While walking towards the Loona section on the trail (near Balla, Co. Mayo), the site of the Dempsey eviction can be seen on the hills far away. But what was the Dempsey eviction? The Dempsey eviction—which is explored below-- was a crucial turning point for the Land League movement in Ireland (Michigan State University, 2009).

The encyclopaedia Britannica (n.d.) describes the Land League as an “Irish agrarian organization that worked for the reform of the country’s landlord system under British rule. The league was founded in October 1879 by Michael Davitt-- the son of an evicted tenant farmer and a member of the Fenian (Irish Republican) Brotherhood. Davitt asked Charles Stewart Parnell, leader of the Irish Home Rule Party in the British Parliament, to preside over the league; this linking of the land reform movement with parliamentary activity constituted a new departure in the Irish national movement.”

Britannica (n.d.) goes on to say that “The league’s program was based upon the “three F’s”: fair rent, fixity of tenure, and free sale of the right of occupancy. The passage in 1881 of Gladstone’s Land Act, restricting the privileges of landlords, was a victory for the league. Parnell’s increasingly violent speeches, however, led to his arrest on Oct. 13, 1881, and the league called on tenants to withhold all rents. The government used this “no-rent manifesto” as a pretext for its suppression of the league on October 20.”

The Dempseys were local farmers who relied on the subsistence crop of potatoes for food while also growing oats as a cash crop to pay their rent. Unfortunately, in 1877 and 1878, their crops were particularly poor and they lost their grain crop before it was scheduled to be harvested. By the time May, 1879 came around, Sir Robert Blosse Lynch issued an eviction notice—despite explanations by Anthony Dempsey as to the state of their crop situation. To make matters worse, the Dempsey family came down with a fever and measles on the night of their scheduled eviction. The sheriff, when he arrived, decided to postpone the eviction by a week because of the Dempsey’s unfortunate health situation at the time (Michigan State University, 2009).

When Land League activists from Balla heard about the upcoming eviction they posted notices of a Land League rally on the Dempsey property at Loona More the following Saturday. Several big names showed up at the event and the rally was led by Fenian leader P.W. Nally who was later joined by Michael Davitt and Charles Stewart Parnell. A large crowd of reporters from England and Ireland arrived to cover the event. There, several resolutions supporting the goals of the Land League were passed (Michigan State University, 2009).

While approaching the Dempsey household, the men of the rally were met by several R.I.C. (Royal Irish Constabulary) soldiers who met them with pointed rifles. Charles Stewart Parnell ran to the frontline and commanded the Land Leaguers to fall back. The rally was a success but only a temporary one (Michigan State University, 2009).

After the media fanfare died down, the Dempsey eviction went ahead. After the eviction, the Land Leaguers realized that rallies alone would not be enough to stop the evictions—which were becoming more and more prevalent at that time. In addition to that, if news of the Dempsey’s eviction were to spread, it would not bode well for the Land League movement. So, it was decided that the money the Dempsey family owed would be paid by the Land League. Nearly one quarter of the money was raised by locally sourced funds. After the money was paid, the Dempsey family were allowed back into their home (Michigan State University, 2009).

In 1879, a newspaper named ‘The Pilot,’ which covered the Dempsey eviction saga, called the rally “a most remarkable and critical scene in the land movement in Mayo” (Boston College Libraries, n.d.)

‘The Pilot’ newspaper (1879) went on to write that, “It was the first eviction in Mayo since the recent land movement, and placards at once appeared all over the county, summoning the people to assemble at the scene of the eviction” (Boston College Libraries, n.d.)

The rally chairman exclaimed during the rally that, “some of those instances in the County Mayo where landlords have increased then rents 200 or 800 per cent, over the Ordnance valuation” which was reportedly met by groans from the crowd (Boston College Libraries, n.d.).

It is apparent, however, that the event could have turned deadly as ‘The Pilot’ newspaper (1879) reported that “A military officer boasted in Castlebar that the military would disperse any assemblage with bullets, and that the leaders would be specially picked off” (Boston College Libraries, n.d.).

Nevertheless, a primary speaker at the rally encouraged the crowd “…to be dignified, orderly, and peaceful in your conduct.” He went on to say that, “The future of our movement depends upon your attitude this day. Give no excuse for violence on the part of the Government, and our great cause is won” (Boston College Libraries, n.d.).

“There must have been quite eight thousand men in that extraordinary array, and their self-possession, orderliness, and enthusiasm were even more remarkable than their numbers” (Boston College Libraries, n.d.).

Mr. Thomas Brennan—a speaker at the rally—evoked cheers from the crowd when he said, “We are here today for a threefold purpose. We are here, in the first place, to protest against the eviction and possible death of nine of God’s creatures. We are here to protest in the name of our country and of justice against the unconstitutional arrest of our leaders, who are now paying the penalty of their devotion to the people’s cause, and we are here also to declare our determination to go on with this movement until victory is secured” (Boston College Libraries, n.d.).