The Hegartys of Crossmolina

      THE HEGARTYS:

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       A NOTEWORTHY FAMILY

            FROM CARROWKEEL

 (ADDERGOOLE), CROSSMOLINA

                             

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       (Extracts of the Hegarty family from “They Put the Flag a-Flyin”)

(The 1901 Census shows that the Hegarty family—Mr. John Hegarty and his wife, Ellen, lived in house No. 4 in Carrowkeel (Addergoole). In the house the census was taken were John and Ellen; Martin (Postman), Cecily, Pat, John, Bartly, and Eddy.; the 1911 census returns show they had moved to No. 1 Carrowkeel, and consisted of John and his wife; Martin (Postman); Ellen, Patrick (Postman); John and Edward. In the returns on the 1911 Census, John, the head of the family, signed it off and also included that eight members of the family were born and were all living at this time)

  Patrick Hegarty, the first 2nd Lieutenant of the Lahardane Company, who later became an organiser for Mayo and Sligo. He was sworn into the I.R.B. by Michael Kilroy in March, 1918. Patrick was arrested for illegal drilling and sent to Crumlin Road Jail, where he came into contact with many of the leaders of the movement including Austin Stack, Terence McSwiney, and Seamus Robinson of Tipperary. He helped plan the attack on Bellacorick Barracks in April 1920. (His brother, Edward, Sean Corcoran and Tom Loftus were in charge of the main body of men). Patrick served on the Brigade staff as well as being selected as a member of the Mayo Co. Council in late 1920. He attended the first Republican Council meeting.

 Martin Hegarty, eldest of the family, was arrested by the Black and Tans at his home and taken to Castlebar and Sligo jails. He was released several weeks later.

  Edward Hegarty, one of the first members of the Lahardane Company, took part in the attack on Bellacorcik Barracks in April 1920. He was killed during the Civil War on 25th July, 1922 at Glenhest, on the road from Castlebar to Belmullet. A monument to his memory stands by that road. He lies in the family plot in the Kilmurray cemetery.

  Bartley “Bart” Hegarty, a twin of Sean, and member of the Lahardane Company, went on to become the O/C of No. 2 North mayo Brigade Active Service Unit from 1921 through the Civil War. He also fought with the West Mayo and Connemara men during that time. After the war, he emigrated to Canada, returned to Ireland, and later settled in England. He never married. Died 9th October, 1973, and is buried in Kilmurray cemetery.

  The father of the family, John, was beaten so severely by the Black and Tans in late1920 that he died seven weeks later.

  Sean Hegarty, a member of the Lahardane Company, took part in the attack on the Bellacorick Barracks in April 1920. He was arrested by the Black and Tans, taken outside his house some distance away, and every hair of his moustache and head extracted with a pair of pliers, then beaten and kicked to the ground. His head swelled to three times its normal size and he died some time later.

  Cecelia Hegarty, the sister, was dragged along a gravel road on her bare knees and beaten. the injury to her knees set the stage for rheumatoid arthritis, which crippled her in later years and left her unable to leave a wheel chair. She died in 1946.

  Nell Hegarty, the keeper of the trust, who later married a Jordan, settled on the home place, and took care of her aging brothers who returned to Ireland.