Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Tomorrow marks 100 years since the unlawful executions of Liam Mellows, Rory O'Connor, Joe McKelvey and one of west Cork's greatest sons, Dick Barrett. They were executed without trial or charge by the order of the Executive of the newly formed Free State Government. The executions were done as a reprisal for the sad and tragic killing of Deputy Seán Hales, a killing which these four men had no hand, act or part in. The event was described in a Dáil debate 100 years ago as, "Murder most foul, bloody and unnatural". The State has never acknowledged that these killings were illegal or wrong. The Taoiseach has said these killings were murder by any definition. Today, almost 100 years since those executions, I ask that the Government finally acknowledge that these killings were manifestly illegal and wrong.

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