"The Tithe War, that was the time of the fight at Carrickshock. A narrow
passage that was in it, and the people were holding it against the
police that came with the Proctor. There was a Captain defending the
Proctor that had been through the Battle of Waterloo, and it was the
Proctor they fired at, but the Captain fell dead, and fourteen police
were killed with him. But the people were beat after, and were brought
into court for the trial, and the counsel for the Crown was against
them, Dougherty. They were tried in batches, and every batch was
condemned, Dougherty speaking out the case against them. But O'Connell,
that was at that time at Cork Assizes, heard of it, and he came, and
when he got to the door the pony that brought him dropped dead. He came
in and he took refreshment--bread and milk--the same as I am after
taking now, and he looked up and he said 'That is no law.' Then the
judge agreed with him, and he got every one of them off after that; but
only for him they would swing. The Tithes were bad, a farmer to have
three stacks they's take the one of them. And that was the first time of
the hurling matches, to gather the people against the Tithes. But there
was hurling in the ancient times in Ireland, and out in Greece, and
playing at the ball, and that is what is called the Olympian Games."