Written By Stephen O'Brien, Trevor Corcoran, Ian O'Brien and Stephen O'Riordan.

The method and severity of punishment during previous centuries was a lot different to what it is now. Even for minor crimes the punishment were very harsh. Public punishment including hangings and burnings were held at Gallows Green a tri-angular plece of ground near Greenmount School.

In 1773 two women who murdered a butcher were hung and their bodies burned at Gallows green. William Stackpole aged 15 was executed for robbery as was Timothy Sullivan.

Other punishments such as flogging and branding were also carried out here. Flogging or whiping was usually given for minor offences and was sometimes followed by branding or prison.A young boy was sentenced to be branded and imprisoned for a year for theft in 1804.

Also used for punishment was the pillory where a criminal was clamped and the citizens were allowed to throw rotten eggs, stones, dirt and anything of that nature until the crime was paid for.

In 1776 Bart Leary was convicted of cutting and stealing grass from a field.He was sentenced to be whipped from the North Gate, to the South Gate and back again and from there to the Gallows.