Easter Rising remembered at Cork commemoration event at Kerry Pike

The annual St Vincent's GAA Club Easter 1916 Rising Commemoration took place on Easter Sunday at the Memorial Monument at Kerry Pike.

The event honoured the “Ballycannon Boys”, six young IRA volunteers shot down by British Crown Forces on March 23 1921 in the vicinity of Ballycannon Park and Memorial Garden.

The six young men were Daniel Crowley, aged 23; Thomas Dennehy, aged 21; Daniel Murphy, aged 24; Jeremiah O'Mullane, aged 23 and Michael O'Sullivan, aged 20, all from Blarney St, and William Deasy, aged 20 from Mount Desert.

The parade was led by piper, Brian O’Rourke, who was following in his father, Norman’s, footsteps. Club president William Leahy laid a wreath and secretary, Lisa Daly, read the proclamation of independence.

Club chairman, David Collins, gave the oration, saying: “It is an honour and indeed a privilege to speak here at our Easter Sunday remembrance for the Ballycannon Boys.

“The story of the Ballycannon massacre carried out by the British “black and tans” is one of terror and pain, felt with great sadness in Cork but particularly in the area of Blarney St where the young men were born and reared and where our club was founded.

“As time passes and as those who have always come here to remember can no longer come, as new families come into the area, the six young men will always be remembered and this tradition must always be kept alive in their names.” 

The ceremony ended with the recitation of a decade of the Rosary, playing of Amhran na bhFiann and the sounding of the Last Post by trumpeter, Stephen O’Malley.

Councillor Kenneth Collins, one of the organisers, told The Echo: “This annual commemoration is at the heart of the club, the young men murdered by British forces came from the area.

“The club is apolitical, but when it comes to this event we are political. There was a great turnout of around 60 to 70 people, with club members, people from the community and family members of one of the deceased, Thomas Dennehy.

“Our chairperson David Collins gave a fantastic oration, he mentioned the role of women, how the Easter Lily is 100 years this year and Cuman na mBán introduced it, and he spoke about the importance of ladies football and camogie, his words were fantastic.”