Irish National Invincibles
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Irish National Invincibles usually known as "the Invincibles" was largely composed of former Irish Republican Brotherhood members operating independently of the IRB.
They planned to kill the Permanent Under Secretary at the Irish Office Thomas Henry Burke and it was Chief Secretary for Ireland Lord Frederick Cavendish's misfortune that he was walking with Burke when the assassins struck in Phoenix Park Dublin at 17:30 Saturday May 6, 1882, in what was to be known as the Phoenix Park Murders.
The Invincibles targeted Burke because he was an Irish Catholic, who had been working for the British Establishment in a prominent position for many years; and was in their eyes a traitor.
The assassinations in the park were initiated by Joe Brady knifing the Permanent Under Secretary Thomas Burke, followed in short order by Tim Kelly, who knifed Lord Frederick. The British press expressed the outrage felt by many and demanded that the Phoenix Park Murderers be brought to justice.
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 hanged in Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin between May 14th and June 4th, 1883. Others were sentenced to serve long prison terms.
One of the informers, James Carey, was shot dead on board the 'Melrose Castle' off Cape Town, South Africa, on July 29 1883, by Donegal-man Patrick O Donnell ; he was caught and escorted back to Ireland, where he was executed on December 17 1883.
External links
- The Shadow of the Gunman (http://lark.phoblacht.net/shadowgunman.html)
- The Phoenix Park Murders (http://members.rogers.com/radfordr/1875e.html)