Captain Gallagher
Encyclopedia
Captain Gallagher was an Irish highwayman who, as one of the later Irish Rapparees, led a bandit group in the hills of the Irish countryside during the late 18th century.
Born in Bonniconlon, County Mayo
he lived with his aunt in Derryronane, Swinford for much of his early life and raised near the woods of Barnalyra. As he reached early adulthood, he and three or four others began raiding mail coaches as well as wealthy landowners and travelers throughout eastern Mayo and parts of southern County Sligo and western County Roscommon
.
His attacks on landowners were especially widely known and, in one reported incident, Gallagher and his men raided the home of an extremely unpopular landlord in Killasser and forced him to eat half a dozen eviction notices he had recently drawn up for nearly half a dozen tenant farmers before escaping with silver and other valuables.
Although successfully evading British patrols for some time, he was finally apprehended by authorities in the parish of Coolcarney (or possibly Attymass
) near the foothills of the Ox Mountains
while recovering from an illness at a friend's home during Christmas.
He had been informed on by a neighbor whom Gallagher had formerly helped after sending a message of Gallagher's whereabouts to the British commanding officer at Foxford
. Immediately sending for reinforcements from Ballina
, Castlebar
and Swinford
, a force of 200 soldiers was sent after Gallagher and, upon their arrival, proceeded to surround the home where the highwayman had been staying. Gallagher, by then in poor health and not wishing to endanger his host or his family, surrendered to the British. Taken back to Foxford, he was tried and convicted before being taken to Castlebar where he was executed.
Shortly before his execution, he had claimed to the British commanding officer that his treasure had been hidden under a rock in the woods of Barnalyra. After Gallagher's execution, the officer led several cavalryman to Barnalyra and, upon a long search of thousands of rocks within the area, they reportedly recovered a jewel hilted sword. It has been speculated that Gallagher may have been hoping to lead them to the site in the hopes his men would be able to rescue him from their hideout near the Derryronane-Curryane border although the treasure was never recovered.
Born in Bonniconlon, County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
he lived with his aunt in Derryronane, Swinford for much of his early life and raised near the woods of Barnalyra. As he reached early adulthood, he and three or four others began raiding mail coaches as well as wealthy landowners and travelers throughout eastern Mayo and parts of southern County Sligo and western County Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
His attacks on landowners were especially widely known and, in one reported incident, Gallagher and his men raided the home of an extremely unpopular landlord in Killasser and forced him to eat half a dozen eviction notices he had recently drawn up for nearly half a dozen tenant farmers before escaping with silver and other valuables.
Although successfully evading British patrols for some time, he was finally apprehended by authorities in the parish of Coolcarney (or possibly Attymass
Attymass
-People:It is the birthplace of Fr Patrick Peyton , the founder of the Family Rosary Crusade In 1998, the Fr Patrick Peyton Memorial Centre was officially opened by Bishop Thomas Flynn.-Moy Villa Football Club:...
) near the foothills of the Ox Mountains
Ox Mountains
The Ox Mountains are a mountain range in County Sligo on the west coast of Ireland. They are also known as 'St Patrick's Mountain after St. Patrick, as he laboured much on it, raised churches on its slopes, and left his name to some of its wells, as for instance that of Dromard' . The highest peak...
while recovering from an illness at a friend's home during Christmas.
He had been informed on by a neighbor whom Gallagher had formerly helped after sending a message of Gallagher's whereabouts to the British commanding officer at Foxford
Foxford
Foxford, historically called Bellasa , is a small village 16 km south of Ballina in County Mayo, Ireland. The village stands on the N26 national primary route from Swinford to Ballina and has a railway station served by trains between Dublin and Ballina.Situated between the Nephin and Ox...
. Immediately sending for reinforcements from Ballina
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
, Castlebar
Castlebar
Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
and Swinford
Swinford
Swinford, historically called Swineford , is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is surrounded by the settlements of Midfield, Meelick, Culmore, Cloonaghboy, Killasser and other villages. It is on the N5 road, located 18 km from Ireland West Airport Knock...
, a force of 200 soldiers was sent after Gallagher and, upon their arrival, proceeded to surround the home where the highwayman had been staying. Gallagher, by then in poor health and not wishing to endanger his host or his family, surrendered to the British. Taken back to Foxford, he was tried and convicted before being taken to Castlebar where he was executed.
Shortly before his execution, he had claimed to the British commanding officer that his treasure had been hidden under a rock in the woods of Barnalyra. After Gallagher's execution, the officer led several cavalryman to Barnalyra and, upon a long search of thousands of rocks within the area, they reportedly recovered a jewel hilted sword. It has been speculated that Gallagher may have been hoping to lead them to the site in the hopes his men would be able to rescue him from their hideout near the Derryronane-Curryane border although the treasure was never recovered.