1843
THE ARMS ACT
PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF ITS WORKING.
The Nenagh
Guardian contains some graphic illustrations of the working of the Arms
Act, which we must hasten to put upon record before any of the tribe of
manufacturers of traits and stories of the Irish peasantry can get hold of
them, and serve them up as their own. It is necessary for as to premise that we
give the facts in the very words of our provincial contemporary; and also that
by the term “Court” is to be understood Mr. Sergeant Howley.
At the Quarter Sessions held at Nenagh, on Thursday-
“Martin Cleary sought the registry of a gun. On being asked what he wanted with
it, he replied that his landlord , Mr Kill-Kelly, was going to law with him.-
Refused.
“Mr Dwyer- Never mind Cleary, we’ll beat Mr.
Kill-Kelly with legal weapons-(laughter).
-
“John Donohoe (brother to a man named Rody Donohoe,
(murdered near Toomavara) was allowed a gun and a pistol !”
-
“- Doherty applied for a gun.
“Court- What do you want it for?
“ Mr. Faulkner- He anticipates an election.
“The Magistrate allowed him a gun.”
-
“Michael Gleeson, of Laharasha, sought for a gun.
“Court- What do you want it for?
“Gleeson- to shoot crows, your worship, or anything
else that comes across me- (laughter).
“Court- You may go down”.
-
“Mr P.Gleeson, of Nenagh, applied for two pistols,
which the magistrates at first refused; but, on Mr Gleeson stating he had a
valuable case of pistols which were made a present to him by his father, the
Court allowed him to retain them.
-
Throughout the entire affair the most joyous flow of
mirth appears to have prevailed, if we may judge from the frequent interlarding
of the report with the word “laughter.” We have heard of a “bloody assize” and
henceforth , we presume, the late sessions at Nenagh will be distinguished in
the history of Tipperary
as the “laughing sessions.” Perhaps some light by such commentaries upon their
proceedings as the following items afford:-
“ Pat Ryan asked for a gun and two pistols, which were
granted, owing to an able defence made by him some time ago when his house was
attacked.
“John Vaughan applied for leave to register a gun.
“Mr Lee replied that there was a man named Dean hanged
some years ago for a horrid act of barbarity committed on Vaughan. It appeared that Dean, for a pint of
whisky and 7s.6d, went to Vaughan’s
house, cut off both his ears, and cut off the calves of his legs leaving him
almost lifeless.
“The Court granted the request.”
Could Irish fiction-mongers have kept these strange
true tales out of the Nenagh Guardian,
they would have made their fortunes, by palming them upon the public as the
offspring of their own towering fancies,-Mail.
---
The Kerry Evening Post 29th January 1845.
Image courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive.
The above record just emphasises the thin line that existed in Ireland, between barbarity and frivolity at this
important time in Irish history.
Dave Stroud ramrodantiques.co.uk
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