Talk:Art Ó Laoghaire

External links The Life and Times of Art O Laoghaire by Peter O'Leary

Although the article cites the external link with "The Life and Times of Art O Laoghaire by Peter O'Leary" at <http://www.ballingearyhs.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68:the-life-and-times-of-art-o-laoghaire&catid=4:journal-1998&Itemid=9> it differs in several respects:

1. Peter O'Leary "Art O Laoire was 26, a Captain in the Hungarian Hussars, a Regiment of Empress Marie Therese's Army of Austro-Hungary." The current article claims he was a colonel, unlikely for a 26-year old non-noble.

2. Peter O'Leary "...a contingent of soldiers, led by a local Magistrate, Abraham Morris..., had lined up along a ditch bordering the pound on the East side of the River. Morris gave the order to fire, and the first shot, which killed Art, came from the musket of a soldier called Green" The current article is ambiguous but could be read as that Morris was acting alone and himself fired the fatal shot.

3. Peter O'Leary gives a comprehensive account of the feud between Art O Laoire and Abraham Morris: "There was a history of bad blood between Art and Morris, who was High Sheriff of County Cork in 1771. In that year we have a dramatic account of an encounter between the two men which took place at Hanover Hall on 13th.July. This first notice was placed in the Cork Evening Post on 19th.August by Art stating that he had been charged with different crimes, and was prepared to stand trial at the next Assizes in Cork. This was followed on 7th.October by a claim against Art by Morris, outlining his charges against Art for the incident of the 13th.July. Morris's fellow Magistrates in the Muskerry Constitutional Society in an advertisement 3 days later appear to have agreed with their colleague and judged Art in his absence. He was Outlawed, and a price of 20 guineas put on his head. On 19th.October Art replied through the same Newspaper and defended himself vigorously from the charge, and suggests that judgement should be suspended until he has had a fair trial.

"The later event which we have no written evidence for, was a claim against Art under the Penal Laws, which took place in 1773. The circumstances revolve around the fact that Art brought back with him from Austria, his fine brown steed, on which he rode around in full view of the general public. Morris demanded that Art sell him the horse for £5. The Penal Laws, amongst many other humiliating clauses aimed at Catholics, stated that a Catholic may not own a horse of value more than £5, and any Protestant could demand its sale at this price. Art refused the sale, and struck Morris with his horse whip. He also challenged Morris to a duel, which was declined.

"Morris clearly was using his position as Magistrate, and at one point High Sheriff, to further his act of revenge against his enemy. He had no difficulty in persuading his fellow Magistrates to support him in his vendetta, and once proclaimed as an outlaw, Art could then be shot at sight quite legally." Although the second part of this, the dispute over the horse, this is a fuller account.

Although Peter O'Leary is a single source, he is a credible local historian, whereas the three references cited are literary authors and a playwright, who are presumably talking at second or third hand.

Shscoulsdon (talk) 09:41, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

Insertion of personal viewpoint

Without quoting any additional sources, in November 2013 contributer Pageturners made a number of edits which include personal viewpoints not supported by the sources.

an arrogant Englishman Abraham Morris. Brennan (page 144) describes Morris as a protestant landowner and by Peter O'Leary describes him as a local magistrate. The name Morris is known in England and Wales, but has also been known in Ireland since Norman times. There is insufficient evidence to show his descent and none of the sources call him arrogant, so "protestant landowner and magistrate" seems a better description.

the beautiful horse Brennan describes the horse as a champion racehorse, Peter O'Leary as a fine horse, but there is no description of it as beautiful, so no reason to change the original wording.

Sscoulsdon (talk) 05:45, 23 July 2017 (UTC) Sscoulsdon (talk) 16:22, 22 August 2017 (UTC)