Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 33, 10 December 1886, Page 19

Irish News.

ANTBIM.— On September 16, while the yacht Hyleen, belonging to Mr. Brown, Grey point, was coming into Belfast under sail, she came into collision with the steamer Dudgeon, outward bound for Mary port. The steamer Btruck the yacht on the starboard side, and caused such dam . ' to her that she sank s few minutes afterwards. The only person n board the yacht at the time was William McCully, who had a very n.u >ow escape from drowning. On Sep. 15 the two central arches of the Albert bridge (crossing the Lagan), which had recently been discovered to be in an insecure Condi tioD. suddeuly collapsed. Fortunately, comparatively few persons were on the bridge at the time. One life only was lost— a watchman, John Mathews, who had been on duty there since the condition of the bridge was reported to the Council, A little child, named Emma Withers, who was crossing at the time of the catastrophe, had a very narrow escape, being carried by the falling bridge into the liver, and rescued with much ditfbultv- It was believed that others were buried in the debris, but no enquiries after missing persons have been made of the police, and Mathews' is probably the only life lost. The Council is severely censured for not having closed the bridge to traffic when its insecure condition was first reported to them. Cablow. — Harvest prospects are very unsatisfactory all over the country, the continuous bad weather of the past month having more gr less injured all the crops. Cavax. — Eleven ejectment processes have been served on the tenants of Sir Ralph Cusack, in the townland of Baleagh, parish of Kildallen. The laidig of the poorest description, and the tenants are utterly unable to pay the sums tbat are against them. The case is more remarkable from tbe fact that a short time before the service of the ejectments the bailiff on the property called on the tenants to inform them luat the landlord was preparing to sell them their holdings.' The terjants eplied that they were willing to buy, and this reply they sent through tbe hands of the agent, John Faris, of Corr. The batch of ejectment g was the only answer they got. Cotik.— Rev. P. A. Walshe, of St. Vincent's, Cork, writes to Tlie Irish World that " The Imitation of Christ," which was translated into Irish in 1822 by FaLher O'Sullivan, of Inniskean, an eminent Gaelic scholar, and had become a rare work, has been republished with many corrections and additions. Its republication is a gratifying indication of the interest taken in the movement for the revival of the Irish laDgmge. At the meeting of the Middleton Guardians on September 11 the following resolutions were passed unanimously :— That we deeply regret to observe, from every appearance, that the harvest of 1886 will be the worst and most disastrous to the country for many years, the corn and potato crops being in a wretched condition, and rotting on the land ; that prompt and energetic action by Her Majesty's Government is now more than ever necessary at this severe crisis to alleviate the suffei ings of the Irish farmers, whose homes will be rapidly broken up if evictions are not stayed and the solution of the land question not accomplished on the lines laid down by the great and illustrious Archbishop of Dublin and Mr. Davitt. At the same time we wish to reiterate our opinion that self-government is the only remedy for the terrible evils that afflict the country, which now stands before the world as a land of destitution and misery under British rule, clearly demonstrating that the miscalled Union between Ireland and her rich and powerful neighbour was a mockery, a delusion, and a fraud on the Irish people. A great Nationalist demonstration took place at Middleton, on September 12, under the auspices of the National League. From every corner of the barony people came to join the protest made by the inhabHantw of Middleton against the attempt of Lord Ajiddletou to monopolise the revenues derived from the fairs held in the towu — fairs established by the people themselves. Every centre from Ballycotton to the confines of the County Waterford sent representatives to swell the immense assemblage. There were numerous musical bands with banners, followel by strong contingents. The different speakers advised the people to hold their fairs at their own convenience, and not to mind tbe Vice-Chancellor's injunction, which Wm, O'Brien, M.P., said would be just as potent as his injunction to restrain the Dublin Corporation from changing Sackville street to O'Connell street. Tbe National Fair was held next day, and, notwithstanding the judicial injunction, from an early hour the far ,-. Tsthroneed iuto the town, some coming from considerable distanced, and all bringing -what stock they could. A great many who did not require to buy or sell, and who, if the fair were an ordinary one, would not attend, were present with a pig or a sheep to show what they thought of the Vice-Chancellors'a decree. The cattledealers and pig-buyers of Cork were present, some at considerable inconvenience, and the purchases made by them left a very small amount of stock indeed that was not disposed of. From an early hour Mr. Penrose Fitzgerald, escorted by two armed constables, patrolled the streets, taking the names of those who were taking part in the fair. Some on being askfd their names gave them readily enough, but others dismissed Mr. Fitzerald's kind inquiries with remarks not quite Parliamentary. From every part of the County reports give a depressing account of the weai her and its effect upon the corn, uncut and in stock. Whut might have proved an excellent harvest under favourable circum■tances has now been ruined beyoad any hope of recovery. The corn not ready for the eickle is lodged and rotten, and any that was left in stock awaiting an opportunity to save is completely destroyed. Tue outlook is truly disheartening. In Bantry district every crop is a failure. Round Ballycotten potatoes are small and will barely average a half-crop, while e v ery kind of grain is almost destroyed. The harvest in Clonaknty district is almost a complete failure ; very little has been saved or will be of any value. Owing to the continuous wet weather for the past month the corn is lying in all conditions

in the fiek'i. It is no exaggeration to saj that three-fourtha of the corn is utterly useless and valueless. The condition of the crops round fiaadon has not been worse since 1879, and probably not aa bad then. The corn crop is a general failure in Cloyne, and potatoes little better. Crossbaven will have no corn crop to speak of, and blight has set in among the potatoes. Barley and oats look wretched and potatoes are blighted round Aghada, Charleville reports the wheat destroyed. '• One-third to one-half the crops lost," is the report from Doneraile. " Crops could not be worse, the oats are rotting, potatoes black and rotten, and the bay fit for nothing but manure," writes a Glountane correspondent. Prospects vory gloomy in Glanwortb. " The weather has been disastrous, nay ruinoua," is the report from Inniahannon. Everything looks bad in Fermoy district. Glanmire claims to be the worst off of all the districts in the County, for besides suffering from bad crops the landlords are clamouring for their pound of flesh. Killeagh will be lucky if the farmers gather half the average harvest. Killavullen expects a two-third yield. Other reports are : — Castlemarty — Harvest prospects deplorable. Killinardish — Impossible to save corn ; hay will be almost all lost. Kilbrittain— Barley turned black ; farmeid will not be able to pay for labour out of this years' harvest. Kinsale — Crops were never so bad ; will not pay for labour. Kinsale 01d Head — The principal crop, barley, irretrievably rained. The loss this year will amount to at least £80,000. Liscarrol — Not a half crop of anything; Mitchelatown — Potatoes bad, hay and oats completely lost: Macroom— Very scanty haivest. Middleton — Most disastrous harvest that can be remembered. Nothing can be saved but turnips ahd mangolds. Passage West — Crops never were worse. Qaeenstown — The crops in this district, wuich comprises 29 townUads, are ia <* most unsatisfactory state. The prospects of the harvest have not looked so gloomy for the farmers for many years. Skibbereen — Not such a disastrous harvest since the Famine of '47. Timole >gue — Positively bad. Youghal alone reports a " middling " harvest, but much injury done by rain. Debrt. — The legal formalities connected with the purchase by the tenants of the Baiter's Company, in this County, of a tract of 20,000 acre?, are now all but completed. This will create no less than 1,000 peasant proprietors. In the beginning of September harvesting operations were ia full swing in this County, and the prospects of the farmers were very encouraging. The crops oa the whole looked splendid, the Leads of oats being large, well-filled, and remarkably free from " blacks," and the straw clean and lengthy. On Sep. i the weather, which had inspired reapers with hope of a happy Autumn season, buddenly changed, and rain poured incessantly for several hours. From that date up till September 17 the weather was most unsettled, and greatly retarded harvest operations. On Sept. 18 a severe storm of wind and rain drove over the district and raged with considerable violence for hours, doing great damage to standing grain, as well as to that which was cut, also to the flax and fruit crops. Oats on high-lying ground suffered great injury. The verj best of the grain has been shaken off and covers the ground in some places almost as thickly as seed would be sown. The straw is also badly broken and tossed about. Oais in stooka were blown down, and the sheaves scattered about the fields in all directions. Flax spread on the grass has also been badly tossed. Fruit trees in exposed gardens have been almost completely stripped. DONEGAL. — Fishery Inquiries were held by Major Hayes and Mr. Hornsby at Glenties and Dunfanagby on September 15 aud 16. The evidence shows that nu ttis coast for some years past no fishing of importance was carried on save that of lobsters, which were exported to England. There »vere plenty of herring, cod, whiting, glassan, and other fish ia tbe bay, and good trawling ground, but absence of harbour accommodation, want of proper boats and gear, and the difficulty of transit prevented the fisheries being developed. Down, Heavy rains from September 4 to September 16 have badly damage 1 the crops all through this County. The prospects were very favourable until this bad weather set in. The potatoes have suffered most and are decaying very fabt. The yield of tubers was one of the best ever seen and the quality all that could be desired. In some instances the tubers were of immense size. Specimens were dug on the farm of Rev. K. R. Lindsay, Drumbanagher, which weighed no less than 30 ounces, and flounders were alto dug on the farm of Mr. Shannon, Kilkeel, weighing 27j ounces. On Sept 14, in the townland of Ballykine, near Ballynahinch, a labourer named John Hall was engaged at his work for a farmer named Anderson. His absence caused inquiries to be made as to his whereabouts, and on proceeding to the place where Hall had last been working blood waß discovered but no trace of Hall could be found. Since then a large force of police has been engaged in searching the neighbourhood, but beyond finding a lock of hair close to where blood was found no trace of Hall ha 3 been discovered. It is rumoured that the authorities contemplate getting the assistance of bloodhounds in tracing Hall. The greatest excitement prevails in the neighbourhood. No suspicion, however, is attached to anyone and no arrests have been made. The Banbridge Guardians, though Tory by a large majority, on September 13, passed the following resolution : •' That we respectfully call on Mr. Paruell and the Irish Parliamentary party, pending the land settlement, to endeavour to impress on the present Government the necessity, wisdom, and justice of preventing hjartlef3 landlords about to take advantage of the law as it at presents stands from confiscating and robbing unfortunate tenants of the property tbat they and their forefathers have created by their industry in each of their respective holdings. , . . W« believe if something be not done in this respect the tenants in most cases must become pauper?, and consequently a burden on the country. They will naturally feel they are robbed of their lawful property iv consequence of a depression over which they have no contioi, aai we feel tuch extremes will be calculated to drive to disaffection the most loyal subjects of Her Majesty ; and if a long and bitter suuggle mußt ensue, it may be difficult to forecast who will get beai oa ot it —the Government, the landlords, or the tenants." It was funher

resolved that copies of this resolution be sent to Lord Arthur Hill M.P.; Mr. M'Cartan, M.P ; and the Chief Secretary for Ireland. Dublin. — The Protestant Home Rule Association held its first general meeting in the Lecture Hall, Westmoreland street, on September 13. There was a large attendance, among those present being Rev. Prof. J. A. Galbraith. S.F.T.C.D. ; Abraham Shackleton, J.P. ; Robert Gregg, T. H. Guinness, J.P. ; H. E. Brown, Prof. W. F. Barrett, John Shanks, Henry Wigham, Thomas Myles, M.D. ; James ' Walker, W. C. Wilson, J. B. Yeats, Prof. Swifte McNeil. 8.L. ; J. Myles, 8.L. ; H. Stewart, Wm. Little, A. rf. Cranwill, F. J. Gregg,— Rogers, B.A. ; Amos Varian, E. Haviland Burke, C. H. Oldham, B.A. ; Keating, W. M. Crook, 8.A. ; HughH. Johnston, 8.A., etc. Fermanagh.— Mr. Bell, Revising Barrister for North Fermanagh, sat at Derrygonn 'Uy on September 16. John Condon an i J. F. Wray appeared for the Nationalists, aud Messrs. Wray and Gilland for the Conservatives. A large number of objections were urged against claims by the representatives of both political parties. Tbe Revision Sessions for Derrylin polling district, South Fermanagh, finished on September 16. The Nationalists still hold the majority they bad last year. Several cases of groundless objections made by Poor-Law officials were discovered, the persons objected to being admitted to tbe franchise. GA.LWAY. — An indignation meeting of large dimensions was held in Ballinasloe on Sept. 16 to protest against Father Fahy's imprisonment. On September 16 Patrick Naughton, aged 27, died in the Mountjoy prison hospital from dysentry brought on by his incarceration. The deceased was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment at Sligo Assizes, 1883, under the Crimes Act, for participating in an attack on Evictor Ross McMahon's house, Weston House, Ahascragh, when an attempt was made to blow it up. A demonstration was held in Ardrahan on September 5. Fully 6,000 spectators were on the ground and manifested great enthusiasm. Hurling teams, accompanied by a considerable portion of the parishes frem which they hailed, attended from Lei trim, Killeenadeema, Clostoken, Craughwell, Clarenbridge, Gort, Killina, Kilmacduagh, Kilchreest, Peterswell North, Peterswell South, Kilbecanty, Kiltartan, and Lebane. The Kilmacduagh band led a large contingent. The men of Kilbecanty, headed by their excellent fife and drum band, elicited immense admiration. There were hurlers with handsome caps and substantial hurlies marching with military precision, men on horseback, men on side cars, and men in the less fashionable common carts. The Gort band added immensely to tbe pleasure of the day. The caps of the hurlers, in all varieties and in all possible combinations of colours, lent beauty to the picturesque scene. There were scattered through the field in groups caps in pure green, caps in green and red — the green being, of course, "above the red " — caps in green, blue, and white, and, in fact, in every colour of the rainbow, green always predominating. Kebrt. — Upon the farm of an evicted tenant named Flahier, nefr Listowel, now in charge of the police and a caretaker, four acres of corn were cut on the night of September 15 and successfully carried off. Moonlighting operations continue with unabated vigour, the presence of General Buller acting rather as a stimulant than a deterrent to the übiquitous raiders. It is stated on the authority of Lord Salisbury that it costs £3,890 per annum to protect Lord Kenmare, which has to be paid by the unhappy ratepayers. This is over £73 a week. No fe^ver than 38 policeman are considered necessary to his safety. It is suggested that he could be kept quite as safe in the workhouse for somewhere about 3s lid per week. Tbe recent heavy rains have all but destroyed the harvests all over th's county. The following are the loc*l reports : — Castleisland — Hay rotting ; grain crops in danger ; potatoes bad ; some hope if fine weather sets in. Castlemaine — Blight among potatoes ; oitg very bad ; hay, a splendid crop last year, actually rotten ; turnips and mangolds fair ; small farmers will suffer severely. Dingle — The most sanguine cannot expect more than indifferent crops of any kind. Kenmare— Fair average of hay and oats saved in tbe vicinity of the town ; in the rural districts more than half will be lost ; potatoes suffering from blight. Ratbmore— Hay half-rotten, being turned into manure in many places ; condition of oats awful ; potatoes bad, more than half of them unsound. Tralee — Rain has worked fearful damage to the grain and hay crops ; oats, the principal crop in this district, must remain in the ground owing to the wet ; potatoes a fair yield. Kildahe. — Harvest prospects are miserable in South Kildare. Hay only partially saved ; potatoes suffering from blight; corn backward, and even turnips, a good crop elbewhere, far from satisfactory. Kilkenny.— The Corporation, at their meeting on September 6, resolved to raise subscriptions for the Irish Parliamentary Fund. A collection was taken up on the spot, the Mayor beading it with lOdols. Over SOdols. was collected in a few minutes. The Central Branch, 1.N.L., and the St. Patrick's Branch have already promised 50dols, each to the same fund. King's Coonty. — The interest in a tarm of 10 acres of grass land at Cogran, near Banagher, for which a rack rent of £11 ltis a year is charged, was sold by auction on September 3 to Roger Killeen, Lusmagb, who bade the extravagant price of £120 for it, enough to have bought the fee simple of the land at its present market value. Banagher Great Fair was held on Sept. 15, 16, and 17. Tbe first day was devoted to sheep. The actual numbers exhibited fell short ol last year's total by 118, the number shown on the green this year being 11,4-11, as against 11,559 last year ; but the number sold this year considerably exceeded that of last year, the figures being for this year 11,031 ; last year, 8,271. A larger number of sheep were sold than on any other occasion since 1878, when 17,394 were disposed ef. the largest quantity since 1849. Prices, too, were more favourable than for some time. The horse fair on the seconi day was a great success.

Leitrxm. — At a largely-attended meeting of the Carrick-on-Shannon Branch of the League on Sept. 5, the following resolution was unanimously adopted :—": — " That, owing to the impossibility of the farmers of Ireland to pay the present rents, be it resolved that in order to have representatives at the Central Branch who will look after the interests of the farmers in each county, the Central Branch will have elected immediately two representatives from each county according to the lines laid down at the convention, from which the Central Branch sprang." LiMauiCK, — At the meeting of the Limerick GuaTdians on Sept. 15, attention was called to the fact that in the case of the eviction of a tenant on the property of Col. Howley the necessary legal notice was not served on the Relieving Officer. The Board decided to instruct their solicitors Lo take steps to recover the penalty incurred by this default, £20. At the City Petty-Sessions on Sept. 17, before a large bench, John Dundon, solicitor, appeared on behalf of the Croom Board of Guardians to support a claim against Rev. Mr. Lee, Wellington Terrace, for £24 6s poor rates due out of a large holding at Betty ville, from which Martin Hartigan was a month or two ago evicted. The interest in the farm was put up for sale by the Sheriff with a view to recovery of the rent, and it was purchased by the landlord, Rev. Mr. Lee, who was now in possession. Tbe poor rate not having been recovered from the original occupier, the defendent, as the subsequent occupier, had to be proceeded against. The case was dismissed, &% was also an action against the same landlord by the Grand Jury to recover £12 11s. lid, County cess. The outlook all over the County is very gloomy. The local reports are as follows : — Broadford — Prospects grow worse every day oat crop almost worthless ; potatoes going to waste ; hay rotting. Emly — Hay cannot be saved ; oats cut but not s^ved, rotting ; potatoes very bad. Foynes — Hay getting perfectly rotten; wheat a good crop but cannot be saved ; disease prevalent in potatoes. Hospital — Prospects disheartening in the extreme ; potato crop fast rotting ; very littleisound hay in the locality : cattle fed on it through the winter and spring will become delicate and catch disease. Owing to too much rain and too little sunshine the oat crop hai not come to maturity and is of inferior quality. The rain came down in many cases on the reapers, and the crop when cut in wet had to be made in stooks in that state, so that both ear and blade are deteriorrating every day. Kilmaliack — Hay and grain crops abundant enough, but actually rotten through the wet ; potatoes gone, in fact half rotten on the surface ; mangolds aad turnips the only fair crops. Limerick — Incessant rain of five or six weeks has ruined all the crops. Mayo. — The extra force of constabulary at present in the County of Mayo consists of twenty -three constables at a cost of £1,830. The presence of Miss Gardiner's emergencyman, Cuffe, at the chapel of Balcarra on Sunday, September 5, created a great sensation About a dozen women, wives of recently evicted tenants, dragged him out of the chapel and drove him some distance away, but the curate, who is President of the parish Branch of the Irish National League, afterwards admitted Curie and hia bodyguard to the Bacristy while Mass was going on. Meath.— On September 15 Captain R. Rutledge Fair, L.G.1., resumed and concluded an enquiry in the board room of the Navan Workhouse with reference to the proposed erection of 144 cottages in the electoral division of Ardbraccan, Ardmulchan, Bective, Donaghpatrick, Kentstown, Navan, Painstown, Rathkenay, Btackallen, and Tara. The proposed area of charge is the union at large, the valuation of which was £93 306. There is already a loan outstanding of £18,000, and this represented a charge altogether on the entire valuation of about 2^i in the pound. The Guardians propose to borrow for the contemplated work a sum of £21,600, which would represent a rating of 2jd in the pound or about 5d in the pound altogether. The average union rating of the entire union is about Is 6d. Monaghan,— Glasslough Monthly Fair was held on Sept. 17. There was a large supply, a fair attendance of buyers, and a good deal of business transacted. Paces in all departments showed an advance on tlwse of recent fairs. The Chief Secretary for Ireland has admitted in Parliament that the Parliamentary electors, numberiug over oOQ, of Tullycorbett district, comprising 33 townlands of the North Monaghan Parliamentary Division, are obliged to travel to record their votes in the the town of Monaghan distances ot from eight to ten miles, without either rail or tiamway accommodation. Queen's County. — Harvest prospects are very bad in all partsof this County. There is very little corn down, the hay has been hardly saved owing to continuous rain, and cereals generally are in a very backward condition. Potatoes are more or less blighted in various places ; turnips are far from satisfactory, and tne weather has been anything but propitious during tbe past month. The members of the Aries Branch of the League are now taking care of the evicted in tbeir locality. A wooden hut has been procured and is in process of erection, on a site given by Mr. Herbert Smelly, for the shelter of one evicted tenant, Bambrick. The Branch is also looking after the wants of two other parsons of the labouring class, who have been evicted, one by W. A. Cooper, and the other bj the notorious William Shirley. RoscoMMON.— At DoughiH, Curxaghroe, on September 5, a huge demonstration was held to condemn the action of a local landlord's bailiff in seizing the cattle, pigs, etc., the property of poor rackrented tenant at Doughill, Mr. Wai pole, landlord. The demonstration was one of the largest ever seen in the locality. The following Branches attended with their bands — Kilbride, Kilgafin, Cloontuskert, Carnaska, Scramogue, Tarmonbarry, Whitehall, and Curraghroe. The following Branches were represented by delegates :— Creeve, Kiltrustan, (Jloonfinlough, Cloonfree, Doon, and Roscommon. Sligo.— Several evictions are threatened in different parts ol this County.

I