THE FISHING INDUSTRY IN BEREHAVEN.

Irish Examiner, Cork, 1890-04-28, p.4

Dateline: Castletownbere, Saturday.

Summary

A prosperous-season report on the **Berehaven spring fishery**: over 200 fishing smacks (from Arklow, Dublin, France, Isle of Man) and ~50 yawls working the grounds, "takes" of 600–2,000, high prices, three steamers in harbour shipping fish to Milford Haven and Liverpool for the English markets. The large boats had already grossed ~£600–£700. Two details make this directly relevant to the Murphy homeland: it names the yawls **at Ardgroom, Eyeries, Urhan and Garnish** as doing "most satisfactorily," and it credits **the Rev. W. O'Halloran, C.C., Eyeries** with the temperance movement that had reformed fishermen "much addicted to drink." Curing/salting preparations were being made on the strand at Urhan. This is the sea-fishing counterpart to the farming economy of the exact parishes the Murphys came from, in the emigration generation.

Narrative

The April mackerel fishing at Castletownbere has proved highly prosperous, with over 200 smacks from Arklow, Dublin, France and the Isle of Man and some fifty yawls at work; takes have run from 600 to 2,000, with 50s given per 120, and steamers have sailed for Milford Haven and Liverpool while surplus goes by the Countess of Bantry to Cork for the English markets. The yawls at Ardgroom, Eyeries, Urhan and Garnish have done well despite the cost of carting fish long distances, and salting preparations are under way on the strand at Urhan for the close of the season. Fishermen local and foreign who had been much given to drink in past years have joined the temperance movement led by the Rev. W. O'Halloran, C.C., Eyeries.

“The 'takes' varied from 600 to 2,000. The price of fish has been exceptionally high, 50s being given yesterday and the previous morning per 120.”
“These fishermen, both local and foreign, who were during previous years much addicted to drink, have joined the temperance movement”

AI-generated (claude-opus-5). Verify against the transcription before quoting.

Also mentioned

Rev. W. O'Halloran, C.C. · temperance_organiser
Catholic curate (C.C.) at Eyeries, 1890; credited with leading the local temperance movement among Berehaven fishermen. NB: an "O'Halloran, 1916" West Cork history is among the inbox reference books — possible same family of Beara clergy/historians; logged for cross-check, not asserted.

Places

Berehaven (Castletownbere) (primary)
Eyeries (village + parish + RC Chapel) (primary)
Ardgroom (village + RC Chapel) (primary)
Beara Peninsula (primary)

Themes

Story threads

Berehaven Murphys

Source type

news_item

Related sources

west-cork-history_o-halloran-1916(unresolved)

Transcription

transcription: complete · confidence high

# THE FISHING INDUSTRY IN BEREHAVEN. *Castletownbere, Saturday.* The April fishing has been hitherto a highly prosperous one. Over 200 fishing smacks from Arklow, Dublin, France, Isle of Man, &c., and about fifty yawls, are engaged in this industry during this season. Owing to the inclemency of the weather the "takes" during the early part of the present week were both few and small. However, the captures effected during the past few days have fully compensated for the loss of time and expense they may have incurred during the few days of rest. The "takes" varied from 600 to 2,000. The price of fish has been exceptionally high, 50s being given yesterday and the previous morning per 120. Three large steamers are lying in the harbour, while two departed yesterday with full cargo bound for Milford Haven and Liverpool, whence the fish will be sent to all the leading markets in England. Any surplus remaining from time to time is despatched by the steamer *Countess of Bantry* per rail to Cork, consigned to the English markets. The large boats have been very successful, some having already made in the aggregate about £600 or £700. The yawls at Ardgroom, Eyeries, Urhan, and Garnish have done most satisfactorily, an additional stimulus being imparted to their labour by the exceptionally high price given. They are, however, under a very large expense on account of the long distance they require to cart the fish, and this causes a considerable sum to be daily deducted from the price they obtain. Preparations are being made in the strand at Urhan for the purpose of salting the fish when the season comes to a close, and it is stated that if any quantity of fish is taken, both the large and small boats will continue fishing until the autumn season opens. These fishermen, both local and foreign, who were during previous years much addicted to drink, have joined the temperance movement started and most energetically carried out by the Rev. W. O'Halloran, C.C., Eyeries.

Dotted underlines mark key terms on first mention — hover or tab to one for a reference note. The wording is the source’s own.

Open questions

Is the Rev. W. O'Halloran, C.C. Eyeries (1890) connected to the O'Halloran who authored the 1916 West Cork history in the inbox? Check when that book is ingested.
"Urhan" and "Garnish" are Beara townlands not yet in vocab/places.yaml; named only in passing here. Add canonical place entries if they recur in family-linked sources.