Peter O'Neill Crowley (23 May 183231 March 1867) was an

Irish republican Irish republicanism () is the political movement for an Irish republic, void of any British rule. Throughout its centuries of existence, it has encompassed various tactics and identities, simultaneously elective and militant and has been both w ...

who died in the

Fenian Rising The Fenian Rising of 1867 (, ) was a rebellion against British rule in Ireland, organised by the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). After the suppression of the ''Irish People'' newspaper in September 1865, disaffection among Irish radical n ...

of 1867.

Early years

Peter O'Neill Crowley was born in Ballymacoda in 1832; his father was a farmer and his granduncle Fr. Peter O'Neill was a Catholic priest, who had been

flogged Flagellation (Latin , 'whip'), flogging or whipping is the act of beating the human body with special implements such as whips, rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails, the sjambok, the knout, etc. Typically, flogging has been imposed on a ...

after participating in the

1798 Rebellion The Irish Rebellion of 1798 (; Ulster-Scots: ''The Turn out'', ''The Hurries'', 1798 Rebellion) was a popular insurrection against the British Crown in what was then the separate, but subordinate, Kingdom of Ireland. The main organising force ...

, and later

transported ''Transported'' is an Australian convict melodrama film directed by W. J. Lincoln. It is considered a lost film. Plot In England, Jessie Grey is about to marry Leonard Lincoln but the evil Harold Hawk tries to force her to marry him and she ...

Botany Bay Botany Bay (Dharawal language, Dharawal: ''Kamay'') is an open oceanic embayment, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, south of the Sydney central business district. Its source is the confluence of the Georges River at Taren Point a ...

. Peter O'Neill Crowley was a

teetotaller Teetotalism is the practice of voluntarily abstaining from the consumption of alcohol, specifically in alcoholic drinks. A person who practices (and possibly advocates) teetotalism is called a teetotaler (US) or teetotaller (UK), or said to be ...

Fenian Rising

O'Neill Crowley joined the

Irish Republican Brotherhood The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB; ) was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland between 1858 and 1924.McGee, p. 15. Its counterpart in the United States ...

and led a local group in Ballymacoda of about 100 men. In 1867, he took part in the

. Under the command of Captain John McClure, he was part of the 5 March attack on Killadoon coastguard station, with the aim of seizing weapons kept there. They took the weapons and marched towards

Killeagh Killeagh () is a village in east County Cork, Ireland. It is approximately from Cork (city), Cork city, between Midleton and Youghal on the N25 road (Ireland), N25 national primary road. The village is in a Civil parishes in Ireland, civil par ...

with prisoners, expecting to join up with units from

Youghal Youghal ( ; ) is a seaside resort town in County Cork, Ireland. Located on the estuary of the Munster Blackwater, River Blackwater, the town is a former military and economic centre. Located on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a long ...

and

Midleton Midleton (; , meaning "monastery at the weir") is a town in south-eastern County Cork, Ireland. It lies approximately 16 km east of Cork City on the Owenacurra River and the N25 road, which connects Cork to the port of Rosslare. A satelli ...

. However, there were only a few men to meet them; the rising was a failure in the area, in part due to

snow Snow consists of individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water througho ...

y weather and local informers. McClure decided to disband all unarmed men, and march with the remaining men and prisoners to

Castlemartyr Castlemartyr (, formerly anglicised as ''Ballymarter'' or ''Ballymartyr'') is a large village in County Cork, Ireland. It is around east of Cork city Cork ( ; from , meaning 'marsh') is the second-largest city in Republic of Ireland, Irel ...

, where the prisoners were released. With some comrades he took refuge in Kilclooney Wood. There, on 31 March, they were ambushed by British soldiers and O'Neill Crowley was injured. The Fenians were captured and taken to

Mitchelstown Mitchelstown () is a town in the north of County Cork, Ireland with a population of over 3,740. It is situated in the valley to the south of the Galtee Mountains. Mitchelstown is 13 km south-west of the Mitchelstown Cave, 53 km nor ...

, where O'Neill Crowley died.

Legacy

O'Neill Crowley was noted for his

piety Piety is a virtue which may include religious devotion or spirituality. A common element in most conceptions of piety is a duty of respect. In a religious context, piety may be expressed through pious activities or devotions, which may vary amon ...

and the priest who administered the

Last Rites The last rites, also known as the Commendation of the Dying, are the last prayers and ministrations given to an individual of Christian faith, when possible, shortly before death. The Commendation of the Dying is practiced in liturgical Chri ...

noted his faith, recounting his last words: "Father, I have two loves in my heart – one for my religion, the other for my country. I am dying today for the fatherland. I could die as cheerfully for faith." O'Neill Crowley became a

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' Word stem, stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party. In ...

of the rebellion. His comrades reputedly carried his body on their backs from Mitchelstown to Ballymacoda, about . Many places in

County Cork County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...

are named for O'Neill Crowley, including: *O'Neill Crowley Terrace,

*O'Neill Crowley Street,

*O'Neill-Crowley Quay,

Fermoy Fermoy () is a town on the Munster Blackwater, River Blackwater in east County Cork, Ireland. As of the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, the town and environs had a population of approximately 6,700 people. It is located in the barony (Ir ...

*O'Neill Crowley Terrace,

*O'Neill Crowley Bridge,

Cork City Cork ( ; from , meaning 'marsh') is the second-largest city in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the county town of County Cork, the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the List of settlements on the island of Ireland ...

(formerly the

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...

Bridge) In 1898 a monument to his memory was erected at Sraharla, on the road to

Kilfinane Kilfinnane or Kilfinane () ( or , ) is a small market town in County Limerick, Ireland. The town's name comes from the Irish (church) and (Finnian), making its meaning "Church of Saint Finnian". Kilfinnane is located approximately 40&nbs ...

, near to Kilclooney Wood. Commemorations took place in 1967 and 2000, and a viewing platform erected in 2013. In the 1900s, the Peter O'Neill Crowley Club was founded in

Clonard, Belfast Lower Falls was one of the nine district electoral areas which existed in Belfast, Northern Ireland from 1985 to 2014. Located in the west of the city, the district elected five members to Belfast City Council and contained the wards of Beechm ...

. Nicknamed "the Crowley Club", they won the

Antrim Senior Hurling Championship The Antrim Senior Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Bathshack.com Antrim Senior Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Antrim SHC) is an annual club hurling competition organised by the Antrim GAA, Antrim County B ...

in 1903 and 1907. A statue of O'Neill Crowley makes up part of a monument on

Grand Parade, Cork Grand Parade is one of the main streets of Cork city, Ireland. It runs from South Mall in the south to St. Patrick's Street/Daunt Square in the north, with intersections with Oliver Plunkett Street, Tuckey Street, Washington Street, Augustin ...

Song

Irish rebel song In the music of Ireland, Irish rebel songs are folk songs which are primarily about the various rebellions against British Crown rule. Songs about prior rebellions are a popular topic of choice among musicians which supported Irish nationalis ...

in his honour is recorded: As I rambled out one evening, all in the month of June, I strayed into an old churchyard to view a noble tomb. I overheard an old man pray as the tears rolled from his eyes, And it’s ‘neath that cold, cold, clay today, poor Peter Crowley lies. And the grave where Peter Crowley lies, o'er it the grass grows green, And underneath poor Peter sleeps because he loved the green. It grieves my heart to see you there, a hero once in bloom, But untimely death has brought you here to fill a silent tomb. Oh Crowley, oh Crowley come tell to me the truth: Who went along that night with you, to Kilcloney’s this lonely one? Who stood beside that brave old oak and fired that signal gun? Who fought and died for Ireland’s rights, was Crowley’s only son. So fare thee well young Crowley, so fare thee well again. It’s many the mile we shouldered you, through storm and through gale. It’s many the mile we shouldered you, ''a storín gheal mo chroí,'' rish: "bright darling of my heart"Because you were a Fenian boy and died for liberty. He is also mentioned in "Erin's Lovely Lee": Now one of them stepped up to me and asked me did I know The green woods of Kilclooney or the Glens of Aherlow Or could I tell where Crowley fell his native land to free Or the tower that Captain Mackey sacked down Erin’s lovely

Lee Lee may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Lee'' (2007 film), Tamil-language sports action film * ''Lee'' (2017 film), Kannada-language action film * ''Lee'' (2023 film), biographical drama about Lee Miller, American photojournalist * ''L ...

‘Tis I can tell where Crowley fell ‘twas in Kilclooney Woods And the tower that Captain Mackey sacked twas was by his side I stood. When he gave the word we raised a cheer that made the tyrants frown, Sure we raised the green flag o’er our heads, the harp without the crown.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:ONeill Crowley, Peter 1832 births 1867 deaths 19th-century Irish people Members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood People from County Cork