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Employment of Troops

'For nearly the entire first quarter of the present,(19th cenntury) J.R.O'Flanagan tells us,bands of lawless men, named Whiteboys or Rockites,disturbed the peace. During the greater part of this disturbed time my father discharged the duty of accommodating the troops detached from the headquarters garrison of Fermoy and at one period no less that twenty two of these out -stations had to be visited by him once a month; and again he writes; During the years of the disturbance of Captain Rook my father's duties increased. He had about twenty two stations which he recieved £10 a station and having to make monthly visits, being very active he usually went on horseback. Often at night he met parties of these Moonlighters,who knew him and would say 'Good Night Captain you on your duty'.

Thanks to Col.Grovewhite'researches, some idea of the accompaning units in those years can be gathered from the succession of detached ments posted in Wallstown House.

'19 nov 1822 22nd Regiment begin occupation 24 Jan.
1823-71st lt.infantry, Mr Roberts
4th Aug 10th Regiment
25 mar 1825 Mr Rennie of the 10th his men removed to Fermoy.
Replaced by Mr Hall and a party of the (?)
7 Aug Mr Glasgow .84th Regiment
1st Regiment __84th left Fermoy replaced by Bealis, lather Mc Alpin ,and 78th Highlanders.
9 Jan 1826 --78th sail from Ceylon, Col Linsay, replaced by Lawson and 20 men of the Regiment.

The Southern Reporter and The Cork Commericial Courier of 11 Mar 1823 quoted by Col.Grove-White tells us of the kind of disturbance the troops were concerned with.

An English visitor in 1835 ,edited by Cannon Courtney Moore:

At Rathcormac in 1834 ,the rector was collecting a debt of 40 shillings, aided by some of the 29th Regiment and the 4th Royal Dragoons The soldiers fired on the people with the result that there was numerous casulties in killed and wounded. I believe there is a little pamplet still in existance describing this tragic affair ,caled "The Battle of Bartlemy" I have heard Cannon Herman rector of Rathcormac refer to it.

Local police constables were replaced by Irish Constabulary (later the R.I.C.)in 1822, and by the time of the Tithe war were in involved in all these affrays. In 1832 the Inspector-General for Munster had his head quarters in Fermoy, which he had to leave for a time, going to Cashel to deal with the" resistance movement" known as the "HURLERS IN TIPPERARY". In that year an appeal for recruits for the police was made. They are to be organised at Fermoy and Balincollig. Candidates must be married and be able to read and write.