Philip Shannon : Short Biography

Comments

After the murder of youngest son Samuel Richard (Dick) the family fled to Sittingbourne 

, Kent, England where Phillip died on 29 Oct 1937 and his wife Lizzie died on 1 Dec 1926.

Greenwood

Monday 23rd April 2018 02:41AM

Really?!  How do you know?  Can you share your source?  Thank you so much for the information!

olympia1955

Saturday 28th April 2018 01:55AM

I have a copy of a letter that Lizzie wrote to her sister Mary Sweetman nee Shannon (my great-grandmother) telling of the events that led to them fleeing to England.  I will try to post it for you.  Also the source of death and burial of both Phillip and Lizzie.  URLhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37817902  URLhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37823405 https://www.ancestry.com.au/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/1081910…; This very long link is supposed to take you to Lizzies letter.  I hope this works.  I am new to this site and I am having a few problems navigating arround it and adding information.

Greenwood

Saturday 28th April 2018 03:08AM

I got it!  Thank you!  This is fantastic!  I know all about the night described in the letter.  Here's how it read in the local paper of the time:  ""At 10 o'clock on Friday night about 15 armed and disguised men sought an entrance to the dwellinghouse of Mr. Philip Shannon, Lissaclarig, Aughadown, apparently in quest of firearms, raids for which had been of practically daily occurrence in the district within the past week.
The raiders were not admitted, and Mr. Shannon, with those in the house at the time, hurried upstairs.
The raiders, however, forced the door and endeavoured to go upstairs also, but Mr. Shannon, with his son, Samuel, beat them off with sticks.
The encounter appears to have been of a very hot nature, the defenders fighting bravely against heavy odds and cries of "surrender."
It is said the raiders carried off a worthless shot gun, and it was believed they had taken their departure after the Shannons had beaten them from the house, as they did not return to the attack, but evidently they only lay in ambush for the night, because at 7 o'clock this morning, when Mr. Shannon and his son, Samuel, went into the farmyard, the latter was shot at from a shot gun at short range, the full discharge lodging in his abdomen.  He is, at the time of writing, in a serious condition, and grave fear is entertained for his recovery.
Medical aid was summoned for the wounded young man, with all possible haste, and when he was attended this morning by Dr. O'Meara, who did everything in his power to alleviate his terrible sufferings.
The police were also apprised of the terrible occurrence and active inquiries are being prosecuted by District Inspector Foster, but so far no arrest has been made.
The affair has caused a great sensation locally."

Article 2, again from the Skibbereen Eagle:

"The Aughadown Murder

'Worst That Ever Occurred in Ireland.'

5,000 pounds Awarded.

Mrs. Nugent, Dromore, for whom Mr. JM Burke, B.L. ...

[this info not having to do with this case] ...

Mr. Philip Shannon claimed 10,000 pounds for the murder of his son, Samuel Richard, at Lissaclarig, near Schull, on the 11th September, 1920.

Mr. JF Bourke, B.L. (instructed by Mr J. Travers Wolfe, Crown Solr.) appeared for the applicant.

Applicant, who was visibly affected, swore that between 10 and 11 o'clock on the night of Sept. 11, 1920, a crowd of at least 30 armed and masked men broke into his dwelling house and called on him to come downstairs.  Deceased, aged 23 years, his wife aged 70, and his daughter, Charlotte, aged 24, were upstairs with him at the time.  He refused to come down and kept the raiders from going upstairs, with the aid of a blackthorn stick.  One of the raiders had a revolver, and as he put it up witness knocked it out of his hand with the stick.  After a while they went away, and the house was quiet for the rest of the night.  On the following morning, between 6 and 7 o'clock witness went out and saw nobody.  His son followed, and had only gone one step from the hall-door when a fellow ran in the gate and fired point blank at him, the bullet entering his side.  Witness turned about and the fellow levelled the gun at him but witness threw a big stone at him and 'ducked' and the fellow did not fire.

His Honor -- He must have been waiting there all night.

Witness said he did not know, but he again went upstairs and saw that the whole house was surrounded by armed and disguised men who walked up and down past the windows.  His son then came upstairs and said he was wounded.  Every care was taken of the boy, who was witness's only help, but he died in hospital in Cork on October 1st from the injuries which he received on the occasion, after suffering terrible pain.  Witness was for 3 years without getting help from any of his neighbours, because he refused to sign the Anti-Conscription Pledge, and things had reached such a stage that he had to sell out his holding, and go to reside in England and his daughter had to leave her situation in Skibbereen.  He and his father before him were born and reared on the farm, for which none of his friends bid at the auction, being afraid to do so.  There were only two or three bidders for the farm which was bought for 1,870 pounds, but which would have realised much more were people free to bid.  His wife, who was aged 70, and himself had suffered severely from the shock caused by the murder.

His Honor said the crime was a very un-Irish one.

Mr Bourke -- One of the most distinguished Prelates of the Catholic Church (the Bishop of Ross) said it was the foulest murder that had ever occurred in Ireland, for the reason that they waited all night with murder in their hearts, because they were afraid of the blackthorn stick.

His Honor said no sum he could give the applicant would compensate him for the loss he had sustained.

Mr. Bourke -- It is not in the power of money.

His Honor said he would give applicant a decree for 5,000 pounds, which would bring him 300 pounds a year."

"The Aughadown Murder

'Worst That Ever Occurred in Ireland.'

5,000 pounds Awarded.

Mrs. Nugent, Dromore, for whom Mr. JM Burke, B.L. ...

[this info not having to do with this case] ...

Mr. Philip Shannon claimed 10,000 pounds for the murder of his son, Samuel Richard, at Lissaclarig, near Schull, on the 11th September, 1920.

Mr. JF Bourke, B.L. (instructed by Mr J. Travers Wolfe, Crown Solr.) appeared for the applicant.

Applicant, who was visibly affected, swore that between 10 and 11 o'clock on the night of Sept. 11, 1920, a crowd of at least 30 armed and masked men broke into his dwelling house and called on him to come downstairs.  Deceased, aged 23 years, his wife aged 70, and his daughter, Charlotte, aged 24, were upstairs with him at the time.  He refused to come down and kept the raiders from going upstairs, with the aid of a blackthorn stick.  One of the raiders had a revolver, and as he put it up witness knocked it out of his hand with the stick.  After a while they went away, and the house was quiet for the rest of the night.  On the following morning, between 6 and 7 o'clock witness went out and saw nobody.  His son followed, and had only gone one step from the hall-door when a fellow ran in the gate and fired point blank at him, the bullet entering his side.  Witness turned about and the fellow levelled the gun at him but witness threw a big stone at him and 'ducked' and the fellow did not fire.

His Honor -- He must have been waiting there all night.

Witness said he did not know, but he again went upstairs and saw that the whole house was surrounded by armed and disguised men who walked up and down past the windows.  His son then came upstairs and said he was wounded.  Every care was taken of the boy, who was witness's only help, but he died in hospital in Cork on October 1st from the injuries which he received on the occasion, after suffering terrible pain.  Witness was for 3 years without getting help from any of his neighbours, because he refused to sign the Anti-Conscription Pledge, and things had reached such a stage that he had to sell out his holding, and go to reside in England and his daughter had to leave her situation in Skibbereen.  He and his father before him were born and reared on the farm, for which none of his friends bid at the auction, being afraid to do so.  There were only two or three bidders for the farm which was bought for 1,870 pounds, but which would have realised much more were people free to bid.  His wife, who was aged 70, and himself had suffered severely from the shock caused by the murder.

His Honor said the crime was a very un-Irish one.

Mr Bourke -- One of the most distinguished Prelates of the Catholic Church (the Bishop of Ross) said it was the foulest murder that had ever occurred in Ireland, for the reason that they waited all night with murder in their hearts, because they were afraid of the blackthorn stick.

His Honor said no sum he could give the applicant would compensate him for the loss he had sustained.

Mr. Bourke -- It is not in the power of money.

His Honor said he would give applicant a decree for 5,000 pounds, which would bring him 300 pounds a year."

 

I have more articles, too.  Last summer we went to the house where this all happened.  It's been torn down except for one wall.  The residents, very kind people, said they didn't mean to kill Samuel, but meant to "send him a message."  

I'm related to Mary Sweetman's sister Minnie.  I can give more details and copies of newspaper articles if you email me directly at eclairerw@comcast.net.  I just didn't know what happened to the family after they sold their farm...

 

olympia1955

Saturday 28th April 2018 03:25AM

Correction:  I meant to say that Samuel Richard Shannon was my great great great grandmother's nephew.  (Samuel's father was Philip Shannon.  Philip's parents were Thomas & Mary Willis Shannon.  My 3x grandmother was Minnie Shannon, daughter of this couple, Thomas & Mary Willis Shannon.)

olympia1955

Saturday 28th April 2018 03:33AM