School: Newcastle
- Location:
- Newcastle, Co. Wicklow
- Teacher: Máire Ní Fhotharta
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0927, Page 215
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- XML School: Newcastle
- XML Page 215
- XML “Local Hero of '98”
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- During 1798 several massacres were performed throughout the whole country and in Co. Wicklow as much as anywhere else these took place.
One of the bravest of heroes of that period was Michael O'Neill who lived with his family at Upper Newcastle. The militia who were always on his track were several times foiled by him but at last they were determined to get him. They came to his house but as he was not there they tried to force his aged father into confessing his whereabouts by stabbing him with their bayonets. But Michael seeing this from behind a bush where he was hiding rushed out and tried to save him, but he was overpowered and bound.
Next minute the house was blazing and they seized his younger brother Patrick and dragged him along the road for a half mile when they were forced by Protestant women to set him free. They then tied Michael to the saddle girths of two horses and dragged him as far as Newtown Mt. Kdy. a distance of three miles. At the market house there he was submitted to the most dreadful torture. He was flogged, picketed, kicked and stabbed(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Shelia Byrne
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Newcastle Upper, Co. Wicklow
