NIR-DOWN-L Archives

Archiver > NIR-DOWN > 2002-10 > 1034598655


From: Alison Causton <>
Subject: [NIR-DOWN] Armagh Guardian: News - SURNAMES indexed - Rathfriland Petty Sessions - 1 July 1845
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 08:30:55 -0400


SOURCE: Armagh Guardian: News - SURNAMES indexed - Rathfriland Petty
Sessions - Issue dated 1 July 1845:

DEVLIN, DIGNEY, FITZPATRICK, FITZPATRICK, GREENAN, JENKINS, KEENAN, KEVITT,
KEVITT, M¹ARDLE, M¹CLELLAND, M¹CONNELL, M¹MAHON, M¹MULLEN, M¹POLIN, MACKEN,
ROWAN, SAWEY, SAWEY, SAWEY, SCOTT

=====================================
The following newspaper article was transcribed from
the Armagh Guardian (microfilm), by permission of
The British Library.
=====================================

RATHFRILAND PETTY SESSIONS‹FRIDAY, JUNE 20.
Magistrates presiding :--Major Rowan, Captain Jenkins,
R.M., Alexander M¹Mullen, and Thomas Scott, Esqrs.
CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY AND RIOT.
The Rev. John Macken, Bernard M¹Mahon, Pat Fitzpatrick,
Dan. Kevitt, Patrick M¹Polin, William Greeman, Dan. Kevitt
jun., Hugh Digney, James Fitzpatrick, Thomas Sawey,
Edward Devlin, Hugh Sawey, John Sawey, and a number of
others, amounting in all to 63, were summoned to answer the
complaint of the Very Rev. John Sproull Keenan, for ³having
on Sunday, the 25th of May, at the Roman Catholic chapel
of Magheral, parish of Drumballyroney, and at the Roman
Catholic chapel of Annaghlone, riotously and unlawfully as-
sembled with divers other persons, and made a great affray ;
and with having then and there made a forcible entry into the
said Roman Catholic chapel of Annaghlone ; and with having
on the same day, at Tullintanvally, violently assaulted the
complainant by dragging him out of his dwelling-house there
situate, and unlawfully demanded, from complainant, his fire-
arms ; and with having, by threats and menaces of violence and
injury to his person and property, endeavoured to force the
complainant to sign a written paper to the effect that he would
give up and abandon his lawful rights as Roman Catholic rector
of said parishes, and not seek redress at law for said outrages ;
and having, at Ballybrick, on the 22d and 25th days of May,
and at other times, conspired, combined, conferedated, and
agreed among themselves, with a great number of others, to
create and commit the said riots, affray at, and a forcible entry
in the said chapel of Magheral on Thursday, the 22d May,
1845, against the peace, and contrary to the statutues in such
cases made and provided.² Several of the parties against whom
summonses had been issued had, it was alleged, absconded,
and consequently they could not be served.
The Very Rev. Mr. Keenan, examined‹I am parish priest
of Annaghlone ; I recollect Sunday the 25th day of May ; I
went on that day to Magheral ; I am now eleven years in the
parish of Drumballoney; I entered into possession of the parish
in the same way in which any other Roman Catholic pries does ;
on the morning of the 25th I heard the Riot Act read ; there
was a large multitude assembled ; they shouted at me expres-
sions which were very disagreeable to me, as a Roman Catholic
priest ; they shouted at me ³Crotty, Crotty;² Mr. Macken
was among them ; I endeavoured to speak to the people ; I
wished to tell them, as I have always done, to act peaceably and
obey the law ; I applied for a for a force to protect the chapel; I
then got into my igig, and when I was coming along the road to
Annaghlone, they shouted at me again ; I saw John M¹Ardle
strike the chapel door at Annaghlone; I saw one of the
Fitzpatricks there; he used a sledge; I endeavoured to reason
with him ; Daniel Kevitt, jun., joined actively with the rioters ;
he broke into my own dwelling-house ; he entered by the
chapel ; there was a person who had a grape in his hand, which
I took from him ; Bernard M¹Mahon seized me by the neck ;
he pulled me two or three times ; one man jumped with
his feet upon my breast ; that man was John Sawey ; he
pulled me out of the door ; I saw some strangers there, and
begged of them to desist ; they shouted at me at first, and then
cooled somewhat, and said I would get something to support me
if I gave up my fire-arms and the chapel, and that they would
give me five minutes to consider of it ; Mr. M¹Clelland advised
me to surrender, lest they should further ill-treat me ; they of-
fered to join me in getting my case heard, if I would surrender
all, but they said the bishop must be obeyed ; one man said he
would give me £5 to pay the expenses of my trial, and another
said he would give me £1 ; I then drew up a paper for them to
sign, pledging them to assist me in getting my rights vindicated ;
they envilled with me, saying, ³ vindicate the rights of our
pastor !² they would have it ³ late pastor;² I refused ; this
was when they broke into my house ; my dwelling-house is part
of the chapel ; it is my residence.
To Major Rowan‹My house is connected with the chapel ;
there is a passage from the sanctuary into my house ; I intend-
ed that the part now occupied by me should be for a parochial
library, but in consequence of the expense I was put to in going
to Rome, I never was able to get a dwelling-house erected.
To Mr. M¹Connell‹I felt, while the party was in my house,
under the constraint of force and violence.
Mr. Nelson wished to know was Dr. Keenan still in posses-
sion of the parish ?
Mr. M¹Connell said that was not the question ; but if it was
the opinion of the Court he should do so, Dr. Keenan was most
desirous of proving that he was still in possession.
Dr. Keenan said nothing could afford him greater satisfac-
tion.
Major Rowan said that the question of possession was not re-
quired to be entered into then.
This closed the case, and their worships retired to consider
their decision. When they returned into court,
Major Rowan said that, fortunately, the question was not
one of possession. The question for them to consider was, did
the evidence warrant them in taking informations for a conspi-
racy ? The bench were clearly of opinion that it did ; and they
were of opinion that the parties should be sent to stand their
trial at the assizes. He would suggest to them one thing before
he sat down, and that was, that the parties should come for-
ward on Wednesday with their recognisances, otherwise war-
rants would have to be issued for them.‹Newry Telegraph.

========================================
This reprint is intended SOLELY for the non-commercial
use of family historians, with the sincere hope that a Lister
may find the content useful. I am not descended from the
person(s) mentioned herein. **Please refer any questions
arising from this article to the general readership of the
NIR-DOWN mailing list.**

Search for your favourite surnames, places, and/or subjects
of genealogical interest at the Ireland Newspaper Abstracts
web site, at this URL:
http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/Ireland/index.html


This thread: