Connolly lived for several years in New York, where he was active as a Socialist and writer on labor topics. He returned to Ireland about five years ago to assist in organizing the Irish labor party. He was about fifty years old.
John McPherson was known as one of the most brilliant orators in Ireland and was reported to be one of the original organizers of the Irish Volunteers in November, 1858, in Dublin. At the outbreak of the war, McPherson, comparatively a young man, was editor of the Irish Review, a journal, and was opposed to recruiting among the Irish for the British army. During the period, the paper was one of those suppressed for its attitude on the subject.

May 1st, Premier Asquith's sudden resolve to go to Dublin, which was hailed by his supporters as a stroke of sensuality, has had the effect of assuasitis political passions. Paris, it does not seem nice on Fridays, and the fact that there was no session today helped to loins about a day of calm. In strange contrast to yesterday's sensations, the only new fact concerning the situation in Ireland is that two other leaders in the rebellion, whose execution...  action was delayed by Premier Asquith's understanding that there would be no further executions until after Parliament had debated John Dillon's measure, have been out to death. These circumstances Connolly, one of the signers of the proclamation of the Irish republic, and John McPherson, it seems extremely probable that there will now be no more executions. 