“Who Was John Kehoe?”

Join Anne Flaherty, great-great-granddaughter of John Kehoe and author of “The Passion of John Kehoe and the Myth of the ‘Molly Maguires,'” and explore the life of the infamous Coal Region martyr.

Hanged in 1878 as the alleged ringleader of the Molly Maguires — a supposed terrorist organization targeted by Pinkertons for a series of assassinations and acts of industrial sabotage — Kehoe was immortalized by Sean Connery in the 1970 film “The Molly Maguires,” which was largely filmed at Eckley.

Flaherty draws on Kehoe’s correspondence, family heirlooms, and a trove of historical documents to reexamine his legacy. Was he behind a violent uprising of poor Irish miners? Or was he the respected leader of an emerging Irish community who fell victim to a ruthless political smear campaign?

Don’t miss this insider’s portrait of an essential Pennsylvanian as Eckley celebrates Charter Day, the Commonwealth’s 344th Birthday! Enjoy free admission to Eckley Miners’ Village from 10am-4pm, including Flaherty’s 2pm talk.