There has been a persistent tradition that the tree known as "The Crooked Tree", in the townland of Dungeeha, Newcastle West, was used for hangings in times past. The name "The Crooked Tree" is of course itself a corruption of the Irish "Crann na Crochadh" or the hanging tree, and in the earliest Ordnance Survey map of 1841 it is clearly marked and described again in corrupt form as "Crannacrohy".

There were several people hanged in the environs of Newcastle during the so-called "Rockite" troubles of the early 1820s and it seems certain that some of these hangings took place at, if not actually on, "The Crooked Tree". The "Rockite" disturbances took their name from a "Captain Rock". Agricultural prices were depressed after the Napoleonic wars, people found it difficult to pay their rent to the Courtenay (the local landlord) estate and gradually disturbances increased, raids for arms, attacks on agents, cattle driving etc.

In February 1822 an Insurrection Act was brought into force to deal with the troubles. This gave the magistrates the powers of summary trial and execution. Several thousand soldiers were drafted into West Limerick, many of them garrisoned in Newcastle. As a local scribe gloomily observed "the streets perpetually resounded with the martial drum, the ear-piercing fife, but all did not seem to awaken some people from a dark lethargy".

On Wednesday 10 April 1822 at 12 o'clock George Walker was hanged at Newcastle for the murder of Christopher Sparling of Rooskagh. Sparling was waylaid on the road to Newcastle receiving the full contents of a blunderbuss, which perforated his side. Canon John Begley in his "History of the Diocese of Limerick" states that this execution took place at "The Crooked Tree" but other authorities place it at Churchtown, Newcastle West, opposite the graveyard. In either event it can be taken that a gallows was erected on the site of the execution and that the condemned man would not actually have been hanged from the tree. A newspaper report of the time states "At the gallows, Walker stated that he was innocent of the crime for which he suffered. He appeared resigned and joined the Clergyman in ardent prayers for the salvation of his soul. The body of Walker was brought to Limerick on Thursday afternoon and interred in the Insurgents hole at the rear of the old County Jail".