By Dan Walsh at Ballycarney
The 225th anniversary commemoration of the 1798 Rebellion moved to Ballycarney, beside the River Slaney, this evening (Sunday) were a stone memorial was unveiled at the crossroads where the earliest casualties – the Redmond brothers – of the rebellion lost their lives on the day before the Battle of Oulart Hill.
Castledockrell Pike Group with support from Bunclody and Kiltealy marched behind St. Colman’s Pipe Band, Ballindaggin from Redmond’s former homestead in Corah to Ballycarney crossroads for the unveiling ceremony.
The honour of unveiling the new memorial was jointly bestowed on Alan Owens and Johnny Foley. The blessing and prayers at the memorial were shared between Very Rev. Patrick Cushen, parish priest of Ferns, and Dean Very Rev. Paul Mooney of Ferns Union of Parishes.
Ben Plummer recited a poem entitled Ballycarney and the Ballindaggin Pipe Band played Amhrán na bFiann to conclude the dignified ceremony and all present retreated to the Old Post Office in Ballycarney for refreshments.
Public representatives present included Minister James Browne and Cllrs John O’Rourke and Barbara-Anne Murphy.
The event was organised by Ballycarney Development Group and historian Barry Lacey outlined the introduction and background to the memorial and he also acted as master of ceremonies.
The inscription on the memorial reads; “Erected to the memory of Pat and John Redmond, from the nearby townland of Corah, who were killed at this crossroads on May 26th 1798 by Bunclody Yeomanry. Also their brother Mogue who was wounded but survived and lived into old age. All three were civilians and possibly the earliest casualties of the 1798 rebellion in Co. Wexford – Erected by the Ballycarney Development Group in 2023.”
WexfordLocal.com 