A short stroll in Tipperary on the longest day of the year

On Friday last, June 21, Fethard Historical Society members and friends made three stops along their route to Everardsgrange, where Dr. Marie Taylor, a native of Saucestown, Fethard, now lecturing in University of Limerick, shared her research on the locality to an attentive audience. 

Hamilton Abbey

At the bridge on the Cloneen Road, Marie spoke about the old Augustinian House, Hamilton Abbey, as described in the sale rental of 4 June 1850 as ‘old fashioned’ but ‘a most romantic and elegant residence’. It contained a ‘fine cellarage, servants apartments and offices, large sized hall, breakfast parlour, dining room and drawing room, ten bed chambers, dairy, pantries, etc.’ and was in the possession of W.H. Latham. It was valued in Griffith's Valuation at £15.3 shillings. This property appears to have originally belonged to Hamilton Lowe. The ‘Limerick General Advertiser’ of May 16, 1820, records the giving of the nearby Augustinian Abbey at Fethard to the Reverend Thomas Condon, Prior, by Mrs Hamilton Lowe and W. Latham.

Downey’s Barn

Our second stop was at Downey's Cross where in near-by Downey's Barn the Irish Volunteers of Fethard and district met for training and drills. People reminisced about the shop and the platform dances of the Downey's Cross of the past.

Patrick Ryan, Kerry Street, Fethard, in his witness statement to the Bureau of Military History 1913-21, records his time with the Fethard Company Irish Volunteers 1917-1921 in the following excerpt.

“On a night in the early summer of 1917, I attended a meeting which was held in a place called Downey’s Barn at Crampscastle, Fethard. This meeting was called for the purpose of organising an Irish Volunteer company in Fethard and district, and, if I mistake not, the late Paddy Hogan of Cashel, Afterwards Commandant of the 2nd Battalion, was one of those principally concerned in arranging the meeting.

In the election of officers which followed, I was elected as Captain of the company, James Keating of Brookhill was elected 1st. Lieutenant. James Tierney of Fethard was elected Company Adjutant and Tommy Lee of Fethard was elected Company Quartermaster.

There was no activity of note at that time. After the company we formed weekly parades generally at Downey’s Barn, and training in foot drill was engaged in. This training was conducted by the company officers. Later the company officers attended training classes given by the late Sean Treacy at a farmer’s place near Ballinure.”

Everardsgrange Cemetery

At Everardsgrange cemetery, within the church ruins, Marie explained how the manorial system, under the Everard family, led on to the parish system as the lord of the manor decided to build a small church on his demesne.

At the end of Marie's very interesting and informative talk participants shared stories about the locality, while Catherine O’Flynn and Tony Hanrahan supplied all the ‘ramblers’ with tea, coffee and biscuits. Being midsummer, we had the advantage of walking back to Fethard in daylight admiring Slievenamon and the surrounding countryside as we made our way towards home.