penalty of the law that fell upon those of superior station, still they too had good cause to find that an angry government is not easily appeased-and even the remoteness and wretchedness of their isolated habitations procured no immunity for their crimes. And yet it would have been probably, a wiser policy to have passed their offendings over -but the edict had gone forth, and it was carried into rigorous operation.

"General Trench made haste to clear the wild districts of the Laggan and Erris, by pushing detachments into each, who were able to do little more than to burn a number of cabins, for the people had too many hiding-places to be easily overtaken. Enough, however, was effected to impress upon the minds of the sufferers a conviction, that joining with the enemies of their country against their lawful sovereign was not a matter of so little moment as they had ignorantly imagined— and probably, the memory of what they endured will not be effaced for years. "There are, I know," says the bishop, "those who think differently, and say these mountaineers will be always ripe for insurrection— and who urge in proof, the mischief they did afterwards, by robbing and houghing of cattle. Yet surely our common nature will incline us to make some concession to the feelings of men driven, though by their own fault, from their farms and their dwellings-wretched dwellings to be sure, but to them as valuable as the palace to the grandee. Let a man look round from the summit of one of those mountains that guard our island against the incursions of the Atlantic, and say what he should think of passing a winter among them without the covering of a hut."

For the offendings of the western peasantry much might be pleaded in extenuation. Unlike the northern manufacturers, they were subjected to all the degradation attendant upon a state of serfhood-they were mere hewers of wood and drawers of water-uneducated, superstitious, ignorant of human life, and open to every imposition which persons, less credulous, would have scornfully rejected. Some joined the conspirators without an object or a thought-and others were actuated by terror and superstition. "Great pains were employed by the early insurgents to frighten their neighbours into the same inclosure of peril with themselves, partly by the most horrid menaces in case of refusal to join the common cause, and partly by spreading lies of the Protestants, whom they represented as Orangemen, universally bent on the excision of the Catholics."

"When the united weight of so many temptations is duly estimated, operating besides on a body of peasantry already estranged from their Protestant neighbours by difference of religion, language, and education, it will rather be matter of surprise that so little mischief was the result of the insurrection in Connaught, and that we had not the same horrid scenes of cruelty and religious intolerance to mourn over, as had lately stamped indelible disgrace on the eastern province. It is a circumstance worthy of particular notice, that during the whole time of this civil commotion, not a drop of blood was shed by the Connaugh rebels, except in the field of war. It is true, the example and in

HISTORY OF THN

fluence of the French went a great way to prevent sanguinary excesses, but it will not be deemed fair to ascribe to this cause alone the forbearance of which we were witnesses, when it is considered what a range of country lay at the mercy of the rebels for weeks after all French control had ceased."*

His de

The only leaders of distinction, in that portion of the county, who underwent the extreme penalty of the law, were Bellew, O'Dowd, and Barrett. The former, who had been previously deprived of the rank of general conferred on him at the landing of the French, in the town, tried next day by a court-martial, and hanged. 66 was taken jection on his trial was such, that he was incapable of making any rational defence. He was a man of quick, lively parts, very shrewd in his remarks on men and manners, and had much sincerity and ingenuousness in his conduct and conversation. He knew the French, Italian, German, and Sclavonian languages well, and spoke the first three with fluency and accuracy. It is much to be lamented that a man who might have been a benefit and an ornament to society should, by a train of misfortunes to which he was not accessary, be reduced to such a state of debasement, and finally driven to make so ignominious an exit."+

O'Dowd, after the surrender of Humbert, attempted to escape, but he was taken and brought before Lord Cornwallis, at the camp of St. John's-town. At first he endeavoured to pass himself as a French officer, but he was easily identified, tried by court-martial, and capitally convicted.

"Colonel O'Dowd-to give him his rebel distinction-was descended from a very ancient family of the same name, who formerly possessed a large tract of country in the counties of Sligo and Mayotwo baronies of which, namely, Tireragh and Tyrawly, had their names from the sons of the original chieftain, who divided his estate between them. On this extensive property they counted twenty-four castles, which were occupied by themselves or their adherents, and many of their ruins are still in existence. O'Dowd having been very active in the rebellion of 1641, this fine estate was confiscated, and divided amongst the followers of the conqueror; a small mountainous tract of land, called Bonneconclane, being given by special favour to one of the family, and so handed down to the late possessor, James O'Dowd. O'Dowd was enrolled in the yeomanry-but on the landing of the French at Killalla, his corps, like many others, was put to flight by the enemy, and O'Dowd deserted his post, and returned to his own house-where, by the solicitations of his wife, and the exertions of one Egan, a bigot, who lived with him, and who had acquired a complete ascendancy over his judgment, he was induced to declare for the cause of rebellion. Having assembled his tenantry and neighbours, he mustered about one hundred men, and putting himself at the head, marched to the French camp at Killalla, where he received his own commission, and arms for his followers; while his wife, mounted on a

* Bishop Stock.

+ Musgrave.

showy horse, and decorated with green ribbons and cockade, attended the procession and brought up the rear. When arraigned, he pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him, but assured the court that this was his first offence-and declared on his honour, if they would pardon it, that he would ever continue a loyal and faithful subject. On being informed that his request could not be complied with, he begged to have a priest; but as there was not time for this ceremony, he was constrained to submit to his fate, which he met, but not with that fortitude which might have been expected from a man who had spent so much of his life in active service and scenes of war.'

A number of inferior criminals were, at the same time, sacrificed rather to the angry spirit of the times, than to meet the strict ends of justice and, instead of operating beneficially, this unwise severity kept the wilder parts of the mountain districts disquieted for several years. Men, who thought themselves without the pale of mercy, banded together, commenced an outlaw's life, living by cattle-stealing, and house and highway robbery. Working on the fears of some, they persuaded them that they too had no clemency to hope for from any return to their former industrious pursuits; while numerous deserters, who had fought against their king, and deserted the colours they had sworn to defend, made common cause with the Mayo outcasts, and pursued the same short and desperate career, suffering all the vicissitudes attendant on proscribed life, and ending it most frequently on the scaffold. The immense extent of mountain country lying on the Sligo and Galway boundaries of Mayo, offered to these desperate men, not only the means of concealment, but also an extensive field for plunder and for years after the rebellion had been suppressed, the proprietors of cattle in these wild baronies complained of heavy losses, incurred equally by robbery and revenge-the common mode of marking their displeasure, being the burning the corn-stacks or houghing the cattle of those who had been so unfortunate as to become obnoxious to them. Gradually however, these disturbers were rooted out-and of two who had acquired some notoriety by their success in evading justice for a time, Gibbons was hanged, and McGreal surrendered and received a pardon.t

* Musgrave.

+ Gibbons was a detestable scoundrel-malignant and sanguinary, without a single trait of "savage virtue" in his character. He robbed rich and poor alike, and hence he died without exciting the pity of the peasantry, which in Ireland is seldom withheld from the greatest malefactors. He was apprehended in a poteeinehouse near the Killeries, where he had got drunk. As was his custom, he lay down without undressing, first placing a blunderbuss and case of pistols beside him. The woman of the house, who had been repeatedly subjected to his insolence and extortions, seized this as a fit moment for revenge. She despatched a messenger to apprize some yeomanry in the neighbourhood that Gibbons was in her cabin, and then quietly abstracting his firearms from the bed of the sleeping drunkard, she flung them into a water-tub, and rendered them unserviceable. The yeomanry arrivedand when the bandit awoke, he found himself pinioned with a hank of yarn, and s prisoner. Next day he was carried into Westport and hanged.

McGreal, known better by the double sobriquet of "Shamus Rhua" (red James) and ta Copteeine" (the captain), was a stout, good-natured fellow. No act of

252

is

HISTORY OF THE

Whether from a natural mildness of disposition, or the example of the French, the contrast between the western and southern insurgents very favourable to the former. Although held in light estimation by their northern confederates,* the Mayo peasantry, however deficient in ability, were by no means wanting in spirit. "To do them justice," says Bishop Stock, "they never appeared to want animal courage, for they flocked together to meet danger whenever it was expected. Had it pleased heaven to be as liberal to them of brains as of hands, it is not easy to say to what length of mischief they might have proceeded; but they were all along unprovided with leaders of any talent or influence."

Another distinctive mark between the lower classes of Wexford and Mayo, was evidenced in their feelings towards the Protestant clergy. Of ten persons of that order who fell into the hands of the insurgents in the county of Wexford, five were put to death without mercy or hesitation-Robert Burrowes, Francis Turner, Samuel Heydon, John Pentland, and Thomas Trocke-all men of regular conduct, and perfectly inoffensive. Joshua Nunn, rector of Enniscorthy, was preserved under the protection of Father Sutton, of Enniscorthy. Roger Owen, rector of Camolin, escaped by feigning to be deranged in his understanding. This clergyman has given, since the rebellion, full proof of a genuine spirit of Christian charity-for though treated with such cruelty by the robels, that he could hardly be expected to survive his hardships, he has endeavoured since, as far as in his power, to mitigate the rage of the lower classes of Protestants, who have been too apt to regard all Romanists in the same light. John Elgee, rector of Wexford, was with difficulty saved from death by the gratitude of some of the lowest peasants, for his humanity to the prisoners in the gaol of that town. Henry Wilson, incumbent of Mulranken, was with peculiarly good fortune preserved by the timely interposition of Bagenal Harvey."+

In Mayo no violence was offered to the clergy, and many of the church ministers never retired from their glebe-houses. Even in the fever of the insurrection, a temporary police was organized generally throughout the country; and notwithstanding the anarchy of the times, its functionaries were respected, and infinite good resulted.

The town of Killalla was committed to the protection of one hun

cruelty was ever imputed to him—and, on more than one occasion, he saved persons and property from the vengeance of Gibbons. After many hair-breadth escapes, he obtained a pardon and surrendered. He never, however, resumed industrious pursuits, but led a rambling life, wandering from one gentleman's house to another. The author's was a favourite residence of "the captain's," and Shamus Rhua was his constant follower in grouse shooting and deer stalking-his intimate knowledge of the mountains, with numerous anecdotes of his exploits and escapes, rendering ta Copteeine both a useful and an amusing companion.

"It is very remarkable, that these mea, the northern emigrants, despising the want of courage and abilities in the Connaught rebels, refused to serve promiscuously with them, but formed a separate corps, who kept together during the rebellion."Musgrave.

+ Ibid.

dred and fifty men, in three bodies, all to be observant of the orders of Mr. James Devitt, the civil magistrate unanimously chosen by the people, because he was a substantial tradesman, a Roman Catholic, and a man of sense and moderation. He had under him two assistants of his own religion. The benefits of this regulation were felt immediately in the establishment of tolerable order and quiet, at least in and about the town; and without doubt they would have been felt to a greater extent, if the French power had been firmer.

"The example of Killalla was presently copied in the other departments. Magistrates were elected, always Roman Catholics, but commonly of the better sort among them, persons who had no desire to take arms against the British government. Some of these applied to the bishop for his opinion whether they should incur the penalties of treason by acting under a foreign power, merely for the common safety, and under the conditions stated above. His answer was, that he was no lawyer-but having always found the law of England to be consonant to reason, he would take upon him to say there could be no law forbidding to do, under these circumstances, what was absolutely enjoined by the great law of self-preservation. It is reported, that when the rebellion was over, several persons muttered against this doctrine. It might be conceded, they said, to the existing terror, but it was not sound, because it might be employed as an excuse for a tame and prompt submission to any invaders. To such tranquil declaimers on the merit of casting away life and property, in preference to bowing the head to a storm, it is obvious to reply, that had they changed situations with those who actually felt the distress, it is more than probable they would have seen good reason to adopt the very conduct which, in the fulness of security, they take upon them to condema. To submit to a king de facto, and even to act by a commission from such a one to preserve the peace of the community, provided by so doing you do not preclude yourself from returning under the government of a king de jure, is a practice sanctioned by the authority of our most equitable English law."*

The ferocious character of the Wexford war did not, on either side, mark the western outbreak. In the former county, Gordon says that there was reason for believing "that more men than fell in battle were slain in cold blood. No quarter was given to persons taken prisoners as rebels, with or without arms. For one instance-fifty-four were shot in the little town of Carnew in the space of three days! How many fell in this manner, or were put to death unresisting, in houses, fields, and elsewhere, would be as difficult to state with accuracy, as the number slain in battle."

In making a last allusion to the Wexford rebels, horrible and revolting as their cruelties were, amid all their atrocities the chastity of the fair sex was respected. "I have not been able to ascertain," says Gordon, "one instance to the contrary in the county of Wexford, though many beautiful young women were absolutely in their power

Narrative of occurrences at Killalla.