Strange Death of a Lovely Widow
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X8906200414 |
| Date | 01 October 1989 |
| Published date | 01 October 1989 |
| Author | John J. Dunne |
| Subject Matter | Article |
The
victim.
an attractive
woman
witha colourful past...Thekillers. two
menin
grotesque
disguise...
JOHN
J. DUNNE
Strange Death of a Lovely Widow
One of the most bizarre and baffling Irish murders took place on an
April afternoon in a sunny field in Co. Roscommon, within shouting
distance of a score of farm workers. Yet, to the present day,
it
remains
unsolved, a tragedy interwoven with romance and two love affairs that
shaped a beautiful woman's destiny.
The victim was a wealthy widow named Sarah Kelly. Thoughin
her fifties at the time of the crime, she was basking still in the afterglow
of the ravishing beauty that had been hers as a girl. Her sudden death has
never been explained.
On the day she was to die, in 1856, under such ghoulish circumstances,
she had lunched in the fine old dining room
of
her home, Rookwood
House, in Ballinderry, Co. Roscommon. Sharing the meal with her and
talking mostly about matters relating to the estate were her nephew,
George Strevens, who acted as her steward and managerof the farm, and
her adviser, a solicitor named Campion.
When the meal was over, and as it was a clear and sunny spring
afternoon, George Strevens suggested that they take a walk around the
estate. Chatting amiably, the trio sauntered out of the house, through the
haggard, towards a section of the farm known as the Hill Field, where
Strevens had some work in progress, which he was anxious to inspect.
As they talked pleasantly,the sky darkened abruptly andthey sheltered
briefly from a shower of hail. The glowering sky might be interpreted as
aportent of the terrible events that lurked around the comer. The sky
cleared, however, as suddenly as it had darkened, the sun came out again
and the woman and the two men continued their stroll. Shortly however,
Mr. Campion, the solicitor, suddenlyremembered an appointment he had
that afternoonand he excusedhimselfand left them. Sarah and her nephew
continued walking towards the Hill Field, their talk now exclusively of
estate matters.
As they entered the field, a little girl appeared, running towards them,
smiling happily, and Mrs. Kelly greeted her warmly. The daughter of a
small neighbouring farmer, the child was a protege of the mistress of the
"Big House" and a warm bond of affection existed between the two. As
they embraced and chatted, George S trevens left them and disappeared in
search of the farm hands who were working for him.
It
was a pleasant rural scene: a smiling, kindly lady and a happy,
laughing child enjoyingeach other'scompany in a sunny field on an Irish
April day.
Then, suddenly, the mood changed to one of evil foreboding and
unnamed menace. Two figures suddenly entered the Hill Field and
advanced swiftly towards the woman and child. At first sight, in the
340
October 1989
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