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From: "Cathy Joynt Labath" <>
Subject: [News] !! Connaught Journal; May 8, 1823
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2001 20:03:09 -0600


Connaught Journal
Galway, Ireland
Thursday, May 8, 1823

STATE OF THE COUNTRY
(From the Dublin Evening Post)

The accounts from Limerick, since Saturday, do not differ materially from
those already before the public. About ten houses have been burnt in
Limerick during the thre for four last days, several cows houghed, and some
fields turned up. In Tipperary, four farm-houses have been burnt, and a
field turned up. In the Queen's County, a nefarious outrage, on the person
of a man and his son had taken place; the offenders, however, are arrested.
The Barony of Clonlisk is stated to be very much disturbed. Threatening
notices, as usual, have been distributed in great abundance.

On Tuesday last, Special Sessions, under the Insurrection Act was hlden at
Limerick, at which Mr. BLACKBURNE, King's Counsel, presided. Thirty
Magistrates and the Assistant Barrister occupied the Bench. In his Address
to the Court, after stating his appointment by the Lord Lieutenant and
referring to the tendency to Insurrection which occasioned the existing
Laws, Mr. BLACKBURNE observed, that "this spirit has occasioned the
enactment of a code of Laws peculiar to Ireland, and to which it has never
been necessary to recur for any other part of the Empire." Having described,
very forcibly, the provisions of the Insurrection Act, and the powers which
it conferred, upon the Magistracy, he took occasion to say, that the
Legislature would continue the Act, and that it was material the Country
should be undeceived in this respect. "The people," said the Learned
Gentleman, "may rest assured, that on their conduct must depend its
continuance, and that their submission to the Laws, and return to peaceable
habits, are the only means to prevent its renewal, or suspend its
operation."

Reverting to the change of system on the part of the Insurgents, Mr.
BLACKBURNE describes it in the following manner:-
"In this County there deems at present to be a suspension of torture and
assassination. The mode of enforcing the subjects of the Conspiracy seems to
be confined to the burning of houses, the destructions of property, and the
posting of threatening notices. When such an object is stated, one feels at
a loss to imagine how any benefit can arise from practices as senseless as
they are wicked. But the object of it has been, to a certain extent, avowed-
it is stated to beg, to invest the rubble, to a certain extent, with a
dominoin over the real property of the County. It is not meant, as itis
understood, to usurp the estate of the Landed Proprietor, and substitute
another ownder in its stead. Such a scheme is too ridiculous for belief-
that a dominion is sought to be usurped to the extent that a man shall dare
to let his lands at any rent but such as the Members of this Association
think fit to dictate."

Touching upon the distress which prevails to so alarming an extent in the
South of Ireland, Mr. BLACKBURNE expresses himself as follows:-
"In the South of Ireland the common distress has been aggravated by the
failure of Banks, and the consequent annihilation of property. In such a
state of things, the Landlord should bear his share of the common burden,
and by submitting to it, lighten its general pressure. But it is such a
state of things, that should excite, in a peculiar degree, the anxiety and
vigilance of the Magistry. They will recollect that it is poverty and
suffering must make the people irritable, and expose to the designs of those
incendiaries who are always ready to inflame and mislead them; but they will
especially recollect, that when a baneful Conspiracy rears its head,
prescribes barbarous and inhuman laws, and executes them in vegeance, it is
their bounden duty so to administer the mild and merciful code entrusted to
their care, that hte people may fly to the laws of their Country for
protection, and confidently rely on them for support."

These sentiments do great credit to the good feeling and the good sense of
Mr. BLACKBURNE.- We regret indeed that we have not room to give his entire
speech. But the following extract claims the particular attention not only
of the infatuated people themselves, but of every one who wishes to
understand any thing of the present state of the South of Ireland. Referring
to the prophecies of Pastorini, the Learned Gentleman made the following
observations:-

"This is not a place of theological or critical controversy.- I give no
opinion of mine, as to the prophecies of Pastorini, but I can state the
opinions of two Roman Catholic Prelates respecting them; and it is an act of
justice to these Rev. Persons to say that the works to which I refer are at
the same time proofs of their learning, their piety, and of their sincere
and anxious wish to contribute to the utmost of their power to restore
tranquility to this unhappy Country. Dr.DOYLE, in an address to his Clergy,
distinctly states that those prophecies have been perverted to different
ends from those which the pious author intended; and Dr. TUOHY, the Titular
Bishop of Limerick, in an address to the Clergy of his Diocess, has these
emphatic words:-

" I have reason to know, even under the pretext of religion, the poor
credulous people are led astray by those wicked advisers, telling them
prophecies and wonderful events in the years 22, 23 and 24. Surely the
government of this world is in the hands of God, utterly hidden from the
knowledge of men and even of the Angels, and most certainly it would be
blasphemy to make God the author of evil.

"These sentiments are true and just. We may be assured that Providence will
accomplish its ends by its own wise and self-sufficient means."

Two men were then put upon their trial for being form home, convicted, and
sentenced to seven years transportation. Special Sessions were also sitting
at Rathkeale, and several trials had taken place, with the results of which
we are not yet acquainted.

We shall now turn to the County of Cork, or rather to the conditions of
"the Liberties" of the City. It is unnecessary to say with disgust and
indignation we read the accounts, the substance of which we shall lay before
the Public. Let others gloat in their stores- to us they are matter for
shame and sorrow:

At Riverstown the premises of Messrs. GRAHAM and BROWN were robbed of arms,
but no violence was committed on the inmates. At Glanmire, about three miles
from Cork, the house of a Mr. LANDERS, was completely demolished, by 30 or
40 Whiteboys, his oats and barley consumed, three horses and two cows
mutilated. LANDERS is Under-Agent to Lord Listowell. His crime was taking
the Farm three years before. Two other houses shared the same fate from the
same gang. The daring of the Insurgents, (the Leader of whom is represented
as being dressed in a military cap and sash) will appear extraordinary,
when it is stated that the Outrage have been committed in a populous place,
and within a mile and a half of the Barracks, from whence a party of the
Military repaired on seeing hte fire, but too late to afford assistance, or
to secure any of the Incendiaries.

Two other houses, one near Watergrass-hill, were attacked the same night; a
young man lost his life at the latter throuh fright. At Fidane, a
farm-house, belonging to Mr. Homan HAINES, containing twelve sheep, were
burnt to ashes.- Some of the Incendiaries were apprehended.

Several outrages have taken place,which we have neither time nor patience to
enumerate.

The Special Sessions, under the Insurrection Act, sat at Fermoy on Saturday.
Forty Magistrates were on the Bench. Three men were tried for being absent
from hom, two of whom were acquitted, and one sentenced to transportation
for seven years.

The following circumstances occurred at the Special Sessions at Cork at
which Serjeant TORRENS presided on Wednesday last:

" A person named REARDAN and his wife were put to bar, the former of whom
Serjeant TORRENS recognised as having been brought before him at Limerick,
on a charge of being absent from home, which charge he had voluntarily
subjected himself to, in order to get himself transported.- Being
disappointed, he had committed a similar offence in this County, and being
desirous that his wife should accompany him, he made her conceal some powder
on her person, which he instructed her to deny, in order tobring her within
the operation of the law, and then caused her to be searched. The Learned
Serjeant said that these were not the charactes which the law had in view,
nad he was afraid they must disappoint them. They were both sent to the
House of Industry."

The Belfast News-Letter says, that hte buring at Carrickfergus, which has
been already noticed was not attributed to party spirit, but to private
feelings. We are glad to hear this.

In the County of Kerry some houses have been burned, particularly one near
Dingle, on Thursday last, the Inhabitants escaped with difficulty. For the
first time, says the Tralee Paper, in the memory of man, two Highway
Robberies have been committed near that town. Mr. EAGAR (or ESGAR) of
Clohers,was robbed of 28l and a Mr. OVERARD, an Englishman, of 33l. The
first robbery took place about three miles from the town. The other occurred
near Listowel.



Cathy Joynt Labath
Celtic Cousins
http://www.celticcousins.net/


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