‘Jury’ votes to keep statue of John Mitchel

A ‘jury’ has voted to keep John Mitchel’s statue standing in John Mitchel Place, Newry.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Apr 2024, 11:33 BST
Updated 11th Apr 2024, 11:39 BST
The cast of 'The Trial of John Mitchel' (and his statue) was written by Anthony Russell (left), who is pictured along with the cast. Pic: Columba O'Hare.The cast of 'The Trial of John Mitchel' (and his statue) was written by Anthony Russell (left), who is pictured along with the cast. Pic: Columba O'Hare.
The cast of 'The Trial of John Mitchel' (and his statue) was written by Anthony Russell (left), who is pictured along with the cast. Pic: Columba O'Hare.

It follows a ‘hearing’ in Courtroom Number 3 at Newry Courthouse, under the sardonic eye of Judge Dionysus Cronos (District Judge Gerard Trainor).

John Mitchel was condemned for his support of slavery and the reopening of the African slave trade.

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However, ‘the jury’, by 44 votes to 7 with one spoiled vote, considered that given the Mitchel family’s heroic back story, his significant influence on Pearse and de Valera and the special circumstances prevailing when the statue was erected, it should remain.

There will be a retrial in Brownlow House, Lurgan, at 7.30pm on Friday, April 19, where, given the balance of the arguments presented, a different verdict may be reached. Admission to this ‘courtroom’ is free.

Most unusual in one of His Majesty’s courts, on Saturday night the ‘jury’ stood to applaud not the verdict, but the lawyers and witnesses who were all members of Newpoint Players, under the direction of Donal O’Hanlon.

‘The Trial of John Mitchel’ (and is statue) was written by Anthony Russell.

The cast was as follows (in the photo from left to right):

Anthony Russell - Playwright

Daniel O’Connell – Donal O’Hanlon

Jenny Mitchel – Diane Russell

Gavan Duffy – Sean Treanor

Clerk – Matthew Freeman

Dionysus Cronos – Gerard Trainor

John Mitchel – Hugh Freenan

Padraig Pearse – Mickey Brannigan

Related topics:Newry