TS-OCBG-0264

Owen Cashin obituary-- from a newspaper cutting dated February 1923

The bullet riddled body of Owen Cashin, of Gragaugh, Ballingarry was found on the morning of Wednesday February 7th inst on the main Road between Mullinahone and Ballingarry. He was a most respectable farmer in the prime of his manhood’s vigour and strength and since the truce had taken no part in politics whatsoever. He was always a staunch Gael and an ardent Sinn Feiner being a member of the local club since its inception. His house was an open one for volunteers during the Black and Tan period and the deceased gave help generously to them whenever it was needed at the time.

In his younger days he was a great athlete and won many trophies as a runner, jumper and weight thrower.

The saddest record of all is that he was not quiet 12 months married, and on the night of Tuesday February 6th his wife was literally dragged from his presence at their gate by armed men who assured her of his safe return in the morning. The assurance had also been given to his mother and sisters when previous to their encounter with the deceased and his wife the raiders had searched the house for their intended victim.

Within twenty minutes of his departure from his wife, within one mile from his home the poor fellow was sent to meet his God. At both masses in Ballingarry on Sunday last the priest denounced the outrage in the strongest terms. 'Words or language (they said) cannot be found to express our feelings on the matter. The people are horrified and bewildered at such an unjustifiable murder and cannot conceive how men probably professing to be Catholics could commit such a callous crime.' But fortunately the victim had been at confession on the previous Saturday and received Holy Communion the following Sunday morning. Both priests asked the people fervent prayers for the departed soul and for his relatives and friends that God may help them to bear their heavy cross.

The funeral left the house on Wednesday evening for Ballingarry Church where the remains rested during the night. The people testified their grief and sympathy by their presence in such large numbers that evening as well as the following day when interment took place in the family burial ground Ballingarry Lower after Requiem mass celebrated by Very Rev Canon Hickey, PP.

Canon Hickey and Father Meaney recited prayers at the graveside.
Chief Mourners - Mrs. Cashin (wife) Mrs. J Cashin (Mother) Mr. J Cashin (brother) Mrs. Duggan (Sister) Mr. M Duggan (Brother In Law) Miss’s Eily And May Duggan (Nieces) Master J Duggan (nephew) Mr. G O Sullivan (Father In Law) Mrs. G O Sullivan (Mother In Law) Mrs. J Bermingham and Miss M O Sullivan (Sisters In Law) Messrs James and Richard Cahill Graugaugh, Mr. Thomas Cahill (Mullinahone) Messrs Wm and Thomas Egan (Farranrory) Mr. Patrick Tobin (Ballycullen) Messrs Thomas, John, Geoffrey and Andrew Croke (Grawn) Mr. Thomas Maher (Knockroe) Miss H Maher (do) Mr. John Gleeson (Kilkennybeg) Mr. John Tobin (Newtown) Miss O Neill and Miss T. Tobin cousins (Mullinahone)