From “Tales of the Irish Police – by one of themselves”; Dublin, 1888
When the Terryalts in Clare and adjoining counties were spreading alarm and consternation by their midnight raids, a body of similar gentry, known as White-feet, infested the County Kilkenny, and committed many daring outrages of an agrarian character. The police, of course, were on the alert to encounter these marauders, and several brushes took place between them and the constabulary patrols. One of these events, which has been nicknamed “the battle of the brogues,” is thus related:-
Constable Kennedy, with four sub-constables of the Kilkenny force, being on patrol at 4 o'clock of a summer's morning, near Castlewarren bridge, came suddenly upon a party of six of the White-feet, who took shelter behind the road ditch, and opened fire from their guns which, however, was without effect. The police fired a volley in reply, and followed up the discharge by a rush at the position held by their antagonists, who were seized with a panic and fled precipitately, first kicking off their old brogues to enable them to run the faster. The victorious police gave chase ineffectually, as the light-footed quarry easily distanced their encumbered pursuers, and got clear away, leaving in the hands of the constabulary, as trophies, six pairs of very ancient brogues and a gun, which were brought back in triumph to the barrack.
