Paul Markham takes "Jessie the horse" to the country

 

The Horse and Trap

 

The trap was a nineteenth century mode of transport, designed in different sizes to suit a pony, cob or horse. A jaunt in this comfortable open vehicle could be very pleasant in fine weather. It was necessary for travelling to town and to Mass on Sunday. For many years it was quite a status symbol.

A sidecar was used at Derryguiha from the late 1880’s to 1946 by John Markham’s grandfather and father. Sidecars were similar to the trap. Passengers on the sidecar when seated were facing in opposite directions.  In the case of the ‘Back to Back’as the name implies, passengers were seated again in opposite directions.  In 1946 John purchased a new trap from Coach Builders Breens’ of Limerick for a sum of £45. This was to fit a cob the outfit was used for trips to Kilrush, Kildysart, Labasheeda and Sunday Mass up to the year1965 when he purchased a motorcar.  In the mid fifties he purchased a horse trap from the Honan family, Kildysart for the sum of £33. The tub trap as it was called had the advantage of being warmer and good interior space for the transporting of light goods.

Lanterns fitted with candles were attached to the trap to provide light when travelling in the dark, attending Midnight Mass at Christmas or returning from town on a winter’s evening. The priest and local doctor used the horse and trap when going on sick calls or traveling through the parish.  Usually a connemara rug was used to keep warmth on the knees.

On Sundays John remembers a line of horse and traps tied to the wall at McMahon near Kilmurry church. At Coolmeen the rings for tying the horse can still be viewed near the church.

John’s traps became redundant with the purchase of his new motorcar in 1965.

John recalls his father telling him of the gentry having a carriage drawn by a pair of horses at Clonderlaw House.  A coachman and a groomsman were employed fulltime. As the coachman approached the lodge he shouted ‘gates’ the lodge keeper automatically opened the grand gate.