Provincial
newspapers present a varied and interesting snapshop of our daily lives and a
pristine copy of “The Nationalist and
Leinster Times” of Saturday, 30th December 1899 which I have in
front of me confirms that newspaper’s vital role in recording the local events
of the day.
The newspaper
first published in September 1883 was sold for two pence and here in Athy
copies were available from the Nationalist Office or Mrs. Noud’s shop or that
of Mrs. Watts. Advertisements filled the
front page but in the final issue for the 19th century, space on
that front page was found for a letter from a young Carlow man who was a member
of the 2nd Battalion Dublin Fusiliers serving in the Boer War. Writing from Natal in South Africa to his
family in Carlow he recounted the difficulties experienced in the fight against
the Boers.
“We are marching day and
night. We are 600 strong out of 1,060
men we had. The other day we had a
company blown up and those who were not killed were captured by the Boers. We have not a single dry stitch of clothes on
us after marching along 23 miles all night - it was raining all the time.”
A separate report
on the progress of the Boer War claimed “the
position of the garrison at Ladysmith is becoming more serious daily. Besides the effect of the constant and heavy
bombardment the outlook is a gloomy one from the point of view of supplies.”
The events in
South Africa prompted some Athy lads to signal their support for the Boer cause
in a way in which the Nationalist Newspaper reported under the headline “THE
ATHY BOYS PLAY A PRANK ON CHRISTMAS EVE - A BOER FLAG FLOATS OVER THE
CAPITAL”. It
would seem that Christmas Eve in Athy was traditionally a favourite night for
practical joking and as the paper reported “in
years past ‘singing the waits’ used to be a favourite pastime about the small
hours of the morning. This year the
custom was allowed to lapse and instead a war flag was floated from the highest
part of the Town Hall.”
No one knew how or
by whom the flag was placed in the Town Hall where the caretaker was William
McCleary “who hails from North of the
Boyne”. The report continued :-
“On Christmas Eve between 7 and 8
o’clock a firework and cracker display was noticed about the Town Hall. The Police whose duty is to repress
unauthorised exhibitions of this sort came on the scene but the organisers of
the display seemed to be quite as mobile as the Boers ….. in the morning a
grand green flag floated from the pinnacle which surmounts the town clock. As the day wore on and as the crowds who
viewed the banner increased it was felt that steps should be taken to haul the
flag down. William Cleary volunteered
for the task and about 3 o’clock he ascended to the top of the building armed
with a fishing rod to the end of which was attached a knife which he used to
cut down the flag.”
The report of the Christmas Eve shenanigans concluded :-
“Accounts brought by native runners
from Dunbrim disclose the fact that after dispersion by the Police the band
retired to a lonely kopje overhanging the Barrow and called Coneyboro. Here they made a bonfire and when it was in
full blaze they threw in a shell in the shape of a gallon of paraffin. The fluid exploded with a report as loud as
that of ‘Long Tom’ himself and so loud that it wakened sleepers in distant
Grangemellon”.
Returning to the
front advertisements Miss L. Browne [Manageress for the late M.C. Timmons]
announced the opening of her “Boot and
Leather Warehouse in Duke Street” where boots and shoes of every
description could be had including “strong
handmade boots”. An advertisement on
the back page of the same issue advised readers that the “home manufacture of boots and shoes” carried on at the Leather Warehouse, Duke
Street of the late Christopher Timmons would be continued by his personal
representatives.
Deegans & Sons
of Leinster Street had a front page advertisement under the heading “Athy Fairs” advising farmers “we have just completed extensive stabling
and cattle sheds, close to Fair Green, for the free use and benefit of our ever
increasing customers desirous of finding home comforts. None but the purest and best brands of
whiskey, wines, brandy’s, etc. stocked.
Tea and coffee from 5 a.m. Dinner
at shortest notice. Cold luncheons
always available.”
The Evicted
Tenants Restoration Fund advertised a public meeting for the purpose of
organising a county collection in aid of the Evicted Tenants Restoration Fund
to be held in the Town Hall, Carlow on 9th January 1900. “All
sympathisers with the wounded soldiers of the Land War are invited to intend -
God Save Ireland”.
In notes under the
by-line “Tatler” which followed the
weekly editorial appeared the following.
“After protracted negotiations extending
over at least two years the Clongorey evicted tenants dispute is at last
settled. The holdings have been striped
by the Land Commission officials and next week the tenants will sign the deeds
which will constitute them owners in fee subject to payment of the annual
instalments for 49 years to the Land Commission……it is now over 12 years since
the evictions took place……I am also delighted to learn that on the best of
authority that there is every likelihood of a settlement being arrived at in
Luggacurran (where tenants were evicted 13 years previously). The Marquis of Landsdowne has been induced to
treat with the representatives of tenants and as in Clongorey the basis of a
likely settlement is by purchase.”
The funeral of
Henry J. O’Neill which took place on Friday, 22nd December was
reported. From Geraldine House, Athy,
Henry was a young man who was survived by his father, Dr. P.L. O’Neill and his
brothers Dr. Jeremiah, Dr. P.L. Jnr., John, Stephen and Dennis. His sister was married to local auctioneer,
P.J. Corcoran. Athy Rugby Club held a
special meeting on the evening of the funeral to pass a vote of sympathy with
the O’Neill family and as a mark of respect postponed the match with Clontarf
fixed for Stephen’s Day.
Under the headline
“CHRISTMAS DAY IN ATHY” appeared this
report.
“Christmas in Athy was unusually quiet. The effects of the recent retreat was
observable in the decorum which prevailed and a noticeable absence of
drunkenness. At an early hour of
Christmas morning the town bands paraded the streets playing a series of
stirring airs which served the double purpose of reminding the townspeople of
the great festival which had dawned and of awakening them for their morning
devotions. The first mass in the Parish
Church was celebrated at 6.00 o’clock and there was frequent masses up to 12
o’clock. In the Dominican Church the
festivities were celebrated with the usual solemnities”.
This was how “The Nationalist and Leinster Times” of
30th December, 1899 recorded local events of the last days of the 19th
century.
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