A Life in Pieces: William Twiss of Castleisland

John Twiss of Castleisland, wrongfully convicted of the murder of James Donovan in 1894 and hanged in Cork Gaol the following year, was Posthumously Pardoned on 16 December 2021 by President Michael D Higgins following a campaign by Castleisland District Heritage.   In the wake of the Pardon, Castleisland District Heritage entered into a correspondence […]

Poff and Barrett: The Case against John Dunleavy

‘The smallest thing in the world would hang us’ – Sylvester Poff to James Barrett Sylvester Poff and James Barrett, hanged on 23 January 1883 for the murder of Thomas Browne on 3 October 1882, maintained their innocence to the end, and declared that they did not know who murdered Browne.   They did, however, […]