William Smith O’Brien was the leader of an unsuccessful Young Ireland rebellion in Ballingarry, Co. Tipperary in 1848. After his capture, Smith O’Brien was tried, found guilty and sentenced to death. His death sentence resulted in widespread revulsion across Ireland and as a result a petition for clemency began in late 1848. By mid 1849 over 80,000 signatures were collected and it has become an important census substitute for the time period. The petitions contributed to Smith O’Brien’s sentenced being commuted to transportation for life to Australia.
Three men with the Buggy name appear in the signatures[1]. They are:
Name Address County Signature Date
John Buggy Kilkenny City Kilkenny
Michl Buggy Ennis Clare 18 October 1848
Robert Buggy Waterford 28 October 1848
[1] Origins.net William Smith O’Brien Petitions 1848-1849 [database on-line]. Pinner, Middlesex, UK: OMS Services Ltd., 2010. accessed 23 November 2010. Original data: National Archives of Ireland, CRF 1848 O 16/2/2, 3, 51 pt1, 51 pt2, 95, 100, 101, 102, 103, 105, 121, 148, 158, 160, 164, 165.
The John Buggy shown here is my great grandfather, who later became Mayor of Kilkenny. He was the brother of the well known campaigner for irish liberation and emancipation Kieran Thomas Buggy (sometimes aka KT Buggy or Kevin T Buggy) Towards the end of his life John was a landowner and farmer and lived at Cantwell’s Court, Johnswell. He died in the 1870′s.