Australia, New
Zealand and India) had planned to carve a way
through the Dardanelles and capture
Constantinople but they met with fierce
resistance from Germans, Turks, Austrians
and Hungarians. Corporal John Lyons
proceeded to join the fray on the 16th of May
and was wounded by a gunshot to the arm on
the 13th of August 1915. As a signaller, Lyons
was right at the front line of the action and
constantly in the range of enemy shelling. The
job involved laying landlines ahead of the
artillery and providing information back to
H.Q. on enemy targets. Australian signallers
were nicknamed ‘Chooks’ because the Morse
code they used to communicate was likened
to a group of hens chirping.
Registration form of Austin Jnr. for war service.
5th Light Horse Regiment getting ready to go to war
Lyons was transferred to No.3 Auxiliary
Hospital in Cairo, Egypt, in early October 1915
before being released fit for fight duty on the
21st of the month. In Egypt the 5th Light
Horse Brigade was involved in the defence of
the Suez Canal and beating back the Turkish
invasion. The fighting during the last few
months of 1915 and throughout 1916 spread
across the Sinai Peninsula to the Palestine
region. John was severely injured during the
offensive from Serapeum Camp in the Nile
Delta near Alexandria in north-central Egypt
in August 1916. He rejoined his comrades two
months later and as a member of the Egyptian
Expeditionary Force helped weaken the
Ottoman defences. The year 1917 marked a
significant turning point in the war as the EEF
pursued the remaining German and Ottoman
forces as far as Damascus. The final Allied
offensive took place on the 19th of
September 1918 and John was slightly injured
31
on the left hand during this fighting but remained
on duty until the end. The Turks called for an
Armistice in October 1918 and the remaining
Australian Lighthorsemen returned home in early
1919 to much acclaim.
John Martin’s younger brother, Austin, served with
the 1st Machine Gun Battalion in France but did
not see out the war due to illness contracted in the
trenches. John married Eva Venables on the 4th of
September 1920 and joined the Queensland Police
Force a short time afterwards. He was posted as a
Constable to the town of Jundah in 1923, to
Eumundi from 1932 to 1936 and was promoted to
Sergeant at Mount Garnet in 1940. John Martin
and Eve’s only son, born 1921, also John Martin,
nicknamed ‘Jock’, served with the Australian Army
in World War Two. ‘Jock’ Lyons worked as a schoolmaster for many years and died in 2011.
Cousin Melanie Slater at gate of Logboy, Kingaroy township,
outside Brisbane. Formerly owned by Austin Lyons Snr and
home of John Martin Lyons and Austin Jnr.
Next year, 2014, marks a century since the
outbreak of the First World War. Some 21,000
native Irishmen were serving in the British Army in 1914. Throughout the following four years over 200,000 Irish
fought in the war and just under 30,000 died. The Irish (through birth or descent) also volunteered in large numbers
for the armies of America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. According to historian David Fitzpatrick
it was “the greatest deployment of armed manpower in the history of Irish militarism”.
Lyons Family Gathering
September 2013 in Culnacleha to
welcome visitors from Australia.
Front row (left to right):
Denise Tuzes (Bundaberg,
Queensland, Australia),
Kevin McGuire (Ballykilleen and
Galway), Anthony Lyons
(Culnacleha and Oranmore)
Back row (left to right):
Claire Manthorpe (Hobart,
Tasmania, Australia), Pat Lyons
(Culnacleha and Roscommon),
Austin Lyons (Carrickmacantire,
Logboy), Martin Lyons (Culnacleha
and Ballinasloe) and Kitty Lyons
(Carrickmacantire, Logboy).
All of the above are cousins of John
Martin Lyons and Austin Lyons (soldiers
in WW1) mentioned in this article.
Notes on Submitting Photographs for next year’s Magazine:
All photographs sent digitally, either via email, or on CD, should be in jpeg format, and scanned at a minimum
resolution of 300 d.p.i., i.e. large file size. If you are sending digital images directly from a camera, do not downsize,
email them 2 or 3 at a time, with the contributor’s name and caption for each photograph.
Any original photographs submitted will be scanned by the designer and returned as soon as possible,
once the magazine goes to print.
Low resolution, pixellated images, are unsuitable for publication, and regrettably, cannot be used.
Please contact the editor if you have any queries at: cloonfadmag@live.ie
32
From Kildare to Cloonfad
By Anne Jacob
It was September 2011 when my son-in-law David
Matthews, a former international athlete, was invited to
take part in the 10K road race in Ballyhaunis, and Joe,
always ready for a trip, decided to accompany him. And
so our story begins.
Joe and I have five children, two boys and three girls, and
eleven grandchildren. We are from the little village of
Robertstown in Co. Kildare, about eight miles from Naas,
the same from Newbridge, and roughly twenty-five miles
from Dublin. It is in the parish of Allen, and this is where
we were both born and reared – you could say we’re
true Lily-Whites except for one little glitch, and that was
in the person of my paternal grandmother, one Mary
Kate Mugan, from Roscommon Town.
Robertstown is on the Grand Canal and in its heyday it
saw great prosperity from canal barge traffic, both
passenger and cargo. Even today it is dominated by the
Grand Canal Hotel, alas no longer in use this long
number of years, but still a very imposing building in the
village. It boasts three pubs, a school, one supermarket,
a Post Office and a Garda Station. It very much retains
the presence of boats on the canal and when they move
from the nearby marina and moor in the village itself it
is a lovely sight. It’s where I grew up and I love it.
Now for my move to Cloonfad. During that weekend I
mentioned in the beginning part of this little story, Joe
and David visited the local establishment of Keane’s and
while there got chatting with one Tommy Shannon. The
topic moved to the pub across the road with the ‘For
Sale’ sign. As I wasn’t there, I cannot relate the exact
content of that conversation, but the result of it was, Joe
made contact with the auctioneer, a viewing was
arranged and an offer made, and it went on and on and
on. Finally, after a few ups and downs, we were the
owners of what we now call ‘The Three Counties’.
Naturally we were nervous when it came to the ‘We’re
open’ stage of the process, but that soon disappeared
when everyone started to come in. By the end of the
night, nerves had been replaced with a lot of emotion
and little bit of pride too at the success of our first night.
The support was wonderful, a support we still enjoy,
thank God. Now here, I just have to say a thank you to
two great bar persons, our daughters Niamh and Aoife,
they were great on the night and coped like the pair of
pros they are.
After the euphoria of that night we were soon brought
back to reality with the amount of work still ahead of us,
but, we soldiered on and by Christmas this year I think
we will be just about able to say we’re finished…….but
then there’s that roof!
It’s now two years since I first heard of Cloonfad, Co.
Roscommon. We have been on one long, sometimes
hard, other times disheartening, but also enjoyable
journey, but as I’ve said, we’re nearly there now (except
for the roof).
How have we settled into our life in Cloonfad? Very well
really, we were welcomed here without condition, we
were offered so much help and got it from so many
people, and all in all, I can say we’re well settled here.
Do I miss Kildare? Sometimes. I miss my family, I
especially miss my grandchildren popping in and out and
enjoying their antics. I suppose once a Lily, always a Lily.
But then I do have that little bit of Roscommon in me
don’t I?
Did we know it required quite a bit of work? Yes. Did we
realise it required quite as much? No – but we owned it
and we just put our heads down and got on with it. Our
first priority was to get the bar up and open. To do that
the place needed new ceilings, re-wiring, re-plumbing,
re-plastering, re-painting, re-everything, really.
Finally, finally on the 26th of July 2012 we were ready to
open our doors. We decided to do this on a Thursday
night without any advertising, to give us time to work
out any problems that might arise. Alas, we hadn’t
factored in the power of advertising by word of mouth!
Joe and Anne Jacob
33
Working Down Under
By Martin Meehan
The bravery of our young people certainly has to be
admired. When they saw things drying up here in Ireland
they were not afraid to pack their bags and head for
foreign shores. I have been lucky enough to be in contact
with one of these courageous young people
from our local area, Anthony Heneghan from
Feamore.
fewer greenhouse gases than coal. Though this project
is running on a budget of 48 billion it is considered small
compared to some other projects on the drawing table
for Western Australia. As a result there will be big
This time last year Anthony was a single man
commuting from his job in Intel in West
Dublin to return back home for the
weekends. The work on the Intel project was
becoming intermittent and future expansion
projects were uncertain so Anthony looked
further afield to seek more permanent work.
He took the brave step of travelling to
Australia for a few weeks to seek out a
sponsor and get a taste of life in Australia
before taking the plunge.
Now Anthony is based in Australia, married
to Maria who is from Brazil and they are
expecting their first child. While the first
Anthony Heneghan from Feamore working on a natural gas pipeline.
Christmas day often proves to be a bit
difficult the first year away it was a particularly
happy one for Anthony as Maria arrived out that
demand for workers of many talents for quite some time
morning just in time for the Christmas dinner.
yet. Big markets in this region of the world are only in
their
development stage and demand is expected to
Maria being well used to the hot climate settled in well
remain
for a number of years for the foreseeable future.
and immediately embarked on an English course which
To
put
it
in Anthony’s words – “You would wonder what
was an excellent way to integrate into Australian life and
China wants with all this gas, but they say it is to break
get out and meet people.
the Russian monopoly in the gas market.”
Anthony is working on a 42” gas pipeline in Mid-Western
While on the job Anthony is in the outback. The scenery
Queensland. This is just one of the many projects
would be a little different to around Cloonfad. One
underway here. The Australian Pacific Liquefied Natural
would
only be likely to see very few houses, you would
Gas (LNG) Project that Anthony is working on is a coal
be
much
more likely to come across kangaroos, cattle
seam gas (CSG) to LNG project delivering a cleaner,
and wild pigs. In winter time the weather is considered
greener sustainable energy source. This CSG emits 50%
just right for working, 20-30 degrees,
though many of us here in Ireland found
that a bit too hot this summer.
We think genealogists have a hard time
trying to trace their ancestors at the
moment; what will it be like in a hundred
years time – someone trying to fathom a
Feamore baby born in Brazil to parents
living in Australia?
For anyone thinking of making the move, it
might be worth their while to check out the
agency Anthony dealt with which was called
Marias Visia and is run by a Sligo man
Seamus Taaffe.
34
The Australian Pacific Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Mid-Western Queensland.
A little village nestles at the foot of Slieve Dart Hills,
Where sheep and cattle grazed and drank along its slopes and rills.
The fields are small and rugged some distance from the top,
Where many people toiled and prayed around this hallowed spot.
The
Pattern
Composed by
Mrs Connolly,
Ballindine
(formerly Mamie McLaughlin,
Caramanagh)
By this wild and lovely mountain where brown heather fills each dell,
St. Patrick drank and rested, then prayed and blessed the well.
This place is called the Pattern, and from an early Christian time,
People prayed and made a station there, and knelt on sand and grime.
They gathered on a Sunday, the last one in July,
And prayed to God for favours and grace before they die.
They had no priests or Churches, but had the light of faith,
They believed in God and Heaven, and a life there after death.
It's forty-five or fifty years since this custom died away,
As pilgrims climbed the Reek instead, heard Mass and received that day.
But the pilgrimage was revived again in July of Seventy-Three,
When Mass was read and prayers said by this blessed well and tree.
The Pattern is in Cappagh, one mile outside of Dunmore,
Where Patrick drank and rested in the ancient days of yore.
The well is semi-shadowed by a tree some flags and moss,
And bears the name since Patrick's time The Well of the Holy Cross.
35
Research Your Family History
By Redmond Burke, Castlequarter
This is the year of The Gathering. So, what
better time to research your family history?
Who am I? What combinations of families
made me? These are some of the many
questions that we may ask ourselves when
we stop and look back to a time that has
gone. When we look back at our family
history we are looking at information
structured like a web with roots going in all
directions. The ever increasing developments
of technology have reduced the art of conversation to a sideshow. Many of our forefathers
had an enormous amount of genealogical
information in their heads. Much of this
verbal information sadly is lost.
Over the past 20 years family history research has
expanded because of overseas interests, mainly from
Australia and the Unites States of America. Family
history research really started in Australia where a great
amount of information has been gathered and made
available. Family history societies have sprung up in
every county in Ireland and have employed genealogists
and heritage experts to help the public to gather coveted
information and create their family trees.
These Family History centres are compiling, computerising and updating records on an ongoing basis. Most
of the centres have made available their databases of
genealogical records to Roots Ireland as a commitment
to genealogical and historical data. The Family History
centres databases include parish church records of
baptisms, marriages and deaths, census returns and
gravestone inscriptions. Many of the centres have
computerised the national/primary school records when
they are made available.
The parish of Kiltullagh lies in the middle of Connaught,
crossing over two counties, Roscommon and Mayo.
Right in the middle of this parish is Granlahan which
forms the centre of an even bigger region. This area
more or less lies within a 10km radius of Granlahan and
is considered to be the oldest inhabited area of inland
Connaught. This region is spread across the counties of
Galway, Roscommon and Mayo.
When you are researching your family history and have
assembled enough basic information, the Family History
centres will help to make your journey a reality. The
question now is: which Family History centre do you go
to? Within the region that I have alluded to there are five
centres, Galway West and East, Roscommon, Mayo
North and South. Galway Family History West consists
of an area stretching from Dunmore in the East to
36
Kinvara in the South, and as far west as the Aran Islands.
Parishes such as Williamstown and Glenamaddy are in
the Galway East region. Parishes of Aghamore, Annagh
(Ballyhaunis), Bekan, Kilcolman (Claremorris), Killedan
(Kiltimagh) and Knock are in the South Mayo region.
During my experience with Galway Family History West
I discovered that parish records were not standardised
and were often different in style. Civil records did
however follow a set standard. Church records also
differ, for example, the Baptism record of a Roman
Catholic child record will contain the father's name and
the mother’s maiden name. In the Church of Ireland
records, the mother's maiden name is not given, only
her married name. Having the mother's maiden name
on a record gives more clarity to the researcher and this
is often the main clue to distinguish one family from
another. I have seen a record from a parish in Galway
where all the names recorded are that of Joyce!
Another thing to bear in mind is that the Church parish
and the Civil parish may differ. A section of the Kiltullagh
parish is in the Civil parish of Ballyhaunis. Most of the
civil records of Dunmore are under Tuam and a smaller
section under Glenamaddy which means that the
records are spread across two Family History regions.
The Family History centres work together and share
records when the occasion arises. Church and Civil
records up to the year 1900 only are available from the
centres as records after that date, at this point in time,
are not made available to the general public.
In the 19th century the roads were of a poor quality and
transport was by foot or horseback, if you were lucky
enough to own a horse. You may have found yourself
living nearer the Church of the neighbouring parish than
that of your own parish. This means that a child may be
baptised in that parish. I have often found children from
the same family baptised in a number of different
parishes. The great thing here is that the Family History
centres have access to all parishes and will quickly make
the link. Situations like what I have described are not
uncommon. Old school records will also bear this out as
children who went to school on foot often attended the
nearest school.
Once you have assembled your research information,
the Family History centres will only be delighted to help
you. There is a charge for research as these centres need
funding to continue their work and the update of record
and pay employee wages.
The Family History centres are located at:
County Roscommon Heritage & Geneology Company,
Church Street, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.
Tel: + 353 71 9633380 Fax: +353 71 9634935
South Mayo Family Research Centre, Main Street,
Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, Ireland.
Tel: + 353 (0) 94 954 1214 Fax: + 353 (0) 94 954 1214
Galway Family History Society West, St. Joseph's
Community Centre, Shantalla, Co. Galway
Tel: +353 (0) 91 860464
Email: galwayfshwest@eircom.net
Irish Family History Foundation
East Galway Family History Society, Woodford Heritage
Centre, Woodford, Loughrea, Co. Galway
Tel: +353 (0) 90 9749309
Email: galwayroots@eircom.net
References:
Burke Red "GALWAY’S HERITAGE VOLUME 34-35
AUTUMN - WINTER 2012", Galway Family History
Society West
http://galwaywest.rootsireland.ie/
http://www.discoverireland.ie/Arts-CultureHeritage/galway-family-history-society-west-ltd/587
http://mayo.rootsireland.ie/generic.php?filename=
sources.tpl&selectedMenu=sources
‘Some Texas Towns Touched by Green’
By Julie Cooper, Express-News Travel Editor
This article first appeared in the ‘San Antonio Express-News’ in March 1999
IRELAND - When she was growing up, Sylvia Watson
used to get a kick out of telling people she was from
Ireland. That's Ireland, Texas, y'all!
A tiny town in Coryell County, this proverbial wide spot
in the road is home today to fewer than 100 people.
Mostly a farming community, there are only two
businesses operating - a cabinet shop and a commercial
photography shop that operates out of the old
Methodist church.
"It was a railroad town, we had banks
and hotels," Watson recalls during a
telephone interview.
When the
railroad left, the town began drying up.
The schools closed between the late
1940s and early '60s; then the
churches left.
"I don't think you could say that 50
people live there now," said Watson, a
part-time postal carrier in nearby
Jonesboro.
At the Ireland Cabinet Shop, owner
John Pratt says it was a man named
Ireland who founded the town more
than 100 years ago.
While Ireland isn't the thriving
community it was in 1900, the towns
of Dublin and Shamrock will be
marching into the millennium with
healthy populations of a few thousand each.
At the Panhandle town of Shamrock, just off Interstate
40, they are gearing up for the 53rd annual St. Patrick's
Day Celebration. "Rockin' into the Next Millennium" is
the theme of this year's festival, which will last through
Sunday. The festival will feature a Miss Irish Rose
Pageant, parade, banquet, Irish stew cook-off,
motorcycle rally, arts and crafts show, carnival, golf
tournament and old settler's reunion.
Shamrock makes much of its Irish
name. Incorporated in 1911, the
Wheeler County town was named by an
Irish sheep rancher. In 1959 the
residents got a piece of the Blarney
Stone and installed it in Elmore Park.
Dublin, in Erath County, celebrated St.
Patrick's Day before the actual date
with a four day celebration that ended
Sunday. Events included a Softball
Tourney, Carnival, Parade, Dance, Miss
Dublin Pageant and Art Show.
Incorporated in 1889, Dublin was first a
stop on the stage line between Fort
Worth and Yuma, and later a stop for
the Texas Central Railroad. Today, the
town of some 3,500 residents is a
farming community.
37
It’s Simply Called The Cake
By John P. Burke
Back thirty, or thirty-five years ago, I had the dubious
pleasure of being in the suck calf trade, an occupation
you might not make profit at but there was never a dull
moment if you were involved. All the different
characters you would get to know and meet. Among my
places of travel was the Dingle Peninsula, way out as far
as you could go on the sea, I declare there were people
out there that were never in Tralee, never mind Dublin,
the farthest they would have travelled would be An
Dangainn.
The farms would not be too big but the land was good
and they lived well. There was one farmer that I would
call on and buy his calves from him, and since I got to
know him he had got married and they had a baby, his
mode of transport being the pony and cart, which he
used every day to bring the milk to the collection point
down the road. He thought I was a godsend because he
did not have to travel to An Dangainn to sell his calves;
a man of about 55 who married a local girl of about 25,
the welcome that they would show me on a Friday
evening when I would arrive was a little bit embarrassing
to say the least, but still I was able to bear it. In this area
dinner would be at around 8 in the evening when the
chores would finish and if they thought I was coming
there would be an extra name put in the pot.
The lady of the house regarded me as something of a
whizz kid, she was of the opinion that I was someone
who had travelled far and wide and had seen a lot.
Where I came from could be the Middle East or the
Antipodes for all she knew, she even thought I was a
prophet or some such like that knew and saw everything.
If she only knew that I was only a little Irishman from the
bogs and the land of the little people like themselves.
The man himself was a bit doubtful of the attention and
fuss she would pay me, still I did my business and went
away until next week. One evening at dinner time she
said, "Mr Burke (she always called me Mr or Sir) you
must have a lot of land." To which I replied, "I have, 185
short of 200 acres", to which she said, "Isn’t that an
awful lot of land!" The man himself gave me a hard
glance and did not smile, he knew it did not sound right
but did not see through the joke.
I remember one evening in February when I called on
them the weather was awful as there was a storm
coming in off the sea. We arranged the price of the
calves and left them in the barn and retired to the house
for dinner; dinner over and the storm got worse, wind
and sleet belting the window so it was suggested that I
wait on for a while until such time as it would ease off.
However, there was no let up, it was that bad you'd not
38
put the proverbial fox out of the hen cabin.
During this time Mary, as she was named, had a cake in
the oven, so when it was baked and the lid taken off in
order to take it up, well, the aroma that filled the kitchen
was something else, and I passed the remark that it was
the loveliest smell I had ever experienced and that I
would give anything for a slice of it. In keeping with
tradition there was a cross cut with a knife across the
middle of it, so Mary went and took a knife from the
drawer and approached the cake only for the husband
to stop her in her tracks and tell her that the cake would
lose its flavour if it was broached while it was hot and
that I could have all I wanted of it in the morning.
The storm not letting up, it was put to me that I would
have to stay the night, it so happened that I had no say
in the matter. Rosary was said and it was bedtime; I was
wondering what the sleeping arrangements would be as
the house had only three rooms, the kitchen, utility
room and bedroom. That was the way with most of the
houses in that area at that time. Regardless the size of
the family the houses had a communal sleeping area and
the size of the bed depended on the size of the family;
sometimes the bed was wall to wall. Anyway it was
suggested I would sleep on the inside by the wall and
the man of the house in the middle and the lady on the
outside, which I thought was adequate.
Now the man had a rather weak bladder and had a
tendency to go outside a couple of times a night. After
a couple of hours the time arrived for him to pay a trip
to the outside world, and in order for him to do so Mary
had to get out first and let him out of the bed. The
weather was still howling outside and when he got as far
as the kitchen door he realised he left Mary in bed with
a stranger, he came in again to the bedroom and said,
"Mary it is awful dark you better come out with me."
Mary obliged and did as she was asked but when the
kitchen door was open and the wind and the sleet blew
in on her face she changed her mind and got back into
bed. The man was in a quandary, but he developed a
brain wave, he picked up the child’s cradle and placed it
in between us until such time as he returned. After two
or three hours we were all wakened by the sound of
galvanise slapping in the storm. He got Mary on the
floor and hurried put on some of his clothes and went
out to secure the shed before the wind brought it away
altogether. I suppose I should have gone with him and
helped but I needed all the rest I could get as I had a
long day on the morrow. Mary nudged me with her
elbow and said, "Now's your chance!" So I heeded her
and I got up and ate the CAKE.
Strong Farmer Revisited
By The Three Amigos
Back again in the Dalton Home, Claremorris to get
another story from John Dowling. He was reading the
Farmer's Journal when I called. You can take a farmer
from the land but he is still a farmer. He said he has read
more since he came in here than he did all his life. He
keeps up with all that is happening: cattle prices, the
scarcity of fodder and the stealing that is happening out
in the countryside.
He said he had a funny bucko in at him the week before,
telling him he had won a lot of money. He had called to
John's house and nobody was there. He talked to John
Cribben and was told that John was in the Home in
Claremorris. As he was talking John's sister came up
behind him and started asking him questions; he wasn't
long going. John thinks it was a set up job by one of the
local rogues.
One evening later on I brought in a man to see John. This
man had done the fairs with the bike and the ash plant,
the same as John. They started talking and brought me
on a long journey, sometimes I was lost but a name
mentioned and I was back on track again. They talked
about Pollinary, Oran, Roscommon, the man that had
eighty acres of good land and he set it in tillage and the
son did the same after him and they made bad land of
it. They talked of the butcher that killed twenty five fat
ewes and four strippers a week. That was during the war
years; no paper to wrap it in, throw it in a basket, women
weren't fussy then. They talked of the crooked lawyer
that done a man out of a place.
They talked of a certain family that didn't pay farmers
for cattle that they brought to their factory. They spoke
of a man that had eighty cattle to sell; a buyer bid him
for half of them but he didn't sell. A toughy buyer came
and bought the eighty and gave him a cheque from a
Scottish bank. He had trouble getting it changed so he
went over on the boat to Scotland and got it changed. A
lot more farmers weren't as lucky and got done out of a
lot of money.
They talked of the Cunnane brothers, old men that
shipped springing and milking heifers over to England for
a customer. Buying them at the local fairs they had to get
someone they trusted to check if they were alright in the
udders as them men could not stoop down.
When I asked John why they only bought heifers he said
heifers fattened on their land but bullocks didn't and
they could keep more heifers than bullocks. John
Cribben's land was the only place around that bullocks
thrived on and John didn't know why that was so.
Mountbellew was the farthest fair they went to. Have a
good fry in the morning and then on your bike to
Mountbellew and you didn't need a lot more for the day.
The tenth of March was a big fair in Mountbellew, mostly
Castlerea and Roscommon buyers and they didn't make
cattle dear, Hereford and black cattle mostly. Anything
you bought you had to walk them home.
The April fair in Glenamaddy you got great help going
home, people out sticking potatoes and working on the
land. But walking cattle from Swinford was hard work.
The bike was a hindrance, the land beside the road not
fenced and cattle going in each side. John's father
bought twenty weather hoggets in Foxford and a ewe
and two lambs. He was getting a pound profit on the
hoggets, he was looking for two pounds, a good profit
them times. A shilling a hogget he didn't sell. Johnny
McGuire, Kiltevna also bought sheep and the two of
them walked them home; it was the next day when they
arrived.
While we were talking about the Dowlings John told me
a story. Going back in time a big landlord down the other
end of Roscommon by the name of Coote was evicting
his tenants. He had the bailiff and the R.I.C. in to do his
dirty work, knocking down the houses and putting the
tenants on the road. In the evening old Coote came out
on horseback to look over his farms and found one
house still standing. So he got the bailiff and said, "How
is it this house is still standing?" The bailiff said, "Old
Dowling is dying so we didn't knock the house."
"Alright," said Coote, "Evict them in the morning when
he is dead." Next morning old Coote was found dead in
bed by his only daughter and Dowling lived for years
after. Coote's daughter sold the farm a few years after.
John doesn't think it was his branch of the Dowlings that
was evicted; a good story though.
John has great praise for the staff in the D'Alton Home
and he introduced us to a nurse, a daughter of Dalgin
Lyons. He was a Fine Gael T.D. from the Bekan area.
John thinks it's not as good since the day care patients
stopped coming into the Home. He used to have great
talks with some of them. I want to thank John for
sharing his memories with us and we will be back again
for more stories from John.
CLOONFAD MAGAZINE 2014 DEADLINE
The deadline for contributing articles and
photographs for Cloonfad 2014 is
Friday, October 17th, 2014.
Email: editor@cloonfad.org
Cloonfad magazine committee would like to thank
all its patrons, past and present.
Please suppport local business and industry.
39
Local History
Compiled from Conversations with John Dowling,
of Ballyglass Middle
Transcribed By Martin Meehan
The following is a brief summary of just a few of the
many topics that John can talk at length on. The
importance of such a conversationist cannot be
understated in passing down our local history and
traditions to our next generations. I have taken the
liberty to add in a few pieces as well.
Land Commission
They took over many of the farms. They knocked down
the houses, even big ones. The land in Paddy Avis was
taken over by the Land Commission. The land all the way
up there belonged to the Trestons. The old road there
was known as the high road, it went right up to where
the Tulrahan Water Scheme located their Water Tower.
Martin Curran in Feamore was a recent landlord.
Nobody knows the mystery of how he got into this land.
Of course landlords got pressed for money and they
leased land to people for five to ten years. It you
occupied the land at the time of the changeover you
might have been able to hold on to it.
Townland names
We were standing outside my place in Ballyglass Middle
one day and a young student said to me this area was
part of Tonragee once. He said it went down as far as
Tullaghaun. The current maps have Ballyglass Middle
and Ballyglass Lower in-between. He was comparing an
old map that he had come across, to an O.S. Map.
John said there are Carrowmore, Carrowbeg and two
Ballyglasses. He wondered how they got Ballyglass
Middle when there was only a middle and lower. I do
not know the answer. Looking at the 1856 map there
was little changes to my young day. However for the 23
years before that to the first O.S. in 1833 there were
many changes. It was very different. What happened
was that people came in and took over vacant farms.
He said there is another village over near Claremorris
called Mace. He asked what was the reason for it. His
answer to that one was not easy. Mace would more than
likely be an anglicised version of an Irish word. The
closest Irish word is Más. It means thigh. In the olden
days a long low hill could be referred to as a Más.
There is a standing Ogham stone in Garraun. When I was
young both Garraun and Ballybeg were referred to as
Tullaghaun though they are separate townlands in their
own right. There was a young lad who was born in 1914
coming home from Derrylea School. There were very few
cars on the road those days. The driver stopped and
asked him the way to Ballybeg. The driver asked him to
sit in. It was a great thing to get a lift in a car. He brought
40
him down to the end of Ballyglass and showed him
Ballybeg and I think he got a sixpence or a shilling as
well. His wings were made for travelling by car and the
funny thing about it is, in those times people would
usually say Tullahaun, not Ballybeg.
Names of Corners of Villages
Part of Currisluastia was called Ganaveens. Part of
Ballykilleen against Logboy was called Lochta. The old
people here used to say Ballythuas; Ballyshíos, - Uptown:
downtown. There were two houses down here and they
used to put down “Poll”.
Herders
In the early 1800s most townlands would have a section
of the townland un-fenced where they would keep their
cattle. Such areas still exist in a few places and they are
known as commonage. John had not heard of it in
Ballyglass itself. John had heard of what were called
grazing farms in Bellaveel. Bellaveel though a small
townland in its own right, referred to a much wider area
in earlier years. It was the next main stopping point on
the main road from Galway to Sligo after travellers had
gone over the high road at Feamore. John had heard of
“The Herders Freedom”. I had heard my father say he
would be allowed to take one of the cows from each of
the herds he looked after.
Local Mill
John said there was an unusual thing about Treston’s mill
in Lavallyroe. There was no road near it. I might have a
partial answer for that one. In a deed between Elizabeth
Dillon and James Sheridan of Dunameene drawn up on
the 1st of September 1783, Elizabeth Dillon set down a
number of conditions when renting him the lands of
Bunduff.
1. To allow £22-15s Sterling for the gravelling twenty
acres of bog and mountain.
2. He was to be allowed for half the mearing from the
high road to Carrowmore, between Bunduff and
Carrowneden part of said mearing a double stone wall
and the other part a quick set ditch.
3. He was to grind all his corn and thicken all their clothes
(Flax) at Levallyroe paying the usual toll for grinding such
corn at the said mills.
4. Elizabeth Dillon was to have liberty of fishing, fowling,
hunting and hawking on said lands.
It appears Elizabeth Dillon had some relationship over
the Mill at Levallyroe at the time and when she rented
out her lands she got the leasers to use the mill at
Levallyroe. They may have not gone there due to
difficulty of access or for some other reason. Note also
the importance of Flax growing in this period. I came
across the same condition inserted in a Land Deed
between the same Elizabeth Dillon and Patrick and
Bridget Mulclyne (Could be Mulkeen now) of Feamore.
The Deed was drawn up on the 4th of June 1793. It
stated they, “Shall bring their corn to be ground and their
flaxes to be thickened to the mill at Lavallyroe”.
Cribbin Families
John said his mother’s maiden name was Cribbin. There
were three distinct Cribbin families on our side of
Ballyhaunis.
1. Johnstown family. His grandfather came from Toher.
2. Drumbane/Lecarrow family.
3. Knockanarra family. They came from Cloonbook.
They were supposed to come from the north. My
Grandfather came from Knockanarra. He married a
Conneely. History repeated itself as a nephew came to
Ballyglass and married another one years later. That is
the Cribbin family that is here now. There are many
Austins in the Drumbane/Lecarrow family of Cribbins.
The spoken Gaelic in Ballyglass.
My cousin Noreen Walsh was checking the 1901/1911
Census information on the Internet. She referred to the
people who were noted to be bi-lingual. I never heard
any Irish from my Grandmother, the Conneely woman
who died in 1954. Now my other Grandmother O’Gara,
she would often run into it. She had a spatter of Irish.
She told us the story when we were children about
Daniel O’Connell when they were going to poison him.
At the time he had a girl working for him. She spoke in
Irish to him to warn him. My O’Gara grandmother could
be the last one who spoke Irish in this village. Tom
Cribbin did not speak Irish and he was not down as an
Irish speaker in the census. It is believed that the local
Roscommon Gaelic as spoken by our Great Grandparents
is now dead.
Accents
There is a spot down between Dunmore, Glenamaddy
and Williamstown. A Cork man was building houses
there. My Grandfather said about this man with the Cork
accent – "Why can’t he speak English to me?"
There is a village down near Swinford. Anyone who came
there would think they had a touch of the French accent.
Did you ever hear Sean McBride the politician’s accent?
He had studied for a few years in France. If you came into
this village they sounded just like Sean McBride.
Different people, even English visitors used to remark –
"How did they get their accent?"
Ballinlough
In 1837 the stones were already taken away from the
O’Flynns Castle. They were used to build the Protestant
Church in 1824. The site of the castle was always called
the Esker. It is higher than Ballinlough town. The Stones
were supposed to be underneath the Pulpit in the
Protestant Church. It was not the first Church. That one
burned down in an accident. Ballinlough was a
Protestant town. The Protestant Graveyard is a big size.
John made out Ballinlough was not a town as we know
it until the Railway came in 1861. He said he saw a
picture of the town drawn in 1838. It looked like a
country road then. There was a house at the crossroads.
There was supposed to be people who came to
Ballinlough after the Battle of the Boyne. As a
community it was every bit as old as Ballyhaunis.
The Tithes
For the Tithes in the 1830s not everyone was mentioned.
Instead one man was picked to pay for a number. It was
written down such a one and Co. In our village my
Grandfather’s grandfather Michael Dowling's name was
written down.
Griffith's Valuation
O’Donovan and Griffith were brothers in law. Griffith did
not leave his office for his works. John O’Donovan was
the one that travelled around the country sleeping in
barns or where ever he got shelter.
High Locations
There is a high ridge on the way to Ballinlough from
Ballyhaunis. It is in a townland called Laughil. The
Mountain there is called Dirnabuine. One leg of the River
Suck descends from a small lake high up in Laughil. John
reckoned Slieve Bán behind in Strokestown was another
high spot. When I checked the map, Dirnabuine was
marked at 515 ft above sea level while Slieve Ban was
marked at 506. These two locations would be among just
a few locations above 500ft. south of the Curlew and
Arigna mountain ranges that straggle across the border
into county Roscommon. The highest point is 1377 ft. It
is known as Corry Mountain or Selnasaggart this side of
Arigna. Overall as John pointed out the County is quiet
a low lying county.
The O’Flynns
Edward O’Flynn’s second wife was a cousin of my
grandfather. Her name was Catherine Raftery.
Austin Fitzmaurice’s father-in-law once told me that
there is a fence in Clydagh and you could tell that there
once was a house there. That is where Edward O’Flynn
lived after he came down from the Esker. It is supposed
to be that a descendent of O’Flynn came up from the
lake. John Keavney who was a postman told me that as
a child in 1903 at the time of the Congested District
Board he had heard, when Edmond O’Flynn died his wife
Catherine Raftery took a lump sum to hand over the
land. She was afraid that the two sons in Scotland would
come in for it.
Fairs
The fair in Granlahan must be going on for a hundred
41
years now. It was always held on a Sunday. Out in
Bellaveel, a big fair was held there going back to the
1700s which is well recorded.
Names
The Rafterys and Winstons were family names that came
to here from Williamstown. You would think the name
Alexander Allen was a Protestant name but he was a
Catholic. Another name that crops up is Buck. It was
used for Burke. The old people used to call them Buck.
There was Hett in Ballykilleen and Weston in
Mountdelvin.
There are a lot of townlands and they do not go by the
proper name. Park is used for Gortamarle. Kiltobar is
used for Pollanalty. Newtown is used for Hundred Acres
and the Daniel Kelly and the Denis Kelly.
Clay Pipes
The 43. The ones sold here were made in Knockcroghery.
I told John I found one recently and it had Hanley & Co
Waterford written on the Stem.
1839
1839 - The Year of the big wind. At the turn of the
Century if anyone did not have a birth record and people
were trying to figure out their age they were asked did
they remember the night of the big wind.
Dowlings of Ballyglass
“John Jordan lived in an old house in our village. A Miles
Costello lived across the road from him. My Great
Grandmother was Celia Dowling (nee Costello). She was
always supposed to come from Clogher which is beyond
Cloonfad. I think she came to live with a man across the
road and married my Great Grandfather. He was born in
another house up the village. My first cousin and
namesake is now living in a house that was previously a
Jordan household. My Great Great-Grandfather had a
brother married in 1842 but they had no recorded family
until 1846. This man married a lady from Clooncalligy.
They had one child, a daughter. As he died she was
meant to go back to her own place and marry again. Her
daughter was a grandmother of Austin Maguire’s wife
Kathleen Welsh from Mountdelvin. She was always
called Doolin for Dowling. One time after a Mass in
Cloonfad when she was in her 90s, she said I am going
home with you to see where I was born.”
Maguires
Ballykilleen was often called BallymaGuire. Maguires first
came out of Fermanagh. They were supposed to have
come to Carrowmore. It was unusual around here, but
they used to take some clothes off when they were
working. They were stolen. They left and settled in
Ballykilleen. Maguires is now a very plentiful name.
Finnegans
Back in the 1800s there was a family of the Finnegans in
Ballybeg beside Tullaghaun. They are now so spread out
42
around the area, none of them must have emigrated.
Tom Finnegan in Curnacarty is one of them. He came
from Bekan. There is one in Culnaha. There are several
families descended from the one in our village and you
know you can double that with the female line.
Regans of Ballyglass
John said they were all gone from Ballyglass now. The
last man that was there had no family. He died in 1944
and his wife died in 1961. Eddie was killed in WW1. Their
grave is at the front near the road on the right hand side.
It reads Edward Regan died April 30, 1918 Age 30 Years.
Edward was a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Irish
Guards. He enlisted in Manchester, Lancashire, His
number was 12377. He was killed in action on the 13th
of April 1918, on the battlefields of France and Flanders.
Cemetery: PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL
Country: Belgium
Locality: Comines-Warneton, Hainaut
Historical Information: The PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL
commemorates more than 11,000 servicemen of the
United Kingdom and South African forces who died in
this sector during the First World War and have no
known grave. The memorial serves the area from the
line Caestre-Dranoutre-Warneton to the north, to
Haverskerque-Estaires-Fournes to the south, including
the towns of Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleul and
Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe, and Ploegsteert
Wood. The original intention had been to erect the
memorial in Lille. Most of those commemorated by the
memorial did not die in major offensives, such as those
which took place around Ypres to the north, or Loos to
the south. Most were killed in the course of the day-today trench warfare which characterised this part of the
line, or in small scale set engagements, usually carried
out in support of the major attacks taking place
elsewhere.
In Memory of Private EDWARD REGAN 12377, 2nd Bn.,
Irish Guards who died on 13 April 1918 Remembered
with honour PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL Commemorated
in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves
Commission.
Edward’s father was Dominick Regan. He had a younger
brother Tommie and the story is that one evening he said
to one of his neighbours that he was going to America
and he was gone in the morning. Some people did not
like the goodbyes. He started as a porter in the bank and
he finished up with a good job behind the counter. They
were a clever family. Two of the girls married in the UK.
Originally they came from Castlemore which is two or
three miles the Ballyhaunis side of Ballaghderreen.
The Costellos had five castles in the Barony. Castlemore
was their first and main one set up around 1300. They
were ousted by Sir Theobald Dillon in 1587. The original
castle was destroyed by Hugh O’Donnell in 1595. They
were originally called Nangels or de Angulos before
adopting the name Mac Costello. In 1833 this house was
occupied by the Rector Reverend Plunket and in 1856 by
Thomas Strickland who was Viscount Dillon’s number
one man on the ground. When Thomas Strickland
moved into the big house he cleared five families from
the vicinity of the house to enlarge his estate and moved
them to Ballyglass. The families were: Morrisroe, O’Gara,
Rush, Regan and Duffy. The story survives that they were
told they would be going to dry ground. They were
brought down in a mule and cart to look at it. Each
Family got about 21–24 acres. It was all good land,
except for a bit down at the back-end, afterall they were
still in Connaught. Initially when they were being
brought down they were afraid to get up on the cart.
They had never been up on one before. It would be like
stepping into a helicopter for the first time today. John
said his grandmother had an Aunt Mary O’Gara who
married a Dominick Dyer in Castlemore before the family
were moved. He was from the Domain in Loughglynn.
They had a daughter Norah, a returned yank who
married Glynn from Kiltullagh. They had a son a teacher
in Lisacul. O’Gara’s mother in Castlemore was a Kilgarriff
woman.
Clergy
John said he knew more about Cloonfad than he did
about Granlahan, and it only across the fields from him.
He went to school in Derrylea and to Mass in Cloonfad.
There was a man called Andrew Loftus. He was unusual
in that he had a white beard. He had two brothers who
were priests. One was a curate in Cloonfad for a long
time. They were appointed to their own parishes at
times in those days. It was 1927 when he left it. The
other Fr.Loftus was a priest here, in my time too.
There were several of the O’Dwyers priests. Rev. Canon
Austin O’Dwyer was Parish priest here in Ballinlough
from 1891 to 1894. There was no Catholic Church in
Ballinlough then. He appeared to be pretty young to be
a Parish Priest.
Dowling
While the evidence to this research is by no means
conclusive it would appear that John Dowling’s own
family history is pointing in the direction of one Farrell
Dooleing who was allocated 4 Acres of land in
Cloonagharagh in 1641 at the time of the distribution.
This land was previously held by Tumultagh McDavid
O’Flinn. Maybe Farrell was able to do some favour for
Faghra O’Flynn the last official Chieftain of Sil-Maelruain.
Down through the years these two families remained
close. Edmond O’Flynn married Marcella Dowling
c.1840. Marcella’s father was Michael Dowling who lived
in Newborough House on the Granlahan road from
Ballinlough. This Michael had two sons, Hugh first and
then Walter who had one daughter Alicia. Michael wrote
his eldest son Hugh out of his will for some reason. He
left Five Shillings (5s) Sterling and no more to Hugh. In
1856 Walter’s daughter Alicia sold Newborough as an
encumbered estate. It was purchased by Molloy who
had it until the 1920s. Patterson bought it. One of his
daughters married John Ruane of Croobe. There is fine
workmanship on the door. You would know it was a
landlord’s house. While we have a trace on the other
lines desended from Michael Dowling, we have no trace
to date on Hugh. It is very possible that John’s line came
from Hugh. Edmond O’Flynn who is buried inside the
church on Kiltullagh hill is the son of the Edward that
married Marcella Dowling. He married Catherine Raftery
who John knows to be a cousin of his. So the connection
between the O’Flynns and the Dowlings can be proven
to the current day.
My own Great Grandmother was Mary Regan, sister of
Dominick Regan and daughter of Edmund Regan who
was the father of one of the five families that came down
from Castlemore. Whether that makes me 1/8th a
Ballyglass man as John Dowling said when he met me, I
am not so sure because she was born c.1837 in
Castlemore. She would have been about ten or eleven
when she arrived in Ballyglass.
The Cat and the Mice
One day a cat died of natural causes and went to heaven. There he met St. Peter at the pearly gates. St.
Peter said to the cat, "You have lived a good life, and if there is any way I can make your stay in heaven more
comfortable, please let me know." The cat thought for a moment and said, "All my life I have lived with a
poor family and have had to sleep on a hard wooden floor."
"Say no more," St. Peter replied, and, poof! a wonderful fluffy pillow appeared.
A few days later, six mice were killed in a farming accident and went to heaven. Again, there was St. Peter
to greet them with the same offer. The mice answered, "All of our lives we have been chased. We've had to
run from cats, dogs and even women with brooms. We are tired of running. Do you think we could have
roller skates so that we don't have to run anymore?" Instantly each mouse was fitted with a beautiful pair of
roller skates.
About a week later St. Peter stopped by to see the cat and found him snoozing on the pillow. He gently woke
the cat and asked, "How are things for you since coming to heaven?"
The cat stretched, yawned and replied, "It's wonderful here, even better than I could have expected, especially
those meals on wheels you've been sending by. Those are the best!"
43
The Mount Delvin Regans
By Eddie Birmingham
On our way home from Kerry, after visiting a son and
daughter who are married there, we stopped in Gort,
Teresa to visit her sister Catherine and I to visit Andrew
Regan, formerly of Mount Delvin. Andrew and his wife
Bridget made me very welcome. We had a cup of tea
and a chat all about Mount
Delvin. I asked them about
doing a story for the Cloonfad
Magazine and they agreed.
That was two years ago and
after many visits to Gort and
times spent reminiscing this
article is the result.
Andrew's grandfather John
married Margaret Lally from
the shop in Mount Delvin.
Margaret
found
herself
married into a farm of twenty
one acres, a river flowing at the
Mayo end, an acre of bog in
the middle of the holding
where they cut the turf and a
sand pit in one of the fields.
They also had a half acre of
orchard hear the house. They
had five in family, Mary Julia,
Nora, Bridget, Timothy and
Thomas.
Andrew Regan and his wife
Bridget Burke
on their Wedding Day
Mary Julia married John O'Dowd and they had four in
family, three of whom went on to become priests.
Timothy, or Tim, as he was known, was sent as an
apprentice to a coach building firm in Castlerea. He
finished his service and got his papers to show that he
was a qualified coach builder. He decided to go to
Dublin to look for work. His mother gave him two
pounds and ten shillings for his fare and his keep. He
started walking to Dublin and hitching rides and he saved
the money his mother gave him. He stopped in Kilcock
and got a job at coach building. The next week he sent
back the money his mother had given him.
He worked there for a while until a mix up with a Black
and Tan employed there and five of them walked out.
He moved to Inchicore and worked there for a while.
Then he and another man left and set up their own
factory in Summerhill. At its peak it employed about
eighty workers between builders, painters and sign
writers. The Queen's carriage was sent over at one time
to be done up.
Thomas, Andrew's father, was the farmer and was
Captain of the Cloonfad Brigade of the I.R.A. in the fight
44
for freedom. He was on the run for most of that time
and would be shot on the spot if caught. When the Free
State soldiers came to the area they fired a round from
one of the big guns from the hill where Tom and
Kathleen Costello's house is now. It damaged the gable
Martin Thomas and Daisy Regan's Wedding
Day, 1959. L-R: Fr. O'Dowd, Martin Thomas
Regan, his wife Daisy and her brother.
Martin Thomas drowned in the Liffey at
Islandbridge that same year.
end of the Regan's thatched cottage.
After the troubles were over Thomas married Kathleen
O'Callaghan, a teacher in Mount Delvin school, in 1925.
She later became Principal in the school and they lived
in the residence beside the school. They had six in
family, Sean, Maureen, Martin Thomas, Lena, Andrew
and Frankie.
Sean worked in the Land Commission office in Galway.
He married a Mary Burke from Gort. The Burke's were
business people and owned a couple of shops and the
father was an insurance rep. Sean wrote for the
Connaught Telegraph and wrote some stories for this
magazine. They had one daughter, Maura Óg.
Maureen married a Dr. Joseph Robins who became
personal secretary to Charlie Haughey. He was a great
help to Fr. Horan in the building of Knock Airport, sorting
out grants and paperwork. They had two boys and two
girls.
While in college in Galway Lena contracted polio and
spent a long time in Roscommon Hospital. While there
they discovered that she also had tuberculosis. A little
house or chalet was built for her inside the small gate
going into the residence. She was in a frame first and
could not move but eventually made a remarkable
recovery. She met a Balint Homan in Dublin whom she
later married. Balint's father, also named Balint, was the
Hungarian Minister of Religion and Education and a
Director of the National Museum in Budapest. When
the Communists took over in 1956 he was imprisioned
and died while in prision. His wife fled with Balint, their
only child, to Austria or they would have suffered the
same fate. She became a Canadian Citizen in 1961 after
spending time in Austria, France and Ireland. Lena
finished up in Canada as secretary to a government
Minister there.
Martin Thomas worked for Guinness in Dublin as farm
manager of the farm they had in Howth. There is a golf
course on that land now. He had gone to agricultural
college in Cavan and played minor football with Cavan.
He played football with a club called Binneader in
Howth, also with Bridget's in Pallastown. He was the first
player to be picked to play for Dublin from Bridget's club.
He also played football with Louth but was suspended
for a year and didn't play for them again. He won a
Connaught medal playing for Roscommon. He also
played with Carontryla Club. To be eligible he spent a
week working in Tommy Glennon's forge. He married a
Cavan girl; she is still alive in a nursing home in Sligo.
Frankie married a Pat Touhy but he died a young man.
She later married Lar Maloney and they had five
daughters and a son. Frankie was a very good looking
girl in her youth and very well liked. She passed away
last Christmas.
We didn't know what it was."
Andrew was sent to Dublin to his uncle Tim to serve his
time coach building. After a few months he decided to
go to England but his mother was at the boat to stop
him. He finished his apprenticeship. Andrew was very
close to Martin Thomas growing up and spent a lot of
time with him, shooting and fishing. He played football
with him one time in Dublin. One of the opposing team
hit Martin Thomas but the ref didn't do anything. "But
I did. I flattened him," recalls Andrew. "The ref was a
big Kerryman. I was brought up before the County
Board, Jimmy Halliday from Dunmore was with me and
I was suspended for four years. I cried. I lived for the
game of football. I was in England inside a week."
"I became foreman for Wimpy and I moved around a lot.
Loosing Martin Thomas was an awful shock. I was
devastated. I was home for Sean's wedding but I didn't
enjoy any of it. I was going out with Sean's wife's
younger sister at the time. When I went back to England
Bridget came with me. It was the best thing that ever
happened to me. We got married and settled down and
have four lovely daughters, all born in England."
"We came back to Ireland in 1975 and bought Bridget's
mother's shop. Bridget kept the shop going and I worked
on the buildings. I had a very bad accident; when I
recovered I went into the taxi business. Long hours.
When we retired we set the shop to a nice girl."
I enjoyed talking to Andrew and Bridget and thank them
for telling me all about the Regan family. I also want to
thank Peg and Tom Lally for helping with me with
information.
Andrew is the last of the Regan family left alive. His class
mates going to school were
Miko
Walsh,
Seamus
Costello, Tom Birmingham
and Johnny Gavin. Andrew
recalls that, "We were a wild
bunch, not much for learning
and I was the wildest of the
lot. One time my mother left
me in charge of the room.
One of my mates rolled a
bottle of mercury towards
me. I threw it back but he
missed it and it went
through the glass partition
dividing the class rooms. I
got wigging that night. Just
to explain about the mercury
- under British rule all
primary schools in England
and Ireland were taught
Taken at Knock Shrine, c.1942: Front Row (L-R): Seamus Costello,
chemistry.
A set was
Tom Birmingham, Andrew Regan, Miko Walsh, Johnny Gavin.
supplied and it was still in Back (L-r): Nora McHugh, Molly Fleming, Angela Donnellan, Nora Kelly, Kitty Donnellan,
storage in my time in school. Mrs Regan, Kathleen Diffley, Mary Costello, Winnie McHugh, Ellen Birmingham.
45
Red Cross Cadets
By Ronan Gannon, Cornabanny
My local Red Cross centre is Claremorris, Co.
Mayo. Every Friday night I go to training with
the Irish Red Cross. We learn lifesaving skills
to put to use in real life as well as fun
activities and outings. The cadets are a group
of youths from the age of 10-16. Our goal is
to know what to do when someone gets
injured.
Each year competitions are held to see how
good the cadets are getting on. You can enter
either as a team of four or as an individual,
by yourself. At the competition you go into
different rooms where different accidents
have happened. You must then treat
casualties' injuries in the scenario.
Firstly there are the area competitions which
Red Cross Officers and Cadets all set for the trip to the
this year were held in Foxford. I took part in
All-Ireland's in Dublin.
these as a cadet individual which I won. Then
if you win the Mayo area competitions you go through
to the all-Ireland competitions, where cadets from all
around the country take part. This year I took part and
represented Mayo for these competitions at which I won
the Western Region Cadet Individual prize.
The Red Cross cadets are open to all and new members
are welcome.
Ronan Gannon presented with the Mayo Area Cadet
Individual Cup by Red Cross Officers with Mr. Gabriel
McManus, Principal, Dunmore Community School.
Above: First Aid Skills Competition.
Claremorris Red Cross Cadets. Team : Chantelle,
Cian, Conor, Jamie. Individual: Ronan
46
Red Cross officers with Ronan winning the 'Western
Regional Cadet Individual'
Gurteen Last Century
Transcribed by John P. Burke
My name is Mary Kearney (nee Jennings). I was born
and reared in Gurteen. With the help of my mother, Nora
Jennings and two aunts, Bridie Hosty and Mary
McWalters we put this article together in 2004
concerning the houses that were in Gurteen for the early
part of the 20th century.
Nan, Bridie and Mary
Beginning on the eastern side of the village of Gurteen
(near Moigh) lived Onnie and Luke McDonnell, who were
sister and brother. They lived to old age and after their
death the place was sold to another brother and sister Jimmy and Catherine Brennan; they built a house there,
which is a holiday home owned by O’Connellys of
Birmingham. Peter Gara (Whiskers) lived adjoining
McDonnells. His nephew Joe Gara from Ballyglass came
to live with him. Joe married Anne Brennan from
Newtown and they built a new house. Joe and Anne had
two sons and a daughter. Martin the eldest went to
England and came back with his wife Esther and two
daughters Helen and Patsy. Joe, Anne and Esther have
all passed away and Martin lives there with his daughter
Helen now.
As you move on out, there lived Harry Kelly with his wife
whose maiden name was Kirrane and they had three
boys and three girls in family - Tom, John, Jim, Delia, Kate
and Margaret (known as Babe) who was married to
Caulfield in Corrislustia. Harry’s wife died during
childbirth. All the family are gone and the house is no
longer there. Coyne's of Tonragee own the land as of
now. Travel on a bit farther and you come across
Geraghty's. John Geraghty and Anne Regan were
married and had five children. One of them came back
from America, his name was Tom and he married Nellie
McHugh from Castlequarter, and built a house. They had
three daughters and a son, their son John (RIP) married
Kathleen Connolly from Glenamaddy and they had a son
and a daughter named Thomas and Berenice.
Then after that came Mary Sally's, she was Kirrane and
married Fleming. They had one daughter who went to
England. There is no house there now and the land
belongs to Coyne's. On the right was John Jennings who
was married to Ellen Ronayne (she was aunt to Redmond
Fleming); they had a son Dan, he was married to Agnes
Waldron and came back from America to live. They built
a house which is Jennings old house at present. They had
a family John, Andy, Tom, Martin (Murt) and Eileen who
died as a child. Tom was in the British Army in the Second
World War; he never came back and was listed as
missing presumed dead. Martin stayed in the home
place and married Dell McGuire from Ballykilleen and
had six children, Pat, Tom, Jack, Margaret, Marian, and
Catherine. They built a new house which is the home
house. Their three boys went to England, Margaret to
Dublin, Catherine to Canada and Marian returned to
look after her parents in their old age. They lived in the
house until Martin died. Dell is now in a nursing home
and Marian moved into her new house out near the
main road. Next was Flemings known as Thesach. He
married Annie Moore and had two sons and one
daughter, Ned, Tom and Anne. Tom, known as Tom
Thesh, stayed on after his parents died and married a
woman from Ballyhaunis. They went to live in
Ballyyhaunis.
The house is gone and the land belonged to Patsy
Connally and was later sold to Martin Jennings (Murt).
This house would have been our side of Murt Jennings.
This part of the village was known as Sli Garabh.
Next house was Redmond Fleming, also known as
Jobber; he was married to Maria McGeoff, and they had
no family. Kate Caulfield (my grandmother) was niece of
Maria and she came from Currislustia to live with them.
Nora, her sister also lived with them for a while before
she went to America. Kate married Tom Noone (my
grandfather) and lived with Jobber and Maria, they had
three girls Mary, Bridie, and Nora (my mother). They also
had a boy called Raymond who died at 3 years old. Mary
and Bridie went to live in England while Nora stayed in
Gurteen. She married Martin Jennings from Cloonfad
and lived in May McLoughlin's place for some time after
which they moved back to Nora’s home place. They built
a house there and had three boys and me, all born
before they moved to Noone's. Nora and Martin
continued to live there with their son Tom who is
married to Ann Hopkins from Larraganboy and they have
two sons and two daughters. Austin and his family live
in London, Junior and his family live in Roscommon, I
47
(Mary) and my family live in Cloonfad.
KELLY’S LANE (SRAID THIAS)
First house down the lane was known as Billy's (we have
no more information on this only the place was sold to
Dick Dowling). Nearby Jimmy Keane and wife Catharine
and family abided here (on right hand side down the
lane with the old ruin still to be seen). The children went
to America except for John who was known as Laddie.
John married Delia Brennnan from Newtown and built a
house which stands idle as of now. They had ten children
of which one died, all the rest left home except Vincent.
He married Theresa from Killkelly and they have three
children. They built a house and all live therein; those
two houses are not built on the lane but on the Gurteen
road. Further down the lane was Tom Kelly and his wife
Biddy Moran, they lived beside the other Kellys, they had
four in family. This place was sold to another Kelly; his
name was Tom Kelly who was also known as Steel Kelly.
He married Biddy Burke and they had five boys and one
girl (all dead now except Jack who is in America). Steel's
son Jim came back from England and built a house, he
never married. Pat, another brother, also returned from
England and lived there. Their sister Nora was a nurse
and was married in Knockcroghery and when her
husband died she returned to Gurteen to look after Jim
and Pat. All three died within a year of each other. Jack
in America owns the land and it is rented to Jimmy Burke
of Flaskagh.
Farther down the lane, which was known as Sraid Thias,
lived a woman by the name of Mary Flynn, she spent all
her life there and when she died Pete Malarkey bought
the land. Back on the road again was Dick Dowlings. Dick
came from America and bought Billy's place and built a
house. He married Ellen Burke from Currislustia and had
three sons, John, Jimmy and Paddy. Jimmy went to
America and Paddy went to England. John and his
mother and father moved to Roscommon and sold the
Gurteen place to Vincent Keane. Opposite Dowlings on
the corner was Fanning's. Tom was a tailor, he married
an English girl and had a son called Ernest (known as
Eaney). All three stayed there until they died. Out further
was Waldron's (later known as Cunnaune's). Tom
Waldron married Maria Cunnaune from Bekan, they had
one daughter and she died young, Tom also died and
Maria married Luke Moore, they built a house there and
stayed until their deaths; the house and land belong to
Vincent Keane with the house now used as an outhouse.
Next house was Peter Mullarkey, he was wed to Maggie
Mullarkey from Mountdelvin. They had no family and
she died young. Peter remarried Kathleen Mulkeen from
Logboy; they had two sons, Paddy and Ned. Neither of
them married and they still reside in the house that was
built a few years ago. Close to the aforementioned was
Jamsie McDonnell who was married to Biddy Keane from
Newtown. Their family consisted of three boys and three
48
girls. They all went to America except for Micheal and he
married Kathleen Groarke and they had seven children four boys and three girls - John who lives in America,
Tom in England, Stephen, Seamus, Mary, Anne and
Bernadette all reside in Ireland. Their mother still lives
in the house that was built when the children were
younger. As you come out and turn left up a laneway,
that was Pat Groarke's who was married to Delia
Waldron, there were five children in that house, Micheal
never left and Kathleen married Michael McDonnell.
Micheal Groarke moved house some time ago and now
lives in what used to be Paddy Dillon's house. Next to
Groarke's old residence are the Flanagans who came
from England and built their house there. John is from
Taughnara, Ballinlough and they have two children.
Across the road from Kathleen McDonnell was Jack
Groarke. Jack was married to Biddy Mullarkey (Pete’s
sister) and they had three boys and a girl. They all left
except for Ned who married Kitty Stretch from Clogher.
They had two boys and a girl. Kitty and Ned died there,
Tom died in England, the daughter Bridie is in care. John
came from England with his wife Mary to retire and built
a house. They later moved to Tipperary and sold the
house to Patsy and Steve Brown who now live there with
their son and daughter. Across the road is Cunniffe's, Pat
who was married to Winnie, they had a family but only
Mike stayed at home, he married Anne McDonnell and
built a house, they had two girls and a boy. The girls went
to America and Paddy stayed at home, he married Peggy
Quinn from Ballinlough and they had three boys and two
girls. Peggy’s aunt and uncle came to live in Gurteen;
they were Winnie and Jim Finnegan. They built at the
square and live there until their deaths. The Cunniffe's
live there now. Between Cunniffe's and Dillon's lived
Mike Cassidy. Michael died and Cunniffe's have the little
garden as of now. Close by was another McDonnell's or
Macks, Johnny and Biddy both died on the same day.
Their son Johnny stayed home and married a Hussey
from Castlequarter and they had one girl called
Margaret. The mother died giving birth and Margaret
was reared at Tommy Burke's in Cloonfad. Johnny
remarried Anne Lyons from Tullrahan; they had a girl
called Eileen who went to America. Anne died and
Johnny lived for some years after. The house is owned
by Vincent Keane at present.
Now we come to Luby's, Paddy Luby married Anne Melia
from Ballyglass. They had three children; Jimmy Joe died
when he was young (he was engaged to Nora Kelly from
the village). Mary Ellen married Jim Green from the
village and Billy stayed in the home place. Billy married
Mary from the Ballyhaunis area, they had three sons and
two daughters, Jimmy, Anne and Philomena live in
England. Alo came back from England with his wife Anne
and two children to live in Gurteen.
Gabe and his wife Kathleen and three children also came
home after some time in England to live in Gurteen. Billy
and Mary moved house over towards the square and
that’s where Alo and his family came to live. Mary, Billy,
Anne and Kathleen all died within a few years of one
another. Alo still lives there with his son Dominick and
his daughter Patricia lives in Galway. Across from Luby's
old house was Dillon’s. Michael Dillon lived there with
his mother Margaret. Michael married Delia Ruane from
Lisnagrobe and they had a son and a daughter, Paddy
and Margaret (known as Maudie) who went to America,
but Paddy stayed at home. Michael died as a result of a
farming accident back in the early fifties. Paddy and his
mother got a new house and stayed there until they
died. Paddy never married. Flemings and Jennings
bought the land and Mike Groarke lives in the house.
On the left is McGuire's, Brian McGuire lived with his
mother Mary Duggan (McGuire). Brian married Nora
Freeman from Aughamore. They had nine children John, Mary Kate, Margaret, Mick, Nora, Doris, Annie,
Walter and Justin. All moved away except for Justin. He
married Margaret Collins from Clonberne and they had
four children, two boys and two girls. Across the road
was Finnegan's. Jim and Winnie were uncle and aunt to
Peggy Cunniffe. Both were elderly when they came to
Gurteen and are now deceased. Paddy, Peggy and family
live in the house as of now. Before Finnegan's built their
house there was a family of Morans on the site. One of
the Moran girls married Moore of Mount Devlin. Moore
owned the land after the Morans passed on and sold it
to Cunniffes and Groarkes. Rose and Pat Burke came
from Wales and built a house. They lived there for some
years until Pat's death. Just up from this on the same side
is John Fleming's (son of Padraig) and his wife Regina,
they have a baby boy. Also there was Polly Greene where
Cunniffe's garage is now, Polly was married to Kate, they
had three sons - Jim, John and Austin. John went to
England; Austin to America, Jim stayed at home and later
went to live with his aunt, Polly and Austin both died the
on the same day, Polly in Ireland, Austin in America.
Next was Charlie McCormack's (where Pat McCormacks
is now, no relation). Charlie lived with his mother Onnie
Cunniffe and his father. His father died when he was
young and his mother remarried Fleming from
Newtown. They had four sons. The Fleming boys left
home and Charlie and his mother moved to a new house
out on the Ballyhaunis road. Charlie married Delia
Fleming from Dunmore and they had one son named
John. He went to live with his aunt in Dunmore. When
his parents got older they went to live there also. John
married Margaret Fox from Carrowreagh, they have a
family and still live there. The house on the Ballyhaunis
road was demolished and a new one built by Charlie’s
stepbrother (Tim). He came back from America to live
there, he has since died and his nephew and his wife live
there now. There is a new house where Charlie’s old
house was in the village (close to where the pump was).
This was built by Tom and Ann Jennings, they lived there
for some time before they moved back to Tom's home
place (Noones). They sold the new house to Pat and Ita
McCormack (no relation to Charlie) who had retired
from England.
We will move on out to the shop. Here Bridget Greene
lived alone until Jim Greene moved in with her. Jim
married a neighbour Mary Ellen Luby and they had one
son and one daughter. The little girl died when she was
three from scarlet fever. Both she and her father had the
fever but the father survived. Their son Padraig never
married but lived there for years after the parents died;
in the late years he moved to Cloonfad and sold his
house to Dylis Glynn who moved from England. She
moved to Streamstown and the house is now used as a
holiday home by an English couple.
John Fleming married Delia Tarpey from Clogher. They
had four boys, Jack, Dan, Peter and Pat. There was also
a girl called called Mary known as Ciss. They all
immigrated for years until Jack came home and married
Mary Davis from Kiltevna. Ciss also came back and
married Michael Donnellan from Beagh Kiltevna; they
bought a house that is adjoining Keane's in Cloonfad.
Jack and Mary had three sons - Peter, Tom and Padraig,
and two daughters, Bridie and Margaret. The two girls
went to America to live; both married and have families
there. Peter and Tom went to England for a number of
years and came back with their wives and families to live
in Gurteen. They built two houses on the Ballyhaunis
road. Padraig married Mary Egan from Killkelly and live
in the home place, they have one son and three
daughters, and they built a new house near the old one.
Across the road is what is known as Bid's Porse. A
brother of John Fleming lived in that lane on the right
side. He married Biddy Heneghan from Cloonfad and
they had one son called Tom (nicknamed Tom Biddy.)
Tom stayed at home with his parents until they died. He
then went to England where he died after many years.
Farther on down the porse was Keeper's (near where my
dad’s land is), there is nothing known of this family only
that they had a house there. A house beside Keeper's
was Mary Burke, she married Costello from Lavallyroe
and moved to that townland.
Out on the main road was May McLaughlin’s, May lived
there with her mother Mary Quinn, her father died in
England. After her mother died, she built a house near
the main road (I was born in this house). She lived there
alone for many years. It was always a great visiting house
(where my father met my mother). My father Martin
Jennings worked for her on the farm and she left him the
place after her death. Martin married Nora Noone and
they lived there for 13 years. Martin’s cousin Teresa
Gannon came to live with them after her aunt died (her
aunt being Martin's mother). Teresa was only 3 months
49
old when her mother died and she was reared by her
aunt Mary Ellen Jennings (my grandmother). Martin and
Nora had three sons and one daughter. The family
moved to Noones and built a house there. May's house
was sold to brothers Mike and Pete Maloney (known as
Cuckoo Maloneys) from the Dunmore road. After they
died it was sold to Mick and Winnie Kearns. They had
one son Fergus and a daughter named Margaret, they
lived there for some years before moving to Cloonfad.
The house was sold to the Gately family. They both died
and their son Martin and his wife Susan lived there for
some years. They moved to Ballyhaunis and sold the
house to Tom Donnellan who retired from England and
died there. The house was then sold to Seamus
Mullarkey and Kathleen his wife. Kathleen died at a
young age, Seamus still lives there. Next to May
McLoughan's is McDonnell's. Seamus is married to
Angela Meehan from Annagh and they have two
daughters, Grace and Sinead, and a son Darragh. They
came back from England and built a house there.
Seamus is Mick McDonnell’s and Kathleen Groarke's son.
Across the road from McDonnell's are the Flemings who
came back from England and built two houses. Peter and
Mary have twin sons, John and Phillip. Next door Tom
and Mary had three daughters. On the same side is a
house built by Martha McGuire, Ballykilleen and Martin
Gallagher, Tullahaun. They moved to Ballyhaunis and the
house was eventually sold to Martin and Teresa Regan
Martin was originally from Mountdelvin, and they had
one daughter Joanne. On the Ballyhaunis side of this is
Mick Fleming's (stepbrother to Charlie McCormack), he
came here from America, he resided there until he died,
his brother Tom and wife Ellie then came to live here.
Ellie died but Tom still lives there. Across the road was
Charlie’s old house, this was knocked down and a new
one built in its place by Tim Fleming, another step
brother of Charlie; Tom’s son and family live there now.
Further on we come upon Bid’s Porse again on the right,
the first house is a new one built by Rudolf Straeter and
his wife Catherine (nee Fagan). They came from
Germany and after some years built this house; they
have three daughters and one son. Further on is Gerry
and Patricia McDonagh, they have four children. Also
there is Gabe Luby’s dwelling, himself and wife Kathleen
came from England with their three children, Kathleen
passed on some years ago.
We will go in Bid's Porse now. The first house belongs to
Darren and Mary Keadin they have four children; Darren
is originally from the Dunmore Road. A little bit onwards
is Cregg's, this house was built by Winnie Cunniffe
(Paddy’s aunt), after some time her daughter Winnie and
Leo Joyce came from England to live with her, in due
course they all moved back to England and the house
was sold to Brendan and Geraldine Cregg; they have four
children. In the past few years two new houses have
been built as you turn in from the main road as you
come from Cloonfad, the first one belongs to Marian
Jennings (Murt’s daughter) and the next on the same site
is Pat and Josephine Jennings, Pat is first cousin of
Marian.
This was put together in 2004. There are some changes
since then. This may not be accurate as it was all from
memory but at the time written was to the best of our
knowledge. We have plenty of changes since, new
houses, lots of births and unfortunately some deaths.
My dear mother and aunt Mary who helped with this
are no longer with us, may they and all who have passed
from our village Rest in Peace.
Paddy Dillon, John McCormack, M. Fleming, M. Roynane
50
Mike & Anne Cunniffe, Gurteen, 1962
Sister Catherine Burke SJE
I was born on February
6th, 1942 in Derryvoung. I
am the fifth of sixth
children born to John
Burke and Kathleen Hussey
and sister to Christy (19341987), Mary (1936-2008),
John (1937-1938), Eamon
(1940) and John Joseph
(1945).
I received a Diploma in Nursing at Misericordia Hospital,
Winnipeg, Manitoba and a BScN at the University of
British Columbia, Vancouver, BC. I spent 25 years
working as a registered nurse in various departments at
Lion's Gate Hospital, North Vancouver, BC. All of my
Religious Life has been spent in Canada, in Quebec,
Northern British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and
Vancouver except for a brief stay in Amarillo, Texas, USA.
I attended the Girl's
National
School
in
Granlahan in the 40's and
Sr. Catherine Burke
50's and had Mrs.
O'Flanagan and Mrs. Kelly
as teachers. I later attended St. Brigid's Missionary
School, Callan, Co. Kilkenny, run by the Sisters of Mercy.
On September 5th 1960, feeling a call to religious life and
having completed two years as an Aspirant in Callan, I
followed in the footsteps of many Irish girls since 1911
by entering the Sisters of the Child Jesus in Sherbrooke,
Quebec, Canada, a French Order with houses in France,
Belgium, Spain, Vietnam, Burkina Faso, Argentina, Chile
and Ecuador.
I journeyed through the Postulancy and Novitiate
Programs with four other girls, all Canadian, three from
Vancouver and one from Alberta. I made first vows in
1963 taking the name Sister Mary Kevin and final vows
in 1968. In 1988 I, along with two companions,
celebrated 25 years of religious life at the Provincial
house in Vancouver and on June 22nd of this year I
celebrated 50 years of Religious Profession in Coquitlam,
BC with the same two sisters, one of whom works in
France and the other in Langley, BC. My professional life
began with teacher training at Notre Dame university,
Nelson, BC and a BA, BE'd from the University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. I subsequently taught in
Burns Lake, Vancouver, Saskatoon and North Battleford.
I retired in 2006 but remain active researching the early
history of the Sisters of the Child Jesus in Canada from
1896 to the present, and the contribution of the Irish
Sisters of the Child Jesus, both in France and in Canada,
from 1911 to the present. I am also on the Bereavement
Team in St. Edmund's Parish in North Vancouver, BC.
In my spare time I walk and swim for exercise. When on
holidays in Ireland I like to walk the bog roads listening
to the curlews and swallows and admiring the odd fox
darting here and there out in the pastures. If I'm lucky
enough to come in May or June I love to hear the cuckoo.
Where have all the "Corncrakes" gone? A frequent
visitor to Derryvoung, I visit John and Maura Burke and
family and to Clooncalagy where I visit Mary and John
Keaveney and their family.
Every day of my life I give thanks to God for the gift of
faith so engrained in me from a young age in
Derryvoung, for the support of my family, relations and
neighbours, for the many people who have been part of
my life and for the numerous students and patients I
have been privileged to serve as teacher and nurse down
through the years. To my Religious Community, the
Sisters of the Child Jesus, both in Canada and throughout
the world my thanks for your great example of
dedication and hard work and for providing me with
countless opportunities to follow the Lord's admonition
to me 50 years ago, "You have not chosen me, I have
chosen you, go now and bear fruit, fruit that will last."
(Jn. 15:16)
The Penguins
A police officer sees a man driving by with a bunch of penguins in the back seat. The officer pulls the
man over and asks, "Where did you get those penguins?" The man replies, "I found them wandering
on the side of the road." "Well you should take them to the zoo," the cop says.
The next day the police officer sees the same man drive by, with the penguins still in the back seat.
Once again he pulls the car over and he says, "I thought I told you to take those penguins to the zoo!"
"I did," the man replies. "Today I'm taking them to the beach."
51
The Inspection
Seamus Mac Phaidin
Bridget was right, no doubt about it when she said,
“Trouble doesn’t be long coming.” Little did she think on
that spring morning when she hit off to town for the two
pensions, on her sturdy BSA bicycle, with the three
speed gears, and Pat headed off to the cutaway with the
ass and cart to cut the load of scraws for shifting the
spuds, what mí-ádh lay in store. He arrived home, job
done, just as Bridget was arriving back from town, with
the five naggin bottle of loose porter and the half
quarter of baccy. My God, won’t he be in heaven! News,
porter and bendigo and an improvement in the balance
of payments. Wasn’t he glad he heeded the election
manifesto years ago, “Let Lemass lead on” or whoever
was there in his place now. Sure Blueshirt porter tasted
every bit as nice as Dev’s anytime!
Everything was rosy in the garden until a few months
later, a brown envelope arrived, informing them that
their file in Davitt House was due for examination. Pat
knew he must be in big trouble and Bridget was totally
against any examination, good, bad or indifferent. “Don’t
you remember the time, Pat, you had the trouble with
your waterworks and he sent you off to Castlebar for the
bicycle examination?” “Will you hush woman, it had
nothing to do with the bicycle, it was my PSA I had
checked out. Sure you are always getting things mixed
up. Oh, these inspections will be the death of us.”
On the day, the inspection went remarkably well. They
got a nice young lad, not too bright, but the nephew of
a T.D. He felt a bit guilty to be bothering them at all, what
with Bridget’s gallstones, her varicose veins and Pat’s
touch of importance or whatever you call it. He nearly
had tears in his eyes. Still, he had to do his job, as his
uncle had always told him, to look after number one so
he pointed out the shaded area that the satellite had
shown up. They were fairly bamboozled until Bridget
remembered the load of scraws that Pat had cut in the
spring. Pat couldn’t believe he could be seen from outer
space. “Thanks be to God,” says he to Bridget, “that they
didn’t have them satellite yokes when we got married
first or you would never know what that buck above,
driving the satellite, might have seen when we were out
saving the hay or the harvest. "Arah, blast them to hell,"
says Bridget, "can’t you do what you like when you are
married. Isn’t that what we gave the priest the price of
a weanling for?"
Well, the poor Department inspector didn’t know where
to look or what might come out next, so after getting a
promise from Pat to cut no more scraws, he has out the
door as fast as he legs could carry him.
John & Mary Costello, Tonragee with all their family on the occasion of their 40th Wedding Anniversary.
52
Mum of the Year Finalist
Congratulations to Amanda Howard who
was one of the finalists in this year's Mum
of the Year competition sponsored by
Woman's Way and Lidl. Amanda was
nominated by her children Ruth and Jack
who said that, "Mum will literally go to the
ends of the earth for anyone, I'm not sure
she even knows how much we appreciate
her."
Amanda moved with her husband Robert
and Ruth to Cloonfad nearly twenty years
ago, with Jack arriving five years later. Despite being
Jack's carer since his birth Amanda has managed to
remain very active in our community and has given
generously of her time over the years to a variety of local
events and organisations. This hasn't always been easy;
Jack was tube fed from birth and in recent years was on
dialysis at home five nights a week. Thankfully Jack
underwent a successful kidney transplant in August. We
wish Robert, Amanda, Ruth and Jack all the best in the
future.
Amanda Howard, finalist in the Woman’s Way / LIDL
Mum of the Year Awards 2013.
Pictured left: Amanda with her daughter Ruth.
In Memory of John F. Kennedy
November 22, 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Memorial Card submitted byJudith Finn Ronane.
53
L-R: Terry Fitzmaurice, Michael Kelly, Seamus Lee,
Brendan Kilduff
Taken in Lynch's Garage 1972.
Pat Fitzmaurice, Tonragee with his grandson Sean.
L-R: Michael Moore, Derrylea, Andy Rabbitte, Derrylea;
Bert Doyle, Derrylea; Tom Cleary, Johnstown;
Eamon Sullivan, Derrylea. Taken in Birmingham, 1968.
Granlahan
Confirmation
1958.
Front row
L-R:
Mary Murray
Birmingham,
Catherine
Murray
Back row:
John and
Julia Murray
54
John A. Moran, Lavallyroe, with his three sons,
Tony, Jack and P.J.
Lally's of Mount Delvin Annie, Joe,
Delia and Molly. Taken in the 1930's.
Front row L-R: Joe and Annie Lally, Francis Nestor.
Back row: Fr. Dooley, Annie Lally (nee Glynn), Sr. Eileen Lally,
Thomas Lally, Fr. Dooley. Taken in 1938.
Dunmore McHale's,
Galway Senior Football
Champions, 1912.
Front L-R: Jimmy Mannion,
Gerald Feeney (with ball),
Pat Healy.
Centre L-R:
Martin Reddington,
Tom Flaherty, Larry Rodgers,
Larry Howley, unknown,
Ned Patton,
Paddy Concannon.
Back L-R:
Senator Frank Hugh O'Donnell
(with bow tie), Paddy Mannion,
Pat Togher (behind
Mannion), Paddy Glennon,
Ned Kilkenny,
Tim Patton (behind Kilkenny),
Martin Rodgers,
Mick Halliday, Mick Farrell.
Front:
Kevin Moran
Back L-R:
Ann Moran,
Anastacia Moran,
John Austin Moran,
Tom Fox,
Bill Moran.
John P. Burke and
Brian Flatley,
circa 1961.
55
Christmas Recipes printed in ‘The Irish Press’ 1948
Mike McDonnell, Paddy Luby, Mary Cunniffe,
Pat Cunniffe, Mick Kelly, 1962
56
Bridget Keane, James McDonnell,
Mike McDonnell, Paddy Luby, 1962
Familiar brand names and items of General Grocery and Provisions shops of bygone years.
57
The Enchanted Bush
By John P. Burke
Years ago on the radio was a song called "The Fairy Tree"
sang by John McCormack or Mary O'Hara; unless John
Duggan plays it on Mid-West I don't think any of the
other D.J.s would know anything of it. The first verse
goes like this:
“All night around the thorn tree,
the little people play,
And men and women passing
will turn their heads away.
They’ll tell you dead men hung there,
its black and bitter fruit,
To guard the buried treasure round
which it twines its root.
They’ll tell you Cromwell hung them,
but that could never be,
He’d be in dread like others
to touch the Fairy Tree.”
Out the Williamstown road, some one and a half
kilometres from Cloonfad, there is or was one such tree,
known as the Enchanted Bush. Over two or three
hundred years people had a dread of it; some feared it
during the day, never mind at night. Certain individuals
would not pass it by during daylight hours unless they
had somebody to accompany them, others would
quicken their steps coming close to it or hum a tune or
maybe whistle. Have any of you heard the saying about
whistling past the graveyard, well the same thing applied
here.
In 1652, when Cromwell was in Connaught at the end of
the long siege of Galway, after which he went back to
England on his holidays, his army headed north for
Ballyhaunis, their intentions being to flatten the Friary
church. Cloonfad hill, however, proved to be a stumbling
block, the hill at that time being much higher than it is
now. To give you some idea of its elevation it would be
the same height as Ann Burke's is now. It proved to be
a sore point for the leader of the army. Even as late as
the sixteen hundreds people were not as big as they are
at the present time, the same applied to animals, so on
that account the horses were not able to haul the big
cannon guns up the hill.
So near and yet so far away was very vexing, so they
turned east for England which would be out the
Williamstown road. There would be quite a few
dwellings in that area and they proceeded to kill the
occupants and burn the houses, those dwelling there
being taken by surprise. That's why there is nobody with
a long history along that road.
58
On a bit farther they came across a funeral cortege on
its way to some burial ground led by a priest in disguise;
in disguise because there was a bounty of twenty
pounds on every priest's head at that time. The army
laid into them, killing all of them except for a few hardy
young fellows who were able to run away. Little did the
captain know that there was a windfall of twenty pounds
to be availed of. All the bodies were piled in a heap at
what became known as the Enchanted Bush. A futile
attempt was made to set fire to and burn them.
Cromwell's men could not treat the Irish badly enough,
even in death they did their best to mutilate them. Even
the ass and carriage that was carrying the corpse, they
took it with them.
In those times it was pretty difficult to gain entrance to
Heaven, you would have to have great credientials or
excellent CVs. It's not known how many of those
unfortunates went up above or down below because
they did not have any time to prepare for the journey,
but what is known is that a lot of them went to the place
in between, which would be Purgatory, because their
spirits stayed in that area for two or three hundred years.
Under the cover of darkness the spirits would get active
and under certain conditions they could be seen moving
around in that area as shadow figures, just hovering
above the ground, moving through the bush and one
another, murmuring and wailing in deadly torture. It was
a temporary relief from their other abode.
If they detected a human presence close by they would
disappear fairly fast, because they were just as afraid of
living people as the living were of them. If you wanted
to witness the phenomenon you would have to get there
before dark and hide and wait and hope your luck might
be in, but from what I heard a long time ago one sitting
was more than enough to witness the escapade,
because what you saw would never leave your mind.
But there was an answer to it all and that was prayer. At
every opportunity passers-by would stop and say a
prayer or two, better still if you knelt. People during the
day would visit and pray but not many of them would
venture on their own in case there was an apparition.
Over the course of time, as enough prayers were being
said, a soul would be released from Purgatory into
Heaven and that meant one less spirit at the bush. By
the turn of the twentieth century I think they had all but
disappeared and the fear began to die off.
Back in the forties and fifties the bush was much bigger
than it is now but over the years people began to cut
branches for stopgaps for fences, they were not afraid
anymore. Indeed I am just as guilty as anyone, as I used
have cows grazing in that area. Just inside the ground
belonged to Ted Byrne of Cloonarkin; I remember seeing
him ploughing with two horses for sowing oats and I also
saw him cut turf for the fire. The bush in question never
grew any bigger since that fateful day; it's alive and well
but grows no bigger.
In Newtown there was a lady named Nora Keane, who
had spent some time in England and America. She was
very nervous of the site, even in daylight. She would
hum a tune as she was passing and she would never pass
at night unless there was somebody with her. One
evening, it was November, she was coming visiting to our
house, it would be about dusk time. Coming from the
other direction was a playboy by the name of Jack
Gibbons, a neighbour of Nora's. He was digging potatoes
with somebody down the road and, on his way home,
he could hear Nora humming, rather loud. He decided
to play a trick on her so he got down on his haunches
under the bush and put his coat over his head. He had
a fork with him and he started beating the bank at the
side of the road with the fork and frightened the life out
of Nora.
I still remember her coming in to our house and she was
in such a state I actually thought she had seen an
apparition or some other phenomenon. She had to be
escorted home that night, not by just one peron, but by
a posse. Jack, being Jack, could not keep a secret but
told of his devilment, which Nora got wind of and she
told it in our house, referring to him as "that devil Jack
Gibbons". This version might seem a little bit irreverent
but after 361 years what's the point in being morbid?
separate houses. In Pat Folliard's, being the one near
the stream, some 200 years ago there was a corn mill.
It was not working in 1857 or it would have been
mentioned in Griffith's valuations. Some twenty years
ago a man and his wife called on me and asked me if I
could show them where Folliard's mill was. I pointed out
where the tail race was, that would be where the water
was dammed further upstream and was diverted down
the tail race to the mill and out the other side back to
the stream.
The man found a bit of a wall belonging to the mill which
I had never seen before and it's still there. I can imagine
why it ceased to work as bigger mills started up in the
area around that time and forced it out of business.
While I was at it I took them back and showed them the
bush and explained to them what happened all those
years ago. They were astonished with what I was telling
them and asked was it handed down in writing or just
word of mouth. I told them it was only ever spoken of
in hushed tones, something not to be said out loud.
"How did you find all this out this out?" they asked, to
which I replied that I was descended from one of the
ones that got away on that fateful day. "That's it then",
says he. "Agus sin sin", says I, to which he replied,
"Amen".
Some 200 metres on the Cloonfad side of the bush is a
rise on the road which used be called Pat Folliard's hill.
When I was young there were two Folliards, living in two
John Byrne and Amy McKeogh, Peterborough England
who were married on August 17th.
They are pictured with John's parents, John and Maggie,
his sister Delia and her husband Seamus Doyle and their
children Malachi and Seamus Junior.
Photo of Croagh Patrick taken by Martin Conway
(married to Sinéad Birmingham, Ballinross) on
Christmas morning 2010.
59
Margaret Maguire and Mary Staunton RIP
in Glennon's Pub
Taken at the Stations, 2010
Margaret Maguire, Michael Maguire RIP
(Right) Noreen Rattigan, Mount Delvin with her
grandchildren Adam, Leah and Conor Burke
L-R: Pat Fitzmaurice, Eileen Fitzmaurice, Peggy O'Connor, Seán O'Connor, Seán Fitzmaurice, Carol Fitzmaurice,
Alan Malone, Noreen Fitzmaurice, Bridie Fitzmaurice, Tom Fitzmaurice, Sheila Fitzmaurice,
Terry Fitzmaurice, Eileen Quinn, Charlie Quinn.
60
Mayo4Sam, Toronto, Canada!
Pictured right: Maireád Ronane, Ballykilleen
and Shane Conlon, Ballyhaunis, cheer on Mayo from Toronto
Michael Moore and grandson Donnacha bringing in
the bales at Carrowbeg, June 2013
L-R: Pat Mullen, Mr & Mrs Frank Gannon,
Paddy Cunniffe
Enjoying a boat trip in Sydney, Australia
L-R: Claire, Mary, Patrick, Jonathon and Leah Moore
Sheila Gallagher, Paddy Cunniffe, Eileen Newman,
Tony Mullin
61
Weddings
a
62
Weddings
b
Sheena Brennan, Newtown, Cloonfad and Dave
Foley, Charlestown, who were married on the 9th
August 2013 in St. Patrick’s Church Cloonfad.
John Byrne and Amy McKeogh, Peterborough
England were married at the church of St. Peter &
All Souls, Peterborough on August 17th.
John is the son of John Byrne formerly of Culkeen.
Brian Clarke, Mount Delvin and Martina Cottle,
London, married in St Patrick’s Church, Cloonfad,
16th August 2013, with reception in the
Galway Bay Hotel, Salthill.
Jessica Ruane, Moate and Adrian Jennings, Pollinalty,
who were married on the 13th July, 2013
in St. John’s Church, Logboy.
Weddings
b
Weddings
a
Thomas Fitzpatrick and Mairéad Keane who were
married in St. Mary's of the Rosary Church, Cong,
with reception in Lisloughrey Lodge, Cong,
on the 4th of April, 2013.
Liesel Ronan, Lisnagroobe, Granlahan and David Page,
Clooncundra, Castlerea who were married on the 23rd
August 2013 in St. Patrick's Church, Granlahan.
Maria Glennon, Cloonfad & Gerry Neenan, Ballyhaunis
who were married on the 27th December 2012
in St. Patrick's Church, Cloonfad.
Sharon Kearney, Cloonfad & Aidan Keadin, Kiltobar
who were married in St. Patrick's Church Cloonfad
on 4th August 2013.
63
Weddings
a
Weddings
Serena Gallagher, Claremorris and Colin Raftery,
Knock who were married in Claremorris Church
on 30th March 2012.
Colin Raftery is son of Patrick Raftery (Tonragee)
and Margaret Regan/Raftery (Strokestown).
Clare Doherty and Gerard Regan who were married on the
25th August 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Gerard is
the son of Tony and Margaret Regan, Gurrane and Clare is the
daughter of Rita, nee Morris, originally from Dunmore.
64
b
Kerry Walsh, Lavallyroe & Brendan Rudden,
Ballyhaunis who were married on the
18th October 2013 in St. Patrick's Church,
Cloonfad.
Leah McCormick, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and
Jonathan Moore, Carrowbeg, Ballyhaunis,
who were married on the 23rd February 2013,
St Stephen's Chapel, Brisbane.
Weddings
Grace McDonnell, Cloonfad and Declan Kelly,
Ballinlough who were married on the 26th October
2012 in St. Patrick's Church, Cloonfad with the
reception in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Athlone.
b
Weddings
a
Denise Costello, Lavallyroe and Colin Glavey,
Aghamore who were married on the 4th May 2013
in St. Patrick's Church,
Cloonfad.
!
s
n
o
i
t
a
l
u
t
a
r
g
n
o
C
Irene Tierney, Pollaphuca & Patrick Glynn, Sixmilebridge
who were married on the 25th November 2012.
65
Organisations
Kiltullagh Branch of the Roscommon Association
Supporting People with Special Needs
By Eileen Brennan
Kiltullagh Branch thank the people of Ballinlough,
Cloonfad and Granlahan for their continued support to
our Branch. The 2012 Church gate collection raised
€1,609.50. Collection bottles and boxes located in
premises through the parish raised €909.00. Sincere
thanks to the business people that allow us to have
these boxes in their premises.
Our 300 Club monthly draw is our main source of income
and raised €5,103.00. Our thanks to all that participate
in the draw and thanks to our collectors. New members
are always welcome to join. It cost €24 per annum to be
included for 12 monthly draws. Current collectors in
Cloonfad are Bridie Lynch, Ann Burke (Hillview), Teresa
Birmingham and Eileen Brennan. Thanks to Breda
Fleming who collected for years and has retired from the
branch.
The 2013 ‘Sponsored Fast’ raised €2,290.10.
Unfortunately the Cloonfad Gathering event clashed
with our fast this year and hence no collection was taken
up in Cloonfad. However Cloonfad has never been
wanting in its support for people with special needs and
we look forward to future fundraisers. Granlahan Fair
Committee over the past few years have been very
generous with donations to us and €200 was donated
from the 2012 fair. We sincerely thank them for
their continued support.
In the past year we shared three lovely social occasions
with our friends in the Roscara Training Centre,
Castlerea. We joined with parishioners in November in
a special mass to celebrate Gerald Stanley's (R.I.P.) huge
contribution to Special Needs in the County and to our
Branch. Fr. Joe Feeney celebrated the mass and
afterwards refreshments were served in the ‘Time Out’
café. Our Christmas party was held in the Stone House
and our Summer party was held in the White House. We
always look forward to socialising and dancing with our
friends.
For the first time ever we had a promotional stand at the
Enterprise Kiltullagh Community information event. We
thank the committee for inviting us to take part. Thanks
to Sean Brennan for transporting and setting up the
stand.
Eileen Brennan had some very impressive facts, figures
and photographs on display. The staggering sum of
€429,062.02 has been collected in the Parish of Kiltullagh
since 1983. Our monthly meetings rotate throughout the
parish and new members are always welcome.
Branch Officers:
Chairperson: Teresa Hebron
Secretary: Mary Caulfield
Treasurers: Eileen Brennan & Margaret McGuire
Cloonfad Cemetery Committee
By Sean Brennan
We would like to thank all the station areas that helped to maintain our cemetery during the past year. Thank you
to all the volunteers that had the cemetery in pristine condition for the ‘Gathering Mass’ and thanks also to the ‘TUS’
workers for their help.
We appeal to people not to dispose of waste from graves around the perimeter walls and to refrain from taking dogs
into the cemetery.
We urge all visitors to be vigilant in locking their cars when visiting the cemetery. Unfortunately people attending
the cemetery have been targeted in the past year.
This year we got a grant of €100 from Roscommon County Council for the annual upkeep of the cemetery. We thank
the church for donating 50% of the Gathering Mass collection amounting to €466.
We are always looking for ideas on how we can improve our cemetery and would welcome suggestions which can
be given to any committee member.
Officers:
Chairman: Michael Brennan. Secretary: Sean Brennan. Treasurers: Liam Corless and Sean Brennan.
66
By Michael Brennan
The Cloonfad Development Association/Tidy Towns has
continued to work over the past year for the betterment
of our community and its surrounding areas. We
continue to have monthly meetings to discuss our plans
and liaise to the TUS workers what work we need to get
completed. We had a “Spring Clean Day” back in April
which is now an annual event allocated to gather all the
rubbish in the village and surrounding areas. We want
to thank all the people who came out on the day to help
in the clean-up.
This year was a very special year in that we celebrated
the Gathering in Cloonfad the weekend of May 31st to
June 2nd. With the help of the TUS Scheme employees
we made a special effort to have our village upgraded to
a very high standard. We planted flowers and shrubbery
in all the flower beds in the car park. The Community
Centre was painted and upgraded as this is where the
Gathering was hosted. A great effort was made by the
local residents to have their property painted.
We applied for a grant to Roscommon County Council
earlier in the year for planting flowers and shrubs in the
village and we have been granted €500 to be paid out
later in the year. This money helps with the day to day
expenses of keeping the village at a high standard.
We have now applied for funding for the development
of the River Bank within the village. This is a very big
challenge and will need a lot of funding with the help of
a grant if we are to proceed.
This year we achieved a score of 225 points in the Tidy
Towns Competition which is a big improvement from
2012 where we scored 219 points. The judging was
carried out on week commencing June 3rd. Many thanks
to all the people who made a special effort in helping to
achieve this rating.
We would like to acknowledge the help we receive from
Roscommon County Council and also our local public
representative Michael McGreal each year in getting the
work complete.
We encourage more people to get involved in lending a
hand to keep Cloonfad a very vibrant village and a place
where many of our exiles will want to come back to each
year to enjoy their holiday and spend time with their
families
Let’s all look forward to 2014 in a very positive way with
the motto yes we can achieve our goals with the right
frame of mind.
Michael Brennan, Chairman
Josie Costelloe, Michael Brennan- Joint Treasurers
Geraldine Finnegan - Secretary
Michael Kirrane – PRO
Committee Members: Marian Cunniffe, Sean Corcoran,
Pat Kearney.
Mary Immaculate Prayer Group
By Ann Keadin
The prayer group meet faithfully each Thursday night in
the presbytery. It will soon be ongoing fourteen years.
It lasts two hours and is the highlight of our week.
The altar is prepared with statues, candles
and flowers to give a centred, prayerful
atmosphere. We then say the rosary and
have several readings, followed by a
recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet
and Chaplet to the Holy Souls. Songs and
hymns of praise are sung followed by a
time of thanksgiving and praise.
Just before our final hymns we pray for all
who have asked for our prayers and also for
personal intentions. We pray for each other during
the following week. It is a most rewarding and fulfilling
two hours. We figure that if there are 168 hours in our
week it is only right and just to give two of those to the
Lord.
Each year the prayer group organise a grace filled
pilgrimage to Medugorje, where heaven and earth meet
daily. It is a very popular event and numbers are
growing each year. As we approach Christmas
2013 I would like to end with an Irish
blessing for all readers:
May you always have walls
for the winds,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire.
Christmas blessings to all and every good wish for the
New Year.
67
Organisations
Cloonfad Development Association
Organisations
graduation
Catherine Griffin, Cloonfad, who
graduated from the University of South
Wales, Newport with Honours in
Performing Arts in September 2013.
Don't forget to enjoy
our wonderful
Scenic Walks!
Cloonfad ForOige Club
By Saskia Kirrane
We started off this Foróige year by organising our first
fundraiser, our Christmas market, which we held early in
December. We sold cakes, handmade gifts and Christmas
logs. It was a successful fundraiser.
Halfway through the year we held a wakeathon. We
each brought a friend and had a great night! And
everyone managed to stay awake all night!
Towards the end of the year we had a car boot sale
which was a successful day. We had a great day and it
was lovely to see all the community together.
During the year we attended Ballyhaunis Foróige disco
and Granlahan Foróige disco. Both nights were brilliant
and we really enjoyed ourselves.
Because we had held a number of fundraisers during the
year we decided we would like to give something back
to the community. We decided to take part in a
"Darkness into Light" charity walk in Westport. It was in
aid of Pieta House. It was a 5km walk and it started at
4am!! It was an early start but it was really nice to give
something back.
68
On May 25th we attended Hype Youth Festival in
Longford. It was one of the best days of the year! Over
1,000 Foróige members from all over Ireland attended
the festival. There were many Irish bands playing at the
festival including The Original Rudeboys. There were
many different activities at the festival - rock climbing,
zorbing, bouncing castles and many other things. It was
an amazing day and we got to meet so many other
Foróige members.
Finally, we ended the year with an overnight trip to
Achill. We had an amazing time! We had a go at archery,
cliff jumping and surfing. We had a brilliant time and the
instructors were really nice.
We had an amazing year and we had so much fun. We
would like to thank all our leaders who helped us during
the year. Also a huge thank you to everyone in the
community who has supported us at all our fundraisers
throughout the year. We look forward to another
successful year next year!
Organisations
Christmas Fair organised by Foroige
69
Out and About
Dermot Burke approaching the finish line of the 2013
London Marathon in 3hrs 28mins 43secs.
Darragh McDonnell outside Quinn's Pub, Salou
Dermot would like to take this opportunity to thank all
those who sponsored him for People with Disabilities in
Sport in Co. Roscommon. Amount raised: €1,008.
Ready for work! Fintan Rattigan, Logboy
70
Phil Burke with one of the inmates of Barcelona
Cathedral
Sport
Cloonfad United Season Review 2012-13
By Dermot Burke
The season gone by provided plenty of thrills
and spills, ups and downs, elation
and disappointment for our
players and supporters. We
captured three trophies at
schoolboy level but despite
our senior side having their
best
Premier
Division
campaign in years they
would regret a missed
opportunity in the Roscommon
Cup.
One of the club's most capped players, P.J. Moran, was
installed as manager for the first team's season in the
top Division. Despite losing our first two games to
Skyvalley Rovers and Ballinasloe Town we won six out of
our next seven league games. Goals from David
Keaveney, Ger Fagan and Shane O'Malley gave us our
first victory against Moore Utd. Another two goals from
Keaveney, one in injury time, and one from Darren
O'Malley saw us overcome Glen Celtic 3-2. Despite
being reduced to nine players early in the second half
we held on to draw 1-1 with Roscommon AFC. A 3-2
victory over Ballaghadereen was followed by a defeat to
Skyvalley Rovers. Another two victories versus Moore
and Ballymoe meant going into the New Year we could
look at a high end-of-season finish. A draw away to
Castlerea was followed by a 3-0 defeat in Shiven. We got
back on the winning track with a 3-1 win away to
Roscommon, thanks to goals from Sean McGuire, Shane
O'Malley and Ger Fagan. Strikes from Darren O'Malley
and David Keaveney saw us record a home victory over
Glen Celtic in our next outing. Any faint hopes of a
League title were crushed by the mighty Ballinasloe
Town who swept us aside in a 5-0 win. However, we
finished out our League campaign with two draws and a
defeat to secure our highest Premier Division finish in
nine years in third place.
The cup competitions unfortunately did not go our way.
We drew the short straw when we faced Ballinasloe
Town in the first round of the FAI Junior Cup and were
comprehensively beaten. In the Connaught Junior Cup
we were drawn at home to Ballymoe and in a game we
dominated from start to finish we ended up on the
wrong side of a 2-0 scoreline. The performance of the
Ballymoe goalkeeper that day was one of the finest ever
seen at our grounds. Ballaghadereen knocked us out at
the first hurdle of the League Cup on a 1-0 scoreline. A
St. Patrick's Day victory over Kilkerrin Utd. saw us
advance to the quater-finals of the Roscommon Cup.
Darren O'Malley and Ryan Merchant(2) were on target
for a 3-0 scoreline. In the quarter-final away to
Shiven Rovers we were 3-1 up with just twelve
minutes remaining but somehow managed to lose
out by 4 goals to 3. The players and supporters
were crestfallen afterwards and this one went down
as an opportunity missed. However, everyone
connected with the team could be proud of their efforts
over the season.
The "B" team under the stewardship of David Foley and
Ger Fagan Snr finished a very respectable fifth place in
the Second Division. They defeated some clubs' first
choice elevens along the way. The highlight was coming
from two goals down to defeat rivals Dunmore Town 32. The team was in the running for the League title most
of the season but faded away near the end of the
campaign.
The club had a fine season at schoolboy level winning
three trophies. We entered teams at u-8, u-10, u-12 and
u-14 level. Managers John Heneghan and Ronan
Gannon were in charge of our u-8 side and both teams
had the distinction of making their respective finals. The
Europa League side went through their group unbeaten.
They defeated Shiven Rovers in the semi-final and were
crowned champions by defeating CP Ajax 3-2 in the final
courtesy of a Niall Heneghan hat-trick. The Champion's
League team also reached their final. They overcame St.
John's Athletic in a tight semi-final but were unlucky to
lose out to CP Ajax in a penalty shootout in the final.
Many of the players at this grade were experiencing
organised football for the first time so we hope to see
them in the blue and yellow for many years to come.
The u-10 teams got plenty of football with league, cup
and shield competitions organised for them by the
Roscommon Schoolboy League. The Champion's League
team made their semi-final after defeating Dysart in the
previous round. Both sides made their respective Shield
semi-finals but their season came to a halt at that point.
Thanks to Stephen Costello and Ger Fagan Snr for
coaching the teams.
People wonder why u-8 and u-10 competitions are
played as competitive games which is a good point.
However, the Roscommon Schoolboy League did start
the younger age groups off as non-competitive games
but clubs were missing games and not turning up and it
was the players who were missing out.
The u-12's had a great season winning both the Shield
and Division 2 Cup. John Conneely, John Burke and Daryl
Conneely were at the helm. In the Shield semi-final they
defeated a very strong Glen Celtic side thanks to goals
from Ethan McGinley and Darragh Heneghan. Two more
strikes from Heneghan saw them overcome Dunmore
71
Sport
Town in the final. Darragh Heneghan was again the hero
when his hat-trick secured the Division 2 Cup title in a 30 victory over Dysart.
The u-14's had only eleven players registered and had to
rely on u-12 players to make up the numbers on some
match days. Hard working coaches Noel Heneghan and
Pauric Miskell deserve great credit in fulfilling all the
games over the season and indeed were a bit unlucky
not to make a Division 1 Cup final. Standout players for
the side were Kevin Neenan, Cathal Heneghan and Ryan
McLoughlin.
Thanks to all the parents for their efforts and for bringing
their cars to away games. It is much appreciated.
Many people have commented on the wonderful playing
surface of our pitch. This is down to our groundsman
P.J. Fleming who does a fantastic job.
Well done to all of our players who have represented the
Roscommon League over the past year. Darragh
Heneghan and Patrick Keadin at u-12 level, Conor Flynn
at u-13, Cathal Heneghan performed well at the hugely
prestigious Kennedy Cup in Limerick in June, Ger Fagan
at Senior level and also Declan Costello, David
Birmingham and Liam Quinn at Masters level.
Thanks to our sponsors, the Three Counties pub, Cutting
Edge Tiles, Eddie Roynane BMW Care, Seamus Fleming
Stop Cabs and Ladbrokes. Thanks to all who support our
fundraising activities and to all those who sell tickets.
Thanks to all our players, some who drive long distances
at weekends to represent the club, and a massive well
done to our wonderful committee.
President: Nessan Burke
Chairman: David Mullarkey
Secretary: Dermot Burke
Treasurer: Stephen Costello
P.R.O.: Deirdre Conneely
Player Liaision Officer: Declan Costello
Committee: Noel Heneghan, P.J. Moran, Dominic
Flately, John Burke, Michael Gannon, David Foley, John
Conneely, Ronan Gannon, Darragh McDonnell and
Pauric Miskell.
Joe Jacob, The Three Counties Pub, presents a set of
Jerseys to Cloonfad United's First Team.
Pictured: P.J Moran, Joe Jacob and Nigel Prendergast
Roscommon and District League Under 12 Roscommon Cup and 2nd Division Cup Champions.
Back Row (L-R) John Conneely(Manager), Patrick Mannion, Ethan McGinley, Daniel Coyne, Darran Raftery,
Patrick Keadin, Diarmid Phillips, Cillian Costello, Declan McDonagh, John Burke (Manager),
Daryl Conneely (Manager).
Front Row (L-R): Darragh Heneghan (Captain), Conor Kinarney, Adam Burke, Dean Lyons, Ronan Swannick,
Jack Harrington, Liam Haldane, Ethan Conneely.
72
Sport
Alan Kinnarney, Cutting Edge Tiles, Loughrea, presents a set of jerseys
To Cloonfad United youth teams.
Back L-R: David Mullarkey (Chairman), Alan Kinnarney and John Conneely
Middle: P.J Donnellan, Conor Kinnarney and Patrick Keadin
Front: Ben Regan and Conor Ruane.
The U-8 Cloonfad United Team who won the Europa League.
Back L-R: Coaches Ronan Gannon and John Heneghan
Middle: Colm Eglington, Nathan Gannon, Jack Brennan, Phillip Donnellan, Niall Heneghan and Diego Gundin
Front: Sean Donnellan, Daithi Gannon, Micheál Fleming and Luke Byrne
73
Sport
Micheál Glavey’s GAA Report 2013
By Brendan Cregg
2013 has been another busy year for Micheal
Glavey's club. The club continues to provide
wonderful sporting opportunities for players,
male and female, young and old, throughout
our parish. Over the past year the club has
fielded 9 male teams: under 8, under 10, under
12, under 14, under 16, minor, under 21, junior
and intermediate and 5 female teams: under 12, under
14, under 16, minor and junior. In total approximately
170 male and 100 female players have worn the green,
black and amber of our club regularly over the past year.
No other organisation, sporting or otherwise, can
remotely match this wonderful commitment as can be
attested by the enjoyment experienced by those two
hundred and seventy or so players. In addition many of
those players have gone on to represent Roscommon on
the playing field during the year has indeed a number of
our club members at county coaching and officialdom
level.
Social and cultural activity plays an important part in any
vibrant G.A.A.club and Micheal Glavey's is no exception
in this regard. The annual dinner dance is a wonderful
occasion attended by up to two hundred people and a
wonderful night was had again this year in the
McWilliam Park hotel, Claremorris. The highlight of the
night was the presentation of county medals to our
victorious under 21 county champions by our guest of
honour, Paul Earley. Presentations were made to
Clubman of the Year, Joe Garvey, Hall of Fame, Sean
Healy, Ladies Player of the Year, Sharon Conneely, Senior
player, Shane O'Malley and Under 21 player, Stephen
Comer.
There were many highlights during a busy and
productive 2013. One of these was to see two former
Micheal Glavey's players receive national recognition for
their achievements in managing high profile teams.
Firstly Paul Coggins, who managed London so
successfully this year in the Connacht and All Ireland
Championship. Paul distinguished himself as an astute
and competent coach and the brave performances of his
team reflected in many ways his own honest,
hardworking and knowledgeable personality. Beyond
that his interviews on TV and radio, reflected a modesty
and down to earth nature which was refreshing. Paul
brought honour to his club, the people of Granlahan and
Kiltullagh and the players and supporters of London
during 2013 and may he continue to do so in the future.
74
The stewardship of the Irish compromise rules
panel was awarded this year to our own Paul
Earley. It was a fitting honour for a man who has
distinguished himself in the colours of Micheal
Glavey's and Roscommon. It was fitting too in a
year that saw the passing of his mother Kitty
and the recent passing of his iconic brother
Dermot, that this great honour should pass to the Earley
name. Paul oversaw this task with his usual competence,
fairness and desire to be successful. The display of his
panel in winning both test matches in style conveyed
Paul's attention to detail, his careful preparation and his
pride in representing his country with honour. Well done
Paul and we look forward to meeting you at the launch
of our five year plan on December 6th in Cloonfad
community centre.
Much work over last year's winter months went into the
formulation of the club's five year plan. Each G.A.A club
is requested now to present a plan for the future and our
work in doing so began with an open forum in Granlahan
community centre last November. A number of new
committees were formed and each of these came up
with ideas and proposals which were incorporated into
a detailed plan which was put together by our own Kurt
Rheinhardt and Darren Keadin. The result is a wonderful
document which will form the template for the future
and will be launched in Cloonfad community centre on
December 6th.
Fundraising plays a hugely important part in the
functioning of any organisation and Micheal Glavey's is
no different. The lotto and the annual lotto is the club's
bread and butter and provides the necessary finance to
Former Micheal Glavey player Paul Coggins, (manager
London), celebrates their win over Leitrim in the
Connacht Championship semi-final, June 2013.
Sport
Micheál Glavey’s Junior A panel 2013.
provide registration and insurance for our players and
teams. Other activities are essential to provide the
necessary requisites for teams e.g. footballs and jerseys,
and this year we came up with the novel idea of
organizing a 5k/10k run in the scenic walk area of
Cloonfad. While the event was reasonably successful, it
is hoped to make it an annual event and build on it in
future years.
However the real business of a football club is on the
football field and we must congratulate all the players
and mentors who represented our club and parish so
proudly over the year. The boys under 6s and under 8s
had an excellent year winning many games and blitzes
under the guidance of John Joe Fleming and Micheal
Sweeney to name but two, as indeed had the under 10s
managed by James Heneghan and Micheal Kelly. The
under 12s had an exciting year culminating with a trip to
Croke Park where they became the first ever Glavey's
team to actually play on the field of dreams. The under
14s reached a final and were unlucky to meet very strong
opposition. They were managed by Tommy MacDermott
and Pauric Beirne. The under 16s had a long campaign
and were managed by Fergal Coyle, John Burke and Liam
Browne. The minors under the tutelage of Pat Morris
reached the county final where they lost to a strong St.
Dominic's team. Our county under 21 champions have
just began their defense of their title and we wish them
the best of luck. Our junior B’s are through to a final as
we speak but our junior A’s disappointingly lost the
county final again this year.
The ladies continue to represent the club with distinction
and this year was no exception. The under 12s had a
busy year including a successful Gaelic for girls event in
Croke park organized by Marie Mulhall and David
Kirrane. The under 14s managed and trained by Francie
Keane, Marie Mulhall, Joanne Cregg and Helena
Cummins reached a final and were narrowly defeated.
The under 16s managed by those those two wonderful
ladies, Margaret Fox and Kerry McNulty, had an
enjoyable and busy year and the minor girls managed by
Brendan Cregg, Francie Keane, Pat Heneghan and
Patricia Browne are unbeaten in the championship and
have qualifed for the county final. The junior girls under
the same managment as the minor team, had a
reasonably good year with a good league campaign and
reaching the county championship semi final.
The zenith of any players career is to represent their
county and at the moment we are fortunate to have two
established county players from our club playing county
football, Joanne Cregg and Darren O'Malley, and we wish
them well in the year ahead. At underage level congratulations to Conor Hussey, Shane O'Malley and John
Finan who are currently on the under 21 county panel
and Courtney Mulhall, Niamh Fleming and Shauna
Fleming who played at under 16 and under 14 level for
Roscommon girls during the year.
75
Sport
Micheál Glavey’s U-12’s pictured in Croke Park.
Micheál Glavey’s Minor Panel 2013
76
Sport
Gaelic4Girls is a programme incorporating coaching
sessions with fun non-competitive blitzes aimed at
increasing participation in Ladies Gaelic Football.
It’s a 12 week programme, which Glaveys were the
only Club in Roscommon that were selected to run.
77
78
Sport
Sport
79
Schools
Granlahan Win in a Thriller!
Granlahan N.S. overcame the challenge of Grange N.S.
to win the much coveted Allianz Cumann na mBunscol
7-a-side two teacher schools final on Wednesday, June
12th. Both teams reached the finals having played in the
group stages of the competition, then progressing to the
quarter finals and semi-finals, before facing each other
in the splendid grounds of St. Faithleach’s G.A.A. Club in
Ballyleague.
Grange raced into an early and commanding lead as a
result of excellent work by the midfield pairing of Aaron
Casserly and Shane O’Neill and some direct approach
work by the talented Tiernan Henry who got two early
goals. Granlahan made good use of limited possession
and responded with a goal and three points from the
attack minded Conor Flynn. Both teams put in a
tremendous effort throughout the first half and Grange
cheered on by a vociferous and large support, continued
to press on, scoring two further goals and at one stage
led by 9 points. Daragh McTiernan in goal thwarted
several efforts by Darragh Flynn and Cáit Phillips, the
Granlahan forwards, and at half time his team were in a
commanding six point lead, Granlahan 1:06 Grange 4:03.
In the second half Granlahan went about their business
in a most intelligent and astute fashion. Jack Harrington
at the back played with real intent and skill and his team
mate Jack Sullivan used his speed to good effect in
curbing the threat of the Grange forward line especially
Thomas McGrath. Diarmuid Phillips at midfield worked
tirelessly, often relieving his two defenders, whilst also
pushing forward and took some lovely long-range points.
The Grange defenders Niamh McGrath and Reece
Shanley Tighe tried their utmost to repel the inventive
Granlahan lads but good positional play and some clever
passing movements led to openings and both Conor
Flynn and Diarmuid Phillips made several profitable
attacks yielding scores and closing the gap on the score
board.
Grange replied with another goal from the reliable Shane
O’Neill but by that stage Granlahan had the bit between
their teeth and could sense an upset was on the cards.
Noel Ward was in inspirational form in goals and rallied
his troops with some great saves. The outfield players,
cheered on by a huge Granlahan support on the sideline,
worked the ball into the scoring zone and with minutes
left on the clock took the lead. To their credit Grange
did not give up and made several sallies up field but to
no avail. When the final whistle sounded Granlahan
were ahead on a score line of: Granlahan 4:11, Grange
5:06, a two point margin.
Grange were well served by Reece Shanley-Tighe in
defence, both Aaron Casserly and Shane O’Neill in
midfield and the skilful Tiernan Henry in attack and were
understandably heartbroken to have lost such a close
and exciting game. The Granlahan supporters poured
onto the pitch to congratulate the victors and amid
unbelievable scenes of joy made their way to the presentation area where Granlahan captain, Conor Flynn, was
presented with the Allianz Cumann na mBunscol trophy
by Stuart Feeley, Chairman of Cumann na mBunscol. He
commended the referee Mr. Fahy on the fair way he
Back Row L – R
Aaron Keaveney,
Ursula Brady,
Lauren Osgood
Daly,
Róisín Ruane,
Cáit Phillips,
Conor Flynn,
Noel Ward,
Diarmuid Phillips,
Thomas Coffey.
Front Row L – R
Matthew Lynch,
Merlin Pearson,
Ethan Conneely,
Jack Harrington,
Darragh Flynn,
Jack Sulllivan.
80
Schools
refereed the game and the St. Faithfleach’s club for use
of their grounds. He paid tribute to both teams for the
skilful way they played and for the intense, exciting
game, which kept the supporters on the edge of their
seats until the very end. He added that they were a
credit to their parishes and to their schools.
A long and noisy cavalcade of cars made the journey
Granlahan Soccer
Champions!
Well done to the Granlahan soccer team who won the
Roscommon Schoolboys 2–teacher 7 a side competition
in Donamon. Earlier in the competition they had wins over
Kilmurray N. S., Tibohine N. S. Castlesampson N. S. and
Kilteevan N. S. in a very exciting game.
westwards to Granlahan. As they neared home groups
of well wishers, some waving flags and banners, greeted
their approach. Bonfires blazed at Lowberry Cross and
along the route and large crowds cheered the players
when they arrived back at their school. This was
Granlahan’s fourth year in a row to win the County title,
but such was the performance of the team and the
manner in which they played and won that the 2013
success will live long in the memory of these young
footballers.
Granlahan N.S.
1st Holy Communion
Granlahan Soccer Team
Back Row L – R: Noel Ward, Conor Flynn,
Diarmuid Phillips, Thomas Coffey, Jack Harrington,
Jack Sullivan, Matthew Lynch.
Front Row L – R: Aaron Keaveney, Darragh Flynn,
Ethan Conneely, Merlin Pearson.
Children from Granlahan National School who received
their First Holy Communion this year. The picture
includes Fr. Joseph Feeney with from left Luke Ruane,
Conor Ruane and Derek Sweeney.
81
Schools
Gallagher Cup Day in Granlahan
The sixth Corporal Patrick Gallagher Memorial Cup Day
took place in Granlahan N.S. on Friday June 7th in
glorious sunshine. The annual competition featured 5
teams: Roscommon, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo and Galway
and after initial group games the knock out stages
concluded with a wonderful final between Galway
captained by Thomas Coffey and Mayo captained by
Ursula Brady, with Galway winning by a narrow margin.
The cup was donated to the school in 2008 to
commemorate the 40th anniversary of the death of
Patrick Gallagher, Derrintogher. Patrick attended primary
school in Granlahan and later emigrated to America.
There he joined the U.S. army and was posted to
Vietnam. Tragically he lost his life in the Vietnam war in
1967 whilst heroically saving the lives of his comrades.
The Gallagher Cup Day, generously sponsored by his
family, serves to keep his memory alive and is one of the
high points of the school year in Granlahan school.
This year the late Corporal’s sister Teresa, assisted by
Amy, Lauren and Patrick Gallagher Junior, presented the
cup and medals to the children. After the formalities and
tributes concluded there followed a short concert of
music, song and poetry which was thoroughly enjoyed
by the large gathering.
The celebrations concluded with teas and refreshments
in the school grounds. The blue skies and fine weather
added to the atmosphere and the large crowd
thoroughly enjoyed this annual end of year celebration.
Granlahan School Meet Ryan Tubridy
The 6th class children from Granlahan
N.S. were in Ballinalsoe last June at the
Connacht Finals at the Easons/2fm
Spelling Bee.
Conor Flynn was
representing Roscommon in the
provincial decider and the competition
was broadcast live on the Ryan Tubridy
show on 2fm between 9 and 11 a.m.
Back Row L – R Grace O’Gara, Niamh
Ward, Noel Ward, Caít Phillips, Ryan
Tubridy, Conor Flynn.
Front Row L – R Thomas Coffey, Lauren
Osgood-Daly, Darragh Flynn, Roisín
Ruane, Ursula Brady.
82
Schools
PAT & MARY KENNY
ART COMPETITION!
THE
R
U
L
E
S
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Competition open to all under 13 years on 1st March 2014.
Reproduce the picture above by drawing, tracing or photocopying.
Colour, using one of the following: paints, crayons, colouring pencils, markers.
Picture must be on either A3 or A4 paper size.
Put name and age on a separate sheet and aach.
All entries must reach the Editor, Noreen Finnegan, on or before March 1st, 2014.
Judge’s decision will be final.
Results will be published in the Parish Newsleer and all winners will be notified.
Cash Prizes: First €25, Second €15, Third €10.
For many years Mary Kenny sponsored this competition in honour of her husband Pat, whom we all fondly
remember as a great artist. Sadly Mary passed away in 2012. May she and Pat rest in peace.
Last Year's Colouring Competition RESULTS: l First prize: Lauren Cullen, Ballygunnertemple
l Second prize: David Cullen, Ballygunnertemple l Third prize: Hannah Burke, Pollaphuca.
83
Schools
Cloonfad N.S.
Poetry and Jokes by 1st and 2nd Class Pupils
Poem
My Winter
Pirate Acrostic
P is for pirate, gr
eedy for treasu
re,
I is for island, he
found it with plea
sure.
R is for rowing,
a boat round an
d
round,
A is for anchor
that weighed th
e
ship down.
T is for treasure
in silver and gold
E is for eyepatch
, that makes the pi
rate look old
S is for stories
still to be told.
man
By Ava Cole
ome
inter has c
e numb
Another w
will be pur
t
e
e
f
d
n
a
Our hands
of snow
With loads
re to go
And nowhe
umb.
es sound d
o
d
y
ll
a
e
r
It
of the fun
But….think
Foxes
uld have
That we co
l
By Mia Ronane
as no schoo
If there w
imals.
o play
Foxes are nocturnal an
We’d get t
d vixens.
ll day
Female foxes are calle
Stay out a
l?
o
o
c
e
b
t
d cubs.
n’t tha
Young foxes are calle
Now would
d woods.
They hunt in fields an
t night
a
d
e
b
in
…
So
dog.
p tight
A male fox is called a
e tucked u
w
o
n
k
ld
When you’r
u
ho
rground home
igh A fox lives in an unde
thing you s
e
h
m
p
o
u
s
s
d
’s
n
e
a
r
The
ld your h
called a den or earth.
the sky, ho
!
!!
W
O
Look up at
SN
a brush.
y, pray for
A fox’s tale is called
a
r
p
,
y
a
r
p
And
sense of hearing
A fox has a very good
and smelling.
e to day time.
Foxes prefer night tim
the dog,
e three types of fox,
ar
e
er
Th
s
s
la
C
the arctic fox.
Pastimes in our
the dessert fox and
d a Madra Rua.
.
A fox in Irish is calle
ople play soccer
12 pe
aelic football
20 people play G
h dancing
3 people do Iris
Hop Dancing
9 people do Hip
gby
6 people play ru
lf
2 people play go
My Cat
etball
sk
ba
ay
pl
le
op
9 pe
By Ava Walsh
choir
e
th
in
ng
si
le
5 peop
I have a cat
ming
14 people go swim
rse riding He is very fat.
1 person goes ho
He sits on a mat
nnis.
.
2 people play te
He can’t even ca
g
in
tc
h
20 people go cycl
a rat.
ll.
ndba
4 people play ha
He is that fat.
xing
bo
es
go
on
rs
pe
1
rate
4 people go to ka
arting
2 people go go-c
84
Santa is on the Way
By Rebecca Mulligan
It is Christmas eve and the toys are made.
Santa is ready to go.
The sack is full, not even dull.
Santa is coming tonight.
Mrs. Clause is there
with a lot of gray hair
Waving goodbye when up in the sky
Their santa is coming tonight.
The elves wear green so they can be seen
When Santa’s on the way home.
Santa has been for another year long
And that’s the end of my little song!
My Parents
By Meadhbh Hanley
Submitted by M
Winter is cold,
There’s snow on the ground.
Little robin redbreast
Sees no one around.
He can’t find the geese
Down by the gate.
It just got too cold,
So they had to migrate.
Hedgehog is too.
Mayo for Sam
By Shauna Jennings
2 sleeps then we go
70 mintues, then we will know.
If we stand tall, man to man
Surely then, we will have Sam.
62 years is too long a wait
For this year’s team
Who we all think is great.
Can you make our weekend
And we can all celebrate.
ichael Burke
My parents
are driving m
e crazy.
They are dri
ving me utte
rl
y mad.
I’m mental b
ecause of m
y Mother.
I’m losing it
thanks to Da
d.
My Dad tells
me, “Go do y
our homework
And Mum’s y
!”
elling, “Vacu
u
m
the floors!”
Then Dad ye
lls, “Turn of
f the TV now
And Mum sh
!”
outs, “Finish
your chores!
”
With all the
ir shouting a
nd yelling,
My brain is b
eginning to h
urt.
My Mum sho
uts, “Clean u
p the kitche
My Dad’s sh
n!”
outing, “Tuc
k in your shir
t!”
I feel like I
’m losing my
marbles.
If I go bana
nas today,
Then please
give this note
to my paren
When the fu
ts,
nny farm tak
e me AWAY
!
Old bear sleeping,
They’re all hibernating,
The whole winter through.
Cold-blooded animals,
Fish, frog and snake,
Keep nice and warm at the
bottom of the lake.
Red robin spots squirrel,
And rabbit and deer,
All looking for food
At this time of year.
So if during winter,
You happen to see
Little robin redbreast,
Perched on a tree.
Give him some birdseed
A bread crumb or two.
He’ll be glad of some food
From a friend just like you!
Schools
Winter
Cakes
By Ava Walsh
e
I have to bak
’s a cake.
If you ask it
made
It has to be
e.
out of a flak
of a snake.
In the shape
Jokes
Submitted by Mea
dhbh Hanley
What sweet do
sheep like best?
Chocolate Baaaa
rs!
Knock Knock!
Who’s there?
Justin.
Justin who?
Justin time to le
t me in!
Jokes
Q: What runs
?
but never walks
A: Water.
Q: Why was the
broom late?
t!
A: It over-swep
best
Q: What is the
beach?
day to go to the
urse!
A: Sunday of co
birdie
Q: Why did the
al?
go to the hospit
t-ment!
A: To get a twee
85
Births, Deaths & Marriages
Births
Deaths
Marriages
Please note : Dates are from October 2012 to October 2013
All Information comes from Parish Records.
WEDDINGS
October 2012 – October 2013
Transcribed by Anne Regan
25th November 2012
27th December 2012
4th April 2013
4th May 2013
13th July 2013
4th August 2013
9th August 2013
16th August 2013
18th October 2013
Irene Tierney, Pollaphuca & Patrick Glynn, Sixmilebridge
Maria Glennon, Cloonfad & Gerry Neenan, Ballyhaunis
Mairead Keane, Cloonfad & Thomas Fitzpatrick, Ballyhaunis
Denise Costello, Lavallyroe & Colin Glavey, Aghamore
Adrian Jennings, Pollinalty & Jessica Ruane, Moate
Sharon Kearney, Cloonfad & Aidan Keadin, Kiltobar
Sheena Brennan, Newtown & David Foley, Charlestown
Brian Clarke, Mount Delvin & Martina Cottle, Harlsden, London
Kerry Walsh, Lavallyroe & Brendan Rudden, Ballyhaunis
11th June 1963
25th September 1963
17th November 1963
26th November 1963
Austin McGuire, Moate & Kathleen Walsh, Mount Delvin
Francis Cregg, Derrywong & Mary Ellen Flatley, Meeltrane
Martin Tierney, Dunmore & Margaret Griffin, Meeltrane
Daniel Morgan, Glenamaddy & Brigid Walsh, Lowberry
WEDDINGS
BIRTHS
6th December 2010
27th December 2011
3rd May 2012
2nd August 2012
20th August 2012
17th September 2012
29th October 2012
6th November 2012
6th February 2013
14th February 2013
6th March 2013
8th March 2013
12th March 2013
13th March 2013
3rd June 2013
10th June 2013
21st June 2013
DEATHS
18th Jan. 2013
25th Jan. 2013
24th Feb. 2013
11th Mar. 2013
20th May 2013
1st June 2013
19th June 2013
19th July 2013
1st Aug. 2013
23rd Sept. 2013
8th Oct. 2013
86
From 50 Years Ago (1963)
October 2012 – October 2013
Vilte Zauga, Lavallyroe. Daughter of Vaidas Zauga & Giedre Mokseckaite.
Kieran Robert Hayden, Ballyglass West Son of Noel Hayden & Michelle Cummins.
Alannah Maire Cunningham O’Loughlin, Mount Delvin. Daughter of Edward
O’Loughlin & Carol Cunningham.
Ruairi John Cummins, Killooney, Dunmore Son of Martin Cummins & Laura Corless
Connie Fay Kirrane, Cloonfad. Daughter of Kevin & Caroline Kirrane.
Sean Martin Kirrane, Ballyglass. Son of Gerard & Evelene Kirrane
Cathriona Margaret Mary Bowens, Kiltobar. Daughter of David Bowens & Mary Dowd.
Laura Anne Cunniffe and Emily Margaret Cunniffe, Gurteen. Daughters of Dermot
& Olivia Cunniffe.
Reece Thomas Kearney, Cloonfad. Son of Thomas Kearney & Karen Walsh.
Donnahadha Joseph Kenny, Dunmore. Son of Robert Kenny & Norma Collins.
Amy Joanne Heneghan, Clogher Upper. Daughter of John & Majella Heneghan.
Fionn Patrick Godfrey, Cloonfad. Son of Patrick & Joelyn Godfrey.
Kiera Josephine Costello, Cloonfad. Daughter of George & Jennifer Costello.
Erin Frances Murray, Sallins, Co. Kildare. Daughter of Noel & Cathriona Murray.
Oran Joseph Warde, Cloonfad. Son of J.P. & Bernie Warde.
Harry Edward Donnellan, Culkeen. Son of Pat & Dolores Donnellan.
Katie McGuire, Ballykilleen. Daughter of Gerry & Nathalie McGuire.
October 2012 – October 2013
Kitty Corless, Mount Delvin and
Ballyhaunis
Mhairi Smith, Cloonfad
Coleen Flanagan, Mount Delvin
Paddy Fleming, Streamstown
Josie Glynn, Lavallyroe
Joshua Sussbier-Tighe, Lavallyroe
Kathleen Flatley, Streamstown
Nora Jennings, Gurteen
Michael Joe Kearns, Lavallyroe
Celia McWalters, Cloonfad
Jack Regan, Ballykilleen and Dublin
DEATHS from 50 Years Ago (1963)
8th Jan. 1963
14th Jan. 1963
28th Jan. 1963
1st Feb. 1963
14th Feb. 1963
5th Mar. 1963
13th Apr.1963
21st May 1963
1st July 1963
17th July 1963
2nd Aug.1963
23rd Aug. 1963
11th Oct. 1963
30th Nov. 1963
25th Dec. 1963
William Owens (82) Ballykilleen
Catherine Tierney (77) Mount Delvin
Barney Kirrane (76) Cloonfad
William Griffin (83) Parke
James Glynn (73) Kiltullagh
Catherine Madden (83) Cloonfad (W)
Bernard Maguire (78) Gurteen
John Greene (73) Cornabanny
Michael Connolly (71) Cloonfad (E)
Edward Conneely (75) Derrylahan
Michael Greene (70) Meeltrane
Mary Keane (84) Newtown
Michael Regan (27) Ballykilleen
Martin Ryan (81) Cloonfad
Michael Fleming (82) Ballinross
The Cloonfad Magazine Committee want to thank our Patrons for their support.
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Connolly Kitchens Ltd., Galway Road, Ballyhaunis
Ph/Fax (094) 9630237
Corrib Simmental Herd, Martin Regan, Cloonfad
(086) 8216253 / (094) 9646240
Costello Motors, (Galway) Ltd, Garrafrauns, Dunmore
(093) 38049
Costello Seamus, Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis
(094) 9646111
Costello Stephen, Pullaphuca, Cloonfad
(086) 8196140
Cuddles & Care Creche, Joelyn Keane, Cloonfad
(094) 9646246
Cummins Paddy, Plasterer, Mountdelvin
(087) 8299894 / (094) 9646288
Cunninghams Londis, Ballyhaunis…..Hot food all day, every day….
(094) 9630162/9630730
Curley's Chemist, Main Street, Ballyhaunis
(094) 9630110
Delaney's Hardware, Fuel, Building Materials, Bridge St. & Hazelhill, Ballyhaunis
(093) 9630296
D.G. Roofing & Tool Hire, Williamstown
(094) 9643355
Eddie Murphy & Sons Menswear, Upper Main Street, Ballyhaunis
(094) 9630651
EPS, Pumping & Treatment Systems, Ballyhaunis
Fax (094) 9630761 Tel (094) 9630226
Euro Spar, Dunmore, Co. Galway
(093) 38242/39159
Finns Footwear, Main St, Ballyhaunis & Kiltimagh
(094) 9681970 and 9630141
Fagan Ger, 1st & 2nd Fixing, Fitted Kitchens, Wardrobes, etc
(086) 1042435
Fitzmaurice Terence, Motor Repairs, Tonragee
(087) 6716201 / (094) 9646157
Fitzmaurice's Bar & Lounge, Ballinlough
(094) 9640068
Flanagan David, Meeltrane
(087) 4119911
Flately Michael, Meeltrane
Fleming Padraic, Plasterer, Cloonfad
(094) 9646141
Fleming P.M. P.J. Plasterers Ltd, Cloonfad
(094) 9646124
Fleming's Bed & Breakfast & Mini Bus Service, Lavallyroe
(086) 8848333 / (094) 9646040
Forde Brothers, Windows & Doors, Ballinlough
(094) 9640525 / (086) 8120324
Gem Newsagents, Grocery, Toys and Alma's Hairdressing, Ballyhaunis
(094) 9630840
Gerry's Barber, Bridge Street, Dunmore
GMG Ironworks, Specialists in Gates, Railings, Mobile Welding & all your welding needs
(087) 9510697
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Patrons
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Patrons
Patrons
Patrons
Gormley Castle Catering Ltd, School & Industrial Catering Specialists
(091) 792854 / (087) 2792070
(086) 2793139
Gormley Mark, Construction Ltd, Lowberry, Granlahan
(094) 9630572
Grasscare Machinery Ltd, Ballyhaunis
Griffin Inn, Bar & Lounge, Take Away, Cloonfad
(094) 9646213
Groarke Stephen & Bernadette, 60 Halstead Avenue, Yonkers, N.Y. 10704
Hannons, Dunmore Deli, Home Baking, Fuels, Petrol & Diesel Open 7am 10pm
(093) 38199
Haverty Gerry, Garage, Cloonfad
(094) 9646268
Hazel, Breakfast, Lunch & A-la-carte, parties, meetings etc, Main St, Ballyhaunis
(094) 9630885
Heneghan's, Carpet & Furniture, Ballyhaunis
(094) 9630770
H.G. Photography, Helen Gunning, The Square, Dunmore, Photography & Photo Restoration (086) 6043646
Hillside Tavern, Granlahan
(094) 9640016
Jennings Seamus, Pollinalty, Cloonfad
(094) 9646058
JG's Barber Shop, Barrack Street, Ballyhaunis
(087) 2450079
Keadin Padraic, Plant Hire, Sand & Gravel Contractor, Cloonfad
(094) 9646088
Keadin Seamus & Anne, "St. Martins", Cloonfad
(094) 9646063
Keane Electrical, Mark Keane Domestic, Commercial, Industrial, CCTV, Fire & Security Alarms (087) 6940724
Keane's Bar & Lounge, Off Licence, Farm Supplies, Petrol & Diesel, Undertaker
(094) 9646012
Kilgarriff Kitchens, Cloonkeen, Dunmore
(093) 38383
King Byrne School of Dancing, Ann Byrne
(094) 9646056
Kirrane Brothers, Seamless Gutters, Ballyglass
(094) 9646079
Kirrane Auctioneering, Main St., Ballyhaunis. www.kirraneauctioneers.com (094) 9630240, (087) 9711774, (087) 2308674
Major Equipment, Ballyhaunis
(094) 9630572
Marks Meats, High Street, Dunmore Top Quality Meats
(093) 39766
McDonnell Michael, Plastering Contractor, Ballinross, Cloonfad
(094) 9646197
McGarry's Womens Wear, Main Street, Ballyhaunis
(094) 9630084
McGreal Michael, Roscommon County Council
(094) 9640079
MeBeauty, Cloonfad, Ballyhaunis
(087) 0968891
Moran's, Sweets, Ices, Fancy Goods, Fuel Merchants, Main St, Ballyhaunis
(094) 9630493
Murphy Autosales, Statoil, 24 hour Breakdown Service, Car Sales, Car Hire
(094) 9630307
Noel's Barber Shop, Knox Street, Ballyhaunis
(087) 6415039
O'Connor's Grocery & Bar, Ballinlough
(094) 9640025
John O'Malley & Sons Ltd, Butcher, Xpress Stop Shop, Cloonfad
(094) 9646024
Oak Bar, (Delaneys), Ballyhaunis
(094) 9630099
Patterson Noel, Animal Health Centre, Ballyhaunis
(094) 9630113
Phillip's Department & Shoe Store, Ballyhaunis & Claremorris
(094) 9672020 / (094) 9630368
Rochford Motors, DOE Test Centre, Knock Road, Ballyhaunis
(094) 9630163 / 9630570
Ronane Seán, Furniture Restoration & Custom Made Furniture, Ballykilleen
(086) 1684638
Ronane Stephen, Ballykilleen, Cloonfad
(086) 3818160
Staunton's Garage, Sales & Service, 24 hour Breakdown Service
(094) 9646030
Stritch Joe, Meeltrane, Cloonfad
(094) 9646203
Three Counties Bar & Lounge, Cloonfad
...Joe (087) 6299556...Anne (086) 8911152
Walsh Seamless Gutters, Alum & PVC, Soffit, Slate Edging, Ballyglass
(094) 9646266
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You can email Cloonfad magazine at: cloonfadmag@live.ie
Our website address is: http://www.cloonfad.org/
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