The Land War
Cogadh na Talún
It is estimated that 66,000 tenants in Donegal lived in desperate circumstances due to continued poor harvest and rent arrears. The situation was so appalling that Bishop Michael Logue established the Donegal Central Relief Committee to combat this destitution and to negotiate rent reduction with landlords. However, Olphert and his fellow landlords did nothing to reduce rent.
By December 1880, Land League branches were formed in Cloughaneely and Gweedore with Daniel McSweeney from Carrowcannon House and Francis Gallagher, School Master in Glasearch, as its driving forces.
Between the 12th and 14th of May 1881, seven families were evicted from their homes on the Olphert estate. In retaliation, on the 14th of June Olphert’s stables and outhouses were burned down at Ballyconnell. A hundred extra police were drafted into the area to prevent further hostility. Subsequently, Daniel McSweeney and Francis Gallagher were arrested and interned alongside Parnell and Davitt in Dundalk.
Following the internment of McSweeney and Gallagher, Father McFadden, who was Parish Priest of Gweedore and Father Stephens, who was curate in Falcarragh, took on the mantle of responsibility for the tenants. Conflict continued to escalate, particularly during July 1883, 25 more families were evicted.
By 1887, landlords in West Donegal made a voluntary reduction of 33% in their rent so as to alleviate their tenants’ distress. Wybrants Olphert and Arthur Hill were recalcitrant on this point and made no concessions.
Consequently, Fr. McFadden and Fr. Stephens advocated the Plan of Campaign. This allowed for a local committee to fix a fair rent on behalf of the tenants and present it to the landlord in question. If the landlord refused the offer, then all tenants in the area withdrew their rent placing it in the hands of the committee.
This plan was successful in Gweedore, particularly on the Hill estate. By November 1887, Hill gave a 30% rent reduction to his tenants accepting a lump sum of £1,450 for outstanding arrears of £3,400 and re-admitting those evicted.
Cogadh na Talún
Bhí droch bhail amach is amach ar Thionónta na hÉireann le linn na 1880idí. Bhí monaplacht iomlán, chóir a bheith, ag na Tiarnaí Talún ar a gcuid eastát, rud a d’fhág na tiontóntaí ar bheagán cearta nó gan cearta ar bith. Chuir meath na talmhaíochta sna 1870idí cás na dtionóntaí chun donais ar fad agus bhí na mílte nach raibh ábalta a gcíos a íoc.Dá bharr seo, bunaíodh Cumann na Talún. Ba iad Charles Stewart Parnell, polaiteoir de chuid Home Rule agus ceannaire Pháirtí Parlaiminteach na hÉireann, agus Micheál Mac Daibhéid, iarphríosúnach de chuid na bhFíníní, a bhí i gceannas ar an chumann. Cuireadh feachtas ar siúl le tabhairt ar Rialtas na Sasana dlíthe úra a chur i bhfeidhm i dtaca le hansmacht na dtiarnaí talún. Mhair an t-achrann agus an troid i rith na 1880idí, cuireadh na mílte tionóntaí amach as a gcuid tithe agus ghabháltais bheaga agus rinneadh ionsaithe ar thiarnaí talún i mórán áiteacha.
Meastar go raibh corradh le 66,000 tionónta i nDún na nGall i gcruachás siocair gur mheath a gcuid barr agus go raibh na cíosa chomh tíoránta sin nach raibh siad i ndán iad a íoc. Bhí an cás chomh holc sin gur chuir an tEaspag Micheál Ó Maolmhaodhóg coiste ar bun, Lárchoiste Fóirithinte Dhún na nGall, le cuidiú leis na bochta agus tabhairt ar na tiarnaí talún an cíos a laghdú. Ach, ní raibh maith a bheith ag caint le hOlphert agus a mhacasamhail - ní thabharfadh siad laigse ar bith sa chíos.
Faoi Nollaig 1880, bhí brainsí de Chumann na Talún bunaithe i gCloich Cheann Fhaola agus i nGaoth Dobhair. Ba iad Dónall Mac Suibhne, as Carrowcannon House, agus Proinsias Ó Gallchóir, máistir scoile a bhí ar An Ghlaiseach, a bhí i mbun na gcumann seo.
Idir an 12ú lá agus an 14ú lá de mhí na Bealtaine, 1881, cuireadh seachtar teaghlach a bhí ina gcónaí ar eastát Olphert amach as a gcuid tithe. Ar mhaithe le díoltas a bhaint amach, cuireadh cuid stáblaí agus bóithigh Olphert ar thine agus dódh go talamh iad ar an 14ú lá de Mheithimh. Tugadh céad péas eile isteach sa cheantar le cosc a chur le heachtraí dá leithéid. Gan mhoill ina dhiaidh sin, beireadh ar Dhónall Mac Suibhne agus ar Phroinsias Ó Gallchóir agus cuireadh i bpríosún iad i nDún Dealgan, i gcuideachta Pharnell agus Mac Daibhéid.
Ó tharla go raibh Mac Suibhne agus Ó Gallchóir i bpríosún, ghlac an tAth. Mac Pháidín, a bhí ina shagart paróiste i nGaoth Dobhair, agus an tAth. Mac Stiofáin, sagart cúnta an Fhál Charraigh, freagracht ina n-ionad ar shon na dtionóntaí. Lean an choimhlint ar agaidh, ag éirí níos measa de réir a chéile, go háirithe nuair a díshealbhaíodh 25 teaghlach eile i mí Iúil 1883.
Sa bhliain 1887, bhí cás na dtionóntaí in Iardheisceart Dhún na nGall chomh holc sin go ndearna formhór na dtiarnaí talún cinneadh an cíos a laghdú 33%. Ach bhí Wybrants Olphert agus Arthur Hill chomh dáigh crua is a bhí siad ariamh agus ní thabharfadh siadsan oiread na fríde de laigse sa chíos. Dá bharr sin, chuir an tAth. Mac Pháidín agus an tAth. Mac Stiofáin feachtas ar bun ar ar tugadh an Plan of Campaign. Chiallaigh an plean seo go bhféadfadh coste áitiúil cíos cóir cothrom a shocrú thar cheann na dtionóntaí agus í a thairiscint don tiarna talaimh a bhí i gceist. Má dhiúltaigh seisean glacadh léi, ní íocadh tionónta ar bith sa cheantar an cíos leis an tiarna ach d’fhágadh siad an t-airgead i lámha an choiste.
D’oibrigh an plean seo go maith i nGaoth Dobhair, go speisialta ar eastát Hill. I mí na Samhna 1887, thug sé laghdú de 30% sa chíos agus ghlac sé le £1,450 mar íocaíocht iomlán ar £3,400 de fhiacha agus fosta, lig sé do theaghlaigh a chuir sé as seilbh roimhe sin a ghabháil isteach ina gcuid tithe arís.
Location
An tSean Bheairic
An tSráid Mhór
An Fál Carrach
Co. Dhún na nGall
F92 YE2C
