IRISH DV CONVICTS

The Irish convicts were transported to Australia and New Zealand between 1791 and 1853. These Donnellan variants were sentenced during and after the rebellion of 1798 and up to the famine years of 1845-1849. Perhaps the sentencing was a bit excessive ? You be the judge . Anyone having additional details on them is welcome to contribute them to this web site. There may have been other DVs transported during this period but, to date, these are the ones I have found.
The document reference in each entry below is the National Archives of Ireland reference to the original document in the archives. The microfilm reference number refers to the set of microfilms presented to Australia in 1988.
Data in [] was added by me.

1. DONNELLAN, Thomas
PLACE OF IMPRISONMENT: Castlebar, Co Mayo
DOCUMENT REFERENCES: PPC 3898----DOCUMENT DATE: 27/02/1799
CRIME: Disarming a soldier---------SHIP:
COMMENTS: Calender of convicts in Castlebar gaol. States convict was committed on 14 Feb 1799.

2. DONNELLAN, William----------------AGE: 26-[b. abt. 1816]
PLACE OF TRIAL: Co. Galway ---------------------TRIAL DATE: 04/04/1842
CRIME: Larceny--------SENTENCE: Transportation 7 yrs
SHIP: --------------------------------DOCUMENT REFERENCES: TR 4, P 76

3. DONNELLAN, Patrick ----------------------AGE: 19-[b. abt. 1826]
PLACE OF TRIAL: King's Co -----------------------TRIAL DATE: 13/03/1845
CRIME: Assaulting habitation=SENTENCE: Transportation 14 yrs
SHIP:------------- DOCUMENT REFERENCES: TR 5, P 106

4. DONNELLAN, James------------------AGE: Unknown-SEX:- M
PLACE OF TRIAL: Co. Clare TRIAL DATE: 24/10/1849
DOCUMENT DATE:------------DOCUMENT REFERENCES: TR 9, P 194
CRIME: Stealing a heifer------------SENTENCE: Transportation 7 yrs
SHIP: Unknown------------------------PETITIONER: None

5. TIERNAN,: Patrick----------------AGE: 20 SEX: M-[b. abt. 1824]
PLACE OF TRIAL: Co. Roscommon ---------TRIAL DATE: 28/02/1844
CRIME DESCRIPTION: Attacking houses by night
SENTENCE: Transportation life------------------SHIP:--------
DOCUMENT REFERENCES: TR 5, p 152 CRF 1844 T 3
COMMENTS: See James Donlan, TR 5, p 152. Prisoner was convicted of attacking the house of Michael Rush on 13 Feb 1844. James Donnellan and Martin Moogan were also convicted. Prisoners residence given as Doughill, near Roscommon town.

 

6. DONNELLAN, Patrick-----------------AGE: ? --- SEX: M
PLACE OF TRIAL: Tullamore-----------------TRIAL DATE: 15/03/1845
DOCUMENT DATE: 00/04/1845---------------CRIME: Whiteboy offences
SENTENCE: Transportation--------SHIP:-----------PETITIONER: Self
DOCUMENT REFERENCES: CRF 1845 G 9
COMMENTS: Prisoner was convicted of attacking a dwelling house.

7. DONNELLON, Pat----------------------AGE:--?------SEX: M
PLACE OF TRIAL: Co. Galway----------------TRIAL DATE: 30/12/1848
CRIME: Larceny--------------------------SENTENCE: Transportation 7 years
SHIP:----------------------------------DOCUMENT REFERENCES: TR 8 , P 78

8. DONELLAN, James---AGE: ?-------------SEX: M
TRIAL DATE: 22/03/1824-------------PLACE OF IMPRISONMENT: Cavan
DOCUMENT DATE: 25/03/1825---CRIME: Rape of Ann McCormick
SENTENCE:-------------SHIP:-------------------- PETITIONER: Convict.
DOCUMENT REFERENCES: PPC 2570
COMMENTS: Petitioning to be released on bail to marry Ann McCormick. 2nd Petition dated 25 June 1825. Convict resides at Cordiggan, Parish of Laragh, Co. Cavan.

9. DONNELAN, Thomas---------AGE: - 25-[b. abt. 1811]-- SEX: M
PLACE OF TRIAL: Co. Galway----------------- TRIAL DATE: CA/00/1836
CRIME: Stealing a bull-----------------------SENTENCE: Transportation life
SHIP:-------------------DOCUMENT REFERENCES: TR 1, P 100
COMMENTS: Convict detained on board hulk, 10/08/1836

10. DONNELAN, James---------AGE:-?---SEX: M-----ALIAS: Donlon
PLACE OF TRIAL: Co. Roscommon---------------TRIAL DATE:
PLACE OF IMPRISONMENT:--------------DOCUMENT DATE: 00/03/1844
CRIME: Attacking the house of Michael Rush--------SENTENCE:------------
SHIP:-------------------------------RELATIONSHIP: Brother [of Patrick, above]
DOCUMENT REFERENCES: CRF 1844 D 10 TR 5, P 152
COMMENTS: Crime took place on 13 February 1844. Prisoners residence given as Maher, near Lanesboro.

11. DONLAN, James-------AGE: 26-[b. abt. 1818]
PLACE OF TRIAL: Co. Roscommon TRIAL DATE: 28/02/1844
PLACE OF IMPRISONMENT: DOCUMENT DATE:
CRIME DESCRIPTION: Attacking homes by night
SENTENCE: Transportation life------------------SHIP:---------------
DOCUMENT REFERENCES: TR 5, P 152
COMMENTS: See also: Patrick Tiernan

 

 

12. DONLAN, Patrick------------------AGE: 19 [b.abt. 1831]
PLACE OF TRIAL: Co. Kildare-----------TRIAL DATE: 25/10/1850
PLACE OF IMPRISONMENT:---------
DOCUMENT DATE:-----------------------CRIME DESCRIPTION: Burglary
SENTENCE: Transportation 10 yrs-----------------------SHIP: Robert Small
DOCUMENT REFERENCES: TR 10, P 122
COMMENTS: Fremantle Prison - Crime and Punishment - Convict Database - ...
Robert Small (embarked), 00/04/1853
Details: DONNELLAN, Patrick-Convict No. 2138----- Alias: aka DONLAN
Ship Name: Robert Small-----Ship Arrival Date: 19 Aug 1853
Birth Date: 1828----Place of Death: on voyage out---------Sentence Date: 25 Oct 1850

13. DONLAN, Patrick-----AGE:--?---SEX: M
PLACE OF TRIAL: Co. Galway-------------------TRIAL DATE: 02/07/1849
PLACE OF IMPRISONMENT:---------------------DOCUMENT DATE:
CRIME DESCRIPTION: Sheep stealing-----------SENTENCE: Transportation 7 yrs
SHIP:------------------DOCUMENT REFERENCES: TR 9, P 76
[ The following may, I repeat, may have been relatives of the above referenced] Father = Patrick----------Mother = Mary--------Brother = Peter------Sister = Kathryn

Irish Convicts to New South Wales 1791-1820
14. Margaret Donelan----------Alias: Donnelon Donlan Donnallan------Irish Rebel:
Religion:---------Born:-----Tried: 1814-----------Dublin City-----Sentence: 7 years
Ship: Alexander II (1816)

National Archives of Ireland - Transportation Database:
15. Donnellan, James----Rebel-----Ship:----Bencoolen
---Tried---Trial---Place------------Term----DOB---Native Place-----Remarks
---(1819)---1818----Dublin City------7-------1793-----Wexford--------Plasterer

16. Donnellan, Joseph---Ship: Britannia I ----(1797)----Galway-----------Life

BACKGROUND:
As a result of the harsh Penal Laws inflicted on the Irish after the Williamite War, the poverty and the squalor of the Irish people had become epic by the year 1778. By that year, only 5% of the land remained in Catholic ownership although 100 years earlier, that figure had been 90%. Frequent famines and disease had taken their toll on the population which, in spite of that, had grown to approximately 3.6M people in 1772 (and over 8M by 1845). Lawlessness was common and such organizations as the Defenders, Whiteboys and Ribbonmen had been formed to battle against the Protestant Ascendancy.
The extended Donnellan family had been widely scattered and only those who maintained their Protestant allegiances had retained their wealth and position. To their credit, most by this time had maintained their Catholic faith or returned to it. In America, the United States was in the process of obtaining their independence and the spirit of rebellion was on the Irish.