On Monday, 24th April 1916, the Irish Volunteers in South Galway answered the call to arms and mobilised.
And on Sunday 24th April 1965 forty-nine years later, a monument was unveiled to their courageous leader Liam Mellows.
The monument unveiled and blessed near where Raftery, the poet, is buried at Killeeneen, Craughwell, is a simple stone structure surmounted by a cross.
It was unveiled by one of the volunteers and former T.D, and County Council official Mr. Mattie Niland, Kilcolgan and blessed by Father Desmond Carroll C.C. Clarenbridge.
Mr. Niland outlined for the big crowd of volunteers, I.RA. veterans and Cumann na mBan, the history of the Easter Rising in South Galway.
On Easter Monday the volunteers mobilised and on Easter Tuesday the Kilcolgan and Clarenbridge Company attacked Clarenbridge Police Barracks.
They moved on and were joined by volunteers from Maree and Oranmore in an attack on Oranmore Police Barracks. From there, they marched to Athenry and took up positions at the Agricultural College.
Mr. Niland said the monument was meant to commemorate the courage of these men and their leader Liam Mellows, who organised the insurrection in South Galway.
The committee responsible for the monument, which was designed by Messrs. Regan’s, of Loughrea and erected by Mr. Patrick Ruane, Craughwell, was led by Mr. Jim Barret (Chairman), Athenry; Mr. Frank Fahy (Secretary), Templemartin, Craughwell; Mr. Patrick Cloonan (Treasurer), Craughwell and former T.D. Mr. Stephen Jordan, Athenry.
Three members of Cumann na mBan, who also took part in the Rising in South Galway, were also present. They were: Mrs. Mary Rabbitte, Killeeneen, Craughwell; Mrs. Bridget Ruane, Castlelambert, Athenry and Mrs. Kate Armstrong, Kilcolgan.
The music at the ceremony was supplied by the Tony Cunningham Accordion Band, Ardrahan. Mr. Cunningham, who founded and conducts the band, has two of his children in it, Anna and Michael. Also in the band were: Breda Holland, Noel Geoghegan, Mary Curtin, Anne Lane, Martin Killey, Martin Morgan, Geraldine and Edal Silver, Michael Mullins and Gerard Curtin.
Credit: Connacht Tribune 1st May 1965
Images
Galway Trails – 1916 Tour https://galwaytrails.ie/galway-1916-tour/
Inheritance and Remembrance Collection, University of Galway Digital Library. Photograph of veterans at the unveiling of the Liam Mellows memorial, Publisher = “University of Galway”, Asset Id 3718, Archival Record Id https://digital.library.universityofgalway.ie/p/ms/asset/3718
The History of Na Fianna Éireann 