Library Forum

The Morning Chronicle and London Advertiser (London, England), Saturday, March 13, 1773 reports that a posse of gentlemen and respectable persons from Sixmilebridge and environs went well mounted and armed to Meelick near the City of Limerick in pursuit of William Wilson and Thomas and Peter Hartegan, all of Meelick, and apprehended them for highway robbery. Following close examination by Mr Joseph Peacock Esq. they were mittimussed to Ennis gaol to meet their (presumably grisly) fate.

"Mittimussed" - now there's a word I hadn't heard of before. A quick Google revealed all!
I wonder whether it's still in use.

I assume the highwaymen plied their trade on the Wood Road, which runs from Cratloe towards Limerick. There are many reports of ambushes on that road down thro' the centuries. The adjacent Cratloe woods allowed the perpetrators to easily escape. There are stories of buried loot in the wood awaiting discovery.
In more recent times, Michael Brennan and his flying column used the road as an ambush location as well, as described in his book The War in Clare, 1911-1921

Stories of buried loot in the Cratloe woods awaiting discovery ? Thank you for this tip. I had noticed my metal detector jiggling furiously on the passenger seat beside me last time I passed that way.

What do the stories of the buried loot say as to the exact location ?

At the moment my men are working round the clock at Lughid Bridge to secure the buried treasure there before it is unearthed by some undeserving JCB-driver working on the new Gort-Crusheen bypass. However, once we have that in the bag we could take a look at the Cratloe woods.

Watch this space.

Paddy