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EXTRACT from Belfast Newsletter 14th May 1894.

PORTADOWN, MONDAY. Yesterday, a serious party row took place at Maghery, a village 
situated on the shores of Lough Neagh, and distant about six miles from Portadown. A man 
named Thomas Irwin died a couple of days previously at his residence in the townland of 
Cranfield, and his remains were yesterday removed for interment in Milltown graveyard. 
Irwin was an old and respected member of the Orange Institution, and his brethren of the 
Loughgall district turned out in considerable numbers to pay him their last tribute of 
respect. When passing through Maghery a most dastardly and cowardly attack was made on 
the procession. A Nationalist mob assailed the Orangemen, and endeavoured to beat them 
back with sticks and other weapons. Stones were showered into the procession, and the 
hearse was repeatedly struck with the missiles. A regular riot ensued, and in the fight 
which followed it is alledged that some of the Orange Party who were attacked in this 
disgraceful manner described fired revolver shots at their assailants. Two members of 
the Nationalist mob were shot though the wounds inflicted are said not to be of a 
dangerous character. A number of persons on both sides received wounds of a more or 
less serious nature inflicted with stones and other weapons used during the progress 
of the affray.
 
Information was subsequently conveyed to Portadown, and District Inspector Bigley, 
Head Constable Donnelly, Sergeants Belford and McQueen, and all the available 
constables in both barracks drove out to the scene of the disturbances. 
Acting on information received some time after their arrival in Maghery, the police 
arrested two prominent members of the Orange party, and when conveying them to the 
Birches police barrack they were fired at by a crowd of Nationalists. Some of the 
police dismounted and pursued the crowd to the shores of the lough, where they 
arrested twelve members of the party. The peace officers subsequently found a loaded 
gun and powder cask convenient to the place where the shots were fired. 

Eye-witnesses of the occurrence state that the attack on the funeral procession was 
thoroughly organised, and that the Nationalist mob fought fiercely and with determination. 
The affair has naturally aroused considerable indignation and party feeling in the district 
surrounding Maghery, and the occurrence formed the sole subject of conversation in the 
neighbourhood yesterday and today.

Captain Slacke, Divisional Commissioner, and Mr. Warburton, county inspector, visited the 
scene of the occurrence today and made inquiries respecting the affray. In the afternoon 
the prisoners were brought before Mr. N. L. Townsend, R.M. Armagh, in the Clonmacate 
Courthouse, Wm. John Vemer and David Fox, member of the Orange party, were charged with 
firing at and wounding Patrick Tennyson; and the following members of the Nationalist 
party were charged with unlawful assembly and firing shots: 

David Skelton, John McNally, James McHelly, Edward Robinson, 
William Donnolly, Daniel Gallagher, Henry Quinn, John McGrath, 
James McNally, Daniel Hagan, Joseph Hogan, and Francis Campbell.


 
District Inspector Bigley, of Portadown, conducted the prosecution on behalf of the Crown:
Mr. W. H. Wright, solicitor, Portadown, defended Verner and Fox, and the Nationalist 
prisoners were not professionally represented.

After a number of depositions had been taken Mr. Townsend remanded the prisoners for 
eight days, accepting bail for the appearance of the Nationalist defendants themselves 
in $20 each, and two sureties of $10. His Worship refused to accept bail for the 
Protestant prisoners, Verner and Fox, who were charged with firing at and wounding, 
and they we accordingly conveyed to Armagh Jail this evening. 

During the affray two members in the Protestant party were wounded with revolver bullets. 
Their names are Eliza Wilson and Robert McMinn. It is said that the Nationalist defendants 
who fired at the police when they had Verner and Fox in custody will be charged with riot 
at a portion of the day prior to the time they were arrested.

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