Kilrickle Centenarian Looks Back
The Connacht Tribune, January 14, 1956.
Introduction
Born in 1855 and in 1956 still going strong in the enviable record of a remarkable man, Mr. John Byrnes, Glanmeen, Kiltrickle.
To converse with this still very lively man, who celebrated his one hundredth birthday on the last Friday of 1956 is indeed a rich experience. His keen and active mind enable him to recall with vivid detail the stirring and often tragic events in Ireland in the post Famine years.
He witnessed the start of Landlordism's cruel campaign of evictions of which Clanrickarde's excesses in South East Galway were unparalleled. He saw the gallant "resistance movements" organized by the Fenians and by the Land Leaguers in support of whom, Mr. Byrnes suffered imprisonment.
Born at Cappataggle, Ballinasloe, on the 30th December, 1855, he was the youngest of a family of seven. At fifteen he was apprenticed to the carpentry trade at Aughrim, having completed the school course at Lurrigan School where he was taught by a Mr. John Loughnane, whose salary was £40 per annum. At the age of twenty he went to Dublin, traveling by canal, and secured a job making school desks and furniture. His day's work commenced at 6am, and lasted until 6pm. Any tradesman who was not at his bench at 6 o'clock in the morning lost a day's wages out of his 25 / per week.
During a depression, Mr. Byrnes emigrated to Scotland where he worked on house and ship building and returned to Dublin in 1880.
Phoenix Park Murders
On the day in 1882 when the Lord Lieutenant, Lord Cavendish and Under secretary Burke, were murdered by the invincibles in the Phoenix Park, Mr. Byrnes left by train to take up a job in Limerick. On arrival at Limerick Station he was immediately arrested on suspicion of being connected with the affair in the Park.
A smile lurks around the corners of Mr. Byrnes' mouth as he relates the arrest. A police officer ordered two constables to seize Mr. Byrne as he shouted at him: "Why did you run from Dublin?"
"Sure I didn't run at all: I came fair and easy by train." was Mr. Byrnes withering reply.
Notwithstanding, he was hauled off to jail and held for fourteen days before being released. He then took up the job offered to him by a Mr. Humphries, father of Limerick's patriot priest of the time, Fr. Humphries, and was put to work building houses for forty evicted tenants in the city. With others on this scheme he was again arrested and was brought before the notorious Magistrate, Clifford Lloyd. When Mr. Byrnes in reply to the Magistrate said that he would return to work the minute he was released. Lloyd replied: "You'll do no work for three weeks," and sentenced him to that period in Limerick Jail.
While there Miss Fanny Parnell and an American lady named Miss Tilley, who took a passionate interest in Ireland's cause at the time, visited the jail and brought comforts to Mr. Byrnes' and his comrades in distress. In subsequent years he worked in many parts of Ireland, including counties Cork and Tipperary before returning to his native Galway.
In March 1886 he married Miss Maria Dooley of Eastwell, Cappataggle. She died on Monday of last week aged 94, R.I.P. Their seven children are all living.
Among Mr. Byrnes boyhood memories are to have seen carts with solid wooden wheels used instead of wheels and spokes. He remembers the introduction of tea in his native locality and of seeing farmers tilling the soil with spades after first stacking the top "scraws" like turf and then burning them to use the ashes as fertilizer for potatoes.
Mr. Byrnes has no formula for long life. He always worked hard throughout his lifetime and that he says, kept him "hardy." he never played games as the people hadn't much time for hurling or football in the days of his youth. Hunting hares with greyhounds and later shooting were his favourite pastimes.
Mr. Byrnes remembers seven bishops of Clonfert, the late Dr. John Derry, Dr. Patrick Duggan, Dr. John Healy, Dr. Thomas O'Dea, Dr. Thomas O'Doherty, Dr. John Dignan and the present Bishop, Dr. William J. Philbin.
Loughrea Old Age Pensions Sub—Committee passed a vote of congratulation with the centenarian
Tragedy followed close on celebration in Kilrickle last week—end, a tragedy that broke a marriage partnership of seventy years. On Friday week last, with their children, grand—children, Mr. J. Byrnes and his wife Maria, aged 94 celebrated Mr. Byrnes's 100th birthday at their home at Glanmeen, Kilrickle. On Monday week those who had come to offer their deepest sympathy; his wife had died that day. On Wednesday, after Requiem Mass in Kilrickle church, Rev. P. Abberton C.C. recited the last prayers over the graveside. Our picture shows the centenarian and his wife.