Executions in Northern Ireland in the 20th century

Total number of executions in Northern Ireland during the 20th century : 16.

Date	Name	Prison	Victim(s)	Hangman
11/01/1901	William Woods	Belfast	Bridget McGivern	Thomas Scott
05/01/1904	Joseph Moran	Londonderry	Rose Ann McCann	William Billington
22/12/1904	Joseph Fee	Armagh	John Flanagan	Henry Pierrepoint
20/08/1908	John Berryman	Londonderry	William Berryman, Jean Berryman	Henry Pierrepoint
19/08/1909	Richard Justin	Belfast	Annie Thompson	Henry Pierrepoint
17/08/1922	Simon McGeown	Belfast	Margaret (Maggie) Fullerton	John Ellis
08/02/1923	William Rooney	Londonderry	Lily Johnston	William Willis
08/05/1924	Michael Pratley	Belfast	Nelson Leech	William Willis
08/08/1928	William Smiley	Belfast	Margaret Macauley, Sarah Macauley	Tom Pierrepoint
08/04/1930	Samuel Cushnan	Belfast	James McCann	Tom Pierrepoint
31/07/1931	Thomas Dornan	Belfast	Isabella Aitken, Margaret Aitken	Tom Pierrepoint
13/01/1932	Eddie Cullens	Belfast	Achmet Musa	Tom Pierrepoint
07/04/1933	Harold Courtney	Belfast	Minnie Reid	Tom Pierrepoint
02/09/1942	Thomas Joseph Williams	Belfast	Patrick Murphy	Tom Pierrepoint
25/07/1961	Samuel McLaughlin	Belfast	Nellie (Maggie) McLaughlin	Harry Allen
20/12/1961	Robert McGladdery	Belfast	Pearl Gamble	Harry Allen

All were for murder. There were 12 executions at Crumlin Road prison, Belfast, 3 at Londonderry and 1 at Armagh. (A total of 17 men were hanged at Crumlin Road prison between 1854 and 1961). Albert Browne, a member of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), was found guilty of killing a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in October 1972 for which he was sentenced to death but this was later commuted to life imprisonment. William Holden, who had killed a soldier, was the last person to receive the death sentence in Northern Ireland and his was also commuted. The death penalty was later abolished as part of the Emergency Provisions Act. Crumlin Road prison has reopened as a tourist attraction.

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For a more detailed look at capital punishment in Northern Ireland go to my friend Eamonn’s website at
http://executions.mysite.orange.co.uk/