Times Past: Raids by the Molly Maguires in 1845
This column recalls the Molly Maguires on the eve of the Great Famine.
During the 18th and 19th century Irish secret societies emerged in opposition to the often awful conditions imposed on tenant farmers by heartless landlords who could expel them from their meagre holdings at a moment’s notice. Societies to emerge included the Oak boys, the Whiteboys, and the Ribbonmen. In the 1840s another group emerged from a branch of the same tree that the two previous societies had been formed and they were known as the Molly Maguires.
The failure of the potato crop in the mid-1840s and the desperation of an oppressed people caused individuals to act. The Great Hunger caused innumerable deaths and a mass migration of Irish people to find a new home abroad. Amongst the million or so Irish who went to America, there were some linked to the Molly Maguires. Again, the Irish met with ill treatment and were often informed by signs not to apply for work and the Molly Maguires were to be found where injustice appeared. A film based on the Molly Maguires in the coalmines of Pennsylvania was made into a film in 1970. This week’s column looks at the Molly Maguires in Cavan on the eve of the Great Hunger.
Eve of an Gorta Mór
On June 17, 1845, the Armagh Guardian alerted readers to the activities of the Molly Maguires in Cavan, whom they labelled a set of ‘lawless vagabonds’ who continue their ‘outraging course’ throughout the country. Not a night passed without some new depredation coming before the public’s attention. The newspaper mulled over the level of planning needed to organise the attacks while emphasising to its readers that a ‘respectable correspondent’ had been engaged to write about the escapades of the Molly Maguires.
The first raid perpetrated, occurred against Thady Maguire, a resident at Monesk, who they ordered to his knees, rapidly placed a book in his hands and pointed a gun to his chest, and aggressively forced him to swear three times over the book they handed him. And what was it they made him swear to? He was instructed to swear that he would hand back to his relations the property he had received from his former wife. One of the Molly Maguires then seized the book and cursing said he’d lodge the guns contents into Thady if he failed to do as he was told.
Over by Cortubber, a man named McNiff was ordered to his knees and ordered to hand over his gun which the party of Molly Maguires insisted he kept in the house. Poor McNiff gave his oath that he did not own a gun, but they would not heed him. Twice, he denied ownership of a gun and the gang grew impatient and angered by his resistance, primed their weapon and pointed it into his chest. To protect himself, McNiff lifted his arm as a shot rang out, the bullet entered his arm causing a severe wound but never-the-less his actions saved his life. But the group were not done yet, and instead turned and grabbed Mrs McNiff and held her up against the wall with both her arms extended. She bravely continued to deny that they possessed a gun. Thankfully, persistence won out in the end and the party departed reluctantly. Luckily, Mrs McNiff appeared to have been unharmed physically.
The same party of men were set on correcting further wrongs and headed over to Stephen Gilroy’s house, situated in the same townland as the McNiffs. Gilroy too, was made kneel on the floor, and instructed to relinquish ownership of his farm which he had peacefully operated for the past twelve years. Gilroy who was initially unconcerned gave them an outright no! and said that he was not set to comply with their request. The Molly Maguires then called on a member of the group who they identified as Mr White-Stockings, the party’s appointed executioner. This White-Stockings character was not up for any messing about and gave Gilroy an ultimatum, either he obeyed the Molly Maguires’ demands with immediacy, or face the consequence of death by the gun. White-Stocking was familiar with conducting executions, which were no trouble to him, as he gleefully told the unfortunate man that he always was guaranteed to receive £10 for every execution upon successful completion.
That same weekend, the Molly Maguires called on a well-to-do man of the surname Veitch and questioned his servants before making off with £207 they had successfully managed to steal. By the following Monday, the local Resident Magistrate, Christopher Plunkett, was sufficiently triggered to act against the gang, as was sub-inspector H.W. Wray, and they headed out of Swanlinbar accompanied by a ‘strong escort of police’ to search the Glan landscape where the Molly Maguires were known to accumulate.
However, the Molly Maguires were far from slow and being well-informed, stayed one step ahead; they knew that both the R.M. and the police were heading their way. All the police were now out of town and, not wanting to miss an opportunity, the Molly Maguires showed chutzpah when they arrived in Swanlinbar where they ‘set to work’ conducting raids on farmhouses and stealing guns. The Armagh Guardian reported that four respectable farmers had their guns taken.
Ballyconnell
Ballyconnell received a visit too. Several warnings had been issued to locals in the post. Intriguingly, one of those to receive a threatening letter was the postmaster who was boldly ordered to get himself out of Ballyconnell.
To assist with the policing of west Cavan, a military presence was requested and the most likely place to be earmarked for such an encampment was at Dowra, the newspaper noted. The regional military presence was to be beefed up considerably with the help of local police from the nearby police stations. The ‘respectable correspondent’ inferred that the said increase of a military presence would have the desired effect of defeating the Molly Maguires and effect a return to peaceful habitation for everyone in the district. Calm might again ensue, it was hoped.
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