On This Day / February 15, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19210215
Reference Date
19210215
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 15th February 1921, Derry courts awarded compensation to civilians maimed or killed during the city’s violent disturbances, exposing sectarian targeting and the long-term human cost of the 1920–21 unrest. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Derry’s Tragic Victims | On This Day – 15th February 1921
AT Derry Recorder’s Court yesterday, Edward Doherty of Friel’s Terrace, who was shot through the leg in Longtower Street last June and had to have his leg amputated, was awarded £450.
Mr McGuckin [BL] said the applicant served through the Boer War and Great War.
His Honour awarded £300 to Michael O’Kane in respect of the death of his son who was shot dead during the June disturbances.
The Judge said the deceased had been stopped by one man and asked what his religion was, and was afterwards shot.
The question arose as to whether, under such circumstances, there was unlawful assembly.
Mr McGuckin submitted that there was an arrangement among certain people at this time to stop people on the street, ask their religion and to murder those who differed from them.
His Honour agreed with that and held that, though O’Kane was murdered only by one individual, he met his death in the carrying out of this arrangement.
Shot With Own Revolver
AT the Derry Recorder’s Court before Judge Osborne, Joseph Madill, West End Park, claimed for personal injuries.
Applicant, aged 74, complained that on the morning of 21st June, when the city was in a very disturbed state, he was passing through Waterloo Place where a large crowd had collected when he saw a number of men crossing the street towards him.
Witness put his hand in his pocket. He had a revolver (for which he had a permit) and he pulled it out. The crowd then surged round him.
Witness, however, hesitated to shoot because no arms were presented at him. The crowd wrenched the revolver from him and a man fired at him at a distance of two yards, the bullet lodging in the region of the heart.
Witness then put his umbrella up and he turned to retreat towards the police barrack.
The barrack, however, was closed and he started to run. He ran into a barber’s shop but a crowd surrounded the shop and threatened to wreck it unless the shopkeeper put witness out.
He was then dragged into the street but he told the crowd he had no connection with politics and was not an Orangeman or Freemason. (Laughter) The leaders then went away.
Dr Thomas McLaughlin said the applicant had broken down in health. His Honour awarded the former gas meter reader £510 in compensation.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Around 40 civilians were killed in Derry’s short, sharp Civil War in May/June 1920 during a trial of strength between the well-armed UVF and the IRA.
Unionists resented the loss of the city to Nationalism for the first time since 1689.)
On This Day – 15th February 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210215
Reference Date
19210215
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 15th February 1921, Derry courts awarded compensation to civilians maimed or killed during the city’s violent disturbances, exposing sectarian targeting and the long-term human cost of the 1920–21 unrest. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Derry’s Tragic Victims | On This Day – 15th February 1921
AT Derry Recorder’s Court yesterday, Edward Doherty of Friel’s Terrace, who was shot through the leg in Longtower Street last June and had to have his leg amputated, was awarded £450.
Mr McGuckin [BL] said the applicant served through the Boer War and Great War.
His Honour awarded £300 to Michael O’Kane in respect of the death of his son who was shot dead during the June disturbances.
The Judge said the deceased had been stopped by one man and asked what his religion was, and was afterwards shot.
The question arose as to whether, under such circumstances, there was unlawful assembly.
Mr McGuckin submitted that there was an arrangement among certain people at this time to stop people on the street, ask their religion and to murder those who differed from them.
His Honour agreed with that and held that, though O’Kane was murdered only by one individual, he met his death in the carrying out of this arrangement.
Shot With Own Revolver
AT the Derry Recorder’s Court before Judge Osborne, Joseph Madill, West End Park, claimed for personal injuries.
Applicant, aged 74, complained that on the morning of 21st June, when the city was in a very disturbed state, he was passing through Waterloo Place where a large crowd had collected when he saw a number of men crossing the street towards him.
Witness put his hand in his pocket. He had a revolver (for which he had a permit) and he pulled it out. The crowd then surged round him.
Witness, however, hesitated to shoot because no arms were presented at him. The crowd wrenched the revolver from him and a man fired at him at a distance of two yards, the bullet lodging in the region of the heart.
Witness then put his umbrella up and he turned to retreat towards the police barrack.
The barrack, however, was closed and he started to run. He ran into a barber’s shop but a crowd surrounded the shop and threatened to wreck it unless the shopkeeper put witness out.
He was then dragged into the street but he told the crowd he had no connection with politics and was not an Orangeman or Freemason. (Laughter) The leaders then went away.
Dr Thomas McLaughlin said the applicant had broken down in health. His Honour awarded the former gas meter reader £510 in compensation.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Around 40 civilians were killed in Derry’s short, sharp Civil War in May/June 1920 during a trial of strength between the well-armed UVF and the IRA.
Unionists resented the loss of the city to Nationalism for the first time since 1689.)
On This Day – 15th February 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210215
Reference Date
February 15, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 15th February 1921, Derry courts awarded compensation to civilians maimed or killed during the city’s violent disturbances, exposing sectarian targeting and the long-term human cost of the 1920–21 unrest. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Derry’s Tragic Victims | On This Day – 15th February 1921
AT Derry Recorder’s Court yesterday, Edward Doherty of Friel’s Terrace, who was shot through the leg in Longtower Street last June and had to have his leg amputated, was awarded £450.
Mr McGuckin [BL] said the applicant served through the Boer War and Great War.
His Honour awarded £300 to Michael O’Kane in respect of the death of his son who was shot dead during the June disturbances.
The Judge said the deceased had been stopped by one man and asked what his religion was, and was afterwards shot.
The question arose as to whether, under such circumstances, there was unlawful assembly.
Mr McGuckin submitted that there was an arrangement among certain people at this time to stop people on the street, ask their religion and to murder those who differed from them.
His Honour agreed with that and held that, though O’Kane was murdered only by one individual, he met his death in the carrying out of this arrangement.
Shot With Own Revolver
AT the Derry Recorder’s Court before Judge Osborne, Joseph Madill, West End Park, claimed for personal injuries.
Applicant, aged 74, complained that on the morning of 21st June, when the city was in a very disturbed state, he was passing through Waterloo Place where a large crowd had collected when he saw a number of men crossing the street towards him.
Witness put his hand in his pocket. He had a revolver (for which he had a permit) and he pulled it out. The crowd then surged round him.
Witness, however, hesitated to shoot because no arms were presented at him. The crowd wrenched the revolver from him and a man fired at him at a distance of two yards, the bullet lodging in the region of the heart.
Witness then put his umbrella up and he turned to retreat towards the police barrack.
The barrack, however, was closed and he started to run. He ran into a barber’s shop but a crowd surrounded the shop and threatened to wreck it unless the shopkeeper put witness out.
He was then dragged into the street but he told the crowd he had no connection with politics and was not an Orangeman or Freemason. (Laughter) The leaders then went away.
Dr Thomas McLaughlin said the applicant had broken down in health. His Honour awarded the former gas meter reader £510 in compensation.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Around 40 civilians were killed in Derry’s short, sharp Civil War in May/June 1920 during a trial of strength between the well-armed UVF and the IRA.
Unionists resented the loss of the city to Nationalism for the first time since 1689.)
On This Day – 15th 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.