The Connaught Telegraph (11 Jan 1879 p4) reported the meeting, noting that it was a rainy day and a rather uninteresting meeting. Michael Geraghty proposed the following: "That whereas we are, owing to the causes mentioned, unable at present to meet our engagements and as we are threatened with another famine, we hereby solemnly pledge ourselves to pay no rents to our landlords until they make such an abatement in their rents as will enable us to tide over our present difficulties, and we hereby declare the tenant farmer who pays rent before such a reduction is made our common enemy and an enemy of the peasantry of Ireland."
Patt Geraghty seconded another resolution which declared that the merchants of Westport would be enemies if they took on the lands of tenant farmers who were evicted for non-payment.
Was this our Patt Geraghty? The answer is unknown. But it definitely could have been. Our Patt Geraghty's son Patrick was definitely politically involved after immigration to Minnesota, being the founder and editor of a Union paper at the time that unions were just forming.
The number of farmers present necessitates attendance from outlying areas and Carrownaclea was only 4.1 kilometers (just 2.5 miles) away.
The Mayo Tenant's Defence Association was formed in Castlebar in October 1878 by James Daly. In November Parnell joined others at a meeting, giving support to the movement. As owner of the Connaght Telegraph, Daly gave the movement a voice. The goals was the implementation of the 3 Fs: fixity of tenure, fair rent and freedom to sell their holding. After their meeting in January the farmers of the Westport area approached Daly asking for support. Fearing libel he refused to expose individual landlords but began to publish rent grievances in general. He also publicized a meeting to be held 22 Feb 1879. That meeting was postponed until April.
On 19 Apr 1879 to following notice was printed in the Telegraph....
Over 13000 tenant farmers attended the meeting according to the two page report in the Telegraph the following Saturday, April 26.
As the year progressed more support was garnered and on 25 Oct the Telegraph reported the formation of the Irish National Land League in Dublin as of the 21st. The Mayo Defence League was absorbed into the movement.
The goal of the movement was to gain the 3Fs for the peasantry: Fixity of Tenure, Fair Rent and Freedom to sell their holding. Over the next few years hundreds of thousands of £s were invested in relief funds and emigration schemes. Reduction of rents were instituted and by 1882 the Land War was winding down.
Patrick's direct landlord was Capt. Alex Wyndham. I have not found any mention of him in the papers of the day. Did Patrick withhold his rent? Did he end up in arrears to the point he was unable to make up what he owed. Did he get fed up with the fact that nothing had really changed? I wish we had a way to find the answers as to why the family emigrated in 1884.
Irish Land League - Wikipedia
The Limits to Land Reform - The Land Acts of Ireland 1870-1909
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