REMEMBERING THE GLANWORTH GIANT
Writing to The Avondhu in the summer of 1991, Glanworth man Jas Coleman told us of a man by the name of O’Doughall who, it was said, was seven and a half feet tall and weighed approximately twenty two stone. This man lived in a small house between Glanworth and Ballindangan at the beginning of the 1900s, the date of this particular story set at 1903.
The O’Doughalls were farm labourers which for most, was the usual employment of the time. They had two boys and two girls and the ‘giant’ in the family was well known for his weightlifting and tug-o-war feats.
The British Army, based in Fermoy at the time, heard of the exploits of O’Doughall. They too had a strong man in their regiment who was a great tug-o-war puller and so, sent an invitation to the Glanworth man to take him on - a challenge O’Doughall readily accepted.
It was a gala event in the barracks on a lovely sunny afternoon. The army band turned out in their regalia to play the two contestants around the barrack square.
The tug-o-war rope was in place, the ground marked and the athletes took up their positions. Each champion had one helper and one man each, watching the mark.
They got the order to pull, and pull they did to the cheers of the crowd. Four long hours had elapsed and the rope hadn’t moved, not an inch given on either side. The officer in charge eventually drew his sword and cut the rope, declaring both men to be mighty champions. O’Doughall’s followers however were not happy with how the contest ended and so, set another challenge for the pair.
The second event took place in Glanworth, the competition being to loft a fifty six pound weight from the top of the castle down on to the mill island. Again, summer sunshine blazed on a holiday afternoon as the men took up their positions. The Army champion was first to throw. Grasping the weight and despite giving a heave with all his might, the weight fell short of the mark.
O’Doughall, cheered on by his followers, stepped up to the mark, picked up the weight and with one mighty heave, landed the fifty six pound weight bang in the middle of the island.
Needless to say, celebrations followed and and it was said that a barrel of Murphy’s stout met a quick fate.
The story goes that O’Doughall set sail for America shortly afterwards where he set up a company for moving houses from one site to another. Many of the houses there would be mostly of timber-frame build and it is believed the method used was to dig under the foundations and with rollers, have the homes moved to the new location.
And, to make a good story even better, it was said the great O’Doughall died a millionaire.