The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-03-31 00:00:00

MR. O'BRIEN AT YOUGHAL.
SERIOUS DISTURBANCE.

A proclamation was issued on Saturday prohibiting
a meeting proposed to be held at Youghal, at which
Mr. O'Brien, M.P., who was to "give advice" to
the tenants on the Ponsonby estate, who are about
to be evicted from their holdings. A large force
of police were drafted into Youghal to assist in
enforcing the proclamation. Mr. O'Brien arrived
at Cork in the evening. He was met at
the station by the Mayor, and accompanied
by bands and a large crowd, proceeded to the
Victoria Hotel, from the window of which he after-
wards addressed the people. He said that at the
last moment he had heard that the intended meeting
on Sunday had been proclaimed, but he accepted the
challenge, and would proceed to Youghal to assert
his right in spite of the proclamation. He had been
advised when leaving London not to purchase a return
ticket, and he had not done so. He characterised the
action of the authorities as an attempt to create a
second Mitchelstown. _ . .

Mr. William O'Brien, M.P., drove from Cork to
Youghal at half-past one on Sunday morning, and
addressed the tenants of the Ponsonby estate, at
a meeting in the Town Hall, at six a.m. The
meeting convened for two p.m. had been proclaimed,
but Mr. O'Brien went to the park, where it was
announced to be held. A force of police and troops
with fixed bayonets guarded the entrance, and admis-
sion was refused. Mr. O'Brien then mounted a
car outside the park, and proceeded to address the
large crowd which had assembled. In obedience to
orders a charge was made by the combine forces
of police and soldiers, during which Captain Plunkett,
divisional magistrate, was knocked down and re-
ceived two cuts on the head from sticks wielded by
persons in the crowd. Several policemen and civilians
were injured. Mr. O'Brien reached the house of
Canon Keller, his car being followed by the crowd.
There a meeting was held in a stable, or open build-
ing, at the rear 'Of the premises. The police were
actively engaged in clearing the streets for a length of
time.
A long conversation ensued (according to a later
account) between Mr. O'Brien and the police, at the
entrance to the park, and at last the former mounted
the car and commenced to address the people. He
had not proceeded far when the police came out.
Captain Plunkett ordered the crowd to disperse, they
did not do so, and the order was given to charge.
The police used their batons freely, and stones came
in a regular shower at them from all sides. Captain
Plunkett was stepping off the kerb-stone on to the
road when he slipped and fell. At the time he was
detached from the main body of police, and was only
accompanied by two detectives. The moment he fell
he was set upon by the crowd. One fellow struck him
a fearful blow with a burley on the head inflicting a
wound. He was kicked and struck repeatedly whilst
on the ground, but the moment he regained his feet
he faced the mob in a most intrepid manner, and using
his stick to some advantage beat off his assailants.
He received two wounds on the head, which had to
be dressed by a surgeon, and his left knee was cut by
a kick. The two detectives who were with him re-
ceived very rough treatment. One of them, Sergeant
Purcell, had his jaw and cheek split by the blow of a
stick, and the other man was actually carried along
and beaten by about a dozen men. Captain Plunkett,
although bleeding profusely, remained in the street
issuing his orders until the place was cleared. Mr.
O'Brien meanwhile proceeded to Canon Keller's resi-
dence, as above stated.