Community notes Oct 15th

Rosary at The Grotto

The rosary will be recited at The Grotto at the Main Street entrance to the church each evening during the month of October at 8pm.

100 Years Ago

On Wednesday last a group of local historians gathered at Clogagh graveyard and afterwards at Church Bridge, Timoleague to honour Daniel O’Donovan of Clogagh who lost his life during the destruction of the bridge. A number of relatives of Daniel who was also known as Sonny, were also present. Daniel was involved in the setting up of the Clogagh company together with his brother Lar and their sister Janie was also active in Cumann na mBan. The bridge was the focus of many attacks during the War of Independence and The Civil War. Several attempts were made to blow it up but though it was damaged it was never fully destroyed. The local volunteers pressganged people in the locality to finish off the job by night but soldiers of The Essex Regiment who were stationed in the locality commandeered the same people to rebuilt and repair it. In early October 1922 a group of anti-treaty IRA men decided to destroy the bridge. They failed to complete the job. Sonny was none too happy with the outcome and decided to take to the water in a little boat and armed with a crowbar tried to dislodge the key stone. Dislodge it he did but unfortunately the bridge collapsed down on him. His body wasn’t discovered until the following March when after a storm it was washed up in a little inlet along The Burren road. He was waked at The O’Neill home at Maryborough and buried at Clogagh graveyard. He held the rank of captain in the Clogagh Company. A monument was erected at the bridge to honour his memory.