Belfast Magazine 71

BELFASTBELFASTMAGAZINEMAGAZINE

ISSUE 71

October 1977

BRUTAL IRISH MURDERSHead Severed

During Execution

Mass Murder in Sligo

Killer Doctor

from Cork

History

of

Donegall

Street

Victorian Belfast

Police Reports

The Case ofthe Child

‘Born of Shame’

Old Belfast Newspaper Reports

Exploring IrelandROSCOMMON

CASTLE

Page 2 Belfast Magazine

5 Churchill Street,Belfast BT15 2BP

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[email protected] Page:

www.glenravel.com

The Belfast Magazine is a bi-monthly publication

compiled by the Glenravel Local History Project. It

is just one of several Glenravel titles which aims to

promote an interest in the subject of local history. It

has always been claimed that history belongs of the

higher classes and looking at the way it has been

presented for decades then this would seem to be the

case. Glenravel are not interested in the history of

lords and earls, their estates and titles, instead we

are interested in the history of working class life.

We are not interested in politics either and we must

stress that if an article appears in the magazine which

appears to be a bit one sided then this is due to the

simple fact that it is taken from a Nationalist or

Unionist newspaper. We use both to try and

balance things out.

The Glenravel Local History Project is a local

historical scheme based in the North Belfast area.

It’s activities are centred around the educational

promotion and restoration of the areas historic

burying ground at Clifton Street and is named after

the nearby Glenravel Street which was destroyed to

make way for the disastrous Westlink road system.

The Belfast Magazine is not funded by any grant

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reader. It’s profits are not used for personal gain but

for the continuing work of the overall scheme. If

you would like to support our work and advertise

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BELFAST MAGAZINE

Junction of Arthur Square and Ann Street in

the early 1800’s. The octagonal building at the

corner was an old coaching office which later

became a popular public house.

COVER PICTURE

2006

Today (January 2011)

Christmas cards were

first mass-produced in

the 1860s by the Belfast

printing company

Marcus Ward

Belfast Magazine Page 3

Victorian Belfast Police Reports

A Drunken Prank

James Hannon, who did not turn up for the court

sitting on the 26th November 1857 was charged

with riding a pony into a grocery shop in Great

Edward Street in Belfast. The accused was very

drunk at the time and was described by the

magistrate as "a drunken freak". He was fined 4s,

6d and costs in his absence.

A Juvenile Offender

A little girl named Catherine McCarter who was

around 10 years of age was charged with having

stolen two silver cups which belonged to Mr

William Thompson. Eliza Watson, who was a

servant of Mr Thompson’s, had been in charge of

the silver in the household and she appeared in

court to give evidence against the accused. On

the day of the theft she had met Catherine

McCarter in the hall of the house and she noticed

that McCarter had something under her shawl. She

asked the young girl what she was hiding and

McCarter replied that it was nothing, but Watson

insisted on searching her and found two silver cups

concealed under her arms. The cups had been on

the sideboard in the parlour and McCarter had

come from that direction. Constable Smith told

the court that he had found a towel on the person

of the accused which had not yet been identified.

The magistrate noticed that it was the third time

that McCarter had appeared in the court and

ordered her to be committed to jail for three

months and to be kept at school to undertake

needlework under the direction of the prison

governor.

Nuisance in Great Georges Street

Michael Carragher of 17 Alexander Street

appeared to answer a complaint of the local police

that he allowed waste, manure, stagnant water and

other offensive matter to remain in his yard in

Great

Elaine Hogg


George’s Street and that he also kept pigs in the

yard which caused great annoyance and nuisance

to members of the public in that area. In court

evidence was heard that the nuisance caused by

Carragher's yard had been going on for several

years but it had taken a visit by reporters from local

papers to bring the attention to the courts. The

reporters reported the matter to the police and

Inspector Lavery went to the place to have a look

at it and found what was a badly maintained and

kept yard. The accused gave the police a false

name and so notice on him to appear in court had

to be served on two occasions. Carragher had been

instructed to clear the yard after reports of the

nuisance appeared in the Newsletter, the Mercury

and the Ulsterman but he had not made any attempt

to remove the nuisance. The yard was described

as being "full of dirt and filth; and some drains in

it which were also full of filthy matter. There were

fourteen of fifteen pigs in the yard, and they were

allowed to go through it all. There was also heaps

of manure in it". Carragher was instructed to clean

all the dirt form the site, and to have it paved so

that it could be swept each day. He was also fined

£1 with 10s 6d costs and warned that he had duty

to care for the public as well as for himself and

while making money he was not at liberty to cause

a nuisance which might bring on disease in the

town. Carragher immediately paid the fine in full

and left the court.

A drunken car driver

John Smith a licensed cart driver and William

Miller a sailor were in court in October 1857

charged with being been drunk on the 30th October

and driving furiously a horse and cart. A Mr David

Riddell had witnessed the event and he described

in court that he had seen the two men get on the

cart at McGlades in Smithfield and that Smith was

so drunk that he sat on the cart with two passengers

and shouted at the sailor to get into the drivers’

seat. Miler asked Smith, who should have been

driving, where he should go and Smith replied "to

the lower regions". Then Miller drove up

Smithfield at a furious rate, calling at a house and

then proceeding along North Street at great pace,

driving dangerously; Riddell then intervened and

got them to stop the cart, and called the police.

Smith was fined 10s and costs or two weeks

imprisonment and Miller was fined 10s or one

week’s imprisonment.

Cruelty to animals

Thomas Fraser was prosecuted by Constable Hall

on behalf of the Society of Cruelty to Animals for

having wounded some cattle by putting them on

board the Whitehaven steamer. Frazer was seen

cutting the cows near the rump with a knife so that

blood came from the wounds and the constable

observed that he blood had run for over four inches

for the wounds. Frazer was ordered to pay a fine

of 10s with 10s costs.

An Injured Individual

Sylvester McGartlan who was well known to the

Belfast police courts was again in court charged

with using abusive language to Ann McKeown on

the 23rd October 1857. McGartlan had been in

court over 50 times in recent years, mostly on a

charge of woman beating, and it had been only 5

weeks since his previous appearance when he was

bound over to keep the peace after he had assaulted

Ms McKeown. The prosecutor asked the court to

make an example of McGartlan to which the

accused replied that "the world is making an

example of me and this court has robbed me out

and out. This court has taken the bed from under

me", to which the court erupted in laughter. Mr

Hunt the magistrate fined him 10s with costs or

two weeks in jail and McGartlan chose to go to

jail after the cross case of McGartlan against

McKeown and her husband for abusive language

at the same time and place was dismissed.

Malicious Damage

Two young boys called Edward Devlin and Henry

Hall were brought before the Belfast police courts

in November 1857 and charged with having

maliciously damaged the machinery in the

Mulholland Mill where they had been employed.

The boys admitted to having a conversation as to


how they could stop the machinery in the mill and

it was alleged that Henry Hall then threw a

"pinion" into the machinery which caught fast

between two wheels resulting in one of the wheels

breaking, which damaged the shaft and the mill

machinery came to a standstill. The boys did not

admit to actually carrying out their plan and under

questioning the spinning master of the mill, Mr

Oyston, admitted to telling the boys after the

incident that if they admitted to causing the

damage that any punishment would be lighter and

perhaps most importantly to the boys, they would

not lose their jobs. The charge against the two

boys was immediately withdrawn as being unsafe

and the two boys were dismissed with a caution.

Pickpocket admits his profession

A fellow called Brown was in court on the 10th

November 1857 charged with assault on Catherine

McCormac. Brown and his friend Mr Kelly were

standing in Richie’s Place in Belfast when

Catherine McCormac walked past. Kelly gave her

a push and when she turned round she was struck

and knocked down by Brown who kicked her

when she was down. The case against Brown was

proved and the magistrate was lenient when he

sent him to jail for one month. However while

his friend Kelly was on the stand he was asked if

there was anything he could say on behalf of his

friend, Kelly was asked what he was doing in

Belfast. He declared that he was a pickpocket and

was quite open about how he made his money by

picking pockets, dealing in both hard and soft

goods, mainly pocket handkerchiefs. Kelly stated

that he did not know Brown very well and that he

had not seen him for over seven years, their last

meeting being in Scotland. Kelly denied that he

worked as a pickpocket anywhere else other than

Belfast and that he was not in the business of

running a pickpocket ring, he denied that he

employed others to carry out this "profession".

The prosecution then requested that the court do

something to deal with Kelly after his admission

of breaking the law but the Mayor did not believe

that the court could take action on the grounds

that there was no charge against him. The Mayor

also stated that perhaps Kelly had made his

admission without reflecting on the consequences;

in fact he wasn’t sure that he believed a word that

Kelly had said in court. He may have admitted to

being a pickpocket but there was no evidence that

he was carrying out his profession at that time in

Belfast and the court had no choice but to allow

Kelly to leave the court without being charged.


Extraordinary assault

John Carlisle Hall was charged with assaulting a

young man, John Wylie in Belfast in late

November 1857. Wylie gave evidence that he

was sitting on a bus opposite the Commercial

Buildings in Belfast and Hall was sitting on the

seat opposite him. Wylie saw that Hall was

carrying a large knife in his hand and Wylie was

in fear for his life and so he left his seat and went

to the other end of the bus but Hall followed him

and caught hold of him by his coat. The other

passengers on the bus intervened and caught hold

of Hall, holding him back so that he could not

assault Wylie any further. Hall threatened Wyle

by holding the knife against Hall but he did not

attempt to stab him and it was clear to everyone

on the bus that Hall was very much the worse for

drink at the time. Hall had no memory of the

attack and when he was arrested by the police he

did not offer any resistance to the arresting officer,

and did not make any real attempt to use the knife

against the police or any of the other passengers.

Hall had come to the attention of the police in

Belfast before through his violent behaviour when

he was drunk and the magistrate decided that he

had to pass the heaviest sentence that the law

allowed him on the accused. He told the court

that he had to do this in order to protect the public

from such person as Hall whose actions on the

public transport system had made it a feared place

for the law abiding citizens of Belfast. Halls

defence that he did not remember the event was

no excuse in the eyes of the law. The sentence of

the court was that he was to be imprisoned for

two months at hard labour and that before his

discharge he had to give security of £20 for

himself and two sureties of £10 to keep the peace,

or be of good behaviour for twelve months. If he

was in default he would go back to jail for a further

one month.


Dr Houston Q.C. was the

prosecutor during the murder

case of Mary Toner, who died

aged only three months, in

Cookstown in July 1893. He

opened his case with a very

emotional statement;

Mary Toner was an infant of

three months old, and was an

illegitimate child. The life of

an infant was in the eye of the

law as sacred as the life of a

grown-up human being; and

a little child born of shame

was as much entitled to the

protection of society, and

perhaps more so, than any

individual in the whole

community.

So began the court case of

Margaret Burton who was

indicted for wilfully killing

and murdering little Mary

Toner.

Mary Toner was the child of

Ellen McDonagh, a mill

worker and who had been a

widow for many years.

While Ellen worked at the

local mill in Cookstown,

Margaret Burton looked after

The case of the child‘born of shame’

Mary. She had looked after

her since she was six weeks

old, and by all accounts Mary

was a well cared for and

healthy baby. When she was

a few weeks old she a

suffered some convulsions

but this had only occurred

once and she seemed well

enough for a child in her

circumstances.

Margaret Burton was paid

between nine pence and

eighteen pence each week to

care for Mary, depending on

whether she had to buy her

food. Mary was left at

Margaret’s house each day

around six o’clock and she

was collected at around five

o’clock again by her mother.

Margaret’s only day off was

Sunday, when Ellen didn’t

work. At five o’clock on

Saturday the 1st July 1893

Ellen collected Mary as usual

and the child was in good

health but a little more fretful

than normal.

According to Ellen she spent

the night at home with Mary

as the child had a disturbed

night and didn’t sleep. On

Sunday she recovered well

and slept as normal on

Sunday night. Ellen left


Mary at Margaret’s as usual

on Monday the 3rd July, but

Margaret was still asleep, and

her daughter took Mary and

placed her in a small box to

sleep.

Ellen returned to Margaret’s

at around nine o’clock and

gave her some breakfast of a

bottle of milk and then

returned to work.

The next thing she heard

about her child was when a

neighbour came to the mill

and told her to go quickly to

Margaret Burton’s house

because Mary was dead.

When she got to the house

Ellen found her baby daughter

Mary choking on milk, a

bottle of milk was on the side

table and Margaret was in an

agitated state. She had not

called a doctor but when the

doctor got to the house Mary

was dead.

Ellen was distraught and

accused Margaret of killing

her daughter and being drunk

in charge of her. Margaret

rushed off to the police where

she then accused Ellen of

dropping Mary over the

weekend and of being out at

a public house over the

weekend with the child with

her.

Margaret Burton was arrested

and charged with the murder

of Mary and medical

evidence suggested that Mary

had died as a result of injuries

which could have been

caused by a fall. She was

bruised and had received a

blow to her head, or had fallen

and struck her head.

Whatever had happened had

happened over the previous

couple of days according to

the doctors.

As the trial progressed there

were many witnesses who

talked about the kind of

mother Ellen was, many said

she was a heavy drinker, other

said she was a committed and

responsible parent. Witnesses

talked of Margaret’s devotion

to the child but also that she

was a heavy drinker and she

had complained about how

little money Ellen gave her to

feed the child.

The last witness called was a

young neighbour of Ellen’s

who shockingly told the court

that on the evening of the 1st

July he had seen Ellen with

Mary outside her house very

late at night and that Ellen

was drunk and arguing with

his mother. He saw Ellen lose

her temper and then throw

Mary down in anger into a

wooden box just inside her

house. The courtroom was

shocked and the judge

questioned this witness

closely as he suggested that

Mary had been killed by her

mother.

The witnesses account was

denied by his mother and

evidence was heard that he

had gone to bed early on that

Saturday night and couldn’t

have seen his mother and

Mary talking. He was

discredited but enough doubt

had been put in the minds of

the jury.

The judge summed up and the

jury retired for only a short

time returning with a verdict

of "not guilty" and Margaret

Burton was freed from

custody.

One of the great gaffes in social history took place at Stormont in the

1920s. During an important function, Northern Ireland minister

Dawson Bates - who was in attendance with his wife and son - entered

the main hall. As the party made their way towards the gathered

dignitaries, a flunky grandly announced 'the honourable Dawson

Bates, his wife Lady Bates and their son Master Bates'.



OLD BELFAST NEWSPAPER REPORTSMay 1961Murder-bid husband in doctor’s care

Derek O’Hara, a 43

year old architect,

pleaded guilty to the

attempted murder of

his wife when he

appeared at the

Antrim Spring

Assizes.

He agreed on

instruction of Mr

Justice Sheil, to

willingly commit

himself to treatment

with a psychiatrist for

a period of not less

than 12 months. Mr

O’Hara was accused

of attempting to kill

his wife with a

hammer one evening

at their home in

Farmley Gardens in

Glengormley. He

was described in

court as being not an

"ordinary criminal"

and at the time Mr

Justice Sheil said;

I know you have had

a hard time, but

except for the mercy

of God, you would

have been tried for

murder – and there

would not have been

any answer to that

charge.

Mr Justice Sheil came

to his conclusions

after he consulted

with Dr Morris of

Purdysburn Hospital

where Mr O’Hara had

been placed for

assessment. The

judge made it very

clear that by sending

Mr O’Hara for mental

treatment he should

not think of it as a

sentence, or a

conviction, but that

the judge was taking

into account the

difficult time he had

been having and that

if he did not complete

the treatment he

would be returned to

the court to face a

custodial sentence.

Mr O’Hara thanked

the judge for his help

and understanding

and agreed to place

himself under the

care of Dr Morris.

Goodbye to the CanberraThousands of Belfast

families lined Belfast

Lough to watch the

P&O ship the

Canberra leave

Belfast for

Southampton for its

final fit out. The

45000 tonne vessel

was built in Harland

& Wolff and many of

the workers who

watched her leave did

so with sadness as

they knew that their

jobs at the shipyard

would end with the

ships leaving. As the

five tugs pulled her

out from the wharf to

work the Canberra

out of the narrow

berth some of the

yard employees sang

"Will ye no come

back again", an ironic

touch as P&O had

announced that all her

future refits would be

carried out at

S o u t h a m p t o n

because Belfast, at

the time one of the

largest shipyards in


the UK had no dry

dock big enough. 400

men from Belfast

travelled with the ship

to Southampton to

help with the final

arrangements for the

liner. Despite the

sadness felt around

the docks area of

Belfast there was

some humour

expressed. The pride

which the shipyard

workers took in their

work on the Canberra

was evident by their

possessiveness. One

of the men remarked,

"There she goes, all

my blood and sweat

and toil". But his

mate remarked with a

sidelong glance,

"Away a ‘that, you

never even worked on

her".

Reported to have had

five previous

m o t o r i n g

convictions, Terence

Stephenson of

Westbourne Street in

Belfast was fined £20

at the Dungiven Petty

Sessions for driving a

car dangerously at

Belfast driver fined £20 and banned

M a g h e r a b u o y

County Derry. The

case came before the

courts due to a head

on collision and

Stephenson was also

disqualified from

driving for six

months. Also at the

Dungiven Petty

Session was 27 year

old Ann Barr of

Garvagh Road who

was fined £2 with £1

extra for costs for

driving a car

carelessly at

Dungiven.

Four brothers were

bound over to keep

the peace for two

years, with personal

bail of £10 each and

a surety of £10 each

after they assaulted a

man at Cashel near

Dungiven. Each of

the brothers was also

fined £5 each with

costs.

Polling took place in

the by election in

Bloomfield caused by

the departure of Lord

Glentoran, the former

Minister of

Commerce, from the

Commons to become

Leader of the Senate.

The Unionist

candidate was 52 year

Belfast goes to the pollsold builder Walter

Scott and the

Northern Ireland

Labour Party

candidate was Mr

Bob Bingham, a 34

year old engineer in

the aircraft factory.

Both candidates were

confident of winning.

Mr Terence

O’Neill, the

Minister of Finance

discussed on BBC

television the

difference between

the census in

Minister to discuss Ulster Census on TV

Northern Ireland

and that in Great

Britain. The

Minister answered

questions about the

census put by James

Hughes.

Firemen in Belfast

used breathing

apparatus to fight a

fierce fire at the

premises of the Jamal

Knitwear Co. on

North Street, Belfast.

The brigade was able

to confine the fire to

North Street Knitwear

Factory Firestock in a single

room on the first

floor of the building

and there was little

structural damage

caused due to the

firemen being able to

bring the blaze under

control quickly.

Forty-four year old Irishwoman Bridget

Driscoll achieved the dubious

distinction of becoming the first traffic

accident fatality of the modern age when

she was run over and killed by a car

careering along at four miles per hour

in Croydon, south London, in 1896.


Exploring Belfast’s Old StreetsRaymond O’Regan

DONEGALL STREETPart 2 Continued from Issue 12 of our title Old Belfast

T he old Exchange and

Assembly Buildings

(above) at the corner of the

street dating back to 1769/76

(its history was fully covered

when we took a trip along

Waring Street.) But just a

reminder of how important a

part this building played in

Irish History. Built as a single

story building in 1769 to

celebrate the birth of the

future and infamous 2nd.

Marquis of Donegall and

extended into a two storey

building in 1776 and became

known from then on as the

Exchange and Assembly

Building. In 1792 the famous

Harp Festival was held here

to celebrate Bastille Day and

Edward Bunting transcribed

the music of the ten harpists

to preserve the ancient airs of

Irish music that would have

been lost as the various old

harpists died and took their

music to the grave. In 1798

The trial of the famous United

Irishmen Henry Joy

McCracken who was found

guilty of treason, after the

failure of the "98 uprising,

and was hanged at the Market

House in High Street (site of

the present day Dunnes Store)

When the Commercial

Building just across the road

was completed in 1819 it took

over the functions of meetings

etc. The building eventually

became a bank in the late

1840s until it finally closed in

2002. It occasionally springs

back in to life when plays or

art exhibitions are held but its

future is probably still in the

balance. I hope the fire alarm

system is still working!

Number 14 – carpark

Number 16 - Alexander &

Graham Ltd. Wholesale

jewellers.

Number 18 - Clifton Services


A view of Lower Donegall Street almost 200 years ago

with the Brown Linen Hall to the right

Numbers 20-22 – This

building dates back to 1920

but was the site of the Brown

Linen Hall which was

originally located were the

present day St. Anne’s

Cathedral is today. It was

moved to allow the 1775 St.

Anne’s Church to be built,

which was paid for by the Earl

of Donegal.

Number 24 – St. Anne’s

Building dates back to 1887.

It was originally a linen

warehouse. On the ground

floor of Nos 20 -24 is the

Home of the long established

wholesale jewellers Ellison

Brothers who have just

recently closed their doors.

Number s 26-30 – North

Street Arcade. Opened in

1936. This well known

arcade that housed many

small businesses was

destroyed by arsonists in 2004

and now lies derelict. It is

included in the Royal

Exchange redevelopment

plans. On this site was the

Brookfield Linen Company, a

mid 19th century building.

Even today if you look above

the entrance there is an

original plaque referring to its

former use (below).

Incidentally this destroyed

building is part of the Royal

Exchange redevelopment

plans for this area.

Number 36 – The site dates

back to the 1760’s when it

was the home of the famous

liberal educationalist David

Manson (below). Manson

would take his pupils along to

an area called Lilliput Farm.

that is toady's York Road

Station. No. 36 was later used

by the Provincial Bank of

Ireland. Today it is the site of

a modern building used by

SHAC (Student Housing) On

the ground floor can be found

the poster and clothes shops

Rip Off.


The large open area facing St.

Anne’s Cathedral once

housed shops and houses

dating back to Roger

Mullholland’s development

for Lord Donegall in the late

18th century. Many of the

older generation may

remember the shoe makers

shop that produced quality

hand made shoes. This

particular business found a

home in North Street Arcade

but due to the fire I believe is

no longer in business. .

This area is now known as

"Writers Square" and is the

venue for many festival

activities. A memorial was

erected in November 2008, to

the International Brigade. It

was erected in memory of

Brigade members from

Ireland who fought against

the fascist dictator Franco in

Spain in the 1930s. Anto, the

well known sculptor, was

responsible for the design of

this memorial.

Numbers 60-68 – Cathedral

Buildings. On this site in

1791 could be found the

fourth Presbyterian Church

(Nelson Memorial Church).

On the ground floor of the

present building can be found

Bagel Bagel, Cathedral

Graphics, Avar Business

Systems, WorkForce Ireland

Ltd, Hair Friendly , Work

Rest Play Interiors.

Numbers 70-74 – Part of

Mark Royal Building (right).

Junction of Donegall Street and Royal Avenue around 1910

Junction of Donegall Street and Royal Avenue around 1965


Numbers 80-94– The journey

continues along Upper

Donegall Street . At the

corner is the extension of the

Belfast Telegraph Building. A

rather ugly building replacing

Georgian buildings including

Robinson's Temperance

Hotel.

Number 80 In the late 19th.

century was the home of the

solicitor John Rea one of

Belfast's many eccentrics. He

would one day be supporting

Orangemen and the next day

Nationalists. In Marcus

Patton’s book "Central

Belfast" he recalls one

description of Rea as follows

"HER ORTHODOX

P R E S B Y T E R I A N

BRITANNIC MAJESTIES

ORANGE – FENIAN

ATTORNEY GENERAL

FOR ULSTER". Besides a

collection of swords and

pistols that would be found

lying about the different parts

of the building he also had

two dogs, two cats and to add

to his eccentricity he had on

each drawing room

windowsill cages containing

foul mouthed grey parrots.

Besides his son he had a niece

living with him called Orange

Mary Anne. Further up the

street some readers may also

remember Watsons Furniture

Store which used to side onto

McGlades Bar next door.

Number. 96 – Originally on

this site was the famous

"McGlades Bar" which then

became the "Penny Farthing"

both were popular with

journalists of the many

newspapers nearby. The

original name of the pub

when it first opened was The

Arcade Bar as it ran from

Donegall Street to Library

Street. The pub was allowed

to put its own label on

Guinness sold in its premises.

It was not for nothing that

Donegall Street was

compared to London’s Fleet

Street. Today after

refurbishing it is known as the

"Kremlin" with an imposing

statue of Lenin above the

entrance.

Numbers 98-102 – Meenan

and Company had their

premises here. It is now used

as an employment training

centre with the well known

solicitor’s practice of Pascal

O’Hare on the upper floors.

Number 102 In 1896 housed

the offices of the Vulcanite

Roofing Company who

specialised in providing flat

roofs which they claimed

were superior to the

conventional slated roofs.

Numbers. 106-108 –

McEllhattons Bar, known as

the "Front Page, "which dates

back to 1910. It is a popular

venue for music and was also

popular with journalists. The

Irish News is just across the

road.

Number 112 – On this site in

c1860 stood a Turkish baths.

It was also at one time a car


showroom for Dick and

Company, distributors of Fiat

motors. They also had a

showroom across the road .

Today it houses a youth

project.

Numbers. 114-118 – The

famous Hugh O’Kane and

Company dating back to

1865. They still use today, on

certain occasions the

beautiful black horses to pull

the hearses that were a

common sight up to the

1950’s.

Number s. 120-138 – "Marshal

Building "1894 with shops on

the ground floor. One of the

most interesting shops was

"Marshals" (directly next door

to O’Kanes). It was famous for

the supply of many foreign

newspapers and magazines.

The present occupiers, Paul

Steele Consulting PScAtiviva,

still retain, above the entrance

the famous Marshals name

plate. Next door was Belfast

Central Training, Fruit Shop,

Marty Quinn’s Hairdressing,

(Marty at one time worked out

of 211 Donegall Street which

was one of the Georgian

buildings that were

demolished in 1990 as part of

a road widening scheme.

Champagne & Roses,

Lavibelle African&Caribbean

Hairdressing, Clifton Taxis,

Donegall Chambers; offices of

James Johnson & Co.

Solicitors

The building next door was

destroyed by a bomb in the

1970s causing a large piece of

wood to become embedded in

the structure of St. Patrick’s

Church across the road. It is

now a private car park.

The previous corner building

is now part of a car park that

borders Donegall Street and

Carrick Hill

Belfast map of 1888

showing Donegall Street

Facing page map of 1960

showing Donegall Street



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EXPLORING IRELANDEvery week members of the Glenravel Project visit different sites of historical

interest throughout the country. For up to date information on all the latest

trips visit the Facebook page of the Glenravel Local History Project

R o s c o m m o n

Castle is

located just outside

Roscommon town. It

was built in 1269 by

Robert de Ufford,

Justiciciar of Ireland,

on lands he had

seized from the

Dominican Priory.

The castle was

besieged by the

Connacht King Aodh

O'Connor in 1272.

Eight years later it

was again in the

ROSCOMMON CASTLE

hands of the English

garrison, and fully

restored. By 1340 the

O'Connors regained

possession of it, and

held it for two

centuries until 1569,

when it fell into the

hands of Sir Henry

Sidney, Lord Deputy.

In 1641 the

P a r l i a m e n t a r i a n

faction gained it until

C o n f e d e r a t e

Catholics under


Preston captured it in

1645. It remained in

Irish hands until 1652

when it was partially

blown up by

C r o m w e l l i a n

"Ironsides" who had

all the fortifications

dismantled. It was

finally burned down

in 1690 and thus it

gradually fell into

decay.

The castle is

quadrangular in shape

with rounded bastions

at the corner, and a

d o u b l e - t o w e r e d

entrance gate, as well

as a rectangular gate

tower in the west

wall. After 1578 Sir

Nicholas Malby

carried out extensive

alterations and

inserted a number of

mullioned windows

as well as adding a

number of buildings

on the north side of

the castle.

The Friary was

founded for the

Dominicans by Felim

O'Conor, Lord of

Roscommon, in 1253

and was consecrated

in 1257. The church

originally consisted

of one long aisle.

The north transept

was added in the 15th

century. The most

remarkable feature of

the Friary is the effigy

of Felim O'Conor in

a niche in the north

wall near where the

altar stood.

The effigy, carved

between 1290 and

1300, has been placed

upon a later 15th

century tomb with

eight mail-clad

warriors (seven with

swords, and one with

a battle axe) in niches

with angels above

them. On the opposite

wall are traces of

another 15th century

tomb.


OCTOBER 1977


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publications and events by visiting

the Facebook page of the

Glenravel Local History Project

The army returned to

the wreckage of the

Gainsborough Bar in

Derry after another

warning was received

that there was a bomb

still in the debris. The

bar was blasted by a

bomb left in the

Saturday 1st October 1977toilets a week earlier.

The army defused a

100lb bomb found

hidden in a hedge

near Crossmaglen.

The device, two milk

cans packed with

explosives and metal

fragments, was

neutralised by two

c o n t r o l l e d

explosions. Wires led

from the bomb to a

detonating point.

An incendiary device

went off in an off

licence in the

Ladybrook district.

Another device went

off outside premises

at the Ladybrook

Park, Finaghy Road

North. The off

licence suffered slight

smoke and water

damage.

Monday 3rd October 1977A gunman fired a shot

through the bedroom

window of a house in

A n d e r s o n s t o w n ,

Belfast. The shot was

fired at the house in

Riverdale Park South.

The bullet struck a

bedroom wall, but an

18 year old girl and

her seven year old

brother who were

asleep in the room,

were not hurt.

A single shot was

fired at an army foot

patrol operating

within yards of the

border at

F l u r r y b r i d g e

Jonesborough, South

Armagh. Fire was

returned, but no hits

were claimed.

An incendiary device

discovered in Peters

Bar, in Belfast’s

Gresham Street, was

defused by an army

bomb expert and no

damage was caused.

A petrol bomb thrown

into Ingram’s

builder’s yard in

Newington Street in

the Antrim Road area

set the premises on

fire.

The army found and

made safe a bomb in

a Derry city centre

pub which had been

damaged a week

earlier.

In Belfast an army

patrol found a

revolver and four

grenades in waste

ground near Ardilea

Street.

Tuesday 4th October 1977A windscreen of an

army helicopter was

broken as it landed at

the border near

Jonesboro. The army

believed that it was

broken by a snipers

bullet, fired at the

chopper.

A closed off alleyway

made soldiers on

patrol suspicious, and

when they examined

the area they found 13

incendiary devices

behind the board

blocking the narrow

walkway between

Chatham and Herbert

Streets in the

Ardoyne area of

Belfast.

A cassette type

incendiary burst into

flames in a waste bin

of the Crows Nest

pub in Skipper Street


but caused no

damage. A similar

device found in a

lavatory was made

harmless.

Two soldiers received

minor injuries in an

explosion near

Crossmaglen. The

blast happened at

Culloville crossroads

when a patrol from

the Queens Regiment

was passing.

Wednesday 5th October 1977The leader of the Irish

Republican Socialist

Party, Mr Seamus

Costello was shot

dead in Dublin. A

man ran up and shot

him twice with a

sawn off shotgun as

he was about to get

out of his car at

Northbrook Avenue

in the North Strand

area. Mr Costello, a

self employed

electrician, had pulled

up near a DIY shop to

get supplies when the

gunman struck. It

was believed by the

Gardai that Mr

Costello was shot by

the IRA which had

been involved in a

number of bloody

feuds with the IRSP.

The Official IRA

issued a statement

denying any

connection with the

murder. Married and

living in Co Wicklow,

Mr Costello had been

a prominent member

of the republican

movement for many

years. He survived a

previous attempt on

his life in 1975 when

his car was fired on in

Waterford.

Thursday 6th October 1977Five shots were fired

by sentries guarding

Portlaoise jail. A

soldier fired one shot

in the direction of a

man who was said to

be acting suspiciously

near the prison. Five

hours later another

sentry fired shots at a

man he claimed he

saw pointing a rifle

towards the jail.

Five masked gunmen

ordered electricity

workers setting up a

cross border power

link near

Crossmaglen to stop

work. The workmen

were erecting a pylon,

part of the linkup

between Tandragee

and Maynooth, when

the gunmen came on

the site. They

threatened the men

and ordered them to

leave the area.

In Belfast an off duty

UDR man opened fire

on two men who set

fire to an off licence.

He fired three shots at

them as they ran out

of the building but no

hits were claimed.

Friday 7th October 1977Eight people were

arrested when police

broke up rival stone

throwing crowds in

the Short Strand area

of East Belfast. The

incidents occurred at

Seaforde Street and

the windscreen of a

car was smashed by a

stone.

Two youths were

detained in Belfast

when two rounds of

ammunition were

discovered at a

segment checkpoint.

A 22 year old man

was questioned after

the discovery during

a security search of


15lb of gelignite in a

dustbin at a house in

Dunedin Park.

Two windows of a

Citybus were broken

when the vehicle

came under attack

from stone throwing

youths near Torrens

Avenue on the

Oldpark Road. No

one was injured.

Later another bus had

a window broken by

a stone at Ardilea

Street. There were no

injuries.

The army carried out

a controlled

explosion on a

suspicious car at

Thistle Street,

Belfast. The car

which was stolen in

Holywood turned out

to be harmless. A

window of a nearby

house was broken by

the force of the blast.

Saturday 8th October 1977Mr Desmond Irvine,

a prison officer at the

Maze, was shot dead

as he drove from a

meeting at

Wellington Park. Mr

Irvine was hit in the

head and died

minutes later on the

way to hospital, at

least nine bullets hit

the car. Mr Irvine

who lived at

Skegoneill Avenue,

Belfast, had agreed

recently to be

interviewed in front

of cameras for the

Thames Television

‘This Week’

programme called

‘Life behind the wire’

as he believed that

those who wished to

harm him already

knew of his identity

and whereabouts and

that appearing in a TV

programme would

add no extra risk to

the risk he and his

men ran every day.

The programme was

aired on the 22nd

September. The IRA

admitted killing him

and in a statement

stated ‘Mr Irvine was

consciously aware

and fully recognised

that jailed republicans

were prisoners of war.

Despite this, he and

his colleagues

continue to

implement Mason’s

policy of classifying

political prisoners as

‘criminals’. In these

circumstances and for

these actions they can

expect to be attacked.’

Mr Irvine was the

area secretary of the

Prison Officers

Association. Visits to

all prisons were

banned until after Mr

Irvine’s funeral.

Security forces on

both sides of the

south Armagh border

investigated the firing

of 60 shots. The shots

were heard in the

Forkhill RUC station

and appeared to come

from Carrive Grove,

one mile away.

21lb of explosives

were used in a bomb

which damaged the

security screen at the

RVH in Belfast. The

explosives were in a

duffle bag partly

pushed under the

screen which had

been erected to

protect workers who

were building a

security wall at the

Falls Road end of the

hospital. The screen

was damaged but the

wall was not hit. A 23

year old woman who

was driving past was

slightly hurt when a

piece of shrapnel hit

her in the thigh and a

48 year old woman

who was walking past

the hospital suffered

car damage. A

second suspect device

was found at the

screen, but it turned

out to be a hoax. The

Falls Road was

closed for several

hours as army

engineers repaired the

damage.

A 23 year old man

from Ardoyne was

charged with having

explosives in the city.

The man from

Duneden Park faced a

charge of having a

quantity of gelignite

at Duneden Park

under suspicious

circumstances.

www.glenravel.com


Monday 10th October 1977Firebombs ignited in

two cinemas, one in

Belfast and one in

Comber. Two

firebombs exploded

in the Strand cinema

on the Holywood

Road in Belfast but

no damage was

caused. The small

blazes were quickly

extinguished. At

Comber one seat was

slightly damaged

when a fire bomb

ignited. Two more

fire bombs were

found in the Comber

cinema after a search

and they were made

harmless.

The Regent cinema in

Newtownards was

destroyed by fire and

fires at the Queens

Cinema in Bangor

and the Regal Cinema

in Larne were all

started by incendiary

devices. At the

Regal, the balcony

and the interior of the

roof were extensively

damaged. Damage to

the Queens Cinema

was minor.

Incendiary devices

were used in the

Helmsman Bar in

High Street, Bangor

and in the insurance

office in Town Hall

Street, Enniskillen.

Two firebombs found

in the Hayloft Bar in

Derry, on Bridge

Street, were defused

by the army.

Twenty four year old

Greenfinch, Private

Margaret Hearst, was

shot dead in her

home. Private Hearst

lived with her three

year old daughter in a

mobile home (below)

in the garden of her

parents’ cottage at

Doogary, Tynan in

the south Armagh-

Monaghan area. She

died instantly when

the IRA gunmen

sprayed her bedroom

with 10 shots from an

automatic weapon.

Her daughter who

awoke frightened and

screaming as bullets

ripped through the

caravan had a

miraculous escape

when the gunmen

fired into a wood

partition separating

the sleeping

compartments. The

killing of this young

UDR woman brought

w i d e s p r e a d

condemnation from

church and civic

leaders from all

communities.

A part time member

of the UDR for four

years, Private Hearst,

was employed as a

civilian clerk on a full

time basis at the

Second Volunteer

Armagh Battalions

headquarters in the

city. Greenfinches

did not carry arms

and the regiments

CO, Colonel Richard

Stephens stated they

had previously been

protected by common

decency.


Tuesday 11th October 1977Two men were

arrested and charged

with the attempted

murder of a man

found seriously

injured with gunshot

wounds near his

home in Twadell

Avenue. The men

from Ladybrook

Drive and Eskdale

Gardens were also

charged with

membership of the

IRA.

Wednesday 12th October 1977A 47 year old school

bus driver was shot

dead and a schoolgirl

was injured in an

ambush in Tyrone.

The RUC believe that

the intended target

was a part time UDR

man and the wrong

man was shot.

The UDR man was

off ill from the school

run and his stand in,

a married man from

Carrickmore was

caught in the ambush

instead. Two gunmen

were lying in wait at

a lonely pick up point

on the Sixmilecross,

Ballygawley Road

and they opened fire

when the driver

parked his bus. The

man who died in a

hail of bullets was

named as Mr Frank

Canavan, from

McKeowns Villas. A

15 year old girl, the

only passenger on the

bus, was grazed on

the head by a bullet.

The dead man had no

connection with the

security forces, and

was called upon from

time to time by the

Western Education

and Library Board to

act as a relief driver if

one of the regular

drivers fell ill. Mr

Canavan, normally

unemployed, had just

parked his bus

alongside an old

single storey school

building at Tirnaskee,

two miles from

Ballygawley, when

the gunmen struck

from behind. They

stepped out of the

porch of the building

and opened fire. The

bullets smashed

through windows and

the back of the

driver’s seat.

Minutes later another

school bus came on

the scene and was

hijacked by the

killers. They forced

the driver to drive

towards Carrickmore

where they hijacked

another car and then

abandoned it six

miles away.

Thursday 13th October 1977The RUC raided the

headquarters of

Provisional Sinn Fein in

Belfast. A RUC

spokesman said a number

of documents were taken

from the building on Falls

Road and were being

examined. A man

detained during the search

operation was later

released. The raid was

part of a series of raids on

Sinn Fein offices in New

Lodge, Ardoyne,

Andersonstown and

Ballymurphy.

A quantity of shotgun

cartridges, documents and

pairs of surgical gloves

were found by security

forces during a raid on

premises in the Falls Road

area.

Incendiary devices started

a fire at the Strathearn

Hotel in Holywood. The

night security guard

managed to evacuate all

guests and staff but the

building was badly

damaged.


Friday 14th October 1977There were fire bomb

attacks on the Chimes

Restaurant and the

Chester Arms pub

near Belfast city

centre. Three devices

were planted in the

Chimes Restaurant,

one exploded causing

little damage and the

other two were taken

away by the army

after they were

spotted by the staff.

An incendiary burned

itself out in the ladies

lavatory of the

Chester Arms pub.

No one was hurt and

little damage was

caused.

The army discovered

an arms dump in a

house in Newry. They

found a machinegun, a

pistol, 20lbs of

c o m m e r c i a l

explosives, two

homemade grenades,

three magazines, a

double barrelled

shotgun, 73 assorted

bullets, two mortars,

and bomb making

equipment in the house

in Chapel Street. Two

radio receivers were

also uncovered.

Monday 17th October 1977The army defused an

incendiary device

found in Grafton’s

clothes shop Castle

Lane, Belfast. No

damage was caused

but the immediate

area was evacuated

for a short time.

A 28 year old

labourer of Denmark

Street in Belfast was

charged with

possessing a Walther

pistol in suspicious

circumstance in Park

Avenue, Belfast.

Tuesday 18th October 1977A 67 year old former

part time policeman

was shot dead outside

Armagh. Mr John

Anderson from

Barrack Street in

Armagh was a

member of the RUC

Reserve for many

years. Two gunmen

opened fire on his car

at Grivan’s Bridge

almost four miles

from Armagh and as

the bullets ripped

through his car he lost

control and the car

ploughed through the

stone bridge wall,

falling 15 feet onto

the river bank. The

gunmen then drove

up to the bridge and

continued to pump

more high velocity

bullets in the wrecked

car. Mr Anderson

was a taxi owner and

was on his way home

from a run when he

was ambushed on a

sharp corner. He had

earlier left officials

from the Department

of Health and Social

Services to the

u n e m p l o y m e n t

exchange in Keady.

Mr Anderson also

owned a hairdressing

business in Armagh

and was well known

in the area.

A motorist was shot

as he drove along a

city centre street in

Belfast. He was hit in

the shoulder when a

youth fired two shots

through the side

window of his

Hillman Avenger car

in Franklin Street.

The army and RUC

found more than 1300

bullets buried in a

yard at Kilmood

Street in the Short

Strand area of

Belfast.

A controlled

explosion set off by

the army in Ligoneil

caused widespread

damage. The blast

broke 20 windows in

Finlay Street and

damaged a car and a

motorcycle.

Wednesday 19th October 1977The famous Elliot’s

store in Ann Street

was burned out after

an incendiary device.

The spectacular blaze

swept through the

premises, exploding

sparklers careered

into the air making

the firemen’s job

more difficult.

Three hundred

primary school pupils

were given a day off

after a bomb blast in

Portadown. The

explosion happened

as bomb experts tried

to defuse a booby

trapped hand


grenade, believed left

for a part time

member of the RUC.

It was found in a milk

crate outside

Ballyoran School.

The area was

cordoned off as the

army defused the

device.

Only moderate

damage was caused

to the Kilwee cash

and carry firm in

Upper Dunmurry

Lane when it was

firebombed for the

fifth time. The

remains of two

incendiary devices

were discovered in

the building after the

fire.

A 54 year old sales

rep was shot as he sat

in his car in Franklin

Street but was not

seriously injured.

One man fired three

shots into the car

hitting the man on the

shoulder.

The army carried out

a controlled

explosion on a

landmine near

C r o s s m a g l e n .

Windows in a nearby

school were broken

by the blast.

A bag found at a

department store in

Royal Avenue turned

out to be harmless.

The area was cleared

for several hours

while bomb experts

examined it.

A petrol can with

wires attached found

on the road near

Newcastle was a

hoax.

Thursday 20th October 1977Sixty four year old

George Wilson was

shot dead when two

gunmen fired eight

automatic rounds at

him as he tended

plants at his home at

Ainsworth Pass off

the Shankill Road.

Mr Wilson died

instantly from

wounds to his chest

and head but no

motive for the killing

was apparent.

Bombs exploded

without warning

outside the Belfast

homes of two prison

officers but no one

was hurt. The first

attack was at a house

in Lisburn Avenue

when the bomb blew

in the front door. A

woman in the house

was hit in the back by

the door which flew

several feet down the

hallway. She was

treated for shock.

The explosion blew a

crater in the ground

outside the door and

broke windows in

surrounding homes.

Nearly three hours

later a bomb left on

the windowsill of a

house at Jellicoe Park

exploded, damaging

the roof of the

buildings. The prison

officer and his wife

and daughter were in

a rear room at the

time.

Friday 21st October 1977A number of people

were questioned after

an army search in the

Brandywell area of

Derry found a

quantity of

ammunition during a

search.

An apprentice

engineer was charged

with possessing a .22

Mauser rifle with

intent. The man from

New Barnsley Drive

denied the charge.

An unemployed

Carrickfergus barman

of Woodburn Avenue

was accused of

possessing two

shotguns, a pistol and

a quantity of

ammunition.

Saturday 22nd October 1977A gunman fired one

shot at an army

mobile patrol in

Derry but no one was

hurt. The shooting

happened at the

junction of

Duncreggan Road

and Northland Road.

Fire wasn’t returned.

Three members of

staff were slightly

injured in a blaze at

the Town and

Country Inn at

Regent Street,

Newtownards after

two firebombs

ignited. Fireman

from Bangor and

Newtownards took

hours to bring the fire


IRA firebomb attack on the Town & Country

IRA firebomb attack on the Greenan Lodge

under control and at

one stage the fierce

fire threatened to

engulf the nearby St

Marks rectory.

Four bombs exploded

in the Greenan Lodge

in Dunmurry just

after a dance had

finished.

Fifteen bombs were

planted on trains and

stations at Lisburn,

Portadown and York

Road in Belfast. The

attack on the railway

system caused huge

disruption to the

n e t w o r k .

I n c e n d i a r i e s

exploded on carriages

and one device was

defused in

Portadown. No one

was injured. Many of

the devices had been

concealed in seats

and on the platforms.

A 27 year old

policeman escaped

serious injury when

he was fired on while

leaving his home at

Eglinton near Derry.

One shot was fired

hitting him in the

right thigh.

A 23 year old barman

of Benares Street in

Belfast was charged

with possessing with

intent two armalite

rifles, a Gerand rifle,

a .38 revolver three

magazines and 90

rounds of assorted

ammunition.

Monday 24th October 1977Four soldiers injured

during riots in the

New Barnsley area

were not seriously

hurt. They were

attacked by a mob

and back up troops

from the Gordon

Highlanders, the

Argyles and the Light

Infantry were called

in. The violence

lasted for three hours.

In Portadown five

shots were fired at an

army patrol in the

Ballyoran district but

there were no injuries

and in the Drumcree

area a small bomb

was found and made

harmless.

Five shots were fired

at Forkhill RUC

station but no one was

injured.


Tuesday 25th October 1977An imitation gun was

recovered at the scene

of a hijacking in north

Belfast when a 16

year old boy was shot

dead by soldiers.

Michael Neill of

Stanhope Drive was

shot three times by

soldiers and died in

hospital a short time

later. The army at the

time refused to

comment on the

circumstances of the

shooting. The RUC

released a statement

saying that a Citybus

was flagged down by

a girl at the Junction

of the Cliftonville

Road and Oldpark

Avenue. Two youth

ran out and stopped

the bus, got on and

ordered everyone off

the bus. They then set

the bus on fire (right)

and at this point an

army patrol arrived

and challenged the

boys but they ran off.

The patrol then fired

three shots and Neill

was hit in the leg arm

and chest. He was

found lying in a

gateway nearby.

Wednesday 26th October 1977A firebomb

completely destroyed

the Greenan Lodge

Hotel in Dunmurry.

All the hotel records

were destroyed when

fire swept through the

whole hotel. Three

incendiary bombs

exploded shortly after

a warning had been

received. There were

no injuries.

Thursday 27th October 1977A part time UDR

officer was seriously

injured when a booby

trap bomb ripped

through his car

outside his

Magherafelt home.

His two young

children missed being

caught in the

explosion only by

seconds. They were

about to leave their

home a Coolshinney

Park when the device

exploded. The 34

year old bank

employee had just

started his car in the

garage when the

bomb exploded. He

suffered severe leg

injuries and the blast

also demolished a

gable wall of the

garage. The injured

man was a lieutenant

in 5 UDR stationed in

Derry.

The army found 136

assorted bullets at the

rear of a factory at

Brownstone Road,

Portadown.

Friday 28th October 1977Two men from the

Ardoyne area of

Belfast were

questioned in Dublin

after the discovery of

20 firebombs in a

field at Santry, on the

main Dublin to

Belfast road. The

incendiaries were

found by two boys

who told a local

priest.

A part time UDR man

injured in a blast at

his Magherafelt home

had his leg amputated

and his condition was

described as serious.


The remains of the Strathearn Hotel,

Holywood, following an IRA firebomb attack

IRA firebomb attack on the Universal

Furnishing Store, York Street

Saturday 29th October 1977A Belfast city centre

shop was badly

damaged in a

firebomb attack.

Extensive damage

was caused to stock in

Trueform shoe shop

in Upper North Street

and nearby buildings

was damaged by

smoke.

Two old rifles and

nearly 160 bullets

were found by a UDR

patrol in a stream on

the outskirts of

Castlecaulfield, near

Dungannon.

Monday 31st October 1977A pub owned by the

former Stormont

Minister of

Commerce Mr Roy

Bradford was badly

damaged by fire.

The Stag Inn near

Shaw’s Bridge was

targeted with

firebombs and the

firemen were unable

to combat the blaze

due to a suspect gas

cylinder bomb which

later turned out to be

a hoax

Anti H Block protest outside the EEC

headquarters in Brussels


BRUTAL IRISH MURDERS

Andrew Carr was from Kildare and when he

was a young man he enlisted in the 87th

regiment. He received an excellent education

for a person of his station in life, his conduct

was exemplary and he quickly rose through

the ranks from a private to a colour sergeant.

He was also described a being a very good-

looking young man who paid great attention

to himself and his duties.

While stationed at Tullamore he became

acquainted with a Margaret Murphy, one of

five daughters of a farmer who lived in the

neighbourhood. Their relationship at the time

was described as ‘improper intimacy’ and by

the time he was ordered for foreign service

Margaret found she was disgraced and

rejected by her family. She moved to Dublin

where she became an outcast on the streets.

Everyday she sank lower and lower in vice

and infamy, she became an inmate of one of

the many dens in Bull Lane near the Four

Courts. The whole area had quite a reputation

in the nineteenth century. By 1862 Andrew

Carr returned from India, and went to live with

Margaret in a hovel kept by a woman named

Brien and stayed there for one week. The

couple argued all week and Margaret ended

up in hospital and Carr returned to duty in the

army. He was heard by many at the time to

swear that he would "get" Margaret. His

behaviour at work changed and he soon was

reduced in rank and remained in his demoted

position until May 1870 when he was

discharged on a pension after a service of

HEAD SEVERED DURING EXECUTION

twenty five years. He returned to Dublin and

found Margaret Murphy, who was by now

living in rented accommodation, in the Bull

Lane area, owned by the infamous Ellen

Hynes. Andrew Carr and Margaret lived for

three weeks among the vice and dissipation

until Carr’s pension ran out.

They began to argue all day while under the

influence of drink and by evening the words

turned to threats. One evening they returned

to their home after drinking all day. Carr left

for a short time and went for another drink,

returned and then left a short time later to look

for a policeman. He eventually found one

and told him that he had committed a murder

and showed him his hands that were covered

in blood and he had a cut on his wrist. The

police went to Bull Lane and discovered lying


beneath an open back window the lifeless

corpse of Margaret Murphy. The wound in

her throat gaped open, so much so that it

appeared as though the head had been sliced

from her body. Her clothes were saturated in

blood and she lay in a room with broken

windows.

The walls were covered in filth and all the

doors in the house were falling off their

hinges. The door panels were broken and the

stench of sewage rotting in the back yard was

unbearable. The crime scene appeared to have

been the site of a great deal of violence. The

house occupied by Margaret Murphy and

Andrew Carr contained no furniture, two

heaps of dirty straw and a black mattress was

all that was found.

Six days after the murder Carr was tried and

convicted of the brutal murder of Margaret

Murphy. The jury recommended him to

mercy but despite a petition handed to the

Lord Lieutenant in London signed by many

prominent Dublin citizens his execution was

set for three weeks. Carr’s execution was to

be the first that the city of Dublin had

witnessed in thirty years and the first

execution in the Richmond Bridewell. In

accordance with the requirements of the new

act of Parliament all execution were to be

carried out within the walls of prisons and not

in public.

Around twenty people attended the execution

of Andrew Carr. The Chaplin bid him a final

farewell and as the noisy bell of the prison

was ringing, the executioner drew the bolt and

the drop fell. Carr’s body fell and when the

rope stretched with a burning sound, the

headless body of Carr landed with a thud on

the shingle below followed soon afterwards

by his head encased in the blood saturated

hood.

The press present at the execution reported

the unspeakable horror depicted in every face

in the room and so quick and appalling was

the event that for a long time no person moved

from the place they had been standing. The

empty noose swung to and fro in the morning

breeze and Andrew Carr passed away forever

for his crimes. All present left the building

immediately and such was the shock and

horror of the proceedings that calls were made

for the immediate end of all hangings and an

alternative method put in place to deter serious

crimes. One of the first suggestions was the

demolition of Bull Lane, which had been the

scene of several murders and various other

crimes from vice, assault and robbery.

Everyday Margaret Murphy sank lower

and lower in vice and infamy


At a special court held by Mr J C

Gardiner on February 23rd 1909 in

County Galway two brothers,

Michael and Bartley Coyne, were

charged with the wilful murder of

James Bailey on February 2nd. Both

men insisted that the body that had

been found in the Bailey house at

Lettermore, was not that of James

Bailey. He, it was claimed, had been

taken away by the fairies. Today such

a claim would be laughed out of court

but in 1909 it made headline news

throughout the country.

TOLD SON WAS DEAD

A Constable Sullivan gave evidence

that he had arrested Michael Coyne

and Michael gave a statement to the

police noting that he had nothing to

do with Bailey’s death. A statement

noting the same was also given by

Bartley Coyne to the police and was

read out in court. Depositions taken

were then read. In them, James

Bailey, the father of the dead man,

stated that the prisoners and others

were in his house and had left to go

to a dance. On the following morning

he was told his son was dead. He

found him outside Daly’s house and

Michael Coyne, who was standing at

the gate said, "Do not mind your son.

He is gone. It is not he who is there

at all. He is gone away."

Taken Away by the FairiesJohn Daly, a neighbour, did not speak

to Bailey about the death of his son

or tell him what had happened except

that there had been a row that started

in the house, continued outside, and

that his son had been carried home on

a shutter.

CRIED AND WAILED

Bridget Bailey gave evidence that

when she saw her brother dead she

had cried and wailed and that when

Michael Coyne had seen her distress

had said to her; "Don’t cry. James is

gone away since last night, and I know

that he is gone." Miss Bailey then

remembered that Michael, the elder

of the two brothers, tried to persuade

her that her brother had been taken

away by the fairies and that it was not

her brother lying there dead.

WRESTLING MATCH

Richard Bailey, the brother of the

deceased gave evidence, which

brought some light to the situation.

He told the court that a crowd had

been in Daly’s house after the dance

and that some whisky was taken.

About half-an-hour later his brother

James left Dalys with Bartley Coyne.

This was the last time that Richard

saw his brother alive. Mary Daly also

gave evidence that Michael Coyne

had challenged any man who would


wrestle him would receive a half

gallon of whisky. James Bailey asked

him to shake hands but Michael

refused and the two men went outside

to wrestle. Michael Coyne got the

better of his opponent very quickly

and struck James Bailey hard and he

fell, with Michael falling on top of

him, continually striking him with his

fists. Bailey managed to scramble to

his feet a couple of times until Bartley

came to help his brother. James

Bailey was thrown over a wall and

then the two brothers knocked down

the wall on top of him. James Bailey

fell silent and it was alleged that

Michael Coyne stood over the body

of James Bailey and said "My soul to

the devil, but if anyone tells what has

happened tonight I will have their

lives. Twenty-one years is a long

time, but I will remember it if any

person says anything about it. Let ye

say it was the wall fell on him."

FRATURED SKULL

The brothers Coyne were remanded

in custody to appear in court at the

Galway Assizes in March 1909. At

the trial the Crown representative Mr

Fethertonhaugh addressed the jury

informing them he did not believe that

it would be necessary for them to find

a verdict other than one of

manslaughter. Mr Fethertonhaugh

claimed he believed that the tragic

occurrence was the result of an over

indulgence of poteen and that the

parties had all been on the best of

terms.

Medical evidence was produced to the

court detailing how James Bailey met

his death. The evidence showed that

the deceased had sustained a fracture

of the skull and that a stone might

have caused the injuries by coming

in violent contact with his head.

PEACEMAKER

Mr Price who appeared for Michael

Coyne said the awful whisky that they

made in Connemara was the cause of

the whole affair. They all appeared

to be drunk at the time of the

occurrence and counsel suggested that

that way really happened was that in

the wrestling match the men fell and

Bailey got hurt.

Mr McDermott who appeared on

behalf of Bartley stated that he had

acted as the peacemaker throughout

the entire row. It was clearly and

unmistakably stated that they fell back

over the wall and that was how the

injuries were caused to the deceased.

The jury after twenty minutes

deliberation returned with a verdict of

acquittal in the case of Bartley Coyne

and a verdict of manslaughter in the

case of Michael Coyne.

The judge sentenced the prisoner to

five years’ penal servitude.


In early 1861 a brutal and shocking

murder took place in Ballymote in

County Sligo. The bodies of three

people, a man and two women were

found with their throats cut.

Immediately suspicion fell on a local

man Matthew Phibbs and he was later

arrested and charged with the triple

murder of William Callaghan, his wife

and their servant.

At the inquest to ascertain the

circumstances of the crime evidence

was gathered from many local people.

Thomas Scanlan gave evidence that

Phibbs had come to him on the day of

the murders and asked him for money,

which he did not give him. Luke

Feehely and Owen Cawley stated that

they were working in the fields around

the Callaghan house when they saw

Phibbs coming out of small gap at the

back of the Callaghan garden. These

sightings were all on the morning of

the murder and by lunchtime Phibbs

was seen drinking in Mrs Mary

Flaherty’s house where he announced

that he was on his way to Sligo. Bt

one o’clock Phibbs was seen in

Ballymote with a cut face and part of

his right hand bandaged.

A short time later Phibbs was arrested

and Mounted Constable Patrick

Fogarty told the court of what

Mass Murder in Sligohappened next. Phibbs was arrested

at the door of Pat Conway’s, a

publican in Riverstown. He was taken

to the police barracks where he was

searched and a large sum of money

was found concealed in his clothing.

Over twelve pounds in cash and a

number of gold sovereigns were found

and three razors. One of the razors

was a Morrison razor and the heel of

it was red with blood and there was

blood inside the haft. A watch key, a

parcel of neck collars and a matchbox

covered in blood was also recovered.

Phibbs clothing was also covered in

blood but it would have been

impossible for the court to identify the

blood as belonging to any of the

deceased however the courts at the

time would have taken account of

circumstantial evidence.

Phibbs stood charged with murder and

robbery but the robbery charges were

dropped, as there was not enough

evidence to support the charge. The

Judge proceeded to charge the jury

and went through the evidence in great

detail. He carefully analysed the

entire evidence putting the

inconsistencies in the evidence of each

witness to the jury and he clearly and

forcibly expiated upon such portions

of the evidence, which were calculated

to show the guilt of the prisoner. After


four hours of the summing up the jury

retired to return two and a half hours

later with a verdict of guilty. The

death sentence was then handed down

and the execution was affixed for

August 19th.

On this day Matthew Phibbs was led

out to hang for the murder of 80-year-

old William Callaghan, his wife Mary

and their servant Anne Jane Mooney.

It was the first public execution in

Sligo for 26 years and although people

were discouraged from attending

hundreds gathered outside the jail.

Phibbs was led out only to be returned

to jail, as there was some problem with

the arrangements. Finally he was led

out and within two minutes of his

hanging Phibbs was dead.

After his death the following

confession, dated 18th August 1861

was released by Sligo Jail:

Matthew Phibbs aged about 25 was

born in the town of Ballymote…I

must say I had honest parents, and

often did get good advice from them

when a youth to mind my Sunday

school and to go to church, the house

of God. That I did prefer going with

bad company elsewhere – perhaps into

a whisky house. Young lad or young

men….I do say to thee to take care

and beware of what brought Matthew

Phibbs to this, his untimely end…I

must bid you a farewell, heartily

forgiving all who have injured me and

asking forgiveness from all whom I

have injured. I do trust and hope,

though my sins have been very many

that my Saviour has washed them all

away and that I am going to That

happy land of pure delight, Where

saints immortal reign Infinite day

excludes the night, And pleasures

banish pain.

After my trial I have acknowledged

my guilt to the Rev Mr Shore and Mr

Garrett, but asked them not to make it

public until after I was executed. I

now admit the justice of my sentence

and go willingly to suffer what I

deserve looking to my Blessed

Saviour who suffered for me.

Again, young me, beware of what has

brought me to this, my untimely end.

Matthew Phibbs.

The body of Matthew Phibbs hung in

public for three quarters of hours

causing fainting amongst the police

and public who watched. His body

was then lowered into a coffin and

buried within the prison.

Matthew Phibbs was soon arrested and

charged with the horrific murders


Killer Doctor from CorkShandy Hall was situated between Macroom

and Cork in a town named Dripsey, and was

the home of 63 year old Dr Philip Henry

Eustace Cross, a retired British Army Officer.

Surgeon Major Cross was a gentleman of

means who had married a lady of what was

regarded in 1887 as a good social position.

She was Mary Laura Marriott, a lady from a

well-known English family and they were

married in 1869 at St James’ Church,

Piccadilly in London.

On June 2nd 1887 Mrs Mary Laura Cross was

found dead at her home in Shandy Hall.

Suspicions were aroused when on June 9th

1887, only 5 days after her burial, Dr Cross

left for England. At the time he claimed that

he was going to break the news to his two

sons at school there but it later transpired that

he met up with a young girl who at one time

was employed by him as a governess at

Shandy Hall. This girl was called Effie

Skinner and both she and Dr Cross continued

to London together where they were married

at St James’ Church, Piccadilly on 17th June

1887.

The body of Mrs Mary Laura Cross was

exhumed and strychnine and arsenic were

found in her remains. A murder enquiry had

begun.

Miss Effie Skinner came to work at Shandy

Hall in October 1886 and stayed there for

three months in the capacity of governess.

After that she went to Carlow to take up the

same position. She was next reported to have

been at the North Western Hotel in Dublin on

the 29th March with Dr Cross. Three weeks

later they were both booked into the same

hotel going by the name of Mr and Mrs

Osborne and on the 22nd April the intrigue

ended and Dr Cross returned home. At this

time Mrs Cross wasn’t suffering from any

illness but on April 29th an old friend of Mrs

Cross stayed at Shandy Hall and her diary was

used as evidence at the trial. The journal

showed how Mrs Cross suffered and

described the fatal symptoms of slow arsenic

poisoning. It was proved at the trail that Mrs

Cross used to vomit for hours at a time and

that the vomit was a yellowish green and there

was no nurse with her at any time during her

illness. When her body was exhumed there

was no solid food in her stomach.

On the night Mrs Cross died, Mary Buckley,

the kitchenmaid, was awakened from her

St James’s Church in London’s Piccadilly


sleep, and for a few minutes she heard her

mistress’s screams. She had never heard her

scream before and Mary went off to sleep

again. Next morning at 6 o’clock, Dr Cross

went to the servants and told them that Mrs

Cross had died at 1.30 am. He had remained

for five hours alone with the deceased and

did not call on anyone after her death. The

doctor then proceeded to register her death,

and he himself filled out the death certificate,

stating that the cause of death was typhoid

fever and the number of days of her illness

was fourteen. She died at 1.30 am on June

2nd and was buried at 6.00 am June 4th. None

of her servants were at the funeral and a

kitchenmaid reported that on the morning of

the funeral she looked out the window and

saw only three persons present; Dr Cross, the

husband, Griffen, the publican and the driver

of the hearse.

Directly after the funeral Dr Cross left for

London to break the news to his two sons but

instead he went to renew his intimacy with

Miss Skinner. By the time they were married

on the 17th June she was already pregnant.

At first Dr Cross did not introduce her as his

new wife to Cork Society and it was noted

that on June 19th, two days after their

marriage, they were registered at the North

Western Hotel in Dublin under the name of

Mr and Mrs Onslow. Dr Cross was eventually

arrested and charged with the wilful murder

of his wife. He was brought to trial and found

guilty and sentenced to death.

Dr Philip Cross was hanged at Cork Gaol on

the Morning of Wednesday January 11th 1888

pleading his innocence and denying he

murdered his wife by administering poison

to her. It was reported that he ‘walked erect

without faltering’ to the gallows. When the

noose was adjusted around his neck he turned

to face the clergyman who was reading the

service for the dead. He said nothing to the

hangman, whom he classed as his social

inferior, and when the bolt was drawn at a

few minutes past eight, death appeared to be

instantaneous. At shortly after 8.00 am the

reporters were admitted and at 9.30 am the

inquest was opened. The inquest was

complicated by some technicalities and the

hangman was called to give evidence but he

had already returned to England. The inquest

was adjourned to enable his to return but he

refused.

The inquest on Dr Philip Henry Eustace Cross

therefore remains technically adjourned to this

day and he is therefore not officially dead –

yet.

Cork Gaol where Dr Cross was executed

£2.50ISSN 1470-0417

Murders, Ghosts and Bodysnatchers

The Darker Side of Belfast’s HistoryEvery Sunday the Glenravel Project conduct a fascinating tour which

explores the darker side of Belfast’s history. The city centre tour meets

at St Anne’s Cathedral and ends at Castle Junction where all the horrific

executions took place and where we will look at the gory details behind

a few of them. Before that we will tell a few of the ghost stories from that

area such as the tragedy which occurred in the Lucifer Match Factory

and Smithfield Mill before moving on to the old Victorian red light district

and exploring what life was really like there. We will look at the popular

bar room activity where bets were taken on killing rats with bare teeth

as well as some of the ‘dreadful’ crimes which saw some of the areas

residents being transported. There will be more murder stories as well

as the sad ghost story telling the fate of the Five Mary’s.

We will visit Academy Street where the lodgings of most of Belfast’s

bodysnatchers were situated. We will hear the tales of how they robbed

the local graveyards of corpses and why they tore the teeth from the

heads. We will then cross to the site of the infamous Hundon’s Entry

which was so notorious even the police refused to go in.

The total cost is £10 per person and will include

a booklet as well as a fascinating DVD looking

at the darker side of Belfast’s history. To secure

your place you can book online at

www.toursofbelfast.com or simply meet outside

St Anne's Cathedral any Sunday night at

6.30pm

Documents

Belfast Magazine 71