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Subj: [IRELAND] Women of Ireland series: The Women of 1798
Date: 1/12/01 12:46:04 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: Steeler059@aol.com
To: IRELAND-L@rootsweb.com
The Women of 1798
Information on the women of 1798 relies mainly on their own accounts and on
contemporary ballads. There is little mention of women in the written
histories of the country. They did not have a vote or could not hold property
in their own right. This article is dedicated to the Irish Women of 1798 may
their efforts and heroism never be forgotten.
Molly Weston
On 26 May Molly and her brother of Worganstown, County Meath, having
recruited and organised the United Irishmen in the Fingal area, rode on
horseback into Tara, County Meath. She was described as ``handsome and
vivacious, quick in mind, active in body...a daring and accomplished
horse-woman''.
``Arrayed in green... mounted on a white horse, [she] rode hither and thither
upon the field with drawn sword in hand, rallying the pikemen and leading
them in successive charges with the utmost fearlessness'' (Patrick Archer,
``Fingal in 1798'').
``She wore a green riding costume, with gold braid in the manner of a uniform
and a green cocked hat with a white plume. She was armed with sword and
pistols and was accompanied by her four brothers when she rode into battle.
Weston rallied and regrouped the stricken pikemen; she placed herself at
their head and led repeated charges against the Reagh Fencibles.''
She fired a big gun captured from the Fencibles during the course of the
battle, killing eleven of their number. Molly died along with her four
brothers at the Battle of Tara. Her side-saddle was recovered from the
battlefield
Mary Doyle
Mary Doyle of the Battle of New Ross fame came from Castleboro and lived ``a
charmed life, moving from point to point where the fighting was heaviest''. A
single woman of 30 years who was engaged to the famous Kelly of Killanne
(hanged in Wexford), ``she bore herself as gallantly as the most courageous
man...[and] made herself useful by cutting with a bill-hook the cross belts
of the fallen dragoons, and handing them, together with the cartouche boxes,
to her comrades''.
When the United Irish army were leaving the field of battle despondent at not
having captured the town she sat on a cannon, refusing to move unless they
took it with them. Thus she embarrassed them into taking with them the last
of the six pieces of artillery they had captured.
Another Mary Doyle was the County Wicklow woman who eloped with the rebel
leader Michael O'Dwyer during that turbulent year. She operated against the
crown forces with Michael and the remnants of the United Irish army in their
stronghold of County Wicklow for five years following the collapse of the
1798 rising. Despite being captured and being wooed by a loyalist, Lord
Huntley, she refused to reveal Michael's whereabouts and managed to trick
Huntley into meeting her by a stream at night. Michael turned up disguised as
his wife and Lord Huntley was found dead shortly afterwards.
Mary followed her partner to Australia after his transportation there in 1803
after five years on the run. They had seven children before Michael died in
1825. Mary survived him by 35 years, dying in 1861.
Margaret Bond
Margaret Bond, wife of Oliver Bond, also famed for smuggling documents into
Kilmainham gaol in freshly baked pies
Matilda Tone
Martha `Matilda' Witherington was 29 when her husband died in mysterious
circumstances after his trial in the Provost Jail in Dublin on 19 November
1798. Similar to many of the leaders' partners she endured much hardship,
worry and disruption in her life with her husband's constant travel for the
United Irish cause. When she was ``not 16 years of age'', she eloped with
Theobald Wolfe Tone, then 21, and stayed in Maynooth till her parents' anger
abated. She remained estranged from her family and came to regard the Tones
as her family.
Of her three children only William lived beyond his teens. He joined
Napoleon's army and later accompanied Matilda to the United States after she
married Thomas Wilson in Paris in 1816. Along with William she ensured that
her husband's memory and ideals lived on in the biography they published in
1826. Matilda died in 1849, aged 80 having survived all three of her children
Anne Flood
Anne Flood had a farmhouse at Garrystackle, not many miles from the hill of
Bree in County Wexford. Her family's sympathies lay with the United Irishmen,
but they were not directly involved in the fighting. When an abusive Hessian
captain invaded her home a few days after the United Irish defeat at New Ross
she took the opportunity presented. When he bent over to relight his pipe she
struck him a mortal blow with a lump of timber and concealed the body in a
shallow grave with the help of a maid who returned that evening.
Susan O'Toole
Hester Long (Holt's wife) and the wounded Ann Byrne (shot in a crown forces
raid on the camp) were among the ``several women in the camp'' which General
Joseph Holt of the people's army in County Wicklow referred to. Another was
Susan O'Toole who would visit them regularly. Holt referred to her in his
memoirs as `The Moving Magazine' as she would move weaponry and ammunition
around the county for the rebels under her skirt.
She was a daughter of the blacksmith, Phelim O'Toole from Annamoe. An only
child she was equal to all the tasks in the forge. At the age of 30 she was
around five foot eight and went about the county and amongst the English and
loyalist troops selling delicacies as a cover for her clandestine activities.
She would bribe them for weapons, which she would then bring to the camp.
``She had an extraordinary ability to change her whole appearance. With her
dirty pepper and salt coloured frieze cloak, her stoop and drooped jaw, she
could appear a decrepit miserable baccagh (cripple) scarcely able to crawl,
but when it was necessary to act with vigour, her powerful muscles and brawny
limbs made her more than a match for any man. A blow from her clenched fist
was like the kick of a horse,'' Holt said of her:
``A spy on the movements of the army, and a most useful ally I found her. The
slightest motion was instantly communicated by her means to my outposts, and
they speedily conveyed the intelligence into headquarters; so we were
tolerably safe against surprise. I consider her my chiefest treasure and
ordered her to be supplied with the best my camp could afford.''
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Subj: [IRELAND] Ancient gods and goddesses of Ireland series: Morrigan
Date: 1/12/01 1:08:22 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: Steeler059@aol.com
To: IRELAND-L@rootsweb.com
Morrigan
The Morrigu (More-ee-oo)- The trifold Goddess. The Morrigu is actually three
aspects of a single goddess, each practically a goddess in their own right
(and they are often worshipped separately). They are: Badha (Bah-wa)- The
goddess of feminine youth, maidenhood, and sexuality. Badha is often seen in
visions as a young, beautifull woman, and drives men into frenzies during
these visions. She is the patron of sexuality and the emergence of womanhood.
Reigned over the battlefields, helping with her magic but did not join in the
battles. Associated with crows & ravens.
The Crone aspect of the Goddess; Great White Goddess; Great Mother; Moon
Goddess; Queen of the fairies. In her dark aspect (the symbol is then the
raven or crow) she is the Goddess of war, fate death; she went fully armed &
carried two spears. The carrion crow is her favorite disguise.
Goddess of rivers, lakes & fresh water. Patroness of priestesses & witches.
Revenge, night, magic, prophecy.
Her symbol was the raven or crow. Like many Goddesses, She was a
shapechanger. She often turned into a raven or hooded crow. The carrion crow
is her favorite disguise.
Morrigan and Cu Chulainn
History always seems to have a story for us. So does Morrigan. She fell in
love....
She appeared to the hero Cu Chulainn (son of the god Lugh) and offered her
love to him.
Cu however failed to recognize her and rejected her. She appeared to him on
four occasions and he failed to recognize her again and again.
When she appeared to him and declared her love for him.
After he had wounded her, she appeared to him as an old hag and he offered
his blessings to her, which caused her to be healed.
On his way to his final battle, he saw the Washer at the Ford, who declared
that she was washing the clothes and arms of Cu Chulainn, who would soon be
dead.
When he was forced by three hags (the Morrigan in Her triple aspect) to
break a taboo of eating dogflesh.
She told him that she would hinder him when he was in battle. When Cu
Chulainn was eventually killed, she sit on his shoulder as a crow. Cu's
misfortune was that he never recognized the feminine power of sovereignity
that she offered to him.
For more information on Morrigan try the below site. Thanks to Morrigan for
sending it in to us.
http://www.imbas.org/morrigan.htm
Morrigan also sent in this great site for the article on the god Lugh.
http://www.imbas.org/lugus.htm
==== IRELAND Mailing List ====
De nobis fabula narratur, their story is our story
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Subj: [IRELAND] Irish Potato and Leek Soup
Date: 1/12/01 1:24:31 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: Steeler059@aol.com
To: IRELAND-L@rootsweb.com
Irish Potato and Leek Soup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups leeks (about 2 medium leeks), chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium white potatoes, coarsely chopped (peeled, if desired) 4 cups
vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups light cream or milk
1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley, dill, or tarragon), chopped
Servings: 6 - 8
In a large saucepan, heat the oil and add the leeks, celery, onion and
garlic. Sauté over medium heat for about 7 minutes, until the vegetables are
soft. Stir in the vegetable stock or water, potatoes, salt, pepper and thyme;
bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the
potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Add the light cream and herbs and
return to a light simmer, stirring occasionally.
Remove the soup from the heat and let sit a few minutes before serving. To
thicken, either mash the potatoes against the side of the pan with the back
of a spoon or puree batches of the soup in a blender or food processor. Serve
with warm bread.
Well nice to see you and Happy New Year to you Sean. :-)
Maureen
----- Original Message -----
From: <SeanCaughey@newmail.rootsweb.com>
To: <IRELAND-L@rootsweb.com>
Sent: Friday, January 12, 2001 3:03 PM
Subject: [IRELAND] GLENANAAR
A chairde,
I wonder how many of you have read 'Glenanaar' by Canon Sheehan? This book
is
part of the Talbot Library of Standard Authors and was published by the
Educational Company of Ireland Ltd, many, many years ago.
As my wife, Eithne, is on holidays with her two sisters in the Canary
Islands, I decided to do a bit of clearing out. In the process, I dumped
about 80 coat hangers and found the book which I read for the first time
this
week. I really enjoyed the story about a way of life in Ireland now gone
forever.
Chapter XII 'The Great Snow' starts on page 129:
... It was the first fall of the 'Great Snow," which commenced that night of
the 15th February, 1837, lasted for three days, and remained two months on
the ground, blotting out every trace of verdure, and imprisoning hundreds of
people, who, far away from the towns, had to endure the horrors of a
half-famine during those miserable weeks.
At nine o'clock that night there were three feet of snow in the yard and
fields around Glenanaar; and deeper drifts in the hollows beneath hedges, or
piled against stable walls, where the light wind had drifted them, and no
stronger wind could dislodge them.
>From time to time, Donal and Owen and the servant-man came into the yard,
sweating and panting, as they flung down a sheep or lamb, which they had
saved. And every time they went forth, their quest became more dangerous and
trying, as their strength grew less beneath the strain, and the snow mounted
higher and higher in soft hillocks, which concealed dangerous places, and
made by their very sinking and yielding beneath the feet the task of walking
painful and laborious.
It was ten o'clock, and the snow was yet falling in larger and thicker
flakes, when the boys announced that all the sheep had been brought into
safe
shelter, but that a few lambs had been lost in the snow.
"Thank God, we won't miss them", said the bean a' tigh. "Was Nodlag's lamb
brought in?" "Nodlag's?" said Donal, half dazed and blinded from the snow
and
the fierce exertion he had made.
"Yes," said his mother. "Her pet lamb, with the blue ribbon around her
neck."
"I don't know," said Donal, wearily, and half asleep on the hard sofa.
"Where is Nodlag herself ?" said Edmond Connors, turning around from the
fire.
"Where would she be, but in bed these hours?" said his wife. "Look, Joan,
and
see how's the child!"
Joan took up the candle, and entered the bedroom, where Nodlag's tiny cot
lay
close up against one of the larger bedsteads. She returned in a moment with
a
face full of terror. "Nodlag is not here!" she said.
==== IRELAND Mailing List ====
De nobis fabula narratur, their story is our story
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ireland
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