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The First Death: Building the Railway Through Glenmore
The railway extension line from New Ross to Waterford began in August 1900 and by February 1901 newspapers were reporting on the drunkenness of the railway labourers or navvies as well as injuries and a death. Surprisingly, in the same article where it was reported that two navvies suffered severe injuries the editor of the Waterford News & Star opined that the best course of action to tackle shebeening and drunkenness by the navvies was to put a well managed pub into Glenmore Village.
See our post of 3 June 2024 regarding the setbacks the railway encountered, the recorded feelings of New Ross leaders regarding the project, and the published list pf proposed compensation to people in the path of the line from Rosbercon to Balyverneen, Glenmore.
Danny Dowling (1927-2021) stated that there were two pubs in Glenmore Village until the then parish priest forced them to close circa 1870. Glenmore Village did not obtain a pub until 1963. See our post of 8 May 2023 regarding Glenmore Village losing its dry distinction.
Tremendous Drunkenness Among the Navvies
The Waterford News & Star (Fri. 22 Feb. 1901, p. 8) published the following article:
“At the Petty Sessions,… District Inspector Mercer, Piltown, Prosecuted one Mary Fokes, alias Russell, a New Ross traveling huckster, with selling intoxicating drink without a license. The prosecution was brought under the 3rd section of the Licensing Act of 1872, and for the defence, Mr. John B. Colfer, solicitor appeared. Sergeant Stapleton proved that the navvies working on the Railway line at Glenmore were lately more drunk than ever, and that Mary Russell’s movements amongst them he suspected that she was conveying them lots of stimulants.”
“On the fourth of the present month he ambushed the defendant with a pony and car arrived on the scene, the navvies regaled themselves with porter, and he saw money pass. The car contained several dozen of full and empty bottles of porter and whiskey. John Power, navvy, deposed to having purchased three bottles of stout, and paid six pence for them on the occasion, where Mr. Colfer remarked that they were dirt cheap. Mr. Mercer pressed for the full penalty, and said there was tremendous drunkenness amongst the navvies.“
“Mr. Colfer ridiculed the D.I’s statement as to all he drunkenness amongst navvies being attributed to Mary Russell. He confessed that he never heard of sober navvies. He submitted that the defendant was ignorant of the law…, however the court imposed a £5 fine…”
Dry Glenmore
The editor of the Waterford News & Star then stated, “Those who like navvies are determined on obtaining drink will surely succeed somehow in their intention, and the persistent refusal of the licensing authority to grant a license between the bridge of Ross and the village of Slieverue, a distance of nearly 12 miles, covering a populous district of country serves as a strong inducement to the carrying on of such illegitimate drink traffic, and much Sunday debauchery as well as on Monday.”
“The granting of a publican’s license in the parish of Glenmore to our mind would raise instead of lower the morale of the district. It would be waste of time to argue the superiority of a well conducted public house where good drinks would be sold, over the prevailing shebeening in noxious intoxicants carried only in stealth all over the district, particularly on Sundays and holidays.”
“There seems to be a basis of old standing against granting a license for the sale of intoxicating drinks in Glenmore. It dates from the time that faction fights, when there were a couple of badly conducted licensed houses in the village, and of course in the time of Sunday selling, and it would appear that forty or fifty years ago, the abuses had become so glaring that the authorities felt bound to abolish the then publican’s license.“
“Since then applications, all without avail have been made for new licenses, consequent on the fears and apprehensions given rise by the sandals of two or three generations ago. The writer, however, thinks and believes the majority of people in Glenmore will agree that the time has come when the ban of half a century ago ought in justice be removed” (Waterford News & Star (Fri. 22 Feb. 1901, p. 8).
Serious Injuries at the Milltown Cutting, Glenmore
After advocating for a pub the newspaper then reported on two very serious accidents that occurred on the Ross and Waterford railway line under construction. “The accidents, though two miles apart, occurred almost at the same time. At the Milltown cutting, within 3 miles of New Ross, a man named Power, who belonged to the locality was the victim of an embankment slip of a couple tons of earth. Power’s body was badly crushed and one of his legs broken. He was conveyed by the ambulance car to the Union Workhouse Hospital, New Ross” (Waterford News & Star (Fri. 22 Feb. 1901, p. 8)
Serious Injuries at the Carrigcloney Rock Cutting, Glenmore
“The second accident took place at the Carrigcloney rock cutting, and where a navvy named Roche unknowingly approached a part of the cutting where an explosive was just set, and one of his limbs was just severed from his body, while his body and head suffered terribly. The doctors in attendance decided that an amputation of the limb was necessary to prolong his life, but Roche would not assent to the ordeal and was sent to the Waterford Union Hospital. It is considered that his case is a very serious one indeed” (Waterford News & Star (Fri. 22 Feb. 1901, p. 8).
Death of Patrick Roche (c. 1859-1901)
Our research in the death register has revealed that Patrick Roche, a 42 year old married, labourer, residing in Glenmore, died on the 22nd of February 1901 at the County and City Infirmary of Waterford. He died “from the effects of injuries accidentally received on the 19th of February whilst blasting.” An inquest was held into his death on the 28th of February by the Waterford Coroner, Edmund Power. We believe that Patrick was the first man to die during the construction of the railway line through Glenmore.
The Munster Express reported that Patrick Roche was injured on Wednesday the 20th of February. He was engaged in blasting a quarry at Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny. “His injuries were very serious, and he was at once conveyed to the County Infirmary, where it was deemed by the doctors necessary to amputate one of his legs. He, however, succumbed to his injuries on Friday at 3 pm. His remains were removed to his late residence on Saturday evening. An inquest was held at Mr. David Cant’s public house, Johnstown [Waterford City], on Thursday last. Mr. Smith, D.L., Head Constable Alen, and acting sergeant Teese watched the case on behalf of the police, and Mr. D. Dunford, solr. was present on behalf of the contractors (Pearson & Son, New Ross).” A jury was sworn (Munster Express, Sat. 2 March 1901, p. 5).
The Evening News (Waterford) provided additional details. Evidence was given by Michael Connolly, who was working with the deceased at the time of the accident, to the effect that the deceased, whose business it was to set the charge and ignite it, returned after putting the fuse to it, bit as there was no explosion, and thinking he had not set fire to it, he again returned, and just as he was within a yard of the place it exploded (Evening News (Waterford) Thurs. 28 Feb. 1901, p. 3.)
After hearing the evidence of the widow, Mr. Bannett (engineer) and a labourer named Walsh, employed on the extension; also Dr. Kelleher and Head Constable Allen, the jury found that the deceased died from the effects of the injuries of an accident received whilst blasting on the New Ross and Waterford Extension Railway at Carrigcloney, and that as deceased was inexperienced blasting, the company should compensate deceased’s widow for the loss she has sustained, and they came to the conclusion that an experience person should be in charge and see that the proper time should be given before the men should return to the place of blasting” (Munster Express, Sat. 2 March 1901, p. 5). According to the New Ross Standard, Patrick Roche was from the north County Kilkenny (New Ross Standard, Sat. 23 Feb. 1901, p. 5).
James Power (c. 1854-1920) of Jamestown, Glenmore
The New Ross Standard, identified the other man injured, named Power. He was James Power of Jamestown, Glenmore. He was badly crushed by falling earth from the Forrestalstown (sic) cutting rather than the Milltown cutting (New Ross Standard, Sat. 23 Feb. 1901, p. 5). James Power survived his injuries and was found still residing in Jamestown, Glenmore in 1911.
We believe that the injured James Power, of Jamestown, was married to Catherine Purcell (c. 1861-1945). The couple married on 3 October 1886 at Glenmore. James was a labourer and son of John Power (farmer) of Jamestown. Catherine was the daughter of Edmund Purcell (labourer) of Forrestalstown (sic). At the time of their marriage James was 34 and Catherine was 25. In the 1901 Census Catherine was living in Jamestown, Glenmore (aged 35) with her children. James was not present, but he may have still been in the hospital. In the 1911 Jamestown Census he gave his age as 60 and Catherine or Kate said that she was 50. In 1911, James was employed as an agricultural labourer. The couple are buried in Glenmore, and their headstone provided their dates of death.
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmai.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
“They Are Too Clever In Glenmore”
Last week we highlighted the case of Mrs. Connolly who was charged and acquitted in 1906 of operating a shebeen from her home in Graiguenakill, Glenmore. Other Glenmore residents were not so lucky when charged. In addition to the cases themselves, the newspaper articles that Danny Dowling researched, concerning Glenmore inhabitants charged with operating or frequenting a “shebeen” provide details regarding life in Glenmore over a hundred years ago.
Bridget Whelan, alias Biddy “the Flies” Whelan
The Waterford Standard of the 21st of August 1880 reported that on the 17th of August two sub-constables were on patrol in Rochestown and while walking toward Ballyhobuck they observed a “suspicious looking woman” driving a donkey and cart. She was observed to make repeated trips to the ditch and communicate with three men who were working in a field. They followed the woman, who was identified as Bridget Whelan, alias Biddy “the Flies” Whelan, of Ballyhobuck. While one of the constables went to Glenmore Village the other remained observing Biddy’s abode referred to as a “hut.” Constable Heffernan, [editor’s note—Heffernan was locally referred to as Micky the Rat] procured the warrant and armed with it they searched Biddy’s house and found 76 porter bottles empties, and tumblers. Undaunted Biddy carried on selling beer and was observed on the 19th of August walking in front of a cart which held a load of grain and a sack on top of the grain. The Glenmore constables followed her into the yard of William Roche, of Scartnamore, where they searched the sack and found 36 large bottles of stout. (Waterford Standard, 25 August 1880).
On the 4th of September 1880 it was reported in the Waterford Standard that Biddy plead guilty to four offences. In total 139 bottles were seized from Biddy. It was reported that she had been shebeening for about five months, but the police stated that it “was next to impossible to catch her” because she hid her stock in fields. At a funeral it was reported that she sold seven dozen bottles of porter. Biddy told the magistrate that she was a poor widow and asked if she could be let off. This was denied and she was fined £2 and costs, or one month’s imprisonment in the first case with the same penalty to apply in the other cases or £8 in all, or in default four month’s imprisonment.
The Second Offence in Weatherstown
In 1893 another Glenmore inhabitant was charged for operating a shebeen in his home in Weatherstown. This was the defendant’s second offence. The Kilkenny Moderator of 12 April 1893 reported that Sergeant John Bergin, RIC Glenmore summoned a feeble old man for an offence under the Shebeening Act and also charged him for having been convicted previously for a similar offence a year earlier on the 9th of January 1892. Surprisingly the name of the defendant is never stated in the article. Sergeant Bergin testified that on the 25th of March 1893 he went to the defendant’s home in Weatherstown Village and found a quarter cask of Strangman’s beer with a keeler under the tap and a quart measuring jug. Present in the house were Luke Roche, of Ballycurran and Maurice Cody, of Ballycroney. A glass of beer was near Maurice Cody’s leg. The defendant plead guilty to the charges and told the magistrate that a friend sent it to him because he was going into hospital. He decided to sell some of the beer to earn a few pennies.
Sergeant Bergin testified that the police received several complaints about this house. The defendant was a shoemaker but had not worked in 14 years. [Editor’s note—the first old age pension did not commence until 1909.] The defendant was described by Sergeant Bergin as being delicate. However, because this was his second offence the Magistrate said he did not have any discretion and imposed a fine of £5 and costs or three months imprisonment. The defendant on hearing the fine exclaimed, “God save us! I will never find it.” Upon hearing the alternative was three months imprisonment he stated, “Begorra if I go to gaol sir, I won’t come out.” The Magistrate informed the defendant that he could “memorialise” the Lord Lieutenant, and he might reduce it. Maurice Cody was fined 5s. and costs for being on the premises drinking.
Mrs. Mary Power and her neighbour William Purcell, of Kilmakevogue
Just two years after Mrs. Connolly, of Graiguenakill, was acquitted of operating a shebeen from her home, Mrs. Mary Power, of Kilmakevogue was charged with the same offence and with the same solicitor attempted to successfully use the same defence. The Magistrate was again Mr. Brehon. The newspaper article covering the trial may be found in the Wexford People (19 Feb. 1908) as well as the New Ross Standard (21 Feb. 1908). It was noted during Mrs. Power’s trial that “the clergy of Glenmore were denouncing these shebeens Sunday after Sunday off the altar,” however the police were getting very little assistance from the people.
Sergeant Power, of the Glenmore RIC testified that on Saturday the 8th of February with a warrant he went to search Mrs. Mary Power’s house in Kilmakevogue. When he arrived he watched the house for some time and observed the defendant and another woman in the lane next to the house. It appeared that the other woman was drunk. When he served the warrant he found Mrs. Power in the house with her son, John Barry along with James Gaul, of Carrigcloney; Edward Hogan, of Carrigcloney, and John Power, of Robinstown.
While Sergeant Power was asking Mrs. Power how much drink she had in the house the man who lived in the same building, William Purcell came into Mrs. Power’s house. Although William Purcell was told not to leave he left. The Sergeant followed him and found him rattling bottles under an old bed. A search of Mrs. Power’s house only revealed six bottles of stout. She said that they were all for her son John Barry who called each night. When she was told that she was being charged she began to “roar and bawl and said, ‘I will not go to the court. Forgive me this time, and I will never bring a bottle into the house again.’” She said the men came to her house to get shaved.
During the trial Sergeant Power stated that he had been watching the house on ten occasions and on the 21st of January, a young woman named McDonald went to the door and asked the defendant if all the porter was gone. When this occurred Sergeant Power could see four or five men in the house talking loudly. He did not have a warrant, so he continued to observe. Eventually James Gaul, of Carrigcloney and another man he did not know left the house and when they passed his hiding place he stated that they had been drinking.
Solicitor Langrishe again queried if six bottles of stout is a proper stock for a shebeen. However, this time when it was mentioned that the stock was being delivered by a bread van Sergeant Power pointed out that the van belonged to Breen’s of Waterford who also had a public house. When asked why the police did not have any evidence such as glasses the officer that accompanied Sergeant Power exclaimed, “They are too clever in Glenmore.” Apparently if the officer is to be believed evidence was hidden or removed while the two officers were present.
During the testimony of Mrs. Power’s son, John Barry, it was revealed that he worked as a labourer for Mr. Barron and lived at his place of work. He earned 5s. per week and he gave his wages to his mother for the upkeep of herself and his brother. With his wages she purchased beer for him. He visited her home every evening. He said that while Mr. Barron provided food and shelter he did not provide “refreshments.” When it was pointed out that his wages wouldn’t cover his mother, brother and the beer purchased he replied that his mother’s husband was away in England working and sent her money also.
Edward Hogan, testified that he was a labourer working for Mr. Cody. He often rambled up to Mrs. Power’s house with John Barry and had never been given drink at Mrs. Power’s house. John Power, of Robinstown testified that he habitually purchased a cask of beer in Ross and had no need to visit a shebeen. He was present on the 8th of February to cut John Barry’s hair. James Gaul it was reported worked for the Widow Cody. During cross examination he stated that he was not present at Mrs. Power’s on the 21st of January when he was present. The Chairman expressed anger and stated that Gaul’s testimony should be brought to the attention of the authorities for a perjury charge.
Mrs. Power was found guilty and fined £2 and costs of 3s. Alternatively two months imprisonment with hard labour.
The second defendant was William Purcell, who was described as a very old man. A review of the 1901 Census reveals that William Purcell was 60 in 1901 or 67 in 1908. He too was prosecuted for shebeening. Mr. Langrish defended. Sergeant Power stated that on the night he was searching Mrs. Murphy’s (sic) house he had a warrant for Mr. Purcell’s house and found eight large full bottles of stout under an old bed. Mr. Purcell tried to cover them with an old sack. In the article the houses are said to be in the same building. Sergeant Power asked Purcell to account for the stout, and Purcell said he had them to take to warm him going to bed at night.
Mr. Langrishe said the old man’s statement to him was that his granddaughter paid for the stout to have them for his son-in-law, who was coming on a visit from Kilmoganny. Sergeant Power said he believed the case was part parcel of the other, and that Purcell was keeping the stout for Mrs. Murphy.(sic) If Purcell had the stout for legal purposes, why hide it? Purcell had no previous conviction. Mr. Langrishe pleaded that Purcell was a very poor man, and on outdoor relief. The Chairman said they would take a lenient view of this case, as they believed it was part and parcel of the other case, and that the porter was sold at Murphy’s house. Mr. Purcell was fined £1 and 3s. costs. Defendant denied that he sold a bottle of stout in his life.
Lastly, John Power, of Robinstown, Edward Hogan, of Carrigcloney, and James Gaul, of Carrigcloney were all convicted for being on shebeen premises. Power and Gaul were each fined the full penalty of 40s. each or 1 month’s imprisonment with hard labour and Edward Hogan was fined 10s, 6d or fourteen days imprisonment.
[Note added 5 April 2020: Both newspapers referred to Mrs. Murphy in the prosecution of Purcell rather than Mrs. Power. Believing that this error may have been caused by another case, a newspaper search for a Glenmore resident named Murphy charged with shebeening revealed an article in the New Ross Standard of 25 August 1905. Patrick Murphy, of Kilmakevoge, Glenmore was a labouer and tradesman and was charged with shebeening when 9 bottles were found in his home. The case was dismissed when it was revealed that he worked in Ferrybank, earned 18s. per week, only his wife and 9 year old son were in the house when the warrant was served and he could afford the drink found in his home.]
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
What’s a Shebeen?
Over the years, Danny Dowling interviewed several local people concerning Glenmore drinking establishments. As previously reported in our blog of 4 January 2020 in about 1870 the then parish priest forced all three pubs in Glenmore Village to close. After the pubs closed Glenmore remained a dry parish until 1963. In addition to licensed public houses Glenmore had its fair share of síbíns or shebeens, particularly in the years following 1870. Today we are going to focus on the information Danny collected and a case that arose 114 years ago today when a Glenmore woman’s house was raided as a shebeen.
One of the pubs, operating at the time of the pub closures in Glenmore was known as Cashin’s. It was situated just in front of the present priest’s house and Mass was disrupted with drunken shouts, inappropriate conduct and the banging of mugs on the bar. Old Johnnie Hanrahan, of Glenmore Village, told Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill that when Johnny was a chap he brought beer out of Howlett’s Brewery in Priory Lane, New Ross, to Cashin’s Pub in Glenmore. Walter Power, of Jamestown, in his January 1955 interview revealed that another pub in the Village was in Peter Dunphy’s house in Robinstown. He was married to Nellie Grace, nicknamed Nellie Grawsheen and their house stood somewhere near Hanrahan’s shop. Margaret Walsh, in 1955, noted that her father David Walsh had a pub in the Village not too far from the Chapel.
Another pub just outside of the Village was identified in 1958 by Nicholas Forristal who stated that Cardiff’s had a pub in Graiguenakill in their house upstairs. Interestingly Father Delahunty whilst in Glenmore lived in Cardiff’s. Danny’s mother, Mrs. Hannah Dowling, of Jamestown, in January 1970, stated that Duggan’s had a public house in the Halfwayhouse on the “New Line” in Ballinaraha.
The shebeens identified were primarily outside the Village. In December 1969 Nicholas Forristal, stated that the local Whitefeet drank in a shebeen in Ballygurrim before their nightly escapades. The Whitefeet was a secret society that engaged in land agitation activities. The shebeen where the local Whitefeet drank was kept by Billy Walsh, nicknamed Billy Buíde. Billy Walsh used to say to the Whitefeet, “Drink plenty and it’ll make chickens of ye. It will strengthen your bones and put speed in your feet and make ye well able to whale the police.” Pat Coady, of Ballycroney, in November 1955 identified five “shanties” that operated in Glenmore including: Big Dinny Whelan had one in his house in Ballyfacey; Dick Young in Ballyveria; Tom Long in Moulerstown; Jack Hart in Darbystown and Johnny Scanlon in Knockbrack.
Paddy Foley, of Rahora, Tullogher in June 1970 provided more information regarding Tom Long’s shebeen in Moulerstown. It was in a house alongside Butler’s yard. Long was married to a Butler, of Moulerstown and the police used to drink in this shebeen. Danny identified another well-known establishment which was referred to as the Shanty. It was located off the High Road near Scartnamore and operated by a man named Kirwan. It was going strong during the building of the railway. The last known area referred to as a shebeen was located on a turn on the grassy lane that runs up from the Main Waterford-New Ross Road in Ballinamona. There was no building, just a lot of beer stored in the open allegedly for a Fete being held in Hanarahan’s field in Ballinamona. The Guards learned of it, raided and closed it in 1961 or 1962 at the time of the Fete.
In notebook 23 Danny listed a large number of newspaper articles that he found in old local papers. Perhaps not surprising given the fact that Glenmore parish was dry there are several articles listed concerning local people being charged, and often convicted, of operating a shebeen. One of the articles relates to a raid on the house of Mrs. Catherine Connolly, of Graiguenakill, 114 years ago today.
The New Ross Standard on the 13th of April 1906 printed an article entitled “What’s a Shebeen?” It was stated that Catherine Connolly was a poor woman who was being prosecuted by Sgt. Lynch, of the Glenmore RIC, at the New Ross Petty Sessions the previous Friday. Mr. R.C. Brehon, J.P. presided over the trial and sat with four other magistrates hearing the case against Mrs. Connolly “for exposing intoxicating drink for sale without a license, for otherwise being guilty of shebeening.” Three men were also being prosecuted for being on the premises for the unlawful purpose of purchasing drink, namely: Edward Kelly, Thomas Kelly and Patrick Carroll. Mr. Henry B. Langrishe, solicitor, represented Mrs. Connolly and the two Kellys. Pat Carroll defended himself.
Sgt. Lynch testified that on Saturday the 31st of March he visited Mrs. Connolly’s house at 9:30 p.m. with Constable Power. He asked Mrs. Connolly if she had any intoxicating drink and she said that she had a few bottles of stout. Armed with a warrant he searched the house and found 3 bottles of stout in a bed and a couple dozen empty bottles found throughout the house. In the kitchen he found a gallon whiskey jug that only contained a small amount of beer. In addition to the three men present in the house a chap named Scanlon was in the house but Sgt. Lynch testified that he did not believe that he went to Mrs. Connolly’s house for drink. Sgt. Lynch testified that he had the house under surveillance for some time, that two of the defendant’s had already been convicted of drunkenness and he knew them both to be “fond of drink.” From his observation and information received he was satisfied that the house was conducted as a shebeen.
Mr. Langrishe conducted a cross examination of Sgt. Lynch. Among other questions the solicitor asked, “Is a shebeen usually stocked with 3 bottles of stout?” The Sgt responded, “it might be.” The solicitor then asked if 14 empty porter or beer bottles and 5 empty whiskey bottles are proper stock for a shebeen. The Sgt. responded, “I suggest that from all appearances it is an improper stock of porter and bottles to have in a cabin of a poor woman.” The Sgt. went on to explain that he had been watching the house for 15 days before serving the warrant. He saw a van from Waterford call to the house 3 days a week. It came on Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday. He believed that Mrs. Connolly received her liquor stock from this van. When asked what type of van it was the Sgt. Lynch stated it was a bread van.
Constable Power was called to testifiy and corroborated the evidence of Sgt. Lynch. During cross examination Constable Power admitted that Sundays are the best business days for shebeens generally because public houses are not open on Sundays. He went on to state that there is no public house in the district any day of the week. He also agreed that there would be no more than a penny profit on a bottle of stout. It would take a long time for Mrs. Connolly to earn enough selling three bottles of stout at a time to pay a £50 fine for shebeening.
The defence called Mrs. Connolly who denied the charges. She testified that the three men were neighbour boys. Edward Kelly came to her home every night. Tom Kelly worked with her son in Waterford and Pat Carroll stopped by that night. Sgt Lynch on cross examination asked her why she put the bottles in bed rather than in a press. She replied, “Sure I just left them out of the way.” She explained that the empty bottles were from when her father was on the bed and the empties were waiting for the peddler. She could not state how far she lived from Slieverue or Ross, so Sgt. Lynch advised her that her home is 7 miles from Slieverue. Her solicitor inquired of Sgt. Lynch if 3 bottles of stout are a curiosity when found 7 miles from a public house.
Tom Kelly testified that he worked with Mrs. Connolly’s son in Waterford and stopped to visit her. Both he and Pat Carroll denied that they bought or received any drink from Mrs. Connolly. Pat testified that he was only in the house 3 minutes when Sgt. Lynch arrived and he did not bring, buy or receive drink in the house. The last person to testify was Edward Kelly, he corroborated Mrs. Connolly’s testimony, and admitted that he was fined the previous June or July for drunkenness. When asked if that was the first time he was drunk Edward Kelly replied, “It was the first time I was fined.”
At that point Mr. Brehon interposed and stated there was no need to proceed further as he believed that there was absolutely no case for the Crown. All summons were dismissed on the merits. The 3 bottles of stout which were present in court as evidence were returned to Mrs. Connolly who asked what she should do with them. Her solicitor, Mr. Langrieshe helpfully advised her to go outside, draw the corks and give a drink to each of the men. “This remark greatly tickled the assembled gods, who rushed out in a body after the Glenmorites to see the interesting operation performed.” “The exodus caused such a commotion as interrupted the business for some minutes.”
The featured scene above is entitled Irish Petty Sessions Court printed in the Feb. 1853 Illustrated London.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh