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The Hearth Tax – 1788

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Title page of "Our Home Cyclopedia," of "grocery and housekeeping - 1889 Mercantile Publishing Company Wikimedia Commons
Title page of “Our Home Cyclopedia,” of “grocery and housekeeping – 1889 Mercantile Publishing Company
Wikimedia Commons
THE TIMES (LONDON)
28TH MARCH, 1788 (abridged)
Mr. Conolly of Ireland has brought forward a motion for abolishing the tax upon HEARTHS, and the Irish Ministry will not oppose it. In Ireland, hearth-money is at this day more oppressive than ever it was in England.

This tax has ever been hateful, and as the subject is again revived- we will give its history. In Doomesday-Book, compiled by order of William I. there existed a tax called fumages or fuage, which common people termed smoke farthings. This tax was paid by custom to the King, and was rated upon every chimney in a house.

Edward, the Black Prince, after his successes in France, in imitation of the English custom, imposed a tax, one florin upon every hearth in his French dominions. This tax is mentioned in the twenty-third volume and four hundred and sixty-third page of the Modern Universal History, and in Spelman’s Glossory under the word Fuage.
In the fourteenth year of the reign of Charles II, a statute was passed in Parliament that all houses liable to church and poor, should pay two shillings for every hearth. This payment was granted as an hereditary revenue to the king for ever. Subsequent statutes allowed a surveyor, appointed by the crown, a constable and two other inhabitants of the parish, to view the inside of every house in the parish.

Hearth-money was eventually abolished by a statute, passed in the first year of King William and Queen Mary. The statute declared-that hearth money is “not only a great oppression to the poorer sort, but a badge of slavery upon the whole people, exposing every man’s house to be entered into, and searched at pleasure, by persons unknown to him. To erect a lasting monument of their Majesty’s goodness in every house in the kingdom, the duty of hearth-money was taken away and abolished.”
Ireland awaits and the Minister will acquire well earned popularity by not opposing its annihilation.

NOTE: The hearth tax was abolished in England in 1689 – It was abolished in Ireland during the 19th Century.

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An Extraordinary Occurrence – 1824

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Wood Engraving by Elinor Monsell, on title page of 'Twenty One Poems' by Katherine Tynan, Dun Emer Press 1907 Wikimedia Commons
Wood Engraving by Elinor Monsell, on title page of ‘Twenty One Poems’ by Katherine Tynan, Dun Emer Press 1907
Wikimedia Commons
THE CONNAUGHT JOURNAL 28TH OCTOBER, 1824 (abridged)

EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE
The following singular occurrence which took place a few days since in the neighbourhood of Woodford, has excited a very considerable sensation there: Elizabeth C—, an interesting young woman about nineteen years of age, who lived in the service of _____ Forrest, Esq. a gentleman residing at Woodford, in consequence of getting her feet wet, caught a severe cold, which brought on a fever. She was confined to her bed for several days, when she, to all appearance, died! An undertaker was sent for, and the next day, she was placed in a coffin. The intelligence of her supposed death was transmitted to her mother, an industrious woman, with a large family, who was almost broken-hearted at the melancholy tidings.
From her good conduct while in the service of Mr. Forrest, that gentleman resolved to defray the expenses of the funeral, which, it was arranged, should take place on Sunday last, a week after her supposed death. On that day, her mother, and several other relatives came to pay the last tribute of respect to her memory. Prior to the coffin being screwed down, they went to take a look at the body. One of them observed that she had not undergone the change usual on such occasions, and that her face appeared rather flushed. She suggested the propriety of sending for a surgeon, which was immediately done. He ordered her to be placed in a warm bath, and applied the remedies usually resorted to, to recover persons apparently drowned, and which were happily crowned with success! The young woman was so far recovered in a few hours to be able to speak, and is now in a fair way of recovery. The anxiety with which her friends witnessed the progress of the means resorted to for her restoration, and their joy at its success, may be more easily conceived than described.

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The Burren Spa – 1824

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The Burren Photo: Ingo Mehling Wikimedia Commons
The Burren
Photo: Ingo Mehling
Wikimedia Commons
CONNAUGHT JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 13TH, 1824
RURAL SPORTS – The crowds now at the Burren Spa are beyond any calculation in that country. – The numbers assembled to see the best Irish jig dancers was immense and the contest so equal between two of the fair competitors, that the judges could not decide between them, and therefore directed the silver watch to be given to those very interesting girls, to be disposed of as they pleased. Immediately after the dancing, four horses were started, and there was a most excellent race. – On yesterday a fox was to have been shook at the well, and it was so arranged, that the ladies should witness “his funeral tears;” and on Sunday next there will be another race, and afterwards a hurling match, consisting of twenty-one men at each side – one party dressed in blue jackets and caps, and the other in red.–Limerick Paper.

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Sound advice – 1825

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Beer making in ancient Egypt - wooden model at the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, San Jose, California Photo: E Michael Smith Wikimedia Commons
Beer making in ancient Egypt – wooden model at the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, San Jose, California
Photo: E Michael Smith
Wikimedia Commons
THE CONNAUGHT JOURNAL January 3rd, 1825

WHEN TO LEAVE OFF DRINKING –
When you feel particularly desirous to have another glass – leave off, you have had enough.
When you look at a distant object, and appear to see two – leave off, you have had too much.
When you knock over your glass, spill your wine upon the table, or are unable to recollect the words of a song you have been in the habit of singing for the last dozen years – leave the company; you are getting troublesome.
When you nod in the chair, fall over the hearth rug, or lurch on your neighbour’s shoulder, go to bed – you are drunk.

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The N67 – 1909

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A McCarron Creative Commons
A McCarron
Creative Commons
Tuam Herald 5th June 1909
Last week a young man named Moran, son of a herd in the employment of Mr. M. McDonogh, Galway, was fired at from behind a wall on the public road at Ballinderreen, near Gort. Moran was in company with two other cyclists who were returning from Kinyara. There were, it is stated, about 200 pellets lodged in his left arm and back. He was treated by Dr. Foley, Ardrahan, and his injuries are not considered serious. The police are investigating the affair, but up to the present no clue has been obtained.

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The Connacht Tribune – 1909

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Flag of Connacht Caomhan27 Wikimedia Commons
Flag of Connacht
Caomhan27
Wikimedia Commons
Tuam Herald, June 5th 1909

The first issue of the “Connacht Tribune,” a new Nationalist weekly newspaper, published in Galway, is a promising initial number of eight pages of eight columns each. Its local news supply is extemely full and diversified, the type good, and the printing very legible. Mr. William O’Malley, M.P. begins in the journal a series of articles entitled “Connemara Land League Reminisecnces.”

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Wreck at Roundstone – 1833

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Roundstone, Connemara Photo: Julian Matz
Roundstone, Connemara
Photo: Julian Matz
COLONIAL TIMES 11TH JUNE, 1833
Dreadful Wreck of the Oporto Transport.(abridged)
At Clifden, in Galway, in December, a portion of a ship was seen floating near the entrance of Roundstone Bay. By the active exertions of the coast-guard, under the command of Lieutenant Hunter, R. N., it was secured. The following day, the remainder of the wreck was discovered, a few miles distance from the first-named place. Uniforms and several bodies have been washed ashore. A few trunks, with mutilated papers and other articles, found by Captain Busby, R. N, proved her a brig of about 350 tons burden.

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Canals completed – 1850

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South Australian Register 5th March 1850

River Shannon Photo: Laurel Lodged Wikimedia commons
River Shannon
Photo: Laurel Lodged
Wikimedia commons
Under the influence of the Shannon Commissioners the inland steam navigation of Ireland has been prosecuted with vast success, amidst all the difficulties presented by a state of social and political disorganization. The navigation of the Shannon has been effected, and that magnificent pride of Irish waters is now open for all purposes of traffic.

The father of the Shannon navigation improvements, Charles Wye Williams, Esq., lately enjoyed the highest pleasurable satisfaction in steaming nearly to the Lough Allen source of that noble river, and to the head of one of its great tributaries’ the Boyle Waters, within an English mile of the important town of Boyle.

At Athlone there is a new bridge, capped with masses of Cashel marble, each weighing from 10 to 15 tons; and a lock has been constructed, capable of passing any steamer suited to the navigation of the line. Near Lanesborough a branch canal is being cut to Roscommon. In Lough Forbes a dangerous shoal has been removed, and the works and clearances in Lough Boderg, the Carnadoe waters, and the Jamestown Canal, prove the difficulties, expense, and labour involved in the undertaking.

Near to Battle bridge, a new canal to Lough Allen commences, named after the earl of Clarendon, and the works partake of the same durable and admirable character as on every other portion of the navigation. The facilities of intercourse opened out by these improvements are still to be extended, and in a year or two the water communication between Limerick and Belfast will be complete by means of Lough Neagh, and the Logan and Ulster navigation with Enniskillen by means of Lough Erne.

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Sabotage at sea – 1858

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Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers c 1890 Heritage Centre Cove Wikimedia Commons
Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers c 1890
Heritage Centre Cove
Wikimedia Commons
The Star 13th september 1858
IRELAND. (abridged)
(From the Times Correspondent.)
Dublin, Saturday, 22nd June.
The fine steamer Indian Empire, which was to leave Galway on the 18th June, with the first mails from Ireland to the United States, was run hard ashore near St. Margaret’s Rocks by the pilot who had charge of her from Southampton. Fortunately, however, the spot where she struck was not dangerous, and the ship eventually floated off and proceeded to Galway, having sustained but trifling damage. The damage will not impair or otherwise prevent her from sailing on her appointed date.
The authorities in Galway, on learning the particulars of the vessel’s going ashore, caused the pilot to be arrested, and after undergoing a preliminary investigation, he was committed to prison on a charge of having wilfully and knowingly run the Indian Empire on a hidden rock.
The somewhat sinister accident which befell the steamship on her first entrance into Galway Bay has created quite a sensation here, and the result of the trial of the two pilots is looked for with no ordinary anxiety. A Dublin journal (The Express) thus refers to the disaster : ” It remains for a jury to decide whether they were guilty or not of the crime of intending to destroy the steamer. It seems to be the general opinion in Galway that the facts cannot be accounted for except on the presumption of their guilt.”
This, however, should be left to the decision of a jury of their countrymen. If they should be found guilty, the crime is one of the foulest on record. But if they are guilty, others are guilty too. If they did run the steamer on the’ rock intentionally, they were the agents of a diabolical conspiracy, which should be traced out. If the chief criminals can be detected, no punishment would be too severe for them. Suspicion points to Liverpool as the seat of the conspiracy. The motives assigned are commercial jealousy.