The Anti-Disestablishment Demonstration at Cootehill
Historian Jonathan Smyth's latest edition looks at the Disestablishment crisis that faced the Church of Ireland in the 1860s...
It was a daunting prospect for the church, and although feared by some, it was welcomed by others of the faith who saw it as freedom gained from England, the country who had originally appointed her to the position of a state body. When the act of disestablishment came to be debated before the British parliament, the Rev R.S. Brooke DD mischievously wrote that: ‘It was during the parliamentary session of 1869 that the Irish Church (Church of Ireland) was borne like a fainting woman into the House of Commons to hear British legislators debate upon her destiny, and decide whether her existence as a State Institution should continue or terminate.’
The following account is based on an extract from the book, ‘All Saints’ Cootehill 1819-2019, a history of the church, the parish, and its people’ and recalls an anti-disestablishment demonstration that was held in Cootehill in 1868.
R.B. McDowell, a former associate professor of history at Trinity College, Dublin, was to point out that the Church of Ireland’s position of privilege and prestige could not have lasted in a world which sought reform. To explain further, he stated: ‘the nineteenth century, however, was an age in which there was a growing belief in the virtues of economy, fairness and efficiency, when keen reformers, angered by abuses and anomalies – however picturesque – were eager to make the best use of all available resources.’
Professor McDowell then added that the Church of Ireland was not immune to ‘these forces’ of change.
Census
The census of 1861, had shown that on a national level, members of the once established Church accounted for 693,300 in total, in other words, 11.96 percent of the population. By 1871, the church membership had changed little, and now consisted of ‘667,900 out of a population of 5,412,000.’ Successive politicians, ‘liberals, radicals and repealers’ had continually challenged the church’s position as a state church. Across Ireland, protestant defence associations soon sprang-up, to defend the status quo of its role as the then established church.
In February 1868, a meeting in support of the Cootehill ‘Central Protestant Defence Association’ was held in the Darley School. The Cavan Weekly News, published the following report: ‘A meeting of the protestant inhabitants of Cootehill was held on Monday evening, February 3rd, in the Parochial Schoolhouse. The Rev Thomas Moore occupied the chair. After some remarks from the chairman explanatory of the object of the meeting, it was resolved: - First, that the present systematic attack on the revenues of the Irish branch of the Established Church calls for the utmost vigilance and resolution on the part of all true protestants; and, therefore, that this meeting cordially sympathises with the efforts of the Central Protestant Association, and pledges itself to support them to the best of its ability.’
Secondly, the report noted: ‘That it is advisable that the Protestant inhabitants of this parish should be represented at the great meeting to be held in Dublin on Wednesday next and that James Cooney Esq., churchwarden, be requested to attend as a deputation on that occasion’ and thirdly - ‘that, this meeting receives the report of the deputation, and to make such further arrangements as deemed necessary.’
Demonstration
In May of the same year, what was described as an ‘important and highly influential meeting’ of the Protestants of Cootehill and its ‘adjoining localities’ took place for the purpose of forming a larger ‘local defence’ movement. The gathered crowd assembled at the front gates, which led up to Bellamont House, the home of Captain Coote, High Sheriff of County Cavan. The heavy showers did not deter the people and by one o’clock a count of those arriving to Bellamont had reached 4,590 persons. Under Captain Madden, it was said that a contingent of 500 alone came from County Monaghan.
When the proceedings got under way, it was reported that none of the clergymen of the Church of Ireland took part, as they preferred to leave the event to be run entirely by the ‘laity’ and ministers of ‘other denominations.’ Amongst the many clergymen in attendance, there was the Rev Thomas Moore, Drumgoon Rectory; Rev Lewis Richards, incumbent of Ashfield; Rev James Bones, Presbyterian Minister, Cootehill; Rev Adam Woodhouse, Primitive Wesleyan minister; Rev Charles Leslie, rector of Drung; Rev J. Whitsitt, Presbyterian minister, Drum; and Rev Mr Fennel, Ballybay. The landlord class who showed up, were to consist of Henry E. Coote, Bellamont Forest; Mr Townley, Tullyvin; Theophilus Clements, Rakenny; Colonel Clements, D.L., J.P., Ashfield Lodge; William Humphries, Esq, DL, JP, Ballyhaise House; John Madden, DL, JP, Rosslea Manor; and Captain Beresford Knox, USC, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin.
In 1869, the Disestablishment Act was eventually passed by the parliament and as a consequence, it officially separated the church from state control, thereby distancing the organisation from politics and allowing it to have complete autonomy over its own affairs.
A SUB-CONSTABLES ‘GALLANT ACTIONS’
On September 12th, 1876, an eyewitness informed the Cavan Weekly News about a startling event which occurred in Cavan town.
The individual had observed a clergyman and a few others who were about to drive from the Globe Hotel on the previous Saturday, when a juvenile standing by shouted loudly, which caused a horse, ‘a fine young beast’, to spring into mid-air, and ‘rear towards the Hotel’.
Luckily, sub-constable Heenan happened to be nearby, and, on seizing the reins, good and tight he brought the animal ‘back to the earth’, when the leather strap snapped, leaving in the constable's hands the bits and head-bands. The horse was once more able to break free and assumed an almost ‘perpendicular attitude’; but the sub-constable was said to have been equal to the occasion, and grasped the mane, holding him until he could be handed over. Amazingly, the creature managed to escape again, but was recaptured by the policeman.
The eyewitness requested that sub-constable Heenan might receive some sort of reward for his gallant conduct.
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