The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-04 00:00:00

IRELAND.
CONFLICT BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE COUN-
TRY PEOPLE AT BALLINHASSIG FAIR—EIGHT
PERSONS KILLED.
The Cork Southern Reporter contains details of a frightful col.
lision between the people and the police at Ballinhassig fair on
Monday, by which eight of the former were killed and twenty-five
wounded. The reporter of that journal, writing from Bailin.
has,ig, Tuesday morning, gives the following distressing parti,

There is an annual fair held In the village of Ballinhassig on the
30th of June, which is usually well attended by all the farmers
and people in that district, and it is customary to send a small
police force to the fair, in order to keep order and prevent riots or
the disturbance of the peace. This precaution was taken yester-
day, but unfortunately, in my judgment, not carried out with either
the prudence, good temper, or moderation which the judicious dis-
charge of so onerous and responsible a duty demanded.
At about half-past seven, when the business of the fair had con-
cluded, a number of persons remained near the fair field, and
about the little village. A party of police, nineteen in number,
under the command of Mr. Kelly, Sub-Inspector at Kinsale, were
stationed near the cross road. Two persons in the crowd, from
the neighbourhood of Adamstown, named Sullivan and Neale,
began to quarrel, and others having interfered, the police felt it
their duty to arrest one of the principals, Sullivan, and immediately
on their doing so one or two mischievous persons called out in
Irish, " Don't let him with them." Symptoms of a disposition
to rescue Sullivan having thus become general, the police retired
with their prisoner to the dispensary, having been in the mean-
time pelted with stones and missiles by the crowd. The door of
that edifice was not on the hinges, but it was laid to, and the stone-
throwing continued. A number of the country people got into
a garden behind the dispensary, and were throwing atones on
the roof until they had smashed it in two or three places.
The police, in the meantime, had been ordered to load, and very
soon after they got into the dispensary, they fired from the window
and door with deadly effect. There was no magistrate present ; no
Riet Act read ; no warning, as I am positively informed, to the people
to desist; no attempt made to disperse them by a bayonet charge,
or a volley of blank cartridge. At the first fire several fell, and
the police then came out; some of them fired again, and again re-
turned, and the whole party once again rushed out, and the people
having by this time ran in all directions, they turned up by the
bridge in the direction of their barracks. When they went from
the dispensary a small body of people followed them, and though
no attack was, as I can learn, then attempted, one or two of the
police turned round, and again fired with the same aim and
effect that signalised their previous proceedings.
I shall now come to the sad spectacle which presented itself on
my arrival at the bridge. Having received intimation in Cork
about twelve o'clock at night of what had occurred, I proceeded to
the locality, in company with Dr. M'Evers, whose valuable services
were put in requisition for the relief of the unhappy sufferers, and
I am bound to say that, in my experience, never did I see more
kindness, humanity, and professional skill united in mitigating the
horrors with which this worthy gentleman was everywhere sur-
rounded. The first house we entered, a wretched hovel, near the
bridge, presented a melancholy sight.
On a heap of potatoes in the corner, resting on the lap of an
aged woman, lay the body of a fine athletic man, his clothes open,
and his chest covered with blood ; three or four women were col-
lected about—a group of men surrounded him, and only a hollow
moan from the females, occasionally broke the silence of the house
of mourning. With some difficulty I amide way for the doctor,
and when he held the candle to his ghastly features, and looked
for a moment on the last convulsive agony, he saw that his end
was come. In less than a minute he had ceased to exist, and his
announcement of the melancholy truth seemed the signal for a
burst of that anguish only the Irish peasant can express, when
involved in such absorbing sorrow. The name of the deceased was
Jeremiah Coghlan ; he lived at Skehanagh, was a small farmer,
and had left, besides his aged mother, a wife and child to bewail
his sad and untimely fate. The bullet entered at his back, and
passing through the lungs, came out at the left side. We then
hastened to the nearest place, where it was intimated that one of
the sufferers lay, and, in a little house in the village, stretched on
the earthen floor, we found a fine young man, named John Welsh,
from Carrigaline, aged twenty.four. His right leg was literally
shivered to bits. It had been hastily dressed, but on opening the
bandage several large splinters of bone came away. It was
dressed again, as well as time and circumstances would permit. and
the poor sufferer expressed his gratitude over and over again for
the relief he was afforded. The doctor at once recommended that he
should be removed to Cork to the infirmary, where amputation of
the limb simnel take place, as the only chance of saving his life.
He was unmarried, but, I was informed, had a young family of
brothers ai.d sisters, who were mainly dependent on his labours.
After describing other similar uses, the reporter adds—Crossing
a large tract of country we next came to a house, where, indeed, a
most afflicting spectacle awaited us. The woman of the house,
Johanna Holland, aged 23, and lately married, was shot dead near
the bridge in the village, after the police had left the dispensary.
Her mangled corpse was lying on a table facing the door, and a
vast crowd, principally females, thronged the house, which, from
its general appearancc, I should say belonged to a comfortable
farmer. O❑ examination, it was found that the ball entered at
the back, and passing between the shoulders through the lungs,
caused instantaneous death. The deceased was a very respectable
quiet woman, and was, by mere accident, passing through the vil-
lage on her way home at the moment of the untoward event which
brought her to a premature grave.
There is a policeman, named Dawson, rather severely hurt. He
has three cuts on his head from stones, and his lip is split ;
but nothing more serious than those cuts and bruises. He was
she tered at a gentleman's house in the neighbourhood, which was
the means of saving his life from the infuriated mob.
There is one matter more to which, before I close, I must call
your special attention. I carefully examined the dispensary in
which the police took refuge—and now observe its position. There
is a window and door in front, facing the cross road—there is no
window or aperture to the rear. The stones which knocked in the
roof were all thrown from the rear, and yet the firing necessarily
was directed against the people in front, who could not have been
the parties to the attack on the building. I have not time to add

more.
I should have before noticed that the Rev. Mr. Hallinan, the
respected perish priest, was early in atteadance on his suffering
people, and administered to them the consolation of religion in
their dying moments. I must also notice the prompt and humane
assistance which John Kelly, Esq., of Ballinhassig, rendered.
From the first intimation he received of the fatal affray he was on
the spot, procuring ever; assistance that could be afforded the suf-
ferers. He sent an express into town for medical aid, and accom-
panied Dr. M'Evers and myself all over the country the whole of
the inclement night, doing all that a kind, humane, and benevolent
gentleman could, to mitigate the sorrows and sufferings of his poor
fellow-countrymen.
There are over a hundred and twenty police under arms in the
barracks on the Bandon-road, under the command of Mr. Walker,
sub-inspector, from Cork. A messenger has been dispatched for
the Coroner.
The latest account is the following :
" BALLINIIASSIG, TUESDAY, Two o'come—The utmost excite-
ment prevails for several miles around, The people, and they are
proverb:al for exemplary conduct, are sullen. They are most re-
spectful to all patties seeking information ; they ask for an impar-
tial investigation, a request that there seems every prospect of
having conceded to them. The magistrates, John Molony, Esq.,
Win. Meade, Esq., and J. T. Biggs, Esq. ; the coroner, Franklin
Baldwin, Esq. ; the parish priest, the Rev. J. Hallinan ; and a
considerable number of the surrounding gentry and respectable
farmers, after a consultation have agreed, and it has been resolved
upon, that the inquest shall not commence its sittings untill nine
o'clock on Thursday morning, several circumstances concurring to
render that course the most prudent. In the meantime, counsel
and agents are to be engaged, the friends and relatives of the ill-
fated deceased and wounded (of the former six ; of the latter, as-
certained twenty-five—some, it is feared mortally) having taken
measures to insure justice. The coroner intimated that he would
issue summonses for fifty or sixty regaectable gentlemen, from
whom te, select twenty-three to form the jury, whilst a bench of
magistrates from all parts of the country is looked for."
" GREAT PROTESTANT COMMEMORATION."
DCRLIN, JULY 2.—What is termed " an open air soiree " took
Place last evening its the Rotunda Gardens, to commemorate the
anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne.
About half-past six o'clock the Rev. R. H. M. Eyre, A.M.,
took the chair.
The business of the evening was opened with prayer, and several
psalms were then sung by the company, after which the Rev A.
J. Montgomery, formerly one of the chaplains of the Grand Orange
Lodge; Mr. H Smith, of Annsbrook ; and the Rev. E. Prior,
addressed the meeting in proposing and seconding resolutions re.
specting the Battle of the Boyne.
The Rev. T. D. Gregg introduced W. B. Ferrand, Esq., M.P.,
to the meeting. He was received with several rounds of the Kentish
fire and Laid cheering.
Mr. FERRAND, M.P., then rose to address the meeting, and was
received with loud cheers. The Hon. Gentleman proceeded to
say that he had great pleasure in coming forward toaddress a Dublin
Protestant audience, for since he had last the honour of address-
ing them the foulest attempt was made by the Parliament to
crush the Protestant feeling in this country.—(Loud cheers.) But
such could not be done, because the Protestants spoke the truth.
He had a right, as a free-born Englishman, to stand up for that
privilege, and he had sto xi up in the House of Commons against
the worst blow that was ever aimed at the Constitution. In a letter
which he addressed to Sir James Graham he had vindicated the
same principles, and that letter was widely circulated—he had also
sent a copy to Sir James himself—(Cheers)—but that Minister
thought to crush them by a lying and infamous report,—(Loud
yelling and Kentish fire.) The Ministers were traitors to their re-
ligion, their country, their Sovereign, and their God. Several
rounds of the Kentish fire followed the conclusion of this sentence.
A VOICE—PeeI is an impostor.—(Cheers, and loud cries of
" Yes, he is.")
Another VOICE—PeeI is a common traitor.—(Cheers.)
Mr. FERRAND— He is the worst traitor that ever lived.—(Kentish
fire and cheers.) Mr. Ferrand continued to say that Peel was the
Marotto of Conservatism, and he had betrayed the party whom he
was solemnly pledged to support, and the religion he was sworn to
maintain, and he (Mr. Ferrand) would prove that he was a traitor
to his country and his Sovereign.—(Cheers.)
A Voice—Peel is an infidel.—(Tremendous yelling and Kentish
fire.)
Another VOICE—We will put out the traitor.—(" Order.")
Mr. FERRAND then proceeded to prove that Sir Robert Peel was
a traitor. He had passed the Roman Catholic Bequests Act, a
heavier blow to the British Constitution than the grant to May-
nooth—by his own admission, a more revolutionary measure—and
thus, in express defiance of the Act of Parliament, making the
Roman Catholic prelates bishops and archbishops. Yes, in direct
opposition of the oath of supremacy and the Act of Settlement, he
had passed through the Lords and Commons his Romish, his
Popish Maynooth Bill.—(Hisses.) It only now waited for the
signature of her Majesty to become the law of the land—and ho
would repeat the assertion which he had made in the House of
Commons—the instant their gracious Sovereign attached her sig-
nature to that Bill, she signed away her right and title to the Bri-
tish throne.—(Loud cheers.)
The Rev. TRESII /01 GREGG briefly addressed the meeting, and
after a vote of thanks had been passed to Mr Ferrand, the meeting
formed into a procession, and marched round the gardens,the band
play fng appropriate airs.
ARRIVAL OF MR. O'CONNELL.
About ten o'clock this forenoon Mr. O'Connell arrived in
Kingstown from London, by the mail packet, and proceeded to
the residence of his son, Mr. John O'Connell, M.P., near the
railway station.
DUBLIN STOCK EXCHANGE, JULY 2.

Government Funds—Three per Cent. Consols, 99 99 / —Three-
and.a. Quarter per Cent. Stock, 10Ih *—Bank Stock, 210.
Miscellaneous—Grand Canal Stock, 94.
Itailways-43elfast and Ballymena, 5i i—Bandon and Bantry,
lA—Cork and Bandon, 7i 7—Cork and Waterford,ll—Cork
and Youghal, 21—Cork and Passage, j prem.—Dublin and Belfast
Junction, s 7l—Dublin, Belfast, and Coleraine Junction, 2I—
Dublin and Drogheda, 109—Dundalk and Enniskillen, 3g—
Enniskillen and Sligo, 21—Great Southern and Western, 23t_
Ditto, Extension, 11*—The Midland and Great Western Railway,
and Royal Canal Company, 3g 4—Ditto, Extension to Sligo,
2g 3—lrish G eat Western (Dublin to Galway), 31 *—Killarney
Junctions, 2 k—Limerick, Enniskillen, and Killaloe Junction,
4—Limerick and Ennis, 3—Londonderry and Enniskillen, 3g
_Waterford and Limerick, 7 71—Waterford and Kilkenny, 3
Wexford and Carlow, 21—Waterford, Wexford, and Dublin, I g 2.

it g...;11 be sen from the report of the Asturian
C.,mpany. that several collieries have been opened
near Oviedo, which promise to be of
in the north of Spain,
great service to that country. Should the mines, as anti-
cipated, turn out well, the people would find better employ-
ment than in quarrels with the Government about their
fueros or the claims of the Carlist dynasty. A paper on these,
mines was read at the recent meeting of the British Asso-
ciation held at Cambridge, to which we refer those who take
an interest in the subject.
The Plivselflorf Gazette states that the health of
the Empress of Russia has beccrae alarming, and;that the Emperor
ie again suffering from a disease of the liver.