The village of Portlaw was at the centre of a very strange and mysterious murder case involving two travellers. The story you are about to read may seem unreal and difficult to believe but this is a true story and one, which will make you think and maybe take more notice of your dreams!

Our story begins in the prosperous port of Waterford one June evening almost fifty years as a ship from Newfoundland ties up in the rear of an American ship which had docked only a few moments earlier. From this ship a young man in his mid-20s, named James Hickey, disembarked and made his way to a nearby tavern called "The Ship". From this tavern the coaches left for various parts of the country. The tavern was packed and Hickey noticed only one table had a free seat. He asked if the seat was occupied and the man invited him to join him at the table. Soon both men were in deep conversation, they had a lot in common. The stranger's name was Frederick Caulfield and he had been a passenger on the American ship. Both men had left Ireland to make their fortune and now had returned home

Hickey was a native of Cork and had worked and fished in Newfoundland and now hoped to open his own business in Cork. He had kept in touch with his family and they were expecting him home the following day. Caulfield had worked in a number of jobs but had lost all his money and now hoped to make a new start back home. He was on his way to visit relatives in Portlaw and invited Hickey to accompany him on the stagecoach, which was due to leave later that evening. Hickey then suggested that he could stay the night in Portlaw and continue his journey the following day. The route to Cork went through Portlaw. They had several more drinks with hickey paying for most of them from a leather purse, which he had around his neck, but inside his shirt. In the purse he had many coins including gold coins. Both men paid the agent their fare and left for Portlaw on the coach at 6.00p.m.

Almost two hours later the coach arrived at Rodgers Inn in Portlaw and the two men decided to have one last drink. Tom Rodgers and his wife were busy serving behind the counter. Mrs. Rodgers kept staring at the two men and later told her husband, " that the pain I have been dreaming of for the last week," adding, "the smaller one (Hickey) killed the big fellow (Caulfield) in the dream"

After they had eaten and drank, Hickey and Caulfield left the inn and headed towards the Carrick Rd. Two days later Caulfield was back in Waterford where he placed an order for twelve shirts, employing twelve seamstresses to carry out the work. This caused great gossip in Waterford. Meanwhile Hickey’s family was worried because he failed to arrive home. They began enquiries and learned that he had left Waterford. The city constables traced his last movements to Portlaw

The constables interviewed Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers and Mrs. Rodgers told them about her dream. She took them to the spot, a stile from the roadway leading into a wooded area. She claimed the small man had stabbed the large man in the back as he climbed the stile and then finished him off on the ground. He then dragged the body 50 yards to a ditch and there shoved it into the bushes that grew thickly over the ditch. She pointed out the spot where she had seen the body hidden and there it was found, not the large man but the smaller of the two, Hickey. Caulfield was arrested and put in the city jail to await trial. He appeared before a judge called Judge Caulfield and was found guilty and was sentenced to be hanged. Eventually he confessed to the murder and that he had killed Hickey for the purse of gold 

He went to the gallows in a new suit of clothes, which was the custom at the time so the prisoner could make a graceful exit. A huge crowd gathered in Waterford to see the hanging. Many ladies of wealth visited Caulfield in jail and formed a procession behind him as he was brought to the gallows.

So ended the strange case of Frederick Caulfield, convicted because he had featured in a woman's dream. Would he have gotten away with the murder only for this Portlaw woman and her strange dream? As you can imagine there was great interest in this case and especially the part Portlaw played in it

May you have pleasant dreams!!!.