The Heroes of the Mine

On the 12th March 1923 five Republican prisoners were murdered at Bahaghs, Cahersiveen.This song, refers to the killing of five anti-Treaty men by Free-State soldiers on a bleak spring morning on March 12th’ 1923. The song comes from a collection of songs that was written down circa 1923 by Denis/Jack Griffin the uncle of Michael Courtney of the Kerry III Brigade who was blown up on a mine by Free-State troops at Bahaghs on the 12th March 1923. The song deals with the killing of five men - Mike Courtney, Spunkane, Dan O‘ Shea, Islandboy, John Sugrue, Ballinskelligs, Eugene Dwyer, Reenieragh and Willie Riordan, an eighteen year old who also had two other brothers interred as a result of Republican activities. The men were first shot and then strapped to a mine at Bahaghs near Cahirciveen. The men had been arrested at a wake at Curravoola, following a day of intense searching by the Free-State army in the hills around Waterville. The prisoners were taken to the Bahaghs workhouse.