A little over ten years ago, a group of four local men formed a committee to ‘do something’ with the research papers of the late school principal, Michael O’Donohoe.
By Janet Murphy
They weren’t quite sure what the ‘something’ would be, but were confident that something could and should be done with them.
The men, Johnnie Roche, Tomo Burke, the late Colm Kirwan and John Reidy (chairman, treasurer, secretary and PRO respectively) began a fundraising campaign and in 2014, they recruited former Muckross House Library archivist Janet Murphy to undertake the work.
The Michael O’Donohoe Collection
Two years on, the Michael O’Donohoe Collection was catalogued and bound, with many of Michael’s original papers, made available to the public on a newly launched website.
Job done, but not quite. Along the way the project acquired additional material locally, nationally and internationally, which formed much of the content of a subsequent catalogue, The Castleisland Collection.
One particular article attracted the attention of a London based production company researching for a new documentary called Murder Mystery and My Family. John Twiss of Castleisland was just the material they were looking for: unsafe historical convictions. It was 2017: the following year, the story of the trial and conviction of John Twiss featured on the new BBC1 programme – with a follow up in 2019.
Murder Mystery and My Family
The conviction of John Twiss was found to be unsafe and the committee decided to present the case to the Department of Justice for a Posthumous Pardon. Application was made in November 2018 and one year on, the producers of Murder Mystery and My Family expressed interest in another local case researched by the project team, that of Sylvester Poff and James Barrett. Filming took place in Dromultan and Cork City in August 2020.
Shortly before this, the committee met to discuss a new name for the project. A show of hands endorsed Tommy Martin’s suggestion of ‘Castleisland District Heritage,’ hands which included those of Colm Kirwan, whose understated hard work sourcing funds and masterful way of steering meetings was greatly valued. It was to be the last meeting attended by Colm, who passed away so unexpectedly on 7 July 2020.
Graphics and Social Media
Brosna man Noel Nash joined the team in April 2021 to take over graphics and social media and a few months later, the Poff and Barrett convictions were screened on Murder Mystery and My Family. Once again, their convictions were found unsafe. It would be a busy year: in December, in the midst of COVID-19, the Posthumous Pardon of John Twiss was signed by President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin, the same day as which application was made to the Department of Justice for the Posthumous Pardons of Poff and Barrett.
Such applications are rare, relying heavily on primary sources. John Twiss, Sylvester Poff and James Barrett owe much to the diligence of nineteenth century newsmen who took down every word at their trials and published it.
Department of Justice Precedent
Indeed their cases appear to have helped set a precedent for the Department of Justice to develop the process of applications of this sort.
On 30 October 2024, after a three year wait, Sylvester Poff and James Barrett were Posthumously Pardoned by President Michael D Higgins at the Áras an Uachtaráin before the descendants of both men. It was an intimate group, but representative of the extended families looking on with pride and relief from all over the world.
Tomo Burke, of a generation old enough to comprehend what it meant to live in a small community with the burden of injustice informing your family history, and the stain of murder tainting your environment, stood proudly before the president as with the sweep of his pen, he consigned that burden to where it properly belonged, the annals of the British government of Ireland in the nineteenth century.
“I have a bit of national pride today,” said Tomo, “the first in a long time.”
Journalist Gordon Revington, who has followed the cases closely, said: “Judicial execution is wrongful – always, the fact that Twiss, Poff and Barrett should have suffered this fate is something that aggravates me.
No Such Thing as Restorative Justice
“There really is no such thing as restorative justice, but at least there are now many thousands of people who have been relieved of the burden and terror of having convicted murderers among their forebears.”
A tribute is due to Minister Brendan Griffin who in a strange and timely twist, takes his leave of politics this week. Minister Griffin greatly assisted the progress of both applications from start to finish and was proud to be present at the ceremonies of all three Pardons.
A ten-year celebration is imminent, and copies of the three Posthumous Pardons will be on prominent display.
Castleisland, once regarded as the murder capital of Ireland, has good cause to celebrate.
Murders of Browne and Donovan Unsolved
However, as a line is drawn under the tragedies of Twiss, Poff and Barrett, it should be remembered that the murders of two innocent men, James Donovan, Glenlara and Thomas Browne of Dromultan, remain unsolved. The suffering of their descendants is unchanged.
As far as local history is concerned, there is no end in sight. Castleisland District Heritage has continued to acquire collections of local material including the Castleisland Presentation Convent, Con Houlihan, Timothy Murphy and Moss Tommy Reidy, and a new website will be launched very shortly.
With Generous Support …
The life blood of the project remains the generous support within the community and in this respect, Margaret O’Connor of Craggeen Employment Ltd and Donie and Noreen Ring, Castleisland are sincerely acknowledged with the utmost gratitude.
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