On This Day / June 8, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19210608
Reference Date
19210608
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 8th June 1921, two farmers were murdered in South Armagh, three executions took place in Mountjoy Prison and Joseph Devlin reopened a Bangor holiday hostel. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
South Armagh Murders | On This Day – 8th June 1921
A COUPLE of terrible murders were perpetrated in the Camlough district of South Armagh yesterday morning, the victims being two respectable farmers named James Smith (45) of Keggall and Hugh O’Hanlon (54) of Eshwary who in his time was a well-known long distance runner.
O’Hanlon got a threatening letter within the past month and was given permission to carry a firearm for self-protection.
About ten o’clock on Monday the homestead of O’Hanlon was visited by about eight or more masked men.
They forced their way inside and took the revolver and ammunition with which O’Hanlon had been provided for his protection.
When O’Hanlon came along the road later, he was shot dead.
He was a cousin of Mr H J McConville, JP, chairman of Newry Urban Council, and a brother of Constable Lynch, RIC who was recently ambushed at Greenore.
The home of James Smith of Keggall, overlooking Camlough Lake, was visited by men who described themselves as police. He was hauled out on to the street and shot dead.
More Dublin Hangings
THREE more executions took place at Mountjoy Prison, Dublin yesterday. The men executed were Mr Patrick Maher, Knocklong, County Limerick and Mr Edward Foley, chairman of Fermoy Board of Guardians.
Both these young Irishmen protested their innocence to the last. They were condemned by Courtmartial to death in connection with the fatal shooting of Sergeant Wallace at Knocklong [1919].
The third execution was that of an Englishman, William Mitchell, serving in the RIC for murder.
Devlin’s Holiday Hostel Survives Attack
IN BANGOR yesterday a function marked the second formal opening of ‘The Grand’ Holiday hostel for Belfast working girls.
The hostel – the idea of the West Belfast MP, Mr Joseph Devlin – was realised last year when the building was opened to guests. Women and girls flocked to it in crowds.
Unfortunately the [sectarian] outbreak last July, when a deliberate attempt was made to burn it down, meant that the Hostel had to be closed.
Fr Patrick Scally, pastor of Bangor, remarked that, instead of taking a much-needed holiday himself after the recent strenuous election campaign, Mr Devlin was vigorously pushing on the good work of giving a holiday to the hard-toiled women and girls of the city.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: On the very day that Craig announced his cabinet, two men were assassinated in South Armagh, apparently by the IRA, while Republicans continued to be executed in the south.
Meanwhile, Joe Devlin reopened his seaside hostel for Belfast’s mill-girls following a sectarian attack on the building the previous summer.
‘Wee Joe’ had raised the money through his personal generosity and the support of friends.)
On This Day – 8th June 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210608
Reference Date
19210608
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 8th June 1921, two farmers were murdered in South Armagh, three executions took place in Mountjoy Prison and Joseph Devlin reopened a Bangor holiday hostel. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
South Armagh Murders | On This Day – 8th June 1921
A COUPLE of terrible murders were perpetrated in the Camlough district of South Armagh yesterday morning, the victims being two respectable farmers named James Smith (45) of Keggall and Hugh O’Hanlon (54) of Eshwary who in his time was a well-known long distance runner.
O’Hanlon got a threatening letter within the past month and was given permission to carry a firearm for self-protection.
About ten o’clock on Monday the homestead of O’Hanlon was visited by about eight or more masked men.
They forced their way inside and took the revolver and ammunition with which O’Hanlon had been provided for his protection.
When O’Hanlon came along the road later, he was shot dead.
He was a cousin of Mr H J McConville, JP, chairman of Newry Urban Council, and a brother of Constable Lynch, RIC who was recently ambushed at Greenore.
The home of James Smith of Keggall, overlooking Camlough Lake, was visited by men who described themselves as police. He was hauled out on to the street and shot dead.
More Dublin Hangings
THREE more executions took place at Mountjoy Prison, Dublin yesterday. The men executed were Mr Patrick Maher, Knocklong, County Limerick and Mr Edward Foley, chairman of Fermoy Board of Guardians.
Both these young Irishmen protested their innocence to the last. They were condemned by Courtmartial to death in connection with the fatal shooting of Sergeant Wallace at Knocklong [1919].
The third execution was that of an Englishman, William Mitchell, serving in the RIC for murder.
Devlin’s Holiday Hostel Survives Attack
IN BANGOR yesterday a function marked the second formal opening of ‘The Grand’ Holiday hostel for Belfast working girls.
The hostel – the idea of the West Belfast MP, Mr Joseph Devlin – was realised last year when the building was opened to guests. Women and girls flocked to it in crowds.
Unfortunately the [sectarian] outbreak last July, when a deliberate attempt was made to burn it down, meant that the Hostel had to be closed.
Fr Patrick Scally, pastor of Bangor, remarked that, instead of taking a much-needed holiday himself after the recent strenuous election campaign, Mr Devlin was vigorously pushing on the good work of giving a holiday to the hard-toiled women and girls of the city.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: On the very day that Craig announced his cabinet, two men were assassinated in South Armagh, apparently by the IRA, while Republicans continued to be executed in the south.
Meanwhile, Joe Devlin reopened his seaside hostel for Belfast’s mill-girls following a sectarian attack on the building the previous summer.
‘Wee Joe’ had raised the money through his personal generosity and the support of friends.)
On This Day – 8th June 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210608
Reference Date
June 8, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 8th June 1921, two farmers were murdered in South Armagh, three executions took place in Mountjoy Prison and Joseph Devlin reopened a Bangor holiday hostel. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
South Armagh Murders | On This Day – 8th June 1921
A COUPLE of terrible murders were perpetrated in the Camlough district of South Armagh yesterday morning, the victims being two respectable farmers named James Smith (45) of Keggall and Hugh O’Hanlon (54) of Eshwary who in his time was a well-known long distance runner.
O’Hanlon got a threatening letter within the past month and was given permission to carry a firearm for self-protection.
About ten o’clock on Monday the homestead of O’Hanlon was visited by about eight or more masked men.
They forced their way inside and took the revolver and ammunition with which O’Hanlon had been provided for his protection.
When O’Hanlon came along the road later, he was shot dead.
He was a cousin of Mr H J McConville, JP, chairman of Newry Urban Council, and a brother of Constable Lynch, RIC who was recently ambushed at Greenore.
The home of James Smith of Keggall, overlooking Camlough Lake, was visited by men who described themselves as police. He was hauled out on to the street and shot dead.
More Dublin Hangings
THREE more executions took place at Mountjoy Prison, Dublin yesterday. The men executed were Mr Patrick Maher, Knocklong, County Limerick and Mr Edward Foley, chairman of Fermoy Board of Guardians.
Both these young Irishmen protested their innocence to the last. They were condemned by Courtmartial to death in connection with the fatal shooting of Sergeant Wallace at Knocklong [1919].
The third execution was that of an Englishman, William Mitchell, serving in the RIC for murder.
Devlin’s Holiday Hostel Survives Attack
IN BANGOR yesterday a function marked the second formal opening of ‘The Grand’ Holiday hostel for Belfast working girls.
The hostel – the idea of the West Belfast MP, Mr Joseph Devlin – was realised last year when the building was opened to guests. Women and girls flocked to it in crowds.
Unfortunately the [sectarian] outbreak last July, when a deliberate attempt was made to burn it down, meant that the Hostel had to be closed.
Fr Patrick Scally, pastor of Bangor, remarked that, instead of taking a much-needed holiday himself after the recent strenuous election campaign, Mr Devlin was vigorously pushing on the good work of giving a holiday to the hard-toiled women and girls of the city.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: On the very day that Craig announced his cabinet, two men were assassinated in South Armagh, apparently by the IRA, while Republicans continued to be executed in the south.
Meanwhile, Joe Devlin reopened his seaside hostel for Belfast’s mill-girls following a sectarian attack on the building the previous summer.
‘Wee Joe’ had raised the money through his personal generosity and the support of friends.)
On This Day – 8th June 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.