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The Egg and Butter Market in Woodquay (03 12 15)
This photograph was taken about the year 1900 and shows part of the market at the corner of Woodquay and Eyre Street. The derelict gable we see in the background was later developed as Creaven’s boot shop. It was subsequently occupied by O’Connor TV, then became a florists run by Brian O’Malley and today is Richard Hughes’ opticians.
This section of the market was the egg and butter market. Around the corner in Woodquay was the potato market . The carts full of potatoes would be drawn up in a row and customers would arrive with a variety of baskets, creels and ciseáns in which to carry home the potatoes. Occasionally a turf market took place there and sometimes they sold scallops for thatching outside Dooley’s shop.
Next to this derelict building in Woodquay was Miss Paisley’s boarding house, then O’Hallorans – Mr. O’Halloran was a foreman in McDonoghs -; then Dooley’s shop and yard. They had a natural spa well on the premises and ran a company known as ‘The Criterion Mineral Water Company’. They also sold pikes and pitchforks in their shop; Next was Murphy’s pub, Tim Lally’s pub and Glynn’s house.
In the distance on the left you can see the entrance to Abbey lane. Some of the buildings along that side of Woodquay were Johnny Lee’s pub and boot shop; Rabbitte’s Bakery; Hessions; Michael John Noone’s ; Miss Dooley’s shop; Forde’s ; Kavanagh’s ; Fitzpatrick’s ; Fahy’s ; Sarsfield’s grocery shop ; James Fordes pub and Greaney’s pub.
Some of the buildings to the right of our photograph on Eyre Street were O’Reillys ; further up was Brodericks ; Tommy Hanley’s pub ; Sheila Garvey’s vegetable and sweet sop; Baker’s billiard rooms.
There is an interesting variety of plain and patterned shawls in our photograph. Some of the women are wearing bonnets. The lady on the far left appears to be in her bare feet. This area was known as Boarahalla, or Barr an Chaladh, the top of the quay, as the water from the river came right up to this point and there were quays along the far side of Woodquay.
