When Irish and Westcountry Wrestlers met…

The term ‘outplay wrestling’ – referring to wrestling styles where competitors commenced with elbow-and-collar grips, and in some styles could shift holds during play – encompassed a diverse range of regional traditions across Britain and Ireland during the 19th century.

Whilst historiography on Westcountry styles has emphasised the inter-county rivalry between the Devon and Cornish traditions, archival evidence from contemporary newspapers reveals a far more complex multi-regional sporting culture, with active wrestlers from Ireland, Norfolk, Hampshire, Somerset, Derbyshire, Cumberland, and other counties competing in London’s commercial wrestling arenas and provincial tournaments. This article examines the documented participation, competitive records, and stylistic variations of Devon and Irish Outplay wrestlers during the peak decade of 1820-1829.

In particular, the period between 1827 and 1829 witnessed a remarkable series of wrestling encounters between Irish and Devonshire wrestlers, primarily contested in the sporting venues of London. These matches, extensively documented in contemporary newspapers including the Exeter Flying Post, Morning Chronicle, and Sherborne Mercury, provide crucial evidence of cross-cultural athletic competition during the late Georgian period. Far from being the undocumented contests suggested by preliminary historiography, these Irish-Devon matches constituted significant sporting events, attracting substantial wagers, considerable crowds, and detailed press coverage.

Devonshire and Irish Champions

The Irish contingent in London’s wrestling scene of the late 1820s was dominated by several notable athletes, chief amongst them being Gaffney, described variously as ‘the champion of Ireland’ and ‘the best Irishman in this country’ (Exeter Flying Post, 4 October 1827; 26 July 1827). Other prominent Irish wrestlers included Allen, Finney (or Finnon), Larkins, and Hanlon (or Hanlow). These men competed not merely as individuals but as representatives of their nation, with contemporary reports frequently referring to their supporters as ‘the Hibernians’ or ‘Emeralders’, and documenting the partisan enthusiasm with which their matches were followed (Exeter Flying Post, 29 May 1828).

Devon’s wrestling representatives in London were led by the formidable Abraham Cann, widely regarded as the county’s premier wrestler, alongside James Copp, described as ‘the best Devonshire man in town’ and ‘the best wrestler from Devonshire resident in London’ (Exeter Flying Post, 14 June 1827; Morning Chronicle, 20 May 1828). Other Devon wrestlers who faced Irish opponents included Thorn, Easton, and members of the Steer family. These men brought with them the distinctive Devonshire wrestling style, characterised by particular holds, throws, and—controversially—the practice of kicking at opponents’ shins.

Major encounters

Cann versus Gaffney, October 1827

The most significant Irish-Devon encounter occurred on Monday, 1 October 1827, at the Golden Eagle, Mile-end-road, London. This match between Abraham Cann and Gaffney was contested for substantial stakes—60 guineas on Cann’s part to 50 for Gaffney—with the first three fair back falls to decide victory (Exeter Flying Post, 4 October 1827). The event attracted ‘a great’ concourse of spectators, ‘amongst whom were great numbers of sporting characters’, with some two hundred observers even climbing poplar trees to witness the contest when conventional viewing spaces became overcrowded (Exeter Flying Post, 4 October 1827).

The match itself proved decisive. After an initial bout lasting four minutes and fifty seconds, Cann threw Gaffney ‘a beautiful throw, given in the best possible style’. The second fall came even more swiftly, accomplished ‘in one minute and forty seconds’ when Cann ‘caught his man on the shift, and threw him a fair back fall in beautiful style’ (Exeter Flying Post, 4 October 1827). The contest ended prematurely when, during the third bout, Gaffney’s left shoulder became dislocated, forcing him to concede defeat. Contemporary accounts noted the viciousness of the kicking exchanges, with Gaffney’s ‘laced shoe of the left foot’ becoming ‘saturated like that of a slaughterer from the shambles’ (Exeter Flying Post, 4 October 1827).

Copp versus Gaffney, May-June 1827

Several months earlier, in May 1827, a match had been arranged between James Copp and Gaffney, with deposits made at Mr Dignum’s establishment, the Black Boy, Long-acre (Exeter Flying Post, 14 June 1827). This match, scheduled for 31 May at the Golden Eagle, Mile-end-road, was for £10, with ‘the first three falls out of five to decide it’ (Exeter Flying Post, 7 June 1827).

The betting patterns reveal contemporary assessments of relative ability. Devon supporters backed Copp at odds of £50 to Gaffney’s £30, whilst Irish partisans offered 5 to 3 and 7 to 4 on Gaffney to win (Exeter Flying Post, 7 June 1827). Gaffney’s superior strength was evident—he was ‘the tallest, and apparently the most powerful man’—yet Copp possessed greater technical skill (Exeter Flying Post, 7 June 1827). After Gaffney secured the first two falls through powerful ‘Cornish hugs’, throwing Copp ‘almost over his head’, the Devonshire man’s science prevailed in subsequent bouts. Copp eventually won decisively, prompting the Weekly Dispatch to note that ‘Pyle could not get backed against Gaffney’, so comprehensively had the Irishman’s reputation suffered (Exeter Flying Post, 7 June 1827).

Copp versus Hanlon, May 1828

On Monday, 19 May 1828, another significant Irish-Devon encounter took place at the Eagle Tavern, City Road, when James Copp faced Laurence Hanlon ‘for £20 a side’ (Morning Chronicle, 20 May 1828). Hanlon had established his credentials by giving Abraham Cann considerable difficulty in a previous match, leading Irish supporters to back him freely against any London resident. The Morning Chronicle reported that despite Hanlon’s substantial weight advantage—’nearly 14 stone weight, opposed to one scarcely 12’—Copp’s superior science prevailed. After an initial foil and a second near-fall, Copp ‘succeeded in giving hint a fair back fall’, followed by a second decisive throw that ‘destroyed all the hopes of his countrymen, who retired highly chagrined at the result of the march, many of them considerably minus in pocket’ (Morning Chronicle, 20 May 1828; Exeter Flying Post, 29 May 1828).

The St Sidwell’s Tournament, July 1827

At the St Sidwell’s wrestling match held in a field adjoining Black Boy Road, Exeter, in July 1827, several Irish wrestlers competed amongst the ‘Devonian, Irish, Cornish, and some others’ (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 28 July 1827). The tournament structure divided competitors into ‘Devon Players’ and ‘Irish & Other Players’, with Gaffney, Finnon, and Larkins representing Ireland (Exeter Flying Post, 26 July 1827). Notably, in the double-play, ‘Gaffney and Heath’ wrestled for 25 minutes, whilst ‘Clark and Larkins’ contested for 14 minutes (Exeter Flying Post, 26 July 1827). The tournament witnessed a controversial moment when, in quadruple play, a disputed fall between Gaffney and Chapple resulted in heavy gambling losses, with ‘ten to one’ having been wagered in Gaffney’s favour (Exeter Flying Post, 26 July 1827).

Cann versus Allen, 1827-1828

Abraham Cann also faced Allen, described as ‘the best Irishman in this country, having thrown Gaffney’ (Exeter Flying Post, 26 July 1827). The encounter, vividly reported in the sporting press, demonstrated Cann’s technical superiority despite Allen’s considerable strength. After Allen was ‘locked in one of Cann’s “uprights”‘, the Devon champion eventually threw him ‘as flat on his back, a pancake could exhibit itself Shrove Tuesday’, to the delight of partisan supporters (Exeter Flying Post, 26 July 1827).

Table 1: Irish Wrestlers

Table 2: Devon Wrestlers (Those who faced Irish opponents)

Table 3: Match outcomes

Note: Dates represent reported publication dates in newspapers; actual match dates were typically 1-3 days prior to publication.

Annual Wrestling Tournaments in London

The Irish wrestlers featured prominently in the Annual Devonshire Wrestling tournaments held at the Eagle Tavern, City Road. The Fourth Annual Devon Wrestling, held in April 1829, was ‘numerously and respectably attended’ with ‘the best men at present in London, from the counties of Cornwall and Devon’ in attendance (Sherborne Mercury, 27 April 1829). Among those ‘who most distinguished themselves’ was ‘Finney, Irishman’, alongside Devon wrestlers Parish and S Steers (Sherborne Mercury, 27 April 1829). These tournaments provided structured opportunities for inter-regional and inter-national competition, with Irish wrestlers fully integrated into the competitive hierarchy.

Differences and technical adaptations

The encounters reveal significant differences between Irish and Devonshire wrestling styles. Contemporary accounts emphasise the Devon practice of kicking, described as ‘inhuman’ by later commentators and ‘certainly made good men from Cornwall and other parts of the country reluctant to join issue’ (Western Times, 23 July 1926, reflecting on earlier practices). Irish wrestlers appear to have adopted defensive strategies against this tactic, though reports document severe shin injuries sustained during matches.

The matches were contested under Devonshire rules, requiring ‘hand to collar’ grips and permitting ‘side and back’ falls, with light shoes or padding worn (Exeter Flying Post, 4 October 1827). This represented an accommodation to Devon practice, though Irish wrestlers occasionally demonstrated familiarity with ‘Cornish hugs’ and other techniques, suggesting a degree of cross-pollination between wrestling traditions.

Social and economic dimensions

These encounters constituted significant sporting events with substantial economic implications. Stake money ranged from £10 to £60 per side, with side bets often exceeding the formal stakes. The Copp-Gaffney match of 1827 saw individual bets of £50 to £30, whilst the Cann-Gaffney encounter attracted sufficient wagering that the dislocated shoulder outcome caused financial distress amongst Irish backers (Exeter Flying Post, 7 June 1827; 4 October 1827).

The venues—particularly the Eagle Tavern, City Road, and the Golden Eagle, Mile-end-road—served as established centres for sporting culture, with proprietors such as Mr Hone playing active roles in match-making and stakeholding (Exeter Flying Post, 29 May 1828). These establishments attracted ‘respectable’ audiences alongside sporting characters, suggesting wrestling occupied an ambiguous social position between popular entertainment and gentlemanly patronage.

Conclusion

The documentary evidence comprehensively refutes any suggestion that encounters between Irish and Devon wrestlers during the 1820s were either rare or poorly documented. On the contrary, these matches constituted a significant element of London’s sporting culture, attracting substantial crowds, considerable wagers, and detailed press coverage. The principal Irish wrestlers—Gaffney, Allen, Finney, Hanlon, and Larkins—faced the leading Devon champions in well-organised, formally structured competitions that drew partisan support from their respective national communities.

The matches reveal both the continuity of regional wrestling traditions and the adaptive strategies employed when different styles met in competition. Whilst Devon wrestlers generally prevailed in these encounters, the Irish contingent demonstrated sufficient skill and strength to warrant substantial backing and to secure victories against lesser Devon opponents. These contests, situated within London’s cosmopolitan sporting culture, exemplify the ways in which regional and national athletic traditions intersected during the late Georgian period, providing entertainment, economic opportunity, and venues for the assertion of communal identity.

References

Exeter and Plymouth Gazette. (28 July 1827). St Sidwell’s wrestling match.

Exeter Flying Post. (7 June 1827). Matches are made in London between Copp, from Devonshire, and Gaffney, an Irishman.

Exeter Flying Post. (14 June 1827). The Paignton match.

Exeter Flying Post. (26 July 1827). [St Sidwell’s wrestling match, complete report].

Exeter Flying Post. (4 October 1827). The wrestling match between Cann the celebrated Devonshire wrestler, and Gaffney.

Exeter Flying Post. (29 May 1828). Wrestling match [Copp and Hanlon].

Morning Chronicle. (20 May 1828). Wrestling.

Sherborne Mercury. (27 April 1829). Devonshire: Annual Devon Wrestling.

Western Times. (23 July 1926). Devonshire wrestling: Proposed revival of the game in the county.