Sir, - John Moulden (July 13th) claims that on July 12th, 1849 the Orangemen did not choose a "circuitous route" in order to pass Dolly's Brae and that "the implication of coat-trailing does not apply". In actual fact, Dolly's Brae had not seen an Orange parade for 30 years previously.
It is unclear why William Beers, magistrate for Co Down and Grand Master of the Orangemen of the same county, gave the order to use this route in that particular year. There were suggestions that, because of the destitution suffered by the inhabitants, as a result of the Famine, all of whom were Catholics, it may have been a timely opportunity for the Orangemen to "put the boot in" when morale might be expected to be at a low ebb. Mr Reynolds, MP, stated in the House of Commons at a later date that the Orangemen chose to ignore the "good straight road to Castlewellan in favour of the circuitous route by Dolly's Brae" - an obvious example of a coat-trailing exercise.
Mr Moulden also claims that the "men on the hill" fired first at the Orangemen. However, Major Walkinson of the 13th Light Infantry, in his evidence to the inquest on the bodies of those killed at Mahermayo (Dolly's Brae), was unable to ascribe the first shot fired to either side. A member of the Kildare constabulary, writing home from Rathfriland, claimed that it came from the Orange party.
Mr Moulden has chosen to ignore completely the brutal murders of Anne Traynor and Patrick King, bludgeoned to death by the Orange mob who had gone on the rampage, burning several local houses. Anne Traynor was 85 years old.
I would respectfully suggest to Mr Moulden that he returns home and checks his notes! - Yours, etc.,
Margaret Urwin, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15.