transcribed by Jim Castellan
Limerick Chronicle, Saturday, August 18th, 1821:
LIMERICK, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18.
Engagement between the County Limerick Police, and a party of nightly Marauders.
On Wednesday night, upwards of two hundred misguided wretches, mostly armed, many of them mounted on horseback, and the entire dressed in white shirts, surrounded the house of Mr. John Ives, Tithe-Proctor, at Inchirourke, near Askeaton.
After dragging him out of the house on the high-way, they proceeded to administer oaths, prohibiting him from ever interfering in tithe business; and while thus employed, a party of Mr. Going's Police, consisting of seventeen Sub-Constables, under the command of Thomas Doolan, Esq. Chief Peace Officer, approached the house, having received private information in Rathkeale that such proceedings would take place during the night.
On being challenged by Mr. Doolan, and commanded to surrender, they drew up in regular line for battle, and immediately commenced firing on the Police, by an order from their leader. In that discharge, one of the Police, named Thomas Manning, was shot dead. Mr. Doolan instantly ordered his party to fire in return,
which was quickly obeyed, and a regular volley obliged the assailants to break line and disperse in all directions. A charge was then made by the Police, who succeeded in taking three prisoners, in full costume; two were also found dead, similarly attired. A pursuit after the fugatives took place, and many skirmishes occurred, in which upwards of sixty shots were fired by the Police.
From every information that can be collected, great numbers have been wounded , and, we are told, several dead bodies are concealed in the neighborhood. Those found by the Police, in the first instance, were taken to Rathkeale, where they were interred on Thursday, without coffins, in a large hole dug up by their companions, in a piece of waste ground, near the Guard-house. The two prisoners were compelled by Mr. Going to perform all offices at the burial -- after digging the hole, they were obliged to bear the bodies and place them beneath, and afterwards to shake quick-lime plentifully over them.
Another of the gang died last night in a hut on the mountain, where he had been removed from the scene of the action; his name is Moran, and was brother to one of the prisoners in custody -- he was shot through the abdomen.
Many more would have been shot by the Police, but after the first volley, the fellows all dismounted and took shelter behind their horses.
The road in the neighborhood of Askeaton present a most horrid appearance --- streams of blood in various parts, and the different gaps, across which the wounded were borne away, are all besmeared with blood.
There were fifteen horses brought into Rathkeale by the Police, upon which those wretches were mounted, but had deserted --- many of them were dreadfully wounded.
A considerable number of spits, old scythes and some firearms, were brought into Rathkeale by the Police.
On the return of Mr. Doolan's party to Rathkeale, on Thursday, there was a meeting of Magistrates sitting in the Sessions-House, and who had been called a few days previous, to take into considration the state of that part of the County.
A Resolution of Thanks was immediately voted to Mr. Doolan, and the Police under his command, for the very spirited and determined conduct which they evinced on this occasion, the result of which, it is hoped, will have a happy and lasting effect on the peace of the County.
Mr. Doolan missed fired twice at the leader of the gang, his pistol having got wet. He was very close to him at the time, and would certainly have shot him dead, had the pistol gone off.
Before the Police came near Ives's house, there were regular sentinels placed at different points to give the main body notice of any alarm. When they were challenged, the answer was, "We are Christians."
After the volley fired by the Police, the Captain, or Leader of the gang, who was attired in a most conspicuous manner, with a white dress, a cocked-hat and feathers, endeavoured to rally his troops, but without effect.
It is supposed, from the numbers, that the Police would have suffered severly, were it not for the extreme wetness of the night, which must have had its effect upon the fire-arms, with which they seemd to be well stocked.
Yesterday a strong cavalry detachment of the Police, well equipped, convoyed three of this notable gang to the County Jail -- they were brought in on horseback, and exactly in the dress as when taken. Their names are, Michael Moran, Michael Halloran, and Michael Fitz-Gerald. One of them, we are told, is willing to give full information against the entire party.
The Sub-Sheriff, in remonstrating with the prisoners while in the yard of the County Jail, asked them whether they had not been at prayers last Sunday, and whether they had not heard a very strong and impressive exhortation from the Clregyman, to desist from illegal proceedings, which were freely answered in the affirmative.
The committal of those persons, by Richard Going, Esq. Chief Magistrate of Police, runs thus:
"For being three of a Body of armed Rebels, (consisting of about 200), apprehended on the night of the 15th instant, at Inchirourke, near Askeaton, in an engagement between said Rebels and the Vounty of Limerick Police, in which Thomas Manning, Sub-Constable was shot dead."
Yesterday, a strong party of the Police went to Askeaton and Newbridge, in search of some of the wounded persons; we have not yet heard whether they discovered any.
Inquests were held on the bodies by Mr. Cox, Coroner.
