The Doneraile conspiracy was an event and subsequent trial, during a time of agrarian unrest in Ireland, when many tenant farmers experienced extreme poverty and hardship at the hands of their landlords.
Since the 18th century, the secret oath-bound society called the Whiteboys became very prominent in the Doneraile area.
After a number of local people were indicted, and brought to trial to a special commission, Daniel O’Connell, a famous lawyer and parliamentarian became involved, leading to the discharge of many of the accused.
During January 1829, a dinner party was held at the seat of Rear Admiral Evans at Oldtown near Shanballymore.
They were caught up in a conspiracy, when they were alleged to have been heard in a tent at Doneraile Fair conspiring to kill local landlords.
Daly (a former Whiteboy), saw that 22 men were arrested and charged They were brought before the Special Commission with a Grand Jury presided over by Baron Pennefather.
The delay provided time for relatives to again seek to retain Daniel O’Connell, a famous lawyer and parliamentarian.
The families and friends of the accused men sent William Burke of Ballyhea to Daniel O’Connell, who was in his home in Derrynane in County Kerry.
Because the remaining prisoners were so afraid after the first trial, a further attempt was made, and they collected a sum of 100 guineas to retain him.
William Burke left Cork on the evening of Saturday 24 October 1829 for a night ride on one horse to O'Connell’s residence in Derrynane, a distance of 90 miles.
[2] Canon Sheehan in his book, Glenanaar[3] It is a wet, warm night, dark as Erebus; and the twain, steed and rider, knew nothing of the road.
All they knew was that they should follow for some time the course of the river which they could hear murmuring on the left as it tore over stones and pebbles on its mad rush to the sea.
They were soon splashed with mud from head to heel, and the soft, warm rain had penetrated under and through the light garments the rider wore, that his weight might lie easy on the gallant animal, on whose endurance and swiftness so many lives were now depending.
But neither animal nor rider felt aught but the stimulus of some mighty force that summoned all their energies, and would make their success a triumph beyond description, and their failure-well, as the thought of its possibility flashed across the young man’s mind, a great lump came into his throat, and he had to gulp down his emotion.
One Catholic jury member, Mr. Edward Morrogh, of Glanmire, was the chief obstacle on agreeing about the other three - Connors, Wallace, and Lynch.
By Tuesday evening, the jury was discharged without reaching a verdict, and it was agreed that the re-trial of the three men be postponed until the Spring of 1830.