Around the Lough , around the Lough,
Until you come to Togher,
The sweetest Drop,
You ever drank,
Was Paddy Garvey's porter
The preceding poem was written by an unknown author perhaps in the
late 19th , early 20th Century. It referred to a public house located at
Togher Cross on the banks of the Liberty stream. This focal point of
the local community was originally a two storied affair with a thatched
roof. However over time the upper story began to list , a la Tower of
Pisa and the Sarsfields had it reduced to a single story workmen's
cottage. The Paddy Garvey mentioned was most probably the bar tender as
no such name is attributed to the immediate vicinity. The cottage still stands to this day!
1177 - Milo De Cogan first came to Ireland in 1169 as part of the Norman Invasion. He was Strongbow's right hand man. He lead many successful campaigns against the native Irish and together with Robert FitzStephen was granted the Kingdom of Cork by Henry II in 1177. Expelling the Ostmen from Cork City and taking lands for themselves further out , Milo De Cogan took possession of Doughcloyne. Milo himself was murdered by Irish natives near Waterford a mere 5 years later. However his family would retain possession of lands including Doughcloyne right up to the 16th Century. * Interestingly , the name of De Cogan has survived in the modern Irish surname of Goggin.
1539 - Thomas Ronayne , the son of Philip Ronayne purchased the large Townland of " Doghlin " ( Doughcloyne ) from the De Cogan family who had been the owners since the Norman Invasion of 1177.
1727 - Dominick Sarsfield married a Ronayne which meant the townland was now in his name. This then remained Sarsfield land until 1947 when the land and big houses were purchased by the S.M.A.
1826 - Tithe Applotments ( see below ) - Thomas Barry - a quarter acre site valued at £3.
1846 - Griffiths Valuations ( see below ) - Edward Barry is listed as the head occupier with 3 acres to his name valued at £5 & 10s , whilst his brother Thomas has a quarter acre valued at £2 & 10s.
Plot 4. Note : Corner enclave only under discussion
Remainder of Plot 4 given over to agricultural use by others
1901 Census - Bernard Barry , 36 , who was a woodcarver by trade found himself head of household in the Census that year ; on the land in various smaller holdings were his single brother Patrick 40 , a mason and his widowed brother Thomas 47 along with his two children Johannah 13 and Edmond 11. Also in residence were their sisters Hannah 49 , a single dressmaker and Ellen O'Callaghan 57 ( perhaps separated as no husband is listed ) , a married housekeeper and her children , Alice 28 , a dressmaker , Kathleen 23 , and Annie 21, a milliner ( somebody who made hats and other headwear ) .
1911 Census - Entry for the Barry family is currently offline. As no post 1911 Censuses have yet been made available , further information on the Barrys is scant at best. However , as mentioned later in this article ( Lanes ) , a Bill Barry later married an Eina Lane in the 1930s. Perhaps the man on the bicycle is Bill Barry?!
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Togher Historical Association met with Anthony & Angela Lane at
their family home on Tramore Road recently to discuss their Grandfathers
home at Togher Cross and bring the story of the old cottage up to date with a familial connection between the Lanes , Barry's and Longs.
Lane's Cottage for many centuries previous to culverting
For almost a Century , Togher Cross has been synonymous with Lane's Cottage , the Liberty stream ( a.k.a. Togher Stream ) and the Forge. The Forge is gone , the stream is covered over but Lane's Cottage remains , thankfully listed. Its old neighbours , Coventry House and Lady Harris's Feirm Bawn ( including Blue Bag cottages ) sadly are no more , replaced with modern builds.
Harry Lane ( b. 1884 ) , a native of Crosshaven had a Togher connection going back to at least 1911 when he married Elizabeth Long from Summerstown Lane ( The Heighties ). They initially lived with Elizabeth's brother John Long , a gardener in Myrtleville. They had five children : Christina ( Eina ) , born 22nd November 1911 when her parents were then living in Blarney ; Michael ( Maxie ) born circa 1914 , John ( Jackie ) born 1915 at Togher Cross , Harry jnr. born 1917 and Daniel ( Donal/Donie ) born 1921. Harry snr. later took part in the War of Independence 1919 - 1921 , when he was a member of H Company , a unit primarily made up of Togher locals. It is thought that around 1914/15 that Harry and Elizabeth made Togher Cross their new home , living in one of the cottages on the site.
28th April 1910 at Crosshaven
Jerh. Long & Harry Lane
underlined in red
& His son Harry and wife Noreen
at Billy Long's ( her brother ) Wedding 1972
* Jer Long ( b. 22nd April 1876 ) , the H Company QM was Elizabeth's brother. Jer Long's father Timothy Long was born in Togher on 10th October 1850. Timothy Long married Mary Scott from Barrackton and settled on Bandon Road. They would later move back to Summerstown Lane , Togher , possibly around 1850s.
Harry Lane amazingly never applied for the old IRA pension. Sonny Barratt got him a job in the Sewage Treatment Plant in Dennehy's Cross and Harry felt that was good enough for him. Harry Snr. spoke very little of his involvement in the War of Independence and stayed clear of politics and later Labour was seen as a new party with no political legacy so many gravitated towards it. Harry was in fact Godfather to Dan Desmond ( a fellow Crosshaven native ) of the Labour Party. When Harry died in 1971 , it would be his former Commanding Officer of H Company , John Joe Hegarty of The Laurels who personally delivered the tricolor to his home at Togher Cross.
Coffey's Field 1967
Camden Mist
Donie's son Tony ( b.1963 ) still lives at the family home on Tramore Road with his sister Angela and is a fisherman , conducting fishing expeditions on his boat Camden Mist. He recalls the Black Horse Gate which was one of the 3 fields owned by Lady Harris of which a pillar still stands in the undergrowth off Spur Hill in Doughcloyne and another one up beyond the old Bandon railway bridge ( still extant ) known as the Baggy Gate ( hessian sacks used to be hung off the gate ). Tony pointed out that all of Harry Lanes children attended Togher National School as indeed did Tony and his sisters Angela and Helen.
( Courtesy of Phillip O'Callaghan )
as seen from African Mission's Lane
The Barry family , mentioned earlier had a descendant , William "Bill " Barry ( b. 10th October 1910 at Togher Cross ) still living in the old cottage next to the Liberty Stream. Eina moved in there when she married Bill Barry on 10th October 1936. They would be the last people to live in the old Cottage. Sadly after they both died , Bill in 1992 and Eina on 10th May 2006 aged 94 , the cottage fell into disuse and is now in a state of dereliction though thankfully still standing and listed by the N.I.A.H. ( see details below ). Their cottage is an iconic part of Togher's history and one of the oldest buildings still standing!
Eina Barry ( nee Lane ) born Blarney 1911
Anna Lane ( 1st Right at back )
Ena Barry ( 4th from right centre row )
Remnants of trees and river covered
* Note : Liberty stream covered over
and new wall to side of cottage
From being the oldest pub in Togher to now being one of its oldest buildings , Lane's cottage as a listed building is thankfully still on display for all to see for many generations to come.
Built circa 1820
Acknowledgements:
Alan Long
Anthony Lane
Angela Lane
Military Archives
