The Execution, Life and Times of Patrick O'Donnell: The Last Days of a Condemned Man

by Gavin O'Donnell

History tells us that Patrick O’Donnell was hanged in Newgate Prison in December 1883 for the murder of James Carey, the infamous Phoenix Park Killer and notorious Irish informer. History however tells us almost nothing of his remarkable life. Letters of clemency sent to his trial by Victor Hugo and US President Chester A. Arthur hint at an extraordinary life for an Irish peasant.

Explore his life and times through this unique work of creative fiction, entwined with historical fact; from the Great Hunger to the typhoid sheds of Quebec; from his service in the Confederate army and capture at Chattanooga in 1863 to the O’Donnell massacre at Wiggan’s Patch, Pennsylvania; and ultimately to that fateful day off the coast of Port Elizabeth when he put three bullets into Carey. The last days of this condemned man were spent recording his life in a series of letters which remained undiscovered for 133 years - recently uncovered and published for the first time herein.

British agent, hero of Ireland, or something else altogether?

Genres: Historical

426 pages, Paperback

Published January 24, 2023

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting and illuminating look at Irish history and the immigration to America.
An unusual life in a very different time period that covers a lot of turbulent times in America.
The mining industry and the civil war are covered in a way that makes it very real to the reader.
Not a book I normally would of chosen but I am glad that I have read it and been educated in a very pleasant first story manner that made the person and the times come alive to me.

[Cathie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I confess I had only a small idea of it until they told me that New York was double the length of Ireland south of Quebec, which in turn also meant nothing to me until they explained it was Clare to Sligo about six times, but a good deal colder. That I did understand.”

Having to flee Ireland to join his uncle in America, 12-year-old Patrick O'Donnell's life is about to present him with the first of many challenging opportunities. By a stroke of good fortune, his brother, Michael, barely a couple of years older, found work as a cabin boy on the Carricks, a so-called coffin ship (because the hull was filled with scores of poor, unfortunate emigrants, many of whom would not survive the crossing), and the boys set off, unaware at first that they were heading for Quebec, not New York!

But when the ship sinks in a storm, just before it reaches harbour, Patrick finds himself alone, penniless, and although still alive, he is soon locked up on Grosse Island in the infamous Quarantine Sheds, where every arrival, regardless of whether they showed any signs of typhoid or not, were confined. If you hadn't been ill before, you were bound to suffer now...

When Patrick recovers from a fever, he forms a gentle friendship with Hanora, an Irish nurse who had lost her husband at sea, and her children in the Sheds. This relationship – not quite mother/son nor lovers – marks an important turning point in Patrick's life.

Abuse and maltreatment was rife on Grosse Island, and you were only allowed to leave with a health permit, which was hard to come by. Hanora had stayed on as a nurse, but many of those who ’looked after’ the sick were criminals who volunteered to get out of prison, and at some point gain their freedom early.

This meant they were not acting in the patients’ best interest, but often robbed the vulnerable of their already meagre belongings.

When Patrick comes upon an attack on Hanora by such a thug, he acts swiftly, and together, they hide the criminal’s loot.

So, following their departure from the island, Patrick and Hanora are now rich beyond their means. They head southwards, but it's not only the humans they have to watch out for – it's the wild animals in the forest that could end their days prematurely.

How will they cope on their arduous journey towards New York and beyond? Well, you should really read the book!

~~

Gavin O'Donnell's novel The Execution: Life and Times of Patrick O'Donnell is a fascinating and incredibly detailed fictional account about the man condemned to death for the murder of James Carey, himself involved in the infamous Phoenix Park murders.

In The Execution: Life and Times of Patrick O'Donnell, we follow the at times truly incredible adventures and misadventures of Patrick O'Donnell, a poor migrant from Donegal, Ireland, who had to leave family and famine behind, to begin a new life across the Atlantic.

We learn much about O'Donnell’s life through a series of letters, purportedly written to Victor Hugo whilst Patrick awaited execution following a swift trial. The first-person narrative of those letters reveals close up the man he was, and his motivations, in an intriguingly intimate narrative style.

Each chapter contains one of Patrick’s letters, with added explanatory historical background detail provided by the author, which gives us a full picture of particular events. He also adds footnotes, which is really handy for quick checks.

From an early age, Patrick O'Donnell is used to death. Not only from people starving all around him, but also senseless attacks and little to no justice in rural Ireland firmly in the grasp of the British Empire. As his urge for survival pushes him to the limits, he seems to develop an emotional distance to people – perhaps with the exception of Hanora, at least in the early years. His quick wit and high intelligence help him make the most of each situation.

We must remember that he is only in his early teens when he finds himself in a strange place – Quebec – far from family or anyone else he knows. The journey should have really taken him to New York, from where he could have travelled to kin in Pennsylvania.

But as it is, Patrick's instinct for survival is strong already, and he always acts swiftly, and without any qualms, to stay alive. It was a steep learning curve for one so young, and it's not surprising that it left its mark on the man he was to become.

Regarding the man himself, I must admit I did not find any redeeming features in him as a person. Probably born from his strong sense of survival and personal experience of cheating and mistreatment, he uses people to get what he wants. In part, that's what his relationship with Hanora is about, but they are also close companions (not lovers) for years. But when Hanora suffers a mental breakdown, and her condition worsens, his reaction is somewhat unexpected.

In his letters, he tends to make excuses for anything, arguing his stance each time as perfectly acceptable, if not always correct. I found this quite tricky to read in places, but again, one should always bear the historical background in mind.

Patrick’s sense of resignation also shines through, in that he considers the conviction unfair, but at the same time, he appears resigned to his fate. This is in contrast to his voracious hunger for survival that threads through his whole life.

Patrick O'Donnell is a man of his times, and times were tough, especially if you were Irish. Chased from their home country, and not generally liked by many American settlers either, it's clear he feels like an outcast at times, and his attitude seems that he wants to prove them wrong, to ’show them’. Whatever that may mean...

However, one thing the letters don't make him out to be is an Irish Republican (unlike in many articles published about O'Donnell). He regards himself as American, with ostensibly little interest in the country of his birth or its politics. This is in contrast with the general opinion you find about him and his purported reason for Carey's murder. Was it a fatal misunderstanding, the shooting, as he claims in the letters? Was he paid by the Irish to eliminate Carey? Or perhaps by the British Empire, to rid themselves of the turncoat who may have indeed masterminded the Phoenix Park attack?

The letters leave these questions open, and if Patrick O'Donnell had indeed written those letters, in the face of execution, would he not have told the truth? The author cleverly hints at this being a fictionalised account based on true events, so readers are welcome to make up their own minds as to whether they believe the letters are real – which some do – or not.

The pace varies greatly throughout the novel, quite understandably, with some events racing across the pages at breakneck speed whilst others linger. It strongly resembles the ebb and flow of life, although we certainly have much more flow in O'Donnell's adventures which take him from Donegal to Quebec, on to New York and Pennsylvania, into the American Civil War, and lastly on his ill-fated journey by boat to the Cape with a woman who is not his wife.

However, the author's explanations, whilst useful, also form a narrative duplication of what we have read in Patrick's own words already. At times, I found the author's notes stop the riveting flow of certain events mentioned in the letters, just when you want to find out what happens next. The style of letters and author's comments is an unusual one, which requires engagement from the reader. The events outlined in letter format are fascinating, though, and reading them in O'Donnell's supposedly own words give them veritable credibility; they form an intimate portrait of the man and his motivations. Ultimately, this novel is a different kind of read – one which must not be rushed – as there is much to be absorbed in each chapter before you turn to the next.

The Execution: Life and Times of Patrick O'Donnell by Gavin O'Donnell is an extraordinary novel about a remarkable man who beat the odds (most of his life) in a breath-taking series of adventures. With Patrick O'Donnell's life, packed to the rafters with intriguing personal and political events, it is a novel that deserves to be savoured, right up to its surprising ending. Then, it will be a truly enlightening – and historically enriching – reading experience.

Recommended for readers who enjoy novels about real events; about political plots, underground movements, and personal achievements against the odds. If you love learning about the past, this one is a must-read!

Review by Cathie Dunn
The Coffee Pot Book Club

[Catalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite way to learn new things. I had no idea who Patrick O'Donnell was and to my shame I know very little about the Irish cause, so this was a very enjoyable way to introduce myself to both! Regardless if O'Donnell was the most unlucky man in history or indeed a secret agent, his life has been extraordinary. It never fails to amaze me how people managed to survive and make something of themselves in very challenging life conditions. To have survived famine and then travel to Canada and US at such a young age is in many ways beyond our modern imagination. The rest of his life definitely lived up to his early life, even if in a different way, but he sure had a lot of adventures in his life time!! Now of course I have no idea what to think and I guess it's just one of those cases where we will never know for sure what happened. I did think to myself that the president of the US wouldn't have intervene for just a regular citizen, regardless how unjust his case seemed, so from that point of view I'd say the balance tips toward secret agent, but then history tells us that he was executed, but was he? Tantalising...

The only reason I've rated this 4 stars instead of 5 is because it left me with too many questions. How/Where did the author find this letters? Where they a family heirloom? Are they truly authentic? And so on...I would really loved to know more, and I believe the "behind the scene" insight would have added that extra oomph to the story!

*Book from NetGalley with many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity!

[Reader Views · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Execution, Life and Times of Patrick O’Donnell: The Last Days of a Condemned Man” by Gavin O’Donnell lays before us the story of an Irish man with the help of letters he wrote in his last days at Newgate Prison. Patrick O’Donnell has been convicted of murder and is sentenced to death by hanging. As he contemplates his life and how he got to the noose, we learn about the mind and soul of Patrick O’Donnell.

Patrick was a young boy living in Ireland when the Great Famine hit his beloved home. He made his way to a ship with his brother and landed in Canada, mourning the loss of his brother on the passage. By the time Patrick sees land he is sick, and quarantined at Grosse Island. On the island, Patrick is cared for by a woman named Hanora. Hanora becomes Patrick’s saving grace, and they leave that island wealthy, healthy, and free.

Hanora and Patrick will travel and begin a life in a cabin in the woods, eventually landing in New York. Patrick’s letters share his relationship with Hanora and the child she has. He also shares what it felt like to meet family he had not seen in years, his relationship with women, living and working conditions in 1800s America, and how crime doesn’t always pay. Patrick’s main point in his letters is that he is American and has had no dealings with Irish associations bent on causing trouble and committing murder.

I must begin my analysis of “The Execution” by stating that this story is a work of historical fiction. Readers cannot take all the words as truth, but readers can take this work as an excellent portrayal of what it was like to be Irish in the 1800s. In America, the Irish were often looked down upon and in Patrick’s letters, we can see how their lower place in society affected the way they lived as well as what they put their hope in. The reader also witnesses the divided allegiance the Irish had with America and Ireland.

Readers are able to observe how our childhoods carve our paths into adulthood. Patrick speaks of how his time in Ireland made him hate religion. He shares how his devout mother was smarter than most because she could …distinguish between a good religion and a bad church…

Patrick also had no love for Ireland because they showed no love for their citizens. As a young boy, he watched as Irish food was packed on boats headed for England while his countrymen starved.

“The Execution” has many layers to uncover and the author has made this easy for us with his preface to each letter. He clearly explains what Patrick is writing, which I found helpful. I did find a few editing errors, but they did not distract from the story. Overall, “The Execution, Life and Times of Patrick O’Donnell” by Gavin O’Donnell is an exciting, deep, and adventurous story. It puts a face to the plight of the Irish and how their suffering was but one building block to the America we live in today. “The Execution” is a page-turner that I recommend to others.

[Nigel Masterton · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all read novels to enjoy fine writing, a good story and well defined characters something this O'Donnell novel does in spades! What gives it the edge is that many of the facts are true and so we are also perhaps adding another dimension to our understanding of history.
Patrick O'Donnell murdered James Carey - the man responsible for the notorious Phoenix Park killings - and, as a consequence, was sent to the gallows in Newgate prison on 17th December 1883. In this novel, using the medium of letters he writes to Victor Hugo over 12 days whilst awaiting execution, O'Donnell gives us his life story. And what a story he tells!
He begins with telling us about how he and his brother have to leave Ireland for America due to the potato famine. This, apart from the long walk to Port Sligo, was meant to be straightforward as his uncle in Philadelphia had organised for them to collect tickets there. But nothing goes to plan. Eventually they get on a ship making the transatlantic crossing, but tragedy strikes, and it is just Patrick who makes it to an immigrant camp in Canada. He is only 12 years old. From there, in the company of Honora { a nurse who saved his life in the camp ] he ultimately makes his way to New York where, yet again, good fortune turns to dust. Next, he travels South only to get involved in the Civil War, after the horrors of which he ends up back again in New York. Not finding the success he seeks there he decides to travel, via London to seek his fortune in South Africa. It is on this trip that he meets and kills James Carey. Remembering this novel is based on fact makes his story truly extraordinary and, reverting to my first sentence, the content and quality of writing in his letters will tie you to the page.
Settle back, enjoy the read and learn a little history along the way.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an intriguing and compelling read. It’s the story of Patrick O’Donnell who was hanged in 1883 in Newgate Prison, London, for the murder of James Carey, perpetrator of the Phoenix Park murders. That’s about all we know of O’Donnell’s life but according to this book he led an extraordinary one. It’s narrated through a series of letters, purportedly written by him in his cell as he awaits execution and smuggled out by his wife, and which remained undiscovered for decades until found by the author, a possible descendant. This I would have liked to know more about as I remain puzzled as to whether these are actual letters or simply invented ones. This didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book but it unsettled me. Be that as it may, the reconstructed life represents an eye-opening slice of history as O’Donnell certainly did a lot during his life, travelling the world involved in various enterprises, achieving some renown and standing and ultimately having both Victor Hugo and US President Arthur A Chester writing to Queen Victoria asking for clemency. His motivation for the murder remains unclear – was it actually an accident? Many unanswered questions remained for me when I finished the book but didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment. The letters are interspersed by short passages of real world events which put the life into context and make for fascinating reading simply by themselves. This is an unexpectedly unusual, enjoyable, entertaining and informative read, and I heartily recommend it.

[Keith Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick O'Donnell is still remembered as an Irish patriot. This self-published account of his life by a descendant paints the picture of the life and times of a remarkable man, warts and all, a man who was so much more than a simple hero to Irish republicans. O'Donnell is best known for killing the man who betrayed the Phoenix Park assassins. The account given here is that no patriotic intention motivated the killing, rather jealousy aroused by an excess of strong drink!

I enjoyed this novel, perhaps 'dramatised biography' might be a better descriptor. I liked the account of the O'Donnell family's experience in the Irish Famine, his emigration to the USA, the fact that he was exploited in America, fought on the Confederate side in the Civil War, despite being opposed to slave ownership, and all the other ups and downs of an eventful life. An easy, straightforward read, interesting throughout, with a fascinating twist at the finish.

[Chelsea May xxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Is not a book I would normally chosen to read but I am so glad that I have read it and been educated in a very intelligent first story manner that made the person and the times come alive to me. Anyone who reads this book will learn a lot from it as it’s very interesting and very informative and intriguing to read. Such an insightful story told well. This was such a fascinating and very gritty read indeed. It Covers a lot of facts from Irish history and how they integrated and contributed to the history of USA. It’s also a very personal and raw and Honest and interesting story. It certainly has a lot of twists at the end which I did not expect and didn’t see coming at all. I am now interested in Irish history a lot more than I was before I started reading this book. Xx

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gritty read. Patrick O'Connell escaped Ireland during the potato famine. The book, a series of letters written whilst waiting to be hung for a drunken mistake, chronicles his life and the many crimes he committed through desperation and the need to survive. Full of social history, describing the horrors of life in the mid-late 1800s in Ireland and America, this book kept me enthralled despite not being my normal choice of book. With a belter of a twist at the end, this is well worth a read! Thanks to Gavin O'Donnell for sharing his family history.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting to read into the history of Irish life at the time of the famine and the two boys' attempts to survive with a trip to the USA to stay with relatives.

The book points out the devious things that people did to survive this most dreadful time.

The descriptions that the author has given were well-researched and very well portrayed throughout the book.

What a surprising end. A book that had me in tears a few times due to the facts that were being told.

Thank you for letting me preread this book.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick O'Donnell is sat on death row awaiting his execution for the murder of James Carey. It is 1883 and Newgate prison is a bleak place. The story is a mixture of his letters and the authors interpretation. The letters show just how bleak life was like during these times.
From the Great Hunger in Ireland. The perilous journey over the sea's. Life in Quebec. The way that Patrick made a living and lived his life. At times a brutal reminder of how bad life could be.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an ARC

[Elizabeth Muir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a perfect chance to branch of out of my normal genres. It is well written and gives an insite to a piece of history that I knew nothing about and made me want to learn more. Thank you for allowing me a chance to broaden my knowledge

[K. Weikel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely amazing. I couldn't put it down. I savored every word, and it was even cooler since I have a lot of Irish in my blood, so I learned a lot from it. The way Patrick writes his letters is captivating. and wonderful... as a writer, it makes me so very happy. Having the cliffnotes alongside reading did a justice for me, and really helped with the context and helped me understand what was happening and what he was going through. I found my heart breaking for these people, especially Hanora, whom I loved dearly.

The ending was the best part, I think. It was... perfect in every way. This story is absolutely amazing. It's crazy to think about all the events that happen in your life, the ones that have led you to where you are now. How many more things will happen, and where will you land once they've played out?

I have a few quotes that I actually ended up highlighting becasue they struck a chord in me.

"I played the fool I suppose but they cannot hang me twice."

"One will climb over the dying body of another to profit themselves."

"The few benefits of being hanged I suppose is that I have the luxury of selecting my last thoughts."

There are plenty others, but I leave you with those. Ultimately, this book has quickly become one of my favorites.