Orange flag puzzle

ORANGE FLAG PUZZLE.

AN ENNISKILLEN MYSTERY SOLVED AFTER SIXTY YEARS.

The funeral of Mr. Hugh Wallace, who died at the ripe old age of 86 years, took place at Enniskillen on Wednesday, when a large number of personal friends and acquaintances followed the remains to the New Cemetery.

The death of Mr. Wallace recalls an interesting adventure that he had in early life. More than sixty years ago Rev. William Connor, the rector of Enniskillen, who afterwards became Archbishop of York, was approached by the Government, who requested him to see that no Orange flags were flown from the church tower on July […].

The [rector] gave his promise, and in order to […] […] […], locked the church doors on July […]. Imagine his sur[prise] […] morning, he viewed […] […] several Orange flags […] in the breeze above the church tower. The rector hurried into the […] […] […] the sexton, and demanded an explanation. The sexton, however, could throw absolutely no light on the affair, and the incident was eventually forgotten.

It was only recently that the late Mr. Wallace cleared up the sixtly-year-old [sic] mystery. He disclosed that he and three fellow conspirators, determined that the flags should fly from the tower, made their way to a window near the vestry. The tallest member of the party climbed on to the shoulders of the others, drew himself up by a ledge, and succeeded in smashing several panes of glass, through which he eventually managed to crawl and gain an entrance to the church. The most difficult part of the raid was over, and the young men soon had the flags flying from the tower, and even rang a peal of bells. “To avoid discover, however,” added Mr. Wallace, “we had to lie for hours behind the tombstones.”

(Belfast Telegraph, 22nd March 1928)

Upholstering and French polishing

JAMES DONAGHEY

Successor to Mr. HUGH WALLACE,

UPHOLSTERING AND FRENCH POLISHING.

5 ANN STREET, ENNISKILLEN

8059

(Fermanagh Times, 5th August 1926)

Master of the Orange Lodge

ORANGE CERTIFICATE IN MATCH BOX.

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE FERMANAGH TIMES).

Dear Sir, – I read your paragraph in last week’s issue with much interest, and can give you the following particulars:- The Patrick Maguire named in the certificate lived with his brother Bernard Maguire, in the house at Coleshill now occupied by Mr. Owen M’Teggart, in the year 1860 and for some years afterwards. One brother, Patrick, was a Protestant and Orangeman, and the other brother, Bernard, was a Roman Catholic, and reputed to be a Molly Maguire man. The brothers lived together on good terms notwithstanding the difference in their religious views and that both fought on opposite sides at the great Macken fight. Patrick, I think, died first about 1865, and Bernard survived him for a few years. They were labourers and often employed on Lord Enniskillen’s property. It is possible that Patrick put his certificate in the match box and hid it in the roof so that Bernard might not see it. The Charles Feely, who was then Master of L.O.L. 991 and whose signature is to the certificate, was the grandfather of the present Messrs. George and William Feely, Farriers, who carry on business in Cross Street in this town, and in 1860 that lodge held its meetings in the house which then stood upon the site of Miss Megaw’s present house in High Street and Middleton Street. After the Orange Hall was built in the sixties, the lodge commenced to hold its meetings there and I was Master of it for several years. I do not know whether it is now in existence or not. The foregoing particulars may be of interest to some of your readers. – Yours faithfully,

HUGH WALLACE.

5, Anne Street, Enniskillen.

28th September, 1921.

(Fermanagh Times, 29th September 1921)

Objecting to the Lord Lieutenant’s Secretary

LORD LIEUTENANT’S SECRETARY,

Objected to by the Unionists.

AT BELLEEK REVISION SESSIONS.

Belleek Revision Sessions were opened on Friday by his Honour County Court Judge Johnston, K.C., Revising Barrister.

Mr. J. W. Hanrahan, Clerk of the Crown and Peace, acted as registrar.

The Nationalists were represented by Mr. W. P. Maguire, solicitor, Enniskillen, instructed by Messrs. John Keenan (Enniskillen), D. Gilfodder, R.D.C., John Maguire, Thomas M’Grath, Patrick Scott, J.P., John Keon, and John Magorty.

The Unionists were represented by Mr. Chas. F. Falls, solicitor, Enniskillen, assisted by Jas. H. Charlton [James Hamilton Charlton], Hugh Wallace [Hugh Wallace (1845-1922), who was also father-in-law of Charlton], Johnston M’Brien, John O’Neill, and others.

Mr. J. B. Chism, Clerk of the Ballyahannon Union, and Rate Collectors M’Dermott and May were in attendance.

James Cecil Johnston (Private Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant) was objected to by the Unionists on the grounds that he had sub-let Magheramena Castle. He was described on the register as “a rated occupier – £80 – Magheramena.”

It appeared that the rating of the Castle was £80, but that he is in possession of lands in Magheramena rated for over £100.

It was admitted he had sub-let the Castle, but Mr. Maguire, solicitor, contended that the amount of his rating in the Register – £80 – was an error, and that he should have been rated for the total amount appearing in the rate book, and that therefore the revising barrister had power to amend by altering the £80 to the amount of the total rating, and that he would then have more than a sufficient rating to entitle him to the franchise. He also relied on the point that the description of the qualifying premises in the register was Magheramena, and not Magheramena Castle, and there was no evidence to show that he was on the register merely in respect of Magheramena Castle.

Mr. Falls argued that it was for Magheramena Castle Mr. Johnston was registered, because there was only one £80 rating in the rate books, and that was the actual rating of the Castle, and that therefore the revising barrister could not amend the rating as that would be introducing new qualifying premises.

The Revising Barrister struck out the name but said he would allow Mr. Maguire to reopen the case if he could produce any decision in favour of his contention.

(Fermanagh Herald, 21st September 1912)

Cabinet maker, upholsterer and undertaker

Hugh Wallace,

CABINETMAKER, UPHOLSTERER AND UNDERTAKER.

5, ANN STREET,

ENNISKILLEN.

Removals carried out,

Repairs neatly Executed.

Coffins supplied.

Funerals conducted.

REPAIRS OF ANTIQUE FURNITURE A SPECIALITY.

8316

(Fermanagh Times, 30th March 1911)

Obituary of Hugh Wallace junior

OBITUARY.

MR. HUGH WALLACE, JUNIOR

Much regret was caused in Enniskillen by the announcement of the death of Mr. Hugh Wallace, son of Mr. Hugh Wallace, Anne Street, and a member of one of the oldest and most respected families in town. Death took place on Friday in the County Infirmary from peritonitis, contracted only a few days before. The late Mr. Wallace was 27 years of age, and most popular with all who knew him. He was an ardent footballer and for some years had assisted the local Corinthian Club, the members of which sent a beautiful floral wreath as an appreciation of their late member’s good qualities and as a token of their sorrow and their loss. The funeral took place on Sunday last to the New Cemetery and was very largely attended by all classes.

(Fermanagh Times, 29th September 1910)

Claimed and sold the land for a new public hall

ENNISKILLEN FORESTRY.

WHAT BRANCH DEVENISH HAS DONE

AND WHAT IT PROPOSES TO DO.

Big Project for a New Hall.

(SPECIAL.)

Nationalist forces are not always as vigorous as they might be in Enniskillen as compared with many another town that fate has pushed even farther into the “Black North,” yet many both at home and abroad are in the habit of expressing wonder at the splendid achievmenets of our local branch of the Irish National Foresters. It is not so much the sweeping success that has been accomplished by the Branch as the fact that it has succeeded in existing at all in the face of most untoward circumstances that has called forth the admiration of the Nationalists of the North who know the Branch and the scene of its operations. From the various branches of the Order, especially all over the North, the members of the Branch Devenish, Enniskillen, have received many praises for the

FIGHTING AND PERSEVERING SPIRIT

they have displayed in pushing forward the cause of Forestry in the “Island Town.”

Branch Devenish was established in 1896. It took up its abode in a not very convenient nor commodious room in East Bridge Street.

[…]

THE SITE FOR THE PROPOSED NEW HALL

has been secured in Eden Street, (off Town Hall Street). The plot is about 60 feet square. It appears that the ground itself has a history in its way. Some 40 years ago it was a waste to which the waves of Lough Erne used now and then pay visits. But Mr. Wallace, who owned the adjoining property, filled up the waste and naturally and rightly claimed it as his own. The Earl of Enniskillen, with a keen eye for reclaimed wastes, insisted on the new (or rather the first) owner paying rent for the plot. This Mr. Wallace refused to do, with the result that there was law which ended in a triumph for Mr. Wallace. Consequently the place is a freehold. This the Foresters secured in April last from Mr. H. Wallace for a sum of £55 [see sale advertisement here], and it is to be hoped that the public will rally to their support in their endeavours to raise funds to erect their hall. The plans are in the hands of Mr. W. A. Scott, of the firm of Scott and Sons, architects, Drogheda. The main feature of the new hall will be the assembly room which it is proposed to have on the first floor. This will be 54 feet long by 30 wide and will, of course

PROVE A VALUABLE ACQUISITION

to the Catholics and Nationalists of this town, especially for the purposes of public entertainments, meetings, etc. On the ground floor will be a billiard room, committee rooms, caretaker’s room, and other necessary accommodation for a public hall.

[…]

(Fermanagh Herald, 5th August 1905)

Selling his land

ROBERT W. WILSON’S AUCTION SALES.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19th, at One o’clock – Auction of Freehold Building Ground at foot of Eden Street, Enniskillen, for Mr. Hugh Wallace. This is a fine site for building purposes, with a frontage of sixty feet, and a depth of the same.

(Fermanagh Herald, 8th April 1905)

Unionist meeting in Enniskillen

UNIONIST MEETING IN ENNISKILLEN.

One of the largest Unionist meetings held for a long time in Enniskillen took place on Saturday evening in the Protestant Hall, the occasion being the annual soiree in connection with the Enniskillen Loyal Orange District. The decoration was entrusted to Mr. Thomas Nelson, and it reflected credit on the artistic skill and ability of that gentleman. Laurels and evergreens wreathed and festooned the walls of the hall, while the usual loyal and appropriate mottoes were everywhere conspicuous. Amongst those present were – Messrs. George Wright, Q.C., Richard M. Dane, Barrister-at-Law; Edward M. Archdale, J.P., R.N., William Teele, J.P., Charles E. R. A. Irvine, Charles F. Falls, Thomas Elliott, C.E., James M’Vitty, D.M., James Johnston, D.M., Thomas Nelson, D.S., John Vanes, William Ross, A. Young Hood, John M’Ilrath, H. M’Cullagh, R. P. Walsh, jun., Thompson Taylor, John Magee, J. C. Gordon, James J. Liddy, Charles Nelson, J. H. Charlton, Hugh Wallace, Thomas Thompson, James Thompson, William Wilson, Jas. Humphreys, John Johnston, William M’Keague, William Dewane, Charles Weaver, Albert Johnston, and William Scott.

[…]

Mr. R. M. Dane proposed the first resolution, as follows: – “That we, the Orangemen of the town and district of Enniskillen, desire to place on record our unalterable loyalty to her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, and to express our determination to oppose Home Rule, or any measure tending to weaken the Legislative Union, which, under God, is the best safeguard of the civil and religious liberties we now enjoy.” It gave him extreme pleasure to be present in the Protestant town of Enniskillen in the midst of so many loyal men as he saw before him, which spoke volumes for their desire and determination to do their duty to their Queen and Constitution. (Cheers.) He took it that from the mottoes he saw displayed round their walls they were as true to their principles now as they were two hundred years ago. (Cheers.) It required very little eloquence on his part to recommend to their admiration the resolution which he had just read to them. The first question concerning Orangeism was to be true to the Orange principles; and next, their loyalty to the Queen – (cheers) – for he ventured to say there were no people more loyal than Enniskilleners, and who would show a greater spirit of determination if it were necessary in their opposition to Home Rule. (Cheers.) The administration of the law in this country, as carried out by Mr. Balfour, was just and impartial, and the country showed every sign of improvement. (Cheers.) Mr. Balfour was probably the worst abused man in Ireland, but he ventured to say that there was no man to be found in this country who had done more in the honest and fearless discharge of a duty which was at once onerous and trying than the Chief Secretary for Ireland. (Cheers.) The Nationalists, notwithstanding, never ceased their denunciation and abuse of him. They had also, as they were aware, caricatured him, if not in a complimentary manner, certainly in a highly-amusing way. It was now a question what Mr. Balfour would do in the present Parliament as regards the promised land legislation. They would only have to await the result.

[…]

(Londonderry Sentinel, 4th March 1890)

Advertisement, 1885

HUGH WALLACE,

CABINETMAKER, UPHOLSTERER, &c.,

BEGS to return his thanks to the Nobility and Gentry for their support during the last 12 years, and trusts for a continuance of their patronage.

H. W. having been foreman for a number of years in the large establishments of W. Campbell, and H. Macartney, in Enniskillen, and being a PRACTICAL WORKMAN in all branches of the trade, can guarantee the execution of all orders entrusted to him with care, skill and expedition.

H. W. also begs to inform the public, generally, that the statement in the advertising columns of the Impartial Reporter, that the gentleman who advertises therein ‘is the only Cabinetmaker in Enniskillen,’ is not the fact, as

NO CABINETMAKERS

are employed on the premises of that advertiser – all his furniture being of imported manufacture.

HUGH WALLACE,

EDEN-STREET, ENNISKILLEN.

N.B. – Funeral arrangements carried out on the shortest notice.

(Fermanagh Times, 8th January 1885)