Harkin family of Kilmacud Road
John Harkin born circa 1875, son of John Harkin. John was a farmer and widower of Glenagivney
and married Bridget Brennan on 13 Aug 1912 at Moville Chapel. Bridget was a seamstress of
Mossyglenn and the daughter of George Brennan, a farmer.
1 Peter Harkin born 28 Jun 1913 at Glenagivney.
2 Maggie Mary Harkin born 2 Jun 1914 at Glenagivney.
3 George Columba Harkin born 13 Sep 1916.
4 Harry Harkin born 3 Dec 1917 at Glenagivney, Inishowen in Co Donegal. He married
Catherine (Kitty) Dwyer on 14 Jun 1944 at Templetuohy Church, Co Tipperary. Catherine
was the daughter of Patrick Dwyer, a farmer and his wife Mary Sullivan. Catherine was
a housewife living at Burton Hall, Stillorgan and Harry was a gardener resident at
Cranagh, Templetuohy. Catherine’s mother died in 1942 which may have prompted
the move to Dublin. Her sister Julia (Abbie) was married from home in 1945. The Harkins
had six children and Harry worked for the Ryan family of Thornhill who moved to
Homefield. It is thought that he subsequently worked for PV Doyle at Thornhill House.
Harry was a local peace commissioner. 'Where the blocked up gate in the wall is now,
was Harry’s Chicken run. Harry lived in the original Thornhill gate lodge and moved to
the new bungalow constructed broadly in the same place when the road was widened
in the 1960’s. He used to ride a bicycle. He was the secretary of the local Fianna Fail
Cumainn and an old fashioned FF republican. He would speak of looking across Lough
Foyle at Co Derry and say how it would give you a lump in your throat’. He attended the
Fianna Fail Ard Fheis in 1967 and proposed that social welfare payments should be paid
immediately after they were announced or paid retrospectively.
‘The Ryans of Thornhill, had a wonderful gardener in Mr Henry Harkins, who lived in an
old gate lodge with his family. Kay helped out in The Children's House school well
into the late '70's. The gate lodge was demolished by the Council under a CPO to allow
for road-widening, and in its place was built the small white bungalow that still exists
next to the pedestrian entrance to Cherry Garth on the Lr Kilmacud road.’
Harry was Sacristan of Kilmacud Church for many years. He died at Harold’s Cross, late
of Kilmacud Road on 16 May 1995 and was buried at Shanganagh cemetery. Kay born
3 Oct 1913 at Reenrow, Sneem, Co Kerry died in 1998 and was buried with her husband.
The house was put up for sale shortly thereafter.
5 Patrick Joseph Harkin born 10 Mar 1920 at Glenagivney.
6 Mary Catherine Harkin born 19 Jul 1921 at Glenagivney.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – November 2022
John Harkin born circa 1875, son of John Harkin. John was a farmer and widower of Glenagivney
and married Bridget Brennan on 13 Aug 1912 at Moville Chapel. Bridget was a seamstress of
Mossyglenn and the daughter of George Brennan, a farmer.
1 Peter Harkin born 28 Jun 1913 at Glenagivney.
2 Maggie Mary Harkin born 2 Jun 1914 at Glenagivney.
3 George Columba Harkin born 13 Sep 1916.
4 Harry Harkin born 3 Dec 1917 at Glenagivney, Inishowen in Co Donegal. He married
Catherine (Kitty) Dwyer on 14 Jun 1944 at Templetuohy Church, Co Tipperary. Catherine
was the daughter of Patrick Dwyer, a farmer and his wife Mary Sullivan. Catherine was
a housewife living at Burton Hall, Stillorgan and Harry was a gardener resident at
Cranagh, Templetuohy. Catherine’s mother died in 1942 which may have prompted
the move to Dublin. Her sister Julia (Abbie) was married from home in 1945. The Harkins
had six children and Harry worked for the Ryan family of Thornhill who moved to
Homefield. It is thought that he subsequently worked for PV Doyle at Thornhill House.
Harry was a local peace commissioner. 'Where the blocked up gate in the wall is now,
was Harry’s Chicken run. Harry lived in the original Thornhill gate lodge and moved to
the new bungalow constructed broadly in the same place when the road was widened
in the 1960’s. He used to ride a bicycle. He was the secretary of the local Fianna Fail
Cumainn and an old fashioned FF republican. He would speak of looking across Lough
Foyle at Co Derry and say how it would give you a lump in your throat’. He attended the
Fianna Fail Ard Fheis in 1967 and proposed that social welfare payments should be paid
immediately after they were announced or paid retrospectively.
‘The Ryans of Thornhill, had a wonderful gardener in Mr Henry Harkins, who lived in an
old gate lodge with his family. Kay helped out in The Children's House school well
into the late '70's. The gate lodge was demolished by the Council under a CPO to allow
for road-widening, and in its place was built the small white bungalow that still exists
next to the pedestrian entrance to Cherry Garth on the Lr Kilmacud road.’
Harry was Sacristan of Kilmacud Church for many years. He died at Harold’s Cross, late
of Kilmacud Road on 16 May 1995 and was buried at Shanganagh cemetery. Kay born
3 Oct 1913 at Reenrow, Sneem, Co Kerry died in 1998 and was buried with her husband.
The house was put up for sale shortly thereafter.
5 Patrick Joseph Harkin born 10 Mar 1920 at Glenagivney.
6 Mary Catherine Harkin born 19 Jul 1921 at Glenagivney.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – November 2022