DIARY

A story from over 30 years ago summed up a great little place - well, now a growing place, Mell.

One of the features that spring instantly to mind in any discussion about Drogheda’s uniqueness, is that it had its own “Mini-Vatican” of sorts — a tiny independent parish, removed from the two main parishes St. Peters and St. Marys.

Mell is the area in question — and in 1985 a special celebration was planned for one of the oldest and most historically interesting areas in Drogheda. The reason for the celebration — which was scheduled for June 23 — was the Golden Jubilee of St. Joseph’s Terrace (pictured), which was built in 1935, and which is still one of the most popular places to live in in all of Drogheda.

Many locals living in the area recalled the field known as “Jockeys Row” upon which St. Josephs Terrace now stands.

Legend has is that on nights of the full moon, a headless horseman could be seen in the field, riding at full gallop.

Sadly however the horseman — and the story — have disappeared since the construction of St. Joseph’s Terrace.

Two of the original tenants who moved to St. Josephs in 1935, still remained on the Terrace. Mrs. Rose Donoghue and Mr. Jimmy Leslie were living on the Terrace for 50 years.

Rose, whose husband John (Jack) was well known around the town for keeping greyhounds, had 10 children in the house.

Jimmy meanwhile had one of the most fascinating life story’s of any of the town citizens. Jimmy fought with the British Army in the First World War in France, was taken prisoner at the battle of Ypres and shipped to Germany until November 1918.

Upon his return to Ireland Jimmy found little in the way of employment, so he joined the RAF and was stationed in Windbum in England for two years. He joined the Free State Army in Ireland in 1922 and was stationed in Dundalk, where he was almost killed in an ambush on the road between Dundalk and Greenore. Jimmy left the army in 1925 and moved in Mell in 1935 when the houses on St. Joseph’s Terrace were completed.

He worked in Habrinsons Hardware Shop in West Street up until its closure in 1975

Another resident of Mell particularly well known in the town was Mary Murphy, who became a much loved figure on Drogheda’s streets during the 30 years that she sold milk from a horse and cart.

Indeed, so popular was the fresh milk that Mary would sell up to 40 gallons every day. Mary lived with her sister Mrs. Kathleen Devlin having retired from the milk selling business in 1974. Owen Finnegan was another Mell resident with an interesting tale to tell. Owen, who retired from CIE in 1985, had become something of a local celebrity because of his Basejis dogs.

No visit to Mell was complete without a visit to the two most famous shops in the area — namely Nano Gormans and Halls.

Nano Gorman — whose married name was Davis but retained her maiden name — was over 60 years in her small but hugely successful shop.

Her mother Annie Barton — who was born and reared in Mell — bought the shop in 1924, and it was in Gorman’s name ever since. Nano’s father was John Gorman, a tailor in Brady’s of West Street. Meanwhile Thomas and Eileen Hall ran a shop that was equally as famous as Gormans.

Mrs. Hall opened the shop in 1941 as a hobby — however it grew into a way of life.

At one stage, Mell was unique because it was the only parish in Ireland run by the Franciscans.