School: Cnoc na Biolaraighe
- Location:
- Watergrasshill, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Dll. Mac Carrthaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0382, Page 016
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- XML “A Story of the Battle of Gortroe near Bartlemy in 1834”
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- During the tithe "war" an engagement was fought at Gortroe near Bartlemy about five miles from here. Maurice Ahern tells the following story of the battle as told by his mother who was a native of Ballinterry, Rathcormac about a mile from the scene of the battle.
A woman called the widow Ryan lived at Gortroe. The Protestant minister, Mr Ryder, lived at the time at Ballinterry and he used to have the tithes collected from the neighbouring farmers. The Widow Ryan and her son refused to pay. Parson Ryder called out the military and police from Fermoy to enforce payment. The neighbouring farmers assembled in large numbers to resist the seizure and were armed with Scythes, pikes billhooks etc. When the police & military arrived at the scene and found the large assemblage armed in such a dangerous manner and after they had made some show of resistance the commanding officer gave an order to fire and eight men including Widow Ryan's son were killed and about thirty or forty wounded. A battle ensued in which military & police were also wounded. Amongst those killed in this "battle" were two uncles of John Collins who resided in Ballyvinny about three miles from Watergrasshill and who died about nine years ago aged about 75 years. Some of those who were shot were buried in Gortroe Graveyard and others were buried in Ballinaltig graveyard. After the battle Parson Ryder had the windows of his house in Ballinterry protected with steel shutters as he feared reprisals.
