One of the last atrocities of the Irish Civil War left an indelible mark on one young woman from Co. Mayo. Hidden in the archives for 100 years, the story of Maggie Doherty and the sinister events of May 1923 are finally uncovered.

The Irish Civil War was a time that was shrouded in silence for decades. From June 1922 to May 1923, families, friends and neighbours took opposing sides as the new Irish State was being formed. Some stories only started coming to light in recent years with the release of the Irish Military Service Pension files. Official documents from the time have shown that sexual violence against women was one of the hidden atrocities of the conflict that has rarely been spoken about, and seldom acknowledged.

The story of a Cumann na mBan member from Mayo was one of these pension application files published online in 2018. The following January Professor Linda Connolly from Maynooth University published an article in the Irish Times discussing the importance of including women's experience in the commemoration of the Irish Civil War. It referenced an atrocity that occurred in the shadows of the Ox Mountains during the waning days of the Civil War. The attack, which was referred to as an 'outrage’, was committed by three alleged members of the National Army on Foxford woman Maggie Doherty. Following publication of the story, Maggie’s grand-niece Edel Doherty and historian Frank Fagan began to work with Linda to find out more. The search culminated in a visit to the Irish Military Archives where they viewed the military disciplinary files relating to Maggie’s case. And what they found made for a shocking read.

Having been buried deep in the archives for almost 100 years, the file revealed an horrific series of events that happened in the early hours of the 27th May, 1923.

A Dark Night in Foxford tells the story of Maggie Doherty and explores the rarely discussed and uncomfortable aspect of sexual violence in the Irish Civil War which left a profound effect on the women, their families and their communities for generations. The documentary follows the Doherty family along with Frank Fagan and Linda Connolly, as they search for answers almost a century later.

For the first time, we hear the witness testimony of 27-year-old Maggie as she describes the traumatic events that changed her life forever. We follow the proceedings of the court martial which was set up following the attack, hear how the events were discussed at the highest levels of government and find out if justice was served in the case of Maggie Doherty.

Narrated by Orla Higgins

Produced by Orla Higgins and Sarah Blake

Contributors: Edel Doherty, Professor Linda Connolly, Frank Fagan and Tom Doherty

Readings by: Sinéad Ní Uallacháin, Ian McGlynn, Alan Torney, Karl Quinn, Aaron McElroy, Donal O’Herlihy and Liam O’Brien.

Thanks to the extended Doherty family, Commandant Daniel Ayiotis and staff at the Irish Military Archives, the staff at UCD Special Collections, the staff at the National Library of Ireland, the staff at the Jackie Clarke Collection, the staff at the Mayo County Library, John Walsh, James Laffey (Western People), John Reid (Michael Davitt Museum) and Jim Herlihy (Garda Historical Society).

First broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1, 2PM, Saturday 02nd September 2023

If you've been affected by any issues contained within this documentary, please visit rte.ie/support

An Irish radio documentary from RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland - Documentary on One - the home of Irish radio documentaries