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Knockmeale (Owney & Arra) and Ned of the Hill - Possible Connections?

 

From 1840s Ordnance Survey map of Tipperary (not in copyright)

The famed rapparee is more often associated with Atshanboy and the Upperchurch area. However I recently came across a few interesting references linking him to the townland of Knockmeale near Killoscully. 

In the Four Tipperary Septs pg 80 it says

"An inquisition taken at Clonmel on Sept. 10th. 1633 found that Daniel Ryan late of Knockmoell in Co. Tipperary was seised in fee of the 6th part of one carucate of land at Knockmoell and died on May the 10th. 1630. That Edmond Ryan was his son and heir, of full age and married. The lands were held in capite and by knight's service. 

Probably from Edmond descended Eamon an Chnoic or Edmond of the Hill a noted Rapparee whose name and exploits are still preserved among the inhabitants of the district where he held at bay for several years in his mountain fastness the forces endeavouring to capture or hill him. 

He was born at Athcanboy in the parish of Upperchurch at the foot of Knockalough mountain and being intended for the priesthood was educated on the Continent from where he returned at the beginning of the war of 1689". 

A word of caution however is, how did Cahalan link this Daniel Ryan to Ned of the Hill other than he had a son named Edmond? 

I had always assumed that Knockmoell was close to Ashanboy. However it may in fact be located near Killoscully. 

This appears to be Knockmoell now Knockmeale - An Cnoc Maol/Knockmeale | logainm.ie  

In the Civil Survey 

From - The Civil Survey A.D. 1654–56 vol. ii, county of Tipperary western and northern baronies - Irish Manuscripts - available to download here

we can see the landowners in Knockmoyle including Edmond Ryan of Ballyourigane. 

Previously I wrote about this Edmond Ryan here - 

https://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.com/2024/11/civil-survey-notes-ballyhourigan.html

He may have survived being transplanted to Connacht to be included in the Hearth Money Rolls of the 1660s. 

According to Lenihan, it was at Ballyhourigan that Sarsfield's men camped in 1691 and "it is said was visited by one of the old O'Ryans of that country who offered him hospitality". (pg232 "Limerick and its Antiquities". 

Could it have also been here that they picked up their scout Ned of the Hill who took over the scouting from Galloping O'Hogan? Knockmeale to Ballyhourigan are less than 2kms apart.

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