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From: "Cathy Joynt Labath" <>
Subject: [News] !! Connaught Journal; April 28, 1883
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2001 10:14:03 -0500


Connaught Journal
Galway, Ireland
Monday, April 28, 1883

...continued article...

Further Particulars of HICKEY

He consented to give up his own for his relative's arms. For this purpose he
sent for one of his brothers, who was in confinement at the guard-house at
Doneraile. He ordered the brother to go with the military and point out to
them where the arms were deposited. The lad denied all knowledge of the
arms, and refused to accompany the military. "How can I," said the deceased
[HICKEY] to him, "expect from strangers that they will interpose their good
offices for me, if my own brother will refuse to do an act of justice for
hte preservation of my life!" Young HICKEY now burst into tears, and
consented to deliver on the arms.

In a few days after this occurrence the deceased HICKEY was again asked, if
he could not make some further disclosures, the he might be the means of
atoning for his past irregularities, and of arresting the progress of crime?
He declined prosecuting any man, and would not give the name of any of his
associates to any Magistrate or Officer. On thing, however, he would do- he
would endeavour to get in all the arms in the parish, with out compromising
his integrity. He would inform the Rev. Doctor O'BRIEN, his Parish Priest,
where or in whose possession arms were, that the Parish Priest, by his
influence with his Parishioners, may prevail on them to surrender their arms
to their Pastors- and, by so doing, be the means of saving his (HICKEY's)
life. The unfortunate man always expected that, if the arms of his populous
District were surrendered through his information, the Government, in view
of that desirable event, would commute his sentence from death to
transportation.
This proposal was made by HICKEY to the Right Hon. Lord Viscount DODERAILE
and and Major CARTER. Those personages called on the Rev. Dr. O'BRIEN, at
his house at Doneraile, on Friday, the 21st of March, to inform him of this
proposal, and to solicit attendance at Buttevant.

The Rev. Doctor, though at the time confined to his room by indisposition,
consented to visit HICKEY on the plain understanding and expressed
conditions- 1st, that he should be allowed to have no communication with the
prisoner HICKEY, but in presence of a third person.

2dly, That whatever communications may be made by HICKEY should be
considered private and confidential-and that ?????? nor his companions
should be called on, by any Magistrate, Offier, or President of a Court of
Law, or of Justice, to give any information relating to what may be the
subject to discussion on inquiry on that occasion.

These two conditions being acceded to by his Lordship and Major CARTER, the
Rev. Dr. O'BRIEN, in company with his Curate, the Rev. Mr. MURRAY, proceeded
to Buttevant barrack on Saturday, the 22d of last month. HICKEY gave the
Clergy man a list of all those in the parish of Doneraile, and of a few from
the neighbourhood parishes, who had arms in their possession. He begged of
them to do everything in their power to get in the arms- He was certain that
if the arms were surrendered his life would be saved. He desired that the
people should on the following day (Palm Sunday,) be invited to bring in
their arms; and that the Clergyman should send for those whose names were
returned by him, as having arms, or send some confidential person to them to
prevail on them to surrender the arms.

The praiseworthy exertions of the Roman Catholic Clergy were, on this
occasion, most unwearied. They wished to save the life of a fellow man; and
by getting in the arms, they hoped the progress of wickedness might be
arrested.

On the publication now made in the Chapels, that it was known to the Clergy
in whose hands the arms were, and that it was expected by them they would be
delivered up within twenty-four hours, the people, in general, appeared well
inclined to comply. Orders were issued by the Commanding Officers taht no
patrol, or military body, or persons in military clothes should appear on
any road leading to Doneraile until ten o'clock at night, that the people
should have had an opportunity of bringing in the arms without fear or
interruption. In the course of Sunday, the 24th ult., many applications were
made to Dr. O'BRIEN and to his Curates, to discover from them where the arms
were to be left, at what hour to be brought in, &c, &c.

Every thing now promised happy issue to the too long protracted evils of
this unfortunate County. But in a few hours the scene was changed. Some
incendiaries amongst the crowd resolved not to give up their arms, and
threatened the lives of those who may be induced by the Clergy to surrender
them. Thus had all hope of saving the life of HICKEY, or of restoring peace
to the distracted neighbourhood of Doneraile, been blasted by the
interference of bad men, who on this occasion bartered the life of their
Leader and the peace of their Country, for the precarious possession of the
arms which they had plundered.

It is too much to expect that the exertions of the Clergymen will, not
withstanding this temporary disappointment, be successful in rescuing their
neighbourhood, and by that means the county at large, from the evils and
terror which have deluded and rablle peasantry have brought on this country?

Yours, &c.
VERITAS



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