The O’Rahilly GAA club Ballylongford, Co.Kerry, marked the 150th Anniversary of the birth of the patriot The O’ Rahilly on the 22nd April 1875 this evening, the 3rd of May 2025.
Michael Joseph O’Rahilly
Finucane’s Pub, Quay Street, Ballylongford, Co.Kerry was the birthplace of the Irish patriot, Michael O’Rahilly, known as The O’Rahilly. He was born in this house in April 1875. A wealthy businessman, he was passionately interested in Irish economic, cultural and political affairs, and he was a founding member of the Gaelic League and of the Irish Volunteers. O’Rahilly participated in the Easter Rising of 1916 in Dublin, and he died on Moore Street leading a retreat from the General Post Office. Shortly after he was born, his family moved into their newly built three-storey residence around the corner from this establishment. The house in which he grew-up bears a plaque that was unveiled on the 50th anniversary of the Rising in 1966.
O’Rahilly Plaque
O’Rahilly Plaque
The Funding for the O’Rahilly plaque was acquired in London in 1966 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of O’Rahilly death. O’Rahilly participated in the Easter Rising of 1916 in Dublin, and he died on Moore Street leading a retreat from the General Post Office.
The plaque was acquires by The Kerryman’s association of London.
The Kerryman’s association meetings were held in The Lord High Admiral pub, Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, owned by Paddy Whitty (Deirdre Finucane uncle) who was chairman of The Kerryman London Association at the time.
The fund-raising committee were Micheál O’Sullivan (Ballylongford) Seán Morrissey Chairman(Ballylongford) Stan Kennelly(Listowel) Maureen Morrissey and Catherine O’Sullivan Treasurer. Other committee members were Paddy Fitzmaurice(Ballyduff) Paddy Campbell and Richard Mc Ellistrem.
This Kerryman London committee also collected funds for a plaque to be erected in St.Anns Church (Whitechapel) London in honour of Michael Collins as he went to Mass there while working in London.
There was also a Ballylongford committee in 1966. The committee members include the following:
Diarmaid O’Loinsigh, Thomas O’Loinsigh, John Martin O’Connor, Padraig O’Connor, Mick Keane(Asdee), Mick Finucane, Bill O’Shea, Mikey Ahern, Joseph (Joby) Morrissey, Con Healy, Michael Mc Ellistrem, Mikey Foley, Micky Harold, Tom Mason, Martin O’Carroll.
Brendan Kennelly
Brendan Kennelly was born in Main Street, Ballylongford, Co Kerry, on April 17th, 1936
Kennelly’s Pub is the childhood home of the internationally acclaimed poet and writer, Brendan Kennelly, former Professor of English at Trinity College Dublin
Brendan Kennelly
The Crooked Cross
If Life in Little Places Dies, Greater Places Share The Loss Life, If You Wish, May Not Be Worth One Passing Game of Pitch Toss and Yet a Nation’s Life is Laid in Places Like The Crooked Cross
Malachi Francis Martin
Malachi Francis Martin was born in Ballylongford during the Truce on the 27th. July 1921 and baptised the following day in St. Michael the Archangel Church in Ballylongford by Father Michael Allman P.P. His Father was Conor Martin, the local dispensary doctor and his mother was Catherine FitzMaurice from Riverview House Tarbert, the village where his father had been the local doctor before transferring to Ballylongford. The Godparents were James Fitzmauirce and Johanna Hayes.
Malachi Francis Martin visited Ballylongford in the 1990s and he met Thomas Moynihan of Killelton, they sat together in Infant’s class in Ballylongford national school.
St.Michael’s Church, Ballylongford, Co.Kerry built in 1871
Ballylongford National School, only the site remains today.
Ballylongford Snaps 