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Examination of Edmund Flaherty

  • Reference:  MS 830, fols 276r-277v
  • County: Galway
  • Date: 24/5/1653
  • Type: Commonwealth
  • Nature of Deposition: Arson, Assault, Death, Killing, Military Action, Robbery
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    • fol. 276r


    1394
    <Gallway May 24o 1653> The Examination of Collonell Edmund fflaherty taken before Robertt Clark Esquire one of the Justices of the peace for the precinct of Gallway,
    <A> Being Examined how long he was in Armes against the Comonwealth of England he saith he was called hither to this towne of Gallway by the Archbushoph of Tuam whoe was president; and by ffrances Blake of Gallway whoe was then Generall of Comaunder in cheife of the forces in the said towne of Gallway raised against the fort whoe and this Examinant then came with the company vnder his Comaund and assisted him the said fraunces in beseeching the said fort, And being further examined with in what other designes he went vppon with his said Company, saith that goeing from this towne of Gallway after the surrender of the said fort to the towne; went with his boates to the Islands of Aron; and continued there some foureteene dayes; vntill the Islanders did complaine of the burthen they were vnto them; vppon which this Examinant and his Company went in theire boates to the County of Clare; to a Cas{tle} caled Trumrowe; which was posessed by one Mr Ward whome he heard s{aid} was an honest Gentleman; and neuer heard of him before; [their] that of { } neither doth know what religion or Nation he was of; and came to th{e} said Castle aboute the first of May 1642 in the Euening begining of the night, and came within a muskett shott to the said Castle [ ] to a howse where he and his Company kept theire Court of Guard, w before theire comming to the said howse; they Castle ward made shots at him made some shotts from the Castle at him, and continued suteing all night; vppon with which shotts some of his men were wounded, And further saith that they could not finde the Doore nor windowes of the said Castle that night, but Eleauen of his men went {to} the hale which was ioyneing to the Castle thinking to gett { }

    fol. 276v


    1395
    wheruppon they threwe stones from the topp of the Castle, by which of one of his men, lost t was wounded & bruised in his Arme, and another in his backe; <and alsoe they lett fall a bundell of strawe> vppon the said howse hale next adioyneinge the said Castle by which meanes it was burned, And the next morneing they sett on to storme the Castle in which storme, one of his men was Killed; and three wounded; and saith he continued seige to the said Castle <B> from sunday night vntill wednesday morneing; at which time conditions were made by John Ward with Teige o Bryen & the preist for his owne life; which said John this Examinant Employed as a messenger to his father in the said Castle; desireing him to take Quarter seuerall times; with diuers others; namely with Teige ô Bryen, and the parish preist but the answeare of peeter Ward was, that he would not take the Quarter of Bellcarr or Sruell, And being further Examined saith that on twesday about nine of the Clock there came out of the Castle the said Wards two Daughters, and twoe younge sonns; and alsoe there came out an English man & his wife but vppon what day this Examinant remembreth not; And further saith that the sonne and heire of the said Peeter came out on thwesday; and was coming to the Courte of Guard where this Examinant was, and was slained in by the way by Torrell folane whoe is now gon with Cusack, And beinge further Examined saith that he gaue Quarter to Each of them that came out of the Castle, Except onely him that was Killed as aforsaid; And saith that peeter Ward did hould out Keepe his chamber in the said Castle from twesday night till wednesday mornei{ng} and that the said Peeter Wards wife was slaine by a shott thorough the windowe of the said Chamber;

    fol. 277r


    1396
    but whoe made the shott hee Knoweth not; & further saith that he Ordered his men to Keepe the said Peeter Ward awake with intention to giue him Quarter; And the said Peeter Ward makeing a trust out <C> of the doore with some weapon; was taken by the Arme and drawen foorth; and there slained; and further said that he defended himselfe in his Chamber for foure and twenty howres after the rest went foorth; And being demaunded saith that he conuoyed seauen persons salfely to Richard white in Killmurry which was t{he} place they desired to goe vnto; and saith that the and {his?} company plundered the said howse, and diuided it, haueing first carried the said plunder to strawe Island, And bei{ng} further demaunded wherefore he went to the said place; saith he went thither to Quarter his men; by reason the winde wa{s} { }contrary that he could not goe to his owne Country beinge further Examined saith he Knew John Browne inhabitan{t} of Inishier Island; whoe was with him; at the takeing of the said Castles; said th being fur but did not goe with knowe [with] him as any of his Company, and Knew nothing of his intentions, but being a being a drummer this Examinant did vse words in treathning of him to goe; which when he refused; he lay hands vppon him; and Guarded him to the boates, and kept him with them dureing theire stay at Trumra aforsaid; and saith he doth not Knowe of any plunder he had; but that the said Browne desired a siluer cupp which this Examinant refused to giue him;

    fol. 277v


    1397
    And being further Examined; denied that he hath not since that time, bine at the takeing of any place or in any other seruice, and saith the men that Killed peeter Ward, was Teige mc Henrya & Donnell mc Owen mc Enrya; & [ ] whoe is now liueing as is supposed; and the other by name Dowdarra oge mc Enrya is dead; and being Examined whether he was vnder protection to the Comonwealth saith he was not of England when he was taken saith he was not; and beinge demaunded wherefore he came not vnder protection, answeared that because he Knew he did had Comitte{d} this act; against p was afraied in respect of this act he had comitted against peeter ward; And further sai{th} not;
    Edmund fflaherty
    This Examination
    taken by me
    Robert Clarke

    The Examination of
    Coll Edmond fflagherty
    Aboute the murther
    & robery of Peter ward
    his wife & soon:



    Robert Clark



     

Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2