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Bruckless House was built in mid-18th century by a Plantation family, Nesbitt, but later in the same century passed into the hands of an Irish family, Cassidy, and remained with them right into the 20th century. During that time, it was locally known as the Big House although it had few of the trappings usually associated with the gentry, size being its principal qualification. Any Big House worth its salt had a gatelodge, and legend has it that Bruckless House had one of these at its main entrance then situated nearer the River Stank off the present-day main road. Now there is no sign of this building, it probably having been demolished when the railway was built very close to what was thought to have been the site. By 1894 the main entrance had been removed to the present location, using a bridge to cross the railway, but no gatelodge was built until the new century.
In 1903 the House passed into the hands of Thomas Kelly Grene who was a very enthusiastic gardener, opening his grounds to the public twice every year to exhibit his shrubs and flowers. He was a wealthy man with influence in the County Donegal Railway, which he used to carry stone to the site of today's Lodge which he built, it is said, to house his gardener. It was built in the hipped style of the House itself and plastered in a similar fashion. It was L-shaped with four rooms and a central passage, all at the one level. At the north side, the remains of some sort of byre, with a cobbled floor, was used as an outhouse for fuel. There is direct access to the residence from a side gate at the end of the railway bridge as well as from the main gate. It had no internal sewage system but when the mains water supply was connected to the main property sometime in the 1950s, a cold-water sink was installed in the kitchen/living room.
Little information has been found of the inhabitants of the Lodge in its early days and the Author is indebted to Miss Eithne McCallig, Bruckless, for much of the following data.
At the time of the 1911 Census, the Lodge was occupied by John Waugh (36 years, born in Co.Down) his wife Annie (32 years, born in Co.Armagh), and their three children Annie (12, born in Co.Dublin), Agnes (10, born in Co.Carlow) and Samuel (8. born in Co.Down). The Waughs had been married for 13 years. All were declared as being of the Church of Ireland, and could read and write. This family was still in residence when the House was bought by Thomas Roderick Fforde in 1922, who employed Waugh and built a wooden shed on the lawn so that John Waugh, who suffered from tuberculosis, could sleep there in an effort to minimize the risk of spreading this condition to his children. There is no sign of this building today nor any knowledge of what became of the Waugh family.
For several years, until 1928, the Lodge was used as a holiday house for a Thomas Hastings and his wife and family. Mr. Hasting lived in Derry and was the friend of a train-driver employed by the Co.Donegal Railways and who lived in the Bruckless area. He had a large family and some married into the local community but the name did not persist in Bruckless.
Between 1928-1943, the Lodge was home to Charlie and Margaret (nee Crummer) McGinley: Charlie worked as a labourer for the Ffordes. They had 8 children, all born in the Lodge - Charles, Mary, Annie, Brigid Angela, Philomena, Alphonsus (there were two by this name, one survived only a day or two after birth) and John. They all attended the Bruckless National School, even after the family moved to Dunkineely. Grief hit this family one day about 1940: whilst her Mother was fetching water from the well at Jack Byrne's cottage at the shore, young Brigid Angela poured paraffin on to the fire. She was engulfed in the flames and was found by a neighbour Rose McGeever - the girl died.
Charlie McGinley was a first cousin to Desmond Gallagher, Bruckless Store, and had a brother Francis living in Loughmult in this parish. Charlie also suffered from tuberculosis and received treatment in the Peamount Hospital, Dublin, where he learnt the trade of shoesmith. He carried on this trade in his spare time and in 1943 when he moved house to Ballybodonnell, Dunkineely, he set up shop in the town as a cobbler. On retirement, he moved with his wife to England where most of his children had their homes. John McGinley married Margaret Boyle of Dunkineely and they still visit the town, keeping a holiday home there.
Bennie and Rose Ward moved into the house and lived there 1943-1948: Rose died in April 1945 and Bennie remarried in England in 1948. The Lodge stood empty for a while - the Carrickford family, of a travelling play company, stayed there briefly and their children attended the Bruckless school. Their son Robert became known for his appearance on Radio Telefis Eireann soap shows! The Dorrian family lived here briefly also, with two children born to them in the house - Gerald and Mary Angela. Gerald eventually married and moved to Killybegs where his only child John is presently an auctioneer with the firm Boyle & Dorrian.
Joseph Cunnea took the Lodge from Joan Fforde, widow of Captain Fforde, just before she died in late 1950. He set up home here with his two sisters, Annie and Brigid. Brigid died roundabout 1964 and was buried in the Bruckless cemetery along with his parents John Cunnea (1864-1948) and Brigid (1868-1938).
Joe worked as a gardener-cum-stockman for the Junior Ffordes who arrived at the Big House following the death of Joan Fforde. He served in this capacity for all the subsequent owners until he passed away in 1979. Joe was the son of a postman who covered St.John's Point, although the family hailed originally from Killybegs. Joe himself served in the Post Office for a while prior to taking the job at Bruckless House. He was one of nature's gentlemen, with a quiet voice and sharp wit and eye: he was an avid reader right into old age and depended much upon the travelling library that visited the village. He is remembered as a keen and active fiddler and for the kindly welcome that he and his sister maintained at the Lodge for many years. A mark of the man was the fact that when the Cunninghams sold the House to the Evans family in 1972, a condition was that Joe Cunnea was to remain in the Lodge or else compensated for any removal. The Evanses came to appreciate him and his sister and they remained there for the rest of their days.
Joe, like everyone else, was a product of his times, travelling very little and not very far from home. In his youth he would sometimes take livestock for sale in Donegal Town, reminiscing as to how he would leap off the cart at the bottom of the hill at Drumcondra (just outside Mountcharles and well known as a cold spot) on icy days so that the horse could reach the top safely with the stock still on board. In 1974 he travelled with Clive Evans to Ballina, Co. Mayo - the longest journey in his long life - and attended a large horse sale. He commented afterwards that it had been a fine experience for him.
Joe loved his cats and kept many of them in the yard of the House and around the Lodge, feeding them from many saucers every day. His home was a haven for the children of Bruckless House including the Evans family and were they ever missing from home, it could be depended upon that Joe and Annie had them in their kitchen chatting over a cup of tea or a bowl of Carrigeen Moss (a seaweed blanc-mange).
In his last years, Joe Cunnea was not in good health and on 2nd February 1979 he passed away in Donegal Hospital. He was buried in the family plot at Bruckless. Annie remained in the Lodge until she followed her brother on 25th April 1983. The Lodge fell empty.
By way of a postscript, Joe's younger brother, Danny Cunnea, who lived in the village and stayed with his wife in the Lodge together with Annie, died on 8th August 1991, at the age of 94. He was buried in the family plot by his son and the funeral was attended by the very many people who knew and respected him. His widow, not in good health, moved to the home of a sister living in Derry.
The Lodge was not have a permanent resident again. The Evanses, coming to live permanently in Bruckless House in 1983, re-dressed the Lodge, installing hot water and a modern bathroom as well as reconstructing the old shed outside. With the aid of Bord Failte, the Irish Tourist Board, it became a Self-Catering unit for holiday-makers and in 1984 began a life of its own.
Clive and Joan Evans, Bruckless House, Bruckless, Co. Donegal, Ireland
phone: /
email: bruc@bruckless.com