From Glann Cross to Ballagh Cross and back, now and fifty years ago

Glann:
We begin our journey at Glann Cross where stood three little one roomed thatched houses. In 1. lived Biddy Costelloe, in 2. was Tom Moran who was the town crier/bell ringer and in 3. lived Walter Bane, his son John and wife. These three houses are now a heap of rubble.

4. As we go up the hill we come to a little four cross road on the left leading back to Ennistymon and the right to Clouna Church. This was a branch road of the old Ennis/Ennistymon Road. Over the hill is the boreen leading to the home of Jim Beakey. It is now demolished. Behind this house is the Black Mountain. In 1954 Canon Jennings erected a Marian Cross there to mark the place of an old Mass Rock.

5. Next was the home of Mick Collins, his wife (nee Kelleher) and family; later occupied by their son Tommy who died a few years ago. It is now vacant.

Kileenagh:
6. Up the hill you come to the home of James Shannon and wife (nee Healy) and family. It is now the home of their son Jimmy and family.

The next boreen led to the Slugaire mountain where stood three houses – 7. the home of Tom Healy known as “Brugh”; 8. the home of Paddy Healy, wife and sister and 9. the home of Austin Gallagher, his wife, son Thomas and daughter Kathy, These houses are now vacant and derelict.

Cahruclough:
10. Back at the road is the cottage home of Paddy and Mary Curran. This was great house of “Ragairne” as Paddy was a fine flute player. It is now the home of Welshman Barry Blythen, his wife and family.

11. Next was the home of Larry Healy, his wife Baby (nee Shannon) and family. It is now vacant.

12. Next door is the new home of Patrick Healy (Larry’s son) his wife Margaret (nee Cuddihy) and family.

13. Beside this is the new home of Frankie Vaughan and his wife Patricia (nee McNamara).

14. The next boreen leads to the home of Tony Casey, his wife and family. It is now home of Joe Greene, wife Mary (nee Flaherty) and family.

15. Across the boreen was the home of Thomas Barry, one of our greatest concertina players and his wife Cathy. It was later lived in by Cathy’s niece Kathleen and husband Vincent O’Looney and family. They later built a new house and the old one is now closed up.

16. Back on the road is the home of Martin Quinn. It is now occupied by his sister Nora.

17. Next was the home of Dinny Hynes, wife Myrah and family. It is now owned by their nephew and occupied by Kevin Mulligan.

18. Just past the three cross road we come to the new home of Brian Conneely and his wife Colette (nee McInerney).

Lisroe:
19. Up the hill again we come to the cottage house of Micko Curry, later lived in by the Fitzpatrick family and now owned by a German family.

20. At the turn was the home of P.J. Curry, his wife and family. It is now demolished.

21. Behind this was the home of Peter Tuttle, his wife (nee Barry) and daughter Mary Ellen. It is now unoccupied.

22. Next was the home of Pat Tom Conway, his wife and family, later lived in by their daughter Bridget and husband Mick Looney. It is now unoccupied.

Cahersherkin:
23. Next is the home of Thomas Gallagher, his wife Nora (nee Mullins) and their family. Their son J.J. now lives there.

24. Next is the new home of James Kelleher, his wife Eileen (nee McMahon) and their family.
We now go through another four cross road which left and right was the original road from Ennis to Ennistymon.

25. We now come to the new home of Gerry Reidy, his wife Eileen and family.

26. Down the hill by the quarry you come to the new home of John Cuddihy, his wife, Mary (nee Rynne) and their family.

27. Beside them was the home of Seán Rynne, his wife Minnie (nee Kearney) and their family. This was another house of music, ragairne sóirees and tournaments (gamble and dance combined). It is now the home of their son John, his wife Maureen (nee Organ) and their daughter Anne.

28. Next was the home of Jackie Russell, wife Mag (nee O’Leary) and their daughter Mary. She married Michael Organ and it is now the home of their son John, wife and family.

As you go down the hill again, you come to Cahersherkin School. 29. This school was built in 1847 by Lord Inchiquin for his tenants. It became vacant when it was replaced by a new school in Clouna in 1941. It is now owned by a French couple Philippe Broders and wife Jacquie.

30. and 31. In the school grounds were two teachers residences. In the first lived Miss Máiréad Flannagan, who taught for many years in the school and in the other one lived Sean McInerney, another teacher, his wife Cis (nee McNamara) and their family. Both residences are now the home of Englishman Paul Teasby, his wife Josephine and family.
This is the last house on the left as we go to Ballagh Cross.

We now retrace our footsteps and the first house 32. was the home of Tadhg McMahon. It is now a ruin.

33. Opposite the school is the boreen leading to the home of Paddy Conway, his wife Nora (nee McMahon) and their family. It is now the home of their sons Pat and Bernie.

Around the turn is the boreen leading to a cluster of houses known as “Caher Village”.

34. The first house on the right was the home of Thomas Organ, his wife Minnie (nee McGuane) and their family. It was later lived in by their son Pat, wife Maggie (nee Earls) and their family. It is now lived in by their son John, wife Geraldine (nee Rock), mother Maggie and uncles James and Martin.

35. Next on the right was the home of Margie Organ (nee Mullins) and her son Paddy. Paddy was a flute player of note with The Kilfenora Céili Band. Paddy married Della Reidy and lived there for many years with their family until they built a now home nearby. Paddy and his son Joe now live in the new house. The old home is now a shed.

36. & 37. on the left were two semi-detached houses. In the first lived Patsy Scott Beakey and his wife Mary Anne (nee Conway) and their family. This family died out. In the second house lived Patie Beakey, his wife Nora (nee Conway) and their family. It later passed on to their son James, wife Nancy (nee Kelleher) and their family. This family later transferred to Co. Meath and both houses became derelict and eventually became the site of Paddy and Della Organ’s new home.

Further down the road at the little junction on the left was 38. the home of John Earls, his wife Margaret (nee Daly) and family. They later transferred to another house nearby and this house fell into ruin.

39. Further in was the home of Tom Casey, wife Nano (nee Finn) and their family. This house also became derelict when the family transferred to another home in Clouna North.

40. The house on the right at the junction was the home of Devitt Brothers Martin and Paddy who fought in the War of Independence. Martin was killed in action and Paddy later transferred to a new home in Kilfenora. The house then became the new home of the Earls family and is now owned by their son Seán.

41. Back on the main road again we come to the home of Patrick Organ and his wife Margaret (nee McMahon) and their family. It is now the home of their son Michael, wife Philomena (nee Kelleher) and family.

42. Next was the home of Pat Connoulty, wife Mary (nee Organ). It later became the home of Martin Connoulty, a cousin, who lived there for many years. It was later passed on to John Clancy and is now derelict.

Up the hill we come to two semi-detached houses. In 43. lived Austin Droney and his wife Mary (nee Shannon); it later became the home of P.J.Reidy, his wife Bríd (nee Hynes) and son Gerry. P.J. and Bríd died in the past two years and the house is vacant at present.

In 44. lived Andy Shannon, his wife Bridget (nee Gleeson) and family. The family are now scattered and the house is owned by Susan Hurley of Dublin and used as a holiday home.

45. Next was the home of Katie Shannon and her daughters May and Ellie. It was later owned by the Flaherty family and is now the property of the Gallagher family from U.S.A.

We are now back at the four cross road and we go down left again 46. to the home of Petie Kelleher and his wife Mary (nee McCarthy). It is now the home of their nephew Patrick, wife Sadie (nee McNamara) and their family.

47. Next was the home of Jamesy Shannon, his wife Ellen (nee O’Loughlin) and brother Paddy, known as Dado. It later passed to their son Tom, wife Peggy (nee Hayes) and their family. It is now occupied by their son John and daughter Eileen.

48. Just in front was the home of Peter O’Loughlin and his wife Margaret (nee Sheehan). This family died out and the house is now a shed.

49. On the right was the home of Sonny Sheehan and his wife Ellie (nee Barry). It later became the home of Joe Coughlan but is now derelict.

Ardmore:
50. Further down on the left is Ardmore House, the home of Martin Neylon, wife Margaret (nee Frawley) and their family. Their daughter Mary now lives there.

51. Across the road is the new home of Dan Organ, his wife Teresa (nee O’Looney) and their family.

Cahersherkin:
52. Back on the main road again and going west we come to the home of Thomas Coughlan, wife and family. This family died out and it is now a ruin.

53. We next come to the boreen leading to the home of Pat Neylon, wife Margaret (nee Rynne) and their family. This house is also derelict.

54. We reach the three cross road again and the first house as we turn left was the home of Laurence Conneely, his wife (nee Kelleher) and their family. It later passed to their son Willie, wife Elizabeth (nee Galvin) and their family. Willie died a few years ago and his wife and family continue to live there.

Knocknagraga:
55. Up the next boreen we come to the home of Paid Conneely and his wife. This family died out and the house is now derelict.

56. Beside it is the home of Larry Conneely, wife Katie (nee Davoren) and their family. Their son Joe now lives there with his wife Maureen (nee Curtin) and family.

We now reach another boreen leading to three houses. 57. In the first lived Pat Conway, his wife Mary (nee Longe) and their family. Their son Thomas, wife Nancy (nee Neylon) and their family now live there.

58. Behind them was the home of Tim Conway and his wife (nee Mullins) and their family. Their son John now lives there.

59. Further back was the home of Mary Longe (nee Conneely). It was later lived in by Micko Longe who died a few years ago. It is now a shed.

60. Back on the road we come to the home of Paddy Coughlan, his wife Mary (nee Nagel) and their family. It later passed to their son Michael and wife Teresa (nee O’Looney). Michael died and Teresa continues to live there with Michael’s mother.

61. Across the road was the home of Paddy and Mary Davoren. Mary married Michael Connelly and moved to another home. It is now derelict.

62. Next on the right was the home of Micko Morgan, his wife (nee Doolan) and their family. It later passed to their daughter Katherine, husband Matt O’Mara and their family. They later built a new house nearby and the old house is now a shed.

Cahruclough:
63. Back at the cross is the home of Tom Crosse, his wife Mary (nee Tierney) and their family. Their son P.J. now lives there.

64. Next door was the home of the Barrington family, Petie, Micko and Bridget. This family died out and it is now the home of the O’Gorman family.

65. We now reach the boreen to the home of John Neylon, his brother Michael and sister Aggie. This family died out and the house is now a shed owned by their grand-nephew Tom.

66. A little further on was the home of Seámus Reidy, his wife Ellie (nee O’Neill) and their family. It later passed to their son, Jim and wife Mary Ellen (nee Tuttle).

67. The next boreen leads to the home of Jimmy Kelleher, wife Katherine (nee Shalloo) and their family. It later passed to their son Thomas, wife (nee O’Dea) and family. Thomas built a new house nearby and the old home is now a shed.

68. We now reach the home of Thomas Beakey, his wife (nee Neylon) and their daughter Mary. Mary still lives there with her husband John Garrihy.

Kileenagh:
We are now going down the hill at Kileenagh where a little bit in from the road is the little graveyard of Kileenagh where the dead of this road are buried. Go ndeanfhaidh Dia trochaire ortha go léir.

Glann:
69. At the bottom of the hill is the home of Jim Kelleher, his wife Ellen (nee Barry) and their family. Their son Michéal, wife Greta (nee Sexton) and family now reside there.

70. At the little four cross road again we see the new home of Gerry Fitzpatrick, wife Bríd and family.

71. Next was the home of Tommy Stackpoole, his wife (nee Curtin) and family. His son Michael, wife and family now live here.

72. Across the way is the home of Micko Gallery, wife and family. Micko died a few years ago and his wife and family live there at present.

73. Lastly we come to the home of Micko Stackpoole, wife (nee Morgan) and family. Their sons Willie and Michael now live there.

There have been many changes on this stretch of road in the past 50 years. It is hoped that you all enjoyed this trip down memory lane.

Ennistymon Parish Magazine 1998