1823 Window broke in Chapel Lane.
Carlow 1823.
Witnessed by William Humprey, Esquire, one of his
Majestys Justices of the Peace for Carlow. Whereas Roger
Hughes of Carlow town, Gentleman, came this day before me
and made Oath on the Holy Evangelists Saith that on Tuesday
the Sixth Day of May, Thomas German , Late of Ballyh?,
Farmer, came to Francis Hughes Dwelling House in Chapel Lane
in the Town of Carlow in a most Riotous and Disorderly
Manner, Broke a Window Thereon and Called him and the
Inmates of the House ---Several Scandalous and Indifferent
Names and Said that he would be Revenged of Him or Them.
Sworn before me this 12th Day of May 1823.
(signed) William Humfrey. Roger Hughes.
The above is a true and
accurate transcript of the original document.
Transcribed by Jean Casey, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garret
Curren maketh Oath
24th April, 1823
Garret
Curren maketh Oath that he is a Householder, and has a house
where he actually resides, at Carlow and that he is worth
the Sum of Ten Pounds Sterling, over and above all his just
Debts and that he supports and maintains himself by Dealing.
(signed) Garret Curren, William Fishbourne and (her mark)
Ann Shehan.
[note
added 2010: Margaret McLoughlin is seeking a Magistrate's
order that Ann Shehan be of good behaviour "towards His
Majesty's Liege Subjects and particularly towards Margaret
McLoughlin", Garret is swearing a Bond for Ann.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The above is a true and
accurate transcript of the original document.
Transcribed by Jean Casey, 2010
Secret Society 1823
Names: Coogan, Kavanagh, Fenlon & Toole
There are
two dates recorded on the James Coogan's original
Statement - 1820 and 1823. I guess 1823 should be the date.
Here is
another reference to the "Moll Doyles" in Carlow.
From the
National Archives of Ireland.
Ref:
May 1820.
CSO/RP/1820/1404
Chief
magistrates, Head Office of Police, Dublin: issue of warrants for
capture of persons alleged to have taken part in outrage in County
Carlow
Letter from
the magistrates, Head Office of Police, Dublin, to William H Gregory,
Under Secretary of Ireland, Dublin Castle, to indicate that warrants
have been issued in respect of persons alleged to have taken part in
an outrage in County Carlow: also encloses copy deposition of Edward
Daly, carpenter, and Patrick Daly, turner, both of 27 Garden Lane,
Dublin, stating that on the night of Sunday 23rd April their house at
Rathmore, County Carlow, came under attack by a gang of men, some of
whom declared ‘We are the Boys that will Moll Doyle you’ states that
they were warned’ that if they and their families did not leave their
house before morning it would be burned about them; implicates a
number of local men in the outrage including Thomas Neill, Thomas
Donahue, Patrick Finnegan, Mathew Finnegan, Hal [Lanten] and Richard
Boyce.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Secret Society 1823,
Names: Coogan, Kavanagh, Fenlon & Toole
[Note added
by Michael Purcell, 2012.
There is a
reference in the following report to swearing an oath "to be true to
Moll Doyle".
The "Moll Doyles" were one of the many secret societies operating
during this period.
They were
feared by most of the population and considered by many to be robbers
and murderers.
In Donal
McCartney's book "The Dawning of Democracy 1800 - 1870" (page 93)
we read for the period 1821:
"A group
calling itself the "Moll Doyles" was appearing in arms in Rathvilly,
Co. Carlow, and attacking the houses of tenants who had offended
against their agrarian code. A gang of thirty or forty had burned a
house in King's County, shot a man, driven a bayonet in the eye of a
woman and tried to cut out her tongue - she died the next day from her
injuries and her mother died a few days later from shock".
In the
following report it appears that one of the "Moll Doyles" has turned
informer.]
From Pat
Purcell Papers
Names: Coogan, Gorman, Kavanagh, Fenlon & Toole.
1823.
The
Informations of James Coogan of Killilish in the County of Wicklow.
Who being duly sworn and examined Saith That in the month of February
1820 James Gorman of Woodfield (with others now in custody) in the
County of Wicklow broke open a house on the lands of Tankardstown in
the County of Carlow and took thereout a Keg of whiskey and brought
same to the house of Laurence Kavanagh of Rathdaniel where said party
drank part of same and at which period James Gorman Swore James
Kavanagh of Rathdaniel to be true to Moll Doyle -- James Gorman and
party then proceeded to the house of John Fenlon of Tankardstown which
they broke open in Search of Arms – They afterwards went to the house
of Laurence Toole of Tankardstown or wise Ballybit and took a Gun
therefrom..
- (signed) James, his X mark, Coogan.
- Being first
duly read to James Coogan.
- Sworn
before me this 20th day of March 1823. (signed) Edward Box.
Transcribed by Friend of Carlow
2012.
The Hanging Judge, Lord Norbury, claimed
some of the credit for breaking up the Moll Doyles as we learn
from a recent posting from Turtle Bunbury -
The Times, July 28, 1823, p. 2
LORD NORBURY AND THE IRISH MIRACLE.-
At the opening of the Queen's County
Assizes, Lord Norbury, in charging the Grand Jury, alluded to
the recent miracle of Prince Hohenloe performed in that county.
"If," said his Lordship, " a female has been
brought to the recovery of her speech in this county, God be praised
but as great a miracle has been performed in another county (Carlow),
where Moll Doyle has been made perfectly silent !" (Shouts of
laughter.).
He was glad to see even the humblest men in
the community laugh when he talked of " the miracle!"
Prince Hohenloe, Pastorini &
Prophecies.
In the recent post from Turtle Bunbury
reference was made by Lord Norbury to "the miracle of Prince
Hohenloe performed in the Queen's county".
Donal McCartney in his book "The Dawning
of Democracy: Ireland 1800 -1870", (page 101) writes;-
"In the height of the fever about the
prophecies of Pastorini, miracles were ascribed to Prince
Hohenloe, a German priest who was visiting Ireland.
The miracles (one woman was said to have
recovered her speech) were publicised by Bishop Doyle of Kildare
and Leighlin and Archbishop Murray of Dublin in whose diocese
the miracles were reported. Thanksgivings were offered in the
churches, and at Ennis a high mass was celebrated. Reports of
the miraculous cures seemed to confirm the truth of the
Pastorini prophecies".
Source: Turtle Bunbury
[Note added by Michael Purcell 2012 -
According to the Michael Brophy research
notes in the PPP the secret society of "Captain Rock" were
trying to convince the people that the prophecies of Pastorini
had special significance for Ireland.
Handbills were distributed by "The
Rockites" stating that "all heretics (Protestants) would be
eliminated in Ireland "before the dawning of 1826" as prophesied
by "Signor Pastorini"
The date 25th December 1824 was believed
to be the date the massacre of the heretics would begin.
Among the PPP there are two warning
notices, dated February 1822, addressed to the "Heretic
Landlords of Carlow" (naming nine landlords including Benjamin
Bunbury) signed by "Captain Rock".
Born in 1771, Prince Alexander of
Hohenloe was a member of the Bavarian royal family, he was
ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic Church and became famous
throughout Europe as a miracle worker.
He preformed many of his "miracles" by
appointment, telling believers to pray at a certain time on a
certain date in order to have their affliction cured.
Pastorini translated from Italian as "the
little pastor" was sometimes referred to by the authorities in
Ireland as "the little bastard".]
Rathvilly Gang were only out for themselves...there was no
mention of secret societies at their trial in July 1822 before
Lord Norbury in Carlow, but, depending on who they were dealing
with or what level of fear they were inspired to arouse, I am
sure the gang often claimed they were representing - Moll
Doyles / Whiteboys / Ribbonmen / Rockites / Whitefeet / Carders
/ Blackfeet / Caravats / Shanavests / Black Hens / Three Year
Olds / Four Year Olds / Magpies or any of the other "secret
societys' that were terrorising the countryside during this
period....I will soon post extract from 1822 Captain Rock notice
to the "Heritic Landlords of Carlow".