The fenian movement was strong around Castlerea- my father was an Active member of it.
One day this house was surrounded-
by House Soldiers in front, by police at the rear who, burst in the back door, placed my father under arrest, and then searched the house- shouting as they did so- "We have him at last, we have him at last". lifting up a small box from out a chest. "See all the ammunition he has in this chest." "Oh!" said my father, who was standing by under arrest "Oh! let ye see what kind of ammunition it is"- All the gold coins he had in the house. (It was then the custom to keep money concealed in their own homes. 'These were no Banks through out the Country- no cheque Books etc)
My father, enjoyed their disappointment "Well," said he to the now not too Amiable Sergeant, "what would you say, if I said, 'you were standing on arms'"? At this remark, the police searched the home a second time, ripped up the floors, beds, in fact, every thing, and every where- The sergeant, muttering,
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Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.