FEBRUARY 2003

stories of inistioge, kilkenny

The shooting on brandon

August the 7th,1888, a true story I will tell
How three Carlowmen did the Barrow cross
To shoot on Brandon Hill;
In Galavan's House on the other side
They stayed till the break of day
Then with dog and guns they set out on foot
All ready for the fray.

James Doran and Pierce Dreelan,
He was from Ballycrinnigan town,
With Patrick Byrne from Bally beg, a place of high renown.
They came upon the keeper as they reached the Tighe Estate,
Some angry words they did exchange,
Now the tale I will relate....

"The dog I'll shoot if ye don't retreat,"
Said the keeper in a rage.
But Patrick Byrne in quick reply gave warning at this stage:
"If you shoot Brae's dog, you'll not speak again!" and
Patrick he was upset.
But the dog was shot, then the keeper fell
As did Patrick we regret.

Pierce Dreelan and James Doran, they went down across the hill
To Kenny's house in Blessington, the house is standing still.
James Doran went to Boris along Clashganny Road
He reversed the time on Borris' clock, a true story I was told.
Dr. Brae came from Rathangan by train to Thomastown;
He was then conveyed by horse and trap, and
To the Quay in Graigue was bound.
Blindfolded he was taken into O'Leary's house
In the forehead of Pierce Dreelan
Some grains of shot he found.

Good people went up the Hill to Patrick Byrne's aid,
His thigh was bound with braces tight
And upon a creel he was laid.
They moved him then to Galavan's house
Down by Ballavarra Hill
As twas all in vain, God rest his soul
And with grief their hearts did fill.

Now the funeral of the late Patrick Byrne
Was the saddest of them all,
As it made its way down through High Street
The torch lights they recall -
The men held forks with lighted turf.
Sure, many a tear was shed
All on the way to the Church in Glynn
For the one they loved was dead.

Luke Morrissey, Graignamanagh

On this day: Four gamekeepers of Colonel Tighe (of Woodstock Estate, Inistioge) went out to look after the preserve, on which much depredation had been done of late by poachers.When about half way up the hill they met three poachers with blackened faces.The poachers were armed with shotguns and had three Irish setter dogs with them.

On arriving within speaking distance of one another, the gamekeepers ordered the poachers off. They obeyed, retiring to the bounds of the adjoining lands of Lord Clifden.

Later that day the gamekeepers found the poachers again, on Lord Clifden's estate When they ordered the poachers to leave and the poachers refused, Michael Walsh told them that if they did not go he would have to shoot the dogs.

During all this the poachers said little for fear of their voices being known.The gamekeeper, Michael Walsh, shot a setter.

On hearing the shot Patrick Byrne came running down the hill shouting "See here - if you shoot that dog, by heavens, I'll kill you." He had been under the impression that the shot was only meant to frighten them. Michael Walsh was then wounded on the right side of the head, a portion of the skull being blown off. Patrick was shot in the lower part of the right thigh and the flesh fearfully torn. It is believed that he must have bled to death.

At the same time two other gamekeepers fired at the other setters but did not hit them.The other two poachers fired at the gamekeepers and fire was returned, but the poachers fired again and wounded the gamekeepers, one, Henry James, in the arm and John Lackey in the legs.

At the inquest a New Ross solicitor, Dr. William f. Browne, maintained that the shooting of the setter, which led to the other fatal encounter was unjustifiable and illegal. He quoted Law dating back to the reign of Richard ll, and said that he saw nothing which gave the right to shoot a dog if the owner of the animal was standing nearby....If the poachers had refused to co-operate with the gamekeeper's orders he had a legal remedy. Instead he had acted illegally. Being on Lord Clifden's estate the gamekeepers themselves became trespassers and had no more right to be there than the young man who had been shot on the bleak hillside.

A verdict of manslaughter was returned against the gamekeepers with a rider that "much blame is to be attributed to the gamekeepers for pursuing the deceased and his companions onto the Clifden property, and for the provocation caused by shooting the dog."

It was eventually decided that the warrant issued for the arrest of the gamekeeper, Michael Walsh, should not be executed until a doctor certified that his life was out of danger; but he died a week later.The two other men were arrested for complicity in firing on the day of the tragedy, but the charge was withdrawn and the men released.

Printed in The Kilkenny People and reprinted for The Centenary Celebrations for which interesting and sensational event were compiled.