The " Bulls " of Sir Boyle Roche.

Otago Witness, Issue 956, 16 May 1889, Page 38

The " Bulls " of Sir Boyle Roche.

Sir Boyle Roche, the high-priesfc of Irish 44 bulls," was of the ancient family of the De, la Russes, of Fermoy, was member for Tralee from 1775, and was created a baronet in ■1782. He 1 commenced one of his. speeches in the Irish House of Commons as follows : ■— " Mr Speaker, it is the duty of every true lover of his country to give his last guinea to save the remainder of his fortunes." And another began, :^" Sir, single' misfortunes never come aldne, and the (greatest of all 'national calamities is generally followed by one much greater/ A letter of his is still preserved, supposed to ;have been written during the rebellion of '98, though it is doubtful if he ever put so .many "bulls" together on paper. It is as follows:— "Dear Sir, — Having now a little peace and quiet, I sit down to inform you of the bustle and confusion we are in from the bloodthirsty rebels, many of whom are now, thank God, killed and dispersed. We are in a pretty mess, can get nothing to eat, and no wine to drink except whisky. When we sit down to dinner we are obliged to keep both hands armed. Whilst I write this, I have my sword in one hand, and my pistol in the other. I concluded from the beginning that this would be the end, and I am right, for it is not half over yet. At present there are such goings on that everything is ,at a standstill. I should have answered your letter a fortnight ago, but I only received it this morning. Indeed, hardly a mail arrives safe without being robbed. No longer ago than yesterday the mail-coach from Dublin was robbed near this town ; the bags had been very judiciously left behind, and by great good luck there was nobody in the coach but two outside passengers, who had nothing for the thieves to take. Last Thursday an alarm was given that a gang of rebels in full retreat from Drogheda were advancing under the French standard ; but they had no colours, nor any drums, except bagpipes. Immediately every man in the place, including women and children, ran out to meet them. We soon found our force a great deal too little, and were far too near to think of retreating. Death was in every face, and to it we went. By the time half our party were killed we began to be all alive. Fortunately, the rebels had no guns, except pistols, cutlasses, and pikes, and we had plenty of muskets and ammunition. We pat them all to the sword, not a soul of them escaped, except some that wers drowned in an adjoining bog. Their uniforms were all different, chiefly green. Alter the action was over, we went to rummage, their camp. All we found was a few pikes» •without heads, a parcel of empty bottles filled with water, and a bundle of blank French commissions, filled up with Irish names. Troops are now stationed round; which exactly squares with my ideas of •security. Adieu 1 I have only time to add that I am yours in great haste, B. R. ••p.fS, — if you do not receive this, of "course it must have miscarried ; therefore I beg you to write and let me know." One of the "bulls" wrongly attributed to • Sir Boyle Roche wa? that » every quart bottle should hold a quart/ This proposal was really made by Rowland Bateman, member for Kerry at the time, and was a com1 plaint against the stinted allowances served out to °wine-drinkere at taverns.— o. J. Hamilton, in the Spectator.

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