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Emyvale The And Now
The following cutting from the Northern Standard of 21st April
1961, and printed here with their permission, was sent to me by
Ms. A. O’Hagan and we think that some of the older generation
from around Emyvale will find it interesting but the younger
generation should be interested too and compare then with now.
Emyvale Then and Now.
The returned exile might be surprised on entering Emyvale from
the Monaghan Road. The old stone bridge, which weathered the
storms and floods of centuries, has been replaced by an up-to-
date metal one. Some might have nostalgic memories as the old
Bridge was a meeting place for ‘the boys’ of the village. Here
they were wont to plan different kinds of activities, some good
and some not so good.
The top of the bridge was flat and made an excellent seat. It was
a kind of forum for the older members of the community. One
old man usually started off “I was reading in the paper etc” and
the subject was thrown open for discussion. Going ‘up the town’,
Scarna or Sgairbh Na Geaorach, to give it its full ancient name,
presents a very different picture to that seen at the beginning of
the century. Many fine houses have been built and pretty
bungalows take the place of the old thatched houses. These were
mostly one-storey high with small windows. Some had a half-
door over which the inmates could lean and watch the world go
by.
There was often a stone outside the door and a very comfortable
seat it was on a Summer’s evening.
To return to the present. A bus now runs daily between Emyvale
and Monaghan. In the old days the jaunting cars went to
Monaghan very Monday. They were simply loaded down with
passengers and baskets of eggs and butter. The jaunting car
reminds me of my first entry into Emyvale. I would be about nine
years old and a most terrifying experience it was sitting on that
jaunting car from Glasslough to Emyvale, holding on to the
‘dicky’ for dear life and expecting to be thrown onto the road
every minute.
Frank the Baron’s Hill stands sentinel on the east side of the
town. It was the scene of many a bonfire in the days of yore. By
the way, Frank the Baron, whose real name was McKenna,
claimed that his great great grandfather was a baron on the
Leslie estate. There were many interesting characters in Emyvale
50 or 60 years ago. Margaret the apple woman lived in a little
house almost opposite to where the present Town Hall now
stands.
She attended fairs and markets with a great basket of
gooseberries or apples. She kept a basket of gooseberries near
the door and one could get a half-pint tinful for a half-penny.
Running to the pump for a can of water meant good measure.
Nearby live Ned the showmaker. He always dressed up on
Sunday, white waist-coat, soft hat tilted over one eye and boots
polished to perfection. Paddy the creel maker lived further up. He
had been in Glasgow in his youth and ‘wrought’ at the Town
head. Paddy never married and for this reason. He couldn’t thole
the smell of bacon much less the taste. He was afraid if he
brought in a wife she might start to fry bacon and that would be
the end of Paddy’s peaceful existence.
But the most outstanding character was Alec – he did odd jobs
about the town. One side line was bisom making. He’d start off
about five o’clock on a Summer’s morning. Out over Curthein,
which always gave him an appetite, so he said, and on to the
mountains. Here he would gather a great load of heather, get it
on to his back and start for home, a distance of four or five
miles. He’d stop to rest at several houses and was always
welcome, as he was considered the best storyteller in the
country. Back in Scarna he’s start to make the bisoms. On
Monday he’s take a load on his back, and walk to Monaghan, a
distance of six miles. Here he’d sell the bisoms for a penny or
twopence each.
Alec’s house was a rendezvous for all interested in the art of
storytelling. One night a crowd gathered in and one man told
about a wonderful fish he caught in Lough Neagh. I don’t
remember how long it was but it was beyond anything ever
heard of. “Ah” says Alec, “that’s nothing. I mind one time I went
out to Emy Loch to fish. I threw out the line and waited. It wasn’t
very long till I got a bite and I pulled in but begob I was nearly
pulled off my feet into the water. I managed at last to get the
fish out, and a powerful one it was. Me wee terrier was running
round the fish and if it didn’t open its big mouth and swallowed
her.
“ Well a while after I went down to Emy to try me luck again. I
threw in the line, got a bite and then the tussle began. The big
fish pulled me up and down the bank but I hung on and at last
got it out of the water. Then I out with me knife and ripped it up
the middle. Out jumped the terrier and three pups and do you
know what I’m going to tell you, if it hadn’t been for the mother
the pups would have ate me”.
Market house lane is still to be seen round from the Post Office.
In days gone by a Fair was held in Scarna but there was so much
fighting and brawling it was discontinued. I cannot vouch for the
truth of this story. There was a very old house where the
dispensary now stands. It belonged to the Neills. The last owner
told me the following story. Two brothers and a sister of the Neill
family were living there in the early part of the last century. They
were in the habit of sitting up very late. One night a knock came
to the door. John, the elder brother, opened it and there stood a
traveller. He asked if he might come in and wait for the stage
coach which passed through the town early in the morning. John
said “Surely” and soon the man was sitting at the fire warming
himself. He was badly in need of food and rest and Margaret, the
sister, gave him some supper. As he ate, he said he was a priest.
The Neills took his word for it and they made up a bed for him by
the fire. When their guest was asleep the Neills noticed his boots
were badly worn and as they were shoemakers they fell to and
soled them. Margaret washed and mended his socks, which he
had hung up to dry. When the priest awoke in the morning he
was more than grateful and went on his way refreshed and
rested.
The Glasslough road brings memories of Spring time when the
ditches were covered with primroses. I still recall the thrill of
finding a robin’s nest in a bush hear the river.
In Summer the wild rose ran riot and the sweet-scented
woodbine was a delight especially after rain fell.
The great attraction for children was the broad river. In Summer
it was almost dried up, and easily crossed. The girls spent happy
hours making houses under the hawthorn bushes while the boys
went further up the river to try their luck at fishing for
sticklebacks. There was a wishing stone on the far side of the
river. The girls usually paid it a visit. The procedure was – kiss
the stone and make a secret wish. The number of wishes was
restricted to three.
The ‘Wood’ is a short distance from the town and a very beautiful
spot it is in Summer time. It once formed part of the Anketell
estate. The river flows through from the Bragan Mountains on to
the town on its way to the Blackwater. The ladies bathing pool is
still to be seen. A great tree overshadows the river here and it
certainly was an ideal place to bathe in on a hot Summer day.
Half way between the wood and the town, at a fork in the road,
there stood an old house at the beginning of the century. The
Ogilvey family lived here. It was the wash-house for the
Anketells. The old tubs were unearthed when the present owner
was rebuilding.
The Anketells have long since disappeared. The estate, like so
many more, has been divided up among the tenants.
Yes, Emyvale, or Scarnageera, has certainly changed since the
day, when a beggar, who had not fared very well in the town,
looked back as he crossed the bridge and exclaimed:
“Oh Emyvale , sweet Emyvale, if you were as free from sin as
you are from male (meal), you’d be the happy Emyvale.”
Signed by A. Perrett.
It would be great if anyone could add to what is written here by
giving more information on the families mentioned and site of
the washhouse, some info on A. Perrett, etc. etc. Let us know if
you can give us any more info and thanks to Angela for sending
me this.
There has been quite a response from emyvale.net readers to
this article and at the bottom of the page we will include
interesting additional information - scroll down to read the added
stories.
Additional information:
From Gerard and Patrick McKenna, via Joe Fields:
Francis ‘Baron’ Mc Kenna, Derrygasson, mentioned in the article,
was born abt 1827 and died there in 1899. He was married to
Catherine Mc Kenna born abt 1824 and died in 1904. Francis and
Catherine had two daughters Bridget ‘Baron’ Mc Kenna b.1859
and Mary ‘Baron’ Mc Kenna b.1861. Bridget married Bernard
Gormley of the Gate House, Cormeen on the Rossmore estate in
Corracrin in 1880, and, Mary married Felix Fields of
Mullaloughan in 1890. Descendants of the Fields family still live
in Derrygasson. Also, in the article Francis claimed that his
great great grandfather was a baron on the Leslie estate.
According to the Public Record Office Northern Ireland, on the
7th of July 1733 an Edward Mc Kenna of Kilfahavon, Co.
Monaghan surrendered his lease of lands in Emy to Robert Leslie
of Castle Leslie.
In 1883 Philip Mc Kenna, Drogheda, who claimed descent from
Shane of Drumbanagher, was researching the Mc Kenna’s and
met with Edward Mc Kenna of Dernahinch, called “The Baron”
and took down the following information:
Edward Mc Kenna of Dernahinch, “The Baron” aged 50 in ’83
| 1833
Son of Edward who died in 1854 aged | 1772
Son of James who died in 1817 aged 86 | 1731
Son of Patrick who lived at Kilfahavon | 1700
Son of Hugh -------------------------------------- | 1670
Son of Denis or Donohoe ---------------------------- | 1640
Son of Emonn or Edmund ------------------------- | 1610
Son of Ross ------------------------------------- | 1580
Son of Sleight Emonn Buidhe --------- | 1550
Edward of Dernahinch b.1833 married Anne Treanor. They had
seven children, Margaret, Edward, Joseph, Catherine, Sarah,
Ellen and Agnes. Margaret married Francis Mc Cormack,
publican, Emyvale and Ellen married Peter Mc Phillips,
Monaghan. (Irish Civil Records)
Other references to the ‘Baron’ Mc Kenna’s: Tithe Applotment
1826
Patt Mc Kenna (Baron), Derryellen; James Mc Kenna (Baron)
Cavan Cope; Patt Mc Kenna (Baron), Kilfahavon
National Archives Netherlands: Patrick Baron de MacKenna,
Sargent in the Dutch army in 1764 registered as being from
‘Skaranageragh’ and served in the Dutch East Indies
(Indonesia).
Francois Baron de Mackenna, Officer in the Dutch Military 1765.
Edward Baron de MacKenna, ‘Kilvaleven’ (Kilfahavon?), married
Jacoba Catharina Keijser in Groningen in 1762 and married
Adriana van Boxtel in Groningen in 1763. He was a captain in
the Prince of Orange grenadiers and served in the Dutch East
Indies.
Authors: Gerard Mc Kenna, Patrick Mac Cionnaith; Thanks to
Joseph Fields
Packie Hughes: Patrick Phillips better known as Paddy was born
15/12/1880, learned his trade of shoemaker/cobbler from his
father John, living in a white washed cottage which is where
“Gort an Cobelera” is now located in the village. In the late 40’s
as a young boy living opposite his home/workplace, I would
spend many evenings in his company, gobsmacked by his stories
of olden times. Relative to your recent extract from the Northern
Standard re. Emyvale, he told me that the ladies from The
Castle, (Anketells) up The Line, would access the Ladies Pool via
an underground tunnel of steps. Not sure if this is true or not or
if others have heard the same story. Archeologists wanted !?
(Editor: You have brought back memories of those days when I
lived up there beside you and I also used visit Paddy with his
wee teapot light as his only light and his workplace was also his
kitchen and bedroom but his stories were terrific.)
Patsy Brady: The last lines, quoted from ‘a beggar’, according to
my late father, is by Thomas ‘Dunty’ Kelly, a well known
Monaghan Town Crier and Bell Ringer, who travelled to all fairs in
the region in his day. Another one one of his sayings re Emyvale
went as follows: Oh Emyvale , sweet Emyvale, Without either
Church or Steeple
In every dour (door) The door there stands a hoor, Looking out
at decent people .
Think he made his way on foot to the fairs , and waited at the
bridge hoping for a lift back to Town , and he usually composed
these pices as he waited on a lift . (Editor: he was likely one of
the men, mostly, who went about living off hand-outs, and those
who gave got a verse praising their generosity but if refused his
poem would criticise in a very sharp manner.)
Patsy also had further information re. ‘Dunty’ Kelly as follows:
A well known pub and bike shop combined in Glaslough St,
Monaghan, once ran a poetry competition, with a bottle of
whiskey as first prize. Entrants had to add a second verse to
their first, it went as follows:
In this Bee Hive, We're all alive, Good Whiskey makes us funny
So if your dry Come in and try The flavour of our Honey.
Dunty Kelly won the whiskey, with this reply:
Oh yes I'm dry I'd love to try The flavour of your Honey
But if I go in The Bee might sting Because I've got no money .
The name of the pub / bike shop was The Bee Hive, and the
then owner, as far as I recall, was an AJ Murphy. P Brady.
Editor: thanks to Patsy and Packie for that great additional info.
The site of the ‘Wash-house has been identified as has the writer
of the piece for the Northern Standard and we will have more on
this later.