Tag Archives: piracy

On last night, near Tervoe, a sail-boat, on its way up the river, from Labbysheedy, was attacked by twelve armed men, who approached in two cots from the Tervoe side of the river. Each cot, or small boat, contained six men, armed with guns or pistols. The sail-boat was boarded by the occupants of one of the cots, while the other six remained alongside, for the purpose of observation, or repulsion, if, perchance, assistance should be rendered.

Labasheeda, Tervoe and Limerick (OSI ~1900)

The sail-boat having been usually engaged in the conveyance of flour and other provisions from Labbysheedy to Limerick, the presumption is, that the parties were led to suppose the boat was laden with the usual kind of freight. But they were mistaken. They found no provisions, tho’ they took care not to go away empty-handed. They seized three or four boxes laden with valuable property, and succeeded in carrying them off, of course without meeting any resistance on the part of those who were on board the sail-boat.

We believe outrages of this kind are not infrequent on the river. Something should be done to afford secure protection to the trade between this city and the several places down the stream.

Limerick and Clare Examiner 2 February 1848

From the British Newspaper Archive