Today our club , county and national flags fly at half mast at Hennessy Memorial Park as we remember three men that were shot and killed on April 14th 1920, exactly 100 years ago.
Celebrations were taking place back then to mark the release of hunger strikers from Kilmainham Gaol. At about 10.45pm, a bonfire was blazing at Canada Cross and a group of adults and children were gathered around it singing nationalist songs. The police and military arrived on the scene and without warning fired at the crowd.
Three men were killed: Patrick Hennessy from Church St, married with two children; Thomas O’Leary, Ballard Road, married with ten children; and John O’Loughlin, a 25-year-old tailor from the Ennistymon Road. At the inquest in Ennis, a verdict was returned of “wilful murder without provocation”.
Patrick Hennessy, Church Street, aged 30 years was shot dead through the chest. He was a married man with two children. He was described as “a quiet inoffensive man who was respected in the area where he worked a small farm of land. He was a famous footballer and the sole support of his mother and family."
Patrick played for Clare in the 1912, 1916 and 1917 Munster football finals.
He was corner back on the Clare team that played in the 1917 All Ireland Senior Football Final losing to Wexford by 4 points.
It is in his memory our great field and facilities are named . Hennessy Memorial Park .
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha dílse.
Thanks to John Treacy for all the information and Gerard Talty for the photographs.
More can be seen on a new website on the war of independence in mid Clare
The midclarebrigade.ie website, has lots more information and is compiled and run by the Mid Clare Brigade 100 year commemoration committee. The comitttee is comprised of community and family members connected with the above.
