1832-1837: Cholera,
Courageous Daughters & Honest Cops
Extracts from The Times of
London
August 25, 1832:
The Marquis of Ormonde, who left Kilkenny a few days
previous to the breaking out of the cholera, has
returned, and regularly attends the Board of Health
established in that city.
A troop of the 5th Dragoon Guards and a
company of the 70th Foot, which have been stationed
there for some weeks past, were marched for safety
on Saturday for Carlow. Another company of the 70th
has arrived at Castlecomer. A third destined for
Tullow, where the cholera has also broken out, has
halted at Leighlinbridge.
January 9, 1835:
On Wednesday evening, at a quarter past 5 o’clock,
six men, armed with pistols, entered the house of
Mr. Dowse, of Friaratown, within four miles of
Tullow and two of Palentine [sic], county of Carlow,
calling for arms. On hearing them enter the kitchen,
Mr. Dowse ran to his parlour door, on opening which
they presented their pistols at him and demanded his
arms. One of the ruffians snapped his pistol, which
burned prime; and a second was about to fire, when
Miss Dowse, a young lady of 18 years of age rushed
forward and seized his arm. The fellow dashed her
against the wall, and cried out "Number five."
During this time a son of Mr. Dowse was struggling
with a fellow on the stairs, who made for the
bedroom, where the arms were, and another flew to
the room and secured the arm, which seeing, the
fellow jumped down stairs, roaring aloud, “They have
secured the arms”, and the parties instantly
retreated. One of them had seized the servant man in
the kitchen, and kept him quiet by a pistol pointed
at his breast. Mr. Dowse is an elderly gentleman of
a benevolent disposition, holding a great quantity
of land.-Dublin Post.
September 5, 1837
Carlow A Barefaced Act of Government
–
The Chief Constable of
Carlow, Mr. Fitzgibbon, who was found conscientious
enough to give honest testimony at Captain
Vignolies's trial, received from the Castle, on
Monday last, a tolerably plain hint that officials
under the control of the Irish Government were not
expected to tell truth on all occasions. This hint
was a peremptory order to remove to Tullow on the
following Wednesday, giving him thus one day for
preparation. He left Carlow on the day stated, and
is replaced by a son of the ex-pawnbroker
Fitzgerrald, the busiest and most noisy Radical in
that town. This appointment reached Carlow; on
Tuesday last, so that things were nicely adjusted by
his Excellency.-Leinster Express.
Source: Turtle Bunbury
2012