On This Day / February 2, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19210202
Reference Date
19210202
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 2nd February 1921, the execution of Cornelius Murphy under martial law intensified outrage in Cork, while further reprieves, editorial condemnation and a fatal shooting of an RIC officer’s wife deepened alarm. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Execution in Cork | On This Day – 2nd February 1921
THE following official account was issued from Victoria Barracks, Cork: Cornelius Murphy of Rathmore, County Kerry, farmer was tried by a Military Court for an offence against Martial Law – of being in improper possession of arms and ammunition, namely a loaded revolver.
The Court found Murphy guilty and sentenced him to suffer death by being shot. The sentence was duly confirmed by the General Officer Commanding in Chief in Ireland [General Sir Nevil Macready]. The sentenced was duly executed at 8 a.m. on February 1st 1921.
Meanwhile, the Lord Lieutenant has agreed to further respite the sentence of death by hanging imposed on Joseph Murphy, convicted of the murder of Private Squibbs in Cork.
Editorial
JOSEPH Murphy of Cork, the man who is innocent of any connection with the crime for which he lies under a sentence of death, been respited again – for the fourth time.
It would, ordinarily, be impossible to credit the authorities with the intention of hanging this man after the expression of opinion unanimously delivered by the otherwise powerless Court of King’s Bench.
But who will venture to prophesy the ultimate result under existing conditions?
A tragic event of real significance and importance took place in Cork yesterday.
Some days ago a man named Cornelius Murphy from Rathmore, County Kerry was convicted by a court martial of ‘having arms in his possession’ within an area proclaimed under Martial Law.
He was shot yesterday – the first infliction of ‘capital punishment’ under such circumstances – perhaps the first execution officially carried out for the crime of ‘being in possession of arms’ since 1798.
It was a sinister happening: millions of people will think of Larne [ the UVF gun-running 1914] when they read of this man’s death.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Con Murphy was the first IRA man executed for carrying arms. Within weeks multiple executions had taken place in Dublin and Cork.
These were held under the draconian Restoration of Order in Ireland Act (1920). Under the Act coroners’ inquests were suppressed.
Already 33 inquests had indicted either the military or the police for murder. The ROIA formed the basis of the Special Powers Act in the North from 1922 until 1972.)
DI Wounded, Wife Shot Dead
ABOUT 10 p.m. on Monday night, Captain King, County Inspector RIC of Mallow [County Cork] and his wife were fired on near Mallow railway station. Mrs King was fatally wounded and Captain King wounded.
On This Day – 2nd February 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210202
Reference Date
19210202
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 2nd February 1921, the execution of Cornelius Murphy under martial law intensified outrage in Cork, while further reprieves, editorial condemnation and a fatal shooting of an RIC officer’s wife deepened alarm. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Execution in Cork | On This Day – 2nd February 1921
THE following official account was issued from Victoria Barracks, Cork: Cornelius Murphy of Rathmore, County Kerry, farmer was tried by a Military Court for an offence against Martial Law – of being in improper possession of arms and ammunition, namely a loaded revolver.
The Court found Murphy guilty and sentenced him to suffer death by being shot. The sentence was duly confirmed by the General Officer Commanding in Chief in Ireland [General Sir Nevil Macready]. The sentenced was duly executed at 8 a.m. on February 1st 1921.
Meanwhile, the Lord Lieutenant has agreed to further respite the sentence of death by hanging imposed on Joseph Murphy, convicted of the murder of Private Squibbs in Cork.
Editorial
JOSEPH Murphy of Cork, the man who is innocent of any connection with the crime for which he lies under a sentence of death, been respited again – for the fourth time.
It would, ordinarily, be impossible to credit the authorities with the intention of hanging this man after the expression of opinion unanimously delivered by the otherwise powerless Court of King’s Bench.
But who will venture to prophesy the ultimate result under existing conditions?
A tragic event of real significance and importance took place in Cork yesterday.
Some days ago a man named Cornelius Murphy from Rathmore, County Kerry was convicted by a court martial of ‘having arms in his possession’ within an area proclaimed under Martial Law.
He was shot yesterday – the first infliction of ‘capital punishment’ under such circumstances – perhaps the first execution officially carried out for the crime of ‘being in possession of arms’ since 1798.
It was a sinister happening: millions of people will think of Larne [ the UVF gun-running 1914] when they read of this man’s death.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Con Murphy was the first IRA man executed for carrying arms. Within weeks multiple executions had taken place in Dublin and Cork.
These were held under the draconian Restoration of Order in Ireland Act (1920). Under the Act coroners’ inquests were suppressed.
Already 33 inquests had indicted either the military or the police for murder. The ROIA formed the basis of the Special Powers Act in the North from 1922 until 1972.)
DI Wounded, Wife Shot Dead
ABOUT 10 p.m. on Monday night, Captain King, County Inspector RIC of Mallow [County Cork] and his wife were fired on near Mallow railway station. Mrs King was fatally wounded and Captain King wounded.
On This Day – 2nd February 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210202
Reference Date
February 2, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 2nd February 1921, the execution of Cornelius Murphy under martial law intensified outrage in Cork, while further reprieves, editorial condemnation and a fatal shooting of an RIC officer’s wife deepened alarm. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Execution in Cork | On This Day – 2nd February 1921
THE following official account was issued from Victoria Barracks, Cork: Cornelius Murphy of Rathmore, County Kerry, farmer was tried by a Military Court for an offence against Martial Law – of being in improper possession of arms and ammunition, namely a loaded revolver.
The Court found Murphy guilty and sentenced him to suffer death by being shot. The sentence was duly confirmed by the General Officer Commanding in Chief in Ireland [General Sir Nevil Macready]. The sentenced was duly executed at 8 a.m. on February 1st 1921.
Meanwhile, the Lord Lieutenant has agreed to further respite the sentence of death by hanging imposed on Joseph Murphy, convicted of the murder of Private Squibbs in Cork.
Editorial
JOSEPH Murphy of Cork, the man who is innocent of any connection with the crime for which he lies under a sentence of death, been respited again – for the fourth time.
It would, ordinarily, be impossible to credit the authorities with the intention of hanging this man after the expression of opinion unanimously delivered by the otherwise powerless Court of King’s Bench.
But who will venture to prophesy the ultimate result under existing conditions?
A tragic event of real significance and importance took place in Cork yesterday.
Some days ago a man named Cornelius Murphy from Rathmore, County Kerry was convicted by a court martial of ‘having arms in his possession’ within an area proclaimed under Martial Law.
He was shot yesterday – the first infliction of ‘capital punishment’ under such circumstances – perhaps the first execution officially carried out for the crime of ‘being in possession of arms’ since 1798.
It was a sinister happening: millions of people will think of Larne [ the UVF gun-running 1914] when they read of this man’s death.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Con Murphy was the first IRA man executed for carrying arms. Within weeks multiple executions had taken place in Dublin and Cork.
These were held under the draconian Restoration of Order in Ireland Act (1920). Under the Act coroners’ inquests were suppressed.
Already 33 inquests had indicted either the military or the police for murder. The ROIA formed the basis of the Special Powers Act in the North from 1922 until 1972.)
DI Wounded, Wife Shot Dead
ABOUT 10 p.m. on Monday night, Captain King, County Inspector RIC of Mallow [County Cork] and his wife were fired on near Mallow railway station. Mrs King was fatally wounded and Captain King wounded.
On This Day – 2nd February 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
On This Day is a daily column in the Irish News looking back either 50 or 100 years. The column was compiled by Dr Éamon Phoenix from the mid 1980s until autumn, 2022. The Foundation is very grateful to the Irish News for giving permission to reproduce Eamon’s columns. Funding gratefully received from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Magill Trust.
* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.