FROM THE ARCHIVES:After the split caused by the controversy over his relationship with Katharine O'Shea, Charles Stewart Parnell toured the country seeking support. Already ill, his last public meeting was in Creggs, Co Galway, where he attacked his critics at length during heavy rain. He died in England just over a week later, aged 45. This is the start of the contemporary report of the Creggs meeting.
– JOE JOYCE
TO-DAY Mr. C. S. Parnell held a most successful meeting at Creggs, a small village about ten English miles west of this town , and five miles within the County of Galway, the object being to hold a meeting of the inhabitants of East Galway and of Roscommon.
Mr. Parnell, who was accompanied by Mr. J. P. Quinn, travelled from Dublin last night by the night mail train, was seen off by a considerable crowd at the Broadstone terminus, and to them he made a brief speech, expressing the hope that his hearers would give every support in their power to the new Nationalist paper it was
intended to produce within a month. Mr. Parnell, who did not look at all well last night, to-day wore his arm in a sling in consequence of his suffering from a severe attack of rheumatism.
When he reached Roscommon last night he was met by a large crowd of people, who cheered him most enthusiastically, and when he arrived at Mitchell’s Hotel, where he remained for the night, he was greeted with much enthusiasm, and, in response to repeated calls for a speech, he said a few words, explaining that on his arrival in Dublin he was ordered by his doctor to go to bed, and to remain there: but he disobeyed those orders because of his desire to again meet with the men of Roscommon and Galway.
Mr. Parnell started from Roscommon to-day shortly after noon, and, in company with Mr. Luke Hayden, M.P., and Mr. Quinn, travelled to the meeting place, where he was met by a very large concourse of people. In fact, considering all the conditions of the district, its desolate character, and the smallness of the village, it was really surprising to find a gathering of between three and four thousand persons assembled.
Mr. Parnell, who was received with loud applause, regretted that he was not in condition to address them that day. (Cries of “We are sorry for it.”) Nothing but the desire not to disappoint the true men that he saw around him overcame the orders of his doctor that he should have gone to bed last night when he arrived in Dublin. However, he did not think that any material damage would come to him from the meeting.
If he was to allow the suggestion of such a thought they should have their enemies throwing up their hats and announcing that he was buried before he was dead, and although a man on the other side of forty could not do the things he used to do in his youth, he still intended to bury a good many of these men. (Cheers.)
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