In a curious case brought before his Honour Judge Adams at the Newcastle West Quarter Sessions, a farm servant with a passion for music found himself as the plaintiff. The complaint stemmed from an alleged assault by a wealthy farmer who purportedly broke the fiddle the servant was playing outside the farmer’s residence. Adding to the commotion, a companion of the fiddle player joined in with a tambourine, intensifying the performance of “The Wearing of the Green.”

The defendant, the accused fiddle-breaker, claimed that he was provoked by the rendition of the music and the disturbance caused by the tambourine. He argued that his actions were intended to protect his cows, who allegedly became frightened by the musical instruments. Judge Adams found this explanation hard to believe, asserting that it was absurd to suggest that the cows, hailing from the Munster region, would be scared by the sounds, especially considering their familiarity with the Limerick district.

Furthermore, Judge Adams noted that eminent literary figures had expressed their dislike for the music of street organ-grinders but never resorted to destroying their instruments. On this occasion, a valuable Stradivarius worth £500 could have been destroyed, but fortunately for the defendant, the instrument in question was not a prized Cremona violin. Instead, it had been purchased for a mere 27 shillings and 6 pence from a hardware merchant in Newcastle West.

The court case shed light on a peculiar dispute between the farm servant and the farmer, highlighting the clash between their musical preferences and the alleged consequences for the frightened cows. The judge, while dismissing the claims of the cows’ distress, ultimately had to consider the damage inflicted on the instrument. The case served as a reminder that even seemingly innocuous disputes can find their way into the legal realm, providing an intriguing glimpse into the quirks of rural life in the area.

Dublin Evening Telegraph – Wednesday 03 February 1904