Call McInerney

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murf
Posts: 365
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:58 am
Location: Qld Australia

Call McInerney

Post by murf » Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:27 pm

"Bring out the lace curtains and call McInerney;
I'm nearing the end of my lifes pleasant journey.
Send quick for the priest, just tell him I'm dying
my last minutes on earth so swiftly are flying.
Tell dear Father Dorney I'm meeting my maker
(He's losing his old collection up taker.)
Then pull down the shades and light up the candles
Call the O'Briens , the Casey's and Randall's.
The Murphys, the Burke's, the Brady's and all.
Tell them your darlin' has answered Gods call.
Call Schultz the fat butcher and order some meat;
Let watchers who sit through the night have a treat.
There's good Mrs. Smith who is sure to bring cake,
Please ask her advice in conducting my wake.
Bring out the lace curtains and call McInerney;
I'm nearing the end of my life's pleasant Journey.


By T. J. O'Donnell

Apparently, O'Donnell's inspiration was the funeral home dynasty set up in the Canaryville district of Chicago in the late 19th Century by Limerick-born Thomas McInerney.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01qzs/
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01qzt/

This caught my eye because according to the obituary of my great grandfather Michael Murphy(1835-1909) of Ballycorick, the funeral arrangements were performed by Mr Charles McInerney of Ennis.
Now this of course may be pure coincidence. Thomas McInerney emigrated to Chicago around 1870 as a 20 year old, and it was some years before he commenced his undertaking pursuits, so I may be drawing a long bow in suggesting a family connection with the Ennis McInerneys.
But anyway, O'Donnell's poem is a good fit to my personal family history.

Sduddy
Posts: 1826
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Call McInerney

Post by Sduddy » Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:15 am

In the 1901 census Charles McInerney, Gaol Street, Ennis, aged 40, gives his occupation as Merchant: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... t/1070085/ . His son Morgan seems to have taken over the business (see below).
In Ireland, Funeral Undertakers usually had other occupations, such as Grocer and Publican, or Hardware Merchant. I got a free calendar just 20 years ago, with the name of the business, followed by “Victuallers and Undertakers.” That took care of just about everything. But I don’t know when funeral undertakers began to describe themselves as such. According to the 1901 census there were 122 Funeral Undertakers in Ireland, but, in Co. Clare, nobody gave their occupation as Funeral Undertaker. They were discreet about that aspect of their businesses and preferred to give their other occupations.

Guys Directory, 1893, for Tulla, Kilrush and Miltownmalbay, included the category of Undertaker (the word “Undertaker” had come to be used almost exclusively for Funeral Undertaker): https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... 3/guys.htm
Tulla: John Daly;
Kilrush: J. Allen, J. F. Clancy, Rd. Enright & Sons, and A. Morrissy & Sons;
Miltownmalbay: Edmd. Morony and Patk H. O’Neill.
The Directory shows that the four undertakers in Kilrush and the two in Miltown Malbay were also engaged in other businesses, and the 1901 census shows that John Daly in Tulla was a Farmer and Hardware Shopkeeper.

The 1911 census shows only two Funeral Undertakers in Co. Clare – all the others did not declare themselves as such:
(1) Michael Foley, aged 16, in Mill Street, Ennis. His father, Patrick Foley, had died aged 46 in 1910. The record of the death gives Patrick’s occupation as Undertaker. In 1901, Patrick was described as Publican and Carpenter. His son, Michael Foley, took up the funeral business, but I don’t know if it continued after his death (1946).
(2) Michael Hinchy in Church Street, Ennistimon. His parents, James and Mary, were shopkeepers and publicans. This family is still in business as Henchy Funeral Directors.

I think John Daly’s undertaking business must have moved from Tulla to Ennis – at least I think this advertisement is for the same family. It says they have been in existence for 150 years and that they had incorporated Morgan McInerney & Sons: https://rip.ie/services/Clare/Funeral_D ... ors%20IAFD?

Sheila

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