Date: August 20 1840

THE CONNAUGHT JOURNAL
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 1840

REPEAL OF THE UNION
GREAT CONNAUGHT PROVINCIAL MEETING AT TUAM.

This great public demonstration, which has excited such considerable attention thoroughout the empire for several weeks past, came off on Thursday last, in the ecclesiastical capital of the province of Connaught. The objects of the meeting, as stated in the requisition, were, "to take into consideration the propriety of petitioning parliament for the Repeal of the statute for the Legislative Union of Great Britain and Ireland, and also to petition for the extension of the elective franchise in Ireland, and for the more convenient mode of registration of voters; " and whether we consider the paramount importance of this great measure to the welfare of this country, the prominent part which Connaught has taken in the present great agitation for Repeal, the influence of the fading personages who took part in the proceedings, or the immense assemblage of the great body of the people who were present on the occasion, the meeting must be pronounced to be the most important which has been ever held in the west of Ireland. From an early hour in the morning crowds of the sturdy peasantry of Galway and Mayo were seen moving along all the roads leading to the town, while the streets were filled with dense masses of the people, all anxiously awaiting the hour at which the proceedings were expected to commence. A large platform capable of accommodating several hundreds of persons was erected in front of the market-house, but it was subsequently found to be much too small to hold the numbers who considered themselves entitled to a place on it. The windows of the Town-hall, and of all houses commanding a view of the platform, were crowded with fashionable ladies, and large sums were in many instances paid by them for favourable situations. Though the excitement and enthusiasm of the people was thus at the highest, it is to be regretted that the same spirit in favour of the great cause of Ireland' legislative independence did not appear to be communicated to the weather. In fact, from the heavy showers which pursued each other through the heavens without intermissions during the early part of the day, one could almost imagine that the prayers of the opponents of Repeal had been for once heard, & that the elements had combined for the purpose of presenting the people of Connaught from giving expression to their feelings in favour of the present glorious agitation. Shortly before one o'clock the rain increased and continued to pour down on the devoted heads of the assemblage with redoubled fury, and there was not the slightest appearance of a favourable changes taking place until after two o'clock. Mr. O'Connell and the other occupants of the platform, however, maintained their position throughout, and numerous plans were proposed for an adjournment to the old chapel, the sessions-house, &c.; but as no building in the town could accommodate any material portion of the assemblage, it was finally resolved to persevere in remaining in their original situation. In the mean time the immense multitude that thronged the square in front of the platform, and a considerable portion of the adjoining streets, continued to occupy their places with a stoic indifference to wet, which could only be met with, in that "land of showers," the west of Ireland. Like every other opposition to the persevering determination of the people, the rain primarily "gave way" - "the elements relented," and at about two o'clock a gleam of sunshine-like a presentiment of the triumph of the cause of Ireland succeeded.

The Right Hon. Lord Ffrench was unanimously moved to the chair and the proceedings commenced.
It is to be regretted that no means were taken to ascertain the names of the gentlemen present, and any list which we could give most necessarily be altogether imperfect, as the majority of the most distinguished individuals in attendance were unknown to us. We think it but right, also to state that the necessary accommodation was not provided for the newspapers reporters, who were all obliged to take notes standing among the crowd or in any other position which themselves could select.
Among the more distinguished personages we recognized on the platform were, Lord Ffrench; D. O'Connell, Esq., M.P.; J.J. Bodkin, Esq. M.P.; R.D. Browne, Esq., M.P.; Sir Samuel O'Malley, Bart.; Hon. Thomas Ffrench,; Val. O'Connor Blake, Esq., Towershill; Nicholas Blake, Esq. Ffrenchfort; James Kirwan, Esq.Gardenfield; James Blake, Esq., Vermont; Rev. Dr. Kirwan, P.P. Outerard; John Kilkelly, Esq, Mosfort; J. Francis Browne, Tuam; Very REv. John MacHale, P.P., V.G. Hollymount; James Ffrench, Esq. Frenchgrove, Anthony O'Kelly, Esq; Francis Blake, Esq, Carraroe; J.P. Cruice, Esq. Dunmore; Walter Blake, Esq., Dunmore; John Brown Lynch, Esq. Clonkelly; Jeremiah Tully, Esq., Comkill; Robert French, Beagh, Esq; Mark French, Esq., Bushy park; John Lynch, Cloonkeely, Esq; Henry Blake, Esq. Vermont; John Prendergast, Esq. M.D., Tuam; Patrick Blake, Esq, Frenchfort; B. Kelly, Esq. Clondoyle; F. Blake Foster, Esq., Abbeyknockmoy; F. Wade, Esq. Moyneshill; P. Hanley, Esq. Kilroe; Richard Kelly, Esq. (Tuam Herald); Jeremiah Tully, Esq., Solicitor; John Adams, Esq. Solicitor; Thomas Browne, Esq. Tuam; Rev. Dr. Cullinane, President, St. Jarlath's College; Reverend James Dwyer, P.P., Claregalway, Thomas Kearne, P.P. Lacka; T. M'Caffrey, P.P. Kiltolla; H. Kelly, P.P. Kilkerrin; J. Mollay, P.P. Donapatrick; R. Welsh, P.P. Headford; J. Loftus, R.A. Tuam; P. Joyce, Fairhill; M. Curley, P.P. Mountbellew; P. Garsey, P.P., Adrigoole, &c. &c. To do any justice to the respectability of the meeting our list should be considerably longer, but from the circumstances already stated, we were unable to procure any other names except those given above.