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Margaret and Laurence Shiel (also given
as Shiels) |
29 year old Margaret Shiel,
known as Peggy, was executed with her brother, 24 year old Lawrence at Tullamore Gaol in
The Shiels lived with their father, Patrick, at Kilcroe on a forty acre farm there. There as a long running feud between the two families over the cutting of peat on a disputed part of their adjoining lands.
Patrick Dunne lived with his mother at Toger in Philipstown, King’s
County (now Daingean in
At around 7.30 p.m., he was found lying in a drain beside the road by a
labourer named Thomas Russell. He was
still alive and moaning in pain from two bullet wounds, but able to tell
Russell that he had been shot with a pistol by Peggy. He was taken into Philipstown
and treated by Dr. Clarke. He gave the
police a dying declaration, stating “I met Peggy Shiel
and Laurence Shiel on the road, they bid me goodnight
and then Peggy fired a shot at me.”
Dunne died later that night.
Margaret was arrested at her home but
Laurence had fled. He was arrested at
Queenstown trying to board a ship bound for
The Shiels were
tried before Chief Justice Monahan at Tullamore Assizes
on the 31st of March 1870. Two witnesses
to the murder testified as did Constable Haslett. He had attended the incident and found the
revolver which he was able to identify as belonging to Laurence, who had had it
repaired by the local blacksmith the previous day.
Two other witnesses testified that they had heard Margaret make threats against
Dunne. Margaret was reputed to have said
“If no one will shoot the scoundrel I’ll do it myself!” She also said “I will get him shot for money
or I will do it myself. I will get him
shot for £10.” Patrick Shiels testified in his children’s defense
and stated that Margaret had not left the farm that evening and that he did not
allow firearms on his property.
The trial lasted two days, the jury preferring the prosecution’s case.
An appeal was lodged on the spurious basis that Patrick’s dying declaration should not have been admitted as evidence as he did not know he was dying when he made it. This was dismissed. Several Catholic clergymen went to see the Lord Lieutenant to petition for a commutation of the death sentences.
In Tullamore Gaol the brother and sister were attended daily by the Catholic Chaplain, the Rev. Mr. Leonard. Neither one confessed as such but they did admit the justice of their sentence.
At 7.00 a.m. on the morning of execution the pair were taken to the prison chapel to celebrate mass, conducted by the Rev. Leonard and three other Catholic priests. After mass they were taken to separate rooms to be pinioned.
Margaret wore a brown jacket and a black
silk skirt for her execution and had put her hair up in a net. It is reported that she walked with a firm
step to the gallows set up in a yard at the back of the gaol. She placed herself under the beam and motioned
Laurence to come up beside her. They
prayed with the four clergymen. At 8.00
a.m. the drop fell and both were reported to have died without a struggle. After they were suspended the prison bell was
tolled and the black flag flown to signify that the executions had been carried
out. It was reported that just a dozen
persons had gathered outside the prison.
The formal inquest was held and the bodies interred within the prison
later that day.
These were the first hangings in
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