Standish O'Grady; selected essays and passages

IRISH POLITICS AND POLITICAL HISTORY 217
paying tribes there is no record. Of this, however, we
may be certain, that in some essential respects the doomed
aristocracy had failed to rule wisely and well. Secure
in long predominance, they had suffered the rent-payers
to develop industries and occupations which they were
themselves too lazy to control and regulate or guide, or
oppressed them with unfair rents, or, quarrelling amongst
themselves, admitted the others to a share of power, or,
currying popular favour, permitted them to carry weapons
like their lords. Surely enough, the reign of the Cat-
Head was preceded by some form of stupidity or class
corruption on the part of the nobles. But, after the first
surprise, the remnant of the nobles rallied, summoning
their friends to their standard, for the much-abused feudal
system was then in the land, and there was no Irish land-
lord who had not at least some friends, friends quite
ready to perish in his quarrel if need be. Steadily they
subdued the land before them, so the tradition ran. Then
followed many wise arrangements and regulations, chief
amongst which it is worth marking, was the stern sup-
pression of absenteeism on the part of heedless and
pleasure-loving lords. Everywhere in the midst of the
rent-paying tribes the nobles, the lords of the soil, sat
down with their war-tenants and armed retainers, and so
disposed over the country that there was effective com-
munication between their several strengths. Personal
residence, class organisation, a sufficiency of loyal and
devoted friends. Such were the barbaric methods adopted
in those barbaric days by your class, confronted by
contemporary Land Leagues .
Fortunately for themselves
,