The Rooms

All the rooms in Boss Murphy’s were dedicated to to local people or places.
Here is a list of the original dedications:

Orrery & Kilmore Tea Rooms

The Barony of Orrery and Kilmore, in which Churchtown is situated, was formerly called Oirria Barria after the Norman de Barry family who owned a large part of the area. When Charles Smith wrote his Ancient and Present State of the County and City of Cork in the late eighteenth century he stated that there were eleven parishes and 40,033 Irish plantation acres in the barony.

The Edward Fitzgerald Lounge

Our lounge is dedicated to the memory of Ned Fitz (1912 – 1984) who spent many a happy evening in this room when it operated as a bar and grocery. Ned Fitz was a skilled horseman who worked in England and Ireland. In the early days of Vincent O’Brien’s training career in Churchtown Ned “schooled” horses at Clashganiff.

Barry’s Square

The lands in Churchtown were originally seized by Philip de Barry who came to Ireland with his uncle, Robert fitzStephen but were officially granted to his son, William, by King John in 1206. William de Barry became Lord of Castlelyons, Barryscourt and Buttevant. Both his son and grandson, Robert and David Oge were responsible for founding monasteries in the area during the thirteenth century. Their ownership was challenged in the closing years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. This area is also dedicated to Michael Barry the first managing director of Boss Murphy’s.

The Imogane Room

The Imogane Road is one of the loveliest four mile walks or cycling routes in Churchtown. Follow the main Burton Road from the village for a mile, go down Keane’s Hill with Clashganniff to your left and take the first right turn at O’Connor’s cross. Follow the grassy country lane known as “The Imogane Road” (pronounced “Imogawn”) until you come to a right turn that will bring you back into the village via Egmont View.

The kitchen and common area in the Imogane Room are available to all our guests.

William Murphy’s

William “Boss” Murphy (1831 – 1911) farmer, musician, historian, storyteller was born in Egmont in the parish of Churchtown. A well travelled man he lived through the Great Famine and witnessed the rebuilding of Churchtown from 1822 -1849 including The Market House in 1845 and the first Parish School in 1846.

 Binchy’s

The Binchy family, described as Bench at that time, occupied these premises during Griffith’s Valuation in 1851. Internationally acclaimed author, Maeve Binchy is a scion of this Binchy family. Sir Richard Griffith was the person responsible for valuing every single piece of property in Ireland in order to levy a fair charge on each property owner to help pay for the upkeep of the local workhouse which in Churchtown’s case was located in Mallow.

O’Sullivan Beare’s

Donal O’Sullivan Beare and his followers marched close to Churchtown on their long retreat from West Cork. Only 35 of his 1,000 followers managed the epic fourteen day journey from Glengarriff in West Cork to Leitrim where they arrived on January 4th 1603. Ballyhoura Fáilte has developed a special “O’Sullivan Beare” walk as well as the famous Ballyhoura Way.

Countess of Egmont’s

Lucy, Countess of Egmont, 7 Eaton Square, London sold the last interest of the Egmont estate in the Boss Murphy complex – The Market House – on 30th May 1900 for £80 or €101.58 to Thomas Sandes Trench, Ballybrittas, Queens County (County Laois). In April 1904 Trench sold the Market House to Edward Flannery for £150.

Earl of Egmont’s

The Percival Family, who later became Earls of Egmont, were granted vast tracts of land in north Cork in the 1600s. One of their main seats was at Burton Park just outside Churchtown village. The first house at Burton was burnt by King James II’s army as they retreated from the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. A smaller Caroline-period mansion was built on the same site in the late 1700s.

The Weight Thrower’s

Boss Murphy’s uncle also named William Murphy (c1819- 1905) was famous for his victory in a hammer throwing competition over the walls of Liscarroll Castle in 1868. Local bard Con O’Brien commemorated this event in an epic poem.

Then he balanced and swung with terrible might, And the sledge sailed aloft like a bird in its flight

Flannery’s

The Flannery Family who succeeded the Binchy family as occupiers of Boss Murphy House sold to the O’Sullivan family on 2nd August 1972. As well as a grocery, public house and bakery, the Flannery family also ran a stud farm at Carrigeen and kept thoroughbred stallions in the stables at the rear of the Market House.

Churchtown Stud at Carrigeen was one of the first registered studs in Ireland.

O’Keeffe’s

Margaret Cullinan-O’Keeffe who married John Murphy, son of Boss Murphy, ran a public house on these premises before passing the business to her son Patrick O’Keeffe and his wife Mary Kate Dunlea on 23rd December 1933. O’Keeffe’s sold the premises on 4th September 1951 to James Downey.

 Cunningham’s

James Cunningham (1905- 1995) publican, grocer, grain, wool and fertiliser merchant of Ballacolla, Co Laois is connected to both the Donovan and Murphy families in Churchtown and was also affectionately known to his customers as “Boss”.

Hickey’s

The Hickey Family of Kilmagoura, Newtownshandrum which is about seven miles from Churchtown is linked to the Murphy Family through marriage. The Hickey family is also connected to the great Irish poet James Clarence Mangan (1803 – 1849) and the Gaelic “Poet of Biddy’s Tree” Máire Ní Ruairí (1706 -1766) who is buried at Killabraher four miles north west of Churchtown village.

Uncle Bill’s

Bill Murphy (1916-1984), grandson of the Boss owned this second house on George’s Street which he inherited from his mother. He sold it to Mick Thompson on 10th November 1959 for £95 or €120.63. Bill Murphy’s belief in fair play has become the cornerstone of Boss Murphy’s business philosophy.

Pad’s

Pad Relihan (1928-1999) lived in Churchtown village and spent many happy years working on the Murphy homestead at the Leap before securing a road maintenance position with Cork County Council. Pad Relihan was the essential Corkman dedicated to the Gaelic Athletic Association – especially Hurling – and an occasional pint of porter.

Baker Mahony’s

Maurice ‘Baker’ Mahony (1901 – 1987), hurler on the famous 1929 Churchtown team was the village baker when the Flannery family ran a business here. His brother was baker in O’Brien’s. In later life when the bakery was no more “Maurisheen” spent his days sitting on the wall outside Boss Murphy’s observing village life.

Paddy Flynn’s Hall

Villager Paddy Flynn (1901 – 1985) with a svelte jockey-like build was always know as “Dines” after the great English jockey Johnny Dines. Dines spent many happy years working on the Murphy homestead. He lived on George’s Street with his late sister Birdie who was also Parish sacristan.

Twomey Courtyard

This courtyard is dedicated to the Twomey family of the Leap who have a long association with the Murphy Family.

Gilbert Lane

This lane is dedicated to Maurice Gilbert whose expertise, hard work and management skills were responsible for the restoration of these fine buildings in 1998 and 1999.

The Market House

The Market House was built by Sir Edward Tierney (1780 – 1856) as Agent for the Earl of Egmont as a place to collect rents. Edward Tierney, a solicitor born in Rathkeale, Co Limerick inherited his title as Baronet of the United Kingdom from his brother Mathew, a doctor, who received it for saving the life of the Prince Regent – heir to the crown – who was seriously ill on the death of his father George III on 20th December 1820.

The Arches

This arch facilitated the entry of horses and carriages into the horse pound at the rear of the stables. It also served as a weigh bridge in bygone days. The key stone on the outside of the arch tells us that the Market House was finished in 1845. The Market House was used to collect rents and for cheese making in the early days of Churchtown Creamery which was founded by local farmers in March 1889 as a limited company.

The Groom’s Room

Churchtown has a proud equine heritage. The Flannery Family who owned these premises until 1972 operated Churchtown Stud, one of Ireland’s first registered stud farms at Carrigeen one mile north of the village. They also kept thoroughbred horses in the stables to the rear of the Market House. This room is dedicated to a most loyal groom Denis O’Sullivan (1875 – 1946) who spent sixty five years with Flannery’s Churchtown Stud.

Captain Trench’s

On 30th May 1900 The Market House was sold for £80 or €101.58 to Thomas Sandes Trench, Ballybrittas, Queens County (County Laois). Captain Trench, who was also associated with Castle Oliver near Kilfinane, collected the rent on behalf of Sir Edward Tierney who was the agent of the Earl of Egmont. In April 1904 Captain Trench sold the Market House to Edward Flannery for £150.

Sir Edward’s

Sir Edward Tierney was responsible for the rebuilding of Churchtown village between 1822 and 1849 and was eventually willed the estate by the fifth Earl of Egmont who died on 23rd December 1841. Earl Henry’s will was disputed some years later after Sir Edward Tierney’s death in 1856 and his heirs – the Darrell Family – ceded ownership of the estate in return for £125,000 or €158,710 and costs as part of a settlement during a legal action in Cork taken by the 6th Earl of Egmont in 1863.

Churchtown’s Horse Racing Heritage

The first big success of a Churchtown bred horse was when St. Brendan won the Irish Derby at the Curragh on Wednesday June 25th 1902. St. Brendan was bred by Edward Flannery at his Churchtown Stud at Carrigeen about one mile north of the village.

The next big success of a Churchtown horse was when Loch Lomond won the Irish Derby for Miss E. Cowhy of Churchtown House on June 19th 1919. Dan P. O’Brien of Clashganniff House who was Vincent O’Brien’s father won some good races on the flat with Solford including the Irish Cambridge at the Curragh 1939.

In 1948 Vincent O’Brien with Cottage Rake won his first Cheltenham Gold Cup of three. Hatton’s Grace won the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham for him in 1949, 1950 and 1951. From 1948 to 1959 Vincent O’Brien trained the winner of 22 races at the Cheltenham meeting a record that is unlikely to be equalled over such a short period of 11 years. In 1951 Vincent moved his operations to the Ballydoyle Stables in Tipperary where his successes continued unabated especially on the flat. Vincent O’Brien is without equal as Churchtown’s greatest sporting hero.

Another Churchtown man Jack Moylan was a leading flat jockey during the late 1920s, 30s and 40s. Towards the end of his career he won two Irish Derbys in successive years riding Slide On and Picadilly. He also finished second in the Aintree Grand National on a horse called Fly Mask in 1924. Jack Moylan also has the distinction of being Pat Eddery’s grandfather. Pat was Champion jockey on several occasions in England

The National Hunt tradition is still very much alive in Churchtown. Vincent O’Brien’s nephew Noel O’Brien, Thomas O’Brien, Jimmy Gordon, Denis Fehan, Michael Carey, Patricia Coghlan and Noel Lynch all continue the tradition. In addition Norma Bourke has a successful riding school at Carrigeen.

The Stations

The “Stations” is the name used to describe a Mass which is still celebrated twice yearly in a private house for a gathering of neighbours in a number of local townslands in many parts of rural Ireland. Churchtown has seven station areas:

Walshestown, Ballindillanig and Leap

Burton, Imogane, Clashgannif and Clashelane

Mount Corbett, Mount Bridget and Ballinamuck

Annagh, Cullig, Windmill, Rath, Coolmore, Carrigeen, and Ballyvaheen

Ballychristie, Ballinaboul, Egmont, Ballyadam and CastleMcCarthy

Cregane, Ballygrace and Gurteenroe

Churchtown Village all in one station