Alice KerrThevillageofMullanissituatedinNorthMonaghanaboutthreemilesfromEmyvaleandastone’sthrow fromtheborderatBallaghBridgecrossingpoint.Itisaquietruralhamletwithonlyasfewfamiliesliving there, a shop cum Post Office and two factories, one making shoes, the other producing bags and holdalls.Butitwasn’talwaysasquiet.Oncetherewasathrivingcentrewithovertwentyfivefamilies,mostofwhom wereemployedinMullanMills.Therewasasocialcentrewhichattractedpeoplefromfarandnearanda placewherepeople,nowfamousintheshowbizworld,performedonstagetopackedhouses.AliceKerr haslivedtheresince1915andcantellofallthegoodtimesandthepoortimesinthisbeautifulcornerof the county.JohnKerrofBallinahonemarriedMaryMcQuaidofKillycooleyandwenttoliveinMullan.Theyhadseven children,allbutoneofwhomhavegonetotheireternalreward.Alice,theyoungestofthefamily,stilllives inthehouseinMullan.Theothermembersofthefamilywere:JohnJoe,James,Genie,MaryCatherine, Annie and Susan, go ndeana Dia troicaire ar a nanamacha.John,thefatherworkedforPringlesintheirMillsinCaledon,weavingsergematerial.Helefthomeat 6.00amtowalktoCaledonandwouldarrivehomeagainat7.00pmor8.00pm.Pringlesthenopeneda ScutchMillinMullanandbeganweavingsergetheretoo.JohnwasaTunerinMullananditwasaroundthis time that he moved into his home in one of the houses in the “White Row”.WorkAlicebeganherschoolinginKillyreanandhasgreatpraisefortwoteachersthere:LilyMcKennaandHughWoods.MasterWoods wasagreatteacherandhadawonderfulwayofexplainingthings.Hissumswerealwaystaughtusingpracticalexamplesthatwere easilyunderstoodbythepupils.NotallofthepupilswereashappyatschoolasAlicewas.Onefellowsaidhewouldprefer‘tobe cleaning out a shough and it teeming’, but for most it was school one day and off to work in the factory next day. AlicebeganworkinMullanMillsin1930.AlocalBoardofDirestorshadpurchasedtheMillsandbeganmakingbootsin1927.There werefivedistinctsectionsinthefactorybutwhenapersonwasnewthefirstjobwas‘onthetable’.Thentherewasthecuttingroom wherethe‘clickers’worked.ThenextprocesswasintheClosingRoom,whichwasstaffedbywomenanditwashere‘theSkivers’ worked.Thenonto‘TheMakingRoom’whereyouhadthe‘Lasters’,the‘Nailers’and‘TheStickers’.Fromtheretheproductpassed tothe‘ThefinishingRoom’for‘inking’and‘dyeing’andlastlytherewas‘TheDispatchRoom’fromwhichthefinishedbootwas carried to the train in Glaslough for delivery to its destination.ThereweresixorsevenfamiliesfromBelfastlivinginMullanandworkinginthefactory.Aswell,othertrainedmenfromCarland came to help train the locals. In the 30’s there were about 50 working in Mullan Mills. Social TheworkersorganisedaSocialClubinMullanHallandheldallsportsofactivity.Somewouldplaycardsanddraughtstillmorning. Toursandexcursionswereorganisedandbigconcertswereheldonaregularbasis.TheClaireHaydenRoadshowwasabigfavourite andvisitedtheHallacoupleoftimeseachyear,stayingforaweekormoreeachtime.Somegreatnameswerepartofhisshowand wentontobecomefamous.ValDoonicanwaswellknownintheareaandTommyBurns,thesinger,andRoryO’Connor,thedancer, and Joe Lynch (Dinny Byrne) performed regularly on Mullan Stage. AmancalledJimmyHugheswasthechieforganiseroftheseeventsandwasalwaysthinkingupnovelideastoenhancethesocial life of the area. He married Emyvale girl, Eileen Callaghan, and during the war years left the area. LocalPriest,Fr.,Shreenan,anativeofBelfast,lovedtheconcertsanddancesinMullan.Hewasthereeverynightandwasalways callingonsingerstogouponstageandsingasongortwoduringthedances.SuchwasthefameofMullanthat,thatpeople travelledlongdistancestojoinintheentertainment.GussieKieransandLeoMcEnteewouldcomefromThreemilehouseanditwas 7.30or 8.00am next morning before they would reach home. However,Mullanwasnottheonlycentreforsocialoccasions.DavaghHall,DonaghHall,andCaledonwereotherwellknownMeccas. Aliceandagroupoflocalsusedtotraveltotheseplacesonbicycle.Sometimesthegirlsweregivenaliftonthebarofabicycleand othertimestheysharedabicycle–onewouldcycleamileortwoandleavethebicyclealongthesideoftheroadfortheother,who inturnwouldcycleonamileortwopastthefirstpersonandleaveitagain.Onenightagroupofthem,about30,wereontheir wayhomefromDavaghandveryfewifanyhadlampsontheirbicycles.WhentheyarrivedatEmyvale,obviouslyingoodspirits, thelocalGardawaswaitingforthemandstoppedthem.‘Haveyounorespectforme,foryourselvesorfortheLaw?Sayshewhen hesawnolights.Onecleverfellowinthecompanyspeaksupandsays‘IfyousummonsusthistimeI’lltellthejudgeaboutallthe other times you said nothing’ and so the Garda let them off with a warning. CaledondanceswerealwaysgreatbeforeChristmas,thoughsometimestheboysgotcarriedawaywhenswinging.Ifthishappened theorganiserwouldannounce–‘NoheavyswingingorI’llclapit’.Meaningthathewouldstopthedance.Thatcooledtheboysdown. Donagh Hall over at Donaghrow was a great place any Sunday night. Downs and UpsTheWaryearstookitstollonMullanastheMillhadtoclose.AfterthewarJamesBoylanpurchaseditandtowardstheendofthe 40’s got it going again as a shoe/boot factory.Thewaryearswereleanyearsbutwereharderassomanypeopleintheareadependedontheirwagestomakeendsmeet.The moneymaynothavebeenbigbutitwasallthatmanyofthefamilieshad.Aliceremembersworkingfrom8.30amto6.30pm MondaytoFridayandahalfdayonSaturdayforsixshillingsaweek.Sometimestheywereaskedtoworkovertimeandmightearn onepennyfortwohourswork.Swingboatsusedcometothelocalityandtheseyoungworkersmightleaveworkandpaythatone pennyforafewminutesontheSwingboats.ItwasagreatrelieftotheareathenwhentheMillbecamesuccessfulagainunder James Boylan.Lady of Leisure.In1977AlicedecidedtocallitadayandretirefromtheMill.Sincethenshekeepsherselfoccupiedwithherhouseworkand gardening.Sheislookingforwardtothemilderweathersothatshecangetouttothegarden.Duringthewintermonthsshereads agreatdealandwatchesTelevision.Herfavouriteprogrammesare–‘WhereintheWorld’and‘Glenroe’.Sheloveshervisitsto EmyvaleLeisureCentreeveryThursdayforthe‘ThursdayClub’,whereshemeetsherfriends.Sheappreciatesthehardworkand commitmentoftheorganisers.ThankfullyPackieSherryneverhastoshout-’NoheavyswingingorI’llclapit’assheenjoysthe music, the swinging and the chat.Good Neighbours.Mullanisquietnow.Fewworkersliveinthevillage.Shemissesthehustleandbustleofdaysgonebyandtheprosperitywhichthe industrybroughttothearea.SheislavishwithherpraiseforherneighboursandsaysthatthechildrenofMullanwerealwayswell behavedandcausednoproblems.Thechildrenwholivetherenowarenodifferent,justveryfriendlyandhelpfulandtheadultsare kind,considerateandneighbourly.Ihavenodoubtbutthatsheleadsbyexampleandislovedandadmiredbyall.Mayherpleasant smile and quiet voice continue to charm us and may her good health be long lived.Interview conducted by Peadar McMahon and published in the Dungannon Observer 1992Your Comments HERE1.Memorable story of a life in Mullen and a marvellous piece of history. Packie Hughes. Thanks Packie..All Content is copyright @emyvale.net
Alice KerrThevillageofMullanissituatedinNorthMonaghanaboutthree milesfromEmyvaleandastone’sthrow fromtheborderatBallaghBridge crossingpoint.Itisaquietruralhamlet withonlyasfewfamilieslivingthere,a shopcumPostOfficeandtwofactories, onemakingshoes,theotherproducing bags and holdalls.Butitwasn’talwaysasquiet.Once therewasathrivingcentrewithover twentyfivefamilies,mostofwhom wereemployedinMullanMills.There wasasocialcentrewhichattracted peoplefromfarandnearandaplace wherepeople,nowfamousinthe showbizworld,performedonstageto packedhouses.AliceKerrhaslived theresince1915andcantellofallthe goodtimesandthepoortimesinthisbeautifulcornerofthe county.JohnKerrofBallinahonemarriedMaryMcQuaidofKillycooley andwenttoliveinMullan.Theyhadsevenchildren,allbutone ofwhomhavegonetotheireternalreward.Alice,theyoungest ofthefamily,stilllivesinthehouseinMullan.Theother membersofthefamilywere:JohnJoe,James,Genie,Mary Catherine,AnnieandSusan,gondeanaDiatroicaireara nanamacha.John,thefatherworkedforPringlesintheirMillsinCaledon, weavingsergematerial.Helefthomeat6.00amtowalkto Caledonandwouldarrivehomeagainat7.00pmor8.00pm. PringlesthenopenedaScutchMillinMullanandbeganweaving sergetheretoo.JohnwasaTunerinMullananditwasaround thistimethathemovedintohishomeinoneofthehousesin the “White Row”.WorkAlicebeganherschoolinginKillyreanandhasgreatpraisefor twoteachersthere:LilyMcKennaandHughWoods.Master Woodswasagreatteacherandhadawonderfulwayof explainingthings.Hissumswerealwaystaughtusingpractical examplesthatwereeasilyunderstoodbythepupils.Notallof thepupilswereashappyatschoolasAlicewas.Onefellowsaid hewouldprefer‘tobecleaningoutashoughanditteeming’,but formostitwasschoolonedayandofftoworkinthefactory next day. AlicebeganworkinMullanMillsin1930.AlocalBoardof DirestorshadpurchasedtheMillsandbeganmakingbootsin 1927.Therewerefivedistinctsectionsinthefactorybutwhena personwasnewthefirstjobwas‘onthetable’.Thentherewas thecuttingroomwherethe‘clickers’worked.Thenextprocess wasintheClosingRoom,whichwasstaffedbywomenandit washere‘theSkivers’worked.Thenonto‘TheMakingRoom’ whereyouhadthe‘Lasters’,the‘Nailers’and‘TheStickers’.From theretheproductpassedtothe‘ThefinishingRoom’for‘inking’ and‘dyeing’andlastlytherewas‘TheDispatchRoom’from whichthefinishedbootwascarriedtothetraininGlasloughfor delivery to its destination.ThereweresixorsevenfamiliesfromBelfastlivinginMullanand workinginthefactory.Aswell,othertrainedmenfromCarland cametohelptrainthelocals.Inthe30’stherewereabout50 working in Mullan Mills. Social TheworkersorganisedaSocialClubinMullanHallandheldall sportsofactivity.Somewouldplaycardsanddraughtstill morning.Toursandexcursionswereorganisedandbigconcerts wereheldonaregularbasis.TheClaireHaydenRoadshowwasa bigfavouriteandvisitedtheHallacoupleoftimeseachyear, stayingforaweekormoreeachtime.Somegreatnameswere partofhisshowandwentontobecomefamous.ValDoonican waswellknownintheareaandTommyBurns,thesinger,and RoryO’Connor,thedancer,andJoeLynch(DinnyByrne) performed regularly on Mullan Stage. AmancalledJimmyHugheswasthechieforganiserofthese eventsandwasalwaysthinkingupnovelideastoenhancethe sociallifeofthearea.HemarriedEmyvalegirl,EileenCallaghan, and during the war years left the area. LocalPriest,Fr.,Shreenan,anativeofBelfast,lovedtheconcerts anddancesinMullan.Hewasthereeverynightandwasalways callingonsingerstogouponstageandsingasongortwo duringthedances.SuchwasthefameofMullanthat,that peopletravelledlongdistancestojoinintheentertainment. GussieKieransandLeoMcEnteewouldcomefrom Threemilehouseanditwas7.30or8.00amnextmorningbefore they would reach home. However,Mullanwasnottheonlycentreforsocialoccasions. DavaghHall,DonaghHall,andCaledonwereotherwellknown Meccas.Aliceandagroupoflocalsusedtotraveltotheseplaces onbicycle.Sometimesthegirlsweregivenaliftonthebarofa bicycleandothertimestheysharedabicycle–onewouldcycle amileortwoandleavethebicyclealongthesideoftheroadfor theother,whointurnwouldcycleonamileortwopastthefirst personandleaveitagain.Onenightagroupofthem,about30, wereontheirwayhomefromDavaghandveryfewifanyhad lampsontheirbicycles.WhentheyarrivedatEmyvale,obviously ingoodspirits,thelocalGardawaswaitingforthemandstopped them.‘Haveyounorespectforme,foryourselvesorforthe Law?Sayshewhenhesawnolights.Onecleverfellowinthe companyspeaksupandsays‘IfyousummonsusthistimeI’ll tellthejudgeaboutalltheothertimesyousaidnothing’andso the Garda let them off with a warning. CaledondanceswerealwaysgreatbeforeChristmas,though sometimestheboysgotcarriedawaywhenswinging.Ifthis happenedtheorganiserwouldannounce–‘Noheavyswingingor I’llclapit’.Meaningthathewouldstopthedance.Thatcooled theboysdown.DonaghHalloveratDonaghrowwasagreat place any Sunday night. Downs and UpsTheWaryearstookitstollonMullanastheMillhadtoclose. AfterthewarJamesBoylanpurchaseditandtowardstheendof the 40’s got it going again as a shoe/boot factory.Thewaryearswereleanyearsbutwereharderassomany peopleintheareadependedontheirwagestomakeendsmeet. Themoneymaynothavebeenbigbutitwasallthatmanyof thefamilieshad.Aliceremembersworkingfrom8.30amto 6.30pmMondaytoFridayandahalfdayonSaturdayforsix shillingsaweek.Sometimestheywereaskedtoworkovertime andmightearnonepennyfortwohourswork.Swingboatsused cometothelocalityandtheseyoungworkersmightleavework andpaythatonepennyforafewminutesontheSwingboats.It wasagreatrelieftotheareathenwhentheMillbecame successful again under James Boylan.Lady of Leisure.In1977AlicedecidedtocallitadayandretirefromtheMill.Sincethenshekeepsherselfoccupiedwithherhouseworkand gardening.Sheislookingforwardtothemilderweathersothat shecangetouttothegarden.Duringthewintermonthsshe readsagreatdealandwatchesTelevision.Herfavourite programmesare–‘WhereintheWorld’and‘Glenroe’.Sheloves hervisitstoEmyvaleLeisureCentreeveryThursdayforthe ‘ThursdayClub’,whereshemeetsherfriends.Sheappreciates thehardworkandcommitmentoftheorganisers.Thankfully PackieSherryneverhastoshout-’NoheavyswingingorI’llclap it’ as she enjoys the music, the swinging and the chat.Good Neighbours.Mullanisquietnow.Fewworkersliveinthevillage.Shemisses thehustleandbustleofdaysgonebyandtheprosperitywhich theindustrybroughttothearea.Sheislavishwithherpraisefor herneighboursandsaysthatthechildrenofMullanwerealways wellbehavedandcausednoproblems.Thechildrenwholive therenowarenodifferent,justveryfriendlyandhelpfulandthe adultsarekind,considerateandneighbourly.Ihavenodoubt butthatsheleadsbyexampleandislovedandadmiredbyall. Mayherpleasantsmileandquietvoicecontinuetocharmusand may her good health be long lived.Interview conducted by Peadar McMahon and published in the Dungannon Observer 1992Your Comments HERE1.Memorable story of a life in Mullen and a marvellous piece of history. Packie Hughes. Thanks Packie..All Content is copyright @emyvale.net