Lohan was a captain of a group of Whiteboys in the Moylough area of County Galway, responsible for rural unrest and violence.
However, a young landowner named Brown was travelling the same road that night, and was killed in the belief that he was O'Rourke.
Prior to sentencing, Lohan was asked if there were any gentlemen on the jury who could give him a character recommendation.
Lohan was hanged in front of a crowd of hundreds at Cooloo Hill, in sight of his house.
The local historian, Martin Finnerty, recorded that his grandmother witnessed the event.