Crime and Punishment in Dundalk. The Transportation of Irish Women in 19th Century Ireland: A Case History

This article focuses on the tale of two sisters, Margaret and Judith Byrne, who were arrested in Dundalk for the larceny of a pair of shoes, transferred to Grange Gorman Lane, transportation depot, and disposed of on the Phoebe in 1845 to Van Diemen’s Land. This article examines the case as it was presented to the courts including the petitions put forward on behalf of the sisters. Their journey from Dundalk to Hobart will be considered and documentary analysis will uncover how the sisters fared once they stepped foot on Vandemonian soil.