"The Battle of Widow McCormack's Cabbage Patch"

29 July 1848: The Young Ireland rebellion came to a swift close just outside Ballingary, Co. Tipperary. This rebellion sometimes called "The Famine Rebellion" ended with "The Battle of Widow McCormack's Cabbage Patch".

With habeus corpus recently suspended, a cordon of more than forty constabulary made their way toward the Village of Commons to apprehend the leadership of Young Ireland movement - specifically the commander William Smith O'Brien.

On approach, constables noticed barricades erected by the rebels and changed course toward Kilkenny. With the Young Irelanders in pursuit, the constables took up a stronghold in Margaret McCormack's Farranrory farmhouse, holding some of her children as hostages.

With some civility the rebels sought the constables' surrender. Although the sequence of events is not entirely clear, a gunfight ensued and two rebels (Thomas Walsh & Patrick McBride) were killed and with others wounded at the hands of the constabulary

The rebels then spotted a second group of officers enroute to reinforce their comrades. Outgunned and and now even more outmanned, the Young Irelanders realised the futility of their plight and fled.

Of the core rebel leadership, some notables like John Jacob Dillon, James Stephens and John O'Mahony escaped capture. O'Mahony would eventually go to America and be a founder the Fenian Brotherhood. Stephens returned to Ireland and would be a founder the Irish Republican Brotherhood. 

O'Brien and Thomas Francis Meagher were arrested, tried and sentenced to initially to death but ultimately transportation to Van Dieman's Land - Tasmania. O'Brien would eventually be released, while Meagher would escape to America and continue to be an outspoken critic of British rule.

For more information on The Widow McCormack's Farmhouse" now officially "The Famine Warhouse" and other Co. Tipperary historical sites check out the Slieveardagh Cultural & Enterprise Centre. www. slieveardagh.com