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Examinations having been sworn in ‘Angus and September haat, by several Protestants, for a row and for assaults committed by a Roman Catholic Party ay the fair of Derry gennelly, in the month of July preceding + the Roman, ‘Catholics subse quently swore examinations against the Protes tant, ‘as having’ been the aleged aggressors on that occasion; and bills were found against a great number of each ‘party, where trials were now called. The Chairman suggested to the Counsel on each side the propriety, if it were posible, of effecting a reconciliation between the parties, Mr. Scuoskis, Counsel for the Protestants, said that a private overture of that kind had al ready been midde to him by Mr. Kernan, the Counsel for the Roman Catholics, that he had communicated it to both of his clients, but that their wish was to have the truth publicly investi gated, as much misrepreentation had gone abroad on the subject. His own opinion he said was that, to the present save of irritation, To such recon ciliation “as wav’ witressed “could be sincere of ratting y that the attempt could Boly Took off the reward dread on one side or the letter, of meceting the facts of the case, and that it would be better to let the public see, once for all, that the law was strong enough to reach and to punish whatever party presumed to viollate it, however formida breach party might consder itself. This seeming to be the opinion of the majority of the Bench, the trials proceeded. It was agreed to give both parties in charge to the same Jury, and a peremptory challenge was permitted on each side, ontil a very respectable and impartial Jury was obtained Mr. Gemoaves stated the case of the Protes tants, the onbstance of which, as it was afterwards supported by, the evidence, was as follows — one Michael Cassidy, a Roman Catholic, hav ing been engaged in a scuffle with one Fallis, a Protestage, at the fair of Monea, in June, [81], lodged examinations against him for an assault, and obtained a warrant against him from the Ma gistrate, Geo. Nixon, Esq. Not satisfied, how ever, with the mode of redress, Cassidy deter mained to have vengeance, and fixed on the fall day of Derrygonnelly, on the 12th of July fol lowing, for the purpose. It appeared from the evidence of three or four respectable Gentlemen, that, early on that day, a number of men were seen descending from the mountains which lie be tween the counties of Leitrim and Fermanagh, and approaching Derrygonnelly. They were armed with cudgels, and continued to assemble from eleven o'clock until between four and five, and were even fucking thither at the time that the fair business was over, and many people returni ng home. ‘They were in general strangers, not known to the inhabitants, nor in the habit of re porting to that fair on business, and when they reached the place, they did not mix ip the fair, but assembled at the opposite end of the bridge, where they remained in a close body, never less than from one to two hundred, during the day. This unusual assemblage being observed by Mr. Noble Weir, Mr. Alexander Acheson, and other respectable persons, (all of whom were examined) they thought it right to endeavour to prevent the intended mischief ; and with that view three of them applied to two persons named Maguire, whom they considered as men of some influence among the Roman Catholics, and requested them tartuertere t ‘Che Magus rep qonsented, went over Fee which Fallis was afterwards tried and acquitted the bridge, and, after you, conference with the arty there anembled,* ‘ebemed: to prevail, “1 sbork tinge however, Michigelitas sposated a front of, the parcy, flourishing a ‘a piece of white mod man fixed, and Paclaitin j. ~* ‘that was his colour, cedverten deretouch in Sie Cassidy tein applied to y Mry Alétander Ache son to desist, said when ‘ching there 06 ‘ght, and fight ie magi.” eal The inte me of he “Maguires, way much defeated, by several of Cassidy’s ‘party, who loudly complained, that it was hard ‘they should have come % for 18 fight, said” not yet fighting to which, Cassidy xeplied, ie very, tees my ‘boyr— am of, bever ground hers than] was at Mohea 5 if the Protettate had the advantage of that we have’ ef ther, mr Mould appepare’ tor Tso sien YouR Sa ria boys and keep your ranke p to this time, there way no appearance ‘OF wing: anil pasty in or fear the fair excep that court minded by Cassidy: such Protestants a were int the fair. were, scattered up.and down about their usual Busindt, “kod ‘on Cassidy niow 5 Truelag ‘Battle againny phon he had, the warrant in the fair, directed Thomas Magniré, a Constable, to arrest him, ‘which he did. Mir. Noble Weir observing this, and fear ing that it might provoke a riots particularly , he thought the Constable intoxicated, requested the Constable to discharge Fallis, be (Mr. Weir), undertaking that he should attend, before the Magistrate est day. Maguire was unwilling to do x0, unless Cassidy would consent: but Ma guire’s wife interfered with him, and said “ you ‘shall do no more for them to-day: and Maguire having told Cassidy what Mr. Weir proposed,, Cassidy said, “ that will do,” and thereupon Maguire and Cassidy went away towards Cassidy’ s party, leaving Fallis, who walked off in an oppo site direction, by . This, was the fact as distinctly deposed by Mr. Noble Weir and six or seven other witnesses !— Maguire’ 13 evidence was, that Fallis was forcibly revcied from him’ but, upon his cross examina tion, he ‘could not pate, or point out, nor describe a single person who had raised an hand towards the allied retche. — In a few minutes after Fallis had been discharged, Cassidy repented of having consented, and required Maguire to take him again, which he attempted to do, but was resisted by Fallis, upon which a scuffle ensued ; and about the same time the riot broke out in another quarter, not Far distant, in the following manner 3— now Grory, who had distinguished himself as a leader of the Roman Catholic party, parading in front of them, and awearing “ that he would have blood before he left the fair,” being much enraged at seeing Fallis liberated, advanced, brans dishing his cudgel, towards him, Mr. Acheson endeavoured to pacify him, and, seizing his stick with one hand, and his shoulder with the other, tried to draw him aside. At this moment, one Isaac Thompson , came up, and said he had autho rity to take any man into custody that was riotous, Mr. Acheson answered, “ you need not mind this man, I will take care of him.” But Mrory, breaking from Acheson, turned upon Thompson and struck him with his cudgel. M*Grory’s whole party now rushed forward, and the attack became general. The Protestants were not prepared for the conflict, and were beaten at first; till about twelve or fourteen men, who lived in the village, and were yeomen, retreated to their houses, and, bringing out their arms, soon put the assailants to flights and win the course of the pursuit it was that Denis Mavourneen, one of the Roman Catholic party, lost his life by a musket shot. On this evidence, the jury, after a trial of four teen hours, being satisfied that the Roman Catholic party were the aggressors, found such of them guilty as had been identified, and acquitted the Protestant party. The Court sentenced Cassidy and M'Grory to six months imprisonment each, and the others to different, lesser periods of imprisonment. Daniel O'Neill was indicted not only for the above riot, but also for seditious words. It ap peared that in the market of Enniskillen, in Octo ber ast, the traverser, conversing with others re specting the riot at Derrygonnely, (where he avowed himself to have been one of the Roman Catholic party), said, “I Was fighting for the Crown, and they were no loyalists that were against me.”? One of the company said, I believe you mean that you were fighting to take the Crown off the King’s head”—10 which the traverser answered, “ by J——as that is true, and Wil never deny i.” He was found Guilty, and sentenced to stand in the Pubury on the 16th inst. * The Duotin Evening Post states, chat at the travererns of the Orange party, who were called as witnesses, on their cross examinaticg, admitted, that previous to the rot, the arms of the Orangemen were concesled in a Church-yard near the fair place.” ‘Whis isu great mistakes every one of those witneses who were interrogated to that point denied his knowledge or belief of any such tact. One witness only, one of the traveleers of the Human Catholc party, spoke of the Orangemen running to the Church-yard where the arms were; but he did not prevend himself to have seen argu there, nor one a person produced to prove that he did see them, then (if the fact had been 90) it could have been proved hundred.
Newspaper Details
Dublin Journal
Dublin, Dublin, IE
Sat, Apr 18, 1812
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Alice F.
USA 31 Jul 2026
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