Tommy Fitzpatrick

Tommy Fitzpatrick  

Male  

1919  

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-  

September 19, 2015  

PERSONAL INFORMATION - Tommy was born in Tullassa, parish of Inch & Kilmaley in 1919 and lived there up to 60 years ago.  

MATCH MADE, MARRIAGE & MOVING TO CONNOLLY - He stayed in digs in Parnell Street in Ennis (he left home when his brother got married) before marrying to Mary Reidy (Mary Jim Dan), Glaun, Connolly at age 31 – match made by John Shannon, Cloonanaha; got married Fr. Stewart in Kilmaley church on Shrove Tuesday 1951; dowry of £150 given to wife’s parents; reception at Ennis; party at wife’s house; moved to wife’s home place in Connolly; preferred to live in the country; reconstructed the house. Glaun townland. Wife’s mother lived to age 86 - kidneys problems  

FAMILY - 12 siblings; 9 siblings survived – 6 brothers and 3 sisters; Tommy youngest of family; 3 died young “gone to the grave” (Paddy, Gretta & Timmy) before Tommy was born – probably ailments such as diphtheria & whooping cough; parents from Tullassa - his father Paddy married Mary Barry - a match; “all matches” then; one sister went to USA on the Star Line & 40 years passed before she made a visit home (by plane); another sister Lily went to Dublin & later married Pato Barry, Inagh (son of Garrett Barry, blind piper); 2 siblings alive now – Micho at home place in Tullassa & his sister Kathy (now 92 & in good health) in Inagh (married Michael Callinan & had family of 10) His brother Jack took over the Tullassa home place married Teresa Hehir & had family of 5; Micko, single stayed in Tullassa too. His nephews P.J. and Bernie live nearby. Tommy 10th youngest - born on 25th November 1919.  

HOUSE, FARM & FARMING - Description of his parents’ 2 farms – home place & outside farm at Cappanlea (18 Irish acres bought by his father); location in the parish – 4 miles from Ennis.  

SCHOOL DAYS, TEACHERS, DISCIPLINE, SUBJECTS - School days in Kilnamona (nearer than Inch or Kilmaley); walked to school across the fields & some by road; recalls going barefoot on fine days; story of jumping over a hay-machine in a field; recalls names of teachers -Brigid & Joe Keating (not husband & wife), Julia Keating, Mrs Hegarty & Michael Kelleher (from Kilnaboy/Corofin); mentions some “wicked” & slaps with sticks V no hitting now; he enjoyed school – liked reading & writing; left at age 16; recalls playing hurling & kicking football.  

MORE ABOUT HIMSELF & HIS FAMILY - More about his siblings; one sister, still alive is older than him; another sister, Bridie went to Ballynacally (married – match); hard times & health in past times; effects of flu. Tommy was born on 25th November 1919. He is now “on the road to 92”.  

SCHOOL DAYS, GAMES PLAYED, BRINGING FIREWOOD TO SCHOOL AT WINTER - Parents brought half creel of turf by ass & cart.  

BOGS & TURF - Carmody’s bog, between Inagh & Connolly – 365 acres – 1/2p an acre then  

HOMEPLACE - All houses reared big families of 8-12 in his young days Description of home house in Tullassa – thatch roof, 1 storey, 3 rooms, kitchen & loft upstairs  

JOBS IN THE HOUSE & FARM, COMPULSORY TILLAGE - 5 acres of arable land - barley, oats, potatoes, mangles & vegetables; ploughed with horse; plenty of mouths to feed but lots of help  

DIFFERENT TIMES THEN TO NOW - No soft hand-outs, dole, social welfare or much education. People “lived off the land”  

HOUSE DANCES & WORK DAYS - House dances held when yanks came home from USA; often walked to the dances; often little sleep before going to work; “youth of today wouldn’t do it”  

WORK LIFE WITH CLARE CO. COUNCIL - Tommy worked with Clare County Council at aged 21/22 on the “new line”, the tar road from Inagh to Ennis through Shallee for 9 months; he travelled all the local roads by bicycle  

MUSIC, DANCING, RECITATIONS, STORY-TELLING & SOCIAL ENTERTAINMENT - Dancing, house dances when “yanks” returned home from America or England; Tommy walked with his neighbour Gerdie Commane and his cousin Johnny Hickey; more house dances at Kilnamona than Connolly; names some houses; 7 or 8 musicians on stage; names some musicians; not much crossroads dancing – mostly in houses; they often gathered at Fitz’s house before going to a house dance & often this was better than the actual house dance; recalls platform dancing in Kilnamona; Tommy didn’t play music but his brother Micho plays harmonica & regularly plays in pubs; Tommy’s brother Jack played melodeon; his uncle played concertina; danced Caledonian set & waltzes; songs & recitations popular at house dances; refers to a neighbour’s recitation; Tommy often danced as a girl & taught by Tommy Hogan; often went from dances to work without any sleep.  

FARM WORK - Farm jobs after school – looking after cattle, gathering hay, picking stones, building walls, spreading manure, etc Tommy worked at home on the farm, other farmers & a gardener after leaving school as a teenager; in the evenings; not much free time; digging potatoes “praties”; Tommy often worked for local farmers when not with the Council - cutting turf, etc - paid work. low wages  

CLOTHES - Recalls his grandfather buying him a short trousers & pullover  

DRUMCLIFF - Some family members buried in Drumcliff, near Ennis  

MORE ABOUT FARM WORK - Animals – 8 cows, horses, pony, no sheep, milked cows by hand; Butter-making - separating the milk churns & selling 1 or 2 firkins (some kept for own use) to Joe Malone in the Cornmarket in Ennis on Saturdays – done to the 40s/50s; sent 60-70lbs butter by bus to Ennis; mentions Reidy’s yard; testing the butter for water main form of income was selling cattle (weanlings) & butter; he often with his parents to the market in Ennis on Saturdays  

FAIRS - Held during the summer & in winter at the Fairgreen in Ennis & Clarecastle; Tommy helped with taking animals to fairs; often got up at 3am & walked with his cousins in Garrynagry (2 miles west) to Kilmaley (3 miles away) with over 20 cattle, bought by one buyer & taken to the railway station in Ennis; payment of 5 shillings & dinner for helping  

STONE WALLS & THATCHING - He could build stone walls & thatched his house at Connolly.  

WAGES - First wages at Clare County Council were small – 35 shillings weekly. Best money he ever got was working with ESB (digging holes & laying pole lines) for few months in 1942 at Kilnamona & West Clare; gave some money to parents; Tommy worked at home on the farm when not employed with the Council.  

PARISH INVOLVEMENT - Mostly with Kilnamona though in the parish of Inch/Kilmaley; went to Kilnamona church.  

SPORT - Played hurling & kicked football as a pastime at Tullassa in Hickey’s field.  

F.C.A. & SPORT & SOCIAL ACTIVITIES - Tommy went to summer (2 week) training camps in Lahinch from age 18/19 for 11 years; also Collins Barracks in Cork; had a great time - played football on the strands at Lahinch & Youghal & went to dances in Cork City hall (ballroom & sets).  

CHURCH, MISSIONS, STATIONS & HOLY WELLS - Went to church in Kilnamona (nearer) though in Kilmaley/Inch/Connolly parish (crossed up through the felds); recalls the missions held every few years; stalls - rosary beads, holy medals, etc sold; Holy Father – great voice & preacher; sermons at the 3 masses; Recalls house stations at Tullassa; every house got a turn; mass & confessions held; describes the breakfasts; tells a story – “Mass was both good for the body & soul!”  

GARDAÍ - Story of cycling home by night & stopped by Gardaí. Local Garda station in Inagh; had been a station in Maurices Mills  

HOLY WELLS - Holy Well of the 9 Yellow Daughters at Gortmore near Tullassa – cure for sore eyes; story of his eye cured; St. Peter & Paul Well, Newhall on 29th June – recalls doing rounds & saying prayers; more about the Holy Well of the 9 Fridays at Gortmore near Tullassa  

WREN DANCES/SOIREES - Recalls wren dances/soirees – held at Inch & Lough Burke; often 2 nights held at Christmas  

MUSIC - Says his family got the music (strain) from his mother’s side (Barrys) - learned out of their own heads or heard from others; his brothers played - Micho plays harmonica & regularly plays in pubs & Jack played melodeon.  

TULLASSA PIPE BAND - His brother Jack, melodeon, 2 Commanes & Bernie Moran played in drums & pipes; started by Michael McMahon; band played at sports days eg Cree & Clonbony; collected money to support the band.  

SPORTS DAYS - At Inagh & Kilnamona, shot putt, races, wheel of fortune, skittles; recalls rhyme at wheel of fortune- “devil of hair….”; mentions athletics; played for fun & exercise; recalls drinks - pints 10p.  

SONG - Sings song “Brigid Hogan” (Patsy McGann)  

FAMILY INFORMATION - More about his family and the farm in Tullassa; his father passed away in his 80s; his mother was married at 19 & passed away at age 55 (heart attack).  

LONGEVITY & HEALTH - Blessed with good health due to work & exercise; age is only a number.  

HOLY WELL - More about the Holy Well of the Nine Yellow Daughters at Gortmore near Tullassa.  

SPORTS & GAMES – Road bowling played before he was born; recalls pitch & toss – coins at crossroads in Tullassa; value of money.  

SONGS - Learned songs from people & gramophones; sings a few verses of song “Dear Doctor John”.  

MUSIC & DANCE - Jigging done if no live music for a set; Tommy enjoyed dancing & understands music.  

TRANSPORT & WEST CLARE RAILWAY - Tommy travelled on the West Clare Railway once with his sister on Garland Sunday to Lahinch; mentions getting the bus from Kilnamona to Ennis buses from Kilnamona to Ennis; often walked to Ennis 4.5 miles away; he had a bicycle when working in the council in his 20s.  

TRAVEL - Recalls trips to Tipperary, Wexford, Waterford & Offaly – went to the Ploughing Championships X 4 years; big farms & great land versus Clare; didn’t travel outside Ireland.  

MORE ON FARMING - Ploughing: – 8 acres of tillage when he was growing up; his brother a great plough-man with 2 horses; use of potato “pratie”- digger; food and entertainment after the ploughing Threshing done up to 50s-60s – machine operator Andy O’Meara from East Clare; neighbours gathered to help; long days; description of threshing; names farms where threshing was done.  

EMIGRATION – Siblings scattered around Ireland and abroad – 1 to Dublin & 2 to America; first cousins to UK (teachers & lady doctor); Tommy was asked to UK but it was not “allotted for him” – he didn’t want to leave the farm.  

WORK DAYS – He worked with a farmer in Bushy Park setting vegetables, etc Moved to farm in Connolly. Theirs was last house in Connolly (parish of Connolly/Inch/Kilmaley) – bordering Mullagh; at bottom of The Hand hill; approx 10 miles from home house in Tullassa to new house in Connolly - he moved from the far eastern end of the parish to the far western end. Reconstructed the house. Farmed 50 acres – good land & view; milked cows & reared calves. Travelling creamery at Kinturk – lorry & tanks; went to Coore creamery in later years.  

CINEMA - Tommy recalls walking from Tullassa to the cinema in Ennis (4.5 miles) - tells story of a film.  

GERDIE COMMANE - Refers to neighbours Gerdie & his sister Phil Commane & how music “followed on in the breed”; Tommy recalls Gerdie and shares stories about him and his music.  

HORSES - Tommy’s brother Jack at Tullassa bought and sold & trained horses for farm work.  

PUBS & SOCIAL ENTERTAINMENT - Tommy & his wife often went to sessions & sing-songs; Tommy loved music and dancing; dancing in the house; sessions at Kearney’s pub, Connolly; recalls hearing Willie Clancy. Miltown piper; enjoyed the “craic” & chat. Laments loss & closing of Gleesons pub in Coore. Cards & gambles at Christmas; ½ crown a head.  

BLESSED WELLS & CURES - A claimed cure for sickness (empty reaching) in people at local well; people used cures for yellow jaundice; describes some cures; his father had a cure for fluke; talks about Owen Hegarty, Kilnamona & his cure for ringworm.  

TRANSPORT - People walked, cycled & used horse and side car First car seen – model A baby Austin owned by P. Doohan; Tommy didn’t drive; no cars in his time.  

FISHING & BOATS - Recalls fishing for roach & trout at Islandgar Lake with his brother & cousin; Mickey Brown, tailor had a boat.  

CLOTHES - Recalls his clothes made by Mickey Brown; in early days, his mother mended & “pieced” them; parcels from America; bought clothes at Baldy Armstrong’s in Ennis.  

WAKES & FUNERALS - Wakes & funeral parlours; clay pipes for men & snuff for women; banshee story at Tullassa – crying & mourning; women paid by the family of deceased person; fairies & superstitions: story.  

MEMORIES OF WAR YEARS WAR OF INDEPENDENCE – Recalls going to school at age 6 & group of Black & Tans; bad times; Lisroe story – master & sow shot; Paddy McKee, postman shot & escaped though affected his mind; doesn’t recall safe houses; recalls Rineen Ambush & “blackguarding” at Ennistymon  

MARRIAGE & DOWRIES - Tommy married Mary Reidy (Mary Jim Dan) from Connolly at age 31; married on Shrove Tuesday 1951 in Kilmaley church; reception held in Ennis and session after at their house in Connolly; Tommy paid the dowry of 150 pounds to her family; Mary deceased – died in hospital after a bad flu 14 years ago  

FCA INVOLVEMENT - Member of Kilnamona LDF group for about 11 years; he didn’t continue with FCA after moving to Connolly in 1951.  

MUSIC, DANCING, RECITATIONS, STORY-TELLING & SOCIAL ENTERTAINMENT - House dances held when girls home from US or UK; more house dances at Kilnamona than Connolly; names some houses & some musicians; names of the 7 or 8 musicians on stage; not much crossroads dancing – mostly in houses; they often gathered at Fitz’s house before going to a house dance & often this was better than the actual house dance; recalls platform dancing in Kilnamona; story of Peggy Barrett, a Kilnamona neighbour.  

PRESENT DAY LIFE - Moved to Kilmaley Day Care Centre 6 years ago; had hip replacement; nieces help him; more freedom & company; spends 4 days at KDCC; gets his dinner & has a home help X 1 weekly; enjoys KDCC activities, singing & waltzing.  

ELECTRIFICATION - Recalls electricity coming to Kilnamona & Tullassa in 1942; he worked with ESB for some months – describes their work; see working life above.  

COMPARING LIFE NOW TO PAST & CHANGES - Big changes; more houses now & old houses gone. More trees planted & forestry. Less gardens planted now; lot of public houses now closed down. No soft hand-outs eg dole or much education in the past. He sold his farm over 25 years ago; he & wife stayed more years after that but now house closed up; dangers of living alone. Recalls learning Irish; said a few words of a rhyme.  

FAMILY & SOCIALISATION – Tommy has about 20 nieces & nephews in Ireland & some in America. Tommy enjoys a few glasses of Guinness – good nourishment; rarely goes to pub now; often walked many miles to fairs, Willie Clancy music or other events; used go to sessions at Kearney’s in Connolly or McCarthy’s & Gleeson’s in Coore; enjoys the ‘craic’ & chat; his brother Micho attends KDCCC weekly; enjoys annual Christmas session of music & songs at his home place in Tullassa with his niece’s in-laws (Cotters) & neighbours. More about his family and the farm in Tullassa; his father passed away in his 80s; his mother was married at 19 & passed away at age 55 (heart attack) Longevity & health: His health is good; “age is only a number, its health that counts”; attributes work & exercise to his longevity. His sister and brother are both alive.  

COMPARING LIFE NOW TO PAST & CHANGES - Big changes; more houses now & old houses gone; modern V thatched; bay windows & 2 storeys; houses costing thousands; world “expensive and modern”; good times couldn’t last!  

SINGING PROJECT - Tommy enjoyed his involved in singing project at KDCC & recorded some songs.  

NEIGHBOURS - Mentions knowing Henry & Frank Greene, Kilnamona (interviewer Geraldine Greene’s grandfathers and granduncles); sings chorus of song “Far Away in Australia”, a song often sung by Frank Greene.  

NEIGHBOURS –Mentions knowing Jim & Frank Mescall, Kilnamona (interviewer Geraldine Greene’s grandfathers and granduncles).