Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-02

fortune who had fallen to his share. Every
member of the club was sworn to help the
lucky winner in his abduction of the rich
maiden; and if a marriage was effected the
bridegroom was bound to make handsome
gift out OF his wiie's fortune to the club.
On lonely peak in the Dublin mountains
stands crumbling edifce of granite. Far
away across two counties this remarkable
object can be clearly discerned. 1t locks
like some mighty ark, perched upon the
wind-swept summit. This is all that is left
of the once notorious Dublin Hellfre Club.
The walls of the clubhouse are OF tremen-
dous thickness. The roof is made OF gran
ite, and loopholes served for windows. There
are two stories, and extensive vaults stretch
underground, where once the rarest wines,
cooled among the cobwebs, and many jar
of illicit "poteen" and Dutch schiedam were
stored.
WHERE NOBILITY GATHERED.
In this lonely house the best blood of Ire
land once met in uproarious carousal, while
the winds howled around their mountain
hold and the rain beat upon the lofty roof of
"Hellfire Hail." The members drove twice
a week from Dublin to their meeting place
in great drags and numbering coaches
Then the clubhouse was lit up, and far
down the valley the quiet peasantry saw its
in fear. For well they knew the mad devil
try that was about to reign within those
massive walls.
The session" of the Hellfre Club opened
at midnight. Then every member took his
seat, the president-Lord Santry, or Colonel
st. Leger, or Mr.. Gerald Blanchville-be-
ing at the head OF the festive board. AT the
foot was LEFT vacant chair. This was lett
for the devil, whom the president formally
invited to join the revels. 1t is more than
probable that His Satanic Majesty availed
himself of the polite invitation. When the
devil had been summoned, his health was
proposed and drunk in the best claret, after
which the frolic began. AT O'Clock in the
morning the session" was pronounced at
an end, and every member made a low bow
to the place where the devil was supposed to
sit, bidding "auld clootie" goodby.
When the coaches were brought round,
and with bloodshot ewes and unsteady
hands, the Hellfre lords and gentlemen pre-
pared for their great race down hill. Many
Irish roads are steep, but the Montpelier
road, which leads to the Hellfire clubhouse.
is steepest of the steep. AT one point it is
almost perpendicular, and its width go years
ago barely permitted of two carriages pass
ing one another. Then the ruts and chasms
along its course were positively appalling.
Y
of the Hellfre Club raced four-horse coaches
every morning after one of their great de-
bauches.
THE MAD RACE DOWN HILL.
Helter skelter went the carriages down
the hill. The horses plunged and bounded;
the drags swayed madly from side to side;
the clubmen hallooed and made the echoes
ring with their horns Now and again
coach rolled over, or the horses fell beneath
their load. Then came a series of terrific
collisions. Coaches ran over one another.
or fell back and tumbled, occupants and all,
into the ditch. Very few escaped unhurt,
and half the coaches were utterly destoyed.
But the Hellfre Club had had it's fun, and
what cared it for few paltry bruises? Ali
Dublin generally got up early to witness the
returns of the battered heroes to their resi-
dences in the gay capital.
The amount OF drink consumed by these
dead and gone topers was enormous. "a
16-tumbler'' man was but an ordinary
drinker among them. Any one who could
not manage his 16 tumblers of fragrant
punch was considered as unworthy OF re-
spect. Frequently the Hellfre Club OF one
county would challenge that of another to
drinking contest. Champions were then
selected, and the match came off at a fixed
place. An account of q drinking contest
which came off in 1890 between the gentle
men of the counties, Kilkenny and Wafer
ford, may be interesting. 1t is copied from
the Leinster Journal Of May II in that
year.
cat a meeting of the Hellfre Club" saws
the Journal, sat Castle Blunden, the resi-
dence of Sir John Blunden, NJ P, it was
decided to send Lord Galmoy to drink
against Mr.. Power, of Gurtane, the cham
pion of County Waterford"
DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTEST.
On the 10Th of May the Journal thus
describes the contest: "The champions met
at Curraghmore, the seat of the Marquis of
Waterford. Mr.. Villiers Stuart, NJ. P,
was umpire for Waterford, and Mr. Brennan,
of Eaden Hall, for Kilkenny. The contest
began at o'clock, when the two combatants,
the umpires, Lord Waterford, the referee,
and a footman. locked themselves up in the
library, the referee keeping the keys. After
three hours hard drinking Mr.. Power be-
came very tipsy, and be ore midnight be
sank under the table. Then Lord Gal
moy, who was quite fresh, after his
20 tumblers, challenged Mr.. Brennan, and
drank that gentleman under the table also.
Meanwhile Lord Waterford and Stuart had
drained 26 tumblers, and my lord could
touch no more; so Lord Galmoy and Mr..
lell 10 III q ucECe COulSSt' very SUoU
Mr.. Stuart gave in, and he followed his
friends beneath the board. The footman
who had served the drinks still remained, SO
Lord Galmoy challenged him. But the
footman was very thirsty and sober, and my
lord had hard work to overcome him. He
finally did so, however, and, having drunk
the whole company under the table, to the
great honor of Kilkenny, he took the key
from the referees pocket unlocked the
door and went to bed"
So ended contest which in those days
was considered as important as that of Troy.
The abduction clubs became SO common
in Ireland that it needed very stringent
hand to put them down. The occasion of
their overthrow was as follows: The Lenster
Abduction Club, in which were the thrift
less younger sons of many old and dis
tinguished families, drew lots for the two
beautiful daughters of Mr.. Kennedy, of
Rathmeadan Hall, a rich and popular
country squire. The two young ladies
were co-heiresses, and would inherit Rath-
meadan Hall and large property. The
winners in the lottery were two young
bloods of ancient race but empty pockets
Captain James Strange and MIR. Gerald
Byrne, nephew of Lord de Tabley. The 1O7
gentlemen present then 'swore on their
swords to assist Strange and Byrne in carry
ing of. the heiresses.
wAYLAID AND CARRIED OFF.
A little while after Squire Kennedy and
his daughters drove to country concert,