Imagine my surprise when I came upon a picture of Crown's Bar on Castle Street in Manorhamilton in 1910. Those pictured are Katie Reily, Mary Crown, and Kate Crown. These Crown women are related to the John Crown branch of the family, known as the "Crowns of Manorhamilton". Indeed, my correspondence with one of their descendants describes the Crown's Bar on Castle Street! Mary, the older woman in the middle, was Mary Rooney, widow of John Crown, the latter having died before 1901. Kate Crown was one of their daughters. And, according to the 1901 Ireland census, Katie Reilly was a niece of Mary Rooney Crown, and she was born in the USA. I don't know enough about the Rooney side to figure that one out yet.
Meanwhile, in nearby Lurganboy, some similar business was run by those in the Anthony Crown branch of the family. Here is a 2004 article from the Leitrim Observer:
END OF AN ERA IN LURGANBOY
The end of an era in Lurganboy was signalled last week when the former homestead of the Crown family was demolished to make way for a new housing development in the centre of the village.
As well as being the home of the Crown family, the premises also contained a very successful shop run by the family for many years until the end of late '60s and early '70s when it ceased trading.
Afterwards the owner of the building Dickie Crown converted the building into a number of apartments, which provided much needed accommodation for the Lurganboy and Manorhamilton areas for over three decades.
Dickie also converted his loft at the rear of the Crown residence into two apartment buildings in the early 70's and this building was also knocked down last week, to facilitate the new housing development in Lurganboy. Crown's loft was a Mecca for all leisure activities in the village area in the first half of the last century.
As this was before rural electrification gas lighting was used. In the loft classes in woodwork took place (given by Mr McIntyre) while spinning, poultry keeping and cookery classes were also held (taught by Miss Houghton).
Irish dancing classes also took place here when the instructor was Sean MacLiam who later became Brother Pascal in the Franciscan Friary in Rossnowlagh. Music for these classes was supplied by John Mitchell on the accordion and John Thady Rooney on the fiddle.
Dances were also held on Crown's loft where the music was provided sometimes by a gramophone or by Leddy's Band from Killargue. One night when a parochial bazaar was in progress the loft floor collapsed but luckily Dickie Crown had the store beneath full of turf, otherwise everyone would have landed on the ground floor.
The Crown family moved out of their former residence to a new adjacent house a number of years ago. Dickie Crown is currently a patient in St John's Hospital in Sligo and his sisters Betty, Doreen and Florie reside in Lurganboy while another sister, Ita resides in New York and their late brother, Jack Crown after leaving Lurganboy also resided in New York before returning to live in Dublin.
Jack's son, Dr John Crown is one of Ireland best respected Oncologists who has been to the forefront of new treatment techniques for cancer patients throughout the country. Dr John was born in Brooklyn, New York but the family returned when he was ten to Ireland where he afterwards went on to study medicine.
After qualifying as a doctor he returned to New York where he specialised in cancer treatment. During his years working at the world renown Sloan Kettering Hospital he founded and ran a bone marrow transplant programme, to assist in the treatment and research of women's cancer.
However Dr Crown returned to Ireland in 1993 when he took an appointment in St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin Oncology Department where he continues his good work. He also lectures all over the world on oncology topics.
After last week's demolition of the former Crown family residence in Lurganboy the landscape of the village will be quite different in the future.
But while the Crown family residence is no more countless people will recall fondly the major contribution that the members of this local family have made to all aspects of life in the village and indeed much further afield, over very many years.
http://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/local-news/manorhamilton-community-news-1-2025285
Updated on the 10 November
2004
15:11
Published 10/11/2004 10:11
Meanwhile, across the ocean in Brooklyn, NY, our Crown relations were carrying on in much the same business. It seems good Irish hospitality was more than a decent way to make a living!
