The Boree Log at Lisseycasey
Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:13 pm
Some time ago, in a dusty old secondhand bookshop, I seized upon a copy of John O'Brien's book of Irish- Australian bush verse entitled "Around the Boree Log". As I thumbed through the pages familiar phrases came leaping out from forgotten corners of my memory where they had lain dormant since my school days. The little red book is now a treasured possession because its verses so beautifully capture the Australian bush, Irish Catholic environment in which I was raised.
I was of course already aware that John O'Brien was a pen name for Father Patrick Hartigan, so recently I went looking on the net for more info on father Pat. I found out that he was born in Yass, NSW in 1878, but his parents had come from Lisseycasey, Co Clare. I was also interested to discover that he was parish priest at Narrandera, NSW from 1917 to 1944. My great grandmother (on my mother's side), Margaret Lyons (nee Manning) died at Narrandera in 1918, so most likely it was Father Pat who led the prayers at her burial.
But wait a minute, the mention of Lissycasey also rang a bell, because I recalled having seen a previous reference to a "Boree Log" in connection with Lissycasey. I went looking and found it on the Clare Library website at http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... illage.htm It says "The blessed well at Tobarniddaun is located a short distance down a side road near the Boree Log."
Now the title poem in the book has a footnote which reads "Boree .... is the aboriginal name for the Weeping Myall - the best firewood in Australia except Gidgee." So I find it rather intriguing that Lisseycasey should have its own Boree Log, lest it be some sort of tribute to Father (later Monsignore) Patrick Hartigan, a noted son of Lisseycasey folk.
Can anyone enlighten me - what is the Boree Log at Lisseycasey?
Murf
I was of course already aware that John O'Brien was a pen name for Father Patrick Hartigan, so recently I went looking on the net for more info on father Pat. I found out that he was born in Yass, NSW in 1878, but his parents had come from Lisseycasey, Co Clare. I was also interested to discover that he was parish priest at Narrandera, NSW from 1917 to 1944. My great grandmother (on my mother's side), Margaret Lyons (nee Manning) died at Narrandera in 1918, so most likely it was Father Pat who led the prayers at her burial.
But wait a minute, the mention of Lissycasey also rang a bell, because I recalled having seen a previous reference to a "Boree Log" in connection with Lissycasey. I went looking and found it on the Clare Library website at http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... illage.htm It says "The blessed well at Tobarniddaun is located a short distance down a side road near the Boree Log."
Now the title poem in the book has a footnote which reads "Boree .... is the aboriginal name for the Weeping Myall - the best firewood in Australia except Gidgee." So I find it rather intriguing that Lisseycasey should have its own Boree Log, lest it be some sort of tribute to Father (later Monsignore) Patrick Hartigan, a noted son of Lisseycasey folk.
Can anyone enlighten me - what is the Boree Log at Lisseycasey?
Murf