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Knights
and vagrants - or as some of them
of
the
Road
ByDympnaMurphy
to call themselves, Knights of the Road a common on the roads of Ireland 100 sight years ago. Then, for those who fell upon hard times, there was no unemployment benefit or social securi for whatever reason, took to the roads ty and many, on the way. town to from town begging walking The Poor how, of report Law Reform, if at all, the Vice-Regal 1906' set out could, Commission '.. without on liked - were taken place, had changes years many significant of the country had that the population most notably, and in 1841 halved been -8,175.000 virtually of in 1901 and, as a result, the numbers 4,458,000 destitute had also fallen as well.
Tramps
a reduction some
of destitution* which existed before the Famine the 1906 figure was 'proportionately insignificant* for
while almost as a whole had been reduced by the population now amounted destitute the of numbers 50%, because and figure. This was, of a combination emigration to a much the Commission of famine, extent than dis
eviction,
affected the
Commission'
poverty
classes
in Ireland.
as a whole.
Poor
law unions
in Ulster.
[56]
Poyntzpass
a vagrant as, "a person who to Union Union, frequently (Poor Law) a a in bed for the night and a workhouse, describes
nity, were
universally
detested
and often
feared.
his journey. These two, before resuming on as are wanderers, foot, generally they journey known as 'tramps* or 'night lodgers.* While in the memories of some of our parents and are remem 'wanderers' characters -
often genuinely of the roads poor old men or women were the Commissioners less sympathetic. A para of the Class' states 'Characteristics 'All graph entitled old countries do-wells diate have a considerable their among causes are drunkenness these (most of failures idleness or physical habits, of all) and other vicious or mental to do a satisfactory inability day's work. bad habits a tendency to divert men and own their subsistence earning by honest upon pri they readily become dependent have or upon public rates, robbers or swindlers.* unless indeed they percentage ofne*er inhabitants. The chief imme
These women
a rela of these tramps stayed within many small area, others travelled widely and public events such as fairs and markets, horse racing, events numbers. and other The attracted gatherings Commissioners noted in towns where them that such at
in Belgium ently current was found by the Courts of Justice, or the police, be a vagrant he would be sent to serve a period from one to three years in a Labour House* where would
were times.
increased
significantly
and acquire the "habits of sobriety, regularity ** soft lest be However, industry. thought they might on to say: "As regards the Labour hearted, they went we should Houses be sorry to see in them anything than can be derived from suggestive of more comfort clean healthy very hard work, enough of simple food, but and surroundings, everything buildings, fittings of the plainest, roughest kind."
to the Commissioners, of the 30,000 According as being in need of, or dependent identified upon as vagrants or Poor Relief, classified 2,000, were of Four-fifths of these were males. tramps. Many them, "...sleep the open when in out-houses, the weather in hay-barns, '* on to is fine. They go in the country districts a night's shelter when to a the or even
similar of 1833 had made The Royal Commission those that also had and recommendations proposed "as free be sent should suitable deemed vagrants labourers to non-penal colonies."
say that the poor householder of Ireland is reluctant to refuse wayfarer appeal There when is made asked
two very distinct types of obviously one The the country. being gener tramps roaming and unfortunate infirm old and decent, basically ally a defined circuit in and well known clearly respected but and able-bodied or area. The other, often young were lazy ne'er-do-wells, gerous particularly dishonest and to the vulnerable dan potentially commu in the [57]
for peri Houses sending people to Labour for to three years wandering ods of one simply close to was seen as getting the countryside around an infringement of civil liberties. However travelling be exempted should ballad-singers to 'Labour Houses' and that those who were confined children and be, if like hand "... be taken in should, into a capacity for educated leading a use possible, and The Commissioners recommended that
musicians
Poyntzpass
T J?> JL
TfNAH
/-^
MAKKltKILL* 1 I
^k
^V
\-y^
NEWTOWN-1MOLLAQHQLASS
UPPER (
OR?Mt
ful
remain
Some towns seemed to suffer periodic 'invasions' of tramps. According to a report in the 'The Frontier Sentinel' of December, 1904, Clones, Co. Monaghan the unwanted title of 'the Capital enjoyed of Irish
the that learn report we a to employ had decided Guardians of Clones Union to prosecute the legions to gather evidence detective of tramps, then infesting the area. We also learn that on bicycles. some tramps actually around travelled Casualdom.' In the was another Enniskillen town to suffer from, what was described in the same paper in 1906, as 'a tramp [58 1
Poyntzpass
of the Enniskillen Union it was plague.* At a meeting stated that providing for supper, a bed and breakfast a tramp cost the Board of Guardians 2!/4(L At that time there was keep stones break. and the Board for tramps to do to earn their to acquire 10 tons of resolved to Drummee for the tramps Quarry no work
P. 0*Hare - Long or short ones? Mr Toman - A pair of hunting ones. Bravo, Mr. Toman, Torley (laughter) "The Chairman said that he was afraid Mr. could not legally entertain Send round the application. the "hat" and
that
they
from
that will
and other local papers regu Reporter* of tramps in the the activities larly reported area of and while the many reports read Poyntzpass 'The Newry amusing, surrounding certainly not funny at the time. There are accounts courts being convened to of special many area in deal with the and the local justices, tramps obviously unattractive with the intention of making the area as as possible tramps to tramps, passed severe sen appeared before them. For beg today may them were seem the events
brought round the "hat" with the result the money of 17s 6p was subscribed, over to the Clerk, with the request that he the required articles for the appli
purchase
Patrick MacGill
the author
of several
books
includ
tences when
sentence.
a general of 'tramps' were simply colourful characters heading - or to have considerable at and appeared education as this report from least an impressive vocabulary Some those who would come under 'The Newry Reporter* of January, 1903 shows :
ing cards he was and so took to tramping. He wrote, ".I tramped the country, all men, through hating despised by own A and with everyone angry my plight. few gave me food, some cursed me from their doors and a great number as I passed. "We*re sick o* look who the fat tubs of women, ing at the likes o* you!" our out o* 'Get stood at their cottage doors, said, about you." sight or we*ll tell the policeman mocked In another of his books 'Moleskin Joe,* MacGill me
An Amusing Application
John appeared Torley, better known as "Jack the Hunt** He of a tramp he became friendly with. gives as I've told you was Joe told. "My name's Moleskin or moth seen I mind havin' don't my father already. I'm 40 years of er, and I was bred in a workhouse. details I was or less, and I started work when age, more seven. Vve been in a workhouse, prison reformatory, own to prison I went and church. free will of my a were I bad and couldn *tget when times of mouthful but it was outside, food ** to church. I went to Patrick According always on the 'look-out* any would hen! to help, aid, Something Torley and otherwise sustain my feet weather (laughter). -A pair of boots? and assist, comfort other milk plunder a cow always against my will that
the Board, and in his own style before a He he said, some boots. wanted, applied for pair of to get a pair of "relievers**- (laughter) compensation - to in the pursuit him of his avocations comfort in his representative the ancient among aristocracy capacity, which as they all knew, was associated with
- that the Honourable est sublimity mem -(laughter) bers of the Board in their sagacity, coupled with their one favour, and would do him that great benevolence, to maintain the reputation of that co-habitable insti
MacGill,
the
take apples
for opportunities He come his way. might - or even a in the field, steal eggs or any other crop or fruit the sea which
son provided. or during times of very bad weather or commit Joe would Moleskin break a shop window to some other very obvious crime and allow himself In winter be sent to prison for a period until times got better.
in this
amphibious
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As
Patrick MacGill
discovered,
when
a person
took
lived in isolated
no home and ragged clothes where did he begin? One class of people much inclined to becoming
Poyntzpass
Petty
a such
was ex-soldiers and Kilkenny Union tramps were noted by the Commissioners of 1906 to have more as almost than 20 ex-soldiers permanent lodgers.
Finnegan appeared a brutal attack on an old woman named involving . On the Ann McCourt, of Aughantaraghan night of broke into Ann 1910, Finnegan Sunday 23rd January McCourt's home and on the Old Road left her weak The to vile abuse, "subjected and helpless." At and her the
lenient
in all the
cases where there were Occasionally reported, tramps, not satisfied with what they could steal on to them at the the sly or with what alms was given door would force an entrance and attack and rob a
Misses
Minnie
and
Sarah
Savage area
of
Laurelhill,
in the Lissummon
Z.o(/re/Ay///Ayot/5e.
[60]
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"Beggars, but
as we
knew
them
decent, could
so
poor,
nodded innate
for me honesty
it
knowing
ence which
thought and Mary
My
sister Sara
way where
from Whitecross
raised to 5/= (25p) per week, one woman told an old uncle of ours that she could live well on the half
crown "mate and she wondered other was crater's out of some remember it right mouth." to take the
"We rounds
old
people
who
came
on
their
had a little cot They probably but no help to sustain somewhere them. They would have travelled quite a long way, to have some sort of circuit, calling on and appeared the same houses about three times a year. They often occasionally. tier house or shack
they collected
tin boxes ask for a "Could you
'Jack
the beggars we remember 'Red 'Susie The Flute,' Margaret,' and Daniel Murnaghan. The latter was noted 'The Lord's Prayer' as was he travelled old Maggie Anne McGailey. three years old "Nailey Rice was carried solder and lean old man who really a tinker by trade and stilly a soldering iron. He was a very one at time, a house and a had, tin cans and buckets that a small
wore
remembers
to the men
Kelly.
Sam Woods
of Ballinaleck happened to be
from Newry in a horse and cart, so he helped coming our men. off the byre door to use as a They hooked stretcher to carry Mary up to the house and they laid
her in front of the kitchen stove. " I had hidden myself up the hall as the talk of a
was too much for me. After she had
and
father*s
dead woman
leap off the road and hit the tin with the soldering iron and bellowed, "What would he do if there was
the First World War 'Pheasant' During was used. asked for some Brand margarine Nailey was two slices of bread and given thing to eat and thunder?" he said margarine, threw it away. "Mem, that*s old cart grease" and
remember wondering
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for a grain of meal. tramps asking This could have been oaten or yellow maize meal. into the bag. All went our own Sometimes when
"I mentioned
stand and look around the countryside talking to himself. Somebody listened to him behind a ditch
and he was saying 'Soncy 'The Lord's Mary' Murnaghan. like Daniel Prayer' in cures dealt (Soncy
mine once told me the following: An old tramp who did his rounds twice or three
Tommy McGailey. " Mother mother's flax told me home. about a woman had who called at her in a times a year came to a certain pretty thrifty, afraid farmhouse. The mis tress was counted or "near" of herself.
This woman
lost both
arms
There wasn't any law of compen beetling mill. in those days. My grandmother sation always had for this old woman, and took her in and washed have
haws from the hedge as she went along being able to pull them off with her mouth. The only things she
feared were dogs. Other beggars were 'Red Margaret'
ed when he found a leg of chicken on his round of loaf. He waited until she had gone "up the house" " then he called the servant girl over and said / say
Kate, what happened the auld hen?"
C62J