The Donnellys of Lucan

I was introduced to the Donnelly family of Lucan, Ontario by my cousin, Richard Coulbeck. He showed me two books about this family entitled " The Black Donnellys" and Vengeance of the Black Donnellys. They were poorly written by a Thomas P. Kelley, visioning only one side of the feud that occurred back in the nineteenth century.

It was a feud between neighbours of Irish background and the majority of the Irish people who emigrated from Ireland back in the nineteenth century settled mostly in the Middlesex County of the Province of Ontario. A small farming village called Lucan which is located north of London Ontario, has been in the existence since 1840's & 50's. On January 1 of 1872, it was formally incorporated.

When the Irish people, both Catholics and Protestants emigrated from Ireland, they brought with them their belongings of what they could manage, their culture, customs and traditions. What they should have left behind was their conflicts, temperaments, the troubles that the Penal Laws that was enacted by the Irish Parliament. The Penal Laws denied the Irish Catholics many human rights to live and prosper into a productive positive lifestyle. The Irish Catholics went from being rich to dirt poor as their land was seized by the English Occupation. In the Irish man's mind, land meant power, prosperity and authority. Being Irish Catholic, you were good as dead. There were many rebellions, rampages and murder through the country of Ireland. Many terrorists groups such as the Whiteboys, Defenders, Ribbon Boys and many others sprang up to seek justice for the prejudiced Irish Catholics.

There was also the "Blackfeet" Irish Catholics who supported or lived amongst the English Occupation, only to tolerate the English and obey the Penal Laws: just to survive.

The Donnellys fell into this category of what is called "BlackFeet" accepting the laws and the people no matter what the background was.

With all of these uprisings of violence happening around them, in their county of Tipperary, James Donnelly married Johannah Magee in November 1840. Having a son in 1841, the family emigrated to Canada to avoid any further violence and troubles that were occurring in Ireland.

Jim and Johannah Donnelly along with their toddler son, survived the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean...to settle in London Ontario. But being a country boy, Jim wanted land and he settled on Lot 18, 6th concession of the Roman Line. The Donnellys only lived in London for 2 1/2 - 3 years before settling on the Roman Line.

At first, after settling on the Roman Line, James Donnelly sr. helped in building the line from a straggling trail to a road, help build an Anglican church...helped out at several bees (logging& farming). He was a likable fellow, a hard worker, easy to get along with but could have a temper if crossed but overall, James Donnelly had a good reputation throughout the community.

The feud though was ignited on a Thursday June 25, 1857 when James sr. was at a logging bee and was confronted by a man named Patrick Farrell who had rented out the south half of Lot 18 6th concession. Ugly words were exchanged between these two men as the Irish whiskey was being passed around between the men who were working there. The logging bee came to an early end when the two men were exchanging blows and fist fights. It ended in murder when James Donnelly sr. struck Patrick Farrell who always seemed to be a bully, with a handspike. Alcohol was involved as it does affect one's brain by heightening the mood of the person.

From there on in, over the period of 23 years plus, the feud erupted into troubles for the Donnelly family. Their children were bullied at school, fires were set, beatings and fights, robberies and assaults: all fell at the feet of the Donnellys. Whether they did it or not, the Donnellys got the blame for it. They were provoked into a form of anger, stimulating hatred towards their enemies.

But were the Donnellys always seeking trouble, causing trouble? No, according to "THE DONNELLY ALBUM" written by a lawyer, the Donnellys were actually by themselves, a loving family, cordial to others, had taken in orphaned children, taken in school teachers and even one school inspector had stayed with them. In one incident Will Donnelly admonished his brother Tom. The Donnelly boys do have a sense of humour. For one instance, while John Donnelly was helping out on the Lanphier farm, he had dressed himself as a sheep and crawled through the kitchen of the Lanphier home. John cried out when he heard a shotgun being cocked and aimed at him,"Hold it Tone, it's me, John!". John had never laughed so hard.

The Donnelly family also ran a stage coach line in opposition to the Flanagan Line. Tom had an accident as his stage coach crashed against the Flanagan coach as he tried to sneak by . The Flanagan coach squeezed Tom and both stage coaches toppled over.

Father Connolly the local priest who came in 1879, did not help much with the matter of the feud. He only lit it further by having the congregation sign a book in the back of the church. Thus forming the Biddulph Peace Society which in turn formed a secret society within...the Vigilance Committee.

On the night of February 3rd of 1880, Constable James Carroll leading an angry mob of about 30 men, entered the Donnelly farmhouse around midnight and handcuffed Tom Donnelly. Thus waking up the entire family. When the timing was right, the angry mob burst into the home and began beating the Donnellys to death. They then set the farmhouse on fire, leaving only one eyewitness to the crime, a 12 year old boy by the name of Johnny O'Connor.

This is incredible piece of Canadian history. The Donnellys have left their mark. Various plays, videos, a few TV specials and now a museum dedicated to them...live on now well into the 21st century.