
A tragic case of fratricide has shaken the County Clare community, where a young farmer named Patrick Behan was murdered on the eve of his wedding. The unfortunate event took place on Monday night at Farmar. Patrick’s impending marriage involved a dowry, which led his father to grant him possession of the family farm. This decision ignited tensions with the victim’s elder brother, Michael Behan, who believed he was entitled to the farm by birthright.
Feeling betrayed, Michael left his family home and moved in with a neighbor, but both brothers continued to conduct their business in Kilrush. Tragically, on Monday evening, as Patrick took a walk around the farmlands, he encountered Michael armed with a double-barreled gun. Without hesitation, Michael aimed the gun at his brother and fired. After the horrific act, Michael turned himself into the police in Kilrush. Patrick, although critically wounded, endured two more hours of agonizing pain before succumbing to his injuries.
Shockingly, it has been reported that after shooting Patrick, Michael callously remarked, “Go and get married now.” This grim incident occurred within the close-knit Behan family, considered reputable figures in West Clare. During a preliminary investigation by the Kilrush Magistrates on Wednesday, Michael confessed to shooting and fatally wounding his brother. Consequently, he has been remanded to Limerick Prison. The Coroner’s Jury delivered a verdict stating that Patrick Behan died from a gunshot wound inflicted by his brother Michael.
Western Times – Friday 20 February 1903