Home Thoughts From Abroad - 13 - Photographs From The Memory

A series of posts from the Historical Assoc. Facebook group page - I'm From Togher , Boy!

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Photographs From The Memory

29th December 2015

If you've ever wondered about the changing face of Togher , it is a sobering thought to think that it is a constant ongoing process. Roads come and go. Bridges disappear. Buildings are demolished to be replaced by other buildings which in turn are knocked down. Rivers are diverted and then diverted again. Whole hillsides are cut away. Low inclines are filled in. Everything is interfered with. Without mans hand in the grand scheme of things , Togher would look radically different. The rivers would follow strange courses ( at least to our eyes ) ; there would be hills and hummocks where none were before ; dense forest would be all around. But the present Generation of Powers that be are not solely responsible - countless scores of past Generations have left their mark and not always for the better. The same could be said of the present. But one thing is for certain. Togher is poised for many more changes and some of them are just around the corner! So while you can , photograph your region for keepsakes and historical archives , because you never know just how long it will be around. One major stumbling block with the Togher Historical Assoc. is that a lot of the photographs from our recent past exist only in our minds. Social media didn't exist in the 1960s , 70s and 80s. If it did , what a treasure trove of memories we'd have today! Happy New Year and remember - the photograph you didn't take yesterday can never again be taken!

Home Thoughts From Abroad - 12 - The Ice Cometh ... Again!

A series of posts from the Historical Assoc. Facebook group page - I'm From Togher , Boy!

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The Ice Cometh ... Again!

6th December 2016

I mentioned briefly a while back about the general topography of Togher before , during and after the last Ice Age. Research shows that Togher may have escaped the worst ravages of that particular epoch. However it had bore the brunt of a previous even nastier Ice Age which denuded the land down to its very bedrock. Togher would have been literally covered in heavy dense forests and towering mountains , all of which were annihilated and deposited all over the land once the ice melted. So it can be seen that during the newer Ice Age Togher would have been an arctic tundra - extremely cold and akin to an open coffin fridge being hemmed in in the near distance by magnificent Ice walls. Whats interesting is that a land bridge connected the southern portion of the island to Britain and it can be inferred that humans from both here and even maybe Spain made the journey in search of food. These people would undoubtedly have been dark skinned caused mainly by the cold weather and high radiation of the distant ice. Togher back then would have been vastly different to what it is now. Many shallow lakes would have been evident both on low lying land and much higher up. These over time would convert into peat bogs and wetlands and eventually meadows. Hundreds of streams would have peppered the land running through the dense forests which colonized the ground. Our ancestors would have migrated to the higher lands where trees were easier to cut down to provide both shelter and fuel and weapons to defend against the local predators which included wolves and perhaps even bears. They would have fished and hunted giant deer for food and used the skins as clothing. Of course once the climate heated up and the last ice age came to a close , the terrain endured savage changes which saw it washed and worn away to what we see today. All the evidence is around us and beneath us. Our forefathers had much hardship to overcome but survived. The bad news is that Ice Ages generally have a 10,000 year warm interlude before everything kicks off again. Ours is nearly up!

Togher , A Brief History - Tom O'Keeffe

The following book was first published by Tom O'Keeffe in 1995. It was the first printed historical document devoted exclusively to the region. The O'Keeffe Family have given permission to the Togher Historical Association & Blog for it to be reproduced here in full for archival purposes and for it to gain an extended audience with those who may not have a copy and for those with an interest in local history. Check back often as the Blog uploads more images. Please be aware these were captured by camera from the Local Studies Dept. of Cork City Library and while some editing has been done , they are shown as is.

To Be Cont'd ...

Home Thoughts From Abroad - 11 - Land Of Ghosts And Giants

A series of posts from the Historical Assoc. Facebook group page - I'm From Togher , Boy.

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Land Of Ghosts And Giants

29th July 2016

It's quite remarkable when you look back at the rich history of Togher. Even though much of her landmarks and prominent buildings are gone it is sometimes sobering to contemplate them. Medieval Churches , an ancient graveyard , an Iron Age causeway , Forges and Mills , Ice Skating , Ghostly Armies , Giant Elks , vast wetlands and meadows , railway bridges , whiteboys , road bowling , quarries , underground streams , 17th Century houses , High stone walls. The list is endless! A lot to ponder and a lot to be proud of! Welcome to Togher. 

Home Thoughts From Abroad - 10 - History Begins At Home

A series of posts from the Historical Assoc. Facebook group page - I'm From Togher , Boy.

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History Begins At Home

17th November 2015

I've often thought about my love of history and local history in particular. I've traveled the world and digested enormous amounts of literature about ancient cultures. At school , I could name all the Kings and Queens of England. In fact , I had a sneaking suspicion that I knew more about English History than English children! As an adult , I certainly knew more about World History than I did about the place where I grew up and called home. What was here before me and my home , who lived here , what did it look like? What changed , what happened to it , why did it vanish? Why was I not instructed in school about my local area? Why was I not taught that which was pertinent to me? What was the big secret?! Alas , local history is very much neglected in the state curriculum? Thankfully , local historical groups are springing up all over the place to tackle this omission. Togher has its very own - founded some years ago now and evolving and growing stronger. From field research to online investigation to local interviews , a picture is slowly emerging of a fascinating past , which will astound and amaze you. History is all around us and beneath our feet. You are part of it and you are its legacy. Be proud of it and of yourself.

Joe Murphy Family Visit - Shirley Kelleher - 29th October 2016

On 29th October 2016 , the Blog played host at the Community Centre to a very special speaker. The Grand Niece - Shirley Kelleher - of Volunteer Joe Murphy who died on Hunger Strike after seventy-six days without food on 25 October 1920 - gave an exclusive talk to those present. Such was the occasion , that it was decided to video the event for posterity. Although heavily edited , it showcases the main points raised during the meeting which encompasses many diverse topics as can be seen in the video below.

Video of meeting with Blog & Joe Murphy's grand niece Shirley Kelleher

Previous to the Blog's historic meeting with a relative of Joe Murphy , Billy O'Brien had the honour of briefly speaking with Henry " Harry " Delaney , Shirley's Father , in Ballincollig , whose own Mother was Joe Murphy's sister.

Henry Delaney , son of Joe Murphy's sister 

pictured at St. Finbarr's cemetery 2006

Shirley Kelleher ( nee Delaney ) traveled to several poignant locations in Togher where many memories were reopened and much rare information was disclosed. Togher Girls National School , the Community Centre ( original National School which Joe attended ) and of course Joe Murphy house on Pouladuff Road were each visited.

Portrait of Joe Murphy

Joe Murphy's sister 1972

A complete collation of the Joe Murphy archives in conjunction with his family will now be undertaken by the Blog. Also penciled in for a future project will be the digitization of the entire school roll books of Togher going back to 1850! The Blog would like to thank most sincerely Shirley Kelleher for being so gracious with her time. A full biography of Joe Murphy and his lineage to date will feature here in the very near future.

 Kathleen O'Keeffe , Dan O'Riordan , James O'Brien , 

Shirley Kelleher & Billy O'Brien at Togher Community Centre

 Billy O'Brien & Shirley Kelleher

outside Community Centre

 Shirley Kelleher posing with historic 

family photographs in Togher

Shirley Kelleher outside Togher Girls National School

which she attended from 1971 to 1979

 Shirley Kelleher at Joe Murphy House

Billy O'Brien paid an equally historic visit to SuperValu shopping centre to present a copy of a 1970 article from the Evening Echo showing the construction of the original building to Store Manager Kevin Morgan. It subsequently transpired that Kevin and Billy both hailed from Togher Square. A small world indeed!

Kevin Morgan & Billy O'Brien at SuperValu Togher

article courtesy of Ronnie Herlihey and Evening Echo