People, Place and Power – The Grand Jury System in Ireland

18 County Roscommon, distribution of panellists and jurors Although these Roscommon jurors were dispersed throughout the county (Map 1), jurors and panellists were scarcer in the southern baronies and were over-represented in the (then) three northern baronies of Ballintober, Boyle and Roscommon. While local political influence may have played a role, religion and the distribution of freeholds and ‘big houses’ were more important. In 1830, the Roscommon Journal published a complete list of the 1,105 freeholders entitled to vote. This shows 869 electors in the three northern baronies, compared to a mere 236 in Athlone, Ballymoe and Moycarn baronies, in the south of the county. Table 3. Number of freeholders in Roscommon, by barony, July 1830. Barony Number of freeholders Proportion of electorate Boyle 487 44% Ballintober 238 22% Roscommon 144 13% Athlone 189 17% Ballymoe 25 2% Moycarn 22 2% Roscommon Journal, 24 July 1830, p. 3; 31 July, p. 4.