PRESIDENT Michael D. Higgins is going to re-examine one of the biggest murder cases in Irish history - that of the Mámtrasna murders.
In 1882, eight men were convicted for the Mámtrasna murders, in which five members of the Joyce family were slaughtered in a cabin in the west of Ireland.
One child, who was a victim of the attack survived as well as another son of the Joyce's who wasn't at home in the cabin at the time, however by the time the real perpetrators were found, one of the eight men who were arrested had been executed.
It's reported that the evidence that the eight innocent men were prosecuted on was concocted and witnesses had been paid off to give false information for the trial for the sum of £1,250 (which nowadays amounts to roughly €160,000).
As part of a new documentary for TG4, the President said the men were denied a fair trial and treated like criminals unnecessarily. Higgins also confirmed that the government would be making a case on the trial: "The government has appointed an expert to examine the case. I look forward to receiving the expert’s opinion and the government’s advice on the matter...If it were up to me, the formalities aside, I would be happy to accept that the injustice which occurred should be recognised."
A snippet of the upcoming documentary can be seen below.
