Honour Bright: Murder in The Free State

Honour Bright: Murder in The Free State

From Red Room by Jenny Claffey

April 27, 2026 · 35 min · Season 9 · Episode 4

About this episode

The episode discusses the unsolved murder of Honour Bright in 1925 and the societal implications surrounding her case.

25-year-old Honour Bright was found shot and killed in Ticknock in June 1925. Despite multiple eyewitnesses placing her in a car with a Doctor and a Garda Superintendent, the two men who would be charged and tried for her murder were acquitted by a Dublin jury in 1926. Honour was a single mother, and likely turned to sex work to support herself and pay for her son's foster care. After the trial, the media used her story as a way to scare young women who were prone to becoming "wayward", rather than focusing on the fact that her killer roamed free. Links On a quiet South Dublin road, a plaque serves as a reminder of a long unsolved murder Death, Danger, and Decadence in 1920s Dublin: The Murder of Honor Bright An Honour Killing Clodagh Finn: Restoring some honour to Honour Bright, 100 years on The Murder of Lily O'Neill, known as Honor Bright, in 1925 – The Wild Geese To access bonus weekly episodes of Red Room join Patreon HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Jenny Claffey

Topics covered

  • murder
  • true crime
  • historical crime
  • societal issues
  • media portrayal
  • sex work

Keywords

  • Honour Bright
  • murder
  • Dublin
  • sex work
  • 1920s
  • trial
  • eyewitnesses
  • media
  • society

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Death, Danger, and Decadence in 1920s Dublin: The Murder of Honor Bright, An Honour Killing, The Murder of Lily O'Neill, known as Honor Bright, in 1925 – The Wild Geese

Places: Dublin, Ticknock

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