John McMahon 1912-2008

John McMahon on his 95th Birthday

Interview – with John McMahon of Aylroe. On Wednesday evening March 21^st I had the opportunity of interviewing Coolmeen’s oldest resident; John McMahon of Aylroe. John was born the same year as the Titanic’s sinking in 1912. When the film on the Titanic story was shown on big screen, some years ago, John, Tim McMahon and Paddy O’Connell of Cahircon travelled to Ennis. To be precise John was born on February 9^th 1912, so John has just celebrated his 95^th birthday. He was one of three sons born to James and Margaret McMahon at Aylroe. John and his late wife Nora (nee Crehan) of Erribul had seven in family. This man has had a very interesting career and now I’m going to share some of the stories with you, the reader. John was taught at Effernan National School by Master Glynn the author of the ‘Hills of Aylroe’. The McMahon homestead is just located approximately 600m from St. Senan’s blessed Well a place where John has visited annually and several times a year. He is a man of great faith and can narrate stories in relation to cures at this place of worship. It is interesting to note that the McMahon surname is very common in the townland of Aylroe and in fact from Neenan’s Cross there are five houses in a row with inhabitants of that surname. One of the earliest memories with John is the transporting of a horse and cart load of bonhams to Kilrush market in 1922. That was the time during the Civil War and many bridges in the country were demolished. John and his father along with Martin Crehan had to cross the river at Goleen, Clonderlaw and Athalong because all three bridges were down. “We had at one stage to remove the cart from the horse and pull the load of bonhams to the other side”. As the years progressed John’s love for horses increased he was very happy when he was training or working with a horse. He and his father always kept a sound pair or horses for the mowing machine. In fact John was a keen operator with all the machinery associated with the horse, he goes on to name some; the plough, harrow, hay – float, raker etc!. There was also a threshing and grinding machine in the yard. Memories cherished by John are those days of cutting hay with the pair of horses and the trips to Custy’s bog in Cahera, east of Cranny. He was an expert with the slean and could cut turf with the best; during the war years 1939 to ’45 many farmers cut turf had it saved and sold. John was no exception. While on the subject of the horse, I am also informed that John transported sand from Dunmore, Doonbeg by horse and cart he and a number of neighbours often set out with six or seven horses for the sand hills. Every Sunday and holiday the horse, harness and trap would be looking 100% for the journey to Coolmeen Church. John was an excellent all round ‘tradesman’ from a carpenter to stone mason. Much of his work can be seen through the county. He could put his ‘hand to anything’ the making of wooden wheelbarrows, horse carts, windows and doors were no object to him. ‘Being in the trade’ was synonymous with the McMahon family. A very attractive piece of work completed by John and a few others including Michael Houlihan, was a contract for the Clare County Council. This contract was the building of the sea wall at Aylroe, Erribul and Slievedooley. Another of John McMahon’s talents and interests included the love for the traditional music and dance. The late Dan Furey and James Keane were personal friends of John in fact they were regular visitors to the house at Aylroe. Dan, James and John often rowed a boat from the Battery Point to Tarbert to dances and returned next morning. The McMahon house was a great venue for dances; including the famous Aylroe wren dances. John was very content while playing the violin and going in the wren on Stephen’s Day. Another great past-time from that era was card playing and going on the ‘cuaird’. Neighbours travelled to houses on different night during the winter season and enjoyed the art of tracing and story telling and card playing. A fact worth mentioning at this stage is that John and his late wife Nora trained the Kildysart ICA set to All Ireland success in the year 1978. It was also in that year that John and his wife travelled to America for the first time. A sister of Nora’s had immigrated to America before Nora was born and they had never met. So, for the first time in their life, the Crehan sisters, were united – certainly a historic occasion. Before concluding I must tell of a few more interesting tales from John as he reflects on days gone by. He focuses on the changes in the rural area for example there were shops in the nearby locality just over the road you had Tom McMahon where one could get groceries, provisions and paraffin oil. This ceased to operate in the 1960’s. At Griffin’s in Erribul one could buy flour, meal and a full range of groceries up to ten years ago. Then you had Sullivan’s forge back in Slievedooley that was a great meeting place. And of course Shanahea Post Office no longer exists; Paddy Murrihy the Postman and Minnie Reidy the Post Mistress were great friends of John McMahon. Going to Labasheeda creamery was another great memory for John. He and his neighbours Michael Cunningham, Jack Eustace and John O’Neill transported the milk on alternate weeks. Yes indeed the olden days were great. But changes have taken place and will continue to do so. It was in 1965 that the horse era came to a close for John, that very year the 20 Diesel tractor was purchased for the sum of £325 a further £7 paid for the diesel tank and fill of 300 gallons. The history gained by chatting with John is indeed both entertaining and interesting; John was a member of the local LDF, he and Tom Houlihan guarded guns in Labasheeda station. John has been an active member of Cumann Fine Gael. He was a great friend of the late Captain Corry and recalls how Corry had planned an attack on the Black and Tans at Aylroe Hill – but didn’t materialise. Having a garden and tillage was a part of farming in rural Ireland up to a few decades ago. McMahons’ was no exception it is often that three acres were covered with potatoes, oats etc! We mustn’t forget that the ‘killing of the pig’ was an annual event and John admits he killed for many a neighbour, although his father was the real expert. It isn’t often we hear of the following tale, John cycled to Limerick from Aylroe and on the return journey steered a second bike parallel to him all the way home. Now the stories go on and on but before concluding for now, I can honestly say our oldest parishioner is a true gentleman and his motto being ‘mind your own business and look after your neighbour’ is a real thought for the day. I, on your behalf, wish John many more birthdays and continued good health. **********************************************************************John McMahon now resides with his daughter Dolores and son-in-law Richard in Kilrush. Thanks to Mr & Mrs Maguire for their assistance with this interview also Tommy and Marion McMahon of Aylroe.************************************************************************

John was called to his eternal reward on Nov 1st 2008.