Ballyporeen, Cahir - Book of County Tipperary, 1889

Population 632 in 1881.—Trout-fishing.

Ballyporeen, in the parish of Templetenny, barony of Iffa and Offa, west, is 11 miles, Irish, to the south west of Cahir, and 16 miles south west of Clonmel. It is close to the northern slope of the Knockmealdown mountains, in a good farming country. The village consists for the greater part of well built slated houses, and gives the stranger a most favorable impression of the thrift of the inhabitants. Markets for the sale of butter, eggs, fowl, etc., established in 1889, are held every Monday and Friday, and there have been other evidences of prosperity. Fairs for cattle, sheep, and pigs are held 12th May, 21st August, and 17th December, and are well attended by sellers and buyers. A proposition is in abeyance to form a connection by light railway between Fermoy and Cahir, taking in Ballyporeen, Clogheen and Ballylooby. A few years ago a branch of the Convent of Mercy, Cahir, was established here for teaching and visitation. Buildings were erected at a cost of about £2,000. The Sisters teach a school, under the National Board of Education. The Catholic Church is a plain, cruciform building of large seating capacity. At the head of the principal thoroughfare there is a Protestant Church, with handsome tower. It was built over sixty years ago, but has not been used as a place of worship for several years. The River Duag, running through Ballyporeen, is good for trout. There are limestone quarries in the district, and first-rate pastures for cattle and sheep. The principal crops are oats and potatoes. About 160 young men engage in athletic exercises under the rules of the G. A.A., with which they are in association, under the name of the Templetenny Rangers. Mr. James Mahony is Captain, Mr. Thomas Johnson, secretary, and Mr. Thomas Russell, jun., treasurer.

This village has been for a long time known to the lovers of song as the scene of “The Wedding of Ballyporeen,” and the house where it was supposed to have been written is shown to the stranger with pride and veneration. The song is too long for reproduction here, but the merits can be appreciated from the following samples:—

’Twas a fine summer morn, about twelve in the day,

All the birds fell to sing, all the asses to bray,

When Patrick, the bridegroom, and Oonagh, the bride,

In their bibs and tuckers, set off, side by side;

O, the piper played first in the rere, sir,

The maids blushed, the bridesmen did swear, sir,

O, Lord, how the spalpeens did stare, sir,

At this wedding of Ballyporeen.

They were soon tacked together, and home did return,

To make merry the day at the sign of the Churn.

When they sat down together, a frolicsome troop,

O, the banks of old Shannon ne’er saw such a group

There were turf cutters, threshers, and tailors,

With harpers, and pipers, and nailors,

And pedlars, and smugglers, and sailors,

Assembled at Ballyporeen.

* * * * * * * * * * 

Now they sat down to meat,—Father Murphy said grace;

Smoking hot were the dishes, and eager each face,

The knives and forks rattled, spoons and platters did play,

And they elbowed, and jostled, and walloped away,

Rumps, chines, and fat sirloins did groan, sirs;

Whole mountains of beef were cut down, sirs;

They demolished all to the bare bone, sirs,

At this wedding at Ballyporeen.

Now the whiskey went round, and the songsters did roar;

Tim sung “Paddy O’ Kelly;” Nell sung “Molly Astore;”

Till a motion was made that their songs they’d forsake,

And each lad take his sweetheart, their trotters to shake.

Then the piper and couples advancing,

Pumps, brogues, and bare feet fell a prancing,

Such piping, such figuring and dancing,

Was ne’er known at Ballyporeen.

Bakers, see Grocers

Bank, Provincial, on fair days

Catholic Ch.: Rev. P. Delany, D.D., P.P.; Rev. P. Lonergan, C.C.

Coal, see also Timber: James Fitzgerald

Corn Mts.: Edm. Fitzgerald, Thos. O’Brien, Wm. O’Donoghue, John Sheehy

Dispensary: Dr. W. F. Fenton

Drapers: Miss Bt. Donovan, Miss Bt. Griffith, Thos. O’Brien, Thos. Russell

Emigration Agts.: Thos. O’Brien, Thos. Russell

Grocers, marked thus [*] sell spirits, thus [†] hardware, thus [‡] seeds, thus [‖] are bakers: Patrick Burke*, Miss Bt. Donovan, Edm. Fitzgerald†‡, Jas. Fitzgerald*†, Miss Bt. Griffith*, John Hennessy*, Mce. Hyland, Jas. McCarthy, John O’Brien*‖, Ml. O’Brien‖, Thos. O’Brien*†‖, Wm. O'Donohue*†‖, Patrick O’Farrell*, Ml. Russell (James)*‖, Ml. Russell†, Thos. Russell†‡, John Sheehy†‖, Owen Sullivan, Mrs. Johanna Sweeny*‖

Hardware, see Grocers

National League: Jas. M‘Carthy, Secretary

News Agent: Ml. Russell

Petty Sessions 1st Tues, every month: G. Prendergast, Clerk

Post Master: John Carroll

R.I.C.: Sergt. Owen Boylan

Saddler: Ml. Murphy

School Nl.: Jno. Casey, J. W. Mackey, males; Mercy Convent, females

Seeds, see Grocers

Spirit Retailers, see also Grocers: Denis Leahy, Jas. Russell

Timber and Coal Mts.: Edm. Fitzgerald, Thos. O’Brien, Wm. O’Donoghue

Woollen Weaver: Jas. M‘Carthy

FARMERS AND RESIDENTS.

Ahearn, Mrs. E. C’ganroe

Barrett. John, Curraleigh E

Bayly, Michael, Dromroe

Brazil, Walter, Kilcarroon

Brien, Thomas, Coolapreavan

Clancy, Mrs. A., K’goppal

Clancy, Edw., Kilcarroon

Condon, John, Kiltankin

Cull, Cornelius, Skeheenaranky

Donoghoe, John, Curraghleigh E

Dunlay, John, Dangan

Dunlay, Mrs. A., L’funcheon

Dunlay, Mrs. H., Lylefoune

Dunn, Mrs. Mt., B’william

English, J., Coolagarranroe

English, P., Coolagarranroe

Farrell, Patrick, Ballyporeen

Fennell, John, Kilcarroon

Fitzgerald, J., Glennacunna

Fitzgibbon, Mrs. M., Glennacunna

Flinn, Jeremiah, Kilcarroon

Galvin, James, Lisfuncheon

Galvin, Mrs. C., Lisfuncheon

Gorin, Mrs. E., Gorteshal

Gorman, John, Ballynatona

Gorman, Morgan, Ballywilliam

Gorman, Maurice, Coolagarranroe

Hennessy, James, Kiltankin

Hennessy, Pat, Skeheenaranky

Hickey, Thomas, Lisfuncheon

Hickey, T., jun., Lisfuncheon

Hyland, John, Skeheenaranky

Hyland, Mrs. F., Lylefoune

Hyland, Mrs. H., Lylefoune

Hyland, Mrs. M., Glennacunna

Kenneally, Jn., jun., Carrigavisteal

Lonergan, Jerh., Carrigavisteal

Lonergan, John, Coolantallagh

Lonergan, Wm., Coolantallagh

Lyons, Daniel, Cooladerry

Lyons, Patrick, Kiltankin

Lyons, Patrick, Drumroe

Luddy, Thomas, Newcastle

M‘Craith, Hugh, Barnahown

M‘Grath, Mrs. M., Gorteshal

Magrath, William, Skeheenaranky

Mahony, Daniel, Dangan

Mahony, Mrs. B., Coolagarranroe

Miles, Patrick, Barnahown

Molan, Mrs. M., Kiltankin

Moore, John, Dangan

O’Brien, Edmond, Coolagarranroe

O’Donnell, James, Knocknagapple

O’Brien, Mrs. M., Cooladerry

O’Brien, Ptk., Ballyporeen

O’Donnell, Roger, Kilcarroon

Cremmins,[sic] William, Lisfuncheon

Phelan, Martin, Lisfuncheon

Pyne, Mrs. M., Cooladerry

Quinlan, Mce, Skeheenaranky

Regan, Patrick, Coolapreavan

Russell, David, Woodhouse

Russell, John J., Gorteshall

Russell, Mrs. E., Coolapreavan

Russell, Mrs. M., Kiltankin

Russell, Thomas, Coolapreavan

Russell, William, Ballywilliam

Shealy, J., Coolagarranroe

Sheehy, James, Dangan

Sheehy, J., jun., Ballyporeen

Sisk, Mrs. M., C’leigh

Slattery, James, Skeheenaranky

Sweeny, Mrs. M., Glennacunna

Walshe, Denis, Kilcarroon

Williams, Patrick, Skeheenaranky

Williams, Thos., Kiltankin