School: Slane (C.) (roll number 4852)

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1. Historical Tradition (continued)

   

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   The longest remembered incidents in Irish History around here is in connection with the Land Agitation or Land War as it is locally called. About fifty or sixty years ago evictions were carried out on a very large scale throughout the country. One local landlord, a Mr Gradwell who lived at Dowth a few miles from Slane owned extensive estates at Dowth, Newgrange and Oldcastle. The years were very bad then, the crops failed and most of the tennants were unable to pay their rent. This Mr Gradwell evicted about fifty families for non-payment of rent. As a result of such action he became very unpopular and it is said that his life was even threatened by some poor desperate people and people are still alive who remember seeing Mr Gradwell passing guarded with armed military.
   As far back as the year 1176 there was a battle fought at Slane.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Ita O' Reilly

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Thurstianstown, Co. na Mí

   Informant

   M. O' Reilly