Person:Michael O'Brien (14)

Kilmurry-Ibrickane Parish Magazine, No. 7 1991 - 1992 Mullagh, Ennis, Co. Clare

Great Characters Remembered by Michael O'Brien

"Another man I would like to mention is my grandfather, Dan O'Brien, better known as "The Baker". One particular day when there was a mission on in Mullagh Church he went into Johanna's Bar and he handed her, as a half crown, a penny wrapped in silver paper. He asked for a pint of Guinness. Later, Johanna met the Baker and said: "Baker did you give me this coin"? To which he replied, "Did you think I'd do such a thing during a mission"!

On another occasion the Baker was anxious to go to the horse racing in Miltown and the evening before he met his neighbor's son a young student named Paddy Sexton. He asked Paddy if he was going to the races and he replied, "I will, but funds are a bit low". The Baker said "Hey Paddy, bring in to me tonight two pennies and a box of silver paint". Paddy asked him why and he said I'll make half crowns of them"!

The following morning they went to the races and there were ten bookies standing. One of the bookies was half blind, a fact the Baker was aware of. He said to Paddy, "we have to win up or down!" The two made a profit on every race by placing a sixpenny bet, tending the "half crown" and getting two shillings change!

Eventually after the Baker had about five "wins" and was going for the sixth the bookie spotted the silver painted pennies and ordered another bookie to "stop the hoor with the short legs, he has done me"! But the Baker had departed.

In the early twenties when the Black and Tans were around the Baker was passing Downes Bar now Nealon's. They asked him to come in "for a drink or two" and there was on need to ask him twice. They drank all day and of course with the reputations the Tans had there was no payment forthcoming. All left with enough of the hardstuff in their system. The bar owner searched for a week for the Baker but failed to find him. Once more he was up to his tricks when he "borrowed" a fiver from his brother. He spent the week in Quilty putting the money to good use and would you believe it, he met up with Paddy Comber and they had lots of fun!"

Kilmurry-Ibrickane Parish Magazine, No. 8 1992 - 1993 Mullagh, Ennis, Co. Clare

Great Characters Remembered - Part II By Michael O'Brien

Just a few more stories about An the Baker come to mind. One night he and a man named Corney Downes were coming for the Crosses of Annagh with plenty of liquor in their systems. A few days previously the Baker had a tooth extracted at the dentist. He started a fight with Downes and when Downes his him he fell to the ground, took the extracted tooth from his pocket and said, "Hey Downes, look, you knocked this tooth out of my head, you'll have to compensate me"! Downes, out of fear, gave him seven pounds. The Baker hired Jack Scales to go to the bog one day. The called to Barry's public house, now Michael O'Brien's, Carhuligane, on their way. They ended up staying there for the full day and on arriving home that evening the Baker said to his wife, " pay this man Sarah, he has been working hard all day".

On another occasion he met up with a group of Black and Tans in a local pub. They asked him who he was and he said "Me Sinn Fein too Paddy" and they didn't know what he said, maybe thinking he was talking Irish.

O'Brien, Mullagh Michael & store http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=3238f4ac-deea-459a-afff-1d7d5ece378b&tid=7775997&pid=-1039232404

O'Brien Mullagh, Grania, Micahel Friend & Kevin 1997 http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=06d01c97-b2ec-4199-875d-470fe415a644&tid=7775997&pid=-1039232404

O'Brien Mullagh, Micahel & Kevin 1997 http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=9490705e-783f-4237-abf2-919c33705d4b&tid=7775997&pid=-1039232404