INDEX

Source: Carloviana Vol.1 No 3 December 1953 Pages 30-36. 

STORY OF ATHY ROAD

By ALICE TRACEY

CARLOW County Council Offices, formerly occupied by the Langran family of the Curlew Sentinel, was once the town house of Bests of Bestfield, and this is the first house on Athy Road.

William Pendred rented the premises in 1835 for £35 a-year from Walter Newton. Dunleckney Manor, Bagenalstown, and started a high-class furniture and cabinet making. business. To quote Pendred’s announcement at the time, “only the cream of Dublin and London workmen were employed." An auctioneer also, Pendred was at pains to make known that he cleaned and prepared furniture for auction which. he adds: “Other people in this town did not do!”

Applying in 1837 for registration as a voter, Philip Bagenal at the September Quarter Sessions claimed two dwellinghouses in Dublin Street, corner of -Athy Street.

We find Pendred, the cabinet-maker in April, 1842, seeking possession of two rooms in the premises which he had occupied. He claimed that they had been taken over by two agents of Walter Bagenal, Bennekerry House. Bagenal had evidently used these rooms until 1840, at which time Pendred said he got possession of them from Mr. Bagenal’s steward.

The house had been divided to secure a vote for Mr. Bagenal, and a door had been so opened facing into Dublin Street. Immediately before the Court case Pendred asserted that two men had broken into these apartments and were holding them on Mr. Newton’s instructions for Mr. Bagenal. Newton acting as agent for his brother Bagenal, repudiated Pendred’s claim. His brother had gone to the continent of Europe in 1840, was now returning and wanted to have the house as before.

The sequel of the proceedings is evidenced by an advertisement in The Sentinel of 23rd July, 1842: “To be let by the year or on such terms as may be agreed on, the house and large concerns, formerly the residence of A. C. Best, Esq., adjoining the Clubhouse and opposite the Courthouse. Apply to Beauchamp B. Newton, Rathwade, Bagenalstown.”

The portion of the house in dispute was generally in use during elections as the Conservative Party’s' Committee Rooms, and for a time during Walter Bagenal’s occupancy it was the Masonic meeting place.

THOMAS WHELAN, of Rath, near Tullow, was the first Agent of the Carlow Branch of the Bank of Ireland. He must have been a man of substance. To qualify for the post, he was required to lodge with the Directors at the Bank £5,600, in either Government or Bank of Ireland stock. Be it noted this as the security required for second -class office, and Carlow was the first of this class to be set up. Double this figure was demanded from the Manager of a first-class branch.

Prior to l836. Agents drew a salary of £300 per annum, with an extra £100 for premises and another £100 “in aid of clerks“. After 1836. all senior officials were sent to the branches from Dublin and the juniors recruited locally. Sometimes the Agents were -permitted to hold offices of trust, and Mr. Whelan was County Treasurer for most of his time as Agent. He appears to have been succeeded in the Bank by a Mr. Wolesley.

“SENTINEL” OFFICE

What tenant responded to the 1842 advertisement I cannot tell, but it was later The Sentinel Office, and Mr. Langran, the owner and Editor, lived there. I think the last occupier, prior to the County Council taking it over, was Mrs. Jeffares.

The Bank of Ireland premises are built on a site named the Heelmakers Plot, which is the property of Lord Holmpatrick. Originally leased by the Lord of the Manor, Hans Hamilton (an ancestor of Lord Holmpatrick), there is a conveyance dated 1797 from Thomas Gurley to Robert Bayley.

Carlow was the thirteenth branch of the Bank of Ireland, and was opened here at the request of the business people of the town on 10^th February, 1834. Bennet’s Bank, presumably a private concern, had previously been operating in the town, but it is uncertain whether the Bank of Ireland took it over or whether it had already closed its doors at this time.

For many years business was conducted in that part of the private house directly adjoining the present office. The mark still shows under the window where the lower part of the door was built up, and a window occupies what was the top portion; The present office, a red brick annexe to the private house, was built and opened in 1899 during Mr. Henry E. Stuart’s term as Agent. Mr. Stuart was a very long time in Carlow. He was succeeded by Mr. J. M. McConkey, who also spent many years in the Bank, and went to live at “The Elms” on his retirement.

In The Sentinel of September, 1838, I find notice of an auction of household furniture at the residence of James Wilkins, Esq. (Sub-Inspector of the Revenue Police), in Athy Street, near the new Courthouse, which I think may possibly have been the present No. 3. For many years No. 3 has been used as the Bruen Estate Agent’s residence and office.

THE PRESBYTERY, from which the parochial clergy have now moved to their new house on Dublin Road, was purchased by the clergy in 1899 from Major Tanner. Thomas Cobden, Architect, designed the Scots’ Church. He was also architect of the Cathedral and many other buildings in and around Carlow. The first Service was held on 17th September, 1819. Described in the local press of the time, the building was said to be very light and elegant in design and reflecting great credit on the architect. One Sunday evening about fifteen years ago the pediment of the facade crashed to the ground. It has since been replaced.

GREENVILLE was. originally the residence of Messrs. Thorpe, Solicitors. A section of glass in the wall marks what was the fanlight of their office door adjoining the house- The late Dr. Colgan, who also had a private practice, moved in when appointed M.O. to the Fever Hospital. His daughter still resides here, hence it is one of the few houses on the road which has been tenanted by the same family over a long number of years.

ERIN LODGE was the residence and office of another Solicitor, Mr. Ed. Mulhall, who succeeded his father here. The annexe which was used as an office still adjoins the house.

Two red brick Georgian houses at the end of Montgomery Street were at one time the property of Dr. McDowell, who was Medical Officer to Carlow in the 1830’s and 40’s. An early tenant was Mr. Matthew Byrne, a Chairman of Carlow Urban Council. The Corner house was rented for some years as a residence for the Methodist Minister. Mr. Moffat (later of Thornville) and Captain Cary lived here together as bachelors. It was as assistant to Mr. Moffat that our valued member Mr. P. Poole came first to Carlow in 1894. R.I.C. District Inspector Swanzy lived in what is now the B.G.A. head office before his transfer to Lisburn, where he met a tragic end. Mr. W. H. Hadden resided in the Corner house from 1911 to 1920.

GURLEY’S PLOT DANESBY is. built on what is marked on the map of the district as Gurley’s plot, and forms part of the Shaw estate. The Captain Cary, I have mentioned above, came here to reside on his marriage to Miss Fitzmaurice of Springhill, and named the house "Clovelly,” as he was a Devonshire man. He later exchanged houses with Mrs. Aylward and went to live at “The Elms.” Mrs. Rodgers, a step-aunt of Mr. G. B. Shaw, also resided here, and the late Mr. T. H. O’Donnell (father of Mr. H. O’Donnell, Solicitor) resided here on his retirement as Manager of the National Bank. It is now the residence of Mr. Gerald Brennan

MR. DOOLEY’S family has occupied the next house for many years. When his father, the late Mr. John Dooley, came to reside there the house consisted of what is now the rear portion, which stood with its gable to the road and workshops. The front portion facing the street was built after he came into occupation.

CONDITIONS OF SALE

The next two houses, which almost face the Mental Hospital gate, are built on a site marked on the map as Campion’s plot, presumably because in 1842 David Campion, Inspector of Weights and Measures, lived here. It is possible he came as tenant in response to an advertisement in The Sentinel of 16th June, 1838:

“To be let: A good house, consisting of two. under-ground rooms, two parlours and three bedrooms, on the Athy Road, next Mr. Scraggs, opposite the Lunatic Asylum gate, lately occupied by Mr. Corcoran.”

One year’s rent was to be given to put the premises in repair. Lowest rent £15 per annum. None but a solvent tenant need apply, or Mr. Cahill would let the whole plot, consisting of two houses like the above, room for three others similar, and three cabins built, to a solvent tenant, and would advance on mortgage half the money laid out in building. Application to be made to Michael Cahill, or to Dr. Cullen, Dublin Street.

FOUGHT IN ’98

Grave Lane, nearby, was a name to which George Bernard Shaw expressed his dislike. He suggested on one occasion that the local authorities should call it Bellegravia. The lane leads to the XVIIth century grave-yard wherein lie the mortal remains of Dr. James O’Keeffe, the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin from 1752 to 1787, who caused St. Patrick’s College to be built.

Dean Guernon, Parish Priest of the then united parishes of Carlow and Killeshin for 35 years, was buried here in 1787; We also find here a Celtic cross erected by the people of Carlow to commemorate James Lawless, who fought in the battle of Wexford in ’98 and died on 1st September, 1870, aged 109. Adjoining the Graves is Cholera Plot, given by Col. Bruen for the burial of victims ‘of the ‘ epidemic of 1849. Also buried here in 1903 were innumerable human bones unearthed when a gasometer was being erected at the Gas Works.

Gurley’s plot is on the right as we leave the Graveyard gate. For years the town refuse was dumped into a quarry on this plot. The Urban Council purchased the field on the left and converted the entire area into a small-Town Park with access to the river.

The property in Grave Lane was owned by Mr. J. Bergin, and his grand-children still reside there. Three of the houses oppo-site the Mental Hospital stand on that part of the Bruen Estate known as the forty acres.

In the first live the niece and nephew of the late Miss Coogan, who was a tenant there for upwards of fifty years when she died in 1933.

In No. 6 Mr. Bishop. draper of Tullow Street resided for many years. In what is now “Stella Maris” two daughters and a son of Archdeacon Jameson, whose rectory and school were in Templecroney in the 1830’s lived for a number of years. The fourth house in, the row is built on the plot known as the hundred acres. This house seems to have been erected at a later date than the other three.

The site of the two detached houses, “Mayfield” (built 1932) and “Naomh Aine” (built 1934) is a historic one. It was here that the Bruen Testimonial Church, dedicated to St. Anne, stood. It was bought by Graiguecullen Parish in 1927, taken down and re-erected beside the Colletine Convent as St. Clare’s. The story is the subject of a special article in this issue.

RELATIVE to the purchase of Kelvingrove an amusing incident occurred.  Another would-be owner and Arthur Fitzmaurice tendered an equal price, and neither would advance one penny. Some bright spirit evolved an ingenious plan to end the deadlock.  A window in the dining room was opened, the rivals were placed at the avenue gate. at the word “go" they ran and the first man through the window secured the place. Mr. Fitzmaurice proved the better sprinter, and he lived in Kelvingrove until his death in 1892.

KELVINGROVE, formerly known as Easton. A Mrs. David Kelly opened a high-class school for girls here in 1810. She is mentioned in the parochial school returns of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin in 1824 as being eminent in her profession, and in that year had thirty pupils in her charge. These paid a fee of 30 guineas per annum.  “The House,” says the report, “is happily situated and gives the best accommodations."  Both Catholics and non-Catholics attended, and the latter read their own Bible under the supervision of a Governess of their own profession. - (From Dr. Martin Brenan’s Schools of Kildare and, Leighlin.

Cont in Part 2

In this article, which was published in Carloviana 1953, the author refers to maps in the story but they dont appear in the original article therefore I have provided in Part 3 some copys of c.1800 OSi maps of Athy Road for your reference.

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