Chaos in King’s County

Police draw revolvers to break up cattle drive

Tullamore, 16 November 1914 - Police in King’s County drew revolvers and carbines to disperse a crowd of 1,000 men who had gathered to drive cattle off the land of Lord Digby at Geashill in King’s County.

A free fight developed at one point between protestors and the police. The men, headed by bands playing nationalistic music, had marched on the lands after the failure to distribute it amongst the landless families of the area.

A confidential report on cattle driving in King's County. Click to view in full. (Image: National Archives of Ireland, CSO RP, 7080)

After a shot was fired, a man called Bracken from Tullamore was arrested and brought to Geashill Police Station and then conveyed onwards to Tullamore under heavy escort.