The Invincibles by Shane Kenna

Author:Shane Kenna [Dr Shane Kenna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788491082
Publisher: The O'Brien Press
Published: 2019-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

Webb asked the jury to consider how they could believe the evidence of the main prosecution witnesses. He wondered, if men such as Carey could sacrifice Burke and continue their daily lives, embedded in religion, could they not also sacrifice Joe Brady, to save themselves? The defence presented evidence that tended to suggest Brady’s innocence, at all times pondering the question of who should be relied upon for testimony – dishonourable men such as Carey or Farrell, or honourable, independent parties?

One of these independent parties was Annie Meagher, who swore to Brady’s presence in her uncle Christopher Flynn’s home on Britain Street at the time of the assassinations, leaving at five past eight in the evening. This story was corroborated by Flynn, who knew Brady and worked at the same stonecutter’s, and had been jailed during the Star Chamber inquiries for refusing to co-operate with Curran’s questions over the leading Invincible. However, Flynn’s wife Ann diverged from script, revealing that the story of Brady’s presence in their home was untrue.

William Meagle testified to Brady’s presence in the park on 6 May 1882, and had witnessed him engaged in a scuffle with Undersecretary Burke. Asked whether he could be sure of this, Meagle said he could recognise the prisoner if he were amongst a thousand men. Alongside Meagle, George Godden told the prosecution what he had seen in the park, vividly describing Kavanagh’s cab speeding past him away from the scene of the assassinations, and clearly seeing Joseph Brady sitting in the cab.

Brady’s fate was sealed. The jury took forty minutes to deliberate, then returned and pronounced Brady guilty of the assassinations of Cavendish and Burke. The prisoner remained erect, showing no emotion, although prior to the verdict it had been noted that he grasped the woodwork on top of the dock with both hands.254

O’Brien: Joseph Brady, you been found guilty upon cumulative and overwhelming evidence, such as to preclude any intelligent person from entertaining a doubt of your guilt of this most dreadful crime … For the life you have taken your own life is forfeited. You have now after a lapse of so long a period of time, having all the advantage of a deliberate and fair trial, and of the highest and most zealous advocacy that the profession of law could furnish, been found guilty and have to follow your victims to eternity.

Brady: I am not the first that has been sworn against innocently.

O’Brien: I think it my duty to declare that I entirely concur in the justice and the propriety and the necessity of the verdict which has been pronounced. (His lordship now assumed the black cap) The sentence of the Court upon you Joseph Brady, is that you be taken from the bar of this Court, to the Prison in which you were last confined, and thence be taken to the gaol of the County of Dublin, and on Monday, the 14th day of May, in this present year, you be taken to the common place

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