The Project Gutenberg eBook of Irish Historical Allusions, by Patrick Foley

The origin of these factional fights in those parts was the betrayal of the Earl of Desmond—a Fitzgerald—by a Moriarity. However, in the course of time they branched into minor factions. There, too, was a class of idle half-gentry, called middlemen, in the country who pretty often caused faction fights. They made it a practice to attend fox hunts, horse races, cock fights and country fairs. They were idle, extravagant drunkards having the pretentions of gentlemen, and by the common people were called master "D—R—fe," while in truth and in fact they were the very pest of society. Another mistaken notion entered their heads that to give drink was a first-class qualification to be a gentleman, consequently they gave it freely pretty often and therefore secured a following. An insult arising out of a fox hunt, a horse race, a cock fight, or even a common game of cards in which they were concerned often led to serious faction fights. These faction fights were disapproved of by the honest worker; they were denounced by the clergy and suppressed by the police.

Forty-Shilling Freeholders.—Persons (men) in occupation of very small holdings with an annual valuation of both buildings and land combined amounting to forty shillings or over, were entitled to vote at Parliamentary elections. Landlords who used their tenants as voting instruments encouraged the dividing of holdings into as many patches with a valuation of forty shillings as was possible so as to multiply votes. In villages like North Cahirdorgan, Kildurry, Cahirs, Culibeen, Smerwick, Ballybrack and others a surprisingly large number of votes were obtained by this means. Usually the small holders voted as their immediate lessors requested. They were deprived of their votes with the passing of Catholic emancipation and the valuation has increased to ten pounds. O'Connell was blamed for it, but he is credited with having said that he would not accept Catholic emancipation if he knew that by so doing the forty-shilling freeholders would have to be sacrificed. The general belief is that he was in full accord with it from the start, in order to check a too rapid growth in the population of the country.

Gaudy Ribbon Crosses (St. Patrick's Day).—These of various colors were sold on our streets some thirty-five years ago and worn on children's arms on St. Patrick's Day, but are now wholly extinct. A green rosette with a harp is now worn in front on the left breast instead. (See "His. Co. Kerry," page 37.)

George Wyndham's Land Purchase Act.—This land act of 1903, introduced by George Wyndham, then Chief Secretary for Ireland, was the first good "Broom" brought by the Government to sweep the landlords of Ireland out of existence.

Glenbeigh Evictions.—These took place in 1887, or thereabouts. At the suggestion of General Revvers Buller, who was then in Ireland, the agent had the tenants' houses destroyed by fire. Mr. Edward Harrington, M. P., and Mr. Sheehan, M. P., played a prominent part in opposing the carrying out of those evictions.

Great Famine.—This famine started in both Ireland and England in 1315, or thereabouts. Mothers were known to devour their own children, and children ate their dead parents. Parents stole the children of others to eat them. Starving women started dancing around open air fires, to attract children so as to kill and cook them. Dead bodies were taken from the graves to be used for food. In jails prisoners ate each other. This famine, and the pestilence that accompanied it coming and going, lasted about eighty-five years.

Halley's Comet.—On the 18th of May, 1910, the earth passed through the tail of Halley's comet. Its approach caused great fear and excitement in some places. It is very remarkable that great wars follow Halley's comet.

Head Act.—By this law if an Irishman was found going on a journey from one county to another without being accompanied by an Englishman, dressed in English apparel, and of name and fame, it was lawful to kill the Irishman and cut off his head. For every head cut off the murderer was to receive one penny reward. The slaughter was great. Incredible as this might appear to the reader, it is too true. Deputy Earl of Desmond, representing British law in Ireland, was responsible for this Act.

Harrington and Esmond's Election.—This Parliamentary election contest took place between Edward Harrington, Parnellite, outgoing M. P. for West Kerry, and Sir Thomas Gratton Esmond, anti-Parnellite. By the undue influence of the clergy, Sir Thomas Gratton was elected.

Home Rule.—On Thursday, the 19th day of May, 1870, this association sprung into existence in Dublin under the leadership of Isaac Butt, a Protestant Nationalist. Briefly stated, the principal object contemplated by the organization was to obtain for the Irish people power to make their own laws and manage their own local affairs by an Irish Parliament, and to be subject to the English Crown, like Canada, Southwest Africa and Australia. In the Irish Parliament there was not to be a class or creed ascendancy, but Protestants and Catholics were to be linked together in one bond in a free and independent Parliament. In 1871, Isaac Butt was elected a member of Parliament for Limerick without a contest. Many Protestants joined the Home Rule cause. In the North of Ireland there exists a class of foreign Irish better known throughout the world as "Orangemen." The English Unionist classes, under the false color and pretense of peacemakers and Christians, are doing the utmost in their power to sow the seeds of discord and dissension among the Irish people. One of the sharpest wedges they can drive to divide the people in Ireland is religion. They raised the cry that it was not "Home Rule" but "Rome Rule." The wealth of the Unionist party, or capitalist classes, of England, Scotland, Ireland, India, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Canada is behind them, and this class of people are petted and pampered for keeping the Unionist party in power.

Home rule bills were often passed by the House of Commons as representing a substantial majority of the people of the United Kingdom but rejected by the House of Lords. However, it may be well to note that a fight to restore the Irish Parliament under the title of "Repeal of the Union" started in Ireland before the doors of the Houses of Parliament were closed.[5]

House League.—This league was introduced into those parts in 1886, through the Irish National League. The object of the House League was to check the owners of houses from charging exorbitant rents to the occupants. In Dingle, Castle Gregory, and other places, the League fixed "fair rents" and compelled the owners to give clear receipts, on payment of the new rents. For various reasons, the House League was never popular. As intimidation was practiced by the House League upon the owners of houses, the law courts held the receipts given invalid, and the old rents were recovered.

Influenza.—This is one of the most contagious diseases known, and far more dangerous than most people believe. Its last serious appearance amongst the people was in 1889-90. Every time it started from China and traveled the world quicker than any other disease. A letter written by one person to another, although over three thousand miles apart, caused an outbreak of the disease. Those suffering from any other malady, especially consumptives, were swept away to their graves. It made many a fond mother cry. It was known to be in Ireland in 1836-37, 1847-48, 1889-90. It is said that influenza first appeared in the country in 1570.

Invisible-Blood-Jobbers.—These are false and corrupt political leaders who for blood-money, and in hopes of receiving positions with pay, power, and false honor, are seducing the young men of Ireland into that mad and insane war now raging in Europe.

Ivy Day.—The anniversary of Parnell's burial. Ivy is an evergreen, therefore it is worn on Sunday following the 6th of October to keep the memory of C. S. Parnell forever green in the hearts of his followers.

Kennels and Hunting.—Formerly hunting was very much carried on in the peninsula. Every Sunday during the hunting season the sides of our mountains and valleys resounded with the yells of packs of half-starved beagles kept by middlemen. With the disappearance of the latter class, the beagles also followed, save a few exceptions.

Kerry Bonds.—Persons who were unable to pay their tithes in full when demanded and overdue, gave a bond bearing interest. The system appears to be peculiar to the promontories of Kerry for some time, but finally became extinct. Many of these bonds were given for tithes illegally levied.

Kerry Cows Know Sunday.—This old saying is handed down to us as a relic of the wicked famine which started in 1739, when living cattle were bled once a week and the blood boiled with milk, cabbage or grass to make a Sunday meal for the family. (See 1713.)

Kerry Election.—This election took place in February of 1872. It was the first great flame kindled between the Home Rule party and the landlord classes in the county. The landlords were so irritated by the speeches delivered by the Blennerhassett supporters that they were determined to make their power felt and destroy the Home Rule party. The candidate chosen by the Home Rule party was a Protestant gentleman named Ponsby Blennerhassett from Kells. James A. Dease, a Roman Catholic gentleman from West Meath, was selected by the family of the Earl of Kenmare for the landlords. Dr. Moriarty, a Roman Catholic bishop, did all in his power to elect the nominee of the Kenmare family. In face of terror and landlord's oppression, in open voting the Home Rule candidate was elected by the Roman Catholics of Kerry. Many patriotic priests took sides with Blennerhassett. This gentleman remained true to the Home Rule party, but the Home Rule party, led by Sir Isaac Butt, was considered too mild. (See my "History of County Kerry" for a full account of this election.)

Kissing the Blarney Stone by the Silver Tongue of Kerry and Others.—There is a saying among some people that Counselor Hussey of Farnakilla, known as the "Silver Tongue" of Kerry, kissed the Blarney stone in Blarney Castle, County Cork, and thereby secured his sweet, fluent, silver-tongued speech. He is not the only person hereabouts who is said to have kissed the Blarney stone. Everyone from the South of Ireland who has secured a fluent or flattering speech is credited with visiting it. As some individuals will be found ignorant enough to ascribe such a virtue to the stone and tell others in foreign lands that it possesses such, I am going a little outside my province to remove it as far as possible. If you were forever rubbing your tongue to the Blarney stone, you would find no virtue in it whereby your speech will be improved, and I dare say Silver Tongue of Dingle never kissed the stone.

Thousands of legends and stories are woven about it, but these were written for amusement, and the circumstances connected with kissing the stone supplied good food for legends and diversion.

There is a castle called "Blarney Castle" about six miles on this (Kerry) side of the City of Cork, within the Village of Blarney in the County of Cork. This castle contains a stone bearing the following inscription:

or the like. In 1602 an Irish chieftain named Cormach McDermod Carthy, who held the castle against the English, when hard pressed, concluded a truce with the Lord President, kissed the Blarney stone which his forefathers placed there, thereby leaving the Lord President and the English under the impression (without promising) that the castle would be surrendered as soon as McCarthy would reason with his followers and remove some of his belongings. The Lord President sent messengers to the English officers, gladly informing them that he "got Blarney" from McCarthy without much trouble. McCarthy, who was only borrowing time and quietly strengthening his castle, then set about and with fair promises and false pretext day by day put off the Lord President until he was reinforced by the Spaniards. Even then the Lord President was firmly assuring his countrymen that he "got Blarney" for them.

However, when the English found that instead of the Lord President having Blarney Castle he had nothing but McCarthy's honey and flattering speeches and they then had a hard fight before them, the Lord President became the laughing stock of both English, Irish and Spaniards, who mockingly would say of him, "He got Blarney."

If you will ever visit Blarney for the purpose of kissing the Blarney stone, you may be prepared for all sorts of tricks. The more earnest you appear about kissing it, the more fables you will be told about it. If a man is too feeble looking to climb, those in the Village of Blarney will most likely point out another broken stone lying on the ground belonging to the castle, telling him that a drunken blackguard dug it out of its place for carrying it away to make money by improving people's speech, and let it fall down and it was smashed, and then it lost its virtue.

If you are young and active, they will point out to you another stone about one hundred feet from the ground and tell you you must go up to the top of the castle and be held by the heels and leave your head and body hang downwards outside the parapet wall of the castle. Of course, you will say that is impossible for you to do. Then you are told you must go home without improving your speech.

Land League and Irish National League.—On the 28th of April, 1879, the Land League was founded in Irishtown, West Mayo, by the late Michael Davitt. The object of this League was to abolish landlordism and make tenant farmers owners of their own holdings. Charles Stewart Parnell was placed at the head of this new organization, and on the 8th of June, Parnell and Davitt appeared at a monster meeting held at West Port. The Land League was suppressed by the Coercion Act, but the spirit was untouched. The name was changed to the Irish-National-League and Parnell chosen as its president. The Land League succeeded in its object.

Landlords or Their Land Agents' Approval Necessary to Marriages.—Within my personal recollection in this part of the country tenant-farmers had to go to the landlords or their agents or secretaries and get their landlord's approval of their sons' and daughters' marriages. If a farmer's son got married and the landlord or his agent was not consulted in his case, he would have to canvass for great influence when it would be time for him to become tenant, and even then he would stand great danger of never being accepted. The parents of the parties to be married would pretend to their landlord's agents that, owing to the holding being small or the quality of the land bad, they received a very small fortune. Castle Gregory was about the first place which I noticed to rebel against the system. Whenever a landlord, his agent or secretary passed by, the custom was to lift the hat off the head. Tenant farmers or any member of their families not doing so were looked upon very unfavorably thereafter. With the Land League, these customs rapidly began to decline.

La Varaha na Feir, or The Killing of People in Dingle by the Military.—It appears a fierce encounter took place between soldiers and civilians in upper Main Street and Goat Street, Dingle, resulting in the killing of several persons. I regret I have forgotten grandmother's story in which was given the date, loss of life and circumstances that led to it.

Lieth Broath, or Quirn.—This is a kind of hand millstone for grinding corn which formerly could be found in almost every house in the barony, but at present has almost entirely disappeared.

The middleman of the Eighteenth Century were the very scum of society and the seeds of immorality. They destroyed and brought to sorrow most young girls that put any confidence in them or entered their service. Parnell's land agitation destroyed the last of them.

Molly McGuires.—This name was given to three secret societies The first was an Irish secret society, formed in or about the year 1833, in the Barony of Farney Co., Monogham, Ireland, to co-operate with the Ribbon-Men, and was called after C. McGuire, a leader in the Irish wars of 1641. The object of this society was to resist the distraining of cattle for rent, then common with landlords and middlemen. At that time very often a poor tenant had to pay five or six times for the same piece of ground, for which he had already paid his immediate lessor, because the immediate lessor, or landlord failed to pay one of the middlemen or landlords over him. (See Middlemen.) Distraining a tenant's cattle, impounding them, and selling them at auction before his eyes, in the name of British law and justice, for another man's debts, of which he had no knowledge or control and provided no legal remedy, to him appeared a wicked law. The McGuires applied the most desperate remedies available. Disguised as women, they rescued the cattle, flung boiling water and porridge on bailiffs, clubbed and stoned process servers, broke the locks on the pounds and released the cattle.

The activities of this society were confined to Ireland. Dressing in women's clothing caused the name "Molly" to be given to them.

As other new tenant-league societies grew up, they began to decline about the year 1856.

The second and next Molly McGuires was an Irish-American secret society, with many branches in the coal mine districts of Pennsylvania, U. S. A. This society took the name of the Irish society, but these societies had no other connection whatsoever with each other, only in name. The first qualification required by the American society was that its members should be Irishmen by birth, or descent, and also Catholics. This society took an active part in politics, and had its secret signs and passwords conveyed to them from England, through a Board of Erin. For being a secret organization, the Catholic Church declared against its members.

From amongst the local branches of the society in the anthracite coal mines of Northeastern Pennsylvania another notorious secret criminal inner ring of Molly McGuires was formed. They converted the local branches of the Molly McGuires, for their own protection, against the encroachments of English miners (Cousin Jacks and Cousin Germans included), on their jobs. Many of these Irish miners, previous to their coming to America, worked in the coal mines in England. In the latter country they received very poor treatment. They left that country carrying with them a deep hatred for anything that was English. Through secret societies, churches and lodges, to which bosses and superintendents belonged. English miners were making their way in amongst the Irish miners and Irishmen discharged. This was the start of the trouble. Soon the Molly McGuires by violence, conducted secretly, started at getting rid of superintendents, bosses and police hostile to them. In face of their condemnation by their church, they went forward, the most religious dropping away from the society.

In the war between the North and South, there was an increased demand for coal. English, Welsh and German miners were sent into the mines to work, and Irishmen of American birth or who were American citizens, taken away to fight. Replacing Irishmen that were fighting for America, with their most hated foes, the English, also with Welsh and Germans, caused trouble, with the result that they began to oppose conscription, and some army officers were roughly handled.

From this onward, rough handling, burning, faction fights and murder went on in the coal mines. The Molly McGuires were blamed for nearly all crimes, no matter who committed them. On or about the year 1865, they killed a colliery superintendent, which attracted widespread attention.

James McParlan, an Irish Catholic detective, joined the society and became one of its leaders. After three years a member he secured damaging evidence which led to the execution of the ringleaders and imprisonment of a large number of the Molly McGuires.

Moonlighting.—In 1878 this name was assumed by an unknown leader in this county (Kerry), who wrote threatening letters containing a diagram of a coffin, skull-bones and a rifle. He signed himself "Captain Moonlight." Small bands of men, secretly armed and disguised, went by night and raided the houses of land grabbers, emergency men and bad land agents. Gladstone and Foster's Coercion Acts, prohibiting the holding of meetings or allowing the people any means whatsoever of seeking a redress of their grievances forced this regrettable but necessary evil. In some cases in those moonlighting raids lives were taken, and to satisfy the Government and the ascendency class many innocent persons were hanged and others sent to penal servitude. The police and landlord under-strappers manufactured many crimes for which moonlighters and land leaguers were wrongly blamed and punished.[7]

National School Teachers Slapping Their Pupils for Speaking Irish.—The movement for the preservation and revival of the Irish language put a stop to the National school teachers' habit of beating their pupils for speaking their native language.

When I was in Old Mexico I found the peons and Indians made use of a number of words corresponding in sound and meaning to words in the Irish language.

Ogham Characters.—These are a species of ancient Irish writings, marks and lines cut into upright pillar and monumental stones which are very numerous in Corkaguiny. It is said that the term Ogham was first applied to the sacred writings of our Druids.

Orangemen.—These are foreign Irishmen espousing the cause of William of Orange, who on the 1st of July, 1690, defeated dirty King James of England at the Battle of the Boyne. About the year 1795 Orangemen began to organize. Their first oaths and declarations were that they would never rest satisfied until they would be victoriously knee-deep in Papist blood, i. e., Catholic blood. In suppressing Irish societies, administering those oaths were also forbidden, and in 1857 the Lord Chancellor ordered that justices of the peace should not be members of Orange clubs. Orangemen in their 12th of July celebrations wrecked Catholic churches and police of the Orange type in our locality often celebrated the 12th of July by assaulting civilians, afterwards arresting them.

(See Supplementary History County Kerry for a clear account of the Battle of the Boyne, the Fall of Limerick and the Broken Treaty of Limerick.)

Parnellite Splits.—On the 6th day of December, 1890, this unfortunate Parnellite split took place. On the 17th of November of that year a decree of divorce was granted to Captain O'Shea, separating him from his wife on the grounds of improper conduct with Parnell. Three days after the decree was pronounced by the court, a meeting of the Irish Parliamentary party was held in Linster Hall Dublin. Here Justin McCarthy proposed and Timothy Healy seconded that Parnell possessed the confidence of the Irish nation and five days after the Irish Parliamentary party unanimously elected him their leader. While these proceedings were taking place amongst the Irish Nationalists, Gladstone addressed a letter to John Morley, Chief Secretary of Ireland, demanding Parnell's resignation from the leadership. Parnell refused to yield to Gladstone's dictation.

Immediately the bishops and priests of Ireland were ranked in all their fury against Parnell and his supporters. During the whole of the years 1891, 1892 and 1893, almost on every Sunday the priests from the altars were denouncing the Parnellites. Young priests out of college were allowed to go to the utmost extremities. The whole country was very much divided, even members of the same family differed—the father argued against the son and the son did the same against the father. One party was called Parnellites and the other Anti-Parnellites. It was very plain that the Irish people were very unwilling to throw aside their fallen chief, especially at the bidding of one of Parnell's former political foes.

Parnell was a Protestant and divorces were pretty numerous in England, therefore many considered the question outside of the jurisdiction of the Catholic clergy, while English church and statesmen could not consistently make such a demand upon Irishmen. For the first time, here the clergy met serious opposition from the people. At meetings priests were hooted. Fights with fists and sticks became frequent.

In the West Kerry Parliamentary Division every parish priest, with the exception of Canon Daniel O'Sullivan, did the utmost in his power to force the electors to vote for Sir Thomas G. Esmond, Anti-Parnellite, and against Edward Harrington, M. P. In this split a very fine brass band belonging to the Dingle Temperance Society was broken up and destroyed because it was to play at an Anti-Parnellite meeting, contrary to the wishes of the Parnellite members who were refused permission to take the band to one of Parnell's meetings. The Cattle Fair, re-established in Goat Street by the National League, was carried back to the old Brewery on the Spa Road. Lord Ventry was back again as Chairman of the Dingle Poor Law Board. It was a bad split for Ireland. Sir Thomas G. Esmond was declared elected, but as clerical intimidation was too fierce the result was more an unnecessary display of priestly power than a true representation of the choice of a free people.

Peelers.—This was the name given by the common people, in the Irish language, to the police force, because they were appointed in pursuance of the Peace Preservation Act of 1814, of which Sir Robert Peel was the proposer. In after years a like law was applied to England, and the English, to be different from the Irish, nicknamed their police "Bobbies," for Robert.

Penal Laws.—These were laws passed both by the English and Irish Protestant Parliaments, prohibiting a Catholic to live in England or Ireland, if he practiced any part of the Catholic religion. Priests were banished. However, they performed the Catholic services in caves, mountains and other hiding places.

Phoenix Park Murders.—On the evening of the 6th of May, 1882, Lord Frederick Cavendish, a new and friendly Chief Secretary to Ireland, and Thomas H. Burke, a prominent Under-Secretary, were surrounded by the Invincibles while walking in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, and silently stabbed to death with amputating knives imported for the purpose.

While Foster was Chief Secretary, many attempts were made to murder him, but they all failed. His escapes were miraculous.

Burke was blamed for poisoning the mind of every Chief Secretary or Minister sent into the country, and also for the Coercion Act. Lord Cavendish was offered permission to escape, but he refused, and therefore met the fate of Burke. On the evidence of James Carey, the informer, the Invincibles were hanged. The Government tried to smuggle Carey to South Africa. He was followed by Pat O'Donnell, an Invincible, and shot on board the "Milrose" in or near Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

For the murder of James Carey, Pat O'Donnell was convicted on the 1st of December and executed on the 17th of December, 1883, at New Gate, London.

Primrose League.—This is a kind of a league of landlords, their ladies and followers, putting forward three principles, viz.: Maintenance of religion, estates of the realm and imperial ascendency. It was founded in England in 1883. Meetings of the Primrose League were held in the Grove, Dingle, and many other places in the barony, which were attended by the "Shoneen" class. On the anniversary of the death of Lord Beaconsfield members wear a bunch of roses, although not his favorite flower.

Pitch Cap.—This was a cap made of pitch or tar. In 1798, pitch caps were placed by English officers on the heads of the Irish rebels until they would stick on to the hair and flesh, then these were set on fire.

Plan of Campaign.—This was started by William O'Brien and John Dillion (without the approval of Parnell), about the year 1886. A fair rent was offered by the tenants to the landlords, which the latter refused. With a view to forcing the landlords to terms, a strike was started against the payment of any rent. The rents were paid into the "Plan of Campaign" and deposited in the bank. However, in many cases the landlords obtained garnishee orders from the courts and seized the money in the banks. Politicians blame William O'Brien and John Dillion for not using better judgment in this and the building of New Tipperary in 1887.

Poff and Barrett Hanged.—On the 22nd of January, 1883, Sylvester Poff and James Barrett were hanged at Tralee jail for murder. They were convicted by a packed jury at Cork. By public opinion they were found innocent and their execution is classed with Crown judicial murders of Kerrymen.

Poor Scholars or the Hedge School Teachers.—These wandered all over the country and taught lessons, very often in the open air. They disappeared with the introduction of the national schools.

Public Pilgrimage to Brandon Mountain.—This took place on Sunday, the 28th of June, 1868. The religious services at the mountain peak were presided over by Dr. Moriarty, the Catholic Bishop of Kerry. About twenty thousand persons attended.

Recantation (Public).—During the great anti-Catholic campaign in the Dingle Peninsula, when a Roman Catholic became a Protestant it was the custom to supply him with a written document to be signed by him wherein he withdraw all he ever said against Protestantism and gave particulars of the superstition and errors of Popery which he then denounced. Sworn documents were read in Protestant churches and published. However, not more than five per cent of the alleged subscribers to those recantations and depositions knew what they contained.

Saints' Birthdays.—It was not on the birthdays but the death days that the early Catholic Church held festivals in honor of saints and martyrs, notwithstanding that such celebrations found in ancient documents may be given as that particular saint's birthday. St. Bridget's Festival and St. Patrick's Festival are celebrated on the reputed anniversary of their deaths.

There are a few cases in our country where pagans, after being converted, baptised and received into the church, have their celebrations on the anniversary of their baptism or public entry. Usually they selected a saint's festival day for that purpose.

Birthday celebrations at the beginning of Christianity were looked on with anger by the Christians, because they were oppressed and persecuted by both Jews and pagans, and they found in their start the world hard, cold and cruel.

Sinn Fein.—This is a new party which sprang into existence. Its motto is "Sinn Fein," or "Ourselves Alone," meaning thereby that not through a British Parliament but through Irishmen working together in building up Irish industries and holding to the national language will the redemption of Ireland be accomplished.

The Sinn Fein movement is purely a political, economic and non-military society. The name "Sinn Fein Volunteers" today throughout the world is more wrongly applied to the Irish Revolutionary Party than calling the Battle of Bunker Hill to the battle fought between the British soldiers and American Revolutionists at Breed's Hill, Boston, Mass. The Irish Revolutionists were made up of Irish Volunteers, Gaelic Leaguers and other Irish societies. They protested against the youth of Ireland under false colors to be drawn into the British army. These societies pointed out that the English secured the first foothold on Irish soil by fraud and misrepresentation. Ever since then the English are the so-called owners, contrary to the will of the Irish people. Protestant and Catholic alike wrote their protest with their life's blood against British tyrannical laws. Through disrespect for them the revolutionists were called "Sinn Fein Volunteers" by their opponents. These revolutionists now erroneously called "Sinn Fein Volunteers," broke out in the City of Dublin on Easter Monday, 24th of April. A body of revolutionary Irish Volunteers, dressed in Irish military uniform, marched in processional order through the streets of Dublin, took possession of the general postoffice and proclaimed an Irish Republic. Patrick H. Pearse was chosen as Provisional President, and James Connelly, Commander.

P. S.—While this book was in the hands of Messrs. Sealy, Bryer & Walker, printers, Dublin, the war broke out. The premises of the printers, together with several manuscripts of the author, were burned. The account here of the revolution is added now to the part of the burned copies.

English military forces of all kinds, with artillery and field guns, were quickly brought against the revolutionists. Against wrecking fire of shot and steel, these Republican Irish Volunteers, with little food and no sleep for nearly a full week, fought against the British. During the fight a portion of the city was burned. The English army burned whole blocks of houses, apparently with the object of giving themselves a clear field for the play of artillery and field guns against the revolutionary army. The Volunteers also set fire to buildings, hoping that the flames might reach Dublin Castle and destroy that British official stronghold in the country, but without success.

Liberty Hall, the Revolutionary party headquarters, was bombarded from H. M. S. "Helga." Machine guns secretly hidden by the government in the Custom-House were also turned upon it and it was destroyed.

Early in the fight James Connelly, the Irish Commander-in-Chief, was wounded and nearly died. P. H. Pearse took command. Foreign relief from Germany was expected, but it did not come, as Sir Roger Casement was arrested in Tralee and the vessel containing arms sunk.

After a week's hard fighting, both day and night, the British troops were getting the best of the Irish Volunteers. P. H. Pearse saw that they were completely surrounded by troops and artillery. In order to prevent further slaughter of the unarmed, he agreed to surrender and accordingly advised the Republicans. Ladies and shop girls fought bravely for Irish freedom. Contrary to the rules of warfare, sixteen leaders were shot dead. Eight of them signed the document proclaiming the Irish Republic.

The men shot after surrendering were Patrick H. Pearse, Thomas J. Clark, Thomas MacDonagh, Joseph Plunket, Edward Daly, William O'Hanrahan, William Pearse, Edmond Kent, John McBride, Cornelius Culbert, J. J. Hewston, Michael Mallon, Thomas Kent, James Connelly, John M. Dermott, F. S. Skeffington. Killing these men cannot improve the conditions of the country because they were no traitors to their native land. They were prepared to accept aid for the freedom of Ireland from any country and refused to be hirelings.

The immediate cause of the revolution was, it appears, a secret document distributed in cypher amongst the military authorities containing instructions to the military to seize the Sinn Feiners, Gaelic Leaguers and Irish Volunteers' headquarters, and arrest the leaders. Conscription was then to be enforced in Ireland. Postoffice officials who were Irish Republicans evidently kept a close eye on the Government proceedings and the documents fell into the hands of the Irish Republicans. The Irish Volunteers stood pledged to the single service of Ireland, and decided that if they were to die fighting they should do it for the cause of Ireland. Accordingly they broke out two days before the day fixed for capturing their strongholds.

The plan of the British Government failed completely, but it cost many valuable lives, both of men and women—Catholic and Protestant. The revolution is condemned by Mr. John Redmond and his other Parliamentary followers. On the other hand, John Redmond and his followers are classed as traitors and job hunters by the Irish Volunteers in Ireland, and almost by every national body in the United States, and the spirit to avenge the deaths of these martyrs is growing fast.

Since 1907, the present Parliamentary party showed signs of departure from the course outlined by Parnell, by accepting a half measure of Home Rule.[8] The Sinn Fein National Council repudiated a definition by the National Directory of the Irish demand, to the effect that the minimum Irish demand was a sovereign Parliament, in Irish affairs "to be equal to and co-extensive with those of the Parliament of Great Britain," or, in other words, Grattan's Irish Parliament.

When the half measure of Home Rule was passed and Sir Edward Carson, a Unionist M. P., went to Ulster to get the people of Ulster to sign a covenant to resist with firearms Home Rule, he boasted he had 40,000 (more or less) Ulster volunteers to prevent the Act from going into operation. The Irish Volunteers asked the Government of Great Britain "If the Orangemen can arm and drill, why cannot the rest of Ireland do the same?" Irish Volunteers were allowed to arm because the war cloud was hanging over Europe and it was considered useful to have Irish half-trained soldiers ready to fight.

When the European war broke out, Home Rule was quickly passed, and on the 18th of September, 1914, signed by King George, and placed on the Statute Book, but suspended from operation until after the end of the war. The German people were painted in every false color for the Irish people. Most of the common people did not believe that the Germans were as bad as they were painted. Moreover they had no confidence in the British Government and looked upon this Home Rule scheme as a recruiting bait.

Next a demand was made on the Irish people to "furnish men to fight for the protection of their homes and Home Rule." Then a split started in the ranks of all Irish Volunteers. John Redmond preached that "the cause of the Allies was just and the neutrality of Ireland impossible, and that England stood for the protection of little nationalities." The Irish Volunteers answered that they stood pledged to the single service of Ireland; that the war was not an Irish war, but an English war, and in that war Irishmen should not fight; that the sacrifice for the honor of having Home Rule on the Statute Book only, was too great; and also Irishmen received only coercion from England until England's difficulty.

By the Defense of the Realms Act free speech was completely suppressed and Irishmen imprisoned. For advising his son not to join the army, a father was imprisoned and in fact conscription was partly in force in Ireland, but not on the Statute Book.[9] When the people were deserted by their leaders, free speech suppressed, as usual in such cases the country became honeycombed with secret societies. Now Sir Roger Casement is hanged on a charge of high treason.[10]

Skelligs.—(See my History of the Skelligs, Blasket Islands and the West of Dingle, to which you will add the disputes between Rome and the Irish Church over the observance of Easter.)

Soupers and Souperism.—During the last black famine the Irish Protestant Mission Society established in the Dingle Peninsula soup and gruel kitchens for the purpose of tempting starving mothers with young children to become Protestants. A Dingle Catholic curate named O'Connor called those who accepted the soup on condition of joining the Protestant church or Scripture classes "Soupers." Finally the expression was extended to all of that class of Roman Catholics who while still believing in their former religion went under the color and pretense of converts for lucre and joined the Protestant Church. (See my book on the Skelligs and the Souper Campaign.)

Spanish Armada.—This was a mighty big fleet of Spanish ships which in 1588 came to fight against England. Many of them wrecked by a storm on our coast. A big ship called "Our Lady of the Rosary," went down in Blasquet Islands Sound. The destruction of the Armada caused Spain to lose the supremacy of the sea.

Statute of Kilkenny.—Statute of Kilkenny was a law passed by the son of Edward III, Lionel, Duke of Clarence, preventing English settlers speaking the Irish language, wearing Irish dress or adopting Irish names or customs.

St. Patrick's Day.—Ireland's national holiday. This is the date (17th of March) set down for the death of St. Patrick.

Tanistry.—This was an ancient law and custom amongst the Irish whereby the owner made equal divisions of his lands amongst his sons, legitimate or illegitimate alike. This was abolished by British law in 1604.

Tara.—On a hill in the County Meath stood a court called Tara, where the Kings of Ireland were crowned. Daniel O'Connel, the Liberator, held a repeal meeting there which was attended by one million persons. The Irish protested against this being added to tithes of the Earl of Aberdeen, the last Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Tenants' Defense League.—This was an offshoot of the suppressed Land League, and Irish National League. It was formed after the latter was suppressed by Balfour's Coercion Act of 1887. The object of this league was to defend the tenant farmers against tyrannical landlords, and to obtain the land for the people at just rents. This league was announced by Parnell and William O'Brien in July of 1888. In the winter of that year a branch of it was started in Castle Gregory by the Rev. John Molyneaux, then P. P. of Castle Gregory.

Tenant League.—This league was organized in 1850. On the 4th of July, 1851, a great meeting was held on the site of the Battle of the Boyne. In 1852 a general election took place and about fifty-eight leaguers were elected. However, their leaders broke their pledges, betrayed the Irish people, destroyed the party and within a few years after killed themselves. A branch of this league was established in Dingle. (See the Pope's Brass Band, also Supplementary History of the County Kerry, for more particulars.)

Thierna-Dubh's Raid, or the Black Earl's Raid.—This was applied to the Earl of Ormond, who was Lord Governor of Munster. During the Great Desmond Wars, in 1580, he converted the whole barony of Corkaguiny into one great slaughter-house. He went to oppose the Spaniards, then with a Pope's banner, at Fort-del-Ore, in Smerwick Harbor, and also to capture the 15th Earl of Desmond, a Catholic, because the latter was suspected of favoring his cousins in a rebellion against the British crown, and Ormond was anxious to possess Desmond's confiscated estates. At Tralee, Ormond, the Black Earl, divided his forces into three divisions, and from thence marched westward towards Dingle, through Slieve-Mish. In this journey the English soldiers slaughtered every man, woman and child they met. At Standbally, they tossed the children for pastime from pike to pike and next stabbed to death the feeble mothers. Father Dominick O'Daly calls it "Cooling their impious thirst with the blood of Catholics." Classing Father O'Daly as a supporter of the Desmonds and rejecting his evidence and taking their own evidence, the author finds that in the commander's letters to Queen Elizabeth they promised "If God will give us bread, we doubt not but to make as bare a country as ever a Spaniard put a foot on," meaning the Dingle peninsula. (Pelham's Letters to Queen Elizabeth.) "non was spared the toddling child, the feeble old man, the blind, the lame, the idiot, the strong man and the weak shepherd." As the soldiers of Queen Elizabeth entered a village they had the laggards set on fire. Mothers clasping their babies together with the dwellers were surrounded and driven into the flames or cut off with the sword. The English soldiers were hunting defenseless poor people for pleasure. The only way to receive pardon was to bring the bleeding head of one of their countrymen and throw it at the head of an English commander in order to sow hatred for one another amongst the Irish. This wicked journey of the Earl of Ormond, such was the blight that it brought on the homes of everybody that it left a memory everywhere through which he passed, which can never fade while a Father can speak to a son. The soldiers under Ormond, like ravenous beasts, having once tasted human blood, could not quench their craving for slaughter. Young women, who refused to be outraged were hanged from trees by the hair of their heads. When they could not subdue men they turned their weapons against women and children.