The Burning of Churchtown

On the night of January 31st 1822 the Whiteboys attacked the Police Barracks in the village of Churchtown in North Cork. They set fire to the Barracks and a number of houses adjoining it (which were all thatched in those days). During the attack a number of Policemen were killed and whenever the story is told, even to this day it is referred to as the ‘Burning of Churchtown’

The Southern Reporter and Cork Commercial Courier of Feburary 2nd 1822 carried the following report.

Daring And Desperate Attack On The Police At Churchtown, In This County

It is with considerable pain we are obliged to report some serious troubles from the northern part of our county. At an advanced hour this day we received the following letter from the postmaster in Doneraile, detailing a desperate attack on the police, stationed in Churchtown, a village in the neighbourhood of Doneraile, in which it seems several lives were lost.

Letter To The Editor Of The Southern Reporter

Doneraile

Feburary 1st,1822

Dear Sir,

I am sorry to acquaint you of one of the greatest outrages that has occured since the commencement of the disturbances in this part of the county. Last night a large party of the Whiteboys attacked the Barracks occupied by the police at Churchtown. Their first act was to shoot the sentry and they then set fire to the building which was thatched. The action started when the Police started firing which they continued while their ammunition lasted, after about an hours fighting the Whiteboys went off taking all the ammunition and arms the Police had. They killed four of the Policemen and severely wounded the Chief Constable. They took a large amount of ammunition, rifles and pistols, with some swords and bayonets. They took away their wounded and by mistake they took one of the Police who they left dead on the road near Annagh. I have just been told by a gentleman that has seen the scene of action, that it was shocking to see. The dead bodies were there in an awful lacerated state, all cuts and bruises and the horses all laying dead and the pigs learing at them. The street of the village was covered in blood. The bodies were conveyed to Buttevant this evening by the 40th regiment. I am sorry to give you such a shocking account but you may rely on the truth of it.

I am, Dear Sir, Yours very truly

Thomas Haycroft

More Reports From The Same Newspaper

On February 2nd 1822 the following report appeared in the Southern Reporter and Commercial Courier.

On the night of Monday some misguided wretches in the neighbourhood of Kanturk visited Pallace, a farm belonging to Mr Leahy’s tenent, who is a most industrious and well contucted young man by the name of Linehan, having taken the farm in question. It would appear by the condition in which the cattle were found next morning, some cemical preparation was made use of destroying the animals eyes.

On Sunday morning some Police who had been stationed at the residence of a Mr Noonan, near Milford, 6 miles west of Charleville, alarmed by the fate of the Police at Churchtown, removed from that place to Headquarters.

As they had anticipated a large number of Whiteboys surrounded the house about 11 o’clock that night. They announced thier approach by blowing bugles and firing shots in the air. In revenge for their disappointment they burned the fine two storied house.

One of the Police who escaped from the Barracks at Churchtown was found dead next day in the corner of a field near the Windmill Cross. He died from the wounds he received during the attack on the Barracks. His name was Ben Lapp and he was a native of Newry, Co. Down.

Arrests Following The Churchtown Attack (1822)

On Monday, Feburary 4th 1822, two men were arrested by the Mallow Yeomanry, on suspicion of being involved in the attack on Churchtown Police Barracks. Next day 5 more were arrested in the vicinity of Buttevant. At that time there were arrests, trials and executions from at least 5 different locations in the North Cork. Unfortunately part of the trial of the Churchtown prisoners is missing from the old paper which I have from the troubled period.

The Trial Of The Churchtown Prisoners

Before the court on trial for the murder of several Policemen and the wounding of others and the burning of the Police Barracks at Churchtown and also the burning of several houses in the village were John Mahony, Corneilus Relihan, John Relihan, Denis Moynihan and Daniel Bresnihan who gave his name as Breen. Brenihan was a native of Ardglass in the Parish of Newtownshandrum. The trials of the prisoners from the different parts of North Cork lasted for six days. The trial of the Churchtown prisoners was held on the 6th day. The judge was Baron McClelland and the jury were as follows:- Thomas Gibbings, William Roberts, John Nicholas Wrixon, Edward O’Donoghue, William Brazier Creagh, John Warren, Thomas James Wise, J.G. Spiers, Denis O’Callaghan, N.G. Seymour. Thomas Leahy, Thomas Ware.

The Attorney General stated to the court and jury that he did not think it was necessary to trouble them with any obversations on the case now before them which would be sufficiently explained by the evidence.

Survivors Evidence

Darby Burke swore that he was a member of the Police Force. He said he remembered well the night of January 31st 1822. He was stationed in Churchtown with a party of 16 Policemen. The Chief Constable of the Police was a man named William Lamsden. On that night their Barracks was attacked by a large party of Whiteboys. Policeman Darby Burke stated he heard the Sergeant cry out ‘the Whiteboys are coming’. And after a few minutes the firing began. Darby Burke said he could not remember which side fired the first shot as he was upstairs at the time. After a short time the Barracks and the stables were on fire and five horses and all the appointments were consumed. The firing continued for more than half an hour and then the Whiteboys called on us to surrender and hand over our arms and they would do us no harm. The Sergeant cried out if we do you will kill us but the Whiteboys leadersaid,’We will not’. As the Police surrendered they were attacked and killed by the Whiteboys. Some of the Police were killed on the street and amoung them was Constable Hugh Cologan whose body I saw next. The Barracks and the stables with some houses nearby were burned and 7 Policemen who escaped the violent death were severely wounded.

The witness Constable Darby Burke was not cross examined and desired to stay in Court.

Constable William Lumsden Sworn

William Lumsden sworn that he was Chief Constable of Police. He stated that he remembered January 31st 1822 when he was on duty at Churchtown Barracks. He stated that he heard the accurate account of the transactions given by the last witness.

Mr Florence McCarthy, on behalf of the prisoners applied to the bench, in order that witnesses should not remain in court. Baron McClelland answered, that where the case was likely to depend on the identity of the prisoners, it must be immaterial, whether the witnesses were within hearing the evidence.

Mr McCarthy assented and the trial continued.

Witnesses Examination Continues

The attack was made about 10 o’clock that night where 5 Policemen were killed and 7 injured beside the witness, William Lumsden. The Barracks and four houses in the village were burned down and the fire continued until next morning.

Mrs Elizabeth Blackwell Is Called

Elizabeth Blackwell, wife of William Blackwell, one of the Police Constables, she swore that she was with them at Churchtown Barracks on the night of January 31st 1822. She swore she did not leave the Barracks until all the arms were handed up to the Whiteboys. She then endeavoured to get out through them and tried to make her way to a house of a family named Crowley. She was then stopped by a man with a long pole with a spear attached to the top of it. She was then obliged to stand for an hour in the middle of the Whiteboys while they shot and slaughtered the Policemen.

They then began to scatter and clear away, and Mrs Blackwell then told the court how she made her escape and after some difficulty made her way to Mrs Croft’s Lodge.

Part 2

Last week I began telling the story of the attack on the Police Barracks in the village of Churchtown in North Cork, on the night of January 31st 1822

I will now continue with the Trial of the Prisoners who were arrested for the outrage which is referred to down to the present day as the Burning of Churchtown.

Continuing Mrs Elizabeth Blackwell’s Story

Last week we came to that part of the Trial where Mrs Elizabeth Blackwell, wife of one of the Police, told how she escaped to Mrs Croft’s Lodge which stood inside the main entrance to Churchtown house.

Mrs Blackwell told the Court, that she made her way up the street she was stopped by another member of the gang. He asked her if she could bless herself, shake holy water or speak Irish. She replied that she could do neither. Mrs Blackwell said it was a clear bright moonlit night and with the glare from the blazing houses it was as bright as day.

She could clearly recognise all the faces that came near her. Mrs Blackwell identified Corneilus Relihan, and then pointed out the other prisoners, of whom she said she had no doubt, even though she was repeatedly causioned by the Attorney General. She said she had no previous acquaintances with them and she never knew thier names until after the arrests when she again saw them at the Headquarters in Buttevant.She said her husband had not the same opportunity of seeing them as she did as he escaped over a wall. She again swore on oath that the five men she pointed out were among the Whiteboys she saw.

Mrs Blackwell underwent a long cross examination, principally in respect of the time when she first said she would know the prisoners who were among the Whiteboys. She was consistent in all her answers and did not vary in any respect from her direct testimony.

The Evidence Of Sergeant Patrick Reardon

Patrick Reardon, Sergeant of Police described the manner in which four of the prisoners were taken with two other Policemen and himself and a party of 40th regiment from Buttevant Barracks on Sunday, Feburary 3rd 1822, when they received a report of an assemblage of Whiteboys in the vicinity of the town of Buttevant. Major Carter, from Buttevant Barracks corroborated the evidence of Sergeant Reardon, and explained some circumstances respecting the delay of Mrs Blackwell’s lodging information.

Barrington, whose family lived at Glenstal Castle, near Murroe, in Co. Limerick. Today Glenstal Castle is the famous Benedictine Abbey.

Matthew Barrington told the Court at the Trial of the Churchtown prisoners, that in some consequence of some circumstances, which came to light in arranging this trial he thought it his duty to send Mrs Blackwell back to jail to look at the prisoners again and he requested Mr William White, to accompany her there.

Mr William P White, Called

Mr White deposed to what happened at the prison on going there with Mrs Blackwell. Mr White asked the gaoler to put Bresnihan(Alias Breen) with several other prisoners, which was done, to the number of 8 or 9 from whom Mrs Blackwell selected a man. He desired her to be very cautious and particular, and after looking at him again and again for some time she said, she was certain, this man was Breen. as I stated earlier, this man whos name was Bresnihan, but also used the name Breen, came from Ardglass, in the Parish of Newtownshandrum.

Constable Jeremiah Fitzgerald, A Doneraile Policeman

Constable Jeremiah Fitzgerald, said he was a guard over Bresnihan(orBreen) at the Barracks in Doneraile and seeing marks of blood on him, asked him how he got it. He appeared very agitated and asker (the witness) for God sake not to say any more about it. He then confessed that he had been in the attack at Mr Crone’s house and also in the attack on Mr Hill’s house at Graig, near Clogher.

This was on the night he was taken and he made the same statement next day before Mr Hill.

The Defence William Condon is called

William Condon for the defence said he remembered the night the Police were attacked in Churchtown. He said he knew John and Corneilus Relihan, in whose house he slept that night, where he went to carry potatoes for them next day to the market in Mallow. Some time after they had gone to bed they were routed by a man who shouted ‘Churchtown is on fire’. The family ran out and saw the sky light up and heard shots coming from the direction of the village which lay less than two miles away. While they were watching the fire a man by the name of Mahony came along and told them that he had been warned by a Mr Quinlan that the army would comb the countryside.They returned to bed and stayed there until morning.The witness was then asked solemnly on oath, whether the two prisoners, the Relihans, were at the attack, and he swore positively they were not. The prisoners mother and the wife of the witness, Condon, were sisters.

The witness underwent a long cross examination, to account his being at Relihan’s house that night. He lived about seven miles from their house which was less than two miles from Churchtown.He came there to carry potatoes for them to market. They had sent for him 7 or 8 days before. The prisoners brother, Daniel Relihan mowed hay for the witness and he promised to pay him by giving the horse anf butt and his own labour to draw the potatoes. Here he was again questioned as to why, when Daniel did the work, was he paying John and Corneilus. He answered ‘I would rather pay them’. He swore he did not know the prisoners were taken until the following Friday. He said it was the prisoners who sent for him asthey knew they could prove they were not in Churchtown on the night of the attack on the Police.

Witness swore he had a wife and three boys of the age 18,17 and 12 and they all worked for Mr Shinnors of Doneraile, where he himself was a dairyman. Witness was asked why he did not send one of the boys to carry the potatoes, he answered, they were bound to work.

William Mahony, Called

William Mahony , was next examined . He swore he recalled the night of the attack of the Police. He was at home that night. The Relihans lived about 2 miles from him. Witness was routed out of bed by someone shouting that Churchtown was on fire and that the whole countryside was about to be burned by the Army. He called up his neighbour, a man named O’Keeffe and asked him to go and warn the Relihans and also the witness’s brother.

John O’Keeffe, Sworn

John O’Keeffe swore he remembered the night of the attack on Churchtown Barracks. He went to the home of the Relihans and on that night called them up. He told them that Churchtown was on fire and that the military were going to burn the whole countryside. He said he lived within half a mile of the Relihans and it was Bill Mahony who called him. The neighbours were all roused up, some were on the ditches and others were standing at their doors. They were all peacefully in bed until called out.

In our story so far on the attack on the Police Barracks at Churchtown, on the night of January 31st 1822, we came to the evidence for the Defence of the prisoners. We heard the evidence of John O’Keeffe and we now come to the evidence of Thomas Haynes who was described as a Sub Constable of the Police. Haynes did not live in the barracks or the village. We are told he lived near Biddystree. When called he swore he remembered the night of the attack on the Police.

When he heard of the attack he ran out of his house in fear of his life, but returned later for his wife and was about to bring her to Buttevant when he met O’Keeffe in a great state of alarm. O’Keeffe desired him to stay at his house, which he did, for a long time. When he decided to go home, O’Keeffe went along part of the way with him.

EDWARD WRIXON, OF WALSHESTOWN CALLED

Edward Wrixon, Esq., told the Court how he had known the Relihans for 5 or 6 years. They worked for him over a long period but left him in the year 1818. While he had known them they conducted themselves properly, and he never heard they were guilty of anything outside the law. At the end of Mr Wrixon’s evidence, the defence of the Relihans closed.

PATRICK SHEEHAN CALLED

Patrick Sheehan was called on the part of John Mahony, who was his brother in law. He swore that on the night of the attack he and the prisoner slept together at his (the witnesses house) which is near Churchtown. Under cross examination he swore the prisoner had no house and lived here and there earning a livelyhood. The witness said he did not know where the prisoner slept the night before or after the attack, or any other night.

JAMES BROWNE, CALLED ON BEHALF OF DENIS MOYNIHAN

James Browne told the Court that he lived not far from the scene of the attack on the eastern side of the village of Churchtown. He swore he remembered the night of the attack on the Barracks, on which night, Moynihan, who was a tailor, slept in his house, having been employed by him to make clothes for the children. The tailor worked in his house for two and a half days and did not leave the house the next day until 11.30p.m. They went to bed around 9 o’ clock on the night of the attack. The prisoner slept in a bed with two of James Browne’s children. The following Friday when Browne heard Moynihan was arrested, he said to a neighbour, that cannot be true as he slept in my house on the night of the attack.

JOHN MOYNIHAN CALLED, ON BEHALF OF THE SAME PRISONER

John Moynihan said he knew the prisoner (Moynihan) for more than 20 years and never heard anything against his character. He said that he (himself) was a publican and a teacher and he did not see the prisoner for six months before.

DAVID ROCHE ON BEHALF OF DANIEL BRESNIHAN ALIAS BREEN

David Roche said he remembered the night of the attack on the Police Barracks at Churchtown. That night he slept at the house of the prisoner, whose wife was his witness (the witnesses) daughter and had the cholic. He was asked when he came to tell this story that he said on Thursday last. Then the Solicitor General rose, and drew the attention of the Court to the circumstance that it was only yesterday this prisoner was charged with having been concerned in the attack on the Churchtown Police Barracks. The witness was then sent off the table, and the Judge proceeded to charge the Jury, who retired, and then returned with a verdict of guilty, against Cornelius Relihan, John Mahony and Daniel Bresnihan, alias Breen and acquitted John Relihan and Denis Moynihan.

On that same day more than 30 persons came up for sentence from different parts of County Cork. With the Churchtown prisoners were two men who were found in arms near Charleville, they were Patrick Walsh and William McDonnell. Before the Judge passed sentence on the prisoners, night had fallen and the Court had to be accommodated with candles. The Judge addressed the prisoners and told them they had been found guilty of a crime of a very heinous nature under the Whiteboy Act, that of Assembling in Arms to the Terror of the Kings Peaceable Subjects.

The Judge said that at that moment he was not going to say much, as he would have the occasion by and by when he would come to pronounce the sentence of death.

I must here mention that the two Charleville men were among the more fortunate ones. Patrick Walsh and William McDonnell escaped the death sentence and instead they were sent to prison for one year after being twice publicly whipped.

THE SENTENCE ON THE WHITEBOY PRISONERS

The usual form was gone through by the clerk of the Crown, informing then that tey had been found guilty by a jury of their own county, and anything to say why sentence of death should not be passed against them, to which there was no answer.

The Judge said it was his painful duty to pass that sentence upon them which inevitably must follow the crimes of which they had been found guilty. It was, said the Judge, a frightful situation to be placed in, to have to pass sentence on those unfortunate men. They had been found guilty of a crime of a most revolting nature, and all tending to subvert the tranquility of the countryside, and to place the lives and the properties of all peaceful residents in danger.

The Judge said that where ever a shadow of a doubt existed he always leaned to the side of mercy. He ordered that those recommended to mercy should be immediately tended to.

THE EXECUTION OF THE CHURCHTOWN PRISONERS

The three prisoners sentenxced to death for the attack on the Police Barracks at Churchtown and the murder of Constable Hugh Collogan, and other Policemen, were, Cornelius Relihan, John Mahony and Daniel Bresnihan, alias Breen. They were sentenced to be hanged at the most convenient spot nearest the scene of the crime. On Sunday morning they were conveyed from the County Jail, in Cork City, under the care of the High Sherriff of the county, and a strong military escort, on their way to Churchtown.

They reached Mallow that evening where they spent the night. On Monday morning they left Mallow early on the final stage of their journey to Churchtown. The prisoners were strongly guarded and accompanied by Rev. Fr. John Kiely, Parish Priest of Mitchelstown, who it is said was a native of Churchtown Parish. Also in the procession was Rev. Thomas England, Catholic Chaplain to the County Jail.

The gallows was erected at the top of the hill then known as Peggy’s Rock, which is known today as Flannery’s Quarry about a mile south from Churchtown, on the road to Buttevant near a spot well known as Buffer’s Cross. Father King P.P., Mitchelstown addressed the unhappy men in Irish and he also addressed the people present in a very feeling address, he exhorted them at awful moment to make atonement for, and confess, their offences, but they all protested their innocence of the crime for which they were about to suffer, and in this declaration they persevered to the last.

THE AUTHORITIES WERE DISAPPOINTED

On the day of the executions of the Churchtown prisoners the men of the district were all absent from the scene. Some of the women were at the scene but only in small numbers. What was then considered extraordinary was the fact that not one of the local gentry were present. The High Sherriff of County Cork was more than disappointed that the gentry of the county did not evince their sense of the attrocity of the deed by giving the authorities the aid and influence of their presence.

So on that awful Winter day, Monday, February 25th 1822, on the hill at Egmont, known as Peggy’s Rock, Cornelius Relihan, John Mahony and Daniel Bresnihan(Breen) were hanged by the neck until they were dead (according to their sentence) for the attack on Churchtown Police Barracks and the murder of 5 police men, a deed which has gone down in history as The Burning of Churchtown.

The bodies of the prisoners were taken back to Cork Jail where they were buried in quicklime in the Jail Yard. The graves of all executed prisoners is marked today by a fine memorial. The prison yard is now a part of the grounds of University College Cork.

Part 3