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4 Brothers Lissonuffy Erra

RoscommonLissonuffy (Roscommon)

I am looking for information on 4 brotherss who were drowned n the river Shannon either in the early 1900's or sometime in the 1800's or earlier.  This happened between Lanesbporo and Tarmonbarry not far from the village Erra.  I think they were from either Mount Dillion or Curraghroe.  4 trees were planted there in their memory and that field is known at The Four Brothers.  My late uncle Tome Casey often told me about this accident in the 1950s when I was a little girl but I was too young to remember.  Any information would be gratefully appreciated.

RubyKasey

5 replies

Hello Ruby, the incident I am sure was well reported at the time and I found one mention is in the Schools Folklore Collection, in about 1937 / 38 all children in the senior classes were asked to write stories that they heard at home and who told them, the idea being that folklore etc would be captured, these stories are in the process of being put online and there is one story as you mention, I doubt there are two similar stories in the same area. This I think proves your story and here is the link, https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5009204/4997455/5104446 you may find some family member if they were the age, about 10 to 14 I think, I found a number by an aunt and my parters mother has 14 there so with luck you may find something interesting.

Back in the real world I checked the Roscommon library but  there collection is only available to visit, they have newpapers for the time, I know in other counties you can identify and request the newspaper page for about €1 each minimum charge €10, there is a search option on key words though to ID the piece with a one line on the search item, do not see it on this library site, however I you could try the Irish Newspaper Archive or the Irish Times site, both subscription, I joined the Irish TImes at one stage for a week and found a lot of stuff but it has to national news, that would be and as well as the news reports you would get the inquest also.

I do not know a lot about Roscommon even though ancestors come from neighbouring counties, however nearly every county and sometimes area have a Facebook page on local history.

Newspapers here https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ and https://www.irishtimes.com/archive ;

Good Luck

Pat

St Peters LouthIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Pat and thank you for that reply.  The little girl, Maire Gavigan, who wrote that article in 1937/8 is a distant cousin of mine.  My uncle Tom Casey owned that field and told me that story when I was a little girl.  I would like to find out who the boys were and what year it happened.  There was only one tree left in the 50s and a dead one.  Uncle Tom always said 'now put the brother back', after the meadow was mowed,  The dead tree was placed against the good one.    Ruby x

RubyKasey

Hi Pat and thank you for that reply.  The little girl, Maire Gavigan, who wrote that article in 1937/8 is a distant cousin of mine.  My uncle Tom Casey owned that field and told me that story when I was a little girl.  I would like to find out who the boys were and what year it happened.  There was only one tree left in the 50s and a dead one.  Uncle Tom always said 'now put the brother back', after the meadow was mowed,  The dead tree was placed against the good one.    Ruby x

RubyKasey

This tragedy happened early September, 1923. Five young people drowned when their boat went over the weir at Tarmonbarry. They were two men from Northern Ireland who were unrelated and were working in Longford, two sisters named Moran from Tarmonbarry and a Harriet Molloy from Longford

Flanagan132

Hi,  thanks for reply but the tragedy at Tarmonbarry is not the one.  These were four brothers, I don't know their ages, apperently they were working in a field and went swimming in the Shannon and were drowned.  The field is known as The Four Brothers.

RubyKasey

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