Slievenamon 1848 Monster Meeting re-enactment was fitting tribute to Young Irelanders' famous protest

Caption for picture above: Barry Comerford as Young Ireland leader Michael Doheny, Paul Sheehan as Young Ireland leader Thomas Francis Meagher and Jennifer Doyle as Caitlín Ní Uallacháin performing in the 1848 Monster Meeting re-enactment at the summit of Slievenamon. 

The dark clouds hovering over Slievenamon released their cargo of rain and a strong wind blew up around the mountain as the 175th anniversary re-enactment of the 1848 Slievenamon Monster Meeting began.

The opening of the heavens couldn’t have come at a worse time for those gathered for the commemoration of the Young Ireland movement’s famous protest but it was strangely appropriate.

The stormy conditions perfectly reflected the suffering and tragedy of The Great Famine and anger of the Young Irelanders and the thousands who gathered with them on the iconic mountain 175 years ago to demand a stop to the export of food from the country while so many of their people were starving to death.

So the rain and wind didn’t derail the commemoration on Sunday afternoon, July 16 but became a central component of the event that included re-enactments of the speeches given at the monster meeting by Young Irelander leaders Thomas Francis Meagher and Michael Doheny.

Robert Duggan of the 1848 Slievenamon Commemoration Committee said the weather made the commemoration re-enactment look so dramatic.

 “When the heavens opened up, it was as if the misery of that time was being invoked,” he recalled.

The inclement weather on the day affected the turnout but nevertheless an estimated 200 people, many of them dressed in period costume, made the trek up the mountain to witness the ceremony.

They began the hour and half  long hike to the summit from Kilcash village at 12.15pm.  Groups of walkers also ascended the mountain from Carrigmaclear and Drangan.

The 1848 Slievenamon Monster Meeting was one of the first occasions the Irish Tricolour  was flown at a public event and to commemorate this an Irish flag mounted on a light pole was carried in relay up to the summit.

The focal point for the re-enactment was Meagher’s Rock on the summit, named after the great Thomas Francis Meagher who famously rode up the mountain on a white horse to address the monster meeting.

The ceremony began with a performance of an excerpt of the play, Cathleen Ní Houlihan, by actress Jennifer Doyle, who lives near Ballyneale.   

She played the title role of Cathleen Ní Houlihan, who represents an independent Irish state in the drama written by WB Yeats and Lady Gregory.

This was followed by a recitation of the monster meeting speech of Fethard’s Michael Doheny by actor Barry Comerford from Carrick-on-Suir.  

Thomas Francis Meagher’s rousing speech made at the protest was re-enacted by actor Paul Sheehan from Clonmel.
 
Sean Cosgrave of the  Irish UN Veterans Association  performed a haunting rendition  of The Last Post followed by Reveille on trumpet before the Irish Tricolour was unfurled and flown proudly on the summit.

Niall Walsh from Ballyneale then led the attendance in singing, Tipperary’s anthem, Slievenamon, composed by Mullinahone patriot and writer Charles J. Kickham, who played a minor role in the Young Irelander rebellion that erupted just weeks after the monster meeting. The re-enactment concluded with a minute of silence.

Pictured at the 1848 Slievenamon Monster Meeting 175th anniversary commemoration events in Kilcash on July 16 were seated: Henry Cummins, whose great grandfather Philip Cummins was a Young Irelander who attended the protest; Anna Hutchinson and Kathleen Cormack. Back: Sean Nugent of the 1848 Slievenamon Commemoration Committee, Barry Comerford, who re-enacted Michael Doheny’s monster meeting speech, Deputy Mattie McGrath, Jennifer Doyle, who performed as Caithlin Ní Uallacháin in the re-enactment, Mayor of Clonmel Borough District Cllr Richie Molloy and Paul Sheehan, who played Thomas Francis Meagher in the re-enactment. Picture Anne Marie Magorrian

A food fair in Kilcash awaited the commemoration attendees when they arrived back to the village following their descent from Slievenamon. By then the rain had cleared and the sun was shining again.

Other attractions were an exhibition of art works by children from 10 local primary schools to mark the special anniversary along with a display of memorabilia in Kilcash Community Centre.

For those who couldn’t attend the main commemoration, the monster meeting speeches were re-enacted again on a stage in the village. 

A colour party of Irish UN Veterans Association members stood with flags at the front of the stage and The Last Post was once again performed.

While the event was attended by a strong contingent of people from communities around Slievenamon and throughout Tipperary, Robert Duggan reported it also attracted visitors from as far away as Roscommon, Dublin and Wexford.

Robert thanked all involved in organising  and taking part in the commemoration and all who supported the event in any way.

He said there was a great spirit among the people who came to Slievenamon to mark the monster meeting’s 175th anniversary and he hopes it can become an annual event possibly  also encompassing celebration of Slievenamon’s  archaeological monuments..

The re-enactment of the monster meeting was filmed by drone and other cameras and Robert believes there is scope for a more ambitious film project about the 1848 monster meeting and its fascinating organisers.

Meanwhile, the 175th anniversary of the  1848 Young Irelanders Rising will be commemorated at the 17th annual Famine Walk in Ballingarry this Saturday, July 29. 

The walk of about four miles  will be led by local historian Dr Thomas McGrath. It  commences at the Young Ireland 1848 and National Flag monument in The Commons at 3pm  and  will proceed to the Famine Warhouse 1848, the scene of the Rising, now an OPW national heritage museum.

Picture below: James Blanchfield, JP Blanchfield and Declan Blanchfield from Ballyneale on the summit of Slievenamon during the 1848 Monster Meeting Commemoration. Picture Anne Marie Magorrian.  Check out more photos from the Slievenamon 1848 Monster Meeting Commemoration in our two page spread of the event in this week's edition of The Nationalist now in local shops.