Thomas Moroney and the Miltown Malbay Boycott of February 1888

The following articles from The Clare Journal from February 13th to March 19th 1888 documents the arrest, trial, conviction and release of Thomas Moroney of Miltown Malbay for his participation in the boycott of Mrs, Burdett Moroney the local landlord and her staff. 

My grandmother, Mary Margaret Moroney told the story that the family never ate so well as the time her father, Thomas Moroney went to jail.  Thomas was working as a car-driver in Miltown Malbay.  Tom with his donkey and cart would bring passengers and goods into and out of the village of Miltown Malbay from the West Clare Railroad Train Station just outside the village on the Lahinch Road.  The boycott started at Christmas time 1887 with a servant of landlord, Mrs Moroney being refused bread and essentials at a few shops in the village.  Four shop owners were convicted and the boycott grew into a larger action with many services not offered to the police and staff of the Landlord. 

Tom Moroney and ten other men refused to accept terms and to promise their services and instead chose to go to jail for 30 days at hard labor.  Tom Moroney and his friends gained a little notoriety with their decision and help came from the four surrounding parishes with food and turf for support of the families.

The Clare Journal articles were sent to me by the staff of the Clare Library, Ennis, Co. Clare.

THE CLARE JOURNAL

ENNIS, Monday, February 13, 1888

A fresh shower of summons under the Crimes Act has descended on the traders of Miltown Malbay, and this time on an even more extensive scale than the recent prosecutions in that little town.  The new proceedings arise directly out of the recent trials and are the result of the shopkeepers action in refusing to open their establishments to the police for refreshments etc, during Friday and Saturday, on which days the little town presented rather the appearance of a place visited by the pestilence than a pretty brisk centre of local trade. 

There was hardly a shop but had its window shutters up and doors closed; and the only occupants of the streets were the police patrols, to whose duties, on this occasion at any rate the term sincere would not be misapplied.  All attempts of the police and military to procure food or refreshments were unavailing.  In every case the proprietor refused to open his establishment, and the result had been the issuing of a fresh batch of summonses for conspiracy to compel and induce persons unknown from dealing with certain members of the Royal Irish Constabulary.  The parties on whom these were serves are, Pat Burke, Tom O’Brien, Michael McDonogh, Daniel McMahon, Pat Murphy, Tom Morony, M. Murtagh, Pat Kelly, James Donnellan, Patrick McMahon, John Sexton, Michael Tobin, Thomas Creehan, James Meade, Michael Vaughan, Michael O’Loghlen, W. Honan, John Lynch, John O’Brien, Edward Roche, Thady Donnellan, George McDonogh, John Clancy, Andrew Clancy, Michael Burke, T. Darcy.

The cases were to have been heard on Thursday last but as the time at which the summonses had been served did not permit of a defense being prepared, and as legal advice had not been taken, they were adjourned until Thursday next.  The defense had, we learned been entrusted to Mr. T. Lynch, sol.



THE CLARE JOURNAL

ENNIS, Monday, February 20, 1888

THE PROSECUTIONS AT MILTOWN MALBAY

At Miltown Malbay on Thursday twenty six respectable publicans and others were prosecuted for conspiracy not to supply goods to police on the 4^th inst.

On the bench were Mr. Cecil Roche, RM; Mr. Mercer, RM, Colonel Turner, Captain Walsh, and Colonel Evanson. 

The defendants’ names are – John Clancy, Patrick Bourke, Thomas O’Brien, Daniel McMahon, Michael McDonagh, Patrick Murphy, Thos Moroney, John Sexton, Michael Tobin, Patrick McMahon, Jas Meade, Michael Vaughan, Michael Bourke, Andrew Clancy, John Lynch, John O’Brien, George McDonagh, Thomas Darcy, Edmond Roche, Jas Donnellan, Thady Donnellan, Patrick Kelly, Thos Crehan, W. Honan, Michael O’Loughlin, and Margaret Murtagh.

Mr. Leamy, BL, (instructed by Mr. Thomas Lynch, Ennis) defended.

FRIDAY

(February 17, 1888)

The prosecutions were resumed this morning at 11 o’clock, and after further evidence had been heard, and Mr. Leamy delivered an eloquent speech on behalf of the defendants, the bench delivered judgment.  The case against G. McDonagh was dismissed, and in Jas Donnellan’s and Margaret Murtagh’s cases” no rule” was marked.  William Honan’s case was outside the jurisdiction of the court, he having gone to America, and the other defendants with the exception of Michael O’Loughlin, who was dead, were sentenced to a month’s imprisonment with hard labor.

Mr. Leamy and Mr. Lynch then left the court, which was declared adjourned, and the room was cleared of, the public, even the Pressmen were requested to leave.

After a brief time had elapsed an announcement was made that eleven of the defendants – namely, John Clancy, Pat Bourke, Pat Kelly, Thomas O’Brien, M. McDonough, P. Murphy, John Sexton, P McMahon, Andrew Clancy, and John O’Brien – had elected to give a guarantee to supply goods for the future to the constabulary.  The other defendants – M. Tobin, J. Meade, M. Vaughan, Thomas Moroney, M. Bourke, T. Crehan, T. Donnellan, E. Roche, J. Lynch, T Darcy, and D. McMahon had preferred imprisonment to giving such a guarantee.  This announcement, under the circumstances caused intense excitement in the little village.  The ten prisoners were removed under a heavy military and police escort to Ennis last evening.  They were met by an additional force of police under District Inspector Hill at the railway station and brought to the barracks where they were permitted, through the courtesy of Mr. Mercer, RM to receive refreshments from Mr. T.J. MacMahon and other friends.  They were transferred to Limerick by the 8:30 mail train.  There was not demonstration during their transit through the town



THE CLARE JOURNAL

ENNIS, Monday, March 15, 1888

The Police and People of Miltown Malbay.

In the House on Monday, Mr. Paulson asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention had been to the following report published in the “Daily News” of 23^rd February – “ An extraordinary demonstration was witnessed at Miltown Malbay yesterday when the contents of 270 carts filled with turf and a similar number containing potatoes were distributed by the people of the surrounding parishes to the families of the eleven men sentenced to a months imprisonment under the Crimes Act.  Head constable Brady who was in charge of the police ordered his men to draw their truncheons and, presenting his revolver, ordered the crowd to disperse.  The reason for the action is not reported.  The people dispersed quietly.  Several tons of potatoes were pitted.

THE CLARE JOURNAL

ENNIS, Friday, 19 March 1888

Release of Miltown Malbay Prisoners - On Friday the eleven Miltown Malbay prisoners who were sentenced to one month’s imprisonment for closing their shops and refusing to supply the police with refreshments, were released from Limerick Prison, as was also Mr. John Kerin, publican, of this town, who has undergone a like sentence for laughing at the police.  A large number of police, under the command of District-Inspector Hill attended at the station to prevent and demonstrations of sympathy at the station with the released men but their services were not required.

They were greeted on their release in Limerick by a large crowd, including many of their Clare friends who warmly cheered them.  A force of about sixty police was present, and an ineffectual attempt was made to disperse the people.  The Victualiers Brass Bank played the prisoners to the city.

Kevin J. O'Brien, kilmurryibrickaneobriens@gmail.com