Irish patriot's American descendants to descend on Limerick town

A PLAQUE will be unveiled this Monday, June 17 to mark the spot where Irish patriots were executed in Kilfinane in 1798.

The ceremony is being organised by the Kilfinane Coshlea Historical Society with the plaque being unveiled by a number of people, including Mary Setzkoran, a direct descendant of Staker Wallace (Staker Wallis). It takes place at 3pm.

Gerry Raftery, of Kilfinane Coshlea Historical Society, said Ms Setzkoran is leading a group of sixth, seventh and eighth generations of descendants of Staker Wallace from Wisconsin in the United States. 

“They will spend a day in the area exploring places associated with the life and death of their most renowned ancestor. It promises to be an exciting occasion in the town. There will be music and dancing in the Market Square to celebrate the occasion,” said Mr Raftery.

Staker Wallace was the commander of a local division of United Irishmen, who was executed in the town by the British in the lead up to the 1798 rebellion.

He was arrested following an alleged plot to murder the local landlord, Capt Oliver who then offered his freedom in return for the names of other United Irishmen and the location of their weapons. Staker Wallace declined.

He was jailed in Kilfinane and flogged before he was publicly hanged and beheaded. His head was then put on a spike above the Market House for a number of weeks before he was buried in the town.

The actions of the Irish patriot, believed to be from Bulgaden, were never forgotten. He is remembered in song - A Lament to Staker Wallace; name of a GAA Club and a monument in Kilfinane.

Fast forward to 2006, human bones were discovered in Kilfinane, when the local authority was carrying out urban renewal works in the town. The bones were found in what is known locally as the “Croppies Hole”. 

Locals believed that the remains of Staker Wallace were among the bones found. It was thought a number of men were buried in the grave.

However, it appears Staker Wallace was forgotten about for 14 years as the Limerick Leader revealed in 2020, through correspondence from the council that, “This project was put on a back burner due to ongoing pressure of work”.

Kilfinane man James O’Brien, who raised his concerns over the delay in 2020 with Minister of State Niall Collins, said: “Those bones lay forgotten for over 200 years. It’s a fright to God if they are forgotten again.”

Mr Collins said: “Sitting on skeletal remains for over 14 years, which are an integral part of the history, heritage and culture of Kilfinane is simply not acceptable”. He called on the council to immediately begin the testing process.

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Funding was sought in 2021 (under the council’s 2022 budget) with an osteoarchaeologist (scientific study of human skeletons) procured during October 2021. Funding was confirmed in January 2022 and the bones were subsequently delivered to the osteoarchaeologist.

Former councillor, Mike Donegan revealed at a Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District meeting last year that testing had shown they were not the remains of Staker Wallace.

He said he had attended a talk on the bones organised by Kilfinane Coshlea Historical Society- at which Dr Linda Lynch, osteoarchaeologist and Sarah McCutcheon, the council archaeologist, gave a detailed talk and presentation.

“They said they are not the bones of Staker Wallace. It was revealed on the night that the assemblage of bones are those of five or six people, mixed up in 1,400 pieces,” said Mr Donegan.