Over 90,000https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/193TpfHYRXIBQb0nzVLTs_Cl-oebYYnFAebmtxvDiYzY/edit#gid=0
Over 90,000 Irish people served in the RIC. Mostly Catholic although the senior ranks were mostly but not exclusively Protestants. The pay was not great but the pension arrangement suited a lot of men who could retire early maybe from their lump sum buy a farm or a business. Men were allowed to go out with a girl after 5 years service and marry after 7 years.
The personnel files before photography contained a sketch letter of recommendation, family background and confirman from a priest or minister of birth, Prior to marriage the bride’s famu was checked out.
After independence more the 90,000 personnel files were removed to Ealing in West London. They were used to deal with pension queries and all but 4 were shredded in 1938.
Born in Dublin to an English father and an Irish mother, Padraig Pearse was a teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist and political activist who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916. Pearse joined the Gaelic League in its third year, in 1896, and between 1903 and 1909 served as editor of the League’s journal, An Claidheamh Soluis. He held a degree in Modern Languages and a B.L. from the King’s Inns. He worked as a teacher in various colleges until he and his brother Willie founded St Enda’s in 1908, a bilingual secondary school for boys. Pearse published several didactic short story collections in Irish as well as poems, plays and political pamphlets. These include Poll an Piobaire (The Piper’s Cave), 1905, Iosagan agus Sgealta Eile (Little Jesus and other Stories), 1907, and the play, An Rí (The King), which was produced in 1912. Pearse was a member both of the Irish Volunteers and of the secret Irish Republican Brotherhood, which he joined in 1913. As a member of the IRB’s Supreme Council, and its secret Military Council,he was involved in the planning for a rising during the First World War. On Easter Monday, 24 April, 1916, members of the Irish Volunteers, led by Pearse, and of the smaller Irish Citizen Army of James Connolly seized key locations in Dublin and proclaimed an Irish Republic from the steps of the General Post Office. The Rising was suppressed by the British military after six days of fighting, and Pearse as one of its fourteen leaders was court-martialled. He was shot at dawn on 3 May in the stonebreaker’s yard in Kilmainham Jail.
Ms. Carrie (Caroline Mary) Townshend, (1859 -1951). West Cork and Dublin. Popularity of the Irish Harp. Teacher of Irish. Giving evidence in America of British Brutality During Troubles in Ireland. Member Christian Science Church. 1915 Aeridheacht at Glandore with Madeline Townshend. The name Caroline Townshend is known to only a handful of people in Ireland but if any deserves to be a household name, surely it is hers, for it almost entirely due to her efforts that the ancient Irish harping tradition became firmly re-established.
When the larger past of the Island of Ireland became independent in 1922 there were no more redcoats and the land issue had been settled. In contrast in many European countries even in the 1930s a tiny minority owned most of the land as in Hungary.
This eviction was in Co. Clare note partly reroofed house
Re the transfer of Land, the Irish Land commission transferred nearly 14.5 million acres from the Landed Estates to the tenant almost 70% of the landmass of the Island of Ireland.
As an aside many literary figures such as Hugh Leonard worked there.
By my reckoning this was probably the largest voluntary land transfer in world history. It was motivated by the concept of killing Home Rule by Kindness.
From around 1895 if the Estate was willing to sell the Land Commission offered market value with a premium of 25% for selling on a voluntary basis. By that time most estates were distressed and they were only too willing to sell.
They had to produce legal title to the satisfaction of the Land Commission Law Officer. As a consequence there are 8.5 million documents stored in a warehouse in Portlaoise. The denial of access to the public is a national scandal. Many of these are certified copies of records the originals of which were destroyed in the Public Records Office in 1922.
Extract enclosed from submission to Dr. Robert Watt, then Secretary General D/Public Expenditure and Reform. He called me to come and meet him with good vibes but no sign of progress.
Landed Estates
Fior anyone interested there is a really good online site maintained by UCG on the landed esta and families.
Popularly the land struggle is remembered as grasoi landlords and evicted tenants. The reality was different with many nuances.
In the West Cork area which am familia what the various estates say the Beecher family in 1780 had 50,000 acres admittedly some of it mountain and bog. The family ran up significant debts maintaining a house in London, William Wrixon Beecher married the celebrated Irish actress Miss Elizabeth O’Neill in 1819.
It was funded from the 1790s by granting leases for 3 lives and 21 years for a capital sum. Usually a few townlanads were involved. Those who got them were the middlemen and included well to do Church of Ireland and Methodist farmers as well as a significant cohort of well to do local Catholics some being of the old Gaelic Gentry. Acting in a logical fashion they extracted as much as they could l knowing that when their lease would expire there wouldn’t be compensation unlike in Ulster.
The Beecher estate was insolvent and ended up in the Landed Estate Court in the 1850s it was stated that the middlemens rent was three times that received by the Beechers.
Some of the purchase of the Beecher and other local estates included
Timothy McCarthy Downing, Nationalist MP and solicitor had 7,000 acres
Samuel Levis (family of Huguenot extraction, Skibbereen, merchant and baronial constable (Tax Collector)
Wright family, Claonakilty, land agents and solicitors.
1898. Bantry Petty Session Court. Stirring Days if the Land League Recalled. Intimidation, Eviction, Boycott, Cattle Maiming.
1886 Attempted Eviction and Siege at Tim Hurley’s Castle (Mill and Farm) , Castleview, Clonakilty. Landlord Francis Evans Bennett, (1824-1888), Cregan Manor, Rosscarbery.
Collections for Evicted Tenants, Castlehaven/Myross, Myross, Ardfield, Rathbarry. 1892 Collection Ballyroe. 1893, Clonakilty Evicted Tenants Fund. Like a Mini Census. Fiery address of James Gilhooley, M.P., in Goleen on Evictions. Gilhooley ‘The Irish People Have Never Acknowledged this Right of Any Nation In the World To Govern Them.
Re the transfer of Land, the Irish Land commission transferred nearly 14.5 million acres from the Landed Estates to the tenant almost 70% of the landmass of the Island of Ireland.
As an aside many literary figures such as Hugh Leonard worked there.
By my reckoning this was probably the largest voluntary land transfer in world history. It was motivated by the concept of killing Home Rule by Kindness.
From around 1895 if the Estate was willing to sell the Land Commission offered market value with a premium of 25% for selling on a voluntary basis. By that time most estates were distressed and they were only too willing to sell.
They had to produce legal title to the satisfaction of the Land Commission Law Officer. As a consequence there are 8.5 million documents stored in a warehouse in Portlaoise. Many of these are certified copies of records the originals of which were destroyed in the Public Records Office in 1922.
Landed Estates
Fior anyone interested there is a really good online site maintained by UCG on the landed esta and families.
Popularly the land struggle is remembered as grasoi landlords and evicted tenants. The reality was different with many nuances.
In the West Cork area which am familia what the various estates say the Beecher family in 1780 had 50,000 acres admittedly some of it mountain and bog. The family ran up significant debts maintaining a house in London, William Wrixon Beecher married the celebrated Irish actress Miss Elizabeth O’Neill in 1819.
It was funded from the 1790s by granting leases for 3 lives and 21 years for a capital sum. Usually a few townlanads were involved. Those who got them were the middlemen and included well to do Church of Ireland and Methodist farmers as well as a significant cohort of well to do local Catholics some being of the old Gaelic Gentry. Acting in a logical fashion they extracted as much as they could l knowing that when their lease would expire there wouldn’t be compensation unlike in Ulster.
The Beecher estate was insolvent and ended up in the Landed Estate Court in the 1850s it was stated that the middlemens rent was three times that received by the Beechers.
Some of the purchase of the Beecher and other local estates included
Timothy McCarthy Downing, Nationalist MP and solicitor had 7,000 acres
Samuel Levis (family of Huguenot extraction, Skibbereen, merchant and baronial constable (Tax Collector)
Wright family, Claonakilty, land agents and solicitors. etc
1835 Tidal Harbours Commission. Railway from Dublin to Bantry. A vessel Leaving Berehaven Would command the Coasts of Spain. Portugal and the Coast of the Mediterranean as well as the most desirable spot for the West Indies or America.
Election Committee of McCarthy Downing, Solicitor and landlord, Skibbereen, West Cork . He was a very influential figure in West Cork mid 19th century. It was reported that he was angling to be elevated to the House of Lords. A major purchased of distressed estates post famine.
1942 Patrick W. O’ Donovan, Solicitor, Clonakilty aged 74, Funeral. Came of Old Stock.
Taught by Master Madden, at The Mountain, Ardfield, who also taught Michael Collins, Sam Maguire.
Oillscoilan t-Sleigh, The Academy of Master Madden late 19th century, Ardfield, Clonakilty to Prepare Boys for the British Civil Service Exams. Pupils included Michael Collins and Sam Maguire.
Master Madden ancestor was a hedge school master who was offer employment as a Teacher in the new National schools c 1830 at a salary of £29 per annum. The family still have the letter of appointment.
Up to the mid 1960s the opportunities for second level education even for families with a degree of comfort was limited. In the 19th century as an alternative to home farming or going to America the prospect of the Imperial Civil Service was attractive.
One of Master Madden’s great grand sons taught at second level in Dunmanway in the 1960s.
Apart from Sam Maguire and Michael Collins another pupil was Séan Hurley from Durrus. He went to work in the Chinese Customs in Shanghai and assisted Chinese Revolutionaries. The first Irishman to be given an honorary Chinese passport.
Apprenticed to Henry Thomas Wright, Crown Solicitor whose Practice he Acquired.
Maurice Healy’s Memoir of the Old Munster Circuit he refers fondly to the 3 Clonakilty Wright brothers of Fern Hill, it is possible they descent from a branch of the Dunmanway Protestant O’Sullivan family, suggestive of them being Landlords in Dunbeacon, Durrus.
1850-1937, 1898, 1901 Henry Thomas Wright, TCD Crown Solicitor to 1912, Bankruptcy Judge Fern Hill, 1901 Clonakilty Agricultural Show. Geraldine Wright, Clonakilty, Daughter of Henry Thomas Wright, Mother Ethel Hungerford, Crown Solicitor, wife of the Baron de Penaranda, Bruges. 1888 application to Dublin Castle for special duty claim. Attending 1898, enormous funeral of Dan O’Leary, JP, aged 71, Clonakilty, probably draper Carbery Agricultural Show, Skibbereen 1893
1847-1913), 1911 George Wright, TCD Called to Bar 1871, took Silk 1884, High Court Judge At TCD, boat club. Fitzwilliam, Dublin ” George Wright (1847 – 15 May 1913) was an Irish lawyer and judge. Wright was born in Clonakilty, County Cork, son of Thomas Wright. [1] His father and brothers practiced as solicitors in Clonakilty: one of his brothers was H.T. Wright, Clerk of the Peace for Cork.[2] He married Mary Barrington in 1881. His family owned Fernhill House, Clonakilty, which is now a hotel. He was called to the Bar in 1871, took silk in 1884, and served as Solicitor-General for Ireland from January 1900[3] to 1903 in the Unionist government headed by Lord Salisbury. He was appointed to the Queen’s Bench Division of the Irish High Court in 1903 where he served till his death.[4] He was immensely popular with his colleagues and greatly respected as a lawyer. A colleague humorously described him as a man who is “”on the borderline of genius but never trespasses””; a popular verse hailed him as Judge Wright, who’s never wrong!””[5] Wright died 15 May 1913.[6] ” Probate £20,470 buried Mount Jerome Dublin
1855- ,1876, 1911 George Wright, A. B. TCD Middle Temple 1871, Barrister, 1911 County Court Judge, Co. Louth “2nd son of Thomas Wright, solicitor, Fern Hill. Dublin, Lower Baggot St., Subscriber Dr. Daniel Donovan ‘History of Carbery, 1876. ” “1901 Richard Wright Waterford District Probate Registrar, Barrister Born Co. Cork, 57 “”1843, 1844, 1845, 1847, 1858, 1860, 1865 Thomas Richard Wright Solicitor Fern Hill sons Henry Thomas 1850, Thomas William 1859, Solicitor. Signed Testimonial to Resident Magistrate, John Gore Jones, Bantry, 1844. Assistant 1879 Michael David Kennedy. Also agents for Durrus Estates. Subscriber memorial John O’Hea JP, Clonakilty, 1847. Probate 1880 to widow eliza £12,000. Standard Life Agent 1844 “” ” “s children and Rev. Richard Walton Marmion Standard Life Agent 1844 “
1843, 1844, 1845, 1847, 1849, 1858, 1860, 1865, died 1880 Thomas Richard Wright Solicitor. Land Agent to Lord Charles Pelham-Clinton, 1863, 13,600 acres. Fern Hill sons Henry Thomas 1850, Thomas William 1859, Solicitor. Signed Testimonial to Resident Magistrate, John Gore Jones, Bantry, 1844. Assistant 1879 Michael David Kennedy. Also agents for Durrus Estates. Subscriber memorial John O’Hea JP, Clonakilty, 1847. Probate 1880 to widow eliza £12,000. Thomas Richard Wright of Fern Hill, died 1880 he mentions his children and Rev. Richard Walton Marmion Standard Life Agent 1844. 1857 dinner for departing manager of National Bank, P.D. Griffin. Gave evidence Parliamentary Commission tht he persuaded Lord Shannon to withdraw his objection to railway coming to Clonakilty 1887 Chancey Court case involving recovery of seaweed at Friendly Cove, Durrus. Beamish v Crowley. Appearing for Beamish was Bewley Q.C., Trench Q.C., … Tuckey, instructed by John White. For Crowey, Piece White Q.C., , The McDermott, Q.C., Richard Wright, instructed by W. T. Wright , Clonakilty. The Crowleys are McDermotts descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages who migrated from Roscommon post 1200, to about 1600 often known as McDermott (as in Elizabeth Fiants) with a leas ainm (nickname) Crua Laoich (tough warrior) which supplant the McDermott. DNA confirms connection.
1843, 1844, 1845, 1847, 1858, 1860, 1865 Thomas Richard Wright Solicitor Fern Hill sons Henry Thomas 1850, Thomas Willam 1859, Solicitor. Signed Testimonial to Resident Magistrate, John Gore Jones, Bantry, 1844. Assistant 1879 Michael David Kennedy. Also agents for Durrus Estates. Subscriber memorial John O’Hea JP, Clonakilty, 1847. Probate 1880 to widow eliza £12,000. Standard Life Agent 1844
1887 Chancey Court case involving recovery of seaweed at Friendly Cove, Durrus. Beamish v Crowley. Appearing for Beamish was Bewley Q.C., Trench Q.C., … Tuckey, instructed by John White. For Crowey, Piece White Q.C., , The McDermott, Q.C., Richard Wright, instructed by W. T. Wright , Clonakilty. The Crowleys are McDermotts descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages who migrated from Roscommon post 1200, to about 1600 often known as McDermott (as in Elizabeth Fiants) with a leas ainm (nickname) Crua Laoich (tough warrior) which supplant the McDermott. DNA confirms connection.
Admitted a Solicitor 1891. President West Cork Bar Association. 1903 One of the 3 Founders of Clonakilty Agricultural Society, Honorary Treasurer of Carbery Hunt and Race Committee. Tourism Pioneer. Built Inchydoney Hotel 1932.
Connecting through the Wrights to Lord Atkin:
Robert Travers Atkin, (1841-1871), born in Fernhill, Clonakilty, the son of William Francis Atkin and his wife Alice Hungerford (née Stewart). In 1863, he emigrated to Queensland, Journalist Member Queensland Assembly. Father of Lord Atkin, Judge 1932 in Landmark Case on Law of Negligence Donoghue v Stevenson. Died of T.B. A monument was erected to his memory by the members of the Hibernian Society of Queensland, of which he was vice-pres. Relative of Thomas Davis. The Wright Brothers of Fernhill, Clonakilty, Lawyers and some Landowners.
In 1932, as a member of the House of Lords, he delivered the leading judgment in the landmark case of Donoghue v. Stevenson concerning the alleged adverse effects from an alleged snail in a bottle of ginger beer served in a café in Paisley. The case established the modern law of negligence in the UK and, indirectly, in most of the rest of the common law world.
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West Cork History 