Lucinda Sly Walking Tour

On Friday, November 2nd, I took part in a special event as part of Carlow Scarefest 2018 called “Lucinda Sly Walking Tour”. Scarefest Carlow and Carlow County Museum organized it.

So, Lucinda Sly’s tour followed the journey of the last woman to be publicly hanged in Carlow town.

The guide from Carlow County Museum leads the group through the events. That led to the execution of Lucinda Sly, the last woman to be publicly hanged in Carlow. So, she was convicted, along with her servant John Dempsey, for the murder of her husband Walter Sly in 1834. Furthermore, the tour recounted the details of Lucinda’s life, trial, and execution. Also, included other famous sights from around the town.

Thus, on Sunday 9th November 1834, Walter Sly was murdered at his home at the Ridge, Old Leighlin, Co. Carlow. Following their conviction for murder, Lucinda Sly, Walter’s wife, and their servant, John Dempsey were both publically executed at Carlow Gaol. Now the Carlow Shopping Centre, on Monday 30th March 1835. This walking tour of Carlow town will recount those tragic events from 1834 and 1835. Lucinda was the last woman to be publically hanged in Carlow town.

So, the tour took an hour and began in Carlow County Museum under the gallows trapdoor from the Gaol. Then, concluded standing over the front entrance of the Gaol from where the executions took place.

Lucinda Sly Walking Tour route included:

  • Carlow County Museum, which has the original gallows from Carlow Gaol on display.
  • Shamrock Square, where Lucinda would have sold her wares.
  • Liberty Tree at Potato Market.
  • Bridewell Lane and Deighton Hall, which acted as the courthouse in 1835.
  • Carlow Gaol, now Carlow Shopping Centre, where Lucinda spent her final days before her sentence was carried out.
  • The Governors House, where the government oversaw the workings of the entire gaol.

Moreover, the Security Team in Carlow Shopping Center facilitated our tour with a behind-the-scenes look at the condemned cells in the old Gaol and outlined the history of the gaol to our tour group.

Below are photos I took during the tour, in November 2018.


Malgorzata

Blogger. Volunteer. Enthusiast of photography, nature, architecture, and cultural events. Since 2014 living in County Carlow in Ireland.

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