 In contrast, the grazier ranches on the rich plains of Mayo, Roscommon and Galway were in the hands of local town shopkeepers, retired policemen, and other middle-class Irish elements.They were, according to O'Brien, the real "infernal evils", the so-called grasslands-grabbers, from whom the small tenant farmers were obliged to rent land for their needs.O'Brien saw the necessity to tackle the owners of these grazing ranches.