Tragedy Commemorated

By TULLYLEASE HISTORICAL AND HERITAGE SOCIETY

William O’Mahony (48) Daniel O’Keeffe (39) and Thomas Murphy (24) were executed at Tullylease Village on 27th April 1822. Almost 201 years on, Tullylease Historical and Heritage Society supported by Cork County Council and the local Community will mark this tragic event in the parish with the unveiling of a monument at Páirc na Saoirse.

From the newspaper articles from the 1820s it is evident that life was very tough for the people in this part of Duhallow and that these men and their families had scarcely enough to eat. From official documents their crimes were cited as burglary and stealing clothes. These three unfortunate men were tried in Cork City and sentenced to be executed. They were taken from Cork County Gaol to Mallow Bridewell and from Mallow to Tullylease in a four wheeled carriage. A circuitous and rugged route was taken in order to strike terror into their fellow countrymen through Ballyclough, Castlecor, Kilbrin, Ballybahallow, Freemount and finally Tullylease. A four wheeled carriage had never been seen in these places before.

A newspaper of the time notes the appearance of one of the men, William O’Mahony ‘He was an old man and in rags’ Minutes before his execution ‘He declared solemnly that he had never been sworn a Whiteboy, “nor ever joined them by day or by night’ that he had never robbed before or “injured any man to the value of a shilling”.

He turned to his fellow accused Murphy and declared “It was you that induced me to go with you on that fatal night, but I forgive you; and furthermore, I declare I would not have gone with you only myself and my family wanted the necessities of life, and a bit to eat which you knew well”

The Whiteboys (na Buachaillí Bána) were a secret Irish agrarian organisation that defend the rights of tenant farmers. Their grievances related to the injustices meted out to tenant farmers who often lived at subsistence level. These injustices involved extortion in the form of extremely high rents, taxes and tithes demanded from the farmers.

For the commemoration on Sunday 23rd April, guests are invited to assemble at Tullylease Sports Field where Newmarket Pipe Band will open the event at 2pm with a procession to Páirc na Saoirse where the monument will be unveiled, wreaths will be laid and historian Dr Tim Horgan will deliver an oration. Afterwards refreshments will be served in Tullylease Community Hall. All are welcome to attend.