Yes, Peter Comyn was executed for arson in 1830 in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. The execution took place following his conviction for deliberately setting fire to his residence, Scotland Lodge near New Quay, in December 1829. This act stemmed from a dispute with his landlord, Bindon Scott of Cahercon, though the precise motives remain somewhat unclear in historical records.

Comyn, a former magistrate and landowner from a respectable Clare family, was an unusual candidate for the gallows due to his social standing. Born to David Comyn and Dorothea McNamara, he inherited property at Bishop’s Quarter in Ballyvaughan and was known locally for his imposing presence, folklore interests, and an income of over £600 per year. His trial and subsequent death sentence garnered significant attention, with efforts made to secure a royal pardon from King George IV. Petitions from Ennis and interventions by figures like Robert Peel and the Duke of Northumberland led to a temporary reprieve, delaying the execution from its original date in early April 1830. However, this clemency was ultimately withdrawn, and Comyn was hanged at Ennis Gaol, likely in late April or early May 1830, though exact dates vary slightly in sources.

The case was notable not only for Comyn’s status but also for its reflection of the era’s harsh legal system, where arson—like forgery—was a capital offense under British law. The execution was a shocking event in Clare, often described as a “political bombshell,” and it highlighted the tensions of landlord-tenant relations and the rigid enforcement of justice in pre-Famine Ireland.

Known Information on Descendants

• Children: Peter Comyn had 3–4 children, born likely between the late 1790s and 1820s, given his active adult life by the early 1800s. Their names are not recorded in surviving accounts, and no primary sources (e.g., baptismal records, wills) provide further clarity. The ambiguity about the number (three or four) suggests either inconsistent reporting or a lost record.
• Post-Execution Fate: After Peter’s execution, his family likely faced social and economic challenges due to the stigma and potential loss of property. The children, with their unnamed mother, may have remained in Clare or moved to nearby Galway, where the Comyn and McNamara families had ties. However, no notable descendants are traced from this point in historical narratives.

It appears you’re asking about comments made by someone named O’Donovan regarding Peter Comyn, specifically the Peter Comyn executed in 1830 in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland, for arson. Given the context of our previous discussions, I’ll assume “O’Donovan” might refer to John O’Donovan, a prominent 19th-century Irish scholar known for his work on Irish history, genealogy, and topography, particularly through his Ordnance Survey Letters. He visited Clare in 1839 and documented local figures and traditions, making him a plausible candidate for commentary on Peter Comyn. However, I’ll clarify what’s known and address any ambiguity.

John O’Donovan’s Potential Comments

John O’Donovan (1806–1861) was an Irish antiquarian and historian who conducted extensive fieldwork for the Ordnance Survey of Ireland in the 1830s and 1840s. His letters, including those from Clare in 1839, often describe local personalities, folklore, and historical events. Regarding Peter Comyn, the Clare Library references O’Donovan’s description of him as “a stout robust man of large proportions and corpulent.” This comment appears in O’Donovan’s correspondence, likely from his 1839 visit to Clare, nine years after Comyn’s execution.

• Context of the Comment: O’Donovan’s description focuses on Comyn’s physical appearance, consistent with his interest in documenting notable local figures. He also notes Comyn’s engagement with folklore, mentioning that Comyn collected stories and legends from neighbors. Additionally, O’Donovan alludes to Comyn’s “mental disorder,” which manifested in “outbursts of insanity,” providing insight into his character beyond the arson incident.
• Source: This is drawn from O’Donovan’s Ordnance Survey Letters, specifically those related to Clare, where he recorded observations during his travels. The letters are a primary historical resource, and the Clare Library’s entry on Peter Comyn cites this directly.
• Timing: Since O’Donovan visited Clare after Comyn’s death, his comments reflect either local memory or earlier encounters (though no evidence suggests they met). The 1839 date places this as a retrospective observation.

Analysis and Limitations

• Scope of Comments: O’Donovan’s remarks are brief and descriptive, focusing on Comyn’s physique, folklore interest, and mental state rather than his execution or descendants. They don’t delve into the legal case or family details beyond noting the common-law wife and children, aligning with O’Donovan’s broader antiquarian focus.
• No Other O’Donovans: There’s no indication of another O’Donovan (e.g., a contemporary or descendant) commenting on Peter Comyn in historical records. If you meant a different O’Donovan, please specify, as the name is common in Ireland.
• Descendants: You’ve asked about Comyn’s children and mentioned “Harriet” earlier. O’Donovan doesn’t name them or discuss their fates, so no connection to a Harriet or further descendants appears in his commentary.

Conclusion

John O’Donovan, in his Ordnance Survey Letters from 1839, described Peter Comyn as “a stout robust man of large proportions and corpulant,” highlighting his physical presence, folklore collection, and mental instability. These comments, made nearly a decade after Comyn’s 1830 execution, are the most likely match for your query based on historical prominence and relevance to Clare. If you’re seeking remarks from a different O’Donovan or about specific descendants, additional context would help refine the answer. For now, this is the extent of known commentary tied to Peter Comyn from an O’Donovan source. How can I assist further?

You’re asking about Peter Comyn’s role as a magistrate, specifically the Peter Comyn executed in 1830 in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland, for arson. Below, I’ll detail what is known about his tenure as a magistrate, drawing from historical context and available sources like the Clare Library, while addressing his broader life to provide a complete picture.

Peter Comyn: Background

Peter Comyn was born to David Comyn of Kilcorney and Dorothea McNamara of Doolin, inheriting property at Bishop’s Quarter in Ballyvaughan from his mother’s family. He later resided at Scotland Lodge near New Quay. A landowner with an income exceeding £600 annually by the early 19th century, he was a figure of local prominence in County Clare. His execution in 1830 followed his conviction for arson after burning his home in a dispute with landlord Bindon Scott, an event that shocked the region due to his social standing and a briefly granted royal reprieve that was revoked. He left a common-law wife and three or four unnamed children.

Role as Magistrate

Peter Comyn served as a magistrate, a position that placed him among the local gentry responsible for maintaining law and order in early 19th-century Ireland. Here’s what can be pieced together about his tenure:

• Geographical Scope: Historical accounts, including those from the Clare Library, indicate he acted as a magistrate in Counties Clare, Galway, and Mayo. This broad jurisdiction suggests he held a respected and influential role, likely facilitated by his wealth and family connections, such as the Macnamaras, a prominent Clare lineage.
• Time Period: While exact dates of his service aren’t specified, it likely spanned the early 1800s, prior to his downfall in 1829–1830. His property ownership and income by this time align with the qualifications for such a position, which typically required landholding and social status.
• Duties: As a magistrate under British rule in Ireland, Comyn would have adjudicated minor criminal and civil cases, issued warrants, and overseen local peacekeeping. This included handling disputes, petty crimes, and, ironically, offenses like arson—though his own crime later fell under higher court jurisdiction due to its severity. Magistrates were unpaid but wielded significant local authority, often appointed by the Lord Lieutenant or through gentry networks.
• Reputation: John O’Donovan, in his 1839 Ordnance Survey Letters, described Comyn as “a stout robust man of large proportions and corpulent,” with an interest in folklore and occasional “outbursts of insanity.” This suggests a complex character—capable of judicial responsibility yet marked by instability, which may have influenced his actions as a magistrate.

Context of Magistracy in 19th-Century Ireland

• Social Position: Magistrates were typically drawn from the Anglo-Irish gentry or prosperous Catholic families like the Comyns, who navigated the tensions between British governance and Irish society post-1801 Act of Union. Peter’s role reflects his integration into this system, despite his later fall.
• Challenges: The period was turbulent, with agrarian unrest (e.g., Ribbonmen activities) and landlord-tenant conflicts. Comyn’s own dispute with Bindon Scott, culminating in arson, mirrors the tensions he might have mediated as a magistrate, highlighting a potential irony or breakdown in his authority.

Transition to Arson and Execution

Comyn’s magistracy ended abruptly with his criminal act in December 1829, when he set fire to Scotland Lodge. The reasons—whether financial distress, mental instability, or personal vendetta—are unclear, but the act led to his arrest, trial, and execution in 1830 at Ennis Gaol. His status as a former magistrate amplified the case’s notoriety, prompting petitions for clemency from Ennis residents and high-level discussions involving Robert Peel and the Duke of Northumberland. Despite this, the death penalty was upheld, underscoring the era’s harsh legal standards even for someone of his rank.

Conclusion

Peter Comyn served as a magistrate in Clare, Galway, and Mayo, likely in the early 1800s, leveraging his wealth and family ties to enforce local law. His role positioned him as a figure of authority until his mental instability and a landlord dispute led to the arson that ended his life in 1830. While specific cases he handled or dates of service aren’t detailed in surviving records, his magistracy reflects the broader dynamics of gentry power in pre-Famine Ireland. If you’re seeking more about his judicial actions or a specific incident, additional context would help refine the response! How can I assist next?

Grok3 AI Deep Search

Newspapers in 1830 Ireland, such as The Clare Sentinel, The Freeman’s Journal, or The Dublin Evening Post, would have covered Comyn’s execution, reflecting the public interest and political undertones of the event. Here’s what such articles might have included:

1. Announcement of the Crime and Trial

• Timing: Late 1829 to early 1830, following the arson in December.
• Content: Reports likely detailed the arson at Scotland Lodge, Murtyclough, noting Comyn’s status as a “gentleman” and magistrate. They might have speculated on motives—possibly a landlord-tenant dispute or mental instability, as John O’Donovan later described him as suffering “outbursts of insanity.” The trial at Ennis Assizes would have been summarized, emphasizing the guilty verdict and death sentence.
• Tone: Sensational yet formal, highlighting the rarity of a prominent figure facing capital punishment. Example headline: “Magistrate of Clare Charged with Arson of Own Dwelling.”

2. Efforts for Clemency

• Timing: April 1830, before the execution.
• Content: Articles would have reported memorials sent from Ennis to King George IV, pleading for mercy due to Comyn’s connections to leading Clare and Galway families (e.g., Macnamaras). A letter from Robert Peel to the king on April 15, 1830, requesting a respite, suggests a delay was publicized. The Clare Sentinel reportedly expressed hope that “the brightest gem in royal prerogative” would spare him, reflecting public expectation of a pardon.
• Tone: Sympathetic yet tense, noting the involvement of high figures like the Duke of Northumberland and Prime Minister Wellington. Example headline: “Ennis Petitions King for Reprieve of Peter Comyn.”

3. Execution Report

• Timing: Late April or early May 1830.
• Content: The execution at Ennis Gaol would have been the centerpiece, possibly misreported as “forgery” in some outlets (e.g., Jesuit, or Catholic Sentinel, July 31, 1830), though arson is the confirmed crime. Articles likely described a smaller-than-expected crowd, as many believed Comyn would be spared until the last moment. Details might include his demeanor (calm or defiant, though unrecorded), the scaffold scene, and the legal finality despite his rank.
• Tone: Dramatic and moralizing, underscoring the law’s impartiality. Example headline: “Execution of Peter Comyn, Esq., at Ennis: Justice Prevails Over Rank.”

4. Post-Execution Reaction

• Timing: May–July 1830.
• Content: Follow-up pieces might have called it a “political bombshell,” as Clare histories later did, reflecting shock at a gentleman’s fate. Commentary could critique the harshness of British law in Ireland or lament Comyn’s fall from grace, given his magistrate past and folklore interest (per O’Donovan’s 1839 note).
• Tone: Reflective or indignant, depending on the paper’s stance. Example headline: “The Fall of Peter Comyn: A Lesson in Law and Landlord Strife.”

Specific Mentions in Historical Sources

• Jesuit, or Catholic Sentinel (July 31, 1830): This Boston-based paper, with an Irish readership, reported Comyn’s execution “for forgery,” an error likely from garbled transatlantic news. It’s a rare surviving reference but misaligns with Clare records confirming arson.
• Clare Sentinel: Cited in secondary sources, it hoped for royal mercy, indicating local coverage favored Comyn’s reprieve, though no full text survives here.
• Peel’s Correspondence: A letter from Robert Peel to George IV (April 15, 1830) about the respite suggests official notices reached Irish papers, amplifying the story’s prominence.

Why Limited Articles Survive

Newspaper archives from 1830 Ireland are patchy due to poor preservation, limited digitization, and the era’s focus on local distribution. The Irish Newspaper Archives offer potential access to titles like The Clare Journal, but specific articles on Comyn require subscription or archival visits beyond my current scope.

Conclusion

Newspaper articles from 1830 about Peter Comyn’s execution would have chronicled his arson, trial, failed clemency efforts, and hanging, portraying him as a fallen gentleman whose case stirred Clare and beyond. They’d blend factual reporting with moral or political commentary, reflecting early 19th-century Ireland’s tensions. If you seek exact articles, I’d recommend searching the Irish Newspaper Archives or contacting the Clare Library for microfilm holdings. For now, this reconstruction aligns with the historical record. What else can I help with?

The Comyn Cenotaph … Peter Comyn to his parents.

THE COMYN CENOTAPH
A cenotaph is a memorial monument to someone who is buried elsewhere. The Comyn cenotaph is located about 30 metres north west of the holy well. It is a rectangular stone mortared structure (L 1.6m ; Wth 1.5m ; H 1.6m). It has been variously described as “a pillar” (Cooke 1842-43), “a memorial stone” (Coffey 1995, 16-17 ),” an erection ” (Beresford Massy 1902, Vol V (2) and a leacht cuimhne (Tunney 2016) . Leacht cuimhne translates as memorial stone. There is an etched tablet in the cenotaph as well as a decorated stone. The tablet reads as follows –

LORD JHSUS
CHRIST HAV
MERCY ON
US PRAY FOR
THE SOULES
OF JOHN COR
NYM AND HIS
WIFE MARY
MNEMARA 1765

The text is in conjoined letters and they are laid out poorly with words spilling from one line on to the next. The disorderly script is explained by the fact that the masons who were inscribing the slabs in those times were illiterate and were copying something they could not read (Jones 2004, 229). It is also worth noting that spelling of names was more variable back then than it is today.

The inscribed “John Cornym” and “Mary M Nemara” would read as John Comyn and Mary Mc Namara. The fourth digit is indistinct but the date appears to us to be 1765. This may be the year of death of one of the couple or both.

The decorated stone consists of a moon face, a symbol of death. It had been partnered by another stone with a sun face on it, a symbol of life. The latter stone was re-located from a decaying side of the cenotaph and was used in the construction of the well house (Coffey 1995, 16-17). The twin stones of sun and moon would have represented the life and death of the Comyns. The moon face is better known today as the logo of local landscape charity, Burren Beo.

The monument may have been commissioned by their son Peter Comyn (1778-1830).Peter was a magistrate who led a colourful and turbulent life. He was found guilty of arson, perjury and forgery and was hung at 52 years of age. Though he was a member of the landlord class, Comyn had a strong interest in the folk customs of the tenantry. A manuscript was found posthumously in which he documented local legends and “the habits, morals and superstitions of the primitive and sequestered people among whom he lived” (O’Donovan and Curry 1839, 11). It is thus not altogether surprising that he located the memorial at the site of St Patrick’s well – a local centre of folk religion then. Comyn also probably choose this location as it was a busy thoroughfare in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The monument’s condition was decried as far back as the mid-1800s, being described as “mutilated” with vegetation growing out of it (Cooke 1842-43). It was depicted as “sadly crumbling away slowly” as recently as the 1970s (Coffey 1995, 16-17). The monument has been re-pointed and cemented since then and is happily now in good condition.

Some commentators have defined the mound around the monument as a fulachta fia (prehistoric burned mound) . However, the most recent archaeological view is that the mound is spoil (Tunney). The spoil probably consists of waste material drawn up during the digging of the foundations for the monument.

19th century cenotaphs are quite rare in County Clare. However, there are 28 examples of such monuments on Inis Mór, dating from 1811 to 1876. They differ diagnostically from the Comyn monument in that they are “higher than a man” and are surmounted by a cross. Furthermore, the Inis Mór complex commemorate ordinary islanders whereas the Comyn monument perpetuates the memory of members of the landed gentry. In this latter respect, it is more akin to the 19th century cenotaphs north and east of Galway city (including the complex near Cong) which honour society elite (Robinson 1995, 117).

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cooke, Thomas L. (1842-43) . Autumnal Rambles about New Quay, County Clare. Galway – Galway Vindicator.
Coffey, T. (1995). Field Notes – Rock Art and Related Rock Scribings in the County Clare. The Other Clare 19. Ennis – Shannon Archaeological and Historical Society.
Beresford Massey, E.H. (1902) Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead Ireland. Vol V (2).
Tunney, M. (2019). www.archaeology.ie Dublin – Ordnance Survey Ireland.
Comber, M. (ed.) The Antiquities of County Clare. Ordnance Survey Letters 1839 O’Donovan, J. and Curry E. Ennis – Clasp Press.
Robinson, T. (1995). Stones of Aran Labyrinth . New York – New York Review of Books.

Reviewed: 14th May 2025