Tan War Volunteer honoured

Denis Hegarty, a 29-year-old IRA Volunteer who was killed by British Forces at Barry's Hall, Timoleague, County Cork, on 19 January 1921, was commemorated on 21 March in a simple ceremony organised by the Clonakilty Sinn Féin Cumann.

Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin explained that the Clonakilty SF Cumann had initiated a project last year to attend to the iron crosses that were erected in the 1930s to fallen republicans in West Cork, and which in recent years had fallen into disrepair or needed redecoration. This project has been undertaken to raise public awareness of the presence of these memorials and of their significance and to restore them to a condition befitting the men they honour.

At Barry's Hall, the cumann found that the local community was already involved in restoring the monument to Denis Hegarty. Cllr Ó Súilleabháin paid tribute to the many people involved who had given their time, talents and materials free of charge. "The result now is a memorial that is once again a fitting tribute to Volunteer Denis Hegarty," he said.

Ann Lee, a grandniece of the Volunteer, representing the family, laid a wreath. Louis Whyte, also a relative and PRO of the Kilmichael Crossbarry Commemoration Committee, praised the ongoing work of the Clonakilty Cumann in restoring the memorials, saying how important this work is.

Following the commemoration, the group visited the grave of Denis Hegarty at the nearby Teampeailín Cemetery.