More Belturbet memories from Ellen Horgan’s writings
We continue this week with more recollections from Ellen ‘Horgan’ Igoe’s younger days. Growing up in beautiful Belturbet, her family’s egg business, and the letter writing skills of her grandad Jerry and her father John were valued by the community.
Ellen’s daughter, Regina Fattorini from Liverpool, after reading my column on her grandfather last year, told me, ‘I am one of John Horgan's grandchildren and it was wonderful to learn new things about our much loved grandfather. I am the daughter of his second girl, Nell (Ellen) who was named after her aunt whom you mentioned in your writing who emigrated to England in 1950.’ Regina continued, ‘My Mother told us a lot about the old days in Belturbet and wrote down details of her family history and life there between 1927-1950… As children we stayed in Ivy Cottage for two weeks on holiday with our grandparents every two or three years.’ She continued: ‘I remember great chats with John Horgan who (though he never spoke about the war) used to tell me all about the different regiments in the British army - how many battalions each had and where they were stationed.’
Ellen’s memories
Life was busy for the Horgans. Commenting on the day to day work at Ivy Cottage, Ellen said: firstly, ‘they had to put the eggs in cardboard containers and then into the wooden boxes.’ These boxes were big, holding twenty dozen eggs. She remembered, ‘Billy the donkey pulling a cart to go collecting eggs’ and the way he ‘used to stop without being told outside the houses of known customers.’ To make ends meet, John added alternative stock, like loaves from McDonald’s Bakery that arrived weekly by bread van to Ivy Cottage and ends of bacon which purchased from Thompson Brothers, Clones. Ellen said that ‘farmers’ wives bought the loaves and bacon when John stopped by’ with Billy the donkey, to his ‘regular customers in Killywilly, Ballyconnell, Kildallen and Milltown.’
Around 1935, the government introduced a law requiring egg producers to wash eggs before selling them and most farmers complied by putting fresh straw in hen houses. But not everyone was so particular. Ellen said her father, ‘would buy the dirty eggs - and what filthy ones they were!’ and added, he did this, ‘rather than risk losing customers.’ As a child, Ellen said she spent hours ‘with a damp cloth and baking soda wiping the eggs clean.’ Sadly, all good things come to an end and, around the outbreak of the Second World War, her father decided to end the business and sell Billy the donkey and his cart to Percy Seagrave. Fluctuating egg prices in the 1930s caused difficulties and eventually, the Horgans decided to sell the eggs directly to Thompsons when they came to Belturbet on Thursday’s for Market Day. Thompsons collected the eggs at ‘The Lily Pad,’ Belturbet. The Horgans kept around 26 hens themselves.
John’s wife still took in eggs from the ‘few people’ who still called to the house; included locals like the Crawfords, McGees and others. Mrs Horgan tried to earn a little money selling sugar, tea, and bread from a ‘small supply’ she stocked herself in a cupboard. Another business that Ellen spoke of, was run by a ‘Mulligan, also from Clones,’ who ‘had a store below Woodhouse’s near to McAvenue’s shop.’
Letters
Letter writing remained in the family’s DNA. As mentioned, John Horgan wrote from the battlefields and through Ellen we learn that her grandfather Jerry was a scribe too! Belturbet was a garrison town, becoming home to soldiers stationed there.
In the 1900s, John Horgan said it was a prosperous market town, and he recalled a soldier sitting on ‘a horse-drawn water wagon’ that went every day to ‘Lannigan’s spring well’ to draw water for the officers' use. Ellen points out that some soldiers married local girls and settled in the town, while retired soldiers ‘drifted in from other parts of Ireland.’
The soldiers who could not read or write needed to find out if they were entitled to a pension. This is where Jerry came in. Even though his first language was Irish, he could write a mighty letter in English, and they quickly learned that ‘Jerry Horgan was the man to go to.’ Ellen proudly recalled that he was ‘very successful at obtaining pensions for people and vouchers for food at Christmas from the British Legion, knowing the documents which had to be produced to prove eligibility. The following incident was related to me by my father: A man who lived in Weaver’s Row with his wife, Ellen and four children came to my grandfather looking for an army pension: “You will have to give me your marriage licence,” said Jerry. “But Sir,” said the man: “I’m not married.” I think my father said he got married soon after! Presumably, he then got him the pension.’
The apple did not fall far from the tree when it came to her Dad. She added, ‘My father, John, inherited Jerry’s skill at writing letters and his handwriting style was exceptionally good. On the rare occasions that I had to bring a sick note to school; my father would write it. Master Gerry (the teacher) would pass the note around for the edification of the scholars, with the comment: “A pity Nell (Ellen) doesn’t take after him!” Later, my father continued this practice of helping ex-army men to obtain money they were entitled to.’
She recalled two cases. Firstly, about a man named Smith from Redhills whose son went into Monaghan hospital suffering from shell shock after the 1914-1918 war. Ellen wrote: ‘My father obtained a dependency pension for him, and Mr Smith was very grateful.’ Secondly, while the 1939-1945 war raged, a woman from Ballyconnell sought his help. The lady had separated from her husband before the start of the war, and he then departed for England, joining the army when war began but was killed.
The woman was left with a son to bring up and no money. Ellen noted, ‘My father succeeded in getting her a widow’s pension’ and ‘as a thank you, she invited my mother and aunt to travel on the narrow-gauge train (Cavan and Leitrim Railway) and go for a meal.’ Apparently, a bottle of poteen appeared which was said to have been ‘the first and last time’ they tasted the illicit drink. The lady also gave the Horgan family a turkey for Christmas.
Next week in part three, we will look at more memories from Ellen’s childhood in Belturbet.