Ardmanning Cottages - Togher

Ardmanning Cottages , Togher Road 1961
( Child unknown )

Demolished at the dawn of the 1970s , a small nucleus of workmen's houses known locally as Ardmanning Cottages brought to an end many years of local and social history in Togher. Nestled in between Long's Farm and Carmelville , they were situated on the south eastern side of Togher Road. Today all that remains is a grassy verge fronting onto the main road , which stretches from the entrance of Rose Lawn ( constructed 1965 ) to the corner of Vicar's Road ( constructed 1971/2 ).

Cottages prior to demolition 1969

Poor quality photo showing alternate view of cottages 1971

Cottages ( centre of photo ) 1971

Cottages ( in process of demolition ) 1971
Rear view ( Centre Right )

Aerial view of Ardmanning Cottages 1951

Residents

The houses which were constructed in the 19th Century as labourers cottages were home to 5 families , which are as follows:

Number 1:

Crowley's & Buckley's

Originally the home of the Crowley's. This later was home to brother and sister Leo and Birdie Buckley. Birdie Buckley moved out in the 1940s to the timber house on the corner of Hangdog Road next to the railway bridge. She married an O'Sullivan who died shortly after and she always wore black thereafter. Leo eventually married and had 3 children - John , Mary and Noreen.  ( Mary O'Connell : I lived on Edward Walsh Rd and played with Mary Buckley and I think her older brother John. " )

Leo and the family moved to a new house in Killreendowney Ave. Ballyphehane when the cottages were demolished circa 1969/71. John , his son moved to Palmbury Orchard where he still resides. Noreen moved to Ballyphehane as well and still lives there.

Dolores Murphy - Edward Walsh Road : " I moved to Togher in 1964 when I was 7. So maybe I was about 11 when the Buckley's left. So I think late 1960's. There were 2 rooms in the cottage. A single bedroom and the kitchen for all of them. "

Jim O'Sullivan - Rose Lawn  - " I remember these houses ; the first one was lived in by the Buckley family. I remember playing there as a kid ,  sons name was John who would have been a few years older than me.  We were living in the countryside back then and across the road was a huge dairy farm. "

Number 2:
Ellis

Tom Ellis : " We lived in the second cottage and had a market garden above Buckley’s. My grandpa used to grow all sorts of vegetables for the market in grand parade.Past the cottages was Pata Cronin and Bunny's bungalow. There was an old water pump outside which was our water supply as there was no water in any of the cottages. "

Number 3:
Foley

Dunnie Foley: " My grandfather was a market gardener in the field behind the house. I remember my Nan putting his dinner on his backdoor step. My Nan's name was May Foley. " It is reputed that the cottage never had any electricity.

Number 4 :
Sullivans , Barrett's & Campbells

Originally the home of the Sullivan's and then the Barrett's before finally becoming for a short time the home of the Campbells.

Elizabeth Murphy Sheehan : My late aunt and uncle Nancy and Donie Campbell lived there for a short time after their marriage in 1966.

Number 5 :
Reardons

*No information at present*

Grass verge - original location of Ardmanning Cottages