Adam's The History Sale Tuesday 24th April 2018

21 The History Sale 30 THE DEFENCE OF BALLYBOY SEPT/OCT 1828 A PRESENTATION TABLE SNUFF BOX, Birmingham, 1830, mark of J.W, machined sides and foliate rims, the lid centred with a crest and the motto “Anchor Fast Anchor”, the base inscribed “This Box/Accompanied by the Freedom of the City of Dublin was/Presented to/ MR. SAMUEL GRAY/ of Ballybay in the County of Monaghan/ for his many and determined conduct in heading/ the Protestants of thatTown when it was/ threatened to be Enter’d by one of the/POPISH DEMAGOGUES/ that were likely to ensue from such a/ high and daring Proceeding Oct. 1828, (c.5 troy ozs). 8.5cm wide John Lawless (c.1780 - 1837) a lawyer, entangled in the 1798 and 1803 rebellions and was categorised by the poet Shelley as a ‘republican’. He had a mercurial personality. O’Connell, to when Lawless gave his support on a conditional basis, said he was “almost always a nuisance to be managed”.The even commemorated in the present lot is Lawless’s descent on Ballyboy to collect ‘Catholic rent’ on the instructions of the Catholic Association.A force of armed Orangemen commanded by Gray prevented his entry to the town. A contemporary print entitled “The Protestant Boys of Ballybay driver a Lawless mob away” celebrates a seeming Orange victory but in fact the accumulat- ing pressure on the Duke ofWellingtons government secured the passing of the Catholic Relief Bill. €3,000 – 5,000