Bawnboy and Templeport
History Heritage Folklore
by Chris Maguire

 
 
Bawnboy village
( Paragraph numbers on the left refer to house locations on the navigation index map)
 

We pass the supermarket and turn left. There is a fine stone wall to our left which long ago curved around the corner, to the main street and was a favourite gathering place in the long evenings and on Sunday afternoons. Young and old from the surrounding areas joined in groups and sat on the wall while discussing the events of the day or week, ‘and jokes went round and harmless chat!’

50) A small house to the right, the Bridge Store, which belonged to the Corner House was put to many uses over the years. Small travelling companies especially those with games such as darts, rings, shooting gallery or bagatelle would set themselves up there. The last-mentioned game which required skill and precision often carried on at night into the small hours as two or three of the more skilful contestants fought or played it out, to the delight of the games boss. Then again, the store was used as a butcher's shop. The older people will remember Eugene Morahan for his meat shop. He lived with his wife in the house attached to the Post Office in Kilsob. His nephew, Joe Harkin was the local champion sprinter. Earlier still, the Corrigans from Fermanagh used the same store while in the 1930s the Greens (or Greenans) of Ballinamore parked their meat van in the main street opposite Phil Reilly's pub.

51) Over the bridge we go and into Kilsob. The Keepers Arms, erected 150 years ago by John Maguire from Fermanagh, is still a splendid cut-stone building. John Creden, Enniskillen was the contractor. On the premises the owner had a bar, a bakery, grocery, hardware, dressmaking and millinery. He married Sarah McManus and reared a large family, Patrick, Thomas Connelly, Andrew, Mary Teresa, John Francis, Charles, Margaret Gertrude and Emily Florence.

Eileen Marron, Philomena O'Dowd and Nora Bell

School Pals Eileen Marron, Philomena O'Dowd and Nora Bell, with the Ulster Bank, Bawnboy in the background (in James Cafferty's).

 

Paddy Devine on his bicycle

Paddy Devine, Derrymony.
He remembered Joe Biggar M.P. speaking from a window on the second floor of Maguires Shop, now 'The Keeper's Arms'. Paddy was ten years old and baerfooted.

52) To the rear of the premises was a Petty Sessions Court which met every second Monday, presided over by such as R.H.Johnstone, J.P., Bawnboy House; Edward Hunt, J.P., Owendoon; Bernard McManus, and James Magauran, Coroner, Derrynacreeve. After the turn of the century the Court sat on the first Monday of the month with George Scales as Clerk.

Bawnboy fair and market were also held on the first Monday of the month. The fair green was the property of John Maguire. Dealers came from all over the country and sometimes 'tis said, from England. After 1887 when the Cavan and Leitrim Railway opened, the cattle were driven to Bawnboy Road Railway Station and sent by rail, northwards by Belturbet and southwards by Dromod. Buyers travelled the night before the fair and stayed in the houses near to the railway station.

The Maguire family continued in Kilsob until the 1920s during which time they acquired more property including the corn mill and were immediate lessors of several holdings in the village. Charlie, son and heir to the estate did not possess the business abilities of his father and gradually a great establishment went downhill. James Cafferty from Aughnasheelin took over the property, confined himself to running a bar, grocery and some hardware, and quietly made his reputation as a successful businessman. Later on he was joined by his brother, Austin and a number of young men served their time there with success.

In the late '40s the Cassidy family form Bundoran bought the place and carried on the business until the mid '50s. They were succeeded by John Donohoe (Bellaheady), wife Phyllis from Milltown and children, Gabriel, Catherine, Pauric and Eugene until 1960 when they sold to Billy Roland and moved to Co. Fermanagh. Tommy and Kathleen Ball, who a short time previously had lost their house in a fire, bought the pub from Roland and in the mid sixties the place was taken over by Kevin Ball, brother of Tommy, and his wife. In the early 1970s the Mulvanny family bought the place and two years later sold it to John Regan who kept it for four years. Frank Corrigan became the proprietor then. Frank and Isabella brought to an end the short terms of ownership which had been the practice of many previous owners of this bar. Frank's connection with the G.A.A. was an advantage and Gráinne's marriage to a Dublin G.A.A. star Charlie Redmond, strengthened the connection. Owen, Rosemary, Elizabeth and Bernadette all contributed to fourteen years of successful bar tending in Bawnboy.

Brian McKiernan is the present owner and he chose a name for his house, The Keepers' Arms, which echoes his exploits as Templeport goalie. Sheila, his wife an enterprising businesswoman keeps on surprising us with her creative ideas. The other important part of her work is caring for her children.

The Keeper's Arms

The Keeper's Arms with the new extention 1999, Bawnboy

 

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Last update: 31 October, 2009 11:26