On April 26, 1916, during the Easter Rising, pacifist and journalist Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, along with two other journalists, was illegally executed by firing squad under the orders of Captain J.C. Bowen-Colthurst. This controversial incident, where Sheehy-Skeffington was arrested while trying to prevent looting, highlighted the brutal realities of the conflict. Bowen-Colthurst was later found guilty but insane, and the executions sparked public outrage, contributing to a shift in public opinion regarding the British response to the Rising.
