Earlier this year, I started gathering a collection of citations from online issues of the Journal of the Co. Kildare Archaeological Society and Surround Districts. Lots of gems in here on Keatings in the Co. Kildare area, and I’d like to do the same with other available journals (as well as find a good source for issues not readily available online). I ordered the entries in my notes by the earliest year referenced in each article. I’ve some ideas for a searchable database containing these entries, but for now, here they are in article form.
In a MS. Volume in the Record Office, Dublin, called “The Book of General Orders” (marked A/5), which extends from the year 1654 to 1655, there are a few orders in reference to a murder of two Government soldiers at Lackagh and its consequence, which, as far as I know, have never been printed in full, but which are alluded to by Prendergast in his “Cromwellian Settlement of Ireland” at p. 168. These orders are all (except one) initialled by T.H.C.C., standing for Thomas Herbert, Clerk of the Council, by which they were entered. The first of the orders in reference to Lackagh is given on p. 260. It, and those which follow it, are in these words:–
[…] And upon due enquiry into the whole matter of the fact, the said Col. Hewson, Major Morgan, and Lieut.-Colonel Hewetson, or any two of them, are to cause all the Irish inhabitants of the said town [“Leckey” or Lackagh, County Kildare] where the murther was committed, that are of the Popish religion, to be sent under safe guard into Waterford, to the end that they may be speedily transported to the Barbadoes, or some other of the Plantation Islands belonging to his Highness and the Commonwealth, in America. […]
“Dated at the Castle of Dublin, this 22nd of October, 1655. T.H.C.C.”
[…]
Ordered that Philip Peake, Esq., Marshall of the Four Courts at Dublin, do forthwith, upon receit hereof, deliver or cause to be delivered unto Captain Robert Coleman, commander of the “Wexford” frigate all such Popish Priests (other than such as are committed for Murther) as also the Prisoners brought out of the County Kildare, and committed to his custody for suspicion of being privy to the Murther lately done at the town of Lackagh in the said county (except the two that are condemned to be hanged for the same), together with the reputed wife of Donough O’Derrick, alias Blind Donough, in the custody of him the said Marshall to the end he the said Captain Coleman, may with the first opportunity of wind and weather, convey them with his ship and deliver them in safe custody to the Governor of Waterford, to be by him delivered unto Captain John Norris, Merchant there who is safely to keep the said Priests or other Prisoners above aid at his own charge, until he shall transport them forthwith for the Barbadoes, or the other Plantation island in America. And the said Marshall Peake is hereby further ordered to bring a perfect list of the said Priests or Persons, with all speed to the Clerk of the Council, the said Captain Norris having put in security for their safe transportation as foresaid.
“Dublin Castle, the 27th of November, 1655. T.H.C.C”The next general order (p. 303) is dated the 4th of December, 1655. It is a repetition of the one given above, except that it gives a list of the names of the Lackagh prisoners to be handed over to Captain Norris for transportation ; they are as follows:–
FitzGerald, Walter. “The FitzGeralds of Lackagh.” Journal of the Co. Kildare Archaeological Society and Surrounding Districts I, No. 3 (1893): 245-264. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Journal_of_the_Co_Kildare_Archaeological/kkg9AAAAIAAJ (accessed February 24, 2021).
James Truit, priest. Margt King.
Robert Keegan, priest. Margt Rely.
Redmond Moore, priest. Margt Dongan.
John Tobin, priest. Katherine Brannan.
Bryan Ruddery. Giles Crevy.
James Brennan. Margaret Doolin.
John Carron. Honora Doolin.
Donnough Kelly. Dorothy Farrell.
Philip O’Connollan. Elinor fitzGarrett.
Morgan Ferron. Honora ni Conlan.
William Muloy. Katherine Heylan.
Maurice Hennegat. Anne Keating.
Henry fitzGarrett. Elizth Keating.
Morrice fitzGarrett. Margery Crenyan.
Mary Grafton, wife to Henry fitzGarrett. Katherine Weighlan.
Bridget fitzGarrett. Owney Hoose.
Daughter to Loughlin Kelly. Elizth Morran.
Connor Toole. Honora ni Gibbery.
Daniel O’Rourk.
[…]
The result of the deaths of the two Government “old soldiers,” was the hanging of four men and the transportation of thirty-nine men and women to a hell upon earth, many of them, too, probably as innocent of any knowledge of the crime as the Phillabeens on the Bog of Allen.
At this time the Commissioners of Ireland also transported to the West Indies the Irish prisoners of war, the wives of the exiled Irish soldiery, their widows and orphans, besides anyone they could lay hands on, who had no visible means of livelihood owing to the confiscation of their properties. “How many girls of gentle birth must have been taken,” says Prendergast in his book, “and hurried to the private prisons of the British sugar merchants for transportation, none can tell; but at last the evil became too shocking and notorious, particularly when these dealers in Irish flesh began to seize the daughters and children of the English themselves, and to force them n their slave ships, then indeed, the orders, at the end of four years were revoked.”