Naoise Q'·Haughan

The Learning to Learn Series BOOK 3 NAOISE Q'·HAUGHAN The Outlaw of Antrim by H. Ireland & T. Stewart Illustrations by 8. Coulter Hulton Educational Publications Men Of the Road Large rewards were offered for their capture, dead or alive, and many sums were granted and paid at each assize held at Carrick fergus between the years 1710 and 1730. The spikes on the jails of Carrickfergus, Armagh, Derry, Down patrick and Dundalk were replenished each time the courts sat, with the heads of the executed outlaws, whilst m~ny of the settlers received large rewards for killing the outlaws and bringing in their heads. (F. J. Bigger, 1895) You will have read stories of highwaymen robbing mail coaches and shouting "Stand and deliver!". Dressed in three cornered hats and lo.ng frock coats they carried out daring acts, always preying on the rich and never harming the poor. Most likely though you will not have known that Ireland had its own share of highwaymen. The outlaws The story in this book is about one of mentioned above earned their living the most famous highwaymen to live by robbing travellers on the roads of in the north of Ireland at that time. the north of Ireland in the early 18th His name was Naoise O'Haughan. century. There is almost certain to You can pronounce his name Nee have been a highwayman who, sha, or if you prefer you can call him during this period, roamed the Ness, Niece or Nessy as he was countryside where you now live. known by all of these names. 3 / Naoise O'Haughan The Early Years About the year 1690 at Skerry in the valley of the Braid river in County Antrim, Naoise O'Haughan was born. Growing up with his brothers Sean and Denis near the slopes of Slemish he would often hear from his mother and father of how they had once been rich farmers before the settlers came and stole their lands. Now Sean O'Haughan and his wife were renting a small patch of ground and they had trouble trying to find the money when the landlord's agent came for it. Naoise and his brothers felt bad about their father's misfortune and swore that Slemish (Slieve Mis) Co. Antrim when they grew to be men they would make the new settlers pay. The three boys were well known in the countryside around Skerry because some people thought that they were wild and always looking for trouble. In spite of this, there were many who admired them, as they were all so good at running and jumping and were very fit and strong. The finest athlete of the three was Naoise who could outrun and out-jump any boy in the Braid valley. Their parents are said to have trained the boys in running and jumping by opening up the doors on either side of their barn and making the boys run through. As the boys ran, the mother and father thrashed at their legs with wooden flails, so the boy who could run fastest and jump furthest got least knocks. 4 Map 1 Based upon the Ordnance Survey map with the sanction of the Controller of HM Stationery Office, Crown Copyright reserved. Elmwood Educational Publications, 19 Chichester Park North, Belfast. 6 The Outlaw Band When Sean and Naoise were The farmers of the Braid got together teenagers they 'took to the road', to hunt the O'Haughan gang. An old determined to make a living by poem tells us what happened, plundering the farms of the Scottish and English settlers. They formed an The bold Niece O'Haughan outlaw band and visited farms by And Sean Og the Tory; night, robbing the farmers or Little Owen Murphy and blackmailing them. Blackmail was His younger brother Rory; their favourite means of getting Randal Dhu Agnew, money. They would ask the farmers MacKinstry and Magennis, for money and agree to leave their Though half the Braid pursue, farms alone for a while. If they Make good the Upper refused they would find some night Teenies. that their pigs had been killed or their hay had been set on fire. The last man in the rear Had barely cleared the Eventually the farmers of the Braid clachan valley decided to take it no longer. A When a bullet grazed his hair, warrant for the arrest of the Twas the burly Niece O' O'Haug.hans was issued from the Haughan. General Quarter Sessions of the "Stand comrades now," he cried Peace at Ballymena on 16 January "Why flee ye in such hurry? 1717. Let's tame the Begg's pride, And cowe the Craigs of Skerry. It read, Range round your chief, my We the Grand Jury present men, Shane Oge 0 'Haughan and These are but shabby fellows Neece O'Haughan, both of Braid We'll fight them one to ten and Daniel Roe McAuley of Ere we swing upon the Ballyeman in the barony of gallows." Glenarm to be notorious Rogues With that whizzed through the and Robbers out upon their air keeping and not amenable to the A bullet frae the callen, law and refuse to be brought to Which carried off the ear justice. O' singin' Robin Allen. [Collection of presentments - Public At that point the posse of farmers Record Office for Northern Ireland] turned and ran off in panic. 7 While the O'Haughan gang had Finally the hunters closed in on many enemies they also had plenty Naoise and Sean. Sean's brother in ·of friends. Once when the harvests law was a man called James had been very bad and the poor MacKinstry. He knew that Sean farmers of the Braid valley had given would trust him and that he could the last of their money as rent to lure him from his hideout. He made their landlord, the landlord's agent up a story about Sean's wife being (rent collector) had his house burgled very ill and told Sean that she had and all the rent money stolen. The asked to see him as she thought that next morning each farmer found a she was dying. Because of his little bag with his rent money in it, concern for his wife, Sean followed hanging on his door. The people him into a trap. MacKinstry had men knew who had done this for them waiting who overpowered the and Naoise O'Haughan had many outlaw. Naoise was with Sean at the places in which to hide if he was.in time but he managed to escape. His trouble. brother was handed over to the authorities in Carrickfergus. However, there was money to be gained by anyone who was bold The records show us that, enough to capture or kill the O'Haughan gang and eventually the famous band of highwaymen was broken up. John Edmonston, William Craig and Daniel MacCart The records show us that, each got £3 for assisting in the capture. John Mac Crea received a reward of £5 Samuel, Robert and Hugh for the capture of Beggs divided £12 amongst Randall Dhu Agnew. them for leading the way. Executed at Carrickfergus 1717. James MacKinstry got £10 for tricking the outlaw Two other members of the gang, and knocking him out. Rory Murphy and Toal Magennis, were so sure that they too would be captured and end up on the gallows that they decided to leave the Sean Og O'Haughan was hanged at country and avoided this fate. Carrickfergus in 1718. 8 The Chase An old story tells us that Naoise done it plenty of times before. He watched his brother being hanged would head for the Belfast from a hiding place on the side of mountains. He knew them well and Knockagh mountain. It is known that they were the most difficult ground he found shelter there in the cottage he could think of. Sure enough, he of Widow Jaques, the widow of a seemed to be shaking them off as he Presbyterian minister. After Sean's scrambled over Divis and round the death Naoise carried out so many side of Black Mountain. From there acts of revenge that a troop of he headed into the valley and across soldiers was sent out from the Bog Meadows towards the little Carrickfergus Castle to track him earthen-walled town of Belfast. It is down. Naoise returned to the Braid said that Naoise could beat anyone valley but was instantly recognized. in a run across those mountains but The soldiers were informed and the in the valley he lost his stride and outlaw was forced to flee, on foot, the soldiers began to catch up. In with a troop of dragoons hard on his front of the outlaw was the River heels. Lagan and behind him the dragoons began to spread out. The river was at Naoise was convinced that he could least six metres wide at this point so outrun the soldiers. After all, he had the soldiers were sure that he could Cross Section of Site of Belfast Cave Hill Carrickfergus J, c:::::;;J ~ Rivers Marsh Mud Belfast Hills and or Flats Lough and Streams Swamp Mountains 10 not cross it. Over his shoulder he Relieved to have escaped again, could see some of the soldiers heading O'Haughan became more careful up the river bank and others heading about keeping his identity secret. He downstream to make certain that he moved to a different area, hiding out could not escape in either direction. with an old man called Allison in a Faced with capture and certain cottage on Squire's Hill.

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