Malachy Duggan - the most hated man of Macroom

Back in 1798 the British and Irish were again fighting. The Irish wanted the British out of Ireland and the British were reluctant to give up the property their nobles owned in Ireland. Many of the richest folk in Ireland were either British or allied with them. A Colonel Hutchinson lived on a big farm outside Macroom. One night Malachy Duggan, his son, a cousin and 13 other near-do-wells decided to rob Hutchinson. Somehow the Colonel was killed. The British arrested Malachy who they then starved and tortured until he confessed then ratted out his cohorts, including his own son. The names of the executed listed on this plaque just inside the castle walls were the folks that Malachy gave up. They were all hanged, drawn and quartered. Then their heads were stuck on pikes and put on display in the town square. The other people that were transported to Australia were supposedly indirectly involved. More likely they were guys the British considered troublemakers who might get involved in the guerilla fighting action going on elsewhere in the Macroom area. While the Duggans and their friends were pretty much nothing more than a gang of thieves, over the years their story has become a legend where they are now seen as early freedom fighters in the cause of Irish Independence. Very similar to our re-telling of what happened at the Boston Massacre.