O'Beirne History

The Capture of Kilmore House in the Catholic Rising of 1641

   The recently discovered but so far unpublished manuscript of the history of Kilmore by Father Francis J. Gilfillan (1906-1986) includes an account of the capture of Kilmore House during the Rising of l641. Rebels of Roscommon and Leitrim joined hands for the purpose. The account is in a deposition made in 1643 by the Protestant vicar of Kiltoghert, Rev. James Stephenson.

Kilmore House was built around 1630 by Dr Edward King, Protestant Bishop of Elphin, using stones from – depending on which story - Dangan   Castle or Kilmore Abbey. At the time the House was known as Kilmore "castle" which implies that it was defensible. Bishop King died in 1639. His widow was living in the House in 1641.

Shortly before Christmas of 1641 Laughlin McWilliam O'Beirne gained access by pretending to be friendly to Mrs. King. Once inside he opened the gates and gave notice, by firing a shot, to Brian O'Beirne of Dangan and Con O'Rourke of Cloone who were lying in ambush nearby. These rebels then captured the "castle'' and divided the spoils. The inhabitants were allowed to go free to Jamestown. Laughlin O'Beirne remained as the occupant. Presumably he was in charge in April 1642 when the Jamestown garrison failed in an attempt to recapture it.

The King family did get back the House and lands sometime, as they were inherited by a daughter of the Bishop. She married a notorious priest hunter named Doherty. He broke his neck when his horse threw him over a stone wall while pursuing a priest.

O'Beirnes were involved in earlier religion-based disputes: in 1476 Cornelius O'Beirne, Prior of St. Mary' s Abbey, Kilmore, was "accused" (whatever that may have meant) by Canon Thady O'Beirne of Derrane, a Dominican (Annals of the Four Masters); in 1563 Bishop Roland de Burgo suppressed the Franciscan monastery at Elphin, and gave its lands to Terence O'Beirne (Mary Gormley, in Roscommon Hist. & Arch. J., 1992); and in 1590 "Saxons" occupied Dangan and plundered O Birn (Annals of Lough Ce).