Sundays Well - May 15 1921

Father James O'Callaghan was a native of Templemartin Parish near Bandon, West Cork. He was ordained in 1908 and was an influential figure in the Irish language movement in Cork. In 1921 he was a newly appointed curate at the Church of the Most Precious Blood Clogheen when he was murdered by members of the crown forces. 

Fr O'Callaghan was lodging at the home of Sinn Fein TD Liam de Roiste at No. 2 Upper Janemount Sundays Well. He was staying in de Roiste's home, along with his house keeper Kate McSweeney, while waiting for his own accommodation in Clogheen to be built. 

The steep Buckston hill which leads to Upper Janemount, off Sundays Well Road.

It was around 4 o'clock on the Sunday morning of May 15th 1921 when a group of masked RIC Auxiliaries made their way up the steep Buckston Hill with murder in mind. 

De Roiste's home at Upper Janemount.

Days previously the RIC had raided de Roiste's home. They met Fr O'Callaghan and knew he was the only man in the house as de Roiste was on the run and the only other occupants were De Roiste's wife and the priest's housekeeper Kate McSweeney. 

Liam de Roiste

In the early hours of May 15th those three individuals were in the house when a loud knocking at the front door woke them. When there was a delay in answering the door the glass panels on the door were smashed and masked men burst into the house. Kate McSweeney rushed down the hall in a panic and as Fr O'Callaghan appeared on the landing the masked men produced their arms and fired. 

Liam de Roiste was elected Sinn Fein TD for mid Cork.

One bullet grazed the hand of Kate while other bullets hit Fr O'Callaghan. The masked RIC Auxileries left the scene and casually went back down into the darkened Sundays Well leaving behind a dead man of the cloth.

Today a plaque marks the home of Liam de Roiste.

Grave of Liam de Roiste at St Joseph Cemetery, Ballyphehane. 

Due to the steep incline of the area, an ambulance found it difficult to get up to de Roiste's home so with the help of neighbours the slain priest was wrapped in a blanket and carried down Buckstons Hill to where the ambulance waited. Fr O'Callaghan was taken to the North Infirmary where he later died. 

Fr James O'Callaghan was one of three priests killed by crown forces during the War of Independence. Canon Magnier was murdered by out of control British soldiers in West Cork as was Fr Griffin in Co. Galway.

The funeral of Fr James O'Callaghan was a large one, the procession included several organisations and bands as well as clergy. He was buried in the grounds of Clogheen church. Fr O'Callaghan was originally supposed to be buried in St Joseph's Cemetery in Ballyphehane but at the behest of the Clogheen people he was laid to rest there.

Grave of Fr O'Callaghan, Clogheen Church.

Liam De Roiste would go on to become a Cumann na nGaedheal TD and later lead the Cork branch of the Irish Christian Front which supported the Fascist General Franco in Spain in the 1930s. He died in 1959 and he was buried in St Joseph's Cemetery.

50th anniversary of Fr O'Callaghans death marked at his graveside in Clogheen 1971.