- Peter Barnes (Irish republican)
Peter Barnes (c. 1907–
February 7 ,1940 ) was a member of theIrish Republican Army (IRA) and, along with James McCormack (or James Richards), participated theCoventry Explosion of 1939 which killed five people onAugust 25 ,1939 . One of many suspected members detained by authorities thought to be involved in the bombing, although he and McCormack had admitted to constructing the bomb which was intended to be used to destroy a power station, they claimed not to be involved in planting the bomb. [cite book | last = Anderson | first = Brendan | authorlink = | title = Joe Cahill: A Life in the IRA | publisher = O'Brien Press | date = 2002 | pages = p. 29 | doi = | isbn = 0-86278-836-6]Seán MacBride , a former Chief-of-Staff for the IRA and Irish barrister attempted to secure their release claiming they were being illegally held without a writ ofhabeas corpus . [Coogan, Tim Pat. "On the Blanket: The Inside Story of the IRA Prisoners' "Dirty" Protest". New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002. ISBN 0-312-29513-8 (pg. 38)] However, charged with murder along with McCormack, Brigid O'Hara, Joseph and Mary Hewitt on December 12, all five pleaded not guilty before the court atBirmingham Assizes ["Five Charged with Murder by Bomb". Irish Press. 12 Dec 1939] (both Brigid O'Hara and Brigid O'Hara issued statements between August 28 and September 4 toScotland Yard and Birmingham police denying any knowledge of the bombings ["Bomb Murder Charge. Belfast Woman's Statement Read". Irish Press. 13 Dec 1939] and later provided evidence for the prosecution). ["Accused Man's Story in Bomb Murder Trial". Irish Press. 13 Dec 1939] Found guilty of murder of December 15, Barnes and McCormack were later hanged atWinson Green Prison inBirmingham onFebruary 7 ,1940 . [Tarpey, Marie Veronica. "The Role of Joseph McGarrity in the Struggle for Irish Independence". New York: St. John's University, 1969. (pg. 331)] Their remains were evenually flown back toDublin onJuly 4 .Their trial and execution resulted in a massive public outcry in Ireland against
Neville Chamberlain and theBritish Government asPeadar O'Donnell and other prominent Irish writers signed a petition campaigning for lieniency towards the condemned men. [Ó Drisceoil, Donal. "Peadar O'Donnell". Cork: Cork University Press, 2001. ISBN 1-85918-310-7 (pg. 107)]Further reading
*Fairfield, Letitia. "Trial of Peter Barnes and others: the I.R.A. Coventry explosion of 1939". William Hodge & Co., Ltd. 1953. ISBN 1-56169-184-4
*"Ireland's Latest Marytrs, Peter Barnes and James McCormack 'Richards'". Irish World. 02 Mar 1940References
External links
*cite news
author=
title="Ultimate Cause"
date=1940-02-19
work=Time Magazine
url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,763505,00.html
accessdate=2008-08-10
* [http://www.nationalarchives.ie/search/index.php?browse=true&category=1&subcategory=9&offset=5210&browseresults=true Irish Press news accounts of the Coventry Explosion trial at NationalArchives.ie]
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