Michael Manning (carter)
Encyclopedia
Michael Manning was a 25-year-old carter from Limerick
who on Tuesday 20 April 1954 (the day after the Easter Monday holiday), became the 24th and last person (after the amnesty granted by the State at the end of the Irish Civil War
in November 1924) to be executed in the Republic of Ireland
.
He had been found guilty the previous February of the capital murder of Catherine Cooper, a 65-year-old nurse, who worked at Barrington's Hospital in the city.
The execution by hanging
was carried out in Mountjoy Prison
, Dublin by Thomas Pierrepoint
, aided by his nephew Albert, who had travelled from Britain where he was one of three Senior Executioners. A fellow inmate of Manning's recalled later, Friends of mine who worked with me, I was serving my time at the time, went up to visit him on the Sunday before he was hanged. And they went to mass and holy communion together and they played a game of handball that day. He couldn't have been more normal.
Manning's body was buried in an unmarked grave in a yard at Mountjoy Prison.
The death penalty was abolished in 1964 for all but the murder of gardaí
, diplomats and prison officers. It was abolished by statute for these remaining offences in 1990 and was finally expunged from the Constitution of Ireland
by a referendum in 2001
.
The hanging of Michael Manning inspired a play by Ciaran Creagh. Creagh's father, Timothy, was one of the two prison officers who stayed with Michael Manning on his last night and Last Call is loosely based on what happened. It was shown in Mountjoy Prison's theatre for three nights in June 2006.
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
who on Tuesday 20 April 1954 (the day after the Easter Monday holiday), became the 24th and last person (after the amnesty granted by the State at the end of the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
in November 1924) to be executed in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
He had been found guilty the previous February of the capital murder of Catherine Cooper, a 65-year-old nurse, who worked at Barrington's Hospital in the city.
The execution by hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
was carried out in Mountjoy Prison
Mountjoy Prison
Mountjoy Prison , founded as Mountjoy Gaol, nicknamed The Joy, is a medium security prison located in Phibsboro in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. It has the largest prison population in Ireland.The current prison governor is Mr...
, Dublin by Thomas Pierrepoint
Thomas Pierrepoint
Thomas William Pierrepoint was one of the United Kingdom's executioners from 1906 until 1946. He was the brother of Henry and uncle of Albert....
, aided by his nephew Albert, who had travelled from Britain where he was one of three Senior Executioners. A fellow inmate of Manning's recalled later, Friends of mine who worked with me, I was serving my time at the time, went up to visit him on the Sunday before he was hanged. And they went to mass and holy communion together and they played a game of handball that day. He couldn't have been more normal.
Manning's body was buried in an unmarked grave in a yard at Mountjoy Prison.
The death penalty was abolished in 1964 for all but the murder of gardaí
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
, diplomats and prison officers. It was abolished by statute for these remaining offences in 1990 and was finally expunged from the Constitution of Ireland
Constitution of Ireland
The Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected...
by a referendum in 2001
Twenty-first Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland
The Twenty-first Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland introduced a constitutional ban on the death penalty and removed all references to capital punishment from the text...
.
The hanging of Michael Manning inspired a play by Ciaran Creagh. Creagh's father, Timothy, was one of the two prison officers who stayed with Michael Manning on his last night and Last Call is loosely based on what happened. It was shown in Mountjoy Prison's theatre for three nights in June 2006.