School: Ráth gCaola (B.) (roll number 1282)
- Location:
- Rathkeale, Co. Limerick
- Teacher: Seán Ó Coindealbháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0501, Page 042
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- Major Going was in charge of the military at Rathkeale. He was the officer who sentenced the Croppy Boys to death. He stood on the bridge and witnessed the execution. The three victims were hanged near where the old power house now stands. Impatient to get away he ordered the bodies to be cut down quickly. One of the unfortunate lads was not dead and as his body was dropped into the grave the dying lad coughed. "Salt him well" ordered the Major and the soldiers emptied a bag of lime over the three bodies.
A few nights later the Major's house in Abbeyview was attacked by Whiteboys. They had a barrel of lime hidden and meant to give him the same death as he gave the Croppy boys. The Major escaped by the back door but the Sunday following he was shot near the Five Cross Roads. A reward was offered for information. A spy Donovan informed on a young man who had no part in the shooting. At the trial this young man was found guilty and sentenced to death. Some days before the sentence could be carried out a man named Frawley, nicknamed "Mickey cut the Soil" was troubled in mind as he knew the Whiteboy that killed Going and as he could not see an innocent man hanged, he publicly informed(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Brian Connellan
- Gender
- Male
- Informant
- Martin Moylan
- Gender
- Male
