The Times, Co. Tipperary, Ireland - 1847
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Contributed by: Mary Heaphy
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THE TIMES - 1847

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April 1847

The Orkney Property In Tipperary.
The speech delivered by Captain Fitzmaurice in the
debate on the third reading of the Irish Poor Law Bill,
and the statements therein made with respect to the Earl
of Orkney's property in Tipperary, have drawn forth a
very remarkable counterstatement in the form of a letter
addressed to the gallant member, by Mr. TRANT of Dovea,
a gentleman who has recently filled the office of
high-sheriff of the county in which the estates in
question are situate. The letter is subjoined; and it
will, perhaps, be admitted that the revelations here
made are not the least curious that have been brought to
light by the extraordinary circumstances of the times.

Dovea, Thurles, April 21st. 1847.
"Sir,-Having seen in the Dublin Evening Mail of the 19th
inst, the report of a speech made by you, on the 15th
inst, in the House of Commons, I think it but right to
give you some more accurate information than you seem to
be in possession of as to the state of your brother's
(The Earl of Orkney) property in this neighbourhood. In
that speech if correctly reported, you say-'At the very
moment the attack was made , his (Captain FITZMAURICE)
brother (Earl of Orkney) though not in Ireland, had
instructed his agents to draw for any reasonable amount
of funds the meet the emergency which existed; means
were afforded to two tenants to sow their land, and by
the course pursued, not a single labourer on his
brother's property had applied for employment under the
officers of the Board of Works.'. In the above speech
you allege three distinct facts- 1. That the agent was
instructed to draw for any reasonable amount of funds to
meet the emergency that existed. 2. Means were afforded
to two tenants to sow their lands. 3. That by the course
pursued not a single labourer on your brother's property
had applied for employment under the officers of the
Board of Works. "In the first place; I can show you that
your primary assertion, though strong, and perhaps
sufficient to satisfy an indifferent listener, is
inconsistent with the fact that the poor relief
committee of the electoral division of Inch, in the
County of Tipperary, in which body I have the honour to
be a member , and where your noble relative has very
considerable property, have for the last two seasons of
distress and destitution made several pressing
applications to the Earl of Orkney for a subscription or
donation in aid of the fund, through his agent, Mr.
GALWAY (who, I believe, resides somewhere in the County
of Limerick, about 30 Irish Miles from the property over
which he is agent) and always received a decided refusal
up to last month, when we were forwarded the munificent
donation of 10s., but which we should value at its
utmost worth, as I do not think that any other poor
relief committee in whose district he has property has
been so successful. You then state, that means were
afforded to two tenants to sow their lands. I have
frequently heard that John Bull was easily gulled; but
that the advocate of the possessor of a rent roll of
about 5000s per annum in this country should calmly
state, as a proof of the very considerable assistance
afforded during these times, that means were afforded to
two tenants to sow their lands, is, on the scene of the
actual want and misery, almost incredible, and, in
truth, brings discredit on the Imperial Parliament, and
is an argument-one of no light weight -to show the
incapabillity of the English Parliament's being a judge
of Irish affairs. No Irish resident of any class of
Society but would smile, were not the inclination to
merriment banished from their minds by the daily sight
of gaunt famine , now not striding through the land, but
a recognized inhabitant". With reference to your third
statement 'That not a single labourer on your brother's
property had applied for employment under the officers
of the Board of Works. ". I can inform you that upwards
of 20 families on the estate of the Earl of Orkney,
immediately adjoining mine, are, and have been,
constantly employed on the public works for the last
year; notwithstanding which several of those must have
perished if it had not been for the gratuitous relief,
as well as the additional employment, given to them by
me. Should these facts appear to you to be exaggerated
or unfounded, or should my not being personally
acquanted with you induce you to give less credence to
them than you otherwise would. I can furnish you with
extracts from the minutes of the proceedings of the Poor
relief Committee, and with a list of names of all the
persons on the Earl of Orkneys estate employed on the
Public Works. I can also refer you for the truth and
accuracy of my statement to Mr. JOHN GORE JONES,
resident magistrate, Thurles: The Rev. R. CAREY,
Protestant clergyman, The Rev. Mr. MULLANY, Parish
Priest: or any resident landlord in the North Riding of
Tipperary. I have the honour to be. Sir, Your obedient
servant. JOHN TRANT. Chairman, Inch Poor Relief
Committee.

In the National Library I (Mary) came across part of a
document and letter dated May. 1846. This letter
regarding subscriptions for the famine relief was
written by Richard Carey and THOMAS MULLANEY, protestant
clergyman and Parish Priest of Inch. It was addressed to
THOMAS LAFFAN KELLY who was agent for a number of
Tipperary Landlords.

Drom. Borrisoleigh May 1846.
Sir, In compliance with your request, we forward on the
other side a list of the local subscribers to the relief
fund of the Parish of Inch. Co. Tipperary. We beg also
to state the money is being and will be expended on the
purchase of food for which labour and half price cost
are required in most cases. Some portion is given gratis
to those unable to work.

List of Local Subscribers.

JOHN TRANT Esq. High Sheriff. £40. GEORGE RYAN, Inch
House. £40 Francis O'Brien Esq. £10 Ml. O'MEARA Esq. £10
Rev. THOS. MULLANEY £12 Rev. RICHARD CAREY £5. Mr. ED.
CALLINAN, Dovea £5. Mr. ED. LONG. £4. The list concludes
Ten to twelve farmers have paid 1 to 2 pounds. So it
seems that TRANT was telling the truth, that the biggest
landowner (Earl of Orkney) in the Parish of Inch, up to
1846 hadn't given a penny to the famine relief.

Date Unreadable

A Murderer Arrested. On Wednesday night, Mr. BROWN, an
officer in the Irish Police Force, arrived in Cardiff,
having in his custody two Irishmen, named Terence
Curboy, and MICHAEL BANAN, who had contrived to escape
from Ireland to this country after committing very
serious offences against the law. Curboy, who appeared a
young man about 20 years of age, is charged with having
barbarously murdered a man named Gleeson at Toomavara,
in the County of Tipperary, by shooting him with a
blunderbuss, and then, when his victim lay struggling in
agony, terminating his existence by hitting him on the
head with the butt end of the piece. This atrocious
outrage was, it is said committed without the slightest
reasonable provocation. The prisoner was taken at the
Drim colliery, in this Country, by Mr. BROWN, after a
protracted and arduous search, which he continued under
great difficulties with unbated ardour and
determination. He left Tipperary in order to trace the
prisoner, (if possible) and after making minute
enquiries through the several iron and coal works of
Monmouthshire, and Glamorganshire, he succeeded in
capturing the suspected murderer, as above stated. In
the course of his search he accidentally fell in with
MICHAEL BANAN, who escaped from justice, after being
involved in some Whiteboy transactions, about two or
three years ago, his comrade in that outrage having been
transported. The Prisoners were lodged in the county
goal on wednesday night , and left by steamer on
Thursday morning for Bristol, whence they proceeded to
Ireland by one of the Irish Packets. Curboy seemed to
feel acutely the position he was placed in.