FROM THE ARCHIVES:The Land War in the 1880s left some people in rural areas fearing the late-night knock on the door and a visit from "moonlighters", as in this case in Co Kerry. -
JOE JOYCE
A SERIES of moonlight raids took place last night on the houses of two farmers. It would appear that eight men comprised the gang. They wore the usual habiliments of disguise, a coloured mask of light material drawn over each of their faces, slouched hats, and long overcoats.
The two houses visited are only a few yards apart, and belong to Ned Scott and Denis Leary. There can be no doubt, judging from the expressions and acts of the moonlighters at the house of the former, that they were bent on the injury, if not the sacrifice of human life.
Scott, an extensive cattle dealer, was not at home last night, being at Milltown Fair. He has received a pile of threatening letters recently for holding intercourse with a young man named Williams in the same townland, who is a rent warner to Mr. R. H. Orpen, J.P., Killaha Castle. The latter evicted a tenant named Garret Fitzgerald about three years ago.
It was 11 o’clock when the party visited Scott’s house. The whole family had retired to rest, and when a loud and insistent rapping at the door was heard by the inmates, the mother and the eldest son got up and let them in. They asked the wife where her husband was. She told them.
It would appear they did not credit her story, and made a minute search for him in the two rooms in the house. One of them, presumably the captain, then warned her that if her husband ever again spoke to Williams he would meet the same fate as [?], who was shot dead in the same townland.
One of the party took umbrage at an expression used towards them by young Scott. They pulled him in the middle of the floor, knocked him down, and pointed a loaded gun at his body, when Mrs Scott threw herself upon him and beseeched them not to kill her son. One of them called out to shoot her, but a counter-order, “Do not,” from one standing at the door was obeyed. They then turned their attention to the dresser, and smashed some valuable china ware in fragments, demolished domestic utensils, pots, kettles, chairs, etc, and contented themselves in the “wind up” with discharging revolver shots through the roof of the house.
The house of Denis Leary was next visited, and their entrance, effected by bursting in the kitchen door, was not resisted.
Leary and his eldest son got up out of bed. They cautioned the former that if he held any communication with Williams, his doom would be sealed. They fired shots through the door. Leary’s son got shot in the toe. No other houses in the locality were visited.
Last evening, seven persons, farmers and farmers’ sons, were arrested and [. . .] when escorted to the railway station by police to meet the 9 p.m. train in which they were conveyed to the Tralee Jail, they were cheered by young men on the platform.