Mogue Kearns was born at
Kiltealy, on the slopes of the
Blackstairs Mountains, into a farming family. According to a story current in 1798, Kearns was a student in Paris at the height of the French Revolution and was hanged from a lamp post by the mob. However, the weight of his body bent the lamp post and his toes touched the ground. He was then rescued by a doctor who brought him back to consciousness. After his ordination, was appointed curate at Balyna, on the
Kildare-
Meath border. He was not long in the parish when dismissed by the Bishop for associating with the secret tenant-farmer society, the
Defenders, then entering into an alliance with the
United Irishmen. On his return from Kildare, he took up residence in
Enniscorthy. Kearns joined the Insurgents from the outset and was prominent in the first
battle of Enniscorthy on 28 May. From the camp at
Vinegar Hill, Kearns led a detachment of 2,000 poorly armed insurgents northwards to attack the garrison at
Bunclody. On the morning of 1 June, they halted outside the town. Kearns ignored the advice of
Miles Byrne (as reported in Myles Byrne's Memoirs) to send a detachment to the Carlow road to cut off the garrison's retreat and ordered the attack to begin. The garrison retreated, but, meeting reinforcements, returned and counter-attacked. The insurgent forces suffered heavy losses and had to retreat to Enniscorthy. After recovering from wounds, Kearns joined a large number of insurgents in Killoughrim Woods. In early July, Colonel
Anthony Perry of Inch and Father Kearns led the ill-fated Wexford expedition into Meath where the main force of about 4000 was defeated in the
Battle of Clonard on 11 July. When first taken by the militia, he was reportedly tied on his horse and roped to a tree, but while his captors repaired for refreshment was rescued by a young woman. But his escape was short-lived. Captured with Perry, on 21 July, Kearns was tried, and hung, drawn and quartered at Blundell Wood outside
Edenderry. ==See also==