O’Flanagain Sean Ban Aerach, (merry white haired John),….Sean was a poet, versifier and a piper who was a native of Tulla, Co. Clare, spent much of his time around Glin as tutor to the children of the Knight, Thomas Fitzgerald. Buried in the same grave in Kilfergus as that of my ancestor, Tom (Captain Steele) Langan. The reason for O’Flannagain being buried in the same grave as Tom remains a mystery. Johnny Hayes told Thomas F. Culhane, ‘Launey’ that Sean Ban Aerach married a Kennedy girl from Nantinan and that she was a relative of the O’Longain’s, as Peadar O’Longain, Michael Og’s grandfather, was married to a woman of the same name. Maybe therein the mystery lies. However, Michael in all of his manuscripts there is no reference whatsoever to any of Sean Ban’s poetry. The following is a verse from Sean Ban’s ‘Aisling’, translated for me by my very good friend the late John Guilfoyle from Kilbeggan. John was a Sergeant in An Garda Siochana, and was fluent in the Irish language.

‘One time as I was before bad luck it came over me

A woman was mine in *Magh an Iubhair or lovely Nantinan

A fresh and affectionate gentle woman without disgrace

One who to London would go with me if necessary

In lovely Glin there’s a woman of gentle good manners

And in Athea is my hearts desire

In Askeaton there’s a woman, and I tell you no lie

I was struck on her, way back in my gay younger days

Evermore while I live, shall I bother with anyone

Except me and my baby, and we two together.’

*Magh an Iubhair...the ancient name of the parish of Kilnaughtin, (Tarbert).

Thomas F. Culhane in his book – Ttraditions of Glin and its Neighbourhood tells us that Sean Ban Aerach was known throughout Munster for the playing of the Ceol Si (Fairy Music) that he supposedly learned from the fairies in a fort in Tinnakilla, Ballyhahill. When Sean Ruadh O’Shaughnessy settled in Tullyleague  and  married a Joan Enright from Athea before 1760, Sean Ban Aerach attended the wedding. On his way home he fell into a drunken sleep in that same fort in Tinnakilla, Ballyhahill. Joan O’Shaughnessy, their eldest daughter born 1760, married Dennis Houlihan in 1779, Denis was from Flean, Ballyhahill, Co. Limerick. My former teacher at Abbeyfeale Vocational school, Padraig O’ Cearbhaill (Patrick Carroll), was the great, great grandson of Joan and Denis. Padraig’s father was John (Sean) O’ Carroll and his mother was Kate Houlihan from Flean, Ballyhahill.

Sean Ban Aerach’s people were wealthy landlords in Co. Clare. Thomas F. Culhane had the following verse that I have translated as follows –

‘Were I in Tarbert with Sean O’Laoghaire,

Or with Liam de Burca in Ath na tSleibhe,

Or in Cluain na Cille with my relations,

I should make a laugh that the world would hear,

Many is the courtly and gentle maiden,

Who’s welcome me with a hundred welcomes.

Thou fairest Knight, I would shake your hand,

And drink your health, without a word of a lie.

For more on Sean Ban Aerach O’Flanagain see Traditions of Glin and its Neighbourhood by Thomas F. Culhane (Launey).