Battle of Thurles.

Saddened to observe recently, that a plaque which commerated the battle of Thurles, has been damaged beyond repair, during efforts to prise same from its walled position, at the entrance to ‘Ard Carraig’ housing estate, situated east of the town, on the Dublin Road out of Thurles town.

“The Battle of Thurles”
by the late Michael Hogan (31st October 1828 – 19th April 1899) known as the ‘Bard of Thomond’.

The war-fires light gleamed red all night, along the mountain gloom.
King Dónal’s men are up again, from Limerick to Slieve Bloom.
From glen and wood, the bone and blood of his fierce and fearless clan,
In wild array, at dawn of day, o’er Ormond’s plains swept on.

From Waterford the Norman hoarde to the plains of Ikerrin came,
In vengeful haste the land to waste with sword and destroying flame.
Left and right with sweeping might, the headlong hosts engaged,
And life ne’er bled, in a strife so red, while that combat of bloodhounds raged.

But, as the heave of the mad sea wave is barred by the crag filled shore,
So that iron tide, on Durlas’s* side, was stopped by King Donald Mór.
There’s revelry high and boisterous joy from Cashel to Shannon’s shore,
And Luimneach waits to open the gates, for her conquering Donald Mór.

END

*Durlas – Irish for Thurles.

The above named Irish poet Michael Hogan was born in Thomondgate, Co. Limerick. His father was a wheelwright and musician, who crafted the flutes and fiddles that he played.
In his early years he worked at Russell’s Mill, Lock Quay, located at the entrance of the canal flowing into the Abbey River and later in life with Limerick Corporation.
In the year 1858, he married Ms Ann Lynch. They parented no known children.
A life-size statue of Michael Hogan today stands, erected to his memory at King John’s Castle Plaza, in Limerick city, since 2005.

Soon, between elected local Councillors, County Council officials and ‘idle hands’, nothing will be left of our local history.