CASTLE CALDWELL AND ITS FAMILIES. By John B. Cunningham.

Castle Caldwell and its Families.

The much praised 1980 edition of this book has been added to by new sources, new colour photographs and is a monument to over 300 years of Irish History not only of the gentry families of Castle Caldwell (Blennerhassett, Caldwell and Bloomfield) but the people of Belleek, Ballyshannon and surrounding areas of west Fermanagh and south east Donegal. This book is the result of research conducted in Quebec and Calgary, Canada, Huntingdon Library, California, Schweidnitz/Schweidnica in Poland, Brisbane in Australia plus museums and Public Record Offices in London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Design and layout by Sonya M. Duffy.

The book has 263 pages, A5, 28 illustrations. £22 P&P £20 to USA, £15 U.K. Contact adan4eves@aol.com or +44 7855325693.

CONTENTS.

Chapter 1 – Hassett’s Fort (Castle Caldwell)            7

Chapter 2 – Sir James Caldwell I, 1630-1717              29

Chapter 3 – Sir Henry Caldwell & Sir John Caldwell 1     45

Chapter 4 – Sir James Caldwell Abroad     49

Chapter 5 – Sir James Caldwell and Military Affairs             62

Chapter 6 – Sir James Caldwell on the Wider Scene               77

Chapter 7 – Sir James Caldwell at Home   94

Chapter 8 – The Life of Hume Caldwell      115

Chapter 9 – The Caldwell Family 129

Chapter 10 – The Early Exciting Life of Fitzmaurice Caldwell           149

Chapter 11 –  Sir John Caldwell II               166

Chapter 12 –  The Bloomfield Era 186

Chapter 13 –  Genealogical Information     198

Chapter 14 –  The American Connection    206

Chapter 15 –  Leases and Miscellanea         207

Chapter 16 –  Royal Irish Academy The Caldwell Collection               218

Chapter 17 –  End of an Era.          227

Footnotes                                           230

Index.            (20 pages)                  243

Religion Power and Knowledge in Ancient Northwest Fermanagh, Ireland.

RELIGION POWER AND KNOWLEDGE IN ANCIENT NORTHWEST FERMANAGH. John B. Cunningham. adam4eves@aol.com M. 07855325693. 56 pages, A5, 68 illustrations. Price £10 P&P £6.

Our ancient places are often hidden, forgotten, or dismissed in the modern world but they still retain an importance dimly discernible through the mists of newer centuries and newer religions. They try to speak to us of ancient learning, strongly held belief, knowledge, and an educated people. We may struggle to understand but this does not absolve us from making the effort to comprehend and to empathise. Like Rome a stone circle was not built in a day. Why is it here? How long has it been planned? How long has the night sky been studied by these people or the passage of the seasons all in a human lifespan of little more than 40 years? There were universities and centers of learning in Ireland long before Christianity such as at Tomregan, Co., Cavan, and Devenish Island in Fermanagh.

Our modern assumption that we know it all and have built on the top of a pyramid of knowledge is a total fallacy that ignores the vast amounts of knowledge we have forgotten or lost. Many modern ideologies or religious beliefs have spuriously rejected anything that runs contrary to their new dogmas which themselves frequently turn out to be false gods in new guises.

This volume tries to look at four ancient sites in NW Fermanagh and go beyond the cautious verdicts of some experts and archaeologists to put flesh and bones on those who struggled and thought to make sense of the world they found themselves in – our ancestors.

CONTENTS – PAGES.

2.         Preface.

3.         Drumskinney Stone Circle – a megalithic mini-complex from the Bronze Age.

5.         The Power and Significance of 3.

7.         The Power and significance of 13.

9.         The ‘Singing’ Stones.

11.       Due North, the Pole Star and Midwinter.

12.       Newgrange, Winter Solstice Monument created 1,000 years before the Pyramids of Egypt.

14.        A sacred Landscape? Some other prehistoric remains in the Drumskinney area.

16.        The Janus Statue, Sile-na-Gig and Caldragh Cemetery on Boa Island.

18.        Our Asiatic DNA.

20.       Balbals? Perhaps the Origin of the Janus Statue.

22.        The Caldragh Sile-Na-Gig.

25.       JANUARY GOD. Seamus Heaney.

26.       Caldragh Cemetery & Caldragh Cemetery Inscriptions.

27.        IDENTITIES Francis Harvey.

28.       The Ancient Caldragh Hawthorn.

29.       Kiltierney Ancient Place of Worship.

32.        Kiltierney Abbey and Grange.

37.        The Bogle Bush.

40.       Kiltierney Monastery Graveyard.

41.       Killadeas Churchyard.

43.        The Culdees Monastic Movement.

46.        The Killadeas Holed Stone.

50.       The Cross Slab Stone.

51.       Bishops Stone, Killadeas.

51.       Irish Yew Trees. Guardians of the graveyard.

52.       Key Sites in North Fermanagh.

54.        White or Whit Island.

56.        White Island and Ley Lines.

A Potted History of Ireland

A Potted History of Ireland.

In the beginning there was lots and lots of ice and Ireland was under lots apart for a wee bit of Cork and Kerry –hundreds of metres under but nobody cared as there was nobody about As the world came out of the last Ice Age and warmed up about 12,000 years ago Ireland began to emerge from under the ice from the south to the north.

Ireland was linked to the rest of the British Isles and was linked in turn with Continental Europe. If Paris had existed you could have walked there and back from Belleek or any other important centre in Ireland. Animals and plants began to arrive across dry land.

As more and more ice turned to water the levels of the oceans rose and the North Sea and English/French Channel appeared (Except that there was no place called England or France or for that matter Ireland at this time) cutting off the British Isles from the continent but there were still some dry esker ridges linking Ireland to the rest of the British Isles across which plants and animals travelled. Later water covered these also. Many species had not arrived by the time the water rose. Ireland has c 800 species of plant while France has c 3,000.

People followed as Hunters and Gatherers in the Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age. They arrived in Ireland about 7,000 B.C. probably by boat either from Britain or via the Atlantean Continental route. They used flint tools and weapons, or small sharp stones called microliths. They moved to follow seasonal patterns of food availability. In Spring to the cliffs for the gulls eggs and in Winter to the seashore for shellfish. These people were odd in that they were neither Protestants nor Catholics. Today they would send their children to an Integrated school. Their main problem was feeding themselves on a daily basis. Each morning when they arose their dinner was still out there swimming around, flying around, running around, or hanging from a bush. They had to go and get it.

In the New Stone Age more refined tools were developed and people began farming and no longer depended entirely on what they could hunt or gather. With a regular supply of food from farming and newly domesticated animals, more complex societies could develop, and people could specialise in occupations like being priests so as to negotiate with “the other world.” You could get there if you did what they told you and didn’t ask awkward questions like how they knew that this other world existed and if it was such a wonderful place why they did not make immediate arrangements to join it themselves.

Bronze working signals the arrival of the Bronze Age. Stone circles and megalithic tombs in Ireland are a sign of the complex societies now developing. Bronze swords, spears and shields are from this period and the Iron Age developed soon after and in parallel with it. Only recently discovered there seems to have been a Copper Age before the Bronze Age.

In Ireland the Celts were an Iron Age people who invaded from the Continent and subdued or subjugated or assimilated the people previously here. Raths and crannogs date from this period. Society was very hierarchical with a nobility and a slave class. It was to this society that Christianity came probably via captured slaves from Britain or the continent. They had an oral as distinct from a written culture.

Christianity slowly took over the country converting the aristocracy first. In particular the Irish took to the idea of monasticism and monastic schools/monasteries/small towns were the first major urban developments in the country. It was these with their distinctive round towers (almost all are in Ireland) which the Vikings attacked. Christianity introduced written culture to Ireland. It also harnessed a great native artistic ability in metalworking and in producing illuminated manuscripts. In most circumstances you could decorate anything you liked as long as it was religious.

Although the native Irish were very much given to plundering their own monasteries and indeed monasteries themselves often put armies into the field against each other the Vikings have acquired the notoriety of roughing up the monks. However the Vikings did bring the first coinage to Ireland, founded our major coastal cities, brought the best ships of their time and they introduced and controlled the wine trade. Many of their words came into Irish; pingin a penny, lung a boat etc and personal names McAuley, McLaughlin, McManus, Doyle etc. The Vikings were also keen to hire themselves out as mercenaries and the feuding Irish often took advantage of this friendly Viking service.

The Vikings were largely assimilated in the end having erected our first secular towns, but our next invaders were their Normandy Viking cousins which we know as the Normans. The feuding Irish invited them in and then couldn’t get rid of them. They introduced coats of mail, cavalry, the feudal system, longbows, and castles (wood initially and later stone) as a means of exerting control over territory. Normans controlled the east and south but had little influence over the north and west apart from certain areas like Carrickfergus Galway and Sligo.

In time they too became assimilated to a great degree and for several hundred years Ireland was ruled by its native clan based aristocracy e.g. O’Neill, O’Donnell, O’Connor etc closely linked with the church and its monasteries. Ruling families increased exponentially with chieftains having multiple wives, (one of the Maguires of Fermanagh had eight wives and c28 children) and their numerous broods were accommodated at the expense of the lesser tribes whose lands were taken from them. The chief occupation of the elite was in plundering and pillaging their neighbours mainly by stealing their cattle wealth.

Increasing English encroachment led to the Nine Years War at the end of the 16th century and the defeat of the old Irish aristocracy. The Irish leaders fled, and their lands were confiscated and planted with English and Scottish settlers in the Plantation of Ulster. Many of the underling clans heaved a sigh of relief. Most of the early Scots at this time were kicked out of Scotland by James V1 of Scotland and 1 of England and Scotland. They were the most successful planters because their Scots/Irish enabled them to overhear what the natives were plotting. The English didn’t have a bulls notion what was being said and suffered casualties accordingly.

There were serious Irish rebellions in Ireland in 1641 and 1689-90. The first ended with the arrival of Cromwell who largely massacred the Old English settlers who were Royalist supporters and completed the transfer of almost all Irish lands into the hands of English and Scots. In Cromwell’s case his bite was even worse than his bark, but he did take a beating at the siege of Clonmel..

The 1690 rebellion was to do with the Royal Succession in England but was largely fought out in Ireland. Major powers prefer to do their fighting in someone else’s backyard. The Americans and Russians have frequently done this in the recent past e.g. in Vietnam and Afghanistan. The war was about Catholicism v Protestantism and England v France, but Ireland did the suffering. The Irish got on the wrong side (the political equivalent of soccer’s offside) and were penalised by the Penal Laws designed to ensure that the Irish Catholic population would never again be able to mount a challenge to their rulers.

There were occasional alarms about a French invasion during the 18th century but the Penal Laws progressively relaxed and more and more people resented the landed gentry in Ireland. There was more crack going on in England so most of the Irish Gentry stayed there and spent their Irish revenues in England and mortgaged their estates to the hilt.. The Gentry considered themselves English in Ireland and the English considered them Irish in England and generally laughed at their pretentiousness in thinking themselves English.

New ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity brought many Catholic and Protestant together at the time of the 1798 rebellion. In 1800 the Irish Parliament was wiped out by a major bung operation which bribed the Irish peers to abolish themselves and be ruled from Westminster instead. The wipe-out of the Dublin Parliament brought economic disaster to Dublin.

Emigration which had been ongoing to the new world increased as mainly Presbyterians and later Catholics moved to the perceived tolerance of America. Most Irish Catholics found America anything but tolerant – no Irish need apply – in response they joined the police force in such numbers as to bring about toleration.

Napoleon raised new fears of an Irish invasion but nothing major came of this time of French power. The population was increasing enormously on a high fibre diet of aphrodisiacal potatoes. Mini famines were a constant reality as the spud was unable to cope with the copulating population. After great agitation Catholic Emancipation was granted in 1829 and the Catholic clergy began a huge church building programme which was not halted even by the great Irish Famine of 1845-1850 and complemented by a programme of large Parish Priests houses. The famine decimated the country as disease wiped out the starving population. Catholics, formerly reluctant to emigrate, now took to the seas in their millions and an exodus which began at this time has with few exceptions continued since. The Catholic (and Protestant) clergy blamed the famine on the sinful lives of their adherents and took an iron grip on the population to make sure there would never be another famine,

Land agitation at the end of the 19th century progressively took Irish lands from the Landlords. The landlords were compensated, and all the little farmers of the country got hold of their little green family prison. All small farms are inherently uneconomic enterprises which barely support the family who work it unless they are willing to work for nothing, but it was ’’HOME.”

“HOME” was thatched and whitewashed with roses round the front door and inhabited by little old white haired Irish mothers waiting for a letter from America (preferably with money included) and this image was especially beloved by Yanks who did not have to live there and had carefully distanced themselves from it by about 3,000 miles. However they were importantly willing to pay to keep the myth in existence. The contributions of the exiles frequently were all that kept the locals from sinking into the bog.

Meanwhile the linen industry had kept the north of Ireland relatively prosperous through most of the 19th century and increased prosperity was brought about by the development of Belfast and its industries based on linen, shipbuilding etc. Most Protestants were of the opinion that this prosperity was God given and an indication of their inherent virtue. This lent credence to their consequent view of the superiority of their beliefs over the beliefs of the freckless Catholics. Now the virtuous Japs and Koreans build the ships and about the only good thing about this is that they are definitely not Catholics. Meanwhile all the starch has gone from the linen industry also.

Irish and Irish/American resentment over the perceived “genocide” committed by British Rule during the famine continued to fuel thoughts (and actions) of rebellion in Ireland. It was thought mistakenly that total control of Irish Affairs by Irish people would enable a paradise to be set up in this green and pleasant land. A “New Tara or Kincora ” would rule over a virtuous, family orientated and obviously Catholic population. The affairs of 1921 were a partial answer to this pious, if lunatic, hope and with short intervals we have been fighting about this settlement since with a short interval for World War 11. This last interlude enabled the Irish to do what the Irish do best, to go and fight for England and be the best of friends … until they come home again.

Please do not bother pointing out that this is politically incorrect – I know that.

John B. Cunningham 11-3-95 & 2020.

Mostly local Fermanagh news in 1950.

November 1950. Derrylin Court.

The putting of formaldehyde into milk has got to be stopped said Major Dickie R.M. at Derrylin Court on Wednesday 25th ult. when he said that he was going to impose heavier penalties in future. A fine of £2 with £3 costs was imposed on Mrs. Susan Graham, Derryhooley, Derrylin, for putting formaldehyde as a preventative in milk, and the R.M. said that if she had been in a better position the fine would have been much heavier.

Hugh Farrell Inspector of Food and Drugs gave evidence of taking a sample of the milk, which was found to contain formaldehyde.

Mrs. Graham admitted putting the formaldehyde in the milk. She did not know it was not allowed.

RM —Do you not know half a dozen people have been fined, for this here already?

Defendant. I never get a paper to read or anything else.!

Const. Thompson said that the defendant was in rather poor circumstances, and in view of this, the R.M» only imposed a fine of £2 with £3 costs.

“HOPELESSLY DRUNK” ON BICYCLE.

James, McGurn, of Drummully, Derrylin, was fined I0s at Derrylin Court, on 25th ult for riding a bicycle while drunk, Constable Thompson said McGurn, who was coming from Lisnaskea, was wobbling about on the bicycle. He almost fell off as he tried to get off when he approached him. He was hopelessly drunk, and they took him home in the police car.

McGurn said he had been ln Lisnaskea fair and he was fit to ride the bicycle all right.

Major Dickie. R.M.—You must have thought you were soberer than you really were. It is very dangerous riding a bicycle when you are drunk.

NEW YORK PRIEST ON HOLIDAY.

Rev. Leo Kelly, New York, who has been on a visit to Enniskillen, Is a nephew of the late Phil Maguire of The Ring, Enniskillen, and of Mrs. Maguire. After a pleasant holiday; he left last week on the return trip to the U.S.A.

BOHO MAN REMANDED.

Joseph Maguire, aged 27, of Farnaconnel, Boho; was cm Saturday at Enniskillen Special Court, charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Patrick Corrigan, of Mullaghdun on the previous evening. Maguire, after formal evidence of arrest, was remanded in custody until Saturday November 4th.

OBITUARY. MR. THOMAS L. ORMSBY, Drumbane, Irvinestown.

THE death took place at Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast, of Mr. Thomas Louis Ormsby youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ormsby, of Drumbane, Irvinestown. Only 23 years old, he was of a lovable, kindly disposition. He had been a member of the clerical staff of the G.P.O, Enniskillen, before taking employment with the Taylor Woods Nylon Factory, Enniskillen. About three years ago, his health began to fail, but hopes were entertained for his recovery until a few months ago. Despite the best medical attention and nursing care, he grew worse. Sympathy is extended to his bereaved parents and relatives in their tragic loss.

Requiem Mass was offered in St. Teresa’s Church, Glen Road, Belfast, for the repose of his soul, and the funeral took place afterwards to Milltown Cemetery, Belfast. Rev. Father Courtney, C.C., officiated.

Chief mourners—John and Susan Ormsby (parents); Patrick and Francis (brothers); Mrs. Sheerin, Mrs. Drumm, Elizabeth Ormsby (sisters); Mrs. Dorothy Ormsby (sister-in-law); Martin Sheerin, Austin Drumm (brothers-in-law);. Sean, Brendan and Dermot Ormsby» Gerard Joseph Sheerin (nephews); Gerald McIntyre, Patrick and Thomas Farmer (cousins).

Wreaths were sent by the staff of the G.P.O., Enniskillen; Frankie Thorpe, Enniskillen; companions of Ward 13 B., Musgrave Park Hospital; Kathleen McGinn, Belfast.

Many Mass cards and messages of sympathy were received.

***

MR. JOHN FLANAGAN, Glen West, Devenish.

THE death took place at his residence, Glen West, Devenish, of Mr. John Flanagan, an old and highly-respected member of the community of Devenish parish. The sad event evoked widespread regret amongst his neighbours and friends everywhere. He was a kindly, decent man, a loyal friend and an upright and devout Catholic.

The funeral to the parish cemetery at St. Mary’s, Devenish West, was of large and representative proportions, testifying to the esteem in which deceased had been held and the sorrow caused by his passing.

Rev. J. McKenna, C.C., who officiated delivered an eloquent tribute in which he extolled deceased’s many fine qualities. He belonged to a well-known Fermanagh family, one of the oldest and best-known in the county. For his own splendid character and manner, he was held

in great esteem. During his long and trying illness, he had shown in high degree the qualities of. patience and resignation to God’s holy will, and the priests who visited him during his period of suffering could not but be impressed by his contentment and the courage he showed in bearing his suffering and in preparing for the end. He personally had been impressed by the great kindness of the friends and neighbours of the family- It was a good sign of any people, and he found that the people of Devenish West had great kindness and sympathy for one another in their everyday relations and especially in time of trouble.

The chief mourners were the widow; son (James); brothers (Patrick. Michael and, Denis) sister (Mrs. Mary Gilfedder) and a large number of nephews and nieces.

***

FAMILY SUICIDE.

It is reported from Tokyo that a family of six committed suicide by laying themselves in a row on the Uetsu railroad. Poverty and sickness is said to have been the cause.

Fermanagh Miscellany.

The journal ofthe Fermanagh Writers association was formed in 2007 and we have published a journal called The Fermanagh Miscellany every year sonce. It containst writing related to Fermanagh by people with some connection to Fermanagh. Our first edition give some idea of what we publish.

Fermanagh Miscellany 2007. Edited by Seamas Mac Annaidh. 74 pages. Ten B&W illustrations. Dedicated to David Hall, bookseller and publisher, Darling Street, Enniskillen on his retirement in grateful appreciation of his support and promotion of Fermanagh books and authors over the years.

Contents.

Preface.

Portora, Steam Yachts and the America’s Cup. John Beavor-Webb, Portora 1863-67 Yacht Designer and Master of Graceful Line. Michael Clarke.

William Scott and Enniskillen Town. Hall Mariette Connor.

Joseph Maguire cl879 – 1965 and a hidden genre of Fermanagh Literature. John B. Cunningham.

A Postcard from Provence. Elizabeth Fee.

Strange Meetings. Bryan Gallagher.

Pat Cassidy, at Drumhaw House, November 2000. Vicky Herbert.

The Devenish Drowning Tragedy of 1825. Seamas Mac Annaidh.

The Aftermath. Rose McCaughey.

Cockfighting on the Border. Sean McElgunn.

Walking home in the dark. Frank McHugh.

Jack Lynch of Enniskillen 1919 -2003. Lifelong Pioneer and True Gael. Cahir McKeown.

The Hawk. Dermot Maguire.

Fermanagh’s Lost Craft. May Morris.

Forgotten Canals. Gabriel Murphy.

Whisperings. Brid O’Reilly.

William Wilson. John James Reihill.

Chronicle 2005 – 2006.

Books about Fermanagh or by Fermanagh authors 2005-2006.

Contributors.

Fermanagh in WW2. The Golden age of Smuggling.

Excerpt from Fermanagh in WW2. The Golden age of Smuggling by J.B. Cunningham. £15 plus P&P.

August 1939. 3-8-1939. As the anti-IRA Bill was being rushed through the House of Commons, IRA terrorists struck twice in London at railway stations. Suitcase bombs were deposited in left luggage offices. At King’s Cross one man was killed and 15 injured. The dead man was Dr Donald Campbell who was returning from a belated honeymoon with his wife. I.R.

3-8-1939. As soon as the Prevention of Violence Bill became law at Westminster the Home Secretary considered the cases of suspects and signed orders for the expulsion of eight of them. There was a great exodus of Eire people from London and there were remarkable scenes at a crowded Euston Station. I.R.

3-8-1939. Belcoo’s fire hose is seen in action after the provision of a new pumping station and reservoir on the hill above the old reservoir. This new pressure is sufficient to deal with any outbreak of fire. The average rainfall for Fermanagh is just over 40 ins per annum based on an average for 50 years. The springs from which the new supply is taken have never been known to fail even in the very dry year of 1933. The 500 ft borehole at Belleek has shrunk from 850 gallons per hour to 350. This was recently increased to 550 gallons per hour during the past week by exploding 60 lbs of gelignite at the bottom of the hole. I.R.

5-8-1939. A Prisoners protest resolution forwarded by Rev. Fr. T. Maguire, P.P., Newtownbutler, was ruled out of order by Fermanagh GAA President, Mr. J. P. Dunne. F.H.

5-8-1939. There were some remarkable disclosures in the report of the new Six County Pig Marketing Board on the administration of the old Board. The services of both Mr. Thomas Shaw, secretary and manager, and Mr. J. Monteith, accountant are to be dispensed with. The report concludes that that very serious laxity and irregularities were prevalent in regard to petty cash, travelling, entertainment, marketing, casualty pigs etc. and that although blame might be due in varying degrees to various persons, it could not be evaded that Mr. Shaw, as secretary and manager, was primarily responsible for these shortcomings, and in some instances, such as borrowing from the petty cash, was the leading offender. F.H.

10-8-1939. Another 180 ships are to be added to the British Navy for anti-submarine work, mine-sweeping and similar duties. These will include 107 trawlers and 20 will be specially built for the purpose. I.R.

10-8-1939. Under the terms of the Irish Church Disestablishment Act the Church received £7 ½ million which represented the sum necessary to pay the clergy their then existing stipends for the remainder of their lives. To this sum was added 12% – 7% on account of the longevity of the clergy and 5% for administration. The church also received £ ½ in compensation for the un-ascertainable value of its private endowments. With regard to real property, the church buildings and the Glebe houses were left, but not the Glebe lands. These had to be repurchased but only to the extent of 10 acres at the high prices then prevailing which cost £500,000. The recovery of the Church to its present comparative prosperity within less than 70 years amounts almost to an epic story. I.R.

10-8-1939. An over-sexed civilization is the result of too much leisure declared Professor J. A. Scott Watson at the Summer School of the British Hygene Council. “When people have too little to do and not enough to think about, sex is liable to play an exaggerated part, and that brings unhappiness,” he said. Professor Winifred Cullis said that it was necessary to awake the public conscience regarding the suitability of parents. “We are developing the least intelligent part of the population at a greater rate than the intelligent part ….. It should be a matter of honour that good parents should have children as they would be doing the greater service to the nation … the more difficult problem will be persuading the less efficient people that they will be doing a disservice to the nation if they continue producing children at the rate they are doing.” I.R.

10-8-1939. In the event of an outbreak of war, Mr W. A. G. Ritchie, M.A. Town Clerk will have a number of onerous and responsible duties in connection with the various schemes such as the evacuation of children, food control scheme, air raid precautions etc. These duties will be in addition to his duties as Town Clerk. Mr Ritchie informed the Council of this and said that it would be impossible for any one man to carry out all these duties. I.R.

10-8-1939. The wedding has been arranged of Captain Henry Arthur Cavendish Butler, R. E., Inishrath, Lisnaskea and Miss Ruth Ardyn Barton of the Waterfoot, Pettigo. As the church of the bride’s family is in Pettigo over the Border the ceremony will take place in nearby Muckross Church in Fermanagh. Afterwards the bride and groom will leave for Bangalore in India. Captain Butler is at home on leave from India and has made good use of his time. Miss Barton is just eighteen, fair, blue-eyed, and well known among the younger set. I.R.

10-8-1939. OLD ENNISKILLEN. Cargoes of turf and sand were landed at Enniskillen at the Round “O” and the bottom of Schoolhouse Lane particularly by cots from Rossharbour near Belleek. In after years Mr Hugh Alexander Bradshaw had a few large sail-boats which deposited goods for him from Ballyshannon and Donegal Town in Enniskillen via Belleek. These were deposited at Bradshaw’s Lane near the East Bridge. I.R.

10-8-1939. OLD ENNISKILLEN. Now light was available except a little from a flickering candle in a grocer’s window until the wonder of coal gas was brought to Enniskillen by Mr George Malam of Halifax, Yorkshire. The common people could scarcely believe their eyes when the first lamp was lit on the East Bridge in the year 1849 from a tube from which they could see nothing emerging. The new gas service was opened by the Major in command of the 57th regiment then in Enniskillen. I.R.

10-8-1939. Sunday last was a momentous day for North Atlantic commercial aviation. After years of planning Imperial Airways started their regular mail-carrying air services between the British Isles and North America. Towards the end of September the British flying boats will start carrying both passengers and mail. American flying boats have been carrying passengers and mail for the past six weeks. Everything was in readiness at Foynes, the Transatlantic airport on the River Shannon. I.R.

Foynes, Ireland, became the center of the aviation world from 1939 to 1945. On July 9th 1939, Pan Am’s luxury Flying Boat, the “Yankee Clipper” landed at Foynes. This was the first commercial passenger flight on a direct route from the USA to Europe. During the late 1930s and early 1940s, this quiet little town on the Shannon became the focal point for air traffic on the North Atlantic.

During this period, many famous politicians, international businessmen, film stars, active-service-men and wartime refugees passed through Foynes. In fact, the site was initially surveyed in 1933 by Colonel Charles Lindbergh and his wife Ann, who landed in Galway Bay flying his Lockheed Sirius. In December 1935, the Irish Times announced that Foynes would be the site for the European Terminal for transatlantic air services. Colonel Lindbergh returned again representing Pan Am in 1936 to inspect the facilities and also in 1937 to view the departure of “Clipper III”.
In 1942 Eleanor Roosevelt arrived in Foynes under the alias “Mrs. Smith”. Earlier that year, Captain Charlie Blair, later to become the husband of the actress Maureen O’Hara, had made the first non-stop passenger flight from Foynes to New York in 25 hours, 40 minutes.

The era of the flying boats was colourful but brief. In 1945, hundreds of people watched as Captain Blair piloted the last American Export flying boat out of Foynes to New York. Upon arrival, he turned around and piloted the first landplane, a DC-4, back to open the new airport at Rineanna, later to become the Shannon International Airport. Shortly afterwards, Pan Am, after 2,097 Atlantic Crossings through Foynes, made their last flight to Lisbon from Foynes. Only a day before, their first landplane had also landed at Rineanna.

Should have been entered for FEARmanagh or at least the Olympics.

Should have been entered for FEARmanagh or at least the Olympics.
14-9-1946. EXCITING MAN HUNT. SCENES IN FERMANAGH. TWO TINKERS CAPTURED. A four-day man bunt, in which 100 police were engaged on both sides of the border, was started on Wednesday in Co. Sligo by news of the arrival in the vicinity of two tinkers, Patrick Joseph Cauley and Martin Ward, who had been over a fortnight at liberty following their escape from Victoria Barracks on the night of the 20th August.
The hunt lasted nearly four days and brought the fugitives and the police through three counties before the two men were captured by the Fermanagh R.U.C., under Head-Constable Gregg, on Benmore mountain, between Letterbreen and Belcoo, on Saturday as darkness was falling.
Cauley and Ward, who are natives of Roscommon, are aged twenty-one and eighteen years respectively. They are both married. At a special court at Rosslea on 20th August they were charged. before Mr. Crawford J.P., with having broken and entered the house of a man named Lynch, of Mullans, Rosslea, on the night of the 10th, 11th August, and taken nearly £40 and, on the same night, broken and entered the shop of Hugh McMahon, of Dernawilt, Rosslea, and stolen £3 in cash and a number of articles, including a pair of boots, cake and some cigarettes. Both accused were returned for trial and on that evening they were conveyed to Victoria Barracks, Derry, prior to being lodged in Derry Jail.
In the early hours of the following morning they escaped from their cell through a ventilator, and, despite intensive police efforts to effect their capture, got across the border to Donegal within twenty-four hours. It is thought they got across somewhere near Bridgend.
Knowing every inch of all the North-Western counties from their travels around as tinkers, they were able to keep to the mountains, only coming into the valleys after dusk each day to call at various houses and get meals. They told many stories, posing as escaped smugglers and deserters from the British Army. Thus, although their descriptions had been circulated and a close police look-out was kept for them, they avoided pursuit for more than a fortnight, until they had made their way to County Sligo.
SWAM A LAKE. On Tuesday of last week (it was reported to the Guards) two shops had been broken and entered in the Ballintrillick area of County Sligo, one owned by Mrs. Gallagher and the other the Co-Operative Stores. Money and articles, had been stolen.
Cauley and Ward were suspected, and detectives and Gardaí commenced a manhunt in the mountains between Grange and Ballintrillick. The two men narrowly escaped through the net—one by swimming a lake—and the chase continued through Kinlough and Glenade in County Leitrim, with forty Gardaí and detectives operating under Inspector P. J. MacNamee (a native of Cavan).
NARROW ESCAPE. On Thursday evening Gardaí Mulvey and Woods almost had their men, seeing them jump out of a bunch of whins forty yards away on Kilroosk mountain, about ten miles from the border. Exceptionally fast runners, the two fugitives made good their escape as dusk was falling. But the Gardaí were hot on their trail and the net was closing. On Friday morning, the hunt was intensified. The men’s route was traced by a house at which they had called in Brackberybog on the Manorhamilton-Garrison road, eight or nine miles from the border. The chase brought the Gardaí to a house much far¬ther-on, in Aghavanny, near the border village of Kiltyclogher.
OVER THE BORDER. By noon, the Gardaí had moved in and there was no escape except across the border. An hour or two later, Inspector MacNamee and Sergt. Feighan, of the detective force, Sligo, who had charge of the detective party, learned that the two men had made their way into Co. Fermanagh.
R.U.C. men under Head-Const. Gregg, Enniskillen (a native of Clontivern, Newtownbutler, who had been transferred to his native Fermanagh only two months ago) took up the chase, all available men being mobilised to the number of twenty, from Belcoo, Letterbreen, Enniskillen, Garrison and Derrygonnelly.
THE NET CLONES. When darkness fell that evening, the fugitives had been trailed to the area between Belcoo and Letterbreen, roughly a distance of ten miles from the place at which it is thought they crossed the bor¬der. Men were stationed at key. points and mobile patrols operated during the night. It was discovered next morning that Cauley and Ward had slept at a haystack beside an unoccupied house at Moneyargan between Letterbreen and Belcoo.
On Saturday morning, at 4 o’clock, forty constables from all over the county from Kesh to Newtownbutler were mobilised under Head-Constable Gregg, with Head-Constable McHale, Enniskillen, second in command, and a comb-out was started of thousands of acres in the wild mountain country lying from Belcoo and Letterbreen towards Boho and Cashel. Kinawley and Florencecourt also were thoroughly searched.
Civilians gave great assistance, twenty co-operating in the actual search. At four in the afternoon, after twelve hours combing, a trace of the two men was again found, this suggesting they had made for Benmore mountain, three miles away from their resting place of the pre¬vious night. Twenty more constables were called in to assist, and about five-thirty a cordon had been drawn behind the Benmore mountain area with one in front. The ends of both lines went forward t» meet each other, and thus a net was formed. This gradually closed and over three hours later, in the gathering dusk, about 8.50 p.m., the fugitives were discovered, hiding in clumps of whins.
They made a dramatic dash to elude capture, but rushed from one party only, to run right into the arms of another as the net was tightly drawn, leaving no loop¬hole of escape. The men offered no resistance and were brought to Enniskillen barracks after a manhunt by Fermanagh police lasting thirty hours.
“In all my experience, I have never met with such co-operation from the civilian population” said Head-Constable Gregg, in a tribute to the active assistance rendered by the people of the neighbourhood in the capture of the two men.
COURT CHARGE AT DERRY. The two young men who escaped from a cell in Victoria Police Barracks, Derry, on August 21st, and were re-captured at Letterbreen, County Fermanagh, on Saturday night, appeared at Derry Petty Sessions on Monday, charged with breaking prison while on remand in custody. The men, Patrick Cauley, aged 19, and Martin Ward, aged 20, both of no fixed abode, had been remanded in custody to Enniskillen Quarter Sessions on breaking and entering charges.
Giving evidence of arrest, Head-Constable Carson said after being cautioned in Enniskillen Barrack, Cranley said: “We just broke out,” and Ward said: “That’s right.”
Both (men were remanded in custody until September 23.

1885. News.

Impartial Reporter. 19-2-1885. Great Rejoicings in Dowra. On Wednesday, 11th inst., at Dowra, a most extraordinary case came up for hearing at the petty sessions court. Mr, R. H. Johnston, of Bawnboy, one of the local magistrates, summoned Mr. Henry C. Cullen, Ivy Lodge, Dowra, another local magistrates, for trespass in pursuit of game on the property of the Countess of Morley.

Mr. Moloney, R.M., Sligo, was in the chair. The trial, which lasted for upwards of three hours, resulted in a complete victory for Mr. Cullen, the case having been dismissed on the merits. On the decision being announced, the court, which had been thronged to suffocation, became almost empty, and on getting outside the enthusiasm of the people knew no bounds. Mr. Cullen, on seeing how matters stood, told the people that any display tending to wound the feelings of any man would be contrary to his wishes, upon hearing which they (always guided by his advice) quietly dispersed.

During the evening it became known that Mr. Cullen, who left town immediately after the trial terminated, had returned. The people once more assembled, and Mr. Cullen, who most reluctantly consented, was carried in an armchair upon stalwart shoulders at the head of a torch-light procession, accompanied by the Ballinagleragh fife and drum band to his residence about a mile from town.

The warmhearted men lustily cheered Mr. Cullen along the route, and at Ivy Lodge gave three cheers for his kind lady. Mr. Cullen is deservedly beloved by a people among whom he was reared and for whose welfare he incessantly laboured. He is about leaving this locality and a people by whom he is deeply revered and they take this opportunity of expressing their regret at his departure, because of his love of justice and fair play.—Communicated.

19-2-1885. Opening of Belleek Parish Church. On Tuesday, Belleek parish church which had been closed for some time, and was lately renovated and rescued from decay, was opened for divine worship. A large number of parishioners with friends from the adjoining parishes of Templecarne, Slavin, and Kilbarron were present. Rev. A. Watson, incumbent of the Parish, and Rev. Mr. Wilson, incumbent of Templecarne, conducted the services, whilst the sermon was preached by Archdeacon Stack. After the service Holy Communion was administered. The lessons were read by Mr. J. C. Bloomfield.

The various gifts to the church which have been lately described in the Reporter (Impartial) were in their places, and the inside of the church with its new seats, pulpit and reading desk, looked very well.

After the service, the congregation drove to Rossharbour, where Mrs. Moore, Cliff, laid the foundation stone of a parochial hall, beside the new schoolhouse. Mrs. Moore was also presented with an address and a silver trowel. The address thanked her for her efforts in. raising the £300 for the repair of tho church. When the stone had been laid a short address was delivered by Mr. J. C. Bloomfield. The speaker dwelt upon the necessity of loyalty to the Sovereign and walking in the true Christian path. Rev. A. Watson, Mr. R. L. Moore, and Archdeacon Stack also spoke. The references to Ireland’s union with England elicited warm applause. Mr. Watson entertained a large party to luncheon in the schoolhouse, at the close of which other addresses of a loyal and Christian character were given.

19-2-1885. EXTRAORDINARY SCENE AT CROSSMAGLEN. TWO CHAPELS CLOSED. An extraordinary riot took place at Crossmaglen Chapel on Sunday. It. seems that, after first Mass a number of persons closed up the chapel doors and took possession of the chapel for a length of time, and would not allow the Rev. Father Loughran or several of the most respectable inhabitants to enter. On the arrival of the Rev. Canon Rafferty, P.P., from Shela Chapel, (Parish of Upper Creggan)he endeavoured to enter, but was forced back, receiving many insults, and even assaulted but at last an entry was effected, and then the uproar and excitement was very great, and a free fight ensued. It seems that the removal of Father Mooney from the parish was the cause of this demonstration.

The Rev. Father Quinn, who succeeds the Rev. Mr. Mooney, was obliged to return from Glassdrummond Chapel without celebrating Mass, the chapel there having been closed up. More rioting took place on the return of the crowd from the chapel, and the police were obliged to turn out under arms, Mr. Hanratty, J.P., taking charge of them. Some severe injuries were inflicted, the persons with whom the closing of the chapel doors originated having, it is said, got decidedly the worst of it. During the row within the chapel, one of the supposed leaders of the movement was knocked down and kicked so severely that he is since under the treatment of Dr. Palmer, of Crossmaglen.

Mr. Hanratty, however, promptly ordered the streets to be cleared, thereby dispersing the people, who left for their homes.

 

19-2-1885. The riot at Crossmaglen is unhappily one of those scenes of unbridled license that occasionally disgrace the country. The congregation of Crossmaglen chapel resented the removal by the Bishop of a warm politician named Father Mooney by closing up the chapel doors and taking possession. The parish priest was insulted, and then a free fight took place. Another chapel in the same parish was closed up.

It would appear from recent signs of the time that instead of ‘Rome’ controlling the National movement, as the Orangemen allege, it is all the other way. Everyone is a politician now-a-days but it is an unhappy state of things in any church if politics arc to dominate religion.

One of the noticeable events of the present, stormy period is the revolt of the Roman Catholic laity against the clergy whenever the clergy clash with ‘National’ policy. Some observers find in the boycotting of priests and chapels a sign of the degeneracy of the age. Others hail it as a sign of the emancipation of the people from clerical control. Be this as it may—and different minds will view the matter differently—we quote this week a remarkable article written by a Catholic journalist on the late Cardinal McCabe of Dublin. Death has not saved the Cardinal from the censure of  United Ireland in his capacity as politician and prelate. And yet it is said that the editor is a most devoted son of the church.

 

19-2-1885. DERRY HAS BEEN THE SCENE OF RIOTING between the Apprentice Boys and the Nationalists during the past week and this unhappy state of affairs culminated in two gross outrages. Two nuns were insulted and annoyed by the Orange mob, and in retaliation some Roman Catholic boys broke some windows in a church. We are happy to observe that the Derry Sentinel strongly condemns the outrage on the ladies. However men may quarrel, ladies have been hitherto free from insult. We trust the offenders in both eases will be detected and severely punished. Ladies and places of worship should be safe from all attack.

 

Fermanagh in 1913.

Impartial Reporter. 27-11-1913. CLONES DANCING CLASS. MEMBERS GO ON STRIKE. PRIEST HAS HIS OWN WAY. AND HOW HE BATTLED HIS OPPONENTS. The brief but not uneventful career of a dancing class formed at Clones a couple of months ago, (writes a correspondent), has suddenly become a subject of the greatest interest in the town and immediate neighbourhood, as a result of certain matters which came to a head at the meeting of the class on Tuesday night.
The class was established in connection with the new Catholic Hall, known as St. Joseph’s Temperance Hall, and the latter being in the hands of the Roman Catholic clergy, the Dancing Committee had perforce to conform to the wishes of the senior C.C. Rev. Father Marron, as to hours and other regulations before mixed dancing would be sanctioned. This they did, and as a guarantee that all would be right Mr. McNeill, National Teacher, was the secretary. The class attracted a large number of members of both sexes, all Roman Catholics, and things went on swimmingly for a time. Irish, English and continental dances, which had passed the censor and being duly approved of were practiced and mastered and not many weeks had elapsed ere the effect was noticeable in the graceful gait and deportment of many braw lads and bonnie lassies, with whom poetry of motion had hitherto been a minus quantity.
FIRST RIFT. The first rift in this came when a couple of Protestants from the town were introduced to the dancing class. There was a nominal subscription each night, in aid of the hall building fund, and it had not yet occurred to the ordinary member—nor even to the Committee—that the dance was to be a purely sectarian affair. But the moment word went round that a Protestant had been admitted, although in one case introduced by a member of the Committee, there was a hurried consultation between Father Marron and the Secretary (who, as already noted, is a teacher in the local National School), the result being that the members who introduced the Protestants were taken to task by Mr. McNeill, in presence of their fellow-members, and told that their protegees. WERE NOT WANTED THERE. One of the committee men left with his Protestant friend, declaring he would never go back, but he did, and presumably ate humble pie for his indiscretion, The other never returned, and now has the laugh at his invertebrate neighbour. ALL NIGHT DANCES BANNED. Recently the Committee thought it would be a good thing to have an all night dance, and consulted Father Marron, but the latter would not hear of it. They then wrote to the Committee of the Hall taking for the use of it in the ordinary way for a dance. The Committee referred to is composed in the majority of men who could not be imagined in any conceivable circumstances as giving a vote against the priest in any matter, however far it might be removed from religion or morals. Consequently in this particular matter, Father Marron, who replied it was a question of the SAFETY OF PUBLIC MORALS in the district, had his way, and the use of the hall was refused to this large and respectable body of Roman Catholic young men and women.
COMMITTEE AGAIN BAFFLED. The Committee and general body of the
members were practically unanimous in favour of holding the ball, and they engaged the Townhall for Friday night, 18th inst. On Tuesday night at the dance Father Marron was made acquainted with the steps that had been taken, and not only expressed his disapproval, but ABSOLUTELY FORBADE any of the young ladies or girls to attend. This had the desired effect, as the young ladies are afraid of public denunciation if
THEY ACT IN DEFIANCE of their priest’s injunction, and of course the boys cannot have a dance without the girls, so the engagement of the Townhall had to be canceled. This is not quite all. As soon as Father Marron had announced his fiat, all the young men left in a body, and they have decided not to return, so that the dancing class, as hitherto managed and run, is at an end. There is talk of AN APPEAL TO THE BISHOP and it is pointed out that the Catholics of Monaghan, Enniskillen, Cavan, Belturbet, Cootehill, and other towns can have dances —(which Protestants also attend)—and dance as long and as often as they like, while up to the present there was no objection in Clones either.
Letters to the Editor. Write plainly on one tide of paper only. Do not let the lines be too close. Number the pages. Use no abbreviations which are not to appear in print.
Punctuate the manuscript.
CLONES DANCING CLASS. Cara Street, Clones, 29th November, 1913.
SIR,—I beg to Inform you that I have never been, at any time, secretary of the Clones Dancing class as stated in an article in last week’s issue of your paper. I hope you will give this the same publicity as you accorded the original article entitled ‘Clones Dancing Class.’—Yours truly,
Alexander M‘Neill.
Cara-street, Clones, 30th November, 1913.
Sir,—Seeing a letter from a correspondent in your issue of last week’s, in regard to Clones dancing class, I think the clergy should get the greatest of credit for putting down this all night dancing here.—Yours faithfully, Pro Bono Publico.
WANT OF URINAIS IN ENNISKILLEN. SIR,—Visitors to Enniskillen must be a little puzzled at times to account for its name for up-to-dateness. It has only one public urinal in a back street! Upon the Forthill Pleasure Ground, where children come to play, one would expect to find some provision of this kind. But, no, the result is what one would expect. Possibly all these matters are being left over for the new Home Rule Urban Council. Public urinals and houses for the working classes seem a fairly formidable programme.— Yours truly, X.
4-12-1913. POLICEMAN’S MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE. Yesterday (Wednesday) morning there were a series of rumours afloat through Enniskillen regarding the mysterious disappearance that morning of Constable John Burns, one of the senior Constables of the force, and what made the disappearance more remarkable was that it was the day of the Inspection of the local force by the Inspector General. When the missing man’s tunic and cap were found at the lake side at the Weir’s Bridge, a suicide was reported, and on the police sending out inquiries, it was learnt that Burns had been seen at Lisnaskea station, that he had purchased a ticket for Cavan, and boarded the 10 a.m. train. Up to this evening Burns had not been found by the authorities and it is believed that he left the train at some intermediate station.
Burns has a long service in the force and served eleven years of his time in Belfast.
4-12-1913. Larkin Released. Jim Larkin has been released. That is the fact of to-day. A time serving Government, construing the rising indignation of the country over the Home Rule Bill to a feeling of resentment among the Labour Party on account of the imprisonment of Larkin, showed fear, flung principle to the winds, disregarded the finding of the jury and the sentence of the judge, and set at liberty the man who was deemed guilty of sedition. Larkin may well chuckle. But what of the Government ? What respect can be entertained for them by any section of the community? They yield not to force in this instance but to a subtle corruption—they perform an act, setting aside the course of the law, with the view of purchasing votes! Is it not shameful. It may be said that this action of theirs is in keeping with the many others, but how long will the country tolerate a Government to exist, which so prostitutes the office of authority to such vile uses?
4-12-1913. Andrew McGinley, aged 71, dropped dead at Dreedynacrague, near Belleek, on Tuesday night.
Mr. James O’Donnell, Brookeborough, has been elected chairman of the Lisnaskea Rural Council, and this will make him ex-officer a member of the Fermanagh County Council, and also a Magistrate for the district. The election is a popular one.
The Government, it is stated, do not intend to proceed against Larkin, the Dublin labour agitator, on the other charges of incitement to riot, pending against him.
The R.I.C. force in Fermanagh has lost an esteemed member in the death of Sergeant John McHugh, of Roslea. The funeral on Saturday was attended by 70 members of the force, in charge of Head Constable M. Kinney, Lisnaskea.
Francis Maguire, Killesher, County Fermanagh, has been appointed as a Justice of the Peace, and was sworn in at Enniskillen Petty Sessions on Monday.
Errington House, Kilskeery, and demesne was sold a few weeks by Mr. E. J. Storey, D.L., to Mr. John Fawcett, a shopkeeper in the neighbourhood. It has now been purchased from him by Mr. John West, Crocknacrieve, Ballinamallard.
Mr. J. B. Stewart, F.A.I., Enniskillen and Fivemiletown, sold a farm of seven acres at Tullyquin, Co. Tyrone, last Thursday. It fetched £40 an Irish acre. The purchaser was Mr. Jackson Stewart, Aughentaine.
A WARNING.The police authorities have requested us to warn people against purchasing any tickets for the ‘Viceroy’s Cup Sweep’ promoted by what is called ‘Tattersalls Club,’ Chandernagore, near Calcutta, India. Tickets for this sweep stake have been flooding the country, and Truth, in its issue of 29th October, exposed the fraud.
A PUBLIC NUISANCE. Latterly the incursion of tricksters and gamblers at our hiring fairs and markets has become a great nuisance, and the action of District-Inspector Marrinan, Enniskillen, in prosecuting a man for playing with a ‘lucky’ wheel on last fair day in Enniskillen, will act as a deterrent. Mr. Marrinan’s example should be followed by the police in other districts, where no curb or restraint is put upon this class of swindler.
4-12-1913. The Co. Leitrim delegates to Mr. Bonar Law’s meeting, on Friday, were Messrs. George Hewson, George Stewart, Hugh Bracken, and J. D. Vansion. Their address to Mr. Law stated that the visit of Mr. Bonar Law would aid in proving that Southern Unionists were as much opposed to Home Rule as their brethren in Ulster.
The Tango dance, which is now all the rage, has been banned by the Kaiser, when he found that the Grown Princess was taking lessons in the Tango. As there was a strong reason to believe that the Grown Prince was also interested in the Tango, his parents decided to put the Imperial ban on the dance for all officers of the army.
News has been received from Montreal of the death there of the Venerable Archdeacon Kerr, a native of Newbliss. His death recalls the fact that it was he (then Mr Robert Kerr) who reported for the Press the speech of the Rev. John Flanagan, Rector of Killevean, to a meeting of Protestants in Newbliss, 1869, in which, protesting against the Irish Church Disestablishment Bill, the reverend orator threatened ‘to kick the Queen’s crown into the Boyne’ that threat earning for him the sobriquet of ‘The Flaming O’Flanagan.’ [
APPRENTICE (outdoor) wanted to the Printing Business. Candidate should be about 14 years of age, and must have passed in the Seventh National Education Standard. Good progressive wages.
4-12-1913. LABOUR CONDITIONS IN CLONES. Rumours are currant to the effect that the labourers of the town and district of Clones are about to form an association for the purpose of obtaining better wages. Unfortunately there is not a large amount of employment available in Clones, but for such as there is the wages generally paid are 12s a week, which can scarcely be called a living wage considering the increased cost of most of the necessities of life in recent years. One or two employers pay 15s a week.
4-12-1913. ELECTRIC LIGHTING. The public lighting of our towns and villages by electricity, where gas is not available, proceeds apace. Not only have towns like Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Belturbet, and Manorhamilton public lighting by electricity, but also villages such as Tempo, Ballinamallard and Lisbellaw. A movement is on foot to install an electric lighting plant in Derrygonnelly, and the plant now in the course of erection in Lisnaskea will be working by the New Year. In Clones, too, many of the leading shop-keepers have their places of business lit up with electric light, and others are having electric fittings put in. There are still many small towns that should have public lighting such as Irvinestown and Pettigo, which are being left behind in the march of progress by much smaller and more insignificant places.
27-11-1913. The streets of Paris are noticeably cleaner by the greater use of motor cars in preference to horses.
Mr. Asquith’s frequent and long audiences with the King have attracted attention, and it is alleged that a reshuffling of the Cabinet or the Prime Minister’s resignation may take place in the New Tear.
More Prisoners have been released by the Lord Lieutenant. Seven of the Dublin strike prisoners, whose sentence would expire on January 1, have been released.
A steady decrease in the importation of wine into the United Kingdom has been noticed. The 18,000,000 gallons imported in 1898 fell to 12,000,000 in 1912.
An heir to a fortune of £5,000,000, Herr Thyssen, junr., has been sentenced to a month’s imprisonment, and a fine of £20 for libel on the manager of his father’s works. The defendant deplored his position, which compelled him to try to live on £20 a month.
Next year will be the anniversary of the year of the battle of Clontarf, when the Danes were defeated on April 23rd, 1014, by Brian Born, sometimes spelt Boroihme, King of Munster, and overlord of Ireland
The Leeds Strike has collapsed, owing to the vigorous action of the townspeople taking the places of the strikers as volunteers.
Roses are in bloom around Willoughby Lodge, Enniskillen, and Mr. Jones is awakened in the morning by the singing of the thrashes. Wallflowers and other spring flowers are in bloom in some parts of the South of Ireland, and we fear that the blossoms will be killed by the frosts yet to come. The weather is too mild for the season.
Two Writers were invited to meet the King at Lord Burnham’s shooting party at Hall Barn on Thursday—the Editor of the Pall Mall (Mr. Garvin) and Mr. Dillon, the well known writer on European politics. An invitation of that sort means with the approval of the King.
The Death took place at Derry on Thursday of Mr. W. J. Ruttle, J.P., of Derry, who at one time lived in Enniskillen. He had been a commercial traveller, and was an ardent Protestant Home Ruler.
Another Antarctic Expedition has been planned: as many as 4,800 applications for membership have been received, out of which only 45 must be selected, all of them owing allegiance to the British flag.
A Radium Bank, to provide radium for the treatment of cancer, has been suggested to the United States Government by Mr. Alfred Duport.
Ninety-six churches in St. Louis report increased attendances at service owing to advertising. One advertisement said—’You may not like the preacher: it is not his fault. Try another church.’
Three of the Railway Companies running into Dublin have made £200,000 more during the past half year than the corresponding period of the previous year by reason of the extra traffic which would in the ordinary course have gone into the port of Dublin but for the strike.
The Rugby Club (North of Ireland) at Belfast on Friday decided to cancel all engagements from January 1st, in order that members may devote their Saturdays to drilling with the Ulster Volunteer Force.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease, which has now been sporadic in the country for 18 months or more, has again broken out in Hertfordshire, and an area of 30 miles has been proclaimed, with the accompanying inconvenience to markets and agriculture generally.
The Bishop of London has received a request for public prayer in connection with the Irish problem from 452 of the parochial clergy ot the diocese, including both supporters and opponents of Home Rule.
A Vaccine against whooping cough is reported by a Paris medical journal to have been discovered by Dr. Niccole and Dr Condr, following on the discovery of the bacillus itself. Of 100 oases treated by the injection of the vaccine, 36 were cured in from three to 12 days, while in 39 oases there was marked improvement. The method is harmless.
The Speaker’s Chair and the mace of the Irish House of Commons, which had been lent to the National Museum, Dublin, by Lord Massareene five years ago, have been removed by him back to Antrim Castle. The articles belonged to the last speaker of the House, Right Hon. John Foster, whose lineal descendant Lord Massareene is. Mr. J. W. Dane is also descended by his maternal side from Mr. Foster.
An Arrangement has been made for the protection of performing animals. A conference has been held between the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and music-hall managers, and owners of circuses and performing animals. It was agreed by all the parties that in future all exhibitors of animal ’turns’ must be licensed by the R.S.P.C.A. Managers will not allow them to appear in public without one of these licenses, stating that no cruelty of any kind is practiced by the trainer.
27-11-1913. ENNISKILLEN NEWS ROOM. At a meeting of members and friends of Enniskillen News Room on Friday evening it was resolved to make an effort to discharge its liabilities, and to put it on a sound basis for 1914. As we have already pointed out, a news room and clubs have been opened during late years, weakening the institution. It was stated, daring the discussion at the meeting, that some friends from the country who should pay the minimum subscription of 5s a year, and who used the room largely (with their families) had frequently contented themselves by inserting a penny in the box, which was intended for strangers from a distance, and not for gentlemen in the locality. It was directed that attention should be drawn to this matter in the hope that by these subscriptions the room would be assisted to a better financial position. Tbs News Room is a town institution, and as such should be adequately maintained.
[We inadvertently included the name of Mr. S. Gunning last week as among those who, being original subscribers and still living, were not at present subscribers to the Enniskillen News-Room. Mr. Gunning is a subscriber Still, Ed. I. R]