Ballyshannon Imprisonments, Whippings and Transportation to Van Diemen’s Land

                      The Market House in the centre of the bottom photograph 

                       was formerly the Courthouse. In the middle photograph the 

                       steps into the Market House are visible. David Carter's shop

                       mentioned  below was on the left in Castle Street. Note

                       the different types of transport in the photos. 5 at least! Note

                       also the time taken between two of the photographs

Tough sentences handed down by the courts for thefts in Ballyshannon in the 1800s. A number of people transported to Van Diemen's land (now Tasmania) in Australia for stealing clothes. 

Check out the most unusual and incredible crime that inmates of Ballyshannon Workhouse were accused of committing. Unbelievable but true!

Transported to Van Diemen’s Land

Theft of property was viewed very seriously in the past and those brought before the courts faced very severe sentences including being transported to Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land). The following five people were from the Ballyshannon area and were transported for various acts of stealing. They were sent to prison in Australia on the other side of the world.

• In 1824 Alicia Leonard and Margaret alias Mary McManus were sentenced to seven years transportation for stealing wearing apparel in Ballyshannon. 
• On 7^th August 1833 Margaret McShee stole three dresses belonging to Margaret McAdam a dressmaker in Ballyshannon. She was before Donegal Assizes in March 1834 and was sentenced to be transported for 7 years.
• Ellen Maguire was charged with having stolen goods on her person. She was sentenced to seven years transportation
• On the 23^rd of July 1840 at Donegal Assizes, Thomas Mc Cann was arrested for stealing wearing apparel at Ballyshannon on the 14^th of July. The prisoner pleaded guilty and he said that he was in liquor at the time. His lordship said that in consequence of his being of good behaviour before that date he would sentence him to be transported for seven years! Seven years!

Prison and Public Whipping through Ballyshannon

Damage to property could result in a jail sentence and a public whipping through the streets of Ballyshannon as the first case below indicates

• In 1823 John McGarrigle, James McEntire, Charles Judge, Michael and Owen McGarrigle were charged with pulling down a house near Ballyshannon the property of Mary McGarrigle. All found guilty and were to be imprisoned for a year. They were also to be publicly whipped through the town of Ballyshannon from the Bridge to the Fair Green on the following days- 12^th April, 21^st June, and 18th September.
• Rose Doherty was found in David Carter’s shop with intention to steal and was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment. David Carter was the editor of the local newspaper called “The Ballyshannon Herald” and also owned a shop selling a variety of stationery on Castle Street in the town.
• Terence McCawley was convicted for stealing a pig and was sentenced to four months imprisonment.

A Bizarre Offence at Ballyshannon Workhouse

What charge was brought against some inmates from the Workhouse?

A number of inmates from Ballyshannon Workhouse were brought to the court and charged with theft. They had absconded from the workhouse at different intervals and were charged with stealing the workhouse clothes which they were wearing at the time! Life was certainly tough for those poor inmates.

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Topics include: How to go about Tracing your Roots/The first settlers in the area/ Newly researched history of the town of Ballyshannon and the townlands in Kilbarron and Mágh Éne parishes/ Records of the first travellers and tourists to Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Belleek, Rossnowlagh and Ballintra/An aerial guide to place names along the Erne from Ballyshannon to the Bar/Flora and Fauna of the area/ A history of buildings and housing estates in the locality/Graveyard Inscriptions from the Abbey graveyard, St. Joseph’s and St. Anne’s /Rolling back the years with many memories of the Great Famine, Independence struggle, hydro-electric scheme, Gaelic games, boxing, handball, Boy Scouts, soccer, mummers, characters, organisations, folklore and lots more.