One hundred years ago this week Charleville man Seán O Brien was murdered by Crown forces at his hardware shop at Main Street Charleville in a reprisal attack. Here local historian and genealogist Evelyn O Keeffe, who is chair of Charleville Heritage Society, researched the details and recalls the terrible event, and its aftermath. Terrible Fate of Well-known Charleville Shopkeeper was the headline 100 years ago this week when Sean O Brien, a hardware merchant was murdered.
Sean died from his wounds as his wife and young daughter bore witness to his terrible end. At 8.30pm there was a knock on the door. The Tans came into the town looking for blood that night, a Volunteer attack earlier that day on an RIC patrol in Charleville had maddened the Tans.