Michael Kiely, Patriot and Martyr

Michael was born on 6/1/1901 to Dan and Mary Kiely in Glannaharee townland which lies between the villages of Bweeng and Nadd and is accessed by French’s Road. He lived in an isolated farm and attended Laharan NS.

His parents ran a cattle and sheep herding operation from their yard which had a large walled compound. With commonage of up to 1,700 acres they could cater for many animals during the summer, and they kept track of these on horseback, so young Michael would have worked at this venture. He joined the Irish Volunteers as a dispatch rider and had tea with a local woman on his way to Fr.Murphy’s bridge on 9/1/1921, and disclosed he had a dispatch for Liam Lynch.

General Liam Lynch had established his Brigade HQ in the Nadd/Inchamay area while conducting training camps for the columns from Mallow and Kanturk battalions. Michael visited Fr. Murphy’s bridge to take part in an ambush arranged by the IRA but they had no spare gun so he set out, on foot, for Nadd with the dispatch for Liam Lynch accompanied by another activist. It was a cold, wet night when they arrived at Herlihy’s house and Michael got a bed there, a fatal decision. He was 20 years of age when he was captured along with four others by a British Army patrol that surrounded the house before dawn on 10/3/1921.

He practically saved the lives of two of his comrades as he engaged the soldiers in an argument and the two, John “Congo” Moloney and Joe Morgan made a run for it during the distraction, were shot, but not fatally, and with the aid of a descending fog managed to escape.

What happened next is described in more detail in the article on Ned Waters who was also executed here.

Monuments

Site at Inchamay Nadd, North Cork where I.R.A. volunteers were shot during roundup by British forces, March, 10th 1921. Photo courtesy of Donie O Sullivan

In 1926, a more elaborate Celtic Cross Monument was erected in Glantane village to commemorate the three parishioners killed in action during the War of Independence. Photo courtesy of Donie O Sullivan.

Another substantial monument was erected in the 1940’s at Nadd village. Photo courtesy of John Paul O’Shea

This monument was erected at the entrance to the site of the birthplace of Michael Kiely in the townland of Glannaharee. Picture courtesy of Donie O Sullivan.

In more recent times, a commemorative monument was erected across the road from the house of slaughter. Photo courtesy of Donie O Sullivan.

Michael Kiely Place

A new terrace of eight Cork County Council houses, built in Lombardstown in 1953, is named in his honour and hopefully a suitable inscribed marker stone will be erected there to his memory. He surely deserves such recognition. May he rest in peace.

An article from a local newspaper covering the official opening and blessing of the new council houses in Michael Kiely Place, Lombardstown in 1953. Photo courtesy of Donal Ryan.

The Inchamay Recitation

The author of this recitation is unknown but it a fine tribute to the men who died in that roundup and also to the men that escaped that morning. This roundup was one of the best planned attempts by the British Army to surround Liam lynch’s training camp and eliminate the flying columns attached to Kanturk and Mallow battalions along with the brigade staff.

Recitation on the Nadd Roundup – Author unknown. Picture courtesy of Donie O Sullivan.

Albert Lyons, from Esk, near Nadd, was recorded reciting this poem, at the monument at Nadd village by Paddy Buckley, Banteer, who kindly gave us permission to add it to this article.