School: Ballintotas (roll number 15165)

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   “In Trabolgan House, near Whitegate, Co Cork. during the past century lived the Roche family, who had the title Lord Fermoy...”

   

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   I had the following story from the same source as the last but it dates back a generation farther. Joseph's grandfather remembered the Councellor well, and was in the employment of the Roche family at Trabolgan when the incident occurred. He recorded that the secrecy which surrounded the attack was so great that the names of the perpetrators were not known among the bulk of the employees.
   In Trabolgan House, near Whitegate, Co Cork, during the past century lived the Roche family, who had the title Lord Fermoy. In 1820-25 the occupant was Ed. Bucke Roche. He had employed a great number of the local peasantry. These employees had stewards, and lesser stewards, to see that they did their work. The chief steward died and was replaced by a north of Ireland man, named Coburn. This man was an out-and-out tyrant, and was extremely unpopular with the employees. He had the yard-bell, which was the employees' only timepiece, removed, and substituted for it a horn. It was customary for this man to remain at "the great house" each day until after dinner, and then to proceed to front lodge, where he lived. On the avenue between the front lodge and "the great house" was a bridge, over a sub-way. This sub-way was really a sloping cart-track, which led from Trabolgan Strand to the yard of "the great house" and along which the ore [oar?]-weed was

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Joseph Buckley

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   60

   Occupation

   Saddler

   Address

   Midleton, Co. Cork