Saith that in the months of June and July last,
he was first applied to , to become an United
Irishman by Daniel Doyle of Tullow, Jobber. Saith he
refused to join, but said Doyle thereupon took a
solemn Oath that if he did not join he would meet
destruction to himself and property, that under such
threats the Confessionalist was induced to agree to
accept the Oath of Secrecy to the United men, which
was thereupon administered to him on the highway at
Ballynunnery at about four of the clock in the
afternoon by said Daniel Doyle. Saith that about the
beginning of September last he was ordered to attend
a meeting of United Irishmen by Patrick Halligan
pursuant to orders from the Committee at the house
of said Patrick Halligan on the lands of Kellistown
--the he accordingly attended said meeting --
That
there were present several persons as Committee men
for Several Districts, amongst which number he
recollects that Patrick Fenlon residing near Myshall
attended as a Committee man from that neighbourhood
--that Darby Reddy also attended --that a person of
the name of ---- Nowlan of Connyberry attend as a
Committee man from Ballon and Ahade -- that a man of
the name of Murphy or Byrne -- a young man about 18
years of age, of a florid complexion, rather fat and
a member of the Borris Cavalry attended as a
Committee from the district of Borris and acted as
secretary to said meeting --
That Owen Cummins of
Moanmore and several other persons were present ---
that Confessionalist not having taken the United
Oath, he was not permitted to act at said meeting,
but heard the said person who acted as secretary
propose several rules and orders for the regulating
of said meeting and the future conduct to be
observed by the United Men -- which rules and orders
were proposed by the said secretary and a Question
put on each and agreed to ---
That about the hour of
Ten O' Clock at night said meeting adjourned and
appointed to meet again at Carlow -- that the
reckoning was paid by said Committee. That being on
his return from Dublin about six weeks ago he was
met on the high road near Dumbohall in the County of
Wicklow by a person who said his name was Donovan
and lived in Dublin at the Coal Quay Bridge, (by
trade as he behaves a Carpenter ) who asked the
Confessionalist if he was up --- to which he replied
he was ---said Donovan then asked how long ---and
was answered by Confessionalist ---since morning
---which was the usual ( secret ) answer for
distinguishing United men --- that said Donovan then
informed Confessionalist that he was an United Man
and a delegate from them , employed to distribute
papers etc. for them in the Counties of Kildare ,
Wicklow, Wexford and Carlow, except about Myshall,
where he was afraid to appear, being in dread of
Cornwall who was so great a hunter of United Men.
Further saith that said Donovan and Confessionalist
stopped that night at the house of one Doyle, a
publican at Dumbohall, where they drank very freely
-- that said Donovan mentioned that Cornwall's name
was well known through all the Kingdom as a
persecutor of the United Men but that he should soon
be put out of the way for that a reward of £20 had
been offered by the United men, to be paid out of
their Treasury in Dublin to any person who should
kill Cornwall --that they found it impossible to get
at him in the country, but that two men on the Blind
Quay, Dublin, had undertaken to do the business in
Dublin, with an assassinating tool in the streets,
or under the pretence of seeking advice on Law, to
get into Cornwall's office in Dublin where they
would instantly dispatch him, turn the key in the
door and make off ---
Donovan then asked the
Confessionalist if Cornwall was still at Myshall,
and was answered that he was --that Donovan had a
large bundle of papers to distribute throughout the
Country and was on his way to Kilkenny for that
purpose but would not go to Myshall for fear of
Cornwall. Donovan then asked Confessionalist if he
knew John Feltus of Hollybrook --to which he
answered that he did --- That said Donovan read a
letter which he said was from Lord Edward
Fitzgerald, which mentioned that as soon as the
nights grew long and dark the French would be here,
and that most of the Army and Militia were already
members of the United Men and that Pansai the Coiner
was a principal of the party in Dublin and had been
at Blare's camp on business.
That he had known of
several meetings that Peter Ivers, a Rush-Mat maker,
from the Quarries in Carlow is one of the leaders
and a distributor of papers. and Henry Heydon of
Tullow Street is another leader at whose house
Confessionalist has heard that several nightly
Committees are held of said men --- that --- Wright
of Tullow Street acts as Treasurer for the Barony of
Carlow, that Dooley, a Blacksmith who lives in
Rathoe has been engaged to make pikes and that he is
to be furnished with Iron and Steel from Carlow.
Donovan got himself much intoxicated and went to bed
---Confessionalist and Donovan slept in the same
room together that night -- -
Donovan had a large
purse filled with gold and silver, which he said he
had got from the United Treasury in Dublin. That
Confessionalist, before the day got up , took one of
the said papers out of the pocket of Donovan, which
is now in his possession and then left said house
and returned home.
That he knows of a number of
persons who have taken the Oath to the United Men
and among others ; John Eustace of Boherduff, Ciaran
Eustace, his son. James Garrett, Esq. Edward Eustace
Esq, one of his Majesty's justices of the Peace,
Silvester Coghlan and Edward Coghlan both of Rathoe,
the Kelly's of Ballymurphy and several others whose
names Confessionalist does not now recollect --
Saith the last return of the number of United men in
this County made to the General Committee in Dublin
amounted to 2,800 --Saith he makes this Confession
from a motive of public Justice without any reward
or promise of any reward or other gratuity ---
- Sworn before me this 3rd day of
October 1797.
- (signed) William Kelly.
- (signed) Robert Cornwall.
- The above is a true and
accurate transcript of the original document.
- This document
was transcribed by Michael Purcell
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