Two years ago, I commented on the plaque at the Pass of Keimaneigh and the fact that it appeared unusual in recording the name of the British soldier who also died in the battle. I was reminded of this when I spotted this headstone to John Smith in the Old Cemetery in Inchigeela.
Then reading Stories from The Tailor, the memory was received another stir.
When chatting with CC, he mentioned the War of Independence memorial to Criostóir Ó Luasaig, who was the great grandson of the man it is believed killed, Soldier John Smith – Seamus Walsh. He also mentioned that John Smith’s body was originally buried in a bog, not far from where Criostóir Ó Luasaig died.
Once more, the more that one learns, the more one realises what is yet to be learnt.
“Here the narrator seems to have been mistaken or misinformed. The Yeomen were a corps of Protestant tenants and townsmen recruited to assist the British crown forces when called upon and to keep the British authorities informed as to any suspected anti-British subversive activities, whereas the Whiteboys were an organisation of Catholic farmers and their sons pledged to resist the exaction of tithes from catholics for the support of the Protestant clergy. We should also mention that the Irish term gíománach meaning ‘a yeoman’ might also signify ‘a coachman’ or even ‘a strong, stalwart and daring young man’. | “HERE REST THE REMA “Keimaneigh is full of rocks. A tall rock of these is known as Carrig na nGíománach (The Yeoman’s Rock). The Whiteboys were the Yeomen. It was they who fought in the Battle of Keimaneigh.” |
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