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Kellistown - Past and Present
From the Pat Purcell Papers, contributed by Michael Purcell
From "The Nationalist and Leinster Times" newspaper,
Saturday, 1st March 1919
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Our Readers' Views
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Kellistown Past and Present
To the Editor of "The Nationalist and Leinster Times"
Sir - Much local interest has been lately evinced in connection with the lands of Kellistown, situated between Carlow and Tullow. This grazing ranch of fourteen hundred acres - in the possession of Mr. Doyne, Wells, Wexford, is causing more than usual notoriety.
Some time ago it was rumoured that this ranch was to be disposed of but nothing definite was known, till circulars came to light announcing the sale. Immediately the local inhabitants, who ought to be mostly concerned about this transaction, called a meeting to protest against the manner in which this property was about to be disposed of. The speeches delivered at that meeting will no doubt show to a great extent the feelings of the people. Recently notes of "Kellistown Past" came into our possession which we think ought to be re-printed in your columns. They are from the able pen of Mr. P. McDonald, a native of Tinryland, whose historical erudition is only equaled by his love for the old land. Hence we shall esteem it a great favour, if in the interests of Kellistown and its inhabitants, you afford us space for what must be certainly considered a very exhaustive historical research.
The antecedents of Mr. Doyne came into possession of these lands, according to Ryan, the Historian, in the reign of Queen Anne; the writer does not specify the reasons why - presumably it is better left unwritten; possible Christmas boxes were much in vogue at the time., which are now unfortunately as dead as the Queen herself. Since this reign the Doyne family has stuck to these lands with proverbial tenacity.
Some time ago there were abortive attempts made to redress the uneconomic stress to this locality. Mr. Doyne forestalling all possible contingencies by making a tenant of his son.
On the 25th of May, 1798, a jeremiad of lamentations went up from the broken hearts of 28 widows in Kellistown, their husbands, sons and relatives having fought and fallen for self-determination in Carlow. In consequence of their noble action their wives and children were cast upon the roadside, their houses fired and all the shocking brutalities of the time ensued.
About the year 1844 the fiendish work of eviction was completed. Almost thirty families were victims of the blasting tyranny of landlordism. This wholesale depopulation occurred in the district called Castlequarter at the hands of Carter and Elliot.
The late evictions are so vivid in the minds of the old inhabitants that they
cite one case where a poor woman named Lawlor received the last ministrations of the Church at 4 a.m., evicted at 7, and at 9 her soul had found peace with God.
As you stand by the old Church of Kellistown, built according to tradition by the hands of the great St. Patrick, what thoughts must naturally fill your soul with anguish when you behold those fertile lands, consecrated by the footprints of the great Apostle, and rich in the historic lore of Kings and Princes, and in later time to be the Gethsemane of the Irish peasant crushed and broken beneath the lordly hand of the oppressors of '98 and '44. Does not hell itself sicken at the thought?
We are told by Historians that in 1807, when the present Protestant Church was built by the wanton destruction of the Church and Round Tower of St. Patrick by those who in imitation of their continental masters, tore asunder the seamless robes of Christ, there then lived in Kellistown six hundred and sixty-two people, of which now only a fraction remains.
A time has now arrived to assuage in some manner the horrors of the past, and once more the fair lands of Kellistown to become the property of those whose ancestors worshipped at the Shrine of the Irish Apostle, It is now for Mr. Doyne to decide. That decision will cost him nothing; these lands will be paid for at their full market value, the only obstacle being to break up some of the tenancies to suit the pockets of the poor.
So far Mr. Doyne has refused this reasonable demand.
A monster meeting of the county is summoned for to-morrow (Sunday), whereat in no unmistakeable language the hopes, aspirations and rights of a spirited people will be fearlessly voiced. A Defence Fund has been opened to which a generous response is already forthcoming; but it must be doubled and redoubled for impending agitation which will be maintained according to true Christian principles.
Wherefore, men of Carlow rally to the call and help us for the justice of our cause. We are not actuated by greed or vengeance, but we are strongly in the pursuit of fair play and justice, recognizing in all things charity, the Queen of Virtues. - Faithfully yours,
J.C. Kelly, C.C.
E. E. Campion, C.C.
Rathoe, 26th Feb 1919
Some Descendants of Evicted Tenants of Kellistown Farm
James P. Hanlon, Glenarry, Bagenalstown; James Hanlon, Spahill, Borris; Denis Hanlon, Cuffsgrange, Kilkenny; James Tracey, Ballymartin, Borris; John Fenlon, Ballyellen, Bagenalstown;
Laurence Cummins, Kilcool, Rathoe; Pat Ryan, Knockbower, Carlow; James Byrne, Grangeforth; Jos Gorman, George Dean, Kellistown; Edward Hickey, Roscat; Thomas Nolan, Slyguff Lock, Bagenalstown; Michael Murphy, Kellistown Church; Michael Hughes, Carlow; Edwd Hughes, do; Patrick Byrne, Kilmeany; Thos Ryan, Graignaspidogue; John Doyle, Castlequarter; Maurice O'Neill, Ardristan; Ellen Curran, Doonane; Ml. Curran, do; Joe Sweeney, Rathrush; Mrs. M. Mahon, Castlequarter; Edward Butler, do; Peter Lucas, Gilbertstown; Mrs. Mary Dowling, Brown's Hill; Patrick Hayden, Castlequarter district; Jas Haydenm do; Terry Halligan, Andrew Dwyer, Ptk Lawler, Michael Hayden, John Halligan. William McClain, John McClain, John Barrington, Abey Byrne, Murtha Lawlor, James Ryan, Mike Corrigan, John Lawlor,
Larry Cummins, James Cummins, Joseph Boland, Patrick Ryan, William Byrne, James Garrett, Mike Byrne, P. Eustace, James Hanlon, Mrs. M. Dwyer, Michael Dunne, John Doyle.
We take the following extracts from a sketch from "MacDonnell's Collections," published in our journal in July 1907 -
About four and a half miles directly east of the present town of Ceatharloch is situated the very historical townsland of Cell Osnadh or Ceann Losnada (now called Kellistown). Cell Osnadh means "Cell or Church of Sighs"; Ceann Losnada is only used in Latin writings referring to the same place, and is but a corruption of the former name. History points out Cell Osnadh as the site of a great battle between the Parthalonians and the Fomorians, a few years prior to the battle of Cuamh-ros (fought A M 2,859, that is 639 years after the Flood). The site of the battle of Cuamh-ros is marked by the great cromleach in Kernanstown or Brown's Hill, which is the last resting place of a Nemedian chief who was killed by the Fomorians, a race of sea robbers, at the very spot where the huge monument now stands.
In the Annals of the Four Masters the following account is given: - Cath Chellosnadh - Aois Criost ceithre ced ochtmoghae a naoi an taonmadh blaldhain deg do Lughaidh Maccaille eiped dece, Aongus Mac Natfraoich si Mumnan do tuitim hi ecath Chellosnadh Ia Muirceratach Mac Earca lae h-Iollann Nac Dunlaing la h-ailill Mac Dunlaing ocus de h-Eochaidh nGuinich dia nebradh. The following is the translation: - Battle of Kellistown - Year of Christ 489, in the eleventh year of Lughaidh Maccaille's reign, the good Bishop Aongus, son of Natfraoich, King of Munster, fell in the battle of Kellistown (in war) against Muirceratach son of Earca, Iollann son of Dunlaing (Dowling), Ailill son of Dunlaing and Eochaidh nGuinich. Record of this battle is thus rendered in Latin in the "Book of Ulster": A.D. 489 - Bellum Cinn Lusnado ubi cecidit aengus, filius Natfraich righ Mumhan, ut cuana scripsit." In English - The battle of Kellistown in which Aengus, son of Natfraich, King of Munster, was killed as Cuana wrote.
In "Sweetman's calendar" (1302-7) there is mention of a rectory in Kellistown the charters of which were confirmed by Thomas Dennus, Bishop of Ferns (1363-1400). In 1649 Cromwell appeared before Kellistown on the 7th day of October on his way from Dublin to Wexford and spent a few hours in tumbling down by means of his cannons all the Irish buildings that crowned the hill. Kellistown was originally owned by Clann Ul Chumainn or O'Cuman's descendants. On all sides of the hill the mounds of earth within which they lived can still be seen. Clan Cumann
(Cummins) remained in possession for ages, but were at last defeated by Clan Ul Cheallaigh (the O'Kelly clan). Cummian of Durrow was a Kellistown man of great importance. He was abbot in the monastery of Durrow about A.D. 640, where he spent a great deal of his time in translating the classics into Irish. The Kelly Clan changed the name Cill Osnadh to Baile Ul Cheallaigh (the town of O'Kelly). This name changed to Kellystown and then to Kellistown as it is to-day. The spelling Kelvstown was used on a monument raised here in 1832. On the morning of the 24th of May, 1798, a large body of Kellys left Kellistown, and marched for Carlow to help the Irish forces to redeem the town. On reaching the outskirts of Carlow they were met by a priest who asked where they were going to. They told him. "Alas," he cried, "you are coming more than a hundred years too soon." They entered the town, joined in the battle, and fell in their country's cause. Next morning twenty-seven widows were "thrown out" and their houses leveled on Kellistown Hill. Then for the first time within history's record a calm - a solemn monotonous calm - fell on Cill Osnadh. In the year 1811 a Protestant Church was erected here, the tower of which can be seen for miles around.
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