Men bound over after Orange sash is put around priest's neck
A SCENE in a railway carriage during which it was stated that an Orange sash was put around the neck of a Roman Catholic priest had been described at Enniskillen Petty Sessions in 1934.
In the dock were two Enniskillen men who were charged of conduct which was calculated to lead to a breach of the peace.
District-Inspector McNeill, who prosecuted, said that there had been an Orange meeting at Lisnaskea on the day the incident took place it was while the train was returning to Enniskillen that the unsavoury episode occurred.
One witness, who had been attending the demonstration selling "Orange buds", told the petty sessions that when he had boarded the train he had sat down beside a young priest.
After the train left Lisnaskea the two accused men, who had been standing in the corridor of the train, began to sing Orange songs. At this stage, he said, another passenger had told them to stop and not "to be singing those songs before a priest".
The witness said that one of the defendants then proceeded to take his sash from about his neck and placed in on the priest. The priest took it off and said: "For God's sake leave me alone."
The other defendant also then placed his sash on the priest, said the witness. The other defendant then held the priest's hands and the other struck him and it the petty sessions was told that a remark like "Curse the Pope" was used.
When the train started up again after stopping at Maguiresbridge the sessions heard that one of the defendants had shouted: "Up Ballinamallard, where a Fenian can't go through". He then added: "Up Lisbellaw, where they make the Orange tweed."
After the defendant had uttered these sectarian remarks another passenger, "wearing an Orange sash", told them to be quiet or he'd "break his neck".
Another witness to the incident on the train identified one of the defendants as one of the troublemakers but "would not swear to the other defendant".
In answer to the district-inspector Mr Robinson said that she was ashamed of the conduct on the train and said that she had apologised to the clergyman.
After hearing all the evidence the court both defendants over for the sum 10 each, the chairman of the petty sessions remarked that it had been one of the most painful case which had come before the court for many years.
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