DONEGAL ANNUAL 45 Australian correspondent recently on May 3rd, 1849, by people claiming wrote to me of a gathering of to be Molly Maguires. It is an McGraths and others from the Pettigo interesting fact that at this gathering area of Donegal who had assembled about 200 miles from Sydney over for a carnival evening at the centre of New South Wales. At this gathering 400 people with a Pettigo connection were descendants of the McCaffrey met to reminisce about the little village family who were reportedly attacked their ancestors left in Ireland. Nixon - A tyrant landlord By Seamus Mac Aoidh Oppressive landlords were assoc- But, having eyed the mountain pas- iated with Donegal more, perhaps, ture covetiously, Nixon - the new than any other county in the country landlord - decided it could be used and though various threats were made to his own advantage: so he arrogated on their lives they survived in all to himself 1091 acres of it on Ballyboe except one instance which we are all mountain, 1959 acres in Tullaghbeg- acquainted with - Lord Leitrim's as- ley Irish and 1318 acres in Glassagh, sassination. One of the threats vainly adding up to 4368 acres in all. executed was the one that concerns On these mountain lands he grazed Rev. Mr. Arthur Brown Nixon, a re- a breed of sheep called caoirigh tired Protestant parson of means and brocacha which prospered well in the landed gentleman in North-west uplands. It appeared to be the sheep- Donegal. breeder's answer to the cattle- After leaving a comfortable living breeder's Highland stock on the high hills of Scotland or the Irishman's behind he retired to the sequstered 'retreat' of the 'back country' and Kerry cow. acquired Copeland's estate in 1844, The mountain grazing was now cur- building himself a fine mansion called tailed on those who should have bene- 'Heathfield'. From here he dispensed fitted most for not only did they graze large and unadulterated doses of sheep on it but they 'booleyed' as well tyranny on an unsuspecting people, - a firmly established custom that had people who lived on neighbourly its origin in the creachts or before. terms with Copeland and who knew As there was no fixed tenure the no oppression and who bore no special tenants had no security and less grudge on the whole against their redress if evicted from their property. landlord. If they did a day's work for hire they 4