An Galway Execution Remembered

It was a terrible scene.

Patrick Higgins was convicted in December 1882, of the murder of Joseph and John Huddy, and he was executed in Galway gaol on the 15th of January, 1883.  The executioner was Marwood.  On the 17th Thomas Higgins and Michael Flynn were also executed for same crime. Higgins was a man of 26 and a fine looking fellow.  At the trial in Dublin court house before Mr. Justice O’Brien Higgins said he never fired a shot and that Kerrigan swore falsely.  Kerrigan who spoke in Irish said he saw three persons follow Huddy and they were Michael Flyyn, Pat Higgins and Tom Higgins. Kerrigan’s wife and son corroborated the evidence.  Mr Charles Hamilton Teeling defended the unfortunate men and referred to the fact that Kerrigan was nine months in gaol and under notice of eviction himself.  The Huddy’s were baliffs of Lord Ardilaun and when killed their bodies were carried out into the middle of Lough Mask and their bodies thrown into it in sacks.  The unfortunate man Higgins spoke only Irish and did not know the evidence and when the verdict was conveyed to him by the interpreter he raised his hands and going on his knees said in Irish “Welcome be the will of God.”  It was a terrible scene.

Tuam Herald, 5 October 1918

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