[1][2] Born in Bonniconlon, County Mayo, he lived with his aunt in Derryronane, Swinford for much of his early life and was raised near the woods of Barnalyra.
[1] His attacks on landowners were especially widely known and, in one reported incident, Gallagher and his men raided the home of an extremely unpopular landlord in Killasser and forced him to eat half a dozen eviction notices he had recently drawn up for nearly half a dozen tenant farmers before escaping with silver and other valuables.
[1] Although successfully evading British patrols for some time, he was finally apprehended by authorities in the parish of Coolcarney (or possibly Attymass) near the foothills of the Ox Mountains while recovering from an illness at a friend's home during Christmas.
A force of 200 redcoats was sent after Gallagher and, upon arrival, proceeded to surround the home where the highwayman was staying.
[1] Shortly before his execution, he had claimed to the British commanding officer that his treasure had been hidden under a rock in the woods of Barnalyra.