Source: Susie Warren
Carlow Weekly News 19th Feb. 1863.
Insubordination in The Workhouse.
Michael Walshe, Mary Helighan, Mary
Costello and Ellen Esmonde , all inmates of the Workhouse
were brought up charged with insubordination.
Mr. Kerr, Master of the Workhouse,
when sworn deposed. ---At about seven o'clock on Friday
night I was informed that there were some of the inmates
outside the Workhouse wall.
On going out with the schoolmaster,
I found Michael Walshe and Mary Helighan outside the gate.
On enquiring how they got out, the gate-man told me that
Walshe had forced his way out, and then the girl got out.
They would not return, although he
(the gate-man) desired them frequently. I thought it my duty
to lock them up in separate cells to punish them. At nine
o'clock, I gave directions to send over a bed to Mary
Helighan, and she would not take it. She threw out the bed
clothes. On going over to the cells, these girls, Foster and
Esmonde, put their heads out of the window of their
dormitory, and commenced to curse in a most frightful
manner. I desired them to go to their beds and cease.
In a few minutes I was going around
the house, when I heard Foster encouraging Heligan to sing,
and told her to sing so loud, so she would be heard in
Dublin Street. I desired her to stop, and she did, but when
pressed by Walshe she commenced again, and finished the
song.
Several of the old women complained
to me that they got no sleep.
Several people were congregated
about the gate in consequence of the noise.
When Walshe heard the noise of the
women he commenced battering the cell door with stones.
There was no other person in the cell but himself.
I attribute the whole blame to the
girl Foster. She is out of jail only a week, and when she
was coming in the Guardians gave her a great caution.
Walshe---On the virture of your oath
was it with a stone that I knocked the door?
Mr. Kerr---There were stones in the
cell the next morning. In justice to him, I must say, that
he stopped when I asked him, but he made use of very
impertinent expressions.
Esmonde ---I have nothing to say
only I made noise, and it was I who cursed.
Judge---Mary Foster, it appears that
you are an old offender, and a person who has raised great
disturbance in the Workhouse. You may depend upon it, we
will not allow this to go any further. We will put you into
prison for a month, with hard labour.
Walshe, you have been before the
barrister, and this is not your first or second offence. We
will give you a fortnight in prison with hard labour.
Helighan and Esmonde, it is your
first offence, and we will send you to prison for a week
with hard labour.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carlow Weekly News 19th Feb. 1863.
Drunkenness.
John ? was summoned for being
drunk on the 7th, 9th, 10th and 11th of the present month
and was fined 5 shillings with costs of £1 four shillings,
or 48 hours imprisonment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wedding & Workhouse sing-song
and shenanigans in Carlow,1863.
To the Editor of the Carlow
Weekly News. 19th Feb. 1863.
Sir---I
shall feel much obliged if you will allow me, through the medium
of your Paper, to express my acknowledgements and thanks , and
those of Mr. Pack-Beresford, to the inhabitants of Carlow and
its vicinity, for the very kind and flattering reception
accorded to us on the marriage of my daughter.
I assure you that it has made a deep
impression on us all, and that the demonstrations of kindness
and respect shown to us on that occasion, will never be effaced
from our recollection ---I remain your obedient servant, Robert
Clayton-Browne, Browne's Hill, Carlow.
(same
page).
Carlow Weekly News 19th Feb. 1863.
Insubordination in The Workhouse.
Michael Walshe, Mary Helighan, Mary
Costello and Ellen Esmonde , all inmates of the Workhouse
were brought up charged with insubordination.
Mr. Kerr, Master of the Workhouse,
when sworn deposed. ---At about seven o'clock on Friday
night I was informed that there were some of the inmates
outside the Workhouse wall.
On going out with the schoolmaster,
I found Michael Walshe and Mary Helighan outside the gate.
On enquiring how they got out, the gate-man told me that
Walshe had forced his way out, and then the girl got out.
They would not return, although he
(the gate-man) desired them frequently. I thought it my duty
to lock them up in separate cells to punish them. At nine
o'clock, I gave directions to send over a bed to Mary
Helighan, and she would not take it. She threw out the bed
clothes. On going over to the cells, these girls, Foster and
Esmonde, put their heads out of the window of their
dormitory, and commenced to curse in a most frightful
manner. I desired them to go to their beds and cease.
In a few minutes I was going around
the house, when I heard Foster encouraging Heligan to sing,
and told her to sing so loud, so she would be heard in
Dublin Street. I desired her to stop, and she did, but when
pressed by Walshe she commenced again, and finished the
song.
Several of the old women complained
to me that they got no sleep.
Several people were congregated
about the gate in consequence of the noise.
When Walshe heard the noise of the
women he commenced battering the cell door with stones.
There was no other person in the cell but himself.
I attribute the whole blame to the
girl Foster. She is out of jail only a week, and when she
was coming in the Guardians gave her a great caution.
Walshe---On the virture of your oath
was it with a stone that I knocked the door?
Mr. Kerr---There were stones in the
cell the next morning. In justice to him, I must say, that
he stopped when I asked him, but he made use of very
impertinent expressions.
Esmonde ---I have nothing to say
only I made noise, and it was I who cursed.
Judge---Mary Foster, it appears that
you are an old offender, and a person who has raised great
disturbance in the Workhouse. You may depend upon it, we
will not allow this to go any further. We will put you into
prison for a month, with hard labour.
Walshe, you have been before the
barrister, and this is not your first or second offence. We
will give you a fortnight in prison with hard labour.
Helighan and Esmonde, it is your
first offence, and we will send you to prison for a week
with hard labour.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carlow Weekly News 19th Feb. 1863.
Drunkenness.
John ? was summoned for being
drunk on the 7th, 9th, 10th and 11th of the present month
and was fined 5 shillings with costs of £1 four shillings,
or 48 hours imprisonment.