The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #32544   Message #430476
Posted By: Big Tim
01-Apr-01 - 07:55 AM
Thread Name: Roddy McCorley: date of origin ?
Subject: RE: Roddy McCorley: date of origin ?
Here are the inscriptions mentioned above, this just about completes all that I have on Roddy, hope my rather negative postings haven't shattered too many ilusions. I haave also investaigated Kelly,Father John Murphy, Thomas Russell, McCracken , Monro, Samuel Neilson, Tone, Thomas Davis, Devoy, Myles Byrne, etc and they are all sound!! First inscription "This stone belongs to John McCorley, Here lieth the body of Felix McCorley, Who died the 13th April 1768 aged eleven months, And Ann McCorley who died June he 1st 1769 aged 4 years" Second inscription: " I.H.S., This to the memory of Roger McCorley, Who departed this life May 12th 1772 aged 61 years". The woman who wrote the pamphlet implies but does not categorically state that this is the Roddy family grave tho no attempt is made to establish any possible relationship with any of those named. Also she draws no conclusions about Roddy as a rebel or a criminal as the purpose of her pamphlet was as a teaching aid for students, stressing the necessity of assessing all available evidence before arriving at conclusions especially in the NI context. She also quotes a 1907 newspaper article on Roddy by Francis Joseph Bigger, which isn't really very helpful but does show that back then also Roddy's reputation as a rebel hero was well established. Bigger was a friend of Ethna Carbery. Ironically,sadly and downright insanely, his own grave was blown up by "loyalists" in the 1970s.