24th Fieldwork Trip - 30th November 2017 - New Estates , St. James Cemetery & Woulfe Lane

On Thursday 30th November 2017 , the Togher Historical Assoc. undertook its 24th Fieldwork Trip to date. Present were Eamonn Pearse , Kathleen O'Keeffe and Billy O'Brien. First port of call was the site of the old Sexton plot on Doughcloyne Hill. Now in private ownership having been sold off some years back  , the planning form shown below gives all the details of the new structure. Of particular interest to the Blog is Togher's sole remaining Water Pump , which is located to the left of the entrance. Even though the Pump is no longer operational , it must be protected as it is the last original of its kind still in existence in Togher.

Notice for new Structure on Doughcloyne Hill

New structure on site of old Sexton plot

Last Water Pump in Togher!

Close up view of  the last Water Pump

Billy O'Brien poses with Water Pump

The group next journeyed to St. James Cemetery , official graveyard of Togher District and Parish. The site opened in 2005 and is located off Mahers Lane in Chetwynd. Besides possessing a remarkably large car park , it is also home to a wall bank of ashes with seating for visitors. Out of respect , no photographs were taken of this area. Just inside the main gates is an imposing monument depicting an old Irish rowing boat surmounted on a gaggle of wild geese with the inscription " Ark Of Thought And Memory " etched on two sides of its plinth. In keeping with the religious theme , the group next stopped off briefly further up Mahers Lane to photograph the remnants of Togher's old grotto.

Marble placue at entrance to St. James Cemetery

Monument inside gates of St. James Cemetery

Alternate side view of monument

Togher's Old Grotto on Mahers Lane , Chetwynd

Next stop was a brief look at the crumbling remains of the old Allen House on Doughcloyne Hill. Sadly the house is beyond repair and will shortly be demolished being now in private ownership. Another link to Togher's past forgotten and dismissed out of hand.

Old Allen House on Doughcloyne Hill

The group stopped off in Applegreen for refreshments and were fortunate to meet with the Manager , Eileen , who is in negotiations with the Community Association to replace the wall placue denoting the site of Togher's first National School in 1850 which was damaged during renovations. The group were shown an artists rendition of the inscription and crest in preparation for a new placue. The group advised on a glaring mistake which was apparent on the base of the crest , which was a mixture of Irish and English , the original being solely in Irish.

Artists rendition of School Placue

At this juncture , Eamonn Pearse departed , leaving Kathleen O'Keeffe and Billy O'Brien to continue on their Fieldwork Trip. It was decided to visit the plot of scrubland running adjacent to Sarsfield Road and Eagle Valley. Here a short video was shot showing the site which will shortly see the construction of 73 new builds. The photo below gives all the details.

Planning Notice indicating the new Estate

Short video shot from two vantage points

A flying visit was made to the section of the Liberty Stream by Togher Cross to take in the view of the Hallihan house set back from the road by Lane's Cottage and a video showing the watercourse in full flow. It is planned to document a more comprehensive expose of this ancient part of Togher in the near future.

Joseph Hallihan House to rear 
of Togher Cross / Liberty Stream

Angled view of Liberty Stream / Togher Cross

Video showing Liberty Stream / Togher Cross

A simple walk across the road to another site of historical interest brought the former site of Lehenaghmore Lodge into focus. The Planning Notice shown below indicates the construction of 10 new builds. Also shown is the first entrance to a bungalow built for the Daughter of the original Lodge Keeper back in the 1950s. All that remains are the faint outline of the old foundation. Soon the walls will be gone and the site changed for ever. To the right are the legally protected original gates and pillars of the entrance to the former Lehenaghmore House.

Planning Notice for 10 new houses

Entrance to old bungalow which was to left of Lodge

Video showing the complete plot of land

Front view of entrance to Lehenaghmore House

View of left pillar and iron wrought gate

View of right pillar and iron wrought gate

Racing against the clock and fading daylight , the group next decided to travel to Woulfe Lane. This ancient byway of Togher is situated off Ardcahon Drive near Matthews Hill. The title derives its origin from the family name of the former Woulfe House now sadly demolished and replaced by new builds. The start of the old ditchline upon entering the lane has now been cut back and the section of road widened. The group videoed the remains of the former stables and Coach Houses of Lehenagh House , itself demolished 10 years ago which front onto the road. It is believed these will also be destroyed. Moving up further along the road , a brief call was made to another construction site in progress. It should be noted that most of the farm land of Gearys has been sold off with the result that many houses now dot the landscape as far as the Glenmore River and Forge Hill. A chance encounter was made with an old schoolmate of Kathleen O'Keeffe's - Joan Walsh - out walking her dog up Woulfe Lane. A full blown conversation ensued which brought the listeners back to the Togher of her childhood. Joan remarked how fit children were in the 1960s , where she would walk from Woulfe Lane then back up Matthews Hill and then down Lehenaghmore Hill to the Girls School , firstly the old National School ( now Community Centre ) and then the " New " Girls School , built in 1961 ( now Foroige ) and back again every day! She recalled how she would stop by an old Chestnut tree before starting off for school and filling her pockets for sustenance during her long walk. Another tale imparted was the daily incident on Woulfe Lane where a brown bull would eye her suspiciously and rub his horns along the brow of the ditch! She also recalled stories from her Uncle about the old I.R.A. during the War of Independence who would train nearby in subterranean tunnels. It is planned to interview Joan in the new year to archive her fascinating memories.

Looking back on Woulfe Lane

Video showing Stables and Coach Houses

New plot under construction off Woulfe Lane

Borroway Lane - Whitebeam Road , Togher

Borroway Lane is one of Togher's old original roads and  is a corrupt English rendering of the original Irish name - Bothar An Buidhe - " The Tawny Road " aka By Way Lane. It acquired its name from the old trackway which stretched from Glasheen Road to the bend in the present day Whitebeam Road by virtue of the grey limestone dust from the nearby Ellis Quarry which mixed with the brown earth of the track. The track served both the workers of the quarry and a few market gardeners who dwelt on the land. Nowadays the old lane as pertains to Togher is preserved in the top section of Whitebeam Road which also has Birch Place adjoining it and the entrance to Maple Place with a newer section continuing on from the bend by Birch Place constructed in 1971 at the original termination leading onto Clashduv Road.

 Overlay OSi Map showing 19th Century layout

with Underlay OSi Map showing 20th Century

The above OSi Map shows the 19th Century layout of the route as compared to the underlay of the present day layout. It should be noted that the newer section of road leading onto Clashduv Road , itself built circa 1968 meets at an exact right angle.

 1951 Aerial Map showing Borroway Lane in Yellow

The above 1951 Aerial photograph reveals the topography and terrain which Borroway Lane traversed before modern development. As can be seen by the Yellow Line which denotes the section of the old road in Togher , it followed a sharp turn towards the Glasheen River ; this part of the road was removed in the early 1970s. The Green line shows the route of the newer section of road , the two being renamed Whitebeam Road in 1971. Also can be seen the new Clashduv Road , constructed circa 1968 which adjoins Whitebeam Road.

Google Map showing route of old Borroway Lane

This Google Map ( see above ) view shows Whitebeam Road in the context of its place amongst the neighbouring roads in Togher. The original route of the old Borroway Lane would also have gone through the now Birch Place and Clashduv Road Estates.

 Beginning of Borroway Lane ( Whitebeam Road )

The beginning ( see above ) of Whitebeam Road as seen from the corner of Cherry Tree Road. It shows the houses on the left which carry the Address , whilst a parking area takes up the opposite side of the road. An historic legacy to Togher's past which thankfully has been preserved is the fact that the parking lot was the home of a Market Gardener , details of which are unknown at this time.

End of Borroway Lane ( Whitebeam Road )

The termination point ( see above ) of the original Borroway Lane at the point where two Estates meet the road ; Maple Place on the left and Birch Place on the right. Originally Borroway Lane would have turned sharply by Birch Place and continued onto the Glasheen River. 

 New section continuing from Borroway Lane

The newer section of road ( see above ) which was constructed in 1971 and leads on from the original Borroway Lane , both parts which are now known as Whitebeam Road. It should be noted that the Clashduv Road which it meets with at the bottom of the hill was already constructed in 1968.

 Address signage on house fronting onto Clashduv Road

Whitebeam Roads' ( see above ) signage as depicted on the corner house fronting onto Clashduv Road. The colour code and number signify an abandoned attempt at postal addresses in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

1951 Geographica Schematic 

 showing " By - Way Lane "

1964 Schematic showing Borroway Lane 

below Deerpark Road

The above two schematics from 1951 and 1964 respectively show the old Borroway Lane. In 1951 it is known locally as By - Way Lane , a shorter rendering ; In 1964 the top section which connects with Glasheen Road has been renamed Deerpark Road. It should be noted that this section of road would later be renamed once again to form Tara Lawn and Hillside Drive.

 Aerial photo of cottage March 1967

 

 Modern day site of old Cottage

Turning down off Cherry Tree Road onto Whitebeam road brings the reader to a site that nowadays is used as a car park but which in former times was the location of a workmen's Cottage. It is not known who lived there but the two photos above give a good indication of its former and current location.

Togher Community Development - Vicars Road

At the beginning of 1983 , the Togher Community Association undertook a scheme to provide employment to teenage girls in Togher. Those who signed up for the opportunity were trained at ANCO throughout the spring and were given jobs in an industrial garment factory on Vicar's Road operating machinery that summer with the official opening taking place in December 1983. The management was all male , including Con O'Brien - Factory Manager ; Tony Carey - Production Manager and Denis Harrington - Floor Supervisor. The factory was opened to great fanfare by the Lord Mayor - Togher's John Dennehy and several Government Officials. Besides primarily manufacturing raingear and hospital garments , the factory secured a contract with Apple in Knocknaheeny. However even this was not enough to save the project as it sadly closed in 1985 due to the economic downturn of that decade. Today the former site of Togher Community Development Ltd. - its official title , is now occupied by Swan Beds. Two former employees , Mags Murphy and Anna Marie O'Shea , have fond memories of their time there and have shared some of their stories and memorabilia with the Blog. Cllr. Fergal Dennehy kindly shared some material from his family archives which documented the opening.

Swan Beds , Vicars Road 

formally Togher Garment Factory

 Clergy and Management at opening December 1983

 Lord Mayor , Officials and Management at opening

Tony Carey showing samples to Lord Mayor

Below are members of the Garment Factory including Management and Staff. The short lived project can now be brought back to life and given its place in the annals of local Togher history.

 Con O'Brien - Factory Manager

Tony Carey - Production Manager

Anna Marie O;Shea - Staff Member

 Anna Marie O'Shea : " I remember we were sub contracted to Apple at one stage. The rain gear we did had to be welded and I got stuck with it. I hated it , then they saw I had a flair for the overlocker and was put on that ; loved it. Loved the Apple part as well because you were standing most of the time and could move about. The overlocker had 4 needles and it was for the edges before the item was hemmed. I used to do hospital garments. " Anna Marie also made mention of some co-workers ; Ber, Christine, Ger ( Sister-in Law of Denis Harrington ) and Majella.

 Mags Murphy - Staff Member

Mags Murphy : " Con O'Brien was our boss there. We were trained in ANCO. We opened in 1983 and it closed in 1985. Dennis Harrington was our supervisor. It was to provide local employment to our area. Anna Marie O'Shea worked there with me. We made hospital disposable suits also. I loved it there. " Mags still has possession of the placue presented to all employees at the opening in December 1983 which can be seen below.

Original Staff Placue - 1983

Mags Murphy with original presented placue

Togher National School - A Special Photograph

Togher has many iconic photographs and images associated with it , which instantly stand out as being memorable and unforgettable. The following is no exception and may boast the title of Togher's first colour photograph! Each photograph has a backstory and thankfully the blog was able to make contact with the family behind it. The 3 children depicted are from left to right ; Marion Hoey nee Finn , Eleanor Hurley nee Finn ( white dress and red top ) and Patrick Finn. It was taken by their Uncle , Fr. William Finn towards the end of the 1960s. It was shot from a slightly elevated position on the Togher Railway bridge and shows the then Togher Boys National School. To the left can be seen ( hut painted green with red door ) Mrs. O'Sullivans sweet shop a.k.a. " Mrs.O's ". She lived in Deanrock Villa which is out of shot to the right. To the left of the picture can be seen the site of the future Boys and Girls National Schools which would be built in 1971. Today the old school has been transformed into a Community Centre , with many extensions and the original stone wall being moved out towards the main road to cater for an enclosed car park. The grass verge to the right of the children is the entrance to The Cutting , an enclave of houses which sadly were demolished in the late 1970s. Also in frame are the iron rails of the bridge.

Iconic photograph taken in colour by Fr. William Finn

Eleanor Hurley ( centre of photograph ) attended school in Togher from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. She would have begun in the old National School when it served both boys and girls and would have finished her education in the new Girls National School ( now Youth group centre ) when it opened in 1961. The blog would like to thank Eleanor Hurley for information relating to the photograph.

Hurricane Ophelia - Togher - Monday 16th October 2017

On Monday 16th October 2017 , an extremely rare natural event occurred in Ireland. Ex-Hurricane Ophelia - a Tropical Storm , arrived with winds exceeding 150 Kph. It left a trail of destruction in its wake as it mercifully traversed the land in just under 2 hours. The most tangible legacy was the enormous number of trees which were virtually uprooted. Eamonn Pearse and Eamonn Twomey of the Togher Historical Association drove around Deanrock Estate , Vicar's Road and the Lough to document the aftermath. The following videos show a snapshot of what they witnessed.

Deanrock Estate

Devil's Rock

Vicar's Road

The Lough

23rd Fieldwork Trip - 24th September 2017 - Ring Fort

On 24th September 2017 Eamonn Pearse of the Togher Historical Assoc. along with Eamonn Twomey paid a visit to Chetwynd's oldest natural structure - the famed Ring Fort. This over looks the Laune Valley with a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. It is thought it dates back to the Bronze Age and is over 80ft in diametre - sadly its ditch has since been infilled. Originally it would most probably have had high stakes erected on the ditchtop for added protection from wolves and raiders and a wooden house inside for both family and livestock. In fact it would have been the owners actual home where he kept his cattle and family at night while during the day the cattle would have grazed nearby with the family sowing crops and performing other tasks. It must be remembered that when this was originally constructed , the area would not have been shired ; that is to say no field boundaries but open ground save for the heavy forest which surrounded it. Upon sight of enemy raiders emerging from the forest , the owner would have hurriedly rushed his family and cattle into the ring fort and fought off the intruders from the safety of the fort. Over time , these would have been abandoned and with the removal of any timber materials , would have become part of the local folklore attached to Fairy Rings , which the superstitious locals firmly believed in , having no knowledge of the original occupants. Thankfully , this has helped ensure its survival so that we may still have a tangible link to the past.

Approach to the Ring Fort/Fairy Fort

Closer view of Ring Fort

View of countryside from Ring Fort

Entrance to Ring Fort

Interior view of Ring Fort

22nd Fieldwork Trip - 2nd September 2017 - Fulacht Fiadh

On 22nd September at 4 O'Clock in the afternoon , the Togher Historical Assoc. took to the road once more for its 22nd Fieldwork Trip to date. High on the agenda was the locating of a Fulacht Fiadh or Burnt Mound in the Togher townland of Gortagoulane. Several efforts were made to gain access as near as possible to the site which had only been summarily depicted in Richard Henchion's book - Land Of The Finest Drop - which prompted the investigation. However , it was decided to take a more open route through the farmlands of Chetwynd Farmhouse on Doughcloyne Hill. The route was undertaken in torrential rain as the team , made up of Eamonn Twomey , Eamonn Pearse and Billy O'Brien entered the next field which was home to the remnants of Ashgrove House. Sadly all that remains is the Orchard Wall , albeit just two long walls with one arched entrance.

Ashgrove House , Gortagoulane , Togher

The team next traversed the long field seeking out a streamlet which rises nearby and meets up with the Liberty Stream on its right. However it was decided to make a more direct detour to the spot where the two streams meet as shown on G.P.S. due to substantial rainfall and wind. Thankfully the streamlet was discovered almost by accident just short of its merging with the main stream as shown in the photo below. It is thought that it is piped for most of its course up to this point where it daylights.

Streamlet daylighting near Fulacht Fiadh

Area of Fulacht Fiadh showing grassy mound

It was remarked by all present that the ground underfoot suddenly became hard and uneven - evidence of rocks underground which pointed to a possible location of a Fulacht Fiadh. Roughly translated from the old Irish , the ancient Celtic water pit was known as the " Dragon's Breath ".They are typically u - shaped , circa 3 feet high and near sources of water. It is known that a pit is dug of approximately 2 feet , though they may be larger and deeper. A fire is lit nearby and rocks and stones are heated which are then added to the water. As the stones cool or shatter , they are simply extracted and dumped nearby , over time forming a semi - circle around the pit. The soil is usually charcoal rich and obviously over time becomes overgrown with vegetation. There are many schools of thought which differ and agree in equal measure as to their exact purpose. From bathing to cloth dyeing to cooking and even to brewing of beer! The whole area was investigated as much as possible but the team had to move on due to worsening weather. It is planned to return in the future for a more indepth analysis and to study the area more extensively.

Where the two streams meet at Fulacht Fiadh

Close up view of the Fulacht Fiadh showing rocks

The group next walked through two fields composed of marsh and scrubland to enter the land below the former Phillipine House. At this stage the weather grew more windy but miraculously became calmer in mere minutes as shown by the video below.

Marshland and scrubland near Fulacht Fiadh

A brief moment was spent near the new construction of the now Fellowship House complex. Photo opportunities presented themselves as the team made their way up Doughcloyne Hill to their transport. To the right Togher Reservoir could be seen in the near distance. Then a quick look at the former Sexton House site and the last of Togher's water pumps. Then a cursory look at the former Hegarty home whose owners left in the early 1970s to live on Hazel Road. The Fieldwork Trip ended with the group soaked to the skin but all the richer for the experience of walking in the footsteps of their ancestors.

 New drainage being completed below Fellowship

New construction on grounds of former Orchard

Entrance outside Fellowship House

Togher Reservoir as seen from Doughcloyne Hill

Former Sexton House plot with new build

Water pump near former Sexton House

Former Hegarty House on Doughclone Hill