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Irish
Historical Allusions
Curious Customs
and
Superstitions
County of Kerry
CORKAGUINY
by
Patrick Foley
1916
Printed in the United States Published by the Author
_Erin you are still Gra-Mo-Chree._
The Author reserves the rights of re-publication and translation
excepting in the Irish language.
To
My Son
MICHAEL FOLEY
This book, the fourth of a
series designated to present
all essential historical information
on this County is
Dedicated
by his
Affectionate Father,
The Author.
PREFACE.
While these manuscripts were in the hands of Messrs. Sealy, Bryer &
Walker, Printers, Dublin, the late Irish rising took place. During
the fight, between the British military and the Irish Republican
forces, a portion of the City of Dublin was destroyed by fire and
artillery, including the printers' premises, together with the
author's manuscripts for these books, and other works. Fearing the
destruction of liners, by German submarines, the author held copies
of his works until landed in Ireland. Believing that there they were
safe, the copies were neglected and portions of them burned and lost.
Therefore in the following pages the author presents to the reader
but the remaining two parts of a book left after the Dublin fire, to
which is added a brief account of Sinn Feiners and the outbreak.
AUTHOR.
Dated at Oakland, California, this 3rd day of July, 1916.
CONTENTS.
Page
Abduction 16
All Fools' Day 76
Ancient Cross Roads 76
Ancient National Dances 78
Ardnane 78
Bally-Ferriter Evictions 78
Banshee 78
Barking Disease 18
Battle of Boyne 18
Battle of Glantarf 19
Begrudging 79
Bellman 79
Black Death 19
Black Famine 20
Blind Fiddlers and Flute Players 80
Blood Money 20
Boats and Canoes Haunted 80
Bodach 80
Bone Fires 81
Bone Setters 81
Boycotting 21
Brack-an-Tobar 81
Brandon Mountain 81
Brehons 21
Brendon (St.) Feast 82
Brigid's Day (St.) 21
Cat Brack 22
Catholic Rent 23
Changelings 82
Charity Meal 23
Charms 82
Cholera Plague 24
Clanna-Gael 24
Cloghane Pattern Day 24
Cockfighting 25
Contracts with the Devil 83
Corkaguiny Magistrates Dislike Attorneys 25
Cross Thursday 83
Cromwell 25
Crowbar Brigade 26
Curious Customs--Introduction 69 to 75 inc.
Death Warning 84
Doon-an-Ore 26
Easter Sunday or Sun Dance 84
Eastern, Protestant and Catholic Winds 85
English Garrison 26
Enlisting Young Men with a Shilling 26
Excommunication with Bell, Book and Candle 27
Faction Fights 27
Fallen Angels 86
Fenianism 29, 64
Forty-Shilling Freeholders 29
Funeral Bells 86
Gates of Glory 87
Gaudy Ribbon Crosses 29
Ghosts Cannot Cross Running Water 87
Glas-Guineach 87
Glenbeigh Evictions 30
Gospels 88
Great Famine 30
Halley's Comet 30
Harrington and Esmond's Election 31
Haunted Houses 88
Head Act 30
Headless Coach Stories 88
History of Ireland--Introduction 3 to 15 inc.
Hold out the Hand and Split the Difference 89
Holy Water Bottles in Canoes 89
Holy Wells 89
Home Rule 31
Horn Dance 89
Horse Shoe Nail Over the Door 89
House League 32
Hurley 90
Influenza 32
Invisible-Blood-Jobbers 33
I Usga Bagha 90
Ivy Day 33
Judges Bringing Bad Weather to Kerry 90
Kennels and Hunting 33
Kerry Bonds 33
Kerry Cows Know Sunday 33
Kerry Election 34
Kissing the Blarney Stone 34
Lady Day 91
Landlords' and their Land Agents' Approval Necessary to
Marriages 37
Land League and Irish National League 37
Land Purchase Act of George Wyndham's 29
La Varaha na Feir 38
Leith Broath 38
Leprachawn 91
Lycanthropy 91
Marriages and Weddings 91
May Day 92
Middlemen and the Conacre System 38
Mistletoe 92
Molly McGuires 39
Moonlighting 42
Mother Carey's Chickens or Stormy Petrels 93
Mug 94
Mugs 94
National School Teachers Slapping Children for Speaking
Irish 42
Ogham Characters 43
Orangemen 43
Pagan Wells 95
Parnellite Splits 43
Patron Days 96
Peelers 45
Penal Laws 45
Penitent Pilgrims of the Cat-Brack 97
Phoenix Park Murders 46
Pitch Cap 47
Plan of Campaign 47
Poff and Barrett Hanged 47
Poor Scholars or Hedge School Teachers 47
Pope's Brass Band 47
Primrose League 46
Public Pilgrimage to Brandon Mountain 48
Racing at Weddings 97
Recantations (Public) 48
Red Coals of Fire Given Out of the House 98
Rounds 98
Saints' Birthdays 48
Sinn Fein 49
Skelligs 55
Shea-Hated by the Mermaids 98
Snap Apple Nights 99
Soupers' Campaign 55
Spanish Armada 55
Statute of Kilkenny 56
Steel-Pen Coats 100
St. Martin's Eve 100
St. Patrick and the Snakes 100
St. Patrick's Day 56
St. Stephen's Day 102
Sunburst of Erin 103
Tanistry 56
Tara 56
Tenants' Defense League 57
Tenant League 57
Thierna-Dubh's Raid 58
Thomas-an-Aehig 61
Tithes 61
Tithes Artificial Famine 62
Toothache Cure 103
Treaty of Limerick 62
Turn Coats 62
United Irishmen 62
White Boys 63
Wicker Baskets 63
Wild Geese 64
Wreck of "Port-Yorack" 64
Witches 103
INTRODUCTION.
According to leading Irish historians, close on three thousand years
ago, Ireland was fairly well peopled. Of the several tribes that
settled in the country, the most important colony was the Milesians.
Dr. Keating, the Irish historian, says that race of people landed
in Ireland thirteen hundred years before the birth of Christ, while
McGeoghegan put this event down for 1029 B. C., and O'Flaherty, one
thousand years before the Christian Era.
At the time of the landing of the Milesians, Ireland was governed
by three Dedaanan Kings, viz: MacCull, MacKecht and MacGrena, whose
Queens were Eire, Fodla and Banba.
_The Milesians._--There were many battles fought between invading
Milesians and the older settlers. Probably the first notable battle
ever fought in the country, was that which took place between the
Tuatha-de-Danaans, who possessed Ireland for over two hundred years
previously, and the invading Milesians. This battle is said to have
taken place about one thousand years before the Christian Era, and
was brought about by the following circumstances: The Milesians,
having left Scythia, settled in Spain, where they lived for several
generations. One of their chiefs, named Ith, having on one occasion
sailed in the direction of Ireland, unexpectedly touched the country,
where he landed, with the result that he was attacked and wounded.
Although he was carried away alive in his ship, he died on sea, and
his remains were conveyed to Spain. To avenge his death the sons of
Milesius assembled a large force, and headed by their mother, Queen
Scota, eight of them with a fleet of thirty ships, landed in Ireland.
Having marched into the country and demanded battle or submission,
the De-Danaans complained that they were taken by surprise and
treated unfairly, and if the invaders re-embarked and retired
from the shore, and if the Milesians were then able to effect a
landing, the country should be given to them. The very moment the
Milesians were on the high sea, a great storm blew, which scattered
and wrecked the fleet. Four of Queen Scota's sons perished on the
coast of Kerry. When the storm ceased, Queen Scota and her two sons
made good a landing in Tralee Bay, which in olden times was called
"Lough-Foirdreamhuin," and marched inland to Slieve-Mish. Here Queen
Scota met a part of the De-Danaan army, led by one of the De-Danaan
Queens, called Eire, with the result that a great battle was fought
on the mountain of Slieve-Mish, in the County of Kerry, in which the
Milesians were victorious, but the Queen fell.
After this victory the Milesian army marched towards 'Tara, where
they defeated and killed the three De-Danaan Kings, MacCull, MacKecht
and MacGrena. The Milesians then took possession of the country,
which they divided between them, and gave a long line of kings to
Ireland, many of whom fell in battle and few died a natural death.
The Milesian kings, princes and chiefs ruled the country for over
2,140 years. Roderick O'Connor was the last High King of the Milesian
race to rule the whole of Ireland. He reigned in 1168 A. D. The
largest percentage of the Irish are descendants of the Milesians.
Christianity was established by St. Patrick, and judging by the way
he handled the Pagan Irish kings and chiefs, he must have been a wise
statesman.
From 432 to 812, Ireland was known throughout the world as the
"Island of Saints and Scholars." Foreigners came from all parts of
the Old World for education. The ancient language of the country
then, as now, was Irish. In the Irish wars most of the fine Irish
arts and buildings were destroyed by foreign invaders. Probably the
"Book of Kells" is the finest production of its age in the whole
world.
Latin was the written language of England in the 12th Century, or
thereabouts.
_The Danes in Ireland._--About the year 795, Danish and Norwegian
pirates appeared in ships upon the Irish coast. Here and there they
sailed into harbors, landed, ran into the country, robbed the people,
ravaged women, tossed children from lance to lance for pleasure,
drank the blood of their victims, imitated the dogs in their wild
ferocity, set houses on fire and successfully returned to their ships
before their very presence in the locality became generally known.
Year after year they increased in numbers. In the summer they came
like swarms of flies. They robbed monasteries, tore up fine Irish
arts, took ornaments off books and killed the monks. After some
time parties of them settled on the seaboard. Their chief towns in
Kerry were Ballinagaul, Ballylangford and Broadford. For two hundred
and twenty years they held their criminal sway of rape, murder and
robbery over the inhabitants of the seaboard of Ireland. In several
engagements they were defeated and driven from Ireland by the Irish
kings, chiefs and princes. However, in 1074, at the invitation of
the Prince or King of Hinster, they attempted to conquer Ireland. On
Good Friday, the 23rd of April, 1074, the Danes and their followers
were completely defeated in battle at Glantarf, County Dublin, by
the Irish, under Brien Borue, King of Munster. This day the Danish
power in the whole of Europe was broken down, and their piratical
expeditions ended. The same day Brien Borue fell while praying in his
tent.
_English Invasion._--Fighting between petty Irish chieftains became
common. Following the example set by the Danes, the rule of might,
not right, was very much practiced. Just as the people were settling
down in peace, the Prince of Linster induced the wife of another
Irish prince or governor to elope with him. Ireland was now divided.
There were circumstances in the case which in the opinion of many
did not justify the marriage of the Princess to O'Rourke. The High
King of Ireland and the Irish could not stand the disgrace of such
an act to occur on Irish soil, and consequently declared war on the
Prince of Linster. The Prince of Linster appealed to King Henry II
of England for aid. The kings, princes and people of Ireland stood
for virtue, while the English king and his barons under the color and
pretense of restoring virtue to Ireland, stood for a licentious old
man and introduced rape, plunder and murder into the country.
In 1170, Richard Clare, commonly called the Earl of Strongbow, on
behalf of the King of England, landed in Ireland. In 1171 the King
of England in person visited Ireland. He produced the Pope's Bull,
showing that he had authority from Rome to establish virtue, settle
and possess Ireland. The majority of the Irish chieftains refused to
recognize the King of England, no matter from whom he pretended to
possess the authority.
These are the circumstances which brought about the first Norman
English raids on the peaceful valleys of Ireland. Little by little
the English succeeded in establishing a foothold on Irish soil. It
took the English over four hundred years to completely conquer the
whole island. After some time the English in Ireland became more
Irish than the Irish themselves, but they had to get the "fat" of the
land; they even appointed their own clergy, although both at the time
were Roman Catholics.
_The Protestant Reformation._--The most of the districts in Ireland
were governed by their own independent native chieftains, although
they were supposed to be under English rule. When the Protestant
reformation burst forth, King Henry VIII of England hunted Luther and
other Protestant reformers out of England. The Pope conferred upon
him the title of "King Defender of the Faith."
This King Henry married his deceased brother's wife before the
marriage of the latter was fully consummated. It is a settled
doctrine of the Catholic Church that when both parties to a marriage
enter into it of their own free will and accord, and that no
moral objection is standing in the way of the ceremony, upon the
consummation of marriage no priest nor power on earth can divorce and
religiously remarry any of the parties while they both live.[1] Henry
VIII knew this. After being for twenty years married, he pretended
to feel frightfully uneasy because "it was wrong for him to marry his
brother's wife" after the brother's death. He applied for a divorce
to the Pope, and the Pope refused to grant him a divorce. He at once
established his own ecclesiastical courts, declared himself head
of the Church, and his courts at once granted him a divorce from
his lawful wife. Immediately he married one Anne Boleyn, whom he
divorced and killed for another wife. In all he had six wives, one
of whom he caused to be ripped open on child's birth. He seized and
confiscated the churches, chapels and all religious houses in England
and converted them to his own use. Of course these acts were resisted
with bloodshed.
The foundation on which the Protestant Reformation was founded in
England, was born in lust, murder and plunder. The British sovereign
declared himself supreme head of the Church on earth, and substituted
the parson for the priest. Henry VIII attempted to introduce his
new-made religion into Ireland. This religion was not Catholic nor
was it Protestant. Ireland rejected it and Henry VIII was not able to
enforce his orders there.
In the year 1553, Edward VI died, and Queen Mary, daughter of Henry
and of Catherine of Aragon, became Queen of England. This Queen
was a staunch Roman Catholic. Maddened at the ill-treatment of her
mother at the hands of Henry VIII, his ministers, the ecclesiastical
courts and reformers, she restored the Catholic religion, recovered
Catholic churches, monasteries and like property, and tortured and
burned Protestant leaders, especially those who refused to deliver up
the property. By Protestant historians she is styled "Bloody Mary."
As Ireland was always Catholic, her reign there did not cause much
disturbance.
_Queen Elizabeth._--After her came Queen Elizabeth, called the
"Virgin Queen" by Protestants, because she never married. However,
she was the reverse of a virgin. She declared herself a Catholic, but
when the Pope was notified that she ascended the throne by hereditary
rights and the will of the people, it appears he made use of some
language to the effect that he did not see how she could claim the
Crown of England by hereditary rights, as she was the daughter of
Henry VIII with Anne Boleyn while his first wife was alive. Queen
Elizabeth, fearing the influence of Rome might deprive her of the
crown, at once declared herself a Protestant.
During her long reign, Catholic Ireland became her greatest slaughter
field. Although in the Protestant Bible she is said to be the "bright
occidental star," "of most happy memory," the truth is that she did
not care much for any religion, but used Protestantism as the most
favorable one to gain her ends. Bad as "Bloody Mary" was, her reign
was a mild one when compared with "virgin" Elizabeth. England became
worse in those days than Mexico of today. The instruments of torture
in the Tower of London bear silent evidence of many dark crimes.
_Charles I Beheaded._--After this hateful Queen dying, James I, son
of Mary, Queen of the Scots, came upon the throne. He was followed
by King Charles I, whom over a question of a little tax, Cromwell
beheaded and established the Commonwealth. Cromwell did not confine
his butchery to England; he landed in Ireland, took Drogheda, killed
women and children and put the priests to the sword; he caused both
the real and personal estate of the people to be seized and had
the lands parcelled up amongst his officers or "gamesters." These,
together with some of Queen Elizabeth's followers, became Irish
landlords and tyrants of the worst kind. The people who reclaimed,
tilled, improved and erected buildings on those lands, could not
understand how a foreigner who never tilled or improved one inch
of land could claim ownership of everything which the farmer
raised. For two hundred and fifty years, war has gone on between
the landlords and the tillers of the soil. Today the descendants of
ancient occupiers of the holdings are repossessing same and Cromwell
landlords are disappearing.
_Cromwell._--When Cromwell died, England did not become a Republic,
and again a king in the person of Charles II ascended the throne.
_King James II and the Battle of the Boyne._--The next most important
event in Irish history is the Battle of the Boyne--the disgraceful
boast of some Englishmen--fought in Ireland between King James II
of England, a Catholic, of the Stuart family, and his son-in-law,
William of Orange from Holland. In America this war is called a
religious war, fought between Catholics and Protestants. It is true
that because this king declared himself openly a Roman Catholic,
Protestants in wrongful occupation of Catholic property became
intensely alarmed for their future, and invited William, Prince of
Orange, to invade England.
King James was one of the greatest cowards that ever lived. With
his English troops he lost almost every engagement in England. He
then fell back on Ireland. William, Prince of Orange, on landing
in Carrick-a-fergus, Ireland, on the 14th day of June, 1690, found
himself at the head of about 40,000 men. The Irish had no love for
any British king. However, priests and Catholic leaders influenced
the Irish to come to aid King James, on the pretense that his own
daughter and her Protestant husband, a foreigner, were depriving this
old man of his kingdom because he was a Catholic. The Irish, blinded
with sympathy, entered the fight. On the 1st of July, 1690, the
Battle of the Boyne was fought. William in person led his own army
while King James stood at a distance, ready to mount his horse and
ride away if the battle should be favorable to the Prince of Orange.
The Irish fought bravely for over half the day, but as they began
to retreat in good order, the English King mounted his horse and
rode away into Dublin, leaving the Irish fighting behind him. He was
designated "Dirty James" by the Irish.
The Irish, although deserted by the King and others, continued the
fight for over one year from the River Boyne to the walls of Limerick
and Athlone. On the 3rd of October, 1691, the generals of both armies
signed the famous treaty of Limerick. According to the articles
signed, full religious liberties were granted to the Roman Catholics,
but no sooner did the Irish soldiers sail away to France, than
England wilfully and wickedly broke the treaty. England has never yet
kept a treaty with the Irish, if it stood in the way of plunder or
gain.
_Treaty of Limerick Broken._--In 1692, contrary to the articles of
the treaty of Limerick, the Catholics were excluded from the Irish
Parliament. Education of a Catholic child, shortly afterwards, was
declared to be a serious crime. Catholics were required to take an
oath declaring the mass damnable. No Catholic could learn a trade.
In 1701, contrary to the treaty of Limerick, Catholic solicitors
were disqualified. Priests found in Ireland were branded with redhot
irons on the cheeks. The law made it death to shelter, and penal
servitude to know where a priest was concealed and not to inform
the government. Priests were dragged from the altars, branded,
disemboweled, quartered, hanged and transported. A Catholic could not
have a horse worth more than five pounds (twenty-five dollars). Any
Protestant tendering a Roman Catholic five pounds for his horse, the
horse would have to go.
_Flight of Wild Geese._--The young Irishmen of that period rushed to
France and were called "Wild Geese." Catholics could not send their
children to be educated at home or abroad, and Catholic doctors were
not allowed.
_The Irish Brigade at Fontenoy, France._--At Fontenoy, France, on
Tuesday, the 11th of May, 1745, the Irish Brigade in battle swept
before them the British and their flag. The war cry was "Revenge!
Remember Limerick!! Dash down the Sassenach!!!" From that day onward
Irish priests and Irish Catholics could move about without the danger
of being hanged or transported. At Fontenoy the Irish exiles made the
British ministry conscious of the harsh and unjust manner in which
they had treated the Irish Catholics, and gradually the penal laws
were forced to disappear.
_American Revolution._--In 1775, Irishmen were found very active
in the cause of the American Revolution. Shortly after, England
granted Ireland an independent Parliament. This Parliament is known
as "Grattan's Parliament." The progress of Ireland under her own
Parliament surprised the world and immediately England set about for
its destruction. In 1801, Ireland was again a bleeding nation--her
Parliament was gone. Although an Irish Catholic could not sit in
Irish Parliament, yet the people expected Catholic emancipation from
it much sooner than from the British Parliament.
_Tithes and Orangemen._--During all this time Roman Catholics
resisted the payment of tithes to the parson. The parson was a
minister of the Protestant church, who was substituted for the priest
and never ministered to a Roman Catholic. Catholics were compelled by
law to give one-tenth of their crops to the support of the Protestant
Church without receiving anything in return but insult and injury.
Then came the landlord, giving nothing but claiming everything to
the body and souls of the tenants. Up until the land agitation the
buildings and all improvements made or erected by the tenant became
the property of the landlord. In order to keep Ireland divided, the
wealth and power of the Unionist (capitalist) class from England to
New Zealand is still lavished on a body of foreigners in the North of
Ireland, called "Orangemen."
_Orangemen._--It must be remembered that it is not the Orangemen
alone the Irish have to contend with in their fight for Home Rule,
but the whole power and wealth of the Unionist Party in England,
Scotland, Ireland, India, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and
Canada. The English under the color and pretense of peacemakers and
Christians are always doing the utmost in their power to sow the
seeds of discord and dissension amongst the Irish people. One of the
sharpest wedges they can drive to divide the people is religion. If
the English Unionists believed that by granting Home Rule they could
set Irishmen fighting, a full measure would be granted in eight hours.
_Irish Patriots._--Amongst the Irish patriots the following
Protestants took a leading part for Irish freedom, namely, Charles
Stewart Parnell, Sir Isaac Butt, Henry Grattan and Robert Emmett.
Their names, with many others, Ireland will hold in grateful
remembrance.
Every blade of grass that grows on Irish soil is consecrated by the
blood of Irishmen, women and children, shed in the cause of freedom.
England, in her efforts to destroy the Irish language, the Catholic
religion and the nationality of the country, tried the rack, gibbet,
pitch-cap, quartering, coercion, famines, bribery and every barbarous
and refined form of cruelty, without success. The war between Sax
and Celt will rage hot and fierce until the last vestige of English
misrule is swept from the green hills of Erin.
_Taxation and Refunds._--By the Unionist Parliament, whiskey was
taxed much heavier than beer. Few Irishmen drink beer, but many of
them drink whiskey, while nearly every man and woman in England likes
to have beer. After a careful study of Irish customs, every taxable
article desired by the Irish was especially aimed at. To make the
tax appear just, the sum for the same quantity was raised alike
all over the United Kingdom. By such plans and others of the like,
Ireland was robbed of over $28,000,000 a year, outside of her proper
proportion, not to mention the millions the landlords or other office
pets took out of the country. Money raised in Ireland went into the
British treasury. Recently the England Parliament would make a grant
of a few million pounds to Ireland for some purpose, the largest
portion of which would go to some English pets holding offices of
some kind in Ireland. Then a cry would be raised of "millions of
English money granted by a generous government to Ireland." The truth
is that in such grants the Irish people only received back a small
portion of their own money.
_Author's Most Earnest Desire Is to See Ireland Free._--The author's
most earnest desire is to see the morning dawn when Protestant and
Catholic in Ireland would be linked together in one bond of peace,
enjoying the blessings of good laws made by a free people in an Irish
Independent Parliament. He is opposed to a class or creed ascendency,
the adoring of human false gods, or the keeping of the whole island
in slavery by a few non-productive, pampered gamesters.
GOD SAVE IRELAND!
P. M. FOLEY, Author.
_Abduction._--Forceable abduction for a time was common enough in
those parts. The most common source from which those abductions
sprung was a man, after courting a girl for some time and finding
her for him inclined, but the parents refusing to consent to their
marriage, would come, accompanied by a dozen or more persons with
saddle horses, drag the girl screaming out of bed, place her on
horseback, gallop off to his hiding place--sometimes to his own
house, but at other times to a friend's house--and there keep her
until married.
When it happened that a Catholic boy and a Protestant girl were in
deep love with each other, and the feminine members of the Protestant
family would wish for their marriage, but after sounding the feelings
of the girl's father and finding that he was steadfastly opposed to
allow a Roman Catholic to be connected with his family, the hint
would be thrown out to the boy that the only way he could possess his
sweetheart now was by kidnapping. A hint so broadly given was quickly
acted on. In a short time abuses set in, and instead of honest
courtship, persons made for girls inheriting large fortunes.
Next came our "Squireens," or country gentlemen. These were made up
chiefly of that class of landlords called middlemen, and persons
holding some petty offices. The majority of them were corrupt, low
and immoral, but still had the presumption to insist that others
look up towards them as gentlemen. For cockfighting, fox-hunting, or
race-meeting, they would dress themselves up in great brilliancy and
make such a display that they appeared just as remarkable as the
rancheros or caballeros of Old Mexico, whom, I understand, are their
nearest comparison, and would have been their fittest companions.
A young man of that class, having his proposal of marriage with a
young lady of fortune rejected, would become an abductor, and with
the aid of firearms and a faction would carry her off and force a
marriage upon her. To remove the reputation of a scandal, the clergy
of both churches willingly performed the marriage ceremony, and often
without any fee from the parties at the time. The strangest part
of the transaction was that both Protestant and Catholic churches
allowed forced marriages to stand as valid. Once the example was
set by those high-class parish gentlemen it was adopted by their
understrappers and, like a contagious disease, it reached the common
people, with the result that in the seventeenth century abductions of
pretty girls with fortunes and good names became for a time numerous.
_Bally-Ferriter Evictions._--These were evictions which the Sheriff
of Kerry was never able to carry out. On portions of the estates of
the Earl of Cork, near Bally-Ferriter, several tenants were to be
ejected. On the 16th of February, 1887, the Sheriff with a staff of
Bailiffs, protected by a large force of police armed with rifles,
bayonets, revolvers and battons, under the command of District
Inspector Gray, started from Dingle, towards Bally-Ferriter. Upon
reaching a place called Shannacnock, two thousand people assembled.
They were armed with pitchforks, scythes and sticks. They forced
the Sheriff, his assistants and escort hastily to return to
Dingle. Several attempts to carry out these evictions failed. A
settlement was arrived at through the Rev. Father Egan, P. P., of
Bally-Ferriter, whereby the evictions were abandoned.
(See P. 281, History Co. Kerry-Corkaguiny.)
_Barking Disease_ prevailed about the year 1341. It appears persons
of both sex went about the country barking like dogs. This disease
was pretty bad and visited those parts.
_Battle of the Boyne._--This battle was fought on the 1st of July,
1690, at the River Boyne, in Ireland, between the soldiers of King
James, the lawful King of England, and his son-in-law, William,
Prince of Orange, a foreigner from Holland.
Protestants of England, who held Catholic confiscated lands, feared
King James, and invited William into England. In England, James
offered very poor resistance; in Ireland it was different. Although
the Irish had never much love for any English King, yet the leaders
and clergy worked upon the sympathies of the people by pointing
out the wrong of the King's Protestant daughter to be depriving
her father of his lawful throne, his home and country. Blinded by
sympathy, the Irish were induced to fight. By his own fault James had
but six guns, while William had fifty. William's army was only 25,000
men against 50,000 in James' army.
The Irish fought well, but several times showed signs of yielding in
the afternoon. King James mounted his horse and deserted his Irish
troops. The Irish nicknamed him "Dirty James."
This battle was lost but the Irish continued the fight, although the
King was off for France.
On the 12th of July, 1691, another decisive battle was fought
at Aughrim, in which the soldiers of the Prince of Orange were
victorious.[2] However, the fight was continued in Limerick and
Athlone. On the 24th of September, a truce of four days was agreed
upon. The 3rd of October, 1691, the Generals of the English and Irish
armies signed the famous Treaty of Limerick. The Irish soldiers
sailed away to France. In 1692 the English broke the treaty.
_Battle of Glantarf._--On Good Friday, the 23rd of April, the final
battle was fought between the Danes and Brien Borue[3] at Glantarf,
Dublin. Before the battle started Brien Borue rode on his horse
amongst his troops; holding a crucifix in his hand he addressed his
army. This was a hand-to-hand fight. From the time the tide was
high-water until a long time after it was low-water the result was
doubtful. Before evening the Danes gave way all around. Victory
crowned Brien and his Munster men. The losses were: Irish, over
4,000, and Danes, over 7,000.
However, Brien Borue was assassinated while praying in his tent.
This battle released the whole of Europe from the Danish power.
_Black Death._--This dangerous contagious disease made its way into
Ireland about the year 1348. It was so dangerous that any person who
touched the sick or even looked for a few seconds into his face was
immediately affected and died. It swept the English out of Ireland.
According to the English accounts, it touched but few of the native
Irish.
_Black Famine._--This was called to the famine years of 1845, 1846
and 1847. During these years for the want of food people died by
thousands from hunger. From November, 1846, until the end of the
spring of 1847, people were falling dead like Autumn leaves in a
storm, by the roadside, in their cabins, and in the fields. For
burial their corpses were conveyed to the graveyard in sheets and
buried without coffins. Dogs in search of food tore into the tombs
and preyed upon the emaciated corpses of the famine victims.
This famine was caused by a failure of the potato crop, on which the
common people lived for sustenance. The blackest feature of this
famine was that the Irish branch of the Church of England availed of
it to seduce the starving people into Protestantism with soup and
bibles, and that these years there was enough corn shipped out of
Ireland to maintain the class ascendency in luxury, that would feed
as many as died through hunger.
(See P. 212-232, Hist. Co. Kerry.)
_Blood Money._--This is money paid by the government to spies,
informers and crown witnesses, to induce them to swear against
persons charged with murder, or serious crime. It was much used
during the Irish agitation. By the Crimes (Coercion) Act of 1882,
it was proposed to levy a "Blood Tax" for murder on the innocent
rate-payers.
At present, compensation to police injured in certain cases in the
execution of their duties and malicious injury to property is charged
against the rate-payers.
_Boycotting._--This word was derived from Captain Boycott, a land
agent who was boycotted. Today it is to be found in every dictionary
in the English language. Its use and effect in our district is fully
set forth by me in my "His. Co. Kerry"--Corkaguiny, and also under
The Reading of Chronology.
_Brehons._--Were the names given to ancient Irish judges, who
administered the Irish ancient laws with strict justice and
impartiality. In 1365 or thereabouts, the English by the Statute of
Kilkenny, forbade the English subjects to obey it. However, for its
justice it was respected and obeyed until after Cromwell's wars in
Ireland.
_Brigid's (Saint) Day._--This falls on the 1st of February of each
year, and formerly was observed as a holy day in honor of the death
of St. Brigid, she being the founder of the famous nunnery of Kildare
and the patroness of Ireland. In those parts a pretty ancient custom
of carrying a _Brideoge_ on St. Brigid's Day, and receiving gifts
in her name, still survives, although in a dying form. In country
homes eggs were usually given to those accompanying or carrying
Brideoge. However, if any of those receiving these gifts were seen
drinking intoxicating liquors with the proceeds of St. Brigid's Day,
it would be made sufficiently clear to some member of the party that
thereafter their visits were undesirable, and the next time they came
around they were to go empty-handed.
St. Brigid was born about the year 452 at a place called Foghert,
near Dundalk. She founded her convent under or near an oak tree, from
which the town and county of Kildare took their present name.
She was the mother and foundress of many others and was known as the
"Wonderful Worker" throughout Ireland. On the 1st of February, 525,
she died and was buried at Kildare. Her nuns honored her memory so
much that they kept a fire continually burning both day and night
which was not extinguished until 1220, when the Archbishop of Dublin
ordered it to be put out, as it was fast becoming the object of
superstition.
Owing to the Scandinavian raids upon Ireland, in which they tore
down churches and monasteries, her body was taken from Kildare and
transferred to Down Patrick. In 1185 a triple vault was discovered
containing the bodies of St. Patrick, St. Brigid and St. Columba. On
the 9th of June, 1186, or thereabouts, the Pope caused the relics
of these three great saints to be placed in the Cathedral of Down.
This cathedral with its contents was destroyed by order of King Henry
VIII of England, but pieces of the relics, including the head of St.
Brigid, were saved by some clergy. The head was carried to Neustadt,
in Austria. In 1587, Emperor Rudolf gave it to the Church of the
Jesuits at Lisbon. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, her hand
is preserved at Lumiar, near Lisbon, Portugal, and another relic is
at St. Martin's, Cologne.
_Cat Brack._--This was the name given to printed matter found
in Irish primers supplied by the Irish Protestant Society to
Irish-speaking Roman Catholics in those parts, because the former,
under the color and pretense of preserving the Irish language,
both oral and written, instead taught the Protestant version of the
Scriptures and thereby attempted to overthrow the Roman Catholic
religion. This campaign started out very active in 1836 and lingered
on to the last days of the last century. While the scholars were
learning both teachers and pupils were in receipt of pay. Some
teachers made it a practice to enter the names of Roman Catholics on
their roll books who were not students, but as a friendly neighbor
would accommodate the teacher so as to enable him to get his fees.
_Catholic Rent._--This was a tax levied in 1823 upon Catholics by
Daniel O'Connel's Catholic Association to support the fight for
emancipation.
_Charity Meal._--At the end of 1879, a famine threatened Ireland.
The British Government at first refused to take any steps to prevent
death from hunger. The Land League, which was founded by the later
Michael Davitt, in April, 1879, by Parnell, was temporarily converted
into a relief organization. In America, Parnell and John Dillion
collected $250,000 for the relief of distress.[4] The Duchess of
Marlborough also appealed for help. In January and February, large
contributions arrived from Canada, Australia, India, and the United
States. The funds were distributed amongst the clergy of the poorer
parishes, who issued tickets to traders to supply poor people with
Indian meal.
_Cholera Plague._--On the 14th of March of 1831 this great plague
made its first appearance in Belfast, Ireland. It visited our part of
the country shortly after. When it was first discovered in the town,
the inhabitants fled to the country. It was nearly as fatal as the
Black Death. It also followed the famine years of Black Death.
_Clanna-Gael._--Clanna-Gael is an Irish society formed in America in
1881, or thereabouts. It was made up of most loyal members of the old
Fenians, who hated to their dying day British rule in Ireland, and at
the first opportunity available are determined to overthrow British
power in Ireland.
_Cloghane Pattern Day._--This pattern is held on the last Sunday
of July in each year. The old people of the parish believe that it
originated in honor of a pagan chieftain called Crom Duff, signifying
_Crom of the Heap of Stones_, one of the deities of the Irish Druids.
The last Sunday in Summer is called Black Crom, being held sacred to
St. Patrick as the anniversary of commemorating the destruction of
this class of idols as well as others of a like nature.
Cromleacs, composed of huge stones, the selection of ancient Druids,
are to be found in the Parish of Ballyduff, and other like evidence
in the neighborhood which go to show that the district was the scene
of ancient ceremonies. Tradition gives credit to a pagan chieftain
for building the old church, the remains of which stand at the east
end of the dismantled Protestant church in Cloghane burial ground.
However, the present structure was not erected for many centuries
after paganism was overthrown. It is probable that the first
Christian building in Cloghane was erected by a pagan chieftain,
the follower of the Crom Duff form of worship. After mass, dancing
and other like innocent amusements are carried on here. Excessive
drinking and rowdyism, I am very glad to note, is very very much on
the decline; in fact, is gone out of existence there.
_Cockfighting._--These games were common in those parts until
suppressed by law.
_Corkaguiny Magistrates Disliked Attorneys and Decided Cases
According to Dingle Justice._--From 1720 downward to 1822 the
Corkaguiny justices of the peace would not allow any attorney-at-law
to plead before them, but instead of deciding cases according to
law settled them in conformity with "Dingle justice." Whenever an
attorney was brought at high expense from Tralee to appear before
them, the cases in which he was engaged were adjourned from court to
court and his client in the end defeated.
Lady Chatham in her visit to Dingle noticed that cases were not
decided in keeping with "the law," but according "to justice." She
did not know that the houses of the Dingle magistrates were filled
with smuggled goods, and that they reaped a rich harvest from several
just but illegal trades. Therefore they sat more often for the
protection of the smugglers than the enforcement of the law. (See
"His. Co. Kerry"--Corkaguiny.)
_Cromwell._--Oliver Cromwell rebelled against King Charles I,
beheaded the latter, and set up a Republic. In 1649, Cromwell
landed in Dublin, took Drogheda, and put the priests and women
to sword. Pierce Ferriter held Kerry against the English for ten
years. Ferriter was the last Catholic chieftain to hold out against
Cromwell's forces. In direct violation of the English pledges,
Ferriter was hanged at Killarney in 1653, together with Father T.
Moriarty.
_Crowbar Brigade._--This was applied to the Sheriff and landlords'
bailiffs because, armed with crowbars and protected by police, they
forced an entry into the houses of those to be ejected and demolished
the homes of the evicted tenants. They also often carried a battering
ram, i. e., timber bound with irons, hoist on poles, and swung
against the sides of the buildings.
_Doon-an-Ore and Olean-an-Ore._--These were the names given by the
country people hereabouts to a rock in Smerwick Harbour on seeing
it covered with brass cannon, the flags of Spain and the Pope's
consecrated banner sparkling in the sun. Foreigners also had the
reputation of bringing a large quantity of gold with them. (See
"Hist. Co. Kerry"--Corkaguiny.)
_English Garrison._--The Irish landlords are so called by public
speakers because as Cromwell's soldiers they possessed themselves
of all the Irish lands, and since then the British Government by
military force has maintained them in this country, where they became
a crushing burden on the people.
_Enlisting Young Men by Slipping a Shilling Into Their Hands._--The
custom of recruiting sergeants going around the country and slipping
a shilling in the Queen's name into a young man's hand, then forcing
him into the army, has been stopped. In Dingle peninsula the
recruiting sergeant very often secured crippled tailors of good
appearance, who on purpose would sit in the darkest room in a public
house likely to be visited by the sergeant, keeping their feet under
a drinking table and their crutches hidden, with a half-gallon of
porter before them. The recruiting sergeant, looking into the faces
of fine, strong-looking, muscular men, would force a drink upon them
and ask them to enlist. At first they would take the drink, but would
pretend to be hesitating very much about taking the shilling which
the recruiting sergeant would have spinning on the table before them.
After a good deal of sham pretentions of being unable to fight and
unwilling to do so, each of them would slowly accept the shilling,
spend it at once, swallow the free drinks and eat Queen's dinner and,
when fed like game cocks, would ask one of their companions to look
for their crutches for them so they could accompany the sergeant and
enlist in the army. When the sergeant would discover his mistake the
trouble started to get back the shilling, but as they made it a point
not to have more than one penny in their possession he was compelled
to leave without recruits or money.
_Excommunication with Bell, Book and Candle._--During the Souper
Campaign persons were excommunicated in Dingle, Ventry and Castle
Gregory Chapels. After the priest had read the sentence, the bell was
rung, the book closed and the candles extinguished. That moment the
person excommunicated was excluded from the sacraments.
_Faction Fights._--The fairs of Ballinclare were noted for their
faction fights. The way these fights usually were started was a hero
follower of the Fitzgeralds, primed with drink, would prance through
the fair, waving his blackthorn cudgel and at the same time shouting
for a Moriarity. Of course, he would not go very long until he would
be met by a gang of the followers of the Moriarity's. Then a fight
was started in which whole parishes became involved. They fought
each other without any individual ill-will, using stumps of furze,
sticks of hawthorn or oak as their weapons. Sometimes big fights
were started by a man holding out a stick and having one member of a
faction spit on it and asking a man of the opponent's faction then
to let him spit on. If he did, this was a challenge and the fight
started. Tents were upset and the people scattered leaving the fair
grounds to the combatants.
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.
_Fenianism._--(See Author's Note on page 64.)
_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.