Posted by Royal on January 12, 2004 at 18:12:24:

In Reply to: Fr. Meehan posted by Murrisk on January 08, 2004 at 00:14:23:

Whilst doing research,I came across an article on him in an old newspaper called "The Mayoman"(1919-1921), dated Oct.16th 1920.It recounts the story of when a group of soldiers & a police constable called at C/bar Presbytery and forced the door open.The Rev.J.W.Meehan was upstairs changing as he had to serve mass at rhe Convent that day.They manhandled him down the stairs with only his pants on,while they searched his room.He was arrested & charged with having ammunition & seditious literature, which he claimed the soldiers planked & in the meantime,some of the soldiers outside wrote offensive remarks on the door & window sills and flung mud about the place.
Later on in the Barracks that day,he was unable to finish his dinner brought to him by two nuns from the Convent as he was suddenly taken to Galway under a heavy escourt on an open lorry.There was outrage in the Town when the news got out.However, he was taken to Eglinton Street Police Barracks, and the courtmartial officer,evidently unable to proceed further, asked for a gaurantee that he would be available when brought to trial.He declined & was released.When he arrived home the next day,he received an enthusiastic welcome from a large crowd.
That's where the tale ends except I did come across another article somewhere stating that he had to leave his mission and eventually went to California, USA,where he was in charge of a large parish & often had to travel on a Sunday up to forty miles.He also had a brother who was a priest out in California.
That's all the info.I have & I can only presume because of his popularity, the people of C/bar named an estate after him.

Follow Ups:

• Re: Fr. Meehan MM 01:31:33 13/1/04 (2)
  • Re: Fr. Meehan Royal 09:18:21 13/1/04 (0)
  • Re: Fr. Meehan Mrsk 06:16:04 13/1/04 (0)

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