A plaque has been unveiled in Ballina in memory of a teenager who died after he was shot by the Royal Irish Constabulary over 140 years ago.
Patrick Melody was aged just 14 when he was mortally wounded in Ballina by the RIC on May 5th, 1882. The commemoration event, held by the National Graves Association (NGA) and the McLoughlin family, who are descendants of Patrick Melody, included guest speakers Nicky McLoughlin, local historian PJ Clarke and Aidan Lambert, secretary of the Invincibles Reinterment Committee.
The plaque was unveiled at Pearse Street on the building currently occupied by the Ballina Neighbourhood Youth Project, adjacent to Supermac's.
PJ Clarke gave an account of how local people were celebrating the release from prison of Michael Davitt and other Land League members when the incident occurred. A band of young boys were beating a drum and playing tin whistles when they were stopped by the RIC and the instruments were confiscated. The local people tried to negotiate the return of the instruments which led to an altercation with the police.
Under the orders of Sub-Inspector Ball, the RIC fired several shots into the crowd, wounding seven boys all under the age of 16. Patrick Melody died from his injuries at the workhouse hospital in Ballina on May 21st.
Aidan Lambert highlighted other killings by the RIC in the latter part of 1881 which contributed to the establishment of the Invincibles to hit back at the British authorities in Dublin Castle. The Invincibles assassinated Lord Frederick Cavendish, the chief secretary for Ireland and Thomas Henry Burke, the permanent undersecretary within 24 hours of the Ballina shootings.
Michael Conmy, the NGA’s Mayo representative, laid a wreath at the ceremony. The wreath was later moved to the Melody family plot in Leigue Cemetery where Patrick is buried.