O'Growney Tce. on the Kells Rd. facing Scoil Mhuire on the right Photo: Bernard McCluskey

O'Growney Terrace (1903) was named after Fr. Eugene O'Growney.

It was the first of 10 housing schemes to be built by Navan Urban District Council in the first half of the 20th century.

The UDC obtained a site along the Kells Rd. (Mrs Moore's field) in 1902, and the building of 24 houses soon started. The contract to build the houses was won by James Maguire of Trimgate St., at a cost of £160 per house. Each house consisted of a kitchen, a parlour and 2 bedrooms.

Applications for the new houses were invited in November, and 27 were received.  It is noteworthy that few applications from the poorest parts of the town, such as Barrack Lane and Sandymount were received.  The rent was set at 2s 6d per week, which was probably higher than that paid by those living in the poorer streets of the town. Among the new tenants were a porter in the Infirmary, a supervisor of Council staff, a car owner, a tailor and a shoemaker.

Some names of tenants allocated houses in O'Growney Tce. in 1903 include:

James Finnegan / Thomas Powderly/ James Thomas Rice / Alex Curtis / Christopher Donoghue / Patrick Farrelly / Joseph Smyth / J. Denvir / Thomas Callaghan / James Wynne / Thomas Morgan and Christopher Carroll.

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(Above left) O' Growney Tce. 1965, Photo courtest of Deidre Price.  Deidre Mahon on her tricycle with her sister Adrienne beside her.  Bell Hill is in the background and Claytons Mill with its chimney still standing. is in the background.

(Above right) Another picture taken from O'Growney Tce. This one is dated 1983 and looks towards Millbrook Tce. shortly before it was demolished. (Photo courtesy of Meath County Library, Navan)

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Sources:

Housing the People - from O'Growney Terrace to St. Mary's Park, Peter Connell

published in Navan - Its People and Its Past  vol. 2, (2013)

Journal of the Navan & District Historical Society.