Cabbage Street memoir adding to written history of Mullingar

From hilarious to harrowing, “Cabbage Street” is a rare account of the social and economic history of Mullingar and surrounding areas in the 20th century. The book, which was edited and compiled from the memoirs of James Muldarry from Patrick Street by his neighbour Tony Lyons, was officially launched in the Mullingar Arts Centre last Tuesday evening.

Sadly, Mr Muldarry passed away before the book was published, but members of his family were guests of honour at the launch. His granddaughter, Laura Muldarry, said: “Poppy, as he was affectionately known by his family, would have been so pleased and proud of Tony’s work; a night like this would be right up his street and, like us, he would appreciate the work and dedication needed to bring such a project to life in such a meaningful way.

“As our town faces constant change and evolution, it is more important than ever to record, document and bring to life Patrick Street as it once was. In this regard Tony has done a tremendous job,” she said.

James Muldarry was born in Patrick Street in 1919. He tells of the hardship and poverty experienced by the people of the town during his childhood and youth. He remembered when tripe was a treat and a pig’s cheek was a Sunday luxury.

His accounts of, as an ambulance driver, bringing four and five year old children from the Mother and Baby home in Castlepollard to foster parents, the anguish of the children and the mothers as they were wrenched apart, are heart-breaking. So too are his tales of conditions in the old County Home, before Sr Kevin came along and forced the authorities to improve things.

Cabbage Street was the original name of Patrick Street and is recorded on a map from 1837, probably the oldest map of the town. The map, along with lots of pictures from the town’s sporting, entertainment and architectural heritage, features in the book.

The publication was officially launched by Ruth Illingworth, historian, who Matt Nolan, MC, described as someone who “forensically knows this town going back 2,000 years”.

Ruth described Cabbage Street was one of the most historic and fascinating parts of Mullingar, and one that turned out such greats as Chris Cole, the boxer, and Pat Layde, actor, writer and musician, and it was the home of a great Gaelic scholar, Kathleen Mulchrone. It was a place where soldiers and railway workers lived, and probably runs along the site of an ancient road that St Patrick walked 16 centuries ago, she remarked.

James Muldarry’s memoirs are an important addition to the written history of Mullingar because they are the voice of working class Mullingar, of a man, his family and friends who endured very hard lives and worked incredibly hard but did not let it grind them down, Ruth stated.

Patrick Street has been given its rightful place in the sun, thanks to James Muldarry, and Tony Lyons “who brought Jimmy’s voice to us all”, she remarked. This is a great night for Jimmy’s family, for the people of Patrick Street, and for all who care about the history of Mullingar, she added.

Ultimately, history is storytelling and that is what we have tonight through the life experiences of one man, Ruth concluded.

“This night belongs to the Muldarry family”, Tony Lyons who compiled and edited Jimmy’s memoirs stated. He said the book was primarily Jimmy’s recollections of the people he knew growing up, in the town and surrounding areas. Jimmy worked at about 30 jobs in his lifetime, including as an ambulance driver and a hearse driver, and a business owner. He was the eternal optimist, he said.

Tony thanked authors Jack Kiernan, Matt Nolan and Ruth Illingworth for their contributions, all who contributed photographs, particularly John Daly of Daly Photo Archives, “one of the most valuable archives of the town”, his lifelong friend and neighbour, Paddy Beglan “who identified practically everyone in the pictures”, the Topic Newspaper who printed the book, and everyone who helped make the publication a reality.

He thanked Sean Lynch for the use of the Arts Centre for the launch. “You are a serious asset to this town”, he told Sean.

Cabbage Street – Memories of a Lifetime in Mullingar is available to buy in Just Books, Mullingar.