The Fenian rising of 1867
Cahirciveen and its surrounding area was one of the few areas that attempted a rising, moving to Killarney to join the Fenians there when the attempt was doomed to fail in Iveragh. The date for an uprising was set for February 12th 1867 and it aimed to overthrow the British and declare independence for Ireland. Colonel O Connor ‘did command’ the Iveragh Fenians with orders given to the three groups in the area: the Cahirciveen group to take over the Irish Constabulary Barracks; the Valentia Fenians to take over the Cable Station and destroy the communications system; and the Filemore group, who were instructed to seize and arm themselves with the weapons from the coastguard station in Kells. Despite the Irish flag being raised to the top of Ballycarbery Castle, the intention to destroy the cable station on Valentia Island and take over the Constabulary barracks in Cahirciveen never came to fruition. Owing to the presence of the HMS Gladiator in Valentia Harbour, all plans had to be abandoned. Colonel O’ Connor advised instead that his group should join the band of men in Kells and go to Killarney where the ultimate Kerry battle was to take place. Reports suggest that there were ‘between sixty and eighty men’ at Kells and that they were not made aware that the rising had by that stage been abandoned.
This song is from An Clochar scoil in Cathair Saidhbhín. It was collected as part of the ‘Schools collection’ of 1937-39. The project that was supervised by the Irish Folklore Commission.
“The blood-thirsty Fenians were seen
Swarming over the country of Cahirciveen
Coming down from the mountain and from the waves
Fast unearthing their rifles from ditches and caves
Their leaders some wild-looking men from New York.”
This song was composed by Sigerson Clifford to mark the centenary celebration of the Fenian uprising of 1867.
“At Drung hill then beside the bridge they shot a policeman down, and in his pockets there they saw a letter from the crown.” Ballad of Johnny Golden’
by Sigerson Clifford
Ar an 12ú lá de Feabhra 1867 thug Finíní Uíbh Ráthaigh faoin mbóthar go Cill Airne agus é beartaithe acu páirt a ghlacadh san ‘éirí amach.’ Breis agus 70 fear a bhí sa bhuíon agus iad faoi cheannas J.J. O’Connor ó Dhairbhre. Tugadh fogha fé stáisiún an Gharda Cósta sna Cealla, áit ar cheannsaíodar gunnaí agus lón airm.
On the 12th of February 1867 the Iveragh Fenians set out for Killarney to take part in a planned ‘rising’. The band numbered over seventy men, under the command of J.J. O’Connor from Valentia. The Fenians carried out a raid on the coastguard station in Kells where they secured a number of rifles and some ammunition.
The historical setting for this ballad is the 1867 Fenian Rising.
“I am a bold Fenian from Cahirciveen,
that late took my gun for to fight for the green;
o'er mountains and woodlands I wandered along
now I leave it alone and commence up my song.”
Bhí Tadhg Ó Sé agus a dhreatháir Seán sáite go tréan sna Finíní agus bhíodar páirteach sa chath a buaileadh ag na Cealla le hais Chathair Saidhbhín sa bhliain 1867. Ag tagairt do bhua na bhFíníní sa chath seo agus ag moladh Thaidhg do scríobh an file, Diarmuid Rua na Bolgaí, an t-amhrán seo. Bhí Diarmuid Rua ina chónaí ar an gCaol i bparóiste na Dromad le linn an ama seo. Bailíodh an leagan seo ó Mhuiris Ó Conaill, Cillín Liath sa bhliain 1938.
Tadhg Ó Sé and his brother, Seán, were heavily involved in the Fenian movement in Iveragh and they both took part in a battle near Kells in 1867. Referring to that battle, and in praise of Tadhg Ó Sé, the poet Diarmuid Rua na Bolgaí composed the following song. At the time Diarmuid Rua was residing in Caol in the parish of Dromid. This version of the song was collected from Muiris Ó Conaill, Cillín Liath, in 1938.