Thursday 31 December 2020
Monday 28 December 2020
Dammed Hessians
The Hessians “To twin or not to twin?” No 13
Have you ever noticed the signs outside towns and cities proclaiming that they are twinned with some place like Timbuktu, Avignon, or even Lazio in Italy? The whole idea is to share your problems and solutions, to make amends for being nasty in the past, to be pals, to come and visit. Well I have a great crowd to twin up with and no we haven’t asked them yet as I am sure the current population of both villages or towns are blissfully unaware of one another .The village of St Mullins in South County Carlow and Hanau and Kassel in Germany have a long history that needs to be resolved.
Bet you thought the British defeated the Irish in 1798 all by themselves, that great empire, not on your nanny they brought in mercenaries from all places Germany, Baron Von Hompesch’s and his dragoons .Yep the very fellows they fought two world wars against they paid them to kill Americans in the American revolution which they lost and in the Irish revolution of 1798 which we lost. The Hessians were German mercenaries, thugs for hire, they had the same reputation as the Vikings for rape pillage and plunder. Can you believe that a quarter of the British troops in the American revolution were Hessians paid for by the Mad King George 111 and sure weren’t s E2all his relations Germans. Now whose pulling whose leg?
Why is 1798 so important to St Mullins? You just have to walk up to the grave yard, thousands were massacred, more were killed in six weeks in Ireland than the entire French revolution and they had their guillotine .Another bad apple who kept turning up was the mad kings pal Charles Cornwallis, the Americans kicked him out in 1781 in Yorktown when he surrendered. Where did he turn up but in Ireland in 1798 with his gang of Hessians to have a go at beating up the local lads who were armed with pikes. He died in India from a dose, “fever” they said, maybe the Indians put the hex on him, that’s a good quality curse.
Back to this twinning, I propose that we contact the Mayors of these towns in Germany, elect a Mayor of our own here in St Mullins, I know a few likely candidates and arrange a twinning ,Let’s make pals with the Hessians, forgive and forget, they might even come over on holidays. There could be a bit of their DNA around! Sure, one of the real locals could be heir to the Hessian crown.
Thursday 17 December 2020
Saintly carry on down in St Mullins
St Moling Turns a
farmer to Stone No 11
Now, St Moling was a fair man for the curse himself, didn’t he turn a crowd of locals in
the parish of St Mullins into stone because he caught them working on his holy
day. Those stones are
there to
this day,and not a man,
woman or child would dare touch them for fear getting into the bad
book with the Saint. It
was a farmer called Anthony from the parish of St Mullins who had his workers
out in the field digging away on St Moling’s day.His wife who was called the “Ramshadh
Rua” came along with the dinner at 12.30, as that’s dinner time in the country none of this
dinner at eight o’clock at night sure wouldn’t it stick in in your gut and you
trying to get to sleep. Dinner in the middle of the day was for the
working man it was only the Gentry had the big feeds at night , big fat lads
with gout.Well the Ramshadh had a churn of milk with her on the cart when she pulled in beside the
lads. They were all
sitting around in a circle when suddenly out of the blue who appears but the bauld
Moling himself in a bit of a temper. He
demanded to know why
they were out
working on his holy day after he telling all the local pagans it was a holiday
for the lads. A
Christian thing these Holidays were, a new invention. Well Anthony took to his heels and made a bolt for it across the
fields, the hair standing up on his head, sure he knew
the powers and curses this saint had in his repatoir. He only made it as far as Dranagh (that’s up on the Black stairs
mountain )before the Monk’s curse caught up with him and he was turned into
stone known to this day as
“Stukan-na-Drana”. Anthony’s wife took to her heels too. She was a almighty runner but only
made it to the hill of Ramshagh,which is called after
her to this day ” Ramshagh Rua “. There she stands petrified (that’s turned into a lump of stone). Just ask Michael Boland,the stone is sitting in one of his
fields, and that poor
creature locked inside it for all eternity. I bet he wouldn’t dare try and shift
it, just in case the
wily saint is still around. The workers never made it off the ground where they sat in a ring having the dinner (probably a Druid’s
ring as old habits die hard). They were turned to stone and so was the donkey and the cart and even the churn of milk. Moling didn’t miss a thing. Those stones remained in that place that was
called “Maol Oula”(The Bald place), until some Yahoo dug them up to build
houses in Marley ,I wonder how he faired ?
Santa Claus out in search of his Reindeers
Happy Christmas from all The Gang Down at The Mullicháin Cafe ! Great Time for a Swim Brrrrrr!
Tuesday 8 December 2020
The Flower bed gang
Ahh isn't it great hanging out in The Mullichain Cafe flower Bed back in February 2021
Saturday 28 November 2020
Holy Well Cures St Mullins R95XY93
Holy Well Cures
It is beyond me what happened to the Irish! We queue in the doctor’s clinics for the cure, have shelves full of medications, potions and God knows what when all we have to do is make our way to the Holy well in St Mullins and get the cure for nothing .No waiting lists, no appointments, well maybe go through a few rituals and say your prayers, but no charge. There are reportedly 3,000 holy wells recorded in Ireland more than anywhere else in the world, now that’s why we are the land of Saints and scholars. Pagan and Magic wells were run by the Druids until St Patrick came to convert us all. He blessed the wells and Bobs your uncle ownership changed hands and the heathens were banished. Christian Monks were great sales men and they knew if they outlawed the Pagan wells that locals wouldn’t buy in so they just made the cures holy instead of magic, now that’s Magic. Holy wells were a cure all for all ailments until the local parishes had to claim specific cures for their own well. Sure, you have to do something to keep the crowd coming by being special. Now that’s sales. St Moling’s well has a cure for ulcers which Moling himself suffered from but it also cures eye ailments, warts and the flu, I don’t know about the Asian flu. The catch in getting the cure is you have to duck your head into the cold water three times and say a prayer or in some cases go around and around on your hands and knees. We also have the woman up the Hill with the cure for ringworm and the man with the cure for warts. My brother convinced me to bring two of our children to the man with the cure for the warts, didn’t work for them that’s what you get for not believing.
When the plague arrived in Ireland in 1348 visits to the well really took off with thousands of Irish flocking to St Mullins to be saved from what seemed like certain death. Sure, half the population was wiped out. Today St Moling’s well sees a steady flow of visitors some whom come to be healed, others out of curiosity and many to enjoy the peace and tranquillity. St Mullins is the Mystic centre of Ireland where wells and springs are believed to come from the outer world, the land of Druids and shamans who control the natural forces of the world. Water from the outer world springs into life to fill our wells and rivers that flow to the sea like the Aughavaugh and Barrow River.
Pagan traditions continue today and are mixed up with Christian ones. Offerings of all kinds can be found at most wells, rosary beads rags, cups, pins, coins holy medals.
Bathing in the waters and drinking from this magical source will give the gift healing, wisdom and gift of the gab, sure we are full it!
Wednesday 25 November 2020
The Viking Raids on St Mullins
The Viking Raids on St Mullins No 4
When the River Barrow falls as the tide goes out, rocks appear at the bend just below the Mill, known locally as the “Scar” a Viking name for weir even the word would strike fear into Ya. The Vikings came from Norway Sweden and Denmark and were a shower of savages, never mind what you see at the movies today.
The Vikings used the rivers to raid inland Ireland and were very fond of monasteries as that was where the wealth of the country lay. Rape, pillage and Plunder was their game and they struck fear into the natives as no mercy was shown. Plunder doesn’t really describe what went on, it means they killed all around them and stole anything of value including the women. Now we are worried about global warming and our kids watching too much telly give me a break we have it good.
In 824 a large fleet of Vikings sailed up the Barrow from Waterford to St Mullins with badness in their hearts and plundered the monastery of St Moling. Can you imagine these mad lads charging up the hill with Axes and swords roaring and shouting in this quite little village? The Monks were totally unprepared for this invasion and had lived peacefully with the local tribes having made good Christians out of them.
In 888 Riagan, son of Dunghal defeated the Vikings at St Mullins after which 200 hundred heads were left behind. In 915 The Chiefs of Liphe “Broad Deeds” waged a battle with the Vikings leaving 500 heads in the valley over Tigh –Moling St Mullins. You see the Irish got it together after a while and were no push over, no prisoners taken just leave your head behind. The Irish were no Angles and great men for counting the heads of their enemies and we were still at it when the Normans arrived 250 years later. The Vikings built towns like Wexford and Waterford which were fortified against the local tribes who took every opportunity to do in a few of the invading enemy. The Viking never made any in roads into the centre of Ireland it was a dangerous place for the foreigners. Heavily forested with narrow paths they were greatly outnumbered by the mad Irish tribes who charged with no fear of death, painted and naked sure that would put the wind up myself. AD 951 Teach Moling was again plundered by Laraic from Waterford the same fellow that Waterford is named after Port –Lairge. Eventually over years the Viking descendants became Irish themselves, we have that kind of effect on invaders.
“Around the swelling waters a graceful swallow glides
As the ever-patient Herron awaits the falling tides.
Shadows of raiding Viking ships about the scar appear
The clash of swords, the shouts men, the ancient smell of fear.”
The Arrival of The Normans in St Mullins
The Arrival of the
Normans in St Mullins No 5
The first Normans landed in Bannow on 1st May 1169 they
were Knights loyal to Robert Fitz Gilbert de Clare (Strongbow)who was later to marry
Aoife daughter of the scoundrel Diarmaid Mac Mourough. The lad that we are
interested in is Maurice de Prendergast because he ended up in our patch St
Mullins.
The Normans joined forces with Diarmaid Mac Mac Mouragh Ex King
of Leinster and fought to help him regain his Kingdom. However, Diarmaid’s only
interest was to use the Normans as mercenaries and Maurice de Prendergast had
come to win a lordship, money gold a decent estate sure he had to pay the lads
who joined him on his venture. Realising he was on a loser he decided to cut
his losses and return to Wales with his Flemish knights and 200 Welsh archers. Diarmaid
had no intention of letting Maurice out of the country as he was now back in
charge of his Kingdom and who did this Norman think he was anyway.
Maurice sent a messenger to Domnall Mac Gilla Pátric(the
King of Osraige) that’s Kilkenny who keep winning the all-Ireland hurling
championships. He explaining that Diarmaid was now his enemy and that he Maurice
was willing to serve him, It was cunning way out of Diarmaid’s trap and the
strategy was a success.
The messenger returned with good news .On receiving the
offer from Maurice Domnall had leapt into
the air with delight .His reply was that de Prendergast should come at once
with complete confidence to St Mullins to rendezvous with the army
of Osraige on the banks of The Barrow (Co Carlow).From there they would see
what opportunities presented themselves but Maurice could be reassured that
whatever happened ,they would receive generous and substantial payment from Osraige,
Money always does the trick.
It would have been better for Diarmaid if he had simply let
Maurice and the Flemish army return to Wales. For when he learned of this new
and very unexpected alliance ,he felt his power beginning to fragment ;Wexford
was rebellious and there was no certainty that the other Normans with him would
enter battle against Maurice .In order to attempt to intercept the Flemish army
as it marched along The Barrow, Diarmaid dispatched his son with his 500 cavalry these would be half naked lads with long
spears hurleys and wearing blue war paint. The two armies clashed, but Dairymaids
son dared not turn the encounter from a skirmish to an open field battle, not
in the face of the more heavily protected Flemish knights and foot soldiers in
full armour. Harassed all the way, Maurice eventually arrived at the round
tower in St Mullins, there he made a
stand and sent word to Domnall Mac Gilla Pátric. The messenger returned with a
promise that if Maurice held fast, the army of Osraige would be there on the
third day. The King of Osraige (Kilkenny)did indeed arrive on the third day, to
the cheers of the Flemish troops and to the dismay of Diarmaid’s cavalry who
now ran as fast as they could towards the foot of Mount Leinster. Observing the
proper formalities, Maurice and his seven knights greeted the king who had so
recently been their enemy. The chief men of Osraige and the Flemish knights swore
faith to one another at St Moling’s alter. In particular, Domnall Mac Gilla Patraic
swore that he would never betray Maurice and his men, so long as they were
allies. St Moling was important for the people of Osraige, for it was said
that, through his presence, St Moling
had enfeebled an army of Leinster which had been raiding Osraige. The Leinster
men were powerless to lift a hand against the saint. All the cattle these
raiders had stolen were given to St Moling, who then returned them to Osraige. It
would therefore be a foolish king of Osraige who violated an oath made in
tempall na-bo or (the church of the cows)
and risked the saint’s wrath.
Tuesday 24 November 2020
Reindeer Missing
Sunday 22 November 2020
The Mystical Valley of St Mullins
Didn't I tell ya there were Fairies Down in The Mystical Valley of St Mullins
Wednesday 18 November 2020
Mysterious St Mullins
Mysterious St Mullins
No 2 The Motte and Bailey of St Mullins
Or is it The Tumulus of St Mullins?
When you arrive in St Mullins the green is dominated by a large mysterious mound which historians will tell us is a Motte and Bailey, that’s a big mound of earth and stone with a wooden fort on top. They, who know everything locally, say it was the Normans who stuck their wooden fort on top of the mound that was there for years and years, ancient it was. The Normans were dastardly invaders from France who arrived in 1169 and they used the fort to guard the river, that was their way in and out of St Mullins and it kept them safe when the local tribes’ men attacked.
Ireland was covered in thick forest; it was very hard to get through so the best way not to be mugged by the Carlow gang was to come up river. Around the mound they dug out a dry mote and put spikes on top to slow down the attacking natives. The strange part of the mound is the tale that it was the burial ground of a Great chieftain who was buried standing up with his spear and shield ,he fought alongside our famous warrior Chu Chulainn .You might ask have the archaeologists ever dug into the mound to see what’s inside? Not on your life, there are things in this life that are best left alone fairies and Leprechauns are not to be messed with. When all the motor way building and road works were going on you would be surprised how many times certain areas had to be avoided lest the unknown be disturbed .The local children use cardboard boxes to slide down the Motte into the surrounding mote blissfully unaware of what may lie beneath and the battles that once raged in this spot. Wise men observing from the pub across the green believe the Motte is shrinking or maybe it is descending into the other world beneath. Stand with the Motte at your back and look across the green to the pub now that’s where the village of St Mullins was. When the dangerous St Mullins folk got frisky and mounted an attack on the village the Normans would jump up from the dinner table leaving the half-eaten dinner behind, run up into their fort and slam the door. On the walls of the wooden fort they had cow hides, skins that they poured water over so flaming arrows couldn’t set them on fire, can you imagine the smell? Along with the Normans were Welsh archers these lads had the big long bows like in Robin Hood and they could stick an arrow in you long before our lads had a chance to throw a spear. Just be careful when you climb to the top there are tales of people disappearing into the underworld never to be heard of again.
Saturday 7 November 2020
(1) St Mullins Poem No 1
St Mullins steeped in history
a place of wondrous sights,
With peace slowly darkens as
evening shadows dim the lights.
Grey ruins of Moling’s abbey in the distance stand,
His memory ever etched upon this Noble land.
Pikemen, Kings and Peasant
neath shadowed tower rests
Inscriptions with time have worn names, titles fading
crests.
Ghosts of Heroes long since past, The Valleys passes
Guard,
Upon the Motte a growing shadow of an ancient bard.
Celtic crosses cast their shadows,
tall markers of passing time,
Like time soldiers on
sentry duty all gathered in marching line.
Kings, Chieftains with
common man share this Holy ground,
In life exalted by their
peers now lie neath common mound.
Above The Barrow valley the dark raven circles high,
As evening closes quietly clouds rush through the sky.
Rooks gathering, jostling, prepare for evening flight,
Badger awakens sensing dusk
peeks out to scent the night.
Around the swelling waters a graceful swallow glides,
As the ever-patient Herron awaits
the falling tides,
Shadows of raiding Viking ships about the Scar
appear
The clash of swords, the shouts of men,
the ancient smell of fear.
Author Martin O’Brien
Sunday 18 October 2020
Sunday 26 April 2020
Saturday 11 April 2020
Thursday 9 April 2020
Tuesday 7 April 2020
Saturday 28 March 2020
The Mullicháin Cafe is Closed until further notice
Friday 28 February 2020
The Mullicháin Cafe R95XY93 is Open Every day 11-5pm Ex Monday
Monday 24 February 2020
The River Barrow Nationwide
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