A TALE OF

THE IRISH REBELLION OF 1798.

BY THE O'HARA FAMILY.

A New Edition, with Introduction and Notes,
BY MICHAEL BANIM, ESQ,

THE SURVIVOR OF THE "O'HARA FAMILY."

1896

PREFACE

"THE CROPPY" was written by Abel O'Hara, the stay-at-home member of the family, and the Editor of the tale for the present edition.

I found it difficult when I made preparation for the story, to obtain from any then extant book, a reliable history of the rebellion of 1798. Sir Richard Musgrave's publication, I could not regard in any other light than as an untruthful narrative of the period ;-which it is now generally pronounced to be by all parties. A book by a person named Taylor came into my hands; professedly a statement of the occurrences of the County Wexford insurrection: this I found to be altogether a one-sided production; facts misstated; the outrages of one party exaggerated; the provocative outrages of the other, either entirely unnoticed, or justified. The book, in fact, not to be counted on as an authority.

The best book I could find referring to the Wexford outbreak was one published by the Rev. Mr. Gordon, a Protestant Clergyman. This I consulted with confidence, anxious as I was to form a true conception of the time I had undertaken to treat of. Many books are now available not then in existence; and the historical truth I wished to find, I had to search for in the ephemeral publications of the years preceding and inclusive of the year 1798. The lengthened notes I then made, I still possess, and I may occasionally quote from.

The historical introductory chapter to "THE CROPPY" was much more diffuse, when I sent the tale to my brother, than it is at pres. ent; too lengthened, in fact, for the place it was to hold. Of this I was conscious myself, and I requested Barnes O'Hara to use his pruning-knife at discretion. With this request of mine he complied quite to my satisfaction. On re-reading, I am inclined to think it is even yet too long. Some such introduction was however, necessary, and my conscience tells me that the chapter is historically accurate.

MICHAEL BANIM.

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