Scotch-Irish-L Archives

From: John Giacoletti <>
Subject: Knocking Down
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 1997 12:22:44 -0500

Jonathan Bardon in his A HISTORY OF ULSTER extracts a comment from Arthur
Young, A TOUR IN IRELAND, 1776-1779 which supposedly is "the most
celebrated denunciation of Irish landlords."

This jade from the Emerld Isle goes beyond the feudalistic Lord of the
Manor's first night rights or the sporting celebrated in border ballads.
We Americans are just too puritanical, I guess, but the comment shows the
shocking degree to which tenants were subservient to the landlord and a
total disregard for the conjugal and familial fidelities by all concerned
and not to speak of pride :

"Knocking down is spoken of in the country in a manner that makes an
Englishman stare. Landlords of consequence have assured me that many of
their cottars would think themselves honoured by having their wives and
daughters sent for to the bed of their masters."

The general histories list rent racking, religious intolerance, famine,
trade inequities and other economic hardships as reasons for the emigration
from Ulster. Add moral depravity.

John Giacoletti

This thread:

• Knocking Down by John Giacoletti <>