Community website for Millstreet, Co. Cork, Ireland
Also present from the locality – Peg and Tim O’Shea, Essie Roche, Angela Burke, Angela Kelleher, Nellie Corkery and others. Most likely they would have appeared in the congregation as broadcast live by the global television channel EWTN and may also appear on “Would You Believe?” on RTE1 television this Sunday night when they [read more …] “Local Pilgrims at International Eucharistic Congress 2012 in Dublin”
Click the audio player above to listen to Noel C.Duggan reminiscing on the Eurovision Song Contest which was held in his “cowshed” in Millstreet 19 years ago (1993). It’s from an interview with Damien O’Reilly on the CountryWide Programme on RTÉ Radio 1, this morning Saturday 26th May 2012. (6mins 25secs long)
The 2012 Eurovision is on tonight at 8pm on RTE TV.
Matthew Murphy’s Eurovision Wall in Minor Row has been one of Millstreet’s most photographed features. It has lasted so very well over the past 19 years and now with the new very colourful and attractive panels put in place its future is further guaranteed. The flags are arranged in [read more …] “Four Generations at Eurovision Wall in Minor Row, Millstreet on 24th May 2012 Recalling Millstreet’s Historic 1993 Eurovision Song Contest”
15th May 1993, 19 years ago today in Millstreet … will we ever forget?
[read more …] “This day,19 years ago in Millstreet”
Richard Scriven is a PhD student in UCC looking at pilgrimage in Ireland. He is seeking volunteers who would be willing to talk to him about The City, the rounds and traditions associated with it. Please do not feel you have to have any expertise, he is looking for people who have a devotion to the City and who care about it.
If you are interested please contact him at (021) 490 2709 (office hours) or <email>
Population figures published in the last few days by the Central Statistics Office show that in the census of 2011, Millstreet Town had a population of 1,574 people, while 6,384 lived in the area around the town (Millstreet Rural Area).
The number of people in town is up 173 (12.3%) from 1,401 in the 2006 census. Within that there are 796 males (up 52), and 778 females (up 121). While the rural population has increased by 551 from 6384 in 2006.
The Drishane (20.4%) and Rathcoole (27.2%) areas have shown the largest growth over the five years, while there have been some loss in population in the rural areas of Skagh (-12%), Derragh (-4.5%), and Knocknagree (-4.6%).
Tables with the full figures are below: [read more …] “2011 Census – Population Details”
It was with no small touch of nostalgia that I read recently of the closing of Barrett’s at The Square. This was the location that my mother, Catherine Duggan, then Catherine Murphy, came to as a young woman. She started out in Macroom and trained as a milliner. She designed and made hats and she was exceptionally good at this craft. She was a reserved, dignified woman and still quite young, perhaps in her early twenties, when she arrived in Millstreet to continue her apprenticeship at Barrett’s. I have also heard over the years that she was quite lovely to look at. My father, Cornelius Duggan of The Bridge, spotted her and began what might best be described as a year-long pursuit of her in the hopes of getting a Sunday afternoon date. He was an only child and was used to getting his way and so he persisted. My mother once told me that she took her best friend, whose name eludes me, on each Sunday afternoon “outing” in Con Duggan’s car. Yes, she was that shy.
There were other suitors as well, but [read more …] “Remembering Catherine Duggan”
John Kelleher (Aubane Social Club) standing at the exact place where his third Cousin Michael Linehan RIP from Freeholds in Boherbue boarded the titantic at Queenstown on the 11 April 1912 at 15.30 pm on his way to New York. John stood here today at 15.30 pm on the 11 April 2012. Very Historic Day. [read more …] “Titanic commemoration in Cobh”
Following 11.30 a.m. Mass at St. Patrick’s Church, Millstreet the annual Easter Commemoration ceremony took place at the Square where the Last Post was played, the Tricolour raised, a wreath laid at the Monument which was especially looking at its very best with four magnificent floral arrangements, the Proclamation read, a decade of the Rosary recited, a splendid oration delivered and the National Anthem played by Millstreet Pipe Band. Here we [read more …] “Millstreet’s Easter Commemoration Ceremony 2012”
IRD Duhallow in April will be hosting a Night in honour of the Duhallow people who set out on the Titanic on its maiden voyage. Dr. Michael Martin (Titanic Trail author and creator) will be the keynote speaker and Sr. Maureen Cahill will facilitate a prayerful ceremony. This event will take place on the 19th April at 7.30p.m. in the James O’ Keeffe Institute, Newmarket. Everyone is welcome to come and share in the evening as we remember those who survived and perished on that fateful journey. Registration is essential. Please contact Mary on 029 60633.
Hello, i live in Australia and I am researching the life of Dr Barry Cotter who was the first doctor in Melbourne. He was born at Flintfield House around 1807. I wonder if anyone in Millstreet can advise me of where I may be able to obtain further information about him.
Thanks from Moira McAlister <email>
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Admin notes:
An aunt of Barry Cotter? Rickard Deasy (b c1766 – d30 Aug 1853) founder of a brewery in Clonakilty with a Mr Stewart, father of Rev, Henry Stewart. Married Mary Anne Cotter (b1779, d 29 Mar 1853) of Flintfield Millstreet on 8 Sep 1802. Moved to Jersey in about 1837-1840 owing to financial difficulty, where he died in 1853. [1]
TITANIC CEREMONY OF REMEMBRANCE NIGHT
IRD Duhallow in April will be hosting a Night in honour of the Duhallow people who set out on the Titanic on its maiden voyage. Dr. Michael Martin (Titanic Trail author and creator) will be the keynote speaker and Sr. Maureen Cahill will facilitate a prayerful and ritual ceremony. This ceremony will take place on the 19th of April at 7.30p.m. in the James O’ Keeffe Institute, Newmarket. Everyone is welcome to come and share in the evening as we lovingly and prayerfully remember those who survived and perished and we will honour their ancestors. Registration is essential. Please contact Mary on 029 60633.
It was Jack Roche who gave the keynote address. Here we share images of [read more …] “Nadd Commemoration on Sunday, 11th March 2012”
The latest publication from Aubane Historical Society is ‘A Millstreet Miscellany (7)’ which is another collection of original items on Millstreet. It contains:
It is available from Wordsworth at €10.
Patrick O’Leary from Louisville, Kentucky, USA has very kindly been given us three letters that are nearly a century old, sent by his Great-Grand-Uncle Patrick O’Leary of Adrivale, Millstreet to his Great-Grandfather in the USA.
Below is the first of those letters (4 pages) from March 16, 1919 where Patrick talks about the end of WWI, Patsy who was a soldier in the war, President Wilson, the 1916 rising in Dublin, and Sinn Féin.
The Patsy in the letter was his Grandfather Patrick John O’Leary. He was born in Ohio 1894 and he served in WWI. The Sister Mary Francis in the letter is his Great Aunt that was a nun.
[read more …] “O’Leary Letters from Adrivale #1 of 3”
Back 1998 the Euro Lamberetta Jamboree was held in the Green Glens, Millstreet from the 19th to the 21st of June, when hundreds of Lambretta owners from all over Europe descended on Millstreet for three days.
Cesare Battaglini was an Italian who was the most famous of all long distance Lambretta riders, riding all over the world on his bikes, and he was in Millstreet for the festival. His recent death reminded us of this event: “Most times he continued riding to each event, either on a model D or a series 2. His first Irish Euro to Millstreet, for instance, involved a 2,700 mile round trip.” – from Jetset Magazine
Here are a few photos from the Jamboree: [read more …] “Euro Lambretta Jamboree 1998”
Taken in 1947 up at Carriglea the home of the Singleton family: left-to-right: Agnes Lyons Cotter (San Francisco), Jim Cotter (Schull), John Singleton (Millstreet), Jimmy Cotter (their son born in San Francisco), Mary Singleton and Kate Singleton. Mary and Kate were from Carriglea, Millstreet, and were children of Bill and Kathleen Singleton.
Many thanks to Nancy Singleton from San Francisco for use of the photo.
Back row- left to right: Marie O’ Connor, Ida O’Riordan, Helen Muphy, Breeda Burke, Annemarie Murphy, Joan O’ Leary, Margaret Dennehy, Elaine Dineen
Middle row: Sr.Agatha, Paula Browne, Helen Murphy, Eileen Cotter, Veronica Lyons, Eda O’ Sullivan, Karena O’ Sullivan,Tina Murphy, Carmel O’Leary, Fiona Wall, Louise Casey, Sheila O’ Connor.
Front Row: Noreen Barret, Margaret Browne, Anna Murphy, Margaret Healy, Sr.Elizabeth, Patricia O’Keeffe, Sinead Hickey, Maura Manley, Majella Healy, Ciara Culhane.
With thanks to Paula O’Callaghan (nee Browne) for the names.
This historic poster for the Drishane Garden Fete 1938 appeared recently for auction on eBay.ie.
We previously featured a photo from a 1930s Fete in Drishane in preparation for the most recent Fete. Click the image below to see it in full.
Drishane Bridge is a five-arch road bridge over the Finnow River, built c. 1859, having dressed sandstone walls, and stepped parapets with sandstone copings. Cut sandstone chamfered voussoirs to pointed arches. Ashlar sandstone V-cutwaters to south elevation, with ashlar sandstone imposts. Stile to north wall with roughly dressed sandstone steps leading to river.
Appraisal
It is a well-designed and finely executed structure bridge, clearly constructed by skilled craftsmen. The pointed arches are unusual in form and present an attractive, rhythmical silhouette in the landscape. The dressed sandstone masonry fits tightly together, with a high degree of precision. The stepped parapet walls add interest. The cutwaters, whilst primarily functional, add decorative interest to the south elevation. The bridge retains sandstone steps to the north which lead to the river. The bridge is associated with Drishane Castle demesne. [1]
Location
It is about 90m upriver from the Railway Bridge, 130m upriver from the the meeting of the Blackwater and the Finnow, and also about 200m from Drishane Castle.
Wallis’ Bridge?
There are many references to this bridge as Wallis’ Bridge, especially in the 1890’s OSI Map, but there are also many reference to the Bridge over the Finnow at the Railway Station as Wallis’ Bridge. It’s possible that both were called Wallis’ Bridge at different times, the one beside the Railway station before the 1860s, and this one after!
A closer view of Drishane Bridge from the Lawrence Collection 1909, that appears in the above postcard. Note the man with the horse and trap on the bridge.
Drishane Bridge (1990) looking downriver. Note the bank of sediment on the left has been removed to allow for better flow of the water., Though the speed of the water through here is quite slow during a flood, because of Blackwater in the background us often higher and stops the water from moving quickly downstream.
The view from Wallis’ Bridge looking upriver (what the man with the pony and trap in the above photo would be seeing)
This photo is taken from where the Blackwater and the Finnow meet. The steel bridge is the Railway Bridge, while Wallis’ Bridge can be seen in the background. Wallis’ Bridge is seen in the background. Again, it is part of the Lawrence Collection from 1909
Drishane Bridge pictured through the trees from the entrance drive of Drishane Castle [2017]. Note the four gullets on the right of the photo which were added not long after the bridge was built, in order to ease pressure on the bridge after it was lucky not to be felled in a flood in 1859.
Drishane Bridge – September 2019
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When was the bridge built?
The 1840s OSI Map (above) shows no bridge, only stepping stones.
Wallis Bridge is mentioned in the planning for the railway in 1851: “… and terminate by a junction with this company’s line, at a point near Wallis’s bridge, in the townland of Dooneens, in the parish of Drishane”, but this is definitely the bridge at the Railway station (noted form the townlands in the plans).
From the architectural report at the top of this article says that the bridge was build about 1870. (TODO: find source again)
But then there is the extract below about building a new road to the bridge and gulleys, which seems to say that Drishane Bridge was built just before 1859.
“PRESENTATIONS TO THE GRAND JURY: … Denis O’Connor, Nicholas O’Donnell, and Jeremiah Kelleher to build and waterpave 18 two-feet gullets and make 16 perches new road connetion with the new bridge now built over the river Fennow, on the road from Mallow and Kanturk to the Millstreet Railway, on the lands of Drishanemore and Dromin (*Dooneens*), and to cut and slope the new bank at both sides to bring the river fair on the bridge, at £12O.
There was lengthened discussion regarding this presentation- Mr. Jackson, C.E. observed there were peculiar circumstances connected with this presentment, it was always observable that whenever the finnow rose, the Fennow also rose to proportionate height. Upon this occasion however, the Fennnow now rose only about six inches, andl only the bridge was very well built, it would have been swept away.
Mr. French—Where is the bridge ?
Mr Jackson —Between Drishane and the Railway Bridge
Mr. French -I think the matter should stand over until the next assizes…”
[Southern Reporter and Cork Commercial Courier – Friday 11 March 1859]
Note: The gullets are on both sides of the bridge, but it looks like instead of building 18 2-foot-gullets they build 10 3-foot-gullets, which actually has a larger carrying capacity . Four on the east side and six on the west side (todo clarify again that there are four and six).
How to get there
It’s about 4km from Millstreet. Take the road to Mallow until you get out of town, and pass the entrance to Drishane Castle. Take the second left after the entrance to Drishane Castle (700m), and it’s another 700m down that road to get to the bridge.
The latest from the Aubane Historical Society is unusual in that it is a love story set in Millstreet and written in 1905 by one of the best known writers of the day, George Egerton. It is called “The Marriage of Mary Ascension.”
Egerton was in fact a woman, Mary Dunne, who had lived in a cottage named ‘Ardrath’ near Millstreet for some time (1892-1894), and the story is based on her experiences here. It is an unsparing account of the town and some people in it.
It is interesting in a number of ways. Among other things she suggests that the town had a previous Gaelic name that meant “the little town in the lap of the hills.”
It is currently available from Wordsworth in the Square and other outlets for €5.
[read more …] “A Millstreet Love Story”
Cornelius Corcoran was the son of Cornelius & Mary Corcoran. Born March 17 At Millstreet Co. Cork Ireland, and died January 14 1884 At Kaufman, Kaufman Co. Texas 31 yrs 9mo 27 days. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery, Denison, Grayson County, Texas, USA (see the headstone on the left).
Interestingly, another Con Corcoran who was born in Millstreet is buried in the same graveyard. It is quite probable they were related but this one is Cornelius T. Corcoran (March 19th 1880 – Jan 30th 1820) son of Tim & Mary (neé Kennealy) Corcoran of Coolekerane (see the headstone on the right). Read his baptismal information. [read more …] “Cornelius Corcoran, Texas”
Bill Brien bought and sold hens and eggs and ducks and chickens
Turkeys, guinea fowl and geese and rabbits too
And in his van he drove around Duhallow
And with him went his faithful kerry blue.
One of the last of an old breed of dealers
A stocky fellow with a husky voice
You ask him for ten bob for skin of fox or badger
And Bill was sure to beat you down in price.
Dia daoibh go leir,
“Ireland’s legal tradition: loss and recovery.” – [read more …] “Féile Dúthalla 2011”
30th Anniversary Commemoration of the 1981 Hungerstrike.
Timothy Deasy, 29, came from Clonalkilty, Co. Cork. He emigrated to the US and served in the 9th Massachusetts Infantry in the US civil war. He was wounded at The Battle Of The Wilderness in 1864. He returned to Ireland after the war to take part in the Fenian Rising, where he commanded Fenian troops at during the uprising in Millstreet in 1867.
… The most important and prominent of the Ninth’s Fenians was Timothy Deasy (also spelled Dacey), whose story MacNamara included in his regimental history. Deasy attained the rank of first lieutenant in the Ninth and received a wound at the Wilderness, As a Fenian overseas, he led an uprising at Millstreet, Co Cork, and was later assigned to oversee activities in Liverpool. At three o’clock in the morning on September 1867, Col Thomas J. Kelly and Deasy were arrested by the by the English while loitering on the street after a meeting of Fenian officers [read more …] “Captain Timothy Deasy”
Hi, I’m trying to find out if my relative, Jeremiah Foley died in the Millstreet workhouse. We have his death date as Feb 20, 1872. He was born in or around 1827 in Islandbrach. He may have had a son James born in Millstreet as well, in 1870. Anyone have any ideas on how to find out this information?
Linda
[ contact: <email> ]
Last September (2010) and Australian Film crew rolled into Millstreet, to shoot part of a documentary on the history of the Eurovision Song Contest (held in Millstreet 2011). They received a great welcome from the locals as normal, and had a great few days here. The documentary is called The Secret History of Eurovision Song Contest was aired yesterday (Monday 2nd May) on RTE1. If you missed it, you can still see it for the next few weeks on the RTE website. Above are a few screen grabs from the programme, and there are more below. [read more …] “The Secret History of the Eurovision Song Contest”
