BY JOHN FITZGERALD
(Part One)
-The story of a bitter quarrel encompassing Callan, Gowran, and the village of Burnchurch.
Family feuds are unpleasant at the best of times. Once the first blow is struck, hatred, bitterness, and resentment can simmer for years. The eighteenth century witnessed one of Ireland’s most vicious feuds. It arose between the Floods and the Agars, two powerful landed families.
The rift that developed between them had its roots in a power struggle. They became rivals in a battle for the control of Callan Corporation and the town’s two parliamentary seats. At that time, the borough of Callan had the honour of returning two M.P.s; a high level of representation for such a small area.
Born in 1713, James Agar was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He served as M.P. for Gowran from 1747-60. In 1761, he was elected to represent Callan but his success was short-lived. Henry Flood mounted a challenge by way of petition to his election and unseated him. This was a bitter blow to Agar.
Henry Flood was one of the major political figures of the eighteenth century. He was born at Farmley, Burnchurch in 1732. The village of Burnchurch is about four miles outside Callan. He was educated at Trinity and Oxford. Flood was first elected to parliament in 1759. In the Irish House of Commons, only the great Henry Grattan equalled his oratorical skill. His chief passion was the cause of Irish independence.
The most dramatic incident in the long-running feud between the Flood and Agar families occurred in 1768. In that year, the Corporation was evenly divided in its support for Flood and Agar. A switch of allegiance by just one member would give control of the Corporation to one or other of the great rivals. And whoever controlled the Corporation could fill Callan’s two seats in parliament.
Both sides resorted to underhand tactics in the pursuit of power. Corruption was rife as bribery and political arm-twisting held sway. Events at the Town Hall spilled over into faction fighting in the streets. Marathon brawls were commonplace in Callan as the Floods and Agars battled for supremacy.
In October of 1768, James Agar received a tantalising message from his home in Ringwood, Gowran. It was from Francis Knap of Burnchurch, who was Deputy Sovereign (Mayor) of Callan. He was a loyal supporter and tenant of Henry Flood. Knap promised to divert his vote from Flood to Agar in the forthcoming election if Agar would give him a farm on his estates and specified sum of money.
Intrigued by the offer, Agar invited Knap to come and see him. On the evening of October 28th, the day before the election, Knap’s wife Brigid drove to Callan and met Agar at the Red Lion Inn. She explained that her husband was unable to come but was at his residence and ready to discuss the proposition.
The Innkeeper, Michael Keogh, advised Agar against travelling to Burnchurch. It was in “enemy territory”, he warned, meaning that Flood was the dominant force in the area. Keogh volunteered to go in his place. Agar lent him a pair of pistols to defend himself should he be attacked.
Keogh and Knapp’s wife drove to Burnchurch in a chaise (a light two-wheeled carriage) with the intention of meeting Knap at this residence. When her home came into view, Brigid Knap stopped the carriage.
Ashe told Keogh she wanted to ensure her husband was alone in the house and that their meeting would not be interrupted. As she walked away, men armed with muskets and crowbars surrounded the chaise…
To be continued…
