New Kildare housing estate named after brave Kilcock hero

A new Kilcock housing estate Ledwill Park, which is now under construction, has attracted controversy from some locals who are unaware of any link between the area and the name.
But historian Seamus Cullen contacted the Leinster Leader to explain that the builders consulted with him late last year on the name.

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The new estate is named after Captain Ledwill who was attached to the military barracks which was situated on the fringe of the Fair Green in the town in 1795.
It was near the site of the new housing estate.
During a period of civil strife and militancy in north Kildare in 1795 a number of activists from the Newtown area were executed in Naas.
Two of the activists were held, following their arrest, in the military barracks in Kilcock and a demonstration was held at the barracks calling for their release.

Historian Seamus Cullen

The military in the barracks were on high alert. Trouble was expected following the executions and a new officer, Major Cook, was appointed to deal with the disturbance.
However, at 1am on Tuesday, August 18, 1795 the major had become intoxicated and mobilised the entire garrison ordering them to proceed into Kilcock with orders to ‘shoot to kill’.
He instructed his second-in-comman, Captain Ledwill, to enforce the order.
However, the courageous captain disobeyed and the entire garrison sided with him.
This brave mini-mutiny averted a massacre in Kilcock.
The (chastened and hungover) major left the barracks the following day.
Ironically, Mr Cullen explained, the most famous mutiny in Irish history, the Curragh Mutiny of March 1914, also occurred in County Kildare.
In referring to this event, British military historians prefer to use the term ‘Curragh Incident’.
The Kilcock affair in 1795, however, did not come to public notice because embarrassed Crown authorities would prefer it was quietly forgotten, Mr Cullen explained.
The historian said he wanted to compliment both Kildare County Council and the builders Glenveigh Homes for their interest in naming new housing estates from heritage-related connections including individuals from both sides in the various conflicts in history.
The bi-centenary of 1798 was commemorated in 1998 and in Kilcock and Newtown both sides in the conflict were remembered, Mr Cullen noted.
“We are all too aware of the events of Bloody Sunday in Derry in 1972 which is in the news recently but almost two centuries previous a Bloody Tuesday in Kilcock was averted due to the chivalry of Captain Ledwill who put his career on the line,” Mr Cullen noted.