O'Hanlon— Site of Battle of "Pass of Plumes: 1 283 



the eastern slope of a ridge, on the "western declivity of which may he 

 seen at present the old ruined church of Kilcolraanbane.* According 

 to well authenticated local tradition, the line of march lay through 

 almost impenetrable woods, which afforded a very secure cover for the 

 Irish enemy, while the trees and thickets screened their preparations 

 for a surprise from the advancing English. f Their road wound through 

 a natural depression in the ground. At present, in most places, it 

 assumes the form of a narrow winding ravine, with high hedgerows 

 on either side. From these peculiarities it would seem the passage 

 must have been called in Irish Bearna, " the gap." J In winter time, 

 a stream of water usually trickles over the surface of this road, and it 

 is lost in the lower marshes, near the rather modern Dublin and Cork 

 road, constructed for the mail coaches over sixty years ago. Along 

 the old line of road, leaving the ruined Castle of Ballyknockane to 

 the right, and on the very extreme verge of a deep black bog, the 

 English heads of columns had probably reached the small stream, 

 which now runs under a low arch of masonry, at Ballyknock- 

 ane cross roads. The following is an account of the local peculiarities 

 of the scene and incidents of this engagement, by the writer already 

 referred to, Sir John Harrington. His description is so obscure, and 

 his topographical knowledge so imperfect, that conjectural exposition 

 is necessary. He says : — 



" The nature of the passage is such, through a thicke woode a 

 myle, leadeth a highe waye, in moste places ten going paces broade, 

 which in the midst was traversed with a trench, § and the woode 

 plashed || vpon both sydes, from behinde which the rebell might with 

 facillyty gaule our men in their passage. To the other two sydes of 

 the woode are adjoyned 2 boggs,^[ which served the rebell for a secure 

 retreat from all force of our armye ; but upon an elevated porcion of 



It is probable tbis was tbe only road travelled from times tbe most remote ; 

 and in tbe beginning of tbe present century it was tbe leading tborougbf are between 

 Dublin and Cork. Only a few hundred weigbt could be carried over it on tbe 

 country cars or drays of tbe period. 



* This was most probably dedicated to St. Colman Ban [the White], wbo is 

 venerated in our Calendars on the 19th of October. 



f Mr. Daniel 0' Byrne, wbo has recorded many popular traditions in bis " His- 

 tory of tbe Queen's County," states, that in tbe townland of Ballyknockan, where 

 Prince Anthony slew hundreds of Essex's army, the remains of tbe slain have been 

 discovered, and that "they lie beneath tbe surface on a high gravelly part between 

 the cross roads and the ruins of the Castle." See chap xxiv., p. ill. 



% It seems possible, that " Bearna" bad been tbe former name of tbe present 

 townland, Anglicised to Pass. On tbis latter tbe battle, which began and continued 

 on Ballyknockan and Ballyheyland townlands, would appear to have ended. 



§ This was probably cut across tbe road, somewhat to tbe south-west of Bally- 

 knockan Castle, and near Pass village, at Ballyheyland, wbere a considerable body 

 of tbe O'Moores were posted. 



|| This process was probably accompbsbed by pleating, or intertwining, tbe 

 boughs and branches, as also by felling young timber and brushwood, which, when 

 piled judiciously together, formed a sort of impenetrable barricade. 



IT This description only applies to the spots near tbe present cross roads of Bal- 

 lyknockan, and onwards towards Moneen na fullagh. 



