" No sooner said than done. The
stores were opened, the biscuits were distributed, the price was paid,
the effusion of blood was avoided, and this neighbourhood was saved from
what in the commencement threatened to be a most fearful calamity.[167]
It may be further mentioned that the people were four hours at the
entrance to the town before they finally retired, although repeatedly
called upon to do so by Mr. Galwey, who had resorted to the extreme
measure of reading the riot act. The people's constant reply was, that
they might as well be shot as not, as they had not tasted food for
twenty-four hours. Several of the neighbouring gentlemen took an active
part in the day's proceedings, as well as Mr. Galwey, more especially
Mr. M'Carthy Downing, the present worthy member for the county.
A body of men, numbering about five hundred, marched through Mallow, on
their way to the Workhouse, where they began to scale the walls, at the
same time exclaiming that they were starving and wanted food. Temporary
relief was distributed to them outside the Workhouse, upon which they
retired. It was reported that an attack had been made upon Lord Stuart
de Decies, on occasion of his attending the special sessions at
Clashmore, during which it was said that several persons cried out,
"Knock him down;" but his Lordship, in a letter to the newspapers, gave
a complete contradiction to this report.
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