The New York herald., 1870-06-15
IRELAND.
Special Herald Tour In Wexford-Thc In.
hnbtants, Their Rnccs History and Charac.
ter-SOcini Ccndition-COmmOdore Jack


habitants, Their Race History and Charac.
ter-Socini OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Jack
Barry.
OILGATE, Wexford, May 25 1870.
Before leaving this county, the model county Of
Ireland, as wexford Is called, wish to make few
general observations the character OF It's people
and their social condition The agricultural classes
OF Wexford may be said to hold, as regards wealth
aad comfort, middle position-that Is, they are
neither very poor nor very rich, living neither In
the squalid wretchedness which one too frequently
sees In Munster and Connaught, nor In the
enjoyment OF that prosperity which Is the lot
Of the Ulster peasant. This is the condition
OF the Wexford farmers generally, but there are
tain districts in the county-as FOR example, the bar
Onies Of Forth and Bargy, in which the peaSantry
are weather and more Independent. than in any
other part OF ireland. These baronies form, how.
ever but small portion Of the county, and their
condition cannot be taken correct fair speci-
men OF the state OF Wexford. Though tile peasantry
are for the most part poor, living, 50 to speak, from
hand TO mouth, yet they are Comparatively happy,
and are, with few exceptions, on good terms with
their landlords. They are a quiet inoffensiye peo
pie ard are not easily excited to anger; but when
once aroused, In all probability, as proved by
their conduct in '9S the most obstinate, the most de.
termlned. the most uncompromlsing people In Ire
land.
They have very little Celtic blood in their veins,
They are descended, for the most part, from the
Danes and Anglo-Normans, while in Forth and
Bargy the people are of Welsh extraction. The
Danes were IN possession Of the greater part OF this
county during the ninth tenth ana eleventh Gen.
tures. and inns cad OF sharing the fate Of their cou-
trymen at the battle of Clonta, they continued here
min9ling themselves with the original population.
II On the coast Of Wexford that the Anglo-Nor-
mans first landed: It was In This county tnat they
fought tcir rSt battles and Obtained their first
We
man. he awaited their arrival in his castle Of Ferns:
the first treaty between England aud Ireland was
signed In the capital town OF this county; the
marriage OF Strongbow with the Princess Eva was
celebrated in the same place; SO that wexford was
and Anglo Norman invasions. or course the Old
population were, for the most part, driven out to
that the peonie Of wexford have. in S all propabtv
less OF Celtic blood in their veins than the nhabi-
tans OF any other county In Ireland. This accounts
to some extent at least for their cool and determined
Character, for their industrious and practical habits
and for their adoption OF English manners and Gus.
TOMS which, find, prevail to a greater extent in
STILL the Wexford people are patriotic; indeed II may
be SAD Of them that that they are ps,s H'osnts Aoe
against English tyranny and oppression. They were
the only men who could be trusted or depended on
was the hero; indeed think may say that, after
Trperary, Wexford ranks before any otner irish
county In val0f anu Palrl1s,s@a: IaoT ssnav
About century and quarter ago man was born
on The southern shore OF this country, at o place
name is wen known In America aAd is warmly re-
membered here. mean Commodore JACK Barry,
1o who Is, beieye, regarded as the first flag signal
rally considered one OF the first foreigners to AXE
the sea in behalf OF the American colonies during
the war or independence, and, as is well known,
rendered throughout that glorious struggle invau-
able services to the cause OF justice and liberty.
hoistlng the Stars and Stripes, with his own hand,
first to the breeze from the deck.
Barry was the son OF small, and, what is worse,
a poor, farmer, who was able 10 give him little
more than the rudiments OF an education The penal
laws were at hat time In full force, and Barry who
was member OF the prescribed religion, felt the
operation OF that vile code TO be most oppressive and
unjust. 1t may well be presumed that these laws
were the sole cause Of deprvng Ireland In the per-
son Of Fairy, Of fisherman, Or probably of cot.
tier farmer, while they gave TO America hero and
10 England most impacabe loc Born within
stones throw OF The ocean lie early became
acquainted with the management OF boats, and
the greater part or his time was spent upon the sea.
Seeing that IT was quite Impossible lor MIN 10 rise to
any thing IN his own coant,y SO long as the renal
with him, Ike most Of his countrymen the bitterest
hatred to England and her institutions. HIS ex-
ample ought certainly TO serve as warning to Eng
land against the impOcy, II not The danger, Of eXll
Ing, year after year, by thousands and tens or thou.
sands hostile race who are certain, sooner or
Barry's name Is honoraby mentioned in the naval
war history vi his adopted country while his lame
is referred TO with pride by the inhabitants OF the
county wexford.
i was not fortunate enough, when in the Barony
IL,
born One Old man told me it was iniablted by n
person Of the name OF Furlong, who is farmer, but
another individual, who appeared to me to be as
good an authority as the former said that the house
In which he first saw the light was levelled half a
century ago, and the little farm of his father was in
corporated with another and much larger one. He
had three brothers, one OF whom died in French
prison towards the close OF the last century, and
another lived to period as late thirty years ago.
dying 1t Is said at The advanced age OF I06 years.
MURDER
since began this letter murder of q very brutal
Character was committed within few miles of the
pace from which now write. 1t was not, however
oi q political or an agraran nature, being, as it
wouau seem, committed for the purpose OF Obtaining
@ tae money OF which the unhappy victim was said to
expected, occasioned the greatest excitement
,nrougnout the entire county particularly 80 as
wexford IS remarkably free nom such Crimes there
being only one other murder committed in the coul.