Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XV, Issue 40, 27 January 1888, Page 9

Irish News.

ANTRlM.— Andrew Davoren, solicitor, of Lower O'Connell street, Dublin.iattended at the Land Commission Court, Upper Merrion street, on behalf Michael McCartan, M.P., solicitor, and lodged upwards of 1,000 originating notices to fix fair rents in the Counties of Down aud Antrim.

ARMAGH. — Owing to heavy rains, preceded by the great drought of the summer, one of the vaults in St. Mark's churchyard collapsed, the masonry in front falling away. The vault was a new one, and it will take a considerable sum of money to repair it.

CA.VAN. — At Belturbet fair the supply of cattle was large and the demand somewhat improved, but prices were very low. The following ate the quotations :— Best beef sold at from 52s to 56s per cwt.; springers, of good quality, sold from £11 to £13 each.

CLARE.— Recently very severe weather has been experienced in the Atlantic on the Clare coast, which has caused several large vessels to put into the Shannon windbound, while the outward Glasgow steamer from Limerick was detained. The Norwegian Alice, from Quebec, with timber, passed into the Shannon, having sustained mucb damage. Her chainplates all gave, and in boarding her off Loop Head the Shannon pilots broke their canoe in pieces when coming alongside the Alice, having a very narrow escape from inßtant drowning.

CORK.,— A special court, constituted under the Crimes Act, was held in Mitcbelttown to investigate the charge of assaulting a policeman preferred against James Goule, a farmer. The magistrates on the bench were Major Hutchinson, R.M., and Mr. Gardiner, R.M. On the application of James Rice Sessional Crown Prosecutor, the case was adjourned fora month, Constable Leahy, the injured policeman, being unable to attend.

In the Dublin Bankruptcy Court in the case of Elizabeth Burke, of Ringaskeddy, County Cork, widow, a bankrupt, leave was granted to the assignees to make inquiries in New Zealand for the purpose of ascertaining what claim she had to a legacy of £2,000,000 sterling. The late Samuel Burke Roan, formerly of Cork, emigrated to Australia in 1852 and died in November at Auckland, bequeathing £2,000,000 to his brothers, one of whom, Edward Daniel Burke, was the late husband of the baokrupt. A Kilmallock correspondent supplies particulars of a strange and melancholy occurrence. He writes : The servant of Michael Hartigan, a respectable farmer residing at Tobbernea, near this town, bought some fish from a travelling fishmonger. Of this, according to the belief generally expressed, the family had their dinner, and subsequently the entire fanrilv took ill. Medical aid had to be requisitioned and the opinion expressed was that it was gastric fevor with which tbey were attacked. Notwithstanding the unremitting attention of Dr. T. Dowues of Kilmallock, Michael Hartigan, the eldest boy (five years old), died, Michael Hartieran, the father, died at 12 o'clock ihe same night, and his wife at 12.30, there being »nly half-an-hour between the deaths of husband and wife. The event is spoken of everywhere as a most strange and lamentable one, and it was referred to at each of the Masses on the following Sunday. A demonstration was held at Ballylanders, near Mitchelstown, addressed by John Finucane, M.P.,for the purpose of condemning the treatment of the tenants by Charles Wilmouth Smi h, Brnff . There was a very large assemblage of people, including deputations from Galbally. Angles-borough, Herbertstown, Knocklong. and other adjacent places. Mr. Smith's tenants applied for a rtduction in their rent 9, and were answered by the landlord taking proceedings against them not alone for the f nil rental but also for rent which the tenants believed he had remit ed as annual reductions. Ejectment decrees have bet-n obtained against the tenants. Father O'Dwyer presided. Mr. Finucane condemned Mr. Smith's action as being tyrannical and oppressive. He hoped the people would support the tenants in seeking a recognition of their claims, and the Irish Parliamentary party would see that the rents were readjusted in the Land Courts.

DERRY.— The Mayor, the Town Clerk, and the members of the Council eßcortede B corted Sir Whitaker Ellis, M.P., Governor of the Irish Society, aud the members of the vibitation to Shipquay place, where, in the presence of a large audience, Sir Whitaker hllis was presented with a silver trowel and other implements by Messrs. Colhoun Br< thers, contractors, and on invitation of the Mayor proceeded to lay the foundation stone of the new Town Hall.

At a conference of the clergy of the diocese of Dromore, held in the Cathedral in Newry, the venerable Bishop of the Diocese, Most Eev. Dr. Leahy, presiding, the followiug resolution was passed unanimously :— " Resolved, That we condemn the conduct of the Government in imprisoning William O'Brien, M.P., as an outrage on the right of public meeting, freedom of the Press, and destruction of every constitutional right of the people of Ireland, and that we sympathise deeply with him under his present cruel treatment," A special meeting of the Maghera Branch of the National League was held in the committee-rooms for the purpose of condemning the treatment of Mr. and Lady Blunt and the sentence imposed upon the former. Although very little notice of the meeting was given the attendance was fairly good and representative. Mr. Bradley occupied the chair.

Draperstown fair was held recently, when the turn-out in general was well np to the average of recent fairs, and much larger than any November fair for several years past. There was a very large attendance of buyers from all the surrounding towns owing to the great improvement in the sheep fairs of this town. A fair business was done, and beasts of a good quality in all departments met with a ready demand at fairly good prices.

DONEGAL. — The good work of promoting the Donegal industries under the guidance of Mrs, Ernest Hart is progressing well. A

number of people are now employed in weaving, and it is expected that before long work wijl be had for many more. DOWN.— A meeting of the Lord Lieutenant's tenantry was held in Newtownards. when a letter was drawn up in reply to Lord Londonderry's offer of 20 per cent, reduction, stating that while the tenants " prefer an amicable arrangement with >ur recourse to legal proceedings, they will seek the intervention of the Land Courts." They had alreaoy rosolvtd to do this wheti ha refused any reduction

DUBLlN.— Marche's Library, in Dublin, opened recently and the number of persons applying for books shows that it will be well patronised. A meeting in the interests of the Saturday half-holiday, attended by over two hundred of the employees of Messrs. Pym Brothers, wan held in theirlibrary, Exchequer street. James Davis, who presided, explained the object for which they had met together, and asked that two delegates should be appointed to represent the meeting on the general committee already in existence. Several gentlemen having been nominated, Messrs. J. J. Little, and J. C. Foley were unanimously selected. The several speakers dwelt on the great advantages already enjoyed in various ways by the employees. The young men engaged in the wholesale warehouse had already the privilege of a half holiday on Saturday, and they in the retail departments now sought to obtain a similar favour from their employers.

FERMA.NA.GH.— WiIIiam Redmond, M a ?., writing from the Gresham Hotel, Dablin, says : " It will be remembered that some time ago Viscount Cole (now Lord Bnniskillen) seriously and publicly recommended that the Catholic people of Fermanagh should be driven out of that county. No land, according to this ' noble ' man, was to be let to Catholics, no employment was to be given to them, and by a system of cruel persecution they were to be driven from thr ir homes, and all because they would not vote for the Tory at the last election. More than a year ago I drew attention to these recommendations of Lord Cole, but I was then told that he made them in a passion, and that, of course, he did not mean what he said. It now appears, however, that the Byßtem of hunting the Catholics is in full swing, and it has come to light that Lord Enniskillen has given orders that 'all Catholics holding rooms in the New Row should be put out, and anyone keeping them should be put out themselves.' I, for one, will not believe there is a fair-minded Protestant in Ireland who approves of bunting unfortunate people from their homes because of their religion ; but is it not time for respectable Protest mts, Tory as well as Nationalist, to disavow having any sympathy with the infamous conduct of Lord BnniskilJen who is trying to revive the customs of the penal days, and who is doing his best to set Catholic and Protestant at war with each other ? If we had a decent Government, Lord Bnniskillen would get six months' hard labour for ' boycotting ' and ' intimidation.' "

GALWAY.— Mr. Paul and Mr. Purcell, the Resident Magistrates, held a special court at Ballinasloe under the Coercion Act, Thirteen men were charged with taking part in a riot in Ballinasloe on the 21st October, when the police batoDed the people. Thomas McNamara was sentenced to three months ; J. Jordan, and J. Moran to ona month each ; Kilcomus Riddle to fourteen days, and B. Silk to seven days. The others were discharged. A portion of the funds voted by Parliament two years ago for the relief of distress in the West has been applied. The Piers and Road Commission has carried out some works in districts of Connemara. Some good highways have been constructed. Colonel Frazer, accompanied by by Sir Willirm Grossman and Mr. J. Perry, 0.E., visited Carna to lay out some additional works ; they received a hearty welcome from the priests and people. The question is asked, Why was not the money expanded at once ?

KERRY.--A most melancholy occurrence took place at Carabboge, between Killorglin and Glenbeigh, when a farmer named Patrick Wal9h and his eldest son were together struck dead by lightning. The account given of the sad affair is somewhat singular. Patrick Walsh was engaged in tying a cow in his shed. His eldest son was in a boreen some fifty yards distant, and at the same moment father and son, and the cow, which the former had been tying, were str«ck by the lightning and killed instantaneously. The appeal of Maurice Murphy, proprietor of the Crown Hotel, Castleisland, from the decision of two resident magistrates iv Castleisland, sentencing him to two months' imprisonment with hard labour for assaulting a sheriff's bailiff named Denis Neligan in the discharge of his duty, came before County Court Judge Cnrran. Mr. Leamy (instructed by J. W. Roche, Tralee), appeared for Mr. Murphy, and D. De McGillicuddy on buhalf of the bailiff. The evidence went to show that Neligan went to Mr. Murphy's shop to execnte a decree on a market day, ar,d he attempt* d to shut the door, and that Murphy preventing him was arrested by the police. Mr. Murphy's shop assistant deposed that the bailiff was told that he would not be allowed to close the shop while there were cows in the field, and that Neligan replied that that would not do. Mr. Leamy urged that in closing the door Neligan waa acting illegally, and if there was an assault it was a trivial one, without premeditation, and that the penalty inflicted by the magistrates was entirely disproportionate to the offence. The Judge said he bad known Mr. Murphy since he had come to the County, and never saw anything in his conduct that would call for reflection ; and for that reason be regretted that he would have to affirm the judgment of the magistrates. KILKENNY.-^-The peopta of Mullinavat, County Kilkenny, are about to erect a memorial to their late pastor, Father Neary. The design is a commendable one, as Father Neary was one of those devoted priests who shrink from no sacrifice for their poople. One of his last public acts was to organise and iead a determined resistance to the operations of the crowbar brigade among the homes of hia people. The example shown on that occasion has since been fruitful

KING'S COUNTY.— William O'Brien, M.P., continues in excellent spirits in Tullamore gaol. Hewill eoeive a great ovation on his release.

a LBITBIM.— The Leitrim National League has passed resolutions to fight the Coercion Act to the last. LIMERICK.— Contingents from all neighboring districts, amoun ing to 2,000 people, assembled at Newcastle-west to hear addresses from Messrs. Wilson, Abraham, and Stack, M.P.'s. John Condon, solicitor, presided. Mr. Wilson told his audience that there were two England's one ihe Tory England and the other which followed Mr. Gladstone and advised Irishmen to follow up their policy of passive rests ance to coercion. Michael Lane, his wife, and her brother, Thomas O'Grady, who were sentenced to a month's imprisonment each for resisting 6 fiction at Ardnacrusha, were released from the county gaol at midnight recently It had been intended to give them an ovation on their release, which was expected to occur in the morning, but the strange action of the authorities took the people by surprise. However, about nine, a large crowd assembled at the goal, and, headed by a couple of bands, escorted the released prisoners to Parteen, where they visited their evicted home. A meeting was held at which Messrs. William Abraham, M.P. ; Mr. Wilson. M. P., and Mr. Stephen O'Meara, T ( '., were present, and resolutions of sympathy with ihe Lanes were passed and the action of the authorises condemned . MAYO.— At the Tubbercurry Board of Guardians the average cost of an inmate was called very large, being 2s 7fd in body of house and 3« I£d in the infirmary. The amount expended on out-door relief during the week was £15 15s. Westport fair, which is one of the most important fairs in this district, was remarkably well supplied with all classes of stock. The demand was bad. and even though cattle were offered at greatly reduced prices large numbers were left unsold. QUEEN'S COUNTY.— A Portarlington correspondent writes :— The landlords, it seems, are determined to carry on the fight to the bitter end, not only in this but adjacent counties. Particulars of an eviction near the town of Portnrlington have just reached me. The property is in the Court of Chancery, the owners being the Misses McNeale and others, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, and the tenant a man named Scale. The receiver appointed by the court is Mr. Jenningp, Petty Beesions Clerk, Portarlington, The holdings are situated at Clonenagh, and the amount of rent due was three years. Proposals were made by the tenant for a settlement, and although Mr. Jennings at first consented to enter into negotiations he change 1 his mind and ultimately refused any terms ; he " wanted the land, and nothing else would satisfy him." SLIGO— At Ballymote fair there was very little business done, except by a few local men, who bo'jght up some young stock at comparatively low figures. The old inhabitants say that they never saw such a gloomy fair in this county as that which was held in Ballymote recently. A horse harnessed to a cart took fright recently in Mr. Sims's yard in Collooney, and dashed off at a furious rate, the streets being crowded at the time owing to the fair occurring on that day. Constable McGinley, who was on duty in plain clothes, rushed up and caught him by the reins at imminent risk to his life. After a fierce struggle he succeeded in getting the horse under control. Had the animal reached the crowded streets around the fair green, it is impossible to say what the result might have been. TIPPERABY— A meeting was recently held at Clonmel, organised by Mayor O'Donoghue and others, at which coercion was denounced and declared after all to be a failure. TV- ONE. — At Moy fair there was a large supply of stock offered for sale and a good deal of business was transacted. The horse fair, as usual, was very large and a good many sales were effected. Prices ranged from £30 to £120. WESTMEATH.— At Atblone fair there was a good supply of stock, a large attendance of buyers, and a considerable amount of business transacted. The large number of horses exhibited were of the agricultural type, and the prices ranged from £12 to £20.