The true story of Irish women in the mid-1800s committing arson to be transported

Between 1841 and 1853, nearly 250 women were transported from Ireland to Van Diemen’s Land for committing arson. Many of these women committed arson in order to be transported. This book looks at their Irish experience, when and where they were tried and their motivation in committing arson. It then follows the arsonists to Van Diemen’s Land and explores their colonial experience, when they were under sentence and when they were free. 

This remarkable story challenges the idea that Irish convict women were passive victims, particularly during the years of the Great Famine. Using original records, the reality of convict life together with the legacy left by these women in Tasmania and beyond is revealed.