School: Míleac (roll number 4974)

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1. Murder at the Peeler's Bush A.D. 1835 (continued)

   

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   by the blow of the stone. They kept quiet and saw the man left a lifeless mass on the roadside. They did not give information nor as far as can be ascertained did they tell anybodfy about the affair. The police adopted the plan of arresting people indiscriminately including John Coughlan, Mary Coughlan, his daughter, and the cousin Annie Jennings. They must have thought that the three last named knew something about the murder because they at once took steps to get information from them in a very ingenious manner. The police, within hearing of the two girls, although in a low voice, announced to each other that they had quite enough at their command to hang John Coghlan and that hanged he surely would be. Without consideration Mary at once spoke up and said she would never let her father be hanged for a crime committed by Patrick Mooney and Shaun McDermott. After this the authorities had an easy task in bringing home to the two fellows the guilt which they duly expiated on the scaffold.

   Those best able to judge the character of the two unfortunate men unhesitatingly declare that they never intended to kill the policeman, they object in following him being to take the old guns which he was carrying.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Brighid, Bean Mhic Aodhgáin

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Múinteoir

   Address

   Eyrecourt, Co. Galway

   Informant

   Mr Thomas Glynn

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   83

   Occupation

   Clerk

   Address

   Kilmachugh, Co. Galway