These
landlords neither spoke Gaelic nor understood the
ancient customs and folkways of their tenants. This
led to much hostility between peasants and gentry
which continued in some areas of Ireland up to the
present century.
Most of the lands of Dysert (which for centuries
belonged to the Diocese of Killaloe) went to the
family of Synge which had been involved in
ecclesiastic affairs in the Established Church
since the 1670s. Nicholas Synge was Bishop of
Killaloe in the middle of the eighteenth century
and was probably responsible for the building of
the fine three-story house at Carhoo in Dysert.
Edward Synge, who gained control of the land in
1823, was a religious fanatic who swore to stamp
out the great evil of "Papism". Edward Synge build
schools which taught religious instructions most of
the day. Through strongly opposed by the parish
priest in Corofin, he continued his religious
missionary zeal until his Dysert school was burned
during the night in 1826. Synge himself captured
two of the miscreants where upon a police guard was
placed upon his house. Things came to a head on Ash
Wednesday in 1831, when shots were fired at Edward
Synge's car as he was returning home from Corofin.
His driver was killed while Synge was miraculously
saved by a Bible he always carried in his breast
pocket. (The Bible and bullet are today on display
at the Corofin Heritage Center.)
Edward's son, Francis Hutchinson Synge, took over
the Dysert lands in the latter half of the
nineteenth century and carried out much needed
repairs to the old chapel of the O'Deas, the round
tower, and the high cross. He is buried under a
stone of polished granite just outside the walls of
the Dysert O'Dea church.
The Last Hero
Patrick O'Dea was born in 1903 at Corrowmore North,
Doonbeg, Co. Clare. He attended the local National
School at Clohanes where he began his athletic
career. His favorite pastime was swimming and he
was destined for a brilliant career as a long
distance swimmer.
In 1920 the War of Independence in Clare was at its
worst, with the infamous Black and Tans shooting
and burning indiscriminately. Patrick joined the
Republican Army and became a member of The West
Clare Active Service Unit. In July 1920, volunteer
Patrick O'Dea was fatally wounded during an
engagement with British troops at Ballykett near
Kilrush. He was only nineteen years of age.
So ended 1000 years of O'Dea opposition to foreign
rule in Ireland, an opposition which began with
Déaghadh fighting the Vikings at Dundalk in
943 and ended with young Patrick's death in 1922.
The Restoration of Dysert O'Dea Castle
In 1968, Mr. John B. O'Day of Wisconsin was touring
Ireland when he discovered that Dysert O'Dea Castle
was for sale. He immediately set about purchasing
the ruin and between 1971 and 1983, he carried out
much needed repairs to the building in order to
protect what remained of the castle from the
elements. Since that time Dysert O'Dea has become
one of the most visited sites in Clare and is today
the site of continuing archeological investigation.
-
With many thanks, this history is taken
from
O'Dea, Ua Deaghaidh: The Story of a
Rebel Clan, by Risteárd Ua
Cróinín.
-
Ballinakella Press, Whitegate, Co. Clare,
Ireland, 1992. ISBN 0 946538 07 7 Reprint, 2001.
Other facets of the history of the O'Dea Clan may be found in the
"Learned Families of Thomond" series on the
Clare Libraries web site. For the origin of the O'Deas of
south Kilkenny, consult "The O'Deas of Gurteen," in a history of the FitzGeralds
posted on
Rootsweb.
Copyright © 2001 Risteárd Ua
Cróinín and Dysert O Dea Clan
Association.
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