The Aftermath of the Great Rebellion Court Martial in the Wicklow area, were all held some time after the rebellion. Baltinglass 6/4/1799 A court martial dealt with the activities of James Keogh, who was charged with rebellion and carrying arms. Sergeant Edward Connolly of the Dublin Militia stated to the court that he had gone to Gormanstown in Co Meath on the 30th March 1799 with a party of militiamen to search a house, because it had been reported that it was frequented by armed robbers. Two rushed out of the house of which one was James Keogh, armed with a blunderbuss, and a native of Wicklow. Throwing the weapon over the ditch, Keogh was then seized by the militiamen. Being a native of Wicklow he stood trial there and he was sentenced to death by Lord Cornwallis, but he mitigated this to service abroad in His Majecty's Forces. Baltinglass 19/2/1799 Michael Doyle was charged with rebellion, robbery and murder and his trail began on the above date in Baltinglass. The main evidence against him being a written statement made by James Whelan of Freynestown, which is north of Stratford-on-Slaney in Co Wicklow, close to the border of Carlow and Kildare, the evidence was presented to the court although the man Whelan had died before the court martial began. Whelan's evidence stated that on 22/12/1798 he had gone to James Hughes house at Ashford with John Riley and Michael Doyle, and that Doyle had hidden under his coat a gun and a bayonet which he was going to use to rob Farrel Doyle, Michael Doyle's reasons for doing this were that Farrel Doyle after the Battle of Stratford - Farrel Doyle had refused him lodging and food, so his motive was indeed vengeance. (Stratford actually fell into rebels' hands but a counter-attack drove them out and defeated them, thus they failed to gain even a grip on the territory western rim of the Co Wicklow Landmass, when these small garrisons held firm against their attacks.) Michael Doyle informed his two companions that Farrel Doyle had a large quantity of Bacon and even more food than that. His wife had three rings and a pair of silver buckles, he said . Michael Doyle then handed a pistol to Whelan, as he stated to enter the house and to say that he came from Captain Dwire ( Dwyer) to burn the houses of James Valentine and Patrick Prior. He told Whelan to say that he intended shooting him if he did "act like a stout fellow". Whelan stated that he refused to go and Doyle then stabbed him with a bayonet in anger. Whelan eventually entered the house and made his threats. Instead of the bacon and the rings and buckles, Farrel Doyle gave him a guinea, a half crown and few other coins. The case rambles on and on and finally Michael Doyle was condemmed to transportation for life.... Cheers Cara