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".