Catherine Magrath (born Donnellan) : Short Biography

Catherine Donnellan was born in Galway in about 1818 and married a Magrath. She appears to have been widowed early. A Catherine Magrath of Rahoon was granted £3.00 poor relief in Dec 1841. In October 1843 she was captured in Wales and charged with larceny for stealing £136 in Queens Country from Jane Brannon.She was charged in the Flint Assizes and found guitly.  She was sentenced to 10 years transportation and sent to Tasmania Australia. There she met fellow convict William Forde, from County Armagh. They married and had two children (Francis and Maria) in Tasmania, and another two daughters, Caroline and Anne Jane, the last of whom was born in Melbourne. Caherine died in Melbourne in January 1883.