History and folklore of Slievenamon celebrated during special commemoration - Kilkenny Live
More than 30 people from most of the villages in the shadow of Slievenamon attended a very successful meeting in Kilcash Hall on Thursday evening.
The aim was to look at celebrating the 175th anniversary of the Monster Meeting on Slievenamon in 1848 and the relaunching of The Queen of the Mountain women’s race that was last held in the 1973.
Chaired by Michael Kehoe of Kilcash, an excellent presentation on the history of the time in Ireland and the details of the mountain top meeting was made by Robert Duggan.
In it he also outlined the historic significance of the sacred mountain that has featured in all aspects of life since the very first folklore stories began to the more hectic times of rebellion over that last 300 years.
That meeting was attended by a crowd of thousands, who ascended the mountain from all sides and other events on Carraigadoon and Ballingarry at a time when it also marked the 50th anniversary of the 1798 rebellion on nearby Carrigmaclear.
The gathering co-ordinated by The Lingaun Valley Tourism Group working with the Kilcash community and Tipperary County Council was also given additional historic information by Fr Jimmy Browne from Ballyneale and the logistical details by the Lingaun Valley secretary Tony Musiol.
At it were residents from the local villages in alphabetical order that included Ahenny, Ballyneale, Ballypatrick, Ballyboe, Cloneen, Drangan, Kilcash, Kilmacow, Kilsheelan, Skough, Owning, Tullahought, and Windgap, along with representatives from Tipp Co Council, Kilkenny Co Council and an Garda Siochana.
Following a lively discussion it was unanimously agreed to progress with both proposals on July 26.
As a result a number of sub committees were created covering the Ladies Race, Arts, Village festival, Publicity and Promotion and Finance and Fundraising to organise them.
The next meeting takes place in Kilcash Hall on Thursday, January 26 at 7.30pm