Bawnboy and Templeport
History Heritage Folklore
by Chris Maguire

 
 

Workers in Business Houses.

 

The first barman we know of in Cosgrove's pub was John McGinn of Derrycassan. He was a son of Pat who had come with his family to Bawnboy before the turn of the century. Mrs. McGriskin was running the bar at the time, and John spent a good few years there until he moved to Sligo. When William Mullally bought the pub, Owen Clarke from Derrylin became barman and Dan Reilly worked in the bottling store.

In the 1930s Rita Candon and Tom Coogan were bar-tenders and when Rita returned to the west of Ireland and Tom Coogan to his new pub in Belturbet - The Yukon Bar, Christy McCormack and his sister Molly took over as assistants in Mullallys pub and grocery. Eventually these two returned to Manorhamilton where they opened a shop and Mary Lee and Kathleen Wynne looked after the Mullally business. A few years later Mary Lee left Bawnboy, married Eugene Kiernan of Ballymagauran and reared a large family. Eugene died in the 1980s. Kathleen Wynne however, remained in Mullallys for a very long time and eventually went westward and married. The Mullally place was sold in 1969.

Other employees with the Mullally family were Frank (Sperrit) McGovern from Moherreagh who looked after the Mullally farm and out-houses. In the kitchen at the same time was Mary Morris from Swanlinbar. There was many a high-pitched argument between these two which the neighbours could clearly hear. On one occasion the argy-bargy reached such a high pitch that Mrs. Susan Mullally intervened. Frank however, refused to be consoled. When Susan Mullally told Frank she would have Mass of the Holy Ghost offered for him, he gave up the row - he didn't need anybody's prayers so he strode back to his work. Frank retired eventually and a good-humoured young man called Paddy Darcy took his place. Paddy was a good worker, enjoyed a game of handball or football and later transferred to another job in Ballinamore. New hands were then employed, John Kellegher, Kildoagh and John McGahern, Kilsob. John Kellegher was one of the promising young footballers of his time and won Junior Championship and Senior League medals with Templeport in 1942 and 1945. He worked in Fermanagh for a few years and emigrated to England. His death at an early age was a shock to the people of Bawnboy. John McGahern went to London, married, and has a family there. When his wife died he married again. He has done well for himself.

Frank Gallagher spent several years as factotum about Mullallys. He drove the van to stores, markets and railway stations and for a while had a little car of his own. Barney Muldoon worked in the vegetable garden and acted as beekeeper for the Mullally family. He had an uncanny knack of keeping his bees under control. He wore no gloves or masks, the bees might crawl all over him and yet - and I saw it all - no stings.

In time Mary Morris retired to Swanlinbar and her place as domestic, was taken in turn by Kathleen Lynch, Molly Baxter and Brigid McGuigan. When Seán and Peggy O'Reilly took over Mullally's pub in 1969 they employed Mary McGovern, Knockmore who had some experience of bar work, to give a hand. Later, when John McVitty bought the place, Mary was still there to lend a hand. Gabriel Fee was also employed there, as was his brother, Roddy. In the later years of the McVitty ownership, Lena McGovern was a constant employee except for a term when she was ill and Breda McHugh took on the job. Since Noel Smith became owner he has been in constant attendance there himself. Roddy Fee was also employed there for a number of years but Colm McTeggart has been a constant employee for a good number of years. Colm's sister Lucinda and the Murphy girls from Bawnboy, Siobhán and Catherine, give a hand at busy weekends and on special occasions. In the early days in the Rocks of Bawn, Darren and Rónan Rudden worked there.

James Cafferty employed many young men in his bar and grocery in Kilsob, and these having served their apprenticeship moved on to bigger towns and cities. Jim Moran from Aughnasheelin went from Cafferty's to Dublin, where his son Kevin made a name for himself by helping Dublin to an All-Ireland G.A.A. title and later by winning an English Cup medal with Manchester United. Jim Dolan was the next assistant and was followed by Pat Rourke. Tom Prior who came next left Bawnboy to establish a very successful pub trade in Ballinamore. Michael Conlan, star handballer and Eddie McKiernan, Cronera were next to work there.

In the private part of the house Annie Maguire, Scrabby, Margaret Tubman and Annie McGovern, Owencam, who later on became Mrs. Darcy, looked after the welfare of the owner and his staff. Later still Mary Anne Darcy, Owencam worked in this same pub, as also did her daughter, Lena Brennan - three generations of the same family. At present Michael McGovern, Ballymagirril, is the regular barman and has been helped at times by Andrea Dolan, Noreen Maguire and Emma McHugh. Others who worked there are Paul and Fiona McCann, Melita and Margaret Brady, and Karen Osborne.

 

Next
Next page

Back up to TOP of this page