13-6-1942. There was a sequel to the shooting of Constable Thomas J. Forbes, Dungannon, when a claim for £10,000 compensation was brought by the widow Mrs. Evelyn Forbes, Donaghmore Road, Dungannon, at Dungannon Quarter Sessions.

Mr. Chambers said that Constable Forbes was killed by gunmen in Ann St., Dungannon, on Easter Saturday morning, 4th April. The circumstances of his death were that on this morning deceased and three other police were engaged in carrying out a search of premises belonging to James Rafferty, of Ann St. In the course of the search a fracas arose between the police and certain individuals, who had not been traced, and as Constable Forbes wag pursuing some of the wrong doers across Ann Street he was shot and seriously wounded. He lingered for some time and died in Dungannon Hospital on 8th April.

Mr. Chambers said the difficult question which his Honour had to determine was the financial value of the loss of this constable. Deceased was aged 40 and his salary was approximately £6 per week, and he was a young constable who was given the highest testimonials by the District-Inspector. He had a widow and ten children, the eldest of whom was 14. Deceased was exactly the type of young man who was presently required in the R.U.C. and his prospects of promotion to sergeant were excellent, and that would, have brought with it increased pay. Since his death the authorities had allowed the widow a total of £160 pension per annum for herself and children.

He submitted that the very minimum compensation which, he would consider adequate was £6,000.

Sergt, J. H. Gilmer gave evidence of seeing Constable Forbes running across Ann Street in pursuit of some gunmen when there an outbreak of revolver or rifle fire and Constable Forbes fell to the ground. His Honour awarded £5,000 compensation—£2,500 to Mrs. Forbes and £2,500 to the children and allowed costs. He fixed the entire Co. Tyrone as the area of charge.

13-6-1942. RESTRICTIONS REMOVED ON 26-COUNTY BREAD SUPPLIES. As from Tuesday all restrictions on the supply of bread in the Twenty-Six Counties have been removed. Deliveries of flour are also being increased to traders up to the quantity they received last year. This announcement was made on Monday by Mr. Sean Lemass, Minister for Supplies. The public are at liberty, the Minister stated to go to any suppliers they liked and purchase all the bread they wanted. This did not mean, the Minister emphasized, that more bread than was required should be purchased, and. it was still urgently necessary to avoid waste of bread or flour.

NEARLY 50 YEARS BACK. AN ENNISKILLEN TEAM OF THE MIDDLE NINETIES

For nearly fifty years the picture of a well-known Enniskillen soccer team, of the last century hung in the hallway of the late Mr. George Elliott’s house at the Brook, Enniskillen, and many a time the famous old Fermanagh penny-farthing bicyclist would exchange recollections of it with the young goalie of those days, Mr. James Gillin (Skipper); now the well-known rabbit and poultry dealer and vegetable merchant.

When Mr. Elliott, who is also in the picture as a referee, died his wife expressed the wish that on her passing the picture should go to Mr. Gillin. This wish was fulfilled a few days ago, some weeks after Mrs. Elliott’s death, when Captain Jimmy Lowans, R.A.S.C, (an Enniskillener from Queen St., who joined the Army at 16 and has now 23 years’ service) handed over the picture to Mr. Gillin.

Some of the older generation will remember the stalwarts of Enniskillen F.C. Cup team, 1894-95. The goalie was Jimmy Gillin; the two full backs D. O’Connell and J. McGregor. The halves were T. H. Wilson, a former proprietor of McNulty’s pub, the Brook; W. McCoy and F. J. Morris, brother of Albert Morris, who, I believe, was a quartermaster on the Inniskilling Fusiliers. The forwards were J. C. Steele (Capt.), a clerk in the Ulster Bank; W. Morrow, E. Mulligan, who was then proprietor of McLoughlin’s pub., Fairview, later went to America and died .there; H. Reynolds, a brother-in-law of Mr. Tommy Harvey; and ‘Bap’ Henderson, now a retired postmaster living at Dungannon. Reserve was J. Jackson, whose father, an insurance superintendent with the Prudential, lived at Orchard Terrace,

Mr. Elliott, who also appears in the photograph as referee, was a native of Enniskillen and in his early years was a manager of Thos. Plunkett, Ltd. He then went into business for himself  in the Hollow. Like the late Mr. Ritchie, father of the present, editor of the “Fermanagh Times,” he was a leader, in many sporting movements and was a generous supporter of and contributor to several teams. In fact, any young people starting a new team went to one or other of, the pair to head the list of subscriptions. They were always sure of a generous contribution. The football dress of the team is somewhat different from those of the present. Jerseys had not then replaced shirts, and the “shorts’’ were very long, extending below the knee, and some at any rate were buttoned in the style of breeches below the knee. Belts were worn by most of the players, and—an incongruous sight nowadays—moustaches, were common. Eight of the players and the referee had them. Ordinary boots, only some of them studded, was football footwear. Of the entire team, the only one still in Enniskillen is Mr. Gillin.

JUNE 6, 1942. GIRL STEALS TWO BICYCLES. Three Months’ Jail Sentence at Enniskillen. A young Six-County land girl pleaded guilty to three charges of larceny at Enniskillen Petty Sessions on Monday, before Mr. J. C. Austin, R.M. She was Annie O’Brien, whose address was given as Sallysgrove, Florencecourt, and she was charged with (1) stealing a bicycle, the property of John Sherry, Skea, Arney, value £4, on 6th November, 1941; (2) stealing a pair of spectacles in their case, from the house of Mrs. Emily Rea, Carran, Ballygawley, with, whom she had been employed; (3) the larceny of a lady’s cycle, the property of Oliver Gilhooley, Enniskillen, on 9th May. Arising out of the latter case, Mrs.  Georgina Abercrombie, Corryglass, Letterbreen, was charged with aiding and abetting.

Head Constable F. Thornton, prosecuting, said O’Brien went to Ballygawley to work as a Land Army girl and she stole the glasses from her employer. Last November she stole a bicycle in Enniskillen and sold the second, machine she stole on 9th May, giving £1 of the £2 she received, from Mr. McNulty, a cycle agent, to Mrs. Abercrombie.

Sergt. Clarke, Letterbreen, read statements alleged to have been made by the defendants, admitting the offences with which they were now charged.

He told the R.M. that his own opinion was that O’Brien, was a tool in the hands of others. Mrs. O’Brien had called at the barracks and said she would not let her daughter (the defendant) return home. That being so there was no person to look after her. O’Brien said she had no one to look after her, but a friend in Enniskillen. The police, however, refused to consent to her release from the Court to go to this house. His Worship said he was sorry to have to send O’Brien to jail, but in the circumstances he had no option. Mr. W. T. McClintock, B. Agr., informed the Court that the Land Army would not allow O’Brien to return to work under their jurisdiction. O’Brien was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment on each of the three charges, the sentences to run concurrently. Abercrombie, who agreed to return to her husband, was bound over for twelve months.

COTTAGE TENANCY. CATHOLIC OCCUPANT WAS EVICTED. Approval of the granting of the tenancy of a labourer’s cottage at Fartagh to Mr. W. T. Elliott, Whitehill, Springfield, a Protestant, was given by Enniskillen Rural Council on Tuesday. It will be remembered that the house was occupied by Mr. Millar, a Catholic, since 1911 and that on his death his daughter. Miss Mary K. Millar, who lived with him sought the tenancy, but was refused on a party vote. Later the Council took ejectment proceeding against Miss Millar and she was evicted. Mr. Murphy at the Council meeting on Tuesday, remarked, “You can take me as dissenting from that decision. She has been evicted I am opposed to the whole thing.”

 

MAY 30, 1942. THE ULSTER JUNIOR FINAL. Antrim Defeat Fermanagh at Enniskillen

In a game in which Fermanagh failed to show the form that brought them to the final, Antrim won the Ulster Junior Football Championship at Enniskillen on Sunday by 3 goals 10 points to 1 goal 6 points.

It was a rousing game, and Fermanagh struggled very gallantly with an Antrim team that was much faster and was a great deal superior in attack. Fortunately, in Smith, who was seen at his best, and McQuillan, hampered by a stiff ankle, and Johnston, Fermanagh had a great back line, with a sound goalie in F. Murray. These did a great deal to help Fermanagh hold the swift-moving, goal-seeking Antrim lads, whose front line was in devastating form. The swoops of Armstrong, McKay, Donnelly, McCallin and Webb was delightful to watch. Their understanding was complete, and their ball-passing and foot control, as well as hand control, could not be bettered. It will be surprising if Antrim do not go on to win the Irish, championship this year. It is a tribute to Fermanagh’s defence that they held this Antrim line fairly well for most of the game, though, of course, scores came but there was no collapse of the Fermanagh defenders. Right to the end, there were two teams in it, and Antrim had to give of their best to win.

O’Dowd and O’Grady gave sound displays, but the best half was Allen, while McDermott played his best game of the year in centre-field, particularly in the second half when the, defenders began to realize that Durnian was being too closely watched and that McDermott was the man to make use of. Durnian did not shine as in former matches, but that was because Antrim placed two or three players to hold him, and they were given a hot time by the grand Fermanagh mid-fielder. McCaffrey and Clarke showed their best form of the year, and Duffy was a useful player, but the only score getter was An tAthair Dermot Mahon.  Gerry Magee played a. dashing game, but it was his day off for scores. He missed chances innumerable. Courtenay as centre three-quarter was not a patch on his predecessor, Feely, for whose dropping the selection committee will have a lot of explaining to do to Fermanagh supporters.

The Fermanagh attack never developed cohesion. Amongst the lot there was only the one score-getter of whom one might be sure—Mahon. The Antrim defence, of course, was brilliant. Harry Vernon was a great goalie, and McMahon, Gallagher and Leddy was a trio of backs that were sound as rocks in defence. The Antrim men were adepts at minor fouls, many of which, the referee missed. The referee, Alfie Murray, Armagh, was strictly impartial, but he missed a great many minor things which, while not serious in themselves, added up very considerably to Antrim’s advantage.

A few minutes before the end, the game was held, up for a short time while spectators crossed the side-line after an incident in which a Fermanagh spectator struck a linesman. It was an unfortunate incident, because the game had been clean and the players on both sides a sporting lot. So it was too, with the spectators with the exception of two or three at most. It is a pity these few fellows did not realize what serious consequences on public opinion their ignorant partisanship is likely to have. Spectators should control their curiosity on such occasions and remain outside the pitch because their invasion of the pitch out of curiosity gives a very wrong impression to other onlookers, particularly to those who are delighted to see, or to imagine they see trouble at a Gaelic game, and one of such importance.

THE PLAY. Antrim right from the start played like a winning team and it was unfortunate for Fermanagh that Frank Johnston early on, in trying to clear his lines, should have boxed a ball into his own net for a goal. This set-back foreshadowed the end, though Fermanagh fought very gallantly to make up the deficit. It was the failure of the forwards that prevented a levelling up in the early stages. Opportunities went a begging and the forward men struggled futilely with the. rock-like Antrim defence.

McCallin drew first blood for Antrim in an early raid, and after Allen had stopped another invasion, Clarke lobbed to Magee who was beaten for possession. Armstrong shot a rising ball goal wards and it grazed the crossbar for a point, missing a goal by inches. Gallagher kicked to Donnelly, who lobbed in a strong shot, which Murray saved. Play swung round and Clarke led a great attack which finished with a terrific Clarke drive for goals, but Vernon was almost unbeatable. Smith took the ball from Webb’s foot when he was about to shoot for goals from close range.

The game was moving very fast, with Antrim having a slight advantage territorially. Roland was the big man at centre-field, and it was hereabouts that one first began to miss the Feely touch for Fermanagh. Courtenay was very weak. O’Grady kicked forward to Mahon, who missed a shot for goals, and another O’Grady kick forward to centre proved similarly fruitless, the forwards being beaten by the Antrim defence.

Twelve minutes had now gone, with Fermanagh two points down. From O’Grady, Courtenay got possession and missed, and in a number of succeeding attacks Fermanagh, now more in the. picture were similarly unfortunate. Duffy missed twice from 25 yards. From Durnian the ball went to Magee, who created a nice opening and passed to Mahon. The latter put in a stiff drive and Vernon, to save has net, had to punch across the bar for a point. Magee was again in possession and within four yards of goals when he drew to kick, and was shouldered behind, along with the ball, by the Antrim fulls.

Fermanagh were now on top, but chances were being missed as quick as they came. The inevitable happened. Antrim’s turn came. Away went the McKay, Armstrong, McCallin combination, and Joe Donnelly from the wing swung in a heavy lob. Frank Johnston tried to punch clear and put the ball in his own net.

Eighteen minutes from the start Kevin Armstrong increased the Antrim lead by a further point bringing it to four points.

Switching round to attack, Fermanagh went forward; in a clever Clarke, Mahon, Magee movement which ended with Magee punching the-ball into the goalie’s hands.

Courtenay caught from the kick-out and put across to Mahon, who pointed cleverly. Webb pointed for Antrim and McCaffrey replied quickly with a lovely point, kicked from a ground ball for Fermanagh. Only a goal now divided the scores—Johnston’s unfortunate one, but for which it would have been even pegging—but Antrim began a swift advance which McKay finished with a goal. Quickly they returned and Murray saved cleverly, but from thirty yards out Armstrong pointed, making the lead seven points. Campbell, after a fine solo run, was going through when stopped brilliantly by McQuillan. It seemed Campbell had over held and Fermanagh supporters expressed their disappointment when the free was given to Antrim. From, this kick, Durnian cleared in great, style and was loudly cheered. Fermanagh tried again to pierce the Antrim back line, but failed although Mahon, Durnian and Magee were in the attempt, and Antrim, had a piece of bad luck when with the Fermanagh defence beaten, a forward kicked wide. O’Grady and Allen threw back another Antrim raid, but Webb later got through for a point which was offset in a minute by Mahon’s lovely shot across the bar. McCaffrey followed with another minor to make the half-time scores

Antrim—2 goals 5 points. Fermanagh,—5 points.

Fermanagh were first away after, the resumption, but missed, and Donnelly in an Antrim attack pointed. Johnston sent to Durnian, whose beautiful solo run ended with a pass to Courtenay, who missed. McKay pointed for Antrim, and Durnian was going forward for a score when badly fouled. From the free he kicked a point,

Poland in midfield and Armstrong were in brilliant form for Antrim and were keeping the Fermanagh defence hotly engaged. Webb got through for a point before McDermott effected a good clearance and sent Fermanagh forwards to the attack. McMahon, a great back, beat off the raid, but McCaffrey and Clarke were persistent and for some time Fermanagh showed traces of their form. Eventually, Antrim forced the attackers back towards midfield, and it seemed the attack was over when O’Grady got possession of the ball thirty yards out and, with a terrific drive, sent into the net for a Fermanagh goal.

Once more the lead had been reduced to five points, but it was always Antrim that got going when Fermanagh’s chances were brightening. Webb gave to Armstrong, who pointed and the lead was now six points. After a good movement had brought Fermanagh to scoring range, Magee missed twice, and the whole attacking force was in the worst possible shooting form. Antrim seemed infected, for Webb, a sure marksman, missed badly from close in. Durnian kicked out to Courtenay, who missed badly.

Swiftly, Antrim went in to the attack, and only a magnificent McQuillan clearance saved the situation for Fermanagh The ball had struck the crossbar and was falling, amidst three Antrim men when McQuillan threw himself on the ball as it rebounded, rose with it between his legs and forced his way out of the danger zone. Fermanagh forwards were again wide of the mark when a sustained attack provided them with several chances. Clarke had a good try when he kicked a strong ball goal wards, but Vernon cleared confidently. Antrim swung round, and inside a few seconds McKay had a goal through in striking contrast to the Fermanagh attackers’ failures. Again Fermanagh advanced and a miss was registered. Magee got from the kick-out and put in a sharp punched ball, which Vernon saved in great style. Before the end Armstrong pointed again.

Final scores Antrim—3 goals 10 points. Fermanagh—1 goal 6 points.

The teams – Fermanagh — Murray, Johnston, McQuillan, Smith, O’Dowd, O’Grady, Allen, Durnian, McDermott, McCaffrey, Courtenay, Clarke, Duffy, Magee, Mahon.

Antrim — Vernon, Leddy, McMahon, Gallagher, Campbell, Murphy, MctKeown, lienfestv, Poland, McKay, Armstrong, Webb, Donnelly, McAteer, McCallin.

FIXTURES FOR SUNDAY, 31st MAY.

Senior Football League,

Derrylin O’Connells v. Harps—P. Maguire, Lisnaskea v. Teemore — P. Hueston, Newtownbutler.

Junior Football League.

Mulleek v. Devenish (referee by agreement); Derrygonnelly v. Drumavanty, Rev. Fr. Duffy; Ederney v. Tempo, Rev. Fr. Mahon.

All matches on grounds of- first-named clubs at 5 p.m. (Ex. S.T.). Further fixtures in above competitions will be made at a Co, Board meeting.to be held shortly.

CAMOGIE. FERMANAGH COUNTY BOARD.

At a meeting of the County Board held on Sunday, Rev. T. Maguire, P.P., presiding, the following fixtures were made;

31st May—Division I.—Enniskillen v. Cavanacross; referee, Mr. S. Nethercott. Division II.—Cleenish v. Derrylin, referee Mr. M. McBriem, P.E.T.; 4 p.m. (E.S.T.). Matches on grounds of first, mentioned.

7th June—Division I.—Newtownbutler travels to Enniskillen to play the winners. Division II.—If Cleenish wins they travel to play Kinawley; if Derrylin, wins, Kinawley travels to play in Derrylin.

14th June—Fermanagh v. Tyrone, at Enniskillen.

The date of county semi-final will be later announced and also place and date of final into which Towra has got a bye.

All clubs are earnestly requested to carry out their fixtures on the dates appointed so that the competition may be finished before July and a new one started.

Clubs having home matches are hereby reminded of the rules regarding the marking of the playing pitch, etc., which will be strictly enforced this year. J. GALLAGHER, Sec.

JUNE 13, 1942. By EAMON ANDERSON. (CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK) I said in last week’s article that there were a few tyrants shot in Fermanagh in the old days. One of these was a bailiff and grabber named Cowan, who lived in Drumroosk, near Kinawley village. He had evicted a number of tenants and grabbed some of their farms, so both the Protestant and Catholic tenants of this particular estate combined to get arid of him. They gathered around his house one night with guns and fired through the windows at him. He took refuge in the fireplace, of the parlour and from this, vantage point he fired out through the windows at his attackers and is believed to have wounded some and even killed one of them as a man disappeared that time and never was seen or heard of more, but the whole affair was kept very secret and was only talked of in whispers among the old generation. Some of the attackers got a ladder and got up on the roof and fired down the chimney at him and killed him. The house and place where he lived had been grabbed by him from a Protestant farmer whom he had evicted. Some say that the other man who disappeared at the time was really killed by Cowan’s attackers, as they were afraid of him, that he would turn King’s evidence. It. was even said that he was carried up into the Cuilcagh mountains and thrown down into a bottomless hole—just as, the Ribbon men did with Dominick Noone, the informer, in the mountains near Derrygonnelly in 1826. After the lapse of more than a century the whole affair is shrouded in mystery. In North Fermanagh not far from Irvinestown a certain  landlord evicted his tenants wholesale during the Famine years and many of them perished on the roadside of cold and want. One whole family died in this way —out in the snow—father, mother and all the children, except one boy, who eventually reached America and after many years amalgamated a great fortune. He came back to Ireland on holiday and stopped in a hotel in his native place. One day he went to visit the landlord’s castle. He sent in his card and was immediately admitted as a wealthy American. He was shown into the drawing room and entered into conversation with the landlord. After a short while the American tourist pulled a revolver out of his pocket and fired and killed the man who he looked on as the murderer of his father and mother. He waked out, took the train to the nearest port and got safe back to America. On Naan Island in Upper Lough Erne, not far, from Knockninny Rock, is the ruins of an old castle which once belonged to the Maguires. But in the Plantation times the Maguires were dispossessed of it and almost everything else belonging to them. At one time, well over a century ago, this castle was inhabited by a man named Burleigh. The point of Naan Island was called by the old Irish-speaking people of Naan and the surrounding countryside after this individual—by the sinister name of Gub-na-Stiopa (in English)—“The Blackguard Point”—but it is really a much stronger word than “blackguard,’ for Burleigh like Lord Leitrim and too many of the landlords and tyrants of those days imagined that he owned his tenants’ woman’ folk as his tenants’ body and soul, and all the rest of his tenant’ possessions. Perhaps the worst offender in this way was the notorious Lord Leitrim—who for his unspeakable villainies, was shot in Donegal on the 2nd of April, 1878. The South Leitrim part of his estates extended to within less than an hour’s cycle ride of where I live, therefore from the old people of that district I have heard many tales about him. For tyranny, cruelty and pride, there was hardly his equal in all the long records, of human history. Most landlords in Ireland showed some leniency to at least their Protestant tenants, but not so Lord Leitrim, as the following tale will show.

A certain Protestant farmer, a tenant of his near Newtowngore, paid him £40 a year of a rack-rent for 5 cows grass, and in those days it was as hard to make £40 off land as to make £120 now so the poor man and his family were at last reduced to rags, as they could not buy “a stitch for their backs.” Once when he was going to pay his rent to his lordship’s castle at Lough Rynne, in Upper Leitrim, he was so much ashamed to appear in his ragged state that he borrowed an overcoat from his parish minister to cover his rags. He was shown up to the office and paid his half-year’s rent and then Lord Leitrim walked a bit down the avenue with him fingering and admiring the fine velvet coat. Unfortunately the man did not tell him that it was a borrowed one, so Lord Leitrim went back into the office and said “Raise that man’s rent £5 a half year, he has a good coat on his back and seems to be getting prosperous!” On his estates in Donegal some people came to him for the site or a Protestant church. He would only give them a lease for 12 months so that they would have to be coming on their knees to him at the end of every year to have the lease renewed— all to pamper his pride. Another tenant of his in Leitrim broke a lea field and set potatoes in it without getting leave from his lordship. No one could dare break a field or make any changes or improvements in their farm without getting leave from him, but in this case when the man went to him he was away for a few weeks so the farmer said 1 will set the field of potatoes anyway and explain it to him after. So he and his sons put in the whole spring putting, in the field of potatoes with spades and then he went and told his lordship. “Why did you not come and tell me before you broke the field,” he said. “I did come but you were not at home,’’ said the man. But Lord Leitrim compelled him to turn down every sod and level the field and take out every seed potato he had planted in it, an almost impossible task. When that was done it was too late to put in any more crop that year. It did not matter if the man’s family starved if Lord Leitrim’s pride was satisfied. Another man made a long ditch along the roadside in his farm without getting leave to do so. Lord Leitrim passed in his coach every day while the job was being done and never said anything till it was almost finished when he went to the man and said “Who gave you leave to do that job. Why did you dare to start it without consulting me?” The man pretended not to know him. “Oh he said, Lord Leitrim passed in his coach every day and he seemed to approve of it so when it pleases him it is all right.” Lord Leitrim’s pride was satisfied so he left without another word. He had also an estate in Galway on the shores of Lough Corrib and owned the whole town of Cong and the countryside around it. A young woman named Joyce —a school teacher—was going home from school one evening in that place. Lord Leitrim spied her at a distance and followed her and caught up with her in a lonely place. The girl’s shouts and screams brought a young man also named Joyce running from a distance and he gave Lord Leitrim a thrashing that half killed him. The relations of the young man and Miss Joyce were immediately evicted and the young man got ten years penal servitude for the beating of Lord Leitrim. In any other civilised country in the world it would be his lordship who I would get the penal servitude for his criminal attack. Among so-called uncivilised peoples such as the North American Indians and the African Negros such a crime would be punished by instant death under the most fearful tortures. But under the “wise and just’’ laws which prevailed in Ireland at that .time, the lord of the soil owned his tenants, body and soul and could do what he wished on his own estate and was judge and jury and witness all rolled into one.

Miss Joyce went on her knees to the Lord Lieutenant in Dublin to have the unjust sentence on young Joyce revoked. The Lord Lieutenant at first refused, but Miss Joyce then went to his lady and she prevailed on her husband to reprieve young Joyce and set him at liberty. But Lord Leitrim soon had his revenge—even against Queen Victoria’s Viceroy of Ireland. The Lough Corrib district is one of Ireland’s beauty spots and a summer or two later the Lord Lieutenant went down there on holidays. But under threat of instant eviction Lord Leitrim forbade any of his tenants in the town of Cong and district surrounding—hotel keepers, farmers, shopkeepers and all to admit the Lord Lieutenant or supply him with lodging, food or necessaries, so when he went there on holidays he found every door closed against him.

In one case where he had evicted a family from their house and farm, a harsh winter came on  and the family were starving on the roadside. A Protestant clergyman—taking pity on them, began to collect money for them, and went to Lord Leitrim for a contribution: “Sir,” said his lordship, “I would not give you as much as a blanket to cover their bones!”

At last the crimes of this monstrous tyrant could be tolerated no longer in a Christian country. Even if the law winked at his successes and encouraged him there still remained rifles and bullets and trusty men to use them. So on a spring morning in 1878 he was shot dead on the shores of Mulroy Bay in Donegal in spite of the fact that he was travelling under the protection of several car load of police. His slayers were never captured although the whole County Donegal knew who they were.

 

IN MEMORY OF THADY DOLAN. HERO OF THE LAND WAR IN GLANGEVLIN

Glangevlin, you’ve nurtured a hero,

Thady Dolan, who bravely deified,

The landlord and all his cursed minions

That sought, to extinguish our pride;

And bind us with fetters of slavery.

As sons of a down-trodden race,

‘Twas Thady, and Men of his courage,

That saved us from want and disgrace.

 

In the dark days of rack-rent and crow-bar

He rallied the strong, men of Glan,

And outlined for them his decision,

To meet tyrant, force with a “plan.”

In a stronghold by Nature provided

His soldiers he armed and prepared.

To fight bailiffs, and red coats, and peelers

The .might, of oppressors he dared.

 

For long years they sought to dislodge him

But for them he cared not a rap,

Three, hundred bold tenants were ready,

To sentinel the pass thro’the gap.

And when tyrants appeared with their hirelings,

The blast, of the horn sounded clear.

And the “bell” would ring out as a signal

For the army of Glan to appear;

 

Men and women came forth at the summons,

Determined to conquer or die,

Pikes, pitchforks, and scythe blades they carried,

And always the Red Coats did fly,

As rocks from the cliffs fell like hailstones,

Cutting lanes in the ranks of the foe,

And loud cheers of victory re-echoed,

Afar in the valleys below.

 

For eleven long years they battled,

Unconquered they were to the end,

’Neath the tyrant Annesley’s fury

The spirit of Glan would not bend,

In the little green fields ’midst the heather

They toiled, but no rent would they pay

To the robbers who o’er their forefathers

For a century or more had held sway.

God rest you, bold Thady your history

Survives tho’ you sleep ’neath the clay,

With Parnell and Davitt we rank you.

Your memory we reverence to-day.

And regret that you lived not to welcome,

The dawning of freedom and plan

For the glorious future of Eire,

In that stronghold of liberty, Glan.

 

The foregoing lines were suggested to me by Mr. Eamon Anderson’s vivid description of the Land War in Glangevlin.

PADRAIC J. O’ROURKE, Gortnadeary, Kiltyclogher.

 

SOLDIER’S DEATH IN ENNISKILLEN. Lance-Sergt. Charles Henry Bradshaw (37), unmarried, whose home is at Birmingham, was found dead in Enniskillen with a bullet wound in his neck. At an inquest on Thursday, evidence was given that he returned from leave on the morning of the 3rd June and was instructed to rejoin his unit, which had left, the following morning. About 11.30 p.m., Q.Q.M.S. Burchill beard a shot and on entering the guard-room, saw deceased in a sitting position in one of the cells with a rifle between his legs. Blood wag flowing from his neck. Death was instantaneous. A verdict was returned that death was due to shock and haemorrhage following fracture of the skull of a gunshot wound, self-inflicted. The verdict added there was no evidence to establish the mental condition of deceased prior to firing the shot.

BOY DROWNED IN LEITRIM. While bathing in a lake near Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim, last week, James Gordon (16), son of the late Captain Gordon, V.S., Mohill, got into difficulties and was drowned. With a number of other boys he had been attending a picnic.

POPULAR BELLEEK LADY WEDS. The marriage took place with Nuptial Mass at University Church, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, between Dr. Anthony Eustace, Assistant Medical Officer of Health for Burnley county borough, only son of Mr. James Eustace and the late Mrs. Eustace, of Dublin, and Miss Evelyn Dick, M Sc., H. Dip. Ed., third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. ,Y. H. Dick, Heath Lodge, Belleek, Co. Fermanagh. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Father O’Brien, D. D. The bride was given away her uncle, Mr. T. Meehan, Monaghan, owning to the illness of her father. The reception was held afterwards by the bride’s mother at the Shelbourne Hotel. Dr. Edward Power was best man, and Miss Gertie Dick was bridesmaid. The guests included Commandant Vivian de Valera.

FLIGHT-LIEUT. MISSING Nephew of Enniskillen Optician.

Flight-Lt. Wilfred Ronald Maitland, second son of Rev, W. Maitland and Mrs. Maitland, the Rectory, Tynan, Co. Armagh, who has been reported missing from air operations, is a nephew of Mr. W. Moore, Enniskillen, the well-known optician, of whose staff Flight-Lt. Maitland was for some time a member. Aged, 22, he was .described as “a navigator of exceptional merit.’ He lived in Enniskillen for eighteen months up till 1940, when he joined the Air Force.

 

SAPPER DROWNED AT DEVENISH. BODY MISSING.  Sapper John Morton, stated to be a native of Manchester, and who had been employed for the past 12 months at Enniskillen, was drowned while bathing near Devenish Island, Lough Erne, on Friday. Deceased had been bathing with two companions when he disappeared            suddenly, and though they repeatedly dived in an effort to locate him, his two friends reluctantly had to give up the attempt Dragging operations are in progress, but so far the body has not been recovered.

 

MINISTRY AND ENNISKILLEN APPOINTMENT. The Ministry of Home Affairs informed Enniskillen Board of Guardians on Tuesday that they were not prepared to reconsider their decision relative to the appointment of Miss Ethel Armstrong to the position of assistant in the Clerk’s office‘s until they had received the information asked for as to the qualifications of the other candidates for the job. The Clerk (Mr. J. Brown) said he had given the Ministry the required information.

 

DERRYGONNELLY M.O. RESIGNS. Dr. Muriel M. Ferguson, medical officer of Derrygonnelly dispensary district, wrote to Enniskillen Board of Guardians on Tuesday (Hon. C. L. Corry, J.P., presiding) resigning her position as from the 1st September. The resignation was accepted, and the Board decided to appoint her successor on the 14th July.

ORANGES TO REPLACE TEA FOR CHILDREN. Oranges will replace tea in the new ration books for children under five years to be issued in Britain on July 27. This is designed to conserve tea supplies.

BALLYSHANNON SOLICITOR BEREAVED. Second Lieutenant Alan F. W. Ramage (19), Royal Artillery, was fatally injured while motor cycling (on duty) near Lame last week. He was the only son of Capt. Ramage, well-known Ballyshannon solicitor and Mrs. Ramage, Laputa, Ballyshannon. District Justice O’Hanrahan, solicitors and Gardaí joined in an expression of sympathy to Capt. Ramage at Ballyshannon Court.

ANCIENT ENNISKILLEN DOCUMENTS. At a cost of £2, old Enniskillen documents of historical interest in connection with the town’s history—and presented some time ago to the Urban Council—have been photographed and the photographs are to be framed and hung in the Council Chambers. One of the documents, the Town Clerk told the Council on Monday, had been the subject of an offer of £100 from a collector. This document is the seal of appointment of the first anti-Irish governor of the town, Gustavus Hamilton. The others are notes or orders written by officers of the British garrison forces, to inferior officers. One is signed “Schomberg,” and they all relate to the period towards the end of the seventeenth century when the Dutch Prince William of Orange and the English King James were fighting on Irish soil for the British Crown.