Thomas Kennedy

343

Maureen Withey on 1st July 2025

SHOOTING WITH INTENT TO KILL. Michael Hayes was next indicted for having, on the 2d of last May, at Rahernager, in this county, fired at John Ryan (Luke), with intent to kill him. John Ryan (Luke) ?? remembered the 2d of May last being in company with Mr. Kenna, Mr. Bradshaw's agent, going to settle with some of the tenantry of Mr. O'Grady ; a shot was fired from behind the ditch on the turn of the road; the witness rode a horse into which seven slugs were driven; the prisoner at the bar was the man who fired the shot; it was then about nine o'clock in the morning; as soon as the first shot was fired the prisoner, who had a short gun in his hand, jumped off the ditch and said to another who was behind it, and had a fowling-piece, - fire again; he (the witness) then pelted away as hard as he could, and the second shot took no effect; the horse he rode carried him about two hundred yards further, and then dropped dead. Michael Kenna deposed that he was with the last witness, who was about three or four yards before; he heard the noise of the first shot, but did not see the smoke; he rode a pony, and did not get off until the second shot was fired; he then threw himself off the pony, and went to a man's house named Kennedy. The case for the crown closed. THE DEFENCE. Constable Lalor deposed that he saw the prisoner at the bar, and his brother, driving pigs on the day in question to the fair of Silvermines but about six o'clock in the morning the prisoner got behind a ditch, and on the witness asking his brother whether he went to the fair, he said he did not; that was near Hayes's house, and about a mile and a half from where the shots fired at Ryan. Mat Whologan proved that he went with Hayes, and his brother, to the fair of Silvermines about seven in the morning, and did not leave his company until they went to the fair. Thomas Hayes was next examined, and corroborated the evidence of Whologan. The case then closed, and Chief Justice Doherty having charged the jury, they returned a verdict- Guilty. Freeman’s Journal, 5 July 1842.

343

Maureen Withey on 1st July 2025

Navarino Indent: https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON14-1-16/CON14-1-16P211 and https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON14-1-16/CON14-1-16P212 Thomas Kennedy, tried at Nenagh Co Tipperary, 28 July 1842, Life. 5 ft 4 ¾. Age 24. Catholic, can read and write. Married, 1 child. Offence, Shooting at Ryan Luke whilst on horse back, for ?, 3 mos. Michael Hayes- transported for same offence per Kinnear. Surgeon’s Report, Good. Trade, Ploughman & F. Labourer. Native place, Co Tipperary. Remarks: F, Patrick. 3B, Michael ,Pat, Jno. On the night of the 13th inst., Acting-Constable Lewes and party of the Bilboa station, proceeded to  Bloomfield, county Tipperary, and after a fatiguing march of 15 miles through the mountains, succeeded in arresting Thomas Kennedy, one of the party who fired at John Ryan Luke, of Bilboa, on the night of the 2d May last, and killed the horse on which he rode. Kennedy's accomplice in the same act, Michael Hayes, was arrested by this efficient Constable, and was tried at the last Special Commission held at Clonmel, and sentenced to transportation for life. Limerick Chronicle, 20 July 1842.