The Rambling Houses of Tullinaglug
Up until the 1970’s Rambling houses were common in most villages in Rural Ireland. The Rambling house was generally the home of a bachelor. It was here that the men of the village gathered at night, shared a conversation, discussed local and current affairs and played card games including 25 and poker. The village of Tullinaglug located along the banks of the river Moy had many rambling houses throughout the twentieth century. In the 1030’s the rambling house was James Finn’s. James was a travelled man who spent many years in Arizona in his youth. James had attentive listeners when he relayed the stories of life among the cowboys. He told stories of jumping onto the trains, going through the Planes from one town to the next town. In later years similar type of stories were often seen in Western films in St. Brigid’s Hall Tubbercurry.
With the outbreak of World War 2 the home of Patrick Flynn (Liam’s Grandfather) became the rambling house in Tullinaglug. There was a huge attraction here as Flynn’s had one of the few radios in the parish which was operated by a carbide battery. The electricity came to the village in the late 1950’s. It was with Pat Flynn’s radio that the people were kept updated with the developments of World War 2.
Young and old men gathered in Flynn’s house. Among those ramblers was the late William Kildunne from Tullymoy who possessed a great wit coupled with been well read. One of William’s great prophecies has stood the test of time. It was after the government of the day introduced Unemployment Benefit Pat Flynn asked William did he think the dole would last to which William replied “While there is a bill on a crow it will last”.Another story was told of William going into Tubbercurry Publican, Pat Seerey. William ordered and drank a bottle of stout. As William was leaving Pat Seerey informed William that he had not paid him to which William replied “It was already paid for”, and said to Pat Seerey “didn’t you pay for it when you got it and once is enough to pay for anything”. It was from listening to William Kildunne that a younger generation of men like the late Joe Walsh, Jim O’ Hara , Luke Cunnane and Mick Brett developed their keen wit. Other rambling houses in the village included Thomas (Owney) Brennan’s, Durkin’s, Brett’s and Kennedy’s in upper Tullinagluig.
The next and last Rambling house in Tullinaglug was the late Luke Cunnane’s. Following the death of Luke’s parents, Thomas and Catherine, the Cunnane house had been the hub of the village in the early part of the century as they operated the local shop. Hence, people calling to the Cunnane house was not something new or strange.
It was the typical rambling house with the big open fire with the crane and a pot of potatoes boiling for the fowl and the animals. The table along the wall, the form and in an era prior to tap water, the can of spring water from Cook’s well on the form. The coats of the ramblers hung from the rack. The wall clock chime and when 11 chimes struck, it was time for home and bed. On Monday nights there would always be a full house to discuss the events and tribulations of the weekend. The main topic of conversation would include the game Tourlestrane played the previous day. Up until the mid sixties the bicycle was the mode of transport and supporters thought nothing of cycling to Curry pitch located up the road from Gerard Howley’s pub, O’ Connors field in Tubbercurry and later Kilcoyne Park.
Along with journeys to Charlestown and Ballina to see Sligo play.
On Sunday nights Luke and older men of the village would cycle to St. Brigid’s hall to see the pictures. The picture would also be discussed on Monday night with John Wayne being the hero. The rambling house had retained characters of wit and practical jokers. This applied one night when a young lad enquired what film was on the following Sunday night to which he was informed “Naked City”. Fuelled with misinformation, the young fellow went to the picture in anticipation of seeing lots of skimpy dressed ladies. What an anti-climax for the young man, the film “Naked City” was about the evacuation of the German town during World War 11.
On Sunday nights also the young fellows would cycle to the dance in Andrew Walsh’s Hall in Charlestown and often had a passenger on the bar of the bike as all discussed on Monday night.
The Rambling House taught young fellows cop on, manners and as Luke would say “To know your place”. The 25 card game was played fairly and seriously and many great nights of 25 were played in Luke Cunnane’s. The games were often played for a brace of pheasants, duck and turkeys and geese at Christmas time. While there were many great players over the years, I would have to single out the late John Neary as one of the best. Luke’s rambling house was also the venue where information was shared as to where pheasants and foxes were spotted.
In the case of the pheasants, Luke equipped with his gun which always hung over the fire, Grouse, the red setter and later, Shepard (Grouse’s son) set off in pursuit early the next day. The general result would be pheasants for the card game that night.
In the case of the fox , the assistance of the late Eneas Lundy was sought and with the added incentive of a bounty of ten shillings, the fox had no chance of escape. The fox had to be presented at Aclare or Tubbercurry Garda stations. In winter time the River Moy and it’s tributes, Cooke’s and Stang were monitored for salmon on the pit during the day.
Early in the evening lamp oil was purchased in either Grady’s or Kilcoyne’s shop.
The men meet at the statue equipped with gafs and well oiled sods of turf on spears and a meal bag and bottles of oil to refuel the sods during the night fishing. Prior to the drainage of the River Moy, it was a sight to behold, four bright lights coming up the Moy in lock at the adhach, at the hillicks and the haven of salmon in the ford of Baile na Chruise. In the ford at Baile na Chruise there were stepping stones across the river connecting the villages of Tullinaglug and Creasane. It is at these stepping stones that St. Patrick is supposed to have crossed the river after leaving the Ox Mountains on his travels. One of the stepping stones has a cross etched on to it. There was also stepping stones at the Ford Adhach, connecting both villages. The meal bag had a dual purpose for the fisherman, one was to quench the sod of turf and secondly for carrying the catch of salmon.
Luke’s house continued to be the rambling house until the 1970’s but with the coming of television on stream in the 1960’s and the singing lounge, the rambling declined. While visitors still called to Luke’s house up until close to his death on February 15 th 1985, the impact of the Rambling house had been lost to other distractions. Recently, the now vacant old rambling house of Luke Cunnane’s was demolished and all that remains is the memories and the footprint of the house.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the garden in the front of Luke’s house. This garden contained vegetables and fruit trees and a chair design of a Hawthorn bush which was admired by all along with the other neatly trimmed hedges. At the rear of Luke’s house was a haggard with neat reeks of hay and lots of apple trees.
In the Autumn, we generally visited the apple trees preferably when Luke was away. It was in Luke’s house that Fr. Eamon O’Hara was born and in 1957 Eamon O’Hara captained St. Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen to their first and only All Ireland Colleges Senior Title and lifted the Hogan Cup. Padraig Maye from Aclare also played on that team.
At Luke’s funeral, Fr Eamon aptly described his uncle as a youth officer with a great interest in the youth of the area and all the football teams.
Recently as I viewed the site where the house used to be, it was good to view the present. Luke’s grandnephew, Derek O’ Hara has built a lovely home close to the old homestead.
However, like the song about Larry Andy and the thrasher, my mind wandered back to an era of great memories of Luke and of the many Ramblers to the house, who have gone to their eternal rewards. Yes, it’s the end of an era of bygone days but the memories still shine bright in my mind of great craic, banter, wit and card playing. I finish by asking myself what would Luke and the lads think of the mobile phone, the ipad etc Thanks for the memories.