Killanin Parish Evictions

The Galway Vindicator, of November 6th 1875 reported the eviction of ten families in the parish of Killanan between Ross and Oughterard, the property of Mr. Berridge. The Agent – Mr Robinson – wanted to stripe the land which was held in “Rundale” (Tenants working the land in common). (Striped land was given to tenants individually). In this situation a tenant working good quality land might end up with either good or inferior land. The sub Sheriff and a large force of Constabulary were in attendance. The tentants objected to this and were evicted. The Agent, Mr Robinson, Mr Jackson former Agent (James E. Jackson, Killaguile) were present. The Parish Priest was also there and protested strongly against the evictions. A great crowd had assembled, but what gave a tragic character to the proceedings was the death of an old man, about eighty years of age, died, it is said, from excitement when he learned that he was to be turned out by the Sheriff. Mr. Berridge, a London brewer, had purchased the property from the Law Life Assurance Company in 1872. It had previously been part of the Martin of Ballynahinch estate and in 1849 was purchased by the Law Life Assurance Company who held a mortgage on the estate.

On paying rents due, Mr Robinson re-instated the tenants, as Caretakers, until they should sign the agreement in existence on the estate. The death of the old man, Kyne, caused considerable commotion, but no act of violence was resorted to, but it required the influence of the Catholic clergyman to preserve the peace and to get the people to accept the conditions imposed by the Agent. The people, soon after the departure of the Sheriff and Mr. Robinson, quietly dispersed.

Page 3 The Galway Vindicator and Connaught Advertiser of Wednesday, November 19th 1879.

The Land Agitation – Public Meeting at Killanin.

On Sunday last a public meeting was held in Killanin immediately after the twelve o’clock Mass. The worthy Administrator of the Parish, the Rev. Michael Coyne (Patrick) had barely time to finish his breakfast in the humble sacristy after the sacred functions of the morning when the business of the meeting engaged his attention. Contingents attended from all parts of the country, including Galway, Roundstone, Spiddle, Headford, Ballycurran, Moycullen and Oughterard, mounted men and pikemen accompanying them. The Oughterard brass band supplied the music which was of a high class character. In the brake containing the members of the band was placed a handsome green banner displaying a richly embroidered red harp. The Ballycurran Pikemen were equally numerous, their pike staves being painted green. Amongst those on the platform, which was erected convenient to the chapel, were- Rev. Patrick Coyne, Adm, Killanin, Rev. Redmond McDonagh, Oughterard, Rev. James Craddock C.C. Oughterard, Rev. Patrick Mannion C.C., Spiddal, Messrs: Michael Davitt, M.J. Tierney, Galway, John Maloney, Park, John Joyce, Oughterard, James Fahy, Galway, Peter Conroy, Oughterard, John J. O’Loughlin, Cashel, Patrick Barrètt, Islandmore, Michael Whelan, Gorthangornan (Gortacarnaun), John Coyne,

Killannin Tenants Defence Association Nation Newspaper dated November 30th 1878.

We take the following report from the Freeman:-

The chapel yard at Kilannin, County Galway on Sunday last the scene  of a very practical illustration of the ancient apophthegm that “out of evil cometh good” saw a great gathering of the parishioners of Moycullen, Oughterard and Killannin on that day.

Main Object: The desire to express their indication at some cases of eviction which had recently occurred amongst them. To band themselves together and organise and accordingly a Tenants’ Defence Association was started.

The Chair was taken by Mr John Maloney of Park and the first resolution denouncing the cruelty of the evictions under notice, was proposed by Rev. Father Coyne P.P. He went on to speak of incidences of which he and his people had been the witnesses. Subsequently the meeting proceeded in a regular way to the formation of the Tenants’ Defence Association, taking the name from the parish in which it originated, Kilannin. A subscription list was opened for the purpose of defraying the wantonly heaped-up cost of the evicted tenantry. It was announced at the meeting that some 400 persons from other districts had given in their names as members of the newly formed Association.

The Government was represented on the platform by a shorthand writer. The proceedings were most orderly and decorous.

On the motion of Mr. Tierney, seconded by Mr. Joyce, the chair was taken shortly before three o’clock by The Rev. Patrick Coyne, Adm, Killanin.

Amongst the letters of apology received was the following:- Roundstone, November 15th 1879

Gentlemen-Pressure of duties prevents your kind invitation to attend your tenant-right meeting which is to be held tomorrow in my native parish, etc-Yours very truly, Joseph A. Moloney P.P. The Chairman – Father Coyne – then made a speech on the conditions in which the tenants of Killanin and surrounding parishes were living.

1st Resolution was from Mr. Michael Coyne in which he called for a reduction in rents due to the disastrous effects of three bad harvests coming in succession, and which had been imposed in prosporous times on the tenant farmers of the Barony of Moycullen.

The resolution was seconded by Mr. Fahy and adopted.

Mr. John Joyce of Oughterard proposed the next resolution, which was as follows: “That should our Landlords refuse to grant these our reasonable demands, and hereafter put into execution the power invested in them by the Law, we hereby in public meeting assembled, pledge resolve, and call upon all landholders throughout Connemara to a man to endorse it, not to take any single holding from which a tenant in future may be evicted in consequence of his inability to pay an exorbitant rent or for any other unjust motive.”

The resolution was seconded by Mr. Tierney and adopted.

(A resolution similar to this was proposed by the Rev. Patrick Coyne, Killanin, who was now President of the Rosscahill branch of the Land League, at a major meeting of the Land League at the the Rotundo in Dublin on April 29th 1880 and adopted.)

Further resolutions were put forward by Rev. P. Mannion and Rev. James Craddock.

Mr. Michael Davitt was received with loud and continuous cheers. He went on to state how the Government were now making concessions to the people as a result of this agitation.

He finished with the following verse: “Never rest striving until we have – Land for hands that can till it, Land for the seed they sow, land that is yours when you will it, Yours without striking a blow, Aye, from each roof, tree and steeple, if you but will it again, Land for the landless people, Land for the children of men”.

This was greeted by loud cheers.
The estimated attendance was reported as between 5,000 and 6,000 people.