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CSO/RP/1823/2351

File of papers relating to charge of rape and assault against Patrick Byrne, imprisoned in Mullingar jail, County Westmeath. Includes petition of Byrne, Mullingar jail, County Westmeath, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, complaining of being imprisoned since 29 August on a charge of assault on a female - ' a Rambling Vagrant' - who 'States that She had been ill-used on Said night…in an affray that took place between some country people and Inhabitants of the Town'. Byrne denies the charge, and seeks bail, emphasising the financial distress of his family as a result of his absence, 7 November 1823; he encloses an affidavit from Luke Corr, an inhabitant of Mullingar, testifying to Byrne's whereabouts on the night in question, sworn before Thomas Robinson, magistrate, 14 November 1823. Also letter from James Lyne, Lower Mount Street, Dublin, assistant barrister for County Westmeath, to Goulburn, responding as requested, on the matter of Byrne's case, and stating that he knows nothing of the case, as it never came before him at the last sessions, 19 November 1823; with subsequent annotation by Goulburn. Also copy of letter from Goulburn, Dublin Castle, to [recipient's name scratched out], seeking information on Byrne's case, 24 November 1823. File also includes letter from John Lyons, magistrate of County Westmeath, to Goulburn, enclosing copies of the informations sworn in the case, 'against Byrne and others for a Rape on the body of Ann [Anne] Hill', and for an assault on Alexander Ross, a private in the 93rd regiment of foot, 29 December 1823: the affidavit of Anne Hill details the multiple assault against her perpetrated by Byrne, and 2 other individuals, James Newman and John Aughey; and the affidavit of Ross, details his efforts, and that of a colleague, to assist Hill, resulting in their being attacked and forced to flee; both affidavits originally sworn before Lyons, 30 August 1823.

30 Aug 1823-29 Dec 1823

1823

CSO/RP/1823/2352

Letter from John Keily, Rathkeale, County Limerick, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, acknowledging receipt of half bank notes for the sum of £200, as remuneration for his services as clerk in addition to those of chief constable in the Limerick police. Expresses thanks, and refers to his imminent move to County Cork.

28 Dec 1823

1823

CSO/RP/1823/2353

Printed circular letter, dated 16 August 1823, from Eliza Ross-of-Bladensburg [widow of Major General Robert Ross, army officer], acting secretary of the Female Education Society, to Lady Anne Gregory, Dublin Castle [wife of William Gregory, Under Secretary, Dublin Castle], concerning plans of the 'The Female Education Society for Ireland' established in Dublin, to unite with a similar organisation in London called the 'The Ladies' Hibernian Female School Society', in order to 'effect more good than by acting independently'. The circular letter includes the rules of each society, accompanied by the proposed constitution for the new joint society, and seeks suggestions and opinions 'as to the propriety of the proposed measure'.

16 Aug 1823

1823

CSO/RP/1823/2354

Letter from William Oliver Fairtlough, Drogheda, County Louth, town clerk and clerk of the peace for Drogheda, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, requesting that 5 copies of the statutes currently allocated to County Louth and to Drogheda, be reserved specifically for the magistrates of Drogheda. Emphasises the difficulties for Drogheda as all copies are currently held by the clerk of the peace for County Louth, 6 October 1823; with subsequent annotation overleaf, by Goulburn.

6 Oct 1823

1823

CSO/RP/1823/2355

Letter from Edward Lawson, Grand Canal house, Dublin, secretary of the Grand Canal Company, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, 13 December 1823, requesting copy of a report submitted by the Navigation Board, to government, concerning applications from the Grand Canal Company on the subject of obstructions on the River Shannon at Parteen and O'Brien's Bridge, and on the establishment of a steam boat on Lough Derg. Lawson encloses a copy of a letter from William Searight, Navigation office, Dublin, acting secretary to the Directors General of Inland Navigation, to the directors of the Grand Canal Company, in reply to their application for the report, and stating that it can only be released to them on an order from government, originally dated 10 December 1823. With subsequent annotation by Goulburn.

10 Dec 1823-13 Dec 182

1823

CSO/RP/1823/2356

Letter from Robert R Gray, Galway, County Galway, surgeon and agent to the sick and wounded seamen at Galway, to William Gregory, Under Secretary, Dublin Castle, 17 December 1823, enclosing a petition from Gray, to Richard Wellesley, 1st marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, referring to his services as surgeon to the dispensary at Clifden, County Galway, and in providing medical care to the fever poor in the area in the summer of 1822. Describes his efforts to obtain remuneration for his services from Dr Thomas L Whistler, and in particular, compensation for his horse who died of 'fatigue' from over-work at the height of Gray's medical attendance; requests that government remunerate him accordingly, 1 December 1823. Petition certified by Reverend C Seymour, Church of Ireland curate of Louisburgh, County Mayo, and formerly rector of Connemara during 1822; John D'Arcy, magistrate of County Galway; Thomas Martin; and Power Le Poer Trench, Archbishop of Tuam, 7-15 December 1823. Also letter from Dr George Renny, Carton [Demense], County Kildare, director general of hospitals and chief of the army medical department, to Goulburn, responding, as requested, to Gray's application, 27 December 1823, and enclosing a letter from Dr Whistler, Galway, to Renny, on the subject, 23 December 1823. With subsequent annotation on Renny's letter, by Goulburn.

17 Dec 1823-27 Dec 1823

1823

CSO/RP/1823/2357

Letter from John Johnson Dunkin, Prussia Street, Dublin, half pay lieutenant colonel of the 18th regiment of foot, to Colonel Merrick Shawe, private secretary to Richard Wellesley, 1st marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, referring to his former application for appointment as an inspector of police, and noting that several of his family members served under Marquis Wellesley in India, including Sir William Dunkin. Requests employment for his son in the stamp office, Dublin, 23 December 1823. With subsequent annotation by Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle.

23 Dec 1823

1823

CSO/RP/1823/2358

Petition of Denis Swiney, Strokestown, County Roscommon, writing clerk, to Richard Wellesley, 1st marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, referring to an assault committed against him by Peter Nerheny [sic; Nerney], 'through no other reason or motive' than that Swiney had written a petition to government for 'a poor Widow Woman', Margaret Keeneen, complaining of the conduct of Thomas Hughes, who broke into her home. Notes that Nerney is a relative of Hughes. Complains that the 2 men are 'using all their Influence and exertions' to persuade those individuals who are likely to comprise the grand jury at Nerney's forthcoming trial, to 'ignore' Swiney's evidence. Seeks government intervention to ensure a proper trial. On the reverse of the petition, Swiney has written the names of 5 individuals who he claims are friends of Nerney and Hughes, but are not freeholders in the county, and urges that they are not part permitted to be part of the county's grand jury, 24 December 1823. Swiney encloses a copy of his own sworn information, detailing the assault by Nerney, 14 May 1823.

14 May 1823-24 Dec 1823

1823

CSO/RP/1823/2359

Petition of Patrick Crean, 155 Great Britain [Parnell] Street, Dublin, formerly a preventive surveyor and lieutenant with the 2nd revenue police corps in County Sligo, to Richard Wellesley, 1st marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, complaining of lack of justice and the loss of his employment, as a result of allegations made against him by Hugh Corrigan, to the board of excise. He also complains that he did not receive a fair investigation of the charges, and requests that government order a new hearing to take place. Attributes Corrigan's ill-feeling towards him, to Crean's efforts to suppress illicit distillation, in which Corrigan was involved, 26 December 1823. Crean annexes copies of testimonials on his behalf, 15 April 1820-20 November 1822, including one from Captain Samuel Graves, Sligo, County Sligo, commander of the 2nd revenue police corps, noting that Corrigan's report, 'was done more from motives of private pique and malice than to benefit the service'. Also further petition from Crean, to Wellesley, seeking police employment, 1 January 1824, and also a letter from Crean to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, requesting the same, 1 January 1824. Also 2 further letters from Crean, to Wellesley and to Goulburn, seeking their patronage, 3; 5 January 1824.

15 Apr 1820-5 Jan 1824

1824

CSO/RP/1823/2360

Petition of the merchants and traders of Sligo town, to Richard Wellesley, 1st marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, emphasising their reliance on the mail coach to and from Dublin, for all their commercial correspondence and financial transactions, as a result of the absence of an issuing bank 'nearer than one hundred miles' to the town. Highlights, however, the several 'defects' which exist in the mail coach service between Dublin and Sligo, compared with the service that runs north and south across the country. Complains that 'the mail bags and money parcels for Sligo' are carried on the Galway mail service as far as Kinnegad, County Westmeath, then transferred at night to a small diligence [public stagecoach], then taken a further 10 miles as far as Mullingar, County Westmeath, where they are again transferred 'before sunrise', on to a third coach, 'which finally conveys them to Sligo'. Notes the resultant risk and delay to the mail being conveyed. Urges that government direct the Post Masters General to establish a direct light mail coach service between Dublin and Sligo. Petition signed by 45 individuals [December 1823]. Also letter from Sir Edward Smith Lees, General Post Office, Dublin, secretary to the Irish Post Masters General, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, responding, on the subject of the petition, and referring to the problem of the expense of the proposal. States that having advertised repeatedly for a contractor for the route, only one tender was ever received, from R Bourne, and he details the increased expense if the contract was accepted. Lees also defends the current arrangements for the Dublin-Sligo mail, and cites other examples, where mail is transferred en route, 15 December 1823. With subsequent annotation by Goulburn. [Contains list of names not given in this description]

[Dec 1823]-15 Dec 1823

1823