Episode 1: The Letter

Brian Kernohan decides to find out if a letter, held by his family for generations, really does reveal the location of a murder victim’s remains in rural Ireland. “I Robert James Crawford do avow that Thomas Johnson was slain by me in a fair fight” So begins a mysterious murder confession, apparently written in 1860 – just after the worst years of the Irish Famine. The writer claims to have murdered his friend during a quarrel and then buried the body under the hearthstone of his father’s kitchen in Drumkeen, County Monaghan – but is the confession real? “He drew his knife and I drew mine he would have fled but I followed him into the hall and killed him there” As Brian sets out to try and find the alleged burial site he also digs through the history books to find out more about the murderer and his victim – and he finds his imagination drifting. Who were these men and what could have happened to lead to such a brutal murder?

Cast:

Robert James Crawford – Faolan Morgan Thomas Johnston – John D Ruddy

Written and presented by Brian Kernohan Produced by Brian Kernohan and Conor McKay

Executive Editor: Andy Martin A BBC Northern Ireland Production