User:THEFITZGERALD/Captain Garrett Hugh FitzGerald

Captain Garrett Hugh FitzGerald. In 1810 Garrett Hugh FitzGerald became an ensign in the British army and retired on half pay in 1817, being then a captain in the 37th (or North Hampshire regiment of foot) In 1838 he was Mayor of Limerick. In 1842 he was living at no. I Richmond-Place Limerick, and in 1844 at Desmond Villa, Kilkee Co. Clare Ireland. He supplied potatoes to the city of Limerick for twelve years from the 200 acres of land he held in both Courtbrack and Corcanree. The Great Famine spelt ruin for Fitzgerald and it is ironic that he almost, discovered a cure for the blight that ruined him by steeping the seeds in bluestone rather than spraying the plant with the solution. He eventually ended up as an assistant emigration officer at Tarbert, Co. Kerry. The Famine also took the life of his eleven year old son who died in Kilrush of scarlet fever. The sale of his lands under the Incumbered Estates Court was advertised in the Limerick Chronicle Extract from official report of Captain Garret Hugh Fitzgerald to Captain Ellis, R N on the Wreck of the Emigrant Barque 'Edmond' at Kilkee 1850. "The Edmond which sailed on Monday, at 8 o’clock from Carrigaholt, with a fair wind, was chartered by John McDonnell, Esq., T C., of Limerick. When the vessel got about 30 miles clear of land, the wind headed and came to blow such a gale that all the canvas went, and the ship in a most miraculous manner got into Kilkee bay, where no ship ever before entered, at half past 11 o’clock on Tuesday night, and became a total wreck at 3 o’clock on Wednesday morning. There were 216 sons on board; three more than mustered for me. Out of 216, one hundred and twenty are saved, including all the crew except the carpenter, 96 have been lost; of whom 47 have been washed ashore. Fifty coffins were brought from Kilrush by Mr. Blair, Lloyds’s agent. Captain Pascoe stated he never saw such a wreck”. Extract from Limerick reporter, 22 December, 1850 I regret to say I have no further details on Captain Garrett’s ancestors or descendents. Sources, Clare County Liberary. Limerick reporter, 22 December, 1850. Pigot`s directory of Ireland - 1824. The old Limerick journal 1998. Bassett's Directory, 1880-1. Slater's Directory, 1846.