Charles Magauran

Charles Magauran, the Third, (Gaelic- Cathal Mág Samhradháin) was chief of the McGovern Clan and Baron or Lord of Tullyhaw barony, County Cavan including the period 1641 to 1657.

[2] William Reynolds of Lisnaore made a deposition about the rebellion in Lissanover as follows: folio 260r William Reinoldes of Lisnaore in the parrish of Templeport in the County of Cavan gent sworne & examined deposeth and sajth That about the beginning of the presente Rebellion this deponent was deprived robbed or otherwise dispoiled & Lost by the Rebells: his meanes goodes & chattells concisting of horses mares beasts Cattle Corne hay howsholdstuff implements of husbandry apparell bookes provition silver spoones swyne & the benefite of his howse and six Poles of Land: due debts & other thinges of the value of three hundredth Sixtie fowre Powndes nine shillings sterling.

Lost the aparrell of himselfe my wife and two Children had and all which his servant had whose name was Elizabeth Church being 69 yeares old at the least who being stript was not able to follow vs for the the [sic] weather was very Cold both with frost and Snow and the fyrst night we gate neyther bread meate nor drincke but only a few Cabbadge leaues and hay and an old howse to lodge in and water to drinck which was Cold Comfort to vs being almost naked but only some small peeices of rugs which some of th{e} Irysh gaue to hide our naked nes the Irish came that nig{ht} about twelue of the Clock and threat[e]ned vs to kill vs or to fyre the howse over our heads yf we did not gyue them some moneys but where god knowes we had none for them my old mayde did surely dye by the for we neve{r} heard of her since.

Att length the deponent mett with a frend twelue myles from dublynn so that from thence we ridd to Dublynn but from that tyme vntill a month afterward we Could be sound of our feete and for our bodies we are not sound as yett Theise Rebells Phillip A Rely manus mac Shane with the rest of the Relyes did promise when all the pari{sh} of dromlane & of the the [sic] towne of Turbat and all the English betweene Turbatt and cavant came away that they would send with them with a Convoy to the next countie and tooke what goods we Could Carry about vs we might take away some gott lyberty to goe with horses and carrs to Carry old folke and Children Howbeit befor{e} we gonn 9 myles we might see and Army of men Coming agaynst vs and then sayd the Convoys that vnlesse we would gyue them more monies they woul{d} not hinder those men we having gyven them monies in the moring but theise Armed men came vppon vs and the convoys helpe them and some of vs they kild outwright and dyuers mayned of vs he veryly beleeueth of old folke and Children there died almost a hundred but there were of the English when they the Rebells begynn to Stripp about two thowsand or more at the least of men woemen and Children that were stripped.Thomas Hedges of Cavan Town stated: Thomas Hedges of the towne & County of Cavan gent duely sworne sayth That on or about the 24th day of October last past he was robbed and dispoyled of his lands goods and Cattell of the valew following (vizt) Corne worth Thirty pounds Threescore & ffour horses & mares worth Two hundred & fforty pounds fforty & Six Cowes worth Nynty pounds ster.

or thereabouts more & turned them away naked for Dublin & 700 or 800 more protestants in their company And after there comeing to Dublin the children being exposed to could and want dyed & the deponent & his wife have noe meanes Left.Arthur Culme of Cloughoughter Castle stated, inter alia: Arthur Cul[me] of Cloughvter in the County of Cavan Esq[uire] duelie sworne And examyned deposeth ... And he sawe Charles mac Gawran beare Armes and hee was at the Castel severall times when I was with seveall Rebeles attending him; And I hee hath bine Crediblie informed that hee the said Charles mac Gawran [Do]nil mac Gawran, Phelim mac Gawran Gilderan [mac] Gawran; And the most of that sept: are notor[ious rebeles] they live in the halfe Barrony of Tallahagh [and Countie] of Cavan I have bine likewise Credibelie [informed that] Mr James Talbot of BalleConnillin the [Countie of Ca]van is And {hath} bine A most notorious Cunning Rebel.Robert Simmons of Killeshandra stated: Robert Simons of the parish of Killyshandra in the Barony of Tallaghknogher and County of Cavan yeoman being duly sworne deposeth and saith, That since the beginning of the present rebellion and by meanes thereof he this deponent at seuerall times was expelled from deprived robbed or otherwise dispoyled of his goods and chattells of the values hereafter expressed vizt of 116 Cowes and Oxen worth 230 li.

xij s. And that there are other debts and summes of money due vnto him this deponent by men stript and robbd by the rebells and therby disinabled to make satisfaccion amounting to xxxij li.

By the Rebell Phillip mc Shane ô Rely of, or nere, Kilmore in the County of Cavan (whoe then forceibly entered vpon the land of Drowghill belonging to Sir Edward Bagshaw knighte & possesseth the same) and by his partakers & souldjers whose names she cannott expresse, And sayth that by the perswasion of the said Charles Magowran, her said husband (being a weaver, was perswaded to goe back againe & stay with her this deponent his wife & 7 Children & work vpon his trade of a weaver; And vpon faire promisses to haue some of their goodes restored they all stayd & he worked vpon his trade at Bellenesse aforesaid for the Rebells, whoe would neuer pay any thinge Considerably for their work Soe as they were forced to remove to Belturbett; from thence the Rebells would not suffer them to come away but they all were restrained there for above a yere: During which tyme of their stay in that County the Rebells at Belturbett (as this deponent was credibly told) & verely beleeveth drowned at Beltubett bridge, about fifty protestants, and hanged one Mr Carr, & one Tymothy Dickinson And the deponent and her husband (though staid and restrained there becawse of his trade) yet they were still in feare & danger of their Lives: lookeing every day when the Rebells would either fetch them away to Drowne, or murther them Howsoever it pleased god to preserve their liues yet they lived in great want, and her husband about November 1642 died att Belturbett aforesaid, Leaveing her this deponent & children to the mercy of the Rebells; whoe at the length suffered them to come away from Belturbett aforesaid, but before they came to Cavan certeine Stragling vnknowne rebells robbed the deponent of what meate & provision she hadd, And afterwards when they were comen out of the County of Cavan divers other stragling Rebells whome she knew not robbed her, the deponent & her children of such apparell and things as they carried, saveing some clothes on their backs, and they stript one woman in their company stark naked, whoe had a child in her Armes, and in deed they lefte nothing with any one of the deponents company (that were about 140 persons) that was worth takeing away: Howbeit with much difficulty she & the rest escaped with liffe to the English Army.

It was a Common report amongst the very Irish themselves thereabouts that none durst come vnto nor stay at the bridge of Belturbett, becawse some spiritt or ghost came often thither & cryed Reveng Reveng: Shee further saith that the Rebells at Belturbett kept their feast of Ester next following the beginning of the Rebellion, vpon Palmsunday & the daies following which was a iust weeke before our feast of Ester, And on that which they then kept for Ester day, The Rebell Owen Brady then a Com[m]ander there & the rest of the Rebells as they came from Masse, sett fyre on, and burned the most part of the towne of Belturbett aforesaid together with the Church there which was a goodly faire building.Ralph Carr of Oughteragh parish stated: Raphe Carr of Clenlorgie in the parrish of outrach and County of Leathrum Glover and now a souldier in his maiesties service in Dublin an English prodestant aged 28 yeares or thereabouts being duly sworn deposeth that since the Rebellion began he was Robed and disposessed of a Cartron of land Clenloigy hold from my Lord Parsons for 17 yeares full stock with Inglish Cattell to the valew of four score pound besides a fine and building for my land £12.

in Corne and hay fourteene pound in houshould goods brasse and pewter and provision forty pound in money twenty-three pound in all the some of seaven score and nineteene pound (£159) and nothing to maynetaine my wife and four children and aprentice wench which was good as naked but by my pay on the 20th of october the same was taken by Charles mcGouran of Tullalia in County Cavan a frehoulder and his followers which was owen GilliCrest's sone, Teig Gilly Christ near Tullalia and teige mcmartins near Tullalia people and when I was dispossed of all my goods, I mett with Charles mcGouran riding with his sword drawne and Phelim mc Gouran and one Grimes and askt them what athoryty they had for taken away my goods the sayd they sayd hadd the kings broade seale but they sayd they would not show it but they sayd that we (meaning the English) must all goe to our Country and they must keepe theirs for it was the Kings pleasure thorow Ireland and I wisht them to take heede what they did for I thought they did more then they could answere they bad me hould my toung and sayd I was tow sausy tow examine them and bad me goe my wayes for feare of worse harme.The aforesaid Ralph Carr made a further statement: Raph Carr of Clenlorgin in the County of Leitrim Glover sworne & examined deposeth and saith That since the beginning of the presente Rebellion and by meanes thereof James Carr late of the Parrish of Drumlane in the Countie of Cavan gent this deponents father.

as this deponent hath beene credibly informed by William Blo cksom Blocksome, John Hickman, Nicholas Wilkinson Thomas Partridge & others of Belturbett that saw the wickednes done & this deponent verely beleeveth, & hath too much cawse to assure himself that their Report is true: But the deponent comeing away in the beginning of the Rebellion & before theis Murthers were Committed cannott speake to the same nor to any other cruelties traiterous words or other thinges Comitted [spoken] or done by the Rebells before since he came out of that Cuntrie of his owne Knowledg.Thomas Lewis of Oughteragh parish stated: Thomas Lewes of Kilanshele in the parish of Cotterah within the Baronie of Cargallan and Countie of Letrime being duly sworne doth depose that I had in personale estate, when That since this Rebellione first began he was deprived & robbed his goodes & Chattells following vizt- Leases woorth £80; Cowes and steeres and heffers and horses and mares worth £112; Corne and haye £36; In debts due to me £44-18s-0d; In houshold goods worth £50; In all amounting £322-18s-4d.

And further deposeth that the said Teige oge ô Rorke did say that they had the kings broad seale for to take all the English mens Armes & goods & keepe them till they had further direccions And that all the English was to departe the kingdome within Eight dayes or loose there lives, or words to that effect, And further deposeth that Brian ô Rorke did say that dublin Castle was taken.Edward Bisphum of Drumreilly stated: Edward Bisphum of Bowishall in the parish of Drum Rely Barrony of Carregallan and County of Latrim, Clay potter Aged ffifty yeares or thereabouts being duely sworne deposeth that he was Robed and lost since the beginning of the present Rebellion vizt the five & twentieth day of October last 1641 about Nyne of the Clock in the forenoone all his goods being of the vallues followeing in Cattle worth thirty seaven pounds, in Corne worth twenty shilings, in hay worth fforty shilings in household goods, provition and other goods worth thirty pounds in ready monies three pounds, One lease of the poale of land caled Bowishall parte of the proporion of Garvadine in the Barrony aforesaid for Eighteene yeares from the first day of May last vnder the Anuall or yearely Rent of tenn pounds (and other smale dutyes) worth five pounds in all amounting Amounting to the some of threescore and Eighteene £78.

Els they should bee all slaine saying further that all the English must into England, the Scotts into Scotland: & the Irish must bee in Ireland: And that they (meaneing the Rebells) had the Kinges broade seale for what they did.Peter Lewis of Ballinamore stated: Peter Lewis of Ballinemore in the Countie of Leytrim ffeltmaker being duly sworne deposeth & saith that about allhallontide last 1641 he this deponent was expelled from deprived robbed or otherwise dispoyled of his goods and Chattell following vizt of Corne worth £3.

The names of such as have been hanged at Manor Hamilton, by Martial Law since the beginning of this Rebellion ... Edmond MacGawran on 7 January 1643.Thomas Leysance of Mackan stated: Thomas Leysance of Mackan in the Countye of fearmangh in the Barrony of Clowneully yeoman Aged twenty foure yeares or ther abouts being duely swearne and examined saith that on the daye and yeare afore saide he was robed and striped be one Redmond oge mc Keawely gentleman Morish Ballaghe mc Kassedy fflearotteragh mc Huigh gentleman and ffleartagh magweire gentleman ffellem maguire gentleman and diuers others of the parish of klineally in the County a ffore saide they being all followers and belonging to Captine Rory Magweire of all thise lands the goodes & Chattles al followeth & things following vizt of the possession & profits of Inprimis the Thirde parte of a greate tate of land Called macken in the Barrony of Clowenally which I he hade in leise fore one and twenty yeares worth to be soulde Tenn pounds ster, and Thirty pounds in redy mony fore Cowes and younge Chattles and fore horses and meres and Coults Corne and haye and howsehould goods and foore tobes of Boutter all which amounts unto towe eight score houndered and eight pounds ster and fouther hee sayeth that vppon the Tweiseday next after the day aboue written, Charles Leysance father to the foresaid Thomas and Mr ffrances shillyart and John Cravann and younge John Cravann his sonn whoe as they weare Comeing frome there one howses towards Doubleinge a little of on this side Clowne Ally Church were assaulted & sett vppon bee ...Dannell magaweran, Gellernowe magawran...all Rebells.The castles of Croaghan and Keelagh, Killeshandra belonging to Sir James Craig and Sir Francis Hamilton were besieged by the McGoverns and O'Reillys when the 1641 rebellion started.

Few of the rest could have escaped, had not our men been called off by a discovery made by our scouts of another enemy approching Sir Francis having ordered his men for a second service, the rebels though farre exceeding in number, were content to suffer him to passe without any interruption, bringing off with him sixty cows, which were divided between both castles.Eleanor Reynolds of Lissanover also made a deposition about the siege of Croaghan as follows: Ellenor Reinolds of Late of Lissanore in the County of Cauan widow aged 46 yeares or thereabouts duly sworne etc.

This deponent further saith that the said month of May 1642 she saw one Mr Richard Ash of Lissomean and one Loughlin bane mc Moister under sheriff of the County with divers other Rebels in armes & helping to besiege the Castle of Croghan.

And further she this Examinate deposeth not the marke [mark] of Ellenor Reinolds.John Simpson of Killeshandra also made a deposition about the siege of Keelagh: John Simpson late of Killshandrah in the County of Cavan gent, (Lieutenant to Sir ffrancis Hamilton knight and Barronet) aged about 39 yeres: sworne and examined before his Maiesties Commissioners deposeth and saith That he this deponent was with the said Sir ffrancis Hamilton in his Castle of Kyloghe in the same County all the time from the beginning of the present Rebellion vntill that the said Sir ffrancis did take quarter from the Rebells which was about the 4th of June 1642 And saith that when hee tooke quarter which was about the same tyme he He this deponent very well remembreth that certeine Articles were made perfected and sworne vnto by Phillip Mc Hugh ô Rely Esquire Phillip mc Mulmore ô Rely Esquire Edmund ô Rely Esquire James Newgent Esquire Richard Ash Esquire Myles Rely Esquire John Kernon gent Hugh Booy o Rely gentleman Charles Mc Gowran gent all Rebells and divers others of the Irish gentrymen In and by which Articles those Rebells aforenamed agreed Covenanted and bound themselues that the Castle of the said Sir ffrancis Hamilton: And alsoe the Cast{le} of the said Sir James Craige knight together with the gardens and orchards thereunto belonging should not be broken downe demolished burned or spoiled in any manner whatsoeuer But that they would putt safegards into the Castles for preserving of them and their gardens and orchards....When Croaghan and Keelagh surrendered, Charles Magauran was one of the signatories to the surrender agreement: Articles of agreement concluded and agreed upon, the quarter give by Philip Mac Hugh Mac Shan Rely, and the rest of the gentlemen hereunder named to Sir Francis Hamilton concerning the castles of Kylagh and Crohan, in manner and forme following, bearing date the fourth of June 1642.

Sir Francis Hamilton Knight and Baronet, in the behalfe of the Lady Mary Craige, himselfe, the gentlemen, gentlewomen, souldiers, and all others both men, women and children, of what degree, condition, or quality whatsoever, belonging unto, or being in either of both castles, viz.

During their prosperous days, a stately castle reared its head, adjoining to the town, and was the abode of the Barons, but it was dismantled by order of Oliver Cromwell, and now lies in ruins.