D2095/18 Ms. Book - " The Oakboys, the Hearts of”

c.1750-1798

Ms. Book - " The Oakboys, the Hearts of Steel the Volunteers and the United Irishmen of Larne and neighbourhood"

"The Oakboys, the Hearts of Steel the Volunteers and the United Irishmen of Larne and neighbourhood."

The slight sketch of local history, with which I propose to deal to-night co covers a period of about 5 and 30 years of the early part of the reign of king George III.

During this time our country was submerged in the direst poverty and distress, and the people were seething with dissatisfaction and restlessness.

The farmers had been brought to the verge of ruin by a series of bad seasons with resulting famines.

The staple industry, the linen trade, was also in a state of stagnation, causing the greatest hardships amongst the handloom weavers in the districts around Larne, & elsewhere. Larne also suffered through the British government passing an act imposing a heavy tax on any Irish sailcloth imported into England. For some time a James Carley had a flourishing sailcloth factory in Mill Street Larne, and at a previous meeting of this Society I have shown a trade token of Carley's of the date 1750, the year in which this repressive act was passed.

The greater part of the population around Larne were Presbyterians and as such suffered under religious disabilities by reason of the Sacramental Test Act, which was imposed in 1704 and not repealed until 1780. This measure enacted that no person could hold any office, civil or military, without taking the oaths of allegiance and abjuration, and receiving the Sacrament in an Episcopal Church. Thus those who refused to sink their Presbyterian principles by receiving the sacrament according to the rites of the Episcopal Church were debarred from the magistracy, the Customs, the Excise, the Post Office, the Courts of Law and all municipal offices.

Need we wonder then at the thousands who in the middle of this 18th Century emigrated across the Atlantic to seek in America a freedom and opportunity that was lacking in the old country. From Larne there was a fleet of emigrant ships regularly sailing for the American colonies, each with a full complement of passengers.

In 1754 three of these vessels - the ship "William and George", the snow "Antrim" and the sloop "Vaughan" sailed from Larne to America, the average number of passengers in each vessel being 300, i.e. nearly 1,000 emigrants in that year. Many of these emigrants had not the wherewithal to pay the low fares required, but were glad to agree to give 4 years service in return for their passage out.

In the Belfast Newsletter, March 5, 1760 "the snow Captain Breton, mounting 10 guns and men answerable, commanded by Captain Robert Wilson" was advertised to sail from Larne for New York, the 1st April ensuing, wind and weather permitting, "any who inclined to indent as servants, go on redemption as passengers, or had goods to ship or freight, were to apply to W. George Dunlop of Ballycastle, Captain John Wisnom or W. Hugh Montgomery of Larne, or W. Thomas Gregg of Belfast." The voyage to America, which in those days would take perhaps 3 months must have entailed many hardships to the passengers in these over loaded sailing vessels.

Under date 20th October 1769 the B. N-L notes that "Three parties complain that they cannot get accommodation in the ship sailing from America on account of the crowd on board. Each berth only 5ft. 10in. in length, and lft. 6in. broad with 12 passengers for 7 berths."

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Some of these vessels were probably not in a very seaworthy condition. One of them which was in the habit of sailing from Larne was the "Lord Dunluce", and in the N-L of 8th January 1765 we read the following advertisement, "This is to give Notice, that the Snow Lord Dunluce, late belonging to Larne and now lying in Lough Swilly, being condemned by the Sub Commissioners of the District of Londonderry, will be publicly sold by Caur at the Custom House Londonderry on Saturday the 19th inst, at 12 o'clock at noon, together with all her Tackle, Furniture and Apparill. Dated the 5th day of January 1765".

Whilst as many of the people as could manage to leave this country were doing so, those remaining were, under the burden of many grievances, being inevitably goaded into taking the law into their own hands.

One of the many causes which engendered ill feeling amongst this disheartened people was the imposition of an unjust cess, and its attendant abuses.

Every householder was compelled to give 6 days labour each year to the maintenance and repair of the county roads as part of "the C. Cutt", as the cess was then called, and every owner of a horse was compelled to give 6 days use of his horse as well.

As an added grievance some members of the County Grand Jury, which had charge of these public roads, took advantage of their position, not only to shirk payment of their due share in lieu of manual labour, but even diverted some of the enforced public labour to the making of private by roads and bridges, which would benefit only themselves.

The poorer people were not allowed to escape the yearly 6 days work, and yet they were forbidden to use their vehicles with narrow wheels on the roads which they helped to make and maintain. William Agnew of Kilwaughter was one of the Grand Jurors who seemed to have been specially strict in seeing that the people complied with this law.

At the Summer Assizes held at Carrickfergus 1st August 1765, a petition from the united parishes of Kilwaughter, Cairncastle and Larne was surreptitiously placed on the desk of baron Mountney in the Crown Court, charging William Agnew, a magistrate with harsh enforcing compliance (with a part only) of the statutable 6 days labour.

Shortly after this there was similarly deposited another petition, as follows - "The petition of the united parishes of Cairncastle, Kilwaughter together with the parish of Larne, Humbly sheweth that your Lordships' petitioners set forth our distressed condition on account of excessive labour at the county road, which is demanded of your petitioners by William Agnew and your lordship entirely disregarded our petition and if no means be thought of to redress our grievances we must have recourse to unlawful resentment which we pray your lordship to prevent by using a caution in our behalf, and your petitioners will, as in duty bound, ever pray."

Little satisfaction did the petitioners obtain for the high Sheriff and Grand Jury immediately proceeded to express themselves regarding the irreproachable character of William Agnew, their dislike and abhorrence of so audacious a menace; will enforce due obedience to the laws in general, and particularly the laws relative to the 6 days labour, and offer 20 guineas for the conviction of the writer or publisher of the petitions. and to this proclamation William Agnew himself was one of the signatories. if we look at a map of the district of that period - this is from S. Kinney's Survey - we will see that Agnew took good care to have plenty of bye roads leading into his own Kilwaughter demesne. Injustices and tyrannies such as these caused a series of disturbances and riots which were ultimately suppressed by the Military. The rioters wore green boughs of oak in their hats, hence the name of Oakboys, by which they were known.

Through all these years the tide of emigration to America continued to rise, and whilst the British Government would give little relief to the distresses in Ireland, they were at the same time preparing to apply coercive measures to the thriving American Colonies.

By specious advertisements they were endeavouring to obtain recruits in Ireland for their Armies - thus "any lads of spirit, protestants, of reputable character, straight, light limbed, from

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5½ feet to 5 feet 7.½ ins, and from 19 to 24 years of age, ambitious to serve his majesty, have now an opportunity of enlisting. 21st July, 1769.

Their methods of recruiting tars for the King's Navy were often of a more "pressing" character.

In September, 1770 a Scotch fishing fleet was forced by stress of weather to take shelter in Larne Lough. The English sloop of war, The Hynd, which was then patrolling the lough sent press gangs aboard the vessels and empressed 300 of the fishermen for the navy.

This warship had its station in our lough for some years, and the officers had many connections and alliances with prominent families in and around Larne.

The Commander was Captain William McCleverty, who belonged to the village of Glynn, and who had been a lieutenant with Commodore (Afterwards Lord) Auson, in his memorable expedition round the world in, 741 - 2 - 3 - 4.

Auson later had him raised to the rank of Post Captain in the Royal Navy. He died at Waterford in 1779, where a tablet to his memory is erected in the Cathedral. His old oak searchest which had in his early days accompanied him round the world is now in the possession of General Johnston of Glynn whose family was connected with that of McCleverty.

Another officer of the Hynd was William Agnew, Father of Agnew of Cairncastle lodge, whose property was later purchased by W. Charine's father. One of the Surgeons, Dr. Geo. Casement married a Miss Montgomery of Larne, and the family name is perpetuated in Casement's Brae. The other Surgeon, W. Apoley married to a Miss McCleverty of Glynn - probably a sister of the Commander's.

The first lieutenant married a sister of the first Malcolm McNeill of the Currau - the late Colonel's grandfather. Whilst a "middie", W. Farrell married a Miss Agnew of Larne and was father to James Agnew Farrell, whose name we will come across later on, and who unfortunately bought the Magheramorne estate and quarries.

A few years after the suppression of the Oakboy disturbances further risings and agrarian outrages in this part of Co. Antrim were caused by the oppressive and unjust actions of several absentee landlords, Chief amongst whom was Lord Donegall, the proprietor of vast estates, which included most of the land lying between Larne River and the Lagan. When the tenants' leases ran out the landlords, or their agents, advertised the farms, which had been improved and built upon by the tenants, to be let, or sold them over the heads of the tenants. In some cases the rents were raised, in others a heavy fine was demanded for the renewal of the leases, which the poor farmers were unable to pay.

Many of these farms were taken over by rich merchants from Belfast and elsewhere who often put them down in grazing. Others were taken up by Roman Catholics who were only too glad to pay the increased rents or inflated prices to get back upon the land. Thus many of the small farmers and labourers were left homeless. The following advertisements from the B. N-L are typical of those appearing about that time -

"To be let for leases for lives, the following farms in the parish of Ralloo and county of Antrim, part of the estate of the right Hon. A. Trevor." "15 farms, more than 400 acres." "The lands within 10 miles of Belfast and 3 of Larne." - N.L. 3rd September 1765.

Again - "To be let from 29th September 1769, the following lands in the parish of Ralloo, county of Antrim, part of estate of viscount Dungannon:-

Allelevelly, 2 farms, 1 40 acres; 2 13 acres

Ballyrickart, 4 farms, 54, 20, 13, and 26 acres

Ballyvalloh 4 farms. 61, 22, 22, and 15 acres

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Carneal, 2 farms, 45 and 15 acres

Toreagh, 1 farm, 29 acres

"All these lands lie in the heart of a country nemakable for manufacturing linen cloth; are contiguous to the market towns of Carrickfergus, Larne, Ballyclare, and Ballynure, and are plentifully supplied with firing. Proposals, etc, to Brice or Dungannon."

Again - 'out of liaise and to be let for a term of years, a large tract of land now in the occupation of the under named tenants in Islandmagee, and County of Antrim ... Proposals for any of the said lands may be immediagely made to the Lord Viscount Dungannon, in Dublin, or to Edward Brice, Esq., Belfast. The proposals shall be kept secret, any of these farms under twenty acres may be treated for along with other farms, as they lie convenient. Dated 5th February 1770. (Here follows 89 names of the farms to be thus disposed of).

These advertisements give us some idea of the turmoil, distress and uneasiness that were caused in our own neighbourhood by the tyranies of "landlordism".

Rage and burning hatred against those who had dispossessed them of their houses and farms caused some of the people to band themselves together to carry out reprisals, and execute vengenance against the undertakers and supplanders.

Under the name of the Hearts or Steel they carried on a series of outrages, raiding and setting fire to their houses, destroying their crops, and committing other forms of lawlessness and violence.

The movement started about Templepatrick on the estate of the Earl of Donegall, and the Hearts of Steel men were practically all Protestants and Presbyterians.

A very common barbarity practised was the houghing of the cattle of those graziers who had taken over the lands of the evicted tenants.

In the neighbourhood of Ballysnod the cattle of a farmer were houghed and other property destroyed. In that district a man called Jenkins was a prominent cattle hougher, whilst at Alkilevilly Paddy McKenty made himself notorious in the same line.

A song of the period, advised:

"Go on my boys, your cause is just,

Your justice is no treason,

Brave Hearts of Steel, we firmly trust

To teach the tyrants reason."

The authorities policed the affected districts with military, and many conflicts occurred between them and the Hearts of Steel. Rewards were offered for the apprehension of the ringleaders. Parties of men went about the country collection money for the Hearts of Steel, whose avowed objects were the lowering of rents, cess and tithes. Some persons received letters threatening sudden death to them if they failed to deposit a stated sum at some indicated place at a certain time.

The following is part of a proclamation issued from Dublin on 25th January 1771, by the Lord Lieutenant and Council, - "Whereas we have received information upon oath that Hugh Wilson, of Ballyclare is 'said' county, farmer, with several other evil-minded persons, did, by threats and menances, compel several persons to subscribe sums of money for the persons who distinguish themselves by the name of hearts of steel; and that Robert Cunningham, of Ballyclare aforesaid, did deliver to William Forsythe, of Ballyclare aforesaid, a written order, all of ther handwriting of

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said Robert Cunningham, but signed and subscribed Captain Firebrand, commanding said William Forsythe, and William Park, merchants, in Ballynure in the county aforesaid, to raise money on the inhabitants of the townland of Ballynure aforesaid, of the persons called hearts of steel, and to set down the names of those who subscribed the same."

"Now we, the lord lieutenant and council of Ireland, having a just abhorrence of such atrocious crimes, and being determined, as far as in us lies, to bring the said offenders to speedy and condign punishment, do, by this our proclamation, hereby publish and declare that if any person or persons shall, on or before the 25th day of July, apprehend and lodge in any of his majesty's gaols in this Kingdom the said ... Hugh Wilson and Robert Cunningham, or any other either of them; any, or either of them, shall, upon conviction, receive as a reward the sum of £50 sterling for each and every of the said offenders who shall be so taken and apprehended as aforesaid."

The landlords also offered large sums as inducements to informers, as witness the following advertisement - "Whereas on Sunday last, the third (October 1771) a piece of writing was posted up on the maypole in Ballycarry, threatening the burning of the old and new mills, Kilns, and other houses thereto belonging, all in Broadisland, in the county of Antrim. And whereas in the preceding night fourteen bay of houses in Broadsland aforesaid, the property of the Reverend John Bankhead, presbyterian minister in said parish (which houses he had lately purchased), were maliciously set on fire and reduced to ashes. Now we, whose names are hereunto subscribed, in order ot bring such notorious offenders to condign punishment, to promise to pay the sums respectively annexed to our names to him, her, or them, who shall, within the space of six calendar months from the date here of, discover and prosecute to conviction the perpetrator or perpetrators of both or either of these offences; and if any person concerned therein shall discover and prosecute to conviction his or her accomplices, we will use our endeavours to obtain for such discoverer his majesty's pardon. Given under our hands this 7th day of October 1771.

Marriott Dalway £34 2s. 6d.

For Archibald Edmonstone, Richard Fletcher £30 0s. 0d.

Ann Edmonstone of Red-Hall £10 0s. 0d.

John Bankhead £10 0s. 0d.

Houses were burned in many of the disturbed districts, in Ballykeel, Islandmagee, in the Commons and elsewhere. If any of the Hearts of Steel men turned informer he usually suffered mercilessly at the hands of his fellows.

John Agnew was one of a band who had given information to the governor of Carrick Castle, and his fellow members who met in a little house, now occupied by John Harvey, on the left hand side of the road, at the top of the hill just past Ballyuckard Crossing cast lots as to who should "despatch" him. the job fell to one of their leaders, Sam Blair of Ballyrallough who cut Agnew's throat and put the body in a quarryhole at the foot of Toby's Brae.

A reward of £100 was offered for Blair's arrest. He was captured and at Carrickfergus gaol where his twin sister arrived on horseback some days after and was allowed to visit the prisoner for half an hour. They exchanged clothes and Blair emerged in female dress apparently in great distress and weeping and mounted the horse and rode off.

When the time for execution arrived the prisoner was taken to the gallows, where on baring her chest the prison governor called out that the prisoner was a woman. She then confessed and said that her brother was already on the ocean wave, and due time he arrived at Philadelphia.

From this time on warders were always present when prisoners were visited by their friends.

The outrages and excesses committed by the Hearts of Steel were condemned in notices issued by some Presbyterian Church presbyteries, and by the inhabitants of many parishes, including

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Lame, Kilwaughter, and Islandmagee, Raloo, Ballynure and Ballyeaston, although as F.J. Bigger in his "Ulster Land War" says of the signatures "some were subscribed to cover themselves, some through the intimidation and pressure of the land grabbers, although many of the signers were actually connected with the Hearts of Steel."

The following is a specimen of these advertisements - "Whereas several outrages of a very wicked and pernicious nature have been lately commulted in many parts of this county - such as houghing and killing cattle, robbing, firing into the burning houses, stacks of hay and corn, and writing and dropping incendiary letters, full of horrid oaths and imprecations."

"We, the inhabitants of the parish of Ballynure, whose names are here unto subscribed, in order to show our bitter dislike and abhorrence of these and lal lsuch detestable proceedings, and to prevent (as far as we can) the spreading of that evil spirit which hath influenced some persons to such hateful wickedness (as we are happy to think it hath not as yet prevailed among us), and to preserve peace, order and a due obedience to the laws of our country, do agree, engage, and pledge our faith to each other and the public, that we will use our best endeavour to prosecute to conviction every person or persons who shall be guilty of such wicked and diabolical crimes, so destructive of the peace and welfare of society, and inconsistent with all order and good government."

"And the more effectually to carry these our good intentions into execution, we will each of us be very attentive to, and strictly watch over, our respective families, and not entertain persons therein but those whose behaviour we know to be regular and good; and further, that whenever the magistrates shall see it necessary, we will keep a regular stout nightly watch, in the several townlands in which were respectively live, where we will,in our turn, attend in person, or send a man who may be depended upon, and that we will, to the utmost of our power, each of us not only defend our own properties separately, but instantly, on the least alarm or appearance of danger, join with and assist each other, and repel force by force, in case the same shall become necessary, in defence of each other." "Dated at Ballynure this 14th September 1771.

Here follow the names of 165 people of Ballynure and surrounding district. In time the risings and disturbances were suppressed, and many of the ringleaders in this district were executed on the Gallows Green at Carrick. Meanwhile emigration was still draining away further thousands, from this part of the country, and the owners of the sailing vessels reaped a rich harvest.

Many of the small farmers and peasants left homeless strove to follow their friends who had previously gone to try their fortunes in America. With the decay of the farming industry other tradespeople shared in the general distress, and many handloom weavers and mechanics also embarked under the title of "labourers" since heavy penalties were threatened against skilled workers who left the country.

Their frame of mind was thus expressed in a ballad of the period called "The Weaver's Lamentation" -

Since things, when at wors, if they alter must meant,

We may hope that our miseries will soon have an end;

For, what e'er may betide me, wherever I go,

Greater ills than the present I hardly can know,

Then weep not, my darlings! O dry up those tears,

And, trusting in Providence, banish your fears.

America's sons both industrious and free,

Will welcom an honest, good workman like me."

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These tradesmen and small farmers were generally of a class superior to the earlier emigrants, and mostly all paid their passages out, which was £3 10., and many had a few pounds in hand besides. One vessel was calculated to have no less than £4,000 in Specie on board. From the files of the B. N-L we find that

In 1771 2 ships sailed for America with 450 passengers

In 1772 5 ships (3 for Charleston and 2 for New York) with 1,300 passengers

In 1773 a similar number in 4 vessels - two of them the "James and Mary" 250 tons, and the "Lord Dunluce" 400 tons sailing for Charlestown - the number of passengers in each case being compared to be almost equal to the tonnage of each vessel.

Thus we see that in these three years almost 4,000 people left this port of Larne alone for America.

And when a few years later the Ulsterman led the van in the flight for American independence, the thoughts of what he and his forefathers had suffered at home at the hands of England served his arm and sheeled his heart, and made him her bitterest and most implacable foe.

For although exiled he could never forget his native land on the other side of the globe, and his feelings are finely expressed in the lines of Moira O'Neill

"Wathers O'Moyle, (- Moyle is the sea just outside Larne Lough, between the Antrim Coast and Scotland)

"Wathers O'Moyle, I hear ye callin'

Clearer for half o'er the world between,

Antrim hills an' the wet rain fallin',

Whiles ye are nearer than snow tops keen;

Dreams o' the night and callin',

What it the half op' the world between?"

And now, lest it be thought that what we have been relating is but an empty echo of "the eternal imaginery woes" of Ireland - let us hear what an Englishman, an outsider and an unbiassed observer at the time says.

John Wesley, the great Methodist divine who on 4th July 1771 had paid his third visit to Larne where he preached in the Main Street, and who had journeyed through the adjacent districts and had seen for himself the state of affairs writes in his journal, under date June 15th 1773. "when I came to Belfast, I learned the real cause of the late insurrections in this neighbourhood. Lord Donegal, the proprietor of almost the whole country, came hither to give his tenants new leases. But when they came, they found two merchants of the town had taken their farms over their heads; so that multitudes of them, with their wives and children, were turned out to the wide world. It is no wonder that, as their lives were now bitter to them, with their wives and children, were turned out to the wide world. It is no wonder that, as their lives were now bitter to them, they should fly out as they did. It is rather a wonder that they did not go much farther. And if they had, who would have been most in fault? Those who were without home, without money, without food for themselves and families, or those who drove them to this extremity?"

In 1775 the British Colonies in America began their 7 years War of Independence against Britain, and three years later (1778) France joined them to revenge herself for the loss of Canada. For the war England required all the men she could spare, and this country was left depleted of troops,

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whilst our coasts remained wholly unprotected through the warships being required to intercept any French vessels going to the help of America. Thus Larne Lough was left without the protection of its guardian vessel, the Hynd warship. Swift French and American privateers swarmed in the Channel making many Captains of the slower merchantmen and mailboats. This occasioned great measures in Ireland regarding the possibility of a french invasion, and the government being unable to send assistance, the community bestirred themselves to take steps for their own protection.

The response to the call for volunteers was immediate and generous, and in a few months 42,000 men were drilling and being armed under the leadership of the chief gentry and landowners. This outburst of patriotism was stimulated in our own district by an occurence which brought the possibility of invasion home to the people.

On 24th April 1778 an American privateer, the Ranger, under the command of that famous buccaneer Paul Jones, which had been hovering for some time around the Antrim Coasts, attacked and defeated the Drake sloop of war in Carrick Lough, the Drake's commander, Captain Burden, and the second in command, Lieutenant Dobbs losing their lives. Never behind hand in the call to arms Larne in the summer of this year (1778) formed a Company of Volunteers, called the Royal Larne Volunteers of which the Earl of Antrim was appointed Captain.

We must remember that although taking steps to prevent invasion, the people of the North of Ireland especially, were to a great extent in sympathy with the American colonists, in whose armies were many of the men who had been driven from this country by the bad trade due to the repressive restrictions of the English government, and by the persecutions of landlords, landgrabbers and tithe proctors.

Indeed in the Ranger, under Paul Jones, some of the crew were Irishmen, one of them a native of Carrickfergus.

On the other side this sympathy was reciprocated, for in one of the vessels which he captured were two men from our neighbourhood - James Barklie of Altilevilly and Thomas Finlay, who had been emprerssed for the English Navy and whom Paul Jones set free, disembarking them on the English coast.

Neighbouring districts also formed their own Volunteer companies and on 12th April 1779 the Glenarm Company were reviewed by Lord Antrim and colonels Skeffington, Callender and Sandford who complimented them on their efficiency.

Each Volunteer company wore a distinctive badge or breastplate whilst many of the companies were also draped in a uniform of a distinctive colour. (This is a badge of the L.R.Vs.) and one of the Glenarm companies and also buttons of their uniform. The volunteers on the coasts were kept on the qui vive watching for the appearance of any of the French or American privateers which were ranging the Channel.

On 29th April 1779 the Revenge, a French privateer from Brest put into Larne Lough. She had some days previously fought a fierce duel lasting 6 hours with the Greenock privateer, the Sturdy Beggar, which was boarded, and after a terrific hand-to-hand fight with cutlasses was forced to strike to the Frenchman who put a prize crew on board.

The crippled Revenge, sailing under English colors anchored in Larne Lough about 6.30 p.m. on this Thursday evening.

The Revenue officers demanded what ship she was, but were ordered to keep off or they would be fired on.

The Revenue offices demanded what ship she was, and wher from but the evasive answers given caused suspicion as to her being an enemy vessel.

Lord Antrim's company of Larne Volunteers beat to arms, and inside a ¼ hour the 80 odd

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members turned out in uniform with arms and ammunition, and so prevented any boat landing from the ship. About 8.00 p.m. a boat was sent out to demand definitely whether the ship was friend or foe, and received answer that the Captain would come ashore in an hour or so, to which the Revenue officers replied that he could do so provided he came accompanied by only four men.

About 9.30 p.m. the boat with 5 men arrived, one of whom was David Taylor, Captain of the Sturdy Beggar which the Revenge had captured. He declared on oath that the ship was a French privateer from Brest, who had captured him eleven days previously, and that hhe Revenge had now come into Larne Lough with intention to plunder and to get refitted before resuming her piratical cruising.

The Volunteers knowing that they could not board the vessel from their small boats had sent an urgent message to the Bolton frigate which was lying in Carrick Lough, what time they laid plans to prevent the Revenge leaving this lough. They placed 4 pieces of cannon on the shore, and through the night hastily threw up breastworks from behind which they could keep up musket fire on the ship if she tried to sail out. At high tide, 10.30 next morning she saw it was useless to attempt run the blockade, and when at midday the Bolton frigate arrived and fired on her she struck after returning the fire as the etiquette of naval warfare of those days required.

The frigate then took her in charge, and when brought on shore the 35 members of the crew of the Sturdy Beggar were lodged in a house, which was soon surrounded by a press gang who seized 6 of these Scotch pirates as recruits for King George's Navy, whilst the other 27 escaped by a back door.

73 of the French prisoners were sent off to Belfast, the remainder consisting of wounded men an officers were left on board the Revenge under the care of the French Surgeon.

Thus early did the Larne Volunteers justify their existence, and came in for many well-deserved econiums.

The spirit of volunteering continued to spread quickly and extensively, but the English Government had all along regarded the movement with suspicion, and with the will, but without the power to restrain or suppress it.

Later on, the urgency of defence against invasion having ceased the Volunteers began discussion of those great national questions which were then agitating the minds of every citizen, and their ruling principles began to undergo a change.

Grattan, in the Irish Parliament, had been struggling for the removal of the import and export restrictions which were crippling the trade of this country, and in these efforts he received the hearty support of the great body of the Volunteers.

Through his exertions Lord North was compelled in 1780 to grant Free Trade, and with the help of Flood and Curran, Grattan then set himself to obtain legislative independence for this Country, but found the English power in the Irish House of Commons too great for him.

By this time (Middle of 1780) the Volunteers force, which up till now had acted in independent troops and companies, which had each been reviewed by their own Commanding Officers had reached nearly 30,000 men, not became amalgamated together as a national army under the Earl of Charlemount, as General in Chief, and instead of the local review, great provincial reviews took place.

The members of the Larne Company were chiefly of the Protestant persuasion and must have held Orange tendencies, for we find them forming part of the Glorious Memory Battalion in the great review held by Lord Charlemount at Belfast on 12th July, 1780. Watching with the keenest interest the struggles in the Irish Parliament the Volunteers were stimulated to increased activity, and as we have seen began to perfect their organization, whilst they also commenced to voice their feelings regarding the necessity for the inclusive authority of the legislature of Ireland.

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They addressed their representatives and officers, asserting that no parliament had, has, or of right ought to have any power or authority whatsoever in this kingdom except the parliament of Ireland. Thus were their sentiments of loyalty to the king tempered by their patriotic loyalty to their own country.

On 15th February, 1782 a great convention of delegates from the Volunteer regiments of Ulster met at Dungannon to consider what steps were taken towards reforming the national representation. Largely as a result of this Convention toleration towards the Roman Catholics was spreading, and these began to enter the ranks in increasing numbers.

Whilst in the Irish parliament differences between Flood and Grattan were causing discussions within the Patriot party, disagreements were also springing up within the ranks of the Volunteers. On 17th March, 1782 the Royal Larne Volunteers paraded, and at this meeting several of the more impulsive members were beginning to give rather free expression to their sentiments on the burning questions of the day, when some of their leaders exerted their authority in preventing them doing so.

This gave great dissatisfaction, for the general feeling was that their representatives in the Irish parliament did not voice the opinion of the public, which was in favour of legislative independence, but truckled to the English Government.

Accordingly on the 2nd of the next month (April) another meeting of the Larne Company was held, and having elected Thomas Moore to the Chair, they proceeded to frame strong resolutions against the late insidious attempt to shackle their minds, an attempt, they declared, which was more like conduct to beasts of burden than to Volunteers.

They thereupon declared that they severed their connection with the Royal Larne Volunteers, and proceeded to forma new company, called the Larne Independents, choosing a William John White as their captain.

Thereafter both parties contrived vigorously to recruit their ranks, and so much bitterness and jealousy animated the Naval Corps that for a time it seemed as though Larne was going to be treated to a little civil war of its own.

At a review in Belfast in 1782 the Larne Independents, resplendent in their scarlet uniforms faced with blue, formed part of the Belfast Battalion, in the first line fronting Belfast, whilst the Ballynure Company took part in the evolutions as part of the Ulster Regiment, red batallion, occupying the 2nd line fronting Lisburn.

The Royal Larne Volunteers did not attend this review and their absence from it as well as their being unrepresented at the Dungallon Convention before-mentioned, and the dissensions leading to the formation of the Independents seems to have been in some was connected with the whims of their Commander, Lord Antrim, who naturally would have leanings in favour of the English Court party.

This is evidenced by a letter appearing in the press, as follows:-

From Ballymena, 1782

We have the pleasure to inform our readers that the celebrated Mrs. the Royal Larne Volunteers, of Larne, whose death was announced in this paper in March, 1781 is still living, and likely to do well. What was thought to be her death having proved only to be a trance, in which she was remained from that time until lately; that by the assistance of friends, the formed radish (which was the beginning of their disorder) has been forced down her throat into her stomach, where she feels it a good deal easier.

Her had state of health for the space of four years past, has been chiefly owing to her husband's bad treatment of her during that time; for he never permitted her to pay any visits to her friends

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and neighbours, nor even to speak her mind in her family. What may be his motive for such absurd conduct, she is utterly unacquainted with, as he lord and master never deigns to enter into private correspondence with her, for the most part only through his footman. However, she has now broke through this unnatural restraint, and contrary to his express commands, is gone upon a party of pleasure to Ballymoney, as she finds exercise to agree exceedingly well with her constitution, where it is hoped she will exert her prerogative, and speak he mind like the rest of her neighbours.

After this, it is expected that a total separation will take place between them, since all she can lose by breaking off the connection, is the enormous sum of five pounds a year he allow her for pin-money, and a silk handkerchief with his own arms painted on it, and some other trifling trinkets, which he presented her with, and which it is supposed she has to much spirit not to return.

This letter refers to the Royal Larne Volunteers having sent Capt. Lieut. Shaw as their delegate to a convention at Ballymoney in August (1782) where it was resolved to hold a review there on the 17th September following with Capt. James Leslie as receiving officer, and also leads us to the conclusion that the company had rid themselves of the incubus of the arbitrary and domineering Earl as a leader on.

In November 1783 a great convention of Volunteer delegates from all over Ireland met at Dublin, which sent a deputation to the Irish House of Commons to ask for the introduction of a Reform Bill, their request was refused, and the suggested bill characterized as one introduced to the Parliament at the point of the bayonet and the Attorney General, Yelverton moved "That it has now become indispensably necessary to declare that the house will maintain its just rights and priveleges against all encroachments whatsoever".

This rebuff to the Volunteers made it plain that no reform was to be obtained by constitutional methods, and that their only hope lay in force of arms. The result was the virtual extinction of the old Volunteers, for theough they continued for some years to meet and hold reviews, and to pass resolutions and addresses their members rapidly diminished, and they no longer retained the confidence of the people to the former extent. On June 22nd 1784 the Larne Independents took part in a review by Marriott Dalway on the Commons of Carrick, and the Ballynure Company in another review on

A meeting of the representatives of 31 Corps took place in Belfast to make preparations for a review, and they passed a resolution not to associate with any regiment which should continue under the command of officer who opposed parliamentary reform, and this gave the looked-for opening for many of the officers to recede. At the start the Volunteer movement had been comprised chiefly of the better class Protestants, but now a large Catholic element entered, and people of a lower class than had been formerly admitted, and the former gentry leaders were replaced by men with more revolutionary tendencies.

As Grattan himself said, the Volunteers had much degenerated, and whereas they had originally been the armed property, they were now becoming the armed beggary.

Many of the former responsible leaders could not now fall in with the extreme views of the majority. Lord Charlemount, formerly the leader, in 1790 instituted the "Northern Whig Club", in whose membership the names of many of the most prominent people in Antrim and Down figure. Amongst the original members were:-

Marriott Dalway, Bellahill

Ed. Jones Agnew, Kilwaughter

Rt. Hon. J. O'Neill, Shane's Castle

Richard Jervais Kerr, Redhall

Their object was to endeavour to secure on constitutional lines adequate representation for the

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people in Parliament, and a proper encouragement of the agriculture, manufactures and trade of the country.

Soon religious difference became acute in parts of Ulster, giving rise to the Peep-o'-Day Boys amongst the Protestants, and the Defenders amongst the Catholics. A short time later Wolfe Tone became the leading spirit in a movement designed to draw the Presbyterians and Roman Catholic Defenders of Ulster together in a common bond, (Under the name of United Irishmen, for the redress of their grievances, and in 1792. The Volunteer movement, which had practically cased in this district, was now revivified, and in the spring of 1792 a new company of Volunteers was embodied, of which James Agnew Farrell was chosen commandant. Farrell had been a very active organiser of the movement, and it was he who administered the test to Thomas Russell one of the most prominent leaders of the United Irishmen when he was admitted to the society.

The new company assumed the title of "The Independent Irish Volunteers", and adopted for their crest the harp surmounted by the Irish Crown instead of the British.

In this year a review was held at Ballygally, at which Farrell was the Chief Officer. (By the way, he was the original of O'Halloran in Dr. McHenry's novel The Insurgent Chief) Wolfe Tone seems to have had some connection with our local corps, for amongst the Tone relics recently presented to Trinity College is a badge of the Larne Independents. On 14th July, 1792 the Corps, 40 rank and file, attended at Belfast when a review with processions and a banquet were held in celebration of the taking of the Bastille in the French revolution. The volunteers at this time were often in the habit of freely expressing their opinions, and passing resolutions on political matters. At a meeting of the Larne Corps on 19th December 1792 J.A. Farrell in the chair, William Livingstone secretary, in a resolution referring to the government they say "We behold those men, who are invested with Authority for the purpose of promoting the happiness of the People, acting in direct opposition to that principle, by fostering corruption, and polluting the Morals of society, with the dreadful effects". They go on to declare that they will protect themselves from "every species of oppression, whether it proceeds from a Mob or a Monarch ------ from a Riot or a Proclamation".

In January of the following year (1793) Ed. Jones Agnew, Esq. of Kilwaughter presented the Larne Independents with £100, to assist in the purchase of two pieces of cannon, and the company thanked him in the public papers for this gift.

Shortly afterwards he assembling of armed bodies with proclaimed by the Lord Lieutenant, and the Larne Independents in common with most other Volunteers bodies ceased to appear in arms.

But in some parts of Co. Antrim the Proclamation went unheeded, and parades were held, and preparations made for taking the field. On 14th September, 1793 the Volunteer Corps of Ballyeaston, Ballyclare, Kells, Doagh, and several others appointed a review to be held near Doagh. On the morning of the review to be held the 38th Regiment Fermanagh Militia and a detachment of artillery with two pieces of cannon from Belfast, under the orders of Col. French arrived before them on the field at Doagh. This prevented any holding of a review, and from this time on all Volunteer Companies ceased to parade.

In 1795 the United Irishmen were suppressed, but some of the more ardent members reorganised it as a secret society, each member bound by an oath of secrecy, their ultimate object being the establishment of a Republican government, by force if necessary. At this time the Roman Catholic Defenders were raiding for arms and terrorizing people in several parts of the country, and a counter-organisation was formed by the Protestants in the form of Orange lodges. The government passed an Insurrection Bill, which provided that all persons convicted of administering unlawful oaths for seditious purposes should be executed as felons, and that taking such oaths should be transported, that those possession arms without being registered should be fined for imprisoned, and also giving magistrates power to search for arms. The seditious movement of the United Irishmen spread actively in the neighbourhood of Larne, and when any of the members fell into the clutches of the law on treasonable charges, his fellow conspirators were not slow in showing their sympathy towards him whilst suffering for the cause.

About the end of October the Northern Star relates that "on Saturday last near Larne, and acre of

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potatoes, the property of a man whose family has been deprived of his industry by the present times, was carefully dug and carried into his potato house, by 930 of his neighbours in the space of 12 minutes. In the following year the United Irishmen were gradually organized along military lines, but the party feeling existing between the Roman Catholics and Protestants prevented many of the latter from joining their ranks.

Instead many of the Protestants joined the Yeomanry, a new force which in the autumn of 1796 the Protestant gentry had recruited "for the preservation of their own property, and to protect the country against the Defenders and United irishmen, when Gen. Lake had withdrawn the troops from their billets in private houses through the country, and concentrated them in the garrison towns.

In our neighbourhood Yeomanry Corps were raised by Agnew of Kilwaughter, Johnson and McCleverty of Glynn, and Kerr of Redhall.

Many of the tenant farmers were compelled under the pressure of their landlords to join the Yeomanry although their sympathies were entirely with the United Irishmen.

Here is a Yeomanry sword which belongs to Nelson of Rorysglen who was a servant in the Kilwaughter Yeos. Although his brother Willie was a notorious rebel. It now belongs to his grand-nephew W. Wm. McMeekin of Larne.

In this year (1796) Wolfe Tone, Lord Edward Fitzgerald and Arthur O'Connor were on the continent negotiating with the French Government for the invasion of Ireland; and delegates from the insurgent ranks were often travelling to France with the same object in view.

The Larne United Irishmen were in the habit of meeting at a house on the Bank Road, called the "Green Room", near the Coldwell, which was probably the residence of a William Johnston, great grandfather of Mrs. William Hunter. Here sometime before the outbreak of hostilities a meeting was held at which the Rev. Thomas Alexander of Cairncastle was present, with a W. Dunbar, a clerk in the Inver Mills in the chair. Dunbar proposed that the town of Larne should send a deputation to the French Convention. This was agreed to, and the chairman was proposed as a delegate, but he respectfully declined the honour. About this time the popular feeling was kept inflames by the circulation of several quasi-religious pamphlets. One of those which was very popular among the people was that relating the wanderings, persecutions and prophesie of the Rev. Alex. Peden, a Scotch covenanter who spent much time about the districts of Glenwherry and Raloo.

Here is a copy which was printed in Larne by McCalmont great grandfather of the present printer. In 1797 the county was ripe for rebellion, and the government who were kept well informed of the state of affairs by their army of spies and informers, sent General Lake to take command in Ulster.

He proclaimed martial law in the North, a measure which had only the effect of driving more of the people into the ranks of the United Irishmen. The houses were persistently searched for arms, and severe punishments and floggings meted out to those found in possession of arms, or taking part in the insurrectionary movement, and their houses and crops burned often on the slightest excuse. In these searches and raids the Yeomen made themselves most active, being well acquainted with the leaders in each district. On May 8th (1779) a public notice was issued convening a meeting of the freeholders of Co. Antrim in the Linen Hall, Ballymena. At this meeting a petition to the King was proposed by Ed. Jones Agnew, M.P. of Kilwaughter, and supported by James Agnew Farrell, drawing his Majesty's attention to the danger of the Empire and the uneasiness of the people under the arbitrary arrests and imprisonments to which they are liable, often without trail, and praying his Majesty to dismiss from his presence and councils for ever his wicked and unprincipled ministers who were responsible for this state of affairs.

Everywhere preparations were being made for the forth coming struggle. Blacksmiths often worked all night, making and sharpening pikes which were hidden in the thatch of houses, in mosses and caves and other places where they would be readily available when needed. Here are

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some samples of these pikes. Many of the people possessed the old flintlock muskets, and here is a pistol of the period found in a cave at Ballyhempton.

There was great difficulty in obtaining lead for casting into musket balls, the lead lining of tea chests and the lead weights used by grocers being all pressed into service. Miskimmin tells how a large leaden statue of Neptune which graced a mill pond for nearly a century at Holmes' Mil between Ballynure and Ballyclare together with a large lead cistern were removed at night for the same use.

Here is one of the moulds used for casting the bullets at that time. The insurgents made many attempts to reduce members of the army and navy and militia. Some of the garrison of Carrickfergus Castle were tampered with, and an attempt to surrender the Castle with all its military stores was detected and frustrated.

An artilleryman William Murphy, who with two Ballyeaston men had given ammunition out of the Castle to some of the United Irishmen of the district deserted, and coming to about Headwood drilled the insurgents about the place. He stayed in the house of Henry Clements and worked as a weaver there till he was informed on by old Mister Devenny of Ballygowan. A force was sent from Carrickfergus to arrest him, and finding him hiding in a bed between two children, seized and took him to Carrick and then to Belfast where he received lashes. His captors had demanded his arms from Clements but were given another gun than Murphy's, whose flintlock musket is still in the possession of Tom Clements of Headwood.

In "Ulster in '98" is printed a song of the period which are describing Murphy's capture and punishment. He was afterwards transported to the West Indies. To be revenged on Devenny, the informer, a party of United Irishmen came from Carrickfergus, but James Campbell, the Ballynure poet and weaver, himself a United Irishman, for some reason or other marked himself to save his life. Amongst the members of the United Irishmen it became customary to keep the hair cropped short, instead of wearing it long and pleated as was then usual, this gave rise to the name "Croppies" by which they were popularly known. The drilling of armed bodies continued by moonlight in the moors and other secluded places, and their constant hope centred upon promised assistance from France.

On 19th June (1797) the Colonels of the rebel regiments of Co. Antrim met at Parkgate to decide whether the insurrection should be proceeded with or without waiting for the French aid.

Their decision against an immediate rising was carried by William Dunn of Larne to a meeting of the Provincial Committee, had at Randalstown on the same day, at which meeting Dunn was one of the representatives. Dunn carried on the business of a hatter in Cross Street Larne, next door to his born companion and fellow rebel, Neville the poet in the little thatched houses which stood in Cross Street where the premises of Messers Pollock and Gourley now. Within the ranks of the United Irishmen were many members who were in the pay of the authorities, to whom they gave information of the preparations and doings of the secret society, and those taking part in them.

In Ballynure a man called McClure who came from Co. Down ostensibly to organize the United Irishmen in that district, and who was very active in swearing in members, came under suspicion of being a spy. He was seen coming through the village from the direction of Carrickfergus, where it was thought he had gone to inform. He was tried by a jury in the place where the rebels met, which was the cellar of a house (McKinstry's) beside the bridge on the left hand side as you enter from Larne. Although there was no direct evidence against him he was found guilty and sentenced to death, and a party of men were deputed to take him to Ballyboley Hill and execute him. He was tied in a bag, and each member of his guard gave him a stab with the pike, so that they might all be equally implicated in his death.

The corpse was buried, but on the authorities making search later, it was several times raised and reinterred in different places. (Kept in Hielis's house, and tried in Shaw's pub.)

No event at this time caused greater indignation amongst the people or tended more to recruit the ranks of the United Irishmen that the execution of William Orr. He had been charged with the

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felony of administering the oath of a United Irishman to live members of the Fifeshire Fencibles, and although respited for the third time, he was executed on 14th October, he was burned at Ballyrashane, and his body was "waked" for a night in Ballynure Church, of which Rev. Adam Hill was clergyman, before being taken there. Dr. Casement of Inver was one of the jury who found Orr guilty, and at a meeting of the United Irishmen in the Green Room before mentioned it was decided that he should be shot for the part he had taken in the case.

The plot was divulged to Casement's brother-in-law Malcolm McNeill of the Corran who informed him of it, and planned his escape from the country, till the ill feeling against him had subsided.

McNeill was able to do so, as he had some interest in the shipping about the Harbour.

In the B. N-L is an advertisement. "For Charlestown, South Carolina "The Brig Sally," Barthen 250 tons, Nei Brown, Master, will be clear to sail 1st July next "For freight or passage apply to Malcolm McNeill, Larne. May 13th 1797."

In the early part of 1798 the insurrectionary movement wass hastening towards a crisis. The United Irishmen were feverishly drilling and arming in secret, whilst the government were strengthening their military posts, and placing the Yeomanry on whole time duty.

Curfew restrictions were imposed, and anyone found out of doors between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. without a pass from a magistrate or military officer ran the risk of arrest by the cavalry patrolling the roads, whilst it was compulsory to have posted up on the doors of all dwelling places a list of the inmates, with that of any visitors.

A great meeting of the revel Colonels with the Commander in Chief of Co. Antrim was held at Templepatrick on 1st June where the Adjutant-General Robert Simms of Belfast unexpectedly resigned his appointment because the other leaders were pressing to take the field.

Amongst the three names proposed as his successor was that of a gentleman from the neighbourhood of Larne (Farrell?), and none of the three being present, it was decided that the first one of them met with should be appointed Commander in Chief. They agreed also that the Colonels of the different corps should hold a conclave on the 4th inst. at the Sheepree on Ballyboley Hill to decide whether these should be an immediate rising, or still wait for signs of help from France.

When the 35 representatives met there, and it transpired tha none of the three selected for the command had yet been approached recriminations were fully indulged in, and finally they decided that preparations were not sufficiently advanced, and they should wait for the long promised French assistance.

On their way home through the Village of Ballyeaston some of the Colonels were met by a party of impatient rebels who had been awaiting the result of their deliberations.

On hearing of the postponement of the rising they were very indignant and accusing the leaders of timidity, they then and there convened a meeting placing in the Chair one of their members Henry Joy McCracken of Belfast. They reversed the Ballyboley decision and decided to go on with the rising on the following Thursday 7th June.

Lord O'Neill had called a meeting of the magistrates at the Courthouse Antrim, for that day, for the purpose of proclaiming the country and billeting the troops on the inhabitants, so it was deemed a good opportunity of seizing them there, and holding them all as hostages.

Within only three or four days of the outbreak McCracken was appointed Commander in Chief of the whole rebel army of Ulster, and he calculated that he could put into the field at Antrim 21,000 men, or whom 7,000 were Catholic Defenders.

On the 6th he issued a proclamation "Tomorrow we march on Antrim - drive the garrison of Randalstown before you, and haste to form a junction with the Commander-in-Chief. Henry Joy

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McCracken. The First Year of Liberty, 6th June 1798.

His plan for the movement against Antrim was forwarded by express to the Colonels of the different regiments of Co. Antrim, as follows:-

"The different Colonels, eat the appointed time, are to attack any military post in their neighbourhood; or leave light packets to prevent communication, and march to Donagore Hill while he, McCracken, with the men from the neighbourhood of Killead, Templepatrick, Carnmoney and Donegore marched to Antrim, to seize, if possible, the Governor, deputy governor, and magistrates of the Co. Antrim who were to meet in Antrim on 7th June, and to devise means for rasiing men to reinforce the army destined to effect a junction with the insurgents in the South."

But treachery was afoot. Our Larne leader, James Agnew Farrell, himself took his fighting orders to General Nugent, Commander of the Government forces, whilst the Broughshane and Loughgeel Colonels also sent him their orders, and thus he was enabled to upset the plans of McCracken.

We have now arrived at the 7th June (1798) the day on which the rebel forces determined to gather to test their fortune. At the battle of Antrim. As Ethna Carberry writes:-

"They muster strong from Maghermourne, Mallusk and Ballyclare,

And Isle Magee sends stalwart sons, eager to do their share,

And from the Bann's broad sedgy banks in haste the fishers brown

To strike a blow for Ireland, today in Antrim town".

Since the first encounter of the day between the Military and the insurgents occurred in the town of Larne, we may relate some of the proceedings as far as our town and district is concerned.

The insurgents in and about Larne had begun to assemble on the night before at the Council Knowe an eminence along the Bank Road about where W Barry's house now stands, and by the following morning a force of about 250 had collected, about one fourth of them armed with muskets the remainder with pikes, pitchforks and other improvised weapons. The town was garrisoned by an Officer and 30 men of the Tay Fencible Regiment, and reinforced by a number of local loyalists who had arrived the night before with news of the brewing trouble. These were quartered under arms in the military barracks in Main St, a house, now dilapidated, and standing on the west side of the entrance to the Back Rd school. The recognised leaders of the insurgents, James Agnew Farrell and a W Quinn, employed in the saltworks at Larne, did not put in an appearance, and another officer was elected to the command. About 2 a.m. he divided his forces into two parties, and advanced into the town to storm the barracks.

The larger body was posted about the lower end of Pound Lane, as Pound Street was then called, being the lane leading to the public cattle (pound). The officer (Lieut Small) in charge of the military, receiving word that the insurgents were approaching, left the barracks in charge of his loyalist supporters, and advanced up Main Street to make contact with the enemy. On entering Cross Street he and his force were charged by the party of insurgents from Pound Street, fire was opened on both sides, and three of the Fencibles were killed, and their leaders and some others of his men were wounded, whilst the rebels had one killed and several wounded. The military then retreated on their barracks, and made preparations for a stout defence.

During the time that their leaders were deliberating further offensive measures a party of the insurgents with muskets and pikes reversed, conveyed the bodies of the fallen soldiers in Inver churchyard, where they formed a square and fired a volley over the graves of their fallen foes. Soon these were joined by another contingent of Insurgents from Glynn, bringing with them Geo Auron McCleverty, the magistrate of Glynn whom they had taken prisoner at his house, and meant to hold as a hostage. The suggestion was made that they should compel McCleverly to carry a demand to the garrison that they surrender to prevent further loss of life. This McCleverty

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refused to do, and some of the more violent spirits then proposed that they attack the garrison keeping, McCleverty in front. However, another messenger was despatched with the ultimatum, which Lieut Small indignantly spurned, declaring he would sight it out to the last. Preparations were then made to rush the barracks, when a retired army officer named Shaw, who lived in the Main Street and was an ardent loyalist, rushed out among the insurgents brandishing a sword, and damming them for rebels ordered them to lay down their arms.

He was about to be piked, when James McAuley from about Dromain and some others rescued him and forced him into his own house, and ordered him to be kept there. McAuley, who was a Roman Catholic also prevented any assault to McCleverty, and he was one of the most prominent in giving honourable burial to the slain soldiers.

These actions so impressed the captive magistrate that he approached Lieut. Small, and obtained a promise from him that the houses and property of the insurgenta should not be interfered with whilst they were awary at Donegore Hill, to which they were now preparing to march. The leader of the Loyalist forces gave this promise and saw that it was kept although a troop of Yeoman Cavalry from Carrickfergus who would have been only too glad to sack and burnt he town was later in the day sent into Larne.

About 10 o'clock the whole party started for Donegore, and when they had reached the neutral McCleverty asserted all his powers of persuasion to prevent them proceeding further. He told them he would use all his influence with the authorities in obtaining pardon for them if they would consent to lay down their arms and return home.

He also had a message sent to Ed. James Agnew of Kilwaughter to come down and use his influence with them. But it was of no avail although they allowed Agnew to return home unmolested.

The spirits of the party were braced by a rumour that Carrickfergus Castle had been stormed, and had already fallen to the insurgents.

So about 11 o'clock the force, with McCleverty mounted on horseback still kept a prisoner, set off for the rendezvous at Dungore Hill.

A big Larne butcher, called Alec Darragh constituted himself McCleverty's guard and restrained some of the party who would have done him violence and for this McCleverty was later able to do him a good turn.

Towards Donagore contingents of rebels from all the adjacent districts were mending their way.

The Islandmagee men had been warned out that morning, by a lad of 16, called Nelson, son of a widow in Ballycarry. He commandeered a horse from the Redhall stables, and rode all through the Island giving the alarm, and on returning took another fresh horse from Kerr's stables, and joined the Ballycarry force on their march.

This contingent had already raided Redhall mansion to get possession of the arms of the neighbourhood which the authorities had called in and stored there, but Kerr before flying for safety to Carrickfergus had taken the precaution to remove the locks of all the firearms, rendering them useless.

However they took the dismantled guns and pistols, and also all the scythes, pitchforks about the place which could be used as weapons. Then they moved on to join the Larne men, but before reaching Glynn messengers arrived, who informed them of what had happened in Larne and that the local force had already left the town, and were on their way to the camp. They then struck off a nearer way through Mounthill near which place they observed some Carrickfergus Yeoman Cavalry on another road about ½ a mile off. They brought their musketeers to the front in readiness for attack, but the Yeomen did not accept the challenge, and the insurgents proceeded on their way.

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The Larne force, gaining increments by the way, reached Ballynure where they were joined by the regiment of that place, under the leadership of Robert Lennon of Ballygowan.

Miskimmin relates an incident which occurred in the Ballynure Regiment before the Larne force joined it, which caused uneasiness in some quarters. The adjutant, called Larry Dempsey, a deserter from the 24th Dragoons was riding in front proudly brandishing an old rusty sword.

Most of the company were of course protestants, but excitement had thrown Larry off his guard, and he shouted in a rich South of Ireland brogue "By J, boys we'll pay the rascals this day for the Battle of the Boyne".

Miskimmin, who formerly belonged to Ballyclare was a Yeoman, and naturally had spiteful things to say against the insurgents, and he tells how many of them who had often vowed boastful sentiments got what in these days would be called "coldfeet" when the time for deeds arrived. Among the excused given for not "turning out" on that day he sayd many had suddendly developed violent bowel complaints, or cramps or rheumatic pains, the wives of some were "near their last", others had sprained their ankle the night before. A story is told of one Ballynure man, James Morris, who lived in a house just above where Girvan's spirit store now is.

The Ballyeaston with the Ballyboley forces, were under the comand of Alex Hay (great grandfather of the writer's wife) who kept a shop and stores in Ballyeaston the motto on their flag being "Liberty and our Country".

This body joined with the Ballyclare corps, whose leader was a wheel-wright, and these were again joined by thos from Doagh, and proceeded towards the town of Antrim.

They entered it by way of Bow Lane, just as the military were retiring down the Main Street before the onslaught of the Templepatrick division. When entering the Main Street they received a volley from some Yeomen retreating into Masserene Castle Gardens, but rallying they again entered the Main Street and scattered with their fire the detachment of artillery there. A party of them rushed to seize the cannon but were all shot down, including Hay, the leader. Arrival of reinforcements from Belfast turned the tide in favour of the military and the insurgents were scattered in all directions, it being a case of "every man for himself, and the Devil take the hindmost".

To return to the forces of Islandmagee, Ballycarry, Glynn, Magheramorne, Larne and Ballynure - these had just reached Dunagore Hill, and had scarcely planted their green standards on the proposed encampments when the roar of artillery announced that reinforcements for the military had arrived from Belfast, and soon the crowds of Insurgents flying helter skelter in every direction, showed that they had arrived too late to take part in the fight.

McCleverty now again pointed out the hopelessness of their case, and promised if they would immediately return home and lay down their arms, that he would intercede with Gen. Nugent, the commander of the Northern District for a general pardon, and a sparing of their lives and properties. They now took his advice, and left him free to return home and as we shall see he faithfully fulfilled his promise to them.

After the battle the soldiers and yeomanry, drunken with victory went through the country searching for rebels, and burning the houses of those suspected of having taken part in the rebellion.

Many tales are told of the hairbreadth escapes of some of the fugitives and of the punishments handed out to others who were innocent of any seditious practices.

A military forcer coming from the burning of Ballyclare halted at the end of the lane leading up to Clements Hill, between Ballynure and Ballyclare, where the writer's great great grandfather resided. This man was a "King's man", but four of his five sons had taken part with the Ballyclare Regiment in the battle of Antrim. The officer in charge consulting his map and notes remarked "This man is a loyalist, he's alright" and the soldiers passed on. At that very time his four

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"Croppy" sons were hidden in straw in their father's barn, and afterwards made their way to Carrickfergus, whence they took the first opportunity of escaping to America.

The Rev. Thoo. Alexander of Cairncastle related that on the day after the battle when passing through Ballynure on his way home from Crumlin he saw the people carrying away their furniture and hiding it, to save it from the soldiers and yeomanry who were approaching and who had full license to plunder and burn.

Another party of military returning to Carrickfergus from Antrim by way of Ballyeaston turned out of their home the family of Hay, the leader of the rebels from that district, who was shot at the battle, and who was grandfather to the writers late father-in-law.

The newly made widow with her young infant and the others of the family were evicted from the dwelling, which was then looted and set on fire, and as Hay kept an extensive store, tradition tells that the smell of the burnign meal could be detected as far away as Larne.

One of the soldiers took a brass faced grandfather clock from the house, and had the works of it removed to Carrickfergus, which was afterwards claimed and returned, and is now in the possession of Dr. Killin of Carrick, another descendant of Hay's.

After the battle some harpies stripped and robbed the bodies of the dead insurgents, and a Richard Perrie was afterwards known to be wearing the green coat that had belonged to Hay, in which was the hole made y the bullet which caused his fatal wound.

The insurgent leader H. Joy McCracken, with James Orr the Ballycarry poet and a few other followers made their way to Slemish where they were in hiding for a week or so until the Ballyeaston clergyman, Rev. W. Holmes informed the authorities of Carrickfergus of their hiding place and a force was sent to apprehend them. They then returned to the Little Collon, and afterwards passed through Ballyclare disarming a guard at this place, and went on towards Divis but some information caused them to return and try to reach Larne when McCracken was captured on the Commons of Carrick and was afterwards executed at Belfast.

For the capture of some of the rebel leaders a reward of £50 was offered, and although as a rule the yeomen were anxious enough to claim this reward, some of them still were magnanimous enough to forego the chance. Clarron Porter relates the story of the search for one of the 50 pounders (see Ulster in '98). Two Islandmagee men, Wm. McClelland of Portmuck, and William Curry had a reward of £50 such offered for their capture, but like many others escaped to America until the trouble had blown over when they returned. McClelland afterwards accepting a commission in the Islandmagee Yeomanry.

Orr the Ballycarry poet also fled to America, as a similar reward was offered for him and when he returned and attempted to gain admission to the BroadIsland Yeomanry, to which Kerr of Redhall refused to admit him, his old time friend and brother poet Campbell of Ballynure, in disgust composed on him a song entitled "The Rejected Yeoman".

Campbell himself was a United Irishman, and after the battle soldiers raised his house near Ballynurem, on the Larne road and he was compelled to flee to America.

Before leaving he burned all his papers which included many poems of a revolutionary nature, so that the volume of poems later published contained only those of which copies had been given to friends and neighbours or were so well known as to be generally remembered. Young Nelson of Ballycarry, who had drummed up the Islandmagee men on the morning of the battle paid the death penalty, being hung from a tree near his mother's house almost opposite the upper entrance gates to Redhall.

Most of the local Presbyterian clergymen were impluated in the rising and found themselves entertained at his Majesty's expense in Carrick gaols and it is said that Cairncastle Church was the only one preached in on the Sunday after the battle of Antrim.

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The Rev. Ian Worral of the Presbyterian Church "at the head of the town" had been very active in swearing in mmebers of the United Irishmen and was punished by imprisonment.

The Rev. Adam Hill of Ballynure was charged with being a leader at Dunagore Hill, and received sentence of one years imprisonment. The Cairncastle clergyman, Rev. Alexander did not escape either, for he was later on confined for a fortnight in the Market House of Carrickfergus on the charge of having assisted his senior minister W. Lavison, and W. Shaw of Ballygally Castle, and a W.I. Weomey of Larne in harbouring a refugee rebel called Bob Major of Belfast.

James Agnew Farrel, the Larne leader who had defected at the last moment, had fled to Scotland, where he remained till affairs had calmed down somewhat, and he was included in the general amnesty. After his return he purchased the Magheramorne estate and soon set about raising a corps of yeomanry amongst his tenantry.

He held communication regarding this corps with the Chief Secretary, Sir Arthur Wellesley, afterwards Lord Wellington, and at a previous meeting of the Society I exhibited a Medal which he presented to be held by the best marksman of the Company.

As to big Alec Darrage, the local butcher, who had shown kindness to McCleverty the magistrate on the way to Antrim, he was prosecuted, but through the exertions of McCleverty he was pardoned, and I now show you the pardin which was granted to him.

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