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Recollections of Castleknock
This article was sent to me recently by John McLaughlin and was taken from the St Brigid's GAA web siteSome personal recollections of Castleknock in the 1950s and St. Brigid’s GAA……by Frank Russell
Castleknock today is a sprawling urban area with large and small houses, its own Churches, secondary schools, smart restaurants, pubs, and shopping centres, population increases since the 70s and, importantly for those who live there, a relatively easy commute through the Park to jobs in the city and beyond. But, it wasn’t always like that.
In the 1950s, Castleknock was an even smaller village
than Blanchardstown, one which we students got the bus from to attend various Secondary schools in the City (there were no day schools for boys or girls in Castleknock or Blanchardstown at the time). Besides Mc Kenna’s pub (now called Myos), there was the Protestant Church, Browne’s petrol station, Molloy’s shop (now Con’s Florist) with its bookies at the rear, the Post Office and assorted red brick houses and cottages on the Main Street, with Twomey’s bungalow and Dr Nelson’s surgery just off it.
It was to the Protestant Church that, in 1942, the remains of Lord Holmpatrick DSO, MC, were borne on an open “scotch cart” pulled by horses from his estate at Abbottstown (photo of Abbotstown House on left). Even the Catholic National Schools closed that day in respect, as Parishioners of all creeds and classes filed behind the cortege. But, as I’ve been told by a young participant that day, Catholics could only go as far as the Church gates and no further! Even the Boy Scouts were told to wait outside the wall. Those were the times that were in it, I guess! Towards the city, on the right, was the Castleknock Dispensary (which served Blanchardstown, as well), located beside the traffic lights at the present day Auburn Avenue. Besides it, in turn, was the Dispensary Doctors residence and the Castleknock Rectors house and one or two other big houses. There was no Georgian Village then or “Millionaires Row”…. just fields. Further on, to the left, was Pecks Lane, then a quiet side road, with Seagraves imposing farm house at its end, at the Navan Road junction.
On the Peck’s Lane itself were nice artisan houses with their big gardens built originally, I think, for Guinness workers. Mick Hartford, probably the longest serving musician in the venerable St Brigid’s Brass Band, lived in one and the Donnelly family of lovely girl’s fame in another. Across the Lane was Jack Fagan’s solitary bungalow backing onto fields. Jack was the ESB meter reader for Castleknock and Blanchardstown. He went about his business on a bike, with a thick ledger strapped to the rear carrier. When he called to read our meter, he would also have a cup of tea and a chat with my parents. So much so that I would wonder how he ever got time to read all the meters in the area. I needn’t have wondered, the ESB bills always arrived on time!
Other than that, the area was, by any definition, rural, with the Race Course (a place of steady employment for those in the tiny villages of Castleknock and Blanchardstown, Mrs. Peard was the Manager), training stables and farms dominating from the Phoenix Park gates all the way to Clonee and spreading outwards towards Dunsink. There were two National Schools (NS), the Catholic one is now a small apartment development at the Beechpark Avenue traffic lights. Beechpark Avenue was the site of the first housing development in modern Castleknock in the late 40s, early 50s. Guard Brown, from the Blanch station, was one of the first to move in there. The houses leading towards the school from the Blanchardstown direction on the left followed later, by Finns yard.
The Protestant school is still in the same place on the Main Street. Mr Allen was headmaster of the Catholic NS where my brother Paul took up his first teaching post in 1961. There was already a strong Brigid’s tradition in the school even at this early stage. There was a great banter between Brigid’s club mates from Castleknock NS and Blanch NS football teams when we regularly played, with most School underage matches in those days, hurling or football, were played in the “15 Acres”, beside the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park. To get there every Saturday morning, we took the bus or walked to the Park Gates and walked to and from the 15 Acres in all weather and played a match in between! We were lucky to get a bus, as motor cars were few and far between then.
Both Blanch NS and Castleknock NS were a natural source of boys who went on to play for St Brigid’s in higher grades (the 1958 Dublin Intermediate Championship winning team nearly all came up through the Primary Schools League system), Castleknock NS had similar progression for its boys and many went on to play for St Brigid’s with great distinction, including Aidan Brown and the McCarthy brothers, Liam, Noel and Brian. All these lads were sons of Gardaí living in the Castleknock area at the time. Other Castleknock St Brigid’s stalwarts were Patsy and Malachy Prunty, whose father was a market gardener, with land beside the Morgan Schools down to the railway line (I can remember going there for parsnips and turnips on cold winter mornings). Their older brother, Fr Tony, also played with St Brigid’s before he went to Africa as a missionary priest. He was so good that I heard him being described as being “in the Mick O Connell mode of catch and kick”. I think he may have been the Monaghan midfielder of his time.
Continuing with schools, there were, however, three Secondary boarding schools in the Castleknock area, the co-located Morgan and Mercer Schools, now a settled Travellers housing site opposite the entrance to Tom Russell Park and Castleknock College, on the Chapelizod Road out of the village. Because they were boarders, none of the boys played on any local teams and, so, contributed little if anything to the development of games or sports facilities in the general area. Or so it appeared to me at the time. However, in fact, there were some “contributions” forthcoming, if indirectly, one that I well remember from the 50s and the other from the 70s. Every year, usually towards the end of the school term in May, my father, the Blanch NS Headmaster, would dispatch me up to Brother Michael in Castleknock College with an empty sack (the same one used for carrying the team jerseys to matches). Brother Michael, was a tall legendary man known and recognised well beyond the College for his friendly waves as he cycled around on his big black bike. He even made it as far as Blanch, betimes! What Br Michael had was the discarded rugby football boots of the departing boarders, which for some unknown reason they left behind, much to our benefit. It was my job to fill the sack with them and this, in a good year, necessitated a second trip from Blanch (if there was space, I also brought home a lump of dripping from the kitchens for my mother). These boots were then laid out back on the Club floor and given to whatever bootless player turned up in time to collect. They didn’t last long. I remember that there were few actual pairs of boots, mostly lefts and rights. I often wondered where their matches were! Regardless, under the “first come, first served” rule, I retrieved a pair of boots from the College that lasted me for years. These boots were always in good condition and were eagerly sought by us lads from Brigids.
In the 1970s, long after the Morgan Schools had closed down and the boys there moved via the Kings Inns at Blackhall Place to Palmerstown, the farsighted St Brigid’s Management Committee, realising that the “Priests Field” behind the Church in Blanch was not purchasable and also too confined for any further development (the new National School in 1956 was built on a part of it), went ahead and negotiated the purchase of the Morgan Schools 10 acre sports ground and so began the modern chapter of the St Brigid’s Club development. This sports ground was mostly used for hockey and was as level as a billiard table. By coincidence, Johnny Stewart, a great friend of my fathers and a Club Chairman and subsequent Honorary President, lived beside these grounds when he married (where the all-weather pitch is nowadays). Among the huge attendance at the official opening of this new ground in 1979 was Micheál Mick Scanlon, then the Headmaster of Caragh Lake NS, near Killorglin, Co Kerry. Mick was an assistant teacher in Blanch NS in the 40s and early 50s, recruited by my father for his teaching skills, no doubt, and with a few footballing skills thrown in for good measure! Mick was one of three St. Brigid’s players who won the Junior All Ireland in 1948 for Dublin (how a Kerryman got on the Dublin team was probably down to the fact that his Headmaster in Blanch NS was also Chairman of the County Board at the time). With him from Blanch on that famous day was Micheal Wall and Jimmy O’ Brien from the Mill Road. A young Kevin Heffernan also togged out for Dublin that day and got “a very good game, son” report from my father. High praise, indeed, from the schoolmaster. (I’m indebted to my older brother, Fr. Tom OFM, for this unique recall, he actually heard it being said!).
While sport was clearly a growing activity in Castleknock in the 50s, there was one area being catered for since the 1920s and that was tennis in Castleknock Lawn Tennis club. The club, to us, was “over the high bridge” at the 12th lock (where the original Castleknock Railway Station and Donnelly’s Railway House pub were located) and was of no great local interest. Except, that is, when, in the 50’s the Club ran a “record hop” every Saturday night and it suddenly became of great interest to us in Castleknock, Blanch and beyond. The Castleknock hops popularity was second only in my memory to the Glasnevin LTC hop, which was commonly known as “the Nevin”. This place was jammed every Saturday night and, in the era of jiving and rock n roll, it was a wonder that anybody could actually move on the floor. While wildly popular, it was an awkward place to reach from Blanch or Castleknock and even worse to get home from….unless you had a bike!
The growing GAA connection in Castleknock took another turn in the 70s when Myo O’Donnell, the then owner of “Myos” pub (he bought from McKenna’s in the 60s) told me a story about my father which certainly comes under the heading of its a small world!. He told me that my father, Tom, was his National School teacher in the South Galway village of Peterswell in the late 1920s. A great hurling friend of my father there was Jack Sherry, he said. Jack went on to open his famous pub in Clarinbridge, which bears his name to this day. Peterswell school had been my fathers first teaching post on graduating from St Pat’s Training College in Drumcondra before he returned to Dublin for good. Myo remembered him well and his attempts to get hurling going in Castleknock and Blanchardstown. History doesn’t relate on his achievements there but, my father, a modest Clareman who once turned down a nomination for President of Cumann Luaithchleas Gael, would be pleased to know that his great work in developing the GAA at National School, Parish and County level, would be commemorated by the magnificent GAA Grounds in his name at the beginning of the Five Furlong straight in the Park Racecourse.
*The author, Commandant Frank Russell, Retd., Air Corps, is co-Founder of the LARCC Cancer Centre based in the beautiful grounds of the Franciscan Friary, Multyfarnham, Co. Westmeath.
Castleknock Parish 1837
This may be a little heavy for a golf blog but some may find it as fascinating as I do myself. Its from a document outlining the big land owners and brief history in the various parishes in the country and is known as
“A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837″.
CASTLEKNOCK, a parish, in the barony of CASTLEKNOCK, county of DUBLIN, and province of LEINSTER, 3 ¾ miles (N. W.) from Dublin; containing 4251 inhabitants, of which number, 188 are in the village. Tradition says that this was a royal residence of the Danes, and that, in 1167, Roderick O’Connor encamped here with his Connaught forces, when he led a numerous army to Dublin, where he was solemnly inaugurated King of Ireland, and engaged the Danish residents in his pay. The castle was given by Earl Strongbow to his friend, Hugh de Tyrrell, who was styled Baron of Castleknock. It was taken by Edward Bruce in 1316, and Hugh de Tyrrell and his lady made prisoners, but released on the payment of a large ransom. In June, 1642, the castle was taken for the parliament by Colonel Monk, afterwards Duke of Albemarle, who slew in the assault 80 of its defenders, and subsequently hanged many more; but in November, 1647, Owen Roe O’Nial, and Sir Thomas Esmonde, Bart., at the head of a royalist force, retook it. The Marquess of Ormonde encamped here in 1649, when he threatened to besiege Dublin; and after the Restoration it fell into decay.
The parish is situated on the road from Dublin to Navan, and is intersected by the Royal Canal: it contains 6627 statute acres, the whole of which is arable land. Here are extensive limestone quarries, in which fossil remains are frequently found. On the Liffey are three woollen mills, where friezes, kerseys, lambskins, and Petershams, are manufactured; they have been established nearly a century, and employ above 60 persons during the winter. A factory for worsted and worsted yarn has been recently established at Blanchardstown, which employs between 80 and 100 persons; there are also on the Liffey a mustard and two flour-mills, and at Cardiff Bridge is a small iron-foundry. The parish is within the Dublin twopenny post delivery. Petty sessions are held every alternate Monday at Blanchardstown, where there is a constabulary police station.
The scenery on the banks of the Liffey, towards Lucan, is very beautiful, and the northern side of the valley is celebrated for strawberries. In addition to the viceregal lodge, and the chief and under-secretaries’ residences, the parish contains many seats commanding delightful views: the principal seats are Sheep-hill, the residence of J. H. Hamilton, Esq., situated in a demesne of 500 acres; Farmley, of Charles Trench, Esq.; Knockmaroon, of Colonel Colby; Park View, of A. Ferrier, Esq.; Mountsackville, of J. Hawkins, Esq.; Diswellstown, of C. O’Keeffe, Esq.; Airfield, of R. Manders, Esq., Hybla, of the Rev. G. O’Connor; Scripplestown, of W. Rathborne, Esq.; Dunsinea, of H. Rathborne, Esq.; Scribblestown, of A. Holmes, Esq.; Ashtown, of J. Dunne, Esq.; Elm Green, of F. Dwyer, Esq.; Oatlands, of J. Godley, Esq.; Haymount, of Dr. Marsh; Bellville, of J. Murphy, Esq.; Ashfield, of W. Oldham, Esq.; Cabra, of J. Plunkett, Esq.; and Huntstown, of O. Coghlan, Esq.
The parish is divided into the northern and southern portions, each of which is subdivided into smaller parts: the prebendal or northern part furnishes an endowment for the two prebends of Mullahidart, or “Castrum Knoc ex parte decani,” and Castleknock, or “Castrum Knoc ex parte precentoris,” in the cathedral church of St. Patrick, Dublin. In 1219, the great tithes were appropriated by Archbishop Henry to the priory of Malvern, in Worcestershire, on condition that they should add five monks to their number; and in 1225 the prior and monks granted to the uses of the economy fund of St. Patrick’s cathedral a moiety of the tithes of the manor of Castleknock, renouncing to the archbishop all right to the vicarage and its small tithes and oblations. During the prelacy of Archbishop Luke, a new division of the tithes was made, by which, of the four parts into which they were divided, one was assigned to the prebendary of Mullahidart, one to the prebendary of Castleknock, one to the economy estate of St. Patrick’s cathedral, and one to the priory of Malvern, which transferred its interest to the abbot and convent of St. Mary, near Dublin, in 1468. This last portion having become impropriate on the dissolution of the religious houses, and forfeited by the rebellion of the impropriator, was granted as an augmentation of the vicar’s means: and this division of the tithes still exists.
The living is consequently a vicarage, in the diocese of Dublin, endowed with a portion of the great tithes, and united to the prebend of Castleknock and the rectory of Clonsillagh and curacy of Mullahidart, with cure of souls: it is in the patronage of the Bishop. The tithes amount to £560, of which £220 is payable to the economy estate, £140 to the prebendary of Mullahidart, and £200 to the prebendary of Castleknock. There are two churches in the vicarial union, one at Castleknock, the other at Clonsillagh; the former was rebuilt by a loan of £1000 from the late Board of First Fruits, and large subscriptions, in 1810, replacing one that had been built, in 1609, on the site of an Augustinian abbey for Canons Regular, founded in the 13th century by Richard Tyrrell, and dedicated to St. Bridget. There is a glebe-house; and the glebe, in two parcels, comprises 19a. 1r. 5p., besides 8 acres which have been taken into the Phoenix Park, and for which, and also for the tithes of the park, the vicar receives £50. 15. per ann. late currency, from Government.
In the R. C. divisions this parish is the head of a union or district, comprising the parishes of Castleknock, Chapelizod, Clonsillagh, Cloghranhidart, and Mullahidart; and containing three chapels, one at Blanchardstown, one at Porterstown (in Clonsillagh), and one at Chapelizod. At Cabra is a nunnery of the order of St. Dominick: the society removed hither from Clontarf about 1820, and consists of a chaplain, prioress, and nuns, besides lay-sisters; it is a respectable ladies’ school, and the sisterhood also instruct from 150 to 200 poor children, who are partly clothed. The nunnery is surrounded with grounds tastefully laid out, and has a neat chapel and dwelling-house for the chaplain. There is another nunnery at Blanchardstown, in which more than 200 poor children are taught. In addition to the parochial school, there are two by the side of the canal, one for boys, maintained by a bequest from the late Mr. Morgan; and the other supported out of the produce of lands devised by a lady named Mercer, and yielding a rent of more than £750 per ann., vested in trustees, by whom 50 girls are maintained, clothed, and educated.
A school for boys and girls at Abbotstown is supported solely by J. H. Hamilton, Esq., of Sheep-hill, by whom the children are also partly clothed; at Blanchardstown is a national school for both sexes; and a free school was built by Luke White, Esq. The late Mr. Tisdal bequeathed a large sum to the parochial schools, which is to be paid after his widow’s death. There are a savings’ bank and a dispensary. The remains of the ancient fortress of Castleknock occupy the summit of a lofty hill. In Knockbrush Hill, which is situated near the Ashbourne road, are occasionally found bones of men and horses, military weapons, and coins. Part of this hill is evidently artificial, and tradition says that it was raised over those who fell on this spot, in 1014, in the widely extended battle of Clontarf. Ancient horse-shoes, spurs, and other relics, have been dug up at Scripplestown. At Abbotstown are some remains of the abbey; and there is also a well dedicated to St. Bridget.
Captains’ Charity Raffle – Result
The Spirit of the Game/Etiquette
The Spirit of the Game
Unlike many sports, golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf.
Etiquette
Etiquette is a word that’s often heard in relation to golf, more so than with any other sport. But it’s not just about manners, the guidelines for good golf etiquette are there for several very important reasons. Many of them relate to the safety of golfers, many relate to pace of play, and other rules of golf etiquette relate to maintaining the quality of the golf course.
In other words, golf etiquette is an essential part of the game.
Keep It Safe
Do not swing your club until you know that others in your group are at a safe distance. Likewise, keep your own distance when others are swinging. Be aware of danger and steer clear of trouble.- When practicing your swing, never swing in the direction of another player. There may be pebbles or twigs or other matter in the grass that could fly up and strike a playing partner.
- Do not hit the ball until you are certain that the group ahead of you is out of range.
If your ball appears to be heading towards another player or another group, give them a warning by yelling out, “FORE!” (an internationally recognized alert)- Never throw clubs in anger. In addition to being rude and childish, it could also be dangerous.
- Keep the round moving by being prepared to hit your shot when it is your turn. You probably don’t like waiting on other groups – don’t make other groups wait on you.
- The player who is away or furthest from the hole, hits first in a group. However, in friendly matches or weekend competitions (as opposed to interclub tournament play), this rule can be ignored in favor of “ready play” – players hit as they are ready. All players should agree to “ready play” before it is put into effect.
- Do not spend too much time looking for a lost ball, particularly if there is a group behind you ready to play. If you insist on taking the full five minutes alloted in the rulebook to look for lost balls, golf etiquette says wave up the group behind to allow them to play through.
- Always try to keep pace with the group ahead of you. If space opens in front of you, allow a faster group to play through.
- Always leave the putting green as soon as your group has finished putting.
Repair your divots in the fairway.- Repair your ball marks on the green.
- Always rake sand bunkers after hitting
- Avoid taking a divot on a practice swing.
- Quiet, please! Never talk during another player’s swing.
- Do not yell out following a shot (unless you are yelling “fore”). Even if boisterous behavior doesn’t bother your playing partners, there are other people on the course who may be within earshot.
- Be aware of your shadow on the putting green. Don’t stand in a place that causes your shadow to be cast across another player or that player’s putting line.
- Never walk through a playing partner’s putting line. Your footprints might alter the path of a partner’s putt. Step over the putting line, or walk around (behind) the partner’s ball.
- When a playing partner is swinging or putting, try to stand out of his or her line of vision, and remain quiet during the other golfer’s swing.
Shake hands with your playing partners after you finish on eighteenth green.- Do whatever you have to do to keep your phone quiet.
- It’s easy to help out your fellow players, if you just pay attention. One obvious way is looking for lost balls — better yet, watching errant shots so they don’t turn into lost balls. Pick up that extra club left on the fringe or the headcover dropped next to the tee, and return it to its owner after saying, “Nice shot!”
Observe cart rules. Some courses will post “cart path only” signs; others will ask you to observe the “90-degree rule.” Do as you are told
- Keep carts away from greens and hazards. The wheels on carts can damage these sensitive areas
- Observe the safety suggestions posted in golf carts and drive carefully.
- When two players in a cart hit to opposite sides of a hole, drive to first ball and drop off that player with his club, then drive to the second ball. After both players hit, meet up farther down the hole.
- When walking from your cart to your ball, take a couple clubs with you. Taking only one club, then having to return to the cart to retrieve a different club, is a huge time-waster.
Some of Ireland’s Golf Classics
