School: Clonyhurk

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   “The local "estate" was that of "Warburton" Garryhinch.”

   

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   Catholic children only". This prophecy has been fulfilled. From that day the "Warburton's" got poorer and poorer until they had to sell their articles of furniture for food (even to the Catholics they despised). At length in March 1912 or 1913 the mansion was completely burned down having nothing standing but the walls. It was burned on a Friday night and I was present at the extinguishing of the flames on the following morning. Warburton his wife and five children were given and ordinary house by the Protestants of Portarlington. Here his wife died soon afterwards and the Protestants took care of the children. Warburton himself was brought to a Protestant house (Jackson's) within about 300 or 400 yards of this school when he afterwards died. He was buried in the churchyard at Garryhinch Church, which was built by his father for the Protestants and anglewise across the road from the school out of which he turned the Catholic children. The grass can now be seen growing through the steps and through the hall-door and within the ruins the trees can be seen growing and today the name of a Warburton is not in the locality as the five children are grown up and gone away. His lands are now "divided" among the Catholics, the very lands on which he forbid a Catholic to trespass.
   Mrs McKenna and of course her father, Daniel Dunne remember the father of Richard Warburton, viz Henry Warburton. He also was "bad" and very "hard" on the Catholics but still no mention of evictions. He employed none but Protestants whom he brought over from England and Scotland. He got the Protestant Church built a Garryhinch Cross, and also got a residence built for the Minister. This house is locally known as "The Glebe" though the Minister does not live in it. In addition to this he built several houses and "planted" Protestants in them. No Catholic

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mrs Peter Mc Kenna

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   75

   Occupations

   Farmer

   Housewife

   Address

   Garryhinch, Co. Offaly