The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1878-05-11
A FISHERMAN KING.
An Interesting Colony Of Irish isin nd.
crs.

OFF the western coast of Ireland are
several islands, the inhabitants of which,
previous to the present generation, never
autted, never cared to quit, their prison
homes. The northumberland to
them vast continent, where astound-
ing marvels were, it is said. to be seen.
Tory Island e. Innis Torrah Isle OF
Towers). off Donegal, retains nt the
present day, to large degree. this isola-
ton. 1t is still governed by fisherman
king, elected by the community OF three
or four hundred SOULS Quite recently,
| bslieve police bsrrack as we'll as IA
coast-guard station, has been placed
there; but the liking is, alter all, the
authority most deferred to. Strange to
say, the present potentate Of TORY is q
Protestant, and the only professor of
that creed (outside the police barrack
and coast guard lodge) on the island.
Technically, or theoretically, Tory be-
longed to some barony on the neighbor-
Ing mainland but until a couple OF years
ago no one dreamed of asserting this
legal fact by calling on the Torrymen to
pay baronial cess for making roads in
the county on the other side of 1.-The
sound" They made their own roads,
they used none other, and for none
other would they pay. SO spake the
King" The oess collector proceeded
tu gat her fotilla for an invasion with
purpose as resoiute as that of the Nor.
man William assembling his galleys in
the roadstead of st. Valery. Happily,
the authorities, anxious to avoid con.
fiict with a community 30 peculiar and
so largely recommended to Kindly sym
pathies, devised some compromise which
nverted hostilities. Serious crime was
and believe is, almost unknown among
these islanders.
In Tory the first illigitimate bir,t
known within the memory OF the oldes
inhabitant occurred about twenty year,
ago, aud caused much commotlon an(
dlsmay. Tory girl had been to faru
services on the mainland, and returned
home to import the first moral stain o
such q nature ever affixed on the char
aoter OF her native island. The who'll
community met, under the Presidenc..
of the king" and with one voice de
creed banishment to Ireland for the hap
less offender. When strong enough t.
bear removal, she and the infant wer
rowtd across the sound. The neighbor
gave her gifts and presents to help he
in the future; but she WAS to return t
Tory no more.
The present Bishop Of Kerry, the Mos
Rev, DR.. Moriarty, told me be wa
making a visitation OF his diocese, /
the neighborhood OF the Basket Islands
in 1856. The opportunity was seiz-d b
a young islander, who was DESTROYS {
getting married, to CROSS the mainlan
and get dispsnsation from his lordshiI
rendered necessary by some circumstanc
in the case. He had never CROSSED b'
fore, and he was all wonderment at wht
he saw. The bishop thought it right
assure himself as TO the knowledge O
the islanders part of. at all events. tt
cardinal points of the Christian doctrin
How many Gods are there, my goc
boy?" his lordship asked in Irlsl
"Well. great and holy priest" repIle
The islander, Sin Blasketmore We ha'
but one; but tits very likely there m,
bs more than that in this great big wor
here" Father Casey was directed
give the BIasketmore man few da,
catechetcal instructions, and then adm
him to the matrimonial bond. ["Ne
Ireland" by A. M. Sullivan.