Carlow Council observe the 190th anniversary of the last person to be publicly hanged in Carlow
Lucinda Sly was executed for murder at Carlow Gaol in 1835
On the 190th anniversary of the last person to be publicly hanged in County Carlow, Carlow Council have observed the anniversary over the weekend.
Lucinda Sly was executed at Carlow Gaol for murder in 1835.
The Council hosted a number of talks at the Carlow Shopping Centre, formerly the Gaol on Sunday.
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From the Carlow County Council Facebook page:
Join us at Carlow Shopping Centre (formerly the Gaol) to commemorate the 190th Anniversary of the Execution of Lucinda Sly, The Last Woman to be Publicly Hanged at Carlow Gaol in 1835
Sunday March 30th is the day that Lucinda Sly was executed for murder at Carlow Gaol in 1835 along with her accomplice John Dempsey. Lucinda was the last women to be publicly hanged at Carlow Gaol.
Carlow County Museum also provided more information on the event:
Lucinda was a landowner but lost her property when she married Walter, who sold it from under her. Legend has it that she suffered terribly at the hands of her husband and, pushed to the limit, killed him with the help of Dempsey. She and Dempsey were found guilty of murder by a jury in nearby Deighton Hall, made up exclusively of male landowners.
Carlow Gaol was closed in 1897 and operated as “Hanover Works” the headquarters of Thompson Engineering , before it was converted into a shopping centre in 1990's.
The case of Lucinda Sly was brought to wider public attention with the publication of Maidhc Dainín Ó’ Sé’s book ‘Lucinda Sly’ in Irish and the translated version ‘Lucinda Sly, A Woman Hanged’ by Gabriel Fitzmaurice.
The book also highlighted the tragic aspects of Lucinda's story, including women’s rights, property rights, domestic violence, crime and punishment.
It later inspired both a stage and radio play by Irish playwright and novelist John MacKenna, a walking tour and a plaque. The original trap door from Carlow Gaol is now on permanent display in Carlow County Museum.
The event was also attended by Rev Paul Fitzpatrick and Fr Thomas O'Bryne and Carlow Council members.