The following anecdoctal information is graciously provided by Johnny Cunningham of Erne Heritage Tours, who is an endless source of wonderful information:
It occurred to me writing up the gravestone inscriptions of Pettigo, R.C. Church today that people might enjoy a little more about Fr. Neal Ryan.
RYAN. (Statue of an angel dropping a rose) Reverend Neal Ryan died October 4th 1877 aged 82 years. Was ordained in Maynooth in June 1822 appointed Parish Priest of Pettigo in March 1827 and continued so to his death.
Fr. Neal Ryan served 50 years in the Pettigo Parish including the period of the Irish Famine of 1845-50 when on one Sunday he had to bury 14 corpses in Lettercrann Graveyard. He lived in a little house and farm in the townland of Aghafoy less than a mile from Pettigo on the road to Donegal Town. He was a much loved figure in the locality and denounced all party strife and animosity. The was of a happy and outgoing disposition and a noted raconteur. He got on so well with his Protestant neighbours as to be referred to as "the Protestant priest."
He is most famous for the occasion when he lent his congregation to his Church of Ireland friend the Rev. James Benson Tuttle (1788-1877) when he was in difficulties. The Rev. Tuttle was given to strong language and strong drink as a result of his previous career in the British Army and consequently his congregation shrank considerably and numerous complaints were being made to his bishop. He had neglected the financial aspect of his Parish so that in 1837 it was sequestered owing £700. When the bishop made him aware he was to visit the following Sunday to check on his dwindling congregation he was desperate and sought the advice of his Roman Catholic friend Fr. Ryan. On the appointed Sunday Fr. Ryan told his congregation in St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, Mulleek to go to the Church of Ireland service in nearby Aughterdrum Church later in the day and behave as the rest of the congregation did. It helped that the two men were known to be on very good terms and the fact that the Rev. Tuttle was also one of the local Magistrates and often took his advice in local prosecutions might also have been a worthwhile consideration in the minds of the local Catholics.
So they went en masse to Aughterdrum Church and cheered the bishop's arrival and were a model congregation. The bishop was so impressed that he decided that the letters of complaint reaching him were merely mischief making by someone in the Parish. Later the story was incorporated in the novel "Green Rushes" by Maurice Walsh and later into the film, "The Quiet Man" starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Coincidentally the two clerical companions passed to a better world within weeks of each other.
On another occasion, Fr. Ryan was asked by a parishoner to take action in the matter of a noted local poet/rhymer who had written a song which had cast numerous slurs on this particular individual. This behaviour of, "making a song on someone" was entirely in the tradition of the ancient Irish bards who were feared for their barbed songs with which they could reduce even kings or princes to laughing stocks of the country. Fr. Ryan indicated that he would have a word with the culprit and if that did not work he would "read him out from the altar" i.e. publicly denounce him. This strong message went around the countryside and the culprit kept out of the way of the priest for some time. On day they happened to meet when the priest was out and about with his driver in his horse and trap. Quite probably to the dismay of both parties the driver reigned up the horse and the priest being put on the spot delivered his obligatory lecture. The local poet bowed at the end and answered in rhyme:
Your mercy I implore,
And if you let me off this time,
Sure I'll offend no more.
Brusquely the priest ordered his driver to move along telling him later, "If you had not, he'd make a song on myself that would be all over the Parish in two days."
aka Black Frank Mc Hugh
Prionsias Dubh was a gentleman highwayman who flourished in the second half of the 18th century. His headquarters was in the Scraghy hills about half way between Pettigo in County Donegal and Castlederg in County Tyrone. The three counties of Fermanagh, Tyrone and Donegal all meet in this area. He was a man of some degree of culture and frequently mingled with the gentry at the house of Mr. Acheson of Grouse Lodge, near Pettigo who was unlikely to be unaware of the identity of Prionsias Dubh. Here the highwayman picked up tips on the travel arrangements of the gentry so as to select the best possible time to raid their property. The following news item in the Belfast News Letter, May 9th 1780, tells of the demise of Black Frank and his gang. There are at least two songs still sung in the locality concerning Frank and his exploits. A recent correspondent, Neville Long, tells me that a grandson of Jeremiah Acheson (of Grouse Lodge ancestry) became Bishop of Connecticut in the USA and his son was Dean Acheson, Secretary of State under President Truman.
Extract of a letter from Enniskillen, May 2nd (1780):
“This day ended the assizes held here by special commission, at which the following persons were tried and found guilty, upon the clearest evidence, for robbing James Armstrong of Lisgoole, Esq; viz. Francis Mc Cue, alias Francis Dough, the captain of the gang, Richard Monkham, Patrick Corrigan, James Mc Cabe, Alex. Wright and Bryan Mc Alin. These unhappy, yet daring and dangerous men, have received sentence to be executed. The Judges, Baron Hamilton and Justice Lill, in their charges gave the greatest praise to the Enniskillen Volunteers; and indeed they well deserve the praise and warmest thanks of every man in the country, and particularly of those whose property exposed them to the attacks and ravages of the above desperate gang; and by their watchful attention, in now mounting an officer’s guard, they will prevent a possibility of a rescue or escape, until they finish the arduous work they have begun, by seeing the laws of their country fully executed.”
At his hanging, Frank took advantage of the privilege of addressing the crowd and went on at some length. He was eventually interrupted by the hangman and told to finish. He turned to him and said - "for you it's a long day, but a short one for me" and continued his final address.
The anecdoctal information, above, is graciously provided by Johnny Cunningham of Erne Heritage Tours, who is an endless source of wonderful information. Thank you!
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