Ireland Under Coercion: The Diary of an American (2 of 2): (2nd ed.) (1888)Hurlbert, William Henry
History
Ireland Under Coercion: The Diary of an American (2 of 2): (2nd ed.) (1888)
Hurlbert, William Henry
Ireland -- Description and travel; Ireland -- Politics and government -- 1837-1901
"In March 1879, by the death of Mr. Henry Hall, in whose family it
had been for certainly a century, the Inchiquin farm of 213 acres,
valued at £258, 10s., came on my hands. This farm was valued in
1873 by one valuer at £384, 10s., and by another at £390, 10s. In
an old lease I find that this farm was let at £3 an acre. Mr. Henry
Hall to the day of his death held it at £306, 7s. 6d., under a
lease which I made a lease for life. For this farm Mrs. Richard
Doyle applied, agreeing to take it on a 31 years' lease, at £370 a
year. I let it to her, and she became the lease-holder, putting in
her son Maurice Doyle to take charge of it, though not as the
tenant. He was an active Land Leaguer from the moment he got into
the place, and in 1886 he was a leader in promoting the Plan of
Campaign. Proceedings had to be taken against his mother in order
to eject him, as she was the tenant, not he. I objected to this,
for I always have had the greatest regard for her. Had she been let
alone she would have paid her rent as she had always done. But Mr.
Lane and his allies saw it would never do to let Maurice Doyle
retain his place on his mother's holding. All this will show you
that Maurice Doyle did not inherit the Inchiquin farm. The only
inherited holding of his mother is the farm of 74 acres 1 rood in
the townland of Ballykitty, held by his father in 1858. I have no
doubt you saw Doyle at Youghal, by the description you gave me, and
you remembered his name at once. He was a thickset heavy-looking
man, florid, with a military moustache, the last time I saw him.
His mother is one of the 'rack-rented' tenants you hear of, having
been able in ten years to increase her acreage from 74 acres to 376
acres, and her rental from £48, 11s. to £542!"
As to the general effect of all this business upon the tenants, and upon
himself, Mr. Ponsonby spoke most feelingly. "The tenants are ruined
where they might have been thriving. My means of being useful to them or
to myself are taken away. My charges, though, all remain. I have to pay
tithes for Protestant Church service, of which I can't have the benefit,
the churches being closed; and the other day I had a notice that any
property I had in England would be held liable for quit-rents to the
Crown on my property in Ireland, of which the Government denies me
practically any control or use!"
NOTE G2.
THE GLENBEHY EVICTION FUND.
(Vol. ii. p. 12.)
In the _London Times_ of September 15 appears the following letter from
the Land Agent whom I saw at Glenbehy, setting forth the effect of this
"Glenbehy Eviction Fund" upon the morals of the tenants and the peace of
the place:--
_To the Editor of the Times._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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