Thomas Henry Burke (Irish politician)

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Thomas Henry Burke (1829-May 6, 1882) was Permanent Under Secretary at the Irish Office for many years before being killed during the Phoenix Park Murders on Saturday May 6, 1882. The killing was carried out by a Irish republican organisation called the Irish National Invincibles. The newly appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland Lord Frederick Cavendish, although not the intended victim, was assassinated alongside him while they walked through Phoenix Park in Dublin. The victims were slashed and stabbed about the neck and chest with surgical blades.

Thomas Burke was the Invincibles intended target because he had been working for the British Establishment as head of the Civil Service for many years and was associated with the British coercion policy during Land War, 1879-82 [1] So, although a Catholic, in their eyes he was a traitor, nationalists referring to him to as the "Castle rat".

Thomas Henry Burke was one of six sons of William Burke of Knocknagur, Tuam, County Galway and Fanny Xavier Tucker. He was born in Waterslade House [2], Tuam, Co. Galway. Burke’s family was connected with that of Sir Ulick Burke of Glinsk, Co. Galway, on whom Charles II conferred a baronetcy in 1628. The Glinsk branch of the family were the senior line of Burkes and were descended from William the Conqueror. One brother was Sir Theobald Hubert Burke, 13th Baronet of Glinsk, another brother was the artist Augustus Nicholas Burke.

[edit] Memorial Prize

The Department of Education in Northern Ireland administers the Burke Memorial Fund, a trust fund from which the payment of an annual prize of £150 is awarded to the best answerer in GCSE examinations taken in Northern Ireland.