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A NEW DOCUMENTARY is hoping to throw light on one of the more curious – and perhaps less well-known – episodes of the Irish War of Independence.
The programme, Am an Ghátair: Deora Dé, is to be screened on TG4 on Wednesday night. It tells the story of Jimmy Walsh, a teenager in Templemore, Co Tipperary, who believed that he saw statues of the Virgin Mary weeping blood in the town in the summer of 1920.
The War of Independence was in full throes, the first shot having been fired in January of 1919 at the south Tipperary village of Soloheadbeg. Walsh’s story, however, drew the focus to its north Tipperary counterpart. Templemore was a dangerous place at that moment, the IRA having killed a Royal Irish Constabulary District Inspector named Wilson, and the RIC now carrying out reprisal attacks on local businesses and homes.
However, reports began to filter through to local and national newspapers of “supernatural manifestations” in the area with particular focus on young Jimmy Walsh who was not only receiving apparitions from the Virgin Mary but apparently had found a ‘holy well’ had appeared in his bedroom floor. A whole host of statues of the Virgin Mary in various places in the town were supposed to be crying tears of blood, including one, ironically enough, in the RIC barracks.
History Ireland cites contemporaneous reports of the ‘visitations’ and the belief locally that they had prevented Templemore from being entirely destroyed by British forces.
Pilgrims began to visit the town in the hope of seeing the visitations and statues and the attention had the effect of halting the battle between the Irish rebels and the British in Templemore, at least for a while. The RIC found itself confined to barracks as the crowds – up to 15,000 people arriving a day – grew in strength and the IRA stopped fighting.
These photographs, supplied by the film-makers Magamedia and the National Photographic Archive, give a taste of the massive crowds drawn to the town:
However, the Catholic Church soon became suspicious of Jimmy Walsh, who by this time had begun carrying out ‘cures’ on pilgrims and had been dubbed locally ‘The Saint’. A local IRA commander, Jimmy Leahy, also had his reservations and took Walsh in for questioning, later citing him as either “mentally abnormal” or a “hypocrite”.
Was Leahy right? Certainly he raised enough doubt for the IRA’s then director of intelligence Michael Collins to order Walsh to be brought to Dublin for further interrogation by Dan Breen, while Collins sat in a back room. Eventually, the IRA decided to restart their war in the Templemore area, killing two RIC men and causing pilgrims to flee for fear of reprisals.
As an interesting postscript to the story, Michael Collins later ordered that one of the ‘bleeding’ statues be brought to Dublin so he could inspect it himself for hidden mechanisms that might explain the alleged miracle. What did he find? We won’t ruin the surprise for you… Am an Ghátair: Deora Dé will be broadcast on TG4 at 9.30pm on Wednesday.
Magamedia have shared this trailer for the doc:
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“…. the Catholic Church soon became suspicious ….”
No Kidding! Solves the problem of when that organisation sits up and takes notice! Anyway it should be a fascinating programme. And – not for the first time – it’s TG4 showing us what an excellent broadcaster it is.
Agreed. How is it that all the best documentaries, similar to this one, are broadcast in the Irish language?
@ Dexter TG4 is reviving my love of the Irish language that the Catholic Church tried to beat out of me! I think the RTE the lame .. main Broadcaster in Ireland wants to keep the Irish language a minority language. It’s TG4 that IS encouraging a revival.
Have to agree with you again Andrew.
It may be that TG4 are not controlled by the NornIron agenda, which the main station is
Apologies for the bad grammer
Not all Catholics see these visions but those who do can not deny what they have seen and experienced, and it greatly confirms their faith, good for them.
All it confirms is how gullible and prone to delusion people are.
Holy well in his bedroom…thats an original excuse for a bedwetter. Give him a holy medal.
You mean all these people who travel to the “House of Prayer” and allow Christina Gallagher live a luxury lifestyle?
Even more demented than Sean Quinn’s supporters!
Funny how it happens during bad times, a recession or depression. If a man says he talks to god daily, he may be put in a hospital and a priest is left untouched. There is no God, get over it and enjoy your life!
Stephen: I think people see these “apparations” during hard times because they need something to believe in; some hope for the future. I am open minded but I think are highly likely to be tricks of the mind – people will see what they want/need to see.
Stephen: I think people see these “apparations” during hard times because they need something to believe in; some hope for the future. I am open minded but I think are highly likely to be tricks of the mind – people will see what they want/need to see.
There was a mention in A Star Called Henry , I thought it was just Roddy Doyles imagination I never knew it was a true story !!
Great book, shame about the sequels.
Naturally the Catholic church wanted to get their foot in the door early
It should not be considered suprising that religious visions were reported in the RIC barracks it suggests that none of the constabulary were religious. The roots of Protestantism are in Catholiciism. Not all Catholics see these visions but those who do can not deny what they have seen and experienced and it greatly confirms their faith.
Bigoted too Tom?
The logic of a religious nut.
The roots of Catholicism is in the Roman Empire’s decision to adopt Christianity as opposed to Mitracism in the fifth century and the origins of Christianity are in Greek Paganism, Judaism, Mitracism, Zoastrianism, and even Hinduism.
All these ‘isms’ should be banned!
“Bless me father, for I have sinned, its been only six hours since I last smoked a British soldier.”
Say seven hail marys and have two done in by lunchtime, my child.
Heard you the first time.
It’s amazing the nonsense that people belived…and still do.
simple times, lack of education and powerful church, easy really to think how people fell for this superstitious stuff. We still have them today every hear of the house of prayer ?? but thankfully by and large ireland has moved on. Still a bit to go but getting there
It’s going to be several more generations I think.
In a country ubiquitously littered with crows and ungodliness among other infernal aspects, i struggle to fathom the veracity of this piece of documentary.
wha!!!
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