By Wm. Brendan Hayes
1885-1954
The following is a description of the village between those years from my knowledge and ongoing research.
The village of Danescastle/ Carrig on Bannow usually referred to as CARRIG during the period from 1885 to 1954 changed little. It was a typical rural village, Catholic church, About 30 private houses. R.I.C. barracks, later the Garda barracks (attached to which were three guards and a sergeant), three grocery shops, post office (which included a stationary and small drapery area) At different times 2 milliners shops, three public houses, parochial house, school teacher’s residence, which for a period was the catholic curate’s residence, shoemakers, forge and tailoring business’s, handball alley. Two public water pumps. The village hall (dating from 1930’s) doubled as a cinema. The graveyard is situated adjoining the Catholic church. The Church of Ireland church and graveyard is just beyond Duffs turn outside the village. This Church is in sight of the Kearns/Hayes houses. Two laneways led to farmhouses. With some exceptions the village in 1954 was much as it was in 1885.
Population according to the national census in 1901 was c.110 people. A personal memory calculation of population of the village in 1954 was that a similar no. of people lived in the village.
Duffs Turn is the first junction going from Carrig to Duncormick. The name Duff is from brothers of that name who it is said fought and died at the 1798 battle of ‘Tree Bullet Gate.’
I will start with the Hayes House my family home. Then I shall move on to The Kearns House and then move across the road and proceed as per the plan.
The Hayes House has been the family home since 1885. The house was originally two houses. From the width of the walls the house would appear to date from at least 1850 or earlier. Until 1974 the house was a two storied thatched house. It was then renovated and extended as a single story slated house. The family occupation began in 1885 in the house nearest the village. In 1885 the lower house was the home of elderly widow Catherine Kehoe. This lady lived on for a number of years.
Hayes house at Carrig, 1911.
Seated Johanna Redmond Hayes, James Hayes L to R Daughters Minnie, Katty and Maggie.
When this photograph was taken, Katty was 20 years of age, she lived a further 75 years, dying in 1986(Katty is buried in the graveyard in Carrig).
After the death of Mrs Kehoe my grandparents James Hayes and Johanna Redmond Hayes then in their mid thirties occupied both houses. My grandparents had been married in Ballymitty church in September 1880. By the time five years later when the family moved to Carrig on Bannow three children had been born. In 1885 the Hayes household also included Johanna’s elderly mother the twice widowed Johanna Breen formally Redmond nee Redmond then aged 65.
Grandfather James Hayes was a master tailor who had learned his trade in Liverpool and Wexford. He established his business at the house. The business from the death of Mrs Kehoe operated from the lower house. The business in 1911 employed other family members and at times two journeymen tailors. After their arrival in Carrig my grandparents were to have ten more children making thirteen in all.
Nine of the thirteen children survived to adult life. One daughter died aged eleven years. Three children died in infancy. These four children were buried in the family plot in Kilcavan graveyard.
Schools days for the family were mostly pleasant and provided a good basic education. The family and some of their village friends had a good degree of literacy. Letters from that era and the two extensive postcard collections now in my possession would testify to that.
Between 1903 and 1918 all the nine surviving Hayes siblings had studio photographs taken. Here I mention only Catherine Frances (Katty). Katty who died in 1986 lived to within one month of her 95th birthday. She was part of the household at Carrig on Bannow for the first 65 years of her life. Katty is buried with many of her wider family in the graveyard at Carrig.
As the family became adults, socially the bicycle played a major role in their lives and the lives of their friends. The bicycle gave freedom to socialize. My father Nicholas had a 3speed bicycle and cycled to many parts of Leinster parts of Munster and Connaught. My aunts and their female friends also embraced the bicycle. My father enjoyed travel he was happy to have visited other nearby countries.
Gaelic games, tug of war, and card games such as whist, solo and forty five were enjoyed by many families in the village. Darts and ‘horse shoes’ were also played in the Village. A Marconi radio was acquired in the Hayes house in the early thirties. Walking for pleasure was a feature of life for many people in Carrig. Visiting Cullenstown and Blackhall strands was an outing to be enjoyed. Hand ball was a major pastime. Phil Wade (house no 2), my father Nick Hayes and his brother Johnny were noted players. A daily newspaper was taken by our house and some other houses. (Colfers sold the Irish Independent. Kennedys sold the Irish Press and also two/three copies of the Irish Times). Their faith played an important part in the life of the most families. The visitation and care of family graves was important.
Grandmother Johanna Redmond-Hayes died aged seventy eight in 1933.
Kearns House:
Larry Kearns my neighbour and his siblings were raised there by their parents Michael (Mikey) and Mrs Johanna (Judy) Kearns, Prior to that Larry’s grand parents Nicholas and his wife Mrs Kate Kearns raised their family at the house. Nicholas Kearns lived from 1872 to 1952 his wife Kate 1870 to 1948. Prior to Nicholas and Kate living at the house Nicholas’s parents Edward Kearns and his wife Mrs Mary Kearns lived there from about 1890. Edward died in 1905 and Mary in 1920. This last couple were the great grandparents of Larry and his siblings. Other Kearns family members resided at the house from time to time.
I asked once where the Kearns family lived before the present house was built. My aunt Minnie born in 1884 recalled that the Kearns family prior to c.1890 lived in a thatched house in what is now the Kearns garden. This is borne out by the Danescastle address on Nicholas Kearns baptismal cert of 1872.
The Kearns family and the Hayes family have lived side by side as immediate neighbours for over one hundred and thirty years.
The garden at Kearns was and is remarkable for the quality of its vegetable produce. In particular the late Joe Kearns was a highly skilled gardener.
The Kearns family are buried in Carrig.
Now we will move to the other houses approaching the village from Duffs turn on left hand side.
House 1:
House no 1 was a thatched house occupied 1901 to September/October 1942 by Frances Doyle. Prior to 1901 the occupier Frances Doyle who was born in 1863 was a newly appointed mid-wife for the area. In Oct 1942 my parents visited their near neighbour Nurse Doyle to inform her of the forthcoming birth of their first child. During that visit Nurse Doyle told my parents that she (Nurse Doyle) had made arrangements to enter what is now St John’s hospital. Nurse Doyle died there on 4 February 1943. Her age at death was 80. The census return of 1901/1911 and Nurse Doyle’s death certificate confirm these dates.
This house in 1943 became for eight years the home of the Frank and Eileen Ffrench family. Their second son Philip was born at the house in1943. The Ffrench family in 1951relocated to Balloughton.
Frank and Mrs Ffrench are buried in Ballylannon.
This house became a muinter na tira hall for some years, It was referred to as the Ritz. Irish dancing was also thought there. The house was demolished in the early nineteen seventies.
House no 2:
The Wade family House
A stile (still visible in a slightly different location) gave access to a side garden of the Wade house. In the 1950’s the house was demolished. The Wade house was thatched and end on to the public road. The house incorporated a shop premises and shoemaking business. A high walled garden was adjacent to the house.
John and Ellen Wade who married in 1876 had a large family. Two of their children son Benjamin and daughter Ellen had a double wedding in Carrig on Bannow. This event took place in August 1918. Ellen became wife to another villager John Mahoney of house no 20.
The last occupant of the Wade house was son Jim who in later years worked as a road ganger. Jim Wade married October 1921 Mary O’Neill of Barriestown. Mary O Neill- Wade died in 1940. Jim died in 1954. A younger brother of Jim namely Philip was a county champion hand ball player. In 1914 Phil relocated to Chicago. There are numerous Wade relatives. In Memoriam cards show John Wade died in May 1910 his wife Ellen died in June 1917.Their son John aged 28 also died in 1910. The Wades originally from Bannow are buried there.
House no 3:
Situated before the ball alley end on to the road was a thatched house. In 1900 this was the house of Patrick Wallace and Margaret Sutton – Wallace and their family. Patrick Wallace was the letter carrier (postman). Patrick died in 1919 and Mrs Wallace in 1908. This house is long demolished. Wallace sons included Tom (postman) later of house no 7 and Mike (blacksmith) of house no 19. Pat and Mrs Kenny and their family later occupied this house until it was replaced with the present Monahan House.
The Ball Alley C.1900. Then the White/Carty lane
Located at beginning of laneway beside the ball alley was a corrugated garage which housed Paddy Byrne’s (House no 11) hackney car. A small pig house was adjacent to the garage. There Mike Byrne (house no 11) raised two sometimes three pigs.
House 4:
Further down on same side of laneway was house no 4, the farmhouse of the White later Carty family. Moses White who died in 1898, his wife Ellen White nee Wade died some years later. Ellen Wade-White was sister of John Wade of house no 2. Ellen Wade-White and her brother John were from Bannow.
The Whites had one son John who as a young man relocated to the U.S.A. Mary the youngest of the three White daughters succeeded her parents. Mary in 1923 married John Carty. Mary White-Carty in 1930 became a young widow with two daughters.
This farm supplied milk to many households.
If no suitable male was present Mrs Carty at times served mass from outside the alter rails. An early recycling example was when going for milk today we brought yesterdays Irish Independent to Mrs Carty. The following Monday we received in return the Irish catholic, St Anthony’s Annals even the Beet Growers association magazine and other periodicals. All were neatly rolled for ease of carrying.
Moses and Ellen White and their three daughters are buried in Bannow.
House 5:
Returning towards the village on the right hand side was House no 5 the home of the Barnwell family. From Grange, Philip Barnwell was a postman his wife was the former Elizabeth Cooney of the Littlegraigue family. Phil and Mrs Barnwell had two daughters Johanna and Statia.
Phil Barnwell was the maternal uncle of Dominick and Katie Broaders. This house is now the house of the Stafford family. Philip Barnwell died in 1954. The only grandchildren of Phil and Mrs Barnwell are from their daughter Johanna (Josie) and were brought up in County Kerry.
House 6:
House no 6 was a house constructed mainly of corrugated galvanise. The residents in 1901 were Richard and Mary Grace and family. This house was intact in the early1950’s. I do not remember this house being occupied.
House 7:
House no 7 at the top of the White-Carty laneway was a long thatched house end on to the Village Street. One wall of this house was built directly as the boundary of the lane.
This house dated from the early 19th century. On the wall facing Duffs turn side it featured one window spanning two floors and dating from the era of the window tax. (This tax in Ireland operated from 1799-1846) This tax depended on the number of windows in a house).
House no 7 was the house of David Furlong who according to the census of 1901 was born in 1825. David Furlong then a widower died in late1901. David Furlong operated a bakery. He was assisted by his step children, Richard Power, 1848-1935 and Mary Power 1850- 1925.
The bakery was separate to the main house but under the same roof. The bakery would have survived to the era of the world war one. My aunt remembered c.1900 while on her way to school buying at the bakery a halfpenny current bun. This bun was of a good size and enough to provide for two children.
It is my understanding that the John Furlong who was the donor of the two holy water fonts in Carrig church was a near relative of David Furlong.
David Furlong was a witness at the marriage of his house no 5 neighbour Moses White in 1878.
Annie Gleeson a widow had joined the House no 7 household after the death of David Furlong in 1901. Annie Gleeson was born in 1857 she died in1936. Mrs Gleeson had spent many years in Chicago. She was a relative of the Powers. There is a memorial in Carrig graveyard to Mrs Gleeson.
Prior to 1930 Tom Wallace (house no 3) and his wife the former Mary Kenny joined the household. (Mrs Wallace was the sister of Pat Kenny later house no 3).Tom Wallace was the informant of the deaths of both of Richard and Mary Power and of Annie Gleeson.
Tom and Mrs Wallace lived on in this house until their deaths. Tom like his father was a postman. Mike Wallace (blacksmith) house no. 19 was and older brother of Tom. Mike for the latter part of his life lived as part of his brother’s household. The Wallace family had some cows and also supplied milk to some villagers. The Wallace burial ground is in Carrig. Tom and Mary Wallace were succeeded by their only child Peggy. (1922-1979 ) Peggy married Mike Byrne of house no. 11. The house fell into disrepair it was demolished and a new house was built further back from the street.
The village pump was nearer the village adjacent to the Wallace house. Public pumps mid nineteen century were usually funded by the state or county councils.
In an extension to the main house in the grounds of the then Wallace house for many years lived Mike Doyle a widower since 1928. Mike’s wife was the former Ellen Kenny who was a sister of Mary Kenny-Wallace. Mike Doyle died in 1962 aged 84 years. Mike Doyle was a brother of Mrs Colfer of House no 9.
Carrig on Bannow C.1935.
Left to right: Malt house, at back Wallace house, Walsh house, Barry Colfer’s house, Post office. hidden, the Byrne house, and White-Ffrench house.
House 8:
House No 8 The field to the side of the Furlong/ Power /Wallace House next to the Colfer/ Barrys pub is where in the nineteen thirties Tom Walsh built his house. Originally from the Tullycanna/ Woodgraigue area Tom was carpenter by trade. Tom married in 1935. Sadly his wife the former Lucy Doyle died five years later at a young age. Tom brought up his two young sons Bob and Toddy in this house.
The neighbouring Byrne family from house no 11 greatly assisted Tom to care for his two young sons in Carrig . Polly Byrne in particular played a major part in that role.
Tom Walsh regularly hosted evenings at his house where cards, rings and darts were played. Local men attended these evenings from time to time. Tom, Lucy and Bob Walsh are buried in Ballymitty. Toddy is buried in London. There is a memorial over the Walsh graves in Ballymitty (Toddy’s name is inscribed there also).
Left to right: In background Malt House, House 9 and 10. Ruined house later Byrnes, thatched on right shoemakers workshop (view from early 20th century).
House 9:
House no 9, the pub next door to the Walsh house is where we are now .John and Teasie Murphy are our hosts. Originally thatched, this pub was in 1885 occupied by John and Mary Evoy-Barry. John Barry in 1869 gave his marriage address as Carrig on Bannow. John and Mrs. Barry both died just prior to 1901 census. Mrs Barry hailed from Tintern. Their son John succeeded to the business. John died in 1941 and his wife Mary Theresa Corry (native of Kerry ) in 1938. The family relocated from Carrig in the 1930’s. Their son Nicholas was born in 1904. The Barry’s are buried in Carrig graveyard.
Succeeding the Barry Family were the Colfer family who also operated a pub and shop. The household consisted of the elderly Mrs Annie Colfer and four of her children. Sons Phil and Marky ran the shop and pub. Of the two daughters Maggie was a reserved person who visited the church at least once every day. Bridget had a pleasant manner, an understated elegance. Bridget’s interests included walking. In particular she enjoyed walking around the Ballymadder road. Mrs Colfer died aged 90 in 1959. She is buried in Bannow. her four children mentioned above are buried in Carrig . The Colfer family had originally lived in Ballymadder. Other family members lived elsewhere.
House 10:
House no 10, was the William Murphy Post office and shop. This house while in the Murphy name is well documented. Schoolteachers, high ranking Garda Officer etc.
From 1912-1943 this house was occupied by members of the Whyte-French family of Cliff Cottage, Cullenstown. Mentioned on different documents in connection with running the post office were the four Whyte sisters, Anne-Eva, Mary, Margaret, and Elizabeth.
In reverse order Elizabeth relocated to and died in Canada in1964, Margaret became Mrs Philip Ffrench and was matriarch of a large family based in Cullenstown. (She was mother of Frank Ffrench (house no 1).
Mrs Whyte- Ffrench died in 1943).
Mary married Ambrose Murphy. Mary Whyte Murphy (Post Mistress) lived at house no 10 until she died in 1942.
Both the sisters Mary and Margaret are buried in the Whyte -Ffrench plot in Carrig on Bannow.
Older sister Anne -Eva Whyte was born in 1883 and died in 1919. Mary –Minnie Hayes (my aunt) who was born in 1884 and Eva White were firm friends. In 1915 Anne- Eva married Patrick Devereux of Danescastle. They had four children two of whom both named Andrew died in infancy.
Last year while visiting Ballymitty graveyard I came across the grave of Anna Eva and her children. It was poignant that when I saw this memorial it was around the one hundred anniversary of her death.
After the death in 1943 of Mary Whyte -Murphy the house evolved through a daughter of Anne Eva Whyte-Devereux to a cousin Sheila Sinnott- Kenny and her husband Mogue. Sheila Kenny’s mother was a Devereux. Mrs Kenny ran a post office, drapery and stationary shop in Carrig for over thirty years.
This house is now occupied by the Harper family, and the Red Door restaurant.
House 11:
House no 11 next to the post office was the ruined house in 1900-1910 which when restored was the home of the Byrne family. Jim and Johanna Byrne (Kinsella) who married in 1896. They lived in Killtra until at least 1915, they then removed to Carrig. They had seven in family.
Jim Byrne who died in 1947 aged 70 years and his son Paddy had a shoemaking business. Paddy also had a hackney car for hire
Daughter Polly-Mary Agnes 1915-1978 was a kind and caring woman. Polly was involved in tending to the church and school. Her role included reciting prayers for public occasions. Polly rang the church bell for all occasions. That iconic bell lasted beyond 1954.But not for very long after that!!. The Byrne family are buried in Kilcavan.
Josie a younger Byrne daughter married one Joseph Griffin. Joseph from Kerry was a fluent Irish speaker. The Byrne /Griffin headstone in Carrig on Bannow graveyard is totally inscribed in Irish. Mrs Mackey, Ballygow, and Mrs Kelly, Coolishal were daughters of this family.
House 12:
House no 12 was also a White- Ffrench house It was not always used as a dwelling house. It was later occupied for a short time by a Neville family. From the early forties until 1952 it was occupied by Guard Arthur Lennon, (1906-1981) his wife Bridie (1915-1984) and their family. Four of the six Lennon children were born at Carrig. Guard Lennon and Mrs Lennon transferred to Co Meath and later to Dublin Guard Lennon, originally from Dublin and Mrs Lennon originally from Co Kilkenny are buried in Glasnevin.
Later John Furlong and his wife Elizabeth lived in this house. It is now the home of the O’Brien sisters.
House 13:
No 13 house is a Colfer house. The Colfer’s are a long established family who also lived in Graigeen. I remember Pat and May Colfer. Both always made time for a friendly greeting. I remember Pat’s parents John Colfer and Mrs Bess Chambers –Colfer. I also remember Pat’s grandmother Mrs. Catherine Colfer she was also formally a Colfer (of Kiltra) and was wife of Patrick Colfer. Catherine Colfer was in her 90th year when she died in 1955. Mrs Colfer in old age spent some of her time in Dublin with family. As a young child I remember meeting this venerable lady. The Colfer burial ground is Carrig on Bannow.
The second water pump of the village was located near here.
Houses 14 and 15: (thatched houses)
Houses 14and 15 were thatched and are long demolished. In 1901 one of the houses was lived in by the 3 McElroy sisters. This is where Miss Redmond N.T. lodged (census 1901/1911). Two of the McElroy sisters died in 1915 and 1925. The second house was the home for a period of the Broaders family. The Broaders family relocated to Graigeen/ Danescastle.
Next is the Hall now usually known as the community centre. The hall was built in the nineteen thirties. Until the early 1960’s a cinema operated there. Dan Curran and others were responsible for activating the building of the hall. A voluntary committee oversaw the running of the hall. Whist drives and stage plays also took place there.
House 16:
House no 16 situated down a long laneway after the village hall. Until March 1911, this was the home of a Colfer family. This is one of the few houses listed in the 1901 census as a first grade house recorded for the area.
The first Colfer child Stephen died in infancy in 1865. The other five children in the family lived to adult life. Patrick Colfer was alive in 1870. The widowed Mrs Alice Hore-Colfer died aged 74 In1908. Shortly before the census of 1911 the daughters Annie and Alice relocated to the United States. (Ellis Island records). They were joining their sister Margaret. The sister’s ages were 39 and 37. There is no Colfer census return for house no 14 on the 1911 census. The two sons John and Stephen had emigrated before 1910. (U.S. Census 1910).
The house evolved to the Cowman /O’ Dwyer family of Ballygow. This house was later occupied by two ladies named Gleeson and Sinnott. This house is now the house of O’Dwyer family member’s.
House 17:
The next houses were at the cross of Carrig. No 17 the first house part of a semi detached pair was that of the Andrew Walsh and Johanna White-Walsh and family. Andrew was born in 1855. From house no 31 Andrew married Johanna White in 1881 he died in 1926. He was a shoemaker. The family included his wife, one son and many daughters. See census 1901/ 1911.
I remember their daughter Mary Walsh who died on 21th December 1958. Mary spent time in the United States. I understand Miss Walsh had booked a passage on the ill fated Luisitania (Detail from Molly Dunphy-French). Fortunately she was unable to travel at that time. She later returned from the United States and for the remainder of her life lived in Carrig. The burial place of the Walsh family is towards the front of the graveyard in Carrig on the school side. The grave does not have a memorial. Members of the family emigrated to the United States including some to the state of California.
Tom and Mrs Dunphy (formally Murphy) and family shared the Mary Walsh house for many years before their new house was built close by.
Tom and Mrs Dunphy had five children of whom daughter Molly now Mrs French lives in Carrig.
The former Walsh House
House 18:
No 18 house the former Breen’s public house was a long established business since the mid nineteen century (After 1958 it Incorporated the next door house of the Walsh family). These premises remained in the Breen family for over a century. The history of this establishment is already well documented by Nicola the great granddaughter of the first Breen’s to live there.
The AA sign is of interest. It was in place until later than 1954. I notice the Spelling is Carrick! The sign was located on the side wall of the Breen building facing the Windmill Hill.
House 19:
For House no 19 we move across the road to where the Wallace/ Bowe forge and house stood. Two Bowe aunts had died in the house in1884 and 1886.Their nephew Mike Bowe was the informant of their deaths. Mike Bowe who was a single man died in 1916 was succeeded by his nephew Mike Wallace. Mike Wallace was born in 1878 at house no 3. He married in 1918 a WW1 widow Anne Molloy-Gleeson. In1930 Mike became a widower. After his dwelling house fell into bad repair Mike continued to operate his forge on the site. He then lived at the home of his brother Tom that is at House no 7 in the village. Mike Wallace died in1962.
It was a delight for my brothers and me to be allowed on occasion to watch work going on in the forge. Ruined walls are the only trace of house no 19.
Ruins of the Bowe-Wallace Forge
I have read where Tom Wallace owned/operated this forge business. This was not so. It was his brother Mike who succeeded their uncle Michael Bowe. Mike Wallace looked every inch the blacksmith. Tom Wallace was a dapper well dressed man who had more than a passing resemblance to King George V.
Considered as honorary part of the village by older residents (pre 1920) were three other houses in sight of the cross of Carrig.
House 20:
Looking towards Carrig Hill was house no 20, this was Furlongs of the hill. In 1892 John Furlong married Mary Walsh .”He married in” John Furlong became a widower in C.1916. In 1919 he married Mary Anne Breen daughter of house no 18. House no 20 was later the home of Jack Breen and Mrs Breen and their family.
House 21:
Looking from the cross of Carrig towards the Windmill hill was house no 21. This was the only house visible from the Cross in that direction. The house end on to the road on the left hand side was the house of Johnny and Mrs Murphy. One of their daughters became Mrs Dunphy. Tom and Mrs Dunphy have descendents living in the village. This Murphy house had a well maintained garden. I recall going there to purchase rhuburb and onions.
Marriage Cert:
Mrs Murphy was the former Kate Grace. Her witness at her marriage which took place in 1906 was Johanna Hayes eldest sister of my father.
The burial place of the Murphy and Dunphy families is Carrig on Bannow.
House 22:
House no 22 The Mahoney family and shop. This family were associated with Bannow House.
In 1872 John Mahoney Snr. and Anty (Anastatia )Rochford were married in Carrig on Bannow, both listed their home address as Graigue. Bannow, John and Mrs Mahoney relocated to the village of Carrig on Bannow. Michael,the younger brother of John Mahoney snr. was on the 1901 Census return of Bannow House. On the 1911 census the John and Anty Mahoney (nine children born four living) family now at Carrig consisted of 3 children all with good employment. Michael Mahoney, brother of John snr. was also on the 1911 census at Carrig.
In 1918 son John Mahoney jnr. was married to Ellen Wade of house no 2.
John and Ellen Mahoney had a son also called John. The Mahoney’s were succeeded by the O Neill family. The O’Neill family relocated to Dublin and London.
Carrig on Bannow Mid 1920’s.
Left to right: Mahoney’s shop, the school residence, Parish Church.
In distance gable end of school.
Opposite Mahoney’s thatched roof (end of) of house no 14 Mc Elroy.
Early/ mid fifties three Garda families left the village. Lennon’s, O Hara’s and Mullane’s.
New residents who arrived at around that time were the Foley and Garvey families. The Foley family still represented in the village by Tom and Josie Foley and family.
House 23:
House no 23 the school teacher’s residence was lived in by schoolmaster Jack Breen, Mrs Breen and their family. The Breen family later relocated to house no 20.
The schoolteachers residence became the home of Father Crowe the curate in Carrig on Bannow . Father Crowe died suddenly in this house in 1952. I remember clearly the church bell being rung at an unusual time to convey the sad tidings to the people.
From 1885-1952 curates in Carrig were fathers Roche (1885-1912), Lambert, Hanton, Doyle, O’Connor and Crowe. Mainly these clergymen lived outside the village.
This National school was built in 1892 to replace an older building adjacent to it. Misleadingly a plaque on the front wall of the school states 1958 as the date of building. Enlarged in 1958 the school has been further extended.
Danescastle National school with Church in background.
School Enrolment of children including Brigid, twin daughter of James and Johanna Hayes.
The school enrolment detail is of Bridget (Brigid) Hayes and others in 1896. This daughter of the Hayes family died in 1900 aged eleven years.
House no 24 was the old schoolhouse. It was later converted into a dwelling house. A White family lived there for a period. On the right hand side end wall was a stairway leading to the second floor. Boys were educated on the first floor. Girls educated on the ground floor. The old school was demolished early 1930’s. The floor area and yard incorporated into the graveyard.
The graveyard is now extended and still in use for burials.
The Catholic Church built in 1858 was intact in 1954. In the nineteen sixties the church was much altered. It is still in use for worship.
House 25:
The parish priest’s since 1885 were Patrick Sheridan 1873-1899, Murtagh O Sullivan 1899-1930, Matthew Keating 1930- 1950 and John O’Brien(1951-1970) The parochial house always looked well kept to me. The porch in particular impressed me. The house was later demolished and the present parochial house built.
The housekeeper to Father Keating was his niece Christina Barry. Like many priests housekeepers of that era Miss Barry was the eyes and ears of the parish. Following Father Keating’s death Miss Barry retired to her family home in Kilmore. Katie Broaders was the housekeeper to Father O’Brien . Miss Broaders also fitted the image of the traditional priest’s housekeeper.
House 26:
Houses no 26 and 27 (now Doyles pub and the Coady house ). Until C.1930 both houses were treated as one unit. Business’s were run from these premises by William Murphy and his wife Margaret Carr. They had daughters including Johanna. William Murphy died in1895 his wife Margaret Carr-Murphy died in 1905. Their daughter Johanna who was born c.1863 succeeded her parents. In 1898 Johanna married Andrew Devereaux. The Devereaux’s had one son William. A milliners shop operated from upstairs of what is now the Coady house. Entrance was via upstairs of first house .The door entrance marking the entrance to the milliners is still visable.
Two separate civil entries recorded officially the death of William Murphy. The second entry was later cancelled.
Andrew Devereux died in 1929. Soon afterwards the Murphy -Devereaux family relocated. Johanna Murphy -Devereaux died in Waterford in 1943.
A John Blake appears to have been the licence holder of these premises from c.1932 until 1936/37
The houses at this time been converted back into two separate entities. They are houses no 26 and 27 in this talk.
House no 26 both the business end and its living quarter was post 1937 occupied by James Kennedy who had worked at Walkers of Wexford town, Jimmie Kennedy and Mary Ellen Frawley a fellow worker at Walkers were married in the pro cathedral Dublin on 15-6 1937. They both gave Wexford town addresses The newly married Kennedy’s occupied the former Murphy- Devereux pub from 1937. Mrs Kennedy became ill in 1945. Two of her Frawley nieces from Carlow /Laois, Maureen and Dot Frawley nursed their aunt until her death. Mrs Kennedy died in 1946. Maureen Frawley remained on in Carrig on Bannow to assist in the running of the business. Jimmie Kennedy was keenly interested in breeding/racing greyhounds. Mr and Mrs Kennedy are buried in Tagoat graveyard the burial place of the Kennedy family.
When a local death occurred as a mark of respect a single shutter was left in place on the shop window. This also alerted the passing public of a death. Colfer’s shop did likewise.
Following the death of her uncle in law Maureen Frawley took over the business. Maureen Frawley later Wallace was an influential and highly regarded person in the village.
House no 27:
House no 27 following the Murphy-Devereaux tenure this house had reverted to a single dwelling. The house may have been occupied by Father Hanton for a short time. From 1932/1933 no 27 was and still is the house of the Coady family. Guard Coady died in 1960,Mrs Coady died in 1963.
Guard Coady and Mrs Coady are buried in Arless Co Laois.
House no 28 and 29:
House no 28 and 29 were originally both a residence and business premises for a wealthy Colfer family.
By 1885 no 28 the house nearest the church was the home of the Richard King family (This family it has been said was a cadet branch of the Barrystown King family) Richard King was married to Jane Cray late of Cornwall. In 1880/81 the family lived at Clifford Street in Wexford. Two of their six children births were registered in Wexford town. The births of two further daughters, Eleanor Jane Willoubley and Gertruade are registered from Danescastle 1885 and 1887.
Richard King died in 1898. The informant of his death was his next door neighbour Jim Walsh of house no 29.
Richard Kings widow Jane and 3 of their daughters were on the 1901 Ireland census. Eldest daughter Maud was already a hospital nurse. By 1911 Mrs King and her daughters had relocated to England. They were living comfortably at a good address in London. Three of the daughters left accountable estates when they died in the 1940’s . The daughter’s employments were as nurse, dental secretary and solicitors clerk. Richard Kings will dealing with the residue of his estate was proven in 1908. This left a residue estate of the present day equal of Euro 12,000. The education of the daughters, their work positions and the family status in London etc seem to me to be at variance with the description of the Richard King household in Carrig as being living in reduced circumstances.
Later c.1912/1913 this house became an R I C. barracks. It remained so until the Irish Free State was established.
Then it became a Garda Barracks. Both as an R I C and as a Garda barracks living quarters were incorporated. Garda sergeant Mullane, Mrs Mullanne and their family lived there. The Mullane family relocated to Waterford.
Sergeant and Mrs Mullane are buried in Waterford .
House no 29 at least from 1898 was home and business premises Of Jim Walsh. Because of the ongoing political situation in December 1920 Jim Walsh met an untimely death. Different accounts many un-sourced are published about how and why this occurred.
In the Jim Walsh’s census of 1901 were listed himself Jim Walsh householder also four others. Two of whom had a connection to my family. These were Michael Martin a shop assistant and William Hayes a trainee boot maker.
Michael Martin was in 1915 to marry my aunt, Mary (Minnie) Hayes. Their marriage home was at Tenacre. Michael Martin died 1950, his wife Minnie died 1972. Both are buried in Carrig. Michael Martin was a great-uncle of the Michael Martin we know,
William (Billy) Hayes was my uncle and namesake. In the 1901 census he was a 15 year old apprentice boot maker to Jim Walsh. Three years later he accompanied his recently widowed aunt and her three small children to St. Louis Missouri. While not intended, Billy stayed on in St Louis. He joined the St Louis city police. He married one Nona J. Touhy. They had four children. Billy was tragically shot while detaining a thief. He died two days later. He was 33 years old.
This house was later occupied by Michael and Mary Kate Lynch. Both were school teachers at Danescastle school. Also resident there was Mrs Culleton the aged mother of Mrs Lynch. Mrs Lynch-1906-1974. Michael Lynch 1897-1954 (born Millstreet, Co Cork).
House 30:
House No 30 Attached to this house is the former malt house originally part of the previously mentioned Colfer premises. These premises had not been in use as a malt house in living memory. From photographs the roof of the malt house was intact in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s
While living in the house attached to the malt house a Miss Birdie Currid operated a shop in part of the malt house for several years. The shop signs were in view until the fifties. Miss Currid was originally from Ballymitty. The apparent window openings are actually signs advertising Players and Woodbine Cigarettes.
For a period this house was occupied by a family, some members of whom were involved in a bank robbery in Taghmon. The family were not from Wexford and did not return. This was a sad episode in the history of the village. Many people in the village including the Hayes, Wallace and other families while not condoning wrong doing adopted a compassionate attitude in this sad affair.
The last family to live in this house no 30 was the 0’Hara family. Another police family, Guard O’Hara, Mrs 0’Hara and their family later relocated to Duncannon.
The Malt house and no 30 were later demolished.
Survey arrow Symbol of the Ordinance Survey which was conducted nationally in Ireland between 1825- 1846. Just north of the O’Hara house in the roadside stone wall is one of the triangulation markers used in the first ordnance survey of Ireland. This survey took place between 1829 and 1842.
(This was the first world wide large-scale survey of an entire country)
Further north along this wall is an arched entrance. The arch is well constructed as are the adjoining walls. This arch is believed to have been a secondary entrance to the King and earlier Colfer houses. Were it a carriage/trap entrance it would seem to me the width is so narrow it would have been difficult to drive a trap/carriage through it.. As a pedestrian way it did allow the King family a more direct approach to attend Divine Service at their Church in Balloughton (avoiding the village street).
Two more thatched houses which were located in what is now the Hayes extended garden
No 31 occupied by Margaret Connors, she died 1886 aged 80 years a milliner by trade. Informant of her death was my great grandmother Johanna Breen.
No 32 The House of a Walsh family their son Andrew married Johanna White of House no 15.
Both houses 31 and 32 these houses were demolished prior to 1900.
In conclusion, to return to the Hayes house.
In 1934 The Hayes household consisted of my grandfather James Hayes, his son Nick and daughter Katty. A younger son Tom had earlier relocated to St Louis, Missouri. Tom Hayes in St Louis married Mary Hussey a Glenamaddy, Co. Galway girl. Some years later in June 1935, Nick while in Galway visited the family home of Stritch cousins of his St Louis domiciled sister in law Mary Hussey- Hayes. This was in Glenamaddy, Co Galway. There he met the daughter of the house. This was Mary E Stritch, she was to become his wife. Cupid had struck. Eighteen months later my parents were married in St Patrick’s church Glenamaddy. After a honeymoon in Dublin and Liverpool bride and groom began their new life together in Carrig on Bannow.
In 1937 the above Tom Hayes and his wife Mary Hussey-Hayes from St Louis visited Ireland. They arrived for a three month visit. Tom shipped over his Dodge car for use during the 3 month visit. This car was a talking point for quite some time.
Grandfather Hayes died in 1939. In 1943 over six years after their marriage Mary E and Nick had their first child James. He was followed in 1945 by Michael and in1946 by me. Nick and M.E. brought their children to Glenamaddy regularly to visit their maternal Stritch family,
In the early 1940’s war was raging however Cullenstown was unaffected. The bicycle was also unaffected. The Green road, The Danescastle road and the Balloughton road were favourite walks. The tailoring business was holding up well. It was in the fifties that major changes for certain small businesses occurred. Whist drives and going out for a spin on the bicycle were favourite recreations. On occasion cycling to New Ross, or Wexford where high tea would he partaken off.
Post script:
The village in 2020 is now much larger with many new houses and a welcome increase in population. The churches, the school, originally built in 1892 (now much enlarged) and the hall, now the community centre are still intact, as are two of the three pubs. The third pub has recently closed for business. The three public house premises are in new ownership. The post office is now closed. A guest house operates in the village. There is one shop remaining it is on a new site in a new building. A restaurant the ‘Red Door’ in the building once occupied by the old post office is flourishing. A hairdressing saloon and a chip shop now occupy the old Garda/R.I.C. barracks. Other business’s operate. Opposite the old Garda station in a new building is a launderette and a fast food outlet. The thatched houses are no more. The old parochial house demolished. The Wallace house site is occupied by a grotto and a green area and a modern house at the rear of the site. A new parochial house was built further back from the street than the original which was demolished.