The Still Pond Enniscorthy / Ferns Co. Wexford

Doyles of The Still Pond, Enniscorthy. Courtesy of gregorek

Here is another photo of The Still Pond, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. I used to frequently sit on the bank and watch the swans and various ducks as they peacefully glided by. The swans would try to nibble at me sometimes as they vied for space on the tiny bank. Fairfield farm lies to the left – just beyond a bend nearby the bridge – which heads towards Enniscorthy town a mile away. There is a small pond at Fairfield Farm where the ducks rear their young before coming to this pond.

The row of white houses were built on property belonging to Doyle’s. Not to be mistaken with Nick Doyle’s (pink) pub next door. Nellie Doyle-Ryan (whose sibling and husband were the most kindness people to (my uncle) and me in my whole life) who passed away last year had lived there. You could not have met a more gentler kinder person in the whole wide world than Nellie. She came from a family of ten and had grown up for some years as a wee child just a stones throw away. Sadly the mother died and Nellie was left with the responsibility of rearing them all. Joan, the youngest baby, basically knew no other mother than Nellie. The father was a policeman and had to go out to work to make ends me.

The Still Pond, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. Courtesy of gregorek

When my uncle returned on holidays to Ireland from Japan, the first place he would head for were the two Doyle’s, Nellie and Helen at The Still. He always had a present for them both, as that is a typical Japanese gesture and he was one to his very core – having spent over forty-five years in Japan. He absolutely adored Nellie to bits and vice versa. She made such a fuss of him. He was so relaxed and at peace in her presence and was able to put his feet up. I think she looked after his domestic needs to the last.

Ferns, Co Wexford: Corn field with bales of straw. Courtesy of gregorek.

Every week in latter years when I was residing at Fairfield. Joan drove Nellie over from Monageer nearby Ferns to check on the vacant house. She had gone to live with Joan and Mattie in Monageer when she got older and found she could not cope with being on her own in the sprawling house one-stoiried house. Whenever I saw Joan’s car pull up outside the old house I would wander down and join them for the cup of tea. I too loved being in their company, just like my uncle. Nellie always reminisced about her time there with her husband whom she never stopped praising and of whom she missed so much. Nellie married late in life and had no children. She had sacrificed her life to caring for her own. They showed me old newspaper clippings of the floods that came right up to the door of the house. Nellie’s house got more of the brunt of it, than Doyle’s next door. The sandbags obviously didn’t help all that much. I saw all the old rooms in the house and can still have a mental image of them. It was such a shame to see that nobody was living there and keeping it habitable.

I remember being told about Ellen Doyle, whom I think worked for a time in Doyle’s pub next door? I vaguely remember being told that she moved into town after her marriage. I’m not exactly sure. There was a beautiful singer in the choir during my time. She was only a young girl, so she stuck out like a sore thumb in an adult choir. Her name was Therese Canavan. I don’t know if she is connected to Martha Doyle or Larry Doyle via marriage. I know there was a reception of sorts in Murphy-Floods, could have been a funeral and the former and the latter were present.

Irish Fox taken in the vicinity of Fairfield Farm, Enniscorthy. Courtesy of gregorek

There is also a field called the fox-field at Fairfield Farm. This photo was taken in the vicinity by H/t gregok. It would be unsurprising if it was taken at Fairfield fox-field?

An aside. I was looking out the bedroom window the other night, well, it was 2:00am in the morning, and I spotted two young foxes grooming each other and gayly romping around in the garden. It was such a nice sight to behold.

Forgelands or Fairfield / Monart Bessmount Enniscorthy Co Wexford Ireland

The Still Pond, Fairfield, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. Fairfield Farm lies directly behind large trees in far middle distance. Home of my ancestors for hundreds of years. H/t J. Cassin.
I had a comment from Carole Foley-Coleman from Delaware USA on an older post here

This is another photo of the Still looking out from Doyle’s Pub. There is a house directly opposite Fairfield farm. It has a half acre of land attached to it. It adjoins land belonging to Fairfield as it was once part of the farm. It was common practice in olden days for land to be compulsory taken off farmers by local authorities, if they so needed same to build houses for people. The latter were known as labourers cottages. I know that there were two brothers called White who lived in the house. I also see the name White in the census form above for 1901. I must look at it later on in more detail.  A 1/4 acre of land was also handed over. It would be facing this house, (which is now owned by a lovely family). I think the family were called Murphy/Morrissey? The one-storied houses got an acre of land, whilst the two-storied houses got a half acre. I’m not sure as to why that happened. I was told that my mother gave a beautiful Christening gown to the family. It’s a story that I won’t elaborate on here. Fairfield Farm has two fields and a bit more sandwiched between this house and the once famous Daphne Castle. When one meanders into the centre of the fields there is such a glorious view to be had of Enniscorthy. It’s like being in another world it is that beautiful. There will always be good fertile land found where planter Protestants settled. This was told to me in good faith by an auctioneer, who should know what he was talking about.

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