Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 10184Murder · Co. Donegal · 2 Apr 1878

Man arrested in Lord Leitrim murder died in jail uncharged, Donegal

William Sydney Clements, the 3rd Earl of Leitrim, was shot 10 to 11 times and struck on the head with a gun butt on the morning of 2 April 1878 while on his way to Milford in Donegal. Three men, Michael Heraghty, Michael McElwee and Nial Sheils, were named as the gunmen, armed with muzzle-loading guns. Heraghty was the only one of the three ever arrested, and he died of typhus fever in jail without being charged with murder. The other two were not identified for many years, and a £10,000 reward offered by the victim's heir was never collected.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested2 Apr
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
William Sydney Clements, the 3rd Earl of Leitrim, was shot 10 to 11 times and struck on the head with the butt of a gun.
Where
The killing took place on the road to Milford, County Donegal.
When
The murder occurred on the morning of 2 April 1878.
Weapon
The three gunmen were armed with muzzle-loading guns.
Cause
The killing followed a claim that Lord Leitrim had assaulted a young girl from Fanad, the daughter of a tenant farmer, who was later found drowned.
Investigation
  • Michael Heraghty was the only one of the three gunmen ever arrested, and he died of typhus fever in jail without being charged with murder.
  • Many people in the area knew who the gunmen were but did not inform the police, and all three returned to their jobs as normal.
  • The victim's heir offered £10,000 for information identifying the killers, which was never collected.
Other details
  • The three gunmen were named as Michael Heraghty, Michael McElwee and Nial Sheils, and were known as the Fanad patriots.
  • Lord Leitrim had a reputation for evicting tenants, raising rents, and destroying homes or crops built without his permission.
37 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatWilliam Sydney Clements was the 3rd Earl of Leitrim and inherited a vast estate from his father in 1854. (gript.ie)
  • whatLord Leitrim evicted families or paid them to emigrate, and raised rent if they refused to leave. (gript.ie)
  • whatHe would destroy homes or crops that were sown or built without his permission. (gript.ie)
  • whatA blacksmith was fined for allowing tenants to heat themselves by a fire while waiting to pay their rent. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe parish priest of Fanad, Fr Boyle, denounced Lord Leitrim from the altar. (gript.ie)
  • whatBy the 1860s, many attempts to assassinate Lord Leitrim had surfaced. (gript.ie)
  • whatA young girl from Fanad, daughter of a tenant farmer, was found drowned days after it was claimed Lord Leitrim debauched her. (gript.ie)
  • whatThree men lay in wait armed with muzzle-loading guns. (gript.ie)
  • whatLord Leitrim was shot 10–11 times and struck on the head with the butt of a gun. (gript.ie)
  • whatMany knew who the gunmen were but did not inform the police, and all three returned to their jobs as normal. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe three gunmen were known as the Fanad patriots and were not identified for many years afterwards. (gript.ie)
  • whatHeraghty died of typhus fever in jail without ever being charged with murder. (gript.ie)
  • what3,000 people wearing green rosettes, led by 20 cars and followed by 200 horsemen, met Heraghty's funeral cortège as it entered Fanad. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe Land League was formed in 1879 with memories such as Lord Leitrim's inspirational in its foundation. (gript.ie)
  • whatLord Leitrim was shot 10 to 11 times and then struck on the head with the butt of a gun. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe victim was shot 10 to 11 times and struck on the head with the butt of a gun. (gript.ie)
  • whatLord Leitrim was shot 10 to 11 times and struck on the head with the butt of a gun. (gript.ie)
  • whereThe estate included lands in Leitrim, Donegal, Kildare and Galway. (gript.ie)
  • whereLord Leitrim was on the way to Milford on the morning of 2 April 1878. (gript.ie)
  • whereThe victim headed to Milford. (gript.ie)
  • whenLord Leitrim headed to Milford on the morning of 2 April 1878. (gript.ie)
  • whenThe killing happened on the morning of 2 April 1878. (gript.ie)
  • causeThe article says the killing followed the fate of a young girl from Fanad, the daughter of a tenant farmer working for Lord Leitrim. (gript.ie)
  • causeIt was claimed that the victim had assaulted a young girl from Fanad, who was later found drowned. (gript.ie)
  • causeThe article says the fate of a young girl from Fanad was what broke the camel's back. (gript.ie)
  • weaponThe gunmen were armed with muzzle-loading guns. (gript.ie)
  • weaponThe three men were armed with muzzle loading guns. (gript.ie)
  • investigationHeraghty was the only one of the three ever arrested. (gript.ie)
  • investigationMany people knew who the gunmen were but did not inform the police, and all three returned to their jobs. (gript.ie)
  • investigationLord Leitrim's heir offered £10,000 for information identifying the killers, but it was never collected. (gript.ie)
  • investigationMichael Heraghty was the only one of the three ever arrested, and he died of typhus fever in jail without being charged with murder. (gript.ie)
  • investigationHeraghty was the only one ever arrested and died of typhus fever in jail without being charged with murder. (gript.ie)
  • investigationMany people knew who the gunmen were but did not inform the police. (gript.ie)
  • investigationThe victim's heir offered £10,000 for information identifying the killers, which was never collected. (gript.ie)
  • chargeMichael Heraghty was the only one of the three ever arrested. (gript.ie)
  • otherThe victim was William Sydney Clements, the 3rd Earl of Leitrim, known as Lord Leitrim. (gript.ie)
  • otherThree men were named as the gunmen: Michael Heraghty, Michael McElwee and Nial Sheils. (gript.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 2 Apr2026
    Othergript.ie, follow-up
    OTD: 2 APRIL 1878: Lord Leitrim murdered on the way to Milford - Gript

    Historical 'On This Day' column about a killing in 1878, not a current crime report. No existing case matches it. Milford is placed in County Donegal from the town name, as the article does not state the county.

    victim, William Sydney Clements, maleWilliam Sydney Clementssuspect, Michael Heraghty, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Heraghtysuspect, Michael McElwee, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael McElweesuspect, Nial Sheils, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nial Sheils
  2. 2 Apr2025
    Othergript.ie, follow-up
    ON THIS DAY: 2 APRIL 1878: Lord Leitrim murdered on the way to Milford - Gript

    Historical retrospective on the 1878 killing. It adds the victim's background, the alleged motive, the weapons and wounds, the names of the three suspects, the unclaimed £10,000 reward, and that Heraghty was arrested but died of typhus in jail without being charged.

    victim, William Sydney ClementsWilliam Sydney Clementssuspect, Michael Heraghty, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Heraghtysuspect, Michael McElwee, named, irish (judged from name)Michael McElweesuspect, Nial Sheils, named, irish (judged from name)Nial Sheils
  3. 2 Apr2024
    Arrestedgript.ie, follow-up
    ON THIS DAY: 2 APRIL 1878: Lord Leitrim murdered on the way to Milford - Gript

    A 2024 retrospective that names the three gunmen, describes the weapons and the motive, and says Heraghty was arrested but died in jail before being charged. It also records a £10,000 reward that was never collected.

    victim, William Sydney Clements, male, irish (judged from name)William Sydney Clementssuspect, Michael Heraghty, male, named at arrest, irish (judged from name)Michael Heraghtysuspect, Michael McElwee, male, named at arrest, irish (judged from name)Michael McElweesuspect, Nial Sheils, male, named at arrest, irish (judged from name)Nial Sheils
  4. 2 Apr2023
    Othergript.ie, first report
    ON THIS DAY: 2 APRIL 1878: Lord Leitrim murdered on the way to Milford - Gript

    This 'On This Day' historical retrospective adds extensive background on Lord Leitrim's reputation as a landlord, the circumstances of the murder, the fate of the three gunmen (Heraghty died of typhus in jail uncharged; the others were never identified for many years), the public reaction to both funerals, and the connection to the founding of the Land League in 1879.

    victim, William Sydney Clements, male, irish (judged from name)William Sydney Clementssuspect, Michael Heraghty, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Heraghtysuspect, Michael McElwee, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael McElweesuspect, Nial Sheils, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nial Sheils