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Title of Project:Fr Matt Ryan and his Enduring Influence on the Parish of Knockavilla-DonaskeighName(s) of Class/group of students/individual student submitting the projectSixth ClassSchool Roll Number:14426NSchool Address:Scoil Mhuire Chnoc a’ Bhile,Cnoc a’ Bhile,Dún Droma,Co. Thiobraid ?rann.Class Teacher’s name(s):Anne Dalton and Eleanor Ní DhuibhirContact Phone Number:062 71533/ 087 6324360/ 087 7627145Contact email address:knockavillans.ias@ ellieod@Fr. Matt Ryan 1844 -1937INTRODUCTION We go to school in Scoil Mhuire Chnoc a’ Bhile. Our parish is in the diocese of Cashel and Emly. Knockavilla in Irish is “Cnoc a’ Bhile”. Bile means a great oak tree near which, according to tradition, the local chieftains were inaugurated.Fr. Matthew Ryan, or Fr. Matt as he was known locally, became parish priest of our parish in 1897. He was parish priest here for forty years. He had a very powerful influence on the parish and its people. He was a patriot, a nationalist, an Irish language enthusiast and an eloquent speaker who spoke out to support the small tenant farmer. He was very famous during his time here and even today the people of this area are very proud of him and all he did for this parish and this country. Scoil Mhuire Chnoc ‘a Bhile Early LifeFr. Matt Ryan was born in 1844 in Pallasgreen, Co Limerick. He went to school locally and in Emly. He then went to St. Patrick’s College, Thurles and then to the Irish College in Paris. He was ordained a priest in 1871. He was a curate from 1874 - 1885 in Lattin -Cullen and was then transferred to Hospital - Herbertstown . He was promoted to parish priest of Knockavilla-Donaskeigh, our parish, in 1897.Plan of CampaignWhen Fr. Matt arrived in Hospital parish in 1886 he had witnessed the hardship people had suffered during the famine and had seen many evictions. He found the whole landlord system wrong and unjust .He was a stalwart land leaguer. He was a big supporter of the Plan of Campaign . This was a strategy adopted in Ireland between 1886 – 1891 for the benefit of tenant farmers. The tenant would try to get a lower rent through a programme of collective bargaining. If the landlord refused , the tenant paid into a central fund which then supported tenants who were evicted.It started because the slump in prices of dairy products and cattle from the mid 1870’s left many tenants in arrears with rent. Bad weather in 1885 and 1886 caused the crop failure which made it harder to pay rent . Plan of Campaign Headquarters in Mitchelstown, Co. CorkFr. Matt was a strong supporter of the Plan of Campaign. He believed in the right of the people to the land. They wanted:Cíos Cothrom - Fair Rent, Buaine Seilbhe - Fixity of Tenure, Cead Díolta –Free SaleFr. Matt spoke of the problems facing the tenants after the bad harvest. He also spoke of political separation from England. He was jailed because he refused to give information about the Plan of Campaign. On his release he was greeted by cheering crowds at every railway station on his way home.Within a year Fr. Matt, or “The General” as he was called, was in jail again because of a speech he made in Caherconlish supporting tenant farmers. He was released after a fortnight. He was greeted in Herbertstown by a huge crowd of 10,000 people. He addressed the crowd saying –“The landlords have drained the life blood of the Irish people. The Plan of Campaign will win justice and make the landlords honest”.A Plaque commemorating the Plan of Campaign in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork In 1888 the Pope forbade Catholics from taking part in the Plan of Campaign. Fr Matt had to resign from his position in the Campaign. Knockavilla- Donaskeigh Parish – 1897- 1937Fr. Matt had a huge interest in education in the parish. It was a priority for him during his 40 years in our parish. The old school in Knockavilla, which is now the Community Centre, was built in 1894. Mr. Edward Cussen was the Principal of the boys’ school and Mrs Mary Kennedy was Principal of the girls’ . Both schools were under the one roof. Fr. Matt became manager of the schools in 1897.He campaigned for a proper teacher’s residence in the parish. In November 1912 sanction was received for the building to begin. He also campaigned for alterations to be made to the school plan –“Efficient teaching cannot be done in a room where two teachers are trying to instruct their respective class.” He also demanded extra desks and eventually received them. ‘Old School’ KnockavillaPorches at Knockavilla Church erected by Fr Matt in 1917 Language EnthusiastWhen Fr. Matt arrived in Knockavilla in 1844 , Edward Cussen was teaching Irish in Knockavilla National School . Fr Matt began studying the language and became an enthusiast. He put his whole heart into the revival of the language. He was a patriot who believed that the land and the language movements should work together. He hired only Irish speaking teachers for the six schools he managed, and oversaw the introduction of Irish instruction by riding his bike to each school every week. His passionate interest in the Irish language resulted in Bridget Dirrane from the Aran Islands becoming his housekeeper.NationalistAt the beginning of the 1900’s a strong Nationalist spirit was growing in the country with the foundation of the GAA, The Gaelic League and Sinn Féin. The local branch of the Gaelic League/Conradh na Gaeilge was founded in Knockavilla in 1904 with the Principal teacher as its first secretary. Fr. Matt was also a dynamic presence in the branch. Conradh na Gaeilge grew to be very strong and influential in the parish with large numbers of parishioners and people from neighbouring coming to learn the language during the early years of the twentieth century. Fr Matt was National Vice President of the Gaelic League from 1908 – 1924. 3091815154940 He was elected to the National Executive of Sinn Féin in 1917. He got more votes than either Michael Collins or Sean T O’ Ceallaigh. Bridget Dirrane described Fr. Matt as ‘a great Irishman and a follower of the nationalist movement’ and a ‘true blue Irishman’. Fr Matt encouraged Bridget and her sister and his two nieces to join Cumann na mBan. Fr Matt’s influence encouraged many young men in the Knockavilla- Dundrum area to join the fight for Irish freedom. The 3rd Tipperary Brigade was made up of many men from this area. Fr. Matt, unlike some other priests at the time, was very supportive of ‘the boys’ and was known to hear their confessions at his house during the War of Independence. He did not support the recruitment of Irish young men into the British forces and spoke out against it saying he did not want ‘their sons to become maggots, meat in France and Belgium’. FeiseannaFr. Matt organised the first Feis in Co. Tipperary in 1904. Dr Douglas Hyde first President of Ireland attended one of these feiseanna. Fr. Matt’s influence and his enthusiasm for the language revival bore great fruit in the parish. The Feiseanna were hugely successful. Pádraig Pearse referred to one of them –“ Over 10,000 people were expected and trainloads were to come from Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. The Aeríochtaí continued for many years in the parish.A copy of an essay written by a child in Donaskeigh School (Curraghpoor N.S.) in September 1906. It tells of a Fr Matt Feis which was attended by 300 people. It refers to a speech given by Dr Douglas Hyde and Fr. Matt Ryan and an Irish play performed by a Knockavilla boy.Fr. Matt Ryan had a powerful influence on Micheál McCárthaigh who continued the love of the Irish language, music and traditions in Knockavilla. Micheál trained as a teacher, and also went on to become Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge (1959-1965). He was Principal of Knockavilla NS from 1961– 1977. He continued the tradition of holding feiseanna and aeríochtaí until the 1970s in our parish. Musicians and Gaelic scholars came from all over the country to take part in these popular events.Plaque to Micheál Mac Cárthaigh at the Grotto in KnockavillaBuy IrishFr. Matt promoted “Buy Irish “. He could be seen riding a big Pierce Wexford Bike until his death . At Mass one Sunday he demonstrated the superiority of Irish made matches over English by counting the number in both boxes. His sermons ranged from the Freedom of Ireland to the price of women’s hats “ye’d get them cheaper in John Crowe’s in Dundrum”. His words also showed sincere faith and spirituality. Fr. Matt died in Oct. 1937. He was 93 years of age. His funeral was huge with thousands of people coming from all over the country. Eamon De Valera and Sean T O’ Ceallaigh, both future presidents of Ireland, attended. His generosity was legendary and when he died, he was practically penniless. He is buried in the Church grounds in Knockavilla. Fr. Matt’s Headstone We in Scoil Mhuire Chnoc a’ Bhile are very proud of Fr. Matt Ryan. His legacy continues today in the following ways: The high regard for and love of our native language, music and traditions in the parish,Strong tradition of ‘Gaeilge labhartha’ sa scoil agus sa Pharóiste,Aifreann Lá ‘le Phadráig,Seachtain Na GaeilgeCeolchoirmScórContinued singing of much-loved old Gaelic hymns such as ‘Ghile Mo Chroí’, ‘Is Maith an Bhean Mhuire Mhór’, ‘Deus Meus’, ‘Rug Muire’ srl. Ode to Fr. Matt Copy of Fr. Matt’s handwriting on a Baptismal Record. Memories of Fr. MattSr. Bede, past pupil of Knockavilla School wrote from her convent in Cape Town in 1995-“Fr. Matt was a great Irish man and frequently came to the school. Once we had a test and I got the prize which was an Irish dictionary with a green cover and gold writing on it. I had the least mistakes. This was the only school prize I ever won. Fr. Matt took a Latin class for those who wanted it in Ballinahinch on Saturdays.”In 1997 at the age of 103 Bridget Dirrane, Fr Matt’s housekeeper recalled bringing food down to “The Bog” for the “men on the run”Locals told of “a volley of shots fired over the heads of participants by the Black and Tans at one of Fr. Matt’s Feiseanna”Philly Taylor remembers Fr Matt making a pilgrimage to Rome in the 1930’s and returning with a beautiful new chalice for use in the church.Austin Crowe remembers his mother (our present principal’s grandmother) who taught in a local school as a young woman, telling how she lost her job because of her involvement in Cumann na mBan. Her job was restored when Fr. Matt spoke on her behalf.On his death “The Nationalist” our local newspaper wrote-“A simple, unassuming, saintly man of considerable intellectual powers, a classical scholar of wide repute and above all a typical saggart aroon, living for his people, working for them and wearing himself in their service”The Irish Press wrote “The parish church of Knockavilla was unable to accommodate the throng of sympathisers who travelled long distances to the funeral. Many shops in Tipperary town were shuttered.”Jack Dwyer told that one of his earliest memories was coming to see all the cars in Knockavilla for Fr. Matt’s funeral – at the time such an amount of cars would have been very unusual. He also spoke of the excitement in the area when word got out that De Valera was at the funeral. BibliographyDay, R., Waldron, F., Maher, T., Travers, P. Time Traveller 4 (Dublin 1996)De Búrca, M. An tAthair Mathúin ? Riain agus Ceist na Talún 1887 in Prút, L. (ed.) Dúchas 1986-1989 (Dublin 1990)Dennehy, J. In a Time of War Tipperary 1914-1918 (Kildare 2013)Dirrane, B. A Woman of Aran: The Life and Times of Bridget Dirrane (Dublin 1997)Fallon, C.J. (Eds) History Quest 5 Dublin 2006Fallon, C.J. (Eds) History Quest 6 Dublin 2006Folens. Unlocking History 6th Class (Dublin 2013) Greensmyth, H. Fr Matt Ryan – A Land League Priest (1843-1937) His Life & Times Mac Cárthaigh, M. A Tipperary Parish: A History of Knockavilla-Donaskeigh (Cork 1986)Marnane, D.G. and Guinan Darmody, M. Finding Tipperary: Tipperary Town and District Aspects of its History and Heritage (Tipperary 2009)Neill, K. Our Changing Times: Ireland, Europe and Modern World since 1890 (Dublin 1975)? Duibhir, D. An tAthair Mathúin – Seanchas an Pharóiste in Prút, L. (ed.) Dúchas 1986-1989 (Dublin 1990)O’ Dwyer, C. Pobal Ailbhe: Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly (Strasbourg 2008)O’ Dwyer, M. Brigadier Dinny Lacy 1890-1923 By The Men Who Knew Him (Cork 2007)? Muirgheasa, D. Education in the Parish of Knockavilla (Cashel 1995)? Muirgheasa, D. Micheál Mac Cárthaigh – Fíor-Ghael Thiobraid ?rann (Cork 2010)? Súilleabháin, D. Mathúin ? Riain – Sagart agus Tírghráthóir Fuaimintiúil in Prút, L. (ed.) Dúchas 1986-1989 (Dublin 1990)Rionn Cosanta, Bureau of Military History 1913-1921, Doc. No. W.S. 1403 – Eamon ? DuibhirRionn Cosanta, Bureau of Military History 1913-1921, Doc. No. W.S. 1474 – Eamon ? Duibhir ................
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