No.1 & 2 Togher Road

Togher Road is the main arterial route through the district and begins at the junction of the present day Pearse Road and Glendalough Park. Known in centuries past as the King's Highway or the Lough Road , it is not known when it acquired its titular name. This article looks at two houses which bear the numbers 1 and 2 Togher Road.

1951 aerial photo showing 1 & 2 Togher Road
Centre plots right of Togher Road near The Lough

 

* Initially both houses had long gardens to their rear as shown in the 1951 aerial photo , but it would seem that some horse trading ensued during the housing schemes of the 1950s and Number 1 ended up with a reduced rear yard which now wrapped around Number 2 whose land was reduced to a small enclosed back yard.

1 & 2 Togher Road
Numbered houses right of Togher Road

 

Although the houses in question are situated in the townland of Croghtamore a.k.a. the Lough R.C. Parish , they are included because of their strong historical Togher  association , as will be mentioned below. In 1852 , the plot of land as designated by Griffiths Valuations lists the landlord as Alicia P. Sheers. It would appear she leased it out to Richard Ambrose who in turn as well as residing in the big house i.e. No.1 Togher Road himself sublet some land and smaller holdings out to several tenants. The cottage immediately to the south and right of the big house ( future Buckleys ) was leased out to John Mahony while of the remaining two other cottages , one was leased out to John Keane with the other cottage unoccupied at the time of the valuation ( both of these now long gone ).

Plot 19 1852
1 & 2 Togher Road

Griffiths Valluations 1852
No.1 Togher Road valued at £2/5s!

HANLEY

No.1 Togher Road
Harris/O'Brien/Hanley

Number 1 Togher Road was most probably built at the turn of the 19th Century as it is marked on OS maps dating back to 1830. Usually 2 storey houses belonged to more affluent members of the community. Originally an adjacent structure , possibly stables were on the site ( see below ) , which is now a grassy knoll.

Hanley house and adjacent structure back in 1830s
Top right off Togher Road

Grassy knoll as seen from Pearse Road
Location of stables in 1930

The 1901 Census shows the Harris family in situ and self employed as market gardeners. Thomas , 45 and Bridget Harris , 38 ( Bridget is listed as selling vegetables ) had 8 children. Their two eldest Daughters  , Julia , 17 and Bridgie , 16 are listed as domestic servants. The rest of their children were Mary , William , Nellie , John , Madgie and Katie with ages ranging from 12 to 1. The Harris' niece , Mary Ahern , 8 was present in the house on the night of the 1901 Census. The family are present again in the later 1911 Census , so it would seem their pedigree as per testimonials stretched right up to the 1960s.

Helen Carroll ( Pouladuff Road )  has stated that she remembers a Marie O'Brien living there for some time , perhaps as a temporary renter before ownership was transferred to the Hanley family. Bizarrely , it is the only house in the region which has sported advertisement boards on its gable end ( see below ) for many decades. The present one indicates the nearby Hanleys service station located on the opposite side of the road near SuperValu. The service station most likely opened in the mid 1960s and occupies the former orchard land of Minnie Curtin. It has been a focal point of Togher Road for well over 60 years now.
 

Billboards on gable end of Hanley house

Hanley's garage a.k.a. Texaco
Late 1960s ( Note old Garda Station )

Hanleys garage 2025

Planning application 2022
No.1 Togher Road

Aerial view of both houses

Rear view of both houses

Currently , as of 2025 , a Planning application ( see above ) lodged in 2022 is in place though no discernible works have been carried out as of yet. It would include a new vehicular access to the right of the house as well as additional fenestration changes ( * arrangement of windows ) to the building.

BUCKLEY

* Initially both houses had long gardens to their rear as shown in the 1951 aerial photo , but it would seem that some horse trading ensued during the housing schemes of the 1950s and Number 1 ended up with a reduced rear yard which now wrapped around Number 2 whose land was reduced to a small enclosed back yard.

No.2 Togher Road

 Buckley

The 1901 Census shows Daniel , 40 ( labourer ) and Ellen Sullivan , 31 resided in the old cottage to the right of the big house with their daughter Katie , 3. The 1911 Census shows a Murphy family living there which highlights the mobility of labourers as they moved from district to district. By the 1950s , the Buckley family were living there with their daughter Jane Buckley , born January 1951. Jane lived there for 52 years moving out in 2003 to take up residence in Sycamore Place.

Sullivan family 1901 Census 

Jane Buckley

" I was born in January 1951 and reared in Number 2 Togher Road. It was the second house from the Lough lights ( Bungalow still there ). I left 52 years later in 2003 and now live in Sycamore Place. It had an outside toilet and no hot water. It had dampness all over and nothing done by the Landlord.  Some builder bought it and was doing it up and promised me he would bring me in to take a look but he ran out of money. His cabin is still there inside the wall. I remember a Mr.and Mrs Harris owned the big house next door ( Number 1 ). They also had a vegetable garden. "

 

Original stone wall to right

Break in wall and builders hut

The above photos show the original stone wall of the Buckley household as it was before the builder knocked a section of it to gain access to the enclosed yard to the rear of the house. Initially a timber fence was constructed to deter intruders with a proper gate being erected later on. The builders shed can be seen with work apparently at a standstill for some time.

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* The Angleton and Hillard families lived in the remaining two cottages on the plot as per the 1901 Census. Modern development has eradicated those cottages.

 Acknowledgements : 
 

Jane Buckley
Helen van Lakum ( nee Carroll )  

Lofting The Viaduct - Legends

Lofting the Viaduct ranks amongst the most prestigious disciplines in the sport of road bowling in Ireland. From Mick Barry in 1955 to Hans Bohlken in 1985 , it has entered into folklore as an almost mystical place. An intimidating monument to overcome and only done by those with special skills. 

 

Chetwynd Viaduct , Chetwynd , Togher

Though two other bowlers from the 1930s lay claim to successfully lofting the Viaduct , only one bowler is officially documented as having achieved the honour. In 1955 , Mick Barry launched a 16oz bowl clean over the top. In so doing , he entered bowling history as the first man to defeat the " Everest " of road bowling. Most proponents of the sport list him as the greatest bowl player of all time.

Mick Barry circa 1955
First bowler to loft the Viaduct

The Viaduct ( named after the townland of Chetwynd in Togher ) is not for the faint hearted! Standing at 90 feet above the Cork Bandon Road , it dares newcomers to defeat it. And defeat it only a select few have! However only one has done so with a 28 ounce ball - the West German - Han Bohlken! Albeit with a ramp he managed to clear the top by 10 feet! Local competitors at the time managed to hit the top of the Viaduct ( but not clear it ) without using the ramp , but onlookers who witnessed the event at the time say Hans not only cleared the Viaduct by a very large margin but managed to " send it almost all the way to the Regional Hospital ( C.U.H. ). "

Hans Bohlken at The Viaduct 1985

The historical event which saw 10,000 spectators turn up on the day on September 8th 1985 was bankrolled by Murphy's brewery as part of the Cork 800 celebrations with a top prize of £5000 for the competitor who could clear with a 28oz bowl and £1000 for anybody who could manage it with a 16oz bowl. 3 Irishmen won the £1000 prize with only one collecting the £5000 - Hans Bohlken.

Cork 800 logo

Spectators watch history in action

Hans Bohlken using his ramp to make history

Hans-Georg Bohlken , born 1962 in Sanderbusch , Friesland is a German and multiple European  champion. Bohlken , who grew up in Ellens , is known locally by his nickname " The Bear of Ellens. "

 

Cork Examiner report September 1985

Hans in action in Cork 2008

Hans-Georg Bohlken lives in the Zetel district of Ruttel. He has two sons who have also made a name for themselves in the frieze sport. In recent years Bohlken has held various functions in the Frisian Klootschießer Association. He is a member of the Klootschießer and Bosselverein "Lat'n rulln" Schweinebrück. In addition to the frieze sport , his hobbies include fishing and hunting. The 63 year old has recently retired from the sport of bowling but his legacy in Cork is assured and his name to a structure in Togher forever linked to him.

Hans Bohlken 2025

 Titles

Hans-Georg Bohlken has achieved many victories at International and National championships. The following is a selection :

1st win -   winner at the European Championships in Klootschießen 1984 in Garding ( Schleswig-Holstein ).

German champion at the slingshotball 1985 in Heide ( Schleswig-Holstein ).

Historical loft over the Chetwynd Viaduct in Cork Ireland 1985

Winner at the European Championships in Klootschießen 1988 in Norden ( Lower Saxony )

Winner at the European Championships in Klootschießen 1992 in Cork ( Ireland )

German champion in Klootschießen 2003 in Willich ( North Rhine-Westphalia )
   
He also participated in the European Championships in 2008 

 

Crowd gathered at Viaduct to witness history

 

** All images copyright of their respective owners and are used purely for illustrative purposes **

Helen Carroll - Togher Revisited

On Sunday 14th September 2025 , Billy O'Brien from Togher Historical Association met up with Helen van Lakum and her husband Paul who had flown over from San Roque , Spain for a holiday. This short article will highlight what effectively turned into a walk down memory lane.

Helen & Paul van Lakum

Lulu's at the Lough

Helen ( nee Carroll ) was born in the early 1950s and was brought up in a market garden on Pouladuff Road , which were prolific throughout Togher until the advent of local authority housing schemes in the 1960s. Compulsory purchase orders by Cork Corporation saw many market gardens wiped out without a trace. In later years she moved to Kilmurrriheen in Togher before finally emigrating to Spain where she still lives.

Helen van Lakum & Jim Hegarty in Spain
old neighbours from Pouladuff Road 

After coffee and a quick chat in Lulu's cafe by the Lough , it was time for a leisurely stroll along Togher Road. Mention was made of a butcher's shop which was located on the corner of Glendalough Park facing the Lough and an old sweet shop known as Lough Stores sited a little further up into the entrance to Brookfield Lawn , both locations part of the Lough Parish / District. The butcher shop is still there run by P. O'Connell & Sons but the former corner shop is now a beauticians since the early 2010s.

 

Butcher shop facing the Lough
 

Former Lough Stores
as seen in 2009

Helen recalled two other houses from her youth. Across the road from the butcher shop on the corner of Togher Road was Hanley's house ( owner of the Garage near SuperValu ) which was the only house known to sport an advertising board! Its official postal address is No.1 Togher Road! The house was formally the home of the Harris' , a brother and sister who lived alone. Next to that was the old home of Jane Buckley , who now resides in Sycamore Place. 

No.1 Togher Road
Hanley's house

Jane Buckley's former home

Helen then paused at the entrance to Boston Park which was built circa 1950 by a builder who had returned from the United States hence the naming. The estate used up part of the Hegarty's land to complete the scheme. Helen was and is lifetime friends of the Hegarty siblings to this day. She often meets up with Jim Hegarty in Spain ( see photo above ).

Entrance to Boston Park

Next to come under the spotlight were the semi-detached abodes of the Cunninghams and Russells. Helen recalls that they owned the land to the right and kept a small dairy farm. She unwittingly left the gates open on one occasion as a youth only for the entire herd of cows to make their way out onto the main road!

Cunningham's & Russells homes
Site of dairy farm to right

Helen then spoke briefly about the old Crowley home which has been a Doctor's surgery since the 1980s. The building was originally two homes , with the Murphy's on the left and of course the Crowley's on the right. She then recalled the Garda station on Ardmanning Avenue which was manned from 1970 until 1983.

Old Crowleys home

Old Garda station
Ardmanning Avenue

Of course no visit to Togher would be complete without a stop off at the site of Vaunie Long's cake shop. This shop was famous throughout the 1960s and 1970s and was beloved of all Togher children including Adults! Helen recalls many couples had their wedding cakes made here! Sadly Vaunie ( a.k.a. Bawnie ) passed away a few years ago and the old cake shop was demolished to enlarge the car park nearby.

Vaunie Long's cake shop
circa 2009

A brief stop was made to view the only signage depicting Togher Road in all of Togher! This and the accompanying row of houses left and right of the entrance to Edward Walsh Road were built circa 1962.

Togher Road name sign

The group stopped near Togher Square to reminisce about the Hosfords and the old Kerry Yard which would have stood where the patch of green is now. Helen also made mention of the location of the Hosford house which was sited back from the road roughly halfway between the terraced house left of Togher Square.

 

Corner of Togher Square
old Kerry Yard

Site of Hosford house

 

 

Helen set off with Paul and Billy to Clashduv Road pointing out various locations from days past. One spot was particularly poignant in that it was the start of the old Summerstown Lane which lead out to the Heighties and the Bog. 

Location of Summerstown Lane 2025

Same location September 1968

 

It was a quick stroll down Clashduv Road to the Glasheen River which lives on in the memories of all Togher ex-pats. Along the way , the Mountain and the site of the old Five Star came up for discussion.

The Mountain off Hazel Road

Site of the old Five Star

The group finally landed at the bridge over the Glasheen River. This was erected in 1968 when the Clashduv Road was extended to connect up with the main Togher Road. While the river on the southern side has always been in view , the opposite side has always been overgrown and unseen. However now it is the reverse , with all vegetation cut back giving a view that hasn't been seen in many decades.

 

View from southern part of bridge
 

View from northern part of bridge
with waste water pipe

View of northern part of bridge from embankment
with Helen and Paul
 

The group next made its way into Clashduv Park. First order of business was a visit to the Togher Community Garden and its beautiful pond. And of course the main reason for the long walk - to pay respects at the Peace Park. Dedicated to the Hegarty sisters of Pouldauff Road for their sacrifice , courage and bravery during the War of Independence.

Entrance to Clashduv Park near Glasheen River

Togher Community Garden
Pride of Cork City Winners 2023

Pond at Togher Community Garden

 

Billy O'Brien - Togher Historical Association
Helen van Lakum ( nee Carroll )
Peace Park , Clashduv Road , Togher

Paul & Helen van Lakum
Peace Park , Clashduv Road , Togher

 

The best was saved for last as the group made its way out of Clashduv Park and onto Togher Road. It was here that the final visit of the day was made to the McCarthy house. The last market garden in all of Togher and still in family hands , it is an iconic part of Togher's past. Helen was visibly emotional as she told stories of her time here with her Aunt Peggy and her cousins Helen and Siobhan. She recounted how they would straddle the wall and loop rope around the pillars pretending to be riding on horses ( see photo below ). It was at this point that the group parted ways. A future visit is planned which will take in much more of Togher.

Helen outside McCarthy house on Togher Road

 

Helen resting at Clashduv Road

Acknowledgements :

Helen van Lakum ( nee Carroll )
Paul van Lakum
Lulu's at the Lough
Togher Community Garden
Peace Park Togher
Jim Hegarty
McCarthy Family