School: Gaigue (B.), Ballinamuck (roll number 13305)

Location:
Gaigue, Co. Longford
Teacher:
Peter Duignan
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0758, Page 173

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0758, Page 173

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  1. XML School: Gaigue (B.), Ballinamuck
  2. XML Page 173
  3. XML “Longford Rising in 1798”

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  1. The men of south Longford rose in september 1798 under a man named Pat Farrell. They marched towards Edgeworthstown where they encountered and wiped out a detachment of English dragoons and frightened the Edgeworth family including Maria the novelist. They them marched on Granard which they took after a fight with English troops and militia under the infamous "Walking Galllows" Hippenstall Dopping. They held Granard for some days when after the battle of Ballinamuck they were surrounded by the forces under Lake and Cornwallis and the last engagement in the Rebellion of 1798 was fought. After a sturdy and courageous fight the south Longford men were taken prisoners. They were bound hand and foot and lay all night on the street of Granard. In the morning a herd of cattle were driven over their prostrate bodies and the survivors were then bayonetted to death. Well might the poet John Keegan Casey write of them
    "Well they fought for dear old Ireland
    And full bitter was their fate"
    The following ballad of their deeds is still sung in Co Longford.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Language
    English
    Collector
    P. Duignan
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Gaigue, Co. Longford
    Informant
    Francis Whitney
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Cornacullew, Co. Longford