Phoenix Park Murders

The term Phoenix Park MurdersMoloney (2006)] [Corfe (1968)] is used to refer to the assassination in 1882 of Thomas Henry Burke and the newly appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland, Lord Frederick Cavendish by members of an organisation called the "Irish National Invincibles".

On 6 May 1882, the most senior Irish civil servant, the Permanent Undersecretary, Thomas Henry Burke and the newly appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland, Lord Frederick Cavendish – who was also the nephew of Prime Minister William Gladstone – were stabbed to death as they walked though the Phoenix Park in Dublin en route to the Viceregal Lodge, the "out of season" residence of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Cavendish had only arrived in Ireland the day he was murdered. Thomas Myles, resident surgeon at the nearby Dr Steevens' Hospital, was summoned to render medical assistance to the victims.Moloney (2006), p. 27] The then Lord Lieutenant, Lord Spencer, described suddenly hearing screams, before witnessing a man running to the Lodge grounds shouting "Lord Frederick Cavendish and Mr. Burke are killed."Moloney (2006), p. 33] Responsibility for the assassinations was claimed by a small hitherto unheard-of Republican organisation called the "Irish National Invincibles".

The hunt for the perpetrators was led by Superintendent John Mallon, a Catholic who came from Armagh. Mallon had a pretty shrewd idea of who was involved. He suspected a number of former Fenian activists. A large number of suspects were arrested and kept in prison by claiming they were connected with other crimes. By playing off one suspect against another Mallon got several of them to reveal what they knew.Moloney (2006), p. 146 et passim]

The Invincibles' leader, James Carey, and Michael Kavanagh agreed to testify against the others. Joe Brady, Michael Fagan, Thomas Caffrey, Dan Curley and Tim Kelly were conviced of the murderMoloney (2006), p. 187 et passim] and were hanged by William Marwood in Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin between 14 May and 4 June, 1883. Others were sentenced to serve long prison terms.

Charles Stewart Parnell made a speech condemning the murders in 1882. This increased his already huge popularity in both Britain and Ireland. He had just enabled some reforms under the Kilmainham Treaty four days before the murders. Parnell's reputation increased in Ireland, being seen as a more moderate reformer who would never excuse such tactics.Lyons (1977), p. 209-211]

However, Parnell's policy of allying his party to Gladstone's Liberal Party to enable Home Rule was also ultimately defeated by the murders. Gladstone's Minister Lord Hartington was the elder brother of Lord Frederick Cavendish. Saddened and infuriated by the manner of his brother's early death, Hartington split with Gladstone on the Home Rule billsLyons (1977), p. 345] of 1886 and 1893 and led the breakaway Liberal Unionist Association which allied itself to Lord Salisbury's conservative governments. This delayed Home Rule by 28 years, until the Third Irish Home Rule Bill which was passed technically in 1914, but which was never effected.

References and sources

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*cite book |last = Moloney |first = Senan |title = The Phoenix Murders: Conspiracy, Betrayal and Retribution |year= 2006 | publisher = Mercier Press |location = Dublin |id = ISBN 1-85635-511-X
*cite book | last = Corfe | first = Tom | title = The Phoenix Park murders:; conflict, compromise and tragedy in Ireland, 1879 - 1882 | publisher = Hodder & Stoughton | year = 1968 | id = ISBN 0-340-02624-3
*cite book |last =Lyons |first =F. S. L.|year= 1977|title =Charles Stewart Parnell |publisher= Fontana|location= Great Britain|id= ISBN 0 00635324 X