Geraldine McGovern recently shared with us the story of her great-grandfather, Brian McEnroy, who was born c.1854 in the townland of Aghalateeve, near Glenade in north Co. Leitrim. The McEnroys were tenant farmers, and in his 20s, Brian became secretary of the Glenade Land League. Founded in 1879, the Irish National Land League campaigned for fair rents, tenant rights and land ownership reform, aiming to end Ireland’s exploitative landlord system under British rule. Brian was outspoken in his opposition to high rents and the eviction of tenants. On 1 October 1880, a small gathering took place in the nearby townland of Cleighragh. Brian was there, along with fellow Glenade Land League members, as they lined the road taken by Robert Corscadden – a landlord notorious for rack-renting, evictions and land-jobbing – on his way home from saving crops. Two weeks later, on 14 October, a case was heard at the Petty Sessions Court in Kinlough, Co. Leitrim, concerning this demonstration. Brian was one of 23 men charged. The case was taken by the Crown, and the complaint read: “That on the 1st day of October 1880 at Cleighragh in the County of Leitrim, the Defendant did unlawfully assemble with other persons, to the number of One hundred or more for the common purpose of driving Robert Corscadden of Hollymount, Manorhamilton, off his farm of Cleighragh aforesaid, and of preventing him from saving his crop of hay on his said farm aforesaid by their mumbling, turbulent gestures, shouting, groaning, and booing so as to endanger the Public Peace and to cause terror and alarm to her Majesty’s subjects.” Read about the court case that followed here: https://irishheritagenews.ie/trial-of-glenade-land-league-secretary-brian-mcenroy-leitrim-1880-81/