President Higgins welcomes historians to Áras an Uachtráin

President Higgins welcomes historians to Áras an Uachtráin

20 September 2017

A FASCINATION with the 1798 Battle of Ballynahinch led a small group of local historians to the home of Irish President, Michael D Higgins, recently.

President Higgins welcomed the visitors to his official residence in Dublin’s Phoenix Park to allow them to view Thomas Robinson’s famous painting of the Battle of Ballynahinch, currently on display at Áras an Uachtaráin.

The guests were former Irish Times foreign correspondent, Conor O’Clery, and his wife, Zhanna, Ken Dawson, vice principal at Down High School, local historian, Horace Reid, and Irish Georgian enthusiast, Colin Reid and his wife, Pauline. 

Conor is now living in active retirement south of Dublin, Ken has just published a biography of Samuel Neilson, a United Irishman from Ballyroney, Horace lectures frequently on the 1798 rebellion and Colin and his daughter Jillian – both of them architects – have accumulated years of expertise in Irish Georgian buildings. 

Conor O’Clery spent his early boyhood in Newcastle and in 2016 he published a novel, The Star Man, aptly enough about a journalist who fought at Ballynahinch. He enjoys a fruitful collaboration with Ken and Horace on matters related to 1798.

During the visit President Higgins learned how the historic painting featured Montalto House, which he visited in March, 2012, Magheradroll Parish Church and the town of Ballynahinch ablaze after the fighting. Many regiments are recognisable by their uniforms, including the Monaghan Militia, then commanded by Colonel Charles Leslie of Glaslough. 

In 2002 President McAleese gifted an exact replica of this painting to Ballynahinch Market House, where it still hangs.

The group had a 20-minute chat with President Higgins ranging over topics such as the United Irish émigrés in the United States; Irish citizens transported to Australia, principally John Mitchell of Newry; and the contribution of Protestant clergymen to the preservation of the Irish Language, principally Bishop William Bedell of Kilmore in Co Cavan, and the Rev William Neilson of Rademon in Co Down.

The group was also given a tour of the house and garden. The State Corridor has a bust of Archibald Hamilton Rowan, leading United Irishman and one time owner of Killyleagh Castle.