Sir, - While there is a revival of interest nationally in the 1798 Rebellion, this incident, described to me about 20 years ago by a local schoolteacher in Coolgreany, shows that in Wexford and south Wicklow the spirit of the event has been kept very much alive over the years.
Before the rising, deputations were sent out from Enniscorthy to various villages and towns to tell people to prepare for the battles. But when the small band of armed warriors came to Coolgreany, the schoolmaster told me, the local people were suspicious, and while the insurgents slept made sure that they would not harm them.
In the 1960s, a football team from Enniscorthy went to Coolgreany and won a strongly-fought match. Much anguish was expressed at the end by the Coolgreany supporters, but when the noise died down, an Enniscorthy man was clearly heard to shout from the touchline: "Serves you right. You wet our powder in '98." - Yours, etc.,
Seapoint Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin.