Peter Barnes (Irish republican)

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Peter Barnes (c. 1907-February 7, 1940) was a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and, along with James McCormack, participated the Coventry Explosion of 1939 which killed five people on August 25, 1939. One of many suspected members detained by authorities thought to be involved in the bombing, although he and McCormack had admitted to constructing the bomb which was intended to be used to destroy a power station, they claimed not to be involved in planting the bomb.^{[citation needed]}

Sean McBride, a former Chief-of-Staff for the IRA and Irish barrister attempted to secure their release claiming they were being illegally held without a writ of habeas corpus. However Barnes and McCormack were later hanged at Winson Green Prison in Birmingham on February 7, 1940. Their remains were evenually flown back to Dublin on July 4.

Their trial and execution would result in an Irish public outcry against Neville Chamberlain and the British Government as well as escalating a campaign of bombing against post offices and other government buildings, known as the S-Plan, in retaliation for their execution.^{[citation needed]}