AN AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT
OF THE BEHAVIOUR, CONDUCT AND CONFESSION, OF
JAMES BEAGHAN.

Who was executed on Vinegar Hill,

ON SATURDAY THE 24th DAY OF AUGUST, 1799.

TAKEN BEFORE CHRISTIAN WILSON, ESQ. HIGH SHERIFF OF THE
COUNTY OF WEXFORD,

AND J. H. LYSTER, ESQ. ONE OF THE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE
FOR THE SAID COUNTY.

THE Day but one before his Execution, two Popish Priests went to visit him, and upon their entering his Cell, he exclaimed againft them in thefe Words: "Begone " from me you accurled, who have been the Caufe of my Eternal Damnation, for " were it not for you, I never would have been guilty of Murder."—Having so faid, he turned from them, and requeſted that they might be put out, and in fome ſhort time after, he requeſted that Captain Boyd might be ſent for, to whom he made the following Confeſſion:

I JAMES BEAGHAN, acknowledge and confes that I am guilty of the Crime for which I am to ſuffer, but that I did not commit it from ill-will to the People that were murdered, but from the Order of * Luke Byrne; I could not difobey him—no Perfon dare ſubsuke to obey the Orders of the Commanders. I am ſure that any Man in Command could ſave the Lives of the Poor; every Man that was a Proteſtant was called an Orangeman, and every one was to be killed, from the pooreſt Man in the Country. Before the Rebellion, I never heard there was any hatred between Roman Catholics and Proteſtants, they always lived peaceably together. I always found the Proteſtants better Maſters and more indulgent Land-lords than my own Religion; during the Rebell ion, I never ſaw any one interfere to prevent Murder, but one Byrne who ſaved a Man. I think all that were preſent were as guilty as thofe that perpetrated the Murders. It was thinking that we were all equally guilty, that prevented me from flying the Country, The Women were numerous, and were as bad as the Men. The Rebels treated the Prifoners with great ſeverity, very different from the way that I have been uſed in goal. They thought it no more a fin to kill a Proteſtant than a dog; had it not been that they were ſo foon quaſhed, they would have ſought with each other for the Property of the Proteſtants. They were beginning before the battle of Vinegar Hill. Ever ſince the Rebellion, I never heard one of the Rebels exprsſ the leaſt forrow for what was done; on the contrary I have heard them ſay, they were ſorry that whilſt they had the Power they did not kill more, and that there were not half enough killed. I know that the Rebels were determined to rife if the French ſhould come; and I believe they did not give up half their arms. There are Guns, Bayonets and Pikes hid in the Country.

\*\* Now Gentlemen, remember what I tell you, if you and the Proteſtants are ever in the Power of the Catholics again, as they are now in yours, they will not leave one of you alive; you will all go ſmack ſmooth, even them that campaigned with them, if things had gone well with them, would in the end have been killed. I have heard them ſay to many times.

Taken before us, Aug. 23, 1799.

CHRISTIAN WILSON, Sheriff.

J. H. LYSTER, JUſtice P. ...

his
JAMES % BEAGHAN

(A Copy.)

mark.

Having arrived at the place of Execution, Captain Boyd brought him afide, and read his Confeſſion, and aſked him if it was correctly taken down, to which he anſWERED in the affirmative. JUſT as the Executioner was about to turn him off, he called out faying, "flop," and lifting up his Cap, faid with a very loud Voice, "Captain Boyd; " you have taken down my Conſeſſion perfectly correct; if it was not for the Jrieſs I " never would have been guilty of Murder, nor have dragged five unfortunate Perſons out of the Windmill to be murdered; amongst theſe five, were the Son of Old Minchin the Carpenter.

† Luke Byrne a Priſt and a Commander in the Rebels.

\*\* From this Mark Beaghан spoke without having been aſked any queſtions, and spoke with an earneſtneſs and in a manner that ſhewed his Sincerity.