effigy

You're my wife now!!!

Judge Keogh died in October 1878. His obituary in Freeman's Journal began: Death in its most appalling shape has laid its hand upon one of the most singularly-gifted, fitfully-fated, and worst-detested Irishmen of his generation. and continued: ... sank and died yesterday morning far from the land which was in turn dazzled and horrified by the flashes of his lawless genius, in which he has been alternately blest and curst - in which, having postured his hour as the popular darling, he has lived to trample upon the people upon whose shoulders he climbed to power, and to repay their loathing with liberal interest. and continues for another 5 columns. Obviously not a popular man.

A search in Freeman's Journal for 'Judge Keogh effigy' gives 17 hits, all but one between June and August 1872. The burnings were in protest at his 'Galway judgement', when he disqualified a Captain Nolan from taking his seat in parliament. A quick scan shows effigy burnings in Cashel, Galway, Gort, Tuam, Dublin, Waterford, Tralee, Ballaghaderreen, Enniskillen, Ennis and Cavan in June (and I doubt that every burning was reported). The other hits concerned the subsequent court cases for affray and assault etc. In Derry the effigy was 'consigned to the waves'. Castlebar seems to have been rather more restrained as far as I can see - 'An immense crowd, preceded by a band ... After many a curse on Judge Keogh and after singing 'God save Ireland', the large crowd quietly dispersed' Later reports show the town raising money for Captain Nolan, and petitioning the House of Commons for the removal of Judge Keogh. One of the accounts mentions cries of 'So help me' during the burning, a phrase which appears on the effigy in the photo.

Excellent!

John Spooner Thank you, John, Judge Keogh really was not popular! May I just check with you, when was the Castlebar procession, as this is the most likely location and date for this photo?

National Library of Ireland on The Commons It was reported in the Saturday, June 1st 1872 edition, one of a number of 'extracts from correspondence and telegrams' received by the Freeman appearing under the heading 'Indignation in the Provinces'. The one from Castlebar is headed 'Castlebar, Thursday', which would be May 30th 1872. Whether the correspondent reported the march the following morning or straight away isn't clear. The judgment was made on Monday, the first effigy burning was in Galway on Tuesday evening (during which the police charged the crowd with drawn swords), and then effigy burning seemed to spread through Ireland over the following days, and become a national passtime.

Taken by Pall Mall Gazette journalist Henry Norman the day after Widow MacNamara's eviction. The first sheriff, called McMahon, had turned up with a large force several days earlier but had epileptic fit and the police withdrew. The tenants saw this as divine intervention and made this effigy of him. Incidentally the title was attributed by Norman to a photo he took of Michael Davitt and two priests, full term: "the firebrands, lay and clerical".

Taken on or around June 2nd, 1887.

The Bodyke evictions have been well and truly covered in other posts and on other shots. You can just see Canon Hannon in this one, he was very much the ringleader though he insisted on no violence and intervened when he felt the tenants were getting too hot under the collar. Great shot and a very interesting story!

Swordscookie Sorry, Sean. Don't mean to be a slave driver - just having a good old tidy up, and was astonished that there'd never been a comment on this one. :)

creepy looking thing that is.