Bodyke

The village of Bodyke lies in the foothills of the Slieve Aughty mountains. According to the antiquarian Thomas Johnson Westropp, the name of the village may come from the Irish Both-Teig, meaning "Teig's hut".{{sfn|Bodyke (Lúbán Díge)}}

Evidence of ancient settlement in the Bodyke area includes a number of ringfort, enclosure and tower house sites in the townlands of Ballydonaghan, Caherhurly, Coolready and Coolreagh More.{{cite book | title = Record of Monuments and Places - County Clare | date = 1998 | publisher = Department of The Environment, Heritage and Local Govemment | place = Dublin }}

The local Catholic church, the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, was built in 1844.{{sfn|Bodyke (Lúbán Díge)}} The nearby parochial house also dates to the 1840s.{{cite web|url = https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/20402814/fort-edward-coolready-bodyke-co-clare | website = buildingsofireland.ie | accessdate = 23 July 2024 | title = Fort Edward, Coolready, Bodyke, Clare }}

During the 1880s, the principal landowner in the Bodyke area, George O'Callaghan-Westropp (Colonel O'Callaghan), had refused to lower the rents he charged his tenants. They were in distress,{{sfn|Home Affairs: A National Party|p=150}} and a demonstration was held by the Land League in Scarriff in November 1880 which attracted over 10,000 people.{{Cite web|title=Clare History:The Bodyke Evictions: Orators and Agitators|url=https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/history/bodyke_evictions/orators_agitators.htm|access-date=2021-08-31|website=www.clarelibrary.ie}} The clergy of the local areas featured prominently at this event, including Fr. Peter Murphy and J. Hannon who were the parish priest and curate for the Tuamgraney/Bodyke area.

The events of 1 June 1881 are known locally as "The Battle of Bodyke". Colonel O'Callaghan, accompanied by a force of approximately 150 police, arrived in Bodyke to serve writs upon 26 tenants for non-payment of rents. The tenants of Bodyke were forewarned of this, and by the time O'Callaghan and his party reached the area, a large crowd had gathered to protest against the evictions.{{Cite web|title=The Battle of Bodyke|url=http://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/big-houses-of-ireland/mary-fort-house-and-the-b/orators-and-agitators/the-battle-of-bodyke/|access-date=2021-08-31|website=www.askaboutireland.ie}} Fr. Murphy arrived at the scene and found "the police with their bayonets fixed presented at the breasts of the people, who stood in a dense mass before them, armed with pronged forks, clubs, and sticks".{{Cite web|title=Clare History:The Bodyke Evictions: Orators and Agitators|url=https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/history/bodyke_evictions/murphy1.htm|access-date=2021-08-31|website=www.clarelibrary.ie}} Fr. Murphy succeeded in defusing the tension between the parties by "having to take the bayonets of the police in my hands and the muzzles of the guns and turn them towards the ground to make room to stand between them in order to separate them and the people". Fr. Murphy also reportedly "induced the people to give of their [weapons]".

Peace lasted for two hours until the county inspector arrived and ordered his men to "charge and cut right and left". Fr. Murphy noted that at this time "the people being quite peaceful and orderly and quiet at the time, and merely laughing at the horses of the police being stung by the bees". The police proceeded to attack the people of the assembly. It is in this initial attack that John Moloney of Caherhurley was struck in the head with the butt of a policeman's rifle and died. Gunfire then ensued from both sides, though no others were killed. The police then handcuffed 22 unarmed members of the public together in a group and led them around as protection as they proceed to serve the remaining writs throughout the area.

In June 1887, O'Callaghan called for police assistance in evicting the tenants, who resisted by force, witnessed by large crowds.{{sfn|The Evictions, Clare County Library}} Thirty-five of his tenants returned to their homes after being evicted.{{sfn|Parliament|1888|p=1334}} Twenty-six people, all but four of them women, were charged with assaulting and obstructing the forces of the law, with sentences ranging from acquittal to three months hard labour.{{sfn|The Evictions, Clare County Library}} The prolonged affair was widely reported and caused angry debates in Parliament. As one member said, "The name of Bodyke stank in the nostrils of the Government..."{{sfn|Parliament|1888|p=1334}} The evictions continued into the 1890s, with goods and livestock seized in lieu of rent. Often the livestock died of poisoning soon after.{{sfn|Disturbances and Distress}}

File:The OHalloran girls, Bodyke, Co.Clare (5261692614).jpg|The O'Halloran girls, c. 1888–90

File:Supressed meeting, Bodyke, Co.Clare (5261085031).jpg|Suppressed meeting, Bodyke, c. 1888–90

File:Widow Macnamara in her fortress (5261692838).jpg|Widow Macnamara in her fortress, c. 1888–90

File:Bodyke stone.jpg|Memorial stone, marking 100 years since the Bodyke Evictions of 1887

File:Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, Bodyke - front.jpg

Schools serving the area include Bodyke National School, Scariff Community School, and Tuamgraney National School.{{sfn|Bodyke (Kilnoe and Tuamgraney), Schools}} As of 2024, Bodyke National School had an enrollment of 36 pupils.{{cite web|url = https://www.gov.ie/en/directory/page/izg4j5-zl9us8-/ | via = gov.ie | title = Bodyke N S | date = 22 January 2024 | accessdate = 23 July 2024 }} The Raheen Community Hospital in Tuamgraney is a public nursing home and day center.{{sfn|Raheen Community Nursing Unit}}

Bodyke's church, the Church of the Assumption, is in Bodyke parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe.{{sfn|Bodyke (Kilnoe and Tuamgraney), Churches}}

The local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club, Bodyke GAA, won the 2017 Clare Junior A Hurling Championship{{cite web|url = https://clarechampion.ie/ogonnelloe-and-banner-lead-junior-a-contenders/ | website = clarechampion.ie | title = Ogonnelloe and Banner lead Junior A contenders | date = 20 August 2021 | accessdate = 24 July 2024 }} and reached the semi-final stage of the 2017 Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship.{{cite web|url = https://munster.gaa.ie/event/aib-munster-junior-club-hurling-championship-semi-final-waterford-v-clare/ | website = munster.gaa.ie | title = AIB Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship Semi-Final – Ardmore (Waterford) 5-22 Boydke (Clare) 1-8 | date = 12 November 2017 | accessdate = 24 July 2024 }}

Notable people from the area include:

• Edna O'Brien (1930-2024), novelist and playwright{{sfn|Bodyke (Lúbán Díge)}}
• Edward MacLysaght (1887–1986), senator and genealogist{{sfn|Bodyke (Lúbán Díge)}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Bodyke (Lúbán Díge)}}|url=http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/places/bodyke.htm

|title=Bodyke (Lúbán Díge)|publisher=County Clare Library|access-date=11 September 2013}}

• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Bodyke (Kilnoe and Tuamgraney), Churches}}|url=http://www.killaloediocese.ie/parish/bodyke-kilnoe-and-tuamgraney/church.html|title=Bodyke (Kilnoe and Tuamgraney), Churches|publisher=Diocese of Killaloe|access-date=2014-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054429/http://www.killaloediocese.ie/parish/bodyke-kilnoe-and-tuamgraney/church.html|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead}}
• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Bodyke (Kilnoe and Tuamgraney), Schools}}|url=http://www.killaloediocese.ie/parish/bodyke-kilnoe-and-tuamgraney/school.html|title=Bodyke (Kilnoe and Tuamgraney), Schools|publisher=Diocese of Killaloe|access-date=2014-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304195829/http://www.killaloediocese.ie/parish/bodyke-kilnoe-and-tuamgraney/school.html|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead}}
• {{cite web |ref={{harvid|Disturbances and Distress}}|url=http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/history/bodyke_evictions/disturbances_distress.htm

|title=Disturbances and Distress|publisher=Clare County Library|access-date=2014-04-13}}

• {{cite book|ref={{harvid|Home Affairs: A National Party}}|title=The Fortnightly Review|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=thw_AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA150

|chapter=Home Affairs: A National Party|access-date=2014-04-13|year=1887|publisher=Chapman and Hall}}

• {{cite book|last=Parliament|first=Great Britain|title=Hansard's Parliamentary Debates|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SpJJAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA1334|access-date=2014-04-13

|year=1888|publisher=Hansard}}

• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Raheen Community Nursing Unit}}|url=http://www.myhomefromhome.ie/homes/nursing_home?home_id=316

|title=Raheen Community Nursing Unit|work=My Home from Home|access-date=2014-04-13}}

• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|The Evictions, Clare County Library}}|url=http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/history/bodyke_evictions/evictions.htm

|title=The Evictions|publisher=Clare County Library|access-date=2014-04-13}}

{{Refend}}

{{County Clare}}

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Towns and villages in County Clare

Category:Parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe