Pardons

A legal academic whose research led to posthumous pardons for men executed in 19th-century Ireland has challenged the government's decision to no longer recommend pardons for offences pre-dating the foundation of the State. Justice, home affairs and migration minister Jim O'Callaghan yesterday annou

Presidential pardons will no longer be considered for offences which took place prior to the founding of the Irish Free State in 1922 under a new approach proposed by the government. In recent years, four posthumous pardons have been granted in relation to convictions which pre-date the foundation o

Posthumous pardons have been granted to two men who were executed over 140 years ago following wrongful convictions for murder.

A rare posthumous presidential pardon is to be granted to two men convicted and executed in relation to an 1882 murder following research by Dr Niamh Howlin. Sylvester Poff and James Barrett were convicted of the murder of Thomas Browne in October 1882 and executed in January 1883.

A man who was hanged for murder in Cork Prison in 1895 has been pardoned almost 127 years later.