Fiach Mc Hugh O'Byrne - The Lost Head

The Lost Head

O'Byrne's corpse was cut up, and for months the head and quarters hung on pike staffs on the wall over Dublin Castle drawbridge. Several months later, the pickled head was presented to the council secretary at London by an English adventurer, who was disappointed to find that the head-silver due on O'Byrne had already been paid in Ireland. The queen was angered that "the head of "such a base Robin Hood" was brought solemnly into England". The offending item was given to some lad for burial, but was found a day or two later in Enfield Chase, outside London, perched in the fork of a tree.