Tag Archives: Fermanagh

From the Broads to the Lakelands – English Plantation in Fermanagh in the early 17th century..

From the Broads to the Lakelands – English Plantation in Fermanagh.

 To give a very simplified mental picture of the Plantation of Fermanagh one has to visualise Fermanagh as a rectangle with Lough Erne running from east to west through the centre of the county. South of this east west line are three of the seven Baronies of Fermanagh with the most easterly and the most westerly namely Knockninny and Magheraboy were  granted to Scottish settlers and the central one partly to Irish and partly to English. On the northern side of the Erne the two Baronies on either end of Fermanagh were granted to English settlers and the two central largely to Irish natives other than around Enniskillen which was to be the new centre of the county of Fermanagh.

The south eastern barony originally granted to Scots from around the Edinburgh collapsed with the first ten years of the Plantation so that of the 9000 acres granted to them Sir Stephen Butler, an Englishman from Bedfordshire had purchased 8000 of these acres rendering this Barony therefore English rather than Scottish nearly straight away. So now the English had almost four of the seven Baronies of Fermanagh and had them in the most strategic places in the county – in the west next to the sea at Ballyshannon, in the centre about Enniskillen and in the east close to the entrance to the Upper Erne.

Most of the English who arrived in Fermanagh came from the area of East Anglia generally as Undertakers – those who undertook to carry our various conditions such as the building of a castle and bawn enclosure and the building of a church. To do this they had to have a certain high level of income (self assessed but) to build and to attract with them from England sufficient quality settlers to labour and farm and occupy the territory granted. Most of the servitors who got land in Fermanagh were also English. In Clinawley Barony, Sir John Davies, Attorney General 1,500 in the rich wheat bearing district around Lisgoole Abbey and reaching towards Enniskillen. Samuel Harrison, English 500 acres and Peter Mostyn, from Flintshire 246 acres.

The Barony of Coole and Tirkeneda Barony contained 116,006 acres almost entirely occupied by 9 undertakers, four of whom were servitors. These were Sir Henry Ffolliott, Baron Folliott of Ballyshannon, 1,500 acres, Roger Attkinson, 1,000 acres,  William Cole, reputedly from Devon 1,000 acres, and Paul Goore, son of a merchant-tailor of London, who had 1348 acres called the Manor of Inishmore.

In this short talk I am trying to explore why these English people were coming to Ireland when at the same time their neighbours, particularly in East Anglia were making America their plantation destination choice. Why Fermanagh rather than Jamestown in America, named after King James 1st? Most of the inhabitants of America’s first permanent English settlement came from Norfolk, England, including Samuel Lincoln, a forefather of President Abraham Lincoln. These are very fully documented in contrast to plantation and migration to Ireland e.g. from the Jamestown Original Settlers and Occupations – May 13, 1607 we even have the labourers recorded – John Laydon, William Cassen, George Cassen, Thomas Cassen, William Rods, William White, Ould Edward, Henry Tavin, George Golding, John Dods, William Johnson, William Unger.

Firstly I think that at this stage in history the English had gained a lot of knowledge about this part of Ireland while relatively little was known of the Americas. Quite a few events of the Nine Years War had taken place in and around the Erne. In 1597 the English were defeated at Ballyshannon and then there had been a major siege of Enniskillen Castle in 1594. The island was captured by the English in 1607 and Ballyshannon had received a Royal Charter in 1613. So those who had served in the English army in Ireland and who as English Servitors wanted to be rewarded with Irish lands knew Fermanagh well and liked what they saw.

Sir John Davies, chief architect of the Plantation wrote after visiting Fermanagh, “ Have now finished in Fermanagh, which is so pleasant and fruitful a country that if he should make a full description thereof it would rather be taken for a poetical fiction, than for a true and serious narration. The fresh lake called Lough Erne being more than 40 miles in length, and abounding in fresh water fish of all kinds, and containing 100 dispersed islands, divides that county into two parts; the land on either side of the lough rising in little hills of 80 or 100 acres apiece, is the fattest and richest soil in all Ulster.

He goes on to suggest planting Dutch people in Fermanagh also led by a Dutch merchant called Maximilian van der Lever, who, by their industry the lake will be so full of boats and barks, that they will be a great strength to all the civil inhabitants round about.”

The Dutch interest in Fermanagh came to nought but it too had an origin in East Anglia. For centuries there had been huge commercial links between the Low Countries and this part of England. Dutch Protestant refugees fleeing Spanish Catholic persecution in their own country were getting refuge in East Anglia much to the annoyance of the Spanish. When the English upbraided the Spanish for giving refuge to the Irish Earls who fled there they responded in turn by pointing out England’s acceptance of Dutch refugees.

Such was the English interest in Fermanagh that they actually petitioned to plant the entire county themselves. The names of 40 gentlemen are recorded who offer to bestow £40,000 on the plantation of Fermanagh as they intend to have a market town on the south side thereof at Bellike, and from thence, three miles nearer the sea, to erect a strong corporation at Ballyshannon. They intended to erect 40 manors, if they are granted  60,000 acres, the Loughe, Islands therein, Fishings, and the sole command thereof and they with followers, not less than 1000 men well furnished for all kind of handiwork.”  Of those 40 listed 22 came from Norfolk and Suffolk and the rest from adjoining counties, London or were already in Ireland, presumably with contacts to the same area.

In the Precinct of Lurg and Coolemakarnan in northwest Fermanagh 9000 acres were allocated mainly to men of Norfolk and Suffolk. 1000 acres each to Thomas Flowerdewe, John Archdale, Suffolk, Edward Warde, Thomas Barton, Norfolk and Henry Honynge, Suffolk. John Archdale was related through marriage to the Honynge family having married Francis Hoynynge. The last two were portions of  2000 acres each to Thomas Blenerhassett, Esq., Norfolk and Sir Edward Blenerhassett of the same place. . The Blennerhassetts built what is now known as Crevenish Castle, near Kesh, which they called Castlehasset and established English workmen and tenants about them which they brought from their home near Norwich, in the county of Norfolk in the  East Anglia region of England.

Before becoming established in East Anglia the Blennerhassetts had lived in a village of the same name in Cumberland about twenty miles to the south-west of the city of Carlisle. The village of Blennerhassett today consists of a pub, post office and a village school with a small scattering of houses. So previous generations of the family who had lived on the Cumbrian coast just a short distance from Ulster also had a familiarity with Ireland which included the Blennerhassetts who had set themselves up in County Kerry area shortly before around Blennerville where they are still to be found today. These large of land had come from Queen Elizabeth 1 when the Earl of Desmond’s Estates were forfeited and so the family had a familiarity with the idea of Plantations before they ever came to Fermanagh.

Thomas Blennerhassett’s career before coming to Ireland included being Captain of Guernsey Castle. He was a literary man and wrote several books including, a book entitled, “Directions for the Plantation of Ulster.” He also issued a proclamation as a form of advertising to encourage others in the task of bringing “civilization” to Ireland. In part it reads,

“The County of Fermanagh, sometimes Maguire’s County rejoice. Many undertakers, all incorporated in mind as one, they, there with their followers, seek and are desirous to settle themselves. The islands of Lough Erne shall have habitations, a fortified corporation, market towns and many new erected manors, shall now so beautify her desolation that her inaccessible woods, with spaces made tractable, shall no longer nourish devourers, but by the sweet society of a loving neighbourhood, shall entertain humanity even in the best fashion. Go on worthy Gentlemen, fear not, the God of Heaven will assist and protect you.”

Thomas Blennerhassett has with him six persons, one a joiner, another a carpenter, and three other workmen with one tenant. He has built a boat, and has broken stones for lime and some burnt; and thirty trees felled; some squared and sawed; a fair large Irish house, with windows and rooms after the English manner, wherein is a new kitchen with a stone chimney and an oven. For cattle three horses, a mare and some thirteen head of other cattle.

There were two chief ways of generating wealth in Fermanagh in this early period of the Plantation; smelting low grade iron ore and the making of barrel staves. Both Blennerhassetts built iron works at Clonelly and Hassetts Fort which is now Castle Caldwell near Belleek while there was another nearby at Garrison. Boates indicates-woodcutters were needed, sawyers to saw, carpenters, masons, smiths, bellow makers, water leaders or water-course keepers to steer the water course, bucket makers to make containers for carrying ore and other materials, diggers of ore, carriers of ore, colliers to make charcoal, fillers to put ore and charcoal into the furnace, furnace keepers, firers and hammerers to look after the smelted iron and labourers to look after anything else:

“and for all this, the owners there of did greatly gain thereby, ordinarily not less than forty in the hundred per annum” ,” Iron works were a very profitable if highly destructive industry. Most of the Fermanagh produced iron being exported via Ballyshannon at £11 per ton and fetching £17 per ton in London.” In those days the favourite objects of solicitude were the manufacture of pipe-staves, and the development of the iron-works which were then supposed to be the true El Dorado of Irish enterprise—most people holding with Bacon that ‘Iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth.’ Both industries depended for their success upon the woods, which were accordingly drawn upon regardless of the consequences. From Munster whole shiploads of pipe-staves were exported, to the great profit of the proprietors and the great destruction of the woods; and Boate says, in his  Ireland’s Naturall History, “it is incredible what quantity of charcoal is consumed by one iron-work in a year.’’ These enterprises were carried on at a terrible price to the Irish landscape. This wholescale deforestation began the process which has resulted in Ireland being one of the least forested countries of Europe with only about 9% of the country covered in trees while for example France is about 40% afforested.

In summary therefore the vast majority of Fermanagh was planted by either English undertakers or servitors many of whom had an intimate knowledge of the area from their military experience or previous contact as planters in Ireland. They knew with plentiful forest they could make money from smelting iron or converting the forests into usable timber particularly barrel staves. They brought in numerous English settlers whose names are still found in the county, Barton, Archdale, Allingham, Cole, Chittick, Eves and there is even a solitary Blennerhassett. Fermanagh history needs to be rewritten to take account of this English aspect of its heritage.

I have been in East Anglia numerous times and in its libraries and public record offices and the amazing thing is that there is no record whatsoever of people from East Anglia coming to Fermanagh. There are ships lists of those going to Jamestown, down to the least commoner but a total amnesia about plantation families going to Ireland. Perhaps the overwhelming fame of America has totally eclipsed the memory of those who went to Ireland but this is a remarkable fact.

My particular interest in the plantation period concerns name of Eves, an East Anglian name from Old English meaning a dweller beside a forest. Three of that name came to Fermanagh with the Archdales as ploughmen. An Eleanor Eves is noted in the 1821 Census fragment for County Fermanagh as a lady’s maid to the wife of General Archdale. Unusually perhaps the Eves family remained Roman Catholic despite being closely allied and working for the landed Archdales who were Church of Ireland. It has been noted in the predominantly Protestant Kesh area that through the centuries the Eves could purchase any property in the locality despite their religion in a largely Protestant neighbourhood – presumably under the benevolent wing of the Archdales and they also were the operators of one of the first Post Offices in the village of Kesh. As one might say old family links from the Broads of East Anglia were maintained in the Lakelands of County Fermanagh.

JBC 7-11-2008.

Kesh and The Glendarragh River.

Kesh.

 Kesh began as a ford or crossing place on the Glendarragh River. In the past Lough Erne came very much closer to the village than it does today. Before the first great Erne Drainage in the 1880’s the lake was about nine feet higher and especially in time of flood may almost have reached Kesh. The rath on Rosscah Hill overlooking the village indicates original settlement here probably as far back as the Iron Age c 2000 years ago. After a time the ford was augmented with a wicker bridge for which the Gaelic word is ceis and hence the village got its name. The name had been spelt in varying ways but generally as Kish or Cash until relatively modern times. An ancient saying in the locality which may refer to basket making and osier working in the area states that anyone gifted with a large posterior, “had an ass on them like a Kesh creel.” John O’Donovan the famous Irish scholar wrote two letters from Kesh while helping the Ordnance Survey make the first ever modern maps of Ireland. The first one was written in his inn on the 31st of October  1834 and he is obviously having difficulty in writing in Kesh on Halloween night. He ends, “Excuse hurry and Holly-Eve night’s disturbance in a wild country village.”

 

The Glendarragh River.

 Referred to as the Kesh River as it nears Lower Lough Erne, is about 12 miles long and rises at Glenarn Mountain on the borders of Fermanagh and Tyrone. From its origins it flows in succession through the villages of Lack, Ederney and Kesh. It takes its name from Glen Doire meaning the glen of oaks. The greatest impetus ever provided to Kesh was the arrival of the railway in 1866. It provided employment and a focus for traffic to and from the station. Hardware shops and shops providing for the needs of farmers could now carry a greater variety of goods and stock could be replenished more quickly than by horse and cart. Cattle and other livestock could also be transported to distant markets after being bought in local fairs such as Kesh and Ederney. Kesh has a history of producing some fine specimen catches, with trout of over 19lb and pike of almost 40lb being landed here in the past.

Otters and mink occupy stretched of the Glendarragh River and dippers, grey wagtails, sand martins, mallard and heron can be found.  It is also home to a very rare crayfish – the White-clawed Crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes (Lereboullet). It is one of only four crayfish species indigenous to Europe. Austropotamobius which often occur in upland brooks and are esteemed as food and have been widely moved around by man. Today only three European countries retain a single indigenous crayfish species; these are Norway and Estonia with Noble Crayfish and Ireland with Whiteclawed Crayfish. The White-clawed Crayfish is the only crayfish species found in Ireland, where it is protected under the Wildlife Act. It is classified as vulnerable and rare in the IUCN Red List of threatened animals and listed under Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive. Ireland is now thought to hold some of the best European stocks of this species, under least threat from external factors. Irish stocks are thus believed to be of substantial conservation importance.

Pettigo and its People including a history of the Clan Mc Grath. CD.

Pettigo and its People including a history of the Clan Mc Grath.
Preface.

This book is intended to deal with the history of Pettigo and its people from the earliest times down to the recent past. It builds on the works of the renowned historian Fr. Paddy Gallagher in his book “The Parish of Carn,” and Robert Reid’s, “Pettigo,” plus a series of articles on Pettigo history in the Impartial Reporter newspaper in 1921 by Robert Read and Thomas A. Aiken. Additional research has been carried out in the National Archives in Dublin among the Leslie Papers, landlords of the Pettigo Estate from the mid 1600s to early 1900s. Since I have already written on the history of Lough Derg – which has a small library of works devoted to it; I will only mention it in passing.

The Clan Mc Grath has had a major influence on the area for a period of c300 years until the early 17th century so a major part of the book is devoted to it with an important section being the two royal pardons granted to Bishop Miler Mc McGrath’s followers by Queen Elizabeth 1. The arrival of the Ulster Plantation in the early 17th century brought an end to the old Gaelic society in the area and heralded the arrival of Scots, English and Scottish Borderers to settle in and around Pettigo. The Leslie Family who acquired control of the estate were to dominate for the next 300 years. All these too have made a lasting impact on the locality.

For the past two hundred years, and more, emigration had been one of the dominant factors in the Pettigo area and so it merits a major section. Many of these and their descendants have achieved high positions, from poets to politicians in the United States, Canada, Australia etc.  A chronology of the Pettigo is provided which has been culled from the newspapers of the last two hundred years. Pettigo has a lot to be proud of in terms of its people, scenery and antiquities.

This book has been sponsored by Brendan Mc Grath, a Dublin business man today, but whose ancestors came from the
Lettercran area. He was elected Chieftain of the Clan Mc Grath at the first ever Clan gathering in July 1996. Without him this book would not have been possible. Since then clan gatherings have been held in Ring, County Waterford and in Ennis, County Clare. This book will be launched at the fourth Mc Grath Clan gathering to be held in Pettigo June 21-23rd, 2002.

Another McGrath Clan gathering is being planned for 2013 to coincide with the major Irish “Gathering” which is planned for that year. See the Termonmagrath website by Sean Alexander McGrath for further details.  The provisional date would be the 19th-21st July.This would coincide with the Irish Government’s ‘The Gathering’ initiative. Please browse the site at http://www.facebook.com/l/yAQF6CEoWAQHSCPR9SDxGsYM0WumLpqN5Y2QB77aAUD3jUg/www.clanmcgrath.org and our Facebook at www.facebook.com/clanmcgrath

Quote from the Irish Times in its review of the journal of the Galway Historical Society – “Even if history were judged incapable of other uses, it entertainment value would remain in its favour.”
John B. Cunningham.

Contents.

1. Early Settlers in the Pettigo Area – Muintir Phoedeachain and the Mc Graths to 1600
2. The Clan Mc Grath
3. The followers of Bishop Miler Mc Grath from a general pardon of 1608
4. Other Mc Graths, at Home and Abroad
5. The Leslie’s of Pettigo and Glasslough, County Monaghan.
6. Notable Pettigo People, Past and Present
7. Emigration and some Pettigo Emigrants – Armstrongs, Bartons, Irvines, Mc Graths, Glendinnings and Coulter
8. Killynoogan Townland and its Irish Canadian Poet – John Reade
9. A Chronology of Pettigo 1750-1950
10. Pettigo Schools early 19th century
11. Pettigo during the Famine 1845-1850
12. Pettigo Townland Names
13. Pettigo Graveyards
14. John Kells Ingram
15. The Swanston Poets

16. Pettigo Cemeteries

1 Pettigo Roman Catholic
2 Pettigo Church of Ireland
3 Pettigo Presbyterian and Methodists Church Inscriptions
4 Muckross Church of Ireland
5 Lettercran Roman Catholic
6 Carn Graveyard (all religious denominations)

BARBAROUS MURDER OF AN OLD WOMAN. 1864

BARBAROUS MURDER OF AN OLD WOMAN.

On Wednesday 1st, inst Margaret McCarron, an old beggar woman aged about 60, living in a cabin in Derryard, near Rosslea, in this county  was found bar­barously murdered with her throat cut from her ear to ear. The door of her house was observed locked on Sun­day, no notice was taken of it, it being of frequent occurrence during her absence collecting alms and probably the horrid deed would remain longer before being discovered but that some children who were playing near the house peeped through the key-hole and observed blood on the ground and having mentioned the circumstance to the neighbours, the door was immediately broken in, when the horrid deed was revealed to them. A box was lying near the body broken open supposed in search of money, which, it was believed; the deceased had, and was the motive for the deed.

A correspondent writes— An inquest was held at Derryard, on Thursday the second inst., by J. Armstrong, Esq., coroner, on the body of Margaret McCarron who was found dead in a cabin which she occupied alone. Her throat presented a frightful appearance, being cut so deeply as to remove part of the oesophagus. The verdict was “murdered by some person or persons at present unknown.” The only conceivable motive for the perpetration of this crime is the obtaining a little money, as it was known in the neighbourhood that deceased occasionally received a small remittance from a daughter in America.

Another Account.

There can be no doubt now but the above cruel and brutal murder was perpetrated in order that the assassin might possess himself of some five or six pounds which his unfortunate victim was known to possess, and which she usually carried in a small bag attached to a string around her neck and which she had only a short time previously received from the parish priest, who had it in charge. When the neighbours went to force open the door suspecting that all was not right the landlord, a farmer residing within 150 yards of the poor woman’s house, and from whom she rented the cabin at £1 per annum, prevented their doing so, stating that she was absent, and which was a very natural con­clusion to come to as the door was fastened on the outside with a padlock; but the neighbours, knowing well her punctual habits in returning each night would not be persuaded to desist, and consequently broke open the door, when the horrid sight of the mutilated body met their view. The case is still wrapt in mystery, but the local justice and constabulary are doing everything in their power to on ravel it.  At public meeting held at Rosslea the following resolutions were passed:-

Resolved—“That the members of this meeting look with the deepest indignation upon the brutal deed which has been perpetrated amongst us, and regard with the utmost horror the sad fate of a defenceless woman, and we pledge ourselves to see out with all the means at our disposal, the party or parties who have disgraced this neighbourhood for the first time with the barbarous crime of murder.”

Resolved – “That the thanks of this meeting be conveyed through Rev. Mr Murphy, to John Madden Esq., Rosslea Manor, for his indefatigable exertions as a magistrate in endeavouring to capture the murderer, and that he be made aware of our desire to cooperate for that object with him; and also for his kind consideration as a landlord in trying to vindicate the character of his tenantry for which he shows himself so interested by his words and acts.

AWFUL FIRE IN ENNISKILLEN 1864.

AWFUL FIRE IN ENNISKILLEN.

On Sunday morning, about half-past twelve o’clock, the church bells rung the fire alarm, and soon the inhabi­tants of Enniskillen were roused to witness one of the most awful fires ever witnessed in a country town.

A square block measuring about 70 feet frontage in High-street, extending to  Cole’s-lane about 150 feet, was all in one blaze and down-tumble in two or three hours. The fire spread so quickly that little could be done, to save property; and some of the inmates had to fly for their lives without their dress.

The block was occupied by Whitley Brothers, bakers, grocers, leather cutters, and general wholesale provision dealers, and was divided into three shops. The fire com­menced In a tea store over the kitchen, near to which was a pile of bacon, and immediately adjoining were several large stores for bread stuffs. Had the fire been discovered a little earlier, a few buckets of water would have extin­guished it; but that failing the flames rushed through the premises as if lightning were the agent of destruction.

Efforts were made to remove as much as possible of the goods in the, shops— seeing- that the flames had cut off access to the stores-and succeeded n getting away all the leather, the articles in the main shop, and some furniture. The horses and cattle were n other premises, except a calf, the cries of which were piteous, but which was saved by two dare-devils who risked their own lives in its rescue, and got their coats burned off their backs in the act.

The fire did not confine itself to the Whitley premises. Mr Cooney, draper on one side; Mr Molyneux, watch-maker and jeweller, on the other side; were well singed, and would have both shared the fate of their neighbour but for the great efforts made to save them. The fire had burned out Mr Molyneux’s rere windows and ignited the staircase. The flames were kept in check by Mr Wm. Quinion, Wine merchant, who took his post in the blaze and being well helped by water carriers, succeeded in extinguished them. Mr Patterson, S.I., and others took timely precaution at Mr Cooney’s, which were suc­cessful. Yet Messrs. Cooney and Molyneux suffered much loss by the removal of their goods to other houses; as did also Messrs Johnston and Carson, drapers, Mr S. Little, grocer and some others.

The thought is terrible when we ask ourselves what would have been the result if high wind had prevailed!— Everything was dry as tinder, and the whole town might have been consumed had not, luckily a calm continued.

The officers and men of the 29th Regiment were promptly on the ground and did good service with the barrack engine. The soldiers worked away till they were exhausted and rested not till the fire was got under. The officers excelled; in a mild, firm, and gentlemanly bearing in keeping order and the magistrates and police were not wanting. Mr Smith J.P. carried his bucket of water with a will Captain Butler, R. M. and Dr. Walsh were everywhere, and anything but idle! The County Inspector Bailey and Sub-Inspector Patterson headed the police energetically and their men did well.  Harrington, Sly (or Sleigh), Duffy, and some others did deeds of daring, that ought to be rewarded! Four of our own young men worked hard. But all pale before the achievements of two young townsmen, John Howe and Charles Aunon. Those two were worth a hundred. Only that testimonials have become so common, so cheap, so worthless, and so ill applied of late, we would vote them the thanks of the town in public assembly. However our own truthful testimony will suffice.

Mr Robert Gordon chairman of the Town Commissioners, did his best but was badly aided by the cor­poration engine, which was consistent in its refusal to work being out of order. A fire brigade should be organised immediately of the young men of the town which would be much more manly and utile than fooling as amateur bandsmen.  The suffering and inconvenience is deplorable but none of the parties will suffer loss, all being insured in the North British and Mercantile, the Globe, the Royal and other good offices.

Enniskillen Bands.

Enniskillen 1st October 1864.

Some 25 years ago there was an amateur band in Enniskillen, which was the ruin of every young man who joined it. A counter irritation or opposition band was got up in the Roman Catholic Chapel, which the late Rev. James Shiel, P.P., made smithereens of. He jumped into the big drum and beat the musicians out of the chapel with their own instruments – and we ceased not till we scattered the amateurs. During the existence of those bands the town had no peace: about forty young men were completely demoralised, some of them enlisted, others emigrated, and not a few lost their lives. The present boat racing mania is a source of much mischief, which must be abated. No respectable person should have anything to do with the Boat Club, or subscribe to its funds – it is a nuisance.

THE FENIANS IN FERMANAGH Impartial Reporter 28th April 1864.

THE FENIANS IN FERMANAGH Impartial Reporter 28th April 1864.

A good deal of stir has been created in Enniskillen by the apprehension of a number of Fenians. Eight or ten of them are in jail; others let out on bail; and, if report be true, very many hundreds of them have taken fright and given the country “leg bail,” as assurance that, they will no more trouble old Ireland by their presence or folly. The Very Dr. McMeel, P.P., has been untiring in his efforts to save his people from the political madness and unchristian association of the Fenians.

Excursion on Lough Erne. August 25th 1864.

Excursion on Lough Erne. August 25th 1864. Impartial Reporter.

On Friday there was an excursion to Belleek on the steamer Devenish. It was the best of the season. The number of persons on board about 320 was not so great as on the 12th of August; but was less crowding, and the day was delightful. Among the strangers present were, Sir James Emerson Tennent and a party of friends consisting of Rt. Hon. James Whiteside, Q. C., M. P., Richard Davidson Esq., formerly the representative of Belfast, John Foster, Esq., a distinguished writer, and now a Lunacy Commissioner, and Mr Dunville of Belfast.

This party with the exception of Mr Davidson on the return trip of the boat, went ashore at Rossfad with Mr Richardson and family to proceed with the Rev. J. G. Porter to Kilskeery. Mr Porter himself was on board as he is during most excursions of his iron child the Devenish, and was as usual, the life of the party It has sometimes been thought that some people ought never to die; and if it were right to give way to such philosophy or sentiment, we would say that Mr Porter ought to be one of the immortal exceptions to Nature’s rule. If “it takes all sorts to make up a world” we have some doubt any world existing without him; for we don’t think there is another of exactly the same sort.

There were on board a large number of the gentry, from the town and country, a number of soldiers of the 29th Regiment, and all together a right good boat-full.

At Belleek most of the excursionists visited the large and handsome porcelain factory and had the different parts of the process, and various products of skill, pointed out by Mr. Armstrong, the manager and by Mr. Bloomfield of Castle Caldwell, who takes so much interest in the go-ahead of Archimedes. The Syracusan sage, if he had the requisites would have moved the world; Mr. Bloomfield would move it. There are many things about the factory worthy of admiration and note, though the presence of the crowd was unfavourable for examining them. But that which struck us most was the beauty of some vases that were in the process of manufacture in the hands of an amateur artist of no mean skill.

A good many of the excursionists visited the bridge which is being built over the Erne at Belleek for the Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway. It promises to be a bold and handsome structure. The return to Enniskillen was very pleasant, and everyone on board, save two or three  roughs who deem themselves commissioned to be locomotive or cacomotive protests against the Band of Hope, seemed to enjoy the trip very much. A good many people lunched and dined on board, and seemed to hesitate in their admiration between the excellent fare and the low fees.

Crime in Fermanagh 1864.

Crime in Fermanagh.

September 22nd 1864. Impartial Reporter.

Last week we reviewed the general aspects of crime in Ireland and it afforded us pleasure that the contrast with England and Wales was so very favourable to this country. At present our objective is to take a local view of the subject.

Beginning, therefore with the number of known depredators, offender and suspected persons at large in the month of December, l863 we find 15 known thieves under the age of 16 years of age in the county and 56 above that age. The juveniles only mustered one in Arney police district; none in Derrygonnelly, two in Enniskillen, seven in Kesh and five in Lisnaskea. Of the older offenders, there were seven in Arney; none in Derrygonnelly; eighteen in Enniskillen; twenty-two in Kesh; and nine in Lisnaskea. There were no receivers of stolen goods under16 years of age but above that age there were thirty-two persons in that calling—two in Arney; none in Derrygonnelly; two in Enniskillen; twenty in Kesh and eight in Lisnaskea.

The county appears to be totally exempt from prostitution under 16 years of age, which is the more gratifying as elsewhere reported in the province; while above that age there appears to be 62 – two in Arney; four in Derrygonnelly; thirty-fire in Enniskillen; eight in Kesh; and thirteen Lisnaskea. There are 16 suspected persons under 16 years of age—four in Enniskillen, eleven in Kesh; and one in Lisnaskea; above that age there are eighty persons “worth watching” of whom seven are in  Arney; none in Derrygonnelly; thirty-four in Enniskillen; twenty-five in Kesh; and fourteen in Lisnaskea.

The daily average number of vagrants and tramps amounts to 33 under 16 years of age; Arney reporting one, Derrygonnelly none; Enniskillen four; Kesh six; Lisnaskea twenty-two. Above 16 years of age, there were eleven in Arney; none in Derrygonnelly; twenty-six in Enniskillen; twelve in Kesh; twenty-eight in Lisnaskea. Of houses of receivers of stolen goods there were twenty-four – one in Arney; none in Derrygonnelly; seven in Enniskillen; ten in Kesh; and six in Lisnaskea.

In the whole county there were only three public-houses the resort of thieves and prostitutes and this trio was limited to Enniskillen. Of “other suspected houses” there were two in Arney; none in Derrygonnelly; two in Enniskillen; seven in Kesh; and eleven in Lisnaskea.

The brothels and houses of ill-fame number 17 – of which none were in Arney or Derrygonnelly; eight in Enniskillen; two in Kesh;  and seven in Lisnaskea.

There were four tramp lodging-houses in Arney; one in Derrygonnelly; eight in Enniskillen; nine in Kesh and eighteen in Lisnaskea. The catalogue on the whole, is not formidable.

We may now take another view of the subject as to the number of crimes committed in each police district during the year and in this respect Fermanagh is lowest in Ulster, the total known to the constabulary being 124 – of which Arney contributed fifteen; Derrygonnelly twenty-one; Enniskillen thirty-four; Kesh seventeen; and Lisnaskea thirty-seven. It is worthy of remark, in favour of the police, that the number of persons arrested corresponds exactly with the number of crimes. Among the more heinous offences may be reckoned one for manslaughter; one breaking into a shop; five cattle stealing; two sheep stealing; five arson; one each killing and maiming cattle, and sending threatening letters; three forgery, four perjury, one keeping a disorderly house and one attempting to commit suicide. The remainder indeed all the offences, are such as we may expect to the end of human society.

They have no remarkable aspects, nor is there anything to take from the fame of our county for its loyalty and peaceableness. Now, if we turn to another class of crime, in which the cases were summarily determined, the healthy condition of Fermanagh is still evident— Thus it seems that the total number proceeded against was 2,047, of which Arney district  contributed 281; Derrygonnelly, 180; Enniskillen 766; Kesh, 337; Lisnaskea, 513. Of the whole number, 1420 were convicted, of whom 1,108 were fined. In the whole province there were only two persons whipped. Whipping in public is as much among the things that were as the stocks and the pillory. It was a relic of the barbarous treatment of criminals and how few of our readers remember the last of that kind of punishment in the person of Condy Mc Manus? It will be of interest to our Band of Hope friends to know that in the year under review there was not an habitual drunkard, as such, proceeded against on endightment and only 72 dealt with in the County summarily, one of that number being a female. For the detection and correction of crime in Fermanagh we have one County Inspector, five Sub-Inspectors, six head-constables two mounted and twenty-nine dismounted, six acting constables and four mounted and 130 dismounted sub-constables.