The brothers, Daniel and William Cormack, from Loughmore Co Tipperary were publicly hanged outside Nenagh Gaol on May 11, 1858 after being found guilty of the murder of John Ellis, a land agent in Loughmore.
Daniel and William always maintained that they had played no part in the crime, and they were supported by some 2,357 people who signed a petition protesting the brothers’ innocence. The commonly held view at the time was that a local landlord had shot Ellis in a crime of passion involving Ellis’ sister, and that the Cormack brothers had been framed for murder.
Motivated by growing unease at the convictions and executions, a petition was organized for presentation to Parliament that requested the setting up of an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the conviction of the Cormack Brothers and into the administration of criminal justice in Ireland generally.
Andrew Darmody Hollyford, Darby Darmody Hollyford, George Darmody Moyne,
John Darmody Holycross, John Darmody Clerihan, Owen Darmody Hollyford, Thomas Darmody Hollyford, Tobias Darmody Hollyford, Jeremiah Darmody signed the petition.
Fannings who signed this petition were Daniel Fanning Thurles, Jeffry Fanning Thurles, William Fanning Thurles, Edward Fanning Drom, John Fanning Drom, Thomas Fanning Drom, Edward (Edmond) Fanning Two-Mile-Borris, Edmond Fanning Two-Mile-Borris, John Fanning New Birmingham, Joseph Fanning Moycarkey, William Fanning Moyne, William Fanning Roscrea, John Fanning Borrisoleigh.
The complete Cormack Petition list.
In 1910 Daniel and William’s remains were removed from Nenagh Gaol and brought home to Loughmore in a major ceremony, with two hearses drawn by plumed horses and followed by huge crowds. After the procession arrived in the village, the Cormack brothers were buried in a large mausoleum in the local churchyard, where people still go to see the original oak coffins and the inscription proclaiming the brothers’ innocence.
Source for this list was from: http://www.censusfinder.com/irish-census-records5.htm
