TADHG AN ASNA

       

TADHG AN ASNA

(note: there were only three lines given for verse six)

 It was in troubled '98,
When Ireland's agonies were great;
That many a brave man met his fate,
As did brave Tadhg an Asna.

 From Clonakilty's olden town,
Came forth the minions of the crown,
To glut their ire by hunting down,
The fearless Tadhg an Asna.

 He was a rebel brave and bold,
Of knightly step and giant mould;
At manly feats, no man could hold,
His own against Tadhg an Asna!

 But manly feats will not avail,
When leaden bullets fall like hail;
As they did there at Shannonvale,
That day against Tadhg an Asna.

 Where Argideen's waters flow,
At Shannon vale he was laid low;
But many there got their death blow,
That day from Tadhg an Asna.

 Now in the strife of latter days,
It's mine the task to sing the praise,
Of men like Tadhg an Asna.

 May Erin's sons from sea to sea,
To right her wrongs, united be;
To fight, if needs be, her to free,
As did brave Tadhg an Asna.

 

       

 

In the 1980's the pike was stolen from the statue and the thieves broke part of the hand holding it. The pike was found a few years later and reattached but the act was repeated. It is back again but now we see people defacing the base with graffiti. This photograph was taken in 2002. This is an article from the Southern Star from July 28, 2000.

The statue of local 1798 leader, Tadhg an Astna in Clonakilty's town centre is back in full splendour after its unofficial decommissioning in late May! Last week, the right arm and Croppy Pike were returned to their rightful place after an absence of nearly seven weeks. During that time, the 202nd anniversary of the Battle of the Big Cross in which Tadhg an Astna and over one hundred other locals died on June 19, 1798 occurred. Apparently, members of a "stag party" became rebellious in the lead- up to the June bank holiday weekend and climbed the plinth, breaking off part of the arm holding the pike. This is the second time in the last few years that this type of vandalism of the monument has taken place and, previous to that, the Croppy Pike had been stolen. Anyone with any information on this desecration of our patriot's statue should contact Clonakilty Garda Station.

 

Clonakilty District Past & Present  - A Tourist guide to the area -[158 pages, forward dated 1959] The guide was published by the Southern Star Ltd for the Clonakilty C.Y.M.S.

My thanks to Henry McFadden for providing this information.