9th Fieldwork Trip - 8th February 2015 - 01 / 02 - The Bog , Devils Rock , Glasheen River and The Mountain

Awakening from its enforced winter hibernation since last October , the Historical Association was readied into action by Kathleen O'Keeffe on Sunday Afternoon 8th February 2015. The weather had warmed sufficiently enough for the Blog's 9th Fieldwork Trip. The agenda this time around focused primarily on an area close to the hearts of many readers - Deanrock. Although nowadays home to a matured Housing Estate , it was in the recent past , the site of a Big House , a Quarry and pasture land. But it was to the periphery of the neighbourhood that the team , made up of Kathleen O'Keeffe , her Daughter Alex , Billy O'Brien and Eamonn Pearse spent their efforts on. With that in mind , a full lap of the Old Bog , the present day Clashduv Park , was undertaken. Beginning by Abbeyville Vets situated on the corner of Clashduv Road and the entrance to Deanrock Estate , a sombre walk was taken at an easy pace along the now named Deanrock Avenue - the main arterial route which curves around the Estate and back onto the main Togher Road. But first time out was taken to inspect the titular Plaque at the entrance to Deanrock. Aside from listing all the various Estates contained within the neighbourhood , the large column of stone contained some fascinating if unknown detail , such as the not easily seen art embossed on the top side and the two metal figurines ( see photos below ) inset on both sides of the block. Also the newly erected and named Deanrock Avenue road sign presented itself for inspection. Apparently , this was erected to avoid confusion between the nearby Deanwood Avenue , though some locals attest that it only serves to further confuse the situation. It should be noted that exact replicas of both Plaque and road sign adorn the entrance to Deanrock Estate on the Togher Road entrance.

New Abbeyville Veterinary building 

on site of former TSB bank

 Recently erected signage

Former Bog now Clashduv Park

 Official Council erected plaque listing Estates

 Rear of Plaque with Irish inscription of Deanrock

 

 Top view of Plaque with unknown detail

 Unusual metal sculpture side inset

Opposite side metal sculpture side inset

Time was then spent reminiscing about the now extinct N.B.A. flats complex which still left ghostly traces of its past in the ground. Original parking areas and steps are still in situ including the trees in the middle of the field which would have lead to the big Deanrock House ( demolished in the late 1960s ) and preserved later as a walkway between the flats. There have been many protests from locals about the possible future of the site in recent times but hopefully it will be resolved soon and treated in a tasteful fashion.

Remnants of Original walkways and car park

 Original treeline of old pathway to Deanrock House

 Original Treeline which also served as walkway 

between N.B.A. Flats

Alternate view of site from Shournagh Lawn

Walking at a slow pace and taking in the surroundings , the team made their way towards the Devils Rock. This famous Togher landmark is the last remnant of the old Quarry , which in days gone by was known as The Heighties and now has been partially converted into a Grotto by the R.C. community. The rock itself went by the name of The Citadel. Children from near and far would travel down the old Summerstown Lane ( now partially preserved as the Deanrock Avenue ) and play in the disused Quarry which during World War II served as a Turf Depot , where the various nooks and crannies gouged out by former stonecutters served as holders. Believe it or not , in later years still , when the rains would fill these pockets , youngsters would swim in them! However , the owner burned off any remaining turf residue and returned the Quarry to pasture before finally selling the land off by Compulsory Purchase Order to the Corporation for local Authority Housing in the late 1960s.

Devil's Rock a.k.a. The Citadel 

now partially converted into R.C. Grotto

The team next approached the Glasheen River which serves as both Deanrock Townland's northern border and indeed that of Togher. First port of call was to the footbridge which was constructed in the 19th Century to enable access to St. Joseph's Church of Ease erected by the S.M.A. fathers. This beautiful stone arched structure is over 140 years old! Nowadays it is surmounted by iron railings ( installed in the early 1970s as a safety measure with access gates on both sides on Deanrock side ) as is the entire length of the river as it journeys through Deanrock. But it was the pipes which drew everybody's attention. Running at odd angles over the surface of the stream , they have in the past been used as playthings by local children who would shimmy across them , whilst still others would construct makeshift rafts out of plastic cutoffs and travel upriver as far as the Electricity Station located off the now Sarsfield Road! Some parts of the river are absolutely serene and peaceful , being home to Herons and other water fowl.

 Southside of Deanrock Bridge with 

famous pipes running at odd angles

Widescreen shot of opposite side of Deanrock Bridge

 Close up view of arched stone bridge 

constructed in the 19th Century

Beautiful view of the Glasheen River 

to rear of Clashduv Park

North facing flow of Glasheen River 

opposite side of Deanrock Bridge showing waterfowl

Moving onto the main Clashduv Road and the concrete bridge of the same name , the team stopped just long enough to cast an eye on this late 1960s structure , built at the same time as the new road to enable access across the river. The actual bridge itself  and its standing walls are slightly misaligned. Another pipe makes itself visible just under the square underpass. Alas , as in the case also of the older bridge upstream , heavy vegetation and litter detracts from the overall ambience.

 Inside view of concrete Bridge near Clashduv Road

 Close up of Clashduv Bridge showing pipes 

underneath amid extensive overgrowth

 Over shot showing concrete plinth and litter

Close up view from Clashduv Road showing 

misaligned plinth and build up of sediment 

beneath bridge

While not venturing into the Park itself , much thought was given to the " Bog " , both now in its current state and its more adventurous former life. Children of the early 1970s will remember it as a wonderland of fun and games , splashing around in the cobbled banks of the sluice which ran in a V shape from the Glasheen River from roughly where the Clashduv Bridge is now to the centre of the land. Much of the Bog was marshy and heavy with vegetation and tree lined in a haphazard fashion before being used unceremoniously by the Corporation as an infill building materials dump in the mid 1970s. In the late 19th Century and early 20th century , it was the site of an outdoor skating rink , where the owner , a Mr. French , who resided in the extinct Clashduv House ( now site of Lidl and the old Five Star ) would regularly dam off the Glasheen River and flood the bog during Winter to create an ad hoc skating arena , where the City's Upper Classes would pay for the privilege of engaging in sporting activities. Tar barrels would be lit at night and a band would play incidental music while finger food would be served to the participants! It should be stated that the ordinary locals would use the Lough as their place to indulge in the same albeit free gratis.

Panoramic view of " The Mountain " 

near Hazel Road

Last stop on the tour of the Bog was at another famous limestone outcrop. Located in front of the Hazel Road Estate and fronting onto the Clashduv Road , this bears the rather grandiose title of " The Mountain ". Another playground and climbing apparatus for children of the 1970s , it once hugged the bungalow of Hosfords and was only accessible through " Hozzies Lane " form the main Togher Road up to the late 1960s , when the old Stone wall which hid it and the Big House and Dairy Farm , were bulldozed out of existence. It should be noted that the wall which fronted onto Togher Road began up by Ardmanning House and terminated by the old N.B.A. site.The team then promptly set off for Lehenagh where some surprises were waiting for them!

Pilgrims return to " The Mountain "

The Mountain as viewed from Clashduv Road

Continued in Part 02 ...

Good News Caravan

Many Togher residents and Ex-Pats of a certain age will undoubtedly remember the Good News Caravan which travelled throughout the District back in the 1970s. The towed Caravan would park up in various Estates and open its doors for the local children to enter and listen to the Preacher with hymn singing playing a major part of the proceedings. Whilst most Adults treated it with suspicion , the majority saw it as a means of entertaining the wee ones for a half hour. In this age of Political Correctness and Child Safety ( for obvious reasons ) , it is difficult to comprehend that back in those far off innocent days , it was viewed with at best , an arched eyebrow and laughter and at worst derision and even outright violence , due in part to its conflicting views with the local Faith. It is even thought that the Priest would literally chase it out of Estates!

John and Joan Nixon - Good News Caravan

The Good News Caravan had its genesis in the Child Evangelism Fellowship - an off shoot project of the Baptist Ministry which had been active in Cork City since the 1950s. The Ministers who drove around Togher with their Caravan in tow were John and Joan Nixon who initially moved to Cork in 1969 before undertaking their travelling ministry around Togher and other Districts of the City in 1977. The Caravan was a regular feature of 1970s Togher and while it amused many local children , it also attracted unwanted attention , with the result that the Caravan often had to endure stoning and heckling as the years passed. However , this did not deter the Nixons as they persevered becoming in the process a part of Togher folklore.

1998 Version of the Good News Caravan 

- from the Nixons Website

Whilst the Religious aspect of the Caravan may have gone over the heads of the children who elected to board and while away a half hour in comfort , there can't be many who grew up in the 1970s and early 1980s who do not have nostalgic memories of this part of their childhood past. It is not known if they ventured further south into Togher ; however it was part and parcel of the landscape of the Ardmanning and Upper Togher Road areas as well as Deanrock and the " Five Star " region. Alas ,as the years turned into Decades , the Caravan , bearing the scars of countless rocks and missiles , was put into retirement and is no longer seen in Togher. In its final years , acting on spurious claims made by Adults , video cameras were installed inside the Caravan to allay any fears of wrongdoing. Today , the Caravan has been replaced by a modern custom built model and now patrols the Estates of Ballincollig , Co. Cork.

Christmas In Togher

Whatever the religion , Christmas is openly celebrated each December by people in Togher and has done so for many decades. This page will endeavour to showcase some photos from the past highlighting children and Adults down through the years. Please help by uploading old photos of the Festivities to the Facebook Group ( link on main page ) which can range from the famous Cash's Santa poses to more homely scenes. The older the better!

Kathleen O'Keeffe and siblings 1960s

Togher Churches 03 - The Teampalleen

 Example Illustration of the Little Temple

 The other Church of antiquity in Togher was originally located at the now present day entrance to Matthews Hill with its adjoining graveyard across the road being demolished in 1983 for the construction of 3 Bungalows ( Local rumour has it that strange goings on of a supernatural bent were reported by the new occupiers ). The Teampalleen - ( Little Temple? ) - as it was known was built in the 12th Century by the Normans being constructed of cut limestone blocks. Quite why this Church and its close relation in Killeenreendowney were allowed to decay is subject to conjecture. Certainly the re-conquest of Ireland in the 17th Century played a major part in their demise.

Old photo of heavily overgrown 
Teampalleen graveyard with headstones

It is recorded that a road was put through the Church and Graveyard possibly 16th Century , forever separating them. This would suggest a possible timeline for the emergence of the Woulfe Family as a major landowner in the region on whose lands the Teampalleen was then situated. The Church grew out of use but the Graveyard continued as a burial place right up until the 17th Century , eventually too falling out of official use , albeit up to the middle of the 20th Century becoming the last resting place of unbaptised babies and waifs and strays. Construction work in the late 1990s near the location of the ancient church found carved blocks but an excavation permit was refused.

 Modern day Location of Teampalleen : 

Graveyard was in situ on Left side of road ; 
Church was in situ on Right side of road

Togher Churches 02 - Killeenreendowney

The first ancient Church lay in the vicinity of Killeenreendowney and is thought to have pre-dated Patrician Missionaries , which in theory could suggest its origins as being circa 3rd to 4th Century - the Townlands name Cill Ri An Domnaich anglicised as " Little Church of the King of Sunday " - betraying its early Celtic lineage. The land it was situated on was probably gifted by the Uí Mhic Ceir tribe firstly to Druids for erection of sacred shrines and then to the fledgling Christian Religion. Unfortunately its whereabouts are unknown , due to the fact that the structure may have been composed of wood and therefor returned to nature owning to negligence. Other sources hint that the arrival of the Vikings in the future City of Cork circa the 9th Century may have seen this structure put to the sword and fire , the theory being that it contained priceless relics which would have been carried off as booty by the Invaders. Yet another train of thought indicates that the Ostmen of the 10th Century would have pilfered same and if constructed of stone , for same to be removed to aid in shoring up quay sides.

 Artists example illustration of what the 

Church may have looked like if composed of wood

Yet it is not disputed that the Church and its immediate surroundings was viewed as the hub of Christianity for the whole of Cork and its environs at the time. However it can be conjectured that the constant attacks saw the little Church fall into disrepair and out of use. Rather poignantly a Sraid or Town is mentioned in documents from the 1550s , which would be consistent with Church land attracting commerce and people. It is recorded that the ruins of a Church were discovered near Friars Walk in Killeenreendowney East in the 16th Century complete with relics and coins and religious paraphernalia ; it is thought however that this was a later Church and not related. In conclusion , the entire region was synonymous with organised religion stretching back over the course of 1,300 years!

Scenario showing Viking or Ostmen attack on Church
 if composed of stone which may be unlikely

A likely location for the Church if indeed sited in Killeenreendowney West would be between Boston Park and Ardmanning Avenue , which would place it at 29 Metres above sea level - the highest point in the region , which seems likely as it was the practice of Early Christian Missionaries to not only build on and/or convert former Pagan places of worship , but also to command high locations. This would make sense latitude wise as the structure could easily be viewed by travellers in its immediate surroundings which all dip below this height on both sides , North and South. The aerial photo below shows the likely spot. An old dirt track which connected Togher Road and Pouladuff Road known as The Passage and extant up to the 1950s could possibly have traversed the old location.

Possible site of the 

Little Church of the King of Sunday

Togher Churches 01 - Way Of The Cross

 Togher Church 2014

It's now been over 40 years since Togher Church or The Church Of The Way Of The Cross was built in 1972 as the 7th in a series of " Rosary " Churches by the late Bishop Lucey. This effectively made smaller parishes out of the existing older St Finbarr's and other Parishes which had originally been Civil Parishes before Emancipation in 1829. The land in Lehenaghmore which was owned by the S.M.A. was donated free of charge to the Developers Messrs O'Sheas Ltd whilst the Architect was Mr. J.R. Boyd Barrett. Work initially began in 1970 and was finalised in July 1972 at a cost of £147,000. It must be stated that the land was signed over as early as 1963 for just such a purpose. Great praise must also go to the people of Togher who contributed so much towards the project through door collections , raffles and various money raising schemes. Prior to the new Church , many locals used their native Church by the Lough or the Church Of Ease at Wilton via the footbridge over the Glasheen River depending on length of journey to be undertaken. But this was not Togher's first Church! see below

 Evening Echo 1971 Report 01

 Evening Echo 1971 Report 02

Evening Echo circa 1972

Building in progress

Local man Marshall C. Hutton

 Blessing of Cross inside partially completed 

building circa 1971

Official opening of Church in 1972

Crane tracks still in situ during blessing 1972

First ever Mass in the new Togher Church 1972!

Togher Choir outside Church in 1973

Eucharistic Procession 1973

Entrance into Togher Church circa 1972 near the

 Liberty Stream at Togher Cross before it was 

piped and arched over in 1986

Repairing the Church roof in 2013

While there is no historical evidence of a Mass Rock in the general Togher area , it can not be dismissed out of hand. Such gatherings at the time were often held in wooded regions for concealment purposes so may have been undertaken , the term " Mass Rock " being a catchall phrase to indicate any meetings of the kind. However , the Church of the Way of the Cross is not the first Church in Togher , the region having a long history of Churches to which it can lay claim. Sadly , they are now confined to the History books , being long obliterated by Man and Time. At least two are known to have existed ; one at Killeenreendowney and the other on Matthews Hill , Lehenaghmore. The blog will feature extensive articles on these older Churches in the near future. To conclude , Togher is also home to many other faiths , including Mormons , Jews and Muslims , many of whom have their own places of worship in Togher. This will also be expanded on in future posts. An interesting footnote is that the Protestant community of Togher have their own Parish of Frankfield ( established 1838 ) which includes Lehenagh Beg and Lehenagh More.

Fr. Laurence Carr SMA & 

Fr. Joseph Donnelly SMA 

handing over the Doughcloyne site 

in 1963

Togher originally lay in the parish of St. Finbarr’s South until 1890, when it formed part of the newly created parish of St. Finbarr’s West, better known as The Lough Parish. In 1963, Dean Murphy, P.P. of the Lough Parish , began looking for a site for a new church in the Togher area due to the ever expanding population and the prospect of future housing schemes. Fr. Craven, the Provincial of the SMA , offered the Dean a five acre site on the Togher road.  This site, forming part of the SMA site in the Doughcloyne area was transferred to the Parish, free of charge, for the future church in 1966.

 Denis O'Connor R.I.P.

Below is a full list of Parish Priests who served in Togher from its inception up to the present. However , special mention must be made of Fr. O'Connor , who lived at 112 Togher Square ( He recalled that there were 124 Children in the little square! ) for a while during the early 1970s , moving in on 20th January 1970 until 1973 whilst the Priests Houses were being built. Although he was never Parish Priest , he acted as its Caretaker during its formative years and had a special place in the hearts of children in the locality , not least because of his act of visiting households in the nearby area with a suitcase full of chocolate bars free gratis. He was appointed to Togher ( not then an independant Parish of the Lough ) in 1970 as Curate and began celebrating Mass in St. Finbarrs Hurling & Football Club whilst also setting up meetings in the Old National School ( now Community Centre ) to organise fund raising activities. People were also asked to donate part of their wages to help finance the project which was paid in full before opening in 1972. Fr. Denis O'Connor finally left Togher in 1977.

Parish Priests

Michael Daly 1977 - 1980

Seán Mac Cárthaigh 1980 - 1981
Vincent Hodnett 1981 - 1982 ( Acting P.P. for 9 Months )

John Shorten 1982 - 1992

Michael Riordan 1992 - 2011

 Robert Brophy 2011 - to date

Local man T. Lucey by wall of Liberty Stream 

circa 1920s where Church would be built

8th Fieldwork Trip - 19th October 2014 - Lehenagh & The Outer Townlands - Part 02/02

Before setting off from Lehenagh Beg ( see Part 01 here ) for an exciting journey into the less visited Southern Townlands , the Team had a brief look at the late Christy Madden's Cottage just above the old Railway Bridge on the right. Abandoned and quite overgrown , it can easily be missed as it sits enmeshed in foliage and brambles with a rusty old gate the only betrayal of its existence. This is quite possibly a former Labourers Cottage or a private one off build from back in the 1950s , many of which pepper the road and are still occupied. It is thought that Christy played a major part in the organisation of the famous Togher Platform of the 1940s - literally dancing at the crossroads!

The late Christy Maddens cottage -

Lehenagh Beg ( just above the Railway Bridge )

However , the other Townlands beckoned. Soon , remote country lanes and wide open fields replaced the hustle and bustle of modern day Togher as the group took in Knockalisheen , Knocknamallavoge and Gortagoulane. These regions are often overlooked by the residents of Togher , with the common perception of sprawling farmland being the consensus , but the sheer beauty and history of these outer realms is quite breathtaking and decidedly distinct from the rest of the district.

 Site of Togher Castle - Knocknamallavoge

Knocknamallavoge boasts the foundations of Togher's only Castle and a visit is being worked on for the future to gain access to the privately held site. Possibly pre - dating the Cromwellian Confiscations of the 17th Century , little if anything is known about it , either by amateurs or professional Archaeologists!

 Remains of Ashgrove House and Stream -

Gortagoulane

Gortagoulane holds the remains of the tragic Ashgrove House - the " Boomerang In The Field " as the Blog has come to name it. The House has also given its name to a sub - division of the Townland in that the nearby surrounding area is known locally as " Ashgrove ". It is probable from studies of aerial photography that a diversion of the Liberty Stream originally formed its Northern Border. This Townland will also feature heavily in future investigations.

Knockalisheen House

But it was to Knockalisheen that the group decided to focus their efforts and limited time on for this particular research trip and to that end they went up hill and down dale. While it is fair to say that this Townland too is primarily farmland , it was here that many fantastic and notable sights greeted them. Many of the roads are privately owned but the existing public network still ensures a fantastic tour of the area.

Glasheen River flowing into Morrisons Ravine 

Knockalisheen

It is notable in that the Glasheen River rises not far from here up by the Airport in Lehenaghmore and flows under the road north of Knockalisheen House to continue its course through Morrison's Ravine which feeds it onwards to the right flank of the Waterfall Road to form a great portion of Toghers natural left hand boundary.

 Togher Holstein - Knockalisheen

A fork in the road still further south brought great delight to one and all and justified the Blog's claims as to Toghers far reaching borders. A beautifully crafted metallic sign denoted " Togher Holstein " in all its glory and gladdened the hearts of all present.

  Cottage at Knockalisheen
Unoccupied - Storage shed

Still further on and the tour came to a poignant end quite literally with a stone Cottage once occupied by several working families in the past now simply used as a storage shed. This was the end of the line and was actually a moving occasion for some present. The Cottage is derelict and again little is known of its owners , though a private road leads up from it to yet more farmland , known locally as the " Fort " field.

 

 Liberty Bridge - Kilmurriheen , Togher

Beyond this point lies the Townland of Kilmurriheen in the Catholic Parish of Ballinhassig. It should be noted that this Townland is part of Togher marking its southernmost region. An oddity exists just inside this neighbouring Townland in that a Stream carrying the name of Liberty flows under a bridge with the same moniker. Though no relation to Toghers other famous waterway of the same name , it is strange that it bears this title so close to home!

Heading back home from Liberty Bridge

At this juncture , it was time to head back home and digest all that had been seen with much food for thought over the coming winter months until operations could begin anew in the Spring of 2015. The Historical Association would like to take this opportunity to thank all Blog visitors and promise much more in the coming months and beyond.

Hallowe'en Night - 24th October 2014 - Togher Historical Association

 Hallowe'en Night - Read all about it!

Aside from previous Boundary Debates , the Togher Historical Association undertook its very first Themed Night on 24th October 2014 to discuss the eerie subject of Hallowe'en as it pertained to Togher , albeit a week earlier. Despite a much reduced turnout due to unforeseen circumstances , it was decided to forge ahead in the full spirit of the event. It must be stated that the Daughter of Kathleen O'Keeffe - Alex - was the undoubted star of the show - looking decidedly spooky with her face paint! Of course one other prop made a special guest appearance. The photo below was taken at her home in Westside Estate.

Alex creating a hallowe'en atmosphere 

with face paint and carved pumpkin

The Historical Association met at the Togher Community Centre at 7.30 p.m. for a short but detailed look back at the history of Hallowe'en and its traditions in Togher down through the ages. However , a brief recall of its origins was in order to set the mood for the short meeting which lasted for an hour and a half.

Samhain as practiced by the ancient Irish in Togher

Hallowe'en is closely associated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain even though much has been added and copper fastened onto it in the intervening Centuries. In  Pre - Christian times , locals would have built up a huge pile of animal carcasses replete with meaty bones and set it alight whilst dancing around the pyre in animal skins. The " bone - fire " would in time be simply shortened to " bon - fire ".

Alex posing with another prop

During this time of year , it was firmly believed that the door to the Otherworld opened and souls could freely traverse into the land of the living. It carried one fatal caveat however. The Ancients also believed that evil demons could cross over as well and carry poor unsuspecting innocents back with them. To prevent this , they disguised themselves as animals in an effort to fool the demonic beings.

So it can be seen , that many of the ancient customs have survived down to the present age , albeit in radically altered formats. The wearing of animal hides has been replaced by costumes and masks. The Bonfire for the most part has been moved to an earlier date in the calendar ; to instead usher in the longest day of the year.

As time progressed , many other tales and practices became part of the former Samhain , now Christianised as Hallowe'en or All Hallows Eve. In the early part of the 19th Century , the practice of children visiting houses in exchange for " soul cakes " - little buns with currants - became commonplace and metamorphosed into the " Trick Or Treat " as it is known today.

19th Century Irish Carved Turnip

One other very famous connotation with Hallowe'en began life as an urban tale in the countryside of Ireland - that of Jack O' Lantern. Legend says that the man was so evil that both Heaven and Hell rejected him , though for different reasons. It is said that he managed to trick the Devil by having him climb a tree and then trap him there by carving a cross on the trunk. Satan agreed to his demands for the gift of everlasting life if he would let him down. As his life progressed , Jack became increasingly bad and upon his natural life ending , Heaven refused him access , but the Devil threw a piece of fire from Hell at him so he could see his way in the eternal night he was now cursed to wander. Jack placed it in a turnip which he carved out and used it as a lantern to light his way in perpetual darkness for ever. Local children in the late 19th Century would carve a turnip to light their way along the narrow country lanes as they collected the aforementioned soul cakes. The Irish Immigrants to America in the 19th Century brought this tale with them ; however because of the scarcity of Turnips or Rutabagas as they were called in the new land , they instead adopted the local pumpkin , which was also easier to carve.

Jack O' Lantern with carved lighted turnip

The members next discussed local ( if not National ) traditions associated with Hallowe'en such as Barm Bracks ( a tea cake filled with various superstitious baubles  ) , bobbing for apples ( in which children would dip their mouths into dishes of water to bite an apple containing various coins of increasing worth ) and the eating of shelled nuts. Kathleen O'Keeffe mentioned that as a child in Togher in the 1960s , the whole scene was very different. Children didn't partake in Trick or Treating ( most probably due to the distances between houses and the dangerous dark roads ). Ghost stories and trying to bite an apple suspended from a piece of string were de rigueur.


Children in Togher in the 1970s would take up the mantle of calling on houses for little gifts , this now commonplace event being made all the safer because of the volume and close proximity of the new housing Estates which by then peppered the landscape. Cheap plastic masks and bin liners were the protocol for youngsters during this time of expanding population. The old ways of ghost stories and bobbing for apples still held sway. But it would seem that modern technology as of today has all but wiped out the older games being replaced by newer forms such as scary movies and monster parties. Indeed , Hallowe'en is second only to Christmas in terms of revenue for Toy manufacturers and Confectionery companies.

Bobbing for Apples scene

Of course , nowadays , the tradition of this worldwide celebration has become extremely Americanised and Disneyfied! Electronic lighted pumpkins , splendid quality costumes , high end confectionery and Themed Parties have supplanted the perhaps simple ways of yesteryear. The price of progress can sometimes be a little too high , yet the Blog felt that like most facets of life , it was perhaps significant that despite the evolutionary aspect of the tradition , it was because of this very process , that the ancient festival of Samhain would continue to live on in perpetuity.


Hallowe'en wouldn't be the same without a Haunted House and Togher can boast of one in Garrane Darragh. Little if anything is known of its former owners who sold off land for housing development in the early 2000s. This now dilapidated structure stands forlornly atop a hill overlooking a bog and oak trees , this scene itself reminiscent of an older age , back when our ancestors bedecked themselves in fur and terrified of demonic spirits ran around a fire of bones!

 

Togher's very own Haunted House - 

Garrane Darragh near Eagle Valley Estate

The meeting ended at 8.50 p.m.  approximately and the small group made their way to Kathleen O'Keeffe's house. This was to facilitate the collection by Billy O'Brien of the Togher National Schools archive of film reels and slides kindly loaned by Pat the Caretaker. This project is currently underway and promises to throw up many surprises in the coming months. A rare opportunity to photograph personal memorabilia was also eagerly taken in the form of Jimmy Roche ex-LSF in Togher during the Emergency of 1939 - 1945. This can be seen by clicking on  Kathleen's Local Interview. A fantastic end to on the ground operations for the Togher Historical Association for 2014.