FROM THE ARCHIVES:Widespread distress after bad harvests fuelled the Land War in the early 1880s. A meeting at the Land League's headquarters in Dublin heard one man's story, according to this report.
– JOE JOYCE
EDWARD KEEGAN, of Canahar, County Kildare, a comfortably-dressed man, then stated that he had held two acres of land from Mr John LaTouche, of Harristown, which he greatly improved during his tenancy.
His father had taken the land 30 years ago, giving one year’s rent in hand – £4.
At that time the land was set in con acre, and before his father did anything to it he paid another year’s rent.
He (the speaker) had the land up to August last, but from the severity of last year he was unable to pay his rent.
He had about £4 worth of hay which he kept for his support. Last March the agent came and demanded the rent.
He told the agent he hadn’t it, but promised, if he waited until this season, to give him the two years’ rent or all he could.
A process for £6, a year and a half’s rent, was then served while he was away working, and when he returned the trial and all was over, and he knew nothing more about it till August, when the agent and two men came and demanded possession.
He had refused to give up the place until he had first seen his landlord. When he saw Mr La Touche, the latter said that he had given a great deal of trouble, and that they should get possession.
The agent then shut the door on him, so that he could not speak to him, and the bailiff then went and turned his sister and her three little children, who lived with him, out on the side of the road along with their little things.
The landlord even threatened not to allow him to keep the few potatoes they had if he gave any more trouble.
Mr Murray – A benevolent man!
Mr Keegan continued to observe that they remained on the side of the road for five nights.
It would, he said, break the heart of a stone to see the little children lying under a table in the wet, getting sore eyes, while he himself remained by their side trying to shelter them.
Mr Murray – Oh! God help Ireland.
Keegan – We remained there on the road for five nights until I put up a little hut, and then the police and the agent came and said they would put me out of that too.
I was then summoned by the surveyor because I was not 30 feet from the centre of the road, and I got 14 days to remove. I said I would only go 4 or 5 feet, and then the next court day Mr La Touche himself fined me 22s. in my absence.
Chairman – The landlord sitting as a magistrate?
Keegan – Yes, and on the 21st October a warrant was signed and the police came and brought me to jail for 14 days, with hard labour – a place I was never in before in all my life.
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