Pat Baker of Rathfarnham has sent us some information about her great grandfather who passed away 100 years ago this month at the early age of 36.

Thomas Dunne of 44 Thorncastle Street died in his home on 2nd October 1907. He was a bottle blower in the IGB for many years.

In the newspaper of the day it was recorded that: “To those who knew him he was known not just a prominent member of a particular trade, nor yet as an active Gael but as a genial, upright, warm-hearted outspoken Irishman. A marked feature of the funeral was the parade of the trade colleagues of the deceased who marched two deep after the bier through the principal streets of Ringsend and Irishtown.”

Tommy Dunne was connected with the Isles of the Sea Football Club from its formation in 1887 and captained the team through the County Dublin Championships in 1895. Tommy was the father of the famous Jimmy Dunne (Snowy) who lived on Tritonville Avenue and was capped many times.

Madam Editor
I am looking for a book entitled ‘Joe Murphy: Master Shipbuilder and Shipwright’. If any readers of ‘NewsFour’ have a copy for sale I would be very pleased to buy it from them.
Jimmy Purdy
(name and address with the Editor)

Madam Editor
What a shocking way to celebrate the hundredth birthday of our beloved Hailing Station, or as some might call it, the Berthing Station. What price our Heritage Week celebrations, when we turn a blind eye to the wanton destruction of this protected structure? A pile of rubble is all that’s left of this building, which served the Dublin Docks area for many a long year.

Many a docker got word of a day’s work, by hanging around this structure in the early part of the 20th century. Now, instead of celebrating its hundredth birthday, it has been shamelessly wiped off the face of this earth. In sadness, I hear not a whisper or a bell toll, nor see a tear shed, or the raising of a jar to wake its passing.

The following paragraph is an extract from a Government issued document entitled

‘A Guide to Protected Buildings’ and I quote paragraph [5] which is laid out in a Q & A mode.
Q: What obligations fall on owners and occupiers to ensure the preservation of protected structures?
A: Each owner and occupier must ensure that a protected structure or any element of a protected structure is not endangered through harm, decay or damage, whether over a short or long period, through neglect or through direct or indirect means.

One of the reasons put forward for the demolition of this listed building was because it was in a serious state of decay.
George P Kearns

Madam Editor
The lady in the small photograph [top photo] is Mrs Doyle who was clerk of St Patrick’s Ringsend for many years. I think she was the only female clerk in the diocese.

In the bigger picture [lower photo] the lady on the left (standing) was a Miss May Murphy, later to become Sr M. Bede with the Franciscans. She is now deceased R.I.P. The other lady (sitting between the rows of children) is my sister Kathleen O’Malley now Kathleen O’Connor. She has been widowed for some years. She is 93 years old and is living in St Clare’s nursing home in Stamullen where she is being cared for very well.

May and herself were great friends and at that time they belonged to the sewing guild attached to St Vincent de Paul in Ringsend Parish. I would not know any of the children.

I love your newspaper which I receive from my brother. I spent the first 22 years of my life in Sandymount Parish and your articles bring back many happy memories
God bless and keep up the good work
Yours Sincerely
Antoinette O’Connor
Ballinteer

Madam Editor
You had a picture in your last issue of Mrs Annie Doyle. Mrs Doyle was a stalwart of Ringsend Parish and was Sacristan from 1901 up to her death on 6th June 1946. She was known locally as the ‘chapel woman’.

Her duties were vast and onerous, including cleaning the church from early morning to last thing at night. In her latter days in office her wages were 12 shillings and 6 pence per week. The Parish Priest paid her on a Saturday night and she told that on many an occasion with queues for confession she was so late in being paid that the local shops were closed and she could not get her few messages.

Mrs Doyle entered the church on one occasion to find the Parish Priest standing on a chair cleaning the sanctuary lamp and on enquiring what he was doing he said he was cleaning it. She said “well, you have it lovely.” “Yes,” he said “and I would like to keep it that way,” and she replied “no trouble at all, Father, sure I’ll get you a few cloths.”
Sincerely
A. P. (Tony) Behan