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when the minds of people are more particularly directed against the government, that these fightings are less frequent? I really think, that when we had reason to suppose that there might be something against the government, that those factions were very numerous; that all are sworn that if there was any thing to break out against the government, or against the state, that then they would all unite and be of one party.

"Are the fightings less frequent at those periods?—I think they are.

"Have you ever heard any gentlemen in the country say, that it was a good sign that people were fighting each other, for that then they would not attack them, or words to that effect?—I have heard gentlemen of the country say, and magistrates, that it was a good sign to see the lower classes at war with each other, for then it was not to be supposed that they were combining against the state.

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Have you known the civil force interfere upon those occasions at fairs, in order to put an end to commotion ?-Very frequently; almost constantly.

"In what light do people consider that interference?—I do not think they like the interference; I think people, in many instances, do not wish to see that the magistrates, or people of that class in the country, were against them, or would take any steps to put them down."-H. C., 1824, p. 112, 13.

F. Blackburne, Esq. :

"Do you happen to know whether that practice of fighting at fairs was formerly prevented, as it ought to have been, by the magistrates?--I am persuaded it was not.

"Since these disturbances have commenced in the country, fighting at fairs has been in a great measure discontinued?—I believe, generally speaking, the effect of general associations has been to discontinue the number of fights at fairs.

"Explain to the Committee the reason.-Because it reconciles and unites, in the pursuit of a common object, conflicting leaders, and the persons who generally engage in those affrays.

"Is the Committee to understand that the magistrates are now more active than formerly, in repressing disturbances at fairs?—I am convinced that they are."-H. C., 1824, p. 19.

Occasionally the magistrates appear to have favoured the faction-leaders from corrupt motives.

Rev. M. Collins, Parish Priest of Skibbereen :—

"Did the leaders of factions sometimes keep the magistrates on their side, for the purpose of protecting them from punishment?—Yes; I recollect in the year 1815, factions were very prevalent in that part of the county, and several murders were committed; the magistrates found it expedient to interfere, and there was a meeting for the purpose of disarming those who had arms, the common people who had arms in their hands; they had guns, and pistols, and swords. The magistrates collected in the arms from the leaders of those factions, and then the public thanks were passed to a certain magistrate for his activity on that occasion; yet I saw the leaders of those factions bringing away from the depôt of arms, swords that were given up, and flourishing the swords in their hands in consequence of the good terms on which they stood with the magistrate, by sending him potatoes and turf, and everything else necessary for the support of his house. I myself saw one of them flourishing a sword after getting it back: that man was afterwards found guilty of manslaughter in Cork; indeed I fear he was guilty of more than one murder at fairs. I know an instance in which, in consequence of fire-arms being in their hands, a murder was committed at the fair of Bawnlahen; and yet the persons guilty were allowed not merely to go armed to the fair, because they sent presents to magistrates, but because they sent presents to persons of rank, but in few cases; the same man who thus carried off the arms in triumph, through Skibbereen, some years afterwards committed a most atrocious murder in a fight; part of the people were running away, he overtook a man who fell prostrate, and he passed his bayonet through the man, and stuck it in the ground.

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How came he to have a bayonet, was he a yeoman

No, he was a common man; it was in consequence of the connivance of the magistrate.

"When you speak of factions, do you mean religious factions?-No; two armed parties of the country people; but they disturbed the public peace; they would be, from these habits, ready for any insurrection.

"Does that practice of fighting at fairs, and at places where they meet, prevail to as great an extent as it did ?—No, the new system of police has put an end to that in a great measure."-H. C., 1824, p. 373.

John O'Drischol, Esq. :

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There have also been magistrates who have certain parties and clans in the county whom they support upon various occasions, whether they be right or wrong.

"Do you mean factions, the leaders of factions?-Factions. "What is meant by the word factions?-Factions are numerous families who act together.

“Of what part of the county do you speak ?—The part of the county of Cork to the south of Dunmanaway.

"The word factions does not imply any political association? -Not at all.

"Families forming into bodies?-Families forming into bodies; some of those fight at the fairs, in what they call parties or factions, and who often commit great enormities, relying upon the strength of their party.

"Are the people in the habit of giving those magistrates presents?—Yes; those people give presents, and perform various services."-H. C., 1824, p. 383.

The Rev. John Keily, parish priest of Mitchelstown, having stated that the people had formerly no confidence in the magistracy, is asked,

“Were there any particular practices that justified the people in forming those opinions?-A great many; a magistrate sometimes took part with one faction, and another magistrate took part with another faction, and those clans or

factions were in the habit of depending upon the interest of the partizan magistrate, more than upon the law of the land.

"Did the people put themselves under the protection of particular magistrates?-They did formerly.

"Did they make any return to the magistrates for that protection ?-Most certainly they did; they gave them labour sometimes, sometimes presents, but those things have not fallen much under my observation within the last six or seven years.

"Have you ever known any leaders of factions to produce a great many labourers ?-Very often.

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Do not those evils arise rather from the division of the country into a kind of clans than from other motives?-Most certainly; the spirit of clanship was carried to a very great extent in Ireland, I mean by clanship factions for fighting and carrying the objects of a particular family or a particular set of persons in the country. I do not know whether this originated in the expectation that they could act with impunity, or whether the favour of the magistrates was subsequent to the formation of the clans, I cannot sufficiently distinguish.

"Do not you think that the principle upon which clans are formed, is that the lower orders owe service for the protection which the head of the clan gives them ?—No, I do not think it is carried to that extent in Ireland; I do not think any magistrate is the head of a clan, I have not known it within my knowledge."-H. C., 1825, p. 397-8.

Since the institution of the police in Ireland*, the

* The following is an account of the strength of the police in Ireland, in March, 1835.

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The number of the military in Ireland at the same time was under 20,000. The standing army of France is certainly not over-rated at 400,000 men so if the population of France is taken in round numbers at 32,000,000, and of Ireland at 8,000,000, there would be 1 soldier to

faction-fights have been a good deal checked, though they still prevail to a considerable extent; and in many parts of Munster the opposite parties fight not with sticks but with stones, a far deadlier weapon, and one often used with fatal effect. The policy which led the magistrates formerly to countenance faction-fighting was not only unprincipled, but also short-sighted; it is clear that this practice trains up a set of lawless and violent persons, accustomed to deeds of bloodshed, and priding themselves on their acts of brutal ferocity. Such men as these would only want the opportunity afforded by a season of disturbance to signalize themselves in more organized violence, and to be the leaders or actors in every outrage which the Whiteboy spirit might suggest.

"The habit of fighting at fairs and of fighting under the command of captains (says Mr. Blackburne) have produced on the minds of the lower orders the most mischievous notions of their own power. It gives them discipline, and it gives them leaders, and it certainly habituates them to acts of the most atrocious cruelty."-H. C., 1824, p. 18.

The manner in which factions pass into Whiteboy associations is explained as follows by Mr. John Bray :—

"What, in your opinion, is it they seek to obtain by this system of violation of the law and outrage?—I imagine that the association comes into existence in this way: the Irish are a revengeful people, and they have private quarrels as well as other people; they gratify their passions for revenge generally at public fairs and meetings, they fight there, and decide their differences; and some evil-disposed persons joining them to make a faction, they then feel that there is an obligation upon

every 80 persons in France, and to every 400 persons in Ireland: that is, the number of soldiers in France is proportionally five times greater than in Ireland.

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