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Houses and their Occupiers in some townlands around Ennistymon, County Clare

Houses on Road from Deerpark West to Ardnaculla by Michael McInerney

Griffin: The first house here at the top of Griffin’s hill was the Griffin farmhouse, last occupied by Mikie Griffin. He was a gentleman farmer who owned the lands now in the possession of the Convent of Mercy and also the lands where the Industrial Estate now is. It was afterwards lived in by Jim Hayes and his wife Bridgie until they moved to their new home. Attached to the Griffin home was a small one roomed house whose last occupant was Johnnie Griffey. Both these houses are demolished. On the roadside where the entrance to the Industrial Estate now is, there was once a row of stone built and Moher-slated farm buildings serving Griffins farm.

Next on this road were four small houses, all of which are now demolished. They were:

Hynes: Owned by John and Bridgie Hynes, formerly of Lough, Doolin.

Nestor: John Nestor and his wife Dilly (McNamara) lived here and reared a large family. They later migrated to England.

Kinnane: This house was built in living memory by Austin Kinnane and lived in with his wife Nellie (McNamara) and family until they moved to a new house in Attycristora.

Deely: This lovely thatched house was occupied by Austin and Annie Deely and afterwards by their son John and daughter Tessie who later married Ned Shanahan. The Deely’s were originally painters.

These four houses and also the farmyard buildings of Griffins were demolished in preparation for the Industrial Estate which was constructed in four units and is occupied mainly by Textlite – now known as Data Display. This is a very successful Electronics factory which has given and continues to give good employment to a large number of local people. Griffins farm would never be as profitable!

Gallaher: On the other side of the road, as one approaches the cross, was Gallaher’s house. It too is long since gone. There was a quarry on the hill and the house was in the corner behind the quarry. The last known members were Jack Gallaher and his sons Pauge and Jimmy.

Kenny: Right on the cross where the wire fence now is, was the house of Mike Kenny. It was cleared away when the cross (known as Kenny’s cross) was widened. His relatives are the Kenny’s of New Road, Ennistymon.

Devitt: As we turn west at Kenny’s cross, the next house was originally owned by Michael Devitt and his wife Magie who was a sister of Mike Kenny from the last house we mentioned. They had a son, Michael, who left the area and later lived in Dublin. The house was later bought by the late Dinny Vaughan and his wife Kate (Leyden). She now lives here with her daughter-in-law Susanne and her three children, Bernard, Denis and James.

Conlon: This house, a bit down from the road, was formerly the home of Patie Conlon and his wife Nora (McKee). She was an Irish Speaker. Their son Mick lives there now with his son Patrick. Deceased members were Mick’s brother Connie and sisters Nan (Murphy) and Kitty (Armstead).

Queally: This house, which is now turned into a cattle shed, was the home of Shaun Queally – hero of song and legend. He also, like the Gallaher’s, had a quarry which he worked during periods not fit for farm work. He was married twice; first to a Haugh woman and later to Nora Tierney. They had no family. Their adopted son Jimmy Queally married Sheila Lysaght and they and their family moved to England.

Carroll: This house, which is not visible from the road, was formerly the home of Mickey O’Brien and his wife, formerly Carroll, from Moher. It is now occupied by her nephew John Carroll and his wife Bridget, formerly Kelly from Kilshanny, and their son Gus.

O’Brien: Returning to the road, the next house is that of P.J. O’Brien and his wife Margaret. They have three sons, Paul, Kieran and John.

Kinnane: On the site of O’Brien’s house, there once was a small house lived in by Jim Kinnane and his wife Bridgie. Their son was the recently deceased Jimmy Kinnane.

Lysaght: Next house is that of Josie Lysaght and her son John and daughter Mary. Her husband was the late Johnnie and his father was John and married to Lizzie (Kileen). John’s father was Jim and his wife’s name was Manie.

Kelly: This house has had many owners. Firstly it was Howley’s. Then owned by Michael Devitt. He sold it to Mrs. Stack who later sold it to Linehans. They, in turn sold it to its present owner, Paddy Kelly and his wife Etna. Most of their family are gone away.

Vaughan: This house is now in new ownership but was the home of the Healy family whose daughter married Michael Vaughan. Their son Jimmy and his wife Zena lived there for some years until they moved to a new house elsewhere.

Skerritt: This house, now roofless, was once the home of Patsy Conneally. His adopted daughter, Mary Egan, married Joe Skerritt. They have no surviving family. Joe was well known as a butcher who killed pigs for farmers in the area.

McInerney: This family, reputedly, were evicted from Convent lands mentioned earlier as Griffins farm. Farthest back was Paddy, married to a Neylon. Their son Tom married Ann Fitzpatrick, and son John married Mary Coughlan – the present owners who live there with two remaining sons, Gerard and John.

McInerney: This is an offshoot of last mentioned family. Dan McInerney married Catherine Devitt and they bought part of Woulfe estate and built a house and lived there. Their son Michael and his wife Christina (McNamara) and their youngest son Noel live there.

Dinan: Another family that is no more. John Dinan and his sister Maria lived and died there. Before them their father and mother (Casey) reared six boys and six girls there.

Kearney: Presently the home of Jim Kearney and his wife Agnes (Killeen) and their son Brendan. Formerly the home of Pakie Kileen and his wife whose daughter married Jim Kearney. Their other family Anna and Patrick are in England.

McNamara: On the east side of Keaney’s house there once stood the home of John McNamara, ex-soldier, and his wife Lucy Beakey. Their family included Maura, Aggie, Dilly, Nellie, Sadie and Nonie. There is no trace of the house now.

Ennistymon Parish Magazine 1998

 

Houses in Knockpatrick

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