Irish Estate

I walked to the Vicar's small but renovated house and accepted a glass of sherry. The bishop had agreed to the transfer of the church to the Catholics, in exchange for my one hundred pounds. I wrote a cheque for the bishop.

As I walked back in the gathering gloom I was accosted by a masked rider.

"Lord Strathbally," He said. "I am Captain Midnight."

I doffed my hat.

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Captain Midnight," I said. "Will you join me in my house for a glass?"

"You're not afraid?" He queried.

"No. Should I be? I've got some local poteen I'd like your opinion on. My tenants have started distilling it. I think it's quite good for beginners, or perhaps they're not such beginners as they say they are."

Captain Midnight laughed.

"Of course they're not. You and I know that. But for you they are now producing legally and paying the excise duty."

"They aren't. I am. But it doesn't matter. It's legal. Neither you nor I want the excisemen sniffing around locally. Paying a few shillings duty keeps them busy elsewhere."

"OK, Lord Strathbally. I accept your invitation. I wouldn't have come near your Great-Uncle's guns."

"And there aren't any now. My only guns are sporting pieces locked in the gun room. Even the drawbridge can't be raised. I've used the chains to site mooring buoys in the harbour."

Captain Midnight followed me across the drawbridge. He secured his horse and followed me into the main hall. I asked my butler, Fergus, to bring us a bottle of poteen and some glasses. Captain Midnight took off his hat but retained his mask.

I filled our glasses and raised mine for a toast.

"To Ireland!" I said.

"I can drink to that, Lord Strathbally," Captain Midnight replied. "Even though you are a Protestant English Landlord."

"Who is trying to do his best for the people who rely on me, Captain."

"I know you are, unlike some other English landlords."

"And some Irish ones can be as bad, or worse," I retorted.

"I agree."

"But presumably you came here to see me, Captain Midnight? For a purpose?"

"Yes, I did, I want to talk about the people on your estate."

"And?"

"To put it simply, Lord Strathbally, there are too many."

"I agree. Since the potato blight, there are still too many for the crops that can be grown on the estate. I had thought of buying some more land but that wouldn't have helped. More land means more people and therefore just making the problem larger. So?"

"Some of my followers are finding Ireland too dangerous for them."

"I can understand that even if they don't come here."

"They do, sometimes, to hide, but the risk is still there."

"Not from me."

"No -- from the militia and if it was known people were hiding on your estate, the authorities might make an example of your tenants."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"You have told the Fergusons that people from your Scottish estates can emigrate to America, with your blessing, their passages paid by you and with a grant to help them become established."

I didn't know how Captain Midnight knew that but it was true and no secret.

"Yes. And?"

"If you were to make the same offer to your Irish tenants, we have friends in Boston, America, that would look after them and make sure they find land they can farm."

"There must be a catch."

"There is. When a family emigrates, we would like the ship to sail direct for Boston from your harbour that the Customs and Excisemen leave alone, and each family might have grown by a couple of young men when they leave."

"Your wanted adherents?"

"Yes, You could see it as doing the authorities a favour, exporting desperate terrorists."

"Or wanted criminals?"

"That's just a different view of the same people. Fighters for Irish freedom is what I'd prefer to call them."

"And for that, my former tenants would be helped?"

"Yes."

I poured some more poteen and then held out my hand.

"Agreed! Let's drink to cooperation, Captain Midnight."

+++

The next day I spoke to Seamus O'Connor and told him that any family who wanted to emigrate to America would do so at my cost, with a grant, and help once they landed in America. When I saw them I also told the Catholic priests.

+++

There was an unexpected consequence. Those who were considering emigration wanted to be able to speak at least some English and most were illiterate even in Gaelic. I lost my teacher and translator Kathleen. She was running classes for those that wanted to learn English -- for some of the children in different age groups, and for the adults. She was helped by the Vicar. The two Catholic priests were teaching reading and writing in Gaelic. All four of them were very busy. I didn't object but I was missing Kathleen.

Over the past few months Kathleen had helped me to have a basic knowledge of Gaelic but not enough. She had been beside me most of each working day to help when I spoke to my tenants and workmen, and also acted as my secretary. I appreciated her extensive knowledge of Gaelic and Irish traditions and customs, but I had begun to appreciate her as a woman as well. She was pleasant company and she was the only one, apart from the Vicar and her brother, who could speak to me on a level of mutual understanding.

+++

Over the next few months eight families had said they wanted to go to America. I had booked their passages, third class instead of the usual steerage. That meant that each family had their own cabin and had a baggage allowance. I had ordered a basic set of agricultural and carpentry tools for each family sent from Dublin.

I had formally transferred the old Priory Church, which I owned, to the Catholic diocese, giving them the freehold. The local Catholic Bishop had attended to consecrate the Church as Catholic, and because it was now wholly owned by the Catholics, to paint small crosses around the nave. Very few Catholic Churches in Ireland had the crosses. I attended the Mass, sitting at the back as a Protestant, just observing but I was embarrassed as the Bishop led the congregation in a prayer of thanks for me.

An emigrant ship sailing from Liverpool diverted into our harbour to collect our eight emigrant families before going to Boston. There were three 'adopted' sons going with them. I spoke to those three, asking them to ensure our families were looked after in America. They assured me that they would be, and that during the voyage they would continue the English lessons.

As I stood on the quayside, watching the ship depart, Kathleen was standing beside me. As the ship moved away her arm came around my waist and hugged.

"You're a good man, Andrew," She said, the first time she had used my first name instead of calling me Lord Strathbally. We stood watching until the ship was out of sight. Everyone else had gone.

Kathleen swung me around and kissed me. My arms went around her, very aware that I had an attractive and intelligent woman in my arms. She kissed me again and again and walked back to my home, hand in hand.

Back in the castle I asked Kathleen:

"Why?"

"Why what, Andrew?" She replied.

"Why did you kiss me?"

She kissed me again.

"Because you are doing so much for our people. They suffered under your Great-Uncle. They are suffering under other landlords, but you, Andrew, by comparison, are a saint."

"I don't feel like a saint when you kiss me, Kathleen."

She laughed.

"No. You shouldn't. My kisses show that I love you; we love you; and would do almost anything to repay you, Andrew."

"And now I am going to need your help again, Kathleen. It is nearly Michaelmas, the time annual rents should be paid..."

"They can't afford rent, Michael!" Kathleen was horrified.

"I know, Kathleen. This year I won't ask for any. What I want eventually is to get this estate to the point at which they could. That will take years if not decades. But next year, I would like a token rent from everyone, just to prove the principle that they should pay rent when they can. I want your help to write me a speech, in Gaelic, in which I can tell them what I intend, please?"

Kathleen was still worried until I told her exactly what I wanted to say. When she knew that, she kissed me again and again.

I asked Seamus to arrange for all my tenants to be in the Priory barn after Mass on Michaelmas Sunday. Food and drink would be provided.

+++

At that meeting I stood, flanked by Seamus and Kathleen. I told my tenants that this year I wanted no rent. I reminded them that all previous arrears had been erased. They owed me nothing. I wanted the estate to be improved until everyone could afford to pay me a fair rent that they could afford but that wouldn't be next year or for many years. But next Michaelmas I wanted a token rent from everyone. It could be a bunch of carrots, a few turnips, or even just a handful of earth from the land they occupied, something they could give me that they could afford, please.

Father Simon spoke for the tenants, thanking me for all I had done so far and for my intentions for the future. He agreed, and could because what I was going to say had been communicated to everyone in the week before I said it, that next year they would give me a token rent.

+++

On St Patrick's Day I provided a feast in the Priory barn for everyone. The legal poteen and beer flowed but it was a joyous occasion even if there were a few hangovers the next day. I didn't have a hangover but was pleased that I had danced many times with Kathleen and some of the estate's matrons.

During the year ten more families, accompanied by eight adopted sons, left for America. The families that had already gone had written to tell how well they were doing.

+++

By the next Michaelmas, Kathleen was acknowledged as my girlfriend, the only obstacle to her becoming formally my fiancée was that she was Catholic and I was Protestant. The Vicar and Priests were worried about the prospect of a cross-faith marriage.

Again I stood in the Priory barn. Seamus and Kathleen were beside me as my tenants presented me with their token rents -- some eggs, cheese, vegetables etc.

But then a young girl, about eight years old, came forward. Eileen lived with her grandfather because her parents were dead. She was holding a live rabbit and tears were running down her face. I asked Kathleen to ask her if it was her pet rabbit. The girl couldn't speak but nodded.

I raised my voice and spoke in Gaelic.

"I asked for a token rent, that which you could afford. I am sorry. I can't accept this rabbit. The price is too much. Nothing is worth as much as a granddaughter's tears. Eileen? You can keep your rabbit. I will want to see him with you next year."

Eileen stood uncomprehending. Kathleen repeated what I had said. Eileen's face brightened and there was a faint smile.

"But I am happy to accept a granddaughter's smile. Thank you, Eileen." I said.

Eileen rushed up to me and threw an arm around my waist. The other arm was cradling her rabbit. She stood beside me, between me and Kathleen, as I accepted the other offerings. Eileen was looking up at me as if I was her hero. Kathleen stroked Eileen's head.

At the end of the proceedings Eileen was still holding me as if she was afraid to let me go. Kathleen gently prised her off me and took her to her grandfather.

A horseman entered through the large doors. It was the masked Captain Midnight. He asked for Kathleen. Kathleen went across to him. He gave her a bag of money. He raised his voice.

"I know you tenants cannot afford to pay Lord Strathbally a cash sum for rent. But over a year ago I asked for a favour from Lord Strathbally and he has delivered. This is my recompense for what he has done."

He turned his horse and was gone. His appearance ended the event.

Afterwards Kathleen was hugging me even more fiercely than Eileen had done.

"I have something I ought to tell you, Andrew," She said. "or rather two things. The first? You don't know, but I am Captain Midnight's agent on your estate. Everyone else knows, even the Priests and the Vicar, but not you. Do you mind?"

"Mind, Kathleen? Why should I? As Captain Midnight says, we have an agreement. It is good for both of us even if the authorities might object -- if they knew. What is the second thing?"

"The second thing? Despite what the Priests or Vicar might say, I want to marry you, an English Protestant. You are the most generous person I know. I want you, Andrew, for myself."

Kathleen looked nearly as worried as Eileen had earlier. I took her hand and kissed it.

"Yes, Kathleen. I will marry you. I want you too."

After that there were only kisses for a long time.

I had to promise that any children would be Catholics but we were married by the Priests in the Church with the Vicar helping them. According to the official records we were married as Protestant members of the Church of Ireland but in reality we celebrated a nuptial mass.

It will take decades to make what had been Great-Uncle Rory's Irish estate profitable and we might have to send many more families to America before that is possible. But I am enjoying an Irish wife.