Captain Con Murphy Of Ballydaly

It has been ninety six years since Captain Con Murphy of Ballydaly was the first Irishman for the possession of arms to be put to death By order of the British Government by firing squad he was robbed of his living breath In January nineteen twenty one in Cork Military Barracks on his life's thirtieth year One who died as he lived a brave man free of fear For the love of his Country Captain Con gave his life He was robbed of the gift of becoming a father or of having a wife His father and mother and his siblings would not have wanted him to die in this way Though he died as a true soldier under fire of him would be true to say He was one not destined as many are for to live to grow old and gray Though he is celebrated as a deceased war hero in the Duhallow of today With a terrace of houses in Millstreet Town and a Monument in Ballydaly in honor of his name Yet sadly he did pay the highest price for his enduring fame In wars for self government through the decades many good young lives have been lost And all things in war does come at a huge cost Captain Con Murphy of Ballydaly was a brave and a legendary man But sadly his life taken from him in a foul way and he did not live out his natural time span.