The Great War: Bawnboy, Cootehill and Mullagh help Belgian refugees

War is indiscriminate. It fails to consider who will get injured or who should die and, in 1914, the brutality of the German army under Kaiser Wilhelm II against the Belgium people was base and horrifying on an epic scale. The mass shooting of civilians, rape, torture, and destruction of towns and rural communities was totally unwarranted.

To the German army, neutral Belgium was simply a backdoor into France and the innocent Belgian citizens paid with their blood when Belgium, having been asked by Germany to allow its troops free passage through its pleasant lands, had refused the Kaiser’s request.

The Germans on his orders carried on regardless, entering Belgium on August 4, 1914, attacking towns and rounding up innocent men, women and children. Worse still, the troops photographed the horror that they unleashed and kept the images as despicable trophies of an activity most nefarious.

Convents and monasteries received no amnesty and were burnt down, and the religious inhabitants within the walls met the same mindless disdain of the German soldiers. Belgian refugees were offered places of safety to stay for the duration of the war and Ireland pitched in; Cavan was amongst the counties willing to help.

Belgium was a Catholic country and the call to defend small nations such as hers became the British Army rallying cry for recruitment in Ireland. John Redmond, the Irish Home Rule party leader, was one of those who expressed his sympathies to the Belgium King: ‘We Irishmen are all glad to know that men of our race have been at the front helping Belgium to defend her integrity and independence, and Ireland sends to King Albert an expression of her deepest sympathy and admiration.’

By 1915, boats carrying many refugees started to arrive in Ireland. One report that February noted the arrival of an incoming steamer at North Wall, Dublin, with 108 persons, including men, women and children and added that ‘the usual kindly arrangements prevailed for their reception on landing from the steamer.’

Bishop Finegan

A distress committee was formed in Cavan to assist with the difficulties caused by the conflict, and they met in the Court House under the chairmanship of T.P. McKenna, JP, and chairman of Cavan County Council. Members of the Lough and Kennedy families attended, alongside county councillors and clergy, including Very Rev Philip O’Connell, PP, VG, Cootehill; Very Rev P. Fitzsimons, PP, VF, Bailieborough; Rev E.D. Crowe, rector, Cavan; and Rev Rainsford Moore, Cootehill.

In December 1914, they had on the agenda the urgent need to provide refuge to the Belgians and during the session a letter was read from Dr. Finegan, Lord Bishop of Kilmore who stated: ‘The special object of this meeting, I understand, is to provide house accommodation and support of as many as possible of the Belgian refugees… That is a work of mercy that appeals to all, and to which, I feel sure a generous response, as far as may be, will be given by the entire people of the county.’

Advertisements then appeared in this newspaper to ‘invite offers of vacant or furnished houses, furniture, food supplier, or cash subscription, in aid of the county scheme’ to prepare for the arrival of the refugees. Subscriptions were to be sent to T.P. McKenna, Mullagh; Dr F.P. Smith, Kevitt Castle, Crossdoney; or to Mrs W.J. Fegan, Farnham Street, Cavan.

Discussion at the County Council meeting in January 1915 centred on districts who offered assistance to the refugees and suggested that more than a couple of places should be considered for it was unfair for the responsibility to be entirely shouldered in one or two places, while other towns went free and ignored the situation.

P.J. Coffey requested funding from the distress committee for Templeport parish to buy furniture and such necessities. Arrangements had been put in place for the reception of families in the Bawnboy area on January 20, 1915, a local woman fluent in both French and German was present to assist the families overcome any language barriers.

Cootehill

On March 13, 1915, two families of Belgian refugees arrived at Cootehill Railway Station where they were met by Mrs Gallagher, Mrs and Miss Campbell, Mrs E.W. McQuaid, Mrs Peatt, Mrs Hall, and Mr James Murray. The account pleasingly recorded that the good people of Cootehill welcomed Monsieur De Marteau, along with his wife and four children, and the second family consisting of Monsieur De Meyers, his wife and three children. The De Marteau family were given a house on Cavan Street, which Mrs A. Carney had ‘generously’ offered and the De Meyers moved into a house at Cabra that Mr Armstrong had kindly provided. At Cootehill they formed a group to support the refugees with provisions and other necessities and noted that Monsieur De Marteau was the only ‘one of the party’ who spoke English.

Mullagh

An interesting letter from T.P. McKenna of Mullagh indicated how matters went in his hometown and his reaction to issues discussed by the committee. McKenna wrote: ‘I have read today the extraordinary discussion, which took place at the last meeting … in reference to my letter apprising the committee of the arrival of refugees at Mullagh and of the laudable and generous conduct of the people of this district in meeting as they did a sudden necessity so promptly.’

However, the issue with the committee was in relation to McKenna himself, apparently, failing to communicate certain things to the committee.

Overall, the arrival of Belgian Refugees was viewed positively, with The Anglo-Celt of June 5, 1916, printing a suggestion put forward in a letter to Mrs W.J. Fegan, Cavan, that the skills and knowledge possessed by the displaced peoples, could help to create new industries. Many of the Belgian people were gifted in woodwork and cabinet making and it was thought to be a ‘golden opportunity’ to allow them take on some Cavan pupils and train them up before they returned home after the war ended, should the committee agree.