FROM THE ARCHIVES:Industrial schools were violent places, although the staff were rarely the victims. In Trim Industrial School in 1912, however, a teacher named John Kelly was attacked and killed: eight inmates, five of them under 16, were later charged with his murder. The inquest heard the following evidence: –
JOE JOYCE
THE FIRST witness examined was Mr Samuel Kelly, the headmaster. Between half-past six and seven o’clock on Monday evening last Mr John Kelly was in charge of the boys at recreation in their yard. The witness related how he came upon Mr Kelly’s prostrate body in the yard, and the steps taken by him to summon assistance. There was a lamp in the yard, and everything could be seen plainly.
Coroner – Was there any ill-will on the part of the boys towards that teacher? Within a day or two before that, from inquiries he since made, witness found that there was a difference between the assistant master and one of the boys as regards a hurley.
He also heard that one of the boys was caught in the porter’s room by Mr Kelly, who searched him and found in his pocket a key that Mr Kelly had previously lost. He always considered Mr Kelly a great favourite in the school with boys and officials.
Edward Harte, a young lad, said that he heard Tuite saying at eleven o’clock that when Mr Kelly would go down to the yard they would clout him with hurleys. Witness heard one of the boys say to the other: “Are you ready for the lion’s den to-night?”
Witness saw Mr Kelly come into the yard about a quarter to seven. He walked down to the shed to see would the boys touch him.
Coroner – Do you think he went there to show he was not afraid of them?
Witness – Yes.
Proceeding, witness said when Mr Kelly was walking back he got a blow of the scrub on the head from Tommy Reilly. He fell on the ground and the other boys ran at him with sticks. About ten blows were struck.
Dr F J O’Reilly, Trim, deposed that, in conjunction with Dr O’Connell O’Reilly, he made a postmortem examination. There was an external wound under the right ear, caused by a blow from a blunt instrument or a kick. He also found a fracture of the skull, caused by a blow of some blunt weapon.
Having described the wounds on the head, he said that death was caused by shock and haemorrhage , caused by the injuries. The witness added that when summoned to the man he found him lying in the school yard insensible. He never became conscious, and died within half an hour. He died before he was taken from the stretcher.
Coroner Corry – is exceptional because of the youth of the principal actors in the matter.
I think if the ages were closely inquired into it would be found that they are mostly under 16, and some of them, perhaps, as young as 10 to 14.
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