Saturday, 11 May 2024

Myles, The Slasher O'Reilly

If someone were to mention to me The Slasher O'Reilly my first thought would be "who's this looper I've never heard of" while simultaneously wondering was he a local or an inmate at Mountjoy prison.

I'm also reminded of the wonderful Fawlty Towers show and the fantastic actor David Kelly with the scenes mentioning; are you men?, oh really, orelly and O'Reilly. Laugh, I nearly cried however I digress....

I recently passed through Finea, a small village in the extreme northwest of County Westmeath bordering Cavan and Longford.

A contemporary Celtic Cross caught my attention and I stopped to take a quick look.

A lot of these types of Cross across Ireland were erected in memory of locals who died in the War of Independence or the Irish Civil War and I thought this was another of these types of Cross but as it turned out my presumption was proved wrong.

Upon closer inspection it turned out that this particular cross was erected as a memorial to The Slasher, Myles O'Reilly.

It was erected on the 3rd of August 1913 and records the exploits of Myles in 1644 during a battle of the Confederate Wars in Ireland (the 11 years War) in which Myles fought against a combined force of English and Scottish soldiery under the command of General Monroe.

If Myles was still hacking away at giant Scotsmen with a Sword protruding through his jaw I gather he wouldn't have been a man I'd want to Cross swords with at all. It makes for an interesting story.

As for Myles himself it isn't clear whether he was killed during the battle or escaped death.

It's also not clear exactly which Myles O'Reilly is alluded to and some sources even question whether Myles was there at all.

Despite the dearth of accurate sources concerning Myles it's a nice story and an even nicer memorial.

Keep the wheels turning and excuse the formatting, Blogger is a mess.

BANNER ; Ancient Order of Hibernians - Sons of Brefney Remember the Slasher.

(Courtesy of Cavan County Museum, Ballyjamesduff.)

A rather rousing epitaph is engraved onto the Cross as follows;

“The Slasher had with him 100 horse while the enemy was 1,000 strong. They fought them the whole day long untill his followers were nearly all slain. Finally he was encountered by a gigantic Scotsman who trust the point of his sword through the Slasher’s cheek. The latter closed his jaw on the blade and held it as if in an iron vice while he slew his antagonist cutting him through steel helmet down to his chin with one blow, both falling together. At that moment reinforcements arrived from Granard and the Bridge was saved".

Poem by William Collins - Myles the Slasher at the Bridge of Finea