| Sean Wall, Brigadier, East Limerick Brigade
© Sean Wall Memorial, Bruff
We would like to thank local man Pat Quilty for providing
us with the following information on the 3rd Battalion, East Limerick
Brigade, IRA memorial, which stands in the center of Bruff town. This
memorial is popularly known as the 'Sean Wall Memorial'.
Sean Wall, Brigadier, East Limerick Brigade, was born in Ardykeohane,
Bruff in 1888. He was killed in tragic circumstances at Anacorty in May
1921.
Sean Wall was chairman of the Limerick County Council. He was married
with a young family. His daughter, now a nun, still survives, as well
as Gerard, Canon Wall, retired Parish Priest of Kilmallock. Comdt. Wall
is remembered as an able commander. Around 1944, a committee of former
IRA members set about erecting the memorial, which was finally unveiled
in October 1952 by President Sean T. O'Reilly. The model for the statue
was Joe Shanahan, Bruff/New York.
Fr Tom Wall, C.C., Dromcollogher (1916), brother of Brigadier Sean Wall,
with another priest, Fr Michael Hayes, C.C., was directly instrumental
in bringing about the huge tide of support for the 1916 rising. According
to Pat Quilty, that catalyst arose from the exchange of correspondence
between Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer, Limerick, and General (The Butcher)
Sir John G Maxwell, officer commanding British forces in Ireland. This
was another Bruff contribution to National Affairs.
Dr Robert Cussen
Dr Robert Cussen was P.P. of Bruff from 1840 to 1865. During his time
as P.P., he finished Grange church. He also built Meanus church and schools.
He made improvements to Bruff church and built the CBS. He was responsible
for building the present convent and introducing the FCJ order to Bruff.
On his death in 1865, his remains were brought to Bruff where they were
interred in the church. A life-size monument was erected to his memory.
 
|
