Letters to the Editor
Corish Connections
I read with interest your profile of Tory Island Lighthouse and I can add a further name to the list of Principal Keepers, that of my grandfather, Patrick Corish, who served there for almost four years, 1898 to 1902.
When reading the profile of the Tuskar in Beam Vol 30, I came across a name in the list of Assistant Keepers, Francis J. Corish, which reminded me of an incident that happened over thirty years ago.
In the early 1970s I worked in the Munster and Leinster Bank in Cahirciveen. I wasn't long there when an elderly lady from Valentia Island called to see me. She asked if Frank Corish was related to me. I told her I believed he was a cousin of my father. She then asked me if he had ever married. I told her I didn't think he had, and she said that was a pity as 'he was a lovely lad'.
She was a member of one of the old cable station families on the island. She wasn't a customer of the Branch, so she must have called especially to make the enquiries. I have often wondered what tale of a broken romance or story of young love lay behind it all.
I also had the pleasure of meeting there another Irish Lights man, Bill Hawkins, who was, I believe the last Master on the Daunt lightvessel. He gave me an early copy of Beam. This contained an account of the night of the big storm in 1894, written by a member of one of the families living at the East Tower on Eagle Island at the time. In it she spoke very highly of the assistance rendered to them by a Mr Corish, who was Principal Keeper at the West Tower.
Michael Corish
Incidentally . . .
In Beam Volume 30, 2001-2002, in an article on Mutton Island, I mentioned I had located an inscription which I had remembered from many years previously. It was cut into a rock at the inner end of the little salt water lake in front of the house. It said simply D. Hawkins.
Through the good offices of Ted Hawkins, Lightkeeper 418, I was able to establish that the D. Hawkins was Daniel Thomas (220) born 23.12.1886, joined the Service 13.8.1906, and resigned from Mew Island 29.10.1909.
I have a photograph of a postcard, written in Morse Code, vertically, and sent by John J. Barlow (Johnny) (233) to my uncle Siney Scanlan (260) who had been transferred from Ferris Point (Larne Buoy Depot) to Inishtearaght in 1916. If there are any of John J's descendants reading this, I will gladly send them a copy, with translation!
In Volume 25, 1996-97, Jim Blaney's article listed those who were lost in the Puffin Lightvessel disaster on the daunt station, one of them being Robert Higginbotham.
One of Robert Higginbotham's brothers was my grandfather, John (53). My aunt's husband, Patrick Hourigan, was also amongst those lost.
My grandfather married a lady from Monkstown, Co. Dublin. He was stationed on Aranmore Island at the time. Returning to his station with his new wife, who of course knew nothing of life on the coast, they observed a number of women lined up outside the entrance gate. They all appeared to be carrying packages of some kind. Grandmother, asking my grandfather for guidance, was told 'accept the gifts gracefully, they are meant for you'.
The custom at the time on the island was to provide newly married couples with sufficient utensils and food to accommodate their needs for the first week or ten days. Grandmother received gifts of two cups from one lady, two saucers from another, two plates, milk, home-made bread etc. from others. The time would be the early 1880s. Almost a hundred years later, I myself found the same spirit of generosity amongst all islanders. The author T. H. Mason, whose book The Islands of Ireland was published in 1936, seems to have been equally as impressed by this generosity of spirit.
On a visit to Inishmore, Aran Islands, in recent days, I was brought to Kilmurvey cemetery by J. C. O'Flaherty (557). He pointed out two graves, one of which was of particular interest to myself. It was the grave of an uncle of mine who died as a child on Eeragh. His name was Robert Aiden Higginbotham.
The second grave was that of Timothy Harrington (166) and the inscription reads 'In loving memory of my husband Timothy Harrington who died at North Aran Lighthouse 18th July 1910'. We associate the name with Castletownbere, but I am almost certain there was a Harrington from Galley Head in the Service. Harringtons were the contractors there for many years.
The Register of Electors 1923-24, Polling District of Inishmore, Aran Islands, lists the following names which will be of some significance to readers of Beam. Listed for Inisheer are J. Healy, whom I presume is No. 183 and a Mrs Healy. They lived in Dalkey in 1951 and were related to Jack Scott (293). Also listed is a William Hawkins, presumably No. 202.
Listed for Killeany, Inishmore is Leonard Stocker and Mrs Stocker. He is, I imagine, No. 102.
Listed for Onaght, Kilronan, is John J. Boyle, perhaps No. 261.
Ted (418) may be able to confirm the Hawkins identification.
Bill Scanlan
Daunt
As a yachtsman, someone generally interested in boats and the sea, please put me on the mailing list for your excellent magazine Beam.
A comment about lightship life. My family had a summer house in Fountainstown outside Cork Harbour. In calm weather I and a friend use to row, outboard, or sail out to the Daunt Lightvessel (now replaced by a buoy) and bring the Lightshipmen newspapers, fresh vegetables, and milk as gifts. I remember the Master then was Bob Arnopp from Kinsale, who used to show us around and allow us up to the lamp. The lightvessel used to be serviced, stored, and crew changed by Ruby Robinson's boat from Cobh.
The new Granuaile is a functional masterpiece. How they lifted buoys on to the foredeck in the old boats is a mystery to me.
Raymond Fielding.
I read with interest your profile of Tory Island Lighthouse and I can add a further name to the list of Principal Keepers, that of my grandfather, Patrick Corish, who served there for almost four years, 1898 to 1902.
When reading the profile of the Tuskar in Beam Vol 30, I came across a name in the list of Assistant Keepers, Francis J. Corish, which reminded me of an incident that happened over thirty years ago.
In the early 1970s I worked in the Munster and Leinster Bank in Cahirciveen. I wasn't long there when an elderly lady from Valentia Island called to see me. She asked if Frank Corish was related to me. I told her I believed he was a cousin of my father. She then asked me if he had ever married. I told her I didn't think he had, and she said that was a pity as 'he was a lovely lad'.
She was a member of one of the old cable station families on the island. She wasn't a customer of the Branch, so she must have called especially to make the enquiries. I have often wondered what tale of a broken romance or story of young love lay behind it all.
I also had the pleasure of meeting there another Irish Lights man, Bill Hawkins, who was, I believe the last Master on the Daunt lightvessel. He gave me an early copy of Beam. This contained an account of the night of the big storm in 1894, written by a member of one of the families living at the East Tower on Eagle Island at the time. In it she spoke very highly of the assistance rendered to them by a Mr Corish, who was Principal Keeper at the West Tower.
Michael Corish
Incidentally . . .
In Beam Volume 30, 2001-2002, in an article on Mutton Island, I mentioned I had located an inscription which I had remembered from many years previously. It was cut into a rock at the inner end of the little salt water lake in front of the house. It said simply D. Hawkins.
Through the good offices of Ted Hawkins, Lightkeeper 418, I was able to establish that the D. Hawkins was Daniel Thomas (220) born 23.12.1886, joined the Service 13.8.1906, and resigned from Mew Island 29.10.1909.
I have a photograph of a postcard, written in Morse Code, vertically, and sent by John J. Barlow (Johnny) (233) to my uncle Siney Scanlan (260) who had been transferred from Ferris Point (Larne Buoy Depot) to Inishtearaght in 1916. If there are any of John J's descendants reading this, I will gladly send them a copy, with translation!
In Volume 25, 1996-97, Jim Blaney's article listed those who were lost in the Puffin Lightvessel disaster on the daunt station, one of them being Robert Higginbotham.
One of Robert Higginbotham's brothers was my grandfather, John (53). My aunt's husband, Patrick Hourigan, was also amongst those lost.
My grandfather married a lady from Monkstown, Co. Dublin. He was stationed on Aranmore Island at the time. Returning to his station with his new wife, who of course knew nothing of life on the coast, they observed a number of women lined up outside the entrance gate. They all appeared to be carrying packages of some kind. Grandmother, asking my grandfather for guidance, was told 'accept the gifts gracefully, they are meant for you'.
The custom at the time on the island was to provide newly married couples with sufficient utensils and food to accommodate their needs for the first week or ten days. Grandmother received gifts of two cups from one lady, two saucers from another, two plates, milk, home-made bread etc. from others. The time would be the early 1880s. Almost a hundred years later, I myself found the same spirit of generosity amongst all islanders. The author T. H. Mason, whose book The Islands of Ireland was published in 1936, seems to have been equally as impressed by this generosity of spirit.
On a visit to Inishmore, Aran Islands, in recent days, I was brought to Kilmurvey cemetery by J. C. O'Flaherty (557). He pointed out two graves, one of which was of particular interest to myself. It was the grave of an uncle of mine who died as a child on Eeragh. His name was Robert Aiden Higginbotham.
The second grave was that of Timothy Harrington (166) and the inscription reads 'In loving memory of my husband Timothy Harrington who died at North Aran Lighthouse 18th July 1910'. We associate the name with Castletownbere, but I am almost certain there was a Harrington from Galley Head in the Service. Harringtons were the contractors there for many years.
The Register of Electors 1923-24, Polling District of Inishmore, Aran Islands, lists the following names which will be of some significance to readers of Beam. Listed for Inisheer are J. Healy, whom I presume is No. 183 and a Mrs Healy. They lived in Dalkey in 1951 and were related to Jack Scott (293). Also listed is a William Hawkins, presumably No. 202.
Listed for Killeany, Inishmore is Leonard Stocker and Mrs Stocker. He is, I imagine, No. 102.
Listed for Onaght, Kilronan, is John J. Boyle, perhaps No. 261.
Ted (418) may be able to confirm the Hawkins identification.
Bill Scanlan
Daunt
As a yachtsman, someone generally interested in boats and the sea, please put me on the mailing list for your excellent magazine Beam.
A comment about lightship life. My family had a summer house in Fountainstown outside Cork Harbour. In calm weather I and a friend use to row, outboard, or sail out to the Daunt Lightvessel (now replaced by a buoy) and bring the Lightshipmen newspapers, fresh vegetables, and milk as gifts. I remember the Master then was Bob Arnopp from Kinsale, who used to show us around and allow us up to the lamp. The lightvessel used to be serviced, stored, and crew changed by Ruby Robinson's boat from Cobh.
The new Granuaile is a functional masterpiece. How they lifted buoys on to the foredeck in the old boats is a mystery to me.
Raymond Fielding.