The Life
and Times of Art O Laoghaire.
Due
to the recent success of the play “Art and
Eibhlín Dubh” at the Briery Gap in Macroom we
are reprinting the following article which
appeared originally in the Cumann Staire Journal
No. 6 in 1998
1. The events of May 4th.1773.
Art O Laoire was 26, a Captain in the Hungarian
Hussars, a Regiment of Empress Marie Therese’s
Army of Austro-Hungary.
On that day in May he was seen in
Carriganimma, crossing the footbridge over the
River Foherish, and proceeding on horseback
along the ridge on the
Shortly before this, a contingent of soldiers,
led by a local Magistrate, Abraham Morris from
Hanover Hall, also near Macroom, had lined up
along a ditch bordering the pound on the East
side of the River.
Morris gave the order to fire, and the
first shot, which killed Art, came from the
musket of a soldier called Green.
That the killing was Official Execution, or
maybe Legalised Murder, is supported by three
facts.
a. Art had previously been declared an Outlaw
under the provisions of the Penal Laws.
b. The soldier Green was decorated for his
“Gallantry”.
c. Morris himself elected to stand trial by his
peers, the local Magistracy, and was found
innocent of any crime by those Gentlemen.
In more recent years a small monument has been
erected on the spot, which reads
“ar an lathair seo a maraiodh Art O Laoghaire ar
an 4u Bealtaine 1773 ar dheis De go raibh se”
(On this spot, Art O Laoire was killed,
4th.May 1773. RIP)
2. The facts leading up to this incident.
Art was the son of Cornelius O Laoire, and
grandson of Keadagh O Laoire who leased the
Townland of Teergay in Uibh Laoghaire.
These lands had been held for many
generations by this branch of the O Laoire
family.
After Keadaghs death, in 1723, Teergay
was sold to Dr.Edward Barry.
Cornelius at some time prior to 1769 had
taken the lease of Rathleigh House, a fine
Georgian Farm House, where he lived with his
family, including his son Art.
Art was born in 1746.
We know nothing about his early life, but
he was presumably well educated, and the family
lived a comfortable life of Gentleman Farmers,
despite the difficulties of doing so, since they
were Catholics living during the Penal Times.His
father must have been reasonably well off, since
he would have had to purchase the commission in
the Army for Art, as well as the cost of the
journey to Austria.
Cornelius acted as Land Agent for the
Minhear family of Carrigaphooka, and the lease
of Rathleigh House probably formed part of his
deal with these Landlords.
These circumstances were uncommon, but not
totally unknown.
Many such households are described in
Daniel Corkerys “Hidden Ireland”. One other was
that of the O’Connells of Derrynane in the
depths of Co.Kerry.
It was one of those O’Connells, Eibhlin
Dubh, who Art married. They had a romantic
meeting in
Colonel Daniel O’Connell writing to his brother,
Maurice “Hunting Cap” O’Connell from
The O’Connells had made a virtue, and a good
living, out of the smuggling trade.
They did not want any official light cast
on their activities, and to them, Art spelled
Trouble.
He was apparently a brash young man,
proud of his lineage, and his status as on
Officer.
He certainly considered himself a
Gentleman, and had doubts about the similar
credentials of those who persecuted him.
When Art met Eibhlin in 1767 she was aged 23 and
had been a widow since she was 15.
She had been previously married to “old
O’Connor of Firies”, but he had died after six
months of marriage.
Eibhlin was the 5th of the 8 daughters of
Daniel Mor O’Connell, who also had 5 sons and
another 9 children who died young.
She was thus an Aunt of Daniel O’Connell
the Liberator, who was born in 1775.
Art and Eibhlin were married 19th.December 1767
and continued to live with his Father at
Rathleigh House.
It would seem that Art returned to
There was a history of bad blood between Art and
Morris, who was High Sheriff of County Cork in
1771.
In that year we have a dramatic account
of an encounter between the two men which took
place at Hanover Hall on 13th.July.
This first notice was placed in the Cork
Evening Post on 19th.August by Art stating that
he had been charged with different crimes, and
was prepared to stand trial at the next Assizes
in
The later event which we have no written
evidence for, was a claim against Art under the
Penal Laws, which took place in 1773.
The circumstances revolve around the fact
that Art brought back with him from
Morris clearly was using his position as
Magistrate, and at one point High Sheriff, to
further his act of revenge against his enemy.
He had no difficulty in persuading his
fellow Magistrates to support him in his
vendetta, and once proclaimed as an outlaw, Art
could then be shot at sight quite legally.
It is believed that on that May day in 1773 ,
Art knew that Morris was on business in
Millstreet, set off himself to intercept his
enemy on his return, and may well have decided
to kill Morris.
It is also said that Art refreshed
himself in the
It is said that Art, a professional soldier,
judged that he was out of range of the firing
squad, and was in fact tormenting them.
If that is so, he was sadly wrong.
Measurement on the ground shows that he
was killed by a musket shot at about 240 yards,
so his judgement should have been correct.
Perhaps the one shot was a rather unlucky fluke.
There is an interesting theory which throws some
light on this unlucky fluke.
According to Joe O’Leary of Carriganimma
it is widely believed in that area that the
first shot which hit Art in the neck, was in
fact fired at much closer range, when he and his
horse appeared in the view of the soldiers
immediately opposite them on the other side of
the river, and close to the footbridge.
This would be as he came around Joe’s
farm.
The theory is that Art was mortally
wounded but stayed in the saddle for another
hundred yards, then fell from the horse at the
point where the monument is now.
He was then left by the soldiers to bleed
to death at this spot.
This is much more convincing, and means
that the fatal musket shot was fired at a range
of more like 100 yards.
Still a difficult shot, but more
possible.
3.
The many Myths associated with the events.
These
then are the bald facts.
Way beyond these facts has arisen a
wealth of Mythology about the details of the
events.
It is not proposed to go into these in
any detail, but they are of great interest, and
reveal the way that such Mythology is built up.
There is a possibility that much of the
Mythology is built up based on real fact, albeit
somewhat glossed over the years of story
telling.
Thus we learn that Art rode his horse to victory
in a race on Dunisky Racecourse, beating Morris’
horse, and thus provoking the demand for a sale
at £5 by the thwarted loser.
Another version is that Art, on his
horse, took the brush at a meet of the Muskerry
Hounds, with the same result.
It can clearly be read, between the lines, that
Art was a show off.
At these times when Catholics were forced
to keep a low profile in order to survive, he
was to be seen regularly in public, wearing a
red military tunic, and a silver pommelled
sword, and prancing around on a beautiful horse
to the envy of the local squirearchy.
It is also probable that Morris was typical of
his kind of Landlord at that time.
Of low breeding, descended from a
Cromwellian soldier, and elevated by
circumstances to a position he was obviously not
fit for.
4.
The burial of Art.
Curiously, Art’s body received three burials.
Initially he was buried by Eibhlin in the
Old Cemetery of Kilnamartra (Tuath na Dromann),
ie. near to
The stone over his tomb states “Lo Arthur Leary,
Generous, Handsome, Brave, Slain in his bloom,
Lies in this humble grave. Died May 4th.1773.
Aged 26 years.”
This part of the memorial can be seen to this
day.
In 1949 John T.Collins reported seeing a further
addition to this inscription, which was said to
have been added by his grandson, GRP O’Leary.
“Having served the Empress Marie Therese as
Captain of Hungarian Hussars, he returned home
to be outlawed and treacherously shot by order
of the British Government, his sole crime being
that he refused to part with a favourite horse
for the sum of five pounds.”
Mr.Collins adds “It is more than likely
that the part indicting the British Government
was not inserted until the penal laws had become
a dim memory.”
He also noted that the tomb at that time
indicated that Art’s son, Cornelius, and his
grandson, GRP O’Leary, were also interred
herein.
5.Subsequent Events.
Morris may have had his revenge, but that was
not the end of the story.
A Coroners Inquest held on May 17th. produced a
verdict that Abraham Morris and the party of
soldiers were guilty of the wilful and wanton
Murder of Arthur O Laoire.
Art’s brother Cornelius decided to revenge his
dead brother.
He rode into
Cornelius meanwhile had taken passage to
The Magistrates were enraged by this attack.
A Proclamation was issued on 26th.July
against the Perpetrator, and large sums offered
as a reward for bringing him to justice.
But there were no acceptances.
The bird had flown.
At a meeting of the Muskerry Constitutional
Society held in Macroom on 2nd.August, further
support for Morris was shown, and further
rewards offered for the capture of Cornelius,
but without avail.
On the 4th.September Morris submitted himself to
trial by the local Magistrates.
The O’Leary relatives were not
represented, and the party of soldiers involved
had conveniently been sent to the East India
Colonies.
The Cork Evening Post of 6th.September
reported “Last Saturday September 4th. at Cork
Abraham Morris was tried for the killing of
Arthur O’Leary where he was honourably
acquitted”.
6.
The Caoineadh. Eibhlin Dubh Ní Chonnail.
The story of Art O Laoire would probably have
been forgotten long ago, but for the Caoineadh
which was composed over his body at the Wake, by
Eibhlin Dubh.
Keening the dead, was an old tradition,
and the Keen itself followed a well established
pattern.
This was an oral tradition, but in many
cases, as happened here,
the Keen became retold by Seanachies and
others over the subsequent years.
Whether it was improved on as time
passed, we have no means of knowing, but the
version which was finally put to print and
became part of our culture, is regarded as a
master piece of its genre,
has been translated many times, and
is largely responsible for the
continuation of the legend of Art O Laoire.
7.
What was it all about?
It is necessary, at this point, to consider the
wider aspects of the Judicial Murder of Art O
Laoire in 1773.
Was this, as it is often depicted, merely the
petty revenge of a rather mean, pompous and self
important member of the Protestant Ascendancy,
over a member of the Catholic landowning class
who showed a bit more spirit than most?
This view probably does not take full account of
the situation of the time.
This aspect is thoroughly dealt with by
Professor Cullen of TCD in his article in Cork
History and Society entitled “The Blackwater
Catholics and County Cork Society and Politics
in the 18th. century”.
Anyone who really wants to understand
this, and other similar incidents should read
Professor Cullens article in full.
I will only refer to a few points from
that article which are most relevant.
These include.
a. The similarity between the Judicial Murders
of James Cotter (1720), Morty og
O Sullivan (1754), and Art O Laoire
(1773).
b. A similar bloody campaign against recruiting
officers for the Irish Brigade including the
execution of Denis Dunne, Thomas Herlihy, and
Denis McCarthy, Dillon MacNamara and the two
Sheehy brothers plus three minor Catholic
gentlemen, all in the period 1749-1766
c. The similar but less bloody driving out of
the country of the Hennessys (1765) and the
Springhouse McCarthys (1776).
d. A similar campaign against the Nagle families
which resulted in all conforming to the
Protestant religion.
e. The fact that all these took place in Co.Cork
and South Co.Tipperary.
f. There was at this time a move throughout most
of the Country towards a more reasonable
treatment of Catholics, which eventually led to
the Catholic Relief Acts of 1778 and 1793.
These, apart from a realisation that Catholics
might be human beings also, was part of a
Political movement headed by Burke, moving
towards Emancipation, and gradually obtaining
widespread support amongst the Protestant
Ascendancy.
g.
As usual in similar situations, this trend was
strongly opposed by a gradually reducing but
strong Political wing which was Conservative,
Backward looking, Papist hating, Protestant
supporting, and Land owning motivated.
This was led in Parliament by Lord
Shannon, and strongly supported in his home
Cullen is suggesting that Art’s death was merely
one of a number of events towards the later part
of the 18th. c. which were Political,
regressive, and the last kick, as it were of the
Protestant landowning, anti-Papist rump, which
had it’s centre in Co.Cork, and which was acting
against the trend in the Country as a whole.
This is typical of the backlash in the final
phases of an insupportable tyranny, and could be
likened to similar situations in the North of
Ireland in recent years
It is interesting to note that the Muskerry
Constitutional Society was set up in July 1771,
and consisted of about 50 Gentlemen, all
Magistrates and/or Landowners in Co.Cork. Its
first action was the indictment and outlawing of
Art O Laoire in August 1771 on very dubious
legal grounds.
Cornelius was a Landlord like themselves,
albeit a Catholic.
His son Art had publicly advertised that
he was prepared to appear before the next
Assizes to have the matters settled by Law. The
rather arbitrary Outlawing, presumably based on
the possibility that one of their Members had
been humiliated by Art, meant that one of their
Members, the Complainant in fact, was enabled to
take the Law into his own hands, which he did in
May1773.
8.
The genealogy of Art O Laoire.
A look at the Descent of Art O Laoire shows that
he was a direct descendant of Conchobhar O
Laoire of Mannen, who was Chieftain of Uibh
Laoghaire up to 1572.
The direct lineal descendant in 1773 was
Denis O Laoire of Coomlagane near Millstreet,
who was known in Millstreet as “O Leary.”
Art was 5th. cousin to Denis.
This Denis was an even more substantial
Land owner than Cornelius, and was a Magistrate.
Ironically he appears on the list of
Members of the Muskerry Constitutional Society
at it’s formation in 1771, as does Tim O Laoire
of Glasheen in Uibh Laoghaire.
There is no substance in the belief that he was
of the Ballymurphy O Laoire family. This family
came from Kileen in Co.Kerry where they were
tenants of Lord Kenmare.
One Cornelius O Laoire of Ballymurphy,
d.1743, was also buried in Kilcrea.
Cornelius father of Art was still alive
in 1769.
Just because he was buried in the same
cemetery does not make him a relative.
9.
The family descended from Art.
The chart “Descendants of Art O Laoire” brings
us down to the present time.
Eibhlin Dubh had two children at the time
of Art’s death, and was pregnant.
This third child does not seem to have
survived, and we have no knowledge of Fiach and
his subsequent history.
Their first son Cornelius was born August 25th.
1768, and sent to
It was claimed by O Neill Daunt that Cornelius
was brought up as a Protestant, and Fiach as a
Catholic, and this was a not uncommon method of
retaining land in the family.
“That man’s son was the father of two
fine boys, he brought up one of them a
Protestant and the other a Catholic.
The poor children early showed the
belligerent spirit of religious hostility.
They were always squabbling.
The Catholic brother would say “we’ll get
Emancipation in spite of you”
“No, you rascal, “the Protestant brother
would answer, “We’ll keep our foot upon your
necks”.
Cornelius presided at a meeting of Roman
Catholics held in the South Parish Chapel in
1814, so may have reverted to Catholicism by
that date.
Cornelius and Mary produced three sons,
Cornelius Ferdinand Purcell born October
6th.1815, Goodwin Richard Purcell born March
19th.1817, and Arthur.(date unknown).
It is a curious fact that when Cornelius wrote a
short
account of his life in a family bible at
Manch House, he failed to mention his first wife
Rebecca, or his third son Arthur. The account
was written in
CFP O Leary was baptised, confirmed and brought
up as a Protestant. He was sent to
In 1843 he assisted Daniel O Connell in his
campaign for Reform, and attended one of the
Monster Meetings.
The only record we have of him practising as a
Barrister was in a case of Sullivan v. Healey,
in Bantry in 1845.
In the course of this case he described
himself as “a good Catholic”.
He died, still only 31 and unmarried, in 1846 at
Dromore.
The second son, GRP O Leary was also sent to
He was a member of the Cork Archaeological and
Historical Society, and apparently required the
members to address him and his wife as “The O
Leary and Madame O’Leary”, a title to which he
had no good claim.
He did however have another claim to fame. When
The three of them seem to have steered a course
in their religious affiliations, to suit
circumstances at the time, without very much
worry, and probably to their pecuniary benefit.
There are no known living O’Leary descendants of
Art O Laoire.
There is however a lineal descendant
through the distaff side, Mr.Kenneth Barnes, who
lives in
The Descent of Art O Laoghaire.
14/1
Art O Laoghaire of Mannen
________________|______________
|
|
14/2
Lughaid
Tadhg
|
____________|_______________________________
|
|
|
|
14/3
Tadhg
Diarmuid ny Countie
Finin
Auliffe
_______|__________________|__________________
_|__________
|
|
|
|
|
|
15/1
Conchobhar of Mannen
Diarmuid og
Domhnal
Tadhg
Finin og
Tadhg
___|______________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
15/2
Art
Amhlaoibh Ruadh
Conchobhar og
Donnchadh
Diarmuid Ruadh
Laoiseach
| d.1597
k.1600
|
|
|
15/3
Donal mac Airt
Art of Tirgea
|
b.1575
| outlawed 1641
|
|
16/1
Donal og
Art og
|
|
lease of Tirgea 1677
|
|
16/2
Arthur of Millstreet
Lisagh of the Gearagh
|
|
d.1683
|
|
16/3
Daniel
Keadagh
d.1747 “old
Cady of Tirgeah”
|
|_______________________________________________
|
|
|
|
17/1
Denis of Coomlegane
Cornelius of Rathleigh
Arthur
Lewis
|
_
|_________________________________
d.1777
|
|
|
|
17/2
Helen
Art of Rathleigh
Cornelius
Catherine
d.1818
b.1746
k.1773
The Descendants of Art O Laoghaire.
17/2
Art O Laoghaire of Rathleigh m. Eibhlín
Dubh Ní Chonnaill
|
1746-1773
________________|______________
|
|
17/3
Conor
Fiach
|
1768-1846
____|_____________________________________________
|
|
|
18/1
Cornelius
Ferdinand Purcell
Goodwin Richard Purcell
Arthur
1815-1846
1817-1876
|
|
18/2
Cornelius of Dromore
|
d.1897
_________________________________________________|
|
|
|
18/3
Mrs.Margaret Atkinson
Miss Sarah O’Leary
Mrs.Aileen Rowah-O’Sullivan
of Dromore
|
|
19/1
Miss Rowah-O’Sullivan
m. G.Coughlan
|
|
|
19/2
Miss
Madge Coughlan
m. Capt.Barnes
|
_____________________|______________
|
|
19/3
Kenneth Barnes of
Paper prepared and read to the Third O Leary
Gathering in Inchigeelagh by Peter O Leary,
13th.September 1998.