Background

Kitt was a native of the parish of Ballymacward

Ballymacward

Ballymacward is a village in County Galway, Ireland, on the R359 regional road between the main road and rail networks which traverse east-west, 10 miles from Ballinasloe and approximately 30 miles from Galway City...

 and was leader of the Whiteboys in the area. He usually convenied the meetings, which were called The Ballinafad, held at his home in Corskeaghdaly. Membership dues was ten pence a year, and Kitt was known to enforce collection.

He had a reputation as a very stern disciplinarian, but it was acknowledged that this was at a time when agitation and evictions had made the county very disturbed.

Hampstead attack

One of his most famous exploits was an attack on Hampstead House while the owner was entertaining a large group of fellow land-lords. According to Martin Finnerty:

... in the midst of their carousing the house was attacked by ribbonmen under the command of Capt. Kitt. There can be no doubt but the attackers were in possession of heavy fire arms [because] until the big house was levelled by the Land Commission, the window stool of an upper window revealed the strength to some extent of the attackers. This stone stool was made into splinters in the midde and it was evident that nothing less than light cannon was in use. The occupants of the house returned the fire and the attackers were forced to retreat and some accounts reveal with the loss of one man.

Later life

Kitt's ultimate fate seems to be unknown. Kitt is a very rare surname, found only in parts of east Galway. Latter-day bearers of the name include politicians Michael F. Kitt

Michael F. Kitt

Michael F. Kitt, Snr was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and long-serving TD.He was elected to Dáil Éireann for the first time at the 1948 general election for Galway North, but lost his seat at the next election in 1951, and failed to be elected again in the 1954 general election...

, Snr,(1914–1974) and Tony Kett

Tony Kett

Tony Kett was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and member of Seanad Éireann. In 1997, he was elected to the 21st Seanad by the Administrative Panel. He was elected again in 2002 and in 2007....

 (1951–2009). The Dublin-born singer-songwriter David Kitt

David Kitt

David Kitt is an Irish musician. He is the son of Irish politician Tom Kitt.He has released six studio albums to date: Small Moments, The Big Romance, Square 1, The Black and Red Notebook, Not Fade Away and The Nightsaver.-History:Kitt grew up surrounded by music, as his father and uncles formed a...

 (born 1975) is the grandson of Michael F. Kitt, Snr.

See also

• Neddy Lohan
  Neddy Lohan
  Neddy Lohan, Captain of Irish Whiteboys, died 1820.Lohan was a captain of a group of Whiteboys in the Moylough area of County Galway, responsible for rural unrest and violence...
  
  
• Thunderbolt Gibbons
  Thunderbolt Gibbons
  -Background:Gibbons was a native of Barnaderg and became the leader of the Whiteboy movement in the area. He was noted for his speed, which caused him to be popularly called 'Thunderbolt', and in relation to his many escapes from arrest....
  
  
• Anthony Daly (Whiteboy)
• Clann Taidg
  Clann Taidg
  Clann Taidg was the name of a medieval cantred located in what is now County Galway, Ireland.It consisted of the parishes of Athenry, Monivea, Tiaquin, Kilkerrin, Moylough, Killererin, Ballynakill-Aghiart, Kilmoylan, and possibly Abbeyknockmoy....