James Kelly (2) (1959–)

https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/that-damnd-thing-called-honour-duelling-in-irela...

I got this because I remain very intrigued by the reported incident of about 1723 when one of my 5x great-grandfathers, John Ryan Glas of Inch, Co Tipperary, was killed in a duel in Dublin by another of my 5x great-grandfathers, John White of Leixlip, Co Kildare, in a property dispute that escalated. Kelly doesn’t refer to that in his book, but it’s still a very interesting analysis of socially sanctioned extrajudicial violence in a society which was going through many transitions.

Although the dates given are 1570 to 1860, most of the recorded duels are from the eighteenth century. I do have a family connection with one of the earliest of them, however, the 1583 trial by combat between two of the O’Conors of Uí Failge (Offaly, as we now call it), held in the yard of Dublin castle at the command of my ancestor Sir Nicholas White, Master of the Rolls.

But basically the formal duel came into its own in the aftermath of the Williamite settlement, when the rule of law was weak but the concept of honour remained strong, and intensified in the later part of the century as political change began to build. Indeed it’s striking just how many of the leading politicians of the day were involved with duelling, right up to Grattan and Flood, and the young Daniel O’Connell.

I also realised that I had forgotten whatever I once knew about the complexity of eighteenth-century Irish politics, with the corrupt but stable “undertaker” system during the mid-century upset by the Castle v Patriot dynamic towards the end, which led to autonomy from 1782, failed rebellion in 1798 and Union in 1801. These political struggles were not only carried out verbally. But at the same time, quite a lot of duels were resolved without either combatant being killed, and no major figure lost his life in that way (unlike Alexander Hamilton).

So, plenty to chew on.… (mais)

This is a history and survey of duelling in Ireland. While in many respects the Irish followed the continental and British culture of duelling, the author explores the counter-culture of Irish duelling, and the reputation the Irish had for spending an inordinate amount of time fighting each other in duels. That "no gentleman had taken his proper station in life till he had 'smelt powder'" is testament to the influence having duelled had on a man's career.
The author includes tables on weapons used and fatalities for different periods, as well as an exhaustive recounting of duels which illustrate his theories.
This is well worth a read if you're interested in duelling or early modern culture in Ireland.… (mais)