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Lynch from Greaghclaugh, Killinkere, Cavan

Cavan

Hi. I have been trying to research 2 men from the same family who were transported to Sydney Australia in Oct 1832 on the Dunvegan Castle. Father was called Owen LYNCH in his 50s and son was John LYNCH 19.Owen was a widower and had 5 children though I have found some anomalies in records. One said he had 4 boys and 1 daughter and that a son was transported the year before these 2 and another record said that he had 4 daughters and 1 son called John. I have also found differences in the sentences. There was another John lynch on the ship and his sentence was life. I believe them to have lived overlooking Galloncurra Lough in Greaghclaugh. They were listed as Ploughman.Sentenced in Cavan. John got LIfe forFalse Pretences and Owen got 7 yrs for stealing which doesnt make sense to me. Im wondering if they got the other John Lynches sentence mixed up later because that John died. Owen Lynch died in sydney hospital in 1834 while still a convict and his son died in Berrima, hanged for the murder of 10 people.

I have been trying for a while to find the truth in some of the records we have here but cant find anything on the Ireland side as records destroyed.

Im just wondering if anyone knows of any records of these 2. I have found tithe applotment record for Owen for Greaghclaugh so that matched up.

Thanks for any help

IrelandXO member

2 replies

Tracey,

I’d be slightly cautious about assuming that the Owen in the tithes is the same person who was a ploughman. In general, the people listed in the tithes were farmers. They had land that could be taxed, and so got listed. Ploughmen and other farm labourers generally didn’t have enough land to make it into the tithes, so don’t feature. 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hmmm...they were both definitely from Greaghclaugh and they were sentenced in Cavan Court. Owen Lynch definitely was a widower and had 5 children. I believe that area was the Farnham Estate so assumed that they rented land there. It isnt a big area and the land around there back then wouldnt have been very productive...maybe pigs and some grain. On their indentures it marks them as Ploughman. Greaghclaugh, back in late 1820s early 30s, was little farms under Lord Farnham, so I believe. If they rented land off him, would they be listed somewhere as the tenants?  I dont think there are any records left of census from that period.

Was it possible that they were farmers but at the same time ploughman that worked other farms as well to get by?

Im wondering also if I might be able to get some historical info from the court about their court cases. Any suggestions on that?

I have been to Greaghclaugh twice and seen the area and just thought it would have been easier finding some information on these 2, considering the size of the area. I know a lot of records were lost back then. I guess if you were a widower of 5 children, turning to crime by stealing was probably a way of surviving back then.

IrelandXO member

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