| Who lived in Bogberry and Bridge Street, Ennistymon By Lorcan O’Connor In order to explain where the old houses were, we follow the map marked 1 to 50, as some of the old houses are gone and new ones built. 1. Griffin’s Bar and Residence: Home of Lily and the late Jimmy Griffin and family. Jimmy’s parents, Matthew and Minnie and family lived here. In the last century, the house was used as a convent when the Sisters of Mercy first came to Ennistymon. 2. House now gone: It was a small house on the Bridge side of Doherty’s Corner, in earlier times used as Toll house for river crossing. Tommy and Mary Devitt and son Michael lived here, Tommy carried on a tailoring business in the house. 3. Barry’s Pub: Now owned by Griffin’s. Denis and Ann Barry reared their family and ran a bar business there for a long number of years. The business was run prior to that by Denis Barry’s mother, who was married to well known Doctor Barry. The pub, one of the oldest, was in the Barry name for a number of generations.
4. Private House attached to the Pub: Tommy and Brigid Walshe live there at present. The house is owned by Griffin’s and was purchased with the pub, Ann and Denis Barry and family lived here. Prior to that the late Garda Martin Clarke and Mrs. Clarke reared their family here before moving to Lahinch Road. 5. , 6., 7., 8. These four houses now take in O’Connor’s Shop, Post Office, and Sorting Office. Before that No 5 was always a shop run by Francy O’Connor and family from 1949 to 1980s employing approximately 6 to 7 people. Prior to that No 6 was the home of Mrs Kelly, an aunt of Michael Comber and the Unemployment Benefit was paid here before moving to Edward Comber’s in Parliament Street. (Michael Comber’s father). Before the Bakery, No 7 was the home of Johnnie and May Hegarty, Johnnie was a postman attached to Ennistymon Post Office. The Telephone Exchange was here for a number of years. Now the Sorting Office, No 8 was a small shop run by Nellie Neylon in the 1950s. 9. Was a small house at the end of the laneway. The old stone house was still standing until the early 1980s. The late Delia and Martin Keating reared their family here in the 1960s before moving to Attycristora. A colourful character called Johnny Guerin lived in the house before that and the lane was always known as Guerin’s Lane. 10. This House in the lane was known as the Band Room. The Fife and Drum Band of the 1940s practised and stored their instruments here. A man called Jack Connors lived there also. The area behind this house had a Nail Factory at the turn of the Century supplying the horse shoe nails to the large number of Blacksmiths in the area and also nails for the cart makers. 11. Was a long house facing out on the street. Paddy and Mrs. Downey and family lived there before moving to a new house in Churchill. Prior to that Mrs. Downey’s mother Rena Connell had a shop there and had a great trade in cigarettes prior to the last war. 12. Was the home of Tommy and Sam O’Reilly and their parents Mary and Tommy O’Reilly. 13. Was a Forge run by Mikie Gorman. 14. Is a new house built by Kay and Lorcan O’Connor where they now live. No 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, all long gone, and now the yard and driveway to O’Connor’s house. 15. Is the home of the Maloney family who were Blacksmiths in the town for generations. Paddy Maloney and his wife reared their family there and after their death, their son John lived there with his brother Michael. They both have passed on now and their brother Pakie and sister Mary live in the Lahinch Road. 16. Is the home of Davy Daniels, his parents Marion and Paddy Daniels raised their family there before moving to Parliament Street in recent years. Prior to that Tom Shea lived here. Tom was a World War One Veteran and lost a hand in the Great War. 17. The ACOT (Teagasc) Offices are located here built in a field once owned by Edward Comber (Michael’s father). 18. Carmel Murphy lives here now and before that Michael Harhan and family. Earlier it was the home of the Hughes Family. 19. Mike Murphy lives there at present and lived here for a long number of years with his late wife, Nan. Prior to that Michael and Bridget Neylon lived here. 20. Francie Murphy lives here, and before that Annie Davoren. Before that Martin McMahon, and earlier, Eileen and James Mullane reared their family here and going back further again Sgt. Major O’Connor and family lived here. 21. Mai Hanrahan and her son Michael live here. Mai and her late husband Mickey reared their family here. Before that the house was always in Mrs. Hanahan’s family which was the O’Loughlin Family. 22. Just beyond the Railway Bridge
is now the home of Matt Manning and his wife Patricia
(nee Madigan). The house was occupied prior to
that by Patricia’s parents, Mai and John [Jack] Madigan who
reared their family there. John was a stonecutter who specialised
in headstones for graveyards and the Madigan name can be seen in
graveyards all over the county. He carried on his stone cutting
business in the Lahinch Road. John Madigan also had a famous Dance
Band in the 40s and 50s and played all over the country. John and
his brother, Pat and father Jack, all played in the band and were
the mainstay of the famous Ennistymon Brass Band. John’s wife,
Mai was a nurse in the Local Hospital. |
23. Is the home of Mary Curtin. It was the home of Mary’s late parents, Annie and Paddy Curtin who reared a large family there. Paddy run a Taxi service also and was well known throughout the county as Felix Curtin. 24. Is a new house. Presently living there is Mr. & Mrs. Jim O’Toole. Before that the Morris family lived here and before that Josie Notley (nee Curry) who built the house. 25. Tommy McInerney now lives here, prior to that Sadie Curry and family lived here. A man called Lottie Quinlan lived there before that. 26. Is a rented house. Prior to that the late Pete McInerney lived here and before that the late Ellie and John Looney (Eileen Mullane’s parents) reared their family there. Pat Neville lived there before that. Now we start down at the Bridge again. 27. The red galvanised building at the Bridge is presently owned by the O’Connor family. It was used as a Betting Office by Lorcan O’Connor for a number of years. Prior to that the late John Conway ran a Barber Shop there and before that his late brother, Tom Conway, ran a successful hairdressing business here before dying at a young age. It was built in 1939 by the late Willie Healy and was used for old penny slot machines, bagatelle and other amusement games of the time. 28. Maloney’s
Forge where the Blacksmith, the late John Maloney worked and gave
a great service to the community all his life. John’s father,
his brother Pakie and grandfather and uncle were all blacksmiths
and worked here. 29. The walls of this house are still standing. It was used as a garage and store by the O’Dwyer family of Main Street in the 1930s and 40s. 30. The late Gerry O’Loughlin and the late Christy Doyle had a wood turning business here, they manufactured wooden stair rails, wooden handle grips for buckets, wooden clothes hangers and legs for chairs in the 1950s. 31. The house with the old lady at the half door. The late Eileen and Micko O’Shea lived here and reared their family here. Prior to that Ned Clohessey lived here. 32. Was the home of the Armstead family. The house is now vacant. This house is a large house and is shown as 32 and 33 on the map. The main part of the house was occupied by the late Lea and Kitty Armstead. Prior to that the house was owned by George Fitzgerald and prior to that was an R.I.C. Barracks. The old stone building some of which is still standing at the rear of the house is known as the Granary and was used as a Granary during and after the Famine years. Clare Co. Council, E.S.B., and Clarecare all used the house. 33. The other part of the house was residential. The late Susan Costelloe lived there for a number of years. Harry Sivyer and his wife and daughter lived there. Harry was attached to the Army Camp in Lahinch. Many other people lived in this house in the 40s and 50s, the late Garda Tony Canavan, his wife and family lived there before moving to the New Road. 34. Was known as Butcher’s Yard. It was owned by Mick O’Loughlin (late father of Tommy O’Loughlin), Main Street. The yard is now used by Clare County Council as a depot. 35. On the map was a long house with beautiful gardens full of fresh fruit, blackcurrants, strawberries, gooseberries and many more. It was the home of Bob and Mrs. Reynolds and their family (Tom’s parents). Bob ran a very busy shoemaking and repair service there. 36. Was a house facing onto the Main Road. It was the home of Stephen and Katie McNamara and family. Stephen was a famous basket maker helped by his sons. They came from all over Clare to get his baskets and Sugán Chairs and Sugán Milking Stools. 37. Was a very large 2 storey house on top of the hill, known as Bogberry House. Patrick and Peg McNamara and their family lived here. Their son, Tom was the local postman for a long number of years and his son, Jo Jo now carries on the tradition. Patrick was a great saddle maker and bridle maker. 38 to 45 on the
Map was known as Moga’s Lane. 38. Mrs. Neville, Bridgie (Rod) O’Loughlin. 39. Patie and Bridgie McNamara. 40. John O’Brien and Family. 41. Keady Neville. 42. The Sherlock Family and Bridgie Lug. 43. Mikey and Mary Gorman. 44. Mike “The Dane” McMahon. 45. Mickey and Molly Fitzgibbon. 46. Mick Marrinan, before that Paddy Marrinan, and before that Micko “Pither” Finneral. 47. First House over the Railway Bridge on the left hand side was the home of Pete and Lena McNamara and family and before that, Pete’s grandparents. 48. Paddy and Peggy O’Loughlin and family and before that Tom Neville and family. 49. Stephen and Katie Molloy and family before that, Slant McDonagh (The Boxer). No 47, 48, 49 are now demolished. 50. Was the Farmhouse and Dairy of Patrick and Mrs. Crawford and family. Eileen and Michael Crawford now live here with their son, Thomas. All the houses on the map from No. 35 to 45 were demolished in the early sixties to make way for the new row of houses that are there today. These houses are as follows: New Houses in Bogberry
Ennistymon
Parish Magazine 1997 . |
