| Knockcroghery Cnoc an Chrocaire
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Knockcroghery
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Roscommon |
| Elevation | 82 m (269 ft) |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0) |
| • Summer (DST) | IST (WEST) (UTC-1) |
| Irish Grid Reference | M934574 |
Knockcroghery (Irish: Cnoc an Chrocaire, meaning "The Hanging Hill / The Execution Hill") is a rural village in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is located on the N61 road between Athlone and Roscommon town, near Lough Ree on the River Shannon.
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The village nestles at the foot of a stony ridge, which protects it from the east wind that sweeps in from Galey Bay. This accounts for the original name of the village, "Creggan" (Irish: Creagán, meaning "Stony Hill").
The name change of the village occurred in Cromwellian times (16th Century) when Sir Charles Coote laid siege to Galey Castle; the garrison (O’ Kelly/O’ Ceallaigh chief and clan) resisted and for their defiance were taken to Creggan and hanged. To mark this infamous act the name of the village was changed to ‘Cnoc na Crocaire,’ the Hill of the Hangings, now anglicised as ‘Knockcroghery’.[1].
For over 250 years the village was famous for the production of the tobacco clay pipe, or "Dúidín". By the late 1800s there were up to 100 people involved in the manufacture and distribution of the village’s clay pipes. Production ceased abruptly on 19 June 1921 when the village was burned down by the Black and Tans during the Irish War of Independence. Knockcroghery is also known for its clay-pipe making. Today, a visitor centre and workshop are located on the original site of Andrew and P.J. Curley’s pipe factory, where pipes are handcrafted using the original methods of production. The clay-pipe visitors centre is located in the middle of the village and sells clay-pipes and other hand-crafted souvenirs.
Knockcroghery is known by many as the home of Roscommon's famous All-Ireland winning captain Jimmy Murray (5 May 1917 - 23 January 2007). He captained Roscommon to their only two All-Ireland Senior Football title wins in 1943 and 1944. He was also captain in their 1946 final and replay against Kerry. As the 1943 final also went to a replay, he is the only man to have captained a team in five All-Ireland senior football finals. His public house is a well-known landmark and revered by lovers of Gaelic football from all parts of Ireland.
In the early hours of the 19 June 1921, the Black and Tans set Knockcroghery village alight.[3] It was an act of vengeance for the killing of a British General in Glassan two days previously by the Westmeath Volunteers. British intelligence agents mistakenly believed that the killers had come from Knockcroghery. The Black and Tans arrived in four lorries and parked at St. Patrick's Church. Reportedly drunk, they fired shots into the air and ordered the people out of their homes. They easily set fire to the thatched roofs of the cottages, using petrol. They were less successful in setting Murray's, Flanagan's and the priest's houses alight, due to their slated roofs. Having no time to take their possessions with them, the people rushed from their houses onto the street, still in their nightshirts[4]. Unable to set Murray's roof alight, the Black and Tans set fire to the back door. John Murray reacted quickly to put the fire out, saving the house. The occupants of the thatched houses didn't have this opportunity, however, the houses burning to the ground very quickly. Michael O' Callaghan described the scene: "the raiding forces drove up and down the village, firing shots at random, cursing loudly, and laughing at the plight of the people of Knockcroghery. The people were terrified, particularly the children, whose cries of fear added to the terrible scene."[5] The flames above Knockcroghery alerted the people for miles around to what had happened, and by daylight, the street was full of people. Jamesie Murray remembered the assistance given to the now homeless people of Knockcroghery: "They came from all over to help. People brought clothes, and a fund was soon set up. The families who were now homeless were accommodated in the vicinity, many staying with relatives who lived nearby. Farm sheds were converted into temporary dwellings. Later, three or four new cottages were built on the Shrah road and given to bachelors, who then took people in."[6] The village was rebuilt over the next few years, with help from government grants. The rebuilding provided employment locally, at a time when it was needed.
The Knockcroghery Fair is a festival held annually, generally on the third weekend in September, which attracts people from all over Ireland.