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Offaly (King's) Item Land reform
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Annual Report 1881

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1881. Reports that the financial condition of the estate had disimproved, outstanding arrears remaining due and abandoned arrears considerably increased. Profit remitted was £8500, a decrease on previous years, although there was a net increase in the overall rental income. Also reports that the Roskeen lease was surrendered by the reps of Mr. Bailey, and that the farm at Ballydownan was surrendered by Mr Adams and now in Lord Digby's hands and set for grazing with newly purchased cattle.

In terms of land improvement, Digby reports on the completion of a number of Board of Works projects including the draining and squaring of the moors under Scrubb Wood, the deepening of the boundary stream at Cappancur and the sinking of a large main drain in Balinvally bog. Construction works included new offices for Mr Arthur of Killurin and Patrick Nugent of Ballycollin; new cottages completed at Killeigh; new cottage commenced in Geashill Village and assistance give to William Mathews to erect substantial new dwelling house in Killurin. Also reports on the thinning and replanting of Derrygunnigan Wood.

Warns that agrarian agitation is increasing encouraged by the Land League. Blames the Government for slow response to agitation. Reports on a 'monster meeting' held in Tullamore by the Land League prior to the winter collection of rents (1880) where the Geashill tenantry requested en masse Griffith's Valuation as a fair rent which was subsequently refused by Lord Digby, but who abated the rent by 10% on the half year's rent payable. Identifies William Adams as the leader of the agitation and describes the court proceedings taken against him individually. With the result of being faced with bankruptcy, Adams paid his rent and then surrendered farm at Ballydownan, with the result that all other agitation on the estate ceased and rents were collected within three weeks. Also refers to 'boycotting' occurring throughout the estate but that no acts of violence or outrages took place. A further attempt at withholding rent in May 1881 was similarly short-lived.

Annual Report 1910

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1910, in which Digby reports that rents payable by tenant purchasers to the Land Commission have been satisfactorily met with only one defaulter, and that the rents of those who refused to sign purchase agreements have also been paid punctually. Also notes that the grasslands which have for several years been in Lord Digby's occupation have been let at satisfactory rents to solvent and respectable tenants and reports that there were none of the difficulties 'which have recently attended the letting of grasslands in so many parts of this county and in Ireland generally.'

Annual Report 1914

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1914, showing that rents were paid well. Warns however that the past year has been marked by 'great unrest and excitement' mainly due to a demand made of Lord Digby that he take up and sell the grasslands to the Land Commission which were in his occupation at the time of the sale of the rest of the estate but had since been let to 'good and solvent tenants'. As a result of the refusal of Lord Digby to take up the lands and of the occupier to surrender them, a series of meetings was held culminating in a large cattle drive of all the cattle belonging to the tenants of the lands. Also reports that a special police station has been erected in Geashill village for the protection of these lands.

Annual Report 1915

Annual report, accounts and rental for year end June 1915, in which Digby describes in detail the events surrounding the Geashill Cattle Drive on the grasslands of Ballydownan in November 1914. Describes the bands and banners accompanying the drive, the injuring of several policemen, and the arrest of 46 men who subsequently pleaded guilty at the Winter Assizes in Dublin. Also notes that despite the jailing of the ring-leaders, agitation continued and boycotting and intimidation on the estate were rife. Also notes that inspection of the boundaries of the estate has been completed by the Land Commission but that the final inspection has yet to be made.

Annual Report 1893

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1893, showing a slight decrease in gross rent received and an increase in abandoned arrears due to the eviction of three tenants: Michael Malone, Danganbeg; John Dunne, Ballinagar; and Michael Coughlan, Cappancur. Digby notes that he was able to re-let Malone and Dunne's holdings but that it was 'impossible' to re-let Coughlan's farm. Also notes that Lord Digby granted a 15% rent reduction to non-judicial tenants as a result of continued depressed prices and great injury caused by an excessively wet harvest.

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