Halloween Special: Crotty The Highway Robber

When you walk in an unfamiliar place in twilight hours and see a laminated sheet of paper pinned to the tree trunk, stop and read it – not just take a photo of it to read at home like I did on my first visit to Crough Wood. This might save you from trouble or perhaps unwanted ghost-sighting 😉 

After carelessly taking the picture, I walked out of the wood with intention to follow the loop trail and return to the same spot. The view was familiar – I have never been in the Crough Wood before but walking along the Mahon River I knew that I saw the towering rocky walls of Coummahon filling the skyline. I reckoned it would take me less than an hour to return. As it was getting darker, I had to adjust my camera settings. No one was around as far as I could see, but it was hard to tell was it a good or a bad thing. I couldn’t help feeling a little wary, for no reason. Probably it was the mist that began to form in the valley…

Everything went well, though. I hiked to the Magic Road, then to the Crough road and finally returned to the tree from which I started the hike. A little matter of walking to the car park through the dark woods along the loud river had to be addressed… 

The river distracted me, and I took a few photos of the ghostly looking waterfalls. When I returned to the car park, there was no other car but mine. 

At home, I downloaded my photographs and finally read the laminated message. No way… I should have stayed on the trail longer! I did some research, compared the information, checked out the maps. I got hooked on the legend and decided to visit the eastern slopes of the Comeraghs again to write my own version of the story. First I went on a hike to Kilclooney Wood and Coumshingaun Lake. 

Then I hiked to Lough Coumgaurha. It is what the map says. I was there many years ago, and I sure knew the name by which the lake goes in these parts of the world. The Crotty’s Lake. Here is the

                Story  of  Crotty  The  Robber

Waterford Quay was busy with the crowds heading to the gallows – near to where the present days Clock Tower is situated. This kind of entertainment stopped 30 years later when the executions were relocated to behind the prison walls, but in March 1742 the hanging and beheading of the notorious bandit William Crotty was a must to attend and discuss over a pint later.

His pregnant wife stood there and watched him die.

As if it wasn’t already enough to bear, she had to witness his head being displayed over the gateway of the county jail in Ballybricken as a warning to those wishing to follow in his footsteps.

“Crotty was decapitated, according to his sentence, and his head was placed on a spike over the gate of the county gaol, which was at a great thoroughfare, and often a resting-place for those who brought milk to the markets. In a few days the head became in a state of putrid solution, and began to distill drops of gore into the milk-cans, for some time before it was discovered, to the inexpressible disgust and horror of all who had been drinking the milk. The hair did not decay with the flesh – it grew on the bony cranium; and there for a long time the ghastly skull of this miscreant excited as much horror after his death as his cruel actions had during his life.”

Ireland Sixty Years Ago, by John Edward Walsh. Dublin, 1851

Crotty’s loyal wife Mary was refused a funeral, and his body was taken away to the City Infirmary and given for dissection. Thus ended the earthly life of a “most desperate and indefatigable” robber, whose name was a “word of terror” to such extent that he was even suspected of cannibalism by some. The name survived though – in legends and landmarks.

                                                                   ♦

William Crotty was born in Russelstown, on the Western side of the Comeraghs, to a poor family evicted from their holding.  Becoming an outlaw was not a surprising career choice for a young man in his situation. As it came out, he was well suited for the job – his operations extended to Kilkenny and Tipperary over the years. He skillfully avoided capture by shoeing his horses backward, and his knowledge of the mountains helped him disappear in thin air right in front of his pursuers. 

 Crotty had a safe retreat – a deep underground cave near the foot of the rocky pinnacle at the Coumgaurha lake that could be accessed only by the means of a rope dropped down.  He used another cave at Coumshingaun lake for the stolen livestock. His observation point – the Crotty’s Rock –  commands the most expansive views of high roads from Dungarvan to Carrick and Tramore – no one would come close unnoticed. By 1739, Crotty had formed a small gang of accomplices. His operations flourished.

The legend says “he was the leader of a gang of highwaymen who stole from the rich to give to the poor, much in the same manner as Robin Hood”. It breaks my heart to tell you that it wasn’t the case.

I can picture that sad country and immensely poor people suffering consequences of British colonialism and religious defeat. My heart goes out to them. I can see how a daring young lad like William Crotty could have easily become a hero and brighten their day by sharing a shilling or a pint; mingling with them on a dance floor or a hurling field; hurting those who wronged them.

The gang was active for at least four years breaking in, murdering, stealing property.  After they murdered  George Williams, things went south very fast. Crotty’s most trusted companion and the mastermind behind most of their crimes Davey Norris realised that he would be better off giving evidence against his boss to authorities (who had already known about Crotty’s operations long ago). Then he would visit the cave and steal whatever was stashed there. Norris was illiterate and signed with a cross, but he sang like a canary selling Crotty and his other companions, and perhaps obtained pardon for his crimes as he was never arrested and eventually died in his bed. Some of his companions were hanged, like Crotty. Poor Thomas Mara was hanged after nine attempts. The rope got stuck. 

Norris and his wife continued to inform authorities about Crotty’s activities and whereabouts. There are different versions of his capture, but the only fact matters: Crotty The Robber was betrayed by the man he trusted most. 

They say Crotty’s wife, Mary, wrote this caoine after he was executed:

William Crotty I have often tould you,

That David Norris would come round you,

In your bed, when you lay sleeping,

And leave me here in sorrow weeping.

Och-hone, oh! 

Oh, the judge but he was cruel,

Refused a long day to my jewel;

Sure I thought that you would, may be, 

See the face of your poor baby, 

Och-hone, oh! 

Norris was afraid for his life. He filed sworn affidavit against Mary Crotty, and a large reward was offered for her apprehension. Determined not to be taken alive, the unfortunate woman threw herself down the Crotty’s Rock.

Mary has found peace, but William’s ghost now haunts the Comeragh Mountains. His ghost is known as Dark Stranger who “comes out of the mist, tall, dark clothed, moving purposefully, his footsteps making no sound.” The ghost can also be seen on a white horse. He would cross the Crough road and ride towards the Crotty’s Rock, Rathgormack and Carrignagower where his treasures lie hidden somewhere beneath a rock with a hoof mark. 

Happy Halloween, my dear friends! Stay safe and enjoy this mysterious season. Because of the lockdown we won’t have a chance to visit the Crotty’s land at night, as I hoped we would. 

Each location featured in this post will be presented as a separate hike in the nearest future. Have your boots and backpacks ready, my dear walking companions.

Meanwhile, you might also reread some of my previous Halloween stories:

Petticoat Loose,  Beresford Ghost,  Ghosts from the 1970’s and a grim Loftus Hall story.

  Have a fun weekend! 

90 comments

  2. Ghosts and treasure beneath a rock with a hoof mark – perfect for Halloween. And it was scary walking along with you to that empty parking lot. Great photos as always. Stay safe, brave one, from ghosts and Covid!

    1. Thank you! So far I have only met some nice people 😊 In the middle of nowhere people tend to have a chat with a stranger, and it is always fun. Stay safe you too. So many people I know have already got Covid. I don’t know if I survive with all my inhalers and all. The only hope is to be extremely careful. This will protect us from many other viruses too.

  3. Brrr., Eeeeee Yikes
    That was fabulous, Inese. Love the tale! Creepy history, for sure!
    Your pics are great, and I look forward to the walks!
    HAPPY HALLOWE’EN!
    ❦👻❦☠️❦😈❦👻❦☠️❦😈❦👻❦☠️❦😈❦👻❦☠️❦😈❦👻❦☠️❦😈❦👻❦☠️❦😈

    1. Thank you Resa! Living in the 18th century wasn’t for the faint of heart. History is a rich resource of the Halloween appropriate themes. Hope you have a fun and happy Halloween! X

  4. A great ghost story for Halloween. The agony about the story is betrayal. It is definitely that the gang should be caught as what they did. It was one of his trusted gang member turned him in that was a bit sad.

    Oh, your ghost picture looks real ghostly 🙂

    1. Thank you! 🙂 Yes, the betrayal part of this story is very sad. I have been reading a lot about the era, and the circumstances. I know there is always a choice, but even in our times of general abundance some stumble. Those people were almost out of choices, and the 1740-41 famine didn’t help either.
      Thank you again for your comment! ❤

  7. Thank you for a BOOliscious tour once again. Love the shimmering ghostly waterfall and the following picture of that delightful forest should the sky blackened a bit you would not have caught me walking through that forest. A movie made forest.
    I wouldn’t wanted to have been Crotty displayed like that and bits into the milk ICK!
    Wow such trauma for his wife and in actuality for him as well. No wonder it is thought their spirits roam the earth. Thanks again Inese. Loved hiking with you. ❤

    1. Thank you so much, Joseph! Poor spirit, makes me sad thinking of what he has to endure. I have read a ton of literature about William Crotty which produced just a handful of useful information. No local historian bothered to preserve a correct chronological record. Two useful books are quoted here in my post, but they were written a century later and lacked a lot of facts. I am surprised that no one checked the credibility of the alleged execution date, March 18. That was a Sunday! In the 17th century, they didn’t execute on Sundays.
      Oh well, Happy Halloween, and may all the Spirits reach their destination safely. Hugs ❤

  8. What a fantastic tale of derring do. I can’t help but feel sad for the Crotty’s, what choice did they have. Thank you for a wonderfully entertaining post and pictures.

    1. Oh yes, exactly, what choice? They were poorest of the poorest. It makes me sad that no one really wanted to remember the real William. A made up Robin Hood sounded better. It took less than a hundred years to erase a real person. There was no historian interested in real facts. Even the date of his execution seems to be wrong. March 18 falls on Sunday, the day when there were no executions ever! And no one finds this strange.

  12. What a story, Inese. Perfect for Halloween. It’s too bad he wasn’t a “Robin Hood” but I feel sad for him, anyway, and poor Mary. The putrid head dripping into the milk was rather horrible! A great tidbit for this ghostly tale. 🙂 ❤

    1. Thank you, Diana! I couldn’t help sharing the tidbit
      😉 Yes, William wasn’t a Robin Hood, indeed, but you can see where my heart lies… This legend makes me even more sad for two reasons: first, those poor people needed so little to believe in good, heroic things, and second, William could become anything if given a chance. ❤

  13. Eke! I won’t be accompanying you for real on any night-time adventure! A great narrative, Inese! The photo of Lough Coumgaurha is so evocative!

    1. Thank you, Bruce. I wish the story had a better ending.
      We will hike to the lakes soon. The lockdown stopped me from driving around, but I still have many photographs.
      A twilight walk around the Crotty’s landmarks is the first thing I will do in December. It would be dangerous to climb to the lakes in the dark, but there are some roads frequented by the ghost too.

  19. What a great story! I love how he had the horses shoes on the wrong way so it would look like he had headed in the opposite direction. He needed to be a little more careful in his choice of friends. Happy Halloween and thank you for such a splendid story.

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