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- Michael O'Hanrahan
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This article is based on the minutes of the
Workman’s Club, Carlow from 1899 to 1910. It is hoped to publish a more
detailed history at a later date. At the time of writing The Nationalist
& Leinster Times of the period are with an archivist thus ruling out the
possibility of cross-reference.
The idea of a Workman’s Club was first
discussed in December 1898 in the home of Tom Little. Messrs. Little,
O’Hanrahan, Ellis, Warren and McAssey were appointed to see Mr. Molloy
to enquire into the possibility of renting an early Georgian double
house: No. 13, Brown St. Mr. Molloy agreed to rent the premises for £7 a
year and to be responsible for all structural repairs.
The first meeting on this premises took
place on April 9th, 1899. Mr. Thomas Little was elected President
(Chairman). Mr. F. Brennan, Vice President; Mr. H. O’Hanrahan,
Secretary; Mr. C. Kellett, Assistant Secretary; Mr. P. Comerford,
Treasurer. Mr. Ellis and subsequently Mr. Sparks were appointed
trustees.
Others present at this meeting were:
Messrs. T. Delaney, W. Warren, P. Fenelon,
J. McAssey, E. Dwyer, P. Dooley, F. Brophy, R. Clifford, J. Walsh, J.
Quillan, M. Wetheral, M. Mulhall, L. Cullen, Ted O’Hanrahan and Michael
O’Hanrahan. The three O’Hanrahan brothers were the sons of a Fenian,
Richard O’Hanrahan, who took part in the Rising of 1867 and who came to
work as a corker in Corcorans. (See Carloviana, 1963, article by Alice
Treacy).
May and June 1899 were busy months for the
newly formed club. The membership fee was 15/- per year and £64. 5.
4d. was lodged in the National Bank in June. A list of subscriptions was
printed in The Nationalist. Much effort was devoted to equipping and
furnishing the club and to procuring requisites for the various games.
Amongst the first purchases were: bagatelle table, draught board, two
pack of cards, box of dominoes, card book, two dozen chairs at 3/3 each.
When it was discovered that the chairs supplied were not of Irish
manufacture, they were returned. Also purchased were 2 oil cloth table
covers for the card tables, 1 enamel basin and soap holder, a dozen tin
spittoons (a few months later we find the club buying another 2 dozen
spittoons at 4/- a dozen from Shaws). A billiard table was bought for
£68. 5. 0d.; £45 cash and the balance in instalments. This was bought
from Mr. Coghlan, Harcourt St., who also presented a cue and case for
the club’s first tournament. Extra cues were bought from Messrs.
Borroughs and Watts. A clock was bought from Mr. Douglas. A member was
instructed to purchase a writing desk and stools at a forthcoming
auction in Otter Holt, Kilkenny Road. Flooring material was supplied by
Mr. Robinson for £4. 14. 0d.
A sub-committee was appointed to approach
Mr. Alexander’s Electrical Company to get an estimate for the supply of
electricity to the club. Mr. Corbett installed the electricity in 1900
and six 25 candle power electric bulbs were supplied. The installation
cost was £7.00. Mr. Harte of Graiguecullen supplied a ton of coal at £1.
10. 0d. a ton. Benny Coleman painted and papered the club free of
charge. Mrs. Kingsbury was appointed caretaker at a wage of 3/6 per
week. A lamp and bracket was purchased from Mr. Hennessy for £2. 12. 0d.
This lamp was erected over the entrance with the name of the club in
Irish, “Cumann na bhfear oibre Cheatharlach.”
The Irish title was at the
behest of M. O’Hanrahan and ‘T. Litt1e. There were approx. 190 Irish
speakers in the county in 1899.
Another sub-committee decided on the
magazines and newspapers to be supplied to the club, To the average
working man in 1899 newspapers and magazines were considered a luxury.
At the beginning of every year the papers and magazines were auctioned
off to the highest bidder who had sole right to remove them. The
sub-committee was constantly reprimanding members who took newspapers
home.
The following papers and weeklies were to be
supplied to the club from Miss Colgan, Newsagent: - Daily Freeman, Irish
Times, Carlow Nationalist, Leinster Leader, Herald Telegraph, Irish
Catholic, United Irishman, Irish Bits, St. Patrick’s Strand, Harmsworth
Harpurs, Wide World, Chambers Irish Monthly, Graphic, Black and White,
New Ireland Review, Comic Cuts, Racing World, Golden Penny, Snapshots,
Gaelic Weekly, Claidheamh Soluis, Irish Rosary, The British Mechanic,
Irish Independent and Reynolds.
It is interesting to note that in 1903 Miss
Colgan informed the committee that her conscience would no longer allow
her to supply the magazine Reynolds to her customers. A member was then
instructed to buy it elsewhere. In 1906 the committee decided that The
British Mechanic was not a suitable magazine for the club.
The club was to be a place where the working
man could relax in comfort with friends, take part in the various games
and avail of the facilities provided. It was to be a non-profit making,
non-sectarian, non-political but Irish in every possible way. Michael
O’Hanrahan seemed to look upon the club as an extension of the Gaelic
League and never missed an opportunity to promote the Irish language
culture and workmanship. He had refused a job in the Civil Service
saying that he would not work under the British.
No alcoholic drink was allowed on the
premises. In 1906 a member apologised and resigned his membership when
it was discovered that he had brought a bottle of stout into the club.
No bad language was allowed; members were fined or suspended for
infringing this rule. A disciplinary sub-committee meted out suitable
punishment for any misbehaviour.
Billiards and cards seem to have been the
main interest of the members. Card playing was ld. per sitting. Only
“16” and “26” were permitted to be played. Later someone introduced a
game called “house.” A lot of trouble arose from this game! A billiard
caretaker and marker was appointed. His wages were 10/- per week and he
worked from 10 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. on weekdays and on holydays from 9.00
a.m. to 5 p.m. He was to be allowed 5/- a week for change. A boy named
Ducie was to assist the marker. His wage was 3/6 per week. He got the
job because he was considered a good billiard player.
-
- Workman's Club Amateur
Dramatics' 1899
- Jer. King, John Fitzgerald, Thomas Hayden,
Thomas Reddy, Patrick Reddy, William Burke, Joseph Slater, James
Reddy,
- Edward Hughes, James Kelly, H.
Buchannan, Edward Moore, Patrick Kelly, James Doyle, James
Stephens, Ber. Grogan, Patrick Dunne, Richard Rogers,
- John Farrell, Joseph McDonald, John
Sunderland, Thomas Little, John Brophy, John King, Patrick King,
Michael Mulhall, Patrick Little.
|
Within 12 months of the foundation of the
club, Mr. Little was proposing that the committee should approach Mr.
Molloy and a Mr. Heron with a view to purchasing some ground at the rear
of the club. It was the intention of the club to build a concert and
lecture hall on this ground. The Carlow Workman’s Club Dramatic Amateurs
was formed. Scenery, which comprised of Barrow views was painted by
Thomas Little. This was in great demand by other Dramatic Societies and
the club began to charge for the hire of the scenery!
In 1901 the Workman’s Brass Band was formed.
The club supplied instruments and uniforms. The band was much in demand
at shows and parades all over the country. Their fee in 1903 for playing
for the Rowing Club Regatta was £5. In 1904 this was increased to £7.
10. 0d.
The band members got 4/- with the exception
of the cornet players who got 5/-. The band master also got 5/-. In 1903
we find an advertisement in the British Bandsman:
|
WANTED:
- Secondhand Cornet,
- Tenor Horn,
- 2 Trombones:
- Reply to: The
Secretary,
- Workman’s Club,
- Carlow,
- Ireland.
|
A Mr. Hawkes supplied all four instruments
for £5. 10. 0d.
Three young boys were admitted to the band
for the purpose of learning the cornet. They were M. Conville, M. Kelly
and P. Little and were to be paid 1/- a week.
Every Christmas morning the, band gave an
outdoor performance and collected £20, which was a sizeable sum in 1904.
In 1900 Michael O’Hanrahan proposed that a Workman’s Club parade would
be held every November to the Croppy Graves in Graiguecullen as part of
a Manchester Martyrs Commemoration. Local and outside bands would be
hired. Local bands would be paid £2. 10. 0d. and bands from elsewhere
£5. 0. 0d. with refreshments provided. This parade was held every year
until 1915. The brass band was disbanded in 1916 and Tommy Little of
Montgomery St. is now the only living survivor. In 1902 one of the
founding members was suspended for burning a receipt from the Manchester
Martyrs Commemoration Committee in the club hall.
Many outings and excursions were arranged in
those years: a boating party to Borris, a car party to Newtownbarry and
a train excursion to Dublin.
In February 1902, two proposals were placed
before the committee by Michael O’Hanrahan (i) that shop assistants
should be allowed to join the club. (ii) that no person under 18 years
of age could play cards on club premises.
Before these proposals could be implemented
Michael O’Hanrahan had resigned from the committee and from the club.
The cause of resignation was a proposal to admit a British soldier as a
member. The proposal to accept the soldier was passed by eleven votes to
two. At an earlier meeting his proposal that circulars to members be in
Irish and English did not secure a seconder. Despite this upset a close
connection between the club and the national cause continued. In 1902
Club Chairman T. Little was Secretary of the Gaelic League and the club
premise was used as the headquarters for A Company, Carlow Batt. I.R.A.
in the War of Independence.
The club passed many resolutions on topics
of local and national concern. An early resolution called on Messrs.
Ellis, Comerford, Kellett and Mulhall to wait on Mr. Hammond MP. and Mr.
Governey with a view to having more Labour members co-opted on the Co.
Council. A special meeting was held in June 1899, to pass three
resolutions:
1. Enforce sanitary laws by compelling local
landlords to put their house property in order.
2. Call upon Carlow Urban Council to support
local industries by giving contracts to local contractors who employ
local trade and labourers.
3. That having regard to the great necessity
for watering of certain streets we call upon the U.D.C. to see that all
streets within the borough of Carlow be kept properly watered.
A resolution of October, 1899, to Carlow
U.D.C. stated: “We protest against the decision of Mr. C. J. Johnston to
hold the election of Urban District Councillors every three years
instead of annually. We feel that this is meant to weaken the working
man’s influence on the Councillors.”
A resolution of January, 1900, from Michael
O’Hanrahan proposed: “We, the members of Carlow Workman’s Club, pledge
ourselves by every means in our power to forward the interest of the
Gaelic League, Ceatharlach.”
A resolution proposed in February, again by
Michael O’Hanrahan, declared:
1. That in places where Irish is the home
language, pupils should be taught to read and write in Irish from their
first day in school.
2. Where Irish is not the home language it
shall be lawful to teach Irish as a remunerative subject during school
hours at the earliest possible stage at which pupils are capable of
learning it.
3. Copies of this resolution to be sent to
the Chief Secretary of the Commissioners for National Education, the
whips of the Irish Party, the members in this division, the metropolitan
press and the Secretary of the Gaelic League.
A resolution of May 1900 declared:
"We, the members of Carlow Workman’s club,
protest against the injustice which is being perpetrated by certain
local landlords by raising rents and we ask the Council to deter this
act of tyranny.”
A statement of November 1900 declared:
“Following a disclosure that the Protestant Church in the Carlow Asylum
were buying their furniture from England the following resolution was
passed on the proposal of Michael O’Hanrahan. We respectfully urge upon
you the necessity of giving this contract to an Irish firm. The
workmanship of Irish tradesmen, although perhaps more costly, is
superior to English and Scottish produces.” Copies to management of
Carlow Asylum and Dublin Trades Council.
In March 1902, a letter was received by the
committee from Mr. J. Byrne, Evergreen Lodge, honorary member of the
club. He asked the committee to pass a vote of sympathy with Mr. Bruen
of Oak Park on account of the loss sustained by the recent burning of
his residence. A vote was taken and no vote of sympathy was sent.
Two resolutions were passed in 1905
pertaining to the Urban Council.
One requested Michael Governey not to resign
from the U.D.C. as he had always been a good representative for the
working man. Another motion was resolved that the Workman’s Club would
put forward its own candidate to contest Urban Elections “so that we
might have a club member representing the wishes of the members on the
Council.” This was an unusual motion as Tom Little was a member of the
Urban Council in 1903.
1905 saw the club in some financial
difficulty. £20 was borrowed from the National Bank at a special rate of
3½% for 6 months.
In 1907 a re-organising committee was
formed. Members brought their own turf to keep the club fires burning.
68 circulars were sent to people inviting them to join without paying an
admission fee, Mr. T. Brennan and J. Corcoran were appointed to meet Fr.
Killian to ask him to accept the Presidency of the Club.
In 1908 Irish language and dancing classes
were being held in the club. 1910 saw the club considering an estimate
of £10 from the Carlow Gas Company to replace the unreliable
electricity. Mr. Alexander had been unwilling to make any allowance for
breaks in supply. He later changed his mind.
It is hoped to trace the post-1910 history
of the club in a later article. Surviving members are invited to submit
observations and recollections.
Labour Organising in a County Town
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PART 1
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