How Mich' Gowin ended up in Ballyhooly is a mystery. His gravestone is rather grand and finely decorated, implying some kind of social standing - surely something more than the grave of a simple blacksmith or farmer. The stone is also clearly Catholic, as shown by the IHS design at the top of the stone.
Moreover, it has the intriguing inscription 'May he rest in peace' signed with the gaelic script Mac Gobhann. Is this a recognition from the clan of the sons Gobhann to a former leader? Or just a claim to membership of the ancient clan?
Mich' Gowin died in 1798 at the age of 73 - a good age. The gravestone was carved at a time of English protestant domination, and just after the French invasion at Bantry Bay in 1796 , this inscription was both a political statement and clearly a claim to a gaelic heritage, particularly as his surname had not been anglicised to Smith (like so many others). This was probably as far as an Irish nationalist could go without incurring the wrath the of English authorities.
Given the imposing nature of the headstone we can assume that he had been resident for some time, probably at least from his prime as a working man. He was born - according to the gravestone - in 1723, and as the inscription does not say otherwise we can assume he was born also in Ballyhooly, although this is not certain. However, this gravestone seems to be the earliest record of this name in the region, implying that he or his immediate ancestors came to Ballyhooly from elsewhere.
The reference to Mac Gabann seems to rule out England as an origin (there are contemporary Gowens in England). Assuming a 'gaelic' origin, therefore, there are two likely sources:
- elsewhere in Ireland
- immigration from Scotland
One possibility is some link with the British military presence; another possible link is with Fermoy's famous Scottish in-comer, John Anderson. However both developments seem to have occurred too late to be a likely explanation.
John Anderson
Anderson was a Scot who, in 1791, bought two-thirds of the Fermoy manor were bought and brought about huge changes in the town. He may have brought other Scots along with him - but the date is too late to include Mich' Gowin.
Anderson was a fascinating an entrepreneur who developed the roads and started the mail coach system in Ireland. He designed the town and the streets remain much the same as they were originally built.
Anderson was born in 1747 into a poor family at Portland near Dumfries, Scotland and moved to Glasgow in 1784. He later settled in Cork City, at that time the major provisioning centre on the Atlantic Coast. During the American wars he made considerable sums as a commercial agent in New York.
He secured the equivalent of a Government franchise to provide a mail service from Dublin to Cork. This involved the building of an extensive infrastructure of roads bridges inns and staging coaches. By 1789 he was the dominant partner in the Dublin/Cork turnpike and mail and this was to extend to Limerick in 1793. The paramount achievement was getting from Dublin to Cork within 24 hours, the first Royal Mail arriving in Cork 8 July 1789. A string of reliable blacksmiths would have been essential to keep the mail coaches running but the timing of this development - a few years before Mich's death - do not explain his (assumed) presence there decades before.
Fermoy Military Links
Again, although there were major military developments around the time of Mich' Gowin's life, they seem to have happened too late to provide a reason for his arrival.
Tradition has it that the first military force to come to Fermoy - the Militia - did so from the South in the year 1797 (just a year before Mich's death) and camped and watered their horses at a stream on the South side of the town. The place where this occurred is believed to be the stream at Fant's Cross at Strawhall. This was no doubt related to the French invasion at Bantry Bay in the previous year (1796). During this time there were numerous outbreaks of rebellion and unrest around Fermoy involving frequent movements of British military forces.
In January 1798 the following proclamation was made:
Whereas, pursuant to an Act passed in this Kingdom, in the 16th year of his Majesty's Reign, Eleven Justices of the Peace for said County…..duly assembled, pursuant to said Act, at a Special Sessions of the Peace, holden at Fermoy…..on Thursday the 14th day of December last, did, by Memorial, by them signed, signify to his Excellency the Ld. Lieutenant, that the Barony of Condons and Clangibbons, and the Parishes of Killatty, Ballyhooly, Castle-hyde otherwise Litter, Dunmahon and Killenymurry, and the Union of Glanworth, all in the Barony of Fermoy, in said County, to be in a State of Disturbance, or immediate danger of becoming so, and pray that the same may be Proclaimed, pursuant to said Act. And, whereas a Proclamation from the Lord Lieutenant and Council dated the 4th day of January, Inst. did accordingly .., declaring the said Barony, Parishes, and Union to be in a state of Disturbance, or in immediate danger of becoming so. Now, I do hereby give Notice, that a Petty Session of the Peace will be holden at Doneraile, in said County, on Wednesday, the 17th inst. for the purpose of carrying said Act into Execution……
Dealing with such unrest required the deployment of troops. For example, in 1798 the following movements were recorded, "the Herefordshire militia from Fermoy, the West Kent, from Youghal, and the 6th, from Athlone, arrived here [Cork]. The Glamorganshire Militia marched this morning for Fermoy, and are attached to the Brigade under Major Gen. Graham."
 |
| Fermoy Barracks, destroyed in 1922 Source |
In 1797, when the army was looking to establish a new and permanent base, Anderson astutely gifted them the land as an inducement to locate in Fermoy. In 1806 the first permanent barracks, the East Barracks, were built. By the 1830s this was the largest military establishment on the island of Ireland.
However, this is all too late. What event, happening in the early 1700s could have brought Mich' Gowin or his parents to Ballyhooly?
Great site....The gravestone of Mich' Gowin is particularly rare and intriguing.
ReplyDeleteWell done and keep up the great work.
Noel