By Joan (O’Malley) Cybulski

I was inspired by an article on Danny Harrington who loved his Killaloe Community published in the Eganville Leader February 22^nd, 2023.

In reading all the positive comments Danny was a shining light to all who crossed his path. My take on this gentleman was a man of many talents. He wanted to make his community a safe and healthy place for everyone. Danny was involved in his community as was his father and grandfather.

Danny was a founding member of the Killaloe Business In Action (BIA) Committee.  This committee, as in other business communities, was formed to promote themselves and bring each other together for the betterment of their community. Danny inherited  his family’s ability to bring people together. 

I only knew Danny from several visits to the Village Hardware store. He was accommodating by ordering two granite pie plates. They were impossible to find anywhere in my travels. An earlier purchase of a large stainless kettle for our cabin is a great way to remember Danny and the Killaloe Hardware store. As a young girl in the 60’s visiting Killaloe with my parents, Boland’s Hardware store was one of many shopping highlights.

I wish to share an original photograph of the Canadian Mortgage Brokers Association group of members of Branch 299 C.M.B.A. Killaloe Stn taken on July 26^th,1903. The President was P. J. Harrington.

I regret not finding the time to discuss the C.M.B.A. photograph with Danny to learn its history. 

Members of the group came from varied occupations such as merchants, trades people, farmers, funeral director, parish priest, and Justice of the Peace. These members came together, pooled their money and found positive ways to support each other financially and their community.

Some familiar names include McDonell, Harrington, Couglan, Afleskie, French and Finnerty.

Killaloe was founded by William McDonell, a Scotsman who arrived in the area in 1857.

The community was first known as Fort McDonell. Hence, when the railway from Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound made its way through Killaloe it was renamed Killaloe Station in 1894.

Killaloe later became the Village of Killaloe (1908) and since amalgamation in 2000 it encompasses the Townships of Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards.

In a long conversation with Danny’s brother, David, we were able to identify P.J., Patrick J. (Paddy) Harrington as their grandfather. Their grandfather was the Justice of the Peace as was their father, Jack Harrington.

We identified Dan Coghlan as their grandfather in this photograph. Their mother was Vera Coghlan.

William McDonell’s two sons, Coll and Angus, are members of this group. Coll was a store clerk and Angus a labour worker. These gentlemen had a street named in their honour, namely Coll Street and Angus Street.

Antoine Afelskie was Roman’s father, Benny and Father Archie’s grandfather and Shaun’s great-grandfather.

Father Isaah A. French was the Parish Priest and Simon Finnerty was my Godfather who were among the group.

Sister Anna Cybulski (Sister St. Andrew) had the task to identify the members of the group in this photograph. Sister Anna grew up in Killaloe and was the eldest daughter of businessman Tony Cybulski and mother, Julia Peplinskie. Sister Anna taught music for 59 years in Barry’s Bay, Calabogie, Douglas, Chapeau, Renfrew, Killaloe, Campbell’s Bay, Ottawa and Pembroke. After Sister retired she continued to teach music part time.

Sister Anna was a very talented lady. She created a diagram on rice paper coordinating each member in the photograph with their name and number. The overlay she produced enables people to identify its members. 

The photograph and the rice paper on which Sister wrote each member’s name and coordinated numbers with each member is in impeccable condition. Each item was stored in a cardboard sleeve and addressed to Sister St. Andrew – Killaloe. A good storage environment was arguably the most important preservation measure for this photograph. This limited light exposure, dust and handling. It protected colour and quality of the photograph as well as the rice paper. This is a fact as this material is 120 years old.

The C.M.B.A was formed in 1903. The first official bank in Killaloe did not arrive until 1906 under The Sterling Banking of Canada.

I would be remiss if I did not mention one of Renfrew Counties most read and respected newspapers the Eganville Leader which went to press on June 20th, 1902.

The Leader was 13 months old when the C.M.B.A. was formed. This newspaper continues to offer its readers in the Valley and across this great country valuable information each week.

I spent three days reading a publication by the Eganville Leader 1908 – Killaloe – 2008 Celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the naming of the Village of Killaloe. I learned a wealth of the history from Killaloe’s early beginnings.

History is very important as we grow a little older each day. We should take time and listen to our elders as they have great stories to tell.