Ireland Old News

County Observer and Monmouthshire Central Advertiser, 15 October 1881

STATE OF IRELAND. BOYCOTTING IN A NOVEL FORM.
The latest and most novel phase of boycotting has just been exemplified in a parish near Mallow, county Cork. A young lady, daughter of a well-to-do farmer, was engaged to be married to the son of a neighbour, also in comfortable circumstances, but who had the misfortune to come under the ban of the Land League and was undergoing boycotting in its severest form. The night before the day appointed for the marriage the bride-elect was waited upon by a number of members of the local Land League, who informed her that should she marry the intended bridegroom both she and all her family would be equally ostracised. So great was the pressure brought to bear upon her that the poor girl has broken off, or at least postponed, the match.

STATE OF IRELAND.
BOYCOTTING IN A NOVEL FORM.

The latest and most novel phase of boycotting has just been exemplified in a parish near Mallow, county Cork. A young lady, daughter of a well-to-do farmer, was engaged to be married to the son of a neighbour, also in comfortable circumstances, but who had the misfortune to come under the ban of the Land League and was undergoing boycotting in its severest form. The night before the day appointed for the marriage the bride-elect was waited upon by a number of members of the local Land League, who informed her that should she marry the intended bridegroom both she and all her family would be equally ostracised. So great was the pressure brought to bear upon her that the poor girl has broken off, or at least postponed, the match.

Submitted by dja

Aberystwyth Observer, 22 October 1881


A serious riot took place at Mallow on Saturday night. When Mr. [John R.] Heffernan [of the Cork Land League] was arrested in Cork he was taken on as far as Mallow. The train did not go further, and it became necessary to detain the suspect at the station until the night mail arrived from Cork. In the meantime it became known that the suspect was at the station, and a bell was sent round the town to summon the people. The local band, followed by a concourse of men, women, and children, proceeded to the station and gave Mr. Heffernan a greeting. The police were not prepared for a demonstration, and no additional force had been drafted into the town. The mob being aware of that fact indulged themselves more than they otherwise would have done, and a torchlight procession was formed. The local police force assembled at the railway to guard the prisoner, and when the processionists arrived there stone throwing commenced. Several panes of glass were broken in the refreshment room of the station. Mr. Heffernan, addressing the people, asked them to desist, as stone throwing would do no good. The people would not take his advice, and the stone throwing was continued with greater violence than before. A stone was flung at Head-constable Farrell, inflicting two very serious wounds on the temple and cheek, which will render him unfit for duty for some time. A sub-inspector (Mr. Lanyon) was roughly knocked about and received several kicks, and his hat was knocked off. He appealed to Mr. Heffernan to request the people to desist from further violence, and though Mr. Heffernan did so his appeal was unavailing. Sub-constable Knight also was badly kicked and injured by blows of stones on the body. Sub-constables Archibald and Toole also were beaten. Five additional constables came by the mail train from Cork, and these men with those already in charge of Mr. Heffernan were roughly handled, and the sword of one of them was taken from him. Mr. Heffernan having got into a compartment in which were already two soldiers, was followed by men of the Royal Irish. As one of the constables was entering the carriage a burning torch was brought down upon his head. On the departure of the train, cheers were given for the suspect. It was evident from the temper shown by the people that they would not disperse. The crowd having arrived opposite Dr. O'Keeffe's, stones were thrown and several of the windows broken. They then threw stones at the windows of sub-inspector Lanyon's house and broke several of the plate-glass panes. Some windows of the Rev. William Johnson, father of the Solicitor-General, were also broken. The Hibernian Hotel was next attacked, and here 24 panes of glass were smashed, as well as the chandelier in the dining-room, and the glass in several picture frames. The Post-office window was next broken, and a club-house also came in for its share, but the crowd seemed to vent their violence on the windows of Mr. Joseph Harold, where they broke 18 of them, including a valuable stained glass window. A stone was thrown into the nursery, in which a baby of fourteen months old was sleeping, and it landed on the pillow within 6in. of the child's head. The only offence that Mr. Harold is aware that he may be guilty of in the eyes of the people is that, being a non-political man, he did not put up shutters as his neighbours had done last Friday for Mr. Parnell. Great indignation is felt at the treatment he has been subjected to. Other houses were damaged.

A serious riot took place at Mallow on Saturday night. When Mr. [John R.] Heffernan [of the Cork Land League] was arrested in Cork he was taken on as far as Mallow. The train did not go further, and it became necessary to detain the suspect at the station until the night mail arrived from Cork. In the meantime it became known that the suspect was at the station, and a bell was sent round the town to summon the people. The local band, followed by a concourse of men, women, and children, proceeded to the station and gave Mr. Heffernan a greeting. The police were not prepared for a demonstration, and no additional force had been drafted into the town. The mob being aware of that fact indulged themselves more than they otherwise would have done, and a torchlight procession was formed. The local police force assembled at the railway to guard the prisoner, and when the processionists arrived there stone throwing commenced.

Several panes of glass were broken in the refreshment room of the station. Mr. Heffernan, addressing the people, asked them to desist, as stone throwing would do no good. The people would not take his advice, and the stone throwing was continued with greater violence than before. A stone was flung at Head-constable Farrell, inflicting two very serious wounds on the temple and cheek, which will render him unfit for duty for some time. A sub-inspector (Mr. Lanyon) was roughly knocked about and received several kicks, and his hat was knocked off. He appealed to Mr. Heffernan to request the people to desist from further violence, and though Mr. Heffernan did so his appeal was unavailing. Sub-constable Knight also was badly kicked and injured by blows of stones on the body. Sub-constables Archibald and Toole also were beaten.

Five additional constables came by the mail train from Cork, and these men with those already in charge of Mr. Heffernan were roughly handled, and the sword of one of them was taken from him. Mr. Heffernan having got into a compartment in which were already two soldiers, was followed by men of the Royal Irish. As one of the constables was entering the carriage a burning torch was brought down upon his head.

On the departure of the train, cheers were given for the suspect. It was evident from the temper shown by the people that they would not disperse. The crowd having arrived opposite Dr. O'Keeffe's, stones were thrown and several of the windows broken. They then threw stones at the windows of sub-inspector Lanyon's house and broke several of the plate-glass panes. Some windows of the Rev. William Johnson, father of the Solicitor-General, were also broken.

The Hibernian Hotel was next attacked, and here 24 panes of glass were smashed, as well as the chandelier in the dining-room, and the glass in several picture frames. The Post-office window was next broken, and a club-house also came in for its share, but the crowd seemed to vent their violence on the windows of Mr. Joseph Harold, where they broke 18 of them, including a valuable stained glass window. A stone was thrown into the nursery, in which a baby of fourteen months old was sleeping, and it landed on the pillow within 6in. of the child's head.

The only offence that Mr. Harold is aware that he may be guilty of in the eyes of the people is that, being a non-political man, he did not put up shutters as his neighbours had done last Friday for Mr. Parnell. Great indignation is felt at the treatment he has been subjected to. Other houses were damaged.

Submitted by dja

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