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Troops at Kilclooney Wood

The column which attached the Fenian soldiers O Neill-Crowley, McClune, Kelly and Walsh at Kilclooney Wood in March 1867, consisted of 150 men of the 6th Carabineers, 6th Royal Warwicks, Military train and Royal Engineers, all under the command of Major Bell, Fermoy.

Military Printing

In 1868 Fermoy possessed one of the few military printing presses to be found in Ireland. In that year were issued the Standing Orders of the 48th Regiment, 3rd edition, printed at the Regimental Printing press by Lance Corporal Gepps. It consisted of two leaves, 8vo, 78 pp. (E.R. McC. Dix. )

Military Sporting Meeting

The `Fermoy Illustrated` of September 1885 reported the `Athletic Sports of the Royal Artillery` on Thursday 20 August. Captain Henn, R.A. was in charge of the proceedings, which were enlivened by the music of the band of the Lancashire Fusiliers, by permission of Colonel Clarkson. In the first heat of the tug-of-war the R.A. pulled against the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and lost to them. In the second heat the Royal Irish Constabulary beat the Lancashires, and in the final the Welshmen beat the Fermoy policemen.

Cotter of Mellefontstown

Cotter of Mellefontstown, a gentleman farmer, was a well known athlete in his day, the 1860s. On one occasion he challenged to an all-round contest a military officer in Fermoy barracks who was likewise famous for his athletic abilities. His challenge was accepted and the contest took place in the barrack grounds. The rivals were so evenly matched that the issue proved indecisive and it was therefore arranged to include an additional event in the program. From the barrack gate the street descend quite steeply and two large barrels were procured and laid horizontally on the roadway outside the barrack gate. Both competitors were then required to stand each on a barrel and to keep his place on it as it rolled down the hill. Once in motion the barrels traveled with ever-increasing velocity and was surely a task requiring no little skill to keep up an airy dance upon their backs to the accelerating tempo of their progress. Both men, however , succeeded in doing so and safely and reached level ground. Another `extra` was necessary to decide the issue.