The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-11
Not New York's Famous Resort,
but One in County
Armagh.
by LA MARaUIsE DE FoNTENoY.

BY LA IARQUIsE DE FONTENOY.
~ ONEY ISLAND-not New York's
suburban seaside pleasure re-
sort, but the one of Tough
Neagh. In County Armagh-has Just
passed into the hands Of newcomer,
through the death of handsome old
Lord Charlemont, and the succession
or his nephew, James Alfred Caulfeild,
to the viscounty and the entailed es-
tates, which include also Roxborough
Castle, In County Tyrone.
The Crney Island in County Armagh
was cavorite retreat OF st, Patrick,
and derives It's name from St Coney;
that Is TO say, she is called Saint"
Coney. in Ireland. although she has
had to remain content with beatihca-
ton. and Is still awaiting canoniza-
ton
st. Coney, it appears, was a woman
who lived in a lonely cell In the woods
OF Tyrone. in district now named
kilconey. forming part OF Lord Charlie
monts domain Of Drumcairn, near
Stewartstown. She seems to have
practiced the art Of lcachcrart and
medicine with SO much success as TO
inspire respect and awe in the minds
OF the natives. When in the four
teenth century the O'Neills advanced
from the Derry side to dsplace tho
OConnors, who held possession OF the
southern coast OF Tough Neagh, their
chief. Dermot fell seriously Ill. His
men urged him to invoke the advice of
Coney. But she would only consent
to prescribe for him IL he was brought
to her cell. The O'Neills accordingly
carried their ailing chief to Coney,
whose therapeutic ministrations were
not successful, for he died within a
few days after his visit. or course,
his followers charged Coney with be-
| Ing tool In the hands Of their foes,
the O'Connors. and ewore vengeance
upon her. To protect her from this,
the OConnors carried her OFF from her
cell, and conveyed her to the island In
Lough NeaGh. which bears her name
TO this day. and where she continued
TO practice her profession for many
years. at her death the O'Connors
erected a tower to her memory, the
ruins OF which were converted by the
late Lord Charlemont into a family
mausoleum, and where he has now
been entombed beside his wife, a
daughter OF the third Lord Castle
maine.
In the reign OF Queen Elizabeth, and
again in the rebellions of 1871 and
1875, Coney Island was used as a gov
eminent penal settlement, and innu-
merable executions took place on a
mound that is now used 10 support the
flagstaff from which the banner OF the
late Lord Charlemont was flown when
ever he was in residence.
Among other traditions of ST. Coney
is the one stubbornly held by all in
the surrounding district. namely, that
II is the healthest spot in all the
earth. Those who are sick or de-
pressed seek its shores, and return
vowing that a miracle has been work
ed though at night they give 1t
wide berth. so that st. Coney, the
fairies. and the spirits OF those who
have been executed there may enjoy
themselves unmolested.
The Coney Island on the coast of
New York is said to have received its
name from settlers hailing from the
shores OF Tough Neagh and while II
constitutes. like Its namesake in Ire
land, an acknowledged cure for de-
preston, 1t cannot be said to be given
a wide berth at night. The late Lord
Charlemont was for twenty-seven
household at Dublin. but was removed
from his post by Lord Cadogan when
viceroy in consequence OF his (Charle-
mont's) home rule leanings. He leaves
an only daughter, wife of the Earl of
Ranfurly. who inherits all his unen-
tailed property
There was formerly an earIdom OF
SHdi ieiiOill, Dul the lhtter became eS-
tinct on the death OF the third earl
in 1892.
The first earl commanded in chief
the movement known as the Irish Vol
unteers. was a fellow patriot of Henry
Grattan, and died in 1893, SO that he
was spared the sorrow OF witnessing
the passage of the act Of union. He
was. like the late viscount a bitter
foe of that absentee landlordism which
hos hAA
and introduced In Parliament at Dub
lin bill rendering absenteeism an Of
Tense punishable with heavy fines. But
the measure did not pass.
The patronymic OF the family is
Caulfeild. The Caulfeilds hailed from
Oxfordshire. and settled in Ireland In
the reign Of Queen Elizabeth. when
Sir Toby Caulfeild. Of Great Milton.
Oxford. was one of the commanders of
Earl OF Tyrone. many OF whose con
fiscated lands he received by way of
grant.
King James I. OF England is said
to have raised Sir Toby to the peor-
age as Lord Caulfeild. and Burke"
as well as other standard works OF
reference. gives the date of the crea-
tion of this dignity as 1920 But there
is no contemporary record OF any such
dignity having been granted, and he
was able to show neither writ of sum-
mons nor patent. In spite OF this, his
nephew and heir was permitted to
take his seat In Parliament on suf-
ference, by friendly vote of his fell
low peers, fortunately this Lord Caul-
fields son was created viscount In
due form by Charles H.. shortly after
the restoration. thus Srmly establish
Ing for him a place I'm the peerage.
The early yoars OF the Caulfeild
family In Ireland were characterized
by almost continuous warfare with
the ONeills, and 1t was with the OBJ
ject OF strengthening his position
against the Caulfeilds that Sir Phelim
O'Neili obtained from the Pope the
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