Phoenix Park letters

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Man shot dead in Phoenix Park

mist in trees I wonder if anyone could help me. My name is Patricia Keenan and I recently discovered that my great great-grandfather was found shot dead on the Khyber Road in the park back in 1911.

I wonder if Brendan came across the case during research for his book (which incidentally I bought when it first came out and have read it several times since). The details are as follows:

The man's name was James Tuohy and he had owned a licensed premises called Tuohy's at 43 Chalemont St., Dublin. It was auctioned off on the 16th of September 1909.

The newspapers at the time reported that he was found shot dead in the park on the 23rd of February 1911 and his body was conveyed to the Workman's Cricket Club.

His death certificate states that he died of hemorrhage and that a coroner's inquest was held on the 24th of February. My great-grandmother at the time was seven months pregnant with my grandmother (who always thought that her father had died of a heart attack).

My first thoughts and obviously those of the coroner were that he had committed suicide as he was buried on the 25th of February in St Paul's in Glasnevin. The grave is unmarked to this day.

During the 1911 census two months later my great-grandmother is detailed as running a boarding house in Rathmines. She re-married to a Daniel Courtney and had a son. Daniel died in 1917.

By November 1920, she was running Courtney's Hotel at 119 Upper Leeson St.

Family legend says that she received a visit from two men who purported to be friends of her first husband. They informed her that they were aware of a gentleman who was staying in the hotel at the time. They warned her not to let him stay the following week and then left.

It transpired that the guest was one of the Cairo Gang who was killed the following week by Michael Collin's Squad. This information put a bit of a twist on things as regarding what my great-grandfather may have got up to during his life and what may have been a factor in his death.

If anyone has any information on it, I would be grateful. If not, not to worry, mark it down as another story of the Phoenix Park.

Thanks for your time,

Patricia Keenan

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Hi Patricia.
I did not come across this story during research for the book. Indeed, I have spoken to many people, since, at talks that I conducted for various groups on the park and did not hear of this death from anybody.
If anybody has any information it would be very welcome, either for posting here or for passing on to Patricia in confidence.
Khyber Road runs below the Magazine Fort from Islandbridge Gate to a junction near the present-day Papal Cross area. At that time, it was a through road; but is now closed to through traffic.
Brendan Nolan.

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Bussing through the park

I think Jenny Ryan's views on the Phoenix Park bus service are rather selfish.

The bus service allows people of all ages to access facilities at the park safely. It can reduce the amount of cars brought into the park.

It provides families of young children/elderly/disabled to explore further the beauty of the Phoenix Park who are otherwise limited to the Park Gate entrances. Not everyone has a car, not all children own their own bikes.

No, people who use the bus have chosen to leave their car at home (if they have one).

Or if they do, it may not be big enough to accommodate a large family.

I would just like to share my views on the new bus service within the Phoenix park and I must say how disappointed I am that it has been put in place.

The Phoenix park is a place were people could escape the reminders of living in a busy city, it's a place were wildlife run free, family's cycle, walk and picnic together.

Why on earth do people feel the need for a bus service running through this lovely place? I just don't understand it.

shuttle bus

Now, when I take my children cycling I have the added worry of buses and when I take some time out to be alone away from the stress of city life I'll have the noise and pollution of buses to keep my feet on the ground.

Are people getting so fat and lazy these days that a walk in the park is too much to consider, is there really a need for this service?

Buses run all along the Navan Road which is a five-minute walk to the park.

Buses are polluting, dangerous and noisy, I really hope they cancel this service. I see the busses driving around mid week with no passengers!

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Military Road closure protest
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Dear Sir/Madam,

I wish to protest most vehemently at the closing off of Military Road. This seems to be designed to exclude people from the park and/or to make fools of them.

Coming in the Chapelizod gate from Ballyfermot one has to drive around Chesterfield Avenue through the most traffic-choked areas to gain access to the car parks on Military Road.

This has caused a lot of hassle to many people and also necessitates unnecessary car journeys.

At the same time we see yet more metal barriers going up to protect the interests of commercial outfits who are now running six concerts over two weeks.

The erection of a big tent is surely in contravention of the byelaws forbidding temporary dwellings. Other byelaws disallow the interference with other park users and wildlife.

The park management seem determined to drive out the public park users in favour of events.

When is the golf course and the €1,000,000.00 apartments being built?

Alex Carroll.
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Copies of Phoenix Park a history and guidebook are a welcome addition to your corporate or conference goodybag.

Brendan Nolan has reported on Phoenix Park as a freelance journalist for several decades and was a professional observer at many of the events of the late 20th century related herein.