The sale of evicted farms near Pallasgreen has been abandoned after a large number of representatives from Limerick attended a meeting at Mr. Fitt’s auction rooms. Those present were informed that the sale had been withdrawn and the farms would not be put up for sale in the future. A subsequent meeting at the Town Hall expressed satisfaction with the abandonment of the sale and called for the continued reinstatement of tenants.
The scheduled sale of evicted farms near Pallasgreen, County Limerick, has been abandoned due to widespread opposition from the local community. A large number of representatives from Limerick attended Mr. Fitt’s auction rooms, where the farms were announced to be sold. Among those present were Rev M Ryan, Rev John Power, Rev John Sullivan, Mr. W Lundon MP, and Alderman O’Mara. They were all informed by Mr. Fitt that the sale was withdrawn and that he would not put up these farms for sale in the future.
Following this announcement, a meeting was held in the Town Hall for the purpose of expressing the community’s gratification at the abandonment of the sale. Rev Father Sullivan, who was moved to chair the meeting, stated that their work had only just begun and must continue until the evicted tenants are reinstated, as they deserved to be. He recounted the history of the case and asserted that Mr. Dobbs, the middleman, had no further interest in the farms, as they were not worth more than what he was paying for them.
Rev Father Ryan added that the tenants had been evicted when he was the pastor in Pallasgreen. He stressed that their presence at the auction was not to intimidate potential buyers, but to inform them of the farms’ evicted status. Mr. Lundon, MP, noted that he had been informed of the sale only the day before and had just arrived in time. He stated that Mr. Fitt had claimed that if any prominent man from the district had explained the case, he would not have put the farms up for sale and would not do so in the future.
At the meeting, resolutions were moved by Mr. Cunningham, DC, and seconded by Mr. Quinlan, DC, protesting against the sale of these farms to grabbers or others and arguing that there would be no peace in the country until the evicted tenants were reinstated. Rev Father Power strongly supported the resolutions, arguing that the withdrawal of sales was their first victory, and that if they maintained their opposition without compromise, they would succeed in returning the tenants to their holdings.
After speeches by Messrs Mark O’Brien and McInerney, Rev Father Ryan proposed a vote of thanks to Father Sullivan for presiding, which was seconded by Mr. John McInerney and passed unanimously. The strong turnout and unified stance against the sale of these evicted farms demonstrate the commitment of the local community to stand up for the rights of evicted tenants and to work towards their reinstatement.
Northants Evening Telegraph – Wednesday 03 April 1901
