The Battle of Bodyke
The Battle of Bodyke p.1
Page one of a two-page account of the Battle of Bodyke by Father Murphy, a local priest.
The Battle of Bodyke p.1
The Battle of Bodyke p.1
Page one of a two-page account of the Battle of Bodyke by Father Murphy, a local priest.
On June 1, 1881, Colonel O'Callagahn and 150 police arrived at Bodyke to serve legal documents to 26 tenants for non-payment of rent. A large crowd gathered in the village, some carrying sticks. One villager, John Moloney died when he was struck by a policeman.
The Battle of Bodyke p.2
Page two of a two-page account of th eBattle of Bodyke by local priest Father Murphy.
The Battle of Bodyke p.2
The Battle of Bodyke p.2
Page two of a two-page account of th eBattle of Bodyke by local priest Father Murphy.
A confrontation arose between the villagers and the police but in the end the police got the upper hand. Having taken a number of villagers into custody, the police used them as protection from attacks. They made the prisoners walk for hours with them around the countryside serving legal notices to tenants who had fallen behind in their rent.
You can read an eyewitness account of the Battle of Bodyke by clicking on the images.
Judicial Rents
In 1881, the Land Act was passed. It gave tenants better security. Rents were fixed for fifteen years and tenants who paid this rent would be protected by law and compensated for any improvements they carried out on their rented property.
The new rents fixed for Bodyke were on average 35% lower than they had been. However, poor economic conditions over the next few years meant that by 1887 tenants could not pay even the reduced rents. Captain O'Callaghan refused to compromise further. He said that any further reductions in rent would lead to financial ruin for the estate.