The Togher Historical Association recently interviewed Orla O'Callaghan who now resides in the State of Maryland , U.S.A. but originally hailed from Ardmanning Avenue. While back home she unearthed her families past to share with the Blog. The story is filled with great tragedy and special memories.
Orla O'Callaghan , Maryland , U.S.A.
Orla's parents married on July 16th 1958 and moved to No.5 Ardmanning Avenue in the mid 1960s. Finbarr Alfred O’Callaghan better known as Barry was a builder/plasterer/roofer by trade and originally hailed from No.68 Blarney Street. He worked on the restoration of the steep roof of St. Vincents Church on Sunday's Well. He went to school with Val O'Connor of O'Connor Funeral Home who was known as " Weeping Jesus " as he could cry on queue. Barry loved his Sweet Afton and a drop of whiskey. Anna Theresa O’Neill known as Theresa ran a clothing manufacturers and drapery business on Grand Parade known as Styline. Her Tailor was Mr. Armstein one of the few Jewish men in Cork at the time. Because of her fashion , she became known as " Lady Ardmanning ". The couple had two
children , Victor and Orla who was born in 1966. Both initially attended
Togher National School , with Orla transferring to St. Maries of the
Isle later on.
Barry and Theresa's Wedding 1958
Ardmanning Avenue was a privately built Estate which first saw
construction in the early 1950s but stalled due to the company going
bankrupt with only a few houses being completed. Some locals also attest
to lightning striking one of the houses which may have been a harbinger
of doom! It wouldn't be until the 1960s when work would resume to
complete the Estate , at which time an additional Estate by the name of
Ardmanning Lawn was also completed.
They
were going to buy in Earlwood Estate and then found out that Ardmanning
would be a cul-de-sac which would be a safe place for the children to
play in. However as building commenced during the 1960s this was not to
be.
Styline Drapers headed paper
Hugh and Breda O’Kelly lived across the street. Uncle Hugh was Orla's Godfather and Breda was her Aunt ( her Father's Sister ). Hugh O’Kelly was the vice principal at Christian’s. They moved to Orchard House, Montennotte during the 1970s. Other neighbours at the time were the Cullinanes and the Downeys , a large family ( which included Zita , Pat , Miriam , Barry and Michael ) who lived at No.10. A lifelong friend of Orla's , Cara lived at No.17 with her siblings , Jimmy , Aoife and Nuala. They moved to Old Blackrock Road in the 1980s. Thereafter , Cara traveled the world where she had a fantastic career as an Opera singer. Sadly she passed away in January 2021. Orla recalls her fathers niece Anne who he loved like a daughter. Sadly she passed away at a young age. Orla notes that when her father passed that his old friend Val O'Connor attended to him personally. Over 500 people turned up for his removal. Orla maintains that her father would have loved his own funeral.
Barry O'Callaghan & Victor with cousins at the beach 1960s
Orlan with brother Victor 1967
Christmas 1971 ~ Orla , Victor and Mother
Family photo at Victor's communion L: Victor and R: Orla
Orla & Victor 1969 in front of number 5 Ardmanning Ave
Orla ( aged 14 ) with Mother and Grandmother
Rose at No.5 Ardmanning Ave. 1980
Orla's certificate from Cork Gas Company 1983
Aunt Mai , Orla and Mother in kitchen
Barry O'Callaghan with niece Anne
Orla O'Callaghan , Ursula Cullinane & Cara O'Sullivan ( ex-Ardmanning Avenue , Togher ) outside White House December 2016
In 1971 , the Southside Shopping Centre positioned between the Hazel and Elm Roads was formally opened to much fanfare as being the second only such structure outside of the inner City , the first being its close neighbour , the Togher Shopping Centre ( a.k.a. The V.G. ) which was completed a year earlier off the main Togher Road in 1969 with the anchor tenant actually trading in 1968. This gave Togher the distinct record of having the first two suburban shopping centres in Cork.
Aerial view of Clashduff House in 1951
However , another building existed on the site which had a much longer
tenancy - Clashduff House - which dated back to the early 18th Century.
The large house had been unoccupied since 1959 when its owner Ms. Ellen
Sarah Ellis died leaving the estate to her niece Martha Trinder and her
husband Henry W. Hosford who resided in a bungalow near the main Togher
Road . The big house and all outhouses and other smaller privately owned
dwellings were promptly demolished between 1967 and early 1968
following compulsory purchase order of the lands by the Cork Corporation
and bulldozed into a hollow in the nearby bog. It is believed some of the masonry can still be seen near the waters edge of the Glasheen River. Soon thereafter the
connecting road from the new concrete bridge over the Glasheen River was
built to join with the Togher Road and new Vicar's Road intersection.
It should be noted that the site of the new shopping centre and public
park to its rear was part of Hosford's dairy farm which stretched right
up to Earlwood Estate and over to Togher Road.
Site cleared for construction 1969 ( centre of photo )
The Irish Land Company was invited by Cork Corporation to formulate plans for the development of the site. They engaged with Patrick O'Sullivan , Architects to design the complex with the construction undertaken by Daniel Hegarty & Sons Ltd. The design of the site included one large unit which was leased out to Five Star Supermarkets Ltd. with an adjacent Coffee Bar and several terraced units rented out to a wide selection of services with the corner unit reserved for Bank of Ireland ( with steps and curved walkway leading from the footpath on Hazel Road ) with the entire complex arranged in a curved pattern and completely sheltered from the elements. The area between the larger unit and the terraced units ( which also housed a postbox built into the wall and access to the rear of the shops ) was fitted with steps and a ramp for trolleys and prams which lead to the upper elevation where another 3 units were available with a central courtyard and steps leading onto Elm Road. The land to the rear of the complex was excavated to provide access route for delivery trucks to the shops and the Five Star back store. A high retaining wall was built below the new public park ( a connecting footpath was built across the field from Hazel Road to Elm Road which also led onto the courtyard to the rear of the Five Star ) with a generator house providing electricity to the shops. The original trees which once stood by the old Clashduff House were retained and enclosed by kerbing at both entrances to the car park which had space for 80 cars with a low brick wall surrounding the area. Additionally street lighting was installed at both entrances. Although located within the district of Togher , the new complex had to settle on the title of Southside Shopping Centre as Togher Shopping Centre was already in use off Ardmanning Hill. It should be noted that all house fronting onto Togher Road from and including Sycamore Place and much of Hazel Road were built and occupied before the shopping centre was constructed. Cherry Tree Road , Whitebeam Road , Birch Place and Maple Place would be built in tandem with the new complex.
Winner of trolley dash in 1971 Mrs. O'Shea with daughter Anna Marie Garda Bill Daley ( left ) - All Ireland bowling champion
& Hurler Charlie McCarthy ( right ) - St. Finbarrs & Cork hurler Mr. McCarthy - Five Star manager ( centre )
The following is a list of the original tenants as of 1975 -
The Lower Level consisted of:
Five Star Supermarket & Coffee Dock ,
Iris Ladies Fashions ,
Harrington Wallpaper & Paint ,
John O'Riordan Chemist ,
T.C.C. O'Brien Newsagents ,
Colour T.V. Services ,
Tony Bernard Hairdressers ,
Springtime Laundrette ,
Byrnes Butchers
and Bank of Ireland.
The Upper Level consisted of :
Our Children Boutique ,
Driving Test Centre
and Dr. O'Flynns.
Of course many would leave to be replaced by others as time wore on. Byrnes Butchers was replaced in 1982 by Maurice Kelly who remained until the very last when the complex was slated for demolition in the late 1990s. However the wrecking ball wouldn't arrive until 2007 when the entire site was erazed from all memory to be replaced by Lidl Supermarket. The shopping complex still holds many fond memories for local residents and ex-pats from traders selling christmas trees under the lights in the car park to several youths being sent to the butchers for a bucket of steam and the frequent mishaps by steerna drivers racing off Hazel Road towards the rear of the shopping centre and the many late night football matches in the car park. Below is a selection of photographs featuring the " Fiva " which look back at the 1970s and 1980s.
Still from 1970s T.V. ad showing actor wearing typical Five Star coat
View of entrance from Elm Road
View of entrance from Hazel Road
Green Shield Stamps Flyer
from late 1970s
Shopping Centre as seen from Clashduv Road 1971
Alternate view of shopping centre
Local residents protesting at location of Test Center 1973
Santa Claus visit to rear of Southside S.C. 1971 ( Mr. T.C.C. O'Brien doing the honours )
Local youths on upper tier of shopping centre early 1980s ( Note: steps leading down in right background )
Eamonn Pearse ( Togher Historical Association )
& Brian Kent outside Five Star 1986
Mid 1980s view from Clashduv Road showing removal of open air roof
In the blog's final look back at the Hegarty Family , Togher Historical Association now turns its attention to John Joe after his arrival back home in 1932 ( click here for his War Years ) to The Laurels from America and his life on Pouladuff Road in the intervening years up to the 1970s. Also included will be his historic sporting legacy in Togher and compassion for his former comrade Joe Murphy.
John Joe Hegarty
John Joe Hegarty was born on 25th September 1897 in Togher at a house known as The Laurels on Pouladuff Road. He was the 3rd born of four siblings , his brother Patrick and sister Mary - Francis ( Mamie ) being older and his sister Johanna ( Nan ) being the youngest. He attended Togher National School and upon leaving took up full time work in the family business as a Market Gardener with his father Patrick snr. He also qualified as a blacksmith during this time. As mentioned in Part 01 , He along with his two sisters became actively involved in the War of Independence and Civil War. Following his departure to America in 1927 and subsequent return to Ireland in 1932 to take over the running of the gardens , he quickly settled down into normal life. In 1933 , at the A.G.M of the Pouladuff & Bishopstown Coursing Club , formed in 1929 while he was in America , he was elected onto the Committee and would go on to breed many winners , both coursing and track , eventually becoming a Field Marshall.
Coursing Land Lease Book 1940
In 1934 , former comrades of his ; Tom Crofts , Florry O'Donoghue and Liam Deasy founded the Old I.R.A. Comrades Association of which he immediately became a member. A fellow comrade of John Joe's and a future Lord Mayor of Cork City , Pa McGrath was elected as Chairman. Their mission was to promote all things Irish - Language , Sport & Commerce. Also that same year the Government introduced the Service Pension for qualifying ex-Volunteers and the following year in 1935 John Joe successfully applied for his Pension while his sisters waited until 1945.
Certificate of Meritorious Service 1916 ~ 1923
Life would change for the better in 1936 when his sister Nan introduced him to her best friend Liz Allen ; a Dressmaker from Bandon Road and a Niece of Dave Allenof Doughcloyne Hill. The couple were later married at the Lough Church on 1st June 1937 and went on to have 8 children between 1938 and 1950 : Elizabeth ( Betty ) , Ann , Pauline ,Edward , Eileen , Jack and Jim. Sadly baby Patrick had passed away while still young in 1942.
Liz Hegarty ( nee Allen )
Sadly John Joe's father Patrick passed away the following year on 31st October 1938 and The Laurels was transferred in its entirety to him. The year 1939 saw the start of World War II and the country taking a neutral stance entered a period known as The Emergency. John Joe like all former Old I.R.A. commanders enlisted if required for National Service between 1939 and 1945. Though not on active duty he was part of the Reserve in the event of a possible invasion by the British and/or Germans ; though de-facto Ireland sided with the Allies providing weather reports and allowing U.S. Aircraft to fly over Donegal on their way to Europe.John Joe once more was quite prepared to defend his Country in whatever way he could.
Certificate of National Service
1939 ~ 1945
In 1941 , the Government granted the Minister for Defence Oscar
Traynor permission to issue all ex-Volunteers with a Service Medal in
recognition of their sacrifices for Irish freedom. A bar was also
awarded with the medal for those who were deemed to be on active
service and whose lives were in constant danger. John Joe along with his two sisters , Mamie and Nan were
granted the Service Medal with Bar. An amazing achievement of which all the descendents are justifiably still proud of to this day.
Service Medal 1917 ~ 1921 with Bar
& Survivor's Medal 1971
When the Emergency ended , life at The Laurels returned to normal and in 1948 , members of the Hegarty , Forde and Fennel families canvassed for a former comrade , Pa McGrath who was duly elected as a Fianna Fail T.D as was a certain Jack Lynch for the first time. He was also a past Lord Mayor of Cork from 1952 to 1955 and a qualified Blacksmith by trade. In this role he featured in a famous photograph welcoming Laurel and Hardy to Cork City in 1953. It should be noted that Pa McGrath was a Juror at the Republican Coroner's Court when Tomas McCurtain was murdered by Crown Forces in 1920. Pa McGrath died in 1956 while still in office as a T.D. and at his funeral , which was one of the biggest the City had ever seen , John Joe Hegarty was chosen to lead the Guard of Honour.
Pa McGrath with Laurel & Hardy , Cork City 1953
John Joe Hegarty ( left at front ) leading the Funeral Procession
for Pa McGrath 1956
In 1952 , Liz Hegarty , coming from a business background and seeing the future development of Togher and neighbouring Ballyphehane , decided to open a shop attached to The Laurels. This was a successful venture and became the hub of the community but also complimented the gardens where fresh produce was available to the consumer. The shop quickly blossomed into a tobacconist , oil distributor and newsagents. All members of the family were employed in the shop including a cousin from The Cuttings , Ann Sisk. One of the funniest episodes to occur at the shop was the day a lady called for a Christmas tree which John Joe kept on the grounds. Hundreds of these would be delivered to the yard every winter and John Joe would deliver them by horse and cart right up to the late 1960s when he eventually changed to a van. The lady deciding that all of the trees were too tall was asked by John Joe to finish her shopping while he sourced a smaller tree to fit her needs. He then duly cut off the bottom of the tree and stuck it in the ground. Convinced he was about to make a sale , the lady when she returned had decided she wanted the taller tree after all! Liz Hegarty was always anxious that the customers should be looked after and especially at Christmas , when under cover of darkness John Joe and family members would secretly drop off trees in the gardens of people who couldn't afford them.
The Laurels with Shop 1950s
Hegarty Family
Back L-R : Ann , John Joe ( Father ), Eileen , Eddie , Betty & Liz ( Mother )
Front Seated L-R : Jack , Pauline & Jim
John Joe Hegarty ( second from left holding trophy )
with son Jack ( back right ) and daughter Ann ( bottom left ) & Carmel , Jack's wife ( bottom right )
In 1960 , a memorial plaque was erected on the house of 1920s hunger striker Joe Murphy in which former comrades of " H " Company attended. John Joe Hegarty , joined by his whole family , lead the colour party who all wore hats and faced the house as a mark of respect. In attendance was Sean O'Hegarty ( former Officer Commanding ) , Florrie O'Donoughue ( Intelligence officer ) and Michael Murphy and Tom Croft ( leading Officers in the Brigade ). General Tom Barry of the famous West Cork Flying Column also made an appearance to show his support. John Joe's youngest son , Jim , can be seen in the photo ( see below ) perched on the right pillar.
Memorial Plaque Ceremony at Joe Murphy house 1960
In 1963 , a Committee was set up to erect a memorial at the Republican Plot in St. Finbarr's cemetery and the meetings were held at The Laurels in which plans were drawn up. Disaster struck on the morning of the unveiling in which a bomb exploded killing one and injuring another. It has never been ascertained whether the explosion was meant to damage the Memorial or kill Eamon DeValera who was Guest of Honour on the day. Throughout the 1960s John Joe would canvas on behalf of his sister Mamie's son Paddy Forde who was eventually elected as a T.D. in 1969 (sadly passing away in 1972 ).
Memorial Booklet for unveiling of Monument 1963
In 1970 , John Joe Hegarty attended a 50th Commemoration ( which he helped organize ) in honour of Joe Murphy. A lone Piper from the Cork Volunteers Pipe Band played the lament. John Joe's passion for sport extended to a lifetime support of the Barrs and Cork in which he would travel by train ( always with a member of his family ) to see the Munster and All-Ireland championships. Jim recalls how his father was extremely familiar with the railway lines from his War of Independence days. His friendship with the Manning family saw him secure grounds for his beloved Barrs in 1962 with another former comrade Conn Neenan providing financial support to make Togher the home of the Barrs. His son Jack acted as a linesman on the day of the inaugural match.
1973 Invitation to City Hall
March 1971 saw the 50th Anniversary of the end of the War of Independence and the Government marked this by issuing all surviving Volunteers with a medal. John Joe was awarded the 1971 Survivors Medal ; sadly his two sisters had by then passed away and were therefore not eligible. In March 1973 , John Joe was invited to City Hall for the conferring of the Freedom of the City on President DeValera. Only a few short months later on the 6th June 1973 while working in the gardens , John Joe became ill and passed away. He was given a full military funeral at St. Joseph's cemetery where the family in line with other market gardeners had purchased plots many years previously. This explains why his body is not interred in the Republican Plot in St. Finbarr's Cemetery. A Guard of Honour from Collins Barracks fired a volley of shots over the grave. John Joe's youngest son , Jim , then 23 , went to collect the shells. The Officer in charge of the firing party cautioned that he had to account for all empty cartridges back at base. A voice from the crowd piped up : " Leave the lad alone , sure it's his Father! " It was Tom Barry! The shells remain with the family to this day.
Obituary 1973
Hegarty family grave St. Joseph's Cemetery
John Joe Hegarty's Medals & Shells
In 1977 , Liz Hegarty decided to sell The Laurels and moved to Mercier Park in Turner's Cross. Many old neighbours and customers came to wish her well with all of them settling their arrears out of respect for the family which had served them so well in the past. The Hegarty's association with The Laurels and Togher after over two Centuries had finally come to an end. Sadly Liz passed away on 31st October 1987.
Jim Hegarty
wearing his Fathers medals
Centenary Medallion awarded to Jim Hegarty by Cathal McSwiney Brugha on behalf of John Joe Hegarty
Rear of Medallion showing John Joe Hegarty's Unit
Tribute to John Joe Hegarty
Cathal McSwiney Brugha delivers talk on John Joe Hegarty ( Jim Hegarty in audience )
John Joseph Hegarty ( Eddie Hegarty's son ) outside T.W. Murray
which his Grandfathers John Joe Hegarty & Sean O'Sullivan
raided during War of Independence
Áine Leahy
John Joe Hegarty's Great-Granddaughter
at 2016 Celebrations on Grand Parade
John Joe Hegarty's Son & Daughter
Eileen and Jack Hegarty Joe Murphy Centenary
Republican Plot St. Finbarr's 2020
Togher Historical Association would like to thank most sincerely Jim Hegarty for his invaluable contributions to this article without which it would not have been possible. It also cannot be overstated just how much Togher and the broader community owes to families such as the Hegarty's who sacrificed everything from a very early age to secure Irish freedom and who consistently gave for the rest of their lives. John Joe Hegarty was a quite unassuming man who never boasted of his exploits but rather continually enriched his community over the course of his entire life.
John Joe & Liz Hegarty
John Joe Hegarty Lt. Section Commander/Intelligence Officer
1917 ~ 1921 Service Medal with Bar 1971 Survivor's Medal Emergency 1939 ~ 1945
