The Irish people always have had a special relationship or bond with the land; believing that they had natural ownership rights. The horrors of the great famine had brought the evils of the Irish land system to the forefront. Rents were still high, security of tenure was still uncertain and over-crowding on the land was widespread. Charles Stewart Parnell (1846 – 1891) "The uncrowned King of Ireland" and a formidable constitutionalist and agrarian agitator once said “He who toils the soil should be the owner thereof.”

The second half of the 19th century was principally focused on land reform with special emphasis on its redistribution back to the people, and on Home Rule. This was a period of great agitation and sometimes violence – some of which broke out locally.

The following account from “The Diocese of Kilmore – 1800-1950” by Rev. Daniel Gallogly, page 180/181 demonstrates the high feelings of tension in our area -

“Pent-up tension in the wake of disestablishment erupted on 1 November (1869) at Drumalure, a Protestant enclave between Belturbet and Butlersbridge, when a Catholic crowd led by Fr. James Dunne, parish priest of Belturbet and his curate, Patrick Daly were ambushed on their way home from a tenant-right rally in Cavan and a Catholic, Edward Morton, was shot dead. Catholic folklore claimed afterwards that their target was Fr. Dunne. The Protestants claimed, on the other hand, with justification, that they fired in self defence following threats made that morning by the Catholics on their way to the rally. The Protestant Cavan Weekly News laid the blame for the shooting on the two priests: 'Unquestionably the priests assumed a grave responsibility when they resolved on congregating so large a mass of Roman Catholics, accompanied by bands playing offensive party tunes, at a time when the Protestants of the county are naturally strongly irritated that their Church has been spoliated and degraded in order to conciliate Cardinal Cullen and his ultramontane following'.
(Bishop) Conaty was also very displeased with Fr. Dunne for taking part in such a provocative parade. Morton became a local martyr, immortalised in a ballad entitled Drumalure. An attempt to turn his funeral into a public demonstration was prevented by the bishop and clergy. The cortege would have had to pass Drumalure on its way to his home country believed to be in the Ballyconnell area. Matters seem to have settled down after that and in 1870 Bishop Conaty was able to inform Cardinal Cullen that the county was “peaceable and quiet.”

I have been able to obtain the words of the aforementioned ballad as follows:

The Ballad of Drumalure

You lovers of humanity, where-ever you may be
I hope you pay attention and listen unto me
About a dreadful murder, it would grieve your hearts I'm sure
How Edward Morton was shot dead while going home through Drumalure

On the 1st day of November to Cavan we did go
Our hearts were light for tenants' rights; we knew no grief or woe
We passed the day in merriment, our rights for to secure
But little we thought that we'd be shot going home to Drumalure

Men, maids and boys were full of joy; their hearts were light and gay
To see the green flag flying, 'twas a glorious sight that day
There were men from Ballyconnell from Scotshouse and Redhill
Who for their rights of Paddy's land they marched out on the hill

From Virginia and Ballyduff, Crosskeys and Drumalee
And the boys from Mullahoran were a credit to be seen
From Crosserlough and Lavey and the gallant men from Kill
Who for the rights of Paddy's land their precious blood did spill

We left the town that evening in peace for to go home
We bid farewell to our comrade boys, Drung, Cavan and Stradone
We were accompanied by two clergymen, Fr. Daly and priest Dunne
But Morton fell a victim to an orange rifle gun

On the day of Morton's funeral, it was a solemn sight
To see two thousand heroes, with black scares and crosses white
His coffin it was draped in black trimmed round with scarlet red
To let them see from far and near how Edward Morton bled

To conclude and finish up, I have no more to say
May the Lord have mercy on his soul; he now lies in the clay
His name was Edward Morton, an Irish boy so pure
Who bled and died on the roadside going home through Drumalure