Comment by Gerry Regan on April 15, 2013 at 2:13pm

Interesting, Kieron. I mentored a young lad named Daniel Twohig 25 years ago, when I was working on An Gael magazine at the Irish Arts Center. He was the first person I every heard of named Twohig. Ellen here is the second. Tell us, please, about the derivation of the name, and more about your Twohig family history.

Comment by Kieron Punch on April 16, 2013 at 8:48am

Ger, I believe the name Twohig has its origins in the Irish word Tuath which refers to a tribe/people/clan, or the land occupied by a tribe or clan. Today, the name is almost exclusively confined to Co.Cork. Variations of the spelling include Tuohy, Twoey, Touhey, Toohey, O Tuathaigh etc. Lovers of beer may be familiar with the range of lagers produced by Tooheys brewery based in Sydney, Australia.

I do not know much about my Twohig ancestors, who originally came from around Macroom and Ballyvourney in the west Cork Gaeltacht area, but who from the mid-1800s were living in Cork city. My branch of the family were apparently connected with the brewing industry, possibly as publicans - for many years, Twohigs owned The Bowlers Rest pub which still stands on the old Mallow Road, in the Blackpool district of Cork. The story goes that Ellen Twohig's family did not approve when she married my G-Grandfather, Michael Punch, and she was largely ostracised by them. The separation from her family became physical when my grandfather, who was a master plumber, was awarded a large contract in Limerick city in the early 1900s, and moved there with Ellen and their children.

Comment by Gerry Regan on April 16, 2013 at 10:30am

Thanks for those insights, Kieron. Do you have any pix of the Bowlers Rest to share?

Comment by Kieron Punch on April 17, 2013 at 8:31am

I don't have any photos of the pub, Ger. It was certainly listed in directories and pub guides about a decade ago, but I can't find anything recent, so I suspect it may have been knocked down. Google maps street view shows mostly small industrial units/warehouses in the area of Mallow Road where I believe the pub was located.

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