THE FIFTEENTH OF AUGUST AT GLENAVY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 190, 17 November 1876, Page 7

THE FIFTEENTH OF AUGUST AT GLENAVY.

The Fifteenth of August did not pass off so quietly as ono might have expected in this now notorious little village. The bipjotrv and intolerance for which t'lis place is so noted should be ventilated by the Orange rowdies on this occasion. It was well known that some of the Catholics had passed through the village in the morning for Hannahetown — the "scene of the great National demonstration — and the return journey was to ba marked by the "disapprobation" of these bloodthirsty scoundrels. Accordingly, on the appearance of the first contingent of Catholics in the village they were suddenly attacked ; a rush was made at the car, the horse was caught hold of, and the poor animal felled to the ground by a blow from some heavy instrument ; at the same time others of the mob were not idle" in their attention to the occupants of the car (three of whom were females). Stones were flung wiih great violence. The females, shrieking and crying for mercy, leaped off the car, and wero being conducted to the door of the house opposite by one of their friend* for safety, named M'Canc, who was struck a heavy blow on the head with a sharp instrument (surmised by some to be a slater's knife), which brought him to the ground, where he lay weltering in blood till he was raised from the place by a Catholic woman who was attracted to the scene by the noise and report of the blows. This woman heroically rushed forward, and with the aid of her servant succeeded in bringing the^poor man into her house, had a doctor sent for, and the wounds dressed. The poor man is progressing slowly, but is not yet out of danger, as erysipelas may at any time set in. Ono arrest has been made, and it is to be hoped that ot hers who participated in this brutal attack on these poor unsuspecting Catholics will be brought to justice, and be impressed, with the conviction that the time has gone by when they could have perpetrated such acts with impunity. It was rather a strange thing that the police, who were on duty at this place, were not to be seen at the time the attack was mado, although it was at a comparatively early hour of the evening. On the following evening (Wednesday), near the same place, a young man returning from Belfast, where he had been attending market, ■ was attacked with stones from behind tho hedge, and but for the spirited action of his horse the same fate might have befallen him as that which befel M'Cann. If such conduct be not put a stop to speedily and effectively the consequences may be fearful to contemplate, as this is the season when the farmers of necessity must attend market with their produce, and on their journey to and from Belfast must pass through this village, and there is no guarantee that similar treatment is not in store for them. A police station is much wanted ill this village, and until this want be supplied we cannot calculate in beiny safe from the cowardly attacks of these savage and untutored rowdicfe. — ' TTl&ter Examiner/