Some Census data from 1911 in Fermoy
Just about one-hundred and eleven years ago, on Sunday, April 2nd, 1911, the Census was taken in Fermoy and looking at it today, it reveals some very interesting information.
Two items are worth noting, the first being in the house of Dr Michael A O’Brien on West Quay. Among the inhabitants was one Thomas Paul O’Brien, aged just 1 hour. If not the youngest, he was one of the youngest people in Ireland to be included in that year’s Census.
He had an older brother James Gerard (aged 3) and a sister, Joan Mary (aged 1). James was the very popular Dr Jim O’Brien of Fermoy.
Thomas Paul, or Paul as he was generally known, also became a doctor. He was an excellent athlete and won the Irish half-mile championship in 1932. He was a member of the famous UCC Athletics team along with the famed Dr Pat O’Callaghan, who was an Olympic gold medalist on two occasions, meaning Paul was certainly in good company.
He joined the British Army Medical Corps for a three year period in the late 1930s but the onset of World War II resulted in him leaving to serve with the forces throughout the war.
Paul was stationed on a Greek island and said that if the Germans invaded, he would swim to Turkey! After the war, he returned to Ireland and became a dispensary doctor in Carrick-on-Suir. He passed away in 1985.
EGAN’S NATIONAL HOTEL
Egan’s National Hotel on Queens Square (now Pearse Square), where Fitzgerald’s Butchers shop was previously located on the corner, had no less than 30 cattle dealers staying there on the night of the Census, many of whom listed County Tipperary as their place of birth.
In 1911, Monday, April 3 was a fair day and the hotels and lodging houses were full with cattle dealers and farmers.
Things have changed a lot in 111 years! Note - This year’s Census takes place on Sunday, April 3rd.