Hi Jimbo
The notation for On Raglan Road is same as for The Dawning of the Day (English for Fáinne Geal an Lae) and is available at https://learntinwhistle.com/tabs/the-da ... f-the-day/, or at https://abcnotation.com/tunePage?a=tril ... AnLae/0000.
As for the age of the range cottages, my guess is that they were built in the early years of the 20th century. The 25 inch ordnance map (made 1878-1913) shows a terrace of four houses, which I think may be the four cottages: https://webapps.geohive.ie/mapviewer/index.html. However, when I switch to the 2013 satellite image, I can see another set of houses at right angles to them. Both sets of houses are overlooking the fair green. So a “guess” is all I can give you, I’m afraid. Sometimes cottages were called labourer’s cottages and sometimes they were called rural district houses. Some of the cottages built in the town of Ennis were called artisans’ dwellings.
Thank you for continuing with the story of the O’Deas of Carrowkilla. I can only imagine the amout of time the research entailed, but I do have some experience of the difficulty of setting out the information - and I could never set it out as clearly as you do. Good work, by the way, finding that the capital L was sometimes transcribed as “S”.
I was specially interested in the Ballinacally Fair and in the Faction Fight of June 1880. I tend to associate faction fighting with an earlier part of the 19th century, having, like you, read Patrick O’Donnell’s, The Irish Faction Fighters of the 19th Century, published 1975, and also having read the reports of faction fighting in the “Outrage Reports, Co. Clare for the years 1826 and 1829-1831” by Michael Mac Mahon: https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... utrage.pdf. But some faction fighting must have continued until a later period: it is referred to briefly in Three Men from Clare: George Casey, Tom Cusack, Morgie O’Connell, by Jackie Elger & Patricia Sheehan (2018), pages 85-6: Tom Cusack says, “The [Ballynacally] fair that used to stand out was the October fair. The full blast of cattle would come to the fair then. Before my time [1925 – 2015], they used to fight like hell at the fairs.They made out that when they weren’t used to beer, when they’d get enough of drink, they’d go mad. They used blackthorn sticks and there’d be blood flying. One of them might come in there and have an awful lot of opinion of himself and take off the jacket and throw it down there on the road. If anyone stood on it then the fight started.”. Tom Cusack does not remember the fighting himself; he remembers only what he’d heard. He doesn’t use the word “faction” – it may not have been described as such. County Limerick and County Tipperary are more associated with faction fighting than is County Clare. Tom Cusack speaks of boats coming from Foynes (Co. Limerick) for the fairs, so it may be that the faction fighters were among the passengers. The best known faction fighters from West Limerick were the Caravats and Shanavests: https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/loca ... hting.html.
I notice that Tom Cusack mentions blackthorn sticks, but ash plants were also used. In The Irish Faction Fighters of the 19th Century, Patrick O’Donnell writes (page 16):
"According to Richard Deenihan of Gortnagross in West Limerick it was the ‘loaden’ ash stick that was always favoured for fighting where he lived. Richard, who was 85 years of age in 1950, related that one of the first things he heard spoken of around the fire at home was the faction. Part of an account taken down verbatim from him, in 1950, is about the faction stick: “The blackthorn in a good heavy stick but it is liable to crack or break quicker than the ash. The toughest kind of ash is not the ash plant as it is generally supposed, but the sucker. The sucker is the branch that shoots up from the stump of the tree that has been cut. Sometimes they used to cut off this branch and bring a piece of the stump with it. They used to hollow out this piece of the stump and pour lead into it …”
While the club part of the root was used to hit the opponent, the pliable stick part was used to swing at him. So the ash stick was not unlike that other lethal weapon, the stone in the toe of a knitted stocking, which, when swung, could crack a bone.
In Ireland, Ash trees were, and still are used to make hurleys*, but, in 19th century England, and probably elsewhere, the ash plant was used as a generally useful stick. It is described very well in Far from the Madding Crowd, by Thomas Hardy (chapter 12):
"The low though extensive hall, supported by beams and pillars, and latterly dignified by the name of Corn Exchange, was thronged with hot men who talked among each other in twos and threes, the speaker of the minute looking sideways into his auditor’s face and concentrating his argument by a contraction of one eyelid during delivery. The greater number carried in their hands ground-ash saplings, using them partly as walking sticks, and partly for poking up pigs, sheep, neighbours with their backs turned, and restful things in general, which seemed to require such treatment in the course of their peregrinations. During conversations each subjected his sapling to great varieties of usage – bending it round his back, forming an arch of it between his two hands, overweighting it on the ground till it reached nearly a semicircle; or perhaps neatly tucking it under his arm …"
* Here is a description of hurling written in the 1950s: https://books.google.ie/books?id=nNwDAA ... ry&f=false.
Jimbo, Clare is playing Cork in the All Ireland hurling final on Sunday 21st July. Throw in is at 3.30 pm.
Sheila
Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,
Moderators: Clare Support, Clare Past Mod
Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,
Hi Sheila,
Thank you for providing the sheet music for On Raglan Road, but both excluded the notes for the bass keyboard of the accordion. So I had a further search on-line and was able to find the accordion sheet music. Not sure why it is entitled “Raglan Road / Ennis Reel” but the piano keyboard notes appear the same, or at least very similar, to the sheet music you provided.
https://musescore.com/user/293056/scores/5625849
Thanks also for providing the interesting excerpts from Patrick O’Donnell’s, The Irish Faction Fighters of the 19th Century. My only knowledge of this book was from it being one of the sources of the Wikipedia article for Ballynacally, so I appreciate your quotes. The book is available on-line, and I see that one reviewer has recommended Shillelagh, the Irish Fighting Stick by John W. Hurley (January 2011); it is book 2 of 5 of the “Bataireacht Shillelagh Irish Stick-Fighting Series”.
https://www.amazon.com/Shillelagh-The-I ... xt?ie=UTF8
My knowledge of the shillelagh was from a very young age as the Irish born Catholic priest at my parish used to walk around the school yard with his shillelagh. If in a bad mood he might wave it menacingly. The nuns (or maybe it was my father) used to say that we might get whacked with the shillelagh for misbehaving in church or school, which of course was a joke I think maybe. Being chased by a shillelagh waving priest was a recurring nightmare as a young child.
The 1954 article on hurling entitled “Thirty Irishmen with Shillelaghs” was very interesting. It would appear that the decline of faction fighting in Ireland corresponded with the popularity of organized hurling matches and competitions.
Back in July 2021, I was investigating the identity of a Timothy McNamara, who had been working on the Key West Extension railway in Florida, and in July 1917 was drowned and eaten by sharks in Key West. My investigation (see page 31 of this thread) revealed about 20 young men born in County Clare named Timothy McNamara who would be the right age, including a hurling player from Scariff.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6965&start=450
I was going to get back to the search for the Timothy McNamara eaten by sharks another day, but given that Clare will be playing Cork in the All Ireland hurling final this Sunday, now is a good time to tell the story of Timothy McNamara, the hurling player. I’ve never been to a hurling match but it appears to be an organized form of Irish faction fighting.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 647425.pdf
The hurling match was actually between Bridgetown and Scariff as corrected by the Flag of Ireland news article below which also better explained the chain of events. But still the identity of McNamara was not revealed. He was not the Bridgetown goalkeeper.
My knowledge of hurling is very limited. I am surprised that a goal umpire in a hurling match would be the brother of one of the hurling players and not independent of both teams. Did Henry McNamara declare the Scariff goal, perhaps a dubious goal, which set off the “considerable excitement around the posts” and the ensuing struggle between Henry McNamara and Thomas O’Neill and then Timothy McNamara coming to the rescue of his brother?
Daniel McNamara (died between 1893 and 1901) and Catherine O’Brien (died after 1911) of Waterpark in Fossa More townland were the parents of 11 children, 10 living as of the 1911 census. Of the ten living children as of the 1911 census, only the location of five children have been determined (Henry, Mary, John, and Daniel at Waterpark, Fossa More; and Rody in India). Daniel McNamara, Jr., stated in his USA passport application in 1920 that his intent was to visit his sick mother, but the civil death record for the widow Catherine O'Brien McNamara has not been found. Nor the civil death record for Daniel McNamara, Sr., who died between 1893 and 1901.
1.0 Kate Mary McNamara (1870 – after 1911), no residence reported, was baptized on 28 December 1870; sponsors Tom McNamara and Mary O’Brien (Scariff baptism register, 1852-1872). Kate Mary McNamara, of Waterpark, was reportedly born on “27 February 1871” to avoid a late reporting penalty, farther Daniel McNamara reported as “farmer” (Kildysart registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, unknown in 1911>
Thomas McMahon, a shopkeeper, of Limerick, son of farmer Thomas McMahon, married Kate M. McNamara, of Waterpark, daughter of Daniel McNamara, on 2 February 1910, at the Catholic Church in Scariff by the parish priest James Halpin; witnesses Richard McMahon and Lily McNamara (Scariff registration).
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 628002.pdf
2.0 John McNamara (1872 – 1873), of Waterpark, was baptized on 3 June 1872; sponsors John O’Brien and Mary McNamara (Scariff baptism register, 1872-1881). John was named after his paternal grandfather. He died on 31 May 1873 at nearly one-year old; informant father Daniel McNamara (Scariff registration).
3.0 Henry Patrick McNamara (1875 – 1952), of Waterpark, was baptized on 6 March 1875 as “MacNamara”; sponsors Henry O’Brien and Anne O’Brien (Scariff baptism register, 1872-1881). Henry Patrick was named after his maternal grandfather. <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, House 4>
Henry McNamara was the goal umpire in the hurling match between Bridgetown and Scariff on 10 July 1898.
Henry McNamara, age 43, of Waterpark, Scariff, son of Daniel McNamara, married Mary Hayes, age 35, of Liss, Killenena, Feakle, daughter of William Hayes, on 25 July 1923 at the Catholic Chapel at Killanena by the parish priest M. Gunning; witnesses Henry O’Brien and Margaret McNamara (likely sister of Henry) per Scariff registration:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 323180.pdf
4.0 Timothy McNamara (1877 – after 1911), of Waterpark, was baptized on 29 January 1877 as “MacNamara”; sponsors John McNamara and Ellen Corbett (Scariff baptism register, 1872-1881). The mother reported on the baptism record was “Catherine Corbett” in error; a “Margaret Corbett” was married to a different “Daniel McNamara”, also of Waterpark, so very easy for the priest to confuse the surnames of the two women. The civil birth record was accurately reported as “Catherine O’Neill”.
Timothy McNamara was a hurling player at the match between Scariff and Bridgetown on 10 July 1898.
5.0 Roger “Rody” McNamara (1879 – 1916), of Waterpark, was baptized on 20 November 1879; sponsors Michael O’Brien and Mary O’Brien (Scariff baptism register, 1872-1881). He was reported as “Rody” in his civil birth registration and “Roderick” in the 1901 census. <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13; Allahabad, India in 1911>
“Roddy McNamara”, age 30, born in Scariff, was a gunner for the Royal Field Artillery, 77th Battery, stationed in Alahabad, India, in the 1911 British Army Census (fold3). I could not locate any military document which stated his enlistment date, but I reckon it was soon after the 1901 census.
Rody McNamara (regimental # 36589), a gunner for the Royal Field Artillery, died at Moore Barracks Hospital Shorncliffe in Kent on 27 March 1916 of bronchitis. According to his “Dependant’s Pension” card (per fold3), his dependant was Mrs. Catherine McNamara of Waterpark, Scariff, County Clare. On a British army register of Soldier’s Effects, there were financial payouts to his mother Catherine McNamara, but also smaller amounts to his brothers John and Dan. Perhaps Rody McNamara had reported his youngest two brothers as dependents when he first enlisted with the British army, as they may have been underage when he enlisted (they were both over 25 years old and living in the USA when Rody died in 1916).
Rody McNamara has a nice biography in Clare Men and Women in the Great War by Ger Browne at the Clare Library:
https://clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/h ... at_war.htm
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/438 ... y-mcnamara
6.0 Mary McNamara (1881 – after 1911), of Waterpark, was born on 23 November 1881 (Scariff civil registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, House 4> Whereabouts after 1911 census are a mystery.
7.0 John McNamara (1882 – to NY in 1912 – died after 1930), of Waterpark, was born on 13 November 1882 (Scariff civil registration). John might have been living with relatives at the time of the 1901 census. <unknown in 1901; Fossamore, Scariff, House 4>
John McNamara, "age 25", a labourer, last residence Scariff, arrived in New York with his younger brother Daniel, on the SS Celtic on 12 October 1912. Their Irish contact was their mother, Catherine McNamara, of “Waterford Park”, Scariff, Co. Clare; their USA contact was their cousin, Miss Margaret Melody of 322 West 28th Street, New York.
Margaret Melody, age 19, had arrived in New York on the SS Caronia in 1912; Irish contact, her father Thomas Melody of Scariff; USA contact, her sister Annie Melody of 322 West 28th Street, New York. Thomas Melody (age 40) was a widower in the 1901 census; he was the son of Patrick Melody and Kate O’Brien, baptized in 1861. The cousin connection for when the McNamara brothers arrived in 1912 appears to be on their mother’s O’Brien side of the family.
The McNamara brothers were initially booked on the SS Cymric to arrive in Boston on 25 September 1912, but their names were crossed out. The Boston passenger listing had no Irish contact listed, but “Waterpark, Scariff” as location was reported and also their physical description: John was 5 foot 8, fair complexion, dark hair, and blue eyes. Daniel was five foot six, fair complexion, red hair, blue eyes.
John McNamara, of 325 West 126th Street, born in Co. Clare on 1 March 1882, declared his intent to become a U.S. citizen on 21 July 1918. He reported his arrival from Queenstown on the Celtic on or about 5 October 1912. This declaration of intent was attached to his Petition for Naturalization (completed in July 1923):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:C2S4-GLT2
WWI registration on 12 September 1918: John Joseph McNamara, of 325 W. 126th Street, New York, born in Ireland on “15 March 1882”; not a U.S. citizen but a declarant; nearest relative, Mrs. K. McNamara of Waterpark House, Scariff, County Clare.
On 26 July 1923, John McNamara, of 150 West 74th Street, signed his petition for U.S. naturalization, repeating his birth date and arrival in the USA same as the declaration of intent. He was now married to “Lillie”, reportedly born in Ireland on 15 June 1897 (later documents will state 1879 and born in England). See above link.
In the 1930 census, John McNamara (age 46, born in Ireland, USA arrival in 1912, grocery clerk) and Lillie McNamara (age 35, born in England, USA arrival in 1921) were living in the Bronx at 2565 Grand Concourse; they had been married for eight years.
On 17 January 1933, Elizabeth McNamara petitioned for U.S. citizenship. She reported that her husband John McNamara was born in Scariff on 3 March 1882, arrived in New York in September 1912, and had become a U.S. citizen in June 1924. They lived together at 2395 Grand Avenue in the Bronx and had married on 15 October 1922. Elizabeth McNamara, her maiden name never reported, stated that she was born on 13 June 1879 (reported as 1897 in prior records) in Liverpool, England and had arrived in the USA on the Franconia on 20 December 1926. Her arrival in 1926 agrees to the passenger listing when as Mrs. Elizabeth McNamara, age 46 (as in born about 1880?), she had returned to England to visit her mother, Mrs. M. Connolly at 31 Hornby Blvd, Seaforth (north of Liverpool); her USA contact was Mr. J. McNamara of 55 West 84th Street; her prior USA arrival was on 19 October 1921 (source NY arrival passenger listings).
John McNamara and Elizabeth (possibly Connolly, but never reported) were married on 15 October 1922 in New York according to Elizabeth’s U.S. naturalization documents in 1933. A John McNamara and Elizabeth Murphy married in Queens on 15 October 1922 and the marriage record, certificate #2228, is now available on-line:
https://a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc ... ew/9554362
However, none of the facts for the bride and groom match either John McNamara born in Scariff or what little we know of his wife, Elizabeth. Birthplace, occupation, parents etc are all completely different. The naturalization records of Elizabeth McNamara in 1933 appear to have incorrectly reported their marriage date in 1922. A John McNamara married Elizabeth Connolly in Manhattan on 26 September 1922, license # 28892, per the NY Marriage License Index, but I could not locate the actual marriage record in the NYC Department of Records database.
The later whereabouts of John and Elizabeth McNamara after the 1930 census are unknown.
8.0 Margaret Anne McNamara (1885 – after 1911), of Waterpark, was born on 8 April 1885 (Scariff civil registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, unknown> One of 10 children still living in 1911, but location in 1911 is unknown. She was possibly the witness at the marriage of her brother, Henry, in 1923.
9.0 Bridget Agnes McNamara (1888 – after 1911), of Waterpark, was born on 16 March 1888 (Scariff civil registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, unknown> One of 10 children still living in 1911, but whereabouts are unknown.
10.0 Daniel McNamara (1891 – to NY in 1912 – died in the Bronx in 1936), of Waterpark, was born on 12 April 1891 (Scariff civil registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, House 4>
Daniel McNamara, age 21, a labourer, last residence Scariff, arrived in New York with his elder brother John, on the SS Celtic on 12 October 1912. Their Irish contact was their mother, Catherine McNamara, of “Waterford Park”, Scariff, Co. Clare; their USA contact was their cousin, Miss Margaret Melody of 322 West 28th Street, New York.
WWI Service: from the “New York Abstracts of WWI Military Service”, Daniel McNamara, born in Scariff on 22 April 1893, enlisted on 26 June 1918. After training with the 52nd Pioneer Infantry, he attended school for bakers and cooks at Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina through July 24th; he served overseas with Co. A of the 52nd Pioneer Infantry from 2 August 1918 to 13 April 1919; and was discharged on 19 April 1919. Consistent information was provided on the application for a military headstone upon his death in 1936.
In March 1920, Daniel McNamara applied for a USA passport in order “to see mother”; other words of the original sentence were crossed out but still visible, “to see sick mother who requests to see me as soon as possible”. He reported his birth in Scariff on 10 April 1893 (two years off); his departure from Queenstown on 2 September 1912, and that he was then living at 500 West 142nd Street, New York City. He planned to leave New York on the SS Columbia on 17 April 1920 and return within 5 months.
USA passport application (right side; go to next page for passport photo):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5B-HLMM
Daniel McNamara, “age 26”, left Queenstown on 9 December 1920 on the SS Baltic and arrived in New York on the 19th of December; his USA contact was his brother John McNamara, living at 1015 Lexington Avenue, New York City. Daniel McNamara returned home to Scariff during a very violent period of the War of Independence, including the murder of four men on the bridge at Killaloe on 16 November 1920. Age 29 in 1920, Daniel McNamara would surely have known the three men from Scariff who were murdered: Alfie Rodgers (age 21), Michael “Brud” McMahon (age 27), and Martin Gildea (age 30).
1920 passenger listing (#27):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J6HF-DMQ
Daniel McNamara, “age 29”, son of Daniel McNamara and Catherine O’Brien, married Hannah Kelly, age 19, daughter of James Kelly and Hannah Mcelhome, on 2 June 1924 in Wilmington, Delaware (per Delaware marriage records, 1750-1954).
Daniel McNamara, “age 41”, died on 1 November 1936 in Bronx, New York.
https://a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc ... ew/6357507
…………………. 10.1 Daniel McNamara (age 3 in 1930)
…………………. 10.2 Hannah McNamara (age 1 in 1930)
11.0 Helena “Eileen” McNamara (1893 – after 1911), of Waterpark, was born on 11 October 1893 (Scariff civil registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, unknown> One of 10 children still living in 1911, but whereabouts are unknown.
*****************************
Was Timothy McNamara, the son of Daniel McNamara and Catherine O’Brien born in 1877, the Timothy McNamara who was eaten by sharks in Key West in 1917? Tim McNamara, born in County Clare, had returned to Key West from Havana in 1911 at the reported age of 29, so born about 1881 or 1882. Since people often fib their age in reporting, the Timothy McNamara of Key West could possibly have been born in 1877.
According to the Irish prison registers for Cork Prison, Timothy McNamara, age 20, born in Scariff, had red hair, brown eyes, fresh sdy complexion, and height of 5 feet 7 ½ inches. According to the Cuba passenger listing from 1911, Timothy McNamara had light hair, blue eyes, fair complexion, and was 5 feet 6 inches tall. Thus, Timothy McNamara of Scariff is off the hook from being the poor Timothy McNamara who was eaten by sharks in 1917.
What happened to Timothy McNamara of Scariff imprisoned for manslaughter in 1898 after he was released from Cork Prison on 2 December 1899? In the 1901 census, there was a Timothy McNamara, age 23, born in County Clare, who was working as a live-in attendant at the Richmond Insane Asylum in Dublin. The same Timothy McNamara, age 31, born in County Clare, was an asylum attendant boarding at Portraine Demesne townland in Dublin in the 1911 census. A good possibility he might be from Scariff. But later whereabouts of this Timothy McNamara after 1911 are unknown. If from Scariff, did he later join his brothers John and Daniel in New York?
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... m/1335938/
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... esne/5873/
Sheila, best of luck to Clare at the All Ireland Hurling final today. Hopefully none of the goal umpires are related to any of the Cork players!
Thank you for providing the sheet music for On Raglan Road, but both excluded the notes for the bass keyboard of the accordion. So I had a further search on-line and was able to find the accordion sheet music. Not sure why it is entitled “Raglan Road / Ennis Reel” but the piano keyboard notes appear the same, or at least very similar, to the sheet music you provided.
https://musescore.com/user/293056/scores/5625849
Thanks also for providing the interesting excerpts from Patrick O’Donnell’s, The Irish Faction Fighters of the 19th Century. My only knowledge of this book was from it being one of the sources of the Wikipedia article for Ballynacally, so I appreciate your quotes. The book is available on-line, and I see that one reviewer has recommended Shillelagh, the Irish Fighting Stick by John W. Hurley (January 2011); it is book 2 of 5 of the “Bataireacht Shillelagh Irish Stick-Fighting Series”.
https://www.amazon.com/Shillelagh-The-I ... xt?ie=UTF8
My knowledge of the shillelagh was from a very young age as the Irish born Catholic priest at my parish used to walk around the school yard with his shillelagh. If in a bad mood he might wave it menacingly. The nuns (or maybe it was my father) used to say that we might get whacked with the shillelagh for misbehaving in church or school, which of course was a joke I think maybe. Being chased by a shillelagh waving priest was a recurring nightmare as a young child.
The 1954 article on hurling entitled “Thirty Irishmen with Shillelaghs” was very interesting. It would appear that the decline of faction fighting in Ireland corresponded with the popularity of organized hurling matches and competitions.
Back in July 2021, I was investigating the identity of a Timothy McNamara, who had been working on the Key West Extension railway in Florida, and in July 1917 was drowned and eaten by sharks in Key West. My investigation (see page 31 of this thread) revealed about 20 young men born in County Clare named Timothy McNamara who would be the right age, including a hurling player from Scariff.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6965&start=450
I was going to get back to the search for the Timothy McNamara eaten by sharks another day, but given that Clare will be playing Cork in the All Ireland hurling final this Sunday, now is a good time to tell the story of Timothy McNamara, the hurling player. I’ve never been to a hurling match but it appears to be an organized form of Irish faction fighting.
FATALITY AT A HURLING MATCH.
An Ennis telegram reports that during a match between Tulla and Bridgetown on Sunday an altercation arose between the Bridgetown goal-keeper and a Tulla man named O’Neill. The former struck O’Neill a violent blow with his hurley behind the ear, knocking him senseless, and he died without recovering consciousness. A crowd pursued the assailant to the police barracks whither he fled for shelter.
Dublin Daily Nation, Tuesday, 12 July 1898
Very little was accurate in the newspapers’ rush to report the tragic events at the hurling match in 1898. It was Thomas O’Neill who died on 10 July 1898 at Rhine near Tulla. According to the civil death record completed by the East Clare coroner, John Frost, he was a bachelor, 25 years old, a servant, who “was killed at Rhine by a blow of a hurley, died at once” (Tulla civil registration).SHOCKING OCCURRENCE AT A HURLING MATCH.
Ennis, Monday.
During the progress of a hurling match between the Tulla and Bridgetown Hurling Clubs, at Tulla, yesterday afternoon, an altercation between the Bridgetown goalkeeper, a man named Macnamara, and a Tulla man named O’Neil, who was keeping the field clear, in the course of which the former, it is alleged, struck the latter a violent blow with his hurley behind the ear, knocking him senseless to the ground. He died without recovering consciousness. Macnamara fled to the police barracks for shelter.
Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, 12 July 1898
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 647425.pdf
The hurling match was actually between Bridgetown and Scariff as corrected by the Flag of Ireland news article below which also better explained the chain of events. But still the identity of McNamara was not revealed. He was not the Bridgetown goalkeeper.
Two different Irish newspapers covered the trial in December 1898 of Timothy McNamara of Scariff very differently. The Irish Independent only reported on the Crown prosecution case; the Dublin Daily Nation focused on the defense in great detail:Killed at a Hurling Match.
On Sunday, during the progress of a hurling match between Bridgetown and Scariff, County Clare, a man named Thomas O’Neill, who was clearing the field, had an altercation with a spectator. A brother of the latter, who was playing, rushed at O’Neill and struck him with the hurley on the back of the head, killing him instantaneously. M’Namara had to fly for his life from the angry crowd to the police station, where he was kept in custody.
Flag of Ireland, Saturday, 16 July 1898
MANSLAUGHTER.
Timothy M’Namara pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with the manslaughter of Thomas O’Neill, on the 10th July, 1898, at Rine, near Tulla, in the county Clare.
The evidence for the Crown showed that on Sunday, 10th July, the accused was present at a hurling match played near Tulla between the Bridgetown and Scariff teams. O’Neill was not hurling, but was one of the spectators, but the prisoner was playing on the team opposed to O’Neill’s party. In the evening O’Neill was engaged in separating two boys who were making a row, when the prisoner rushed up to him, struck him with a hurley on the neck, and felled him to the ground, from which he never rose alive. He died on the field, and it was found that his spine near the neck was fractured and dislocated.
The jury found the prisoner guilty, and sentence was deferred.
Irish Independent, Monday, 5 December 1898
The defense witness testimony by Henry McNamara clarifies the sequence of events at the hurling match. Henry McNamara was the goal umpire at the Bridgetown goal when Scariff scored, and the accused Timothy McNamara was not the Bridgetown goalkeeper (as initially reported). Was Thomas O’Neill from Tulla? Or since McNamara was incorrectly reported from Bridgetown, was O’Neill assumed to be from the opposing side, then reported as Tulla. If Thomas O’Neill was from Bridgetown then he might be recorded in the Killaloe Parish baptism records (1844-1881), but I can’t find him.CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER.
Timothy McNamara, a young man, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with the manslaughter of Thomas O’Neill on the 10th July, 1898, of Rhine, near Tulla, in the county of Clare.
Mr M J Bourke, Q C, and Mr J F Moriarty (instructed by Mr Cullmane, Crown Solicitor, Clare), prosecuted.
Mr Bereton Barry (instructed by Mr C J Lane, solicitor, Cork) appeared for the prisoner.
The following jury tried the case:—Messrs Samuel Sykes (foreman), Gerald Griffin, Daniel Cleary, Patrick McMahon, Nathaniel Long, Stephen Forde, M J Stapleton, James McGrath, Thomas Stack, William Donnehy, Patrick Joseph Kennedy, and John Ryan.
Dr. Scanlan deposed to having made a post-mortem examination of the deceased man, who had met his death, while present at a hurling match, from injuries inflicted, it was alleged, by the prisoner. Dr. Scanlan found the spine had been fractured and dislocated. A very forcible blow must have caused it.
This closed the Crown case.
Henry McNamara, a brother of the prisoner, stated he was a goal umpire for his brother’s side. The latter had scored a goal, and there was considerable excitement around the posts, which had been partially thrown down. Witness was holding one up when O’Neill came up and told him to get away.
Witness replied that it was his duty to be there, and refused to leave. The deceased then shoved him with the left hand and struck him with the rod on the head. A couple of others came up behind witness, tripped him; and knocked him down. When down he was beaten and called out for help. His brother came to assistance, and when witness could get up he did and ran away.
To Mr. Moriarty—I did not see my brother strike O’Neill.
William Dooley, John McNamara [likely another brother], and John Farrell gave corroborative evidence as to the ill-treatment received by Henry McNamara.
Sergeant Michael Sullivan, Ennis, gave the accused the character of being a very quiet and respectable young man.
Mr. Barry, in addressing the jury, said if they came to the conclusion that the prisoner’s brother Henry was in danger of his life from the people attacking him the prisoner was justified in coming up and saving him from violence of those men. I was all nonsense to say the prisoner was the attacking party, and that without provocation he attacked O’Neill. What did his client do after the occurrence? He went to the police barrack. The Crown alleged he was frightened by the crowd, but the man who knew he had without justification taken the life of another man would think rather of flying to the hills than going to the police barrack. As had been proved, his client was a man of most respectable character and of good position, not given to deeds of violence, and he (counsel) submitted that the judge would not take the view that the blow was delivered wholly without justification. It was given under circumstances which justified it. It was deplorable that the young man had lost his life, but it would still be more deplorable to have the accused convicted of the offence.
The jury found a verdict of guilty, with a recommendation of mercy, and prisoner was put back for sentence.
Dublin Daily Nation, Monday, 5 December 1898
My knowledge of hurling is very limited. I am surprised that a goal umpire in a hurling match would be the brother of one of the hurling players and not independent of both teams. Did Henry McNamara declare the Scariff goal, perhaps a dubious goal, which set off the “considerable excitement around the posts” and the ensuing struggle between Henry McNamara and Thomas O’Neill and then Timothy McNamara coming to the rescue of his brother?
Henry McNamara and Timothy McNamara were the sons of Daniel McNamara and Catherine O’Neill of Waterpark, a locality in Fossa More townland in Scariff Parish. Sheila, when researching “Michael McNamara, of Curracloon, Co. Clare” you had shared your research on this McNamara family:THE CLARE MANSLAUGHTER CASE.
Timothy McNamara, convicted on Saturday of manslaughter at Tulla, county Clare, was next put forward, and sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment. He had been already five months in gaol.
Dublin Daily Nation, Tuesday, 6 December, 1898
Was Timothy McNamara of Waterpark the Timothy McNamara who drowned and was eaten by sharks in Key West in 1917?I’ve been looking at Daniel McNamara and Catherine O’Brien [daughter of Henry O’Brien], who were married in 1870 and lived in Waterpark (in the townland of Fossa More, Tomgraney parish):
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 176697.pdf
The record shows that Daniel was the son of John McNamara, who, I think, is the John McNamara who was leasing 61 acres 3 roods and 5 perches, from Earl of Norbury (plot 36 a). Waterpark house, situated in that plot, is marked “in ruins” in Griffith’s Valuation map, but it appears from the later map that another house was built nearby. John’s son, Daniel, and Daniel’s wife, Catherine, had eleven children born to them. Their first child, Kate, was baptised in December 1870 (the civil record gives Feb. 1871 as her date of birth, before the birth of Helena in 1893. Daniel reported that birth. But in 1901, Catherine is described as a widow, so Daniel must have died sometime between those two dates. But I’ve failed to find the record. The headstone in Moynoe graveyard does not show the deaths of Daniel or Catherine – just their son Henry and his wife Mary: Grave no. 50. The adjacent headstone (No. 51) is for their son, Rody, a gunner in the British army who died in 1916:
https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... cariff.htm
https://astreetnearyou.org/person/27434 ... y-Mcnamara
Daniel McNamara (died between 1893 and 1901) and Catherine O’Brien (died after 1911) of Waterpark in Fossa More townland were the parents of 11 children, 10 living as of the 1911 census. Of the ten living children as of the 1911 census, only the location of five children have been determined (Henry, Mary, John, and Daniel at Waterpark, Fossa More; and Rody in India). Daniel McNamara, Jr., stated in his USA passport application in 1920 that his intent was to visit his sick mother, but the civil death record for the widow Catherine O'Brien McNamara has not been found. Nor the civil death record for Daniel McNamara, Sr., who died between 1893 and 1901.
1.0 Kate Mary McNamara (1870 – after 1911), no residence reported, was baptized on 28 December 1870; sponsors Tom McNamara and Mary O’Brien (Scariff baptism register, 1852-1872). Kate Mary McNamara, of Waterpark, was reportedly born on “27 February 1871” to avoid a late reporting penalty, farther Daniel McNamara reported as “farmer” (Kildysart registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, unknown in 1911>
Thomas McMahon, a shopkeeper, of Limerick, son of farmer Thomas McMahon, married Kate M. McNamara, of Waterpark, daughter of Daniel McNamara, on 2 February 1910, at the Catholic Church in Scariff by the parish priest James Halpin; witnesses Richard McMahon and Lily McNamara (Scariff registration).
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 628002.pdf
2.0 John McNamara (1872 – 1873), of Waterpark, was baptized on 3 June 1872; sponsors John O’Brien and Mary McNamara (Scariff baptism register, 1872-1881). John was named after his paternal grandfather. He died on 31 May 1873 at nearly one-year old; informant father Daniel McNamara (Scariff registration).
3.0 Henry Patrick McNamara (1875 – 1952), of Waterpark, was baptized on 6 March 1875 as “MacNamara”; sponsors Henry O’Brien and Anne O’Brien (Scariff baptism register, 1872-1881). Henry Patrick was named after his maternal grandfather. <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, House 4>
Henry McNamara was the goal umpire in the hurling match between Bridgetown and Scariff on 10 July 1898.
Henry McNamara, age 43, of Waterpark, Scariff, son of Daniel McNamara, married Mary Hayes, age 35, of Liss, Killenena, Feakle, daughter of William Hayes, on 25 July 1923 at the Catholic Chapel at Killanena by the parish priest M. Gunning; witnesses Henry O’Brien and Margaret McNamara (likely sister of Henry) per Scariff registration:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 323180.pdf
4.0 Timothy McNamara (1877 – after 1911), of Waterpark, was baptized on 29 January 1877 as “MacNamara”; sponsors John McNamara and Ellen Corbett (Scariff baptism register, 1872-1881). The mother reported on the baptism record was “Catherine Corbett” in error; a “Margaret Corbett” was married to a different “Daniel McNamara”, also of Waterpark, so very easy for the priest to confuse the surnames of the two women. The civil birth record was accurately reported as “Catherine O’Neill”.
Timothy McNamara was a hurling player at the match between Scariff and Bridgetown on 10 July 1898.
5.0 Roger “Rody” McNamara (1879 – 1916), of Waterpark, was baptized on 20 November 1879; sponsors Michael O’Brien and Mary O’Brien (Scariff baptism register, 1872-1881). He was reported as “Rody” in his civil birth registration and “Roderick” in the 1901 census. <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13; Allahabad, India in 1911>
“Roddy McNamara”, age 30, born in Scariff, was a gunner for the Royal Field Artillery, 77th Battery, stationed in Alahabad, India, in the 1911 British Army Census (fold3). I could not locate any military document which stated his enlistment date, but I reckon it was soon after the 1901 census.
Rody McNamara (regimental # 36589), a gunner for the Royal Field Artillery, died at Moore Barracks Hospital Shorncliffe in Kent on 27 March 1916 of bronchitis. According to his “Dependant’s Pension” card (per fold3), his dependant was Mrs. Catherine McNamara of Waterpark, Scariff, County Clare. On a British army register of Soldier’s Effects, there were financial payouts to his mother Catherine McNamara, but also smaller amounts to his brothers John and Dan. Perhaps Rody McNamara had reported his youngest two brothers as dependents when he first enlisted with the British army, as they may have been underage when he enlisted (they were both over 25 years old and living in the USA when Rody died in 1916).
Rody McNamara has a nice biography in Clare Men and Women in the Great War by Ger Browne at the Clare Library:
https://clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/h ... at_war.htm
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/438 ... y-mcnamara
6.0 Mary McNamara (1881 – after 1911), of Waterpark, was born on 23 November 1881 (Scariff civil registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, House 4> Whereabouts after 1911 census are a mystery.
7.0 John McNamara (1882 – to NY in 1912 – died after 1930), of Waterpark, was born on 13 November 1882 (Scariff civil registration). John might have been living with relatives at the time of the 1901 census. <unknown in 1901; Fossamore, Scariff, House 4>
John McNamara, "age 25", a labourer, last residence Scariff, arrived in New York with his younger brother Daniel, on the SS Celtic on 12 October 1912. Their Irish contact was their mother, Catherine McNamara, of “Waterford Park”, Scariff, Co. Clare; their USA contact was their cousin, Miss Margaret Melody of 322 West 28th Street, New York.
Margaret Melody, age 19, had arrived in New York on the SS Caronia in 1912; Irish contact, her father Thomas Melody of Scariff; USA contact, her sister Annie Melody of 322 West 28th Street, New York. Thomas Melody (age 40) was a widower in the 1901 census; he was the son of Patrick Melody and Kate O’Brien, baptized in 1861. The cousin connection for when the McNamara brothers arrived in 1912 appears to be on their mother’s O’Brien side of the family.
The McNamara brothers were initially booked on the SS Cymric to arrive in Boston on 25 September 1912, but their names were crossed out. The Boston passenger listing had no Irish contact listed, but “Waterpark, Scariff” as location was reported and also their physical description: John was 5 foot 8, fair complexion, dark hair, and blue eyes. Daniel was five foot six, fair complexion, red hair, blue eyes.
John McNamara, of 325 West 126th Street, born in Co. Clare on 1 March 1882, declared his intent to become a U.S. citizen on 21 July 1918. He reported his arrival from Queenstown on the Celtic on or about 5 October 1912. This declaration of intent was attached to his Petition for Naturalization (completed in July 1923):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:C2S4-GLT2
WWI registration on 12 September 1918: John Joseph McNamara, of 325 W. 126th Street, New York, born in Ireland on “15 March 1882”; not a U.S. citizen but a declarant; nearest relative, Mrs. K. McNamara of Waterpark House, Scariff, County Clare.
On 26 July 1923, John McNamara, of 150 West 74th Street, signed his petition for U.S. naturalization, repeating his birth date and arrival in the USA same as the declaration of intent. He was now married to “Lillie”, reportedly born in Ireland on 15 June 1897 (later documents will state 1879 and born in England). See above link.
In the 1930 census, John McNamara (age 46, born in Ireland, USA arrival in 1912, grocery clerk) and Lillie McNamara (age 35, born in England, USA arrival in 1921) were living in the Bronx at 2565 Grand Concourse; they had been married for eight years.
On 17 January 1933, Elizabeth McNamara petitioned for U.S. citizenship. She reported that her husband John McNamara was born in Scariff on 3 March 1882, arrived in New York in September 1912, and had become a U.S. citizen in June 1924. They lived together at 2395 Grand Avenue in the Bronx and had married on 15 October 1922. Elizabeth McNamara, her maiden name never reported, stated that she was born on 13 June 1879 (reported as 1897 in prior records) in Liverpool, England and had arrived in the USA on the Franconia on 20 December 1926. Her arrival in 1926 agrees to the passenger listing when as Mrs. Elizabeth McNamara, age 46 (as in born about 1880?), she had returned to England to visit her mother, Mrs. M. Connolly at 31 Hornby Blvd, Seaforth (north of Liverpool); her USA contact was Mr. J. McNamara of 55 West 84th Street; her prior USA arrival was on 19 October 1921 (source NY arrival passenger listings).
John McNamara and Elizabeth (possibly Connolly, but never reported) were married on 15 October 1922 in New York according to Elizabeth’s U.S. naturalization documents in 1933. A John McNamara and Elizabeth Murphy married in Queens on 15 October 1922 and the marriage record, certificate #2228, is now available on-line:
https://a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc ... ew/9554362
However, none of the facts for the bride and groom match either John McNamara born in Scariff or what little we know of his wife, Elizabeth. Birthplace, occupation, parents etc are all completely different. The naturalization records of Elizabeth McNamara in 1933 appear to have incorrectly reported their marriage date in 1922. A John McNamara married Elizabeth Connolly in Manhattan on 26 September 1922, license # 28892, per the NY Marriage License Index, but I could not locate the actual marriage record in the NYC Department of Records database.
The later whereabouts of John and Elizabeth McNamara after the 1930 census are unknown.
8.0 Margaret Anne McNamara (1885 – after 1911), of Waterpark, was born on 8 April 1885 (Scariff civil registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, unknown> One of 10 children still living in 1911, but location in 1911 is unknown. She was possibly the witness at the marriage of her brother, Henry, in 1923.
9.0 Bridget Agnes McNamara (1888 – after 1911), of Waterpark, was born on 16 March 1888 (Scariff civil registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, unknown> One of 10 children still living in 1911, but whereabouts are unknown.
10.0 Daniel McNamara (1891 – to NY in 1912 – died in the Bronx in 1936), of Waterpark, was born on 12 April 1891 (Scariff civil registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, House 4>
Daniel McNamara, age 21, a labourer, last residence Scariff, arrived in New York with his elder brother John, on the SS Celtic on 12 October 1912. Their Irish contact was their mother, Catherine McNamara, of “Waterford Park”, Scariff, Co. Clare; their USA contact was their cousin, Miss Margaret Melody of 322 West 28th Street, New York.
WWI Service: from the “New York Abstracts of WWI Military Service”, Daniel McNamara, born in Scariff on 22 April 1893, enlisted on 26 June 1918. After training with the 52nd Pioneer Infantry, he attended school for bakers and cooks at Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina through July 24th; he served overseas with Co. A of the 52nd Pioneer Infantry from 2 August 1918 to 13 April 1919; and was discharged on 19 April 1919. Consistent information was provided on the application for a military headstone upon his death in 1936.
In March 1920, Daniel McNamara applied for a USA passport in order “to see mother”; other words of the original sentence were crossed out but still visible, “to see sick mother who requests to see me as soon as possible”. He reported his birth in Scariff on 10 April 1893 (two years off); his departure from Queenstown on 2 September 1912, and that he was then living at 500 West 142nd Street, New York City. He planned to leave New York on the SS Columbia on 17 April 1920 and return within 5 months.
USA passport application (right side; go to next page for passport photo):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5B-HLMM
Daniel McNamara, “age 26”, left Queenstown on 9 December 1920 on the SS Baltic and arrived in New York on the 19th of December; his USA contact was his brother John McNamara, living at 1015 Lexington Avenue, New York City. Daniel McNamara returned home to Scariff during a very violent period of the War of Independence, including the murder of four men on the bridge at Killaloe on 16 November 1920. Age 29 in 1920, Daniel McNamara would surely have known the three men from Scariff who were murdered: Alfie Rodgers (age 21), Michael “Brud” McMahon (age 27), and Martin Gildea (age 30).
1920 passenger listing (#27):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J6HF-DMQ
Daniel McNamara, “age 29”, son of Daniel McNamara and Catherine O’Brien, married Hannah Kelly, age 19, daughter of James Kelly and Hannah Mcelhome, on 2 June 1924 in Wilmington, Delaware (per Delaware marriage records, 1750-1954).
Daniel McNamara, “age 41”, died on 1 November 1936 in Bronx, New York.
https://a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc ... ew/6357507
…………………. 10.1 Daniel McNamara (age 3 in 1930)
…………………. 10.2 Hannah McNamara (age 1 in 1930)
11.0 Helena “Eileen” McNamara (1893 – after 1911), of Waterpark, was born on 11 October 1893 (Scariff civil registration). <Fossamore, Scariff, House 13, unknown> One of 10 children still living in 1911, but whereabouts are unknown.
*****************************
Was Timothy McNamara, the son of Daniel McNamara and Catherine O’Brien born in 1877, the Timothy McNamara who was eaten by sharks in Key West in 1917? Tim McNamara, born in County Clare, had returned to Key West from Havana in 1911 at the reported age of 29, so born about 1881 or 1882. Since people often fib their age in reporting, the Timothy McNamara of Key West could possibly have been born in 1877.
According to the Irish prison registers for Cork Prison, Timothy McNamara, age 20, born in Scariff, had red hair, brown eyes, fresh sdy complexion, and height of 5 feet 7 ½ inches. According to the Cuba passenger listing from 1911, Timothy McNamara had light hair, blue eyes, fair complexion, and was 5 feet 6 inches tall. Thus, Timothy McNamara of Scariff is off the hook from being the poor Timothy McNamara who was eaten by sharks in 1917.
What happened to Timothy McNamara of Scariff imprisoned for manslaughter in 1898 after he was released from Cork Prison on 2 December 1899? In the 1901 census, there was a Timothy McNamara, age 23, born in County Clare, who was working as a live-in attendant at the Richmond Insane Asylum in Dublin. The same Timothy McNamara, age 31, born in County Clare, was an asylum attendant boarding at Portraine Demesne townland in Dublin in the 1911 census. A good possibility he might be from Scariff. But later whereabouts of this Timothy McNamara after 1911 are unknown. If from Scariff, did he later join his brothers John and Daniel in New York?
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... m/1335938/
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... esne/5873/
Sheila, best of luck to Clare at the All Ireland Hurling final today. Hopefully none of the goal umpires are related to any of the Cork players!
Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,
Hi Jimbo
I'm glad you found the sheet music for On Raglan Road for the button accordion. And I'm delighted to tell you that Clare won the All Ireland hurling final on Sunday. They won by a whisker and it was very exciting. It was a wonderful display of speed and skill, combined. The players play just for the love of the game.
Jimbo, I hasten to say that hurling is not "an organised form of faction fighting". The only connection between the two is the use of the pliable wood of the young ash tree. I probably did not help matters when I gave a link to an article, published in America, which refers to hurleys as shillelaghs. I suppose the writer used that term in order to amuse his readers. But hurlers were never called shillelaghs here and look nothing like them (the stuff of nightmares!).
As for Timothy McNamara who died at Key West, I am doubting that his family in Ireland will ever be identified - there are so many Timothy McNamaras who are his contemporaries, but I am glad that you have gone back to Waterpark and taken up where you left off there (rather suddenly, if I remember correctly), and given us the results of your research into the Waterpark house McNamaras. Your work is much appreciated.
Sheila
I'm glad you found the sheet music for On Raglan Road for the button accordion. And I'm delighted to tell you that Clare won the All Ireland hurling final on Sunday. They won by a whisker and it was very exciting. It was a wonderful display of speed and skill, combined. The players play just for the love of the game.
Jimbo, I hasten to say that hurling is not "an organised form of faction fighting". The only connection between the two is the use of the pliable wood of the young ash tree. I probably did not help matters when I gave a link to an article, published in America, which refers to hurleys as shillelaghs. I suppose the writer used that term in order to amuse his readers. But hurlers were never called shillelaghs here and look nothing like them (the stuff of nightmares!).
As for Timothy McNamara who died at Key West, I am doubting that his family in Ireland will ever be identified - there are so many Timothy McNamaras who are his contemporaries, but I am glad that you have gone back to Waterpark and taken up where you left off there (rather suddenly, if I remember correctly), and given us the results of your research into the Waterpark house McNamaras. Your work is much appreciated.
Sheila
Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,
Hi Sheila,
Congratulations to Clare for winning the All-Ireland Hurling Final against Cork. I found match highlights on youtube and it was indeed very exciting and a great atmosphere in the stadium. Very fast moving compared to American football or baseball.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoViqHOY-XY
The Irish commentary was equally fast paced, and with the hurling terminology and strong accents, it was not always easy to follow. But about 8 minutes into the highlights the announcer screams "look at Scariff's Mark Rodgers, what a score” when #11 scored for the Banner County and the Clare supporters went absolutely wild.
Timothy McNamara of the Scariff Hurling Club was convicted of manslaughter in a Cork courthouse and was in a Cork prison for one year, so it’s great that 125 years later that Clare would beat Cork at the All-Ireland hurling final and a Scariff player would score a goal. In yet another spooky coincidence, the shillelagh attacking Catholic priest of my childhood nightmares was from County Cork.
The Gaelic Athletic Association (G.A.A.) was formed on 1 November 1884 in Thurles, Tipperary. The Irish post office issued a stamp (2 pence, green) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the G.A.A. on 27 July 1934.
The Scariff Independent Hurling Club was founded on 11 July 1886.
Or perhaps more likely were there personal differences between the vice-presidents? James Crotty was vice-president for the Independent Hurlers. I could not find any newspaper reporting on the organization structure of the Sexton Branch, but James Clune was twice reported as a referee or umpire at their matches. Similar to Henry McNamara of Waterpark being a goal umpire when his brother Timothy played for Scariff against Bridgeport, it appears to be common in hurling to not have independent referees and umpires.
Were there political differences between the two Scariff branches? My guess is the Scariff hurling “Sexton Branch” was named after Thomas Sexton (1848-1932) who was arrested alongside Charles Stuart Parnell in 1881:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Se ... olitician)
To solve the mystery why there were two hurling clubs in Scariff, I read the very interesting “Citizen Cusack and Clare’s Gaelic Games” by Daniel McCarthy, a 25-page history in the very heavy book “Clare: History and Society” (2008, Geography Publications; edited by Matthew Lynch and Patrick Nugent). McCarthy doesn’t speak specifically about the Scariff hurling teams, but notes that there was a division between clubs under Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) control and those, far fewer, under clerical influence. “In Cusack’s native county of Clare, the Royal Irish Constabulary became disturbed by the rapid growth of the GAA. The county inspector noted ‘a good opportunity of a general communication of all the leading conspirators in the country’ was provided by the GAA to ‘enable leading members of the IRB to consult together and recruit young men who marched to and from their games in military order and were defiant to the police’”. The RIC source noted in the footnotes was the National Archives of Ireland, Crime Branch Special, March 1887.
James Crotty, the vice-president of the Scariff Independent Hurlers, was a poor law guardian (PLG) and would later become the Chairman of the Land League for Scariff. James was baptized in February 1853, the son of Martin Crotty and Bridget Minogue of Poulagower townland in Scariff. He was living with his wife, Bridget Lalor, in Poulagower in both the 1901 and 1911 census.
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... r/1085974/
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... er/369685/
James Crotty, PLG, was in Scariff along with hundreds of others to welcome home the Coercion Suspect, Michael Minogue, in February 1888 when they were set upon by the R.I.C. and brutally beaten. See the forum thread “Scariff – Monahan”, by Michael Monahan, who ended up really being a Minogue, where James Crotty gets a mention:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2771&hilit=Crotty&start=15
I suspect that the “Sexton Branch” had increasingly become under the influence of the I.R.B., which initiated the creation of the “Independent” club with James Crotty of the Land League as its lay leader. While searching for the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree, we’ve already come across several Clune brothers associated with the I.R.B., but I didn’t identify this James Clune with any certainty. He might be the James Clune, of Cratloe, son of George Clune, who married Mary Courtney in May of 1885, and one of the marriage witnesses was a Michael Minogue.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 950295.pdf
The political divisions within the GAA between the Fenian and constitutional/clerical wings, as well as the Coercion Acts, Bodyke evictions, and the Parnell political crisis appear to have dealt GAA hurling a death blow. McCarthy in “Citizen Cusack and Clare’s Gaelic Games” stated “between 1892 and 1895, official GAA activity in Clare was more or less extinct” (page 485). I also noted this in searching unsuccessfully the newspaper archives for any accounts on what happened to the Scariff hurling clubs. “Despite the 1896 efforts [at revival], the GAA in Clare more or less stumbled blindly into the new century, and was for all intents and purposes a rudderless ship reefed on the embittered infield and sideline fights of 1897 and 1898” (page 486).
“Embittered infield and sideline fights of 1897 and 1898” would surely have included the Scariff versus Bridgetown hurling match of 10 July 1898 when umpire Henry McNamara of Waterpark got into a fight with Thomas O’Neill and Scariff player Timothy McNamara, coming to the rescue of his brother, struck O’Neill with his hurler killing him.
Sheila, after watching the highlights of the All-Ireland Hurling Final between Clare and Cork, I agree that my statement that “hurling appears to be an organized form of Irish faction fighting” was incorrect. However, upon researching the history of hurling in Clare, I only need to change the tense of the verb. From multiple sources, which I could add to this already long posting, “hurling appears to have been an organized form of Irish faction fighting” and numerous times the Irish newspapers made the connection between the two.
*******************
Some “Olympic” trivia: during the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, the USA reportedly won both gold and silver medals in the sport of hurling. There was no bronze medal awarded since only two teams competed, the hometown Innisfail Hurling Club of St. Louis against the Fenian Football Club of Chicago. It was part of “Irish Sports” day on 20th of July which also included a Gaelic football match (same two clubs from Chicago and St Louis) as well as twelve “Irish” track & field events (similar to the decathlon but a few more events). The hurling match is often reported on-line as the only time that hurling has been held at an Olympic games. The St. Louis World’s Fair (aka Louisiana Purchase Exhibition) was held at the same time. I reckon the hurling match was more associated with the World’s Fair and at most part of the “unofficial programme” of the Olympic Games:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurling_a ... r_Olympics
The “Spalding Official Athletic Almanac” for the 1904 Olympics, which was used as a source for the hurling wikipedia article, included lots of very amateur (as in local high school) and crazy sporting events which surely were not part of the official Olympics. As noted on the cover of the almanac, within its pages there was “An Official Report of Anthropological Days at the World’s Fair, containing a Review of the First Series of Athletic Contests ever held, in which Savage Tribes were the Exclusive Contestants”:
https://archive.org/details/1904-spal/page/256/mode/1up
I reckon that neither hurling nor Gaelic football were Olympic sports at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis (1 July to 23 November 1904), but were part of the World’s Fair (30 April to 1 December 1904) held in St. Louis during the same period.
Congratulations to Clare for winning the All-Ireland Hurling Final against Cork. I found match highlights on youtube and it was indeed very exciting and a great atmosphere in the stadium. Very fast moving compared to American football or baseball.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoViqHOY-XY
The Irish commentary was equally fast paced, and with the hurling terminology and strong accents, it was not always easy to follow. But about 8 minutes into the highlights the announcer screams "look at Scariff's Mark Rodgers, what a score” when #11 scored for the Banner County and the Clare supporters went absolutely wild.
Timothy McNamara of the Scariff Hurling Club was convicted of manslaughter in a Cork courthouse and was in a Cork prison for one year, so it’s great that 125 years later that Clare would beat Cork at the All-Ireland hurling final and a Scariff player would score a goal. In yet another spooky coincidence, the shillelagh attacking Catholic priest of my childhood nightmares was from County Cork.
The Gaelic Athletic Association (G.A.A.) was formed on 1 November 1884 in Thurles, Tipperary. The Irish post office issued a stamp (2 pence, green) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the G.A.A. on 27 July 1934.
The Scariff Independent Hurling Club was founded on 11 July 1886.
The Scariff Independent Hurling Club was the “new branch” in Scariff which, perhaps controversially, already had a hurling branch. On 24 July 1886, the “Scariff (Sexton Branch)” lost to Feakle on the 27th of June, prior to the formation of the Scariff Independent Club on the 11th of July. I could not find the formation date of the Sexton Branch, but likely in 1885 or early 1886 at the latest.SCARIFF INDEPENDENT HURLING CLUB.
A meeting of the above Club was held on Sunday in the League rooms, Main street, and was presided over by the Rev. W. Marrinan, C C [Catholic curate]. The meeting was held for the purpose of electing officers to execute the business of the new branch of the G A A now established in Scariff. The following members were elected—Rev W Marrinan, C C, president; J Crotty, vice-president; J Flannery, hon sec; M O’Brien, treasurer; committee—P Mackey, M Brady, P Scanlan, P M’Donnell, D Hussey, M Minogue, W Scanlan, E Malone. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Mackey and W Scanlan for allowing the hurlers to practice on their fields. The meeting then adjourned until next Sunday.
Freeman’s Journal, Wednesday, 14 July 1886
Why were there two different branches of hurling clubs (Sexton and Independent) in Clare?Scariff.—The Independent Hurlers have elected officers for the current year. Can the two parties not be united? Is there room for a second club in so small a place as Scariff?
Feakle v. Scariff (Sexton Branch)—Feakle won by one goal to nil. Good order and good temper were the characteristics of the meeting.
. . . [other matches are reported, then Feakle vs Scariff is repeated] . . .
Feakle (O’Connell Branch)—A hurling match came off on June 27 between the Scariff (Sexton) and Feakle (O’Connell) teams. The Sexton team made five points; the O’Connell team made one goal and thirteen points. The day was beautifully fine. A large concourse of people assembled from the surrounding parishes. The Rev. M.J. Kenny, P.P., Scariff, and the Rev. J.F. Maguire, C.C., Feakle, addressed the gathering. Luncheon was served out on the hurling ground. Mr. James Clune, Scariff, acted as referee; Messrs. James Scott and James McDonnell acted as umpires.
Flag of Ireland, Saturday, 24 July 1886
The following month the Scariff Independent Hurling club team lost to the O’Gonnelloe hurlers. If Scariff had only one club team made up of their best players, I reckon their chances of winning would have been greater:SCARIFF INDEPENDENT HURLING CLUB.
(From Our Correspondent)
A MEETING of the above club was held on Sunday, 19th September, in the League rooms, Main street, all the members of the committee were in attendance. Mr J Crotty, PLG, Vice President, in the chair. The removal of the Rev. W Marinan, CC, to Templederry, county Tipperary, was then discussed, when it was proposed by Mr. W Scanlan, seconded by Mr J Bourke, supported by Mr M Crotty, and unanimously adopted—“That we, the members of the Scariff Independent Hurling Club wish to place on record our sincere regret on the departure from amongst us of our President. Rev. W Marinan, CC—that we tender him our heartfelt thanks for his uniform kindness, his great zeal for the cause, and his noble, uncompromising patriotism, while president of our Club, and we fervently hope that he may carry into the new sphere of his labours our best wishes for his future happiness and preferment.” It was furthermore resolved to present him with an address and some testimonial as a souvenir of the affections entertained for him by the club.
HURLING IN SCARIFF.
(From Another Correspondent)
On Sunday, 19th Sept, the Wolfe Tone Club (Bodyke) visited the Sexton Club (Scariff), for the purpose of having a friendly contest. Two o’clock was the hour appointed to meet, but at on p.m., the Sexton Club made preparation to meet their gallant visitors. First in procession came the brass band of the Sexton Club, after which marched the chosen twenty-one, followed by a large concourse of people, as contingents from all the neighbouring clubs had arrived at an early hour. The procession started from the League rooms—Church street, marched through Main street, and at Tomgraney was met by the Bodyke Club, which had horse and foot in their ranks, and was headed by their splendid fife and drum band. Both processions formed in order after the bands, and proceeded direct to the hurling ground. After the usual formalities had gone through, Messrs James Scott and James Clune being appointed umpire and referee for the Sextons, and Messrs T Scanlon and J Whelan for the Wolfe Tones. The ball was thrown up in the presence of over two thousand spectators. The contest, which was pronounced by all to be one of the closest and most exciting of the season, resulted in a tie, each club having scored one goal and four points. After the match, the hurlers, musicians, etc, were regaled with an excellent repast, which was provided for the occasion by the Sexton club. When all were refreshed, the “Wolfe Tones” started on their homeward journey, being accompanied as far as Tomgraney by their entertainers. At Tomgraney the Sexton Club wished their visitors a farewell God speed. All departed in peace and harmony, and thus ended the day’s proceedings.
Munster News, Saturday, 25 September 1886
Were there theological differences between the presidents of the two Scariff branches, the Rev. Michael J. Kenny of the Sexton Branch and the Rev. William Marinan of the Independent Hurlers?HURLING.
A great hurling match came off on Sunday at O’Gonnelloe, Co. Clare, between the teams of the latter and the Scariff Independent Club. It will be remembered that the O’Gonnelloe hurlers entered into a contest against the North Tips lately and, to use a common phrase, gave them lots of it. Although the Scariff Gaels worked hard it availed nothing, for the O’Gonnelloe’s scored five goals and eight points to their nil. Upwards of 4,000 spectators watched the game. The Tulla brass band filled the air with it cultured and inspiriting music. Both clubs partook of luncheon at Edmund Hayes’, Newchapel, O’Gonnelloe. Referee—W Brady. Umpires—W Davern [Davoren], James Crotty. The day was a brilliant success.
Midland Tribune, Thursday, 28 October 1886
Or perhaps more likely were there personal differences between the vice-presidents? James Crotty was vice-president for the Independent Hurlers. I could not find any newspaper reporting on the organization structure of the Sexton Branch, but James Clune was twice reported as a referee or umpire at their matches. Similar to Henry McNamara of Waterpark being a goal umpire when his brother Timothy played for Scariff against Bridgeport, it appears to be common in hurling to not have independent referees and umpires.
Were there political differences between the two Scariff branches? My guess is the Scariff hurling “Sexton Branch” was named after Thomas Sexton (1848-1932) who was arrested alongside Charles Stuart Parnell in 1881:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Se ... olitician)
To solve the mystery why there were two hurling clubs in Scariff, I read the very interesting “Citizen Cusack and Clare’s Gaelic Games” by Daniel McCarthy, a 25-page history in the very heavy book “Clare: History and Society” (2008, Geography Publications; edited by Matthew Lynch and Patrick Nugent). McCarthy doesn’t speak specifically about the Scariff hurling teams, but notes that there was a division between clubs under Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) control and those, far fewer, under clerical influence. “In Cusack’s native county of Clare, the Royal Irish Constabulary became disturbed by the rapid growth of the GAA. The county inspector noted ‘a good opportunity of a general communication of all the leading conspirators in the country’ was provided by the GAA to ‘enable leading members of the IRB to consult together and recruit young men who marched to and from their games in military order and were defiant to the police’”. The RIC source noted in the footnotes was the National Archives of Ireland, Crime Branch Special, March 1887.
James Crotty, the vice-president of the Scariff Independent Hurlers, was a poor law guardian (PLG) and would later become the Chairman of the Land League for Scariff. James was baptized in February 1853, the son of Martin Crotty and Bridget Minogue of Poulagower townland in Scariff. He was living with his wife, Bridget Lalor, in Poulagower in both the 1901 and 1911 census.
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... r/1085974/
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... er/369685/
James Crotty, PLG, was in Scariff along with hundreds of others to welcome home the Coercion Suspect, Michael Minogue, in February 1888 when they were set upon by the R.I.C. and brutally beaten. See the forum thread “Scariff – Monahan”, by Michael Monahan, who ended up really being a Minogue, where James Crotty gets a mention:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2771&hilit=Crotty&start=15
I suspect that the “Sexton Branch” had increasingly become under the influence of the I.R.B., which initiated the creation of the “Independent” club with James Crotty of the Land League as its lay leader. While searching for the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree, we’ve already come across several Clune brothers associated with the I.R.B., but I didn’t identify this James Clune with any certainty. He might be the James Clune, of Cratloe, son of George Clune, who married Mary Courtney in May of 1885, and one of the marriage witnesses was a Michael Minogue.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 950295.pdf
The political divisions within the GAA between the Fenian and constitutional/clerical wings, as well as the Coercion Acts, Bodyke evictions, and the Parnell political crisis appear to have dealt GAA hurling a death blow. McCarthy in “Citizen Cusack and Clare’s Gaelic Games” stated “between 1892 and 1895, official GAA activity in Clare was more or less extinct” (page 485). I also noted this in searching unsuccessfully the newspaper archives for any accounts on what happened to the Scariff hurling clubs. “Despite the 1896 efforts [at revival], the GAA in Clare more or less stumbled blindly into the new century, and was for all intents and purposes a rudderless ship reefed on the embittered infield and sideline fights of 1897 and 1898” (page 486).
“Embittered infield and sideline fights of 1897 and 1898” would surely have included the Scariff versus Bridgetown hurling match of 10 July 1898 when umpire Henry McNamara of Waterpark got into a fight with Thomas O’Neill and Scariff player Timothy McNamara, coming to the rescue of his brother, struck O’Neill with his hurler killing him.
Sheila, after watching the highlights of the All-Ireland Hurling Final between Clare and Cork, I agree that my statement that “hurling appears to be an organized form of Irish faction fighting” was incorrect. However, upon researching the history of hurling in Clare, I only need to change the tense of the verb. From multiple sources, which I could add to this already long posting, “hurling appears to have been an organized form of Irish faction fighting” and numerous times the Irish newspapers made the connection between the two.
*******************
Some “Olympic” trivia: during the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, the USA reportedly won both gold and silver medals in the sport of hurling. There was no bronze medal awarded since only two teams competed, the hometown Innisfail Hurling Club of St. Louis against the Fenian Football Club of Chicago. It was part of “Irish Sports” day on 20th of July which also included a Gaelic football match (same two clubs from Chicago and St Louis) as well as twelve “Irish” track & field events (similar to the decathlon but a few more events). The hurling match is often reported on-line as the only time that hurling has been held at an Olympic games. The St. Louis World’s Fair (aka Louisiana Purchase Exhibition) was held at the same time. I reckon the hurling match was more associated with the World’s Fair and at most part of the “unofficial programme” of the Olympic Games:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurling_a ... r_Olympics
The “Spalding Official Athletic Almanac” for the 1904 Olympics, which was used as a source for the hurling wikipedia article, included lots of very amateur (as in local high school) and crazy sporting events which surely were not part of the official Olympics. As noted on the cover of the almanac, within its pages there was “An Official Report of Anthropological Days at the World’s Fair, containing a Review of the First Series of Athletic Contests ever held, in which Savage Tribes were the Exclusive Contestants”:
https://archive.org/details/1904-spal/page/256/mode/1up
I reckon that neither hurling nor Gaelic football were Olympic sports at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis (1 July to 23 November 1904), but were part of the World’s Fair (30 April to 1 December 1904) held in St. Louis during the same period.
Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,
Hi Jimbo
You have done much work on the subject of hurling in a very short time. I found your posting very interesting, and it prompted me to re-read the article you mentioned (by Daniel McCarthy). A book entitled Feakle, by Kieran Sheedy, published by Feakle GAA Hurling Club, 1990, is probably another good source of information on hurling in Co. Clare, (His The Clare Elections is a terrific book, I think), but I haven’t read Feakle, so I can’t say if it delves in the history of the game prior to the formation of the GAA.
I was surprised that you found evidence that hurling was organised faction fighting. I never read that anywhere. They were both forms of rivalry, of course, but I always considered the two activities to have separate histories.
Sheila
You have done much work on the subject of hurling in a very short time. I found your posting very interesting, and it prompted me to re-read the article you mentioned (by Daniel McCarthy). A book entitled Feakle, by Kieran Sheedy, published by Feakle GAA Hurling Club, 1990, is probably another good source of information on hurling in Co. Clare, (His The Clare Elections is a terrific book, I think), but I haven’t read Feakle, so I can’t say if it delves in the history of the game prior to the formation of the GAA.
I was surprised that you found evidence that hurling was organised faction fighting. I never read that anywhere. They were both forms of rivalry, of course, but I always considered the two activities to have separate histories.
Sheila
Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,
Hi Sheila,
My initial comment that hurling appears to be an “organized form of Irish faction fighting” was prefaced by “I’ve never been to a hurling match”. The Scariff versus Bridgetown hurling match of 10 July 1898, when Thomas O’Neill was instantly killed from being hit by a hurler, was my sole introduction to the sport of hurling. Plus upon reading “Thirty Irishmen with Shillelaghs” which you provided, of course, I would be quick to associate hurling with faction fighting. Back when the GAA was being formed, there was indeed concern that the revival of formal hurling competitons and a national championship would lead to the resurgence of faction fighting:
From the same Flag of Ireland newspaper of 24 July 1886 announcing the Scariff Independent Hurling club, was news from the Waterford GAA protesting new rules which prohibited “wrestling” from Gaelic football, and there was an historical reference to hurling and faction fighting:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport-col ... 39932.html
It was a very enlightening article on Gaelic football and Irish sport in general. Rouse added, “In those first years of the GAA, the leading officials were never finished telling everyone just how disciplined the members of the GAA were. The problem was there was a sizeable amount of evidence to the contrary. And the press and public revelled in the fighting”.
Sheila, the book “Feakle” by Kieran Sheedy also sounds very interesting. The Scariff Hurling Club and 1904 Olympics might appear to be a distraction from the search for the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara of Glandree but has provided an interesting insight into Irish culture. Plus further research into Irish hurling in the USA during the period of the 1904 Olympics has led surprisingly back to Glandree and some familiar names.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904_Summer_Olympics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Kiely
Similar as to Ireland, hurling was an amateur sport in the United States, and it would have been expensive for the 17 Wolfe Tones to travel from New York to St. Louis. Several of the players were married with children. Plus the level of competition, with only two teams attending, would not have made the trip worthwhile. Joseph Henchy, the captain of the Wolfe Tones, was likely keen to go to St. Louis but it would have been extremely difficult to get his teammates, 16 other Irishmen, to agree upon anything let alone an expensive trip to far away Missouri. Being the best hurling team in New York in a championship played in front of thousands of fans at Celtic Park would be far more prestigious than getting an “Olympic” medal in St. Louis.
** The Wolfe Tone Hurling Club of Brooklyn team photo, taken in either late 1903 or early 1904 (first published in February 1904), can be found in the below link, “Paris 2024 Olympics Hurling Showcase” written by a hurling enthusiast. Note regarding link: whether or not any hurling matches took place in France this August, there is a large distinction, as in 1904, between an event being held during the same time period as the Olympics and at the Olympics.
WTHC Team Photo: https://playhurling.com/paris-2024-olym ... -showcase/
A great photo of the Wolfe Tone Hurling Club (WTHC) players, this was the same photo first published by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle in February 1904 and again by Brooklyn Life in July 1904. What is confusing is that in February 1904, the 17 club members are listed by hurling position and not specified in the photograph. In July 1904, the 17 members are named based upon their order in the photograph. Three hurling players (Michael Grace, Andrew Hickey, and Thomas Liddy) reported in February 1904, were not listed in July 1904 which included three other team members (Patrick Heath, Michael Moloney, and Patrick Cooney). Getting 17 members together for a photograph would be difficult logistically and expensive, so the July 1904 article incorrectly attributed the three new players to the three who they replaced.
At least four of the 20 players (17, plus three replacements) were born in County Clare (and likely several more based upon surnames alone, such as Michael McMahon):
Joseph Henchy, top row third from right, with “Captain” written on his jersey, was baptized on 3 February 1877, no residence reported, parents Michael Henchy and Bridget Mack; sponsor Johanna McNamara (per Feakle baptism register, 1861-1881). Per his civil record he was born on “7 February 1877” (to avoid a late penalty) and location given was “Ayle”. Joseph Henchy was the youngest of their ten children. Bridget McNamara Henchy (a widow, age 60) was living in Derryvinna, Ayle, in the 1901 census with her son, John Henchy, and his family. By 1901, Joseph Henchy had already left for New York.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 106335.pdf
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... a/1084796/
Andrew Cooney, left wing for WTHC, standing on Joseph Henchy’s left, was the youngest of the ten children of Denis Cooney and Johanna Sheedy McNamara of Glandree, baptized on 12 June 1876; sponsor Patrick McNamara and Ellen McNamara (his uncle and aunt). His civil birth records states “28 June 1876”, reported after his baptism to avoid a late penalty. Andrew Cooney was the grandson of Andrew Sheedy McNamara (≈1802-1867) and Margaret Clanchy (≈1798-1890). See family tree on page 13, McNamara family #4. Andrew was the younger brother of Denis Cooney and James Cooney, who along with John Hurst, Martin Molony and Cornelius Howard, made up the “Glandree Five”, imprisoned for ten years at Mountjoy between 1890 and 1900 for the shooting into the house of the farmer Donnellan of Thome, Tulla (see page 10 of this posting, first discussed back in October 2018).
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 114936.pdf
Patrick Cooney? He was reported in July 1904 as sitting at the far right in the photo, but not a team member when the same photo from February 1904. The person in the photo appears older than the others, so likely Michael Grace or Thomas Liddy (Andrew Hickey who was also replaced was born in 1880, as noted further below, would be too young). Andrew Cooney had an elder brother named Patrick born in 1857. Cooney is a common surname. Would need further evidence (passenger listings, census records in Brooklyn) to prove that this Patrick Cooney was also a son of Denis Cooney and Johanna Sheedy McNamara of Glandree.
Andrew Cooney was also discussed on page 29 of this thread back in March 2021. He was a fairly recent arrival to the USA when the WTHC photo was taken:
1903 passenger listing: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JF5D-F3L
Patrick Meaney? Martin Meaney, traveling with Andrew Cooney, was the son of John Meaney and Maria Quinn of Glendree, baptized on 12 August 1878. Martin had a young brother named Patrick who was born on 18 June 1885 who would have been about 19 years old when the WTHC photo was taken. Could this be the Patrick Meaney, the WTHC left wing standing fourth from the left in the photo? Patrick J. Meany, age 16, was living in Glendree with his parents in the 1901 census. Patrick J. Meaney, age 20, from Feakle, arrived in New York on the Oceanic on 28 April 1904, going to his brother Martin of Long Island. The WTHC team photo was first published in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper on 29 February 1904, so the identity of the Patrick Meaney in the WTHC photo remains a mystery.
There was a Patrick Meaney born in 1878 to Martin Meaney and Anne Hawkins of Tulla (Tulla Catholic parish). Also, from Tulla registration district was a Patrick born in 1881 to Denis Meany and Bridget Hawkins of Clonloum (O’Callaghan Mills Catholic parish). From a quick search of the civil birth records, between 1870 and 1884, in addition to those noted from Tulla, there were 4 Patrick Meaney’s born in Ennis; 3 born in Kilrush, and 7 in Kildysert registration districts. Apparently, Gaelic football is the more popular sport in West Clare and hurling in East Clare, so the 10 Patrick Meaney’s born in Kilrush / Kiladysert would unlikely, I reckon, have been a member of the Wolfe Tone Hurling Club of Brooklyn in 1904. I do not know if the four born in Ennis registration district would more likely to have played hurling or Gaelic football. There were also many Patrick Meaney’s born outside of County Clare.
Lawrence Hickey was the WTHC goalkeeper standing in the top row, second from left. Surprisingly, “Lawrence Hickey” was not an uncommon name in Ireland, and there were two men named Lawrence Hickey, both about the same age living in Brooklyn. Fortunately, Lawrence in the photo was holding the hand of his young daughter which was a very important clue. Unfortunately, both Lawrences of Brooklyn had young daughters. Was the young girl Mary Hickey (age 3 in the 1905 census), the daughter of Laurence Hickey (age 31) and Mary [Ryan] Hickey (age 26) of Brooklyn? Or was she Catherine Hickey (age 6 in the 1905 census, the daughter of Lawrence Hickey (age 30) and Bridget [Powers] Hickey (age 29) living in Brooklyn? Clearly, based upon the choice of ages the young girl holding Lawrence’s right hand must be the Catherine Hickey, age 6 in the 1905 census.
1905 Census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKS4-YHD
Living with Lawrence and Bridget Hickey and their daughter in the 1905 census was Lawrence’s brother, Andrew Hickey (age 24). Andrew was reported as a WTHC center in the February 1904 news article; he appears to have been dropped from the club sometime between February and July 1904. In the 1900 census, Patrick Hickey (age 21) was living with Laurence, his wife, and 1-year old Catherine. Laurence Hickey, the goal-keeper of the Wolfe Tone Hurling Club, must be the son of James Hickey and Anne Driscoll of Doonane townland, baptized on 22 January 1870 in Tulla parish. His brother Patrick was born in 1878 and Andrew in 1880.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 230565.pdf
Who was Patrick Mack? Not sure, but with several of the Wolfe Tone Hurling Club members being from Tulla, there is a very good chance that Patrick McNamara was also from there.
Edit 1 on 18 Aug. 2024: the captain of the WTHC was Joseph Henchy, not Joseph Hickey. This error made once in paragraph starting “Similar as to Ireland”; Sheila quoted my error in next posting.
My initial comment that hurling appears to be an “organized form of Irish faction fighting” was prefaced by “I’ve never been to a hurling match”. The Scariff versus Bridgetown hurling match of 10 July 1898, when Thomas O’Neill was instantly killed from being hit by a hurler, was my sole introduction to the sport of hurling. Plus upon reading “Thirty Irishmen with Shillelaghs” which you provided, of course, I would be quick to associate hurling with faction fighting. Back when the GAA was being formed, there was indeed concern that the revival of formal hurling competitons and a national championship would lead to the resurgence of faction fighting:
From the same Flag of Ireland newspaper of 24 July 1886 announcing the Scariff Independent Hurling club, was news from the Waterford GAA protesting new rules which prohibited “wrestling” from Gaelic football, and there was an historical reference to hurling and faction fighting:
With the advent of GAA hurling and football, official rules were codified which led to controversy about abolishing “wrestling” in Gaelic football. The above was one of many news articles from 1886 in the newspaper archives. “Wrestle without quarrelling”, what did that even mean in the context of a sporting contest? A google search led to an article in the Ireland Examiner of 20 January 2017 entitled “Wrestling with the Early Rules of Gaelic Football” by Paul Rouse. Apparently, until 1886 when it was officially prohibited there was a tradition in Gaelic football of “players breaking off and wrestling as the game progressed around them”. And this was allowed?Waterford—It was stated in the public Press that wrestling and handy-grips in connection with [Gaelic] football were abolished by a resolution passed at the Thurles meeting on the 4th instant. . . . If the wrestling is to be abolished so summarily, the sooner hitting with the hands is abolished the better; and then the game will be half-English, half-Scotch game which is known in Ulster and Great Britain at the “Association” game. The Waterford branch of the G.A.A. is up in arms against the retreating party, and at a largely attended meeting, presided over by Mr. W.G. Fisher, passed the following resolution with acclamation:—
“That we consider the amendment to the rules brought forward at the meeting at Thurles abolishing wrestling and handy grips in football as one which is subversive of the Gaelic rules, and believe that the decision, come to at a previous meeting in Dublin, that any player be disqualified for catching a man below the knee, and also for vicious play, would meet all the requirements of the game, and have prevented a recurrence of such matters as led to that proposition; and that we trust the executive will reconsider their decision.”
Mr. Fisher has written to the Press strongly supporting this resolution, and clearly indicating the direction which the G.A.A. is taking in the absence of its founders. The incomparable harmony which prevailed at the monster Gaelic meetings held at Thurles and Kilkenny justifies us in stating that is a gross libel on our fellow countrymen to assert that they cannot wrestle without quarrelling. When the hurling was being revived the cry was raised, “You want to revive faction fighting;” and yet there has been no fighting. If our esteemed friend, Mr. O’Grady, captain of the Moycarkey Hurlers [Tipperary], can keep himself and his men under complete control under the most exciting circumstances of a closely contested hurling match, when the blood reaches high temperature, surely those who have only themselves to carry may be relied on to avoid quarrelling in the course of a comparatively uneventful football match. No changes should be introduced without due notice. No notice was given to the delegates who constituted the meeting that hurriedly and so unadvisedly effected so sweeping a retrograde motion as that for the abolition of wrestling, and consequently a more regularly constituted and a more representative meeting should get an opportunity of discussing the pros and cons of the situation. If this is not done a precedent will have been established and some harmless, but spiritless, delegate may at the tail of a meeting carry a motion in favour of getting hurlers to obey the most contemptible of all rules—“side your own”.
Flag of Ireland, Saturday, 24 July 1886
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport-col ... 39932.html
It was a very enlightening article on Gaelic football and Irish sport in general. Rouse added, “In those first years of the GAA, the leading officials were never finished telling everyone just how disciplined the members of the GAA were. The problem was there was a sizeable amount of evidence to the contrary. And the press and public revelled in the fighting”.
Sheila, the book “Feakle” by Kieran Sheedy also sounds very interesting. The Scariff Hurling Club and 1904 Olympics might appear to be a distraction from the search for the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara of Glandree but has provided an interesting insight into Irish culture. Plus further research into Irish hurling in the USA during the period of the 1904 Olympics has led surprisingly back to Glandree and some familiar names.
In February 1904 the Wolfe Tone Hurling Club of Brooklyn were going to the “St. Louis Exhibition”. Five months later they were reportedly headed to the 1904 Olympics:WOLFE TONE CLUB HURLING TEAM OF BROOKLYN.
Champions of America, Who Will Defend Their Title at the St. Louis Exposition Next Summer.
BROOKLYN has the champion hurling team of America. They are members of the Wolfe Tone Club and they will travel to the St. Louis Exposition next summer to compete with teams from all over the United States to maintain their supremacy.
The seventeen members of the team are all young athletes who are in constant training. They are all teetotalers. The only game they will engage in before going to St. Louis will be with the Mitchells of Manhattan, at the big festival of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, at Ridgewood Park, on St. Patrick’s Day.
The Wolfe Tone team wrested the championship from the Mahers of New York, at Celtic Park, Queens County, on November 15, 1903. They won a trophy valued at $300. The Mahers had held the championship for five years.
During the winter the Wolfe Tones occupy cozy club rooms in Henchy’s Hotel, Sackett and Hicks streets. They have smokers and other entertainments that are largely attended.
Joseph Henchy, captain of the team, is an all around athlete and has won many prizes in jumping, running, and other feats of endurance and skill.
Hurling is the national Irish game. It holds the same place among sports in the Green Isle as baseball does in the United States. It has been played for centuries by men and boys in Ireland. Many of the members of the Wolfe Tone team played on the team which won the championship of all Ireland before coming to America. Captain Henchy and his sturdy men predict that they will bring back the championship from St. Louis to Brooklyn.
The game is quite popular in America and there are many strong teams in all the large cities. These will be largely represented in the St. Louis tournament.
The Wolfe Tones line up as follows: Joseph Henchy, captain and left wing whip; Michael Sullivan, center; Patrick Sullivan, right wing whip; Patrick Meaney, full back; Patrick O’Brien, half back; Thomas Murphy, right wing; James Maloney, right wing; Dennis Maloney, left wing; Andrew Cooney, center; Michael Grace, left wing; Patrick Mack, left wing; Lawrence Hickey, goalkeeper; Andrew Hickey, center; Patrick Heath, right back; Michael Burke, left back; Thomas Liddy, extreme forward; Michael McMahon, right wing.
[Article also included a team photo of 17 members, same photo as news article from July]
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Monday, 29 February 1904
The Wolfe Tone Hurling Club of Brooklyn never made it to St. Louis. The 1904 Olympic Games, only the third Olympiad of the modern era, were not that popular and lasted nearly five months. Few foreign countries attended outside of North America, and those countries who did attend sent few athletes. Only about 70 athletes out of a total of 651 were from outside of North America. The USA absolutely dominated in the medal count, the first Olympics that had gold, silver, and bronze medals. “Great Britain” only won one gold and one silver medal; and the gold medal, for the decathlon, was won by Tom Kiely (1869-1951), a very proud Irishman:SPORTS OF THE AMATEUR.
Without being in evidence except at the occasional games in Celtic Park, hurling has flourished in Brooklyn since 1893, when the organization of the Wolfe Tones, by the late James Henchy, gave this ancient sport of the Irish kings—a sport so old that it figured in the daily life of the Emerald Isle before Cesar came to Britain—its first foothold on this side of the Atlantic. The Wolfe Tones held the American championship until 1896, when the team went out of commission. The Maharas, of Manhattan, then held the championship for seven years, the Wolfe Tones—reorganized last year by Joseph Henchy, a brother of James—winning it back last November at Celtic Park by the enormous score of six goals to five points. Next week Friday and Saturday have been set apart for Irish sports—hurling and Gaelic football—at the Olympic Games, St. Louis, and the Wolfe Tones will then defend this championship. The team, in which Dennis Grady has replaced Patrick Maloney—now an associate of John A. Drake—since the accompanying picture was taken, is largely made up of all-around athletes, who were formerly crack hurlers in Ireland, where hurling remains the national game. Toddy Liddy is president of the team and the treasurer is P. Corbett.
1904 Team Photo of Wolfe Tones Hurling Club of Brooklyn [add later, no space] **
The Wolfe Tones of Brooklyn.
The team which includes the American hurling championship and will defend it at the Olympic Games, in St. Louis, next week; from left to right:
[Back Row, 9 players standing]: Messrs Michael McMahon, Larry Hickey (goalkeeper), Michael Burt [Burke], Patrick Maney [Meaney], Patrick Heath, Michael Maloney, Joseph Henchy (captain), Andrew Cooney, Patrick O’Brien.
[Front Row, 8 players sitting]: Michael Sullivan, Patrick Sullivan, Dennis Maloney, Patrick Mack, James Maloney, Thomas Murphy, Patrick Maloney [replaced by Dennis Grady], and Patrick Cooney.
Brooklyn Life, Saturday, 16 July 1904
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904_Summer_Olympics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Kiely
Similar as to Ireland, hurling was an amateur sport in the United States, and it would have been expensive for the 17 Wolfe Tones to travel from New York to St. Louis. Several of the players were married with children. Plus the level of competition, with only two teams attending, would not have made the trip worthwhile. Joseph Henchy, the captain of the Wolfe Tones, was likely keen to go to St. Louis but it would have been extremely difficult to get his teammates, 16 other Irishmen, to agree upon anything let alone an expensive trip to far away Missouri. Being the best hurling team in New York in a championship played in front of thousands of fans at Celtic Park would be far more prestigious than getting an “Olympic” medal in St. Louis.
** The Wolfe Tone Hurling Club of Brooklyn team photo, taken in either late 1903 or early 1904 (first published in February 1904), can be found in the below link, “Paris 2024 Olympics Hurling Showcase” written by a hurling enthusiast. Note regarding link: whether or not any hurling matches took place in France this August, there is a large distinction, as in 1904, between an event being held during the same time period as the Olympics and at the Olympics.
WTHC Team Photo: https://playhurling.com/paris-2024-olym ... -showcase/
A great photo of the Wolfe Tone Hurling Club (WTHC) players, this was the same photo first published by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle in February 1904 and again by Brooklyn Life in July 1904. What is confusing is that in February 1904, the 17 club members are listed by hurling position and not specified in the photograph. In July 1904, the 17 members are named based upon their order in the photograph. Three hurling players (Michael Grace, Andrew Hickey, and Thomas Liddy) reported in February 1904, were not listed in July 1904 which included three other team members (Patrick Heath, Michael Moloney, and Patrick Cooney). Getting 17 members together for a photograph would be difficult logistically and expensive, so the July 1904 article incorrectly attributed the three new players to the three who they replaced.
At least four of the 20 players (17, plus three replacements) were born in County Clare (and likely several more based upon surnames alone, such as Michael McMahon):
Joseph Henchy, top row third from right, with “Captain” written on his jersey, was baptized on 3 February 1877, no residence reported, parents Michael Henchy and Bridget Mack; sponsor Johanna McNamara (per Feakle baptism register, 1861-1881). Per his civil record he was born on “7 February 1877” (to avoid a late penalty) and location given was “Ayle”. Joseph Henchy was the youngest of their ten children. Bridget McNamara Henchy (a widow, age 60) was living in Derryvinna, Ayle, in the 1901 census with her son, John Henchy, and his family. By 1901, Joseph Henchy had already left for New York.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 106335.pdf
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... a/1084796/
Andrew Cooney, left wing for WTHC, standing on Joseph Henchy’s left, was the youngest of the ten children of Denis Cooney and Johanna Sheedy McNamara of Glandree, baptized on 12 June 1876; sponsor Patrick McNamara and Ellen McNamara (his uncle and aunt). His civil birth records states “28 June 1876”, reported after his baptism to avoid a late penalty. Andrew Cooney was the grandson of Andrew Sheedy McNamara (≈1802-1867) and Margaret Clanchy (≈1798-1890). See family tree on page 13, McNamara family #4. Andrew was the younger brother of Denis Cooney and James Cooney, who along with John Hurst, Martin Molony and Cornelius Howard, made up the “Glandree Five”, imprisoned for ten years at Mountjoy between 1890 and 1900 for the shooting into the house of the farmer Donnellan of Thome, Tulla (see page 10 of this posting, first discussed back in October 2018).
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 114936.pdf
Patrick Cooney? He was reported in July 1904 as sitting at the far right in the photo, but not a team member when the same photo from February 1904. The person in the photo appears older than the others, so likely Michael Grace or Thomas Liddy (Andrew Hickey who was also replaced was born in 1880, as noted further below, would be too young). Andrew Cooney had an elder brother named Patrick born in 1857. Cooney is a common surname. Would need further evidence (passenger listings, census records in Brooklyn) to prove that this Patrick Cooney was also a son of Denis Cooney and Johanna Sheedy McNamara of Glandree.
Andrew Cooney was also discussed on page 29 of this thread back in March 2021. He was a fairly recent arrival to the USA when the WTHC photo was taken:
When Andrew Cooney of “Feakle” arrived in New York on the SS Cedric, he was traveling with two others from “Feakle”, Martin Meeney (age 25) and Mathew Moloney (age 26), both having as their USA contact, John Cooney (Andrew’s brother).The youngest Cooney sibling, Andrew Cooney, arrived in New York on the Cedric on 20 April 1903; his reported age was 26, from Feakle, going to his brother John Cooney at 40 Pacific Street in Brooklyn. In the 1905 NY state census, John Cooney (age 27) and Andrew Cooney (age 28) were employees at the Manhattan State Hospital, an insane asylum located on Ward Island — the largest mental hospital in the world at that time. Andrew was still working as a fireman at Manhattan State Hospital in the 1910 census:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M5ZP-K5Z
1903 passenger listing: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JF5D-F3L
Patrick Meaney? Martin Meaney, traveling with Andrew Cooney, was the son of John Meaney and Maria Quinn of Glendree, baptized on 12 August 1878. Martin had a young brother named Patrick who was born on 18 June 1885 who would have been about 19 years old when the WTHC photo was taken. Could this be the Patrick Meaney, the WTHC left wing standing fourth from the left in the photo? Patrick J. Meany, age 16, was living in Glendree with his parents in the 1901 census. Patrick J. Meaney, age 20, from Feakle, arrived in New York on the Oceanic on 28 April 1904, going to his brother Martin of Long Island. The WTHC team photo was first published in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper on 29 February 1904, so the identity of the Patrick Meaney in the WTHC photo remains a mystery.
There was a Patrick Meaney born in 1878 to Martin Meaney and Anne Hawkins of Tulla (Tulla Catholic parish). Also, from Tulla registration district was a Patrick born in 1881 to Denis Meany and Bridget Hawkins of Clonloum (O’Callaghan Mills Catholic parish). From a quick search of the civil birth records, between 1870 and 1884, in addition to those noted from Tulla, there were 4 Patrick Meaney’s born in Ennis; 3 born in Kilrush, and 7 in Kildysert registration districts. Apparently, Gaelic football is the more popular sport in West Clare and hurling in East Clare, so the 10 Patrick Meaney’s born in Kilrush / Kiladysert would unlikely, I reckon, have been a member of the Wolfe Tone Hurling Club of Brooklyn in 1904. I do not know if the four born in Ennis registration district would more likely to have played hurling or Gaelic football. There were also many Patrick Meaney’s born outside of County Clare.
Lawrence Hickey was the WTHC goalkeeper standing in the top row, second from left. Surprisingly, “Lawrence Hickey” was not an uncommon name in Ireland, and there were two men named Lawrence Hickey, both about the same age living in Brooklyn. Fortunately, Lawrence in the photo was holding the hand of his young daughter which was a very important clue. Unfortunately, both Lawrences of Brooklyn had young daughters. Was the young girl Mary Hickey (age 3 in the 1905 census), the daughter of Laurence Hickey (age 31) and Mary [Ryan] Hickey (age 26) of Brooklyn? Or was she Catherine Hickey (age 6 in the 1905 census, the daughter of Lawrence Hickey (age 30) and Bridget [Powers] Hickey (age 29) living in Brooklyn? Clearly, based upon the choice of ages the young girl holding Lawrence’s right hand must be the Catherine Hickey, age 6 in the 1905 census.
1905 Census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKS4-YHD
Living with Lawrence and Bridget Hickey and their daughter in the 1905 census was Lawrence’s brother, Andrew Hickey (age 24). Andrew was reported as a WTHC center in the February 1904 news article; he appears to have been dropped from the club sometime between February and July 1904. In the 1900 census, Patrick Hickey (age 21) was living with Laurence, his wife, and 1-year old Catherine. Laurence Hickey, the goal-keeper of the Wolfe Tone Hurling Club, must be the son of James Hickey and Anne Driscoll of Doonane townland, baptized on 22 January 1870 in Tulla parish. His brother Patrick was born in 1878 and Andrew in 1880.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 230565.pdf
Who was Patrick Mack? Not sure, but with several of the Wolfe Tone Hurling Club members being from Tulla, there is a very good chance that Patrick McNamara was also from there.
Edit 1 on 18 Aug. 2024: the captain of the WTHC was Joseph Henchy, not Joseph Hickey. This error made once in paragraph starting “Similar as to Ireland”; Sheila quoted my error in next posting.
Last edited by Jimbo on Mon Aug 19, 2024 8:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,
Hi Jimbo
Thank you for that very interesting post, especially the work you’ve done on the (at least) four Claremen on the Wolfe Tone team of Brooklyn.
I noticed that wrestling is associated with football rather than with hurling.
The 1904 photo of the team is indeed a great photo. Here is a photo of the Clare team that won the All Ireland Final in 1914: https://irishpubemporium.com/product/19 ... champions/. The handlebar mustaches had gone out of fashion in the intervening 10 years (mostly). You ask if Ennis was a stronghold of hurling and, yes, it was: scroll way down and you will see from the caption that a couple of the players were from Ennis.
About the Wolfe Tone Hurling club of Brooklyn, you say that Joseph Hickey, the captain of the team, would have found it extremely difficult “to get his teammates, 16 other Irishmen, to agree upon anything let alone an expensive trip to far away Missouri”. That sounds to me like an unfair comment, but maybe you have some background information.
Sheila
Thank you for that very interesting post, especially the work you’ve done on the (at least) four Claremen on the Wolfe Tone team of Brooklyn.
I noticed that wrestling is associated with football rather than with hurling.
The 1904 photo of the team is indeed a great photo. Here is a photo of the Clare team that won the All Ireland Final in 1914: https://irishpubemporium.com/product/19 ... champions/. The handlebar mustaches had gone out of fashion in the intervening 10 years (mostly). You ask if Ennis was a stronghold of hurling and, yes, it was: scroll way down and you will see from the caption that a couple of the players were from Ennis.
About the Wolfe Tone Hurling club of Brooklyn, you say that Joseph Hickey, the captain of the team, would have found it extremely difficult “to get his teammates, 16 other Irishmen, to agree upon anything let alone an expensive trip to far away Missouri”. That sounds to me like an unfair comment, but maybe you have some background information.
Sheila
Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,
Hi Sheila,
I concede that my prior comment that “hurling appears to have been an organized form of Irish faction fighting” was somewhat hyperbolic. However, I will double down on my theory about the difficulties in getting the Wolfe Tones to the “Olympics” in 1904. For Wolfe Tone captain Joseph Henchy to get his 16 fellow hurling club members from Brooklyn to St. Louis it would be, to use an American expression, “like herding cats”.
Sheila, while searching for the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree we’ve come across many men with the occupation of “Herdsman”, or simply just “Herd”, in the Irish census reports and also in the post-1864 civil records. Often times these herdsmen will be the victims of outrageous attacks by moonlighters as they are employed by unpopular landlords. Presumably, the herdsmen in Ireland are herding cattle or sheep, or perhaps a combination of both. Sheila, I suspect living in Ireland you would be unaware of the long tradition in America of herding cats, so here is some background information:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_MaJDK3VNE
My recent comment, which you judged as unfair, about getting these Irishmen to “agree upon anything let alone an expensive trip to Missouri” was based, perhaps not on strong evidence, but strong stereotypes of both New Yorkers and the Irish living in America. Again, living in Ireland I suspect that you are not aware of these stereotypes, so I am happy to provide the background information you requested:
New Yorkers believe that New York City is the “center of the universe”. Most New Yorkers have never been to St. Louis or anywhere else in “Middle America”. They describe Missouri as a “fly over” state, and could not point to St. Louis on a map. These are current stereotypes of New Yorkers, but in 1904 it would have been equally unappealing to travel by train to St. Louis. There were very few foreign competitors at the St. Louis Olympics. Like the most recent Olympics in Paris, the hotels would have been very expensive in St. Louis. And once in St. Louis getting to the exhibition fair grounds by the St. Louis trolley was famously crowded. Joseph Henchy, the captain of the Wolfe Tones, would have been extremely challenged to get his 16 fellow hurling players to meet him in St. Louis.
The Irish in America have (or “had” as this is more of a historical stereotype) a reputation that they are always fighting and are always angry, thus never able to agree upon anything. This reputation has sometimes been embraced, such as the “Fighting Irish” of Notre Dame University. Newspapers and Hollywood movies and TV programs often portray the Irish, suffering from the trauma of the Great Famine, as being angry as in this episode from the 1970’s series “Kung Fu”:
There is an interesting similarity between Kung Fu and the search for the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree. Kwai Chang Caine, played by David Carradine, was born in China to an American father and Chinese mother. “Caine” is an Irish surname, but whether or not his father was of Irish descent was not discussed that I can remember. Orphaned at a young age, Caine was brought up at a Shaolin monastery in China, and the show has lots of flashbacks to his lessons there. The underlying premise of the TV show was that Caine was traveling throughout the Old West during the years immediately following the American Civil War in search of his half-brother. Obvious parallels to Mary McNamara Madigan of Barnsley, Yorkshire, who was in search of her brother, the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara of Glandree, during the same time period. One theory, that has yet to be disproved, is that the missing Thomas McNamara was, in fact, the half-brother of Mary McNamara. Was Thomas born in Glandree in 1832, the son of John McNamara and Bridget Kelly? Was Mary McNamara Madigan in Barnsley, the Mary born in Glandree in 1840, the daughter of John McNamara and Bridget Coffey? Mary McNamara Madigan placed advertisements in the newspapers in 1869 and again in 1879 requesting information on her missing brother, who was last seen while on furlough in Wawarsing, New York. Did she ever find her missing brother?
Sheila, thank you for providing a link to the photo of the Clare team that won the All Ireland Final in 1914. Great photo and an interesting story that went along with it. As you mentioned several members of the Clare team were from Ennis confirming that mid-Clare was also a hurling stronghold. I also found a news article from 1888, when GAA hurling was only a few years old, confirming that West Clare was weak in hurling but strong in Gaelic football:
To be continued,
I concede that my prior comment that “hurling appears to have been an organized form of Irish faction fighting” was somewhat hyperbolic. However, I will double down on my theory about the difficulties in getting the Wolfe Tones to the “Olympics” in 1904. For Wolfe Tone captain Joseph Henchy to get his 16 fellow hurling club members from Brooklyn to St. Louis it would be, to use an American expression, “like herding cats”.
Sheila, while searching for the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree we’ve come across many men with the occupation of “Herdsman”, or simply just “Herd”, in the Irish census reports and also in the post-1864 civil records. Often times these herdsmen will be the victims of outrageous attacks by moonlighters as they are employed by unpopular landlords. Presumably, the herdsmen in Ireland are herding cattle or sheep, or perhaps a combination of both. Sheila, I suspect living in Ireland you would be unaware of the long tradition in America of herding cats, so here is some background information:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_MaJDK3VNE
My recent comment, which you judged as unfair, about getting these Irishmen to “agree upon anything let alone an expensive trip to Missouri” was based, perhaps not on strong evidence, but strong stereotypes of both New Yorkers and the Irish living in America. Again, living in Ireland I suspect that you are not aware of these stereotypes, so I am happy to provide the background information you requested:
New Yorkers believe that New York City is the “center of the universe”. Most New Yorkers have never been to St. Louis or anywhere else in “Middle America”. They describe Missouri as a “fly over” state, and could not point to St. Louis on a map. These are current stereotypes of New Yorkers, but in 1904 it would have been equally unappealing to travel by train to St. Louis. There were very few foreign competitors at the St. Louis Olympics. Like the most recent Olympics in Paris, the hotels would have been very expensive in St. Louis. And once in St. Louis getting to the exhibition fair grounds by the St. Louis trolley was famously crowded. Joseph Henchy, the captain of the Wolfe Tones, would have been extremely challenged to get his 16 fellow hurling players to meet him in St. Louis.
The Irish in America have (or “had” as this is more of a historical stereotype) a reputation that they are always fighting and are always angry, thus never able to agree upon anything. This reputation has sometimes been embraced, such as the “Fighting Irish” of Notre Dame University. Newspapers and Hollywood movies and TV programs often portray the Irish, suffering from the trauma of the Great Famine, as being angry as in this episode from the 1970’s series “Kung Fu”:
Sheila, I’m not sure how popular the American TV series Kung Fu from the 1970’s was in Ireland, or if it even aired on Irish TV. But in America it was a very popular show and everybody was Kung Fu fighting. Thankfully not the shillelagh wielding Irish born priest of my parish, as that would have been more than a little bit frightening.[background: Kwai Chang Caine has been hired by Irishman Sean Mulhaney to help dig a well, and is stuck down at the bottom]
Caine: Sean, let the rope down!
Mulhaney: It’s gone, it’s all gone. The gold is gone. My dreams are gone. Gone with the sweat that I poured down in this hole. . .
Caine: You are angry because you betray me.
Mulhaney : Yes, I am angry. As a child I starved in the potato famine. As a young lad I carried my baby sister’s coffin, I dropped it into the road because my arms and shoulders were that tired from fatigue and starvation. I’m angry. I’m angry my mother died in the mill of consumption. My father died on a manure pile. Now there is a place for an Irishman to give up the ghost. Aye, I’m angry. I’m angry, not a penny to my name. No family. No house in me own land. I’m angry. I’m angry. I’M ANGRY . . .
“Kung Fu: Caine Stuck Down a Well vs. Angry Irishman”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFKx0zaPAy8
There is an interesting similarity between Kung Fu and the search for the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree. Kwai Chang Caine, played by David Carradine, was born in China to an American father and Chinese mother. “Caine” is an Irish surname, but whether or not his father was of Irish descent was not discussed that I can remember. Orphaned at a young age, Caine was brought up at a Shaolin monastery in China, and the show has lots of flashbacks to his lessons there. The underlying premise of the TV show was that Caine was traveling throughout the Old West during the years immediately following the American Civil War in search of his half-brother. Obvious parallels to Mary McNamara Madigan of Barnsley, Yorkshire, who was in search of her brother, the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara of Glandree, during the same time period. One theory, that has yet to be disproved, is that the missing Thomas McNamara was, in fact, the half-brother of Mary McNamara. Was Thomas born in Glandree in 1832, the son of John McNamara and Bridget Kelly? Was Mary McNamara Madigan in Barnsley, the Mary born in Glandree in 1840, the daughter of John McNamara and Bridget Coffey? Mary McNamara Madigan placed advertisements in the newspapers in 1869 and again in 1879 requesting information on her missing brother, who was last seen while on furlough in Wawarsing, New York. Did she ever find her missing brother?
Sheila, thank you for providing a link to the photo of the Clare team that won the All Ireland Final in 1914. Great photo and an interesting story that went along with it. As you mentioned several members of the Clare team were from Ennis confirming that mid-Clare was also a hurling stronghold. I also found a news article from 1888, when GAA hurling was only a few years old, confirming that West Clare was weak in hurling but strong in Gaelic football:
It appears that the only way that Kilmaley, or any other West Clare team, could win against an East Clare team in hurling was by cheating. But where were the six Faugh-a-Bullaghs from? I searched the newspaper archives for “Faugh-a-Bullaghs” and the results were for a Dublin hurling team by that name. But it made no sense that in 1888 six Faughs would travel all the way from Dublin to Doora in County Clare to help a West Clare hurling team beat Tulla. That would be like herding 17 Wolfe Tones from Brooklyn all the way to St. Louis in Missouri. An expanded search of the newspaper archives led to a hurling match in 1899 and conclusive evidence that it was the Ennis Faugh-a-Bullaghs of Mid-Clare who helped Kilmaley of West Clare beat the Tulla hurling team of East Clare in a shocking upset which the newspaper had described above as “an unmanly and un-Gaelic like proceeding”. Eleven years later (and probably much sooner) Tulla would get their revenge against the Ennis Faugh-a-Bullaghs:CLARE GAELIC NOTES.
(From Our Correspondent)
Only one hurling match was played in Doora on Sunday last, viz—Tulla v Kilmaley. This match certainly would have been worth witnessing had the weather been anyway favourable, but a dense London-like fog prevented many admirers of the game from being present. It is a general rule with the organisers of tournaments in Clare to have the bad teams play off their ties first, so that the older the tournament grows the more interesting it becomes, owing to the fact of the crack teams being left to the last. The Doora tournament has now been going on for upwards of nine months, and from this forth every match will be very interesting, as all the insignificant clubs have been knocked out. It is a very strange fact that the hurlers of West Clare have never had the satisfaction of beating an East Clare club at hurling, but at [Gaelic] football it is generally thought that West Clare can boast of the best team. To return to the match of last Sunday, no person had the remotest shadow of doubt that Tulla would suffer defeat at the hands of Kilmaley, however, such was the case. During the match Tulla seemed to lack of some of its best hurlers; on the other hand, Kilmaley seemed to have been blest with an infusion of new blood, six youths making themselves very remarkable for their sound and telling blows. The result of the match was—Kilmaley, 2 goals 3 points; Tulla, 1 goal, 7 points. The “six youths” above referred to were none other than six of the redoubtable Faugh-a-Bullaghs. As soon as this became known to the Gaels present, they expressed their deep indignation that the Faughs should allow their fair fame to be affected by such an unmanly and un-Gaelic like proceeding.
Munster News, Saturday, 15 December 1888
In searching the NY state census records in 1905, I’ve discovered a County Clare born Patrick Meaney living in Brooklyn. He would be the perfect age to be the Patrick Meaney, the full back of the Wolfe Tone Hurling Club of Brooklyn. But further research, including his USA naturalization records, NY passenger arrival listing, and Irish baptism and civil records, has led back to West Clare. His origin in West Clare has cast serious doubt on whether or not this Patrick Meaney would have been a member of the Wolfe Tone Hurling Club of Brooklyn.GAELIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
CLARE HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP—FINAL TIE.
The final tie for the Hurling Championship of Clare was played on Sunday at Carrahan. The competing teams were—Tulla, winners of Dr. Croke Cup, and the Ennis Faugh-a-Ballaghs. Immediately one ball was set in motion Tulla began to press their opponents, whose backs, although playing a good defensive game, were unable to repel the dashes of the Tulla forwards. At half-time the score stood:—
Tulla …………………………… 1 goal 7 points.
Ennis ………………………….. Nil.
On resuming, the Faughs, now having the advantage of the wind, showed better form than in the first half. They scored a goal and a point in quick succession, but were unable to further augment their score. At the call of time the score was:
Tulla …………………………… 1 goal 9 points.
Ennis ………………………….. 1 goal 1 point.
The Corrys, Ryan, O’Neill, and the veteran Tom Caughlin played well for Tulla, while Cullinan, Malone (goal), Griffey, and O’Brien were the most prominent of the Faughs. The Faughs are a young team, and should not be disheartened by having to go under to such a combination as faced them on Sunday. Mr. Frank Scott, treasurer to the County Board, made an excellent referee.
Dublin Weekly Nation, Saturday, 9 December 1899
To be continued,
Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,
Hi Jimbo,
When I first read your comment:
If any descendants of those men ever read your comment, they will wonder what their ancestors had done to deserve it. I think it should be said that there is no reason in the wide world to suppose that those men were any less intelligent, rational and responsible than the rest of the general population.
Sheila
When I first read your comment:
I thought those words might have been taken from a report, or letter written at the time, but I see from your reply that the comment is your own present day opinion as to why the team did not travel to Missouri. I really don’t understand why you’ve arrived at such a conclusion, when the explanation could simply be the impossibility of getting time off from work.… would have found it extremely difficult to get his teammates, 16 other Irishmen, to agree upon anything, let alone …
If any descendants of those men ever read your comment, they will wonder what their ancestors had done to deserve it. I think it should be said that there is no reason in the wide world to suppose that those men were any less intelligent, rational and responsible than the rest of the general population.
Sheila
Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,
Absolutely, Sheila. The Wolfe Tone Hurling Club of Brooklyn made the intelligent and rational decision not to attend the Olympics in St. Louis in 1904. In early February 1904, they were promised a national hurling tournament with teams competing from across the country. When the tournament was down to just two teams from St. Louis and Chicago, the WTHC wisely decided not to attend. Had they gone to St. Louis, given the high level of competition in New York, I reckon the WTHC of Brooklyn would have won the gold medal, or at least the silver medal, most definitely the bronze medal since there would have been only three teams participating. The Wolfe Tone Hurling Club of Brooklyn, a great bunch of lads.
Regarding West Clare and hurling. While not strong when the sport of hurling was revived by the G.A.A. in the late 19th century, the sport was popular in West Clare prior to the Great Famine as described by Monsignor Ignatius Murphy in “The Diocese of Killaloe: 1850-1904”.
https://churcharchives.ie/killaloe-diocesan-archives/
The Rev. Michael Comyn lived at Baltard House in Ballard townland (Killard parish) located between Doonbeg and Kilkee. This was the same residence of the Rev. Andrew McNamara (1872 - 1971), parish priest of Doonbeg between 1934 and 1971, who we discussed previously on page 56 of this thread.
Baltard House gets a brief mention in “County Clare: a History and Topography” by Samuel Lewis in 1837:
https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... rd1837.htm
The facebook page “A Vintage Lens – Looking at Times Past in County Clare” in a 2020 posting mentions that Baltard House was called “Father Mac’s House” by locals in the area. The photo on this page (linked below) is of Baltard Castle; it appears that a photo of Baltard House is unfortunately difficult to source.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=18 ... cale=fr_CA
“Fr. McNamara was a much loved and almost legendary figure in West Clare. The many stories in which he featured included some about the reputedly haunted presbytery in Baltard, an 18th century house built by a landlord which was demolished in the 1960’s.”, according to Father Murphy in The Diocese of Killaloe: 1850-1904. The Killaloe Diocesan Archives contains the research papers of Monsignor Murphy but also “files for each parish consisting mainly of returns to a questionnaire relating to antiquities, folklore and churches, prepared by Dermot F. Gleeson in the early 1940s”. Given its timing, Father Andrew McNamara may have provided the responses to the questionnaire for Doonbeg parish. It would be interesting to view the file for Doonbeg and see if the local folklore includes any details of Father McNamara’s stories about Baltard House being haunted.
https://churcharchives.ie/killaloe-diocesan-archives/
I researched the chronology of parish priests between the Rev. Michael Comyn and the Rev. Andrew McNamara. This was not a simple google search as most parish websites in County Clare don’t have this information (with the exception of Ennis). The Diocese of Killaloe history books by Ignatius Murphy are thematic in organization which makes the three-volume set very interesting, but naturally many parish priests (and even some parishes) get hardly a mention. The parish websites for Kilkee and Doonbeg provide some history, but their focus is on the Rev. Michael Comyn or their actual churches. To complete the chronology of Kilkee/Doonbeg parish priests between 1817 and 1971, I utilized Murphy’s Killaloe Diocese history, on-line newspaper archives, and also civil records. I have a strong hunch that the Rev. Andrew McNamara’s stories about Baltard House being haunted by ghosts might be related to the difficult transition between the Rev. Patrick McInerney and the Rev. Michael Comyn in 1827.
1) Patrick McInerney [1817- December 1826]
1.5) Thomas McInerney [1827?] or Michael Roughan [6 January 1827]?
2) Michael Comyn [1827 – 1854]
The Kilkee parish church website provides a brief biography on the Rev. Michael Comyn. The Doonbeg Parish website focus is on the physical places of worship, and not the parish priests.
https://www.kilkeeparish.com/church/chu ... an-kilkee/
https://www.doonbegparish.com/about
The Rev. Michael Comyn was born in Corbally townland to a prominent family:
Tithe applotments: At Corbally townland in Kilferagh Parish, the “Rev Mchl Comyn” held a total of 7 acres with a valuation of 7 shillings and 10 pence. The National Archives of Ireland’s tithe report has a year of “1828” on the transcription (which I cannot locate on the actual report). The transcriptions at the Clare Library are dated specifically on 26 March 1827. Either report from 1827 or 1828 would have been after the death of Michael Comyn, Sr., in 1826.
“Rev Mchl Commins” at Ballard townland in Killard Parish held a total of 43 acres of land (1st quality: 10 acres; 2nd quality: 9 acres; 3rd quality: 24 acres) with a tithe value of £2 and six pence. The year was reported as “1825” by the National Archives of Ireland, but I cannot locate the date or year on the actual reports (ancestry also states “1825”). The transcription index at the Clare Library for Ballard townland is specific at 13 April 1826. “He studied at Maynooth and was ordained in 1825”, according to I. Murphy, so possible that the Rev. Michael Comyn could be on an 1825 tithe applotment report for Ballard, but he was not appointed to parish priest of Kilkee until early 1828.
** After Rev. Michael Comyn’s death in 1854, Doonbeg Parish split from Kilkee Parish **
3) Patrick O’Brien [1854 – retired 1860, died 1878]
Many men and boys named Patrick O’Brien died in Ireland in 1878. After an extensive search, I could not locate Father O’Brien’s civil death record (one of three missing Doonbeg priests whose civil death record is missing).
4) John Neylan [1860 – 1867]
The “Rev J. Neylan, P.P., Doonbeg” was reported on a subscription listing with a donation of £1 for the church and schools at Milton Malbay in the Clare Journal dated 4 October 1860.
5) John Clune [1867 – 1890]
I could not locate his civil death record.
6) Lawrence John Browne [1890 – 1909]
See thread “Fr Laurence Brown (d 1909) of Darragh; PP of Tubber and Doonbeg” by Paddy Waldron back in 2010 and continuing to 2015, which focused on the mystery of his parents. As noted in the thread, his age at the 1901 census of only 50 years old was clearly understated. Civil death records have become available on-line since this prior discussion, and a civil death record in 1909 would report his age, however, after much searching I could not locate it.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1697
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... d/1080034/
7) Thomas Vaughan [1909 – 1934]
The Rev. Thomas Vaughan, parish priest, age 85 years, died at Baltard, Doonbeg, on 13 January 1934; informant his nephew, John Vaughan (Kilrush registration)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 307321.pdf
8 ) Andrew McNamara [1934 – 1971]
Andrew John McNamara (1872 – 1971) was the son of Andrew McNamara (1836 - 1910) and Bridget Hayes (1837 - 1926) of Creggaun townland in Doora parish, and grandson of Andrew McNamara and Bridget O’Mealy/O’Mally/Maley, originally from Newmarket-on-Fergus who later moved to Creggaun. See McNamara family tree completed in March 2024 on page 56 of this thread which also noted these interesting facts:
• When Andrew was just a youngster, his family’s house in Creggaun was fired into by Moonlighters on 9 October 1880.
• On 9 July 1882, John Delahunty was returning from Sunday mass in Ennis and was murdered near Knockanean School. The location of the murder of John Delahunty was practically on the doorstep of the Andrew McNamara family of Plot 1 in Creggaun townland.
• Andrew had a brother, the Rev. Patrick H. McNamara (1870 – 1936), who went to Dubuque, Iowa. And two of his sisters were nuns.
Baltard House was located in Plot 18 in Ballard townland of Killard Parish at Griffith Valuation. House valuation was £12; lessor was William Gabbet; and lessee (and presumably sub-lessor) was John Singleton (of Quinville Abbey in Quin, ≈1793-1877). In Plot 20 in Ballard townland, on the coast and further from Plot 18 then the numbering might suggest, was a tenant named Charles Keane. The land, offices and house were leased from John Singleton; 80 acres valued at over £21 and the house at £1. Bridget Keane, daughter of Charles Keane of Baltard, married Stephen Madigan in 1868, and their children might possibly include the Thomas J. Madigan, a Sergeant Major in the U.S. Army who died of tuberculosis in Colorado in 1921 and whose army life insurance was paid to two orphan boys at St. Vincent’s Home in Denver run by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. See “Thomas J. Madigan” thread:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7344
It is amazing how many connections there are at between what at first glance would be completely separate stories. I’ve come to realize in searching for the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree that County Clare is quite a small place.
Thomas Madigan, the son of Stephen Madigan and Bridget Keane, was baptized in Kilrush Parish on 14 December 1868. His parents had married on 5 February 1868 at Baltard chapel, which was separate from the chapel at Doonbeg. The Rev. John Clune was parish priest at the time, and given the status of the Charles Keane family (based upon Griffith Valuation) was likely the priest who married the couple (and not a curate). As a youngster if Thomas Madigan went to visit his maternal Keane grandparents in Ballard townland, the Rev. John Clune would have been the Doonbeg parish priest, living at Baltard House, through to 1890.
A Doonbeg tourist website provided information on Baltard chapel describing its location next to Baltard House (unfortunately, no photo):
Regarding West Clare and hurling. While not strong when the sport of hurling was revived by the G.A.A. in the late 19th century, the sport was popular in West Clare prior to the Great Famine as described by Monsignor Ignatius Murphy in “The Diocese of Killaloe: 1850-1904”.
The “Investigation at Kilkee” in 1839 made all the Irish newspapers and the two-day investigation was covered in great detail. I had come across its description of hurling at Kilkee from a search of the on-line newspaper archives and was not surprised to later read that Monsignor Murphy, the diocesan archivist, had selected this section to highlight in his The Diocese of Killaloe, 1850-1904. While not having access to on-line newspapers, I suspect for his research that Ignatius Murphy would have utilized the notebooks of Canon John Clancy, containing “mostly extracts from nineteenth newspapers” located at the Killaloe Diocesan Archives at Westbourne, Ennis:Hurling had suffered to a great extent from the social disruption caused by the Great Famine and had totally vanished in some areas where it had been strong in pre-Famine times. An altercation in Kilkee in September 1839 involving Michael Comyn, the local parish priest, and some visitors, resulted in an official investigation. Some of the evidence at this investigation gives interesting glimpses of recreation on a Sunday afternoon and the role of the parish priest. Fr Thomas Reid, one of Comyn’s curates, gave evidence:
The Diocese of Killaloe: 1850-1904, by Ignatius Murphy, Four Courts Press, 1995The people are in the habit of assembling on Sunday evening for the purposes of hurling and dancing in Kilkee, they usually assemble about half-past two o’clock in the afternoon and disperse about seven, their place for assembling latterly is convenient to the chapel, Mr Comyn, as their Parish Priest, is very popular with them, and he is in the habit of walking out and going up to the hurling ground about the time that they disperse, if he thinks that the proper time for their dispersion has arrived, he is in the habit of taking up the ball, they always disperse quietly when he desires them; I have heard them cheer him on these occasions; on Sunday in question he went to the hurling ground and took up the ball in the usual way . . .
https://churcharchives.ie/killaloe-diocesan-archives/
The Rev. Michael Comyn lived at Baltard House in Ballard townland (Killard parish) located between Doonbeg and Kilkee. This was the same residence of the Rev. Andrew McNamara (1872 - 1971), parish priest of Doonbeg between 1934 and 1971, who we discussed previously on page 56 of this thread.
Baltard House gets a brief mention in “County Clare: a History and Topography” by Samuel Lewis in 1837:
https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... rd1837.htm
The facebook page “A Vintage Lens – Looking at Times Past in County Clare” in a 2020 posting mentions that Baltard House was called “Father Mac’s House” by locals in the area. The photo on this page (linked below) is of Baltard Castle; it appears that a photo of Baltard House is unfortunately difficult to source.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=18 ... cale=fr_CA
“Fr. McNamara was a much loved and almost legendary figure in West Clare. The many stories in which he featured included some about the reputedly haunted presbytery in Baltard, an 18th century house built by a landlord which was demolished in the 1960’s.”, according to Father Murphy in The Diocese of Killaloe: 1850-1904. The Killaloe Diocesan Archives contains the research papers of Monsignor Murphy but also “files for each parish consisting mainly of returns to a questionnaire relating to antiquities, folklore and churches, prepared by Dermot F. Gleeson in the early 1940s”. Given its timing, Father Andrew McNamara may have provided the responses to the questionnaire for Doonbeg parish. It would be interesting to view the file for Doonbeg and see if the local folklore includes any details of Father McNamara’s stories about Baltard House being haunted.
https://churcharchives.ie/killaloe-diocesan-archives/
I researched the chronology of parish priests between the Rev. Michael Comyn and the Rev. Andrew McNamara. This was not a simple google search as most parish websites in County Clare don’t have this information (with the exception of Ennis). The Diocese of Killaloe history books by Ignatius Murphy are thematic in organization which makes the three-volume set very interesting, but naturally many parish priests (and even some parishes) get hardly a mention. The parish websites for Kilkee and Doonbeg provide some history, but their focus is on the Rev. Michael Comyn or their actual churches. To complete the chronology of Kilkee/Doonbeg parish priests between 1817 and 1971, I utilized Murphy’s Killaloe Diocese history, on-line newspaper archives, and also civil records. I have a strong hunch that the Rev. Andrew McNamara’s stories about Baltard House being haunted by ghosts might be related to the difficult transition between the Rev. Patrick McInerney and the Rev. Michael Comyn in 1827.
1) Patrick McInerney [1817- December 1826]
1.5) Thomas McInerney [1827?] or Michael Roughan [6 January 1827]?
Bishop O’Shaughnessy did not want to appoint the Rev. Thomas McInerney, the favorite of the parishioners, because “Father Tom” had a chronic drinking problem. The Bishop stuck to his guns in appointing the Rev. Michael Comyn, and after suspending the Rev. Thomas McInerney the issue was soon resolved.By the death of the Rev. Mr. [Patrick] McInerney, R.C. Priest, on the 28th of last month, the Parishes of Killuera [Kilferagh] and Killard, in the west of this county, became vacant. The titular Bishop shortly after appointed the Rev. Michael Roughan, P.P. of Kilmurry McMahon, to the vacancy. Accordingly this Gentleman proceeded on Saturday, the 6th instant, being the festival of Epiphany, to Doonbeg, in the parish of Killard, to take possession of the Chapel and to celebrate Mass; but this he was prevented from doing by a large body of parishioners assembled for this purpose, and who intimidated their intention of keeping the Chapel closed, unless a Priest of their own choice should be appointed. The person the parishioners wished for is the late Priest’s brother, the Rev. Thomas McInerney, who has been for eighteen years Curate of the Parishes. Mr. Roughan then proceeded to the Chapel of Lisdeen, in Kilfera [Kilfearagh] Parish, where he met like resistance as in Doonbeg. Having made a second attempt on the following day (Sunday) and with still less hope of success, he returned to his former parish, and abandoned any further trial. The Rev. Michael Comyn was then appointed, who being a native of Kilfiera [Kilferagh], and having many personal friends it was supposed his admission would not meet with any opposition, but the parishioners still refused to open the doors of the respective Chapels to any but their own favourite, Father Tom, as he is familiarly called amongst them. No riot has occurred, although some serious work was expected, as at Lisdeen Mr. Comyn’s friends are numerous. The Chapels remain closed, and the business promises to assume a similar interest with the celebrated affair at Birr.
Limerick Chronicle, Wednesday, 31 January 1827
2) Michael Comyn [1827 – 1854]
The Kilkee parish church website provides a brief biography on the Rev. Michael Comyn. The Doonbeg Parish website focus is on the physical places of worship, and not the parish priests.
https://www.kilkeeparish.com/church/chu ... an-kilkee/
https://www.doonbegparish.com/about
The Rev. Michael Comyn was born in Corbally townland to a prominent family:
The Rev. Michael Comyn was made parish priest of Doonbeg in 1827 less than one year after his father’s death and not long after his ordination in 1825 (according to Ignatius Murphy). His siblings included Anne Comyn who married Matthew Moore, of Patrick Street, a tallow chandler (per Limerick Gazette, 5 November 1819). Also, a brother named James Comyn (he gets a few mentions by I. Murphy in quoting letters by Mrs. Comyn, who lived at Baltard with the Rev. Michael Comyn, to her other son). There were likely other children.DEATHS.
On Saturday last at Corbally, near Kilkee, County Clare, Michael Comyn, Esq., who during a long life sustained the character of a kind and honest man—and whose door was ever open to receive the indigent or distressed; in truth his hospitable heart never felt more pleasure than in meeting his friends in the bosom of his family.
Limerick Chronicle, Wednesday 29 March 1826
Tithe applotments: At Corbally townland in Kilferagh Parish, the “Rev Mchl Comyn” held a total of 7 acres with a valuation of 7 shillings and 10 pence. The National Archives of Ireland’s tithe report has a year of “1828” on the transcription (which I cannot locate on the actual report). The transcriptions at the Clare Library are dated specifically on 26 March 1827. Either report from 1827 or 1828 would have been after the death of Michael Comyn, Sr., in 1826.
“Rev Mchl Commins” at Ballard townland in Killard Parish held a total of 43 acres of land (1st quality: 10 acres; 2nd quality: 9 acres; 3rd quality: 24 acres) with a tithe value of £2 and six pence. The year was reported as “1825” by the National Archives of Ireland, but I cannot locate the date or year on the actual reports (ancestry also states “1825”). The transcription index at the Clare Library for Ballard townland is specific at 13 April 1826. “He studied at Maynooth and was ordained in 1825”, according to I. Murphy, so possible that the Rev. Michael Comyn could be on an 1825 tithe applotment report for Ballard, but he was not appointed to parish priest of Kilkee until early 1828.
DEATHS.
Monday last, the 7th instant, at Baltard House, county Clare, the residence of her son, the Rev. Michael Comyn, Mrs. Comyn, relict of the late Michael Comyn, of Corbally. Through a long series of years, she dispensed all the charities and hospitalities of life in a kind and generous spirit, and she bore a lingering illness with Christian resignation, taking a final leave of this world with ardent hopes of a blessed immortality.
Limerick newspaper, Saturday, 12 July 1834 (per Limerick Local Studies on-line archives)
THE REV. MICHAEL COMYN, P.P., KILKEE.
It is with the most unfeigned feelings of regret that we record the death of Father Comyn, which took place this day, in William Street [at the home of Mrs. Delaney, sister of Father Meehan of Carrigaholt, per “Priests' obituaries” in Diocese of Killaloe: 1850-1904], in this city [Limerick], from disease of the heart with which he was attacked a few days since on his arrival in Limerick. Father Comyns has died deeply regretted, as he was ardently beloved, by all who knew him, in his 56th year. The Rev. Thomas McDonnell, O.S.D., a particular friend of Father Comyn, frequently visited him since he took ill, and was with him this afternoon when he drew the last breath. May he rest in Peace.—Limerick Paper.
Dublin Weekly Nation, Saturday, 11 November 1854
** After Rev. Michael Comyn’s death in 1854, Doonbeg Parish split from Kilkee Parish **
The Right Rev. Dr. Vaughan has collated the Rev. Timothy Breen, P.P. of Clondigad, as successor to the late Rev. Michael Comyn, P.P. of Kilkee. The parish of Doonbeg, so long attached to Kilkee, is to form a parish in itself.
Clare Journal and Ennis Advertiser, Thursday, 23 November 1854
3) Patrick O’Brien [1854 – retired 1860, died 1878]
* “Rev. M. O’Brien”; prior newspaper accounts reported the parish priest of Mountshannon as the Rev. Patrick O’Brien.The Right Rev. Dr. Vaughan has appointed the Rev. Michael Burke, C. C., Broadford, to the pastorship of Ogonoloe and the Rev. M. O’Brien *, P.P., Mountshannon to the parish of Doonbeg.
Limerick Reporter, Friday, 1 December 1854
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/268 ... ck-o'brienPatrick O’Brien, parish priest, retired from Doonbeg in 1860. A native of Shanagolden, he was ordained for diocese of Limerick in 1818 or 1824. He served in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Kilmurry and Mullagh, and was appointed parish priest of Clonrush in 1846. He went to Doonbeg in 1854, died on May 1878 and was buried in his native Shanagolden.
The Diocese of Killaloe: 1850-1904, by Ignatius Murphy; Appendix 3: Priests’ Obituaries, p. 458.
Many men and boys named Patrick O’Brien died in Ireland in 1878. After an extensive search, I could not locate Father O’Brien’s civil death record (one of three missing Doonbeg priests whose civil death record is missing).
4) John Neylan [1860 – 1867]
The “Rev J. Neylan, P.P., Doonbeg” was reported on a subscription listing with a donation of £1 for the church and schools at Milton Malbay in the Clare Journal dated 4 October 1860.
The death of a John Neylan at the age of 56 was reported in the third quarter of 1867; on-line civil record not yet available. Possibly the Rev. John Neylan who died in the first quarter of 1867? He was ordained in 1837 at Maynooth according to Ignatius Murphy, so a reasonable age to be born about 1811 (age 56 in 1867).DEATH OF THE REV. MR. NEYLAN, P.P., DOONBEG.
We regret the death of this much respected clergyman, which took place on Wednesday, the 16th instant. He had been for many years a zealous and constant missionary in the Diocese of Killaloe, where he was much esteemed and respected by all classes.
Tipperary Vindicator, Friday, 18 January 1867
5) John Clune [1867 – 1890]
Rev. John Clune, C.C., of Ballinacally, has been appointed (by the Right Rev. Dr. Power, the Roman Catholic Bishop of the diocese of Killaloe) P.P. of Doonbeg, in the county Clare, rendered vacant by the lamented death of the Rev. Mr. Neylan.
Tipperary Vindicator, Friday, 1 February 1867
* The above article incorrectly reported his name as “Cline”, corrected above.DEATH OF REV. J CLUNE, P.P. *
Rev John Clune, P.P., Killard and Doonbeg, died at his residence Baltard House, yesterday, aged about 70. To his labours is due the erection of churches and schools in the district. He was 20 years P.P. of Killard, and was 19 years curate in Ballinacally. The deceased pastor is sincerely regretted in West Clare.
Freeman’s Journal, Monday, 14 July 1890
I could not locate his civil death record.
6) Lawrence John Browne [1890 – 1909]
See thread “Fr Laurence Brown (d 1909) of Darragh; PP of Tubber and Doonbeg” by Paddy Waldron back in 2010 and continuing to 2015, which focused on the mystery of his parents. As noted in the thread, his age at the 1901 census of only 50 years old was clearly understated. Civil death records have become available on-line since this prior discussion, and a civil death record in 1909 would report his age, however, after much searching I could not locate it.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1697
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ ... d/1080034/
DEATH OF A WEST CLARE PRIEST.
(From Our Correspondent.)
The sad intelligence of the death of the Rev. Laurence J. Brown, Parish Priest of Doonbeg, which was received here at an early hour this morning, caused a wave of widespread regret throughout the town and district, where “Father Larry,” as he was affectionately styled by the residents, was well known and held in the greatest esteem and veneration. He had attained an advanced age. The deceased clergyman was ailing for a considerable period, and his end was not unanticipated. Father Browne was a sterling patriot, who in other days took a most prominent part in the national struggle, and was to be found on every platform, where his outspoken utterance riveted attention on his virile nationality and created unquiet, if not alarm, in the ranks of the enemies of the land he loved so well. On the social and economic side he had largely at heart the welfare of the people and projects for the amelioration of their condition, and was at times a most active supporter. He was also a leading member of the West Clare Education Committee.
The departed clergyman was a native of Ennis, and subsequently came to Kilrush where he spent a long number of years as a curate, and on a vacancy in Doonbeg by the death of Father [John] Clune was elevated to the pastoral charge of that extensive parish by the late Most Rev. Dr. McRedmond, Lord Bishop of Killaloe. His administration was marked by the greatest zeal for the flock in the religious sense. Only a couple months ago . . .
Cork Weekly Examiner, Saturday, 25 September 1909
7) Thomas Vaughan [1909 – 1934]
The Rev. Thomas Vaughan, parish priest, age 85 years, died at Baltard, Doonbeg, on 13 January 1934; informant his nephew, John Vaughan (Kilrush registration)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 307321.pdf
8 ) Andrew McNamara [1934 – 1971]
Andrew John McNamara (1872 – 1971) was the son of Andrew McNamara (1836 - 1910) and Bridget Hayes (1837 - 1926) of Creggaun townland in Doora parish, and grandson of Andrew McNamara and Bridget O’Mealy/O’Mally/Maley, originally from Newmarket-on-Fergus who later moved to Creggaun. See McNamara family tree completed in March 2024 on page 56 of this thread which also noted these interesting facts:
• When Andrew was just a youngster, his family’s house in Creggaun was fired into by Moonlighters on 9 October 1880.
• On 9 July 1882, John Delahunty was returning from Sunday mass in Ennis and was murdered near Knockanean School. The location of the murder of John Delahunty was practically on the doorstep of the Andrew McNamara family of Plot 1 in Creggaun townland.
• Andrew had a brother, the Rev. Patrick H. McNamara (1870 – 1936), who went to Dubuque, Iowa. And two of his sisters were nuns.
Baltard House was located in Plot 18 in Ballard townland of Killard Parish at Griffith Valuation. House valuation was £12; lessor was William Gabbet; and lessee (and presumably sub-lessor) was John Singleton (of Quinville Abbey in Quin, ≈1793-1877). In Plot 20 in Ballard townland, on the coast and further from Plot 18 then the numbering might suggest, was a tenant named Charles Keane. The land, offices and house were leased from John Singleton; 80 acres valued at over £21 and the house at £1. Bridget Keane, daughter of Charles Keane of Baltard, married Stephen Madigan in 1868, and their children might possibly include the Thomas J. Madigan, a Sergeant Major in the U.S. Army who died of tuberculosis in Colorado in 1921 and whose army life insurance was paid to two orphan boys at St. Vincent’s Home in Denver run by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. See “Thomas J. Madigan” thread:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7344
It is amazing how many connections there are at between what at first glance would be completely separate stories. I’ve come to realize in searching for the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree that County Clare is quite a small place.
Thomas Madigan, the son of Stephen Madigan and Bridget Keane, was baptized in Kilrush Parish on 14 December 1868. His parents had married on 5 February 1868 at Baltard chapel, which was separate from the chapel at Doonbeg. The Rev. John Clune was parish priest at the time, and given the status of the Charles Keane family (based upon Griffith Valuation) was likely the priest who married the couple (and not a curate). As a youngster if Thomas Madigan went to visit his maternal Keane grandparents in Ballard townland, the Rev. John Clune would have been the Doonbeg parish priest, living at Baltard House, through to 1890.
A Doonbeg tourist website provided information on Baltard chapel describing its location next to Baltard House (unfortunately, no photo):
St. Senan’s Church, Bealaha
From the 1850’s, before the building of the present church at Bealaha, mass for this part of the parish was said in various houses in the locality and finally at a chapel constructed at one end of the old parochial house in Baltard. This chapel was known as “Singleton’s Room”, from its former occupant, the landlord John Singleton.
https://doonbeg.info/community-business/churches/
Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,
Hi Jimbo
Good work. Your purchase of Fr. Ignatius Murphy’s The Diocese of Killaloe: 1850-1904 is paying dividends. I too failed to find a civil record of the death of Fr. John Clune, You found that the report of his death in the Freeman’s Journal of Mon 14 Jul 1890 gave “yesterday” as the date, but I see that a slighty different date is given in the Calendar of Wills, i.e. 11 July 1890: http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchiv ... _00068.pdf
Sheila
Good work. Your purchase of Fr. Ignatius Murphy’s The Diocese of Killaloe: 1850-1904 is paying dividends. I too failed to find a civil record of the death of Fr. John Clune, You found that the report of his death in the Freeman’s Journal of Mon 14 Jul 1890 gave “yesterday” as the date, but I see that a slighty different date is given in the Calendar of Wills, i.e. 11 July 1890: http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchiv ... _00068.pdf
Sheila