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Community Historian Brendan Matthews, Stamullen Meath, Drogheda (2026)

02/01/2026

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. Artist Laurence Fagan. Image depicts the magnificent Pen Drawing of the Railway Viaduct crossing the Boyne River at Drogheda by Laurence Fagan which he carried out in the early 1860`s. Presentation Talk at the Highlanes Gallery Drogheda Saturday January 3rd 2025 at 3pm. Laurence Fagan was born in the townland of Lisdornan parish of Moorechurch County Meath in 1825. The son of Sylvester and Mary Fagan, Laurence was born Deaf and also Non Verbal at a time when the population of the country was dramatically increasing and when the religious landscape across Ireland was changing rapidly. Born into a mixed marriage which, during this period, often presented its own challenges in relation to identity along with cultural & religious differences, Fagan attended the Protestant Claremont Institution at Glasnevin in Dublin in 1836 where he learned and perfected his artistic pen & ink and pencil drawing skills before he returned to the Drogheda area in 1857 and settled in Trinity Street until his sad demise in 1892. Brendan Matthews will present a power-point slide show in relation to the extraordinary draughtsmanship skills of this fascinating local artist, along with discussing the more serious challenges he faced throughout his life including the `power struggle` between different religious denominations regarding the education and teachings of the Deaf and Non Verbal community which, incidentally, included his younger sister Margaret. The Life & Times of the Drogheda Artist Laurence Fagan 1825 – 1892. There is currently an Exhibition of Laurence Fagan`s magnificent art works on display at the Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda which runs until January of 2026 and Community Historian Brendan Matthews will Present a special talk on the Life & Times and demise of Laurence Fagan at the Highlanes Gallery on Saturday January 3rd 2026 next beginning at 3pm and will last for around 45 minutes. For further details about this wonderful exhibition, log onto the Highlanes Gallery https://highlanes.ie/all-events/attention-to-detail-the-life-times-of-artist-laurence-fagan/

01/01/2026

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. “Tragic Death of young Christopher Dwyer of the Bullring”. Image depicts a copy of the Death Certificate of young Christopher Dwyer who lost his life back in 1911. On a quiet Sunday morning at the end of March back in 1911, a small coffin containing the body of an infant was carried into the old Graveyard in the village of Ardcath, Co. Meath, followed by a very large congregation of mourners. The body was that of young Christopher Dwyer of the Bullring in Drogheda, aged just five-years-old, who had died tragically two days beforehand at his home in Drogheda and following his tragic demise, the little boy was laid to Rest in the Dwyer family Burial Plot in Ardcath Village. It was Friday evening, 24th March 1911 when Christopher Dywer and his younger brother John were put to bed at around 6.15pm by a servant girl named Jane Clarke at their home in the Bullring. The servant girl stated later that the two boys were, `as usual full of spirits and in good health`. Before the two young brothers were put to bed, Jane Clarke had lighted a small fire in the grate of their bedroom, which she had done every evening and before she had left the room at about half past six, the younger boy John was asleep. At around 6.45pm, five-year-old Christopher Dwyer came running down the stairs screaming and crying, his night attire, which was that of a flannelette shirt and woollen jacket was in a blaze of fire. A teenager, named Dan Gallagher of Priest Lane in `Dooley Gate` who worked as a yard-boy for the Dwyer family, on seen what was happening, came rushing in and managed to put the fire out by wrapping his own coat around the young lad, however, by this time the child had been badly burned. Young Christopher was then carried back upstairs and placed in a bed and within minutes Doctor Parr was on the scene accompanied by local Head Constable Magee of the South Quay R.I.C. Barracks. Dr. Parr then applied dressings to the boy’s badly burned body and administered a sedative lotion. The doctor remained with Christopher for a further three hours, however he succumbed to his horrific injuries shortly after 10pm and, in doctor Parr’s opinion, death was due to `shock following extensive burns`. It emerged later on that there was a fire screen in the boy`s bedroom but unfortunately it had not been placed in front of the grate on that faithful evening. The two young brothers were always told never to go near the fire when they were put to bed. An inquest into the death of the young deceased also heard that he was actually afraid to go near any of the fire grates within the family home, however it appeared that, while his younger brother lay sleeping, something on the mantelpiece had caught the attention of Christopher who then got out of his bed and went towards the fire grate which, very tragically, resulted in his long night shirt catching fire. The servant girl, Jane Clarke, also told the inquest that the children were not in the habit of getting out of bed when they were sent to it and would only do so when they were called the next morning at around 7am. Little Christopher Dwyer was laid to rest in the ancient cemetery of Ardcath on Sunday March 26th. The chief mourners being his father, Joseph Dwyer, his two young brothers, Gerard and John and his young sister Maureen, while the Funeral Mass was celebrated by Father Curry of St. Mary’s Parish, Drogheda. Genealogical records also show that young Christopher Dwyer`s father, Joseph Dwyer, was the son of a Co. Meath farmer and he had been a Butcher in the Bullring at Drogheda when he met and began courting/dating Frances Mary (F***y) Gallagher, daughter of Christopher Gallagher Shop Keeper also of the Bullring in Drogheda and the couple married on July 10th back in 1898. At the time of young Christopher`s death in 1911, his parents, Joseph Dwyer and Frances née Gallagher were also the parents of two older sons and three daughters, two of whom were a couple of years younger than 5-year-old Christopher. The tragic passing of young Christopher Dwyer, son of the Grocer Joseph Dwyer which took place at the family home in the Bullring of Drogheda back in the month of March in 1911. Researched, written and compiled by Community Historian Brendan Matthews. ©2026

31/12/2025

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. The Hanging of “Barber Hynes”. Image depicts a Copy of the Death Certificate of Thomas Grimstone recording that he had died from shock & haemorrhage as a result of the violent attack he suffered in the middle of January back in 1922. On a cold Sunday afternoon in early January 1922, a young man arrived in Drogheda seeking work and accommodation. His name was Thomas Grimstone; originally from Cootehill in Co. Cavan, he had previously served time in the First World War and had just been released from his army position. On that Sunday afternoon, 26-years-old Thomas Grimstone met up with Robert Dyas from the Platten road area of Drogheda; a general dealer by trade, Dyas offered Thomas Grimstone a room to rent on a temporary basis as his wife was in hospital and wouldn’t be home for another week or so. According to a statement later given by Robert Dyas, Thomas Grimstone was very clean and tidy in his habits and within a few days he was getting to know the people and the area around `Dooley-Gate` where he fondly became known as “Tommy the soldier”. Some six days later, on Saturday January 14th 1922, Robert Dyas informed Grimstone that his wife was coming home from hospital and that unfortunately he (Grimstone) would have to vacate his room and so Tommy the soldier left to seek accommodation elsewhere. At around 11.30pm on Saturday night January 14th, a local woman named Mrs. Kenny was walking into her house on the Platten Road when she seen Thomas Grimstone standing alone on the street; she told her son John and he went out to speak with him. Grimstone informed Kenny that he had not found anywhere to stay and, as they were chatting, a man by the name of Peter, alias the “Barber”, Hynes came up the street. Hynes asked Grimstone if he was a soldier, to which he replied “yes”! He was then asked if he was an Irishman and he also replied “yes”! All the while, Hynes was singing, “If your Irish, come into the Parlour”. Grimstone told Hynes that he needed somewhere to stay, as the night was very cold and Hynes informed him that he could stay at his place and that he would `not see him out`. Peter Hynes, a well-known character in the district, lived a little further out on the Platten Road in an old shed at the rear of a house owned by an old Crimean War Veteran named McNally. It was now in the early hours of Sunday morning January 15th 1922 when the two men arrived at the shed. Hynes pointed out a heap of straw in one corner of the shed and told Grimstone that he could sleep there. At some stage during that night, Peter Hynes then brutally murdered Thomas Grimstone as he lay sleeping by hitting him several times around the head with an iron bar. The next day, Hynes went to a neighbour and told him that he had “killed a Tan who he had found in the shed and who had tried to pull a revolver on him”. Hynes asked the neighbour to help “get rid of the body in nearby Monahan’s quarry”. However, the neighbour refused and instead he informed Eamon Rooney who was in charge of what was then known as the `Volunteer Police`. As the Peace-Treaty between Ireland and Britain had only just been ratified during the first week in January and the British Military and Police-Force were still in operation in Drogheda until their departure from the town at the close of January 1922, Volunteer Eamon Rooney had no other choice but to inform the Royal Irish Police Constabulary Barracks at the South Quay about the murder. Members of the Constabulary Barracks then went along to the shed on the Platten Road and discovered the body of Thomas Grimstone hidden under the heap of straw where he had been sleeping only hours earlier, while the iron bar which was used in the brutal attack was found close by. Peter, alias the `Barber Hynes` was then subsequently arrested and charged with murder at a sitting of the old Court at Julianstown Village on Wednesday January 18th 1922 and was remanded in Custody to Mountjoy Jail in Dublin. Finally, following a Court Hearing held in mid November 1923, Peter, alias the `Barber Hynes` was found guilty of the murder of Thomas Grimstone and was sentenced to Death by Hanging. Hynes was asked by the Judge if he wished to address the court and, in his reply, Hynes stated, “All I have to say is that it is time the job was finished”. Peter, alias the “Barber Hynes” was then hanged for the murder of Thomas Grimstone, alias, “Tommy the Soldier” at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin on December 15th in 1923; the Executioner being the renowned English Hangman Mr. Albert Pierpoint. The brutal murder of Thomas Grimstone by Peter, Alias the `Barber Hynes` which occurred at Platten Road Drogheda 104-years-ago next month. Researched and written by Community Historian Brendan Matthews. © 2025.

30/12/2025

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. “Summer of 76”. Advert, dating back to the close of May in 1976 regarding the closing-sale by Central Records in Peter Street. As we now prepare for the year of 2026 ahead, it is perhaps time to reflect on what the scene was like around Drogheda some 50-years-ago during what became known as the scorching hot summer of 1976. In Drogheda, a shopping carnival with massive discounts, which subsequently became known as the Bonanza Fortnight or the Bonanza Festival, was one of the highlights of the summer.The Festival was officially opened in the month of May by Gay Byrne who arrived into Drogheda in a specially decorated coach. The starting parade was also led by an ornamental coach drawn by a team of matched horses and accompanied by a touch of glamour in the shape of 36 Aer Lingus Hostesses. Chairman of the Drogheda Traders Association, Mr. Hubert Tully, stated at the time that, “ Dynamic Drogheda has always had a way of making things happen and there will be sports and cultural events demonstrating the quality of life in the town, its range, its diversity and its colour”. During the Bonanza festival, the Tally-Ho bar in Georges Street placed adverts locally declaring that they were knocking 3p off the price of a pint and a further 2p of the price of spirits during Bonanza Fortnight. There was also a leisure exhibition held at the Star and Crescent which was officially opened by the then President of Ireland Cearbhall O`Dalaigh. A new flashy car to hit the streets and roads of Ireland in 1976 was that of the Renault 12, which was on sale at Brendan Kieran’s Motors in Drogheda while a new takeaway food service was also opened at the top of King Street by local man Tommy Loughran. The out-going Mayor of Drogheda, Alderman Peter Moore, also became chairman of Louth Co. Council; the first Drogheda person to hold that position in twenty years, while after a tense few weeks towards the end of June and the beginning of July; Con O’Brien was elected the new Mayor of Drogheda. On the night of the election of the new Mayor, Renowned Alderman Frank Godfrey began mopping the council chamber floor declaring, “What this council needs is a good washing down and cleaning out”. There is no democracy in the council, he alleged, adding that “there was more important matters before them than electing a Mayor and listening to a lot of cronies clapping themselves on the back”. Also in July of 1976, the Minister for Local Government, local Ministown man Mr. Jimmy Tully, officially opened the new `Bridge of Peace` across the Boyne. Cinema goers were treated to the films, Joe Kidd, the Last Snows of Spring, the Magnificent Seven and Carry on Dick. For those young lovers, sitting on the steps of St. Peter’s or strolling along the Ramparts, the music coming out over the airwaves during that red-hot-summer included, Young Hearts run free, Mississippi, Save your kisses for me, Boys are back in town, Convoy, Dancing Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody and, not forgetting the pop group `Our Kid` with the top hit song “You just might see me cry”. Local bands doing the rounds included, Reunion, Jim Kavanagh, Whiskey, John Collier, Southern Comfort, the Floodlights and, the ever popular D.J. Mr. Franklin D. 1976 was certainly a memorable year particularly regarding the weather; a scorching hot summer for those of us who are now old enough to remember it. Let us hope it may be repeated 50-years-on and bring back the great and wonderful Bonanza Fortnight! Researched, written & compiled by Community Historian Brendan Matthews. ©2025

29/12/2025

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. “Sad deaths of Kelly & Hudson”. The image on the left is an extract from an Aerial photo, courtesy of Tailte Eireann (2013-2018), the yellow star is added to indicate the location of the old 19th century Lime Kilns at Killineer; the ruins of which may still be seen today just off the roundabout on the R132 (North Road) Drogheda as your turn west onto the R166 road leading to the Drogheda M1 Retail Park and the Motorway. The image on the right is an extract, taken from the 25” to 1 mile Ordnance Survey Map, dating to c.1900 also depicts the site of the old Lime Kilns, with acknowledgement to Tailte Eireann. Throughout the period of the later 18th and 19th century, it was well known throughout the district and in fact the country as a whole, that the `Knights of the Road`, Vagrants, Tramps, Pedlars, Rag and Bone men, etc, would often try and gain entry to such Lime Kilns at night-time for warmth and a little comfort, particularly during the cold winter months. The following tragic and sad tale concerning two such characters took place at the Killineer Lime Kilns just to the north of old Drogheda back in the winter of 1874. On Wednesday morning December 16th in 1874 a number of workmen turned up at Mr. Reilly’s Lime Kilns at Killineer/Mell to begin their daily tasks and on arriving at the Kilns a most fearful sight awaited them. As the men approached their place of work they were greeted with a horrific stench of what was later described at an Inquest as, “burning flesh” and on looking into the Lime Kiln they discovered two human bodies slowly smouldering to cinders in the strong glow of the fire. One of the remains was in fact burned beyond recognition, while the second body was also badly charred by the fire. After a few enquiries was made by the Royal Irish Constabulary at the West-Gate Police Barracks it soon emerged that the tragic remains were that of a well renowned rag and bone man named Andrew Kelly and a man named Michael Hudson who was also in that trade and who was described by the local newspapers as, `a man having a hand ready for anything`. It appears that the two men were indeed attracted to the kiln by the fire and its warmth despite many efforts by the kiln’s owner to keep all vagrants out of the place; this would suggest that various different `knights of the road` frequented the kiln here on a regular basis. On that fearful Tuesday night of December 15th back in 1874 however, it appears that the only two men in the place was that of Kelly and Hudson. The two men seemingly mounted the kiln, which became their pyre, and, lying down on it to sleep, the carbonic acid and gas evolved from the works, suffocated the poor unfortunates and then the bodies were slowly burned on the pyre on which they lay down to rest. In fact, only a couple of weeks prior to this dreadful occurrence, one of the victims, Michael Hudson, was charged with trespassing at the same kilns by J.P. Harpur and received a caution at the local Drogheda District Court against repeating such an offence. One of the local newspapers also reported that the man named Andrew Kelly had `been, at one time, a member belonging to a Penny Theatrical Company`. The report went on to state that: `It would also appear that, the taste for the histrionic remained with him after he degenerated into the rag and bone trade for on the night he paid his last visit to Mr. Reilly’s lime kilns he had earlier invested two pence in light literature which was that of “The Life of Collier” and a copy of the `Siege of Athlone`. (“TheLife of Collier”, mentioned here was referring to the fascinating tale of the renowned Highwayman “Collier the Robber”. A report in another local newspaper, referring to Kelly, went on to say that, `The unfortunate man left a large family, to whom his death can scarcely be called a loss, as little of what he earned went towards their support`. Working life and conditions at these limekilns during the 19th century was harsh, often savage, with many tragic accidents happening almost on a weekly basis to the workmen; often loosing limbs in the process or, in the case of 35-year-old Andrew. Kelly and 24-year-old Michael Hudson, who only sought shelter from the December cold, losing their lives at Killineer Drogheda back in the month of December in 1874.Researched and written by Community Historian Brendan Matthews and first published by the Drogheda Independent in 2008. ©2025

28/12/2025

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. “The Disappearance of Pedlar Woman, Catherine Byrne”. Photo, captured by the late & great Local Historian Jim Garry, from some four-decades ago, depicts a view of Peter Street in Drogheda; the New Central Bar and the old Sound-Shop 2 may be seen on the lower right of the picture. On Saturday 5th December 1863, the Drogheda Corporation served a notice to the owners of a couple of houses at the corner of Laurence street and Peter street with their intention to demolish the structures as the buildings were in a state of collapse and were regarded as being both dangerous and an eye-sore to the general public and appearance of the town. A meeting of the corporation had also been told that several people had complained about the state of the buildings stating that they ought to be demolished because they could jeopardise the lives of the passers-by. The buildings were subsequently demolished (much of the original structures were in fact of wood), and were replaced by two new buildings, which were constructed in a Gothic Revival style having a façade of five bays and three stories constructed over basements and built of a glazed red brick with limestone dressings. One of the buildings today is the well known landmark and public house known as the `New Central`, while the second building takes up the corner position of Peter Street and Laurence Street and was once known as the `Sound-Shop 2`.The day before the above notice was served, Friday 4th December 1863, a considerable interest was created in town by the discovery in Graves Lane and in the immediate vicinity of the Iron works and close to the river, of a bundle of clothes and miscellaneous wares such as would be used by an itinerant or pedlar dealing in soft goods and fancy items.The bundle of clothes and the soft goods were then passed into the Police on the South Quay Barracks who immediately began an enquiry to locate the owner of the items which eventuated in the discovery that the items had been the property of a woman named Catherine Byrne, a native of Athy in Co. Kildare and who indeed was a well known traveller and Pedlar throughout the north east region. Catherine Byrne was last seen in the Trinity Street area of the town a few days prior to this where she had lodgings with her young daughter Mary. After the discovery of the items close to the river Mary Byrne arrived at the South Quay Barracks and positively identified the articles as that belonging to her mother and she also informed the Police that her mother was fond of a drink or two, which led the Police to believe that her poor mother had probably fallen into the river. Mary Byrne then went to see the Mayor in the hope that he would conduct a thorough search and drag the river as she wished to know the fate of her mother and if she had actually fallen into the Boyne; however the Mayor denied the young girl`s request stating that such a move would almost certainly prove fruitless.Mary Byrne stayed around the Graves Lane area for a number of days after this and wept uncontrollably for her mother as she helplessly looked up and down along the banks of the Boyne River but to no avail. Feeling extremely sorry for the plight of the girl, Sub Inspector Gardiner of the South Quay Barracks made some more enquires around the town and was satisfied that Catherine Byrne did fall into the river while she was under the influence of a good deal of alcohol. The Mayor, very generously, gave Mary Byrne one half a crown which he said was to assist her with travelling expenses which would take her back to her native Athy and he advised her to leave Drogheda as soon as possible. Young Mary Byrne took the Mayor`s advise and left the town with a heavy heart, never really knowing what was the true fate of her dear mother. The disappearance of the Pedlar Woman Catherine Byrne at Drogheda which occurred back in the month of December in 1863. Researched & Written by Community Historian Brendan Matthews. ©2025

27/12/2025

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. “Blue-Shirts Under Siege”. Photo from the early part of the 20th century depicting the Mayoralty House which came under attack in the spring of 1934. The tranquil peace and normal life of Drogheda was greatly disturbed on a Friday night back on February 9th in 1934. The trouble started when a dance was held in the Mayoralty House and which was organised by Fine Gael under the auspices of the Drogheda branch of the United Ireland Party. This particular gathering was recorded as being one of the largest ever held in the town with some nine-hundred people attending the event, most of whom wore blue shirts and blue blouses. It was reported that the dance itself was a most enjoyable evening and although the floor was heavily congested the revellers took to the dance-floor in relays and, according to local reports of the day, `everyone was in excellent good humour`. However, from the time when people were attending the function, large crowds of opponents to the Blue Shirts, both men and women, had gathered along the vicinity of the North Quay outside the Mayoralty House and began shouting things like “ Up the Republic” and “ Up De Valera”, etc. Around 10.30pm, when the room was full to capacity, a large plate glass window came crashing in on top of the revellers and onto the great dance floor in the main hall fortunately injuring nobody, but this was followed by a large amount of stones and rocks being hurled at the building by the now angry mob who had being gaining momentum and swirling to frightening numbers along the Mall and within minutes all the windows in the Mayoralty House were broken. The shutters on the inside of the windows were closed to prevent any injuries occurring from flying glass, however the crowd outside kept on throwing stones at the building and the chanting and shouting became louder as the opponents of the Blue Shirts were enraged with excitement by now. The Garda Superintendent arrived on the scene accompanied by around twenty-five Gardai and they found it extremely difficult to retain any order of the situation. At one stage somebody among the mob shouted, “Rush the Doors”, however they failed to break through the Garda cordon that had been put in place. By 11.30pm reinforcements arrived from Dunleer and Navan and a party of around 40 military soldiers in full riot gear arrived in the town from Dublin and awaited further instructions at the West-Gate Barracks. On several occasions the Garda detectives had to fire a number of shots from their revolvers to try and disperse the crowd and it was believed that shots might also have been fired in return. Throughout the night cars belonging to the Blue Shirts were vandalised by the angry mob, spare wheels were tossed into the River Boyne, radiators were smashed and many vehicles also had their tyres slashed. Some order was restored by the reinforcements around 1am while, at the same time, many of the `maddening-crowd` outside went across to the south side of the River Boyne where they continued to throw stones ( reportedly with catapults), back across the river towards the Mayoralty House. Not to be outdone, the Blue Shirts defiantly carried on with their dance, which didn’t end until 5am. Two days later, Sunday 11th February 1934 and the Blue Shirts assembled yet again outside the Mall and began marching towards the train station where they were boarding a train heading for a Fine Gael meeting in Dundalk. Their opponents also assembled again and serious fighting broke out along James St. and the Dublin road area with many people being injured by stones and other missiles; cars were smashed and a number of Gardai who were protecting the Blue Shirts had their batons taken and used against them in severe beatings. On this fine Sunday morning small children had also gathered with the angry mob and took part in the heavy missile and stone throwing, while the military were again called out and responded with gas-bombs, which eventually helped disperse the mob. Sporadic fighting between the military and the rioters continued throughout much of Sunday and on the return journey from Dundalk the Blue Shirts were accompanied by a large force of Gardai and arriving back in Drogheda a force of around 400 military with armoured cars and mounted Lewis Guns paraded throughout the streets and eventually calm was restored. Some serious political rioting that took place in old Drogheda Town back in early February in 1934. Researched & written by Community Historian Brendan Matthews. © 2025

26/12/2025

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. Times Past. An old Shop Invoice from Fay`s General Outfitters at No`s 2 & 3 Peter Street in Drogheda issued to Mr. Arthur Mitchell Gormanstown back in the month of October in 1925; the Invoice issued for the purchase of a pair of boots. Arthur Mitchell was the Gamekeeper at the former Delvin Lodge at Legdoory Gormanston, which was the home of the Jameson family from c.1850 until 1942 when the house was sold to Mr. John McCann. Mitchell himself resided at Stamullen Village where he and his wife Rosella also ran the local Post Office. The purchase of 1 pair of boots for the price of 18s, the transaction of which took place just over 100-years-ago.

25/12/2025

Community Historian Brendan Matthews. The Escape & Christmas Day Recapture of Drogheda Prisoner Willie Brady. Photo, by Brendan Matthews depicts the front facade of the old Drogheda Town Jail at Scarlet Street which was in existence between 1818 and 1905. During the 1860`s, a notorious offender going by the name of Willie Brady appeared frequently before the courts in Drogheda on charges of larceny and burglary. At one such sitting of the Drogheda Petty Session Court, held at the Tholsel in early December 1866, Brady was sentenced to the jail in Scarlet St. for the robbery of the shop premises of Mr. John Moore of Duleek St. Brady was only in the jail a couple of weeks when, on Wednesday December 19th 1866 he was instructed to work on the installation of a gravel-walk close to the outer wall of the prison. While engaged in laying down the gravel-walk Brady asked one of the turnkeys (Prison Wardens), if he might have the use of some string or cord so that he could lay out a straight line to work on the walk-way and this request was granted. No sooner had Brady been given the cord when he apparently matted it together, doubled it over, attached a piece of metal to the cord and threw it over the top of the high enclosing wall of the jail and proceeded to scale the wall at pace and had disappeared over it and had escaped in a few minutes.The turnkeys, along with the local police constables immediately began to search the area surrounding the jail in the vicinity of Scarlet St. however, Brady had vanished without trace. Over the next few days the police made enquiries as to the possible whereabouts of the escaped prisoner. They received information that Brady may have ran down Scarlet St. after his escape and that he may also have climbed up onto the railway line and crossed over the viaduct then climbed down again to the Marsh Road situated on the Co. Meath side of the Boyne River. On Christmas Day 1866 at around three o’clock in the afternoon, Sergeant Meehan, accompanied by six constables from the South Quay Barracks in Drogheda, along with Mr. Murtagh, the Governor of the Scarlet St. Jail proceeded to Balmarino House, located along the Marsh Road at Stagrennan just outside Drogheda, after they had received a tip-off from an informant that Brady was hiding out in that particular vicinity. They arrived at the home of a Mr. McConchey at Barmalino and informed him that they had good reason to believe that an escaped prisoner may be hiding out in his orchard. This news surprised McConchey, particularly as the orchard was enclosed by high walls and that the only door into the orchard had been securely locked for a number of weeks. However this news did not appear at all strange to the police or the Governor as they knew from experience that Brady was an expert and fearless climber. The Governor of the jail, along with Mr. McConchey decided then to wait patiently in the house while Sergeant Meehan and the six constables opened the door of the orchard in their search for the escapee. Once inside the enclosed orchard, Sergeant Meehan noticed an old out-house at one end and after a quick look around the orchard, the police made their way towards the old shed. The door was securely locked and after the Sergeant had called out to see if there was anyone inside, the constables were ordered to break the door down. On entering the place the fugitive was found to be armed with a large knife and a shovel, but Sergeant Meehan levelled a revolver at him and Brady then quietly surrendered. The local press stated that: `There was a marked alteration in the prisoner’s appearance. Previous to his escape he wore bushy whiskers, now his cheeks were clean shaven. His hair appeared to have passed through a dying process. It had been previously of the sanguineous hue known as fiery red; now it was nut brown. `The police also noticed that Brady had carefully positioned a few planks of wood at different angles close to the enclosing wall of the orchard, apparently so that he could make good his escape if he had chance to do so, but the sudden arrival of the authorities in the orchard prevented this from happening. Brady had gained entry to the orchard in the same manner he had escaped from the jail at Scarlet St. only six days earlier, by climbing up and across the orchard wall without having to gain entry via the door to the garden. A quick search of the old shed in the orchard by the constables uncovered some candles, matches and some straw and some small pieces of bread. The re-captured prisoner was then brought back to Scarlet St. Jail that same, dreary Christmas evening and during the first week in January 1867, he received a 7 year sentence at the Quarter Session Court. The escape of Willie Brady from Drogheda Jail and his subsequent recapture which took place exactly 159-years-ago this Christmas Day. Researched & Written by Community Historian Brendan Matthews.© 2025.

Community Historian Brendan Matthews

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