Jimmy & Margaret Roche 1940s
On Saturday the 13th September 2014 at 6.00 p.m. at her home in Westside Estate , Billy O'Brien had the pleasure of interviewing a Togher legend - Kathleen O'Keeffe. The meeting was poignant and long awaited for two reasons ; Kathleen is the wife of the late Tom O'Keeffe - author of " Togher , A Brief History " and " Togher , Past & Present " plus her family tree on the Maternal side in Togher extends through an unbroken line all the way back to the mid 19th Century.
Roche Family group photograph
( Kathleen on right )
Her Grandfather , Michael O'Donovan was born in 1881 in Ashgrove , Togher and was a pupil of the old Cottage School ( now demolished ) located next to Muintir na Tire Cottage ( also demolished ) which has a family link as well. His occupation all his life was as a Horse Handler and he worked for the Hayes in the present Marion House ( previously called Hayseleigh ). Sadly he passed away at the ripe old age of 85 in 1966. One historical footnote worthy of mention , is that Michael was a cousin of the famous O'Donovan Rossa!
Michael O'Donovan's former home in Ashgrove
Kathleen with family and relations in 1960s
at her Communion ( left at Front ) -
Michael O'Donovan on right
Her Mother , Margaret O'Donovan , was born in 1926 and attended the old National School ( Now Community Centre ) which had been built in 1891 to replace the over crowded Cottage School across the road. The land and adjoining playground had been donated free of charge by the Sarsfields , prominent local landowners , with a pedigree themselves stretching back over two Centuries. She married local man Jimmy Roche ( born 1919 in Doughcloyne ) in 1947 , a Farmer's Labourer who later turned Builder's Labourer to work on the future Deanrock Estate in the late 1960s! He also had a turn as Nightwatchman on the Estate with his hut located near the Devil's Rock ( The Citadel ) , where he possibly played as a child when the area was known as the Heighties and the shored up Glasheen River bore the title of the Rampart. Kathleen recalls visiting him by walking down the walled Summerstown Lane past the Workmens Houses and skirting Deanrock House itself , resplendent in its brightly painted hue of Yellow! Prior to that in the 1930s Jimmy had even helped to plant the trees leading into the now Palmbury Estate!
Jimmy and Margaret Roche
1947
James & Kathleen Roche ( Grandparents )
Kathleen's Father , Jimmy was the nephew of Ciss , who was married to Paddy Ryan , also known as Paddy 30,000 , due to a windfall of money , which saw him buy Lehenaghmore House in the 1930s and adjoining lands all the way back to the present Togher Flyover near the Deanrock Pub. It was one of his new properties , Muintir na Tire which became the home of the Roches and saw the birth of Kathleen's brother in 1949 and sister in 1951. In the mid 1950s , the Family moved to Rochestown and a lodge where Jimmy worked on the farm for a while. But they were destined to return once more to Togher making Glenanaar in Lehenaghmore their new abode with baby Kathleen.
Kathleen outside her former home - Glenanaar
Kathleen and Grandfather Michael - Communion
Jimmy Roche also served his Country during the Second World War ( known as The Emergency in Ireland ) from 1939 to 1945 as a member of the Local Security Force or LSF. Though not armed as their successors the Local Defence Force or LDF ( forerunners to the F.C.A. and now R.D.F. ) were , they nevertheless played a vital part in security operations in Togher during those turbulent years acting as ad hoc Postmen , patrolling the neighbourhood and directing traffic. Jimmy along with many of his comrades who came from all parts of Togher and beyond was awarded the Emergency Medal and Ribbon upon being demobbed in 1945.
James Roche LSF with Medal and Ribbon
Kathleen Communion studio photo
Kathleen started her studies , like her Parents ( Mother - 1930s ; Father - 1920s ) and her Grandfather ( 1880s ) before her , in the Togher National School as Ireland entered the 1960s. However , with the start of a new Decade came the exciting prospect of a brand new school built on a pocket of private land adjacent to Muintir na Tire and the old Cottage School.
Kathleen's Confirmation Day
The Girls Principal of both the Old National School ( which with the transfer of the Girls became solely a Boy's School in 1961 ) and the new Girls National School was Ms. McCarthy. Another Teacher from those days was Mrs. Deasy. Besides the usual lessons learned at School during those days , the Girls also were instructed in Needle work , crocheting and occasional Cookery classes. To that end , Ms. Bridgit McCarthy from the Cork Gas Company paid a one off visit centred around safety in the use of gas while preparing culinary delights.
Kathleen in an Irish Stepdancing Class
Kathleen recalls that even with the new larger School , that overcrowding rapidly became a problem and to help combat this , the cloakroom was converted into a makeshift classroom! However , as the 1960s progressed and the influx of people settling in Togher in the newly built Estates grew exponentially , even the cloakroom became insufficient to meet their needs , and 3 Prefabs had to be brought on site to cope with the deluge.
Kathleen with neighbours ( left of doll )
Kathleen O'Keeffe and classmates outside home 1960s
L- R Marian O'Brien , Marie Roche , Kathleen Roche ,
Teresa Hayes , Eileen Crowley
In front Mary Hayes
Kathleen related how as a child one of their favourite games was sitting in the garden and making daisy chains besides scampering off to great adventures in the nearby fields with her friends. Other games would have included hop scotch , blind man's bluff and skipping. One abiding memory though wasn't so pleasant and that was the trek home from school under the Snotty Bridge particularly in the darkness of Winter time! From walled up Lehenaghmore House right up to the ominous overpass , the trees on both sides arched over like skeletal phantoms and bathed the walk in perpetual twilight even during Summer. Children only breathed a collective sigh of relief once past this location and out into the open countryside again. There was also a makeshift dirt track on the right past the bridge which lead up to the railway track. To further worsen affairs for the local students making their tentative steps towards home was the prospect of strangers lurking above them as they passed under the Bridge! Indeed different dubious characters used to loiter about on the top of the railway track overlooking the road beneath! This dangerous location was made all the more safer when in 1977 it was finally demolished.
Kathleen with friend Marian Crowley
up the African Missions lane
Another popular feature of Togher back in he 1960s was the Community Games , hosted in the neighbouring Coffey's Field ,which ran for the latter part of the decade and was eventually reinstated as the Togher Festival in the late 1970s and early 1980s , only to be discontinued thereafter. Many a future athlete had his or hers start on the turf that bordered the Tramore River as it wound its way past the hallowed grounds of Togher. Another venue which acted as an outlet for youthful pursuits was the Munitir na Tire , which organised outings , table tennis and activities of all kinds for kids and adults alike. It also became a meeting house for many local groups as well as serving as an impromptu Credit Union in its formative years.
Kathleen O'Keeffe as a teenager at rear of home late 1960s
Togher Sports Day - 1967 - Coffey's Field
Kathleen and Marian Crowley on wall
of Liberty Stream near Greenwood Estate
Kathleen fondly recalls the emergence of the new Local Authority Estates and Private Developers Builds during the 1960s especially those closer to home , such as Greenwood Estate ( built on land sold by her Grand Uncle Paddy Ryan ) , constructed in two phases , known locally as the Old Part and the New Part ( across from the now Community Centre ) . Indeed , her own father , Jimmy would go on to switch trades and assist in the building of Deanrock Estate in the late 1960s. Kathleen's Parents eventually lived out their lives in Sandown Crest.
Tom and Katheen O'Keeffe
- Wedding Day 1975
Kathleen and Tom 1976
Kathleen would go on to work in Guy's Printing in 1969 off Patricks Street until she married Tom O'Keeffe - future local History Author in 1975 making Westside Estate her home in Togher in which she resides to this day. It is perhaps poignant to note , that with the graduation of her Daughter , Alex in 2014 - a link with all Togher Schools has finally been broken. A record had been set which saw members of the Family serving in the Cottage School , the old National School ( both as an integrated School and a Boys School ) , the old Girls National School and the new Boys and Girls National Schools - from 1880s to 2014 - crossing 3 Centuries!
Kathleen and Tom - Lourdes 2005
The Blog would like to thank Kathleen O'Keeffe and her family for being so generous with their time during the researching of this article. It is hoped that it will shine some more light on the past of Togher before and during its remarkable transformation from a rural agricultural community into one of Corks modern suburbs complete with its own traditions and those which have since been imported and made its own. Tribute must also be made to Tom O'Keeffe for his complete devotion to preserving the local history of Togher through his research and his books. Our eternal thanks ...
TOGHER HISTORICAL ASSOC. & BLOG.
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