Odds and Ends about Claremorris

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Odds and Ends about Claremorris  [duchas:4350652]

ODDS AND ENDS ABOUT CLAREMORRIS
Claremorris is a small town in the parish of Kilcolman, Co Mayo, population about 1200 to 1300. The name of the parish is taken from a church now in ruins, Cill Cholmáin about three miles north of the town. The church is said to have been founded by St Colman of ‘Mayo of the Saxons’. The churchyard is now used as a burial ground. The history and tradition about the church is lost.
Claremorris, Clár Chloinne Mhuiris is called after Maurice De Prendergast who got large grants of land in Mayo from Sir John Perrott in Elizabeth’s reign. The barony is called the barony of Clanmorris. It was formerly the barony of crossboyne ‘Cros Bhuidhthín, a small village two miles south of Claremorris. James Street formerly ‘Cnoc a

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Dúbhshláin’ is said to be so named ‘Hill of Defiance’ or Challenge’ as it was there the old faction fights started on fair or assembly days. Bohergarbh prop Bóthar Garbh leads to Balla and Kiltimagh. Now called Mount St in the town and claremount further out. Church St, Boherduff, Bóthar Dubh black road or dark road leading to Knock and Bothar Chillín or Coillín now Courthouse Road leading to Ballyhaunis. The RC Church was built from 1903 on. The protestant church was built by Denis Browne in 1828 at a cost of £1700. At one time there was a clergyman Rector of Claremorris named Sirr. The Revd. Joseph D’Arcy Sirr. He was the son of the notorious Major Sirr who shot Lord Edward Fitzgerald in Dublin, Sir John Gray who brought or was instrumental in bringing the Vartry water supply to Dublin and whose

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statue stands in O’Connell Street was a native of Claremorris where his father was first an excise officer and afterwards owned a brewery in the town. There are many amusing stories of Gray’s poteen hunting when he was an excise officer in Claremorris. At the town previous to 1832-33 there was a brick field at Claremorris. The mark of the excavations can still be seen in a field beside the fair green, but in the above years there was an outbreak of cholera in Ireland.  So many deaths occurred that there was no time for the people to have ceremonial funerals so the bodies were carried to the brickfield, thrown into the clay pits and the bank filled in to cover them. After that no more clay was raised and no bricks made. Previous to the building of the Protestant church the protestants held

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a service in a house in Cnoc Dúbhlán, Mob Hill or James Street somewhere near where Michael Fallon’s public house stands at present. Denis Browne lived for a while in the Square in one of the houses in the block in the centre of the Square, now occupied by Thomas Coyne. Denis was nick-named ‘Soap the Rope’ because people said he caused several persons to be hanged in the square for treason and other offenses. But the evidence of this is slender. It was he who hanged the famous fire-eater Fitzgerald of Turlough at Castlebar in the early part of the last century (in fact 1786). Subsequently after the Kirwans who had built the present convent were impoverished by the consequences of the famine 1846-47 left Claremount. Sliabh Uí Ghloinn or Glynn’s Mountain. Denis Browne resided there up to his death which took place in the fifties of the last century

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He is interred in a vault under the eastern end of the protestant church. The Sisters of Mercy got the present convent in the year 1877. The golden jubilee of their coming was celebrated in this year 1927.
The present parish Priest is Very Revd. Canon McHugh. He succeeded Dean Thomas F Macken. He came about 1922 after the death of Archdeacon Kilkenny in that year. Father James Hughes was P.P. during the famine years 46-47-48. He made great efforts to get food and clothing for the poor. He died about 1852 and was succeeded by Fr Peter Reynolds who was followed by Father McHale who only lived two years as PP. He was PP when the Sisters of Mercy came in 1877. On his death the Revd Ulick Burke author of Irish Grammar

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and other works in Irish came as P.P. and he died about 1887 and then Archdeacon Kilkenny came.
To the east of Claremorris are the ruins of an Abbey which was built for the Carmelites in the 12th century. They were turned out during the persecutions but came back and functioned there for a long time the date of their return is obscure but it was probably about the beginning of last century or end of 18th century. The last Revd. John Carr or Caher who died in Dublin somewhere about 1895.
The ruins are very interesting from an archaeological point of view as there are many evidences of solitary cells attached to the church such as we read about in France and other countries in the middle ages and before that time. These cells

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were subsequently used as tombs for the burying of the land owners, who lived in Brize Castle and who were in occupation when Hugh O’Donnell invaded Connaught and Munster in 1579. O’Cleary relates about it in Beatha Aedh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill that he spent a night at Kilmaine on his return from the South and afterwards rested at Brize as the guest of O’More. The remains of Brize are still to be seen close to the road on the right going from Claremorris to Balla about half way on the journey.
It may be mentioned that in the name Clár Chloinne Mhuiris there are many explanations given of the word clár. Some believe it means a plain and some say it means a wooden bridge. I think it

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is quite probable there was a bridge or plank across the stream at Mayfield. The same word comes into Clare Galway which in Irish is Baile Clár na Gaillimhe. There is a river and a bridge across it at Claregalway. The river is known as the Clare river and flows from Dunmore through Tuam and Claregalway to Lough Corrib. It may be mentioned that it passes through a level country and may derive its name from clár a plain. It also means a board or plank.
There are two small lakes near Claremorris but the original names have been lost. One is now Boher-garr lake and the other Mob. Hill lake. There is a small island in each lake which are the remains of Crannógs or lake dwellings. These are supported on wooden piles standing in the water.

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These lakes are very deep – depths of over 40 feet were found in one lake some years ago.
The tomb of the O’More’s in Ballinasmalla has a Latin inscription which is in a cell - in the floor of which the tomb was placed and the cell with joined stone roof still exists in a very perfect condition. The origin of the name Ballinasmalla is most likely ‘Baile na Smála’ – the village of the hill – because there are a few nice conical sand hills quite close to the abbey.
There is an old story invented by someone who did not know much Irish (most likely) to the effect that the friars were sent with a candle and lantern from Kilcolman at night and that they were told to travel until the wick of the candle became burnt out or converted into a black

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smut which should be removed to enable the candle to show full light and to found an abbey at that place. The Irish word for a smut on a candle is small and at this place the candle wick gave a black smut and there the friars halted and built the Abbey. But I think the proper explanation is from smála - a hill. There are some old people living now in 1927 who in their young days remember attending mass in Ballinasmalla church with Father John Carr officiating. He died as already stated in Dublin at White Friars Street. The writer remembers seeing a notice of his death in the Freeman’s Journal. Local Historical Notes – The Secret papers of Major Sirr in a Claremorris Rectory by Joseph Tully. Mr Porter, who was a well known Police magistrate in Dublin put it on record that some of the most prominent men

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in Smith O’Brien’s ’48 movement were false to their chief and colleagues and suggested to him that they should be temporarily arrested and locked up, so as to preserve the delusion of their consistency. One of the most artful informers worked not only in the ’98 rebellion and Emmet’s Rebellion but continued his activities till the ’48 period. Sir John Gray who was himself a protestant and a native of Claremorris where he and his brother Moses were born and where his father lived as a Revenue Officer and whose statue stands in O’Connell St in Dublin was the means of unmasking one Bernard Duggan, a native of Tyrone, who took part in the rebellions of ’98 and 1803. He was a rebel leader at the battle of Prosperous, where he cut a prominent figure on a white horse. He

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was Emmet’s right hand man in 1803 and was arrested and imprisoned and yet all the time he was in the pay of the government. For forty years afterwards he succeeded in imposing himself on the national party as a venerable and uncompromising patriot. It was a chapter of accidents lead to his discovery. The notorious Major Sirr, who shot Lord Edward Fitzgerald to death when he was Town Mayor of Dublin had a son who was a protestant Parson in Sir John Gray’s native district in South Mayo. He was the Rev. Joseph D’Arcy Sirr and he was the Rector of Kilcolman. Sir John Gray had gone down to see his father who was dangerously ill, and he called on the rector whom he found in his study with a mass of old documents spread out before him. “Here you Rebel Repealer”, said the parson playfully,

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“some of these will interest you they are chiefly the communications of informers to my late father.” Sir John thought he recognised the writing in some of them. “There are many letters from the same party”, observed the Rev. Mr. Sirr,” I cannot discover who he is. His letters extend over upwards to thirty years and I think he has not less than thirty aliases. He was a most remarkable man and if you wish to unravel a mystery you can remain here for the day”. Sir John devoted several hours to following up the scent and at last he lighted on a receipt for a small amount dated about 1806 and signed B. Duggan. Dr Gray exclaimed in ecstasy “ I have him. I know him well! He was with me yesterday. “Impossible”, cried Mr Sirr, “He must be dead long since”. A comparison of the handwriting left no doubt as to the identity of the scoundrel.

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The spy who had grown hoary and venerable in his infamous employment was even laying a tray for Sir John Gray himself or Dr Gray as he was then in connection with the ’48 movement. He had been writing for his paper some “Personal Reflections” of ’98 and in his frequent visits to the office he always diverged from ’98 to make suggestions about the Young Irelanders. A small circumstance aroused suspicion. Duggan said he was about to start in business and asked for some subscriptions. Dr Gray gave him £2 and Duggan at once handed across a sheet of blank paper saying,! I will have twenty pounds in three days if you write the names of ten of twelve gentlemen on whom I may call. They won’t refuse if their names in your handwriting”. Almost in the same breath he named

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half a dozen Young Irelanders adding, “I know these gentlemen will aid me for all I suffered since ‘98”. Gray’s suspicion was aroused, and it was the same week he discovered Duggan’s real character in his visit to the Rev Mr Sirr, Dr Gray had been one of the men imprisoned with O’Connell in Richmond Bridewell. He knew then that if he had given Duggan the list of names, they would be flourished against him at the next State Trial as the names of the Provisional Government that the Young Irelanders would set up. Duggan was in truth a master of duplicity. In the Sirr papers he is found writing under various signatures. “At one time”, said Dr Gray, “He impersonated a priest and on other occasions a peddler and a smuggler. He wrote to Major Sirr for a hogshead of tobacco and for £15 to buy

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a case of pistols for his protection. In one year alone he got £500. Dr Gray decided to unmask him and he invited Mr Martin Haverty, the historian to breakfast. Duggan was brought into the room and introduced to him. Duggan began to talk in his usual way as an extreme patriot. He spoke at random about the Pike training in ’98 and said the people were ready enough to fight, and all they wanted was to be called out, and that the Pike was the best thing for them. He professed to be ridiculously sanguine of success and called the men of the present day poltroons for not taking the field. When he had talked away in this fashion for some time Dr Gray suddenly fixed his eyes on him, as though he could read his secret thoughts and exclaimed, “Barney you

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think I do not know you. I know you better than you know yourself. Do you remember when you were dressed as a priest in Dundalk?” He writhed and tried to turn the conversation. Dr Gray probed and stabbed him with all the points which he had gathered from the informers own letters to Major Sirr. Duggan at last flung himself on his knees at the feet of Dr Gray and he seemed to think pikemen were outside and ready to rush in and try to kill him. “Give me”, he said, “Twelve hours. I will leave the country and you will never see me again”. He tottered from the room, left Ireland and did not return for many years. Amongst his first visits was one to Dr Gray to whom he confessed his guilt adding that he was near his end. He received some trifling relief, and shortly

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afterwards died. Preserved with the Duggan letters was a note from Major Sirr that Duggan he had no doubt shot Mr. Darragh, a terrorist at his own hall door when in the act of handing him a letter and further that Duggan was the man who attempted the life of Mr Clarke a County Dublin magistrate in July 18093. A long letter published in the Duke of Wellington’s Irish correspondence and dated Nenagh 6th Feb. 1808 is undoubtedly from Duggan. He describes how he was sent into Tipperary and Limerick to inquire into an organisation known as “The Liberty Rangers”. They are dammed cunning in letting any stranger know anything of their doings”, writes the spy. “I tried every artifice, avowing myself an enemy of the Government, drinking their seditious toasts, but while they liked me for doing so,

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I could not make any hand of them. All I know is that they are actually inclined for rebellion in every quarter of the country through which I passed”. Apparently the closed mouths of the Tipperary and Limerick men could baffle the most expert of the spies and informers let loose by Dublin Castle.
The town of Claremorris was a very small place and a very poor village until the middle of the last century. All the houses were thatched and the chief trade of this people were hat making and linen weaving. In Mob Hill the first house to be slated was the National Bank probably in the seventies of the last century.
The railway came to Claremorris in 1863 or the year of the blocks. 1863 was a very wet season and

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no turf was saved and in the winter and Spring following the Summer of 1863 people searched the bogs with iron spits locating blocks of bog deal which was raised for fuel.
In Denis Browne’s time he kept a troop of Yeomen who did police duties over this part of Mayo. They were strangers imported as the natives would not be trusted to render faithful service in this capacity. It is related but not vouched for by the writer that one day the yeomen arrested a man from Dunmacreena or near there for stealing potatoes to feed his starving family. He was taken to Claremount House to await trial by Denis Browne. There was a family of Blakes at Dunmacreena 18 sons, all fine stalwart men. When they heard of

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the arrest they assembled their forces and rode with all haste to Claremount. They called on Denis Browne to release the prisoner. He refused but when he saw the size of the force around the house and that they were armed, he got nervous. The Blake party threatened to set fire to the house and to shoot every man trying to escape. So Denis hung out the white flag and came out on the steps of the hall door for a parley. The story goes that he was put on his knees and sworn never to arrest anyone again. The prisoner was released and the Blakes rode home in triumph. So many bad things have been said of Denis Browne that it is only fair to tell the other side. He was always anxious to improve the tenants outlaws which were

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active in lonely places. The southern end of the town belonged to the Lambert estate, Lambert of Brookhill. The northern end mostly to the Claremount estate which after Denis Browne’s death was sold to Blaquire who sold it to occupiers and sold the mansion and Claremount lands to a man named Maguire who in 1877 sold it to the Srs. of Mercy. Subsequently they sold the bulk of the lands to the C.D. Board, retaining the convent and a few acres for their own use.
The Railway from Tuam was made in the early nineties and continued to Collooney opened about 1895.
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