Why a Booktrail?
Destination: Newry Departure Time: 1960s – Quite an historical moment with the weaves of fiction bringing a notorious true life murder case to the fore once again
Orchid Blue
What you need to know before your trail
In 1961, Pearl Gamble was murdered near Newry. she had been to a dance the previous night in Newry Orange hall. Investigations into the murder don’t get off to a good start as those in charge of the case seem to have a ulterior motives.
Then Detective Eddie McCrink comes over from London and soon realises that there are some outside influences at work bent on influencing the trial…
Locations
ResetTravel Guide
The last man hanged in Northern Ireland.
This is a true life tale and focuses on the arrest, trial and sentence of Robert McGladdery who was also the last man hanged in Northern Ireland.
This is an historically significant tale and one which appears to be linked to a murder of a 19 year old girl 9 years earlier.
Looking back and opening up a cold case either in fiction or not is always fascinating and this book has the sense of a documentary. There is commentary, reportage and quotes from Robert McCartney himself who apparently watched the trial from the public gallery.
Newry
Whatever your opinion on the real case, to read about this one and the setting of Newry at the time is a good reason to go back to Ireland in your reading and pick up a not too distant peace of history. Newry is portrayed as an ‘urban hub’ for South Armagh and the background certainly is one of the troubles and how Newry in particular was affected.
The murder scene at Damolly Cross is the start of the journey and whether you have read this case or not, it’s an interesting way to delve into the history as well as the fiction of Ireland.
Where Next?
