TWENTY ONE AUSTRALIAN BUSHRANGERS AND THEIR IRISH CONNECTIONS

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FATHER – WILLIAM DOOLING - BORN 1823 IN CO. TIPPERARY AND CONVICTED OF STEALING FIREARMS AND TWO POUNDS IN 1848 AND TRANSPORTED TO VAN DIEMENS LAND FOR 7 YEARS. HE WAS DESCRIBED AS BEING 5’ 9’’ TALL, WAS SINGLE AND COULD READ AND WRITE, RELIGION WAS CATHOLIC. HE MET AND MARRIED ANN BURKE IN 1852 AND HAD 6 CHILDREN. THEY MOVED TO THE VICTORIAN GOLDFIELDS AFTER SERVING OUT HIS SENTENCE. NO FURTHER CRIMES NOTED AND HE DIED IN 1897 AGED 74. MOTHER – ANN BURKE (1826.-(1891) LAUNDRESS, CONVICTED IN CO. WEXFORD OF BURGLARY AND SENT TO VAN DIEMENS LAND FOR 7 YEARS. DESCRIPTION 5 FOOT 3 AND A HALF INCHES TALL, BROWN HAIR, BLUE EYES, SLIGHTLY FRECKLED, READS, UNMARRIED – CATHOLIC. NO FURTHER CRIMES NOTED. HER WIDOWED SISTER MARY NOWLAN WAS ALSO CONVICTED OF THE SAME CRIME AND ALSO TRANSPORTED ON THE SAME SHIP TO VAN DIEMENS LAND. MARY HAD ONE CHILD IN IRELAND (NAME UNKNOWN).

FATHER - JOHN (RED) KELLY BORN CO. TIPPERARY IN 1820 AND SENT TO VAN DIEMENS LAND FOR 7 YEARS FOR STEALING 2 PIGS. RED GOT INTO TROUBLE IN VICTORIA AND SPENT 4 MONTHS IN JAIL FOR STEALING A CALF. HE DIED IN 1866.MOTHER - ELLEN QUINN WAS BORN IN 1832 IN CO. ANTRUM AND CAME TO VICTORIA WHEN 9 WITH HER PARENTS AND 7 SIBLINGS IN 1841 AS ASSISTED MIGRANTS. ONLY LEARNT TO READ AS SHE WAS MORE TIMES RIDING HORSES AROUND THE COUNTRYSIDE THAN GOING TO SCHOOL SHE MARRIED RED IN 1850. SPENT 3 YEARS IN JAIL IN 1878 ON A TRUMPED-UP CHARGE. SHE DIED IN 1923.

PAT GAYNOR, ‘FERMANAGH’ GUNNEDAH NSW 2380PH 0408465075 Email pjgaynor@bigpond.com

NED KELLY (1854-1880) HUNG FOR MURDER

HIS BROTHER - DAN KELLY (1861-1880) DIED IN THE GLENROWEN SIEGE CAUSE UNKNOWN.

JOE BYRNE (1856-1880) DIED IN THE GLENROWAN SIEGE. HE WAS THE BEST EDUCATED OF THE GANG . FATHER PATRICK BYRNE FROM CO. CARLOW. MOTHER MARGARET WHITE FROM CO. CLARE. BOTH CAME FREE.

GRANDFATHER - JOSEPH BYRNES FROM CO. WEXFORD SENT TO NSW FOR LIFE IN 1834 FOR REBELLION (UNLAWFUL OATHS)

STEVE HART(1859-1880) DIED IN THE GLENROWEN SIEGE

CAUSE UNKNOWN.PARENTS- RICHARD HART AND BRIDGET YOUNG. BRIDGET WAS PART OF THE IRISH FAMINE RELIEF GIRLS FROM GALWAY SENT TO NSW IN 1850. RICHARD FROM DUBLIN MIGHT HAVE BEEN SENT OUT FOR PICKING POCKETS., BUT RECORDS ARE VAGUE AND UNCLEAR.

HARRY POWER(1819-1891)

BORN HENRY JOHNSTON (JOHNSON) IN CO. WATERFORD C.1820. HE MIGRATED TO ENGLAND BUT GOT CAUGHT STEALING A SADDLE AND BRIDLE (SOME SAY IT WAS SHOES) AND TRANSPORTED TO VAN DIEMENS LAND FOR 7 YEARS. HIS MOTHER WAS SENT OUT FOR STEALING CHICKENS AND ALSO ENDED UP IN VAN DIEMENS LAND WITH HARRY’S 3 YOUNG HALF SISTERS WHO WERE BORN IN ENGLAND. HARRY SERVED OUT HIS TIME AND WENT TO THE MAINLAND. HE GOT INTO TROUBLE WITH 2 DRUNKEN GERMAN TROOPERS AND WOUNDED ONE OF THEM AND ENDED UP IN JAIL. AFTER SERVING 6 YEARS HE WAS RELEASED ONLY TO END UP AGAIN IN JAIL FOR STEALING HORSES. HE ESCAPED AND TURNED TO BUSHRANGING IN WHAT WAS TO END UP AS KELLY COUNTRY. AT ONE TIME HE HAD YOUNG NED KELLY WITH HIM. FINALLY BETRAYED BY A WOULD BE FRIEND AND LOCKED UP AGAIN TO GET RELEASED WHEN 66 YEARS OLD. HE DIED AT 72 FROM DROWNING IN THE MURRAY RIVER.

MARTIN CASH

BORN 1810 IN ENISCORTHY CO. WEXFORD AND GOT INTO TROUBLE IN 1828 FOR SHOOTING A RIVAL SUITOR AND TRANSPORTED TO NSW FOR 7 YEARS. HE WORKED OUT HIS SENTENCE BUT GOT INTO TROUBLE FOR BRANDING STOLEN CATTLE. HE FLED WITH HIS MISTRESS TO VAN DIEMENS LAND BUT EVENTUALLY GOT JAILED FOR LARCENY. HE ESCAPED THREE TIMES FROM THE DREADED PORT ARTHUR PRISON. THE LAST EPISODE LASTED 2 YEARS IN WHICH HE DID A LOT OF LOCAL BUSHRANGING. FINALLY CAUGHT AND SENT TO NORFOLK ISLAND WHERE HE SERVED OUT A LONG SENTENCE BUT WAS SET FREE WHEN THE PRISON CLOSED DOWN. HE RELATED HIS STORY TO JAMES LESTER BURKE WHO PUBLISHED IT. MARTIN DIED A FREE MAN AT 67.

ONE BOOK WRITTEN ON HARRY POWER CALLED

THE BUSHRANGERHARRY POWER

TUTOR OF NED KELLYBY PASSEY AND DEAN

1991

(1810-1878)

JACK (JOHN) DONOHOE (1806-1830)ONE OF THE WILD COLONIAL BOYS.

BORN IN DUBLIN 1806 AND CONVICTED IN 1823 OF INTENT TO COMMIT A FELONY AND THEN TRANSPORTED FOR LIFE TO NSW. IN 1827 WITH TWO OTHER CONVICTS HE HELD UP A NUMBER OF BULLOCK DRAYS BUT GOT CAUGHT AND SENTENCED TO DEATH. HE ESCAPED AND ASSISTED BY A GANG BECAME THE MOST FAMOUS BUSHRANGER TO THAT DATE. THE GANG OPERATED OVER A LARGE AREA AROUND SYDNEY OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. HE WAS FINALLY CORNERED BY TROOPERS AND POLICE AND DIED GAMELY IT IS SAID. NUMEROUS BALLADS WERE SUNG ABOUT HIS DEEDS. A FAMOUS BALLAD COMPOSED IN 1860 WAS BASED ON HIS EXPLOITS.

JOHN AND THOMAS CLARKE

FATHER - JOHN CLARKE BORN IN 1808, AN IRISH REBEL FROM NEWRY CO. DOWN SENT OUT IN 1828 FOR 7 YEARS (PREVIOUS CONVICTION WAS PIG STEALING). HE SERVED OUT HIS SENTENCE IN NSW AND TURNED TO TANNING LEATHER AS HE WAS A SHOEMAKER BY TRADE. HE RENTED A SMALL BLOCK AND GOT INVOLVED IN HORSE STEALING. LATER WHEN GOLD WAS DISCOVERED NEAR BRAIDWOOD HE AND HIS SONS STOLE THE DIGGERS HORSES, HID THEM FOR A WHILE AND THEN CLAIMED THE REWARDS FOR THEIR RETURNS. HE DIED IN 1866 IN GOULBURN PRISON OF INFLUENZA WHILE WAITING TRIAL FOR KILLING AN ABORIGINE.

MOTHER - MARY ANN CONNELL (1820-1905) WAS AN IRISH IMMIGRANT FROM LOGHILL CO. LIMERICK WHO CAME WITH HER PARENTS MICHAEL AND MARGARET AND HER SIBLINGS TO SYDNEY IN 1839. THEY WERE EMPLOYED IN A DISTRICT THAT WAS TO BECOME BRAIDWOOD IN NSW. MARY MARRIED JOHN CLARKE (SENIOR) IN 1839.

SONS JOHN AND THOMAS CLARKE BECAME PART OF THE CLARKE GANG WHICH AT TIMES HAD WITH THEM TOM AND PAT CONNELL (MARY’S BROTHERS). YOUNGER BROTHER JAMES CLARKE WAS JAILED FOR 7 YEARS FOR HAVING BANKNOTES THAT WERE STOLEN BY THE BEN HALL GANG IN A STAGECOACH ROBBERY. THIS SAVED HIM LATER FROM THE FATE OF HIS TWO BROTHERS. THE CLARKES TOGETHER WITH 4 OTHER CRIMINALS , WILLIAM AND JOSEPH BERRIMAN, BILL SCOTT AND WILLIAM FLETCHER BECAME THE SCURGE OF THE BRAIDWOOD AREA. THEY SHOT POLICE AND ROBBED THE RICH AND THE POOR WITHOUT EXCEPTION. A PARTY OF 4 OFFICIAL BOUNTY HUNTERS WERE AMBUSHED AND KILLED. 5000 POUND WAS POSTED FOR THE CAPTURE OF THE MURDERERS. PAT CONNELL WAS KILLED IN A SHOOTOUT, THEN A LITTLE LATER THE TWO CLARKE BROTHERS WERE ALSO CAPTURED. THOMAS WAS CHARGED WITH 9 ROBBERIES OF MAIL AND 36 ROBBERIES OF INDIVIDUALS PLUS THE SUSPECTED MURDERS. JOHN CLARKE WAS CHARGED WITH 26 ROBBERIES PLUS THE SUSPECTED MURDERS. THEY EVENTUALLY WERE FOUND GUILTY BY A JURY AND HANGED AT THE SAME TIME. THE JUDGE REMARKED AS HE SENTENCED THEM - THE STAIN OF CONVICT BLOOD WAS NOT DIMINISHED ENOUGH IN THEM OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT HAVE BECOME WORTHY CITIZENS (OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT).

JOHN TENNANT (1794-1837)NO KNOWN PHOTO

NATIVE OF BELFAST – SENTENCED TO LIFE IN 1823 AND TRANSPORTED TO NSW (CRIME NOT LISTED). OCCUPATION - CATTLE DEALER.

ON ARRIVAL IN SYDNEY IN 1824 HE WAS SENT TO AN AREA THAT IS NOW THE CAPITAL OF AUSTRALIA - CANBERRA. IN 1824 HE ABSCONDED WITH JOHN RICKS AND TOOK TO THE BUSH. THEY PROCEEDED TO ROB PEOPLE FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS BUT THEY ALWAYS RETREATED TO HIDEOUTS IN THE LIMESTONE CAVES ON MOUNT CURRIE NOW CALLED MOUNT TENNENT (DIFFERENT SPELLING). AFTER AN ATTEMPTED ROBBERY IN 1828 TENNANT WAS WOUNDED AND HE AND RICKS AND TWO OTHERS (JAMES MURPHY AND THOMAS CAIN) WERE CAPTURED. EVENTUALLY SENTENCED TO HANG, ALL FOUR WERE INSTEAD SENT TO THE NOTORIOUS PENAL COLONY OF NORFOLK ISLAND FOR 7 YEARS. HE SERVED OUT HIS TIME AND RETURNED TO SYDNEY BUT DIED A YEAR LATER.

HIS HIDEOUT ON PRESENT DAY MOUNT TENNENT HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND AS THERE ARE MANY CAVES AND MAZES THAT DOT THE AREA.

MOUNT TENNENTTOWERING OVER

PRESENT DAYCANBERRA

JOHN LYNCH (1813-1842)NATIVE OF

CO. CAVAN

AT 17, HE WAS CONVICTED OF FALSE PRETENCES AND TRANSPORTED TO SYDNEY AND THEN SENT 130 KM AWAY TO BERRIMA IN SOUTHERN NSW. IN 1835 HE JOINED A BUSHRANGING GANG. HE AND TWO OTHERS WERE APPREHENDED AND CHARGED WITH MURDER OF AN INFORMER. HIS COMPANIONS WERE FOUND GUILTY AND HANGED BUT THE JURY WERE NOT CONVINCED HE WAS PART OF THE KILLING AND HE WAS SET FREE. HE RETURNED TO A FARM HE KNEW AND STOLE CATTLE AND WAS DRIVING THEM TO SYDNEY WHEN HE MET A MAN AND AN ABORIGINAL BOY WHO WERE CARRYING A LOADED WAGON FULL OF WHEAT AND OTHER PRODUCE. HE MURDERED BOTH WITH A TOMAHAWK BLOW TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD, HID THE BODIES AND TOOK OVER THEIR TRANSPORT TO SYDNEY. AFTER SELLING THE PRODUCE IN SYDNEY, ON THE RETURN JOURNEY HE MET 2 MEN WITH A CATTLE HERD. THAT NIGHT HE KILLED THEM AND TOOK OVER THE HERD AND SOLD IT. HE THEN WENT TO THE MULLIGAN FAMILY ON THEIR FARM AS THEY OWED HIM MONEY ON SOME STOLEN GOODS HE HAD SOLD THEM. HE KILLED THE FAMILY AND TOOK OVER THE FARM. HIS LUCK RUN OUT AS SOMEONE DISCOVERED A BODY OF A FARM HAND THAT LYNCH HAD BEEN WITH TWO DAYS PREVIOUSLY. A BARMAID OF THE LOCAL INN IDENTIFIED HIM AND HE WAS CHARGED WITH MURDER. HE PROTESTED HIS INNOCENCE BUT OWNED UP TO IT AFTER CONVICTED. HE IS THOUGHT TO HAVE KILLED 10 PEOPLE. HE WAS HANGED IN 1842. BEFORE BEING HANGED HE SAID GOD WAS TELLING HIM TO KILLTHOSE PEOPLE.

KNOWN AS THE BERRIMA AXE MURDERER

LAWRENCE KAVENAGH(1805-1846)

NATIVE OF CO. WATERFORD

STONE MASON AND QUARRYMAN

CONVICTED OF BURGLARY AND SENT TO SYDNEY FOR LIFE. HE WAS SOON IN TROUBLE BY ATTEMPTING AN ARMED ROBBERY, THEN BUSHRANGING AND ALSO ESCAPING FROM CUSTODY. IN 1831 HE WAS SENT TO NORFOLK ISLAND FOR 14 YEARS. HE WAS STILL IN TROUBLE THERE AND RECEIVED AT ONE TIME 40 LASHES FOR INSOLENCE AND THEN 140 FOR TRYING TO ESCAPE. HE WAS RETURNED TO SYDNEY IN 1842 AND RECEIVED ANOTHER 36 LASHES FOR TRYING TO ESCAPE. HE DID EVENTUALLY ESCAPE BUT GOT CAUGHT AND SENT TO PORT ARTHUR IN VAN DIEMENS LAND WHERE HE MET MARTIN CASH. AFTER ESCAPING WITH CASH AND JONES THEY BECAME SUCCESSFUL BUSHRANGERS OVER A 2 YEARS PERIOD BUT HE WENT TO HOBART WITH CASH AND GOT CAUGHT. HE WAS SENT BACK TO NORFOLK ISLAND WITH CASH AND WAS HUNG THERE AFTER TAKING AN ALLEDGED PART IN A MUTUNY.

THE FAMOUS KELLY GANG

BEN HALL (1837-1865)FATHER – BENJAMIN HALL – ENGLISH CONVICT- SENT TO VAN DIEMENS LANDMOTHER- ELIZA SOMERS FROM DUBLIN -IRISH CONVICT. MET AND MARRIED AFTER BOTH HAD SERVED OUT THEIR 7 YEAR SENTENCE FOR STEALING. THEY RAN A BUTCHERS SHOP IN MURRURUNDI NW NSWBUT LEFT FOR FORBES WHEN ACCUSED OF CATTLE STEALING. BOTH DIED FREE.

JOHN O’MEALLY (1839-1863)

FATHER – PATRICK MALLEY FROM CO. MAYO SENT OUT TO NSW FOR 7 YEARS FOR STEALING SHEEP IN 1831. FREED IN 1839 AND MARRIED JULIA DOWNEY FROM GULGONG THE SAME YEAR. THEY HAD 2 GIRLS AND 4 BOYS OF WHICH JOHN WAS THE ELDEST. PATRICK ORIGINALLY HAD A LARGE PASTORAL RUN AND LATER RAN A SUCCESSFUL WINE SHANTY. HE CHANGED HIS NAME TO O’MEALLY AFTER HE GOT HIS CERTIFICATE OF FREEDOM IN 1839.

PATRICK BERNARD DALEY (1844-1914)

FATHER-JOHN DALEY CAME FREE FROM IRELANDHE SETTLED WITH THE O’MEALLYS (COUSINS)ON A LARGE PASTORAL RUN NEAR GRENFELL IN CENTRAL NSW WHERE PATRICK WAS BORN.MOTHER - ELLEN DOWNEY CAME FREE WITH HER PARENTS FROM IRELAND IN 1840 MARRIED AT 14, PRODUCED 9 CHILDREN AND DIED AT 36FROM THE MEASLES.

FATHER–JAMES KENNIFF FROM IRELAND–CAME FREE TO NSW. AFTER PATRICK AND JAMES (JNR) WERE CONVICTED OF CATTLE STEALING ALL THE FAMILY MOVED TO QUEENSLAND BUT THE BROTHERS WERE AGAIN CONVICTED. LATER THEY TOOK UP A LARGE GRAZING LEASE AT UPPER WARRIGO NEAR MARYBOROUGH IN SOUTHERN QUEELSLANDMOTHER – MARY STAPLETON BORN NSW.PATRICK KENNIFF

(1863-1903)JAMES KENNIFF (1869-1940)

THE KENNIFF BROTHERS STARTED OFF AS CATTLE DUFFERS AND SPENT TIME IN JAIL IN NSW. AFTER MOVING WITH THE REST OF THE FAMILY INCLUDING BROTHERS THOMAS AND JOHN TO QUEENSLAND, THEY RACED HORSES AND RAN BOOKS ON LOCAL RACE MEETINGS. HOWEVER, AFTER LOSING ACATTLE LEASE DUE TO THE ACTION OF NEIGHBOURS THEY BECAME MORE ACTIVE IN STEALING CATTLE AND HORSES AND HOLDING UP STOREKEEPERS.EVENTUALLY ARRESTED FOR MURDERING A POLICEMAN AND A STATION OWNER. BOTH WERE SENTENCED TO HANG BUT ON APPEAL JAMES ESCAPEDTHE NOOSE AND GOT 15 YEARS. LET OUT AFTER 10 YEARS, HE DIED OF CANCER IN 1940,THE LAST OF THE AUSTRALIAN BUSHRANGERS TO DIE.

CAPTAIN MOONLITE (1842-1880)

ANDREW GEORGE SCOTT

PRISON PHOTO

ANDREW TRAINED AS AN ENGINEER IN LONDON INSTEAD OF BECOMING A CLERGYMAN AS HIS FATHER WISHED. THE FAMILY MOVED TO NEW ZEALAND IN 1861, WHERE ANDREW BECAME AN OFFICER IN THE MAORI WARS AND WAS WOUNDED IN BOTH LEGS. HE WAS COURT MARSHALLED FOR MALINGERING BUT WAS NOT CONVICTED. IN 1868 HE MOVED TO MELBOURNE AND BEGAN HIS STUDIES FOR THE CLERGY. HE WAS SENT TO THE GOLDFIELDS BUT GOT MIXED UP IN A BANK SWINDLE AND WAS SENT TO PRISON. HE SPENT 7 YEARS IN JAIL AND AFTER HIS RELEASE HE WAS SO HARASSED BY AUTHORITIES HE DECIDED TO LIVE UP TO HIS LEGEND AND ASSEMBLED A GANG NEAR KELLY COUNTRY IN VICTORIA (THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS AND ROBBED PEOPLE) BUT NED KELLY SAID HE WOULD SHOOT THEM IF HE FOUND THEM. SCOTT LEFT FOR NSW AND HELD UP A STATION THERE BUT WAS UNDONE WHEN SOME TROOPERS ARRIVED. HE WAS CAUGHT, TRIED AND LATER HUNG (ON HIS FATHER’S BIRTHDAY).

FATHER – THOMAS SCOTT AN ANGLICAN CLERGYMAN FROM RATHFRILAND IN CO. DOWN WHERE ANDREW WAS BORN.

MOTHER - JESSIE JEFFARIESFROM THE SAME AREA.

JOHN DOOLAN 1856-1882+)NO KNOWN PHOTO

.

JOHN BORN AT CASTLEMAINE IN VICTORIA, HE BECAME APPRENTICED TO A SHOEMAKER AT THE AGE OF 12UNDER THE NAME OF JACK DOOLAN. HE WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURT FOR STABBING A FELLOW APPRENTICE. HE WAS SENTENCED TO 1 YEAR ON THE REFORMATORY SHIP ’SIR HENRY SMITH’ WHERE HE MET EDWARD JAMES DONNELLY WHO WAS IMPRISONED FOR 5 YEARS FOR HORSE STEALING. AFTER SERVING OUTHIS TERM HE WAS MET BY DONNELLY WHO HAD ABSCONDED FROM THE SHIP. IN 1871 THE PAIR WENTBUSHRANGING BUT THEIR SPREE DID NOT LAST LONG AND WITHIN 2 MONTHS WERE CAPTURED. THE PRESS DUBBED THEM LARRIKIN BUSHRANGERS. THEY WERE CHARGED WITH ROBBERY UNDER ARMS AND SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS BUT LATER REDUCED TO 10.5 YEARS. THEY SERVED OUT THEIR TERM AND DOOLING VANISHED FROM OFFICIAL RECORDS (PROBABLY CHANGED HIS NAME). DONNELLY RELEASED IN 1885 MARRIED AND WORKED AS A RAILWAY LABOURER DYING IN 1923.

IT IS OF INTEREST THAT THE SONG ‘THE WILD COLONIAL BOY” HAS JACK DOOLAN BORN IN CASTLEMAINE AND SOME INCIDENTS MAY LOOK LIKE THEY COME FROM HIS EXPLOITS BUT MORE PROBABLY THEY WERE FROMJACK DONOHOE WHO DIED IN 1830 AS THE SONG FIRST SURFACED IN THE 1860s.

IT IS REPORTED THAT THE KELLY GANG SANG THIS SONG IN THE GLENROWN INN AT GLENROWAN BEORE THEY WERE SHOT OR CAPTURED.

THE BEN HALL/GARDINER GANG

THE TERM BUSHRANGER WAS USED TO DESCRIBE ANYONE THAT LIVED IN THE BUSH AND FORCIBLY OR OTHERWISE TOOK GOODS FROM OTHER PEOPLE IN ORDER TO SURVIVE, WHETHER IT WAS FOOD, MONEY, HORSES, CATTLE, GUNS, AMMUNITION OR OTHER VALUABLES.

THE NAME BUSHRANGER WAS NOT COMMONLY USED IN AUSTRALIA UNTIL FEBRUARY 1805 WHEN THE SYDNEY GAZETTE USED THE TERM TO DESCRIBE MEN THAT HELD UP A GROUP ON THE WAY FROM THE HAWKESBURY RIVER TO SYDNEY (WILSON 2015). BEFORE THAT TIME THE TERM ‘BOLTER’ WAS COMMONLY USED AS THEY WERE USUALLY CONVICTS THAT HAD GONE BUSH TO ESCAPE HARD CONDITIONS IMPOSED ON THEM BY THEIR MASTERS (WIKIPEDIA – BUSHRANGERS 2016).

‘BUSHRANGING PARTICULARLY THE FOLKLORE ASSOCIATED WITH IT IS IMPORTANT IN AUSTRALIAN HISTORY, BOTH BECAUSE OF THE REAL THREAT THAT IT OFTEN POSED TO SOCIAL ORDER AND BECAUSE ONE PARTICULAR BUSHRANGER HAS ATTAINED THE STATUS OF NATIONAL HERO’ (SEALS 1993:58). THAT HERO WAS NED KELLY, PART OF THE WORLD FAMOUS KELLY GANG. NED ENDED UP BEING AUSTRALIA’S GREATEST BUSHRANGER AND MORE BOOKS, SONGS AND WEBSITES HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THE KELLY GANG THAN OTHER AUSTRALIAN GROUP (AUSTRALIA.GOV.AU). TO THE LAST, HIS MOCKING COURAGE NEVER DESERTED HIM AND TO BE ‘AS GAME AS NED KELLY’; CAME TO SYMBOLISE, IN AUSTRALIAN FOLK-LANGUAGE, HEROISM OF A RECKLESS, AUDACIOUS NATURE (http://www.ironoutlaw.com/history). IN NED’S FAMOUS JERILDERIE LETTER TO THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT HE ASKS ‘WHY SHOULD MEN OBEY THE LAWS OF ENGLAND UNDER WHICH SO MANY IRISHMEN WERE STARVED TO DEATH?’

IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THERE MAY HAVE BEEN OVER 2000 BUSHRANGERS IN AUSTRALIA.

BY 1840 OVER 50,000 IRISH ‘ REBELS’ HAD BEEN EXILED TO AUSTRALIA ALONG WITH THEIR MISTRUST OF BRITISH AUTHORITY AND THEIR VEHEMENT INDEPENDENCE AS CATHOLICS THAT EXCLUDED THEM FROM HOLDING BOTH PUBLIC OFFICE AND GOVERNMENT POSITIONS TILL AFTER 1900 (AUSTRALIA.GOV.AU). THIS PROUD IRISH INDEPENDENCE WAS PASSED DOWN TO THE CHILDREN WHO WERE BORN IN AUSTRALIA ANDSOME BECAME BUSHRANGERS WHILE OTHERS IN SOME WAY SUPPORTED THEM AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT AND THE RICHER NON-CATHOLIC SETTLERS WHO IN GENERAL HAD GOVERNMENT SUPPORT.

"COLONIAL RULE WAS CONSTANTLY CHALLENGED BY BUSHRANGERS – IT WAS A MAJOR THREAT TO THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION," SAYS DR HAMISH MAXWELL-STEWART FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA.”THEY WERE TURNING THE TABLES ON THE CONVICT STATE”. HE WAS PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT VAN DIEMENS LAND (TASMANIA) BUT THEY WERE JUST AS BIG A THREAT TO AUTHORITY IN NSW AND VICTORIA.

MANY SONGS AND POEMS WERE WRITTEN ABOUT THE BUSHRANGERS AND THESE SONGS AND POEMS INCLUDED WORDS OF DEFIANCE AGAINST WHAT WAS PERCEIVED AS THE UPPER CRUST (THE SQUATTERS WHO HELD LARGE TRACTS OF LAND AND THE GOVERNMENT WHO GAVE IT TO THEM AND SUPPORTED THEM).

BELOW ARE MEMBERS OF THE TWO MOST FAMOUS BUSHRANGER GANGS IN AUSTRALIA AND BOTH HAD STRONG IRISH CONNECTIONS.

MICKY (MICHAEL) BURKE (1843-1863)

ONLY SON OF MICHAEL AND BRIDGETBOURKE (HE HAD 7 SISTERS). HE NEVER

WENT TO SCHOOL BUT BECAME A VERY GOOD HORSEMAN. INITALLY WORKED AS A GROOM/JOCKEY BEFORE TURNING TO

BUSHRANGING. FATHER - MICHAEL BOURKE FROM CO. TIPPERARY CAME OUT WITH WIFE BRIDGET AS AN ASSISTED IMMIGRANT IN 1838. MOTHER – BRIDGET NEE COOMFOOT FROM TEMPLEMORE CO. TIPPERARY MARRIED MICHAEL IN TEMPLEMORE 29/1/1838GRANDPARENTS WILLIAM BOURKE BORN IN CO LIMERICK MARRIED ELIZA BAKER IN 1806 IN LOUGHMORE CO. TIPPERARY. BOTH MIGRATED TO NSW BEFORE 1838.

THIS GANG CAME INTO EXISTENCE IN 1862 WHEN IT ROBBED THE EUGOWRA STAGECOACH THAT WAS CARRYING GOLD AND BANKNOTES FROM THE NEARBY GOLDFIELDS. THERE WERE AT LEAST 10 INVOLVED IN THE ROBBERY THAT SAW THEM GET AWAY WITH 2720 OUNCES OF GOLD AND 3700 POUND IN BANKNOTES (TODAY WORTH $A4.75M – 3.35M EUROS). THOSE KNOWN TO BE INVOLVED WERE FRANK GARDINER, BEN HALL, JOHN GILBERT, JOHNNY O’MEALLY, DAN CHARTERS, HENRY MANNS, JOHNNY BOW, ALEX FORDYCE, JOHN MCGUIRE, JOHN WALSH. THE GOLD WAS PACKED ONTO A HORSE AND THE BUSHRANGERS LEFT. THEY WERE DIVIDING UP THE LOOT WHEN THE POLICE CAUGHT UP WITH THEM. THEY ALL ESCAPED BUT THEY HAD TO LEAVE SOME OF THE GOLD BEHIND BUT THEY KEPT ALL THE BANKNOTES. GARDINER THEN LEFT FOR QUEENSLAND. FORDYCE, MANNS AND JOHNNY BOWS WERE CAPTURED WITH SOME OF THE LOOT. CHARTERS SURRENDERED AND DID A DEAL WITH THE POLICE AND NAMED THE GANG (EXCEPT JOHNNY WALSH AND BEN HALL) IN RETURN FOR NOT BEING CHARGED. THE GOLD THAT HALL AND GARDINER HAD, WAS NEVER RECOVERED. A JURY IN SYDNEY COULD NOT AGREE ON MCGUIRE’S GUILT AND HE WAS FREED. BOW AND FORDYCE WERE JAILED FOR LONG PERIODS AND MANNS WAS HANGED. THE POLICE THEN ARRESTED HALL ON SUSPICION AND JAILED HIM FOR A MONTH BEFORE RELEASING HIM.

AFTER GOING HOME HE FOUND HIS WIFE HAD RUN OFF WITH AN EX-POLICEMAN, HIS HOUSE BURNT DOWN BY CHIEF POLICE INSPECTOR SIR FREDERICK POTTENGER AND HIS CATTLE THAT WERE IN HIS STOCKYARD WHEN HE WAS ARRESTED WERE NEVER RELEASED AND THEY DIED FROM LACK OF FEED AND WATER. BEN THEN DECIDED THAT HE WOULD GATHER THE REMAINDER OF GARDINER’S GANG AND HAVE HIS REVENGE ON POTTENGER AND THE POLICE. IT IS SAID HE NEVER KILLED ANYONE AND WAS A GREAT ORGANISER OF ASSETS.

HALL, O’MEALLY AND GILBERT WERE THEN JOINED BY PATRICK DALEY, MICKY BURKE AND JOHN VANE.THEY HELD UP THE TOWNS OF CANOWINDRA AND BATHURST AND HERDED EVERYONE INTO A HOTEL AND ENTERTAINED THEM WITH FOOD AND MUSIC. THE LOCAL POLICE WERE LOCKED IN THEIR OWN CELLS. THEY DID THIS TO SPITE POTTENGER AND THE POLICE. LATER MICKY BURKE WAS KILLED IN ONE HOMESTEAD HOLDUP AND HIS FRIEND JOHN VANE SURRERNDED, PATRICK DALEY WAS ARRESTED BUT GILBERT ESCAPED AFTER BEING CHASED BY POLICE. DALEY WAS JAILED FOR 10 YEARS AND AFTERWARDS BECAME A SUCCESSFUL HOTEL OWNER. LATER O’MEALLY WAS KILLED IN A 2 HOUR GUN BATTLE AT A HOMESTEAD. AFTER O’MEALLY WAS KILLED, DUNN, GORDON, MOUNT AND DUNLEVY JOINED THE GANG. THEY CARRIED OUT 20 ROBBERIES IN 3 MONTHS. GORDON, MOUNT AND DUNLEVY WERE EITHER CAPTURED OR SURRENDERED. DUNN, HALL AND GILBERT CONTINUED ROBBING. IN TWO YEARS THE GANG WAS REPORTED TO HAVE ROBBED 10 COACHES, 21 PROPERTIES, STOLE 23 RACEHORSES AND TAKEN OVER ONE TOWN 3 TIMES. A NEW LAW WAS COMING INTO EFFECT CALLED THE ‘FELONS APPREHENSIONS ACT’ WHERE A BUSHRANGER COULD BE SHOT WITHOUT QUESTION. THE GANG DECIDED TO SPLIT UP AND LEAVE THE STATE. HALL WAS BETRAYED IN 1865 BY AN OLD FRIEND AND SHOT 30 TIMES WITHOUT HIM FIRING A SHOT. IT IS SAID HALL WAS MURDERED AS THE ACT DID NOT COME INTO EFFECT UNTIL 5 DAYS AFTER HE WAS RIDDLED WITH BULLETS.LATER GILBERT (A CANADIAN) WAS SHOT DEAD WHILE LEAVING THE STATE WITH DUNN (WHO WAS CAPTURED AND LATER HUNG).

THIS GANG CAME TOGETHER IN APRIL 1878 AFTER NED’S MOTHER (ELLEN) WAS ARRESTED AND JAILED FOR 3 YEARS ON A CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER (WIELDING A COAL SHOVEL) BROUGHT BY A DRUNKEN POLICEMAN CALLED FITZPATRICK WHO WAS MAKING ADVANCES TO ELLEN’S DAUGHTER KATE AS WELL AS TRYING TO ARREST DAN FOR HORSE STEALING WITH A TELEGRAM INSTEAD OF A WARRANT. FITZPATRICK WAS LATER CASHIERED OUT THE POLICE FORCE FOR DRUNKENNESS AND PERJURY. ALL FOUR UP TO THIS POINT HAD POLICE RECORDS AND NED’S BROTHER JIM (1858-1946) WAS IN JAIL FOR HORSE STEALING.

THE FOUR THEN TOOK TO THE BUSH INTENT OF HAVING REVENGE ON THE GOVERNMENT WHO HAD JAILED ELLEN. THEIR HIDEOUT IN THE WOMBAT RANGES WAS WHERE HARRY POWER THE BUSHRANGER HAD ELUDED POLICE FOR YEARS. FOUR POLICE IN PLAIN CLOTHES TRIED TO CAPTURE THE GANG AT A PLACE CALLED STRINGYBARK CREEK AND AFTER A SHOOTOUT THREE POLICEMEN WERE KILLED (NED LATER CLAIMED THEY WERE ONLY SHOT IN SELF DEFENCE).

A BANK AT EUROA WAS NEXT HELD UP FOR 2023 POUNDS AND A 30 OUNCE GOLD INGOT. THEY THEN HELD UP THE TOWN OF JERILDERIE IN NSW. AFTER CUTTING THE TELEGRAPH LINES , THEY IMPRISONED THE TWO TOWN POLICEMEN , THEN DRESSED AS POLICEMEN AND WENT TO THE BANK AND ROBBED IT OF 2141 POUNDS. THEY BURNT ALL THE BANK’S BOOKS AND DEEDS THINKING THIS WOULD HELP SOME OF THE POORER SETTLERS. NED THEN TRIED TO GET THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER TO PRINT HIS LIFE STORY BUT THE EDITOR WAS MISSING AND THE DOCUMENT ENDED UP WITH THE POLICE. THE ORIGINAL VERSON WAS DISCOVERED IN 1930 AND PRINTED. ALTHOUGH COMPOSED BY NED, IT WAS PENNED BY JOE BYRNES. THE GANG MADE OFF BACK TO VICTORIA WITH THE POLICE’S GUNS AND HORSES AFTER SHOUTING THE RESIDENTS DRINKS AT THE TOWN’S HOTELS. THE NSW AND VICTORIAN GOVERNMENTS PUT UP 4000 POUNDS EACH FOR THE GANG’S CAPTURE.

AT THIS POINT THE GANG DECIDED TO GET RID OF AARON SKERRITT, A FRIEND OF BYRNES WHO HAD TURNED POLICE INFORMANT. HE WAS SHOT BY BYRNES IN HIS OWN HOUSE WHERE FOUR CONSTABLES WERE IN ANOTHER ROOM WHO WERE THERE TO PROTECT HIM. THE GANG HELD THEM THERE UNHURT FOR 12 HOURS. THE GANG’S FINAL STAND WAS IN 1880 AT GLENROWAN WHERE NED HAD PLANS OF DECLARING THAT PART OF VICTORIA A REPUBLIC. THEY HAD CONSTRUCTED IRON SUITS FROM PLOUGH SHARES TO PROTECT THEM FROM BULLETS. HOWEVER, AFTER HOLDING UP THE LOCAL INN THE POLICE ARRIVED AND A SHOOTOUT OCCURRED AT WHICH BYRNES, DAN KELLY AND STEVE HART DIED AFTER THE INN WAS SET ON FIRE BY THE POLICE. TWO CIVILIANS WERE KILLED IN THE HOTEL AND OTHERS WOUNDED BY THE POLICE BULLETS. NED WAS FINALLY CAPTURED AND STOOD TRIAL, CONVICTED OF MURDER AND HUNG. HE IS NOW KNOWN AS AUSTRALIA'S GREATEST BUSHRANGER FOLKLORE HERO.

PATRICK JOHN KELLY (1831-1873+)(ALIAS WILLIAM LONG)

PATRICK KELLY WAS BORN IN CO. TYRONE IN1831. IN 1841 HE CAME TO MAITLAND NSW WITH HIS FATHER MILES KELLY AND MOTHER WINIFRED (UNITY) KELLY NEE LYNCH AND HIS SIBLINGS. HE MARRIED MARY ANN CUSHAN IN WEST MAITLAND IN 1857. AFTER MANY YEARS AS A LAW ABIDINGCITIZEN HE LEFT HIS WIFE AND 3 CHILDREN DAVID, SARAHAND PATRICK JOSEPH AND BECAME PART OF THE BUSHRANGER THUNDERBOLT’S SECOND GANG OPERATING IN NORTH WEST NSW.

HIS FIRST KNOWN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY WAS NEAR WALGETT IN AUGUST 1865 WHEN HE RESCUED HENRY LOUIS FROM CONSTABLE LOWE WHO WAS TRYING TO ARREST LOUIS FOR UTTERING FALSE CHEQUES. HE THEN STOLE THE CONSTABLE’S HORSE AND COLT REVOLVER AND WITHIN A MONTH HE HAD JOINED UP WITH FRED WARD ALIAS THUNDERBOLT.

THUNDERBOLT’S SECOND GANG RANGED IN A BIG LOOP FROM WALGETT IN THE WEST TO MERRIWA IN THE EAST, TO COOLAH IN THE SOUTH AND MANILLA IN THE NORTH, ROBBING HOMESTEADS, HOTELS, MAILMEN AND FRESH HORSES FROM PADDOCKS. THIS SPREE CONTINUED FOR OVER 5 MONTHS WITH THE POLICE TRYING HARD TO CATCH UP WITH THEM WITHOUT SUCCESS. IN FEBRUARY 1866 THE GANG SPLIT UP WITH KELLY AND JIMMY BELL (JIMMY THE WHISPERER) GOING THEIR OWN WAY.

PATRICK KELLY WAS FINALLY CAUGHT LATER IN 1866 IN THE WALGETT AREA. HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO MAITLAND JAIL VIA A NUMBER OF JAILS AND THEN CHARGED WITH NUMEROUS OFFENCES AND WAS GIVEN 17 YEARS WITH HARD LABOUR. HE WAS RELEASED FROM JAIL IN SYDNEY IN 1873 UNDER A GENERAL AMNESTY FOR SOME BUSHRANGERS AND EXILED ALONG WITH FRANK GARDNIER OF THE FAMED EUGOWRA GOLD ROBBERY OF 1862. KELLY WAS EXILED TO AMERICA. HIS FATE THERE IS UNKNOWN.

Description of John O’Meally - 5 feet 10 inches, stooped shoulders, reddish brown hair, worn rather long, clean shaven, close set grey eyes, scowling expression, nose inclined to turn up, large sensual mouth and thick lips.

PRISON PHOTO