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From: "Mary Heaphy" <>
Subject: [IRL-TIP] Nenagh Guardian 8-9-1843
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:41:45 -0000

Nenagh Guardian 8-9-1843

On Sunday last about 11 O'Clock, a party of five armed men, with their faces
blackened, entered the house of John Cormack, of Cureeny, an aged and
respectable farmer, holding land under Lord Dunalley and Mr. T.B.Dancer,
whose residence is in the very heart of the mountains, about 7 miles from
Nenagh. They took away two guns and one pistol which were duly registered.
There was only a servant boy in the house at the time named Patrick M'Loughney,
whom they placed on his knees and threatened with death if he offered any
resistance. After they departed M'loughney gave the alarm, when the
neighbours assembled, and gave chase after the robbers. After a long and
harassing pursuit, having the Terrys in their view all through, they crossed
over the Reiska Mountains, and on top of Banquet Hill closed in on the party
endeavouring to escape. One of the ruffians presented a pistol, but he was
to closely pressed, and three of the five fellows were surrounded and
captured. When they were taken, there was found in their possession two
pistols and one of the stolen guns. They had thrown away the other gun, but
went back and showed where it was. The two who had escaped had taken with
them the pistol belonging to Cormack, the two pistols found upon the others
were their own. About this time Thomas Cormack, one of Johns sons, who
resided with his father came up, and identified the two guns as his
property. They then bound the prisoners arms, strapped the stolen guns on
the backs of two of them, and marched them with an escort of about 200 of
the country people, who had come out of the chapel, and who followed in the
pursuit, and having called at a Police station on the way, lodged their
prisoners safely in the Bridewell in Newport. The parties who, in
conjunction with Cormack's sons, effected this gallant capture, deserve much
praise, and it fully proves that when left to their own sense of Public
duty, and not tampered with by designing people, the peasantry of Ireland
are as capable of acting right as any other on the face of the Globe. We are
in possession of the names of the brave men whose conduct was so
praiseworthy, but we do not deem it prudent to give them at present. We must
say that if outrage was as promptly resisted, and its perpetrators overtaken
as rapidly as on this occasion, we would have Tipperary a different county
from what it is. The pursuing party were tenants on the estate of Mr.
Richard Uniacke Bayly, and the captured party were from the Parish of
Ileagh, in the Borrisoleigh district, two of whom were name Ryan, and one
Maher. They have been fully committed to Nenagh Gaol for trial at the next
assizes.

Mary

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• [IRL-TIP] Nenagh Guardian 8-9-1843 by "Mary Heaphy" <>