It's a Long Way to Tipperary

What’s the first thing one does when they hear the word Tipperary? Well they start to sing the opening line that everyone knows, of the famous song “It’s a long way to Tipperary”.

Contrary to popular belief, this is not an Irish song but a British Army marching song from WW1. The song was first popularised by the Connaught Rangers as they marched through Boulogne on 13 August 1914. It was then picked up by other soldiers in the British Army. The Connaught Rangers (known as “the Devil's Own") was an Irish Regiment of the British Army raised and garrisoned in Ireland, until it was disbanded in 1922 on the formation of The Irish Free State. Indeed, the song was at one time considered somewhat offensive in Ireland since it was the marching song of the infamous Blacks and Tans, but that was then, this is now.

Situated in the province of Munster, County Tipperary is the largest inland county in the Republic of Ireland. It was one of the first Irish counties to be established in the 13th century. For all government administration purposes the county is divided into North Tipperary (of which the county town is Nenagh) and South Tipperary (county town: Clonmel).

Map of Ireland showing the geographical location of Co. Tipperary (green section)

The purpose of this post is not to delve into historical or too many geographical facts about County Tipperary (mainly because – as previously stated, I am not an expert in this area). It is just to give my readers a slight insight into where I live (Nenagh) and its surrounding neighbourhood.

However, as we visit different places it will be necessary to give you some historical background to try to build a mental picture of what you are seeing. In this respect, take for example the old Nenagh jail. A walk around the town will ultimately lead you to this building.

The jail now is happily reduced to the status of an historic monument. Only one gaol block remains intact. All that remains from that era are the spirits of the many unfortunates who spent their last days there before their appointment with their maker. The complex of buildings now includes the Convent of Mercy School and Nenagh Heritage centre which occupies the old jail proper. It is housed in the octagonal Governor’s house up the driveway. The centre has many interesting artifacts from times past, including a mock up of an old school room with a four-foot mannequin nun, a recreated old post office, bar and telephone exchange. In the basement are the usual agricultural items and a faithfully reproduced forge. Back at the entrance arch, the cells of the jail have their original hefty iron cell doors, and you can also see the former exercise yard.

Teacher's desk from old school room at Nenagh Heritage Centre (notice the cane).

Part of the old school room from bygone days

The mannequin nun

Across the road from the gateway to the gaol is the magnificent St Mary of The Rosary Church This neo-gothic church was built in 1895 to a design by architect Walter G Doolin. It was constructed by John Sisk using local materials, Lahorna stone and Portroe slate, with the Portland stone of the arches being the only imported material.

Just a short distance up the road from the Heritage centre is Nenagh Library. Turn left just past the library and you come face to face with another grim reminder of Ireland and Nenagh’s past.
Seen by some as a visitation from God, the potato blight was a mystery disease which caused the potatoes to rot in the fields and in storage. Spreading from North America in the previous year it had affected crops throughout northern Europe. It was first reported in Britain on the Isle of Wight in Aug. 1845. By Sept. blight was destroying crops there and elsewhere in the south of England. On Sept. 13, 1845, the Gardener’s Chronicle reported; “We stop the press with very great regret to announce that the potato Murrain has unequivocally declared itself in Ireland. The crops about Dublin are suddenly perishing”. What could not be foretold at the time was that unlike bad weather or ‘ordinary’ disease, the main contributing factors to food shortages in the past, this new disease would persist from year to year. To the sector of the population almost totally dependent on the potato, it was to prove an unmitigated disaster. This, of course, was the beginning of the Great Famine of 1845-1850 which devastated every part of Ireland including Nenagh.

One of the measures taken during the famine to try to alleviate some of the starvation was the establishment of soup kitchens throughout the country. This is a picture of a pot from one such soup kitchen in which the soup was made. It stands at the back of Nenagh library. As I said, a grim reminder of the past.