Title of Project:

Fr Matt Ryan and his Enduring Influence on the Parish of Knockavilla-Donaskeigh

Name(s) of Class/group of students/individual student submitting the project

Sixth Class

School Roll Number:

14426N

School Address:

Scoil Mhuire Chnoc a Bhile,

Cnoc a Bhile,

Dn Droma,

Co. Thiobraid rann.

Class Teachers name(s):

Anne Dalton and Eleanor N Dhuibhir

Contact Phone Number:

062 71533/ 087 6324360/ 087 7627145

Contact email address:

knockavillans.ias@eircom.net/ ellieod@eircom.net

Fr. Matt Ryan 1844 -1937

INTRODUCTION

We go to school in Scoil Mhuire Chnoc a Bhile. Our parish is in the diocese of Cashel and Emly. Knockavilla in Irish is Cnoc a Bhile. Bile means a great oak tree near which, according to tradition, the local chieftains were inaugurated.

Fr. Matthew Ryan, or Fr. Matt as he was known locally, became parish priest of our parish in 1897. He was parish priest here for forty years. He had a very powerful influence on the parish and its people. He was a patriot, a nationalist, an Irish language enthusiast and an eloquent speaker who spoke out to support the small tenant farmer. He was very famous during his time here and even today the people of this area are very proud of him and all he did for this parish and this country.

Scoil Mhuire Chnoc a Bhile

Early Life

Fr. Matt Ryan was born in 1844 in Pallasgreen, Co Limerick. He went to school locally and in Emly. He then went to St. Patricks College, Thurles and then to the Irish College in Paris. He was ordained a priest in 1871. He was a curate from 1874 - 1885 in Lattin -Cullen and was then transferred to Hospital - Herbertstown . He was promoted to parish priest of Knockavilla-Donaskeigh, our parish, in 1897.

Plan of Campaign

When Fr. Matt arrived in Hospital parish in 1886 he had witnessed the hardship people had suffered during the famine and had seen many evictions. He found the whole landlord system wrong and unjust .He was a stalwart land leaguer. He was a big supporter of the Plan of Campaign . This was a strategy adopted in Ireland between 1886 1891 for the benefit of tenant farmers. The tenant would try to get a lower rent through a programme of collective bargaining. If the landlord refused , the tenant paid into a central fund which then supported tenants who were evicted.

It started because the slump in prices of dairy products and cattle from the mid 1870s left many tenants in arrears with rent. Bad weather in 1885 and 1886 caused the crop failure which made it harder to pay rent .

Plan of Campaign Headquarters in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork

Fr. Matt was a strong supporter of the Plan of Campaign. He believed in the right of the people to the land. They wanted:

Cos Cothrom - Fair Rent,

Buaine Seilbhe - Fixity of Tenure,

Cead Dolta Free Sale

Fr. Matt spoke of the problems facing the tenants after the bad harvest. He also spoke of political separation from England. He was jailed because he refused to give information about the Plan of Campaign. On his release he was greeted by cheering crowds at every railway station on his way home.

Within a year Fr. Matt, or The General as he was called, was in jail again because of a speech he made in Caherconlish supporting tenant farmers. He was released after a fortnight. He was greeted in Herbertstown by a huge crowd of 10,000 people. He addressed the crowd saying The landlords have drained the life blood of the Irish people. The Plan of Campaign will win justice and make the landlords honest.

A Plaque commemorating the Plan of Campaign in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork

In 1888 the Pope forbade Catholics from taking part in the Plan of Campaign. Fr Matt had to resign from his position in the Campaign.

Knockavilla- Donaskeigh Parish 1897- 1937

Fr. Matt had a huge interest in education in the parish. It was a priority for him during his 40 years in our parish. The old school in Knockavilla, which is now the Community Centre, was built in 1894. Mr. Edward Cussen was the Principal of the boys school and Mrs Mary Kennedy was Principal of the girls . Both schools were under the one roof. Fr. Matt became manager of the schools in 1897.

He campaigned for a proper teachers residence in the parish. In November 1912 sanction was received for the building to begin. He also campaigned for alterations to be made to the school plan Efficient teaching cannot be done in a room where two teachers are trying to instruct their respective class. He also demanded extra desks and eventually received them.

Old School Knockavilla

Porches at Knockavilla Church erected by Fr Matt in 1917

Language Enthusiast

When Fr. Matt arrived in Knockavilla in 1844 , Edward Cussen was teaching Irish in Knockavilla National School . Fr Matt began studying the language and became an enthusiast. He put his whole heart into the revival of the language. He was a patriot who believed that the land and the language movements should work together. He hired only Irish speaking teachers for the six schools he managed, and oversaw the introduction of Irish instruction by riding his bike to each school every week. His passionate interest in the Irish language resulted in Bridget Dirrane from the Aran Islands becoming his housekeeper.

Nationalist

At the beginning of the 1900s a strong Nationalist spirit was growing in the country with the foundation of the GAA, The Gaelic League and Sinn Fin. The local branch of the Gaelic League/Conradh na Gaeilge was founded in Knockavilla in 1904 with the Principal teacher as its first secretary. Fr. Matt was also a dynamic presence in the branch. Conradh na Gaeilge grew to be very strong and influential in the parish with large numbers of parishioners and people from neighbouring coming to learn the language during the early years of the twentieth century. Fr Matt was National Vice President of the Gaelic League from 1908 1924.

He was elected to the National Executive of Sinn Fin in 1917. He got more votes than either Michael Collins or Sean T O Ceallaigh.

Bridget Dirrane described Fr. Matt as a great Irishman and a follower of the nationalist movement and a true blue Irishman. Fr Matt encouraged Bridget and her sister and his two nieces to join Cumann na mBan. Fr Matts influence encouraged many young men in the Knockavilla- Dundrum area to join the fight for Irish freedom. The 3rd Tipperary Brigade was made up of many men from this area. Fr. Matt, unlike some other priests at the time, was very supportive of the boys and was known to hear their confessions at his house during the War of Independence. He did not support the recruitment of Irish young men into the British forces and spoke out against it saying he did not want their sons to become maggots, meat in France and Belgium.

Feiseanna

Fr. Matt organised the first Feis in Co. Tipperary in 1904. Dr Douglas Hyde first President of Ireland attended one of these feiseanna. Fr. Matts influence and his enthusiasm for the language revival bore great fruit in the parish. The Feiseanna were hugely successful. Pdraig Pearse referred to one of them Over 10,000 people were expected and trainloads were to come from Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. The Aerochta continued for many years in the parish.

A copy of an essay written by a child in Donaskeigh School (Curraghpoor N.S.) in September 1906. It tells of a Fr Matt Feis which was attended by 300 people. It refers to a speech given by Dr Douglas Hyde and Fr. Matt Ryan and an Irish play performed by a Knockavilla boy.

Fr. Matt Ryan had a powerful influence on Michel McCrthaigh who continued the love of the Irish language, music and traditions in Knockavilla. Michel trained as a teacher, and also went on to become Uachtarn Chonradh na Gaeilge (1959-1965). He was Principal of Knockavilla NS from 1961 1977. He continued the tradition of holding feiseanna and aerochta until the 1970s in our parish. Musicians and Gaelic scholars came from all over the country to take part in these popular events.

Plaque to Michel Mac Crthaigh at the Grotto in Knockavilla

Buy Irish

Fr. Matt promoted Buy Irish . He could be seen riding a big Pierce Wexford Bike until his death . At Mass one Sunday he demonstrated the superiority of Irish made matches over English by counting the number in both boxes. His sermons ranged from the Freedom of Ireland to the price of womens hats yed get them cheaper in John Crowes in Dundrum. His words also showed sincere faith and spirituality.

Fr. Matt died in Oct. 1937. He was 93 years of age. His funeral was huge with thousands of people coming from all over the country. Eamon De Valera and Sean T O Ceallaigh, both future presidents of Ireland, attended. His generosity was legendary and when he died, he was practically penniless. He is buried in the Church grounds in Knockavilla.

Fr. Matts Headstone

We in Scoil Mhuire Chnoc a Bhile are very proud of Fr. Matt Ryan. His legacy continues today in the following ways:

The high regard for and love of o