Gleanings from The Nenagh Guardian from February 1924 and 1964
February 23 1924
Sad Shooting Fatality
The death of Miss Kathleen Byrne, third daughter of the late John Byrne and Mrs Byrne, Uskane, Borrisokane, occurred under particularly sad circumstances on Sunday evening, at her mother’s house at Uskane. Deceased, who had only reached the age of 22 years, lost her life as the result of the accidental discharge of a gun. The pitiable circumstances of the occurrence were told at an inquest held later.
Miss Byrne was engaged in business for some years in Nenagh, where she was a general favourite for her bright disposition and friendly manner. She was sister of Mrs Michael Gleeson, St. John’s Terrace, and of Mr John Byrne, who is employed at Messrs Hodgins and Co, Pearse Street, Nenagh. Much sympathy is felt with her mother, brothers, and sisters in their grief.
On Monday evening the remains were removed to Borrisokane Church where Solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated on Tuesday, after which the internment took place in Terryglass graveyard. The funeral was very large, and the attendance from Uskane and the surrounding country, as well as from Borrisokane and Nenagh, testified to the general sympathy with the members of her family.
Dr A. Courtney, Nenagh, held an inquest on Monday into the circumstances of the death. The inquest heard the gun accidentally went off in the Byrne household while in the hands of a visitor, Thomas Hough, who had earlier been hunting wood pigeons with brothers of the deceased.
The jury returned a verdict that death occurred as a result of a shot accidentally fired from a single-barrel shotgun by Thomas Hough, who was completely exonerated from all blame in the matter.
Publican Charged
Before Nenagh District Court, Patrick Kennedy, Bank Place, Nenagh, was charged by Inspector O’ Connor, with an offence against the licensing regulations. Four men, J. Ryan, P. Vaughan, P. Molamphy and W. Buckley were summoned for being on the premises.
Guard Giblin stated the offence was committed on Saturday night week at 10 to 11pm. Accompanied by Guard McKee, witness went to the door of the house where he saw a light. He heard noise of glasses being moved and talking going on inside. Guard McKee got over the gate and into the house at the back, where he met five men rushing out the door. When witness was admitted to the house after a delay of three minutes, he found three pint glasses on the shop counter, half full with stout, and two others in the kitchen. Witness asked the publican to account for the presence of the men, but he could not get any reply.
The court was told that a brother of the publican was manager of a picture show in the town and sometimes people came late in the evening to see him about bill posting. That explained the presence of the men Ryan and Molamphy.
Inspector O’ Connor said it was an extraordinary coincidence that all the defendants should meet in the public house by accident at ten to eleven on a Saturday night. The house was one of the worst conducted houses in the town and gave a lot of trouble to the Guards.
The chairman said he intended to put a fine of £1 on the publican, but in view of the inspector’s statement that the house was giving trouble he would fine £2, in the hope that the publican would not offend in future. Three of the found-ons were each fined three shillings.
February 22 1964
Silvermines Note
Lissenhall Dramatic Class had their first outing with their play “Professor Tim” at the Muintir a Tíre Hall, Ballycommon, on Sunday night last. They will have a repeat performance in their own Hall on this Friday night and will visit Silvermines on March 1.
The Silvermines Class will take the stage for their first time on Sunday night in the Parish Hall, when they will produce their three-act drama entitled, “In Wild Earth”.
Chalk Sunday
Last Sunday was the traditional day for marking the bachelors of Silvermines parish with chalk. Now that shrove tide has passed, they will not have the opportunity of getting married for another season. This being a leap year however, they are excused.
Templemore Note
After reconstruction work that took almost three years and is still proceeding, the new Garda Depot opened its gates to 250 trainees on Friday week, when following their arrival by special train, they marched through the town to the new depot. On arrival at Templemore they were received by the UDC Chairman, Mr S. McDonnell, and Mr A Durkan, Town Clerk.
The new depot opens officially on Friday next, when it will be blessed by Most Rev. Dr Morris, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, and formally opened by Mr Charles Haughey, Minister for Justice. The ceremony will be preceded by a civic reception given by Templemore UDC at the Town Hall.
The new depot features all modern and most attractive living, dining, training and recreational facilities. The cost to date of the reconstruction and provision of new buildings is approximately £580,000 of which £270, 800 approximately is for reconstruction of the old barracks premises, and £310,000 is for the provision of new buildings. The completed depot will be a really beautiful work and will rank amongst the best and most attractive in Ireland.
Muriel Sheppard and Mary Hogan
Miss Muriel Sheppard, Step Road, Cloughjordan, a student at Borrisokane Vocational School and a past pupil of Cloughjordan No. 2 NS, was a successful candidate at a recent CIE examination which attracted over 300 candidates for recruitment of lady clerks and office machine operators. Miss Sheppard, who also took first place in Co Tipperary at a fish cookery competition last year, is the holder of a County Council primary-vocational scholarship.
Miss Mary Hogan, Carrigahorig, Borrisokane, a past pupil at Borrisokane VS and Terryglass NS, took 15th place in the CIE examinations,one of 300 candidates for lady clerks. Miss Hogan took her Commerce Secretarial Group Certificate last June with honours in all seven subjects.