In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 96) - Dazzling Histories

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Written by Staff Reporter

Thursday, 20 December 2007

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In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 96) - Dazzling Histories
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When Marshes, the auctioneers, were selling off the houses and sheds of the Muskerry Railway in 1938, Denis bought the ticket house for £50. He bought two railway bridges with the ground originally but in later years swapped the ground with a local farmer for an acre of a pond that was going between the two bridges. He revamped the ticket house into living accommodation and worked from there.

Talking to Pat, he was clearly passionate about his up bringing, what he learned and what was passed on to him. It was a way of life that he inherited. Pat notes that: ‘’Growing up my job was the open fire and to maintain wood for it. Water was got from a well down the railway line. You brought two buckets instead of one to keep a balance. We also used to snare and dazzle rabbits. I remember going out at 5/ 6p.m. in the winter months when it was getting dark. We would attach a car light to a six-volt battery and shine it into the rabbit’s eyes. The greyhound by your side would do the catching. My brother Tim was also big into the sport. I still hunt today and shoot game with three gun clubs, that of Coachford, Macroom and Rylane. We do eat the bounty that of the duck and pheasant’’.

Pat went on to live in a house near Bealnamorive in western Aghabullogue. In 1981, his father died and left Pat the house to look after. Pat’s wife Mary originally lived in Farren not far from what is now Quaid’s photographic studio on the Cork-Macroom main road. She spent 30 years in London before she came home to her brother in Coachford. It was at this juncture that she met Pat as well. They are married four years this year.

As both Pat and Mary were brought up in a cottage environment. They put a lot of thought into the modernisation of the old ticket house. They were conscious of the heritage of the building but wanted to create a warm, homely and peaceful feeling. They made a number of changes but in general kept the essence of the ticket house. The exterior facing walls were completed in cedar wood and so they re-cladded the walls with cedar wood. They re-arranged the house to make sense in the modern world. For example they changed the location of the front door. They wanted to create a space that would give space for aspects such as cupboards and furniture. They salvaged the galvanise on the roof, which was in poor repair. They put in new timber roof beams where appropriate. The ceiling boards needed replacing. They also discovered in their renovations one inch of horsehair inside the galvanise that had been used as insulation. It was rolled on. Heatwise they note that there is great dryness within the building. The same heat is retained through the wood in summer as in winter.

To be continued in the New Year...

Thanks to Pat and Mary Carroll and family for their time, insights and courtesy.

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