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WHITEBOY DISTURBANCES IN CO. KILKENNY 1770-1772
William MurphyFrom when they first emerged in the 1760's until their eventual demise in the 1840's oath-bound agrarian secret societies played an important part in the history of Irish rural life and in particular of the Irish Land Question. Tenant farmers had long been discontent with their lot and in the absence of any alternative means of redress these secret societies quickly became the means by which they registered their protest. They were not motivated by any political philosophy nor, with the exception of parts of Ulster, by any religious or sectarian animosities but rather derived their existence as a vehicle of popular protest from a long series of economic grievances which varied over time and place but which were invariably concerned with the land.
One of the earliest and best known of these secret societies are The Whiteboys. They first emerged in the latter part of 1761 as local disturbances in the region of the Knockmealdown Mountains and quickly spread to Cork and Waterford reaching Kilkenny in early 1763. At this stage they objected chiefly to the payment of tithes and the enclosing of common land which had traditionally been grazed by the poorer tenants. However, as they gained in strength they gradually began to concern themselves with other grievances such as rents and the tenure of land in general, the hiring by farmers of strange labourers, especially spailpini, and the letting of land to strange farmers where it should have been let to locals. Their response to these grievances were crude and often very brutal consisting mainly of threats and threatening letters, attacks on animals, property and persons, destruction of tithe crops and not infrequently murder. A contemporary traveller described them as follows:
Whiteboys are peasants who do not choose to pay tithes or taxes and who in the nighttime assemble, sometimes to the number of many hundreds on horseback and on foot, well armed and with (white) shirts over their clothes from whence their denomination is derived, when they stroll about the country firing houses and barns, burying people alive in the ground, cutting their noses and ears off and committing other barbarities on their persons. The object of their revenge and cruelty are chiefly tax and tithe gatherers and those who attempt to raise the rent.
One of the most notable incidents in the early years in Kilkenny was 'the Battle of Newmarket' which occurred in September 1764 in which two soldiers and a number of local people were killed when a large crowd tried to free some prisoners who were being escorted from Clonmel to Kilkenny.
However towards the end of the 1760's Whiteboy activity increased dramatically in Kilkenny. One of the most notorious episodes of this period concerned the tithe-collector, Patrick Shee of Thomastown. On March 3rd 1770 a large body of Whiteboys, estimated at over 300, attacked the house of William Shee of Thomastown, a prosperous merchant. They broke open the windows and doors with sledges while at the same time firing several shots into the ceiling and floors. They then dragged William Shee and his father Patrick (who was an old man aged between 70 and 80 years) from their beds and after severely beating both of them they mounted Patrick on horseback and carried him 'upwards of four miles' from his house where he was later found 'senseless and battered terribly on the body with one of his ears slit through with a penknife.' His attackers were described as 'all clad in white uniforms, armed with guns, muskets, swords and hangers; mounted on choice cattle that seemed regularly trained to firing; headed by officers whose heads were covered with fine sprigged muslin and from whose sides white sashes, knotted at each end with ribbonds, were suspended and preceded by music and sound of horns.' The only reason put forward for this attack was that Patrick Shee 'had farmed some tythes from Dr. Cockburn.'
The Earl of Carrick, who lived at Mount Juliet, immediately brought this assault to the attention of the Lord Lieutenant who issued a proclamation at once offering a reward of £100 each for 'the discovery and prosecution to conviction of the three persons distinguished by the names Capt. Fearnought, Lieut. Calfskin and Ensign Leathercoat,' who were thought to be the leaders of the Whiteboys in the attack, and also a reward of £50 'for each and every of the first six persons concerned therewith, together with His Majesty's most gracious pardon and the said rewards to any persons concerned in the said felony and who shall discover his accomplices.'
This, however did not placate the Earl, who had for many years sought to suppress the Whiteboys in Kilkenny. Having received private information against 18 of those involved in the attack and believing that they were to attend Mass at 'the Chapel of Tulloherin' on Sunday March 25th, he wrote to the commanding officer of the garrison in Kilkenny asking him to send a troop of horse to meet him at Bennettsbridge 'precisely at 10 o'clock on Sunday morning.' The troop, which was accompanied by Capt. Butler (son of Sir Richard Butler); Lieut. Southall and the Hon. Coronet Butler (Carrick's own son), was 'so punctual to the hour meeting his lordship at the place appointed that by the proper dispositions made the Chapel of Tulloherin [probably the old chapel which was situated in the fields to the S.W. of the present chapel] where upwards of 500 people were then assembled, was surrounded without the least appearance of noise or tumult, unperceived by the people within until the trumpet sounded into the Chapel door just as Mass was going to begin'. The Earl later wrote to the Lord Lieutenant, Lord Townsend, to assure him 'that nothing indecent be done in so tender a point as searching a place where divine worship (however erroneously) was celebrated.' The Chapel was then searched and 11 of the 18 against whom information had been given were arrested and brought to the County Gaol.
The following are the 11: Philip Murphy of Dungarvan (a publican at whose house the Whiteboys were frequently said to assemble); John Kelly, also of Dungarvan; James Deloughery; William Farrell; Michael Kelly and David Kelly of Stroan; Thomas Hennessy; Patrick Hennessy and John Hennessy, of Kilmanahan and Nicholas Shortall of Barrons Land all of whom were described as farmers; and Kieran Reddy of Bishopslough described as a yeoman.
The Earl of Carrick did not rest on his laurels with this. A fortnight later he arrested William Dennison, a publican of Bennettsbridge who was charged 'with receiving money for the use of the Whiteboys, which money was levied by force and threats from different people in the County.'
At the Assizes held in Kilkenny on April 16th the 11 arrested at Tullaherin were allowed bail and were released to stand trial at the next session. This however did not deflect Carrick in his pursuit. On foot of further information he received against John Quinn, a schoolteacher of Blanchfield, he wrote to John and Richard Kearney in early June requiring them to arrest Quinn. This they immediately did, taking him in his classroom. They brought him to Mount Juliet from where Carrick committed him to the County Gaol. At the same time William Fitzgerald of Cloghala and Michael Whelan of Kilmocahill were arrested charged also with involvement in the attack on the Shees.
Carrick had an even greater breakthrough when he learned that Capt. Fearnought (one of the principal leaders of the Whiteboys in the attack) had been arrested in Dublin and was in Newgate Gaol there. His true identity was revealed to be Arthur Doyle of Dungarvan and he was said to be 'son of a person of considerable property in the county.' He was first arrested for debt but his real identity became known only after he had tried to escape. The Earl immediately ordered that he be returned to Kilkenny to stand trial at the August Assizes. However, when his case was called he requested that his trial be postponed to the next session. He offered the sum of £12,000 bail but it was refused and he was remanded in gaol. 8 others who had been arrested since the last Assizes in connection with the attack were released on bail. In refusing bail to Doyle the magistrates were probably taking into account the fact that Patrick Shee, who had never recovered from the ordeal of the attack, had died on July 24th; thus adding to the serious nature of the assault.
In September the story took a new twist when Quinn, the schoolteacher, escaped from prison in Kilkenny. Carrick immediately ordered out a search party which was headed by his son Lord Ikerrin, Matthew Keogh and some officers of the City garrison. While they were searching in the area around Freestone Hill, 'where they suspected he was lurking,' Keogh 'having advanced a little beyond the rest of company was asked in a voice at some distance "is that you Fitzgerald?". When he answered that it was, the other man (who was Quinn) approached and realizing his mistake too late was recaptured and was 'lodged in the Black Hole at the Foot-Barrack.' Keogh was paid a reward of £50 at the October Quarter Session for his part in the recapture.
Quinn obviously realizing at this stage that the future for him was bleak turned informer in the hope of getting a pardon for his own part in the crime. In early October, on foot of the information provided by Quinn, the Earl of Carrick ordered a party of the 49th Regiment under the command of Lord Ikerrin to the Pit Chapel (in Clara) where several suspects were to attend Mass. A number of the soldiers who had disguised themselves as ordinary peasants mingled among the congregation and we are told 'were passed for people coming to hear prayers.' Meanwhile the Chapel was being surrounded and when Lord Ikerrin arrived the congregation were ordered out one-by-one and 8 of them were arrested in connection with the attack on the Shees. They were as follows: John Keef; Philip Keef and Michael Hart of Clara; Matthew Fitzpatrick and Patrick McGrath of Rathcash; Patrick Tobin and Edmond Tervit of Blanchfield and Michael Delaney of Bawnmore At the same time Nicholas Keef was also arrested charged with ‘unlawfully assembling in the night-time and with burying two of His Majesty's subjects at Freestone Hill on Oct. 1st 1769.'
At the Spring Assizes held in March 1771 all of those arrested above were brought to trial. However, during the case Quinn witbdrew his evidence and 7 of the 9 arrested at the Pit Chapel were released immediately. The prosecution proceeded against Patrick Tobin and Michael Delaney on the basis of information other than Quinn's. They were convicted for their part in the attack and were sentenced to be hanged.
After the sentence had been carried out the High Sheriff and Grand Jury of County Kilkenny issued a proclamation returning 'their most sincere thanks' to the Earl of Carrick for 'his spirited conduct and unwearying assiduity in endeavouring to suppress those lawless ruffians called Whiteboys who have for so long disturbed the tranquility of this County.'
The prosecuting lawyers now moved against Quinn but as they had expected that he would be pardoned in return for the evidence he was to give the case against him was not ready and so they asked the judge to put his trial back to the next Assizes. When he was eventually tried in August 1771 he 'admitted his guilt before the jury' and they returned their verdict without leaving the box. He was sentenced to be hanged on October 19th. Before the execution was carried out he urged all Whiteboys 'to take example by his unhappy fate.' He also declared that the information he had first given was 'the candid truth' but that he was persuaded to retract 'to save the lives of his principal accomplices.'
Of those arrested, over 30 in all, there seems to have been only 3 convictions. The others were allowed bail including eventually Arthur Doyle, the leader. These were to be tried by Special Commission in May 1771 but this never seems to have taken place and so we must assume that they were never brought to trial but were released.
Thus ends an episode, now long forgotten, but which was a major news item in its own day. It was not, however, the only affray in which the Whiteboys were involved in the county during this period. In February 1771 about 200 men 'clad in white uniforms, well mounted and armed' attacked the house of the Widow Comerford at Ballydavid or Davidstown near Danesfort (presumably Ballyda). They robbed her of '80 guineas and 2 silk handkerchiefs.' The pretext for the robbery was to distribute the money among the relations of her deceased husband who had left it to his widow by will. It was suspected that the Whiteboys who had carried out this robbery were 'from the borders of Co. Ca rlow' as they had ridden through Gowran 'firing several shots on the way'. In December 1771 James Comerford was charged with having been involved in the robbery. Unfortunately we do not know where he was from but we must presume that he was some relation who felt aggrieved at not having received a share by will. In January 1772 David Deloughery of Stroan was charged also as were Timothy Carroll of Powerstown and Patrick O'Neill of BalIyellin in March. At the April Assizes Comerford was convicted and was sentenced to be hanged on May 20th. Deloughery, Carroll and O'Neill were acquitted. Comerford was convicted under the 'Whiteboy Act' of 1765 'the only instance of any person being convicted in this County under this Act.'
Also in February 1771 William Fitzgerald [probably the William Fitgerald who was also arrested in connection with the attack on the Shees.] was arrested charged with 'being among a party of Whiteboys who forced Elizabeth Sherlock from her house in Graige (near Gowran) and cut off one of her ears.' And again in February 1771 'a numerous party of Whiteboys clad in white uniforms' assembled at Raheenroach near Dungarvan (Gowran) and 'proceeded with music playing and sounding of horns' to the house of Stephen Comerford which they broke open and, finding that Comerford was not present, assaulted his wife 'in a most barbarous manner.' The reason given for the attack was that her husband had taken some lands which were formerly held by Thomas Cullen. They ordered that he should give up the lands immediately 'under pain of instant death.'
In September 1771 at Desart Wood a party of Whiteboys broke into the house of Thomas Laffan where lived two servants who worked in the wood. They carried the servants 2 miles where, after beating them severely and threatening to cut out their tongues, they swore them to quit their employment in order 'to make room for others who were discharged for misconduct.'
In October 1771 a group of Whiteboys 'to the 'number of 100 horsemen well armed' attacked John Kennedy of Kilmanahan near Bessborough. They brought him 3 miles from his house to the 'Countess Bush' where they assaulted him, swore him to give up his farm and to quit the neighbourhood altogether. The only reason given for the attack was that he was a Co. Waterford man (who was presumably taking up land that should have been given to locals.)
In December 1771 4 men 'covered in great coats' attacked the house of Oliver Wheeler of Summerhill near Bennettsbridge. They fired a shot through one of the windows wounding him severely in the head. Michael O'Shea and John O'Shea, both of Killarney, were later arrested by the Earl of Carrick for their part in the wounding.
By this time the authorities were becoming alarmed at the frequency of Whiteboy outrage. Following the attack on Oliver Wheeler the gentlemen of the county got up a fund among themselves. A meeting was held at Grace's Old Castle on February 5th 1772 'to consider the most effectual application of the money subscribed in order to restore and establish the peace of the county.' They decided to offer a reward of £100 to be paid by the High Sheriff of the county 'to any person who shall within the space of 9 months discover and prosecute to conviction all or any of the persons concerned in the barbarous and horrid attempt lately made on the life of Oliver Wheeler, Clerk of the peace for this county.'
This meeting also passed the following resolutions regarding the Whiteboys:
1) That the riotous combinations in this county are not the effects of. oppression but of licentious wantoness.
2) That a great incitement to such disorders is the number of houses in all parts of the county where ale and spiritous liquors are sold.
3) That we will use our best endeavours to discover and suppress these dens without which thieves cannot subsist.
4) That a great number of firearms are dispersed throughout this county in the hands of the common people. That the peace and good order of society have been disturbed by those arms and the lives and properties of individuals endangered.
5) That we will put the (firearms) statutes into force and that all who inform with effect shall not only meet with our protection but shall be amply rewarded.
In September 1772 the landowners of the Barony of Iverk issued notice of rewards of £100 to anyone who would forewarn the magistrates of a Whiteboy meeting and of £50 for information leading to the conviction of perpetrators of outrage. This notice is also interesting in that it refers to outrage being committed with 'guns, pistols and other weapons, the spoils of plundered Protestants.' This is the only sectarian reference I have found in the newspaper accounts of the period to the end of 1772. This notice by the landowners of Iverk was followed in October by a notice of 'The Gentlemen of County Kilkenny' offering a reward of £100 to 'anyone who shall give information of any unlawful act intended to be committed by any such persons (Whiteboys) so that any one or more shall be taken in actual commission of such act.' They go further however to 'intreat all noble men to discharge from their lands all such cottagers as shall offend in the above respect.' They promised that they themselves would 'not receive on any part of our estates those who hereafter shall be charged with having been concerned with any such riotous or unlawful attempt.' This notice is signed by 74 of the leading landowners of the county.
The effects of their determination was seen almost immediately when early in December 1772 upwards of 100 men 'covered with white shirts and mounted on their neighbours horses which they rode almost to death,' attacked the houses of David Whelan and John Mulally at Garryricken near Callan. After assaulting them and carrying them off in the usual manner they swore them on oath to quit their present farms or 'their cattle would be houghed.' Walter Butler, the landowner, immediately offered £50 for information and threatened to discharge all his tenants in that neighbourhood unless they made 'proper and timely discoveries.' He was in a particularly strong position at this time as the leases of almost 1,500 acres were about to fall in and were due for renewal in March 1773.
Whatever effect this policy may have had locally its overall effect was minimal. As has happened so often before and since in Irish history the authorities made no effort to alleviate the genuine grievances of the poor. They sought rather to suppress the Whiteboys by intimidation and brute force which, because they had strong roots among the ordinary people, failed utterly. Instead of dying out, as the authorities hoped, they went from strength-to-strength and were more active in the mid-1770's than ever before. Perhaps at some future stage we may have a chance to chronicle their further escapades in the County Kilkenny.