People of Doaghbeg Past!

Johnny Whoriskey (1895-1990)

Johnny was born on September 20th 1895. His father was Bryan/Bernard Whoriskey who was a shoemaker. Bernard married three times and buried three wives which is a tragic statistic.

Bernard's first wife was Hannah Sweeney, daughter of Hugh Sweeney, Doaghbeg. They married on February 18th 1868 with Mary Sweeney and James Martin present. The O'Dohertys crew who own the shop in Doaghbeg are descendants of this Hugh Sweeney. They had one daughter, Catherine Whoriskey, born on November 6th 1869. Double tragedy was to strike as Hannah passed away on July 9th 1889 while Catherine passed away aged just 25 on November 4th 1896.

Bernard married after Hannah's death, marrying Pollaid woman Bridget Gavigan (daughter of William Gavigan) on July 30th 1889, just three weeks after Hannah passed away. William and John McAteer were present at this wedding and they had two children - Mary Whoriskey born May 26th 1890 and Bernard Whoriskey born August 27th 1892. Mary moved to the US and became a nun named Sister Ephraim. She visited Doaghbeg occasionally down through the years.

Bernard also moved away in 1913 and was listed as living in McKeesport County, Pennsylvania, United States in 1918 and Tarentum, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA in 1930. Mary and Bernard went under the Anglicized name of 'Caldwell' when they moved away.

Bernard's second wife Bridget sadly passed away on December 10th 1892 from pneumonia.

Bernard married for a third time on May 7th 1893, this time to Catherine Grant from Croaghross, who was also a widow when she married Bernard. Patrick McConegley and Susan Grant were present at this wedding.

They had one son - Johnny. Catherine passed away on March 18th 1922 from Influenza while Bernard himself passed away on May 20th 1933 from old age. It is reported he was 95 years of age when he died, however census records and death records were not always accurate while we do not have a birth record for him.

Bernard was not listed in the 1854 Griffiths Valuations, but there was a Denis Whoriskey who was leasing land from William McAteer. Not sure if this is the same person or perhaps this was Bernard's brother. They moved to the plot between O'Doherty's shop and the 'Sean' McConigleys in 1870, taking over from Mary Martin who may have been a relation of Bernard, as Mary's son James was best man at Bernard's wedding to Hannah Sweeney.

Johnny lived in a picturesque thatched cottage, almost sitting on the roadside, just up around the bend from O'Doherty's shop in Doaghbeg. The house did not have electricity or running water.

He reckoned that there was a hedge school in operation and that it operated when traveling sears or banished priests would teach anyone who had an interest in learning.

Because of Johnny's location, he had a steady stream of visitors. Couple that with his love for a chat and the house was always busy.

Johnny left a great impression on the people who met him. His house was the raking house from back in the day. People also gathered there to play cards. As the TV became more popular, 'raking' decreased but the likes of Johnny Martin and Tony Sweeney continued to keep up tradition.

Johnny himself had little interest in TV, instead relying on newspapers for information. He did however enjoy watching Westerns in later years, especially Zane Grey books of which he had a wide collection in his cottage. Johnny was aware how historically inaccurate they were, having read the likes of 'Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee'.

Newspaper swapping was a common practice in Doaghbeg, Bried Sweeney would visit Johnny every week to swap newspapers. They used to give Johnny The Sunday Post (which the Campbells gave to the Sweeneys) and in return Johnny would give the Peoples Press.

Johnny's great interest was reading. He loved books, newspapers and magazines. He had an amazing memory, never needing to read a book twice and being able to tell the stories back in great detail.

His sister Mary used to send books to Johnny that were banned in Ireland including Lady Chatterley's lover.

Johnny Richardson used to also send over 'The Reader's Digest' to Johnny but would remove stories he felt were unsuitable. This would also corrupt the stories on either side of the page! The mystery type stories of murder etc caught Johnny's attention.

He also enjoyed 'The News of the World' newspaper. Eddie and Mary Doherty used to take him for a Sunday drive to Milford to collect it along with a Northern Ireland newspaper called 'The Sunday Life'. This habit started around the time of the Perfumo Affair which was well discussed in Whoriskeys.

Johnny Richardson would be teased by Mary Doherty with snippets of 'The News of the World' which horrified Johnny as he couldn't believe Paddy 'Verry' McAteer, Shannagh, would sell a paper of that sort and his with a son a priest'!

Another story that Johnny went to visit his brother in the hope of making a few pound but there was no great welcome for him so he returned to Doaghbeg.

He lived a simple, but content life in Doaghbeg. All he needed was a steady supply of turf which he got from behind the Diver Friels house in Pollaid. He would interact with his neighbors to and from the bog.

Anyone who visited Johnny would always remember the strong smell of turf smoke and on a windy day the room could fill with white smoke.

Johnny was also renowned as being a reliable weather forecaster. He would always pick the best day of the year to go to 'Drumnacraig Hill' via the Casan (road behind his house) and then coming down the Turas at Carryblagh. It was always sunny from day to night that day. He used to also warn about seeing waves crash at Dunree, this was a sign there was a storm approaching.

To fill a gap in conversation, the steady tick tock of a clock with a chicken moving to the beat of the minute hand, was a lovely memory, the break in conversation was usually Johnny attempting to light his pipe with a silver type top ,a work of art, to allow enough air into the top of the pipe, whilst using steady breathing to the mouth piece, finger pressing the Mick Mc Quaid tobacco to insure it developed embers, then simply inhale the result. For Johnny, it was well worth the effort.
Johnny, visited the Post Office on a regular basis and it always surprised people that the most important purchase was a tin of expensive John West Salmon for his beloved cats, that were guest of honor, in every section of the house, even in Johnny's bed, which we think was in the corner of the large open room that served as a kitchen, lounge and bedroom.

Eunan Carr recalls the wide entrance to Johnny's house and the large number of cats he owned. Johnny always greeted the children and passers by. He was remembered as being a fascinating character.

Johnny also used to recite 'The Shooting of Dan McGrew'.

Johnny recalls hearing about some of the shipwrecks along the Swilly;

Stories Johnny told;

It was 1st April 1875, the first Fair in April, and Charlie Frank spotted a ship in behind Carrickatuadar. It was all lit up. The ship was the Ernstein. Himself and another man rowed out to it in a currach.

The ship backed up of Carrickatuadar and struck An Dunach (Brown George), got holed and sunk.

The crew came ashore and set up a tent on Charlie Franks. Lord Leitrim heard about it and arrived on horseback. He asked to speak to Annie Frank. He ordered the sailors to move their tent off his land to below high water mark. The goods that had been salvaged he seized and auctioned.

The Duke struck Swilly Rocks in 1904. It was a 2 mast schooner sailing ship carrying a cargo of coal.

In 1909, a Scotch Herring Drifter hit Swilly Rocks

Johnny also recalled the drowning of Joseph McCarron on Doaghbeg beach in 1926 which would have been a harrowing situation. A door was taken off a house to carry the body back to the town.

Johnny used to use an old hazel rod for fishing with just the line attached and skimming the hook along the top of the water.

Eddie Sweeney had this story on Johnny;

There was a ram which belonged to Art McAteer. Johnny used the fuchsia hedge in front of the house as a cloth horse and one day a breeze landed some items into the field. As he went to retrieve the garment the ram in the field launched an attack and Johnny had to back off. On reflection Johnny made up his mind that this is not the way it's going to end, so he armed himself like a Gladiator with a thick cudgel and a roll of chicken mesh as a buffer and stepped back into the park and let the ram know who was the real Boss. That was in the mid sixties so it wasn't a case of youthful exuberance.

Tom McIntyre recalls his father Jim saying as boys they used to lie down when the ram charged as it couldn't bring its head to bear.

Johnny Martin and his grand-nephew Martin Coll picked up Johnny to take him to Fanavolty for confession. He got wind of a certain priest taking confession, so they drove past to Massmount, got there and the priest's car was there so he refused to go in. Martin and Johnny went in then came back out to the car. All they could see was the skipcap, there was Johnny laying across the back seat hiding form the priest!

Martin also recalls Jonny Whoriskey calling into Johnny Martin and his wife Annes for tea after coming back with his bag of peat. Martin also remembers one Easter time, himself and Johnny Martin were walking along chatting with Jonny Whoriskey and the weather was great. His words were "ah Lord I remember the Rising, the weather was like this".

Story from Jim McIntyre;

I always assumed Johnny - my father alternated between Furiskey and Bhréiní - was a catalyst of debate rather than a controller.
Johnny's parliament got the blame when a cricket started voicing round the New House fireplace, travelling, it was said in the trouser turnup of the time. It got too much for Dr Frank one late evening - most of the John Roes were elsewhere. He went out to his car and came back with an armful of insecticide sprays charged with DDT - toxic and banned now, I believe. Methodically he sprayed every warm crevice where a cricket might be hiding. Not one but hundreds of dying crickets struggled out onto the kitchen floor. It took a lot to astonish Dr Frank.

Johnny had a dog called Chippy which was a real star with a football in the 1940s. He was a terrier type dog. His claim to fame was that the dog could dribble the ball around the house. This may have been the only dog he owned, preferring cats.

One very stormy day, a gust of wind nearly took Johnny off his feet at O'Doherty's corner. Dan Callaghan rushed to his aid but the O'Dohertys dog 'Darkie', who was protective of Johnny, seen it as an attack and went after Dan, forcing him to retreat.

We have also included a short piece written about Johnny by a visitor.

In 1975, Tim McAteer spent a few hours talking to Johnny and recording the conversation but unfortunately these tapes were later stolen. One of the stories he told was a great story about his father seeing a large ship with sails crashing into Brown George on a very stormy night. Apparently nobody survived that night, but to listen to Johnny relating the story in great detail was like standing on the "Knowe" watching the drama unfold.

There's a story that when Johnny got a bath after going into the home he reckoned they were trying to take the skin off his back! Johnny reckons his father was only bathed twice, first when he was born and second when he died!

In more recent years, Kevin Doherty recalls sitting round the fire at Johnny's and their faces going black with the smoke.

As Johnny got on in years, he found it hard to cook for himself so Mary Doherty used to make an extra portion of food for him. This was delivered by Margaret Doherty at the weekends.

This extended to porridge in the mornings and a hot supper as Johnny got on in age. This meant the delivery of 3 meals a day to the Whoriskey house where living conditions were now deteriorating. He also enjoyed a naggin of whiskey - he had several suppliers and they never revealed to Johnny they were aware they weren't the only suppliers!

At this point his health was poor and his independent nature meant he refused any help with cleaning or laundry. He moved to a nursing home in Ramelton and passed away there in 1990. He is buried in Massmount.

Johnny Martin (1914-1992)

Johnny was born on November 1st 1914 in Doaghbeg, son of Michael Martin (1871-1951) and Mary Anne 'Rosie' Martin (1876-1956), also from Doaghbeg.

His siblings include;

James (1901-1979), Dan (1903-1998), Bridget Ryan (1905-1986), Hugh (1907-1974), Mary Anne Fowler (1909-?), Patrick Joseph Martin (1911-1974), Rosie Kelly (1913-2010) and Hannah Quinn (1917-?).

The Martins had a long association with Doaghbeg and were well known.

Johnny was big into his cars even though he took to driving later in life. He got the mini in the mid-sixties. That was followed by a green Fiat and his last car was a white ford escort with a black roof.

His grand nephew Martin remembers a large crowd of dogs running after Johnny's cars. Johnny would roll down the window and shout 'go on home ya ba****d!'.

Johnny used to drive the car by steering with one finger which was something Martin would boast to his friends about.

Martin remembers Johnny roaring at a dog called Chantell every time they hit the corner at McAteers, it was a nutter of a dog for cars.

Eunan Sweeney got one of Dan Callaghan's dog's pups (Jack). Jack inherited his mother's protective streak. He took a dislike to Johnny who put his bike between them to protect himself. Jack bit and punctured the front tyre.

Johnny married a women named Anne Whoriskey in 1964, they met at Tommy Paddy Nola McAteer and Mary Charlie McAteer's wedding. Anne was from Scotland but her family originated from Ochtore in Kerrykeel. On the way to Tommy's wedding, Johnny and John Jimmy Sweeney done the 'Maggie Pickeens' dance on the middle of the road at the dry arch in Letterkenny, holding up the traffic.

Eddie Sweeney wrote the following on Johnny;

My memories of Johnny was him coming back from Scotland in and around 1960. His brother Dan had been the man who was working the land before that but he decided to go back to work again in England.

The stories before that was that he had a car and was always generous to all who needed to travel. He married Anne (Nance) Whoriskey who was Scottish born of a family with Kerrykeel roots. He was a tidy worker who could turn his hand to anything and never seemed to be idle. They lived a busy life together with Johnny working at a time with James (Shamie) Clinton in construction and Anne always busy tending to her flowers and vegetable patch. A good story of Johnny from the time he worked in Co. Antrim on one of the big farms comes to mind. Along with other men from the area they were employed to do all general work around the farm. So the boss asked Johnny to help with milking the cows. It was a hard job and Johnny did not fancy doing this twice a day. The boss took Johnny and placed him beside the cow but Johnny said he could not milk as he had never done it before. The man showed him and said it was easy but try as he might Johnny couldn't get a strain from the cow. Eventually the boss told him to clear and do some other job. As it turned out Johnny was as good as anyone at milking but simply didn't want the arduous task twice a day. No slows on Johnny!

He was always around the social scene with him being a good dancer and could render the odd song. One song I remember him singing was 'The Bold Rebel Boy' which was a horse that belonged to his Uncle Dan 'Rosie' Martin, that was prominent at race meetings. He was also noted for dancing the Maggie Pickens which was danced around two crossed trouser belts.

Johnny is still talked about since his passing almost 30 years ago and features in a lot of stories from his time in Doaghbeg.

Johnny died suddenly in Doaghbeg and is buried in Fanavolty graveyard.

Dan Callaghan (1927-2010)

Dan was born in 1927 in Drumnacraig. His parents were Jimmy Callaghan (1886-1975) from Drumnacraig and Celia Mary Coll (1895-1989) from Araheera. The Callaghans have a long association with Drumnacraig.

Dan's siblings were; Breda Brown (1920-2004), Grace Sproule (1921-2019), Patrick (1921-2009), John (1925-1991), James (1928-1928), Hugh (1929-1998), Larry, Michael (1931-1960), James (1932-1996) and Edward (1936-1975).

Jimmy Paddy Nola and Dan Callaghan also used to make wine from sloes in the 1950s.

Tony Sweeney also recalls hearing about a night that Dan Callaghan and John 'Jimmy' Sweeney were raking at the Campbells house. They were flashing a light at a magpie in the tree above them where the magpie ended up 'doing its business' and it landed in John's eye. Dan was doubled over laughing.

Mary Doherty recalls calling into Dan and Patrick Callaghan one Christmas morning to deliver cigarettes and was welcomed by a roaring fire and a big glass of whiskey, she reckons she could have stayed all day. This was standard about the Callaghan house, a roaring fire and great welcome.

Dan Callaghan and Mary Doherty (senior) had an ongoing battle about tea. No matter how strong Mary made the tea Dan used to give out that it wasn't strong enough. Mary invested in a cup that was brown on the inside meaning you couldn't tell how strong the tea looked!

Another time Dan was working in a house, the lady owner rushed back to make him tea. He said 'you shouldn't have bothered, sure I could have turned on the tap myself'.

Dan was also great with numbers and animals and they say he would have made a great vet if he went on for further education. Dan done the calculations for his brother Patrick whenever work arose.

He was also known to be a master craftsman. Pat Ward asked him to make a mooring for his boat once, no easy task to have concrete that will stay firm in sand. Dan figured out the exact dimensions by eye and even allowed for the difference in density between fresh and sea water.

Dan and Mickey 'Joe' McConigley were also used to deliver the news of deaths of locals, known as 'funeral warners'. Big Francie Sweeney referred to Dan, Mickey Joe and Tony Sweeney as 'The Big Three'. They were great friends.

Dan was also known to be very generous. Whenever he was about Charlie Kellys and the younger ones were going to the disco, he would empty his pockets and give them his change. When he was told there was more too much money there he would reply 'sure it's only scrap' lass.

Philomena Durden remembers her uncle Dan Callaghan refusing to go to mass but eventually his godmother Gillie McCarron from Doaghcrabbin got him turned.

Dan was one of the very few customers who the Dohertys Shop crew remember never called during the opening times. He always arrived around 8.30pm to see were there any good Westerns on and to get his 20 Woodbine and box of matches. He would then head over to Charlie Kellys for a bit of 'raking'.

Dan had a dog called Fan, a Border Collie. His brother Eddie (RIP) brought it from Durham. She was dangerous when she had pups, one of those pups was given to Eunan Sweeney.

Dan also had a mare called Maggie. She had a foal every year for 14 years. Tom Diamond offered big money for one of the foals but Dan didn't budge.

Here's a piece that Dan's niece Philomena Durden wrote about Dan:

I came to Drumnacraig at 6 months old in 1950. Grandad, Granny and Uncle Dan were there. He was only 23 years old when I was born so he was quite young. He spent a couple of years in Corby and I think Glasgow in the late 40s, but was home when I arrived and never went away again. He looked after me very well like a Father figure I suppose. He worked the Farm along with Grandad and he was great with the animals, could have been a great vet if he had a chance to study. He had a lovely Black Mare that he bought in 1960 from Micky Callaghan, Murrin. She had a Foal every year for 15 years. There were some class ones and he was offered a lot of money for some of them. He had a lot of sheep on Drumnacraig hill, I used to spend a lot of time helping him look after them especially at lambing time. He done a lot of fishing off the rocks. Himself and John Sweeney (William) used to set a net across Poll an Uisce they used to catch lots back then, don't know what it's like now. Granny used to cure and dry the fish so we could have them all year round. I suppose Dan was a man who could turn his hand to anything to do with farming and animals. He was a very good neighbour and had some great friends, to mention a few. Tony Sweeney, Micky Joe McConigley, Sam McAdoo, Ignatius McIntyre and so many more, he was well liked and they all used to help each other with whatever work needed doing. He used to rake a lot. Art and Mary Ann McAteer was very popular with him, and in later years Kelly's it was like his second home.

I'm sure the have some good stories to tell.

In 1960 Uncle Patrick came back from Scotland after being away for 10 years. I don't think he wrote one letter home in all that time. Things changed a bit then. Grandad left Drumnacraig to Patrick because he was the oldest son. It was a bit mean because Dan always worked the farm and Patrick had no interest in it. Dan didn't have as much interest in Drumnacraig after that.

I'm not quite sure what year but Uncle Eddie helped him to buy Paddy Nolas from Tommy. He loved it down there and fixed it up and built the out houses. I'm glad our Patrick is looking after it now, he's also done a lot of work there. When he was a wee lad he helped Dan to plant some of the trees down there. Dan loved his wee dram and many the one himself and Francie McAteer consumed in Paddy Nolas barn.

He used to go to the Fair Days, someone pushed him and he hit his head on the pavement and was in bed for a long time. I was very young but I remember sitting on the bed with him every day. Of course he was suffering from concussion which we didn't know much about then. The Miracle Priest Father McDaid used to visit him a lot and somehow got him through it. I went to London mid 60s so don't know all that went on after that, I know when the Rally first started himself and his friends used to follow it all over the place, he used to laugh about it in later years.

I know that him and his friends were notorious for white lies especially the death notices. The McCarrons of Doaghcrabbin (holy family) wouldn't be seen in a pub, a rumour went out that Dan McKinley of Lighthouse Tavern had died. Of course the McCarrons landed down all 4 of them and marched into the pub for the Wake, you can imagine the horror when Dan McKinley came out and asked what they would like to drink, I don't quite know who claimed responsibility for this but I have my own notion. Dan had a narrow escape himself a few times, one night in particular, himself and Sam were on a session. Sam dropped him home and Dan's coat got stuck in the door, he got dragged for a few miles. I think he spent some time in Hospital he had a stiff shoulder after that but didn't seem to bother him to much. He was very tough.

We moved back in the 90s he still had a lot of sheep we used to help him with, he also kept a few cows right up to his death. I could write about Uncle Dan all day but I'm sure you will get some good stories from some of the others around Doaghbeg. I will touch on the drinking sessions we used to have some good ones in Mary and Packie Colls Rip, also under Mullagh with Eddie and Rose and many other dear friends who unfortunately have passed away, they were memorable times that we will always cherish.

Dan's health got bad in later years. He suffered from COPD I suppose due to his lifetime of smoking Woodbine, he gave them up in the end but was too late. For his 80th birthday we had a party at home in Dcraig, his friends and neighbours all came and we had a great night.

Sadly Uncle Dan passed away suddenly on Christmas day 2010 in the middle of the big freeze. His memory will never be forgotten by those who knew him and especially by Kevin and myself and all our family

Tommy 'Paddy Nola' McAteer (1918-1986)

Tommy was born on October 18th 1918 to Patrick McAteer from Doaghbeg and Mary McElwaine from Ballyheerin. He was the youngest of the family and the only boy. His siblings were; Fanny Duffy, Mary Guinan, Margaret McAteer (1915-1916) and Bridget Sweeney.

Tommy was lactose intolerant and there are stories of having to capture a wild nanny goat for its milk as Tommy couldn't take cow's milk. This may also have been to help as he was asthmatic too.

Tim McAteer recalls the day Tommy Paddy Nola came into the Post Office and announced he was marrying Mary 'Charlie' McAteer. He asked his namesake Tommy McAteer to be best man.

Eddie Sweeney also recalls a sizable bet between Patrick Coll (Pollaid) and Tommy on whether Tommy would get married. Eddie believes it was 20 pound which was a huge sum in the day. Tommy said he would be married within 6 weeks while Patrick said he wouldn't!

Mary McAteer was bridesmaid at the wedding despite being alot younger than Mary. The wedding was in Ballinacrick. The breakfast was in the Portsalon Hotel then the reception was in Buncrana. Eddie Doherty may have transported people in his green bus. John Jimmy Sweeney and Johnny Martin done the Maggie Pickens dance on the road at the Dry Arch, Letterkenny, among several spectators.

Tommy was also known to be very knowledgeable about cattle ailments. He used to be sent for before a vet was called.

He may also have gone away from Doaghbeg for a few years before returning to spend the rest of his life there.

He was also known for having a real hearty laugh.

Philomena Durden recalls going to the bingo in Eddie Doherty's van in the 1960s. Tommy used to sing 'The Free State Farmer'. He used to frequently get into arguments with Patrick Callaghan from Drumnacraig and Philomena recalls one evening in 1965 when they almost got out of the van to come to blows. Charlie Kelly was driving and was able to get them settled.

Tommy used to also sing 'A mother's loves a blessing', but he wasn't renowned as being a great singer!

Tommy moved to live with Mary at Mary's house on a dangerous corner coming into Doaghbeg from the Clementstown direction. The house is still standing.

Eddie Sweeney recalls the following;

Myself and Mick Sean helped Tommy with the building of a corn "sheig" that was a haystack type, not like the round corn stacks which had a cone shaped top. When half way through Tommy said "time for a break" and I expected the usual Tea and scones. But no, he took a six pack of Guinness from the hedge and lets say none went to loss.

Mary Doherty remembers Tommy coming into Dohertys shop in the mid 1980s in quite a way as he was concerned that Mary was sick at the time and two other Doaghbeg people had recently passed and he was worried his 'wee woman' Mary would be the third to pass in a short space of time. As fate had it, Tommy was the next to pass away a few months later. We believe the other two people to pass were Donnie Coll and Domenick Richardson.

Dan Callaghan obtained the farm after Tommy moved on.

Tommy's favorite saying was 'I am a decent man', and that's what he was. His niece Bried Sweeney remembers him as a kind person who would always help neighbours in their time of need.

John Roe McAteer (c. 1832-1923)

Stories are told about John Roe going to school in Tamney when he was younger and being taught by a McFeeters man. When he finished here he went to a Latin school in Inishowen with a view to going to Salamanca. He was then recalled to Doaghbeg.

The family wanted John back to run the family farm as they felt John's brother Edward was not a natural fit.

Jim McIntyre (1903-1976) used to chat a lot to his grandfather John 'Roe' after Jim had recovered from the Spanish Flu. John Roe was accommodating four families of orphans at the time. He recalls John Roe being in his 90s around this time. John Roe told Jim that he recalled going to the cart in Milford to collect famine relief supplies.

Here's some notes Eunan Sweeney and Tom McIntyre provided on their great grandfather. It is also worth noting that there are several pieces of information relating to John Roe in the 'Interesting Stories' section which can also be referenced:

John Roe McAteer was born in Doaghbeg around 1833. There has been much debate about his age. His Death Certificate states 83 years; however, his headstone is inscribed as 104 years. On the basis of the records available, and relying on what he himself completed for the Census Returns of 1901 & 1911, 90 years would seem to be the most realistic.

He was the second son of William McAteer, known as Billy Eoin Bhig. As the second son, the plan was for him to be educated for the priesthood and, with that in mind, he was sent to the Robinson School on Tamney. It is understood that the master was a Mr. McFeeters. He lodged with the McFeeters family during the week and returned home at weekends. He was then sent to a school in Inishowen (Clonmany/Urris) to further his studies before going to Salamanca in Spain. However, circumstances at home changed and he was brought back to run the family farm and business.

He married Sarah McAteer (Tamie) Leatmore on 18th June, 1859. The witnesses were his brother Edward and Sarah Martin. Sarah McAteer was the daughter of Thomas McAteer, who had been Lord Leitrim's head bailiff.
They had 10 children, one stillborn.

He took over the family farm from his father and built up a profitably business. He became Post Master when a post office opened in Doaghbeg He was well educated, speaking and writing both in Irish and English, and with a good grasp of Latin. His writing was copperplate. His last letter was written a few months before his death to his grandson Ignatius McIntyre informing him of the raid on Doaghbeg Post Office during the War of Independence.

The dispensary districts in Milford were based on the old vaccination districts of which there were five - Ramelton, Rathmullan, Fannett, Rossguill and Kilmacrennan-Milford, and committees of management were appointed by the boards of guardians to run these. He was a member of the local committee and one of his last acts in that role was the appointment of a new dispensary doctor. The local curate in Fanavolty, Fr O’Flaherty, wanted him to support a Dr Stephens (a Roman Catholic) but Canon O'Boyle, P.P - who apparently almost always took the opposite position to his curate - instructed him to support Dr Davy. What Canon O'Boyle wanted Canon O'Boyle got and Dr Davy was duly appointed.

We can only rely on information passed down, but John Roe was reported to be kind-hearted and generous. Two of his daughters and his daughter in law died young leaving several children whom he took in and cared for. These were the Richardsons, O’Briens and McIntyres.

He would have witnessed extraordinary changes in his lifetime: the passing of a traditional way of life in the breakup of the old Doaghbeg clachan, the tyranny of landlordism, the famine and the death and mass emigration that ensued, the Great War, the 1916 Rising and the struggle for independence.

He died on 2nd April 1923 and is buried in Massmount graveyard.

It is testament to him that almost 120 years after his death the patron, John Roe, is still being applied to his descendants.

I wish to acknowledge the notes of Dr. Frank Mc Ateer (John Roe's grandson) which he prepared along with a McAteer Family Tree, and are incorporated in the foregoing.

Future reviews

Paddy McAteer (1943-2013) (DRAFT)

Aidan McAteer recalls his uncle Paddy telling him that one summer when he was still a student he had the fees ready for the following year's books etc but decided to head to England and said he had no regrets and would do it again.

Paddy attended St.Eunan's College and was reputed to be one of the cleverest people to attend there.

Paddy always had a warm welcome for anyone he met. He used to travel to work in Creeslough via motorbike when working on the restoration of Ards Friary.

He was also renowned for the speed at which he drove at. He used to fly past Doherty's window when back for the summer. Eddie Sweeney remembers him coming from Portsalon to Sally Sweeneys in 3 minutes. Brian Begley was on board and the joke goes he did more braking on the corners than Paddy did! He also never had an accident on the road. The first time Kevin Doherty heard the term 'he took the corner on two wheels' was when Paddy went flying past.

He also brought the McAteer's new tractor to Araheera and they ended up staying overnight in Araheera - Paddy and his brother Tim. The tractor ended up rolling down the field but luckily no injuries or major damage to the tractor.

Tim also recalls a time they went around a bend at Coyles and there were about 20 chickens feeding but luckily all escaped injury.

Paddy's mother also shook turpentine onto Paddy's new car after she mistook it for holy water.

Dan Duffy (1901-1981) & Fanny Ann McAteer (1911-1970) (DRAFT)

Used to tell scary stories such as 'Willie the Wisp'.

Eddie recalls working beside his house one day when Dan would have been a brave age and he was cooking up an impressive dinner for an elderly man who people would have been concerned about about his wife Fanny Ann died.

Fanny Ann used to love collecting figaries which Dohertys shop used to have. Any fancy thing aimed at tourists was sure to be bought by Fanny Ann!

Dan and Jimmy 'Tommy' McElwaine used to always call to Dohertys to watch the Late Late Show every Saturday night. Dan would then walk back along the 'Cassan' road and turn in at Paddy Nolas to his own house without a torch, a walk only brave men would take!

Fanny Ann would rarely have been in the house and spent a lot of time at her sister Bridget's house. Bridget was married to John 'Jimmy' Sweeney. She was a great knitter and was close friends with Rosie Kelly (nee Martin) and the Coll ladies in Pollaid.

Dan and Jimmy 'Tommy' McElwaine used to always call to Dohertys every Saturday night.

Mary Doherty (1929-2008)

Rosie Martin (1913-2010)

Kathleen Sweeney (1948-2003)

Grainne O'Doherty (1927-1997)