the historic designation, owns and lives
on an estate of a little more than 1000 acres, in the Golden Vein of
Ireland, at Killmallock, in the county of Limerick. The land is
excellent, and for the last half-century certainly it has been let to
the tenants at rents which must be considered fair, since they have
never been raised. In 1845, two years before the great famine, the
rental was L2142. This rental was paid throughout the famine years
without difficulty; and in 1881 the rental stood at L2108.

There has never been an eviction on the estate until last year, when six
tenants were evicted. All of these lived in good comfortable houses, and
were prosperous dairy-farmers. Why were they evicted?

In October 1886, during the candidacy at New York of the Land Reformer,
Mr. George, Mr. Dillon, M.P., propounded the "Plan of Campaign" at
Portumna in Galway. The March rents being then due on the estate of The
O'Grady in Limerick, his agent, Mr. Shine, was directed to continue the
abatements of 15 per cent, on the judicial rents, and of 25 per cent, on
all other rents, which had been cheerfully accepted in 1885. But there
was a priest at Kilballyowen, Father Ryan, who wrought upon the tenants
until they demanded a general abatement of 40 per cent. This being
refused, they asked for 30 per cent. on the judicial rents, and 40 per
cent. on the others. This also being refused, Father Ryan had his way,
and the "Plan of Campaign" was adopted. The O'Grady's writs issued
against several of the tenants were met by a "Plan of Campaign" auction
of cattle at Herbertstown in December 1886, the returns of which were
paid into "the Fund." For this, one of the tenants, Thomas Moroney, who
held, besides a a farm of 37 Irish acres, a "public," and five small
houses, at Herbertstown, and the right to the tolls on cattle at the
Herbertstown farm, valued at from L50 to L60 a year, and who held all
these at a yearly rent of L85, was proceeded against. Judge Boyd
pronounced him a bankrupt.

In the spring of 1887, after The O'Grady had been put to great costs and
trouble, the tenants made a move. They offered to accept a general
abatement of 17-1/2 per cent., "The O'Grady to pay all the costs."

Here is the same story again of the small solicitors behind the "Plan of
Campaign" promoting the strife, and counting on the landlords to defray
the charges of battle!

The O'Grady responded with the following circular:--

KlLLBALLYOWEN, BRUFF, CO