Knocklong History Group and County Limerick Youth Theatre, with the support of the Knocklong Development Association and state agencies, will next week host an innovate series of events to commemorate this centenary of the Rescue of Sean Hogan at Knock-long Railway Station.
On 13th May 1919, IRA volunteer Seán Hogan, was being transported by train under armed guard from Thurles to Cork for court martial and prob-able execution, for his part in the Soloheadbeg ambush.
Comrades, aided by local volunteers, planned and executed his rescue from the Station in Knocklong and, in the ensuing act-ion, IRA volunteers were seriously injured, two members of the RIC were killed and Seán Hogan was rescued.
Two men, Patrick Maher and Ned Foley, were tried, then court martial-led and executed, although Maher had no part in the rescue, and was innocent of the charges.
This was a seminal event in the War of Indepen-dence.
‘The Rescue’ programme of events
Sunday May 12th, 7pm ‘The Dance’: an inter-active performance at Knocklong Community Centre.
Tuesday May 14th, 7pm ‘The Plan’: site specific plays starting in Galbally Community Centre and moving to different locat-ions around the village.
Thursday May 16th at 6.30pm ‘The Escape’: Promenade Theatre retracing the actual escape route from Knock-long to Glenlara.
(Bring your walking shoes, but no dogs, it will be one way only, through the fields)
Sunday May 19th at 1pm – ‘The Trial’: based on the court extracts, the play recreates the moving story at Knocklong Comm-unity Centre.
Other highlights
John Connors presents his book ‘Seán Hogan – A Troubled Journey’ on Monday May 13th 8pm in The Hill Bar, Knock-long.
Songs from the Struggle on Thursday May 16th at 9pm, The Hill Bar, Knocklong with Dermot Carroll.
‘The Rescue’ – a detailed account by Oliver Doyle. Oliver Doyle presents a lecture which focuses on the importance of the railway in developing the area, its impact on the locality and its demise. It also details the ambush of the train and the release of Seán Hogan.
The lecture is based on over 1,500 original docu-ments relating to the incident at the National Archives near London, the Bureau of Irish Military History and the Irish Newspaper Archive and is on Friday May 17th at 8pm in Knocklong Community Centre.
Clover ballad group in concert on Friday May 17th at 10pm at The Hill Bar, Knocklong.
Seminar
Knocklong History Semi-nar – talks by prominent speakers on Saturday May 18th at 10.30am in Knocklong Community Centre. Professor John Borgonovo (UCC), Liz Gillis (RTE History), Seán Hogan, Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc, examining how The Rescue was viewed from outside Knocklong.
National Commemoration of The Rescue of Seán Hogan on Saturday May 18th at 2.30pm in Knock-long Community Field, beginning with a parade of local groups.
Gathering of the relatives of people involved in The Rescue on Saturday May 18th at 4.30pm, in Knocklong Community Centre.
Army Band and fire-works.
Photographic presentation of the War of Indepen-dence era by Tim Ryan and Chris Clair. Knock-long Community Centre.
Army Band Open Air Concert and fireworks for all the family on Saturday May 18th at 8pm in Knocklong Community field. €10/€5conc/€20 family. Bring a picnic. An evening to remember for all.
Schools Drama
County Limerick Youth Theatre will host the inaugural War of Inde-pendence Drama Festival at the centenary of the Rescue of Seán Hogan for all school students. All participating school pupils have engaged in free drama workshops on 1919 themes.
In this era of ‘fake news’, the variety of resulting performances will give young people the opport-unity to interrogate diffe-rent aspects of The Res-cue story through the safe space of the drama fest-ival and enhance their critical thinking skills. There are 9 primary and 3 secondary schools part-icipating, with in excess of 750 students taking part.
For more information see www.knocklong.net, www. facebook.com/ KnocklongHistory.