The houses above are now private homes and B&B's. They are located on the quay at Cobh, once called Queenstown. It is from this town that so many Irish immigrants left to travel to the US and Canada. The bottom floors were occupied by merchants who sold items that immigrants might (or might not) need on the voyage. There were also pawn shops where those who were very short of cash might sell any item of value, no matter how small, in order to pay for passage, expenses while waiting for a ship or to have when they disembarked at their destinations. The upper floors contained "sleeping rooms' which in defiance of all logic, somehow housed many more people per room than anyone with a conscious of spatial relationships could ever comprehend. We stayed in one of these houses. I shared a room with my daughter and my British friend slept just down the hall. After the first night, both looked exhausted. They complained that they heard talking, singing and weeping throughout the night. I told them that there was probably a crowd of young people out on the street in the wee hours of the morning. "Not all night," they protested. The next night, my daughter drank a half a bottle of wine and my friend consumed many more "orange blossoms" than was ordinary for her. The next morning, they again complained of hearing voices that were either too low to understand or in a foreign language they did not know. We finally mentioned this to the proprietor. She told us that she had never heard anything but from time to time, guests would complain, thinking that guests in another room were partying too loudly. She told us the history of the house, that it was almost two hundred years old and had, in fact, housed immigrants who were awaiting passage to America. No doubt, there were strong emotions involved in this. Many immigrants had already undergone the tradition of a "wake" in their home villages, an acknowledgement that they would probably never see their parents, siblings or neighbors again in this lifetime. They were facing a journey that was potentially perilous to a strange country where their survival depended primarily on their own ability to adjust. Perhaps those who did hear these voices were sensitive to the psychic energy generated by the sense of loss, grief and fear that so many of these long ago boarders were experiencing. My daughter and friend inist that the voices were "real" but incomprehensible. I do not believe they were imagining them.
Ballina Baptisms 1864 January 8 - William for Frank McNaulty and Sarah Kelly, Rathkip;sp. Pat and Ann McNaulty (farmer) January 10 - Bridget for Peter Naughton and Mary Hughes, Lisnananaugh; sp. Anthony Naughton and Margaret Hughes. (Farmer) January 10 - Bridget for Tom Loftus and Mary O'Hara, Bunree; sp. Pat O'Hara and Catherine Leach January 10 - John, for John Cawley and Bridget Melvin, Ardnaree, Chapel Lane; sp. John Fenegan and Mary Connolly (laborer)) January 10 - Belinda Margaret for James Winn and Bridget Gunning, Ballina; sp. John McCullough and Mary Ann (?) (constable) January 10 - Anthony for Pat Rogan and Anne Mohan, Culleens; sp. Anthony and Catherine Rogan (Farmer) January 10 - Thomas for John Mangan and Margaret Conlon, Poly(?); sp. Martin Conlon and Bridget Carney (Farmer) January 12 - Bridget for Peter Langan and Bridget Langan, Bohernasup; sp. Anthony and Maria Ruane. (Thatcher) January 13 - James for Edward Naughton and Mary Dillon, Bridge Street; sp. Thomas and Mary Mullen (Merchant) January 14 - Michael for Pat Canavan and Sarah Gilboy, Brook Street; sp. William Gilboy and Sarah McDermott (Carpenter) January 14 - Daniel Joseph for John Ryan and Catherine Duggan, Ballina; sp. Peter Bourke and Margaret Healey (soldier) January 17 - Catherine for Owen McHale and Margaret Flaherty, Brickyard; sp. Pat Johnston and Anne Connery (car driver) January 17 - Margaret for Thomas Durkin (America) and Mary McGloughlin, Ardnaree; sp. Michael and Biddy McLoughlin January 17 - John for Thomas Haley and Ann Duffy, Gaarden Street; sp. Andy Loftus and Honor Cavanaugh, (shoemaker) January 17 - Ann for Michael O'Brien and Mary Murphy, Cloonslane; sp. Michael and Mary Gallagher (Farmer) January 18 - Catherine for Anthony Rogan and Sarah Brannan Culleens; sp. John and Catherine Rogan (Farmer) January 21 - For William Healey and Catherine (?), Ballina; sp. Michael and Mary Healey (Inspector) January 24 - Pat for Michael Kenny and Ann McLoughlin, Tullygavan; sp. John Conway and Bessy Carr (Farmer) January 24 - Pat for John Farrell and Ann McAndrew, Hill Street; sp. Henry Flynn and Catherine McAndrew (Baker) January 26 - Catherine for Bryan Hennnigan and Mary McLoughlin, Tullygavan; sp. Tom Murphy and Catherine Moyles January 31 - Bridget for Patrick Carney and Ann Hunt, Quay; sp. John McCawley and Biddy Conway February 8 - Patrick for Patrick McManus and Ann Munnelly, Garden Street; sp. Martin and Kate Munnelly February 11 - James for Pat Devanney and Mary Flaherty, Rathmeel' sp. John Battle and Margaret McDonough (Farmer) February 11 - Francis for Pat Dunleavy and Jane Roach, Hill Street; sp. Michael Roach and Bridget Goldon (Laborer) February 12 - Patrick for Hugh Doherty and Mary Lyons, Wood Street; sp. Michael Colleran and Bridget Lyons. (Blacksmmith) February 14 - Daniel for Michael Eagan and Catherine Timlin; Joseph Egan and Catherine Timlin (Farmer) February 14 - Bridget for William Holmes and Margaret Carden, Garden Street; sp. Michael Timlin and Ann Sweeney (laborer) February 14 - Mary for Pat Clarke and Catherine Conwell, Cloonagen; sp. Daniel Connell and Catherine Walsh (Farmer) February 18 - Pat for John Naughton and Sarah Kelly, Quay; sp. Francis McNaulty and Mary Gilmartin (Farmer) February 21 - Margaret for Anthony O'Boyle and Jane Clarke, Ardnaree; sp. James and Margaret Clarke (Farmer) February 21 -Catherine for Pat Stokes and Catherine Bourke, Ballina; no sponsors. (Tinker) February 21 Pat for Pat McKenna and Bridget Murray, Shambles Street; Sp. John Murray and Catherine McKenna February 25 - Martin for William Durkin and Bridget Dunlevy, Poly(?); sp. Pat Gorman and Bridget Moran ( Farmer) February 28 - Mary for John Bourke and Catherine Carden, Bohernasup; sp. Michael and Penelope Coyne (Farmer) March 3 -Pat for Pat Egan and Maggie (?), Quay; sp. Pat Mchale and Sarah (?) March 4 - Mary for Michael Murray and Bridget Kennedy, Quignalesha; sp. John and Bridget Murray March 10 - Joseph for Michael and Mary McNaulty, Piper Hill; sp. James McNulty and Catherine Moyles March 10 - Mary and Jane for Martin Healey and Catherine Kilgallon, King Street' sp. (?) Donovan and (?) Flanagan
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