Morrison's Ravine

Morrrison's Ravine , Knockalisheen , Togher

 

Morrison's Ravine 1900
Note track-way delineated by double dotted line

 

An ancient forest which hugs the Glasheen River as it descends through Knockalisheen has for many years been known as Morrison's Ravine. It forms part of the natural north eastern boundary of the Townland and was named after a local farmer , Alexander Morrison whose family owned the nearby farm and Knockalisheen House up to 1952. As the watercourse flows under the stone arched bridge at Spur Hill , it emerges into a thick canopy of vegetation and trees and falls rapidly towards Waterfall where it is joined by another streamlet flowing in from Kilmurriheen. 

 

Glasheen River as it approaches bridge

Spur Hill

Turnstile Entrance off Spur Hill

Walkway looking back at Spur Hill

Glasheen River as it enters Morrison's Ravine

Glasheen River inside Morrison's Ravine

Both watercourses then make their way northward with the Bandon Road as its companion before detouring around the present day South Ring Road and meandering its way around Deanrock to turn sharply left at Clashduv Bridge leaving Togher behind before eventually merging as a culvert with the Curraheen River which empties into the River Lee.

 

Gateway entrance off Bandon Road

 

A well worn trackway leads from a turnstile ( see above ) at Spur Hill all the way down to the Bandon Road and a gate. Access is fraught with danger being located off a main thoroughfare. The gate is a handy marker which acts as a separation point between 2 Townlands , with Knockalisheen on its left and Kilmurriheen on its right. The stream itself is located some meters in behind the ditchline.However , the entrance top side has recently been fitted with CCTV and a " Keep Out " warning sign , both nailed to a tree located just inside the turnstile.

Alternate aerial view of Morrison' Ravine
showing possible large ring fort to its south in Kilmurriheen

The wooded enclosure , believed now to be designated as a game reserve , is a remnant of a much older covering and is a prime example of how much of the region looked going back several centuries before the trees were cleared to make way for agricultural and grazing lands. It should be noted that the Glasheen River , which emanates from a spring near the Airport was once a dis-tributary , with its southern cousin flowing slightly south of its northern brethren. It too up to the 19th Century displayed woodland along its banks until it was dammed off in the early 20th Century. However the old course of the now extinct branch of the Glasheen River can still be deduced from aerial maps with some of its old woodland still in place.

Between - Doughcloyne , Togher

Phillipine House 1970s later Between

Criostoir De Baroid R.I.P.

Northern Children's Holidays was an organisation set up in the early 1970s by  Criostóir De Baróid which enticed people in Togher and Ballyphehane to open their doors and take children from Belfast for short periods during the initial stages of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Eventually the old S.M.A. house on Sarsfield Road became a central venue in the late 1970s before switching for a short while to the S.M.A. Centre in Wilton from 1981 before the S.M.A. Society offered Between the Philippine House in Doughcloyne , Togher circa 1982/83 for a 30 year lease with an annual rent of just £1. The House at the time was a derelict farm house with outhouses to the rear. It was at this time that the organization changed its name to Between to highlight its efforts in reconciling the different communities in Northern Ireland. Criostóir was instrumental too in connecting the Irish Governments Foreign Affairs department with Loyalist paramilitaries at the very early stages of the peace talks. He is extremely respected by the Republicans also.

S.M.A. house , Doughcloyne , Togher
now Cork ARC Cancer Support Centre

S.M.A. Centre , Wilton

View of old Philippine House with extension
Between 1982 - 2001

Between signage on roof of canteen/recreation room

View of gardens

Togher Historical Association made contact with some of the staff and volunteers from Between who recalled their time with the organization as shown below.

Ernest Curtis - Volunteer bus driver

Ernest Curtis Staff : " I was a volunteer bus driver but my entire family was involved in all aspects of Between. We famously buried two cars in the old playground which resulted in a couple of mounds becoming small hills for the kids to climb up on! "

Tanya Dineen ( Ernest's daughter ) - Volunteer babysitter

Tanya Dineen Volunteer : " I was going to between since I was about 9/10 so since 90' 91' till close. As I got a bit older I helped with the babysitting on the adult nights out and did anything that was needed regarding cleaning , getting things set up for the day or simply playing and entertaining the kids that were there for the week. "

Staff photo and visiting U.S. support group
Kindly supplied by Tanya Dineen

Paddy O'Reilly Staff : " I was employed as the gardener. The old orchard was completely cleared out and we installed a basketball court , swings and a pond. We put a large plastic owl on the top of the old stone wall to scare off birds from the pond. I relayed the grounds in front of the house and put in walkways , seating and raised flower beds. "

Paddy O'Reilly gardener

Owl on orchard wall/playground

Local Togher children playing in Between

Billy O'Brien Togher Historical Association
Old Orchard/Playround
16th April 2015

Between put huge investment into the renovating of the house and outbuildings to house, feed and entertain Republican and Loyalist prisoners families who would visit on a rotational schedule , ( with one week given over to Nationalists and the following week given over to the Loyalists and so on ) , teenage groups , travelers groups and old age pensioners from across the six counties during the height of the conflict and the early part of the peace process. The house and surrounds and gardens were developed and maintained by Paddy O’ Reilly and others employed under the first Community Employment Scheme. Over the lifetime of the Between organization they operated the house as a respite centre during the summer months for the families through the hard work of many volunteers across those years right up to 1997/8. Many great friendships were made and maintained. Between was also instrumental in building bridges between Loyalist and Republican communities at a time when the peace process hadn’t even started. The operation was wound down circa 2001/2 following the implementation of the peace process. A great many thanks are due to all the volunteers and staff who contributed so enormously to this fantastic project which operated in Togher for well over 25 years!

Volunteers from Cork at unveiling of Wall Mural

20th September 2014

Over the 25 years period more than 12,000 plus people were hosted by Between and the group was honored in West Belfast when the people of the area from the Republican/Nationalist/Catholic community invited many of the volunteers up to unveil a massive gable end wall mural dedicated purely to the people of Cork with the Between House/Philippine House and Bus painted in the mural. A Facebook page " Memories of Between " was actually set up by people from the Unionist/Loyalist/Protestant Community in recent years.

Gable end of house showing Mural

Criostóir and Isobel

**The bus driver shown in the mural above is Sean Canny R.I.P. and his family was invited up to the unveiling as were all volunteers and they were taken aback. It was a fantastic event. There was an exhibition of old photos at the local GAA club. People from the loyalist areas were invited and came over as well. Criostóir and Isobel two founding members alongside two community workers from the area are also in the lower part of the mural ( see above ).

Criostóir de Baróid ( behind woman in scarf ) 1970s
Visitors from Northern Ireland
Man on left was known as " Elvis "

Early 2002 the House and lands were handed over to the Fellowship , a group dedicated to helping people dealing with addiction. It continues to do this work to date. Sadly as part of their ongoing renovations , the old Phillipine House and Orchard/Playground were demolished in 2017 to make way for new builds. The blog was on site to record the event here.

Eamonn Pearse R.I.P.
Kathleen O'Keeffe 2017
Togher Historical association
Demolition of house

Complete interior old playground cleared
in addition to front orchard wall 2017

 

 Acknowledgements:

Paddy O'Reilly
Ernest Curtis
Tanya Dineen
Kieran O'Connell
Several images/wording used are copyright of respective owners

Knockalisheen House

 

Knockalisheen House and farmhouses

Located directly across Spur Hill from the iconic Togher Holstein sign and not far from the Glasheen River it fronts onto the road with 153 acres of farmland. It is known as Knockalisheen House.

 

Knockalisheen House , Spur Hill , Togher

John Harrigan house
near Liberty Bridge
entrance to old " Fort Field "

Considered one of the original " Big Houses " in Togher , Knockalisheen House , which comprised 9 rooms and 9 front windows , in the townland of the same name was built circa early 1840s by Joseph D. Jackson ( Owner and Landlord of Knockalisheen ( which was situated between the western and eastern routes of Spur Hill) on the western side of Spur Hill , sandwiched in between the two original tributaries of the Glasheen River ( It is thought the southern fork was dammed off in the early 20th Century ) and initially leased out in 1850 to Benjamin Deeble who owned a flour mill in Cork City adjacent to St. Francis' church. The mill was demolished in 1877. * It should be noted that Benjamin Deeble and subsequent owners leased all of the land south of the northern fork of the Glasheen River. He sublet an additional property on his land to a John Harrigan ( * see house above ). The area north of the Glasheen River was rented out to Francis Harris who also sublet to Robert Neill and Daniel Ahern. The house being studied in this article was associated with two features in Togher by virtue of its occupiers which will be explained below.

 

Knockalisheen House on left
Togher Holstein on right

Benjamin Deeble sadly had a life full of extreme misfortune. His flour mill business wasn't a success even though he had plenty of the raw materials on his large tract of arable land , his 153 acres taking up a sizable chunk of the townlands overall capacity of 225 acres! In 1852 he was declared bankrupt and in 1867 he died of bronchitis. However his name lived on in the back road between Doughcloyne and Lehenaghmore becoming known to locals as Ben Deeble's Lane. In more modern times it is known as Wilson's Lane.

Photo shows Ben Deebles Lane ( Wilson's Lane ) 

on right with Knockalisheen on left with ditch line
in centre showing end of Doughcloyne

 

It was some time after his demise that the house and land passed into the ownership of the Morrisons. The 1901 Census shows Alexander Morrison and his two sisters Jesse and Margaret Jane ( all of the Presbyterian faith ) as occupiers. Also shown in the same Census are the names of 3 other residents on Morrison land ( see further below ) -  William O'Keeffe , John Brien and Thomas Buckley. The 1911 Census shows several newer occupants on the land , indicating the temporary nature of farm laborers - . The family name lives on in the local natural feature which is Morrison's Ravine , through which the Glasheen River flows on its way to Waterfall and thence on to Deanrock. 

 

1901 Census - Morrisons

1911 Census - Morrisons -  Jesse not present

1901 Census - showing residents on Morrison land

1901 Enumerators Extract
Shows number of people in each residence
* Note Togher is shown as " Toher "

 

1911 Census shows different occupiers on Morrison land

Morrison's Ravine on left
with Glasheen River flowing from right

The 1901 Census ( see above ) shows Alexander and his two sisters resident on the land. Compare the following 1911 Census which shows the absence of Jesse who may have married at that point in time. Alexander possibly married after 1911 as It was Alex's wife Annie who in 1952 sold at auction the house and lands to the Kingstons who were resident until recently. * It is unclear who the current occupiers are.

Iconic Togher Holstein sign next to Knockalisheen House

Historically , it is an unusual " Big House " in that it fronts virtually onto the road , whereas tradition dictated that a Gentleman's residence was sited further inland with a main drive and a lodge fronting onto the road. This lends credence to the fact that it was a purpose built house erected for sale to a farmer as evidenced by the 153 acres which came with the sale. Frontage was not as important or practical as was a tract of arable land behind the domicile.

Knockalisheen House 1900
* Note - Harrigan's house at bottom left
& extant Ring Fort bottom centre
( possibly destroyed 1940s )

Today , the whitewashed walls of its outbuildings stands in contrast to the main residence with its bright yellow door. The original 9 roomed abode has been enhanced with an additional build running at right angles to the rear.

North facing view of Knockalisheen House

Kilmohonock - The Town That Vanished!

Ui Mc Ceir 12th Century

Norman Knight 12th Century

It may be difficult to comprehend but father time and mother nature can completely eradicate a former settlement bringing its very existence into doubt. Vague and ancient records however can betray a past which has almost been utterly erazed from history. One such town or village was thought to have been located in Lehenaghmore , Togher circa the 13th Century or perhaps even earlier. Its name is given as Kilmohonoc. It is the Town that vanished!

 

Illustration of typical Norman chapel 13th Century

Kilmohonoc , Togher ( Lehenaghmore )

 

 

Historians argue over the name and the location of the town in question. Some say it was named after a Saint Monoge but the various anglicisations of its title down through the centuries has only served to confuse. However the " Kil " lends credence to a church of some sort. So it would seem that the town and the chapel and its accompanying graveyard were closely allied to each other ; one not existing without the other. It can also be argued that the town owed its very existence to both the Ui Mc Ceir and the Normans!

Example of typical Norman village late 12th Century

It is thought that a trading post was in situ pre 10th Century built by the ruling Ui Mc Ceir near the border of the neighboring Ciarraigh Chuirche tribe. Following on from the initial invasion of Cork City by the Cambro-Normans ( who hailed from Wales ) in the 1170s , De Cogan and his entourage of Norman Knights soon laid plans for a manor or Fayd which would encompass the newly conquered lands. At the manors southern extremities , plans were put in force to construct a market town to enforce its new values on the people. An existing site Kilmohonock was picked to enhance its potential , being built at a crossroads and with a source of water. The houses and shops would be constructed of wood while a new chapel was to be made of cut limestone blocks with an adjoining cemetery. The chapel itself was the Teampellean ( which may have been a corruption of Olde Irish/English and simply implied " small temple " ) . However over time the name became forever associated with the adjoining graveyard. It would seem highly likely that this was the location of the old town , being geographically sited between two streams , the Liberty on its western flank and the Glenmore on its right , besides having a local spring in its grounds. De Cogan himself was killed in 1182 by the Irish when attempting to march on Waterford. He apparently suffered death by axe! His name survives in Cork to this day as Goggin.

 

Likely former location of Kilmohnock
19th Century map showing Lehenagh House

The town in question post Norman influence would have seen the Normans simply take ownership of the existing Tuath , in this case , the lands of the Ui Mc Ceir and establish a manor system there , the Manor of the Fayd or Plain of the Synod. Over time this would have morphed into the Civil Parish of St.Finbarrs. Of course another layer would have been grafted onto the area when in 1608 the County of the City of Cork was created which took in surrounding lands within a 3 mile radius of the City. This was abolished in 1840. However following the 2018 Boundary Extension the area under study was returned to the City. So it can be seen that the geographical ebb and flow of territory was quite frequent down through the centuries.

Location of Castle in neighbouring Townland
Knocknamallavoge ( * Note ring fort to north )

On establishing a market town on an already existing site , the Normans would have exerted their influence to the very borders of the enemy Irish. This provocative stance would have been backed up by military strength. A stone castle was erected in nearby Knocknamallvoge to impress upon the native Irish tribes that they were approaching Norman controlled terrritory. Over time though , undoubtedly the local Irish would have begun trading as a matter of preservation. And like the way of all things , the Normans would have settled down to a peaceful co-existence. The town , like any other Norman medieval settlement would have had exotic goods , such as spices , leatherwork and sweetmeats which were unavailable elsewhere. It should be stated that it was the Normans who introduced rabbits to Ireland for purposes of hunting. The town would have been home to bakers , blacksmiths, minstrels , jugglers , pickpockets and vagabonds.

Actual interior of a 12th Century Norman chapel

 

** It should be noted that as mentioned above a trading town had already been in situ since the pre-Norman days of the Ui Mc Ceir tribe who would have purposely built it on the border between the neighboring Ciarraighe Cuirche tribe. The Normans would have simply appropriated the existing settlement and upgraded it to their own design. This would have included constructing a chapel nearby , which possibly superseded an earlier wooden effort. Chapels were never built in isolation and this lends credence to the assumption that the town of Kilmohonac was originally situated at or about this area in Lehenaghmore. Whilst the Normans brazenly built in an open plan fashion with easily accessible routes in and and out of the town , the native Irish still preferred to live in a proliferation of " Ring Forts " dotted all over the nearby landscape , more for security from bandits and wolves. However , they would most certainly have traded with the Normans for cattle , food and other goods.

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Historical events/figures associated with Kilmohonock

1474 - The town of " Kilmahalok " was one of many in Cork and elsewhere which took to minting its own currency when the English money became so devalued in the late 15th Century as to become almost worthless. The practice was banned two years later by a statute of King Edward IV of England ( see below ) who sought that those responsible should be arrested and duly punished.

King Edward IV
National Portrait Gallery , London

1609 - The new County of the City of Cork was created by bringing in the townlands within a 3 mile radius of the City. This would have brought the market town , now part of the South Liberties , under the direct influence of the city merchants. It involved contributing to the maintenance of the City but also allowed them to send produce free of tolls into the City. This arrangement lasted until 1841 when the South Liberties were abolished and all townlands returned to the country.

Parish of St. Finbarris
L. Brown Collection

1615 - King James I ( see below ) sent an entourage to Killmohallok with instructions to name Richard Allen as curate of the Chapel and graveyard. It is believed that nearby Coolallen was named from him.

King James I

1649–1653 - The re-conquest of Ireland by Oliver Cromwell set in motion a terrible devastation upon the country at large ; there can be no doubt that Kilmohonok was no exception with its chapel reduced to rubble with the subsequent introduction of the Anglican faith. There can also be no doubt that the attached village would have been raised to the ground and its inhabitants slaughtered.

Oliver Cromwell 1653
by Dutch painter Peter Lely

Thus the death knell had been sounded and the trading town was no more , slowly left to rot and eventually disappear from local knowledge , save for its little graveyard and its former chapel now a mound of rubble overgrown with vegetation. Slowly these too would forever disappear. Vanished , just like the town which once existed nearby!

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Cros na Gol a.k.a.Green Patch
Lehenaghmore , Togher

To this day , the crossroads of Mathew Hill and Lehenaghmore Hill are known as the " Green Patch " , a term used by local bowling clubs for many decades past. However its original name is Cros na Gol or Place of Skulls and it was here where wailers would meet local funeral processions and escort them to the Teampellean for burial. Over time , this unconsecrated ground became the last resting place of unbaptised babies and waifs and strays. The early 1980s saw the building of private residences on the once hallowed ground and many ghostly stories are mentioned in connection with the site.

Fomer site of Teampellean ( left ) & Chapel/Kilmohonock ( right )