1. Castlemartyr 1916

2. Land and infrastructure in the area...
It was decided that the gullet in the bridge in Castlemartyr needed to be repaired. It cost £6 to fix it.

3. Land and infrastructure in the area...
The farming land around Castlemartyr and Mogeely in 1916 was leased out on 11 month contracts. Auctions were held to decide who would receive the land.

4. Land and infrastructure in the area...
M. Fleming (Great Grandfather of Tom & Ella) put an ad in the paper to let out a house. The ad described it as a ‘good house, with well arranged shop, ample storage, and stabling accommodation to let...’

5. Land and Infrastructure in the area...
The Church of the Sacred Heart in Mogeely was newly built and a source of pride for many in the area. On his death in 1916, a Mr. Patrick O’ Brien of Castlemartyr left ‘£100 for the new Roman Catholic Church of Mogeely, Co. Cork.’

6. Important posts in the village...
Doctor Power was the resident doctor in Castlemartyr, but he was granted annual leave to serve in World War 1. A Doctor Murphy was his replacement and there was some concern about his appointment, because he was under 30 and also eligible to leave for the war! There was no such problem, however, and Dr. Murphy took up residence in Castlemartyr. Dr. Power returned after the War.

7. Important posts in the village...
The death occurred in 1916 of one of Castlemartyr’s finest headmasters. Mr. Patrick T. Scannell was highly regarded on a national level. He had his first post in Mogeely school, he then opened a school in Castlemartyr in 1866, and he opened the school on the Mogeely road in He retired in The reports of the inspectors who examined the school were’ invariably excellent’, and he won the ‘highest possible commendation of the Irish Educational Board’. He was ‘practically the father of the Teachers’ Association’.

8. Important posts in the village...
Abernethy’s connection with making bread went back as far as T.W. Abernethy put an ad in the paper stating: ‘Bread van suit a horse; almost new; will be sold cheap...’

9. Important posts in the village...
The cattle mart was a significant place in It appears the prices were good that year. Mr. Thomas Gould, of Castlemartyr, sold a ‘nice lot of 2 year old bullocks...for £18 and 10 s per head.

10. Important posts in the village...
Mr. Patrick Hennessy was a very prominent man in the village. He regularly advertised that he had cars for hire, and that they could be picked up at Mogeely or Cork station. He also sold homemade flour! He was an officer of the Castlemartyr Court sessions. He was a regular at Irish Parliamentary Party Meetings.

11. Law enforcement issues...
In 1916 a travelling gypsy and his four sons were arrested for the theft of a coat belonging to Mrs. E. Clifford (grandmother to Ned Clifford of Clifford’s Butchers). One of the sons, Ernie Smith, was sentenced to 14 days in prison. Head Constable McKevitt prosecuted.

12. Law enforcement issues...
Sergeant John Gilroy was the Inspector for Food and Drugs in Castlemartyr. He prosecuted several people for selling him butter that was too watery! Patrick P. Walsh, for example, of Carrigashinna, was accused of selling butter that had 10.25% water. He said he had to add more water because there was such hot weather in He was fined 15 shillings!

13. Law enforcement issues
A Mr. William Graham, a labourer, was prosecuted for being drunk and disorderly on both the 10th and 11th of August. He was fined 10 shillings for day 1 and 5 shillings for day 2! A Mr. Patrick Ryan was charged with having assaulted a Sergeant Hogan. He was found guilty. Punishment unknown as of now.

14. Wedding
There was a Castlemartyr wedding abroad in Thomas Garde (relative of Juliet Cahill) married Anna Gould (both of Castlemartyr) in St. Agnes’ Church, New York!
St. Agnes’ Church, New York

15. Tragedy
In December 1916, Mary Griffin of Kilcredan, was knocked down by a passenger train on the Mogeely Railway. She was returning from a funeral in Mogeely and drove a short cut across the railway line. A tragic end to the year.

16. The End
Keep an eye on the walls of the 5th/6th class corridor after Easter for more detailed accounts of events in Castlemartyr in 1916.