Tipperary Free Press 17 March 1827
Outrage and
Reward – Ballyin House, Lismore
‘Whereas, the Dwelling House of Mr Patrick Foley, of
Ballyin, in the county of Waterford was forcibly entered, between the hours of
seven and eight o’clock, on the evening of Sunday the 25th of February last, by
an armed banditti, consisting of eighteen or twenty persons, who after securing
the male servants, forced one of the women servants to show them the way
upstairs, for the purpose, as they avowed, of taking Mr Foley’s arms, but
finding a door at the top of the staircase closed against them, one of the said
party fired a gun at said door , at the same time demanding arms – Mr Foley
then discharged a pistol under the bottom of the door, which shot, from the
marks of blood and other circumstances, must have severely wounded or killed
one of said party, upon which the banditti immediately departed, carrying their
wounded comrade with them.
Now we, the undersigned magistrates, etc., being
determined to use the most strenuous and effectual means to bring the
perpetrators of said outrage to justice, have resolved that a subscription be
immediately entered into, for the purpose of offering an adequate reward for
information’.
There follows a long list of subscribers including the
Duke of Devonshire who offered £100. P Foley offered 100, Thomas Foley Senr £50, and Thomas Foley junr, sub-Sheriff, £50. The notice stated that if one of the gang gave
evidence against the others he would be pardoned by the Lord Lieutenant.