Faction fighting

Faction fighting was a form of organized mass brawling between rival groups which played out in rural Ireland in the 19th century primarily. Often thought to have been obliterated by the Famine, there were faction fights in the decade that followed. Fights were organised between rival groups and families in the main. Often bloody affairs, reports of serious injury were commonplace.  

These faction fights were widely reported in the newspapers of the day and to many they became something of a sport. Huge crowds would gather on fair days and for large gatherings to see the latest faction fight unfold. William Carleton, the novelist, depicts one of these great fights between the O'Callaghans and O'Hallaghans at Knockimdowney, in his novel Traits and stories of the Irish peasantry.

In 1878 the following Faction Fight was reported in the pages of the Nenagh Guardian in county Tipperary:

A sanguinary and savage fight took place on Sunday morning to New Pallas between two families. It appears that a feud of longstanding existed between them. A dispute arose over the trespass of a cow, and In a few moments, they were engaged in a dreadful conflict. Stones, pitchforks, spades and knives were used with terrible effect. There were s ix men engaged on each side and for nearly three quarters of an hour, the battle raged. One man deliberately ripped up his opponent’s abdomen with a knife. Others of the combatants received frightful Injuries. The factionists are all comfortable farmers. In consequence of the number of faction fights in the locality of late, the police force will be increased and placed in a temporary barracks.

For more information search the pages of the Irish Newspaper Archive (www.irishnewsarchive.com )