School: Ballinkillen, Muine Beag
- Location:
- Ballinkillin, Co. Carlow
- Teacher: Seán Mac Domhnaill
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0906, Page 019
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- (continued from previous page)to be in the rank and file of the Fenians and in this way learned their secrets and intentions. Then he used slip away and sell his secrets to the militia and yeomanry. He was called "the Pointer" because he used point out to the militia men whom he knew to be Fenians. Most of those "pointed" by him were taken and executed. People noted Paddys new affluence and wondered till one day in a tavern at Carlow Paddy was seen by an attendant (who was a Fenian) to hand over a list of names to a Yeoman Captain and receive a package in return. That night Paddy was raided by Fenians and much money was found in cannisters stuck in the thatch of his roof and on one note the Yeoman Captains name was scrawled. Paddy begged for mercy but was shown none. There and then he was courtmartialled and sentenced to death. The execution was a novel one - men drew lots from a hat and twelve were selected. Each of the twelve armed himself with a heavy stick. The victim was blindfolded, gagged and trussed up and taken to a lonely field on the top of Lacken Hill. Here the twelve executioners took up their position(continues on next page)
