Famous O'Briens in History
| MANCHESTER MARTYRS, the (ALLEN, LARKIN AND O'BRIEN) |
| On 18 September 1867 a police van conveying two Finian prisoners, Col. Kelly and Capt. Deasy, to Manchester jail was attacked by armed men. The prisoners were released and made good their escape. In the scuffle Sergeant Charles Brett was shot and killed. William Philip Allen, Michael Larkin and "William Gould"(Michael O'Brien) were arrested, with others, and tried in October before a special commission in Manchester. All three pleaded not guilty. Allen said he was born and reared in Bandon, Co. Cork; O'brien said he was born in Cork and was a citizen of the United States. All three were condemned to death and publicly hanged at Manchester Jail on 23 November 1867. Bitter pulic feelings was arroused in Ireland by their conviction on what many regarded as flimsy evidence. the song "God Save Ireland" became widely popular. |
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