School: An Ráth Mhór (Clochar) (roll number 13742)

Location:
Rathmore, Co. Kerry
Teacher:
Sr. M. Dolores
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0451, Page 154

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0451, Page 154

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  1. XML School: An Ráth Mhór (Clochar)
  2. XML Page 154
  3. XML “Cathair Bhearnach”
  4. XML “Father Breen's Letter, Relative to Seán a' Cinncinn”

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  1. (continued from previous page)
    Cathairin Bheil a'Bhotair is situated on the roadside 800 yards due south of the Cathair Bhearnach. It is in a very poor side of preservation. Its diameter is 25 feet. The walls are levelled.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
  2. The hero of your story was Owen O'Sullivan probably a dispossessed tenant from Kilgarvan after Boyne struggle. (However it is a slight probability as the English writ didn't run in that area at the time as we know from other sources hence a "ne'er do well" who took the road). Here is the hero of "Foil-a down" or the robber's den in Glenflesk. According to tradition and Crofton Croker who visited this place and wrote a book about 1820 gives a variant of your story about a trapdoor & which is a good example of "folk history". The true story of his capture is found in despatches from a Colonel Hedges to the Chief Secretary in the Dublin Record Office of date about 1710. He was betrayed by a family of Reardons who were themselves Highwaymen, one of them was captured and his brother (probably to obtain his [?]) undertook to capture Sullivan. No doubt they were stimulated by the reward offered. Sullivan was lured to Reardon's hut in Ballyvourney. Whilst they were sitting by the fire the Reardons fell upon him and though he fought hard wounding the Reardons he was overcome by numbers one of the Reardons knocking him down with a pike and whilst he was down another famous raparee named Reilly or Rahilly shot him and then they cut off his head. The head was brought to Macroom and earned for the Reardons the name Na Ceann. In Kilgarvan there
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Language
    English
    Collector
    J. Mc Carthy
    Gender
    Unknown