The use of mussel seed as a lime substitute in Kilcrohane, West Cork to the 1920s.

Pre 1845 the population of Kilcrohane was probably in excess of 10 times the present population. Every available piece of ground was pressed into service. It helped that the sea was nearby as sea sand and sea weed supplemented the soil which in some townlands was challenging to say the least.

One practice continued to the early 20th century , in some townlands the collection of mussel seed by scaping it from rocks in sea coves and later burning it as a lime substitute for the acidic soil. The mussel seed was known as ‘prash’.

In more modern times when mussel production began in Dumnaus Bay the seeds was again scraped from the rocks and used to fill the socks and again when they are depleted.

Tóg go bog an saol and tógfaidh as saol go bog leat (Take life aisy and life will take you aisy too), Life is like a old bag take a squeeze out it every now and them, from the Tailor and Ansty, The Tailor meets the Orangemen on the bridge over the Lagan in Belfast another Tailor and his Geese.

Tadgh Ó Buachall was a tailor from South Kerry but spent most of his life with his wife Anastasia (Ansty) in Gougán Barra. His wit, stories and attractive personality made their home a mecca for Cork intellectuals in the 1920 such as Frank O’Connor (Michael O’Donovan), Seán Ó Faoileáin and the sculptor Seamus Murphy. A pharmacist Eric Cross wrote their story “The Tailor and Ansty’. The book fell foul of the local Priest who had the tailor publicly burn it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tailor_and_Ansty

In his early years the tailor worked for a period in Glasgow and while on the way there was crossing the Lagan in Belfast when he was beset by Orangemen.

They demanded that he say F… the Pope or be thrown into the Lagan. He immediately said F.. the Pope. They were flabbergasted as no Belfast Catholic would say such a tuning. They asked him why and he said, “men its like this, there will always be a Pope but there is only one me”.

An unrelated tailor features in a story of Eamon Kelly the Kerry seanachaí (story teller). A tailor and his apprentice were working and he noticed that his goose, an iron used to put creases into suits was nearly worn out. He asked the apprentice to write for a new one and then he thought they should get another. They both them agonised as to whether they should say two tailor’s geese or gooses not wanting to be wrong and see foolish. Eventually he got a brainwave, Ladeen he says write off for one tailor’s goose, and put a ps in the letter, ‘while you are at it sent another.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eamon_Kelly_(actor)

In the 1940s and 50s Clonakilty as well as many other Cork towns was fairly ‘shook’. It is now bustling and has an air of prosperity. A lot of the old town has been refurbished in a sensitive manner and old shop fronts preserved. An interesting feature which other towns in West Cork share but not to the same extent is bi-lingual commercial signs. This is a sample.

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https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Clonakilty,+Co.+Cork/@51.6215054,-8.8886995,11z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x484456e82a9da0bd:0xa00c7a99731a490

Clonakilty (Cloich na Coillte), West Cork, Market House early 1600s to 1953 base for Town hall. Petty Session Courts and Early Lawyers from area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clonakilty

Cork Lawyers:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AqhnQGE3ANjzdEkxdVM0YVNzbzFHbV8tRGxNM2pmMWc#gid=0

Clonaklity
1818 Borough under Charter of James 1 with poweer to hold sessions for breaches of the peace and acourt of record for debts under £20 A Seneschal Court for debts of £10 and this being cheaper the record court is not often employed, In 1818 those confined to prison are for trifling offences drunkeness, petty broils, most of those arrested for debts have settled with their creditors
1639 Died Nicholas Barham His Majesties Commissioner for Conservation of the Peace Grandfather Baron Barham, father Arthur, Maidstone, Kent wife Rebecca Daughter Rebecca m Joh Snelling owner of fishery Whiddy island, Mary m William Slader Crookhaven
1862 Gerard Henry Fitzjames Barry King’s Inns Admissions Glandore, son Redmond, Commissioner of Fisheries late Customs Clerkunder 26.
1826 John Macan, Assistant Barrister, Co. Cork appointed Civil Process Officers Andrew McCarthy, James Brien both Rosscarbery
1824 James Bennett Attorney Sovreign St Slater’s Directory 1824
1820 Robert Burton Barrister 1720 Petition to Chief Secretary for posiyion of Coadjutor Barrister for Clon, Bandon, bantry, Skib and for son as Tidewaiter, Clon. Refers to layalty of Grandfather’s when Lord Mayor of Dublin. Chief Secretary papers
23rd December 1812 Rickard Deasy TCD King’s Inns Admissions, Attorney General, Baron Court Exchequer, Appeal Court Judge 2nd son Rickard Mary Anne Cotter Inns 1831 Associated with ‘Deasys Act’ conveyancing and Judge, family Brewers One of extended family founded IFA in 1960s Rickard Deasy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landlord_and_Tenant_Law_Amendment_(Ireland)_Act_1860 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickard_Deasy Died 6th May 1883 at 41 Merrion Square, late Carysford, Blackrock, Lord Justice of Appeal. probate to Hugh O’Connor, 51 Upper Sackville St and John V Cassidy 53 Upper Mount St executors Effects £37,960 6s 9dresworn £38,396 15s 10d
1822 Alexander Donovan Admitted Grey’s Inns Eldest son James
1848 John Freke Evans BA TCD Admitted Grey’s Inns Ash Hill Towere Limerick and Milltown Castle (Castlefreke?), 31, 5th son Eyre
1819 Thomas Hungerford Attorney Rosscarbery memorial 504428
1879 Wiliam Frances Bence Jones Admitted Inner Temple, London
1887 Reginald Bence Jones Admitted Inner Temple, London Lisellan, only son of William Barrister, St. John’s College, Oxford
1750 William Bence Jones Attorney Also Lisselane, Clonakilty, held ‘Important public situations’ possibly descended from Welsh Jones Landed Estated Database
1824 John Lucas Attorney North-ring Slater’s Directory 1824
1829 Michael McCarthy Councellor Sister in law wife of brother Daniel died Jan 1829 O’Connell newspaper extracts, Dr Casey Vol 6 2092
1846 Eugene McCarthy Attorney Rosscarbery Slater’s directory
1826 Thomas O’Keeffe Admitted Grey’s Inns 4th son late Daniel
1824 James Spiller Attorney Barrack-St. Slater’s Directory 1824
1824-1885 Horace Payne Townsend TCD Lincolns Inn 1851 Derry, Roscarbert, son of Ew Chambre Corker Frances Vere Stewart, did not practice stock exchange investor, involved in bringing railway to Clonakilty Col John Townsend item 5D12
1764-1849 Commander John Townsend Recorder and Seneschal rom 1801 Had been in RN, son of Ohipil Mary Delap, m Eleanor Townsend and in Ross cathedral 1819 Agnes Somerville, Under him as Recorder sessions were held every quarter and peace is maintanined – Horatio Townsend. Also Freeman of Cork Colonel John Townsend Australia history item 316
1691-1756 John Townsend TCD Barrister 1720 Skirtagh. TCD 1708 first of Townsend family to qualify in law, father Colonelbryan Townsend Mary Synge, married Katherine Barry, did not practice. Freemn Clonakilty 1715. Colonel John Townsend Australia, family history item 300
1824 Edward Williamson Attorney Rosscarbery Pigot’s Directory Slater’s Directory 1824
1859- Thomas William Wright MA Solicitor, Registrar for Hon Justice wright, King’s Bench, Dublin Shannon Square, Clonakilty, apprenticed to father later parter with brother Henry T. Educated Portrora Enniskillen TCD, MA,
1845 Thomas R Wright Solicitor Fern Hill sons Henry Thomas 1850, Thomas Willam 1859
1850- Henry Thomas Wright Solicitor, clerk of Crown and Peace for East Riding, Registrar of Cork Local Bankruttcy and Admiralty Fern Hill, Cloakilty and Mardyke, Cork. Portora Royal School, Enniskillen, m Ethel second d of henry James Hungerford, Cahirmore, Rosscarbery, 2 son 3 daughters Pile Biograph, 1909

Inspector General for Trade and Manufacture of Linen and Hemp, Peter Besnard visited the market at Cloghnikilty (Clonakilty), West Cork, 31st January 1817 and laid out the place for the Linen Market and Julius Besnard Sail Factory ‘the largest in the Kingdom’ and one of largest in World during Naploeonic Wars, Douglas, Cork.

The Besnards were of Huguenot origin and were prominent in Cork business and Maritime matters in the 18th and early 19th century.

The Douglas Sail Cloth factory was in it heyday one of the largest in the world employing up to 1,000 hands. It is probably on the site of the former Douglas Wollen Mills.

http://books.google.ie/books?id=okBXvLkDR_gC&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=besnard+sail+cloth+factory+cork&source=bl&ots=k0YqcXUOHf&sig=BQJYI5Tt7JPJ-908tYWIGEczqaU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=8ykfVMl0zeDtBom8gMAL&ved=0CEsQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=besnard%20sail%20cloth%20factory%20cork&f=false

From the Unpublished Diaries of Rev. John Rogers. Staying with Poor Methodists in Gubeen, Schull, West Cork, 1803, ‘I slept very little, and almost wishes I was home, I was sick in my stomach,  nothing but potatoes morning and evening’  He later Married 1810 Mary Croston in Crookhaven Church.  Arthur Young 1770 on the Irish predilection for potatoes.

Arthur Young

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/arthur-young-travels-in-ireland-1770/

‘The Uglier Foot’, recorded from Mrs Sweeney, 1936, Gortnafunshion, Ballymakeera, Co. Cork

Daniel O’Connell in Folklore

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/invitation-by-henry-townsend-dl-1839-on-behalf-of-the-reformers-of-the-west-riding-of-cork-to-daniel-oconnel-mp-to-dinner-in-bandon-co-cork-with-200-liberals-in-attendance-including-francis-ber/

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/election-of-daniel-oconnell-8th-july-1828-from-diary-of-amhlaoimh-o-suilleabhain-humphrey-osullivan/

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/2013/03/15/daniel-oconnell-addresses-monster-meeting-of-500000-on-repeal-in-skibbereen-june-1843/

‘The Hour of Death’, recorded 1933 from Muircheartach Ó Sé, Adrigole, Beara Peninsula.

An t-Amhráinín Síodmamín, The Bandon Buck goes to Kinsale, probably pre 1800 translated from Irish by James N Healy.