When the mid-19th century land troubles in Ireland were at their height, landowner Mr. Powell and his surveyor, Mr. Quinn, decided to knock down a cottage and build a school.
They reckoned without the cottage tenant, Patrick Woods, a local Republican. Rounding up five of his friends, he stormed Powells home in the County Armagh village of Newtownhamilton as the landowner was having dinner with his two daughters.
The family were dragged into the hall, where Powell and one of his daughters were shot through the heart. The other daughter was beaten unconscious.
Police arrested Woods, who was well known to them, and one of his accomplices, Frances Hughes. The other men were never traced. Woods was hanged on Saturday, November 20th, 1841, outside Armagh Prison, and Hughes was tried later and hanged in April the following year.