Roscommon community to mark violent decade

A Roscommon community is planning a novel commemoration for people from their parish who died in one of the most turbulent decades in Ireland’s history.

A 15-year-old boy shot dead by the Black and Tans while spreading manure with his brothers will be remembered, along with his neighbours who died in the trenches during the first World War.

“Ardcarne Remembers 1913 to 1923” was launched at the weekend by MEP Luke Ming Flanagan, a distant relative of Fr Michael O’Flanagan who was a local curate and a key figure in Sinn Féin during the period.

The commemorative weekend, which runs from April 29th to May 1st, will honour local people who fought in 1916, as well as those who died during the War of Independence, or while serving with the British Army or the RIC.

‘Seminal event’

May Moran’s uncle, Paddy Moran fought in the Jacob’s biscuit factory during 1916 and was executed in Mountjoy Jail during the War of Independence. “The family is proud of him,” she said. “1916 is important from the point of view of the Irish State. No matter how you look at it, it was a seminal event in Irish history.”

Patricia Molloy’s uncle Joe Molloy was shot dead on his 15th birthday in a field near Crossna with his three brothers, aged 10-17. The attack was believed to be a reprisal by the Black and Tans for the killing of two RIC officers in the Keadue ambush days earlier.

“My father Charlie was six years old when his brother was shot dead,” she said. “It was a tragedy. The household must have been terrorised. He was an innocent bystander,”

Nine of Paddy Moran’s neighbours died in the first World War – one from the Rockingham estate, the others local farmers’ sons.

Countermanding order

The opening address at the commemorative weekend will be given by Michael McDowell SC, grandson of Irish Volunteers’ leader Eoin MacNeill, who issued a countermanding order in a bid to call off the 1916 Rising.

Geraldine Leydon, one of the organisers, said they were determined that the parish commemoration would be inclusive.

“There is no politics in this event; we are all neighbours,” said Leydon. “ I think 100 years on we have had to share the island together. We have to leave the past behind.”

Though she wrote a book about her uncle in 2010, Executed for Ireland: The Patrick Moran Story, May Moran grew up knowing very little about him. "Daddy used to cry if we asked him about Uncle Paddy – so we didn't."

He was one of the “Forgotten 10” including Kevin Barry, who were given a State funeral in 2001, 80 years after they died.