Irish folk hero. Patrick O'Donnell was convicted and hanged for killing James Carey. Carey was a leader of the group that carried out the Phoenix park murders in Dublin, Ireland, and was the British government's informant whose testimony led to the conviction and execution of five members of that group. On May 6, 1882, Lord Frederick Cavendish, Britain's chief secretary for Ireland, and Thomas Henry Burke, his permanent undersecretary, were stabbed to death in Pheonix park in Dublin by members of the "Irish National Invincibles," often associated with the Fenian (Sinn Fein) movement. A month after he was arrested for his involvement, the Phoenix park informer James Carey made a deal with the British prosecutors, confessed his own involvement and testified against the men he had helped direct at Phoenix park. Carey betrayed the complete details of the Invincibles and of the murders, except that he identified the person who gave the ultimate orders only as "Number 1" and he could not or would not identify him. Patrick Joseph Percy Tynan was later arrested in France as Number One, but the French government refused to extradite him to England for a political crime. Thus, Tynan was never prosecuted, tried, or convicted. As a result of Carey's testimony, Joe Brady, Michael Fagan, Thomas Caffrey, Dan Curley, and Tim Kelly, were hanged by William Marwood in Kilmainham Jail in Dublin between May 14 and June 4, 1883. Carey was deported to South Africa under an assumed name by the British government. Patrick O'Donnell travelled on the same boat, and shot Carey dead just before he landed at Port Elizabeth, on the 29th day of July 1883. James Carey was buried in the prison graveyard of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Patrick O'Donnell was arrested and brought back to England for trial. O'Donnell was condemned to death and executed on December 10, 1883, at Newgate Jail and buried there. The remains of O'Donnell were transferred from Newgate Gaol to a mass grave in the City of London Cemetery in 1902. Patrick O'Donnell earlier had spent time in the United States in the anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania staying with cousins who were members of the Molly Maguires. The President of the United States, Chester A. Arthur, officially petitioned on behalf of O'Donnell, once it was determined O'Donnell had acquired American citizenship. However, the British government disputed his citizenship, suggesting he may have stolen another individual's papers. After his execution the United States House of Representatives passed a bill requiring the Secretary of State to present all "communications, documents and papers in his possession relating to the trial, conviction, and execution of the late Patrick O'Donnell". His name and fame were celebrated in many songs, and a popular ballad commencing: "Pat O'Donnell is my name, and I come from Donegal," was sung throughout the length and breadth of Ireland. See also the grave of the Invincible James "Skin the Goat" Fitzharris, who is buried in Glasnevin cemetery.



See Irish National Invincibles virtual cemetery.