Chris Larkin - Book Launch - 3rd December 2022

Billy O'Brien , Kathleen O'Keeffe
Togher Historical Association
with author Chris Larkin

 

 

Front cover

 

Back cover information

 

On Saturday afternoon on 3rd December 2022 , Chris Larkin held a book launch at the Oriel Hotel in Ballincollig.The launch tied in with the Cork Model Swap Meet where many stands were on display. Togher Historical Association were extended an invitation to the event by Chris Larkin , himself a Togher native hailing from Maher's Lane.

Kathleen O'Keeffe & Chris Larkin
Old Togher friends

Chris Larkin showing old photographs

Kathleen & Chris reminiscing about Togher

Chris Larkin's display stand

Book inscription to Billy O'Brien

Book inscription to Kathleen O'Keeffe

Macroom train circa 1940s

 

 

Train at Doughcloyne
 

Chris' legacy with trains extends all the way back to his Grandfather and the fact remains that Togher was once very much a railway suburb boasting two lines , the Bandon line and the Macroom line. Whilst the Macroom line railway bridges are consigned to history , several Bandon line bridges are thankfully still in existence

Cork Model Swap Club at Oriel Hotel

Interior of hotel showing various stands

 

 

Model enthusiasts comparing trains

Model trains meet Railway author

Chris Larkin was a gracious host and happily showed the group some photos relating to Togher , which has a rich history in railway lore. The Book is littered with many many photos most in full colour and is highly recommended. Chris shared a few memories with Kathleen O'Keeffe , an old neighbour and best friend from days gone by.

34th Fieldwork Trip - 23rd November 2022 - Clashduv Park , Togher Road & Exclusive Meeting

On Wednesday 23rd November 2022 , Togher Historical Association were on location in Togher for the first time since February. Despite the torrential downpour , there was another reason for the visit which will be shown later. First port of call was Clashduv Park to record a few changes which have been installed in the last few years. Togher Community Garden has been running very successfully now for a number of years and is a great addition to the local community. A Greenhouse and beautifully painted raised beds which house all manner of vegetables were proudly on display. A fantastic utility which carries forward the tradition of market gardens in Togher. Also tucked away in the corner towards Clashduv Bridge is the site of the proposed future Peace Park which will honour the Women who fought in the War of Independence and will be named after the Hegarty Sisters of The Laurels on Pouladuff Road. Time was taken out to view the improvements to the park in general ; these included the Children's Playground , the Sports Ground and the walkways around the park. It would seem that CCTV is now in operation to prevent misuse of the facilities.

Greenhouse at Togher Community Garden

 

 

Raised vegetable patches

 

Beautifully decorated timber frames

 

 

Playground placue erected in 2001

 

Playground with seating

Slide and Bridge with safety matting

View of the enclosed sports ground

A coffee stop was then made at Applegreen on Togher Road before having a look at the latest developments in the region. The manager Emma Jane gave a warm and hospitable welcome to the group. Changes were noted in the general area of Togher Road , following completion of the Culvert and associated works. As can be seen in the accompanying photographs , much has indeed changed beyond belief. The old gully which once carried the stream towards Coffey's Field is now filled in and landscaped with thankfully a segment of the original stone wall preserved. It is tastefully squared off at the corner with redressed stone. It is difficult to imagine that only a year or so ago , a stream flowed here.

Billy O'Brien with manager Emma Jane at Applegreen

 

 

Remaining segment of original stream wall

 

Infilled former stream gully with grass verge & bricked footpath

 

 

Landscaped entrance to Greenwood Estate

with wall signs restored

 

New wider culvert at Coffey's Field

 

Togher Cross has also been completely reworked with the old stone wall which once ran alongside the stream removed , along with the trees which once stood on the opposite bank. In its place is a block wall with stone facing salvaged from the original wall. The structure now sits on top of the culvert through which the old stream now flows. The culvert extends back to the end of the former Southern Fruit industrial estate. It should be noted that the two original daylighted segments of Togher Stream are now gone forever. It was also noted that the entrance to Sandown Crest is now completely denuded of trees. Time was taken out to view two structures which were supplied/refurbished by Togher Tidy Towns. A timber replica of a well now sits atop the old well situated on the corner of the remaining wall ( at least 200 years old ) of Lehenaghmore House which is capped. The group then traveled to the last remaining original hand pump in Togher on Doughcloyne Hill. The enclosure is now painted and the walls dressed with trellis with the ground treated with gravel. The hand pump itself is now also cleaned and painted. A fantastic feature which harkens back to the days of old.

New block wall dressed with stone from original stream wall

 

 

Trees removed from Sandown Crest

 

Replica well on site of capped well

Old wall of Lehenaghmore House below well

 

 

Refurbished hand pump on Doughcloyne Hill

 

Time was taken out to visit the site of the old Ardmanning House. Demolished in 2013 , work is almost finished on the extension to the local Supermarket. Sadly the old Vaunie's bakery save for its front is now completely gone. A sad loss of a location visited by many from the 1960s to the 1980s for her delicious range of fresh cakes. Something which caught the eyes of the team was the old pillar post box located on the footpath adjacent to the shopping centre. It predates 1984 when Posts & Telegraphs dept. changed to An Post and Telecom Eireann ( now Eir ) respectively. To its right was the updated post boxes introduced after 1984.

Former Ardmanning House site showing extension to supermarket

 

 

Remnants of old Vaunies bakery next to Paddy Long's house

 

Old & New post boxes outside shopping centre

The final mission of the day was an exclusive meeting with Sean Delaney who is the Grandson of Mary O'Leary , the former fiancee of hunger striker Joe Murphy who passed away in 1920. This interview will feature on the blog in the near future following completion of further research. A tragic tale of a woman who endured so much throughout her life. Of course , no interview would be complete without a visit to Joe Murphy House on Pouladuff Road. The owner very kindly welcomed the group and gave permission to photograph the house. The historical significance of bringing Joe Murphy's fiancee's Grandson to his old home was not lost on the group and it was an emotional experience for Sean Delany. The group would like to thank him for his time and his generosity in giving an insight into Mary O'Leary.

Billy & Kathleen with Sean Delaney

The Plaice Family - Deanrock , Togher Road ~ 1968

Previous to the housing developments of the 1960s , a whole chapter of local Togher history was in evidence. Sadly following compulsory purchase order of the land and its old houses , many were displaced and their stories and lives lost to time. Gladly , the Blog can lift the veil on one family who lived on Togher Road at that time - the Plaice Family. The Blog would like to thank Michael Plaice for sharing his memories.

Michael Plaice

Michael Plaice : " My parents were Paddy and Margaret a.k.a Peggy (nee Walsh) , siblings Angela , Patricia, Mary , Michael and twins Margaret & Dermot. My father was a gardener , when I was growing up he worked in Fitzgerald’s Park in the nursery area there. I was only about 9 when we left Togher , but my memory of it is , we had a small two or possibly three roomed cottage. I think there was a kitchen and two bedrooms. It had an outside toilet which wasn’t plumbed. It had a yard and there was a high wall (or I was very small ) and a gate out to the road. So it didn’t have a garden in front , the side wall of the house was on the road with a window. The yard wall might have been a part of the walls of the O’Donnell estate. I think the cottage next door was derelict and the next after that was the entrance to the avenue up to O’Donnells. Behind the house were fields I think and the soccer pitch was very near too. There was a big stand of trees about a hundred yards or so behind us and a small rise up to them. "
Patricia Ronayne ( nee Plaice ) : " An old couple called Travers lived next door, and Finnegans in the other cottage. "

Plaice house , Togher Road

( near turn into O'Donnell's Lane )

" We moved to Gregg Road in Gillabbey near St. Finbarrs Cathedral. I don’t think any other neighbours moved at the time. I don’t remember any other houses between our one and Deanrock Terrace , which were a bit further out beyond the soccer pitch and next to a caravan park. I was born in 1959, so we’d have moved about 1968 I’d say. I think they were going to start building the NBA houses soon after that. There was nothing only fields all the way back to Wilton then, up to the African Missions house. "

 

Angela & Patricia Evening Echo 1955
( Kindly supplied by Bill Bailey )

Togher Boys National School 1966

 

 

" There were big changes alright after we left but I did keep going to Togher school. The number 14 bus from Lough Road or walking sometimes. Almost completely rural when we left , Clashduv Road wasn’t there at all , no houses really all the way to Wilton. The church was built after the school I think , so that wasn’t there when I finished in Togher school either. The Barrs was there , but smaller , Sarsfield Road wasn’t there either , so there was no connection to what became Wilton. The road went up at Togher Cross and the other way went under a bridge that was called the Snotty Bridge , I think because it had a lot of green moss on it all the time! I have only the vaguest memories of the neighbours. There were Murphys almost directly across from us , I think they had a market garden behind their house. There was another market gardener just beyond them too on that side of the road about half way between us and Tramore Road. I think they were Morans maybe. The daughters had a flower shop later at the Grand Parade end of Oliver Plunkett Street. My sister Patricia would be good on the neighbours. I went to Togher School in the old building until the last year when we moved to the new one. 1970 I’d say. "

O'Brien's Cottage Old School House Togher Road Cork

 

O'Briens Cottage with Munitir na Tire

& Old Army pillbox in the background

A cottage which once existed across from Togher National Schools had a long and close history with the area and education in particular. A rental property on land once owned by the Goods then in the 1930s passing to the Ryans , its next door neighbour was the Muintir na Tire , itself an important part of the social structure of Togher for many years. Many families would make the cottage their home from the 19th Century onwards such as the Crowleys who lived there from the turn of the Century up to the early 1930s but it was the O'Brien family who were most associated with the building and Mrs Ellen ( Nellie ) O'Brien in particular.

Mrs. Ellen O'Brien

at half door of her cottage

Ellen was born in Lehenaghmore and attended Togher National School as a child. She would go on to marry William O'Brien ( or Bill as she called him ) who came from Gillahugh Cottage on Fort Street near St. Finbarr’s Cathedral in Cork City. They would have moved into the ‘ Old School House ’ Cottage when they got married circa 1935/6. William was a van driver for M Laundries in Blackpool and Nellie worked in Pines Bar on the Kinsale road ( now it’s Bull McCabes ). They also kept a chicken coup in their back garden. William & Nellie raised 5 children in the Cottage -  John, Helen, Henry, Anthony and Marie. All would attend the national school across the road ( now Community Centre ). Nellie O'Brien , herself a past pupil of Togher National School would go on to become caretaker and is fondly remembered by all pupils who would chat to her at her half door.

 

 

William & Ellie O'Brien

in the back garden of their cottage
 

 

William was a keen book lover , singer and loved sketching the landscape and animals. Ellen loved being surrounded by animals; chickens , rabbits , dogs and cats. She enjoyed growing produce in her small vegetable patch , playing cards , ( 45 especially ) and also took great pleasure in crafting various things with seashells and other materials. Pictured below are just a few of her creations: the first of three cottages that Ellen created and which always held pride of place on the front window of their own cottage home , grottos for The Sacred Heart and Our Lady along with the clock that was presented to her when she retired after over 30 years of being the Caretaker in Togher National Schools - all now gracing her Granddaughters home - ( the clock is still keeping time ). 

 

Ellen O'Brien's clock and grottos

 

William with first born son John

 

 

Ellen O'Brien with son John

 

 

William O'Brien with first born daughter Helen

 

John at back of Cottage

 

 

John & Helen playing in chicken coup
 

 

William with children - Henry ( in arms )

Helen and John ( sitting )

 

 

John O'Brien

 

 

Helen O'Brien

 

Henry O'Brien

 

 

Henry - Communion 1950
 

 

Their neighbours adjoining them were: a lady called Moggie - the Coakley family - and the Roche Family and then Muintir Na Tire. Straight across the road from the cottage around that time there was a corn field. During the Emergency ( WW2 ) it became a turf depot for wartime supplies of fuel. It is thought a market garden was also there at one point. 

 

 

William O'Brien with son Anthony ( on lap )

with Helen ( sitting )

 

Anthony & Marie O'Brien

taken at the rear of cottage close to

where the Cronin family had their horse stables

 

 

Anthony near chicken coup

at the back of the cottage

 

 

William O'Brien with son Anthony 

& daughter Marie at the back of the cottage

 

William O'Brien with his daughter Helen 

& son Anthony

in the back garden of the cottage

 

 

Helen & sister Marie O'Brien

 

Marie , " Spot " the dog & boys fishing off wall near stream

next to the cottage

Anthony & Marie with Aunt Betty 

( Ellen O'Brien's younger sister ) 

home from England

Field opposite the cottage with workers

( Men unknown )

 

Ellen & William

with son Anthony

 

Marie O'Brien with her father William

 

Ellen with children Anthony 

& Marie ( sat on ground )

 

 

Brother Rudolf  S.M.A. with Anthony

outside old Army Pillbox

Anthony and one of his childhood friends

 outside the cottage

Annual flood in 1947

O'Brien's cottage painted in lime white wash

( photo supplied by the late Ronnie Herlihy )

 

Ellen O'Brien with her daughter Marie

on her Confirmation day

 

John ( eldest Brother ) 

with Marie ( youngest Sister )

in the back garden of the cottage

 

 

Ellen ( Nellie ) O'Brien

in the back garden with just one of 

her beloved animals

William with grandchildren 

Helena & Marie ( Helen's children )

 

 

Ellen with her grandchildren

Martin , Helena ( pram ) & Marie

( Helen's children )

 

Mrs. O’Brien pictured at a presentation on her retirement 

as school caretaker after over 30 years
Below cites the write-up in the local newsletter at the time

 

 

 " On Tuesday, 22nd November 1983, a very pleasant function took place in the Assembly Hall of Scoil An tAthair Maitiu , Togher National Schools , when Very Rev. John Shorten P.P. made a presentation to Mrs. Nellie O’Brien who had been caretaker of Togher National Schools for more than three decades. The presentation was made on behalf of the teachers and Board of Management of both schools.  While caretaker was the official title bestowed on Mrs. O’Brien , her tasks were as varied as the colours of Joseph’s coat and each was carried out with such grace and charm that they blended together like the colours of the rainbow on a Summer’s Day.  It was only as each speaker told what Mrs. O’Brien meant to him/her that one realized just how much she has done for the pupils and teachers of Togher over the years. God Bless you Mrs.O’Brien, may your retirement be a long , happy and healthy one. Note: While Mrs. O’Brien now lives in the building which housed the first Primary School in Togher she has seen the schools in Togher grow from a 2 roomed school with 2 teachers to the present 36 roomed building with 36 teachers and 900 pupils (Boys and Girls), two full time caretakers and a full time secretary. " 

 

 

Mrs O'Brien in later years
 

 

O'Brien's  Old School House Cottage prior to it's demolition

 

 

Sadly William died in 1976 and Nellie died in 1992 and the cottage was regrettably knocked down in the early 2000’s , it's close neighbour , the Muintir na Tire and the old Army Pillbox had already seen the wrecking ball many years earlier.

 

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***The blog would like to thank Mrs. Helen Cogan ( nee O’Brien - eldest daughter of William and Ellen O’Brien ) for her fantastic contribution to this article. ***