Black Francis McHugh, also known as "Proinsías Dubh",[1] was a notorious highwayman, or Rapparee, who 'robbed the rich to give to the poor' at the end of the 18th century.
[1][2] Black Francis and his gang were essentially gentlemen Jacobites who did not go to the Continent after the Williamite War but rather took to the hills and were known as Rapparees, robbing the rich and giving to the poor.
[1] The gang included Patrick "Supple Dick" Corrigan, Tom Acheson, Tarlach Mhuiris (Richard Monkham), James Mc Quaid (McCabe?
[2] This booty was disposed of by hiding it in a foal's skin (which he had come across on the road from Killeter to Killen over Leitrim Hill) and burying it.
[1] Other sources state that the abbey at this time belonged to Sir Joseph Davies, an English lawyer.
[1] When it looked as though the militiamen would successfully cut off the highwayman's escape route, he leaped the Sillees River in a single bound with his horse, a jump of 20 feet.
[1] The Captain of the militia remarked ”Corrigan, that's a good jump", and the Highwayman retorted "the Divil thank ye, I had a long race for it".
[1] Both parties continued their chase until Black Francis came to a hill called Druminiskill and there he threw the money he had looted in a bog hole, declaring that "some man or woman that came by after him would be rich".
[1][2] It was thought that Supple Corrigan escaped capture by disguising himself as a woman and hiding in the crowd of onlookers at the public trial.
An obligation I leave on them, For to never upcast my dismal end Fal-lal-tee-dee [2] Another ballad is Eva Brown's Love Story