School: St Columba's, Cloonagh, Granard (roll number 12813)

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   “A member of their family named John Kiernan, who also lived in Leitrim and in the homestead, still owned by the family.”

   

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   the enemy. but the wily English saw and understood the trick, and fired on the batch of bullocks and on the men. The enraged and frightened beasts began to run in all directions trampling on the wounded soldiers trying to escape.
   John was one of the few to escape, from the slaughter and he stole home, and succeeded in reaching there towards evening. He knew he was a wanted man by the British Soldiers, and he knew also, that there were loyalists named Kellys, in his own townland and that he would be informed on, and he was not wrong for long before sunset there was a guard of soldiers around the Rocks of Leitrim.
   It was the harvest season, and the people were all out cutting oats, and John went out into the field, where a friendly neighbour and his wife were cutting with two hooks, and a daughter binding. He took the man's place and commended cutting. It was not long until the soldiers arrived, and questioned him, if he saw the outlaw, but the Officer in Charge, had direct information where John lived, and he left, after asking a few questions of this industrious harmless reaper and his wife. The Soldiers searched the whole townland and the adjoining country, but night fell- a very wet night too, and they left for Granard again & abandoned the search.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mr Joe Kiernan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Corbaun or Leitrim, Co. Longford