Knocknacarra/Rahoon History

dolphin city

I can't believe this is still going.

Right to clear matters up for anyone interested and I am posting this going by personal experience - not by how the land lay in the 19th Century as I was not around then - this is personal experience and you cannot change that no matter how hard people try.

I am talking about Knocknacarra proper - not the "is it Rahoon or is it Knocknacarra" brigade - we all know what was Rahoon and what was Knocknacarra. Also, the era I am talking about is the 1970's onwards into the 1980's. You had your estates around the town, Bohermore, Rahoon, Shantalla, Corrib Park, Fairhill, etc. etc. Then you had your more upmarket areas "Taylors Hill" (which still is), Salthill, and Knocknacarra - (knocknacarra proper - not the farms in rahoon which is now called knocknacarra). Also therew WERE estates in Knocknacarra and exclusive houses built there in the 1970's. You only have to walk ten minutes from Joyces shop to observe these houses build in the 1970's (not farms - HOUSES). If you check out the Brooklawn Estate as somebody mentioned in a previous post, you will see the differerence between living here and living in places like the Rahoon Flats, Shantalla, Bohermore - please people do not try to pretend that there was no difference and Knocknacarra was not considered "posh" compared to the estates around the town. Maybe the people who are aghast at beliveing that Knocknacarra was "posh" were the people living in the place at the time and maybe they don't know the story because they didn't "mix" with the people in the other estates like Bohermore, Rahoon, etc. which would explain my point beautifully.

Also, I think people who lived in Rahoon are now referring to the place as Knocknacarra which it was in fact Rahoon - where lots of farmers had their houses and land - (Rahoon, not Knocknacarra). the very fact that now people are referring to Rahoon areas as Knocknacarra should actually tell people a lot about the reasoning behind putting "knocknacarra" onto the end of your address, and not Rahoon. Its sounds better? Why? Because Knocknacarra was considered upmarket and Rahoon wasn't.

Rahoon, Shantalla, Corrib, Inishannah, etc were not counted as "great places to live" in the 1970's onwards, and in fact I remember once my cousin looked for a job in a very small corner store - and put his Inishannah address and was told the job had been filled. He had a suspicion that it was because he came from a "lower class" area - he got his brother to apply for the same job using a Knocknacarra (proper Knocknacarra) address, and he was offered the job the next day.

I'm not really interested about the 19th Century - I wasn't round to experience that. I'm not interested in churchview looking out her window and seeing farms - she wasn't seeing farms in Knocknacarra proper - although she could have been seeing farms up towards Clybaun Road and Bothar Stiofan which is Rahoon, if you know where you come from or KNocknacarra if you want to sound better.

Thats my experience - hope it is quite clear - and I won't be changing a personal experience for something somebody read from the 19th century. Hope you find this interesting and I am sure others have the same experience if you take the time to talk to them.

Also, - the caravan park in Salthill in he 70's - if I remember correctly was it down Threadneedle Road? I will stand corrected on that but I won't stand corrected on someone getting mixed up with whether the live in Rahoon or Knocknacarra and then throwing a hissy because someone had a different experience.

Ask yourself this......why, still to this day....do people refer to houses and businesses in Rahoon, as businesses in Knocknacarra - if you can answer that question you will have your answer as to people thinking Knocknacarra was more upmarket and posh. :D enjoy my personal history.

dolphin city

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Where is "posh" in Galway now ?

What address draw a "uhhh" these days? I can't really think of any.

try heading down taylors hill, turning left into the exclusive "estates" between the top of taylors hill, and nile lodge - you will defnitely go "uhhhh". Although you cannot see the houses from the main road - you would have to drive in.

dolphin city

churchview wrote: »

Thanks Brianthebard, that's very useful - I see where you're coming from.

However, I think that the other poster is referring to the same time periods as me, but has a different view of the area both then and now. It would be interesting if the views were explained though.



actully no, i'm not. And if you had taken the time to read my posts properly (check out post 31) I think I mentioned that I wasn't talking about the same time period as you. Also if you are studing the area as you say, then you of all people should have known about the original Knocknacarra and the estates/houses in the 1970's - didn't you ever look up the original Knocknacarra or did you just focus on the "B and Q style Knocknacarra".

gaeilgegrinds1

Is this thread really about whether or not where someone lives is posh or not? I've read it and my brow is firmly furrowed right now.

Mrs OBumble

churchview wrote: »

The thing is, I'm genuinely interested in how anyone could view Knocknacarra as posh, now or ever.

I came to Galway three years ago. At that time, of of my friends on a WHV was looking for childcare work, either nannying or in a childcare centre. She commented that most of the families who could afford nannies were mostly living out in the Knocknacarra area, and the transport challenges involved were what prompted her to focus on centre-based work. I now know that some of these families will be in Taylors Hill and Salthill too, but suspect that there were simply a lot more of 'em in K/carra. The recession has changed that now, of course, but it was the case recently.

I've also been told that currently among the immigrant communities, Knocknacarra is viewed as a lot more posh than Doughiska: some think that Doughiska is too rough to live in.

FWIW.

?Cee?view

gaeilgegrinds1 wrote: »

Is this thread really about whether or not where someone lives is posh or not? I've read it and my brow is firmly furrowed right now.

Interesting stuff all. Thanks a lot. Anyone remember the nickname for Knocknacarra church by the way?

It seems that you might be right gaeilgegrinds. There are some here with chips on their shoulders who don't appear to be comfortable with where they're from. Time to get over the "using the Inishannagh" address stories . I love the way these people presume that noone else knows anything but presumes that their personal experience is the only valid one. The type of people that keep Joe Duffy in business "I'ne ony sayin' Joe"

Deisemum - you're on the button there with your post. Perfect analysis really.

Sponge Bob - I think you've hit on a useful tool here. It's all Monkey Business!

For those who want to perceive certain areas as upmarket, posh whatever, let's settle on Taylor's Hill as the posh area and leave it at that. Those people "ar takin are jobs!" Just because someone in Knocknacarra gets a menial job when a person in Inishannagh doesn't, doesn't make Knacker-na-carra (using Sponge Bobs architectural synonym here) posh!

Glad we've finally got to the bottom of this.

Pollnarooma would be perceived by some to be a bit upmarket, although really it's just another housing estate with slightly larger houses. I know a particularly snobby "lady" who lives in Kingston and I take great delight in occasionally letting it slip that the actual townland of Pollnarooma extends beyond that housing estate and that her home is actually in Pollnarooma. She's none too happy with that!

dolphin city

gaeilgegrinds1 wrote: »

Is this thread really about whether or not where someone lives is posh or not? I've read it and my brow is firmly furrowed right now.

not anymore - knocknacarra is just as common now as all the other places (with the exception of taylors hill) we were talking about in the past.

dolphin city

churchview wrote: »

Interesting stuff all. Thanks a lot. Anyone remember the nickname for Knocknacarra church by the way?

It seems that you might be right gaeilgegrinds. There are some here with chips on their shoulders who don't appear to be comfortable with where they're from. Time to get over the "using the Inishannagh" address stories . I love the way these people presume that noone else knows anything but presumes that their personal experience is the only valid one. The type of people that keep Joe Duffy in business "I'ne ony sayin' Joe"

Deisemum - you're on the button there with your post. Perfect analysis really.

Sponge Bob - I think you've hit on a useful tool here. It's all Monkey Business!

For those who want to perceive certain areas as upmarket, posh whatever, let's settle on Taylor's Hill as the posh area and leave it at that. Those people "ar takin are jobs!" Just because someone in Knocknacarra gets a menial job when a person in Inishannagh doesn't, doesn't make Knacker-na-carra (using Sponge Bobs architectural synonym here) posh!

Glad we've finally got to the bottom of this.

Pollnarooma would be perceived by some to be a bit upmarket, although really it's just another housing estate with slightly larger houses. I know a particularly snobby "lady" who lives in Kingston and I take great delight in occasionally letting it slip that the actual townland of Pollnarooma extends beyond that housing estate and that her home is actually in Pollnarooma. She's none too happy with that!

still haven't wound your neck in I see. :D

the more you post, the more you reveal that you actually had not got a clue what was going on in Galway in the 1970's unless you saw it from your bedroom window. Keep posting tho - it's amusing to read if nothing else

?Cee?view

brianthebard wrote: »

Salthill must still be somewhat posh judging by the amount of people who put salthill as their address when they mean lower salthill, which seems to stretch almost as far as the wolfe tone bridge!

I know some people in Clybaun Heights who add Salthill to their address!

God help us in Galway if we ever get postcodes like Dublin

?Cee?view

dolphin city wrote: »

still haven't wound your neck in I see. :D

the more you post, the more you reveal that you actually had not got a clue what was going on in Galway in the 1970's unless you saw it from your bedroom window. Keep posting tho - it's amusing to read if nothing else

Yawn...

fernandovargas

rahoon ends at the pitches in westside/innishanagh park i think because gaelcarrig and camillaun park are officially listed as newcastle iv always considered myself from rahoon(westside) but on paper my address is newcastle , there was traveller camps(delaneys&wards) years ago aswell before any of the houses in westside went up ,my mother grew up in shantalla and told me they used to be where dunnes is now, as for knocknacarra being posh , iv been told that the location at the time was called hamburger hill as a joke that they tried to be posh buying there big houses but couldnt afford anythan but burgers to eat, not my opinon but just what was said of knocknacara in 70s and 80s

dolphin city

churchview wrote: »

Interesting stuff all. Thanks a lot. Anyone remember the nickname for Knocknacarra church by the way?

in what century??

It seems that you might be right gaeilgegrinds. There are some here with chips on their shoulders who don't appear to be comfortable with where they're from. Time to get over the "using the Inishannagh" address stories . I love the way these people presume that noone else knows anything but presumes that their personal experience is the only valid one. The type of people that keep Joe Duffy in business "I'ne ony sayin' Joe"

I don't see where Gaeilgegrinds has mentioned "chips on shoulders" are you sure your own feelings are not showing through there.

Deisemum - you're on the button there with your post. Perfect analysis really.

Did you ask what she meant by shantalla being dreary - dreary compared to what. Also if she is the age she says and was around mid 80's Im sure she would have experienced the "boot boys" "rattlesnakes", etc that were hanging around estates that she says were basically the same as knocknacarra, although a little bit "drearier"

Sponge Bob - I think you've hit on a useful tool here. It's all Monkey Business!

Monkey Business is in Rahoon!

For those who want to perceive certain areas as upmarket, posh whatever, let's settle on Taylor's Hill as the posh area and leave it at that. Those people "ar takin are jobs!" Just because someone in Knocknacarra gets a menial job when a person in Inishannagh doesn't, doesn't make Knacker-na-carra (using Sponge Bobs architectural synonym here) posh!

Re Taylor's Hill - Have already said that in previous posts if you care to read properly. Re. "takin out jobs" don't understand this point of yours - you must condone the practice of having to change addresses to get jobs in Galway in the 70's. Shame on you if you do. Also Knackernacarra is only a very recent thing - it was definitely not around in the 70's, but then again we are talking about Knocknacarra proper - not what people percieve to be Knocknacarra to suit their "status". LOL

Glad we've finally got to the bottom of this.

We were at the bottom of it posts ago but you refuse to see the obvious.

Pollnarooma would be perceived by some to be a bit upmarket, although really it's just another housing estate with slightly larger houses. I know a particularly snobby "lady" who lives in Kingston and I take great delight in occasionally letting it slip that the actual townland of Pollnarooma extends beyond that housing estate and that her home is actually in Pollnarooma. She's none too happy with that!

this is hilarious - you are a first hand witness to people in Kingston (old Knocknacarra) being snobbish - and you are talking about people here talking having a "chip on their shoulder" because the same place was considered upmarket and posh in the 70's. You are actually admitting that it does go on even in this day and age. So why can it be happening in this day and age and you find it so hard to believe that knocknacarra was considered upmarket in the 70's. You let your facade down there.

YOu also have not commented on the "houses" in Knocknacarra in the 70's - it has now been pointed out to you that yes, in fact there were estates and houses but you only chose to read and comment on what you want.

dolphin city

churchview wrote: »

Yawn...

I was yawning yesterday dear.

?Cee?view

dolphin city wrote: »

this is hilarious - you are a first hand witness to people in Kingston (old Knocknacarra) being snobbish - and you are talking about people here talking having a "chip on their shoulder" because the same place was considered upmarket and posh in the 70's. You are actually admitting that it does go on even in this day and age. So why can it be happening in this day and age and you find it so hard to believe that knocknacarra was considered upmarket in the 70's. You let your facade down there.

YOu also have not commented on the "houses" in Knocknacarra in the 70's - it has now been pointed out to you that yes, in fact there were estates and houses but you only chose to read and comment on what you want.

Again...yawn.

Kingston as an address didn't exist prior to 35 to 40 years ago. Taylor's Hill was considered to stretch to Knocknacarra Cross. And that poor old lady to whom I refer would certainly object to being labelled a Knocknararra resident

dolphin city

fernandovargas wrote: »

rahoon ends at ends at the pitches in westside/innishanagh park i think because gaelcarrig and camillaun park are officially listed as newcastle,there was traveller camps(delaneys&wards) years ago aswell before any of the houses in westside went up my mother grew up in shantalla and told me they used to be where dunnes is now, as for knocknacarra being posh , iv been told that the location at the time was called hamburger hill as a joke that they tried to be posh buying there big houses but couldnt afford anythan but burgers to eat, not my oppinon but just what was said of knocknacara in 70s and 80s

yes, that was a common name for the place - it was said that they had to eat hamburgers every day to try to pay their big mortgages on their big houses.

They probably did not want to associate with the "rattlesnakes" of inishannagh, and the "bootboys" and the bad areas of shantalla "that people would not walk through" but people still like to believe that there was absolutely no difference in Knocknacarra and the other areas.

Yes, that was true about the Delaney's and Wards - Massive families - horses running wild - caravans at the side of the road (just like Knocknacarra :D:D)

skelliser

WHO GIVES A ****!!!

WILL THE TWO OF YE JUST LEAVE IT! LOL

dolphin city

churchview wrote: »

Again...yawn.

Kingston as an address didn't exist prior to 35 to 40 years ago. Taylor's Hill was considered to stretch to Knocknacarra Cross. And that poor old lady to whom I refer would certainly object to being labelled a Knocknararra resident

subtract 40 from 2010 and what do you get - 1970!! :rolleyes:
spoonfeeding comes to mind.

dolphin city

skelliser wrote: »

WHO GIVES A ****!!!

WILL THE TWO OF YE JUST LEAVE IT! LOL

i;m quite enjoyin it now tho.

?Cee?view

fernandovargas wrote: »

rahoon ends at ends at the pitches in westside/innishanagh park i think because gaelcarrig and camillaun park are officially listed as newcastle,there was traveller camps(delaneys&wards) years ago aswell before any of the houses in westside went up my mother grew up in shantalla and told me they used to be where dunnes is now, as for knocknacarra being posh , iv been told that the location at the time was called hamburger hill as a joke that they tried to be posh buying there big houses but couldnt afford anythan but burgers to eat, not my oppinon but just what was said of knocknacara in 70s and 80s

Those same Wards are decendants of one of the families who used to camp (literally in tents), up the old Rahoon road over 100 years ago. Old Biddy Ward (anyone remember her, the stereotypical old traveller woman with the black shawl and all) used to tell of the hardships that her family endured up there. She was some character - a fascinating old woman. Her family and other back then were referred to as tinkers, but not in a derogatory sense. It was merely a description of their trade.

Fact is, it's difficult to pin down boundaries because of different definitions being used for the same word.

For instance, Rahoon has variously been a Catholic Parish, a Church of Ireland Parish (intesting, thanks Sponge Bob), a Civil Parish, a barony and a townland.

fernandovargas

dolphin city wrote: »

yes, that was a common name for the place - it was said that they had to eat hamburgers every day to try to pay their big mortgages on their big houses.

They probably did not want to associate with the "rattlesnakes" of inishannagh, and the "bootboys" and the bad areas of shantalla "that people would not walk through" but people still like to believe that there was absolutely no difference in Knocknacarra and the other areas.

Yes, that was true about the Delaney's and Wards - Massive families - horses running wild - caravans at the side of the road (just like Knocknacarra :D:D)

heard of the rattlesnakes but never heard of the bootboys

?Cee?view

dolphin city wrote: »

subtract 40 from 2010 and what do you get - 1970!! :rolleyes:
spoonfeeding comes to mind.

Maybe read the last few posts again. You're saying Kingston is/was Knocknacarra. I'm saying it's not and wasn't - it was Taylor's Hill and prior to that it was known as Circular Road.

?Cee?view

fernandovargas wrote: »

heard of the rattlesnakes

And around this time of the year they were infamous for allegedly throwing cats on the bonfires.

dolphin city

churchview wrote: »

Maybe read the last few posts again. You're saying Kingston is/was Knocknacarra. I'm saying it's not and wasn't - it was Taylor's Hill and prior to that it was known as Circular Road.

I say take a walk or drive out there anyday and refresh your memory. I think you are talking yourself around in circles to avoid admitting you may have gotten things wrong or you didn't know everything.

the burning of cats didn't actually happen - it was a story put out to stop the knocknacarra residents (who were of course the exact same as the inishannag residents LOL) coming into Inishanna to rob the people. Everything being equal and all that, and INishannagh being the exact same as Knocknacarra in your little world.

?Cee?view

dolphin city wrote: »

I say take a walk or drive out there anyday and refresh your memory.

Thank you, that's very illuminating

For those of you that are interested there's a great function on the OSI website. You can overlay historical maps over the current maps and see how things have changed. A great feature.

?Cee?view

dolphin city wrote: »

.... it was a story put out to stop the knocknacarra residents (who were of course the exact same as the inishannag residents LOL) coming into Inishanna to rob the people. Everything being equal and all that, and INishannagh being the exact same as Knocknacarra in your little world.

Sorry but the mind boggles...:eek:

dolphin city

churchview wrote: »

Those same Wards are decendants of one of the families who used to camp (literally in tents), up the old Rahoon road over 100 years ago. Old Biddy Ward (anyone remember her, the stereotypical old traveller woman with the black shawl and all) used to tell of the hardships that her family endured up there. She was some character - a fascinating old woman. Her family and other back then were referred to as tinkers, but not in a derogatory sense. It was merely a description of their trade.

she should have moved to KNocknacarra......oh wait !!!!

yes she wore a black shawl just like lots of other old women. It was the style. And they were referred to as tinkers - tinkers being travellers, itinerants, etc.

dolphin city

fernandovargas wrote: »

heard of the rattlesnakes but never heard of the bootboys

the bootboys were way before the rattlers and the golbys??
doc martin type brigade. more of a "style" than a "gang".

dolphin city

churchview wrote: »

Sorry but the mind boggles...:eek:

sorry to hear that, can you take a pill for it?

?Cee?view

dolphin city wrote: »

she should have moved to KNocknacarra......oh wait !!!!

yes she wore a black shawl just like lots of other old women. It was the style. And they were referred to as tinkers - tinkers being travellers, itinerants, etc.

Tinkers mend tin. It was a trade.

Biddy Ward wore a shawl right up to the mid 80s. It was not worn generally by other old women then.

dolphin city

churchview wrote: »

Tinkers mend tin. It was a trade.

Biddy Ward wore a shawl right up to the mid 80s. It was not worn generally by other old women then.

again i beg to differ - if you had walked up town on any given day you would have seen the old women with their black shawls, mostly tinkers/itinerant, sometimes singing for money, sometimes not :rolleyes::rolleyes: Yes we all know what a tinker did - but like it or not the travellers were called tinkers on those days - tinkers as in itinerants - as in the people living in the caravans on the side of the road in Knocknacarra...oops, sorry Rahoon, or are you now trying to say that there were only called tinkers because their trade.