On this Sunday, 10th September at 12.30, the James Fitzgerald Brass Band and Mitchelstown Heritage Society are coming together in New Market Square to commemorate the 130th Anniversary of the Mitchelstown Massacre.
A brief ceremony including traditional music, poetry and history will mark this significant date in Mitchelstown’s history and to remember the four men: John Shinnick of Fermoy, John Casey of Kilbehenny and Michael Lonergan of Galbally and John Mandeville who, months later, would die due to his maltreatment in prison.
All members of the public are invited to attend this simple ceremony to mark this major event in The Land War.
Seanie Chamberlain and the James Fitzgerald Brass Band have traditionally marked this anniversary with a musical recital in New Square, they will be joined by Bill Power and Mitchelstown Heritage Society to mark this historic event.
For those unaware of the events of 1887 in Mitchelstown or the reasons for the John Mandeville Statue – he was a local Catholic landowner, living at Cloonkilla, just outside the Demesne Wall on the Kildorrery Road. While he was relatively well off, he had a huge concern for the plight of the poor tenants of Ireland, who had little or no rights. He became a central figure in the Land War, lesser only in importance to Charles Stuart Parnell and William O’Brien.
Full story in this week’s Print & Digital Edition
