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The Reaping of Mollough

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John O' Mahony is a well known name in Ballyneale.  It was because of him that the Reaping of Mollough took place in 1848.  Mollough is situated two miles from Ballyneale.  John O' Mahony was a member of the Young Irelanders.  This was an organisation that was against British rule in Ireland.  Its members used armed force to achieve their objectives.

John O' Mahony was born in 1816 at Ballycurkeen House in Mollough.  He was a highly educated person and he was a farmer. In one English newspaper, "The Hue and Cry", he was described as "farmer, forty years of age; five feet eleven inches in height; fair sandy hair; grey eyes; coarse face, red, like a man given to drink: high cheekbones; wants several of his teeth; very vulgar appearenc; peculiar, coarse, unpleasant voice; dressed respectably; small, short, red whiskers"   It is clear from this description that he was not held in high regard by the British and they exaggerated his appearance  greatly.

Ballycurkeen House wher John O' Mahony was born.

John O' Mahony stayed in this house, now a guesthouse, in Ninemilehouse on his return to Mollough.

In 1848, a brief clash occured with fifty policemen and some Young Irelanders at a farmhouse in Ballingarry, Co. Tipperary.  One of the group, O' Brien was arrested while the others escaped into the surrounding countryside.  Among those who escaped was John O' Mahony.  He was on the run from the English so he returned to Mollough.

However he had a large crop of corn to harvest at Mollough.  In anticipation of his return to Mollough, a large number of troops had been drafted into Carrick-on-Suir some days previously and from there they carried out numerous raids throughout the district. 

It was rumoured that it was the intention of the troops to prevent the harvesting from taking place, and that anyone who might help in the reaping would be arrested and jailed.  When O' Mahony arrived in the district the orevious night, he was told by his friends to go into hiding.  This he decided to do only after great persuasion.

The following morning a grea number of men assenbled and, just as they were about to begin harvesting, a large number of mounted troops arrived.  The reapers brandished their hooks and a number of scuffles took place.  The troops, with their pistols drawn, inspected the angry men and asked if  O' Mahony was present.  On realising that he wasn't present the disappointed troops remounted, and what might have turned into a sreious situation passed off peacefully enough.  meanwhile, the brave reapers set about their work, singing patriotic songs, until all the wheat was reaped and stooked.

To  go to poem "The  Reaping of Mollough click here.

Some days later the barracks at Glenbower was attacked and two of the attackers were killed.  A reward was now offered for the capture of or any information leading to the capture of John O' Mahony.   But he had managed to leave the country and was now in America.  In America with Doheny and Stephens, he helped set up the Fenian movement. Later, when he was writing to realtives in Ireland he paid tribute to all those who had helped him and especially the reapers of Mollough. John O' Mahony died in 1877 and he is undoubtedly one of Ballyneale's most famous people.

The Barracks at Glenbower which was attacked by the Fenians.