Felix, Edward, John McCabe convicts transported to Australia 1816

I am really hoping someone may be able to enlighten me! I posted this in the Longford group but I came across a snippet that may be the family was from Cavan.

I have a 5 x grandfather Felix (Phelim) Mcabe transported to NSW Australia for the crime of Administering Unlawful Oaths.  His co accused and fellow shipmates include John Mulligan, Francis Farrell, Patrick Dogerty, Patrick Thompson and Thomas Smythe.  Their offence occured in Longford and their trial at the Central Court in London, I assume as it is was a crime allegedly against the government.  The trial was March 1816 I believe and they were transported on the Surry (2) ship. Felix was either 20 or 26 accoring to which record - shipping or a later census. The others all a similar age, Thompson the youngest at 18. Unfortunately there is no parent details in any record I have searched. I have looked at Ancestry, Find My Past, Roots Ireland and Family Search.  The only record that tweaked my interest was a mention of Draft registration to the military for a Philip McCabe aged 18 Ballymahon Longford in 1814 however I cannot access the record at all.  Could it be that Felix was known as Philip in the record and did he take acception to being drafted?

I have found a Felix McCabe baptised 24/2/1788 to Peter McCabe and Eleanor Smith but this age seems to be a bit too old to be "my Felix" even though the surname of Smith is interesting as this is the surname of a coaccused (yes I know Smith then I am sure was a common name).

I then have John McCabe 22 old and Edward McCabe 23 old also transported in 1816 on the Guildford.  The others also accused at this time and shipmates to NSW were Philip Hughes (24) from Cavan and Michael Reilly aged 54.  Their trial appears to be in Longford on 16th July 1815 for sedition.  In a letter Philip Hughes wrote to the Governer in NSW some years after he came to Australia, states that all the names mentioned were co accused / involved in the same offence.

Was there a particular riot or did something occur that these men may have been involved in prior to July 1815 in Longford? This is why I thought the draft registration may be of interest here. I would hazard a guess that the three McCabes are related and I did find a John McCabe b 15 Nov 1798 at Granard to parents James McCabe and Judith Reilly.  The sponsors were also Reilly.  A thought is if this record is relevant, Michael Riley at age 54 could be an uncle.

Then totally separate to this, Eleanor Keenan b circa 1800 was transported to NSW on the John Bull in 1821.  She was also from Longford, again I cannot find parent details on any Australian record. She arrives in Sydney and is very soon after allocated to Felix as by this time he has started business as a publican.  He gets his ticket of leave and permission to marry Eleanor in April 1822 not that long after she arrives, I will assume as both from Longford they knew each other in Ireland.  Again I cannot see any records that my assist in identifying her Keenan family.

I know a long shot, but if there is any snippet of information out there or any suggestions where to go to next if there is in fact any where to further the search..

Cheers

Stacey Bannon

Stacey Bannon