The Ranch War- early 20th century Connaught

At the peak of the 'ranch war' in 1907-08, there were over 1000 cattle drives and a significant amount of organised, collective non-payment of rent

The events at Fohenagh, Ballintubber in 1907, was a focus of the Ranch War in Roscommon. In 1907 the land in question was let to a new grazier, Robert Payne, for 11 months. On May 10th a large crowd of people led by Cllr. Michael Featherstone invaded the farm and drove the cattle off the land.

Prosecutions followed at Ballintubber Petty Sessions, where 12 local people, described as respectable people by the Roscommon Messenger, were charged with unlawful conduct. A large crowd assembled accompanied by a band. The local magistrates refused information and there was cheering as the verdict was read. At a special court, four local women were charged with unlawful assembly at Killerr. Mr. Vesey went on to read an excerpt from a report of the court case in the Roscommon Messenger, which drew laughter from the guests at the event in Strokestown.

On October 5th 1907 the Messenger reported on the reception the four women received in Ballintubber after their month spent in prison. Bands played and up to 2,000 people gathered at the platform. MPs John P. Hayden and John Fitzgibbon were present.

Mr. Vesey noted that the Ranch War was not about landlords v tenants, but rather was about Irish man against Irish man, as the grazier was pitted against the tenant farmer.

Another incident occurred in Cloverhill. A farm owned by the Philips was sold to John Byrne of Ballinasloe. Byrne took legal possession of the farm on October 10th 1906. He had a long correspondence with John Fitzbiggon, one of the figures to the forefront of the UIL in Roscommon. In the correspondence, Mr. Fitzgibbon stated that people were interested in buying out Byrne.

Byrne, who was a butcher in Ballinasloe, refused to sell the land. He then bought 40 bullocks and brought them from Ballymoe rail station to Derrane. At Cloverhill, they were met by a crowd of people and the cattle were scattered. After a stand off it was agreed to let the herd drive the cattle to the Barrack Yard in Roscommon.

Byrne later agreed to sell the land and later appeared at a meeting alongside John Dillon and said he was giving up the farm out of respect to John Redmond and John Dillon. Some members of the crowd who had assembled at Lissagallon were charged with unlawful assembly.

At the court case Sergeant Gibbons of Ballinderry gave evidence, as did Keigher the herd. A verdict of not guilty was returned in the case. After the verdict was returned, the Judge, addressing the solicitor said, “I hope Mr. McDermott that you will take care that no member of that jury is on any jury brought before me in the future.”

Mr. Vesey also outlined details of an incident in Riverstown in 1908 in which a man named Stenson was killed, when police opened fire on a crowd.

The role of John Fitzgibbon in the Ranch War in Roscommon was also discussed. The meeting herd that he regularly addressed meetings and encouraged agitation and boycotting. He was a Commissioner for the Congested District Board and regularly purchased farms and split them among neighbouring farmers. As Roscommon became more and more disturbed, more focus was put on Fitzgibbon and he received much attention in the House of Commons.

He later became involved in controversy after he purchased two farms in Ballindrimley which were owned by Mr. Sandford, farms from which people had been evicted, and retained them himself for his own use. As a result Canon Cummins in Roscommon, set up a rival organisation which highlighted Fitzgibbon’s conduct. Mr. Vesey noted that Fitzgibbon had served up to six terms of imprisonment. Another radical figure in Roscommon, Michael Feathersone, was also referred to by Mr. Vesey.

He also discussed Robert Payne, who was the target of a UIL campaign. People refused to work for him, shopkeepers in Castlerea refused his custom and he had to travel to Roscommon for supplies. The Payne family of Ballymoe were welcome purchasers of cattle at fairs in the region and gave good employment and were progressive farmers. A letter to the Times about the treatment of a local rector Mr. Grosvenor of Castlerea, was also referred to.

Concluding, Mr. Vesey alluded to the present day situation where farmers are unable to buy land because they are competing with super-rich speculators and forestry companies. “If this is what the struggle for the land resulted in, it must be deemed today, whatever about in the past, as a failure.” http://www.roscommonpeople.ie/itemdetail.asp?itemID=4732&menu=d4732