John Callaghan (murder victim) was killed at the Fair of

Turloughmore Turloughmore ( ; ) is a village in County Galway, Ireland. The name means "the large lake," a notable feature of the area, together with the Clare River (''Abhainn an Chláir''). Turloughmore lies on the N63 national secondary road A nationa ...

, Tuesday 1 August 1843. Callaghan was a son of Michael Callaghan of

Moycullen Moycullen ( ga, Maigh Cuilinn) is a Gaeltacht village in County Galway, Ireland, about 10 km (7 mi) northwest of Galway city. It is near Lough Corrib, on the N59 road to Oughterard and Clifden, in Connemara. Moycullen is now a satel ...

. There had been some disturbances at the fair, though Callaghan was not a participant. Around seven p.m. he was standing beside Pat Nolan, a relation and a cousin, who had erected a tent for the fair, Nolan being a blacksmith. Nolan stated that

''I saw stones thrown before the firing commenced. The police were obliged to run for their lives in Qualters house; they were struck with sticks and stones and followed by the people that pursued them, but not so far as the house. Half an hour did not elapse between the stone throwning and the firing, but all fighting had ceased before the firing without my observing it, as there were no people between the police and me. n been shot... he fell on his back; he called for a drink which were the only words I heard him speak; I lifted him up, and with the assistance of some friends brought him into my tent and went for the Rev. John Burke to attend him; there were no people between the police and where deceased and I were standing; the police went into a house within eighty yards of my tent; I did not see any persons throwing stones at the house; the deceased was not engaged in any of the riots during the day, nor could he be without my knowledge, and am also certain there were no people between the police and where we were standing.''

The court found Thomkins Brew, Esq., and the police, guilty of wilful murder. However, he was never brought to trial because he was killed in a shooting shortly thereafter. A ballad entitled ”The Sorrowful Lamentation of Callaghan, Greally, (sic)and Mullen” (in An Irish Literature Reader Poetry, Prose, Drama, editors Maureen O’Rourke Murphy & James MacKillop, Syracuse University Press. Second edition 2006) describes the events of the day and subsequent trial. However it talks of several deaths and the title may refer to the other victims. There are seven verses given and the opening line is “Come, tell me, dearest mother, what makes my father stay ...”

References

* ''In Their Own Words: The Parish of

Lackagh The parish of Lackagh or Lacagh is located in County Galway, Ireland, approximately halfway between Galway city and Tuam (east of a line between these two towns). It is bounded by the parishes of Athenry, Abbeyknockmoy, Corofin, Annaghdown an ...

and its People'', ed. Liz Blackmore, John Cronin, Donal Ferrie and Brid Higgins,

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...

, 2001. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Callaghan (murder victim), John People from Moycullen People murdered in Ireland 19th-century Irish people 1843 murders in the United Kingdom 1840s murders in Ireland Murder victims from County Galway