From my current research on a new book Remembering Wexford.
Hope it helps.
Ben Fenlon was a major character in the 1940s and into the 1950s but some of the tales about him may stretch credulity. We give them here as we found in research and recollection. Ben and his brother Michael were men ahead of their times in the world of recycling. Their cries of "Bottles, jam jars or clothes" drew hordes of young and not so young people into the battle for the planet, well the battle for a few bob actually. Ben and Michael were not expecting anything for nothing and they actually paid you for your old bottles, jars and clothes which of course they also would obtain money for. Prices were assigned by size and many a person financed their leisure activities by collecting bottles and jars in anticipation of the brothers visits.
The story about Ben is that he was the grandson of another Michael. That Michael had arrived from Carlow with the militia and eventually settled in Black Cow Lane in Thomas Street and that he fathered 60 children over three marriages. His first wife, Mary Ouselm, gave birth to 24 children. His second wife Margaret Murphy had 16 children and later Mary Murphy from Ballinslaney would present him with another 20 children. Michael is said to have lived to the age of 99 years and died on January 11th 1900. It said that although many of the children chose to leave Wexford that for one Christmas there were 43 requiring dinner in the little family home. Michael was said to have initially supported the family by calling to houses of the poor and giving basic education in the so called Three Rs. He then set up as a General Dealer. His last direct descendant was said to be George who passed away in 1948.
