The Mall, Thomastown

[Jerpointlad]

Thomastown and surrounding area is awash with O'Neill cousins, being one myself. The photo of the house is, I think, in the Friars Hill / Jerpoint area just a few fields away from the Viaduct bridge shown in the other photo. I know the family living there now have been there for over 50 years. Before that I think Harry Pinchen lived there - not sure of the spelling. I think he moved to England in the 1930's. He did correspond with the Power family in Grennan over many years and I understand he sent over recordings of his life and experiences of living in Thomastown.
Is this of any use? Perhaps we should mobilise the "cousins"!

[Penny P]

Hi

My mother was Mary O'Neill and her father was James O'Neil b 1896.  She was born in the house  in Grennan in 1923 (where the O'Neills still live) but moved to England when she was very young.  Grandmother was Johanna (nee Doyle).
Ellen would have been my grandfather's mother I think.

The man with the horse is Tom Murphy - he used to work at Mount Juliet I think.  He moved with his wife Betty, their son Jim, daugher in law Maisie and the two grandchildren Tom and Valerie to Birmingham in England and then on to Canada many years ago.  Tom lived to be 104 and was still playing golf in his 90s.  Sadly Jim passed away some years ago.

Thomastown is awash with our cousins and they are all very knowledgeable about the family history.

[Penny P]

A "PS" from my earlier message.
Nell would have been my grandfather's (Jim O'Neill) sister not mother.

[olien]

The horse in the picture is probably 'The Tetrarch' , nicknamed The Spotted Wonder, winner of a number of classics and buried in Ballylynch . Tom Murphy looked after him. Tom trained greyhounds also and had a taxi in Waterford in the late 50's, before moving to Birmingham. My sister, Joan, was in regular contact with Jim Murphy for many years before he died, and I also emailed him a few times.
 Nell O'Neill married Fred Gaskell, but there was not much contact between the families. It would be good to meet after all these years. Not sure if Tony (Gargoyle) followed up on his earlier contacts with Johnny Kelly c.07. I only became aware of the posting recently.

[Penny P]

Thanks for the info.
I was also in regular contact with Jim Murphy in Canada right up until he passed away.  Hi dearth was very sad and somewhat unexpected.   Maisie was completely devastated.

[Norelass]

Hi All,

I'm another of the O'Neill cousins awash in Thomastown.  Hi Jerpointlad & Penny P.  Our Grandfather was James O'Neill b 1896.  The Elizabeth Kelly in the picture is our Great Grandmother. The house in the picture in the Mall still stands & Mrs O'Brien lived there up to a while ago.  Nobody lives there now.  The house in the picture in Friar's Hill, Jerpoint is I think now owned by the Roches.   I grew up in Grennan just up the road but not at the top of the hill, the house further up. 

[Penny P]

Hi cousin!  I always remember the O'Brien house in The Mall.  I got bitten by a dog there many years ago.  I have never lived in Thomastown but visited every year from a small child and try to keep up with all the family.  The information gained from this website is very very helpful and interesting.

[Norelass]

Hi Penny,

It's occurred to me that you won't know who Norelass is, it's Therese (Tess), Larry's daughter.  Yeah Bobby sent me the link from this site, it's really interesting. I've just run up the road & have taken a picture of the house as it looks now, it's obviously been merged into one house from the two in the original.  Great to hear from you Penny & how's all the rest of the family keeping over the sea?

[shanew147]

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