Category Archives: 1918.

FERMANAGH HERALD. SAT., NOV. 9, JOTTINGS

  1. FERMANAGH HERALD. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, JOTTINGS

THE FATHER O’FLANAGAN FUND. THE hosts of admirers of the Rev. Father Michael O’Flanagan, not only in North Roscommon but throughout the whole, of Ireland, are anxious to inaugurate a Fund to mark in some small degree the feelings they entertain for his fearless work in Ireland’s Cause. With this object in View they respectfully solicit subscriptions, which will be duly acknowledged in the columns of the Press from time to time. Subscriptions can be sent to the Treasurers of the Fund in Crossna, namely Mr. Edward Doyle, Chairman of Boyle No. 1 .Council, Crossna (Co. Roscommon) and Mr. Patrick Kerins, Knockvicar, Boyle.

SHAUN MCDERMOTT’S. F. C. STOP-WATCH COMPETITION, 2 minutes to 10. At Arney Gaelic Hall, Sunday Evening, 3rd THE WINNER: MISS BONNIE WARD, CO. MONAGHAN.

ENNISKILLEN TECHNICAL SCHOOL, (TOWN HALL). IRISH FOR NATIONAL TEACHERS. THIS Class will reopen on SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, at 1.15 p.m. JOHN W. MANSFIELD, Principal.

DEATH. KELLY- October 30, 1918, at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin, Anna Teresa, third daughter of William and Susan Kelly, The Hotel, Belcoo. Age, 22 years. R. I. P. At a rehearsal of the Blacklion Dramatic Club a resolution was passed in silence on the motion of Miss M. Maguire, seconded by Miss A. Dolan tendering the sincere sympathy of the members to Mr. and Mrs Kelly, Belcoo on the loss sustained by them in the death of their beloved daughter Miss Anna Kelly, and as a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased all the rehearsals for the week were adjourned.

John Small, C. C. Belturbet, for cutting the tyres of bicycles belonging to P. Callaghan, Knockaraven, Co., Fermanagh, and Jas McDonald, Milltown on the night of the East Cavan election result was traduced for £3 and £8 in the respective cases at the Cavan Quarter Sessions. Defendant, who did not appear, was with the Sinn Fein crowd said the plaintiff Callaghan.

Manorhamilton Electric Light Co. has increased the charge for light from 6d to 9d per unit.

At the meeting of workers in Enniskillen on Saturday week a resolution was passed urging shop assistants to join the National Union.

The licensed vintners of Enniskillen are taking steps to have the hours of closing in the afternoon altered, especially on fair and market days.

Mr. W, J. Brown, J.P., presided at a meeting of the Enniskillen Rural Council on Tuesday. The business was purely routine.

At the meeting of Enniskillen Board of Guardians on Tuesday, Mr. W. J. Brown, J.P., said that vaccination was a humbug and fraud.

The medical officer of Lisnaskea Guardians reported that six cases of influenza, three of them exhibiting serious pulmonary complications, were admitted to hospital daring the last week. (The ‘Spanish Flu’ which killed about 50 million people around the world at this time including populations in the Pacific Islands including my grandmother at the age of 28.)

The Earl of Belmore, Mr, J. Crosier, J.P., and Mr. J. P. Gillin, Fermanagh County Council, have been surcharged in £50 expended in connection with Fox’s Ferry, Upper Lough Erne. An appeal has been lodged against the surcharge.

Several new members have joined the Derrygonnelly branch of the National Amalgamated Union of Labour, and it is stated that labour candidates will go forward at the next local government elections.

In the course of his quarterly Report to the Fermanagh County Council, Mr. J. P. Burkitt, county surveyor, paid a tribute to the work of Mr. Finnegan, assistant county surveyor, who, he said, carried out his duties in an admirable manner.

A special meeting of the Enniskillen Urban Council will be held on Friday night to co-opt a member and to consider an application from the National Amalgamated Union of Labour asking for an increase for the employees who were members of the Union.

The “flu” is fairly prevalent in Enniskillen and district, but there are signs that the epidemic is abating. Several schools have been closed including Portora Royal School, where a number of the students contracted the disease.

At Enniskillen Quarter, Sessions C.E.R.A. Irvine, solicitor, sued W. J. Browne, J.P., auctioneer, Kinawley, to recover £17 for-costs incurred on defendant’s behalf. Mr. Irvine appeared in person and Mr. Clarke (Messrs. Clarke and Gordon) for the defendant. The case was dismissed,

MR, ARCHDALE, M, P. AND LABOURERS’ UNION. At the quarterly meeting of the Fermanagh Co. Council on Thursday, Mr. John McHugh (Pettigo) presiding, a letter was read from Mr. M. Donnelly, Derry, National Amalgamated Union of Labour, applying for an increase of wages on behalf of the members of the Union who were in the Council’s employment as surfacemen, attendants to steamrollers and other works in connection with road maintenance.

Mr. Archdale, M.P. — I think the National Amalgamated Union of Labour is going to destroy the labourers of this country. It will upset them and put them out of work. It is of no help to the labourers. Lord Belmore — What are their present wages?

The Co, Surveyor said that the drivers were paid £2 or 35s: the attendants, 24s; surfacemen from £l to 25s. He believed that none of the men should be paid any less than 22s 6d per week. Mr. Archdale —  None of them are paid less than that fixed by the Wages Board?

Co. Surveyor — I don’t think so. We have very few men who are constantly employed. The application was referred to the Roads and Quarries Committee.

ENNISKILLEN MILLING SOCIETY. The Committee of the Enniskillen Milling Society had under consideration at their last meeting, the question of erecting a new patent kiln in their new mill. It appears that a Belfast firm have arranged to make kilns of the new pattern known as “air drying which dries the grain before milling at the rate of about one ton per hour without any labour whatsoever, thereby saving the very expensive operation of turning the dried grain as it had to be done on the old kiln heads. It was decided to have this new invention established in their new mill.

DECEMBER 21, 1918. ENNISKILLEN WORKHOUSE ‘BURIALS.

DIGGING THE GRAVES. Assistant Clerk’s Report.

At the meeting of the Enniskillen, Guardians on Tuesday, Mr. Edmund Corrigan, vice-chairman, presiding, Mr. Joseph Ross, assistant clerk reported:—“Owing to the illness of the Master and Matron and the inmates who usually assist at burials, being laid up with influenza, I asked Mr. James Harvey to allow a couple of his men to open the, graves for two inmates in the Workhouse Cemetery on Friday last, who died three days previously, but these men were stopped at the work by Felix Cleary (who is at present under suspension), who went up to them. Two others (who are in the employment of Mr. Rutherford) were, got to bury one of the bodies, and the remains of the other man were buried in the new cemetery by Mr. Millar, who kindly undertook to nave a grave ready after a few hours’ notice. In connection with the above I paid a sum of 10s for having the work carried out, which I would ask the Board to refund me under the circumstances.”

Mr. Carson said it was very kind, of Mr. Ross, and it was a most blackguardly and disgraceful act of Cleary. Mr. W. Elliott (Greentown) said the Board must be in a powerful fix if they would tolerate such work. Mr. Ben Maguire suggested that they should consult their solicitor with the object of having proceedings taken. Mr. Cathcart said he had never thought before that the country around Enniskillen had gone to such a pitch.

The Chairman said there was no member of the Board or no man outside the Board who believed more than he did in the principle of a man being paid a living wage, but when it came to this — to try and leave corpses unburied — it was going too far for him. Mr. B. Maguire proposed that their solicitor be consulted with the view of having proceedings taken against Cleary. Mr. Cathcart thought the matter should be reported to the police authorities. Mr. Ross said a police sergeant was sent round with the coffin to the burial ground lest the men would be interfered with. No further action was taken in the matter.

November 1918.

November 7th 1918. V.C. FOR FERMANAGH HEROISM OF COL. WEST IN FACE OF CERTAIN DEATH.

The King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the under- mentioned officer:—Captain (A. Lieutenant-Col.) Richard Annesley West, D.S.O., M.C., late North Irish Horse (Cav. S.R.) and Tank Corps, For most conspicuous bravery, leadership and self-sacrifice.

During an attack, the infantry having lost their bearings in the dense fog, this officer at once collected and re-organised any men he could find and led them to their objective in face of heavy machine-gun fire. Throughout the whole action he displayed the most utter disregard of danger, and the capture of the objective was in a great part due to his initiative and gallantry.

On a subsequent occasion, it was intended that a battalion of light tanks under the command of this officer should exploit the initial infantry and heavy tank attack. He therefore went forward in order to keep in touch with the progress of the battle, and arrived at the front line when the enemy were in process of delivering a local counter-attack. The infantry battalion had suffered heavy officer casualties, and its flanks were exposed. Realising that there was a danger of the battalion giving way he at once rode out in front of them under extremely heavy machine-gun and rifle fire and rallied the men. In spite of the fact that enemy were close upon him he took charge of the situation and detailed non-commissioned officers to replace officer casualties. He then rode up and down in front of them in face of certain death encouraging the men and calling to them ’Stick it men; show them fight; and for God’s sake put up a good fight. He fell riddled by machine-gun bullets.

The magnificent bravery of this very gallant officer at the critical moment inspired the infantry to redoubled efforts, and the hostile attack was defeated.  The deceased officer was a native of Fermanagh, being the fourth and younger son of the late Mr. A. G. West, of Whitepark. He was born in 1878, and fought in the Boer War .with Kitchener’s Scouts, afterwards taking a commission in the North Irish Horse. The West family has long been connected with Fermanagh and Tyrone, but Mr. E. E. West,  its present head, now lives, in Dublin.

Lieut-Colonel Herbert N. Young, D.S.O., Royal Inniskillings (temporarily commanding a battalion of the Sherwood Foresters), killed in action on 25th October was one of the best-known officers of the Inniskillings, with whom he had soldiered for 15 years.

THE MILK SCARCITY.

If the members of the Enniskillen Urban Council who raised the question of the scarcity of the milk supply were genuine in their anxiety for the poor, they have done nothing in the matter till it now is too late to do anything. A year ago an attempt was made to get milk from Fermanagh for Dublin’s poor, and this attempt the Impartial Reporter frustrated, pointing out at the time that any spare milk was badly needed by our own poor in Enniskillen. We then advocated the founding of a municipal milk depot, as had been done in other places, but the Urban Council took no action. The Council was asked to make preparations for the founding of a communal food kitchen to cook food for the very poor. This suggestion was also scouted by the very men who are now crying out about the coal shortage. It is the usual grumble without action. Everyone knew that coal would not get more plentiful, and it was common knowledge that milk would be much scarcer. To talk of obtaining a milk supply now is beating the air. The Chairman of the Urban Council should surely know that creameries have no milk to spare for sale in a stock-rearing county like Fermanagh, except perhaps from the Belleek district. The farmers require all the skim-milk they can get; the creameries dare not cut them short, and thus lose some of their best customers. Milk is scarce to all, rich and poor, alike, and if the poor are in a bad way for milk this winter they know who had it in their power to save them, from such a catastrophe but did nothing till too late, and then, as usual, only talked.

A MEMORIAL SERVICE. Enniskillen Presbyterian Church. It was a moving service — but just one of those things which Rev. Mr. Jenkins knows how to do well, at the proper time, and in the fitting way. Three soldiers of the Enniskillen Presbyterian Congregation have passed away quite recently—Lieut. John Darling, M.C., 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers, from wounds received in action ; Company Sergt. Major Wilson, of the 1st Royal Inniskillings, died in action; and Private Herbert Caldwell, from ill-health and starvation, when wounded as a prisoner-of-war in Germany. The congregation at Enniskillen, which has given most of its manhood to the army, per cent., has also had the greatest number of casualties.

November 21st 1918.

Lance-Corporal Seaman, of the Inniskilling Fusiliers has been awarded the Victoria Cross. The official record states that he is awarded the coveted distinction. For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. When the right flank of his company was held np by a nest of enemy machine guns he, with great courage and initiative, rushed forward under heavy fire with his Lewis gun and engaged the position single-handed, capturing two machine guns and 12 prisoners and killing one officer and two men. Later in the day he again rushed another enemy machine-gun position, capturing the gun under heavy fire. He was killed immediately after. His courage and dash were beyond all praise, and it was entirely due to the very gallant conduct of Lance-Corporal Seaman that his company was enabled to push forward to its objective, and capture many prisoners.

BAR TO M.C.

The Commander-In-Chief of the B.E.F. has made an award of a Bar to the Military Cross to Second Lieutenant T. J. Adams, M.C., Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, for conspicuous gallantry in action last month. Second Lieutenant Adams is a son of Mr. Thomas Adams, Tullywinney, Ballygawley.

DERRYGONNELLY MAN WINS D.C.M.

The Distinguished Conduct Medal has been awarded to Sergeant J. Foy, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (Derrygonnelly, County Fermanagh)

For conspicuous gallantry in command of his platoon during an attack. When an enemy machine gun attempted to check his advance he came round its flank and with another man charged it and captured the gun and four prisoners. He set a splendid example of courage and determination to his men.

The Cork Eagle records the death in hospital of Cadet Frank Semple of the Royal Air Force, son of Mr. John Semple, Bandon, and formerly of the General Manager’s office, Great Northern Railway, Enniskillen. The “funeral at Cavereham Cemetery was a military one, and the coffin was covered with wreaths. Mr. Semple’s eldest son, Herbert, a brilliant scholar, also gave up a career of bright promise to serve his country and fell in her cause.

PRIVATE JAMES MCTEGGART. Mrs. Quinn, Henry-street, Enniskillen, has been informed that her brother, James McTeggart was killed in action on the 7th November. He had seen much active service with the Inniskillings at the Dardanelles in the retreat from Servia, and in Palestine, before coming to France. His captain in a letter of sympathy says—‘His pals and I miss him very much as he had done good service for the battalion. He was struck by a bullet in the head and death was instantaneous. He is nearly the last of the good old boys who came out with the battalion.’

Private Wm. Manly, 9th Inniskillings, from Tullyavey, died in action on the 29th September, leaving a wife and seven children. His brother, who also had worked at Riversdale, had also served In the army, having served in the 27th Inniskillings in the Boer war. Trory parish yielded 37 of the Protestant men to the army at the call.

Private Bernard Drum, of the Royal Inniskillings has been at home on leave, after having been six months in hospital from wounds received in France, and has gone to Oswestry to join the reserve battalion of the regiment.

Clones and the Epidemic. SHORTAGE OF MEDICAL MEN.

Clones has been terribly in the grip of the Spanish influenza, and suffered all the more because that Dr. Henry, who has a wide circle of patients and the Union hospitals under his charge, became a patient himself.

The town found itself with only one doctor available to minister to the whole district, Dr. Tierney, and lamentable cases on every side. But Clones rose to the occasion. Its chief men met, as they generally do, as neighbours and friends, not as politicians, and subscribed money to meet the emergency; the ladies of the town provided meals for the poor; and by good luck one young doctor was found to take up medical duty in the district, and Mr. Knight obtained the friendly advice of Dr. Kidd of Enniskillen as to procedure; and Dr. Kidd advised among other things, that the assistance of men of the Army Medical Corps at  Enniskillen headquarters be requested, to enable nursing and care to be attended to.

Since then, the so-called influenza has got a bad grip of the Clones district, it has also brought its people together to meet the danger and combat it; and we trust their praiseworthy effort will meet with the success which it deserves.

The Recent boxing tournament in Enniskillen for the benefit of Inniskilling prisoners of war resulted in a net profit of £57, which has been sent to the Secretary of the fund at Omagh.

Sale of Fruit to Householders.—Instances having been brought to the knowledge of the Food Control Committee for Ireland, that apples are being sold to householders and others at prices in excess of those set out in the Apples and Perry Pears (Sales) Order, the attention of consumers is directed to the advertisement which appears in this issue.

The Cattle Feeding Staffs supply to Ireland is to be increased.

The German Army committed continual robberies in its retreat, including herds of cattle, carts, chickens, clothing, and vehicles.

The rumour is Revived that the ex-Czar is alive, and that he may be replaced on the Russian throne.

The Galway Board of Guardians have felt hurt that out of 156 circulars sent out, asking that medical practitioners who have been interned for political offences should be released to relieve the scarcity of medical practitioners, only five applies should have been returned, and of these one (Belfast) was against the resolution. Dungannon burned it.

A BIG FIRE AT THE GRAAN MONASTERY. HUNDREDS OF POUNDS DAMAGE.

A destructive fire, entailing the loss of several hundred pounds worth of property, broke out at the Gabriel Retreat, The Graan, about two miles from, Enniskillen, in the early hours of Sunday morning. Residing at the Retreat are four or five priests and about twelve students or novitiates of the Passionists Order of the Roman Catholic Church.

Shortly before one o’clock on Sunday morning one of the resident brothers observed a light in the office-houses near the main dwelling, and upon investigating the matter found the building was on fire. He immediately raised an alarm, but by this time the whole building where the cattle were stalled was a mass of flames. There being no efficient fire extinguishing apparatus about the place, efforts were made to quell the outbreak by means buckets of water drawn from water barrels near by, but these were quite ineffectual.

Word of the fire having been sent to Mr. Christopher Bracken, whose residence is close at hand, both that gentleman and his eldest son were soon on the scene, and worked very hard in assisting the inmates in their fight against the flames. Despite all exertions, however, eight valuable cows, worth from £40 to £50 each and also two calves were burned to death, while the byres, calf-house, and piggeries were razed to the ground. Fortunately the fire did not spread to the large barns attached, in which much corn, hay, and other inflammable material were stored, else the loss would have been considerably heavier. As it was, a valuable staircase, a huge quantity of glass, and other articles intended for use in the new building at present in course of construction, and which were stored temporarily in one of the office-houses, were all burned.

End of WW1. Impartial Reporter November 7th 1918.

End of WW1. Impartial Reporter November 7th 1918.

The Sinn Fein in Convention are as insane as their members individually. They have asked by resolution for the complete evacuation of Ireland of the British military forces, the release of all ‘Political’ prisoners, and the absolute independence of Ireland. Imagine any body of sane men being so idiotic as to gravely prefer such a request expecting it to be granted. How truly they have been termed ‘dreamers.’ How thoroughly impractical! If it could be possible that such a request could be granted we would have Bolshevism in Ireland, massacre and robbery. Men who cannot control themselves cannot control anyone else; and Ireland under them would be a veritable hell—far worse than Dublin under the bloody gang of Easter week. Happily, Ireland will never, under any circumstances, be under men who have turned the whole world against a disgraceful set of scheming fanatics.

DISPATCHES.BY AEROPLANES.
We mention as an historical fact, so that readers of the Impartial Reporter generations hence, when perusing its files, may want to know when mails went locally first by aeroplane, that military dispatches have been sent by military aeroplane to Enniskillen, and been received in the Enniskillen fairgreen by an orderly in a spot appointed
for the purpose. In Ballinamallard, at Mr. Archdale’s function for the Red Cross, on Thursday, two aeroplanes circled about and dropped recruiting literature.

THE INNISKILLINGS.
The Inniskillings have been again engaged in action and have suffered many casualties. We deeply regret the death of Colonel H. N. Young, D.S.O., a very brave soldier, in Italy. He recently received a bar to the D.S.O. His command of the 7th Inniskillings produced a model battalion, ‘the Fighting Seventh;’ and one of the smartest in the Army.

THE INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.
The epidemic of influenza has prostrated people from town and country, and has caused a few deaths. On the whole it has been less fatal in this district than in others. Our Royal School was badly crippled, owing to the number of cases, but Major Bruce, Army Medical Corps, very kindly sent nine of his Army nurses to Portora, and the very sight of the men in uniform cheered the boys, as they ministered to them. A household of 112 people was not an easy one to grapple with. Yet School was kept going all the time for those who were free from the disease. All the other schools in the town had to be closed, as in other places, but the worst of the plague is now over. (My Granny died in it)

KESH.
A social meeting of the Kesh C.A.S. was recently, held. In the absence of the chairman, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Hall of Lack presided, and Shareholders, with members of their families, were strongly represented. Messrs. Lowry and M‘Gee of I.A.O.S. gave addresses on co-operation, and urged the members to subscribe more capital to meet the developments and increasing trade of the society, Two hundred pounds .have already been deposited in the society; and as a result of the meeting £300 more have been promised. It was decided to canvass the district. The co-operators who sympathised with this society in its struggles will be gratified to hear the loss of £800 caused by the fire has now been reduced to £400, and the management feels that if the members supply them with sufficient capital to save all discounts and buy in larger quantities that this latter sum can be very soon wiped out.

Owing to pressure on our space we are unable to publish an article received from. Mr. H. E. Watkin, Enniskillen, on “The Art of Dancing Well.” Mr. Watkin deals at considerable length with the “Waltz. He says that “during the present year attempts were made to introduce Rag Time in Enniskillen, but the good sense of the public gave it an inglorious quietus.’’

A severe wind and rain storm passed over Enniskillen and district on Thursday night, when some damage was done to house property. A portion of the roof on premises at the rere of Messrs. Plunkett’s establishment in High Street was blown off.

The news of the conclusion of the war was announced in Enniskillen by the
ringing of joybells, the booming of guns and the blowing of factory horns. Flags were displayed from a number of houses, and the Union Jack and Irish and American flags were flown from the Townhall.

Capt. Rev. Father J. Nolan, son of Mr. J. Nolan, Aghabog, Co. Monaghan, has arrived home from Germany. He was an army chaplain for two years, and last May was reported missing. Subsequently his relatives were informed he was taken prisoner. Father Nolan was formerly a curate at Arney, parish of Cleenish, and later Dromore, Co. Tyrone.

‘Mr. H. Walker, R.M., at Enniskillen Petty Sessions on Monday, said it had been suggested that the Court should be adjourned in view of the very joyful tidings received that morning but as there were only two small cases they had decided to dispose of them. A man charged with drunkenness was allowed off “owing to the day being one of rejoicing.”