Black Francis Corrigan

Black Francis McHugh, also known as "Proinsias Dubh", was a notorious highwayman, or Rapparee, who 'robbed the rich to give to the poor' at the end of the 18th century. His origins lay in Meenclogher (Co Tyrone).

Black Francis and his gang were essentially gentlemen Jacobites who did not go to the Continent after the Williamite War but rather took to the hills and were known as Rapparees, robbing the rich and giving to the poor.

The gang included Patrick "Supple Dick" Corrigan, Tom Acheson, Tarlach Mhuiris (Richard Monkham), James Mc Quaid (McCabe?), Brian Mc Alynn and Alex Wright. They operated from their base in the Tievemore Mountains (Scraghy Hills) around 1770–1780.

It is almost certain that Proinsias Dubh's last name was McHugh, however some oral historians call him Corrigan. This may refer to another member of the gang, Supple Corrigan.

There are many tales in the oral folklore about this Rapparee.

In one tale, the outlaw relieved the regular army (Red Coats) of 70,000 gold sovereigns. This booty was disposed of by hiding it in a foal's skin (which he had come across on the road from Killeter to Killen over Leitrim Hill) and burying it. It is thought that the treasure is still there at a place which is "in line with the 3 spires during the last rays of the setting sun on the 22nd of June".

In another brush with the Red Coats, Proinsias Dubh took cover in a house in Segronan. In those days houses only had a front door but in this case Proinsias Dubh slipped out a back door before the soldiers had surrounded it.

In way of reparation for the English establishment's seizure of Lisgoole Abbey and as a measure to reimburse their fellow countrymen for punishing burdens of debt, Black Francis's gang raided the abbey.

It is unclear who owned Lisgoole Abbey at the time. Sources say it was a Major Armstrong, who informed the authorities, the so-called Militiamen, of the raid. Other sources state that the abbey at this time belonged to Sir Joseph Davies, an English lawyer.

After the raid, the soldiers pursued Black Francis to the Sillees River from Enniskillen. When it looked as though the Militiamen would successfully cut off the highwayman's escape route, he leaped the Sillees River in a single bound with his horse, a jump of 20 feet. The Captain of the guards remarked ”Corrigan, that's a good jump", and the Highwayman retorted "the Divil thank ye, I had a long race for it".

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