Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-08-14
IRELAND

Dreadful ARRAY aud ,cholcsal, slaughter
in Kerry
sM DUBLIN, June n.
One of lie most sangplhaty faction
fights that ever di~graced this unhappy
country. took place on Tuesday at lie
races Of Balsyheag, thirteen miles from
Iailee, between two clans, The Coleens
and the Lawiofs. VINO have been al ieud
above half a century, and stil defy both
the Law andthe gospel, IN taking Vengeance
on each other whenever opportunity Of.
fers from generation 10 general N, Ru
mors OF the intended hsht having been in
circulation for some days previous, and
information having been gwen 10 The
country magistrates, they applied TO the OF
iicer Commanding al Tarlee for force suf
ficlent to keep The peace az iheracts. : Ae-
cordlugly on the day previous (honday)
a strong detach neat OF the 69.h Regi
ment with three officers marched IRON
TaIlee Barracks TO Ballyheag, and on
Tuesday took up a position on the race
ground, on the bank of the river Cashier.
TO be- ready TO interfere on the first sXmp
toms of the expected riot. The two fac
tons soon appeared on tho ground IN great
numbers. but remained qlet sili the races
were over, at three O'Clock. Then The
appointed battle began in earnest on tie
RIVER strand with sticks and stones. 4
gentleman who. witnessed the contest des
crihes If as one Of the most savage and
merciless scenes he ever witnessed, or
could imagine to have taken place IN a
Christian country The soldiers could do
nothing to stem the torrent Of fury aud
blows that ragged on every side Az least
one thousand men were engaged, for ~
addition to the resident parties, numbers
came frofa miles around 10 take arl 10 the
conflict against men whom thty had nev
er seen before all for the pleasure OF
iAhu
The Cooleens, it appears, received aid
from the mountains OF BaIiy longiord, and
even some came to JON them from tho
county of Limerick Captain Hawson, Of
EDnismofe, aud other mag ates present
with the troops caused the Riot Act TO be
read, but. 40 body would listen 10 il The
vety women were occupied supplying
their friends on both sides with stones.
which they carried in their aprons The
oaite soon spread to such an extent, that
neither the soldiers nor police could
possibly interfere efTectaslly to separate
the parties. By the Magistrates orders,
they endeavored 10 m AXE individual priso
ners, and it appears that about 30 were
lodged 10 Listowell Bridgewell. hut were
not permitted TO fire shot Indeed. the
work of destruction was going on last en-.
ough no quarter was gwen; and CHASTITY
wounds were given both TO those Who fell
and those who stood up.--At length the
Cooleens retreated TO the rivers brink
where many were driven Ia and drowned
Several attempted to escape by swimming,
but were still barbArously peIted lay the
victorious Lawlors. 1t was full tide, and
two sand boats on the shore were sAoat,
into which numbers Of the defeated party
crowded and pushed of across the ferry,
out being overladen they sunk and all on
board persisted. Four bodies found next
morning at the ferry. and twelve others,
men and women, have since been taken
~ in other parts Of the river. II is not
vet accurately known how many have
been sacrificed, either on shore or in the
melancholy state Of RoyGdes that followed,
hut 8 or 10 lay dead on The strand OF bat =
lie at the northern side Of the river, and