A Historic Journey Through Greenhills Village's Beloved Landmark
by The Kennedy Family
Within a one mile radius of Greenhills village were a number of landmarks, all of which were well known to the local people.
By the eighteenth century, the district of Kilnamanagh had begun a period of importance as a resting place on the turnpike road from Dublin to Carlow. This road followed the line that later became the present day Greenhills Road and was subject to tolls.
The Greenhills village was the stopping place fro rest refreshment and chance of horses, and it was here in 1739 that a tavern was opened by the Gibbon family. This tavern was known as the Kilnamanagh Inn at the time, known today as The Cuckoo’s Nest, surely the best known landmark.
Greenhills Village around 1950. The main building is the Cuckoo's Nest Public House, the only building of the village still standing today.
The ownership for the Cuckoo’s Nest passed through many hands since its establishment in 1739, and included people of many professions and trades, including a goldsmith, solicitor, pawnbroker, minister of religion and a Royal Irish Constabulary sergeant, amongst others. It would appear that the Allen family, who owned the land adjoining at the beginning of the nineteenth century, also owned the Cuckoo’s Nest - as one, Richard Allen, is recorded as having possession from 1800 to 1814. Ownership passed to Edward Keating, in October, 1865. This man, Ned Keating, (Physiger), as I have heard, became one of the best known characters in the district, as also did a member of a later generation of the Allen family, one Henry, who, with his dog, Snipo, was the subject of many a winter fireside tale.
In 1912, the premises acquired a licence to operate a ballroom. I do not know if a ballroom was ever in operation, but certainly by 1920 there was no ballroom. The only dancing I saw was when the window shutters were laid on the ground as a dance floor, and people danced to the music of Jem Byrne on his melodeon.
At that time, the premises were owned by the Delaney family, well known in the licensing trade. One, Ciss Delaney, married Jim O’Donnell, an ex-R.I.C. sergeant, who managed the business up to the late 1920’s. He died about 1928, and a sister of Ciss, Daisy, came home from Canaded to manage the business. She married James Rafter, who owned the farm adjoining.
Another change took place about 1934, when Larry O’Neill bought the business and managed it for about 25 years.
Map of Greenhills Village
At the turn of the century, The Cuckoo’s Nest was part of a terrace that continued through two cottages, one occupied by the Dunne family, and the other being my grandfather’s house. About 1908, the Dunne family vacated their cottage which then became a bottling store for the public house. It was, in fact, the district Community Centre, where the sources of entertainment were Rings, or Card Games. Outdoors, the only entertainment was a ‘toss-halfpenny’ school in the lane opposite.
As is mentioned elsewhere, the surrounding area was agricultural land, used for grazing and tillage. In the evenings, the farmhands and dairy boys met in The Cuckoo’s Nest. During haymaking and harvesting, it was common for people to collect pints of porter in bottles to bring to the men in the fields.
Although it was noted as a high-class inn and coach-house, The Cuckoo’s Nest achieved its greatest fame when it passed into the ownership of Pear and Phyllis Lynch. Almost immediately they set about extending and modernising the premises where, with the lounge area, there is now accommodation for about 1,250 people. In the course of the extension, our (Kennedy) home was acquired by Peadar Lynch, and thus ended the Kennedy connection with Greenhills village. The services now provided are of the highest quality, and entertainment is provided by top artists on a regular basis. The Lynch family quickly became integrated within the community and many local clubs, and organisations have facilities provided for by fund raising functions.
Unfortunately, Peadar Lynch, the principal guiding hand for the developments, died in 1991, and the business is now carried on by his widow, Phyllis, and his son, Bernard and daughter, Geraldine.
This then was the hub of life in the Greenhills village and is still the centre for local activity, although the village is now no more.
