Elyria Democrat, Ohio
1st December, 1887
Dennis McNamara, a shopkeeper at Ennis, Ireland, has been sentenced to twenty weeks’ imprisonment for selling copies of United Ireland, William O’Brien’s paper, the selling of which has been proclaimed. This is the first instance in which a person has been prosecuted for selling papers.
Decatur Daily Republican 24th February, 1888
(abridged)
An exhibition of the cruelty of the present rule in Ireland was afforded Wednesday in the adjoining towns of Milltown and Millbay, over in County Clare. A number of people of the neighboring parishes attempted to distribute two hundred and sixty car-loads of turf and the same amount of potatoes among the families of eleven men, who are at present serving terms of imprisonment, having been sentenced for alleged crimes against the coercion law. The police, however, stopped the proceedings, and would not allow the humane work to continue.
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Washington Post
21st August, 1915
Marquis of Clanricarde Compromises. (abridged)
After litigation extending over some four or five years the legal proceedings in connection with the expropriation of the octogenarian Marquis of Clanricarde through compulsory sale from his estates in County Galway to his tenants, have been brought to a close by means of a compromise according to the terms of which he is to receive $1,200,000 for the property. This is not a large sum considering that the estates were formerly rated as yielding a rental of near $100,000 per annum.
But of course the fact that Lord Clanricarde is 84 years of age and has no direct heir will have been taken into consideration by him in consenting to accept this sum.
Few people know Lord Clarnricarde personally. He lives the life of a hermit in London in a dingy set of chambers in the Albany, off Piccadilly, and never goes out into society. Yet there is no member of the House of Lords whose name has been so frequently before the public. Half the agrarian crimes in Ireland during the past four decades have been due to his merciless and relentless cruelty toward the tenantry on his extensive estates on the Emerald Isle. Hundreds of thousands of dollars-probably millions- have been spent by the government in executing the decrees of eviction which he obtained from the courts against his tenants for the nonpayment of rent.
Freeman’s Journal 26th December 1885 p45 (abridged)
In every district of Ireland there is, or was a generation ago, always one musician who, by reasons of his superior skill, received a kind of patent of nobility and whose name was always spoken in association with that of his locality. In this way the subject of our sketch was known as the Piper of Galway.
Who that lived or travelled thirty odd years ago, in the city or the hills, in the fastnesses of Connemara, or by the shores of Lough Corrib and Lough Con, did not feel his bosom bound with gladness or melt in sorrow at the sweet strains of his matchless and inimitable pipes. His memory was wonderfully retentive and he could perform on his instrument thousands of airs, especially those of his native land. “Felim’s Death on the Field of Athrenee,” and “Red Hugh’s March to the Curlew Mountains,” he played with wonderful and enchanting power; from the Ros Catha of the warlike bard to the saddening symphonies of the “Coolun,” or the plaintive pleading tenderness of the “Molly Asthore,” he was equally and eminently famed. The music of Carolan and the melodies of Moore were all in the gift of this poor blind piper of Galway.
A more interesting character was seldom met with – a man deprived by fate of eyesight, yet by the light of his mind tracked his journey through life in one continued stream of sunshine, beloved by many and respected by all whose respect was worth possessing. Despite his humble condition and the loss of sight (which would be deemed by most persons as one of the greatest of human calamities) he was a happy man.
He was always singing, in sunny weather sprightly airs, and in gloomy weather pathetic ones; but he never looked sad, except when a tale of sorrow excited his pity or when he was about to separate from friends.
Perhaps the most eminent trait in his character (independent of his musical one) was his habitual, we might say, his constitutional benevolence. Many anecdotes of his goodness are told. He was always a temperate and prudent man and would never lower the dignity of his professional character by playing in a tap-room or any place where drunkenness was known. He had a great love of approbation, a high opinion of his musical talents, a strong feeling of decent pride and a great love of country. Green be the shamrocks on his grave.
Adelaide Observer 5th March, 1853 p5
A summary of the census in the counties of Clare, Cork and Kerry exhibits some startling results. The progress of depopulation in these Irish counties during the last ten years is without a parallel in history.
New Zealand Tablet, Vol. XXI issue 23, 5th October, 1894 p 21
On Friday Major F. G. Cullman, Sub-Sheriff of Clare, carried out an eviction under the eviction clauses of the Land Act, on the estate of the Rev Hyacinth Skerrett,Old Quay, Burren. The tenant evicted was Bridget Fahy. Possession was handed over to Pat Gaynor, the landlord’s representative.
The proceedings were of the quietest character. A force of police was in attendance. An attempt was made to carry out an eviction in the same district on the estate of Lord Annally. The tenant was Denis Sweeny of Muckinish West against whom was an ejectment o the title for non-payment of rent. When the evicting party arrived at the house it transpired that a son of the tenants, also named Denis, was suffering from fever. A medical certificate was produced, signed by Dr E Heyns, Ballyvaughan Union, indicating that it would be dangerous to attempt the removal of the sick man. The Sheriff declined to proceed with the eviction.
Legend has it the Coiste Bodhar travels Straide Phuca – Main Street Kinvara – looking for unwary travellers. This tale is based on one such visit…
AN COISTE BODHAR
Story: Script Emer O’Donnell
Script Consultants: James O’Malley
Michael Doheny
Donal C. Hanlon
Emer O’Donnell
Cast:
Barman: James O’Malley
Niall: Michael Doheny
Eamon: Ray McEnany
Man: Donal C. Hanlon
Woman: Emer O’Donnell
Production: Dawid Ciesielski
Recorded at Gort Media Centre Studios – thanks to Sinead, Peadar, Tom, Heather, Gerry and Kevin!
Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser 28th January, 1864 p 15
At Dromelihy, County Clare, some men, in digging for potatoes, came on a massive boulder, which required their united exertions to remove. It had been artificially set over four other and formed an enclosure of about two feet square. But well repaid were they for their labours. Having displaced it, they found the contents to be a copper kettle filled with silver pieces, each being worth about tenpence, and some of which bear the date of 1510.
On digging further they perceived some stones set in mason work, which they upturned with renewed energy. They succeeded in entering a vault, which, to their surprise and disappointment, contained nothing but a leaden coffin about nine feet in length. On taking off the lid, (which, by the bye, was considered very daring of them) they beheld a human skeleton of massive proportions, the thigh alone measuring 2ft 11in and the cranium half an inch in thickness.
Newark Daily Advocate, Ohio
11th January, 1889 (abridged)
A curious and interesting scene was enacted over in Ireland yesterday. Loughrea was the place where the spectacle occurred. After the court adjourned a sitting in which a number of Clanricarde rental cases were under consideration, a hundred or more Nationalists headed by a band, paraded the streets. They were led by a convert from the enemy’s side. The convert was one of her Majesty’s policemen in full uniform.
During lulls in the music this enthusiastic proselyte would address the crowd, asserting that the police were heartily sick of the degrading work which they called upon to perform in Ireland. He said that there were many, who, like himself, would be only too glad to abandon the whole business.
After finishing one of these addresses, he called for three cheers for Dillon and O’Brien, but this juncture was an unlucky one in his new career. At that moment the head constable, with a body of police, swooped down upon the crowd capturing the rebellious constable and marched him off to the barracks under arrest.
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The Burren and Beyond 