It is said that Julia also bequeathed her house Dromdeiah in Killeagh in East Cork to John Patrick in 1917. Its present days ruins are an impressive two-storey house over a basement. Roger Green Davis completed the dwelling in 1833. The view on the front or the south east reveals five bays. There is a pedimented portico on the northern east wing and there was and still is cut limestone Neo-classical detail throughout. When John Patrick bought it was in a poor condition and he accordingly revamped it.

In 1925, John Patrick decided to make the Universal Motor Company a limited company. The National Archive in Dublin reveals the company formation documents. The certificate of Incorporation of the Universal Motor Company Limited was on the 2 September 1925. The company was formed with compliance to the requirements of the Companies (Consolidation) Act 1908. The first directors were John Patrick O'Mahony, David O'Mahony (a brother), both registered at 40 North Main Street, Joseph O'Mahony (a brother) of Knock, Rochestown and Charles P. McCarthy, an incorporated accountant of 50 South Mall. The chairman was John Patrick O'Mahony. The nominal capital of the company was £10,000 divided into 10,000 shares of £1-0-0 each.

The money was borrowed in late September 1925 from The Munster and Leinster Bank Limited on 66 South Mall Cork. However, in February 1926, the company ran into financial problems and the bank appointed Mr. Alexander Joseph Magennis as a receiver and manager of the property of the company. By 1927, the receiver had sold off the Cornmarket street premises and the garage on North Main Street was replaced by the Lee Hosiery and Clothing Factory (now Maher's Sports, 2008). The Universal Motor Company Limited was eventually dissolved in July 1945.

In East Cork c.1934, John Patrick O'Mahony diversified into the hurley making business in Killeagh. His brothers Joe and Paddy were also involved in the business. They brought ash in from forests in Clare and Longford for manufacture. The hurley manufacturing continued until the 1970s. Hurling was a competitive sport in East Cork. Dungourney Hurling Club were All-Ireland champions 1902 and Munster Champions in 1907 and also in that decade were winners of the Roche Cup, Cork Athletic Grounds Cup and the Dr. Mangan Cup. So there was a great heritage of hurling in the area before the O'Mahony brothers set up their business.

On the walls of O'Mahony's Pub in Killeagh is a picture of the Killeagh Hurling Team with Paddy O'Mahony as part of the team, highlighting also that the O'Mahony family participated in the sport. The Pub in Killeagh also proudly has a signed hurley by Christy Ring. The Hurleys were sent far afield to New Zealand and Australia to Irish clubs. During his time as Taoiseach, Jack Lynch presented a gift of a hurley to the son of the Ambassador of Copenhagen. The brothers also had a farm, which they worked on. Paddy eventually moved into the saw-milling industry.

Another brother James, who was better known as Jimmy, lived in the home place in Berrings and was married to Bridie. He joined the Volunteers in the Berrings area in 1919. His brother Richard became a commandant in the old Irish Republican army. Jimmy joined the Fianna Fail party on its foundation and was a staunch Republican who for many years delivered the oration speech at the Dripsey Ambush Memorial. He also played road bowling and had the honour of being the first "official" Cork road bowling champion following the formation of the Ból Chumann na hÉireann in 1954. At the end of his bowling days, he became involved at administration level with Ból Chumann and was its president at the time of his death in 1983.

To be continued…

Sincere thanks to Pat Reen, Eamonn O'Mahony, Betty O'Mahony and Sheila Healy for their insights into the O'Mahony clan.

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