The Battle of Roscrea

The Battle of Roscrea

St Peter and Pauls or the 29th of June was when a great fair was held in Roscrea. In 942 folklore records that a huge hoard of Vikings attacked the fair in the hopes of making off with the wealth there. However they hadn't bet on just how hardy Tipp and particularly Roscrea people are!

"The Danes, under their commander, Olfinn, attracted by the great wealth, which was gathered together at the Aenach, marched on the town, and were annihilated. A description of this battle is found in O'Halloran's "History of Ireland," which is so vivid, it is here quoted in full :---
A great annual fair was held at Roscrea on the festival of Saints Peter and Paul - June 29th - but which continued during fourteen days. As this was nearly in the centre of the kingdom merchants resorted to it, not only from different parts of Ireland, but from foreign countries, to dispose of their wares ; for the country was even then called by the mercantile world .... An island rich in resources, precious stones, garments and gold.
The Danes of Limerick and Connaught had formed a bold scheme to surprise the merchants at the Fair .... Olfinn, chief of the Connacian Danes, conducted the enterprise, and marched his men in detached parties to the borders of the Shannon, where they were to meet ... forces from about Limerick. As they took different routes, and no considerable bodies appeared anywhere together, their intentions were more secret and less alarming. But no sooner did they appear on the Tipperary side of the Shannon, but notice was given by lighting fires at the different stations in Lower Ormond, by which the country became alarmed. They plunged into their barks as soon as possible. Their landing in Ormond was effected in two hours, and of this notice was also given.
From the place of their landing the object of their destination became suspected and soon known. As everything depended on expedition they formed and marched off as soon as landed. The soldiers who guarded the approaches to the Fair assembled, and were joined by the merchants, their clerks, and numbers of gentlemen and others assembled from all quarters on such occasions. On consultation it was decided not to remove the shops, the stages, the ware-houses or merchandise, but let them remain where erected, by which means those persons immediately interested would acquit themselves better. It was also agreed on to march out, and meet the enemy, and not wait to be attacked by them.

Those resolves inspired the people with confidence ; for troops advancing to the charge must collect more resolution, than those who wait to be attacked. As soon as the Danes appeared they gave them no time to form, but assaulted them on every side with such firmness and resolution, neither of which was expected, that the Danes were very soon broken ; and in this battle, and in the pursuit which followed, about 4,000 Danes were slain, with most of their principal officers, amongst whom was Olfinn himself. The place where this battle occurred was near Carrick Hill, which made this hill so remarkable, that it gave a title afterwards to the house of Butler.

The flight of the Danes after the battle was towards Moneygall, which means the shrubbery or bog of the foreigners and the route followed by the Danes has given names to the intervening places to the present day ; Owris, an Irish word means a delay or hindrance, the Owris is a stream ; Clonegana from Cluan, a retired place or meadow, and geanan a sword ; Clashagad, from Glas, lamentation, and giodad, a wounding ; Fin glas, from fion, troops, and glas, a lamentation ; Loughawn, from locc, a pool, and un, evil. Along the track of the Danes, numerous bones were found at the beginning of the nineteenth century in pits between Clonegana and the high-road, and in the bog between Cullenwaine and Moneygall."

From the History of Ely O'Carroll Territory by Rev John Gleeson pg 378-380

I love how a story from over a 1000 years ago can still be remembered in the placenames today. I have included the locations mentioned above and their supposed meanings. I think some of the translations are a bit fanciful. For example Clashagad is given as "The stream of the thief" on logainm. https://www.logainm.ie/en/41822

Some wonderful sculptures have been erected in the town of Roscrea by Jerry Cahir to commemorate this event.
https://www.nenaghguardian.ie/2023/07/09/62365/

Oisin and the Rock of Cashel

 

Is there an effigy of the great mythological figure Oisin somewhere at the Rock of Cashel?

Or perhaps an imprint where the bull in this story ran into?

I wonder does it have anything to do with the Sheela na Gig on the walls of the Rock? (See comments for a picture).

"When St. Patrick was building the great church on the Rock of Cashel, the workmen used to be terribly annoyed, for whatever they put up by day was always found knocked down next morning. So one man watched and another man watched, but about one o'clock in the night every watcher fell asleep as sure as the hearth-money. At last St. Patrick himself sat up, and just as the clock struck one, what did he see but a terrible bull, with fire flashing from his nostrils, charging full drive up the hill, and pucking down every stone, stick, and bit of mortar that was put together the day before. "Oh, ho ! " says the Saint, "Til soon find one that will settle you, my brave bull"

Now, who was this but Usheen (Oisin) that St. Patrick was striving to make a good Christian. Usheen was a very crooked disciple. When he was listening to pious reading or talk, his thoughts would be among the hunters and warriors of his youth, but he loved the good Saint for his charity to himself. The day after St. Patrick saw the bull, he up and told Usheen all about what was going on. "Put me on a rock or in a tree," says Usheen, " just by the way the bull ran, and we'll see what we can do." So in the evening he was settled comfortably in the bough of a tree on the hill side, and when the bull was firing away up the steep like a thunderbolt, and was nearly under him, he dropped down on his back, took a horn in each hand, tore him asunder, and dashed one of the sides so hard against the face of the wall, that it may be seen there this day, hardened into stone. There was no further stoppage of the work; and in gratitude they cut out the effigy of Usheen riding on his pony, and it may be seen inside the old ruins this very day."

"A person pretending to have been on the rock, says there is a rude mark, as of the side of an ox, on the outside of one of the walls, and a knight mounted on a diminutive quadruped in bas-relief within."

From The Fireside Stories of Ireland (1870), 153-4 - Patrick Kennedy.

Galloping Hogan's House near Puckane

Is the remains of the famous rapparee Galloping Hogan's house? (Original photo is in the link).
The folklore (below) suggests that it is in the townland of Johnstown near Puckane in North Tipp. There is another map associated with the same school and it gives it in an eastern area of Johnstown near the road.
I took a look around that area recently but there was no sign of it. Luckily I met with a local man while there, he doesn't recall any folklore linking Galloping Hogan to the area. He recalls his father telling him a story that when Hogan was being executed, that Hogan asked the crowd, "was there anyone there from Hogan's Pass?". However he didn't recall any stories in the local area about Hogan.
This is a story that I have seen mentioned before in relation to rapparee's or highwaymen and generally the idea is that he wanted to tell someone where his treasure was buried.
There is another story in the School's Manuscripts that records this event but it is at a place called Clash near Toomevara that the treasure is said that been located.
Unfortunately after nearly 100 years I would be surprised if the walls photographed are still standing.
I'd love to hear if anyone knows any stories linking O'Hogan to Johnstown? If you see my storymap below of Sarsfield's Ride, I reference two of O'Hogan's hideouts in the Arra mountains. One in particular at Labadiha.
There are a number of different birthplaces given for O'Hogan - one being Ballycahill near Holycross but considering his surname I would think he was a descendent of the Arra Hogans.
"Ruins of Hogan's house in Johnstown
'Galloping Hogan' was a famous raparee who lived in the time of King Jas. II. Hogan lived in Johnstown. He owned a very quick-footed steed. If Galloping Hogan was being pursued by the English he could change the shoes on his horse. When the English saw the mark of the shoes they thought Hogan was gone in the opposite way to that in which he was really gone.
One night Galloping Hogan gave a feast in his house. During the night he saddled his horse and set out to rob the mail car at Hogan's Pass. When the news of the robbery of the mail- car reached Johnstown everyone said that Hogan had not robbed it because he did not leave the house that night.
Galloping Hogan was a well educated man and was popular with Sarsfield. He knew every pass and defile and was familiar with every rock and roadway; with every road and bog.
When Sarsfield was going to Ballyneety Hogan was the best man that could be obtained to give effectual assistance to the grand exploit of the dashing dauntless Irish General.
Some of the party, which went to Ballyneety, were conducted by Galloping Hogan. They went on well until they came to Labadhy Bridge, near Boher. Here Hogan's party was startled by a curious incident. Sarsfield discovered, near the Bridge, a number of men, on his left, who alarmed him. He ordered his horse to halt apprehensive that he had been betrayed by Hogan.
The delusion was dispelled in an instant. The men who caused the alarm were a body of raparee who had a den here in which htey were accustomed to conceal whatever provisions they had taken in their excursions throughout the district. Whey the Irish reached the hill overlooking Ballyneety Sarsfield and Galloping Hogan were the first two to approach the English Camp. After the destruction of the siege train Hogan presumably returned to Limerick with Sarsfield.
The amnesty that followed the Treaty of Limerick was proclaimed in a short time after the signing of the treaty. According to Stoney, the Williamite historian, Galloping Hogan took advantage of the amnesty and was murdered soon afterwards near Roscrea by certain raparees who had not submitted."

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b128277d99d04d7fa5e5d6b1bc03179b?fbclid=IwAR0l8f4vl20HUak08kXPoQni5wgAio5kdp3ztBPE1hohr3PtSajop73hq3I

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922134/4855180/5012190

St Kevin's Well (Bullaun Stone) near Clonmel

Known as St Kevin's Well in the Schools Manuscripts, it is actually a bullaun stone rather than a spring well.

I visited this years ago and only just happened upon this folklore related to it recently.

"Rath-Caoimhighin, which means Rathkevin or the Fort of Kevin is situated about four miles from Clonmel and six miles from Cahir and is reached by a field from the main road.

It is a thickly wooded fort surrounded by a white thorn hedge. It was supposed to have been the abode of the Danes in olden times and was protected from enemies by a Moat, and inside the Moat was a wall. A drawbridge was placed over the moat and on the side fo the moat was an iron gong and beneath it a stout club.

When people came to it they struck the gong with the club and the people inside heard it and looked out to see whether it was a friend or an enemy. If a friend they raised the portcullis and let fall the bridge. There was a saint named Kevin living there, hence the name Rath-Caoimhighin. There is an obling stone with a hole in the middle, which is always filled with water, it is said that it never went dry, On this stone is the print of the saints hands and knees, where he used to pray every day. The water in this stone is supposed to cure warts on people's hands. This saint died in the fort, and was buried there."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922227/4862584/5020939

The Devi's Track near Kilcommon, North Tipp

 The Devil's Track near Kilcommon, North Tipp.

"At Knocknabansha just on the roadside about half mile east of the village is the Devil's Track. It is a large stone embedded in the soil. On it is a large track resembling a horses's hoof. It is deep at the toe about 2 1/2" and shallower towards the back. The devil put it there by stepping on the stone on his way to Cashel from Barnane."
https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922168/4857932

This stone supposedly near the village of Kilcommon in the Slieve Felims isn't recorded on any maps. I did a little searching for it recently and asked around in the local area if anyone knew its location. Unfortunately no one that I met had even heard of it.

Besides it having wonderful folklore linking it with the story of the Devil's Bit near Templemore, I had also wondered whether it had the potential to be unrecorded rock-art.

If anyone knows someone from the area, they might pass on the info and see if anybody locally has heard of it or its location.

#folklorefriday
The picture is my own sketch, not an actual drawing of the stone.

Lough Thuile and the lake monster

Lough Thuile near Kilcommon in North Tipp.

A Mountainy Lake Monster?

"On top of a Hill in townland of Garrycummer is a lake called Loughthuile. It has no outlet. An attempt was made to drain it hundreds of years ago but when they looked back as they were just letting go the water all the houses in the valley below were on fire and so the lake was left as it is. ....

Like all mountain tarns a monster guards the lake. A Huge Eel appears there occasionally and when a death is about to take place a light crosses it. It is said that no man could swim it that the monster would suck him down in the middle. It is frequented by plover, wild duck and wild geese but contains no fish of any kind."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922168/4857884/5018877

There is similar folklore about the draining of Lough Muskry in the Glen of Aherlow, when they tried to drain it, there houses ended up on fire back at home.

Also similar to Lough Muskry - there is a story of a lake monster.