Fatal Fire Tragedy.
At the February 2020 meeting of Skehana & District Heritage Group, members recalled the great tragedy that beset the area of Brierfield, close to Scarry’s Cross, on February 18th 1963 when two young brothers, Myles and James Connors aged five and two respectively, tragically lost their lives in a fire at their caravan. They were the sons of Edward and Elizabeth Connors, horse dealers from County Wexford, who had just arrived there a short time previously and parked up close to their relations and friends Thomas Connors and Patrick Donovan. All of the main national and local newspapers dedicated extensive front page coverage to the tragedy and the ensuing inquest. The Tuam Herald reported “Danger seemed far away as these little children passed the time in a carefree fashion. Suddenly, flaming death reached out eagerly for the lives of those innocents, and terror paralysed them as the fire swiftly turned that gaily painted home on wheels into a death trap.”
The Tuam Herald continued “Edward Connors and his grief stricken wife with their friends and relatives, left Tuam on Tuesday evening bringing their two tragic little coffins for burial in their resting place at Gorey.” Perhaps at some point in the future consideration might be given to providing a fitting memorial as a more permanent reminder of this local tragedy.
Here are some of the relevant newspaper reports detailing the tragedy.
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