They assaulted overseers; refused to work for them; threatened
their lives, and in one instance at least, attempted the life of a
Government functionary. At the village of Clare, in the county of that
name, some short distance south of Ennis, the capital, this
insubordination seems to have become rather formidable, as a murderous
outrage was committed there on the head steward of the works, Mr. W.
Hennessy, half-way between Clare and Ennis. He was fired upon by one of
four men whom he observed inside the road ditch, as he passed along. The
weapon used was a blunderbuss. It was charged with some of the blasting
powder belonging to the works, and duck shot; so that although Mr.
Hennessy received the contents in his right side, he was not mortally
wounded, and recovered in a little time. Captain Wynne, the local
inspector, giving an account of this outrage to his Board, says, the
cause of the outrage was because Mr. Hennessy was trying to get the men
into proper training. Quite likely. But it must be taken into account,
that a duty of that kind might be done in such a way as neither to
offend the men, nor lose their respect or esteem; and it might be done
in an offensive insolent manner, calculated to exasperate them,
especially as they were in a state of excitement at the period.
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