Fermanagh Herald and Monaghan News.1905. Price One Penny.

TRAMP-RIDDEN CLONES ITS “CENTRAL POSITION” ATTRACT THE WANDERERS. Fifty-one of the fifty-three admissions to Clones Workhouse last week were tramps, and the Master (Mr. Joseph McKenna) reported at Thursday’s meeting of the Guardians that he believed they would go on increasing. On Saturday night there was a record number in the Casual Ward, which was congested.

The Chairman (Mr. John Smyth, Rosslea). thought the hot baths might now be dispensed with.

The Clerk said Clones was very central, and that was the reason of its being so favoured by tramps

The Master considered it probable that the tramps came to Clones on Saturday by pre-arrangement hold a conference or convention. It was on the week of the opening of Parliament, and the tramps might be holding a Parliament too. To judge their names they came from almost every county in Ireland. The Master was given permission to put some the tramps in the boys’ vacant dormitory when congestion was too great in future.

IN “CONVENTION” INSOLENT OFFICIALS DENOUNCED BY THE VISITORS.

During last week an enterprising member of the roving fraternity in the Workhouse discovered nearly every county in Ireland was represented amongst the assemblage, and, therefore, suggested holding of a Convention. So a meeting was held and the “grievances” of the fraternity were discussed.

It seems that though the tramp on present himself at Clones Workhouse is “received courteously by the officials,” and “immersed in a warm bath, after which he has his supper of stirabout and milk,” he feels that any claim thereby established on his gratitude is cancelled by a rule which compels him to break half-a-ton of stones.

A Mr. Mick Curley, a veteran of 65, who presided over the assembled tramps, has 20 years’ experience of Clones, and in his presidential address admitted that the warm bath was “progress.” They however, he complained, to submit to stone-breaking and stirabout, and insolent questions regarding their family affairs. He thought they should write to the L.G.B. to stop all this, “as that body not want to fight against poplar demand: present.”

The resolutions passed condemned the Guardians and workhouse officials, and called for the redress of a number of grievances. The untimely arrival of the Master to call the roll brought the “convention ” to a close.