A LOOK AT THE YEAR 1900

Looking at some notable events at the turn of the century in the year 1900, part 8 concludes this mini-series from the pen of the late TA Barry, Rathcormac in this mini-series.

GAELIC LEAGUE IN FERMOY

All over Ireland at local and national level there was a sudden upsurge in interest in Irish language and culture. On Tuesday evening, November 6, a branch of the Gaelic League was started in Fermoy. Mr D Ahern was appointed treasurer and Messrs Quinn and Fitzpatrick secretaries. A deputation was appointed to wait on the Christian Brothers to ask permission to hold classes in one of their school rooms.

Within a week, permission having been obtained, classes were being held on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Mr CJ McCarthy, Inland Revenue, presided at the first meeting on Tuesday 13th, when there was an attendance of 30. This had soon increased to 44. They were using O’Growney’s Primer, Part 1.

MITCHELSTOWN GAELIC LEAGUE

The league was established in Mitchelstown in May 1899, but attendance at meetings and lessons had fallen away. Classes for the new season recommenced in November, with close on 50 members present, of which over 20 were boys from the Christian Brothers’ School. The order was teaching Irish to 70 boys in their school.

The AGM was held in the Town Hall in December. Among those present were: Very Rev Canon Rice, PP, VF; Very Rev Canon Moore, MA, Rector; Rev T O’Donoghue; JG Skinner, Solr; T Roche, MCC; James O’Donoghue; P Keane, Hon Sec; TA Glavin; CJ O’Brien; TL Morrissey; TE Fitzgerald; Edward Murray; A O’Loughlin; M Casey; MJ Cusack; E Condon; W Murray; T Cahill; J Lawton; J McCarthy, etc.

Canon Rice, who took the chair, said it was the patriotic duty of every Irishman to preserve the language. The secretary, Mr Patrick Keane, in his annual report regretted the lethargy of the people who fell away. He hoped that the meeting would lead to a revival of interest. He paid tribute to Mr James O’Donoghue, an accomplished Gaelic scholar, for his devotion to the teaching of the classes.

Canon Moore, Rector of Brigown, who was very cordially received, warmly encouraged the young men of Mitchelstown to study Gaelic. Mr Skinner then moved a series of resolutions in support of Irish.

FERMOY HOCKEY CLUB

In late November a preliminary meeting was held in the Bridge Hotel, Fermoy (by kind permission of Mrs Hillard) for the purpose of forming a hockey club. Mr ES Baylor (Chairman UDC) was appointed President pro tem., and Mr McCarthy and Mr Patten joint secretaries pro tem. A committee was also elected to make the necessary arrangements about a field.

WATERGRASSHILL U.I.L.

A meeting of the UIL at Watergrasshill in early December expressed a vote of sympathy with John Daly, who was evicted from his holding at Bushy Park for one year’s rent. The meeting condemned the harsh treatment by the landlord. It was the unanimous opinion that the farm was rack-rented, it being impossible for anyone to pay £170 a year for it.

MITCHELSTOWN CENTENARIAN

On Christmas Eve old Paddy Lyons passed away at the age of 106 at the District Hospital, Mitchelstown. Except for a little deafness, he had retained his faculties to the last, and could recall some of the stirring events of sixty to ninety years previously. He was present at the great Tenant’s Right meeting held by Daniel O’Connell at Kelly’s Rea, near Ballylanders in 1839. He also had vivid recollections of some of the events which led to the burning of Kilfinane, and the execution of poor Staker Wallace in 1798. He was buried at Temple Molagga on St Stephen’s Day.

SEVERE STORM

A violent storm ripped through the country on the night of Thursday, December 27. It began around 9 o’clock and continued unabated until about 4 o’clock on Friday morning. It was certainly the worst storm for many years, if not of the century in the opinion of old people. Great damage was caused to property. The roar of the wind could be heard some moments before the blasts struck, and then the tearing of timber and the crashing of masonry filled the night. No idea of the havoc wrought could be conceived until dawn, when it became apparent in trees uprooted, roads blocked by fallen trees, walls levelled, roofs and chimneys torn down.

Great destruction occurred at Watergrasshill, where many houses were stripped completely of their roofs. The well-known establishments of Mrs Foley, Mrs McGrath, the Catholic and Protestant churches, were the hardest hit. No lives were lost, but animals were killed by falling timber and slates. The downfall of rain for the past few nights had also caused the Blackwater to flood low-lying ground along its banks.

BARTLEMY DEMONSTRATION

On Sunday, December 30 the local UIL held a large public meeting in Bartlemy, where Mr Abraham MR had been invited to address his constituents. Though advertised as a meeting, it was more in the nature of a rally designed to drum up support for the branch in its campaign to combat landgrabbing. Invitations had also been sent out to other MPs, and adjoining parish leagues. A platform was erected in the Fair Field and the village decorated. Scrolls, some in Irish, and bearing various mottos were suspended: ‘ Welcome to Bartlemy’, ‘Down with Landgrabbing’, ‘God save Ireland’, etc.

There were a number of bands in attendance - Conna Brass, Ballyhooly Fife and Drum, Rathcormac Fife and Drum and St Bridget’s Band, Rathcormac. It was a fine Sunday with great crowds attending from the surrounding country. All the local branches of the League sent numbers: Bartlemy 16, Dungourney 5, Carrigtwohill 3, Lisgoold 38, Knockraha 9, Watergrasshill 14, Carrignavar 7, Conna 26, Castlelyons 20.

The chair was taken at 2 o’clock by Patrick O’Mahony, Ballynoe, Chairman Board of Guardians. A government note-taker was also present. Apologies were received from J O’Donnell, MP and others. The secretary of the local branch, R Barry, proposed a number of resolutions calling for: (i) the upholding of the principles of the League; (ii) the land of Ireland for the people of Ireland; (iii) the restoration of the Irish parliament; (iv) the stemming of emigration; (v) the provision of a Catholic University; (vi) the denunciation of landgrabbing.

These were all greeted by loud cheers and seconded by Mr Adams. Mr Abraham, MP gave a fine speech. He was followed by JC Flynn, MP for North Cork, and Mr Tom Barry, MCC, Killavullen.