Here Thomas O'Conor recounts the history of Eglish and the story of John O'Molloy, a colourful character who died in the early 1800's.

EGLISH PARISH

The Annals at the year 1532 record that:-

"Ferganainm O'Carroll proceeded to the assistance of his son-in-law, the Earl of Kildare, the then Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, to oppose the sons of John and they took the Castle of Kill Uirin, the Castle of Eaglais and the Castle of Baile an Duna."

To the west side of Eglish parochial Church is Eglish Castle, which is now occupied by Capt. English. It is said that the former Church of Eglish stood somewhere convenient to the present one, that "Lady Loftus"* a resident of old of the Castle of Eglish, caused, in order to remove annoyance, or perhaps out of some other fanciful intention, the burial ground within which the present Church stands, to be consecrated, having procured from England a Bishop who performed this ceremony of consecration, whereon the former Church falling into ruin, became totally effaced, as likewise did the cemetery belonging to it, fall into utter disuse.

It is said that the place where it stood remains free from cultivation to the present time.

Tradition communicates all this information as to the removal of the Church, which is of no great importance, but may merit to be thus put together. (See Ballindown infra).

The inquisition from which the marginal notice is taken was not in my hands when I wrote this account given by tradition, which receives corroboration from the Inquisition as to the existence of a woman surnamed Loftus in the place.

*In an Inquisition ( *** 54, Car. I) is found this statement, viz:-

"The aforesaid Laurence Parsons, Knight, being so seized, died on the 8th of September in the year of the reign of the King, that is now 4 *** Richard Parsons is his son and heir and was aged 17 years at the time of the death of the aforesaid Laurence and was married to Anne Loftus, daughter of Adam Loftus of Rathfarnham in the Co. Dublin, Knt., in his father's lifetime.

Seven wells are described in the Name Book as lying in the southwest side of Eglish Townland. The name set down for them is Tubbernabearly, which is pronounced by some Tober na Bhearla and by others Tobar na bPearla, signifying Well (not Wells) of the Pearls. The former of these names if corruptedly pronounced in both pronunciations, Tobar, a well (not wells) presents itself.

The persons who have a knowledge of these wells state that there were formerly seven in number, but that there are only five now. I think the one bearing the name of Tobar na bPearla, ought to marked with the name attached to it on the Plan, if not already done.

Baile an Duna, mentioned in the Annals cited above as having a castle in it, is now anglicised Ballindown, which is the name of a townland in the Parish of Eglish. The castle was entirely demolished. Its site is described in the Name Book as lying in the southwest side of Ballindown Townland about six chains southwest of the road from Birr to Cloghan.

Inquisition ( *** ) 54 Car. I finds that:-

*** Laurence Parsons, Knt., on the day on which he died, was seized of the Town and lands of Carriggedmond and Cargindonnell al' Carriggdonell, with the appurtenances in the Barony of Eglish in the King's County and of 135 acres of arable and pasture and 250 acres of wood and moor in Ballinlogg, Shillogg and Ballynea alias Ballymea, next adjacent to the Town and land of Port and Doorus, and of three quarter of the wood and moor of Drynagh and of all the wood and moor of Derryfadda alias Derradda and le Cargins in the Barony and County aforesaid.

He held Carriggedmond and Cargindonnell and the rest of the premises of the King in free and common soccage and not in capite, nor by Knight's service. The aforesaid Laurence also, on the day on which he died, was seized of the Town and land of Ardgogy, with the appurtenances in the Barony of Eglishe aforesaid and of the Town and lands of Shanvolly, Derrinloghy and Ballykelly alias Ballykeely and of 500 acres of wood and moor in the Barony of Eglish aforesaid. He held the aforesaid Town and land of Ardgogy and the rest of the premises of the King in free and common soccage.

The aforesaid Laurence on the day on which he died was also seized of the Manor of Newtown in the Territory of Ely O'Carroll and the Town and lands of Newtown and Ballinegowne with the appurtenances and of 126 acres arable and pasture, 10 acres of wood and moor and 80 acres of mountain in Tullagh, Ballymacmorroghe, Ballywilliam and Clonyn, 105 acres arable and pasture and 50 acres of mountain in Roscomroe and Clashroe next adjacent to the Town of Newtown aforesaid and a Court Leet and Court Baron within the manor aforesaid. He held the aforesaid Manor of Newtown and the other premises of the King by Knight's serice. The aforesaid Laurence was also seized of the castle, town and land of Ballybritt with the appurtenances in the King's County from the feoffment of John Carroll of Clonlyske and he held them of the King by Knight's service, and of the castle, towns and lands of Ballindowne and Ballywilliam with the appurtenances in the Territory of Fercall, and he held on the day on which he died, the aforesaid castles, towns and lands of the King by fealty only, in free and common soccage.

The aforesaid Laurence Parsons, Knt., being so seized, died on the 8th of September in the year of the reign of the King, that is now, 4.

Richard Parsons is his son and heir and was aged 17 years at the time of the death of the aforesaid Laurence and was married to Anne Loftus, daughter of Adam Loftus of Rathfarnham in the Co. Dublin, Knight, in his father's lifetime. ...

Ballywilliam in Eglish must be meant here, as this Laurence Parsons, Knt., was seized of the castle, town and lands of Ballindowne and Ballywilliam in the Territory of Fercall, by which name Eglish Parish is now frequently called; Ballindowne, in competition with which it is mentioned, being in the same Parish. ...
The Inquisition just quoted, tho' later in time than the following one, got the first place here, because it is more connected with the local tradition respecting Eglish.

This Inquisition, dated 'Castlegeshill', 23rd October 1612 (8 Jac. I) finds that:-

"Gerald, late Earl of Kildare, etc., by an Indenture dated the 8th of May 1607, demised to John alias Shane Oge Mc Teige O'Molloy of Durys in Fearkeale in the King's County, and Annabella ny Woran of le Porte in the County aforesaid, widow, all that the castle, lands etc., of Eglis, Durys, Portlogh and Ardoige in the County aforesaid, to hold for the term of 41 years, as by the same indenture doth appear the tenor of which follows in the original.

*** The aforesaid Gerald, late Earl and Richard Talbott, by an indenture dated the last of May 1609, gave to one, Neile Moore and Annabella ny Horan, his wife, the castle, town and hamlet of Downes, le Porte alias Inchloughcurry, with 1 cartron in le Eglish de Moyanny called Ballynegullyne al' Ballynenarge, with their appurtenances in Tomyanny in the Territory of Fercall in the King's County, to hold for the term of 41 years, as by the same indenture doth fully appear the tenor of which follows in the original.

The aforesaid Gerald, late Earl, etc., by indenture dated 1 May 1610, demised to Maurice Eustace of Clongowswood, the castle, town and lands of Doughill, Ballincurre, Ballynconnoe, Ballincharde and Ardglasse in Fercall in the King's County containing 3 cartrons of land with their appurtenances, to hold for the term of 21 years, as by the same indenture doth appear the tenor of which follows in the original. The premises are holden of the King in capite by Knight's service." ...

Tradition says that the lands contained under the denomination of Mount Henry in this Parish were in the possession of John O'Molloy who is dead now nearly 30 years. He and his brother lived in a thatched house on the premises, which house as yet remains undestroyed; he never married and always entertained the highest artistocratic notions and on every occasion exhibited himself as a nobly descended personage. Out of peculiarity of taste in military dress, looking upon himself as the descendant of warriors, he always wore a three cocked hat with a Soogan (Sugan) of hay tied around it and carried a sword suspended from a soogan of the same material which encircled the middle of his body and served instead of a belt.

The sword which he used was a long one and curved towards the point.

Another interesting anecdote is related about the Soogan chief and a Mr. Berry, who 'came in for a farm' adjoining his landed property. As O'Molloy was one day amusing himself cutting off the heads of thistles with his sword while walking through his fields, he was observed in the progress of this act by his new neighbour, who, on addressing himself to O'Molloy in a style, strain and tone indicative of self-importance and of apparent contempt for the chief, was replied to in the commanding interrogative: Who are you, Sir? 'The Chief' receiving the answer: My name's Berry, returned, 'and I believe, a bitter berry too.'

Berry being surprised by such an answer from a person upon whom he looked as insane from his peculiar dress, went and questioned his Irish labourers who that eccentric character was who was cutting off the heads of the thistles with his sword, telling them at the same time the impudent reply he himself received from him. An' Sir, is that all he did to you, was the general cry; you are very safe when he did not cut off your head with his sword. He is John O'Molloy, the proprietor of the next estate, whose family were so very respectable heretofore. The labourers going on relating the importance of the man, were reproached by Berry with: You ruffians, why did you not tell me who he was before I incurred his censure by treating him so disrespectfully as I did.

Berry returned immediately and excused himself with Molloy, saying that he did not know him first, that he begged his pardon for addressing a gentleman of his responsibility (person?) in such language as he had done, adding that if it were not convenient to O'Molloy to give assistance in renewing a broken down fence which ran as a mearig between both their properties, he should get the whole of it fixed himself without any trouble or expense to O'Molloy. Which kind proffer was responded to in this insubmissive, as well as contemptuous manner: 'I don't want any assistance from you, Sir, I'll take care to have my fences properly made up.'

Your obedient servant,
T. O'Connor.