Examination of Oliver Albanagh

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The deposition of Oliwer Albanagh now dwelling at Polechonny in the barony of Tireragh and County of Sligo takne the 18th of May 1653
<A> Oliwer Albanagh being of the age of 58 years or thaireabouts being duely sworne vpon the holy Ewangelists and examined saith that he Liwed at a place called Cabragh att the begineing of this rebellion within the barony of Tireragh and being demanded who wer the first actors in the said barony saith that att the first begineing thaireof thair was a generall metting of the cheif gentillmen of the County held at Bellishadara who wer than called togedder by authoritie from Andrew Crean high sheriff of the County at that tyme wherein O Connor Sligo himself appeared; The end of which meetting was (as this deponent saith) to represse the incursions of forrainers, and to suppress the violent courses of Idle persons within the County; which all of the forsaid gent promised to doe to the vttermost of thair powers, but so soone as the meetting was ended, many of the inhabitants of that contrey fell a plundering and robbing of all the protestants, and especially on Brian Mc Swyn who was authorised by Commission from Theobald Taaff now Lo: Wiscount Taaff to lewy a company to be transported into Spaine at that tyme, they who wer the first actors in that barony and efterwards this deponent sayth that by wertue of a proclamation from the Lord Justices from Dublin, thair was a kynd of Cessation which endured for a fortnight or thairabouts, and att the end of that tyme, Thair was another generall <b> meetting held at Bellishadara by the authoritie aforsaid; from the which meetting the most of the gentillmen of the contrey went toward Sligo and thare remained till the said Sligo was takne, and this deponent being further examined who wer the cheif robbers of the English in that barony, sayth that the east part of that barony was altogedder plundered by Brian mcSwyn and his company, bot becaus this deponent Liwed in the other part of the barony he knoweth not p a rticularly but he sayth that thair was no great robbery committed thair in thes parts till about the moneth of Januar in the year 1641 when mr John Nolan his hous was plundered, by Charles o Dowd, Patrick Dowd, Dawid fitz Donogh o Dowd, with all thair souldiers and followers, and Owen mcShan Glas o Dowd, with many others who wer sein by this deponent the next morneing efter the robbery committed in the forsaid hous; And this deponent further saith that thair wer sewerall murders committed in that barony after that tyme, but he knoweth <C> non of the murderers but Brian McSwyn and his souldiers, & Mc Connor roe mcConmy; as hee was credibly informed; and being further demanded who wer the stoppers of Sir Robert Hannay and his people thes others who cam alongs with him, with his conwoy, sayth, that hee knoweth not, for hee this deponent was in Sligo with sewerall others at that tyme and vpon thair goeing towards the barony of Tireragh from Sligo they, this deponent with Liewtenant Collonell Teag o Dowd, mett Sir Robert Hannay and the rest of that people, comeing from Ardneglas to Sligo, who wer lykly to be crossed and kild by the multitud, who than surrounded tham, and th with great threatnings terrified tham, especially and being demanded, who wer the first <D> cheif men and most active in that service saith that Brian McSwyn and Roger McOwen McSwyn wer the most active, and this deponent further sayth that he this deponent, with Liewtenant Colonell Teag o Dowd stayed with the Conwoy and Sir Ro which conducted Sir Robert Hannay till such tyme as they most of the contrey people returned, and when they wer clear they hee Left tham; but he further sayth that that wery night all of tham followed Sir Robert Hannay and his conwoy to Sligo.

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<E> and this deponent being further examined whidder or not thair was any murder committed in or about Rathly att that tyme, sayth that thair came some scottish people from Tirawly in the County of Mayo, to Rathly; who stayed thair all night with this deponent his wyff, and the next morneing shee this deponents wyff sent tham away safe with Teag McConmy whom shee appoynted to be a conwoy vnto tham, and vpon the way one Dermott O Dowd, cam to the said Teag McConmy vpon the way, and told him that Richard Albanagh (who is now dead) had sent him to kill thes people, whervpon sewerall other persons cam about tham who Led the said people to the seasyd thinkeing to hawe drowned tham, which the said Richard Albanagh heareing sent immediately on Richard Albanagh a priest with sewerall others who brought tham back safe, wher they continued thrie or four dayes but this deponent sayth that they wer terrified, and altered thair resolution for some of tham went back againe to Tirawly and some of tham cam towards Sligo, and further this deponent sayth not;
Oli: Albanagh
Signed and acknowledged before mee as wittness my hand
Rich: Coote

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The Deposition of Oliuer Albanagh about the business of Tireragh
Sir R. Hannah