Escapes from Limerick Prison by digging a hole behind laundry machine and seducing jailer's wife!

THE GLORIOUS spell of weather makes people want to enjoy the present outside instead of reflecting on the past indoors.

This led to a reduced number of attendees at the Knocklong History Seminar, however, there were plenty of regular attendees and some new faces, who were treated to three fascinating talks from Martin Moore, John Crotty and Noreen Higgins McHugh.

Mr Moore recounted the daring escape of Kerryman Michael McElligott from Limerick Prison in 1923. Mr McElligott and a team of men burrowed a hole behind a laundry machine which allowed them to escape into the adjoining mental asylum.  

Mr Moore also referred to the Fitzmaurice family of Kerry and how in the 1600s, Patrick Fitzmaurice, who was jailed in Limerick, managed to seduce the jailer’s wife and secure his release!

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On a similar theme, John Crotty traced through a 1,300 year history of Spike Island from early monastic settlers to its present day internationally recognised visitor centre. He had an entertaining account of Dennis Hourigan, a Limerick man, who was Ireland’s premier jailbreaker in the 1800s. 

Noreen Higgins McHugh told the audience that she researched and published her book Women of the Revolution in Tipperary, 1914-1923 because she was waiting for such a book to be written during the decades of centenaries but one  was never published.

Rosemary Flanagan, of Knocklong History, thanked the attendees for their support and to acknowledge that the seminar would not be possible without the continued sponsorship of local businesses. 

“We acknowledge the support of Mitchelstown Credit Union, D-Pack, Tigín Honey, Dan Dooley Car Sales and Hinchy’s Car Sales over the years. We welcome a new sponsor aboard this year, The Creamery Bar, Hospital,  The lectures from this year and last year will be posted on the Knocklong History Facebook page in the coming weeks,” said Ms Flanagan.