Anglo Celt 12th August, 1911 p.4 (abridged)
Stone throwing was once usual in warfare, as, for example in the days of Giraldus Cambrensis, (c.1180); at the battle of Corcomroe in 1317 and at the breach of Limerick in 1690. Special “champion” stones are mentioned in early and mythic times – they were supposed to have some magical power of destruction.
The sling (tailm, teilm or taball) was in use in pre-Christian times. A carving of a sling is depicted on a panel from the east face of Muiredach’s high cross, (a cast of which can be found in the National Museum, Dublin). Good carvings of bows and arrows occur on the base of the cross of Monasterboice, and on the door of Cormac’s chapel at Cashel.
Mr Duffy had the following questions down for Wednesday, but we have not yet received the replies:
To ask the chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware of the disturbance that was imminent in the Kinvara district, Co. Galway, during the past 12 months owning to the attitude taken up by the trustees of the Sharpe estate in respect to the sale of the estate; does he know that an understanding was arrived at last October, as between the agent to the property and the tenants, to the effect that a request would be made immediately to the Congested Districts Board to acquire the entire estate, including the town.
Has such a request been made; and what is the cause of the delay in dealing with this estate?
Question 2:
To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that the district in and around Kinvara is one of the most congested in the west of Ireland; has it come to his knowledge that the people for years have been requesting the various public departments to purchase the available lands in the neighbourhood for allocation amongst them; can he say what time has now elapsed since the Blake-Foster estate, Kinvara district, was first offered for sale; is he aware that the agent, Mr W. E. Holmes, Roscommon, offered the estate to the Congested Districts Board last May; and having regard to the history of the estate and the conditions which prevail on this property, whether he will direct the attention of the Congested Districts Board to the estate and state the cause of their inaction:
Question 3;
To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the estate of Colonel Lopdell, Athenry, situated at Cappamore, Kinvara, County Galway, is one of the estates to be dealt with by the Estates Commissioners; has the estate been inspected and purchase sanctioned by the Commissioners seeing that a considerable number of years have passed by since the tenants agreed to purchase their holdings; and having regard to the quantity of mountainous land on the estate which would become available for allotment, whether he will call the attention of the Estate commissioners to the delay in dealing with this property?
Question 5;
To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether any request to sell his estate in the districts of Duras, Funshin and New Town has been made to Mr Wilson Lynch Belvior, Sixmilebridge, Clare, by the Congested Districts Board and when and with what result?
On Friday morning of last week, about 4.30 a.m., the mail car from Kinvara to Ballyvaughan was held up at Curranroo, Co. Clare, by an armed man, who sprang from behind a wall and, pointing a revolver at the driver, shouted, “Hands up,” and took possession of the horse and car.
The first intimation the driver got that anything was wrong was when he espied a wall built across the road a few hundred yards from Curranroo in the Newquay direction on top of a hill near the house of James McNerney. He was in the act of dismounting in order to remove the obstruction when a man, wearing a mask, with a slouch hat on one side of his head and a “speck” cap on the other, who had, evidently concealed himself in a sandpit for some time previously where he had an uninterrupted view of the Kinvara road and of the mail car approaching, sprang out on the road and presented a revolver heavily mounted, and obviously of an American type, and commanded the driver to walk towards Kinvara until the junction at Corker Hill – the boundary of Clare and Galway – was reached. He drove off with the car and horse and made by the new line in the direction of Corofin.
The driver retraced his steps when he saw he was out of danger and reported the matter to the police at Newquay. The police immediately set out on bicycles and some of the letters were found scattered a few miles away at Funshin, and the other three bags were found near Cappamore, Kinvara.
Questions in the Commons – Land Purchase in Kinvara District
Mr W.J. Duffy asked the Chief Secretary in the House of Commons on July 24th whether he is aware of an inspection having taken place in connection with the Blake Foster estate, Kinvara; was it offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board; has any offer been made to the trustees for its purchase; and how does the estate stand at the present time?
Mr Birrell;
This estate was offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board and has been inspected by their valuers, but the report of the valuers is not yet completed. The Board will consider the question of making an offer as soon as practicable.
Mr Duffy asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware of the number of uneconomic holdings to be found in the neighbourhood of Kinvara, Co. Galway; whether, in order to assist in the relief of this congestion, Mr Brady Murray B.A., Moydore House, Kinvara, offered some untenanted land to the Congested Districts Board; what was the extent or acreage of the untenanted land offered by Mr Murray; and when it is proposed to take up this land and prepare a scheme for its allotment?
Mr Birrell;
The Congested Districts Board are unable to state the number of uneconomic holdings in the neighbourhood of Kinvara, Co. Galway. Mr Brady Murray has offered 339 acres of untenanted land in Gort Union to the Board, and a decision will be come to regarding purchase as soon as practicable.
Connacht Tribune 17th June, 1911 p.8 (abridged)Fair Day, Kinvara c1950s Cresswell Archives
When the news reached Kinvara on Monday evening that Mr Thomas P Corless, president U.I.L headed the poll for co-option at the annual meeting in Gort, the greatest enthusiasm prevailed. A huge tar-barrel was set ablaze in the Square, and from the top of Newtown castle a great blaze could be seen for miles around.
In the patriotic village of Crushoa a similar scene could be witnessed, and Dungora castle had a number of fires lighting on every side, which showed how the people appreciated the act of the District Council.
Masked men recently perpetrated a daring robbery of the car caring the mails from Kilcolgan, Co Galway to Ballyvaughan. The car was held up by a party of masked men, all of whom were armed. A revolver was pointed at the driver who dismounted and fled for safety.
The car was driven for seven miles in another direction and when it was discovered by the roadside it was seen that several mailbags had been torn open and open letters were strewn in every direction.
The police rare scouring the country in search of the highwaymen.
HANSARD 1803–2005 → 1910s → 1911 → May 1911 → 16 May 1911 → Commons Sitting → ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.
Land Purchase (Ireland).
HC Deb 16 May 1911 vol 25 cc1832-7
Ballybranigan EJO’D
Mr. DUFFY
asked whether the claims of the evicted tenants for the farm of Ballybranagan Kinvarra, and the mansion and lands of Hermitage, Kinvarra, have been considered; and what do the Estates Commissioners propose doing for them?
§Mr. BIRRELL
The lands referred to are included in the estate of Blake Forster offered to the Congested Districts Board, and will be inspected as soon as practicable. Unless the Board acquire the estate they cannot consider the claims of evicted tenants. The Estates Commissioners are unable to identify the evicted tenants referred to from the particulars given in the question.
Albury Banner and Wodonga Express 7th April, 1911 p36
A clever ruse adopted to trap the alleged writer of a threatening letter was described at Galway, Ireland. An American named Michael Walsh was remanded in connection with an attempt to obtain money from Count Blake. A letter was written to the count, who resides near Kinvara, threatening that if he did not leave £10 under a specified stone he would ‘get the same death as did Leech’s horse’ which was shot a fortnight ago.
Count Blake, acting on police advice, left an envelope containing two half-crowns under the stone and Walsh was caught by the police after he had removed the envelope and put it in his pocket.
Corless, Grocers Kinvara Photo: Creswell ArchivesConnaught Tribune 1911
On friday fortnight Mr Thomas P. Corless D.C. President of Kinvara United Irish League, was evicted out of his holding at Crehaun, Kinvara, in pursuance of an order made by Judge Gibson at the recent Spring Assizes setting aside a deed purchasing the tenants’ interest and goodwill as far back as October. Suffice it to say the eviction was part of a huge conspiracy to ruin a man for openly identifying himself with the National cause.
North Otago Times, 13th April, 1911
CREATING IRISH CRIME
The Connaught Tribune, a leading Nationalist newspaper published at Galway recently printed, on the authority of “a reliable correspondent,” the following extraordinary story of “loyalist” methods in agitating against Home Rule;
Many of the strange and meaningless outbreaks that have recently occurred in County Galway are not the result of any land agitation at all, but the direct outcome of a sinister secret organisation financed by men who are, and have all their lives, been enemies of Ireland, and who are prepared to resort to any desperate mans to prevent this country securing Home Rule.
The statement may appear at first sight very far-fetched (says the correspondent), but I am in possession of information that leads me to believe that a certain despicable class of non-resident landlords are prepared to do all in their power, and have at their disposal unlimited funds, for the purpose of blackening the fair name of this country.
I could lay my hands on over half a dozen men in County Galway who have no visible means of subsistence and who yet always appear to have plenty of money. These men are “in the know” of everything, and it is notorious that they make frequent secret journeys to distant and secret destinations. They are nothing short of “village bums,” and yet they pose as patriots.
But, unless I am very much mistaken, they are the aiders and abettors of the treacherous enemies who are today stabbing us in the back and keeping the progress of our country back half a century by encouraging, if not actually siding in the perpetrating of these outrages that have absolutely no other meaning, and can effect no other purpose whatever except to do untold injury to the country.
The Burren and Beyond 