Togher Historical Association: Local Interviews - 09 - The Delaney Family - Joe Murphy House & Deanwood Place , Togher

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Local Interviews - 09 - The Delaney Family - Joe Murphy House & Deanwood Place , Togher

Harry Delaney

In early December 2019 , the Togher Historical Association met with members of the Kelleher family in Ballincollig. The aim was to trace the Togher connection and story primarily of the Delaney family from the 1920s up to the mid 1990s and their bloodline with the Murphy family of Joe Murphy fame. This entailed going back through Shirley Kelleher (nee Delaney) to her father Harry Delaney to his mother Mary Delaney (nee Murphy) sister of hunger striker Joe Murphy who died in 1920.

Extended members of the Delaney Family at 50th Anniversary 1970

of Joe Murphy at his grave in republican plot in St. Finbarr's Cemetery

Mary Delaney ( nee Murphy ) centre behind grave

Patrick Delaney ( left of photo )

& Harry Delaney ( left of Mother )

The Delaney Family connection with Togher began with the marriage of Patrick Delaney , a mason from Macroom to Mary Murphy of Pouladuff Road in the 1920s whose brother was famous hunger striker Joe Murphy who had died in Cork Gaol in 1920. Mary's twin brother Richard had been forced to leave Ireland for America that same year. Mary was actually born in Boston , Massachusetts , U.S.A. in 1896 but returned with her family to Ireland in 1901 and grew up in present day Joe Murphy house. On marrying , her husband Patrick built a new house onto her old family home. This would go on to become known as the Blue House to locals in the vicinity. The Delaneys would eventually move into Joe Murphy house when Nora Murphy died in 1945. The Blue House would remain largely idle for many decades being used as a storeroom for the market garden. Mary Delaney passed away in 1973 while her husband Patrick Delaney died in 1982. The House passed out of family hands in 1998.

Blue House next to Joe Murphy house 2019

Original residence of Delaney Family

Blue House left of Joe Murphy in 1960

Note original pillars outside residence

The Delaney children were as follows ; Mary , Denis , Noreen , Joe , Harry , Richard and Anna. Harry was born in 1930 and attended Togher National school along with the rest of his siblings up to the early 1940s. All of the children helped out in the market garden where they grew cabbage , turnips , potatoes and kept some chickens. Harry was a keen road bowler and lover of Irish History. He also developed a love of opera and classical music. He was a drummer with the Cork I.V. Band where he would eventually become Drum Major. He is also the longest living serving member of Sinn Fein.

Harry Delaney on drums centre foreground

I.V. Pipe Band Golden Jubilee 1964

Harry Delaney ( 2nd from left centre row )

Mary Delaney ( nee Murphy )

Harry's Mother 1972

Harry worked for Lee Garage in the City where he would qualify as a Mechanic in 1953. He married Sheila Hammond of Templeacre Ave., Gurranabraher in 1954 and moved into Churchfield Ave. on the Northside. Their children were as follows : Miriam , Padraig , Phonsie , Goretti , Henry and Shirley.

Mechanic Trade certificate 1953

Harry Delaney & Sheila Hammond

Engagement

Harry Delaney & Sheila Hammond

Wedding 1954

Miriam , Padraig , Phonsie and Goretti

In the 1960s he was gifted some land adjoining Joe Murphy house and set about constructing his own Car Dealer shop and garage complete with pumps and forecourt. This was achieved by clearing away the old high ditch-line which ran along Pouladuff Road at the time. The official name of the premises was H.J. Delaney & Sons but was more commonly known as Pouladuff Motors. His Daughter Miriam was in charge of accounts and his son Padraig sold cars from the premises while Harry repaired vehicles. Later on his other two sons Henry and Phonsie both qualified as mechanics and also worked in the garage. They had contracts with Aer Lingus and eventually Southern Fruit when that business first opened near Togher Cross in 1973.

Pouladuff Motors 1960s with Harry on right

Forecourt showing Deanwood Place in left background

Pouladuff Motors 1970s

Harry had previously decided to move his family from the Northside to Togher in 1970 to be nearer to his place of work. They moved into Deanwood Place in a quite cul de sac off Deanwood Ave. facing a field. Shirley recalls that plans were in place to construct more houses but never came to fruition. Sheila soon became involved in the Barrs Bowling club where she chaired the Ladies Committee. Harry retired in the late 1980s and sold the business to Lee Metals , a scrappage firm. The new owners constructed the present day wall for safety and security reasons soon after. Denis , Harry's brother would become the last Delaney to live in Joe Murphy house thus ending a 70 year association with the area and Togher in particular.

Lee Metals 2019 formally Pouladuff Motors

Shirley's brothers inherited the family trait of road bowling and won many trophies alongside their father. Shirley attended Togher Girls National School from 1971 to 1979 making her Communion in 1974 and Confirmation in 1979. She later married Sean Kelleher of Ballyphehane and moved to Ballincollig in 1992. They have two children James and Louise. Currently both Shirley and Louise are heavily involved in a major project based on the life and death of Joe Murphy.

Shirley ( on Mother's lap ) with siblings 1968

Shirley Delaney with Phonsie during his Confirmation

at Deanwood Place 1970

Henry Delaney Communion 1971

Shirley Delaney Communion 1974 with Parents

Shirley outside home in Deanwood Place early 1970s

Shirley Delaney aged 8 at Togher Girls N.S. circa 1975

Shirley Delaney Confirmation 1979

Sean Kelleher : " The Blue House had a wall and railings to its front much like Joe Murphy House. I'm not sure why they were removed but they were gone by 1987. I also remember there used to be a lane-way alongside the left side of the Blue House which lead to a gate and the market garden. There were lots of plum trees growing there as well. This was before Vicar's Road was laid down in 1970. "

Henry Delaney 21st Birthday Party
Ardmanning Pub 1985

Sheila Delaney presenting trophy at Barrs Club

Harry Delaney and Padraig Delaney

Barrs Bowling Club displaying their winning trophies

Shirley & Sean Kelleher Wedding 1992

Wedding photo outside Togher Church

Sadly Sheila Delaney passed away in 2003 and Harry now resides in Ballincollig Nursing Home. The couple had moved out of Togher in 1995 considering the house to be too large and settled in Ballincollig where all their children and grandchildren now reside to be closer to them. In 2019 Harry was Guest of Honour at a special ceremony in City Hall for the posthumous awarding of a War of Independence medal to Joe Murphy.