ANGLO CELT -- September 15, 1853 --------------------------------------------------- (Transcriber's note: If you don't wish to read about all these festivities, you will find a list of names at the end of this article.) INAUGURATION OF THE CAVAN BRANCH LINE OF THE MIDLAND GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. On Tuesday last, being the day appointed for turning the first end of the line of railway, which is to connect us with Dublin and the West, once could not go this side or that through the town of Cavan, that he had not the questions, "Are you going?" -- "How are you going?" -- "When will you be going?" -- put to him, and repeated again and again. The day being market-day, was rather inconveniently chosen, if it was wished that there should be a large concourse at the scene, but still every road and path leading to it was thronged with footmen and equestrians, and the more public ones were from noonday alive with the busy music of jaunting-cars, gigs, dog-carts, carriages, and other turns-out, all -- though differing widely from each other in the style of their construction and the station of those, whose conveyances they were -- now tending to the same immediate term -- the hill of Drumlaney. The hill in question is portion of a long low ridge hanging over the road which l! eads from Drumheel to Kilmore, and having for its valley an extensive low ground, part of which was in our young days a sweet lake, that gave variety to the landscape and many a trout and perch to the anglers, but is now a very forest of reeds, sedges, and bullrushes -- the poor fish having been in the economy of the day exterminated to make place, not for sheep-walks, but duck-covers. There too stands the brave old castle of Tunneymore, sullen and frowning, and deserted, as if a tale of love had never been told in it, nor sound of revelry, nor summons to war been heard within its walls. A German would say that the genius of the place was indignant(sic) ; and perhaps the reason that he feels so is, because we are slow to get published the history of the county in which the place over which he presides plays so distinguished a part. The country all around is beautifully diversified, and the hill itself wanted nothing of that greenness for which our country is everywhere so! remarkable. About two o'clock, Lord Farnham came upon the ground, and, as he passed along the road leading to it, his appearance was hailed with loud cheers by the lines of men who were ranged along it, all anxious to catch a glimpse of Mr. DARGAN. Now and again it was proclaimed "he is coming," and then, such excitement, such rushing, ending in such disappointment. Shortly after three o'clock, he was upon the hill, and how he got there is a mystery ; not a cheer was heard, not a rush was made, but the business of the day was about to be proceeded with - man thought without him - all ran to the scene of action, and there was he - "Whose hand holds no sordid gripe of his gold, Who for good of mankind did unlock it ; Who for science and art thousands freely has told - The man with the hand in his picket !" Lord Farnham first dug a small sod of earth, and, throwing it into a barrow that stood by him he wheeled it for half-a-dozen turns along a plank, and then flung it on the ground amid the most vociferous cheers. When one or two others had gone through the same form, Mr. ENNIS, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Midland Great Western Railway, seized the spade and went through his part like a man, and then came the cry from every side - Dargan ! - let us see Dargan. And they did see him ; and as he seized his spade, and dug his sod, and handled his barrow, he was cheered most lustily by the man, while ladies clapped their hands and waved their handkerchiefs. This done, Lord Farnham addressed the multitude in a brief but really eloquent speech, which throughout was heartily applauded. His lordship congratulated the people upon the work which they had that day so happily inaugurated, for, he assured them, it was the precursor of brighter hopes and higher destinies to this county of Cavan. Happily, too, it was a work in which all could and would unite, pulling together in a strong and steady endeavour to ameliorate the condition of the poor, and to form in the more wealthy habits of energy and activity, and enterprise. He congratulated them on the appearance amongst them that day of a board of directors, whom he could not but look upon as harbingers of good tidings to the people of Cavan, and whose well known character for active, untiring energy, gave ample indication that the present work would be rapid in its progress and most successful in its issue. His lordship could not but congratulate the people of the county upon the ! dawning of a new era for Cavan ; nor could he fail to appreciate the honour which was conferred upon himself when he was chosen to commence the new work of peace and progress. Doubtless there were many present much worthier of the honour, and much more qualified to acknowledge it, but he would yield to no man in the strength and ardour of his desires for the prosperity of this county. Again he begged to return his warmest thanks for the honour that was done him, in being elected to fill the proud position which he then occupied, and to congratulate the country upon the work now commenced - a work great in itself, but vastly greater in its consequences to our commerce and agricultural wealth. His lordship retiring here was greeted with loud and long continued cheering. The Rev. Francis SAUNDERSON next stood forward and said - that as his family had always worked and fought in the same cause with the MAXWELLS, he could not suffer the present occasion to pass without joining Lord Farnham in the congratulations which he had offered on the commencement of a great and glorious and providential work. Yes, a providential work, for all present were agreed that a superintending care was manifested in all the relations of this sub-lunary world, and who could doubt that there was a special manifestation in the present case, where there was question of hungry mouths to be fed, and naked backs to be clothed: There had been long struggling to bring about the event which the people had this day assembled to celebrate. He had sat many a day on Committee in London along with the distinguished chairman of the Midland Great Western Board of Directors (pointing to Mr. Ennis), when there appeared little hope that their efforts to obtain a railway for Cavan ! would be soon crowned with success. But the Lord lent his aid and we are here to-day in the beginning of a work which will give constant employment and high wages to the labouring classes in Cavan. Yes, continued the rev. gentleman, as I know there are many here to-day who will note what I say, and carry it home with them and circulate it among their friends. I repeat that you will have all plenty of work to do, and be thus prevented from going about from place to place, hatching mischief and treason. (Here there were some expressions of dis-approbation.) When I speak thus, I mean not to make any special charge, I but repeat what all the world has admitted, that idleness is the mother of mischief. Now, you will be busy all day, and when night comes, you will retire to your beds, that you may sleep off your fatigues and be ready to commence your work with renovated energy next morning. If Irishmen begin to work all will be well with them, for idleness ever was their ba! ne. They alledged(sic) that they had not capital ; but this was an error, for they had plenty of capital. What is capital? Capital is not money ; here is my capital (pointing to his arm) ; here is my capital (pointing to his head) ; and who is not blessed with the capital of limbs or brain? The Farnham family and mine have been always banded together, and they have sometimes fought together - aye, and had triumphs together, but the evil was that there was some one defeated. Now, who is our enemy: This hill is our enemy - tie is our enemy - space is our enemy, and our contest is to be with this hill, time, and space, and over them will our triumph be. I must congratulate my Lord Farnham upon the honour - which I am confident he fully appreciates - that has been conferred upon him in his being called onto take the leading part in this most interesting and important movement ; and I do this, not because he is a nobleman - not because he is possessed of wealth and command! ing influence in this county, but because he has merits as a man that entitle him to so proud a distinction. For who has done so much for mind as Lord Farnham has in Cavan? Witness that schoolhouse (pointing one out) and the innumerable others which you will find scattered everywhere through the country. The Farnham family have been always the approved friends of the people of this country, and they upon their parts have never failed to acknowledge this, and I trust these feelings will never change. I have not done yet, for there is another (pointing out and beckoning forward Mr. Dargan) there is another that you are all glad to see in Cavan. I do not know what to call him ; he is a most wonderful man ; he does work cheaply, and yet his labourers are always satisfied ; but I need not trouble myself to say much about him, for what Irishman knows not, and is not proud of the name of Dargan? There he is for you ; and his presence is surely quite enough to inspire you with! confidence that the work, which he has the direction of, will be effectually and expeditiously accomplished. Let us all second, so far as we can, his efforts ; let us, with a hearty good will, join in this work, which may the Lord bless and prosper and bring to a happy issue. The Rev. gentleman was much cheered throughout his speech, and retired amid considerable acclamation. John ENNIS, Esq., Chairman of the Directors of the Midland Great Western Railway, next came forward and said - My Lord, Ladies and Gentlemen, on the part of the Directors of the Midland Great Western Railway I bid God speed the good work, which we have commenced to-day, and you may believe now that I speak with the utmost veracity when I tell you that neither they nor I have eve been engaged in a work which excited in us such an interest as this present one. I say so for myself, and I say so for the other directors, whose chairman - though unquestionably there are many amongst them much more competent to the office - I have the honour to be. The work that has been so happily commenced, is a great work, having for its object the giving you a conveyance that will leave you sitting in Dublin after a journey of about four hours (cheers.) Is not this an improvement upon the old system ? I must tell you, too, that as long as I have been engaged in railway affairs I never met n! obleman or gentleman to manifest so great an interest in any line as I have seen exhibited in the case of the present by my Lord Farnham - (cheers) - and the fact of the lord of the soil interesting himself so much in the matter gives sure hope of beneficial tendency, and of the advantages which it will bring to this country. He has commenced the work well, and its being in the hands of Mr. Dargan, will be to you the strongest assurance that it shall be prosecuted with energy and completed with dispatch(sic). Again I must tell you that, though I stand for the first time in my life on one of the green hills of Cavan, I feel an interest in the present line that I do not remember to have experienced in any other of the many cases with which I had to do similarly. Mr. Ennis was heartily cheered as he concluded ; and then arose loud and long the cry for "Dargan - let us hear Dargan." When he came forward he was received with a brave round of three cheers and one cheer more. He said - I am not going to make a speech for you, as you all know that I am a man of work, not of talk (laughter.) I cannot, however, abstain from thanking you for the kind manner in which you received me on my first appearance amongst you ; indeed so kind, so flattering has been your reception that it must prove a strong inducement to me again to come amongst you. Mr. Dargan then retired amid loud cheers, and the assemblage was broken up and its members separated at once, each for his own home. Though there were from 8,000 to 10,000 of all ages and sexes present, every one anxious to see what was going on, yet not an accident occurred, not even the smallest disorder might be seen. The body of police that attended had for that day at least a very sinecure of it, and they seemed to make the most of it, not by affecting to be of importance, but by taking their stand amongst the pe! ople, and watching the proceedings and keeping a look-out for every movement of Mr. Dargan, who was the observed of all observers. Amongst those whom we recognised in the vicinity of Lord Farnham, or scattered over the hill, we may mention John Ennis, Esq., Chairman of the Directors of the Midland Great Western Railway, and of the directors, Joseph Watson, Esq., James Perry, Esq., Sir Percy Nugent, Bart., J. E. Butler, Esq., the Company's Engineer, William Dargan, Esq., Robert Burrowes, Esq., J.P., D.L., Joseph Storey, Esq., Abraham Brush, Esq., J.P., Captain Phillips, Belturbet, George L'Estrange, Esq., Chamberlain to the Lord Lieutenant, and his son George Henry L'Estrange, Esq., Rev. Francis Saunderson, the Ven. Thomas Brady, Archdeacon of this diocese, George Ro(...?), Esq., ___________ Napier, Esq.., Sub Inspector of Constabulary, Rev. John O'Reilly, Principal of the Kil(more?) Academy, Rev. Henry Cottingham, Dr. Coyne, Dr. O'Reilly, Ballinagh, Samuel Swanzy, Esq., Solicitor, Rev. Thomas Mulvany, Mathew Tully, Esq., William Anderson, Esq., Edward Kennedy, Esq., Rev. Nicholas Conaty, Rev. Patrick G! ilroy, Rev. F?(P?) M'Cabe, Rev. John O'Reilly, Killeshandra, Rev. Thomas O'Reilly, Crosserlough, James Armstrong, Solicitor, Dr. Babington, William M'Faddin, Esq., (.?.) Kelly, William Johnston, Esq., Samuel Moore, (.?.) Noble Paget, Esq., __________ Banister, Esq., George G(..)logly, Esq., James Burrowes, Esq., Captain Erskine, William Hague, Esq., __________ Birmingham, Esq., Inspector of National Schools, Lieutenant Warren of the 27th Regiment, Captain Patton, The Messrs. K.. Martin Farrell, Esq., C.E., James O'Brien, Esq., Charles B. Hancock, Esq., P. M. Barron, Esq., J(?) Gumley, Esq., J.P., _________ Burnet, Esq., Captain G..., John Rogers, Esq., John Reilly, Esq., Butlersbridge, Frederic and William Brice, Esqrs., Patrick Re.., Esq., Ballynagh, Bernard Brady, Esq., Ballyna..., James Reilly, Esq., Lacken. The beauty of the day caused a large and fashionable attendance of ladies. There were present - M... Farnham, Miss Stapleton, Mrs. and the Misses Sanderson, Mrs. Storey, Mrs. Burrowes, Mrs. Armitage Moore, the Misses Leslie, Mrs. and the Misses Baron, Mrs. Farrell, Mrs. Hill, Mrs. and Miss P.., the Misses Tully, Mrs. and the Misses Swanzy, M.. Bell Booth, Miss Hague, &c. About half-past four o'clock, Mr. Ennis and other directors, with J. E. Butler, Esq., and Mr. Dargan, started in a bus for Cavan, after a thorough Irish cheer had been given for the "man with his hand in his pocket." From Cavan they started ag(ain?) an hour after they arrived there, being engaged to partake the hospitalities of Farnham House. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- County Cavan Newspaper Transcription Project