James Meehan

Taken from: "In the Shadow of the Fairy Hill Shinrone and Ballingarry - A History" By Noel MacMahon 1998.

A great number of rebels and innocent people, 10% of whom were Protestants, were transported to Australia from Ireland as a result of the 1798 Rebellion. One of the many convicts who were sentenced to transportation in Australia was James Meehan, a teacher and surveyor who was born in Shinrone in 1774. He was accused of being a sergeant in the United Irishmen and of having administered the oath to six men but was otherwise non-violent. He was sentenced "to serve his majesty's forces for seven years beyond the seas." and in August 1798, he was taken on board the "Friendship" and transported to Australia. [O'Farrell, Patrick, The Irish in Australia, (New South Wales University Press 1987) pp 29-31]. On board were 168 prisoners of whom 167 had been given a life sentence.

The reasons why Meehan was arrested and sentenced to transportation are contained in a petition for his release, while he was confined in a prison ship in Dublin Bay awaiting transportation to Australia. The document reads as follows:

"An exact account of the different crimes for which James Meehan, Schoolteacher and Surveyor from Shinrone is now confined at Dublin bay, first became a sworn United Irishman, afterwards refused to swear true allegiance to his Majesty, was appointed a sergeant of militia men, had first sworn six men and attested twenty one to the United Oath, but never had either pike or any sort of weapon, nor was at the taking or robbing for arms, nor either had a hand in any plot or conspiracy in his life, but seeing the error of United business, declined it totally and took the Oath of Allegiance, and from that hour never had anything to do with United men, until he was taken and sent where he is now is confined, on board one of his majesties ships, now in Dublin Bay. The ship James Meehan is confined on is called the "Brinskell"." (State Prisoners' Petitions, 1799 SPP 418/99)

On his arrival in Sydney on the 18th of February 1800, Meehan quickly became aware that his particular skill as a surveyor was in great demand. The Government was in urgent need of surveyors to measure new farms, and to plan the layout of new towns. He was quickly absorbed into the Government service. In 1803 he went as an assistant to Charles Grimes, who was then Surveyor General of New South Wales and while his name did not appear on the reports, Meehan did all the major surveying work in Tasmania and New South Wales from 1802. He rose to be Deputy General Surveyor of New South Wales, but as he had been a convict, he could never aspire to become Surveyor General.

Documents suggest that James Meehan, Michael Dwyer, The Wicklow Chief, and Dr. Daniel McCullum who had been transported for tending 1798 rebels, were in touch with the Revolutionary Society of the United Irishmen in Ireland in 1803. James Meehan and other '98 veterans formed a vast land-holding concentration in the south-west of Sydney, which became known as Irishtown (now Bankstown) and which acted as a magnet for further emigrant Irish. [O'Farrell pp 29-31]

Thomas Meehan,
son of James Meehan

Upon his retirement in 1821, James Meehan could boast that he had surveyed every farm that had been measured in New South Wales since 1803. James Meehan died in 1826, and has been regarded as one of the most successful of the former convicts who made Australia their home. [Midland Tribune 23 May 1998

Many of the United Irishmen arrested, tried by Court Martial in Shinrone and sentenced to transportation in Australia had petitions for clemency lodged on their behalf by relations and sometimes by the Establishment in the parish at the time. One such petition for mercy addressed to Lord Cornwallis was made on behalf of Richard Cullinan, Cangort, who had already been transported to New Geneva. It is not known if the petition on his behalf was successful.

"We the undersigned certify that Richard Cullinan late of Cangort supported a good character till seduced with many of his neighbours to become an United Irishman and was appointed a Sergeant for which lie was tried by court Martial in Shinrone. Confessed his crime and was sentenced to be transported for seven years, was sent to New Geneva where he has two violent turns and has for some years had swollen legs which render him unfit to serve his Majesty in any capacity and having suffered imprisonment for thirteen months and being very weak and unhealthy we beg leave to recommend him as a fit object of mercy to his Excellency the Marquis Cornwallis, not having been charged with any sort of violence and not having otherwise concerned in the late Rebellion than as above stated." [State Prisoners' Petitions 1799 503/99]

Signed

Richd. Ashton
Ralph Smith
Edw. Landy
George Smith
Robt. Kinahan

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