Cleary Occupants House No. 17

“The first post office in Ardpatrick was conducted by John Murphy, son of Mrs. Murphy, a widow, who owned a public house at Ardpatrick Cross. The Murphys had a new shop built a few yards from their pub with the object of getting the post office. John Murphy was subpostmaster until 1894, when the post office was transferred to Edmond Cleary, a young married carpenter. The Cleary family held the post office until Miss Cathleen Cleary’s resignation from the position in February 1974. The first telephone in Ardpatrick village was that installed in the post office in 1951. Miss Nell Cleary was the subpostmistress at that time.” [As recounted by Joe O’Brien in Fr John Fleming’s Ardpatrick, 1978]

Mr Joseph and Tim O’Brien were avid photographers and, although much of their work has been lost, one of the surviving images dated from 1965 is presented below. Further images are available here and here. Photo and text courtesy of Dave Meskill.

Aerial view of the old Post Office owned and run by the Cleary family for many decades until the retirement of Kathleen (Kit) Cleary as Post Mistress in the early 1970s. Succeeded by Mrs Maureen McGrath nee Casey who for some months operated from a small building adjacent to the old Post Office before she and husband David McGrath moved the business to a bungalow across the road. Kit Cleary’s brother Eddie was Sacristan/Parish Clerk in the nearby Church for many decades until retiring in the early 70s also – being replaced by John Dawson, former housekeeper to the late PP of Ardpatrick Fr Michael McCarthy who in 1964 had transferred to Kilfinane and died there in 1971. Click for full-size.

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1911
Sunville Upper
Link to original Census Form A

SurnameForenameAgeSexRelation to headReligion
ClearyEdmond47MaleHead of FamilyRoman Catholic
ClearyEllen50FemaleWifeRoman Catholic
ClearyJohn23MaleSonRoman Catholic
ClearyEllen17FemaleDaughterRoman Catholic
ClearyEdmond13MaleSonRoman Catholic
ClearyKathleen6FemaleDaughterRoman Catholic

 

Ellen Cleary died on Jan 23rd 1922, aged 59 years
Edmond Cleary died on Jan 22nd 1949, aged 84 years
Ellen Cleary died on May 17th 1955, aged 61 years
John Cleary died on Feb 17th 1958, aged 70 years
Kathleen Cleary died on Jan 16th 1975, aged 69 years
Edmond Cleary died on Nov 30th 1975, aged 78 years
Hill of Ardpatrick cemetery. ©historicgraves.com
Cleary Residence GPS: 52.340750, -8.524106

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