Martyr Tom Clarke will be commemorated in Tipperary on Easter Saturday
Ceremony to take place in Clogheen
On Easter Saturday next 19th April 2025 the 1916 martyrs and especially Thomas J. Clarke will be remembered in Clogheen.
Thomas J Clarkes's Mother Mary Palmer was from Clogheen and married Tom's Father James in the local Church of Ireland Church which is now the community centre. Kathleen Clarke (Tom's wife) wrote in her book ‘Revolutionary Woman’ about the influence Toms mother Mary had on the young Tom.
“Tom's Mother was a Tipperary woman, and his Father came from the Ballyshannon area. Tom was ten years old when his Mother and Father brought him from South Africa to Ireland. He was wildly excited ,coming to a country which was interwoven into all his childish dreams and imagination, a land of romance,heroism,a fairy land where everything was beautiful. There was to him no place in the world to compare with Tipperary and Ireland, as a result of his Mothers constant talk of that wonderful place”
The year Thomas J Clarke first saw Ireland was the year of the 1867 rising and it is probable growing up listening to his mother Mary and stories of the Fenians attempts to free Ireland from the Tyranny of British rule, that Toms love of Eire and his life long determination to free his native land, was part of his persona from a very early age.
Mary Palmer married James Clarke a British soldier in Clogheen on 31st May 1857.Marys father Michael was a labourer and her mothers maiden name was kew and we know that Mrs Palmers funeral in the 1880s(in either Clonmel or Clogheen) was a big occasion and she was the first woman to be waked in the local Catholic church. James was transferred to Hurst Castle and it was here Tom was born.
There is some dispute about where Tom was born and even in the recently published books by Colm Ó Ruairc (They Died for Ireland) Colm states-
“Clarkes birthplace is often disputed between Hurst Castle England and Clogheen Tipperary.”
We do know that Tom went to school in Natal South Africa where his Father was stationed for six years and in 1865 the Clarke family returned to Ireland. Tom as a young child actually lived in Clogheen with his Mother while the family arranged to move to Dungannon the town most associated with Tom Clarke. A son Michael was born in Clogheen but sadly died. It is fascinating to think of the future Irish hero Tom Clarke walking the streets of Clogheen.By 1968 the family had settled in Dungannon where Marys second daughter Hannah Palmer Clarke was born.
Tom Clarke devoted his life to freeing all 32 counties of Ireland from foreign occupation and all the men the British executed in 1916 all gave their life’s for their country and the ideals so well formulated in our Proclamation of 1916.It is important we continue to honour and remember all our hero’s of every generation who made the ultimate sacrifice to free our land. We are honoured to have Dr. Rúan O Donnell of University of Limerick to give this years oration at the Thomas J Clarke 1916 Commemoration .
Dr O Donnell has written extensively on Irish Republicanism and is the official Historian of the Robert Emmett Association .Dr O Donnell has featured in many Documentaries on TV and written for the Irish Times and many historical Journals.
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He is Director of the Irish Manuscripts Commission and was appointed to the Universities Ireland Decade of Commemoration Committee. Assemble at the Community hall(The old Church where Toms parents married) at 11.45 for March to the 1916 Garden.
This commemoration is non political and all are welcome. We are delighted to have local musician Seamus Hennessy attending again this year and Seamus will also play in John Halleys afterwards where there will be refreshments. We would like to thank the Tipperary Independent Republican Association and Gavin Curry of EMC Home Renovations who are our main supporters and sponsors for this event.Béir Bua.