The Forge - Togher Cross

A blacksmith's forge has existed at Togher Cross for probably four Centuries. However the forge has also been in two different locations! This article will go into detail about its tenure at Togher Cross and its eventual demise.

Only known photo from 1930 of the " New " Togher Forge

 

The date of construction of the Forge is problematic , as Ordnance Survey maps only came to the fore in the 19th Century , though it is highly likely the Ronayne  Family had it erected at the entrance to their property next to the Liberty Stream ( a natural resource for water needed by blacksmiths for cooling the iron after crafting whatever farming implements were needed on the anvil and as a means of having their horses shod and other works carried out on their behalf ). Local folklore sets it in the early 17th century , circa 1601 , when supposedly , O'Neill , whilst on his way to the Battle of Kinsale , had his horse shod here. While this claim may be dubious , it is worth clarifying that the main roads to Kinsale passed through Togher , so there may be some validity in the story. So the possible genesis of the building may extend to the late 1500s.

Hugh O'Neill who supposedly visited 

the Forge in Togher in 1601

The original location of the Forge ( as shown below ) was north west of the present day Lane's Cottage , which would have placed it at the entrance to the modern day Centra shop. However , following major works carried out by the Sarsfield  family in the late 19th Century , the Forge after 250 years of service was deconstructed and moved across the road near the present day Lane's Cottage. It should be noted here that the original school ( built approximately 1820 ) was demolished including the old Lodge which was built anew and fronted onto the main road and thankfully still stands to this day.

1841 OS map showing original Forge
Note : Horseshoe symbol indicating location

Modern day location of original Lodge
Footpath entrance to shop

Following on from the widening of the entrance to the Sarsfield estate and the relocation of the Forge , Michael Sheahan ( see below ) takes up tenancy of the new Forge. He is listed in Griffiths Valuations for 1847 as the occupier and also leased out a small cottage behind the Forge both of which combined had an estimated value of £2.10s! Fifty years later and both John " Sean " Riordan and his brother Michael are the blacksmiths. Their younger brother is a carpenter. They live with their mother Hannah a Widow. The siblings father and grandfather before them were blacksmiths and worked elsewhere. The 1911 Census sees the younger Blacksmith gone , possibly married and their mother deceased. Many years later John would sublet it to Jack Keating - the last blacksmith to work the Forge. During the 1950s , the bus would use Togher Cross as its terminus and the driver and his conductor were known to visit the Forge and try their luck on the anvil. It was also a place for locals to catch up on gossip while the blacksmith repaired various farming implements. The building itself only had one entrance and a small window to let in light. The fire used to heat the steel was located two feet off the ground as you went in on your left with various tools hung from nails on the wall. The anvil was located in the centre next to a barrel full of water for cooling newly beaten horseshoes , slash-hooks and whatever else his customers required. The fires flue went directly up though a wooden roof which had to be repaired almost annually. However due to ill health and modern machinery , Jack Keating gave up the Forge in 1962 where it was used as a storage shed by the owner of the entire site , Maxi Lane ( who purchased it from the Sarsfields in the 1940s ).

Griffiths Valuations 1847
Michael Sheehan - Blacksmith ( underlined in red )

" New " location of Forge near Lane's Cottage

Blacksmiths at Togher Cross 1901 Census

Blacksmiths at Togher Cross 1911 Census

The Forge was finally demolished in 1968 by the owner Maxie Lane. The stones were recycled into a low garden wall in Feirm Bawn by Mrs. " Lady " Harris , a short distance from its original location. However even that repurposed wall was demolished along with the rest of Feirm Bawn in 2016. The last ties to the Forge were now gone forever!

Late 19th Century OS map
New Lodge located to front of road
" Smithy " located on Barry land

Former site of the Forge

Wall built from stones of old Forge circa 2015

In May 2014 , Pat O'Callaghan erected a stone plinth for a replica of a blacksmiths anvil at the entrance to Centra which was the location of the original Forge. John Dennehy : " The anvil involved is ex Irish Steel, where 5 blacksmiths had been employed. The number had decreased to 3 by about 1980. I was the foreman then , at what was known as the Construction Shop , covering 4 trades. I was allowed purchase the anvil , for my own metal work , which I did as a hobby at the time. The Togher Community Association had the idea of erecting the platform and an anvil , to identify the existence of the nearby Forge. An online advert seeking one for sale was showing huge prices , so Phil and myself decided to pass on that one. ( We both served as officers of  T.C.A. so we were delighted to help out ) ".

Pat O'Callaghan May 2014

Replica anvil on stone foundation erected 

  near site of original Forge

Acknowledgements : 

Tom O'Keeffe
Anthony Lane
John Dennehy
Damian Murphy N.I.A.H.

The Green Box - Togher Children's & Teenage Clubs

In the early 1970s , a youth group was set up in Togher to facilitate the after school needs of primary school children/teenagers in the area , initially using the local community centre and girls school hall which hosted discos chaperoned by volunteer parents. Headed up by Mr. Morley from Deanrock , Mr. Dalton from Togher Road and many others , its activities included day trips away , performing plays and many other events.

Togher Boys National School 1978/9
The Green Box in background

In 1975 , the Children's Club was officially formed by Mr. Morley and others to encourage the young people in Togher to become involved in local activities and events. Each member was presented with a membership card which ensured their participation in singing competitions , plays and day trips away. However , it soon became apparent that a more suitable permanent premises was required and to that end , Fr Hodnet petitioned for the erection of a club house behind the Girls National School. Local men and women were heavily involved in its construction and staffing. Local Deanrock man Pat O'Rourke was the regular D.J. at the discos and was himself a pioneer in Cork Pirate Radio! Many other local organizations used the facilities as well , including the Majorettes and Tamborettes and Martial Arts clubs ( see below ).

Official opening of The Green Box 1978

The Green Box

Togher Children's Club trip to Dublin Zoo 1978

Teenage Club Summer trip to Garrettstown

Togher Children's Club badge

Children's Club membership card
1976 & 1977

 

Children's Club membership card 1978

Catriona Pearse
Children's Club

Caroline Jones ( Walsh )
Teenage Club 1978

Togher Taekwon Do club 1979
Instructor Jim O'Sullivan ( R ) - Rose Lawn

Pat Houlihan ( left ) from Togher

Streetwise self defence club 1983 - 1985

Aerial photo of The Green Box ( Top Left )
7th July 1979

Sandra Dalton was chairwoman of the Teenage club when she was 16/17 (circa 1978 ). The Teenage clubhouse became known as the " Green Box " due to its timber being painted in green. She recalls how Fr. Hodnett went off to Lourdes and gave instructions that the Teenage club was to be closed while he was away. However Fr. Daly was unaware and a disco was held for the children of Between. He was not happy when he came back!  A sculpted wooden hand was presented to Togher Teenage club by lord mayor Paudie Black in 1981 as acknowledgement of their fundraising efforts for various charities which Sandra proudly displays in her home. Togher Teenage club gave money to buy the first four beds for Marymount hospice. Many years later following Fr. Hodnett's departure from the Parish, the Togher Teenage club presented him with a placue.

Sandra Dalton

Sandra Dalton with 1982 Fundraising Award
for Teenage Club

Sadly , with the passing of time , these clubs like many others which sprang up in Togher in the 1970s , were like comets streaking across the sky and faded away in the 1980s and are no more.

Redmond's G.A.A. Club & The Barracka - A Short History

This article takes a brief look at the Togher legacy of 2 famous Cork Institutions - Redmonds HFC and Barracks Street Brass Band and how the circle of life included a sports team and a musical group.

Redmonds GAA Club 1892 - 2018

Redmonds HFC was founded in 1892 and filled its ranks from the surrounding Barracks Street environs. Their social club and the heart of its operations was located on Tower Street in the South Parish. Their initial formation saw them win many titles but as the 20th Century wore on this would diminish greatly due to players seeking glory with the bigger clubs such as Nemo Rangers and The Barrs.  However having no official pitch to call their own , they finally adopted Togher ( see below ) as their anchor in the 1980s. This was named Páirc Uí Laoire and was situated next to Everton AFC pitch near the Airport. Over the course of 6 decades , its chairman Mick O'Shea campaigned tirelessly for his beloved club. His greatest achievement saw Redmonds secure their own pitch in Lehenaghmore , Togher in 1984 duly naming it Páirc Uí Laoire. However the distance from their club house on Tower Street and their difficulties in retaining players saw the " Sporting Reds " finally close their doors on over 120 years as a team on September 2018. That year also saw the closure of their sports club and bar on Tower Street. As of 2024/5 , Ballyphehane GAA club have secured tenancy of the old Redmonds ground and are currently upgrading the pitch. Thankfully another Cork Institution ( *see further below ) was to revitalize the old social club of " Na Reamonaigh " ensuring its use for future generations.

Redmond's Hurling Team 1902

Redmonds Hurling Team 1919
*Note original hurleys in photo
Photo : Jim Coughlin

 1927 - Blackrock v Redmonds

Centenary Crest 1992

Redmonds new Club & Sportsbar
Under construction 1971

Redmonds Club & Sportsbar
Tower Street

Páirc Uí Laoire

Prior to securing their own pitch Redmonds along with some other local G.A.A. clubs used the fields off Tramore Road for their games. Scoil Stiofain Naofa secondary school was built on one of the fields in 1977 and now functions as College Campus of FET.

Old stomping ground of Redmonds 1970s
Former Barrett's Fields
Tramore Road

In the 1850s , Griffiths Valuations listed a plot of land in Lehenaghmore ( at the time in the E.D. of Lehenagh and the parish of St. Finbarrs ) as being in the possession of landlord Jeremiah Carroll , who undoubtedly was the head of Cruiskeen Lodge ( now Marian Lodge ) , located to the north. His grounds included 14 fields of varying sizes. Access was from Togher Road on the west and the old Kinsale Road on the east. For the purpose of this article , the field in question as pertains to Redmonds G.A.A. club was located at the south eastern part of the plots. Originally 3 fields set aside for agricultural use , the passing of over 140 years would see parts of these combine to make one large field for use as a sports ground by the onset of the mid 1980s. It was this grassy pasture which would welcome the arrival of Redmonds in 1984.

Land of Jermiah Carroll 1850s
Plot No.16 outlined in heavy ink

Plot No.16 in modern times
Note - Everton AFC south of Plot

Chairman Mick O'Shea
Holding photograph of new pitch opening in 1984

Redmonds - Páirc Uí Laoire
Lehenaghmore , Togher

 

Redmonds - Lehenaghmore , Togher
Aerial photo

A milestone was reached when Mick O'Shea was inducted into the G.A.A. Hall Of Fame in September 2018 for 60 years service to the Club. The cruel irony of this achievement was the dissolution of his beloved Redmonds that same month.

Mick O'Shea sadly passed away on 5th August 2024.

 

 

The Barracka 

The Barracks Street Brass & Reed Band was founded in 1833/7 by Fr. Theobald Mathew ( a Capuchin Priest ) as a musical attraction for his Temperance Society.  

 

 

Fr. Theobald Mathew 1849
photographed By Mathew Brady

 

Mrs. Shinkwin's house located off Doughcloyne Hill a.k.a. " Coventry " was a well known reading room where teetotalers would gather. Undoubtedly , they would have been visited by Fr. Mathew during his campaigning. Fr. Mathew's brother Charles resided at Lehenagh House in Togher where he would stay many times while preaching his abstinence policy in Togher.

Mathew Hill , Lehenagh Beg , Togher

Today , the hill leading up from Pouladuff Crossroads is called Mathew Hill in honour of Fr. Mathew. A tenuous link exists between Togher and The Barracka through their founder Fr. Mathew and his connection to Togher. Following the dissolution of Redmond's AFC , their club house was recently bought by The Barracka as their new premises. So continues an historical tie to Togher which hopefully will remain for a very long time to come. 

Morrison's Ravine

Morrrison's Ravine , Knockalisheen , Togher

 

Morrison's Ravine 1900
Note track-way delineated by double dotted line

 

An ancient forest which hugs the Glasheen River as it descends through Knockalisheen has for many years been known as Morrison's Ravine. It forms part of the natural north eastern boundary of the Townland and was named after a local farmer , Alexander Morrison whose family owned the nearby farm and Knockalisheen House up to 1952. As the watercourse flows under the stone arched bridge at Spur Hill , it emerges into a thick canopy of vegetation and trees and falls rapidly towards Waterfall where it is joined by another streamlet flowing in from Kilmurriheen. 

 

Glasheen River as it approaches bridge

Spur Hill

Turnstile Entrance off Spur Hill

Walkway looking back at Spur Hill

Glasheen River as it enters Morrison's Ravine

Glasheen River inside Morrison's Ravine

Both watercourses then make their way northward with the Bandon Road as its companion before detouring around the present day South Ring Road and meandering its way around Deanrock to turn sharply left at Clashduv Bridge leaving Togher behind before eventually merging as a culvert with the Curraheen River which empties into the River Lee.

 

Gateway entrance off Bandon Road

 

A well worn trackway leads from a turnstile ( see above ) at Spur Hill all the way down to the Bandon Road and a gate. Access is fraught with danger being located off a main thoroughfare. The gate is a handy marker which acts as a separation point between 2 Townlands , with Knockalisheen on its left and Kilmurriheen on its right. The stream itself is located some meters in behind the ditchline.However , the entrance top side has recently been fitted with CCTV and a " Keep Out " warning sign , both nailed to a tree located just inside the turnstile.

Alternate aerial view of Morrison' Ravine
showing possible large ring fort to its south in Kilmurriheen

The wooded enclosure , believed now to be designated as a game reserve , is a remnant of a much older covering and is a prime example of how much of the region looked going back several centuries before the trees were cleared to make way for agricultural and grazing lands. It should be noted that the Glasheen River , which emanates from a spring near the Airport was once a dis-tributary , with its southern cousin flowing slightly south of its northern brethren. It too up to the 19th Century displayed woodland along its banks until it was dammed off in the early 20th Century. However the old course of the now extinct branch of the Glasheen River can still be deduced from aerial maps with some of its old woodland still in place.