There are many stories still circulating in the abea about the Canon. A man of extraordinary energy with a genius fro organisation, a native of Castlerea, Co. Roscommon.:
The Canon was in the habit of going north from time to time. His brother was the Bishop of Clogher. would get the train from Bantry to Cork and then to Belfast via Dublin taking his bicycle with him. Up north he would cycle around; perhaps he had been a curate in some of the parishes.
In the 1930s the roads in the North were far superior to those in the South. It was not until the late 1940s that the secondary roads were tarred and the minor road in the mid 1960s.
In the North it became the practice to put studs into horse shoes.
Studs are small metal projections that screw into the horse’s shoes. They’re used to give him better grip on various types of footing, from firm and slippery to soft and boggy. They’re great if the horse loses his focus in less-than-ideal footing or to give him extra traction when doing road work.
For some reason studs were illegal in the Free State.
The Canon wished to bring some down from one of his northern trips. He took the saddle off his bike and filled the hollow of the frame with studs and replaced the saddle. The bike passed over the border no problem and the Canon and his bike with studs arrived safely in Durrus.
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1Canon McManaway. M.A., (1883-1954)
This give an idea of his extraordinary energy and dedication to local development. It will be updated:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/198wrEKM259o2b2iZgqvuTi4Yn8WnYOh5kDLSt9Ojvf4/edit
A True Patriot Canon, John James. (Johnny) McManaway, M.A., (1887-1954), Durrus, Dunmanway
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https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/38720
1941, Drinagh Co-Op, A Real West Cork Success Story Report 1942 Effects of ‘Emergency’, Attempting to Convert Trucks Driven by Gas from Irish Anthracite, Brutal State of Roads, Visit by Committee Members R. Ellis T. Sweetnam to Pig Farm of Sandy McGuigan, Cloughmills, Co. Antrim was reputed to be the world’s largest pig farmer at that time. Carbery Milk Products.
https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/39290
Opening of Drinagh Co-Op Creamery, 1933, Durrus by Father Crowley, Drinagh assisted by Canon McManaway.
https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/15749
1936 and 1937 Durrus Agricultural Shows, 700 Entries.
West Cork History 