Some Descendants of Evicted Tenants of Kellistown Farm

James P. Hanlon,	Glenarry, Bagenalstown;	Edwd Hughes,	Carlow;
James Hanlon,	Spahill, Borris;	Patrick Byrne,	Kilmeany;
Denis Hanlon,	Cuffsgrange, Kilkenny;	Thos Ryan,	Graignaspidogue;
James Tracey,	Ballymartin, Borris;	John Doyle,	Castlequarter;
John Fenlon,	Ballyellen, Bagenalstown;	Maurice O'Neill,	Ardristan;
Laurence Cummins,	Kilcool, Rathoe;	Ellen Curran,	Doonane;
Pat Ryan,	Knockbower, Carlow;	Ml. Curran,	do;
James Byrne,	Grangeforth;	Joe Sweeney,	Rathrush;
Jos Gorman,	Kellistown;	Mrs. M. Mahon,	Castlequarter;
George Dean,	Kellistown;	Edward Butler,	do;
Edward Hickey,	Roscat;	Peter Lucas,	Gilbertstown;
Thomas Nolan,	Slyguff Lock, Bagenalstown;	Mrs. Mary Dowling,	Brown's Hill;
Michael Murphy,	Kellistown Church;	Patrick Hayden,	Castlequarter district;
Michael Hughes,	Carlow;	Jas Haydenm	do;

Terry Halligan, Andrew Dwyer, Ptk Lawler, Michael Hayden, John Halligan. William McClain, John McClain, John Barrington, Abey Byrne, Murtha Lawlor, James Ryan, Mike Corrigan, John Lawlor, Larry Cummins, James Cummins, Joseph Boland, Patrick Ryan, William Byrne, James Garrett, Mike Byrne, P. Eustace, James Hanlon, Mrs. M. Dwyer, Michael Dunne, John Doyle.

We take the following extracts from a sketch from "MacDonnell's Collections," published in our journal in July 1907

About four and a half miles directly east of the present town of Ceatharloch is situated the very historical townsland of Cell Osnadh or Ceann Losnada (now called Kellistown). Cell Osnadh means "Cell or Church of Sighs"; Ceann Losnada is only used in Latin writings referring to the same place, and is but a corruption of the former name.

History points out Cell Osnadh as the site of a great battle between the Parthalonians and the Fomorians, a few years prior to the battle of Cuamh-ros (fought A M 2,859, that is 639 years after the Flood). The site of the battle of Cuamh-ros is marked by the great cromleach in Kernanstown or Brown's Hill, which is the last resting place of a Nemedian chief who was killed by the Fomorians, a race of sea robbers, at the very spot where the huge monument now stands.

In the Annals of the Four Masters the following account is given: - Cath Chellosnadh - Aois Criost ceithre ced ochtmoghae a naoi an taonmadh blaldhain deg do Lughaidh Maccaille eiped dece, Aongus Mac Natfraoich si Mumnan do tuitim hi ecath Chellosnadh Ia Muirceratach Mac Earca lae h-Iollann Nac Dunlaing la h-ailill Mac Dunlaing ocus de h-Eochaidh nGuinich dia nebradh.

The following is the translation: -

 Battle of Kellistown - Year of Christ 489, in the eleventh year of Lughaidh Maccaille's reign, the good Bishop Aongus, son of Natfraoich, King of Munster, fell in the battle of Kellistown (in war) against Muirceratach son of Earca, Iollann son of Dunlaing (Dowling), Ailill son of Dunlaing and Eochaidh nGuinich. Record of this battle is thus rendered in Latin in the "Book of Ulster": A.D. 489 - Bellum Cinn Lusnado ubi cecidit aengus, filius Natfraich righ Mumhan, ut cuana scripsit."

In English - The battle of Kellistown in which Aengus, son of Natfraich, King of Munster, was killed as Cuana wrote.

In "Sweetman's calendar" (1302-7) there is mention of a rectory in Kellistown the charters of which were confirmed by Thomas Dennus, Bishop of Ferns (1363-1400). In 1649 Cromwell appeared before Kellistown on the 7th day of October on his way from Dublin to Wexford and spent a few hours in tumbling down by means of his cannons all the Irish buildings that crowned the hill. Kellistown was originally owned by Clann Ul Chumainn or O'Cuman's descendants.

 On all sides of the hill the mounds of earth within which they lived can still be seen. Clan Cumann (Cummins) remained in possession for ages, but were at last defeated by Clan Ul Cheallaigh (the O'Kelly clan). Cummian of Durrow was a Kellistown man of great importance. He was abbot in the monastery of Durrow about A.D. 640, where he spent a great deal of his time in translating the classics into Irish. The Kelly Clan changed the name Cill Osnadh to Baile Ul Cheallaigh (the town of O'Kelly). This name changed to Kellystown and then to Kellistown as it is to-day. The spelling Kelvstown was used on a monument raised here in 1832.

On the morning of the 24th of May, 1798, a large body of Kelly's left Kellistown, and marched for Carlow to help the Irish forces to redeem the town. On reaching the outskirts of Carlow they were met by a priest who asked where they were going to. They told him. "Alas," he cried, "you are coming more than a hundred years too soon." They entered the town, joined in the battle, and fell in their country's cause. Next morning twenty-seven widows were "thrown out" and their houses levelled on Kellistown Hill. Then for the first time within history's record a calm - a solemn monotonous calm - fell on Cill Osnadh. In the year 1811 a Protestant Church was erected here, the tower of which can be seen for miles around.

Rathoe 26th Feb 1919 Some Descendants of Evicted Tenants of Kellistown Farm

Source: Michael Purcell (Scanned & Transcribed by Sue Clement 09/2007)