Notes for Bernard O'Neill: An Epidemic in Mill Street
Liam Martin
My Grandfather, Bernard O'Neill, had arrived as a youth in Ballymena from nearby Cromkill to be apprenticed to a shoemaker. He worked his way up the ladder and, by the time his employer was due to retire, Barney O'Neill had become foreman in the workshop. He negotiated to take over the business and eventually succeeded in becoming the sole proprietor.
This was in the 1880s, when Ireland was united under British rule, and there was a single police force in operation throughout all of the 32 counties in the country. O'Neills became the boot and shoe makers to the officers in the Royal Irish Constabulary. The business prospered and Barney bought property and opened a café and shoe-shop. When the Free State was formed in 1921, Ireland was partitioned and the police force divided to form the Garda Siochana in the South and the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the North. At the same time, machine made shoes were coming on the market and this and the reduced police market forced Barney out of the handmade footwear business. He retired and let his growing family take over the remaining businesses.
At this juncture he was appointed a Justice of the Peace and presided over activities at the local magistrate's court. No doubt his career, fitting boots to the feet of countless police officers gave him some insight into the "long arm of the law". Many a local miscreant or inebriate came up before him during his stint on the bench and he became even more familiar with the activities of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, a group he always referred to as the Pó-liss (with the stress on Po). The women of the household wondered aloud as women often do "What qualifications does Barney have to reach decisions on legal matters?" He was, however a hardworking and successful local businessman having started with little and achieved reasonable success without depriving others in the process. He had also seen a fair slice of life; two of his eight children had died in infancy and two others in adulthood. But above all, he was basically a decent kindly Christian gentleman and it was probably this facet of his character that encouraged his peers to point him in the direction of the bench.
When I was about three years old we spent part of a holiday in Ballymena. At that time I had a small tricycle and, the now retired, Bernard O'Neill JP used to accompany me on my trips up and down the Mill Street pavements. Eventually the bike developed a fault involving the pedals turning but not the wheels. Granddad brought me to Sam Ruddel's bicycle repair shop on High Street. This was a business that specialised in the sale and maintenance of Royal Enfield motor cycles and Royal Albert bicycles. We went up the entry beside the shop and trundled my damaged machine into the mechanics repair workshop. I solemnly described the problem to one of the several mechanics working there. "Come back this afternoon and we'll have it fixed for you" we were assured.
Granddad and I returned to pick up the bike. The mechanic seemed to have developed a cold in the interval and squeaked that everything was working OK again. Both the pedals and the wheels were turning together again but I got the impression over time that all was not entirely right with my machine. It was more difficult to ride, especially as now both the pedals were pointing in the same direction and both my feet were moving up and down at the same time. I spent several days riding this way on the Mill Street pavement with Granddad tottering along in attendance. We often passed the mechanics from Ruddel's bicycle repair shop when they were walking around during their lunch break. At this stage they seemed to have developed a communal cough that became worse as we approached. Some of them spluttered so much that they had to hang on to the lampposts to recover.
Eventually I came to the conclusion that these mechanics had not managed to get the problem with my bicycle under control and so demanded a second opinion. Granddad brought me back to the repair shop and I spent 15 minutes demonstrating what seemed to be the fault with the machine. The coughing disease seemed to have spread to all the staff at this stage and two of them collapsed over the counter. I suggested calling an ambulance for them but this recommendation only resulted in two more of them falling to the floor.
In the middle of all this furore it was difficult to make any of them see the logic of my arguments. I got quite cross with the lot of them and waved my finger around. Eventually, the shop owner, Mr Sam Ruddell, alerted by all the commotion, appeared from his office and offered to look into the matter personally. He suggested we return the following day. Sure enough, next day the bike had been restored to its former mechanical perfection and I rode out with Granddad tottering along beside me and leaving the staff spluttering behind us.
It was many years later that I returned to thinking about the incompetence of the staff in the bicycle repair trade in those days and it struck me that Grandfather's stint on the bench might have had something to do with the whole affair. Had some of those mechanics come up before him for "drunk and disorderly" and been fined and solemnly directed to mend their ways? If this were the case, it would have provided an impetus for these miscreants taking the mickey out of the old man after his retirement and providing endless entertainment for the apprentices serving their time to the various trades in Ballymena.
Asr\wjm5\Creative Writing - Epidemic on Mill Street
Ballymena Weekly Telegraph, Friday August 11, 1950
Mr. B. O'Neill, J.P. PASSES
Long service in public life rendered
FUNERAL TRIBUTE
The death took place on Sunday last, at his residence, Mill Street, Ballymena of Mr Bernard O'Neill, J.P., at the advanced age of ninety years. For many years a leading boot and shoe merchant in the borough, the late Mr. O'Neill was held in high esteem by all classes of the community because of his unassuming and friendly manner.
In later years when he had more or less retired from business, he took a leading part in public affairs. He represented the borough on the Board of Guardians and was ever mindful of those who needed financial and medical assistance. In this connection no one ever sought his help in vain and the judicious way in which he advanced their claim upon the Board invariably met with wholehearted support.
As a magistrate, he was frequently called upon by the police to adjudicate at special courts some years ago and he was also regular in his attendance on the bench of magistrates before their duties were taken over by R.Ms. Here again he brought to bear that wise judgement, sympathetic consideration and discretion which marked his everyday life, and he was regarded as the friend of all.
Another sphere in which he was enabled to render valuable service to the community was through the St Vincent De Paul Society of which he was a member for half a century and president of the local branch at the time of his death.
Surviving him are his wife, who has herself been unwell for some time and two sons, the Rev. R. O'Neill, C.C. St Patrick's Church, Belfast and Rev. Bernard O'Neill, C.C., Nancheng, China, and two daughters the Misses Nellie and Nora O'Neill. His nephew is the Rev. R. Carey, Darwen, Lancashire.
THE FUNERAL
The remains of the late Mr. O'Neill were removed to all Saints Church on Monday evening when the Rosary was recited by the Very Rev. J. Canon McLister. P.P. V.F. There was a large congregation at the Requiem Mass which was celebrated on Tuesday by the Rev. R. O'Neill, while a touching panegyric was preached by the Rev. C. McQuillan. C.C. Ballymena.
The cortege consisted of representatives of all sections of the public life of the borough and a large crowd followed the remains to their last resting place.
The chief mourners were Rev. R. O'Neill and Rev. B. O'Neill (sons), Misses Nellie and Nora O'Neill (daughters); Rev R. Carey (cousin), Bernard, Dickie and Liam Martin (grandchildren), Messrs Jas Caufield; Jas O'Neill, George, John, James, Thomas and Benedict Carey (cousins); Miss Nellie Caufield (niece); Nicholas McKeague, John and Patrick McKenna (relatives) ; Charles Walker and Wm. McCormack.
Rev. R. O'Neill assisted by Very Rev. Canon McLister officiated at the graveside.
More About Bernard O'Neill: Burial: Unknown, the Bernard O'Neill plot in Crebilly Graveyard, Ballymena. Died 2: 2 children died in infancy. Died 3: Aged 90 years at death.197 Fact 1: Justice of the Peace. Fact 2: DOD from Memorial Card. Property: Cars - USA Dodge and a Morris 8.
More About Bernard O'Neill and Elizabeth (Ellen) Carey: Marriage: 25 Nov 1894, All Saints Church, Ballymena, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland.198
Children of Bernard O'Neill and Elizabeth (Ellen) Carey are:
Richard O'Neill, b. 01 Jan 1896199, d. 25 Oct 1969, Randalstown, Northern Ireland200.
Ellen (Nellie) O'Neill, b. 05 Apr 1899, Ballymena, Northern Ireland203, d. 03 Jun 1989, Ballymena, Northern Ireland204.
+Annie O'Neill, b. 13 Jun 1901, 48 Mill Street, Ballymena, Northern Ireland205, d. 08 Jun 1940, Mater Hospital, Crumlin Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland206.
Bernard O'Neill (b. 1860, d. 06 Aug 1950)
Notes for Bernard O'Neill: