WexfordLocal.com

By Dan Walsh at New Ross

There was an excellent turnout for today’s 1798 Battle of Ross commemoration where former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was a special invited guest and was given a warm welcome on behalf of the townspeople by Cllr Michael Sheehan, Cathaoirleach New Ross Municipal District Council.

A Colour Party from the New Ross FCA Pipe Band under Pipe Major Pascal Bolger followed by The Three Bullet Gate Pike Group under Captain Joe Cullen and Enniscorthy Historical Re-enactment Society led by Ray Murphy opened proceedings with a march from the Youth Centre to the Three Bullet Gate Memorial Park where the commemorations took place.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern honoured an invitation to rededicate the Three Bullet Gate Memorial Park which he officially opened in 1998 marking the bicentenary of the Battle of Ross during the Rebellion of 1798.

Afterwards Mr Ahern held a lengthy audience with the young students from Georgia Southern University who attended the ceremonies.

The keynote speech was delivered by Professor Kevin Whelan who explained the meaning of the events of 1798 and made comparisons with the modern era in an international context.

There was large emphasis on music. The Three Bullet Gate is commemorated in Amhrán na bFiann as An Bearna Baoil (The Gap of Danger) and in many other patriotic poems and songs.

Performers included New Ross & District Pipe Band led by Pipe Major Brian MacMahon, traditional airs from Danescastle Ceilí Band, the premiére of the Ballad of the Bullet by Cathy Purcell was given a warm welcome, the Cumas Traditional Ceilí Band sounded great, Hayley Crosbie’s Ensemble contributed, and excellent master of ceremonies Seamus Kiely kept everything flowing smoothly and added a few appropriate songs.  

The Battle of Ross was a military engagement that took place at The Three Bullet Gate on June 5th, 1798, fought between the Society of United Irishmen rebels and the government forces garrisoning the town.

The attack on the town was an attempt by the recently victorious rebels to break out of Co. Wexford, cross the River Barrow, and spread the rebellion into Kilkenny and Munster.

The rebels advanced from their camp on Carrigbyrne Hill to Corbet Hill, just outside New Ross town. The battle, is described in some sources as “the bloodiest of the 1798 Rebellion.”

It began at dawn when the Crown garrison was attacked by a force of almost 10,000 rebels, massed in three columns outside the town. The attack had been expected since the fall of Wexford town on May 30^th and the garrison, consisting of 2,000 troops, had prepared defences both outside and inside the town.

Trenches were dug and manned by skirmishers on the approaches to the town while cannon were stationed facing all the rapidly falling approaches and narrow streets of the town to counter the expected mass charges by the rebels, who were mainly armed with pikes.

By Dan Walsh at Bunclody

St. Colman’s Pipe Band, Ballindaggin, led by Pipe Major Jim Byrne and the Bunclody/Kilrush/Kilmyshal Pike Group under the command of Group Leader Walter Skelton led the commemorative pike march in Bunclody this evening (Sunday) to remember the Battle of Newtownbarry (Bunclody) which broke out on June 1^st, 1798.

The Battle of Bunclody or Newtownbarry as it was then called, took place on June 1^st, 1798, when a force of some 5,000 rebels led by Fr Mogue Kearns attacked the garrison at Bunclody as part of the Wexford rebels campaign against border garrisons.

The first wreath was laid at the ’98 memorial on Chapel Road where the inscription reads; “Erected to the memory of the pikemen of 1798. A.D. 1875.” The honours were bestowed on two of the youngest pikemen during the bicentenary in 1998 – Matthew Skelton and Ciarán Kelly.

Th second wreath was laid by Ian Kidd and Kate Skelton at the 1938 plaque on Bunclody bridge. The inscription (as Gaeilge and English) reads; “Erected to the memory of the men who fell fighting for Ireland at Bunclody on June 1^st, 1798.”

Very Rev. Laurence O’Connor, Parish Priest of Bunclody, and The Reverend Canon Trevor Sargent, Rector, Bunclody Union of Parishes recited prayers at both sites. The attendance also included retired priest and historian, Canon Seamus S. de Bhal.

Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy, who also took part in the pike march, acted as master of ceremonies and explained a brief history of the battle. Apparently, about 250 people died in the battle and were interred in a mass grave beside the River Slaney where the 1938 plaque is located, but in 1875 when the bridge was rebuilt the bodies were exhumed and reburied in the graveyard on Chapel Road where a Celtic Cross stands proudly in the western corner, hence the significance on two wreath laying choices.

The wreaths were presented for laying by Aoife and Emer Nolan while Adam Fitzpatrick presented a bunch of flowers to Gloria Binions at the proceedings in The Square where the ceremonies ended.

Seamus Kelly read a poem; “The Battle of Newtownbarry (Bunclody)’, Niall Wall gave a rousing rendition of Boolavogue and the Ballindaggin Pipe Band played Amhrán na bFiann.

Afterwards, proprietor Michael Kehoe generously sponsored complimentary refreshments for all at the Rivers Edge restaurant.

By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy

Two wreaths from Wexford Remembers 1798 Group and the Connolly Youth Movement were laid at the Father Murphy and the Croppy Boy memorial in Market Square, Enniscorthy, today, (Sunday) as part of the 225^th 1798 Rebellion commemorations taking place across County Wexford.

Chairman, Gary O’Brien from Wexford, gave a brief account of the memorial which has stood in this spot for 115 years, two wreaths were laid, the flags were ceremoniously lowered, and the event concluded with Amhrán na bFiann.

Speaking to WexfordLocal.com, Mr O’Brien said the group was formed as Wexford Remembers 1916 and then it was decided to mark the events of 1798 and today’s events in Enniscorthy are the first under the Wexford Remembers 1798 banner and he was pleased at the turnout.

Earlier Owen Dunbar led a tour of Vinegar Hill and archaeologist Byron Jones, gave a detailed explanation of the 2017 survey and dig of the battlefield site. A poetry reading and the playing of a lament by an uilleann piper closed off the Vinegar Hill element of the day.

Events concluded at the IFA Centre on Mill Park Road, where Dr Kerron Ó Luain, the author of ‘Rathcoole and the United Irish Rebellions, 1798 – 1803′ gave a public talk on the 1798 Rebellion.