The Land War in Kerry, 1895
(Extract from The Kerry Champion, 7/2/1948)
On the 16th April 1895, agricultural labourers and small farmers from the districts of Crommane, Tullig, Glasha and Knocknahoola, numbering several hundreds, paraded the streets of Killorglin with a black flag to draw attention to their distressed condition due to the want of employment. Through their pastor, Father T. Lawlor, they had drawn the attention of John Morley, the Liberal Chief Secretary, to the widespread distress which prevailed, and to the necessity of the Government opening relief works to afford employment, the lack of which caused a good deal of emigration among the agricultural community. The representation to the Chief Secretary had no satisfactory result.
On the following Sunday a public meeting was held at Crommane under the chairmanship of Father T. Lawlor, who stated that he had learned some time ago that there were 30 families in that district who would be obliged to allow their potato plots to fallow that year because they had not seed to plant them, nor money to purchase the seed. He wrote to the Vice-Guardians in Killarney asking them had they any remedy, and pointing out what further distress this meant in the coming year and further taxation on the Union. As he had not got a reply he took it that the Vice-Guardians would do nothing.
They might tell him what they had told the Chief Secretary that potatoes were sold for 41/2d in the Killorglin market. One of the peripatetic gentlemen, known as Local Government Board Inspectors, told Mr Morley that there was no distress because the people did not flock in greater numbers for outdoor relief. If roads were opened up employment could be given to the people to tide them over their present difficulties.
"Though there may not be actual starvation in this locality", Father Lawlor continued, "I have no hesitation in saying that there will be dire and pinching poverty which will tell its tale on young and old for years to come; and if the Government will fold its arms and give no help, it will have sadly failed in its duty, and merited censure of the severest kind."
On the proposition of K. Evans, seconded by Mr. J. O’Sullivan, a resolution was passed again directing the attention of the Chief Secretary to the distress existing in the district and urging the opening of relief works.
