In one of his collections of essays and poetry, Rays of Cheer (1978), Castleisland’s M J Reidy – otherwise Moss Tommy – gave space to an essay by one of his supporters and admirers, educationalist and music composer, Puan Katijah Tan Guat Bee, of Penang, an island off the coast of Malaysia. Katijah’s essay,…… Continue Reading
Dicksgrove: Notes on the Families of Meredith and Coltsmann
Dicksgrove, near Castleisland, was long synonymous with the family of Meredith, landlords there since the early eighteenth century.[1] Indeed, Richard Meredith (1739-1821), who planted, built upon, and improved the estate, is said to have named Dicksgrove after himself.[2] Meredith’s improvements were said to have been made on the site of ‘the Bailleagh forfeiture.’[3] This…… Continue Reading
The Trial of John Twiss: Notes on Jury Packing
Resolved – That the arbitrary exclusion from the jury box of any of Her Majesty’s subjects by the agents of the Crown on the grounds of creed not only destroys all confidence in the jury selected and deprives their verdict of all moral weight, but also inflicts an insult on the entire class to which…… Continue Reading
Monumental: Honouring Kerry’s Regional Poets
In the cemetery of Kilmakilloge, Tuosist, stands a handsome monument inscribed as follows: Leac é seo a tógadh i mí Iúil, 1930, Diarmuid Ó Seaghdha (na bolgaighe) agus an Mortaí Ó Súilleabháin (Learai), beirt Filí Thuaith Ó Siosta atá curtha sa Reilig seo. “A Thighearna ghléigil soar leo comacta suin/Iosa agus Aoin-Mic eist le…… Continue Reading
John Twiss: Blood of Gentlemen
In the wake of the hanging of John Twiss on 9 February 1895, the county of Kerry was described as in ‘a frenzy of rage.’ The comment came from the president of Sinn Féin, John Joseph O’Kelly, better known as Sceilg, as he recalled a football tournament played in Killarney which he…… Continue Reading
The Poff Family of County Kerry
Sylvester Poff of Mountnicholas was hanged in Tralee prison, alongside his cousin, James Barrett of Dromultan, on 23 January 1883. They had been convicted of the murder of Thomas Browne of Dromultan. James Barrett was unmarried. Sylvester Poff had been married for eight years to Anne Sugrue, and was a father to Mary, Hannah,…… Continue Reading
Portraits of Irish Nationalists by Sir Sydney Prior Hall
Sixty-five portraits of Irish Members of Parliament from twenty-one counties of Ireland appear in the O’Donohoe Archive.[1] They were drawn in 1888 by artist Sydney Prior Hall during the Special Commission.[2] Hall, like his colleague William Henry Pike (1850-1908), worked as an artist for the Graphic newspaper. Hall’s portraits of Irish nationalists…… Continue Reading
Dancing with History: Carriganedy Castle, otherwise Hyde Castle (Castle Hyde), Fermoy, Co Cork[1]
A series of dances was held in Fermoy, Co Cork, in August 1847 ‘to cheer every heart so long clouded by the distress and gloom now rapidly passing away,’ an account of which is held in the Castleisland O’Donohoe Collection.[2] None of the dances, however, surpassed the fete champetre in the grounds of Carriganedy…… Continue Reading
Countdown: Political Endeavours to Save John Twiss
The right honourable Gentleman’s reply will not be received with satisfaction – William Hoey Kearney Redmond, MP, to John Morley, Chief Secretary for Ireland As the application for the Presidential Pardon of John Twiss of Castleisland awaits outcome, the O’Donohoe Archive here gives space, in January 2020, to the political efforts made to save…… Continue Reading
A Sketch of Molahiffe Castle and the Manor of Molahiffe
In the grounds of Castle Farm (in the townland of the same name) stand the ruins of Molahiffe Castle.[1] It was built in 1214 by the son of Maurice Fitzgerald.[2] Nearby is the ancient site of Old Court of which Lewis, in 1837, stated that ‘no particulars are recorded.’[3] O’Donovan added little more…… Continue Reading