Surnames: Valentine, Murray, Flynn, Brennan, Doyle, Byrne & Dennis.

 Pat Purcell Papers.

February 1844.

THE INFORMATIONS of SubConstable Daniel Murray of Hacketstown, Barony of Rathvilly, Carlow taken before Thomas Dennis, Esquire, one of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace for Carlow, Deponent being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists, saith, That he is Stationed in Hacketstown in the County of Carlow.

That about 6 oClock on the night of the 3rd February 1844 he received Information that a woman named Margaret Valentine and two others was gone out as was supposed to steal Potatoes which Information he Communicated to Constable Samuel H. Flynn - And about 7 oClock on the same night he went out to watch [ ?] and was followed about half an hour after by Constable Flynn.

When a few minutes together they saw Margaret Valentine and her son Jeremiah Brennan and a Girl named Anne Doyle (but who stated her name was Anne Byrne) each having a Bag of Potatoes on their back. Which Margaret Valentine stated she got from Patrick Tool of Tinaclash - to whom she had a Child as she stated - Assisted to to arrest them.

He heard on the 5th of February that Potatoes had been stolen from Benjamin Darcy of Ballybrack, County of Wicklow.

He went there on the 6th with Constable Flynn and was showen a pit of Potatoes by Benjamin Darcy out of which he stated Potatoes were stolen between the night of the 3rd and the morning of the 4th of February.

It was broken in 3 places and about 10 Stone of Potatoes taken as he thinks.

He Brought a sample of them and compared them with those he found in the Possession of Margaret Valentine they equally corresponded to the Potatoes found in Possession of Margaret Valentine, Jeremiah Brennan and Anne Doyle~

Daniel Murray acknowledges himself bound in the sum of £10 to prosecute the foregoing Informations at the next Quarter Sessions to be held at Tullow in the County of Carlow and from Session to Session until discharged by due course of Law.

Surnames: Conoran, Fanning & White.

Pat Purcell Papers

March 1844

THE INFORMATION of Anthony Fanning of Ardenteagle, Parish of Killeshin, Barony of Slivemarige, Queen's County,  who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists deposeth and saith that on the fourteenth day of March 1844~~~

I went into the shop of Thomas Conoran of the town of Carlow, I asked him what his Salt fish was a pound - he said 2 pence - I asked had he none at less price - he said he had and showed me some fish at 1 penny per pound -

I asked him if he was sure it was good; he said it was quite good , but that it had been injured in the Carriage;

I then bought some of this fish / about 6 pound /. I took it home  and on Cooking it, it had proved to be not fit for food, quite rotten - my wife and child eat a bit of it - and both of them have been sick ever since -.

I called again this morning on the said Conoran to complain about the fish - I asked him to give me some in place of it = he refused to do so or to give me back my money insisting that the fish was quite good -.

I now Swear that the fish so bought from the said Conoran is not fit for human food ~~

(signed) Anthony, his X mark, Fanning.

Sworn before me at Carlow this 18th March 1844 - having been first truly read to Informant by me

(signed) Matthew Esmond White.

The above-named Anthony Fanning hereby acknowledgeth himself to be indebted to our Sovereign Lady the Queen in the Sum of Ten Pounds Sterling.

Conditioned that he be and appear at the next Sessions to be held at Carlow and do then and there prosecute the above-named Thomas Conoran and do also produce the Fish above alluded to and do attend from Sessions to Sessions for such purpose until discharged by the Court.

Taken and acknowledged before Me, this 18th day of March 1844.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Matthew Esmond White, Justice of the Peace, was Medical Officer at Carlow Lunatic Asylum. His sister Amelia entered the Mercy Order of nuns in 1833.

The Foundress of the Mercy Order, Catherine McAuley said of her:

"Of all the Sisters, Sister M. Teresa has more of my spirit and I trust more to her guiding the Institute as I wish than to any other Sister."

Sister M. Teresa (Amelia) White was the eighteenth woman to enter the Mercy Order of nuns in Dublin. In 1837 she travelled to Carlow to establish a Mercy Convent on the Dublin Road.

Born in 1809 in Kilcarry Cross, Co. Carlow, Amelia was daughter of Stipendiary Magistrate Laurence White and his wife Jane Esmond White.

She had three sisters - Jane who became Sister M. de Sales, Caroline - Mrs. Plunkett and Christina - Mrs. Scallon. Her brother Matthew Esmond White became a doctor, while another brother William died in 1839. There may also have been a third brother.

In May 1832 Amelia and Jane had went to Dublin to be presented at the Vice-regal Lodge. Their aunt who had met Catherine McAuley asked them to visit the Mercy Convent in Baggot Street before returning to Carlow. Amelia was so struck by the austerity of the convent and the charm of the Superior, that she immediately requested to be admitted as a postulant.

Catherine in her wisdom, sent the girls home, but very soon Amelia returned, followed by Jane two years later.

The family seem to have been personal friends of Mother McAuley as evidenced by the letters she wrote to Sister Teresa and her sister, Sister de Sales. She also wrote to their sister Caroline about another sister Christina who was ill at the time. There are in fact, eight extant letters from Catherine to Sister Teresa and she is mentioned several times in letters to other Sisters.

In 1837 Sister Teresa set out to establish a Convent for Carlow from Baggot Street with Mother McAuley and two other sisters. She was again the travelling companion of the Foundress to the new convent in Cork later in 1837. In 1839 she went on a foundation to Bermondsey with Mother McAuley and returned with her to Dublin two months later.

She later established a Convent in Galway and remained there until her death.

April 1844 - Seized

Nicholas Tool late of Scotland in the County of Carlow, yeoman, on the Eight day of April in the Seventh year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Victoria, was seized in his demesne as of fee, of and in a certain messuage with the appurtenances there situate, and that Joseph Codd, yeoman and Mary Codd married (Sub ?--- man ? ?----) both of Eagle Hill in the County of Carlow while the said Nicholas Tool was so seized of the said messuage with the appurtenances with force and arms, and with a strong hand unlawfully did enter etc. etc. etc.~~~~~~

June 1844 - Assault

Patrick Toole late of Hacketstown, Labourer, on the sixth of June in the Seventh year of the Reign etc. etc. Queen Victoria in and upon one James Smee, a subconstable in the due execution of his duty in the peace of God our Sovereign etc. etc. did make assault, beat , ill treat, wound on him etc., etc.