Mogue Kearns

Father Mogue Kearns (Irish: Mo Aodh Óg Ó Céirín; died 12 July 1798), sometimes called Moses Kearns, was an Irish Roman Catholic priest and United Irishmen executed by the British on 12 July 1798, after leading 2,000 rebel troops during the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland.

Biography

Mogue Kearns was born at Kiltealy, on the slopes of the Blackstairs Mountains, into a farming family. According to a story current in 1798, Kearns was a student in Paris at the height of the French Revolution and was hanged from a lamp-post by the mob. However, the weight of his body bent the lamp-post and his toes touched the ground. He was then rescued by a doctor who brought him back to consciousness.

After his ordination, was appointed curate at Balyna, on the Kildare-Meath border. He was not long in the parish when he was found to be politically active and was dismissed by Bishop Delaney. On his return from Kildare, he took up residence in Enniscorthy. Kearns joined the Insurgents from the outset and was prominent in the first battle of Enniscorthy on 28 May.

From the camp at Vinegar Hill, Kearns led a detachment of 2,000 poorly armed insurgents northwards to attack the garrison at Bunclody. On the morning of 1 June, they halted outside the town. Kearns ignored the advice of Miles Byrne (as reported in Myles Byrne's Memoirs) to send a detachment to the Carlow road to cut off the garrison's retreat and ordered the attack to begin. The garrison retreated, but, meeting reinforcements, returned and counter-attacked. The insurgent forces suffered heavy losses and had to retreat to Enniscorthy.

In the battle of Enniscorthy and Vinegar Hill, Kearns again played a prominent part but was wounded and had to be carried by the retreating insurgents towards Wexford. Kearns took refuge until his wound had healed and then joined a large number of insurgents who were hiding in Killoughram Woods. In early July Colonel Anthony Perry of Inch, and Father Kearns led the ill-fated Wexford expedition into Meath where the main force was defeated at the battle of Knightstown Bog (north of Navan) on 14 July. Perry and Kearns escaped to the south-west but were captured at Clonbolloge, Co Offaly on 18 July. Taken to Edenderry, Co Offaly they were executed on 21 July 1798 and buried together in the cemetery of Monasteries: A large Celtic cross now marks their grave.

See also
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