Freney The Robber

FRENEY THE ROBBER NO 22

Just to be clear the idea of a Dick Turpin or a Robin hood or our man Freney being good guys is pure myth. They were scurrilous thief’s that have been glorified in the story books. In the 18th century the only way to get around was on horseback or in your horse drawn carriage. These were dangerous times no mobile phone to call the garda and no patrol cars to track the robbers down and definitely no CCTV .In Ireland many of these highway men were given shelter by the locals as they saw the law men as hench men of the British occupiers .Carlow and Kilkenny had  James Freney the robber who in the end wrote his own book about his escapades .He was born in a place called Ballyduff outside Inistioge where his parents worked on a local landlords estate .He was well educated and given every opportunity by the landlords wife who had a soft spot for him,  but he wasn’t interested. He was a feckless type of character who was into anything but work, gambling horse racing women were his preference. He used the church tower in St Mullins to hide out where he could see the red coats coming from all directions. He ended up getting married to Alice Phelan the house maid from the house where he was reared, was it for love or maybe it was for his wife’s dowery which allowed him to open up his own pub in Waterford. But sure, he couldn’t agree with anyone and as work wasn’t his thing the venture failed.

Freney was now in debt after the pub went bust so he joined up with a well know robber John Reddy of the kelly Mount gang.  Starting his career as a thief and highway man in 1740s, he was infamous for his treat when he stopped a carriage brandishing his pistols “hand over your valuables or I’ll blow your brains out “. now he never carried out his treat and was said to behave as a gentleman in very many ways. His gang of robbers took off into the night breaking into the houses of the wealthy his reign of terror lasted about four or five years. Freney was a clever thief and evaded capture for many years robbing houses, coaches anywhere a bit of wealth was showing Freney sniffed it out. He had the reputation of being a fair man in that he didn’t steal from the poor, just the well healed but sure the poor of Ireland had nothing to steal.It is interesting how these fiends like Freney gained the reputation for being nice to the poor folklore has a lot to answer for. he loved the old estate houses plenty of gold plate and silver. many a time he was chased by the red coats and buried his haul around Brandon hill so he wouldn’t be caught with it. There is a stone chair on the tow path between St Mullins and Graignamanagh where he is reputed to have sat looking up at Brandon trying to remember where he had buried the loot.

 As I mentioned before the church tower in St Mullins was one of Freneys favourite hiding places as he could see all the surrounding lands and make his escape sometimes across the Barrow River he is said to have been gallant towards women and would never rob one. If caught Freney faced the hang man as the British penal laws in Ireland showed no mercy well unless you betrayed your fellow gang members which is what our brave hero did all his pals were hanged, what a pal he was. He survived into old age and was one of the few Irish highwaymen men to avoid the noose. Freney did a deal with the chief justice that allowed him to emigrate, it seems that the authorities were afraid to hang him for fear that he would become a folk hero and incite further local violence.

local land marks with Freneys name attached to them are still there today, Freneys chair Freneys rock, Freneys well and also his autobiography “The life and adventures of Mr James Freney”

BOLD CAPTAIN FRENEY

 One morning as, I being free from care,

I rode abroad to take the air,

'Twas my fortune for to spy

A jolly Quaker riding by;

CHORUS: And it's oh, bold Captain Freney!

Oh, bold Freney, oh!

Said the Quaker—"I'm very glad

That I have met with such a lad;

There is a robber on the way,

Bold Captain Freney, I hear them say."

 "Captain Freney I disregard,

Although about me I carry my charge;*

Because I being so cunning and cute,

It's where I hide it's within my boot."

. Says the Quaker—"It is a friend

His secret unto me would lend;

I'll tell you now where my gold does lie—

I have it sewed beneath my thigh."

As we rode down towards Thomastown,

Bold Freney bid me to 'light down.

"Kind sir, your breeches you must resign;

Come, quick, strip off, and put on mine,

[CHORUS:] For I am bold Captain Freney," &c.

 Says the Quaker, "I did not think

That you'd play me such a roguish trick

As my breeches I must resign,

I think you are no friend of mine."

 As we rode a little on the way,

We met a tailor dressed most gay;

I boldly bid him for to stand,

Thinking he was some gentleman.

 Upon his pockets I laid hold—

The first thing I got was a purse of gold;

The next thing I found, which did me surprise,

Was a needle, thimble, and chalk likewise.

 "Your dirty trifle I disdain."

With that I returned him his gold again.

"I'll rob no tailor if I can—

I'd rather ten times rob a man."**

 It's time for me to look about;

There's a proclamation just gone out;

There's fifty pounds bid on my head,

To bring me in alive or dead.

Author Unknown