PETTY SESSIONS COURT 1828-1912 . . . . . . #15

The Petty Sessions was the lowest court in Ireland and handled civil and some criminal matters.  This court heard minor disputes and misdemeanors such as farm animals trespassing on neighbors property, public drunkenness, petty assaults, minor thief, disputes between persons etc.  The court was lead by a Justice of the Peace who did not receive a salary therefore was headed by a local landowner or gentleman.  There was no jury.  Petty Sessions met weekly or monthly depending on the volume of cases to be heard.  The court included a clerk who recorded the details on registers and collected any fines.  These registers, which have been indexed, are available in digitized form at findmypast.com.  There were 22 Petty Session Courts in County Mayo.  The Killala Court registers are available in years 1861-1911.

Finding these records allows us to observe the daily life of elusive ancestors.  Our DONNELLY and WALSH families appeared in these court records.  The index did not show our GARVIN or MAHEDY families.

John STONES, a neighbor of John DONNELLY, had difficulty keeping his cows and pigs out of DONNELLY'S land between 1874 and 1884.  Three times John DONNELLY took STONES to Killala Petty Sessions Court because the animals were trespassing.

DONNELLY of Ballygowen

1874 - John STONES of Ballygone cows trespass on John DONNELLY'S land

1875 - John STONES of Ballygone pigs trespass on John DONNELLY'S potato patch

1884

Killala Petty Sessions  -  15 August 1884

 Complainant - John WALSH, farmer of Ballygone - Defendant - John STONES, farmer of Ballygone

Defendant's 6 pigs did trespass on complaints barley and potato at Ballygone on said Co of Mayo

on the 28th July 1884

1894  -  Edward BOURKE'S 3 horses trespass on John DONNELLY's land

WALSH of Cloonaleedin

1867 - Hugh WALSH - James MASSY'S heifers trespass on Hugh's land

1868 - John WALSH - 2 cows & 1 horse trespass on James MASSY'S land

1868 - Hugh WALSH - 2 horses trespass on James MASSY'S land

1876 - Hugh WALSH & John WALSH - Witnesses to an assault

1888 - John CUNNINGHAM - Cattle trespass on John WALSH's pasture

1891

Killala Petty Sessions  -  15 August 1891

Complainant - John WALSH, Road Contractor Cloonaleedin   Defendant - John RUDDY of Carrokeel, Road material  -  Complainant being a road contractor for the public road leading from James GALLAGER'S at Doonamoona to James JOINT'S at Carrokeel in the County Mayo require an order to obtain materials (broken stones) off said Defendant's land at Carrokeel for the repairs of said road.

1910 - John WALSH - Road contract

1910 - Pat WALSH - Dog licensing issue

1911

Petty Sessions Court  -  6 September 1911

Complainant - Sergeant Patrick O'GARA, R.I.C Killala   Defendant - John WALSH of Cloonaleedin

Br. of Sheep Dipping Order 1911

You, the said Defendant, on the 29th day of July 1911, at Killala in said District and County, did unlawfully pose for sale at a fair 3 sheep without having the same previously dipped and accompanied by a declaration that they were so dipped as required by the Sheep Dipping (Ireland) Order 1911.  Defendant is convicted of the said order and ordered to pay for fine the same of six pence and for costs, the sum of 1 shilling.  PAID

1912 - John WALSH - Violation of sheep dipping order