Brosna to celebrate its great hero of Independence Batt

BROSNA is getting ready for a major celebration this coming Friday, July 1 - of its native son Bartholomew O’Connor, a close of friend of Michael Collins who played a crucial role in the Easter Rising and the War of Indepdence.

Bartholomew ‘Batt’ O’Connor later went on to serve as a TD for Dublin until his death in 1935.

Now, in the year of the Rising Centenary, his home place is to pay tribute to his record in a major way in what’s likely to prove a poignant commemoration.

Starting with a Mass of Remembrance at the St Moling and St Carthage Church in Brosna at 7.30pm complete with honour guard from the RDF Barracks in Tralee, it will witness the dipping of the flags at consecration; before a full military parade into the square for the raising of the flags at 8pm.

A wreath-laying ceremony, lowering of flag’s and a minute’s silence will take place then before the reading of the Proclamation of the Republic.

The launch of the new book on the man’s life and times will take place locally afterwards, entitled Bartholomew O’Connor: His Life and Fight for Irish Freedom.

Born in Brosna in 1870, O’Connor was with Con Collins prior to his arrest in 1916; later becoming a close personal friend of Michael Collins while incarcerated with him in the infamous Frongoch Prison Camp.