EVICTIONS ON CLONGOREY ESTATE
The following article appeared in The Leinster Express on Saturday, March 30, 1889.
EVICTIONS ON CLONGOREY ESTATE
During the week ten families on the Clongorey estate were evicted for non-payment of rent. This brings the total number of evictions on this estate up to eighteen. It will remembered that this estate was one of the first to adopt the Plan of Campaign, and that in connection with proceedings on it some of the leading citizens of Newbridge and Naas were prosecuted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment. The police present, under the command of County-Inspector Looh and District-Inspectors Brooke, of Naas, and Supple, of Robertstown, numbered about seventy, and there was an equal number of the 71st Highland Light Infantry, from the Curragh Camp, the entire force being under the command of Colonel Bulby, R.M., and Mr Mercer, R.M. There was hardly any resistance, but in nearly every case the doors were found more or less barricaded. Several thousand people attended from Newbridge, Naas, and the surrounding districts, but were not permitted to approach the houses, and there was no disturbance whatever. One tenant made some resistance and was arrested, but was, soon after, released. None of the evicted were re-admitted as caretakers. The following were evicted: Daniel Donnelly, Peter Keogh, James Heavy, Patrick Keely, James Heavy, Patrick Fox, John Fox, Patrick Fullam, and John Stanley. In the case of two other families, named Kelly and Kenny, the proceedings were not carried out, some of their members being seriously ill.
On Wednesday night and the forenoon of Thursday all the houses but three lately occupied by the evicted tenants of Clongorey, were unroofed by the servants of the Property Defence Association. At three o’clock on Thursday morning eleven of the houses were set fire to, the flames, seen as they were, in the dead of night, lighting up the level country around for many miles. Houses having hay, straw, or other inflammable material stored near them were reserved for the daylight, when they were pulled down in the usual way with pickaxe and crowbar. The evicted tenants have received outdoor relief, and have found shelter in the houses of some of their neighbours.
