On October 31, 1892 an Irish police constable named John Pilkington killed at least five people and wounded up to four others at the police barracks in Ballinadrimna, County Kildare, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, before committing suicide.[1][2][3]

Pilkington, who had been a member of the police force for ten years and reportedly was of excellent character, was stationed at Ballinadrimna together with sergeant Michael Rogan, Rogan's family, and two other constables. They lived together on the best of terms, and Rogan, who often praised Pilkington highly, frequently proposed him for promotion. Pilkington was apparently very fond of the seven Rogan children, constantly played with them, and gave them a penny nearly every day. According to the district inspector he wore a wig about which he was a quite sensitive. Pilkington's family had a history of mental illness. According to his brother one of their aunts was in a psychiatric institution and one of their uncles had been mentally ill, but never saw any signs of mental illness in Pilkington himself, however, his physician suspected him to have epileptic fits.[4][5][6][7][8]

On the evenening of October 31 Pilkington drank a glass of whisky and two bottles of stout at a public house with one Patrick Conyngham. According to Conyngham he was not drunk and appeared jolly, however, he also noticed that he acted in an artifical manner which was unprecedented. When they went back home Pilkington did not allow Conyngham to go with him further than the level of a hill near the barracks.[4][5][6]

Later that night Pilkington was acting as barracks orderly, while the other two constables were on patrol. At one point he armed himself with a revolver and a baton, entered the room where the Rogans and their seven children were sleeping, lighted a match, and killed sergeant Rogan and his wife by shooting each of them once in the head. He then proceeded to strike the children with the baton while they were trying to escape. He beat two of them, Rebecca and Lucy, on their heads until they were dead, and at one instance grabbed fleeing Elizabeth and asked her crying, if she was also mad. Apprently he then left the room and Elizabeth locked the door from the inside, however, Pilkington returned, broke it down, and beat the children again. Afterwards he went out, attempted to set fire to the building, and shot himself. Besides the deceased four of the children were seriously injured, with two of them, George and James, being in hopeles condition. An inquest ruled Pilkington's death a suicide during temporary insanity.[5][8][9][10][11]

The number of victims is unclear. While only eight victims were named, four of them dead, some sources reproted that all seven Rogan children were wounded in the incident, with three of them dying at the scene and a fourth succumbing to its injuries later on.[12]

[13]

Victims Edit

Sergeant Michael Rogan, 38

Rebecca Rogan, 28, Michael Rogan's wife

Rebecca Rogan, 10, daughter of John and Rebecca Rogan

Lucy Rogan, 5, daughter of John and Rebecca Rogan

James Rogan, 3, son of John and Rebecca Rogan

Wounded were:

Elizabeth Rogan, 12, daughter of John and Rebecca Rogan

George Rogan, 9, son of John and Rebecca Rogan

Lena Rogan, 7, daughter of John and Rebecca Rogan

Michael Rogan, son of John and Rebecca Rogan

References Edit