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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 18 Jul 1923

Vol. 4 No. 12

CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - CAHIRCIVEEN ARRESTS.

asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether he is aware that on June 19th a Sergeant of the Civic Guard ordered James Burke and Jeremiah Murphy, working a private unlicensed ferry with privately owned boats, to ferry cattle from Feighmane Farm, Valencia Island; whether, on the refusal of the ferrymen, the cattle were ferried across in their boats by the Civic Guard and military, and the two ferrymen were arrested and conveyed 50 miles to Tralee; whether the ferrymen and John O'Driscoll of Valencia, arrested next day, were charged before a Special Court for conspiracy and were remanded, the ferrymen being required to give an undertaking to ferry cattle in the meantime; and whether the Civic Guard have any authority to interfere in this way with the working of a private ferry.

In February last John O'Driscoll was arrested and brought before a District Justice, charged with illegally removing cattle from the lands of his mother, Mrs. Ellen O'Driscoll. He was allowed out on bail on giving an undertaking not to interfere illegally with the land again. It is reported that since that date O'Driscoll continued to conspire with others, including James Burke and Jeremiah Murphy with a view to preventing Mrs. O'Driscoll from using the land, or from having her cattle conveyed to and from the mainland. Burke and Murphy are boatmen plying for hire between Valencia and the mainland; and while conveying the cattle of others, they refused to convey those of Mrs. O'Driscoll. In consequence of this refusal they were warned that if they persisted they would be arrested and charged with conspiracy. On the 19th ult., they again refused to convey Mrs. O'Driscoll's cattle, while accepting for conveyance the cattle of other people. They were then arrested and with John O'Driscoll, were brought before a District Justice who allowed them out on bail on their giving an undertaking that they would not again interfere with Mrs. O'Driscoll in the management of her farm, and on a further undertaking by Burke and Murphy to convey her cattle at the usual charges when required to do so.

Does the Minister suggest that it is not to be allowed that a man may refuse to work for another?

Mr. O'HIGGINS

I have endeavoured to explain to the Deputy that a conspiracy against Mrs. Ellen O'Driscoll was on foot in which her son, John O'Driscoll was the prime mover, and in which James Burke and Jeremiah Murphy were participants. The refusal to carry cattle from the island to the mainland while carrying the cattle of others was merely one phase of the conspiracy. Supplementary information which I have here, makes that, perhaps, clearer. In February last John O'Driscoll was arrested and brought before the District Justice, and charged with the illegal removal of cattle from the lands of his mother, Ellen O'Driscoll. He was allowed out on bail on giving an undertaking not to interfere with the land again, and not to make any further claim thereto except by due process of law. Since that date John O'Driscoll has been boycotting his mother, and is believed to have conspired with others, including James Burke and Jeremiah Murphy to prevent Mrs. O'Driscoll from using the land and having her cattle brought to the mainland. James Burke and Jeremiah Murphy own a boat in which they ply for hire between Valentia and the mainland, and in which the cattle of the Islanders are carried. These men, while conveying the other cattle, refused to convey the cattle of Mrs. O'Driscoll on several occasions. The Civic Guard were instructed to warn them if they persisted they would be arrested and charged with conspiracy. On the 19th June a fair was held in Cahirciveen, and while James Burke and Jeremiah Murphy accepted for conveyance the cattle of others on the Island they refused to convey Mrs. O'Driscoll's. This is part of the conspiracy. They were arrested, and along with John O'Driscoll who was also arrested, they were brought before the District Justice. They were allowed out on bail after giving an undertaking that they would not again interfere with Mrs. O'Driscoll, in the management of her land, and Murphy and Burke undertook to convey her cattle to and from Valentia at the usual charges. These steps were necessary to break the conspiracy against Mrs. Ellen O'Driscoll in the management of her land.

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