The following was previously published
in the Nationalist over two weeks - 15th April and 22nd April 1983. It is an
account of Carlow town in the 1920's by Owen Burns who came from Limerick to
teach in the C.B.S. at Carlow
Part 1
I arrived in Carlow on a damp Friday evening delighted
to get away from foggy Limerick where I had been unwell for a long period.
On top of this, Limerick was a trouble spot where the Black and Tans carried
out nightly murders, upset the every-day lives of the people and even
interfered with children going to and in -school.
In fact two brothers were riddled to death in one of
their bloody forays. I felt Carlow would be a more peaceful place and I was
correct in my surmise.
I took a walk through Dublin St and Tullow St just to
have an idea of what the town was like. I was very agreeably surprised by
the cleanliness of the streets and the shop fronts which appeared as if they
had been painted or washed that morning.
No sign of decay, no of missing plaster from the shop
fronts; plenty of goods nicely arranged in the shop windows and the number
of shoppers showed that there was an amount of business being done!
On Monday I was introduced to my class of 80 pupils —
an enormous number for one teacher.
The schoolroom was small and dark, the children —
mostly middle class of that period were very clean and tidy, well fed and
happy.
When classes were large a monitor to help Brother in
charge was appointed by the Superior from one of the intermediate classes.
Two of these monitors who gave great assistance were Ned Haughney and Tom
Finn. They had a ‘magnificent’ wage of 5/- per week.
Were unable to pay
The Brothers were unable to pay more as they themselves
were badly off. Each morning the Brother in charge of a class collected the
‘fees’, usually a few pennies from each pupil. No pupil could be excluded
for not paying, nor were you allowed to coerce him into paying, or scold him
for not having the few pence.
Hese small amounts collected from each class helped the
financial position of the Brothers. Besides the help the Brothers were
allowed – with the permission of the Diocesan Authority – to make a
collection around an area of 5 or 6 miles of the town. If this permission
interfered with any Church collection it could be refused or postponed; this
seldom happened. The Brothers also ran an annual concert for 3 or 4 nights
to supplement the collection. .The Secondary School had one or two small
grants for science and woodwork, but these were soon swallowed up in
Secondary Teachers' salaries and in providing material for classes.
The Brothers since coming under the National Board
(1926-26) are now paid on a capitation basis and this frees them from the
above collections.
Many young Brothers laboured in Carlow before the
advent of the National Board: Bros. McSweeney, Madden, Brady, Maguire and
Keegan did Herculean work in preparing the pupils.
Many changes came with the National Board: no more
collections, no more monitors, all teachers trained and a clampdown on large
classes — all for the better.
First trained teachers
The first trained teachers employed were Jimmy Fender
from Co. Carlow. Patrick Lillis from Clare and Seamus O'Donoghue from Kerry.
These men on obtaining larger schools in other parts of the country, moved
out and other teachers employed.
The next teachers employed Christy Burns, Mick Snoddv
(R.I.P.) Willie O'Connor (R.I.P.) and Aidan Murray were from the town and
surrounding area and were the most devoted and sincerest bunch of teachers I
ever met.
A general inspection – which brought worries to every
teacher – was held every year. Marks were awarded to each teacher and
school – “inefficient,” “efficient” or “highly efficient.”
We set our sights on “highly efficient” and obtained it
at the first attempt. Carlow C.B.S. was the first school outside Dublin to
obtain this mark. I am referring of course to the Brothers school which came
under the National Board in 1925-’26.
Carlow was famous at that time for its “Gilbert and
Sullivan” operas.
People came from Waterford, Limerick, Wexford and other
places to hear and see the productions. Some of the finest singers in Carlow
were at their best in these productions; Jim Leonard, John Foley, Philomena
McDermot, Godfrey McDonald, William Mulhall, Patrick Bergin, Thomas
O’Rourke, Rose Jackson and Mrs Dempsey to name but a few.
There was also a very lively boat club in town. C.Y.M.S.
provided billiards and snooker for their members. Attached to the C.Y.M.S.
club was fine indoor alley where handball and other games were played
I had the pleasure of witnessing a championship in
handball being played there between Paddy Coyne — the local champion — and a
champion from Limerick whose name I forget.
It was a hardball championship which lasted three full
hours and five times the hardball had to be changed for new ones.
When playing in a soft hall championship it was no
uncommon thing for P. Coyne to return a service so strongly that the ball
burst in hemispheres on the floor.
Two codes of football
There were two codes of football played in Carlow at
that time; Gaelic, and Rugby.
As the ban was in force there was constant friction
between the two codes, but nothing untoward ever happened, It was said that
if you had not the proper accent for the “rugby war cry” “on the bawl Karlow,”
you were not admitted to the field. The "Gaelic war cry” was “kum on Karla.”
I formed a football team and the school took part in
the Midland League organised for pupils of the Christian Bros Schools in the
Midlands. Three years in succession the final was won by Carlow.
There were some very fine players in the schools at the
time; Mick Walsh (“Basher”), Frankie Fenlon (“Butsy”), Bill Fenlon, Bill
Trundle, Tony Croughan, Tony Hanlon, Danny Coughlan, Charles Byrne to name
but a few. We played Knockbeg College several times but were defeated on
every occasion except towards the end of my time in Carlow when we won after
a hectic encounter by a disputed goal. Fr. Shine was the backbone of
Knockbeg in those years.
A Boxing club was also established in the school. The
gymnasium with all the necessary gear was established at the rear of the
|Garda Barracks in Tullow Street. Sergeant MacBrinn gave us great help and
succeeded in providing medals and cups for the winners while Tommy Moloney –
the Garda Boxing Club’s trainer – came each week-end from Dublin to train
the pupils. Some pupils showed some promise in the sport but after a few
years interest in boxing waned.
In the early twenties a fair amount of trade was
carried by the barges on the Barrow, They were a common sight, loaded with
turf or barrels of Guinness or coal. Other products were also carried.
Before the coming of the E.S.B. Carlow had its own
generating station which gave every satisfaction. I don't ever remember a
serious break in the supply.
Across the Barrow from Carlow was Graigue-Cullen the
inhabitants of which at that time were sometimes referred to as the "Berks”.
Now whether this name was connected with a breed of a certain farm animal or
with Birkenhead across the water from Liverpool I could not find out.
There was a complete absence of serious crime during
the twenties in Carlow — no robberies, no burglaries, no murders, no
muggings, no attacks on old people or women.
There were numerous small breakages of the law usually
rectified by a fine in court. I remember there was one serious case of
vandalism in the manual room — furniture was thrown around, the floor was
soiled and several wood working tools broken and some stolen.
Some of the "know-alls' said the culprit would be found
in Bridewell Lane — the poorest quarter in town but I knew better. The
people of the Lane had their faults and I knew they would not do such a
thing, especially to the Christian Brothers, for whom they had great
respect. I was correct - the culprit was from one of the upper middle-class
who escaped by returning the tools, paying for the damage caused and
cleaning up the mess.
I visited Carlow about 10 years and I was sure
surprised at all the changes which had taken place. Bridewell Lane was
levelled, several old eyesores had disappeared and the new road linking the
Dublin Road with Kilkenny road was a master stroke.
I missed many of my old friends – long since gone to
their final resting place – but I will always have a warm regard for Carlow
where I gave some of my best years labouring with the children, many of whom
are now the business people in the town.
Part 2
The following group of photos were sent into the
Nationalis by Owen Burns together with some further
miscellaneous recollections of Carlow in the 20's.
Two classes of students from the C.B.S., Carlow, in the
1920’s when the writer of this article was teaching in the College Street
premises. On right are some boxing enthusiasts from the schools with their
trophies.
|
-
- Shield winners — back row (1. to r.): Stephen Kavanagh,
J. Walsh (captain), Patrick Corcoran. Front: Joe Brennan, John O'Brien, Con
Carroll,
|
- Edward Haughney, Pollerton Road (6 to 7 stone
champion).
|
Owen taught in Carlow as a Christian Brother from 1918
to 1930.
One thing completely "bugged" me — the Catechism lesson
after Children’s' Mass in the Cathedral. This boring lesson; lasted from 20
minutes to one full hour or more, depending on the humour of the priest in
charge. Sometimes the priest was anxious for breakfast after his Mass or a
game of golf on a fine day and curtailed the time but usually it lasted the
full hour. This was most annoying especially if you intended to pay a visit
to Croke Park for a championship match.
The priests of the parish worked very hard and gave
good service to the people. Father Gorry, though a bit pompous, was a very
kind man but Fr. Killian, a second Cure d'Ars, was a saint. He never had
much money as he gave every penny to the poor. Even his clothes showed his
poverty. A story is told that one day going to a sick call on his bicycle he
was drenched in a downpour. . While his clothes were drying he borrowed a
coat and trousers from Fr. Gorry. Shortly after another sick-call came and
as the other priests had gone out, Fr. Killian had to perform his duty. At
dinner he told the priests about a beggar man asking for an alms.
"I knew I had nothing in my pockets" said Fr. Killian
"but miracle of miracles!! I found a sovereign in my trousers pocket and I
gave it to the poor beggar".- "You and you're miracles"! said Fr. Gorry.
"You>forgot you were wearing my trousers".
Fr. Miller (Dr.) was the Bishop's Secretary but was
also Chaplain to the Mercy Convent. He also did some parish work. He had a
good knowledge of the Gaelic and helped in various ways in the preparation
of St. Patrick's Day Concert which was always a success. Fr. Dunny, a tall
athletic man, partial to raw onions, came to Carlow a short while before I
left the town.
There were two or three harmless characters who
enlivened the place by their antics. One of these — we'll call him "Paddy"
was a real character and God help you if you offended him in even the least
way he remembered the slight for months and if he met you in that time you
were sure to be collared and placed against a house front with no
possibility of escape while he gave a lecture punctuated with many of the
uncouth words of the period.
The present day four-lettered word was not generally
used in those days. Paddy never worked but picked up a few "bob" doing
various jobs here and there. On one occasion a new mattress appeared on the
market and a hardware merchant — a joker to his fingertips — decided to
increase his sales by some eye-catching crowd-pulling advertisement.
He finished his display window as a "posh" bedroom —
bed and bedding, table, bottles, books, etc. All he now wanted was an
occupant for the bed and the job fell to Paddy. Crowds came, looked, smiled
and walked away remarking about the prison-patterned pyjamas worn by Paddy.
Things were very quiet until 3 p.m. when the children got out of school.
It was bedlam around the window, shouts, grimaces,
cheers, curses from inside, ugly signs by the children. Poor Paddy could
stick it no longer, he jumped up, rushed out after the children and did not
finish his stint of advertising. I cannot say if this method of advertising
increased the merchant's sales.
Another character, Johnny, who was bill-poster and
bellman went to every picture in the cinema whenever a cowboy film was
shown. Crowds of children flocked in after him to be amused by Johnny's
antics and remarks.
This was the age of the silent films and it was nothing
uncommon to hear Johnny break in on the quiet whirring of the film machine
with remarks such as "Ye eejit keep down yer head". "Come out now ye fool
the Indians are gone" etc.
On one occasion a Railway Engine was shown approaching
at terrific speed. Johnny was so absorbed in the picture that he thought it
was the end for him and his wife. He grabbed her and threw her down between
the seats and lay on top of her to save her from the approaching train.
Rising after a while, he looked around in great surprise and yelled
"Christ!, Mary, we are safe". "The bloody train is gone".
Work was plentiful in Carlow in the early twenties and
very few idlers were to be seen. Thompson's Foundry, Governey's Boot Factory
and Corcoran's Lemonade factory absorbed any job seekers and when the Beet
Factory was established in 1926 hundreds from Carlow and the surrounding
area, (within a radius of twelve miles) had plenty of work.
