Birdie Buckley - Hangdog Road

Birdie Buckley and her brother originally lived together in Number 1 Ardmanning Cottages on Togher Road. Birdie moved out in the 1940s and married an O'Sullivan and they moved into a timber house on the corner of Hangdog Road ( now Tramore Road ) and the railway bridge. It is rumoured that the material for the house was reclaimed from a past Cork Exhibition show circa 1903. Their long rear garden backed directly onto the Cork Macroom railway line with the embankment for Togher Bridge overshadowing their home.

Birdie Buckley's cottage near Railway Bridge

 

Birdie's house as shown in 1949 map
( above letter K in townland name )

Birdie's house as seen in 1951
( Corner of Hangdog Road )

Birdie's house 1971
( Note shortcut alongside house across
old railway track to Coffey's field )

View from opposite side of railway bridge 1971

Also a dirt track shortcut was created to the left of their home by youngsters wishing to access Coffey's Field. It must be noted that the field was originally known as Buckley's Field , though it was not the property of Birdie and just a similarity it shared with her maiden name. Sadly Birdie's husband died soon after and they had no children. She would dress in black for the remainder of her life. Birdie's home in common with many others in Togher at the time had no electricity or indoor plumbing. There was a piece of scrubland to the right of Bridie's house which was enclosed by old rusty railways rails ( see photo below ). Her brother Leo moved out of their old home on Togher Road in the late 1960s when the Corporation bought the row of houses and demolished them.

Birdies land on left of Railway Bridge
( Marshalls house on right )

Opening of Togher Scout hall 1973
Marshall house in background

 

 

Walter McGrath Museum
Birdie's old home
 

 

Birdie Buckley later put the timber house up for sale and moved to Owennacurra Court ; ironically a name extinguished from Togher in the early 2000s. Her former home was bought by the 37th Cork Scout group in 1973 and is in use to this day , serving as a memorial scout museum. It is ironic that Birdies first home - Ardmanning Cottages and her last home -  Owennacurra Court are both now gone. She has since passed away but however her old marital home is still in situ and is a lasting legacy of the olde Togher.