Robert Andrew McGladdery (18 October 193520 December 1961) was the last person to be executed in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

and the

island of Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

. He was convicted of the murder of Pearl Gamble, aged 19, whom he had battered, strangled and stabbed to death on 28 January 1961 and whose body was discovered at Upper Damolly, near

Newry Newry (; ) is a City status in Ireland, city in Northern Ireland, divided by the Newry River, Clanrye river in counties County Armagh, Armagh and County Down, Down, from Belfast and from Dublin. It had a population of 26,967 in 2011. Newry ...

, County Down. It transpired the murderer and victim were distant cousins. Pearl Gamble had gone to a dance at the Henry Thomson Memorial

Orange Hall Orange Hall may refer to: ;in Ireland * Orange Institution The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protes ...

with three girlfriends. She had been seen dancing with her boyfriend and Robert McGladdery. The murder investigations led to McGladdery. When interviewed he stated to have worn a dark blue suit but other people at the dance said he wore a light-coloured one. He was put under surveillance and was discreetly seen to go to some undergrowth on 10 February 1961. The following day, the police discovered, inside a pillow case in a

septic tank A septic tank is an underground chamber made of concrete, fiberglass, or plastic through which domestic wastewater ( sewage) flows for basic sewage treatment. Settling and anaerobic digestion processes reduce solids and organics, but the treatm ...

, an overcoat, a waistcoat and a handkerchief, all of which were heavily bloodstained. McGladdery was arrested on the same day. At his trial in

Downpatrick Downpatrick () is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the Lecale peninsula, about south of Belfast. In the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the Dál Fiatach, the main ruling dynasty of Ulaid. Its cathedral is said to be the b ...

, McGladdery pleaded his innocence but was found guilty and sentenced to death on 16 October 1961. The evening before his execution he allegedly made a full confession to the murder. He was hanged, aged 26, at

Crumlin Road Gaol HMP Belfast, also known as Crumlin Road Gaol, is a former prison situated on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. Since 1996 it is the only remaining Victorian era former prison in Northern Ireland. It is colloquially known as ' ...

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

on 20 December 1961, by executioner Harry Allen. A BBC Northern Ireland dramatisation of the case, ''Last Man Hanging'', was broadcast on 8 September 2008. McGladdery was portrayed by

Michael Condron Michael Condron is a Canadian born actor from Northern Ireland. Career Michael Condron plays Griff Reynolds in Coronation Street. He is award-winning actor, born in Toronto, Canada but was raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Condron has be ...

. The murder and subsequent execution is the theme of

Eoin McNamee Eoin McNamee (b.1961) is an Irish writer from Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland who has written numerous novels and screenplays. He was awarded the Macauley Fellowship for Irish Literature in 1990. He lives in County Sligo. Career Novella ...

's 2010 novel, ''Orchid Blue''.

References

External links

Newry Journal article about the case
* {{DEFAULTSORT:McGladdery, Robert 1935 births 1961 deaths Executed people from Northern Ireland 20th-century executions by the United Kingdom Criminals from Northern Ireland People executed by Northern Ireland People convicted of murder by Northern Ireland 1961 in Northern Ireland 1961 murders in the United Kingdom People executed for murder 1960s murders in Northern Ireland