Part 4

From amongst the local branches of the society in the anthracite coal mines of Northeastern Pennsylvania another notorious secret criminal inner ring of Molly McGuires was formed. They converted the local branches of the Molly McGuires, for their own protection, against the encroachments of English miners (Cousin Jacks and Cousin Germans included), on their jobs. Many of these Irish miners, previous to their coming to America, worked in the coal mines in England. In the latter country they received very poor treatment. They left that country carrying with them a deep hatred for anything that was English. Through secret societies, churches and lodges, to which bosses and superintendents belonged. English miners were making their way in amongst the Irish miners and Irishmen discharged. This was the start of the trouble. Soon the Molly McGuires by violence, conducted secretly, started at getting rid of superintendents, bosses and police hostile to them. In face of their condemnation by their church, they went forward, the most religious dropping away from the society.

In the war between the North and South, there was an increased demand for coal. English, Welsh and German miners were sent into the mines to work, and Irishmen of American birth or who were American citizens, taken away to fight. Replacing Irishmen that were fighting for America, with their most hated foes, the English, also with Welsh and Germans, caused trouble, with the result that they began to oppose conscription, and some army officers were roughly handled.

From this onward, rough handling, burning, faction fights and murder went on in the coal mines. The Molly McGuires were blamed for nearly all crimes, no matter who committed them. On or about the year 1865, they killed a colliery superintendent, which attracted widespread attention.

James McParlan, an Irish Catholic detective, joined the society and became one of its leaders. After three years a member he secured damaging evidence which led to the execution of the ringleaders and imprisonment of a large number of the Molly McGuires.

_Moonlighting._--In 1878 this name was assumed by an unknown leader in this county (Kerry), who wrote threatening letters containing a diagram of a coffin, skull-bones and a rifle. He signed himself "Captain Moonlight." Small bands of men, secretly armed and disguised, went by night and raided the houses of land grabbers, emergency men and bad land agents. Gladstone and Foster's Coercion Acts, prohibiting the holding of meetings or allowing the people any means whatsoever of seeking a redress of their grievances forced this regrettable but necessary evil. In some cases in those moonlighting raids lives were taken, and to satisfy the Government and the ascendency class many innocent persons were hanged and others sent to penal servitude. The police and landlord under-strappers manufactured many crimes for which moonlighters and land leaguers were wrongly blamed and punished.[7]

_National School Teachers Slapping Their Pupils for Speaking Irish._--The movement for the preservation and revival of the Irish language put a stop to the National school teachers' habit of beating their pupils for speaking their native language.

When I was in Old Mexico I found the peons and Indians made use of a number of words corresponding in sound and meaning to words in the Irish language.

_Ogham Characters._--These are a species of ancient Irish writings, marks and lines cut into upright pillar and monumental stones which are very numerous in Corkaguiny. It is said that the term Ogham was first applied to the sacred writings of our Druids.

_Orangemen._--These are foreign Irishmen espousing the cause of William of Orange, who on the 1st of July, 1690, defeated dirty King James of England at the Battle of the Boyne. About the year 1795 Orangemen began to organize. Their first oaths and declarations were that they would never rest satisfied until they would be victoriously knee-deep in Papist blood, i. e., Catholic blood. In suppressing Irish societies, administering those oaths were also forbidden, and in 1857 the Lord Chancellor ordered that justices of the peace should not be members of Orange clubs. Orangemen in their 12th of July celebrations wrecked Catholic churches and police of the Orange type in our locality often celebrated the 12th of July by assaulting civilians, afterwards arresting them.

(See Supplementary History County Kerry for a clear account of the Battle of the Boyne, the Fall of Limerick and the Broken Treaty of Limerick.)

_Parnellite Splits._--On the 6th day of December, 1890, this unfortunate Parnellite split took place. On the 17th of November of that year a decree of divorce was granted to Captain O'Shea, separating him from his wife on the grounds of improper conduct with Parnell. Three days after the decree was pronounced by the court, a meeting of the Irish Parliamentary party was held in Linster Hall Dublin. Here Justin McCarthy proposed and Timothy Healy seconded that Parnell possessed the confidence of the Irish nation and five days after the Irish Parliamentary party unanimously elected him their leader. While these proceedings were taking place amongst the Irish Nationalists, Gladstone addressed a letter to John Morley, Chief Secretary of Ireland, demanding Parnell's resignation from the leadership. Parnell refused to yield to Gladstone's dictation.

Immediately the bishops and priests of Ireland were ranked in all their fury against Parnell and his supporters. During the whole of the years 1891, 1892 and 1893, almost on every Sunday the priests from the altars were denouncing the Parnellites. Young priests out of college were allowed to go to the utmost extremities. The whole country was very much divided, even members of the same family differed--the father argued against the son and the son did the same against the father. One party was called Parnellites and the other Anti-Parnellites. It was very plain that the Irish people were very unwilling to throw aside their fallen chief, especially at the bidding of one of Parnell's former political foes.

Parnell was a Protestant and divorces were pretty numerous in England, therefore many considered the question outside of the jurisdiction of the Catholic clergy, while English church and statesmen could not consistently make such a demand upon Irishmen. For the first time, here the clergy met serious opposition from the people. At meetings priests were hooted. Fights with fists and sticks became frequent.

In the West Kerry Parliamentary Division every parish priest, with the exception of Canon Daniel O'Sullivan, did the utmost in his power to force the electors to vote for Sir Thomas G. Esmond, Anti-Parnellite, and against Edward Harrington, M. P. In this split a very fine brass band belonging to the Dingle Temperance Society was broken up and destroyed because it was to play at an Anti-Parnellite meeting, contrary to the wishes of the Parnellite members who were refused permission to take the band to one of Parnell's meetings. The Cattle Fair, re-established in Goat Street by the National League, was carried back to the old Brewery on the Spa Road. Lord Ventry was back again as Chairman of the Dingle Poor Law Board. It was a bad split for Ireland. Sir Thomas G. Esmond was declared elected, but as clerical intimidation was too fierce the result was more an unnecessary display of priestly power than a true representation of the choice of a free people.

_Peelers._--This was the name given by the common people, in the Irish language, to the police force, because they were appointed in pursuance of the Peace Preservation Act of 1814, of which Sir Robert Peel was the proposer. In after years a like law was applied to England, and the English, to be different from the Irish, nicknamed their police "Bobbies," for Robert.

_Penal Laws._--These were laws passed both by the English and Irish Protestant Parliaments, prohibiting a Catholic to live in England or Ireland, if he practiced any part of the Catholic religion. Priests were banished. However, they performed the Catholic services in caves, mountains and other hiding places.

By Catholic emancipation the Penal Laws were nearly abolished.

_Phoenix Park Murders._--On the evening of the 6th of May, 1882, Lord Frederick Cavendish, a new and friendly Chief Secretary to Ireland, and Thomas H. Burke, a prominent Under-Secretary, were surrounded by the Invincibles while walking in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, and silently stabbed to death with amputating knives imported for the purpose.

While Foster was Chief Secretary, many attempts were made to murder him, but they all failed. His escapes were miraculous.

Burke was blamed for poisoning the mind of every Chief Secretary or Minister sent into the country, and also for the Coercion Act. Lord Cavendish was offered permission to escape, but he refused, and therefore met the fate of Burke. On the evidence of James Carey, the informer, the Invincibles were hanged. The Government tried to smuggle Carey to South Africa. He was followed by Pat O'Donnell, an Invincible, and shot on board the "Milrose" in or near Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

For the murder of James Carey, Pat O'Donnell was convicted on the 1st of December and executed on the 17th of December, 1883, at New Gate, London.

_Primrose League._--This is a kind of a league of landlords, their ladies and followers, putting forward three principles, viz.: Maintenance of religion, estates of the realm and imperial ascendency. It was founded in England in 1883. Meetings of the Primrose League were held in the Grove, Dingle, and many other places in the barony, which were attended by the "Shoneen" class. On the anniversary of the death of Lord Beaconsfield members wear a bunch of roses, although not his favorite flower.

_Pitch Cap._--This was a cap made of pitch or tar. In 1798, pitch caps were placed by English officers on the heads of the Irish rebels until they would stick on to the hair and flesh, then these were set on fire.

_Plan of Campaign._--This was started by William O'Brien and John Dillion (without the approval of Parnell), about the year 1886. A fair rent was offered by the tenants to the landlords, which the latter refused. With a view to forcing the landlords to terms, a strike was started against the payment of any rent. The rents were paid into the "Plan of Campaign" and deposited in the bank. However, in many cases the landlords obtained garnishee orders from the courts and seized the money in the banks. Politicians blame William O'Brien and John Dillion for not using better judgment in this and the building of New Tipperary in 1887.

_Poff and Barrett Hanged._--On the 22nd of January, 1883, Sylvester Poff and James Barrett were hanged at Tralee jail for murder. They were convicted by a packed jury at Cork. By public opinion they were found innocent and their execution is classed with Crown judicial murders of Kerrymen.

_Poor Scholars or the Hedge School Teachers._--These wandered all over the country and taught lessons, very often in the open air. They disappeared with the introduction of the national schools.

_Pope's Brass Band._--This was the name applied by the English press to the Irish Parliamentary Party which distinguished itself in the fight against the ecclesiastical titles bill. Its leaders were Keogh and Saddlier. The Irish people had such confidence in their Parliamentary representatives that they called them the "Irish Brigade." However, soon they discovered that the leaders were the worst traitors that ever stood on Irish soil. Keogh and Saddlier accepted Government positions. Judge Keogh cut his own throat while confined in a madhouse, and on the 16th of February, 1856, Saddlier committed suicide by swallowing prussic acid. Another prominent member of the band of traitors ended his life much after the fashion of the leaders, while the band melted quickly.

_Public Pilgrimage to Brandon Mountain._--This took place on Sunday, the 28th of June, 1868. The religious services at the mountain peak were presided over by Dr. Moriarty, the Catholic Bishop of Kerry. About twenty thousand persons attended.

(See Hist. Co. Kerry, Chapter V, page 39.)

_Recantation (Public)._--During the great anti-Catholic campaign in the Dingle Peninsula, when a Roman Catholic became a Protestant it was the custom to supply him with a written document to be signed by him wherein he withdraw all he ever said against Protestantism and gave particulars of the superstition and errors of Popery which he then denounced. Sworn documents were read in Protestant churches and published. However, not more than five per cent of the alleged subscribers to those recantations and depositions knew what they contained.

_Saints' Birthdays._--It was not on the birthdays but the death days that the early Catholic Church held festivals in honor of saints and martyrs, notwithstanding that such celebrations found in ancient documents may be given as that particular saint's birthday. St. Bridget's Festival and St. Patrick's Festival are celebrated on the reputed anniversary of their deaths.

There are a few cases in our country where pagans, after being converted, baptised and received into the church, have their celebrations on the anniversary of their baptism or public entry. Usually they selected a saint's festival day for that purpose.

Birthday celebrations at the beginning of Christianity were looked on with anger by the Christians, because they were oppressed and persecuted by both Jews and pagans, and they found in their start the world hard, cold and cruel.

_Sinn Fein._--This is a new party which sprang into existence. Its motto is "Sinn Fein," or "Ourselves Alone," meaning thereby that not through a British Parliament but through Irishmen working together in building up Irish industries and holding to the national language will the redemption of Ireland be accomplished.

The Sinn Fein movement is purely a political, economic and non-military society. The name "Sinn Fein Volunteers" today throughout the world is more wrongly applied to the Irish Revolutionary Party than calling the Battle of Bunker Hill to the battle fought between the British soldiers and American Revolutionists at Breed's Hill, Boston, Mass. The Irish Revolutionists were made up of Irish Volunteers, Gaelic Leaguers and other Irish societies. They protested against the youth of Ireland under false colors to be drawn into the British army. These societies pointed out that the English secured the first foothold on Irish soil by fraud and misrepresentation. Ever since then the English are the so-called owners, contrary to the will of the Irish people. Protestant and Catholic alike wrote their protest with their life's blood against British tyrannical laws. Through disrespect for them the revolutionists were called "Sinn Fein Volunteers" by their opponents. These revolutionists now erroneously called "Sinn Fein Volunteers," broke out in the City of Dublin on Easter Monday, 24th of April. A body of revolutionary Irish Volunteers, dressed in Irish military uniform, marched in processional order through the streets of Dublin, took possession of the general postoffice and proclaimed an Irish Republic. Patrick H. Pearse was chosen as Provisional President, and James Connelly, Commander.

[Sidenote: P. S.--While this book was in the hands of Messrs. Sealy, Bryer & Walker, printers, Dublin, the war broke out. The premises of the printers, together with several manuscripts of the author, were burned. The account here of the revolution is added now to the part of the burned copies.]

English military forces of all kinds, with artillery and field guns, were quickly brought against the revolutionists. Against wrecking fire of shot and steel, these Republican Irish Volunteers, with little food and no sleep for nearly a full week, fought against the British. During the fight a portion of the city was burned. The English army burned whole blocks of houses, apparently with the object of giving themselves a clear field for the play of artillery and field guns against the revolutionary army. The Volunteers also set fire to buildings, hoping that the flames might reach Dublin Castle and destroy that British official stronghold in the country, but without success.

Liberty Hall, the Revolutionary party headquarters, was bombarded from H. M. S. "Helga." Machine guns secretly hidden by the government in the Custom-House were also turned upon it and it was destroyed.

Early in the fight James Connelly, the Irish Commander-in-Chief, was wounded and nearly died. P. H. Pearse took command. Foreign relief from Germany was expected, but it did not come, as Sir Roger Casement was arrested in Tralee and the vessel containing arms sunk.

After a week's hard fighting, both day and night, the British troops were getting the best of the Irish Volunteers. P. H. Pearse saw that they were completely surrounded by troops and artillery. In order to prevent further slaughter of the unarmed, he agreed to surrender and accordingly advised the Republicans. Ladies and shop girls fought bravely for Irish freedom. Contrary to the rules of warfare, sixteen leaders were shot dead. Eight of them signed the document proclaiming the Irish Republic.

The men shot after surrendering were Patrick H. Pearse, Thomas J. Clark, Thomas MacDonagh, Joseph Plunket, Edward Daly, William O'Hanrahan, William Pearse, Edmond Kent, John McBride, Cornelius Culbert, J. J. Hewston, Michael Mallon, Thomas Kent, James Connelly, John M. Dermott, F. S. Skeffington. Killing these men cannot improve the conditions of the country because they were no traitors to their native land. They were prepared to accept aid for the freedom of Ireland from any country and refused to be hirelings.

The immediate cause of the revolution was, it appears, a secret document distributed in cypher amongst the military authorities containing instructions to the military to seize the Sinn Feiners, Gaelic Leaguers and Irish Volunteers' headquarters, and arrest the leaders. Conscription was then to be enforced in Ireland. Postoffice officials who were Irish Republicans evidently kept a close eye on the Government proceedings and the documents fell into the hands of the Irish Republicans. The Irish Volunteers stood pledged to the single service of Ireland, and decided that if they were to die fighting they should do it for the cause of Ireland. Accordingly they broke out two days before the day fixed for capturing their strongholds.

The plan of the British Government failed completely, but it cost many valuable lives, both of men and women--Catholic and Protestant. The revolution is condemned by Mr. John Redmond and his other Parliamentary followers. On the other hand, John Redmond and his followers are classed as traitors and job hunters by the Irish Volunteers in Ireland, and almost by every national body in the United States, and the spirit to avenge the deaths of these martyrs is growing fast.

Since 1907, the present Parliamentary party showed signs of departure from the course outlined by Parnell, by accepting a half measure of Home Rule.[8] The Sinn Fein National Council repudiated a definition by the National Directory of the Irish demand, to the effect that the minimum Irish demand was a sovereign Parliament, in Irish affairs "to be equal to and co-extensive with those of the Parliament of Great Britain," or, in other words, Grattan's Irish Parliament.

When the half measure of Home Rule was passed and Sir Edward Carson, a Unionist M. P., went to Ulster to get the people of Ulster to sign a covenant to resist with firearms Home Rule, he boasted he had 40,000 (more or less) Ulster volunteers to prevent the Act from going into operation. The Irish Volunteers asked the Government of Great Britain "If the Orangemen can arm and drill, why cannot the rest of Ireland do the same?" Irish Volunteers were allowed to arm because the war cloud was hanging over Europe and it was considered useful to have Irish half-trained soldiers ready to fight.

When the European war broke out, Home Rule was quickly passed, and on the 18th of September, 1914, signed by King George, and placed on the Statute Book, but suspended from operation until after the end of the war. The German people were painted in every false color for the Irish people. Most of the common people did not believe that the Germans were as bad as they were painted. Moreover they had no confidence in the British Government and looked upon this Home Rule scheme as a recruiting bait.

Next a demand was made on the Irish people to "furnish men to fight for the protection of their homes and Home Rule." Then a split started in the ranks of all Irish Volunteers. John Redmond preached that "the cause of the Allies was just and the neutrality of Ireland impossible, and that England stood for the protection of little nationalities." The Irish Volunteers answered that they stood pledged to the single service of Ireland; that the war was not an Irish war, but an English war, and in that war Irishmen should not fight; that the sacrifice for the honor of having Home Rule on the Statute Book only, was too great; and also Irishmen received only coercion from England until England's difficulty.

By the Defense of the Realms Act free speech was completely suppressed and Irishmen imprisoned. For advising his son not to join the army, a father was imprisoned and in fact conscription was partly in force in Ireland, but not on the Statute Book.[9] When the people were deserted by their leaders, free speech suppressed, as usual in such cases the country became honeycombed with secret societies. Now Sir Roger Casement is hanged on a charge of high treason.[10]

The History of the Revolution of 1916 is still making.

_Skelligs._--(See my History of the Skelligs, Blasket Islands and the West of Dingle, to which you will add the disputes between Rome and the Irish Church over the observance of Easter.)

_Soupers and Souperism._--During the last black famine the Irish Protestant Mission Society established in the Dingle Peninsula soup and gruel kitchens for the purpose of tempting starving mothers with young children to become Protestants. A Dingle Catholic curate named O'Connor called those who accepted the soup on condition of joining the Protestant church or Scripture classes "Soupers." Finally the expression was extended to all of that class of Roman Catholics who while still believing in their former religion went under the color and pretense of converts for lucre and joined the Protestant Church. (See my book on the Skelligs and the Souper Campaign.)

_Spanish Armada._--This was a mighty big fleet of Spanish ships which in 1588 came to fight against England. Many of them wrecked by a storm on our coast. A big ship called "Our Lady of the Rosary," went down in Blasquet Islands Sound. The destruction of the Armada caused Spain to lose the supremacy of the sea.

(See my book on the Skellig and Blasket Islands for more particulars.)

_Statute of Kilkenny._--Statute of Kilkenny was a law passed by the son of Edward III, Lionel, Duke of Clarence, preventing English settlers speaking the Irish language, wearing Irish dress or adopting Irish names or customs.

_St. Patrick's Day._--Ireland's national holiday. This is the date (17th of March) set down for the death of St. Patrick.

_Tanistry._--This was an ancient law and custom amongst the Irish whereby the owner made equal divisions of his lands amongst his sons, legitimate or illegitimate alike. This was abolished by British law in 1604.