The Connery's Commemorative Garden, Bohadoon
The story of the Connery Brothers - rogues or heroes depending on your viewpoint, is the stuff of which great ballads are made. Three contemporary songs, written about the brothers' exploits in the 1830's have survived to this day - one of which, "Na Conneries" slow air, is very popular and played all over the country.
James, John and Patrick Connery lived during the violent years of agrarian trouble and
resistance in Ireland. As tenant farmers, they occupied a small land holding at Bohadoon outside Dungarvan, and like many of their contemporaries were involved in much of the local faction fighting. This involvement inevitably brought them to the attention of the Authorities.
Following years of trouble and the transportation of James Connery to New South Wales, John and Patrick Connery were evicted from their land in 1835. Much to the wrath of the Authorities, the brothers boldly returned to reclaim the land. They were arrested, brought to trial and sentenced to seven years transportation to New South Wales for their 'crime'.
There followed almost three years of hiding out in the woodlands of the Comeraghs and West Waterford, aided and supported by the local population. The brothers were captured twice but managed to stage dramatic escapes on both occasions before being finally captured by the Authorities in Cappagh on March 27th 1838.
John and Patrick Connery were sentenced and transported to New South Wales in 1838. The brothers received an absolute pardon in June 1850 but remained in New South Wales until their deaths.
Over the years the saga of the Connery Brothers has been remembered at many Irish festivals and events in lectures and pageants and the Connery songs are regularly featured in concerts and recordings, both verbally and instrumentally.
Comeraghs Comhaltas acquired the site of the Connerys homestead under licence several years ago. The branch regularly features "Na Conneries" slow air in its concerts and Séisiún Shows and members were determined to commemorate the local brothers in their home at Bohadoon. The derelict and overgrown site was cleared and a major landscaping project undertaken by a group of Volunteers.
The results of the project were unveiled during the Munster Fleadh Cheoil, on Wednesday 18th July 2012 at 8pm, when Australian Ambassador, His Excellency Mr Bruce Davis officially opened the beautiful Commemorative Garden in Bohadoon to the sounds of lone Piper David Power playing the evocative lament for the Connery Brothers.