Kilronan Outrages 1845

The following are from The House of Commons Reports abstracts of police reports of some of the principal outrages in County Roscommon during 1845 Kilronan Parish.

237 Incidents in Roscommon

There are a total of 237 incidents in the list of that year in the whole of the county. But it is worth noting that these are only ‘some’ of the outrages.

They are invariably concerning attacks on premises where masked men force their way in and steal firearms and make future threats and swear the inhabitants to do their bidding (false oaths).

When you look at the whole list for this year alone you cannot resist thinking of a Mafia type environment.

Fearful in Roscommon

I would say there is indisputable evidence to show that residents in County Roscommon would be in far more fear of something like this thing occurring to them than the residents in County Durham, England.

So I feel that my immigrant ancestors were moving to a less fearful environment in Durham. I have to say that this has surprised me. But you know how romantic we are about the old places. Perhaps we need to be less so.

They were certainly moving to a less hungrier environment, but I initially had an impression they were less fearful of violence in Ireland than in England.

Offences Unconnected with Land

The reports state that the offences detailed in these lists are unconnected with land.

• Murders and homicides are not included.
• Threatening notices (not followed by any overt act) are also omitted.
• These do not include the run of the mill thefts, assaults etc.

Some writers, however, point to the incontrovertible fact that these were offences concerning land.

Abstracts from the Police Reports of some of the principal outrages which occurred in the Parish of Kilronan in the year 1845:

At 11 pm on 22nd. May, 1845 a party of about twelve men, some of whom were armed, attacked and entered the house of John Powell in the Townland of Dereendooey, near Ballyfarnon.

The men demanded money but Powell refused to give then any, whereupon they ‘beat him cruelly and compelled him to give them 10 shillings’ which they carried away.

On the 31st. May, 1845. in the Townland of Lurgan, Mary Lee was violently assaulted by ……….. in consequence of an altercation which arose between them, ‘……from the effects of which her life is in danger’.

Between 8pm and 10 pm on the 19th. June, 1845, in the Townland of Shrabragan and Shaunoonan, offences were committed against Miles Gaffeny and Michael Ginhan and his wife and another man named Michael Ginhan.

An armed party of five men forcibly entered Gaffeny’s house and searched it for arms. They found a gun and carried it away. They then entered the house of Michael Ginhan and from there they also took a gun.

They proceeded to Michael Ginhan’s dwelling and having ineffectually searched for arms swore his wife to send some money to Edward McCabe, which it appears, that he and her husband had been disputing about.

19th. June, 1845. Barony of Boyle. Townland of Lurgan. Injured Party, William Lee.

About 8 o’clock pm five armed men entered Lee’s house and swore him not to prosecute Michael Gilhooley, who had violently assaulted Lee’s wife some time previous to the occurrence stated. Offence: Unlawfully administering an oath.

20th. June, 1845. Barony of Boyle. Townland of Keadue East. Injured Party, Thomas Benson.

About 10 o’clock pm three persons went to Benson’s dwelling and having rapped at his bedroom window, demanded his arms, and threatened if refused, to set fire to the house. Benson’s wife then handed out, through a broken pane, one gun and an old sword. Offence: Robbery of arms.

24th. June, 1845. Barony of Boyle. Townland of Dereenavoggy. Injured Party, Michael McManus.

This night a person unknown went to McManus’ dwelling and demanded arms whereupon he handed him out his gun, without making any resistance. Offence: Robbery of arms.

29th. June, 1845. Barony of Boyle. Townlands of Dereeniska, Knockadryan and Dereenavoggy. Injured Parties, Stephen Bohan, Charles Reynolds and Robert Early.

This night a party of persons, unknown, some of whom were armed, went to Bohan’s dwelling and seriously assaulting him, swore him to support John Tobens (his brother-in-law) and family.

Said party subsequently attacked the dwelling of Charles Reynolds and warned him to agree with his brother. Said party thereafter went to the house of Robert Early and demanded arms. Offences: Two house attacks. Demand of arms.

8th. September, 1845 Barony of Boyle. Townland of Rushhill. Injured Party, Brian Cassidy.

On this evening, he was waylaid when returning from the patron of Tobberlosser by a party of men armed with bludgeons, but he received no dangerous wounds from them. Cause assigned, an old spleen. Offence: Aggravated assault.

Reference:

Abstract of The Police Reports of some of the principal outrages in the County of Roscommon in the year 1845. Accounts and papers Ireland.

House of Commons Parliamentary Papers 1846 Vol.xxxv pp. 288-385 Chadwyck-Healey.

From the catalogue of the House of Commons Parliamentary Papers 1801-1900.