Mary Bridget (Davis) HYLAND

Mary B., ‘Mollie’ born 20 November 1895 at Nile St., Cork (now part of Sheares St. and the N22) was the first of Mary B. (O’/Callaghan) and George DAVIS’s children to survive infancy. Mary Bridget Davis is my grandmother.

Mary was almost 17 years old when her father George died and likely assisted her mother Mary with the younger children. Ita, the youngest, was then just 16 months old.

Reportedly a very talented pianist, like her cousin George WADDING, Mary played at the silent pictures. I was told she had trained at the College of Music and secured a scholarship to study in Limerick but turned it down in order to marry. [1]

I understand Mary worked in insurance until her marriage. My mother believed Mary had also taught for a while (untrained.)

Seven years after her father’s death Mary married Michael HYLAND from the Blackpool area of north Cork city. Michael was a soldier at the time of their marriage on 14th February 1920, which took place at the North Cathedral.[2].

Mary’s first younger sister Margaret (‘Madge’) was her witness.

Michael returned to his pre-war work on the railways and reportedly the new Hyland family with three children lived in Kenmare briefly, before my mother was born.

In 1927 47 Gerald Griffin Street, beside the North Cathedral was the HYLAND home. It’s where my mother was born and where Mary’s first cousin, the then Kathleen “Kitty” (Furlong) DOWLING lived while a widow.

By 1929 Mary and family, then consisting of four children, had moved to Sarsfield St., Thurles, County Tipperary, where she had a further four children and lived for the remainder of her life.

Folklore contributions and politics

The Irish Folklore Commission (Coimisiún Béaloideasa Éireann) was established in 1935 to record Irish folk traditions. The Schools’ Collection (1937-1939) involved children asking questions of family members and neighbours. The topics about which the children were instructed to research and write included local history and monuments, folktales and legends, riddles and proverbs, songs, customs and beliefs, games and pastimes, traditional work practices and crafts. Mary contribution two stories to the collection by way of her third daughter Peg (my mother) and neighbour Mary Walsh at Clochar na Toirbhirte, Thurles[3].

As in many families at that time Mary had differing political views to that of her first cousin Walter Furlong. She spoke positively of Michael Collins and was not supportive of the Old IRA or Éamon de Valera. According to son Jack she ‘hated’ hurling. My mother described her as ‘very keen on politics … an intelligent woman of course and a great reader.’

Later life

Mary was widowed on the 37th anniversary of her marriage to Michael, 14th February 1957. She lived a further 11 years.

At the end of her life she lived with her second daughter, Ita GLEESON and family at Ard Mhuire, Thurles.

Mary died 08 October 1968 of carcinoma of the ear, liver and lung. She was 73 years old. Her death was notified by her daughter Ita.

At that time our family GP in New Zealand was an Irishman and on my mother’s behalf he wrote to a colleague to understand more about ‘mama’s’ condition. This was the response, attaching the notice from the newspaper:

My mother kept this clipping from the local paper and memorial card until her own death:

Mary is buried alongside her husband Michael at St Patrick’s cemetery, Loughtagalla, Thurles.

Mary B. (Davis) and Michael HYLAND had the following children:

Looking forward to corrections and additions to this section!

[1] Source: Breda Hyland, Jack Hyland. First cousin George WADDING reportedly played the double bass at the silent pictures as a young man in Wexford.

[2]My mother told the story of when Mollie picked up a piano accordion and played it and the children were astonished as they hadn’t known she was a musician.

[3] Peg also wrote a history of hurling in Thurles.

[4] Mollie Fogg was born in Wexford town.

My Aunt Maura was in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) which was formed in 1938 to work specifically in support of the Army.