Early 1880-1903
Life
(1880-1921) Tadhg Barry
Not much is known about Tadhg’s early life, except that he worked as an attendant at Eglinton Lunatic Asylum (later Our Lady’s Hospital) on the Lee Road from 1899 to 1903. Life as an asylum attendant c. 1900 was gruelling. Conditions were notorious, with most staff being required to live in the asylum or on the asylum grounds. Commenting on the Clonmel Asylum, an inspector reported of a ‘crying want of suitable accommodation for the staff … beds are so close that there is hardly room to get between them.’ Pay was ‘abysmally low’ and the working day long: fourteen- hour shifts (starting at 6am and ending at 8pm) and a seven-day working week were common. With a view to ameliorating such appalling conditions, Tadhg joined the (British-based) Asylum Workers’ Union, contributing articles to its journal even after he left the job. At Eglinton, he organised concerts to raise funds for the city’s nascent Gaelic League and established a Gaelic football team among the staff. After studying part-time and gaining some (probably clerical) qualifications, Tadhg resigned from the asylum in July 1903. He emigrated to Britain, first to Hull and then to London. Timothy (Tadhg) Joseph Barry was born at 54 Blarney Street into a working-class family on 25 February 1880. He had an older sister, Mary, and two younger brothers, Daniel and Patrick. Their father, Daniel Snr., worked as a cooper. Although the trade was declining in Cork, coopers were highly skilled workers who were better paid than most. This allowed Tadhg to complete both primary and secondary education – at Blarney Street National School and the North Monastery respectively – at a time when most working-class children’s formal education ended with primary school. At the North Mon, Br. Clifford, a fervent nationalist, was a huge influence on the young Tadhg. In class, Br. Clifford led prayers ‘for the welfare of Ireland, for the advancement of the Irish language and that we may die for Ireland.’
Registration record of Tadhg Barry’s birth (irishgenealogy.ie)
Blarney Street National School, 1965 (courtesy of Ronnie Herlihy)
The North Monastery holds a pageant to mark its centenary, 1911 (oldphotosofcork.wordpress.com)
St. Vincent’s Catholic Church, Sunday’s Well, early twentieth century (National Library of Ireland)
Sunday’s Well, Cork, early twentieth century (Eglinton Lunatic Asylum is visible in the background) (National Library of Ireland)
Barry family census return, 1911. Note that Tadhg is now the ‘head of the family’ and has completed the census in Irish! (National Archives of Ireland)
Barry family census return, 1901 (National Archives of Ireland)
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