Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Miseries and Beauties of Ireland (Author: Jonathan Binns)

chapter 10

Examination at Omagh — Failure of the linen trade — Drunkenness — Pawnbroking — Condition of the cottiers — Average size of farms — Usual rotation of crops — Emigration — Tenantry of absentees — Agents' fees — Agricultural state of the barony — Sheep — Cars and sleds — Roads — Mendicity and wretchedness of Omagh — Seats in the neighbourhood — Instance of revengeful feeling — Bessy Bell and Mary Gray — Sleds — Singular mode of thrashing — Intoxication — Conviviality of Irish priests — Opinions respecting them — Journey from Omagh to Enniskillen — Superstition respecting thorn trees — Enniskillen — Lough Erne — Number of its islands.

At Omagh we held our examination in the Court-house, and had a numerous attendance.

The failure of the linen trade has been the means of throwing many of the inhabitants of this barony upon agricultural work, and of causing, accordingly, a surplus supply of labourers, seven or eight hundred of whom (it was stated) would work for what their meat would cost. There is no county in which the poor are worse

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off than they are in Tyrone. They evince the strongest anxiety to obtain work, but cannot.

Drunkenness is on the increase here, and prevails to a much greater extent in periods of agricultural distress than at other times. Many unlicensed spirit-houses exist in different parts of the country.

Omagh contains only one pawn-office, a circumstance that may be accounted for from the fact that the labourers have nothing which the pawnbroker would accept. The people are wretchedly clothed here. It was the general desire of the meeting that a bank of some kind should be established, which would advance small loans to the farmers in time of pressure.

The cabins of the cottiers are mere mud hovels, unfit for the residence of human beings. They are built on the worst parts of the farms, and generally consist of but one smoky apartment, without window or chimney. Turf is the ordinary fuel all over the barony, and is abundant and cheap. The cottier is better off than labourers who have no cot-take, because he is certain of

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a supply of potatoes if the crop succeeds. But what a miserable certainty! His work for nearly the whole year is valued at the paltry sum of from four to five pounds. Besides paying the rent, it is a very common thing to give duty days, and in some cases both to landlord and agent. "Many of the small farmers," said the Rev. Mr. Stark, "have not drunk a drop of their own cow's milk, nor eaten a bit of their own butter, from year's end to year's end." The character of the cottiers who reside in remote places, on bogs or mountains, is that of a peaceable, humble, well-behaved people.

In the year 1802, Mr. M'Evoy, in the statistical survey of the county of Tyrone, writes as follows: "The poorer class cannot afford to use much butter, being obliged to sell the greater part of it in order to purchase necessaries, such as soap, candles, tobacco, and salt. In summer and autumn milk is chiefly used; the remainder of the season, herrings are the most common food with the poor." From this extract it appears that the poor were much better off in 1802 and previously, than at the present time.

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The average size of farms in this barony is from eight to twelve acres. The junction of farms has not been very considerable, though every anxiety exists on the part of the landlords to effect it. "The truth is," said one of the witnesses, "the landlords allowed forty-shilling freeholders to become very numerous, and now they would wish to convert them into £10 freeholders." Here, as elsewhere, the majority of those present concurred in thinking that small holdings produce more in proportion than large ones, and that a small farmer can afford to till his farm better than a large one. The tenants, however, pursue no judicious system of farming, nor is any encouragement given to improvement either by landlords or agents. The only method adopted to recruit exhausted land is to let it rest or lie idle, and leave it to the unassisted care of nature. The usual rotation of crops is as follows: — 1st, potatoes; 2nd, oats; 3rd, flax with clover; 4th, clover; 5th and 6th, oats. Some take four or five crops of oats in succession.

About four years before we visited Omagh,

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emigration had taken place on a considerable scale; latterly however, it had declined. The occupiers of farms will not give up their holdings on the condition of having their passage money to America paid for them; "they have found it so hard to obtain a living," said one of the witnesses, "that if they have any means of subsistence at all they will not give it up. They know what they have here, but don't know what they may meet with there." The principal emigration had taken place among the industrious classes — those who had acquired a little money. Though carried on to a considerable extent, it has been by no means sufficient to reduce the competition for labour. To produce this effect, it must be not only great but constant. The witnesses were unanimous in considering that if a free passage to America were offered to those who were not in possession of land, great numbers, including many young women, would gladly avail themselves of the opportunity of emigrating. One of the witnesses shrewdly but superficially observed, that emigration made little difference, adding that

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more people are born in one night than emigration carries off in seven years.

The reader will not be surprised to be informed that the tenantry on the estates of absentees are in a much worse condition than those on the estates of resident proprietors. Under absentees, they got no sort of encouragement whatever; how, indeed, as one of the witnesses, Dr. Harkin, asked, can landlords be expected to feel for distresses of which they know nothing — It is customary throughout the country for the tenants to pay, in addition to their rent, one shilling in the pound to the agent, whose fees, by the way, as well as the rent and the duties, are sold, on the occasion of land being disposed of. The tenants are occasionally harassed most grievously by processes for arrears of rent said to be due many years ago — the tenants denying the justice of the demand. Dr. Harkin told us that he had known upwards of three hundred processes served in one day upon the tenants of a nobleman in that neighbourhood. It is usual also in this part of the country for agents to receive money on the signing of leases, the general sum

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derived from the small tenantry on these occasions being from five to ten pounds. As much as thirty, or even fifty pounds, has been given for the renewal of a lease. One of the witnesses, Mr. Auchinleck (the agent for the largest estate in the barony) informed us, that when proprietors receive their own rents, they actually receive agents' fees; and, on the signing of leases, duties and money. Rents generally are about 30s. the Irish acre. "My farm," said Robert Crawford, "stands me in a glass of whisky a perch."

The general produce of the barony arises principally from tillage, but in the more elevated parts there is some rough pasturage. The average size of tillage farms is about twelve acres (Irish measure.) The soil is of a light brown colour, of moderate depth, and is considered by the farmers to be unsuitable for wheat. A few of the farmers have the appearance of respectability, and are intelligent men, but the generality of them are in a distressed condition, and are inferior to the farmers of Down and Armagh. The Assistant Commissioners remarked that the tenants are all ignorant

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of green crops, and the landlords apparently indifferent as to the cultivation of their estates. If they only pay the rent, the tenants may do what they will with regard to the management of their farms. This was the sentiment expressed by Mr. Auchinleck.

Very few sheep are kept, not more than one to every twenty acres, and those of the Irish breed. A good bull is worth from four to five pounds, and a good breeding cow from four to seven.

The car with the revolving axletree and solid wooden wheels is still in use here, and the sled or slide is not uncommon. It has the appearance of the shafts of a cart, to the end of which are attached two rude pieces of wood which slide upon the ground. Upon this carriage a basket is placed to convey turf, hay, &c These sledges are used on the mountain sides, being lighter to draw up the steep hills, and less subject to be overturned.

Although the roads in every direction were receiving great injury from the accumulation of water and mud upon them, we did not see, during the ten days we were in the barony, half a dozen

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men working upon them. Here, then, was a source of employment totally neglected.

The yearly amount paid for grand jury cess is from three to four shillings the Irish acre. The amount of tithe per acre is generally two shillings.

This barony forms no exception to the general rule as to early marriages.

No Englishman could fail to be grievously shocked with the wretchedness exhibited in the streets of Omagh. An aged woman, nearly blind, and reported to be 115 years old, was asking charity in front of the Court-house, and would have fallen down a precipice caused by an alteration in the street, if she had not been rescued by a gentleman near her. Another old woman crawls about the streets with a scanty and imperfect covering to those parts which common decency forbids to be exposed. Friday the beggars consider their legalized day for visiting the town, and they are remarkably industrious and sharp-sighted in the prosecution of their miserable employment. They kept a vigilant look-out for us at every turn,

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and if we happened to have no copper they begged for silver. These poor creatures made every exertion to intercept us before we reached the inn door, and I am almost ashamed to add, that when we did reach it before them, we experienced a sort of triumph, for it was impossible to give to all, and we had no principle to guide us in our selection. Our examination day afforded ample opportunity for seeing the different grades of beggars, many of whom are bent down with age and infirmity, and in rags — others, consisting of women with their children, of various ages, all well initiated in the practice of their art — whilst numbers of poor wretches are seen at the doors of the inhabitants, so weak, and blind, and lame, that they have to be assisted by their friends, or guided to the next door by the last contributor.

About three miles from Omagh are the estates of the Earl of Blessington, at present held under the Court of Chancery. Gentlemen's seats are not numerous in this neighbourhood — Lord Belmore, of Castle Coole, Lord Blessington, and Lord

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Abercorn, all absentees, being the principal proprietors.

We here witnessed an illustration of the rancorous effects produced by the system of taking farms over the old tenants. A very respectable looking farmer informed us that he occupied his land under the Court of Chancery, and was going to give it up, because the rent was too high, but he intended taking it again at a reduced rent, though he was afraid some of his neighbours might bid for it. On being asked what he would do if another were to take it, he replied, (at the same time striking his breast in a very energetic manner) — "I would stand over him while he was burning in the flames. My father and my grandfather held it before me, and nobody shall take it from me, and snatch the bread from my children's mouths, if I can help it."

At the summit of Bessy Bell, a mountain 2000 feet high, we found a cairn, consisting of a rude and large heap of stones. That it formerly contained an apartment is sufficiently indicated by the large flat stones which form the roof of a subterraneous

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passage in the direction of the centre. These stones are now level with the surface of the ground, and are similar to those which cover the passage to the cairn on Slieve Guillien. On the sides of this mountain we observed large blocks of beautiful white and transparent quartz, embedded in clay. The mountain Mary Gray12 is not far from Bessy Bell, and is said to abound with limestone. Baron's Court Park, the residence of Lord Abercorn, Lough Catherine, and the course of the Strule river, are seen from this elevation, in a richly wooded and delightful vale. Towards Gortin the country is mountainous, rocky, and romantic This district abounds in raths, which are sometimes near each other, and are generally very perfect.

On returning, I saw for the first time a sled or slide, a sort of carriage in use here. Being less easily upset in carrying hay or turf than an ordinary

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cart, it is frequently used on the sides of the mountains. The cost of a sled is not more than five or six shillings, a sum considerably less than would be required to purchase a car or cart, neither of which many of the small farmers can afford. A sled, however, will only carry four or five cwt. M'Evoy, in his report of the county of Tyrone in 1802, observes thus of the slides — "I am thoroughly convinced of their great utility in mountainous situations; in countries not over mountainous, I am not altogether clear but the slide car should have the preference; it is amazing to find with what celerity a small horse, worth about 40s., with one of these simple vehicles, will get through so much business in a season, in drawing manure, turf, or limestone." The slides have no wheels, but rest and are drawn upon pieces of rails nailed to the end of the shafts. Another practice, viz., that of thrashing their corn upon the roads, is very common in this neighbourhood. After it is thrashed, they convey it up to the edges of the hills, where a number of persons are employed in exposing it to the wind

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with uplifted arms, to separate the corn from the chaff. The effect of this process, when seen at evening, the winnowers being upon the edge of the horizon, is curious. A great deal of corn is thrashed during harvest, and we were continually meeting it in carts, cars, and on the backs of donkeys, in its transit to the various markets in Ireland, to be thence conveyed to England.

Agriculture in this part of the country is far from being in a prosperous state, and the trade of begging is pursued with systematic regularity and perseverance. Intoxication is complained of, but though our room faced the market-place, I did not observe one drunken man in Omagh. On the market day I heard the voice of one, and only one, and that was in the evening.

The roads about Omagh are exceedingly dirty and ill managed, the wet being allowed to remain upon them, and in many places to cover their surface. It is strange that with so many people close at hand, to whom employment on almost any terms would be acceptable, no efforts are made to introduce a better order of things.

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The bogs in this part of the country are very numerous, but remain almost entirely uncultivated.

On returning from a survey of several farms in the neighbourhood, we found at the house of the Catholic parish priest of Dromore, a plentiful board spread for our refreshment. The curate, who had accompanied us in our walk, and two other Catholic priests, were of the party. Our host had provided abundantly of ham, fowls, ducks, port, sherry, and whisky, all of which were of the very best quality. Indeed, from what I have seen of the Roman Catholic priests in the north of Ireland, I have no hesitation in declaring that they live convivially, and are hospitable to strangers.

Our conversation, amongst a variety of subjects, turned upon religion and general politics. Our host, it appeared, had publicly recommended in his parish, resistance to the payment of tithes; and he declared that he gloried in the act, because he considered the impost against which he had lifted up his voice, an oppressive and unjust one.

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Though strong in his language respecting the professors of the "new religion," he was less vehement than might have been expected, and admitted, in the course of the afternoon, that some of his doctrines in reference to Protestants were anti-evangelical. I cannot help suspecting that the Roman Catholic priests of Ulster would be improved by the possession of a little more of the charity that thinketh no evil; and I may be permitted to add my persuasion that very many of them (and their flocks of course) entertain towards those of the opposite faith a deep-rooted and unchristian prejudice. The priests of the south of Ireland are greatly superior, I am told, in education and manners, to those of the north; a fact that may be at least partially accounted for by the preponderance of Catholics in the former, and of Protestants in the latter extremity of the country. In the south too, the Catholic chapels and churches are costly and magnificent edifices, whilst those of the Protestant worship are comparatively lowly and unadorned. The old priests of the south of Ireland received their education in

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France or Italy, and are generally polished gentlemen; those of the north are of more humble birth, and are chiefly educated at Maynooth.

The living of the Protestant rector of Dromore, who was from home when we visited the place, is worth, we were told, upwards of £2000 per annum. The land attached to the glebe-house is of the first quality, and of the deepest green. The income of the Catholic rector is £300 a year, of which £100 is given to his curate. About two-thirds of the population of the parish are Roman Catholics.

We left Omagh for Enniskillen in a car with a pair of horses, which in this part of the country are always driven tandem. Our driver, as usual, made a flourish at starting, galloping from one side of the street to the other; and before we had left the main street, we had to stop no less than four times, owing to the loss of his hat, the traces coming loose, and sundry breakages. On reaching carts, our driver called out to the man to lend him a hand to his leader in order to get him past, and in entering to the village of Fintona, first one

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and then another proffered assistance, although the street was perfectly clear. The stage to Trillick is 18 miles, but nothing could induce the man to stop halfway to bait his poor and jaded beasts. We afterwards discovered that both these poor brutes were blind, in consequence, it is to be feared, of the brutality of man. Notwithstanding the various stoppages and turnings, we went the eighteen miles in about two hours.

In the course of our journey from Trillick to Enniskillen, our attention was frequently directed to the luxuriant thorns, almost the only trees that had not fallen before the axe and the fire. Here, as in other parts of Ireland, the hawthorn owes its preservation to the peculiar veneration with which it is regarded as the favourite haunt of the fairy-folk. Our driver related an anecdote which exemplified at once his own credulity and the popular attachment to this interesting tree. A farmer had carried away from his field a thorn which the wind had blown down among his corn; about the same time his cow became suddenly ill, ran into the street, and lay down as if in the act

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of dying; bleeding, and the usual medicines, were resorted to without effect; and it is probable the poor man would have lost his cow if he had not adopted the advice of an intelligent neighbour, who suggested the propriety of re-conveying the hawthorn to the field, and depositing it in its former situation, as a sort of peace-offering to the offended spirits of the place. This being done, the animal was immediately restored to its accustomed health. Such was the story related by our driver, who not only asserted its truth in general terms, but energetically swore that the miraculous circumstances had come within his own experience. Our incredulity excited his severest indignation.

Enniskillen is built on an island, and consists principally of one rather steep street a mile in length. Large barracks are maintained here, containing a considerable establishment of military. Part of the old walls, and two ancient circular towers with conical tops, are all that remain of the castle of the Maguires, the lords of Fermanagh; these formed the defence against James II. Enniskillen was considered a military position

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and the chief pass between the provinces of Connaught and Ulster. A large School-house, the funds of which are said to be £3000 per annum, from land granted by Charles I., occupies a conspicuous place on Portora Hill; and on an eminence near the town stands the Infirmary. I was surprised to learn that three newspapers, all of tory or conservative politics, are published in Enniskillen, though the population is only 8000. The town has two distilleries; the trade in general is steady, and the shopkeepers are respectable. Many gentlemen of property reside in the vicinity probably induced to settle there by the extreme beauty of the scenery.

Lough Erne extends from the south east to the north west, across the county of Fermanagh, Enniskillen being situated nearly in the centre, at the point where the lake divides into the upper and the lower water. The northern or lower lake, which is much the more extensive and important, expands at the north end into the form of a rude cross,the arms of which stretch about 12 miles from east to west; but the width of the lake from shore

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to shore, in the greatest distance, is not more than four miles. From Enniskillen to the northern extremity is sixteen miles. The lake discharges its waters by way of Belleek, on the north western side of the county of Fermanagh, by a fall of 20 feet amidst precipitous rocks. It next passes Ballyshannon (a town in Donegal, celebrated for its extraordinary salmon-leap), expanding to a great width and with remarkable beauty, and flowing smoothly forward to the fall, which is fourteen feet perpendicular. Here the leaps of the salmon at low water are extraordinary. This fishery is said to produce:£1000 a year.

A short distance from Enniskillen, the upper lake opens out into a sheet of water about three miles in diameter, above which it again contracts. Still further up, the land and water are intermingled in about an equal proportion of islands and lake, the latter assuming the appearance of narrow channels. Lough Erne stretches through the country to near Belturbet, in the county of Cavan, varying from one to two miles in width. The distance from Belleek to Belturbet (according to

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a report to the Geological Society, drawn up by Lieutenant J. Wolfe, R.N.) is about 35 miles, being the greatest length of navigation on any Irish lake. Its whole navigable length, including the estuary at Ballyshannon, is 45 miles. The depth in some parts is upwards of 200 feet. The peculiarities of the shore have suggested the use of a flat-bottomed boat called a cot, with a long slope at each end, which is square. The shape of these boats prevents them from moving rapidly through the water, and in rough weather they are dangerous. According to common report, Lough Erne contains 365 islands; but as the height of the surface of the lake varies to the extent of eight feet, the number (of those that are visible) will greatly depend upon the state of the water. My friend Mr. Robert Harding, the government valuator, informed me that there are in reality about 150 islands, and 50 rocks or sand banks.

I must not omit to mention that Enniskillen is remarkable for containing only one pump! — the water of the lake serving the purposes of both washing and drinking.

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