The Waterford Archaeological and Historical
Society 2026 – 2027 lecture series kicks-off at 8 pm on Friday, September 25th,
when James Ryan, will deliver a talk titled John O’Mahony’s insurrection in
Carrick on Suir South Kilkenny and East Waterford in 1848, in St. Patrick’s
Gateway Centre, Waterford (Eircode X91 YX61).
This
lecture tells the
remarkable true story of one man`s attempt to start an insurrection in 1848
against the English establishment in Ireland that resulted in him being forced
to confront the Catholic clergy and the English establishment in Ireland at a
time when the Great Famine was laying a dark wreath across the Irish landscape.
Having initially received support from the Catholic Church to set up
Confederation Clubs in the area, John O’Mahony would now be hailed with joy by
the poorer class in society with no doubt about the readiness of the people to
fight. But within a number of weeks, the support he had received from the clergy
would change. They would go on to withdraw their support using the altar to
implore the people at a critical time not to take part with promises from one
priest that-
“In
a fortnight when the harvest is ripe, I shall then perhaps lead you myself and
I can do more with my little finger than all your chiefs backed by all your
pikes.” and “that he would put himself at the head of the people if they but
waited three weeks." (for the harvest to finish)
This
was at a time of both huge social and moral injustice where the landed gentry
enjoyed the finer things in life, with Lord Waterford regularly out fox hunting
four days a week with the local magistrate and with the bosses of the local
factories. At the same time, famine was stalking the countryside and
unemployment was taking its toll, forcing people in huge numbers to emigrate or
give up on life. As a young man of thirty- three John O`Mahony had a vision of
a better Ireland.
With
a series of photo composites using actual locations, Carrick on Suir, the
Slatequarries, Glenbower, Portlaw, Curraghmore House, Grannagh and Kilmacow,
John O’Mahony’s dramatic story is told.
Jim
Ryan is a native of South Kilkenny and lives within miles of some of the events
that the lecture talks about, He is an avid local historian having written one
book on the local history in his area and another on the attempted insurrection
that took place in Carrick and would spread to other areas in 1848. He has also
been involved in recording local history in the Piltown area. His belief, that
unless the local history is recorded on paper for future generations, it is
lost forever. To record this history requires that old newspapers, reading
historical stories and talking to the local population has to take place. He
uses his passion for photography and sometimes composites to help record events
and tell the story on events that happened in the past.
Jim
is well travelled and has seen how our rich history in Ireland compared to
other countries gives us a deep sense of pride in our history and in our
culture..
****************
FORTHCOMING LECTURES *****************
30/10/2026
Dr Bernadette Cunningham Medieval pilgrims from Ireland to Santiago de
Compostela
27/11/2026
Dr Antonia Hart Waterford women in business in the late nineteenth and early
twentieth
