School: Johnstown
- Location:
- Johnstown, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: Mrs Doherty
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0726, Page 331
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- 19-5-38
In the locality now known as Johnstown Boreen many families lived in thatched cabins on small holdings. In one lived a woman named Betty Mangan. Now this woman had but small reputation and when three young men namely Munford, Ford and Gilligan went in while passing to light their pipes she refused to let them do so as she said they were Fenians so one of the men pointed the pipe at her but she said it was a revolver and on the same evening she told the police about them and how one offered to shoot her.
The men were brought up for trial and after much false swearing and false evidence on her part they were sentenced to be hanged. Each man was hanged on a small hill in a field in Johnstown and to this day the field is called "Sarán" meaning three hills of sorrow [?]. The gate at the entrance to the field where they were hanged is called "Gallows Gate."
Now this hanging took place in 1822 and about 12 years ago the body of Betty Mangan was found in the Johnstown bog. It is supposed that she was murdered and buried there by the friends of Munford, Ford and Gilligan whom she had caused to be put to death in the wrong.
Angela Bartley 15 1/3 years
Battstown
Caddagh,
Mullingar
- Collector
- Angela Bartley
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 15
- Address
- Battstown, Co. Westmeath
