The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-08-28
EAR;Y NATURE
TAKERS IN IRELAND.
Birds Battle of Cork Was a Fear.
some and Wonderful
Contest.

wonderful bird battles that were
fought one of them in the skies above
the city of Cork,i n October. 1921, and
the other over Dublin on Christmas
eve of 1641, accounts have appeared
! in the press.
The chronicler of the battle which
was fought in the skies above the
city of Cork in October, 1921. prefaces
the story by admitting Ito repor;
strange or admirable accidents is sub
danger, in that they may be held as
prodigious or ominous; to disgrace. In
that they may be rcputed fabulous.
But he says, he does not fear disgrace
because he is able to free himself
from any suspicion ''by certificate of
letters from right honorable persons
in Ireland, where the accident fell
out, to right honorable persons at
court, and diverse in London at this
present; as also by the testimony oil
right honorable and worshipful per-
sons and others of good reputation
now in London, who were eyewitness
es, beholding the same during the
time 1t occurred"
Thus fortified with the corrobora-
/ tive testimony of right honorable and
worshipful persons the story of this
strange battle of the birds may be
told.
They were starting and they began
to muster in the opening days OF
October. Some, we read, came frorl
the east, others from the west, and
so accordingly they placed themselves
eastward and westward of the city.
The citizens more curiously observ-
ing, noted that during the time they
assembled the stares of the east sought
their meat eastward. as the stares Of
the west did the like westward, no
one flying in the circuit OF the 9TH
er.
These courses and customs con-
tinued with them until the 18th OF
October, which day, being Saturday,
about 9 o'clock in the morning, being
a fair and sunshine day, upon a
strange sound and nnoise made as
we'll on one side as on the other,
/ they forthwith at one instant took
wing, and so, mounting up into the
skies, encountering one another with
such terrible shock as the sound
amazed the whole city aud all the be-
holders. Upon this sudden and fierce
encounter there fell down into the city
and into the river multitudes of stares
some with wings broken, some with
legs and necks broken, some with eye
! picked out and some their bills thrust
into the breasts annd side TO their
adversaries in so strange manner
that it were incredible, except it
were confirmed by letter of credit and
by eyewitnesses."
! After the first shock of the onset
the conflict was renewed with re-
doubled fury, and the most admir-
able and violent battle was contin-
ued till a little before night. The
following day was Sunday, and as
apparently the stares" were Sabba-
tarians, the battle Was discontinued,
but on Monday it began again with
most distressing savagery. The birds
mounted in the air and encounter
ed each other with like violent as
sault as formerly they had done, and
fell into the city upon the houses and
into the river, wounded and siaugh-
tered in like manner as before report
ed; but at this last battle there was
kite, raven and a crow all three
I found dead in the streets rent, torn
and mangled." So ended the Birds
Battle of Cork, which. it may be as
well to remark again, is spokento
( by right honorable and wofshipful
persons"
Twenty years later, on Christmas
eve, 1641, the nerves OF Dublin citi-
zens received a very severe shock.
1t was growing dark, sucn an mendl-
BILE number of sea guls. ravens and
crows assembled together croaking and
picking over our heads in so strange
hideous manner that thus continued
till 6 o'clock at night being an
hour, especially at this time OF the
year, that fowl are seldom seen or
heard abroad. Nay, the shooting of
many muskets and of divers pieces
from the castle could not alright or
scare them away nay, We, on my con-
science, says the annalist. in a tone
of pious terror, were more afraid
of them than they of us. What it
should mean cannot divine but the
oldest man in Dublin never saw the
like. But by this We may have good
cause to conjecture that God. by his
apparitions for etells. His Judgment
in signs and wonders without speedy
repentance, we have cause to fear
will suddenly come upon u.s." There
is something that, is almost funny in