ROINN
BUREAU
OF
COSANTA
MILITARY
STATEMENT
DOCUMENT
BY
W.S.
No.
1913-21.
HISTORY,
WITNESS.
1,734
Witness
Sean Farrelly,
Sourlogstown,
Trim,
Co. Meath.
Identity.
Vice-Commandant,
Meath
Brigade.
Subject.
5th
Carnaross
Company,
1917
I.R.A.
Meath
Battalion,
11th
1921.
July,
if
Conditions, any, Stipulatedby
Witness.
Nil.
File No.
P.532 10006.57 3/4526
S.2967.
Form B.S.M.2
Brigade,
STAFMENT BY SEÁN FARELLY,
Scurlogstown,
Trim,
Part
II,
In a very short time after
followed by the executions
county Meath.
the surrender of Raster Week,
and deportations,
a great change was
noticeable
In the Irish
heretofore
massed us with a sneer, were now inclined
future
people.
of our country with us.
down hut kept together
Locally the country lads who
to discuss the
We did not take matters lying
as a unit.
For the three years before Easter
Week, my old hate in Carnaross had been used as the Headquarters of
the local Volunteers
as "Liberty
Rail".
and was referred
to by the R.I.C.
He now thought it
Headquarters as us thought it
to have a new
advisable
would not be fair
and Hibernians
to those who might now
be prepared. to loin us or the Sinn Féin movement, to ask them to meet
at "Liberty, Hail" with its
communist cell,
reputation
among our enemies as a
so we rented a house in the village
It became a meeting place for the local
Volunteers
from Ned Farrelly.
and the Sinn Féin
club.
the end of 1916, we had started
By
lanes
in the Nationa1 School as well
We engared Jack Dardis as our Thacher.
evenings and attracted
Irish
step and figure
as classes in the Irish
result
Language.
The classes were held in the
the youth of the parish.
been held before In the Parish in Brian O'Higgin's
of the boys had a fair
dancing
Similar
classes
young days andmany
knowledge of the Gaelic language, with the
that we ware able in a short time to organise Gaelic classes in
2.
surrounding parishes.
that
sections
were first
of the Volunteers
I cannot recall
Carnaross.
adioining
It was under the cover of those classed
started
where some of the Volunteers
were sent, hut 7 was sent to Mahera and Mullagh.
I discovered they could teach we both the folio
Language.
I did,
tours'.
In those days, I had to travel
reason I preferred
dancing and Gaelic
to the Volunteers
As there were very tot, bicycles
to both places, on root:
Mullagh which was nearer home.
classes wore held in the tailor
a crowded loft
In those two places
however, teach the new recruits
in each place how to form
in every parish
In Mullagh the
At each dance we had
loft.
Reilly's
for that
and a strong Companyof Volunteers.
Dan Lynch of
Mewcastle attended each night with his bagpipes, so we had good loud
music.
lae1ic
When the dance was over, he took complete charge of the
Language class.
but I don't believe
worker or a better
without
They are erecting
monumentstoday to patriots,
there was ever a more sincere patriot,
Gael than poor Dan.
God rest him
a harder
Ho passed away
one word of appreciation..
It wan hard on the t4u3lagh people to look with favour on our
movement.
It must have been the most pro-British
Mr. T. P. McKennawas then the leading light
pro)-British
snirit
town in Ireland.
In his
of the place.
of the time he was associated with a committee set
up for the purpose of "Helping plucky little
a number of refugees
Belgium".
from there and housed them in a villa
meetings and regattas
He got over
in Mullagh.
were run to make money for them.
mention those things to show the former spirit
I
of a town that was now
becoming one of the most Republican towns in the County Cavan.
By early
1917, we had the mucleus of a little
formed in every town and village
around Carnaross.
Companyof Volunteers
Then came the
3.
general1 release
from French
describe the jubilation
as the prisoners
ourving
officer,
exhibited
in every quarter
our new leader,
of their
home, he has bailed
Pay at. another bye election.
Irishmen pause to consider their
in
was followed by the
This victory
in the month of
for Sinn Féih in the
this victory
arena was a good flip
political
and accepted as
had won a bye election
fly then Count Plunkett
of Professor McCuinness in County tongford
election
senior
remember having heard his name previously,
County Roscommonfor Sinn Féin.
their
of the country
Up to this ho was not much in
Ramer,de Valera.
now that he led our prisoners
but,
I won't attempt to
returned under the leadership
I don't
the limelight.
and elsewhere.
to our cause and it
made lukewarm
in regard to their
position
duty to
country.
The first
anniversary
of Easter Week bad come, so we of the
the event with a victory
Carnaross Companydecided to celebrate
march.
to have
Arrangements were made with the Parish Priest,
Father Farrell,
a special
We paraded at "Liberty
Was offered
for our dead leaden.
and, led by the Drumbaragh bagpipes with Sean Dardis in kilts
Nell",
carrying
the tricolour,
proceeded to the Church.
very far when we met six of the local
on each aide of the band to protect
considerable
attempt
amount of jostling
to break up the march.
reserved place in the Church.
It Is. evident,
helped the Police
valour.
to break up our
to form two
the bandsmen.
with the police
We Re-totted
After
a
they gave up the
and continued to our
During the melee a number of civilians
came on the scene, whether to "sightses"
knots.
who tried
R.I.C.
We were ordered by mar Chairman, Phil Tevlin,
march.
lines
We had not proceeded
or to take action
however, that their
to decide that discretion
arrival
I do not
in such numbers
was the better
part of
4.
I was getting
h1cvcle
on in the world now and was the owner f
nurchased from Woulfe & Woulfe's
for the exorbitant
sum of three half-crams.
because my very first
Kells,
I remember ail
run was to Dublin to attend the funeral
just in time for the parade and after
sent down a back street.
of
The funeral
the 1ev was well
was so large that we had not
that all
we could do was to start
any refreshments whatever.
the fifty
miles to Dublin,
the fifty
miles back.
when my lame rattled
By then
When we got the order to dismiss,
spent.
I slept
it
was so
the homeward journey without
I won't forget
paraded all
We
Some manoeuvring were
marched one hundred perches when we got the order to halt.
late
this
A good number of the Carnaross. Companyattended.
Thomas Ashe.
arrived
of John Street,
a
the experience.
I rode
day with my colleagues
most of the way hack and it
that I woke with a start.
and rode
was only
As we approached
Kells We were worn out completely and the smell of apples brought us to
a su4dén halt.
We crossed into a garden end found a great hasp of
apples under some straw.
The owner told. us we could eat our fill
I am sure that
pocket none.
he got a surprise
saw the number of cores strewn about.
but
next morning when he
It settled
our hunger for that
day.
For the next few months we settled
During the Period the Companyofficers
became Captain,
2nd Ideutenant
been
elected
Rarnie Dunne - let
down to routine
were elected.
Lieutenant,
drilling.
Phil
my brother
and Brian Daly - Quartermaster.
Tevlin
Pot Fancily
Eamonde Valera had
for East Glare in the month of July,
and William
T.
Cosgrave for Kilkenny in the month of August.
In early
for Ir1snd.
favour of it
1918, we had the outcry by the British
The Irish
Parliamentary
for conscription
Party were not altogether
and had sense enough to see that
such an imposition
in
would
-
5.
not help their
Of course they were wholeheartedly
party.
favour of voluntary
with
campaign
service
and continued their
the greatest
the first
mention of conscription
one wan.
averting
The clergy
In the British
the Irish
as
money.
for getting
Conscription
funde were opened
meetings were held at every crossroads.
Maud Gonne Nacrlride,
Fig4e,
Sean Milroy and Father O'Flanagan,
conscription
Anti-
recruits
joined the ranks of the Volunteers.
strength
went up to sixty.
In Carnaross our
Many of those who presented themselves
Of course there was no
than take the usual Oath.
Place in our army for periodic
at the time and once a man
soldiers
took the Oath he was expected to continue until
thousands there
O'Flanagan
It
civilians.
Countoss Markievicz,
All over the County Heath new
addressed the meetings.
At one anti-conscription
Speakers from
together with our own local
orators,
went away rather
as
Their method of
in every garish and thousands of pounds were subscribed.
Dublhi such ns Panel
At
Army.
people cans together
cams forward at once.
the misfortune
recruiting
energy and were responsible
thousands of young Irishman to enlist
in
meeting in Bailieboro'
the fight
was over.
addressed by Father
several hundred Volunteers and
Were
was one of the biggest meetings I ever saw.
of
Father
O'Flanagan was a great speaker and could rdc1nss his audience easily
for
an hour.
Mowthat
Hibernians
so maw of our old friends
had turned to us for protection
decided to leek the use of their
time we were successful.
the hail
during this period we
for a dance once again.
Although we got the hall
rood will, of the old retainers
them see that
hail
in the Ancient Order of
of the A.O.H.,
This
we did not get tile
but we decided to let
was going to be ours for the one night anyway.
6.
A fairly
lane
to hoist
over the building.
selected
to clime on to the roof to do the hoisting.
flag,
was procured which we decided
the tricolour,
No ladder could be found so I wan
back to earth things looked a bit
of the A.O.H. were inclined
week I received
a letter
a meeting on a certain
The staunch supporters
rough.
Our strength was such,
to get tough.
however, we knew they could not afford
to do so.
During the following
from the A.O.H. Secretary
date to explain
When I got
my hostile
asking me to attend
action on the night
of the dance and show cause why I should not be expelled
membershin of the club.
My reply
I was duly notified
statement.
is better
from
omitted from this
that I was expelled
from the Society
as from the night of the dance.
We were now marching and drilling
influx
of all
the new recruits
Mulvanney's field
us.
we re-employed our old drill
Feeney and Tyrrell.
Instructors,
in the open again and with the
and the R.I.C.
Our parade ground wan in Pat
were again taking up duty to watch
On one occasion in the presence of an old R.I.C.
Connor we had target
practice
We was one of the R.I.C
with revolvers
while he stood close by.
men who questioned us after
We never came near the parade ground after
nun named
Easter Week1 1916.
incident.
this
In June or July of this year we had the East Cavan bye election
which proved another success for Sinn Féin,
for Slim Féin and J. H. O'Hanlon for the Irish
Arthur Griffith
Parliamentary
the candidates being
Party.
During the campaign Mr. de Valera addrossed a
very large meeting in Bailieboro'.
This was a very hostile
area where
the Wibernians and membersor the Orange order combined to heckle the
speakers,
but all
the Volunteers
in North Meath
Carnaross Company, had been ordered to protect
including
the
the speakers during the
7.
election
campaign so the meeting passed off without
On their
way hack from this meeting my brother
incident:.
Pat arid Phil
Tavlin
were held up by two policemen and questioned for having no lights
on their
When the policeman cams with the summonswe
Bicyclas.
chased him with pitchforks.
Of course Pat did not appear in Court
but he was fined ha1fa-a-crovn.
Our old house in Clonagrouna was
subsequently raided twice and sometimes thrice
half-crown,
Staff,
with the help of Hugh Smyth,
tima Berney Reilly,
of the Meath Chronicle,
Chronicle
the
but Pat would not pay it.
Around this
Editor
weekly to collect
started
of the
Paddy Bourke and Jack Hayes
to organise another Volunteer
Companyin
About four or
to the recognised Company.
the
Parish in opposition
five
of our members,. including, the two Lynches arid two Daio,
a fife
After a while they started
the new Company.
joined
and drum band
and engaged a man named Farnen from Breakey as band-master
then had a banner painted at a cost of 325.
They
a short while
After
the new Companybroke up and the lynches and Dalys returned to their
old Company.
At the general election
Sims Féin, candidate
Parliamentary
or no control
had a busy time.
and had to lean
fly then the R.I.C.
had
everywhere took charge and
the speakers for the Sinn Féin candidate.
To judge from the crowds attending
seem that either
Party.
and the Volunteers
eupported and protected
ham Mellows was the
He was opposed by Doctor
in County Meath.
Cusack for the Irish
little
in Oecember,l918,
of the candi4ates
each party's
meetings it
would
could win.
On polling
day we
Dr. Cusack's Personating agents were intimidated
almost every palling
I never nut in a busier day.
booth, leaving
From morning till
every booth and wound up in a booth at Springville
us a free hand.
night
I voted in
where I voted in
8.
the name of a man named J. H. Nicholson.
Shin Féin had won the General Election
However it
came about,
and the people wanted an Irish
Republic anti from now on our army would be the arty of the Republic.
Throughout the year 1919 drilling
month of Movember the I.R.A.
R.I.C.
attacked
At
Ballivor
barracks.
was intensified
Hallivor
the barracks
twenty police barracks were evacuated in the
burned to the ground.
barracks in Crossakiel
Bridge
Within a abort period of
Within a week or the evacuation
County Meath.
we had it
and Dillons
they succeeded in capturing
and a number of arms end some ammunition.
about six months at least
and in the
of Carnaross barracks
No sooner had the R.I.C.
than the local
Companyburned it
left
the
down also.
It
was the same story with each of the other evacuated barracks in the
To the best of my knowledge all
county
by the I.R.S.
existence
For years past the LRJ3.
and controlled
a member but
and directed
two brothers
')urirnt the year
the Irish
It
became known locally
the General Election
with the result
appeared to take a leading part.
shape of a rug twisted
petrol
the I.R.B.
meetings
that the white pony was often
rumour that there was going
He always wore a disguise in
Fordstown and Bainagow barracks
barracks.
was no use.
ma
followed
There were so many barracks
our boys were quite. efficient
by itself
local
as the Sinn
around his head while on these jobs.
Mullagh,
the burning or Crossakiel
burned that
They held their
In the burning of the evacuated barracks
to be another rising.
the
burning of Moynalty,
was in
I wag not
Volunteers.
were.
seen on the road which pave rise to a local
Philip
organisation)
out
1919 and 1920 the Slim Féin pony was
on the road and after
were held more regulsrly
(a secret
Pat and Philip
always yoked to take them there.
constantly
work was carried
At the time we had a white pony which they
meetings at Drumbaragh.
pony.
of this
at the job.
It would just
It was found that
go off in a flame without
9.
the material.
lighting
It
we
was the stuff
Paraffin
dabbed on the floors,
just
and very soon after
then sprinkled
This was 'a go as you please'
be as safe in other hands as in ours.
and raids for arms in civilian
business and was spread over a
and Unionists
In any case the big landowners,
were seen to first.
One of the first
we raided was the residence of three Protestant
girls
in a big house known as Sylvan Park House.
lived
demanded admittance.
from different
The three womenwithin
positions
was a strong garrison
getting
o
They were a great
opened fire
and succeeded in beating off the raiders.
of enemy soldiers
shooting could be heard there so it
in front
named Rowley who
immediately
Sylvan Perk House was quite convenient to Balrath
another time.
places
As our boys reached the main door they knocked and
family.
loyalist
petrol
The idea appears to have been that the guns would not
long Period.
Loyalists
with a little
we were assured of a complete job.
being ignited
Our next big job win the collection
hands.
to get then going.
big house where there
and it was possible
was decided to retreat
that the
and try
had taken cover behind a cock of hay on the lawn
philip
the building
away without
and it
was with difficulty
being riddled
with rifle
he succeeded in
bullets
which were cutting
the grass around him.
We had more success In our next raid.
This time it
was on the
house of a Mr. Archdale whowas married to a !9as Rowley of Sylvan
park House.
He was a Cantain in the Ulster
Oranpamenat Loughan.
left
There were ten of us toil
and drilled
off for this
pot a puncture so I left
it
On
in. a ditch and proceeded
In the darkness I was not missed and found myself isolated.
When our men sought admittance they were answered by a hail
and it
the
job.
the parade ground and proceeded to the house on bicycles.
the way my bicycle
on root.
Volunteers
was through this blizzard
that
of gunfire
I dodged My way from tree to tree
10.
to the ball
It
porch.
previously
door where all
our men were huddled underneath the
did not take us long to force the door.
been informed by a maid working in the house that the only
lock on the door was a Yale.
about getting
et
had
We were now in the house and at once
to the parapet front where, the fire
nuns drawn we pot around the first
was directed.
bent in the stain.
two of our men covered the next bend until
Here
another two of our men
got there.
Eventua1ly we reached the room from whence the attack
ori4nated.
'What a sight met our eyes.
womenand boys were busily
with which the floor
sorting
wan strewn.
The old lady with four young
ammunition from a number of boxes
They were loading rifles
and
handing them to Mr. Archdale who was perched on the parapet shooting
away for all
ft
up
he was worth.
We pulled
Mr. Archdale off his perch by the tail
I never saw ouch surprise
nightshirt.
we collected
with his betide up until
ammunition in the house.
and consternation
gotwhat I have have
was very fond of the weapon and kept it
seen since or before - a
cartridges
carefully
at a time.
I
dumped in a cock of
It was discovered by n man named Brady' who was
stealing
hay one morning,.
and tin
collected
that
We got several
of ammunition the property of the
repeating, shotgun capable of holding eight
hay at Fegatt.
on the faces
every gun and every round of
were wail rewarded.
We,
and a great quantity
Orangemen. We also
of his
We marched Mr. Archdale from room to room
of, humanbeings before.
rifles
As we entered the roan we shouted "Hands
it.
He reported' the matter to the military
There were one or tub similar
incidents
of the Miss Rowleys and Mr. Archdale, but in the main an
to
shotguns
in: the area were handed over voluntarily.
Wallowing our raids
for arms the R.I.C.,
in turn raided the homes of nil
known Volunteers.
by Black & Tans,
They we e led by a
11.
Sergeant; Brady, who was one of the R.I.C
He had the reputation
1916.
had a very evil
caught at Ashbourne in
of being insane since that incident
and
This was the Sergeant who led the raids
appearance.
on my old home in Clonagrouna sometimes twice or three times a week.
front
On one occasion when we refused to open the/door
after his cry "Open
in the name of the King!" he returned to a lorry
on the roadside and
brought back a couple of sledges and iron bare.
the door open and then swarmed all
careful
nothing.
over the house.
with our arms and kept them carefully
We were always
dumped so they found
There was another occasion, however, when I was in bed with
when a raid
flu,
With these they burst
At the time I had 500 rounds of .303
took place.
ammunition in a haversack hanging on the end of the bed.
searching the rest
of the house, the R.I.C.,
He said,
"Jack, I am very sorry to see you so sick".
to the others and said "Go back lads,
Jack".
led by Connor - one of the
opened my door and flashed a torch in my
worst scoundrels of the lot,
face.
After
there is no one here only poor
raids were mede on the hone of' the Tevlins,
Similar
men throughout the whole period.
and other I.R.A.
He turned
Dunnes
One of Sergeant
stunts on Sundays was to go through the crowd as they
Brady's favonrite
stood outside the Church after
Mass.
peer into each man's face with an evil
With a long Webley drawn he would
leer.
By summer of 1920, the Republican Law Courts had been set up and
were kept fairly
busy settling
time to time among neighbours.
ceased to function.
the Reruhlican
with
disputes that might crop up from
The Fnglish Law Courts had almost
Volunteers
did an
Courts and were kept very busy.
to be taken least
If
The local
little
the police, work for
Great precaution
had
the enemy would find out where they were being held.
such a thing happened it
so many civilians
would have disastrous
present.
results,
especially
On one occasion arrangements had been
12.
made to hold the Court at Rathendrick Hail
were notified
about a week previously;
a Volunteer
sitting
but on the night of the
was posted at the hail
to direct
This move was necessary lest
Woodpoole ball.
enemy, from one source or another,
those interested
and all
sveryone to
during the week the
became aware of the venue.
sudden change shortened the time at the disposal
of a spy to inform
the enemy and lessened the chance of a raid by enemy forces
this
particular
night,
however, I was. notified
Hall.
of military
surrounding the building.
and had no light
that
was a near thing,
Me replied..
have run into the ditch".
lamp would be very useful
a little
I was armed with a revolver
and spent a few seconds trying
moved off as nicely
"You might indeed Paddy,
in the dark".
I agreed with him
to make conversation with him.
as I could without
while the military
night,
further
I
and arrived
incident
We held the Court
kept guard on the empty hail
at
two miles away.
athenth4ck
It was around this
in the raids.
hot. later
in his hand.
only you caught me I would
in Woodpoole Ran before the proceedings commenced.
there that
into the
With a tin hat on his head and a rifle
arms of a soldier
"Tommy", said I,
I ran into a group
In the darkness I fell
on my bicycle.
On
for guard duty at
When I got there on my bicycle
Pathenirick
The
At rivet
rattled on their
time that this military
began to participate
they were accompat4ed by the local
own.
The absence of a raiding
old home at Clcnagrouney for a month was considered a fair
After
one such lull
their
search lust as it
we had our first
got dark.
all-military,
raid.
R.I.C.,
party on my
respite.
They started
The whole force rushed from room
to room without any semblance of order.
As they had only one flash
lamp thev thronged into each room in a bunch.
In one room they found
a packet of twenty-four
candles and proceeded to light
my mother 4umpedout or bed saying,
"Look at the blackguards with
She grabbed each one or them before they realised
candles".
she was doing.
after
Meath and a short time later
Rattalion
Companies the 5th Battalion
Battalion
0/C
Barney Harte,
Companies
was appointed.
Meath Brigade.
were Carnaress,
Sean Keogh, Vice 0/C;
Cuartermaster.
in Rallinacree,
Our
The Companies
Stonefield
Oldcastle,
Seawus Cogan, Captain of Stonefield,was
Peter 0'Higins,
appointed
Adjutant,
and
Later with the formation of new
"oylough and Whitegate,
the battalion
was increased.
With the withdrawal
of the R.I.C.
from the small barracks all
over the county and the
of turmoil
state
gangs of blackguards
to loot,
got together
rob and work their
will
in the country at the time,
here and there all
on the people.
over the county
One such gang
themselves "The Black Hand Gang" operated in the Newcastle and
calling
Tierworker
areas.
the districts
It was composed of men from every organisation
including
the A.0.H.,
the land by brutally
they were, it
hard it
hunting
Sinn Fain, Ex-British
People from their
homes.
can be seen how dangerous an organisation
was to track
them down.
were being investigated
by the I.R.A.
Their activities
it
Composedas
it
was and how
was quite easy for their
arrangements
included the wounding of people with
shotguns, shooting into houses as well on robberies..
they placed a land-mine
on
When outrages committed by them
to pass on the news and they would make their
accordingly.
in
soldiers
Their aim was to get established
and even members of the I.R.A.
touts
were formed in County
a Brigade Staff
became the 5th Rattalion,
and Ballinlough.
what
this encounter they cleared out.
In the summer or 1920, six battalions
strength
them, but
in a labourer's
In one case
cottage and blew it
to bits.
14.
My brother
visited
Pat and other I.R.A.
the area after
been fired
into.
men took the matter up.
They
the horn of a man named Stephen Clarke had
Pat interviewed
several
men reputed to be
connected with the sang and warned them of the consequences if
similar
incident
happened again, but the depredation
a
continued.
In another ease a farm hand working for a Mr. Rowantree was blacklisted
by the gang.
a loft
man leaving
all
would fill
wounded him.
pares to recount all
the farms of land they laid
Phil Smyth of Cool.
enter
to Rowntree's and when they saw a
with a bucket of oats they opened fire
shotgun and seriously
It
They called
It
the atrocious
claim to,
crimes committed and
including
the farm of a
They boycotted the place and would not: let
a young fellow named Clinton was foolish
to enter the lands with a pair
anyone
one of the horses.
shot killed
before
He started
to get to the bottom of It.
drive
captain
in Newcastle - Michael Cahill
We was unsuccessful.
The Battalion
every man in the Battalion
unsuccessful.
This was a
Commandant, TommyO'Reilly
He and Phil
and
things were
then appointed Pat to take
Tevlin
did trojan
work.
Ho one in the area would give
and many of those who could were, apparently,
It was as a result
made an
the. to the local
then got on the job but still
was a long, tedious undertaking.
infornation
It
but
- to investingate the affair
Sean Boylan, Brigade 0/C.,
charge of the investigation.
do so.
to run for shelter
tragedy and brought things to a head and the I.R.A.
all-out
dropped
stood in dismay another
he could reach a ditch be too was shot dead,
shock1n
He had
from a concealed
position,
While the young fellow
the second hone.
enough
of horses to plough a field.
not Proceeded far when a ehot, fired
It
was Mr. Rowntree himself.
the lands.
Unfortunately
•
with a
of information
afraid
to
supplied by a Tom Tevlin
15.
and Stephen Clarke (whose house had been fired
to make a start.
Pat and his men located
Eventually
George Grrtland's
public
house in Bailieboro'
a man named Patrick
to drive
the gang in
one day.
in a room off the bar and Pat actually
located
that we were able
into)
They were
overheard them plotting
Carolan off his farm.
One of the sang, a man known as "The Rabbit
"Carolan"
cloged the door of the roan:
he knew he had been detected and went
on the run there and then and did not return until
"The "oath Chronicle"
a great I.R.A.
Patriot
It
of Tierworker.
was decided that
Sean Roylan, Brigade 0/C.,
the South Meath I.R.A.
and had a lot
man.
night,
He was the greatest
in the burning of Mullagh barracks
the flames upstairs
daredevil
house fully
soldier
We collected
Bryan Finnegan - an
I ever met.
He had helped
He
armed with a rifle.
to shoot anyone who came near and we knew he was capable of
He was captured,
a hole was bored in the back of. the house.
however,
He struggled
hut Pat managed to get a chain around his body.
in and we marched him to the lorry.
night.
They remained
weeks before and was caught by
se
doing so and meant to do what he said.
viojently
Joe Lawlor and
and had to leap from a top window into the street.
We found him in his little
after
including
with.
and with a number of
at the Cross of Cormeen.
of them the tint
to go on
the leaders only would be dealt
procured a lorry
as
leaders and
of material
while we proceeded to round up the gang.
seven or eight
threatened
We now knew their
as a bodyguard, including
Paddy "Mooneyof Trim, arrived
in the lorry
journal
devoted a whole column in singing his praises
number of the rank and file
as evidence.
I.R.A.
the whole affair
He died a few years ago and that ill-informed
was over.
a meat
saw Pat and
We did not get nil
He then gave
of them that
We could not find the "Rabbit Carolan" or the ox-British
named Cordon who actually
killed
Clinton.
A further
three of
16.
the were were arrested
a couple of nights
Ail the prisoners
later.
were taken to Rolthown House which was unoccupied at the time.
they were guarded night and day for about a week until
transferred
Here
being
to another Companyarea.
After
some time or1on
was arrested
in the. town of Navan and
taken to the Dunboyne Companyarea where the other prisoners
All were tried
detained.
by an I.R.A.
sentenced to death and duly executed.
the North Wall and Drogheda.
since.
When all
returned
to the area.
military
Court.
were then
Cordon was
The others were deported from
They have not been seen in the country
was over the
Rabbit" whomwe could not setare
The job was carried
out so successfully
that
my brother
Pat was appointed Commandantwith a roving commission which
meant that
any job of importance to be carried
entrusted
out in the area was
to him.
Around this time a young fellow named Farrelly
Seamus Cogan, the Battalion
from one of his neighbours.
a squad of I.R.A.,
arrested
him and were taking
destination"
to await his trial.
destination
they, were surprised
They opened fire
The prisoner
barracks.
men.
ensued in which
was taken to safety
to his relatives
After the inquest the remains
end taken for burial
Renuhlican plot in the cemetery at Ballinlough.
Kells was of huge dimensions.
marched
and R.I.C.
Poor Cogan's body was thrown into a lorry
and detained by the I.R.A.
were surrendered
with
0/C.,
him to an "Unknown
by a group of Military
CommandantCogan was shot dead.
R.I.C.
a bullock
Before they reached their
on our men and a running tight
and taken to Kells
stole
with the funeral.
The funeral
from
Thousands of the Republican Army
while an I.R.A.
OThcastle was guarding the prisoner
wounded and captured by the
to a new
Farrelly
man named Bryan marchedof
one day, he was surprised,
R.I.C. while the prisoner
escaped.
17.
Folleing
this
incident
could for the I.R.A.
was willing
Farrelly
to do anything he
He never forgave himself
for an
the trouble
he had caused.
One day Bernie Dunne, now our CompanyCaptain,
way to Wells riding
were on their
their
As a lorry
bicycles.
of Tans passed them on the road they opened tire
He was taken to a neighbour's
wounded.
Richmond Hospital,
that
I was next on the list
I was much older..
Phil
to be from the Tans.
for shooting anti that
had replaced rather
Farrell.
I protested
myself well armed and carried
under my Pillow by night.
telling
With the foolishness
Of course it
he
me to go
Aster this
two loaded revolvers
they were going to keep me safe
would do no
When I showed him the note,
home and behave myself and no one would shoot ins.
I got
by day and put them
of youth I thought
was possible that it
by the "ans I might be able to take down one or two
of them, Nit what loss would the life
Rassionist
before
Father Kelly
saying it
went into a hot rage and called me a blackguard,
of occupation.
informed me
He took a serious view of the matter
However, I did go to him.
I were attacked
It
I would get it
and advised me to show the note to the Parish Priest,
good.
and he
I reported the matter that evening to our Captain,
while on parade.
Tevlin,
to the
the wounding of Bernie I got a very neat
note by Post, Purporting
little
houso and from there
He was not seen in the country again for many
A abort time after
years.
load
and Bernie Veil
His wound was not too, serious
Dublin.
was soon discharged.
and Phil Tevlin
When my brother,
of a tan be to the British
Father Kieran Farrelly,
An0r
of the
Order, heard of the note, he wrote to me giving me his
advice and enclosing a sacred reflo
considered it
which I wan to carry on my parson.
a very Kind, holy and thoughtful
encounter with rather
not consider myself
Kelly,
I felt
gesture and after
very consoled.
moodenough to retain
and contented myself with the two guns.
the relic,
my
However, I did
so I returned it.
18.
All this
time the military,
maraud the country-side.
Driving
through sheer blackguardism,
grazing in a field
came to try
and pit
to demolish all
Tans and R.I.C.
as it
continued to
along the peaceful country roads,
they shot a horse, cow or sheep
took their
a atop to their
At length an order
fancy.
road bridges in the Battalion
wan en order
It
joy-riding.
This was a
area.
very tough job for our boys who did not understand it.
however, that if
fount out,
it
the keystone was loosened and removed,
was easy to demolish the remainder;
at night and it
It wan now
but the job had to be done
was not easy to find that
keystone.
Invariably
when the enemy came to a broken bridge they forced the young men
of the neighbourhood to erect a temporary structure
to cross.
The R.I.C.
turned on those gentry.
the night breaking
in the area so they were
knew every loyalist
seldom commandeeredfor the job.
After a while the tables
It was a bit
a bridge or trenching
in the trench,
were
tough for our men to spend
a road and perhaps spend
the next day at the point of a Tan's revolver
or filling
to enable them
the bridge
repairing
so we decided to get the loyalists
and an
of our neighbours who were opposed to our methods to do the job for
us.
When one or two armed I.R.A.
picks and shovels,
men had rounded them up with their
they were shown what to do and how to do it.
I can assure you there was no slacking
work like
on the job.
demons to get the work finished,
homes before the enemy would arrive.
bridges was the breaking of Lather
to be broken was the barrack bridge
They would
so as to be back in their
The demolition
Kelly's
One of the first
heart.
at Carnaross.
and remarked to one of his parishioners
that it
of the
He was furious
was the
of Clonagrouney who broke it.
Notwithstanding
insufficiently
armed.
all
the guns we gathered we were still
We could not retain
the guns we had gathred,
19.
or captured in a raid as they were usually
in the Brigade area for an attack
outside our Battalion
Dillon
on an enemy patrol
Following the attack
area.
elsewhere
or barracks
on Ballivog
and
the next big job brought off in the county
Bridge barracks,
was the capture of trim R.I.C.
This was a very successful
all
distributed
barracks in September of 1920.
job, which resulted
in the capture of
arms arid ammunition in the barracks and the subsequent burning
down of the building.
At the time there was a strong military
garrison
in Dunshaughlin, a Military
garrison
in each of the towns of Wavan, Kells,
Whitewood, and it
job was being carded
from garrison
likely
from those garrison
towns elsewbere,
was felled
be taken to
towns, as wail as roads
had to be blocked and I.R.A.
for an attack
from one side against
on any
Big trees were
to come from any quarter.
the roads leading
across all
and
from those places reaching Trim while the
squads Placed on them ii, preparation
toiled
Oldcastle
out.
All roads leading
reinforcements
and Black & Tan
was necessary that every precaution
prevent reinforcements
leading
garrison
to Trim and where possible
another from the opposite
armed I.R.A.
this was being done reliable
Positions
to guard the men on the work and prevent surprise
forces.
As it
turned out only one shot had to be fired
the District
actual
raid was taking place on the barracks.
assistance
Inspector
from inside and it
of the R.I.C.
and that one
in charge, while the
There was so
was comparatively
easy.
lax;
The job
out with the utmost dispatch.
The capture of this
they carried
by enemy
appears that the sentry was a bit
but when the boys got past him it
was carried
side.
took up ambush
While all
killed
one
out, reprisals
barracks was such a blow to the enemy that
to the fullest
extent.
They burned down
20.
several
houses in the town and Placed explosives
blew them to bits.
of ours.
was around this
the
was a public-
Higgins's
that our Intelligence
received
Staff
of Hurdlestown wan training
that a Mr. Radcliff
information
a squad
of Orangemen in the use of arms at his place in Hurdlestown,
that
and
A branch of the Hibernian Bank now occupies the site.
house.
It
Amongthose destroyed were the Lawlor's
who were supnorters
Higgins's
in others and
his house was well
fortified.
It
was located
the place would not be easy.
arranged that
san
After much deliberation
it
was
of our men should contact a maid employed at the
house to obtain some information
rooms, but nothing came of it,
Accordingly,
in a very dangerous
We knew that a raid on
near the garrisoned town of Kells.
position
and
of the different
the layout
so we decided to try a ruse.
on the appointed night when we an
had assembled at the
big gate leading to the house we advanced as near as possible to the
hall
door where we halted while one or our non advanced and rang the
He was to explain
hell.
that a lorry
and was to ask for a quantity
petrol
In answer to the ring,
to take him as far as Kells.
the door was opened My tr.
his business,
it
ten of our heftiest
Radcliff,
inn,
In the
confronted Mr.
our business.
Mr. Radcliff
to uuset his house or his people in anyway
and was asked to hand over all
arms and ammunition in his possession
at once and we would take our departure.
Robbers!"
and entered.
armed with revolvers,
and one of the group explained
was told we had no desire
With
was slammed in his face and bolted.
that we approached a side window, smashed it
hail
Radcliff
The door was on a chain and before our man had time to
himself.
explain
had run out of
he was driving
We went to great trouble
He replied
explaining
"RobbersI
to him that we were
21.
no such thing
final
anti that we were I.R.A.
appeal to him to co-operate
his household.
upsetting
arms in the house.
We then made a
and thus save us the trouble
He protested
We told
us to make a search.
on duty.
saying that there were no
him his refusal
With that ail
to assist
only compelled
of our men, except myself,
went
in search of the arms, while I stood guard over Mr. Radcliff.
upstairs
He turned to rejoin
his friends
in the sitting
to be full
of people.
sorry Sir,
my Prders are to keen you here;
I put my hand gently
room.
It
explained
that
to hand over the arts
towards the sitting
and called
I would call
our n
room saying he felt
with the chair,
but before she arrived
sooner had he fallen
to the hail
we could.
artificial
do nothing about it.
dead into my arms.
respiration,
and with a
We then carried
him
but he was dead and we could
We did send for a doctor and clergyman.
time.
operation.
fly the tizh
a few veterans,
the guns behind them.
However, I picked up three rifles,
over my shoulder and started
and possibly
we sent for the Doctor
most of them, including
or five
We did everything
and the neck of his shirt
took a very considerable
first
No
They threw them outside and
A good few of our man on the job were new recruits
this was their
him
She hastened to comply,
he fell
swoon poured sots whiskey down his throat.
The whole affair
I again restrained
weak.
to see what help they could give.
We opened his collar
and tried
He again turned
our men came thronging down the stairs,
than all
everyone of them loaded with guns.
rrturned
and I
he would now agree
down.
to fetch a chair.
on Mrs. Radcliff
"I am
you must not leave the
was his own, and that if
the fault
appeared
on his arm, saying,
He grumbled about the treatment he was receiving
hall".
outsi4e
of.
had cleared off,
leaving
all
slung them
the led mile journey home on my bicycle.
of the others who remained also picked up a rifle
or
22.
two and started
and my brother
rifles
I arrived
for home.
Mick a few minutes later
Here we were with six darling
breaking and a man lying
too well
Their
carrying
our rifles
minute the en
ion-lee
we went
to Fegatt for a sleep.
to wait until
We knew only
the Pans would arrive.
for the action
where we dug a
We took
to hear any
digging the potatoes expecting
That evening when we had finished
approach.
No house was ever raided for those arms and
after
the regretable
of a prominent Stun Féiner,
We was arrested
Féin literature
We got two spades
went to a potato field
the matter would have ended quietly,
about this
was found on him.
When searched some Sinn
After signing
after
some undertaking
about seven days.
The
published a letter
from him
the raid on Hurdlestown House was not carried
out by the
week-end the "Meath Chronicle"
stating
that
I.R.A.,
but try a band of
ruffians
can be
It
without authority.
imagined how dismayed and aggfleved we were when we vead it
disk a few years ago and that irresponsible
the "Meath Chronicle"
scribe
In the interests
to the "Meath Chronicle"
commentary as I thought it
regrettable
of historical
contradicting
He
- Mr. Quilty
devoted two columns of the as
him as an unsung hero.
wrote a letter
but
incident,
named John Brennan of
time.
or other for the enewy he wee released
following
with the dawn just
rifles
and buried them deeply in the clay.
our coats and started
Kells.
with another three.
search was bound to be at our house.
hole between the drills
off
with the three
dead back in Rurdlestown.
that we had not ion
first
and still
home safely
of
to recording
accuracy I
Mr. Quilty's
that such a man as Brennan
should be described en "An unsung hero".
Income tax and rate collectors'
offices
in the battalion
were raided in about the month of September, 1920.
were collected,
taken away and buried.
area
All documents
The vast majority
of the
Appendix 6
National Archives Act, 1986, Regulations, 1988
OF PART(S)
ABSTRACTION
PURSUANT
TO REGULATION
8
Form to be completed and inserted in the original record
in place of each part abstracted
(i)
Reference number of the separate cover under
which tile abstracted part has been filed:
(ii)
Ws 1734/s
How many documents have been abstracted:
19
date of each such document:
(iii)
C.Apsic 1958
Tile
(iv)
The description of each document:
Ws 734
Wilon
Danna
G
Atarcmer
Williams
Sean
Family
P32.
(Where appropriate, a composite description may be entered in respect of
two or more related documents).
(v)
Reason(s) why the part has been abstracted for retention:
(c)Would or might cause distress or danger to living persons on the ground
that they contain information about individuals, or would or might be
likely to lead to an action for damages for defamation.
(Thesewill be the reasons given on the certificate under Section 8(4).)
Moloney
Name:
(J. Moloney.)
Grade:
Col.
Department/Office/
Date:
Court
7 March 2003.
to Meath County Councils in June of this
elected
Councillore
and
Slim Fein ticket
wereelected, on the
year
of them were I.R.A.
To acknowledge
the
George
and
pledgedtheir
support for
authority of British Local Covernment
ointed
Mintster
Mr. W.T.
Trish local Covarnment under its newly
first
At their
men.
Meeting they
meetings were held in private
area and evenin
throughout
Brioade
Then
bagan to
earlier
many of ourthings
who very often
oblivion
Ccuncil wgnt on the run and their
lion then on the entire
Cosgrave.
places throughout the
in different
Dublin City.
get very serious for the I.R.A.
naace-time Volunteers,
displand
especially
two guns on parade,
and were not heard of again until
a great
the officers,
slunk away into
the Truce was signed.
Amongthose were
Several sworn I. LB.
their
example, when the order came to attack
or R.I.C.
barracks.
They just disappeared.
officers.
considered to be a little
deserters
R.I.C.
should be shot.
and Tan patrols
Their attitude
our Battalion
by PaddyMcDonnell,
taken very seriously
of our most active
men also followed
1.0.
Paddy was a first-class
unbalanced,
He visited
was
and one
but war
soldier
He held that all
of the
some of them in their
houses
end lectured
them for hours with a gun in his hand.
constriction
period Paddy McDonnell was a student in Maynooth College
At the time be tried
to fight
conscription
to organise a Volunteer
openly, as he wit It.
Companyin the College
His idea was that here
in the College were hundreds of young mat of Military
whomthe British
British
wanted for their
Authorities
came to collect
an.
During the
age and fitness
tie maintained that if
them like
the
so many birds in a net
24.
they should be ready to resist.
His reasoning may have been sound
thought otherwise and he was
enough, but the College Authorities
expelled.
The next episode brought an end to my military
for several
months.
The administration
activities
of the local
Mick, who was
Court continued throughout the year and my brother
was kept very busy.
the Chief Clerk,
attending
the Court as usual - it
This particular
stillness
was shattered
All the work of the
by the roar of lorries.
We both dropped our books
They appeared to be about two miles away.
as possible went from room to room and collected
documents and moors,
including
them outside where they could not be found,
minutes to do the job and we did it
I returned
and deposited
We had about twenty
thoroughly.
When I had deposited
to the house to assure my mother that
everything
safely
everything
was in order and told
the raid.
all
those connected with the Courts,
which might in any way be construed as incriminating
after
My
and we were having a quiet read when the
of the countryside
and as ouickly
night he was
was the 20th October, 1920.
mother and I were the only two in the house.
day had been finished
Sinn Féin
her that I would not leave until
I never saw my mother as scared over a raid before;
she admitted she dreaded the Tans and asked me not to leave her.
Of course I complied with her request.
payers carried
startling
tans and the treatment
I.R.A.
and fearful
At this
period the daily
accounts of the atrocities
of the
they meted out to the parent a and families
of
men whose homes they raided.
At this
time an I.R.A.
man was only arrested
when a charge
some sort or another could be brought against Mm, such as the
possession of arms or seditious
documents on his person or in the
of
25.
It was not an offence
house raided.
to be a Sinn Féiner and in
the absence of evidence that a ten was a member of the I.R.A.
was not arrested
how reeling
either.
were no arms or seditious
certain
fairly
he
that there
documents in the house that would warrant
a charge against me, we both took up our books and continued our
as if nothing was happening.
rea4inr
But something was happening.
drive was heard as plain
The thud of marching men on the gravelled
as heretofore.
Then the military
commands"Halt,
reform two lines",
followed by "Open in the name of the King", just as aggravating
not the Tans we were expecting,
opened the door an officer
forward and asked if
Mr. parrelly
to find anything,
a
room and threw a cow of
The tigutenant
we
turned to me arid said
we must take you with us".
"Nationality"
weekly paper sold openly aver almost every newsvendor's
counter at the tire.
It
expounded the Sinn Féin policy.
At the Point of two revolvers
Fergeants
Just as the Lieutenant
saying "Look at what we found, Sir;
man prisoner".
I believe
They searched
room.
but found nothing.
on the table
Must take this
"Yes",
on the house and asked me.to.
sergeant entered the sitting
"Nationality"
was a little
out a raid
stepped
When I replied
some remarks about his failure
was expressing
little
As soon as I
the rank of Lieutenant
the whole house room after
everywhere diligently,
R.I.C.
force of
He Motioned to one of the R.T.C. to accompany us.
accompany him.
We travelled
carrying
I were John Farrelly.
he told nm he was carrying
"Well,
but a most formidable
and two or three Sergeants of the R.I.C.
military
burly
width and looked out to see
I promptly opened the door full
usual.
as
I was taken to the hall
Tommyand then Pushed into
in the hands of two R.I.C.
door and securely handcuffed to a
a waiting
stand with about twenty- armed soldiers
lorry,
with tin
where I took
helmats.
26.
It was a cold frosty
The lorry
night.
where J found myself in front of the R.I.C.
with a single
meal
brown blanket.
as the Majest of Hi
Moxt morning I got my first
Vajesty The lang.
of tea and some bread and butter.
barracks
barracks at the top of
T was taken inside and shoved into one of the
cannon Street.
cells.
was driven to Kells
It
cpnsisted of a mug
After three nights In kells
I was again handcuffed and ant in a lorry
end driven to the
Workhouse in Dunshaughlin where I was put in a room with about a dozen
soldiers
awa5tjnp courtmartial
for desertion.
Dunshaughlin I was beaten with the butts
gtand we In the lorry
to attract
whon I saw on the roadside.
motley crowd.
filthy,
Parish
priest
On the 'cay td
when I tried
of rifles
of a neighbour of ours
the attention
My companions in the Workhouse were a
Fatler
who had some time earlier
Farrell,
in Carnaross, was now P.P. in Dunshaughlin.
I was going to try and escape.
A few days later
He advised me not to do so.
I would come with them.
evening who should arrive
Rccompanied by rather
in to see
Farrell.
hut they advise4 me to let
the ratter
I
Father Kieran,
them of the new move to escape
after
drop.
'lights
out'
that
they got thy lock off a back
was ready they anproached me and offered
The" all
That
I agreed.
but my brother,
I told
night my companions worked hard until
soldier's
to him
my companions told me they were going to try and
escape and asked me if
door.
been
Whenhe
I explained
heard I was in the Workhouse be came to see me.
that
to
uniform but I decided not to trust
me a
the blackguards end
rqfused to go with them saying that there was no charge that could be
nossibly
brought against me end that when w courtmartial
held I was hound to be released.
When they heard this they shook
hands In turn and went off one at a time into the cold
I said a silent
at large.
prayer
for any unfortunate
victim
frosty
night.
they night meet while
I ha4 the room to myself now and settled
bed for the tight.
would be
down on my straw
27.
In the morning after
the reveille
a soldier
looked in and
seeing only myself enquired where were the others.
"Wherever they are I never want to see their
they were the worst-looking
cast eyes.
men enquiring
I ware their
I replied
Faces again" -
evil
bunch I ever met, especially
a few minutes my room was fun
within
of officers
I knew full
lailor.
well that
the ruffians,
own appearance, had fully
they had my sympathy.
gone, but it
Next morning a lorry
was not for long.
outside my door and diagorged all
If
crooked eyes.
They were
pulled up
of then exceot the one with the
ever there was a devil
in shoe loather
When they got ever their
crooked-eyed vagabond.
especially
deserved whatever was
coming to them, but nevertheless
they told all
and
of me where they and gone or how they got away as if
one with the devil's
that
one with
it
was
dieappointment
they want through and how 'crooked eyes' had raided
anti robbed a little
shop on the roadside.
After three weeks in Dunshaughlin, I was taken to Mountjoy jail,
again in handcuffs,
under a heavy armed guard.
days there when Kevin Barry was hung.
there
There was complete quietness
that morning; the tramping of the warden
we were not disturbed
for breakfast until
annauncing his death.
another until
barracks
We all
we were called
the place was surprising.
gill
after
for Mass.
recomnise it.
the bell
and
rang
The gloom that hung over
After a fortnight
for courtmartial.
became silent,
joined in saying one Rosary after
I is
taken to drbour
Father Kieran was present.
Court wan composed of three army afflcers.
said"I
I was only a few
The
Of course I refused to
When I thought they were about to give a decision
would like
to ask the Lieutenant
who arrested
All henda looked up and waited expectantly.
At last
I
me one question".
the President
shouted What is the question you are about to ask the officer?"
28.
It
is this",
I said,
since my arrest,
stroking
"How do you like
and discipline
of the
whiskere?"
gathering was shattered
loud and hearty laugh.
The President
sentence will
prisoner,
a fine beard I had gathered
by Father Kieran's
"Removethe
declared,
be promulgated".
was as I had left
Vount3oy everything
The stillness
When I got back to
except that next day
it,
and for the next few weeks my dinner was delivered
Mountioy from a nearby hotel.
visit
it
Soon after
Father Kieran paid me a
and I told him about the dinners.
and could only guess that a friend
to the gate of
He could not account for
a Mrs. Kennedy, was
of his,
responsible.
About three weeks after
ten
to have
I was taken from
my courtmartial,
photograph and fingerprints
taken.
When this was
completed I was taken into a circular room where andcrime and
read
out to me.
sentence
sentence was three months hard labour.
I then tot the order,
stir.
"Right turn,
The warder who gave the order said,
"I am not
and started
goingto work".
to shout.
place was in turmoil.
yin
"Get a move on, you are
now end you are going to "A" wing for work".
a sentenced prisoner
I replied,
I refused to
quick march".
With that
he got very angry
Warders came from every direction
Wundreds of prisoners
screens and shouted encouragement to me.
crowded around the
After a considerable
time the head warder cams on the scene and quietly
retused to work,
and that
After
asked me if
prisoner
in "D" wing.
I demanded to be treated
Eventually
I got my way.
spending a few days in "C" wing I was transferred
where all
political
I
I assured him that I was determined not to do so
I would not go to "A" wing.
as a political
and the
ppisoners were detained.
to "D" wing
29.
After
a few days I got w whiskers nicely
a Frenchman.
like
The Cumannna mBanand relatives
the prisoners,
to visit
were three visiting
in all
bores or cubicles
savagery.
issued a Proclamation
declaring
Interned
Philip,
the I.R.A.
without
trial.
was arrested
constructed
the Authorities
an illegal
organisation
wholesale and
were being arrested
Mountjoy became chock tail.
My brother,
about this time and sent to a detention
One day I had. two lady visitors
at Collinstown.
were membersof the Cumannna nBan.
There
for the purpose
After my arrest
the I.R.A.
best.
Outside the war was
during the period.
its
and as a result
were allowed in
and I wanted to meet them at
and 1 had many a visitor
continuing
trimmed aid looked
camp
from Dublin;
Joe Kennedy of Castlepollard
was serving a sentence in Hountjoy at the same time as myself,
Headquarters to ask me to study the special
surprise
wan to come.
was informed that there was another visitor
visitor's
I discovered that
cubicle.
who was our Battalion
of Rallinlough
to neat the visitor
in My company.
classes organised
A few days later
waiting
I
for me in No. 2
another prisoner
- John Keogh
0/C before his arrest
- was also
When to got down we were
was none other than the Brigade 0/C.,
to find our visitor
surorised
services
in Mountjay so that I could take commandwhen
But a bier
released.
so I
They had been sent from
took him along to meet my visitors.
by the prisoners
they
Seán Boylan.
He was in serious
briefly
trouble
told me the position
in our Battalion
over the state
and the many things that had happened
He wanted to get the area
area in Particular.
and pet into shame.
reorganised
John Keogh, being an internee,
Boylan knew he had no chance of release,
so he warned me to lose no
to net free when my term was up and to avoid being
Spportunity
interned,
of cur area and
if
Possible.
I Promised to do my best although I knew
30.
that would be very little
as each morning a lorry
in the yard to take one or two of the prisoners
internment
camp immediately their
At last
early
to report
him to the Governor.
In the
it
of which
He pleaded with me not
lay in his power he would try
This morning I told him I was tired
and do me a goad turn.
place and was going home.
is a lorry
excitement.
with this warder as a result
to do so and promised me,that if
there
and I was all
arrived
and the Warder came along.
stages I had some trouble
I threatened
to Ballykinlar
sentence was served.
the day of my release
I kicked the door of my ceil
was waiting
"For God's sake",
in the yard waiting
of the
says he "do you know
to take you to Ballykinlar".
He reminded me of his
I asked him what I could do about it.
promise to do me a good turn and said he was going to try and fulfil
it
now.
Tie asked me to remain very quiet and to be ready to go
the minute he called
Of course I agreed.
for it.
door of Joe Kennedy's cell.
to Joe until
chatting
called
1 went in and sat on his plank
I got the call.
on me to make haste.
Tie cams back at last
On the way he told me that if
lucky I had a good chance, that
there was no lorry
moment and the one that had been there had left.
into
the office
for
discharge.
The official
me the few coppars found on me on arrival
four and sevenpence - when the warder intervened
refused to work".
end
I were
there at the
He ushered me
in the office
handed
ant was about to hand me
my wages for the three months hard labour - it
"Farrelly
He opened the
amounted to about
and said,
I could have kicked him.
I was
Marched to the gate and released.
I was free at last.
My old friends
of the Cumannna mBan
were outside to take charge of me with my big strong boots, darling
whiskers and roughly tied bundle under my arm.
They ushered me
31.
across the Street
open arms as it
to J.J.
Walshe's shop where 1 was received with
I were a hero.
Father Kieran joined us later
loined in the celebrations.
on a Mrs
having my photo taken I called
After
Johnson of 56, Blessington Street,
to thank her for all
the good things she sent into me while inside.
and spent some tine
and
I next had a shave
seeing.
Next day I bought
a couple 0f dozen stout and took them into n
old comrades inside.
in the city
I had some difficulty
succeeded.
After
sight
in getting
in this
three days in the city
time but eventually
I took the train
for home.
My mother was there and gave me a hearty welcome and advised me to
clear
five
out as soon as I had some refreshments.
She told me she had had
raids in the previous three days.
Next day I moved about in home in a wide circle.
evening a dispatch
that
arrived
I was ordered to be in Ballinlough
for me.
night at a given tine.
When I got to the appointed place a
young wan bade me goodnight and told
asked me to follow him.
spoke curtly
to me and said,
saying "All
He would mejoin
it.
guide, and
where I saw a lone in
standing
He was my Brigade Commandant, Seán Boylan.
"You came".
prepared to go with the fight.
sincerely
me he was to be w
Off we went up John Keogh's avenue around
the house and down into the fields
under a lone bush.
In the
He asked me how far I was
I answered him thought fully
the way" or words to that
the I.R.R.
He
and
He asked
effect
I confessed I did not know much about
He told me I would hate to take an oath, would have to obey
orders and be a good soldier
generally.
I agreed to those terms and
there and then under that lone bush I swore I would fight
the Irish
Republic against an
an oath something similar
parted he informed me that
enemies foreign
to that
held next evening at Ballinlough
and domestic.
taken by the I.R.A.
there was - battalion
to defend
It was
Before we
council meeting being
and asked me to attend.
Appendix 6
National Archives Act, 1986, Regulations, 1988
ABSTRACTION
OF PART(S)
PURSUANT
TO REGULATION
8
Form to be completed and inserted in the original record
in place of each part abstracted
(i)
Reference number of the separate cover under
which tile abstracted part has been filed:
(ii)
Ws 1734/s
How many documents have been abstracted:
399
date of each such document:
(iii)
C. Apsic1958
Tile
(iv)
The description of each document:
734
Wilon
Danna and
Atarcmer
drily
Sean
a Williams
P32
Family
- 34
(ind)
(Where appropriate, a composite description may be entered in respect of
two or more related documents).
(v)
Reason(s) why the part has been abstracted for retention:
(c)Would or might cause distress or danger to living persons on the ground
that they contain information about individuals, or would or might be
likely to lead to an action for damages for defamation.
(Thesewill be the reasons given on the certificate under Section 8(4).)
Moloney
Name:
(J. Moloney.)
Grade:
Col.
Department/Office/
Date:
Court
7 March 2003.
32.
Before I proceed with the rest
to relate
are
of the story I would like
of the happenings in the area while I was in Mountjoy.
My brother
Pat,
who had already been appointed Commandantin charge of special
operations
in both the 5th an1 l1th Battalion
0/C. of the 4th Battalion,
promotion which I will
and held this
areas, was now appointed
rank until
a further
deal with later.
One
of the first
carried
operations
out after
the Salford
carried
my brother
ambush.
out in the 4th Battalion
Pat's
appointment.
He had ordered all
be taken to a vacant house (the property
area was
It became known as
guns in the Battalion
area to
s of Mullagh) in
of McKenna's
33.
and general overhaul.
for repairs
Salford,
in the house anti Pet personally
carried
They were dumped
supervised the work which was
They were dumped on a Saturday
out in the utmost secrecy.
Next morning when Pat was going to Mass, a little
morning.
girl
him and told him that a number of Tans were going down a
followed
lane leading
to the house where the arms had been dumped.
had been on the job when they were dumped and Pat
came to the conclusion that
it
could have been none other than
who had Informed the Tans of the whereabouts of
the arms.
a few of his available
Pat collected
arms were about the village
He called
Salford.
the others.
of Moynalty and proceeded towards
and brought him along with
to
He was determined to put his suspicions
to the test.
the
men and whatever
My crossing the fields
Tans, collected
of
they reached the house before
the arms and loaded them into
a horse trap which
they had commandeeredfrom a farmer on his way to Mass along the
The farmer's
lane.
name was Smyth, nicknamed "Paddy the Wrangler".
When they had loaded the trap they left
to take up ambush positions
came into the ambuskade, and told
they were all
to follow suit
with a revolver.
them that the moment he opened
and join in the attack
They were
away guarding Smyth anti his precious load.
the tables
the Tans
In a short time the Tans were observed coins
coming into the ambuskade.
on them.
opened fire
order from Pat.
strength
until
was posted in the centre of the party armed
immediately.
distance
and proceeded
alone a ditch to await the return of
Pat ordered every man to hold his tire
the tan.
tire
Smyth with it
The attack was surely
While they were still
with his revolver
fifty
going to turn
perches distant,
without waiting
The Tans, taken by surprise
of our men, took to the open fields
for the
and not knowing the
leaving
Smyth and
34.
his load behind.
Our nm gave chase but the enemy got clear
away and took shelter
in Waltarstown Rouse, the property
Colonel Farrell.
to a military
Here they remained while Farrell
went personally
camp at Whiteswood for reinforcements.
The I.R.A.
could not spend too much time 1ookinc for the Tang.
load of an
Pistrict
t.o look after
Inspector,
and a motor car,
R.I.C.,
They had the
the property
of the
which had been abandoned by the tans.
One Section of the T.R.A. was detailed
and
of a
another to destroy the car.
to look after
The arms were safely
the arms
dumpedand
the car was driven by a young man Dated Curran of Moynalty to Carriga
was set on fire
where it
and destroyed.
The incident
on Sunday morning the 21st January,
night
and day after
this
As I have already
1921.
held a roving commission as well a
planned an attack
the 5th or Eallnlough
at this
being in sole charge of the 4tb
Rattalion
R.I.C.
was atta3
Cuartermaster.
and the officers
participate
the two battalions,
in the attack
attack,
Oldcastle
of this
Peter O'Higgins,
Pat
was in
battalion
Adjutant,
John Keogh, whomI met in Mountjoy,
ion 0/C. of the 5th Battalion
had been decided that
the. Salford
Barracks.
period were Torn Manning, 0/C.,
and Barney Harte,
CommandantPat Farrelly,
A short time after
on Oldcastle
house was raided
by both the Tans and Military.
incident
stated my brother,
or Moynalty Battalion.
took place
on Oldcastle
previous to Tom Manning.
It
both 4th and 5th, would
barracks.
Shortly
before the
35.
date on which the attack was to take place a section
Companywere to occupy a house opposite the barracks.
Oldcastle
This house wee to become vacant before the attack
wore to occupy it
sections
that
and the Oldcastle
as soon as the occupier had left,
in
they could keep an eye on the movementsof the enemy and give
them the impression that it
was stun
being occupied by the tenant.
This arrangement would enable the attacking
into
of the
the town, to take up positions
then,
as they dribbled
party,
at their
own convenience.
Arrangements were made with a mason named Pat Reilly
ret on to the roof of a house some short distance
of Fartagh,
to
from the barracks
and with his tools to creep along the roof tops to the roof of the
remove a number of slates
barracks and silently
was ready for the attack,
it
When all
therefrom.
was intended to send a Volunteer
the roof to drop in a couple of hand-grenades after
on to
the ceiling
been broken.
A night or two previous to the arranged date all
grenades and
land-mine were taken to a dump in the Ballinlough
arms,
The rendezvous for the general body was the end of
Companyarea.
about 9 p.m.
Stoney Road, Oldcastle,
Wan were to be there
The Ballin1oun
first
with all
land-mine.
The Conmandantand his men met in the village
Carnaross.
After
Craat Was their
commandeering a horse and string
arms and the
of
cart they set off
On the way they commandeereda second horse and cart.
for Oldcastle.
dismay when they reached Stoney Foad to meet not the
men from Ballinlongh
waiting
had
for them.
Pat stepped forward.
then home as quickly
such a blackguardly
with the puns and land-mines but two priests
The priests
inquired
for the man in charge and
They ordered him to disband his men and to et
as possible,
telling
Ma they would not allow
attack to take place in Oldcastle,
the amount of destruction
pointing
and hardship he would cause to the
out
36.
innocent people of Oldcastle
Pat informed the priests
if
he carried
that he had a duty to perform and
pointed out that he was legally
acting under the control
Fe added that
After
army,
by the people.
and for their
anproached them earlier
lives
their
discussions Pat
but to place them under
own safety.
for their
and had asked if
proposed attack
of
to them that they knew too much for the safety
that the Commandantof the local
reply was definitely
come into
some further
he had no alternative
ekplaining
In putting
of a legal
he was acting under the orders of the Minister
told then that
or his in
appointed officer
of a Government elected
of the Covernmant.
arrest,
out his plans.
The priests
Battalion
then told Pat
- Toni Manning - had
advice and told them of the
he and his men would be justified
in danger by such an undertaking.
Their
They forbade Pat or his men to
negative.
the town or to send in arms either,
and advised him to
cancel whatever arrangements he had made for the attack
In the circumstances Pat had no alternative
the attack,
but to call
lie sent in a couple or men to bring back Pat Reilly
who was already
on the roof of a house near the barracks.
men in the vacant house opposite the barracks were also
or the decision.
affair
This act of mntiny was a dreadfully
and it. shook the whole organisation
Then the matter was reported
ordered to arrest
lob to arrest
every I.R.A.
to
C.N.Q.,
As might be expected,
The
notified
serious
in the area to its
It
roots.
was
CommandantFarrelly
man in the Battalion.
overy man in the battalion
The tack was achieved and ail
only.
off
was a big
from the Commandantdown.
hands were detained
for interrogation
a good number of the men were loyal
and blameless,
but their
Commandantand some of the officers
few Volunteers
were not,
and they proved very obstinate
and
and a
37.
and refused to give any reason for their
unco-onerative
mutiny
refused to surrender the arms in the area.
They obstinately
It was a difficult
dreadful
remedies.
situation
When all
there was no alternative
and difficult
the threats
situations
deserve
and persuasions failed
but to have recourse to the dreadful
remedy of flogging.
The ox-Commandantwas taken out and flogged
until
questions put to him and had promised to
he answered all
surrender
all
arms in the area.
Some of the other officers
few of the men were flogged to a lesser degree until
to hand over all
a relative
arms in their
that the situation
This was the situation
On the night after
when I had a visit
to earlier
Seán Boylan.
taking the I.R.B.
oath,
Council meeting in Ballinlcugh, as instructed
I attended a Battalion
by the Brigade 0/C.
Amongthe officers
present were David Smyth, Battalion
Connell,
and Bryan Daly,
concerning the organisation
outside my ken.
the Battalion
battalion
area.
0/C.,
Peter
Seán Boylan
that night
It was all
At the meeting I was appointed Vice Commandantof
to take charge of the Special
Services.
jobs assigned to me was to raid Blackwater railway
for Belfast
as a result
in the
with instructions
One 0r the first
station
Ouartermaster.
There was a long. and serious discussion
presided.
state
in the area was in a very bad way.
already referred
in Mountjoy by the Brigade 0/C.,
Adjutant,
man who was
of those degraded were in a very unsettled
or friend
with the result
they also agreed
Every I.R.A.
possession.
and a
goods.
At this
time Belfast
goods were boycotted
of a ban imposed by the Sinn Féin Executive against
use.
After the meeting,
night,
with an order to raid the station
Paddy McDonnell and told
their
I found myself alone in the middle of the
before morning.
I called
on
him I had been appointed Vice-Commandant and
38.
explained
I had to raid the station
that
The station
by morning.
was situated
in Paddy's own Companyarea.
men together
to carry out the the and that I would remain to give
him a hani.
I told him to get his
Tommy, and T wont to the farmyard of
paddy's brother,
a Mr. Nicholson and commandeereda couple of horses and carts,
hav1n
first
horseman - Peter Htynes - for the
roused
Keoysof the stables.
We galloped off in the dead of the night
for the station,
the
noise of the iron-shod wheels resounding through the stillness
that
late
waiting
Whenwe got there we found Paddy and his men
hour.
for us, with the half-dressed
the gates and stores open.
stationmaster
Rooneyof Seymourstown.
little
from Mountjoy a few days
He suggested an old house on the roadside,
earlier.
on
as to where we would dump it.
John Keogh was with us, having been released
Pat
among them and
Having loaded up some tons of stuff
we held a consultation
the two carts,
of
the property of
We packed the two loads into that
house for the time being.
it
for the most part,
consisted,
of arm seeds which were consigned to Mr. T. P. McKennaof Mullagh.
We then left
for home and a sleep.
man went to inspect the stuff,
all
The raid on the station-had
Two mornings after,
Stonefield.
They lived
dead body- into
result
and
a widespread search for the missing
Several loads of Tans called
in a house situated
Paddy had no shelter
Tommywade good his escaps.
a lorry
for us.
the Military
at a crossroads in
The two boys were at home at the time.
a dash for liberty.
with bullets.
had been stolen.
a most unfortunate
and for those responsible.
to McDonnell's.
of fl
on the 23rd March, 1921, all
Tans around the area started
property
Next morning, when one of our
and took it
They both made
and he soon fell
riddled
The Tans threw Tommy's
to Kells R.T.C.
barracks.
39.
to his people for internment.
over a few davs later
They handed it
The country was in such a state of turmoil at this period that it
as big
was not possible to give Paddy
funeral as we had p4ven
a
He was buried beside Seamus in the Republican plot
Seamus Cogan.
in Ballinlough
May he rest
cemetery.
and a very sincere
brave soldier
loss to our Movement.
serious
tile place
I was able to report
to Brigade Headquarters that
anti in full
reorganised
I had the area
We were now holding
working order again.
meetings and receiving
regular
ms taken by Harry Lee
area and in a very short time
Companies in the battalion
diffarent
His death was a
Ropublican.
did not take me long to get around the
It
of Rallinlough.
He was a very
in peace.
weekly reports
from each Company
In the Rattalion.
We row decided to carry out a major operation
after
many meetings and discussions
of a couple of lorry
patrol
decided to attack
an enemy
loads of Tans which travelled
very eally
We selected
in the mornings between Wells and Oldcastle.
for the attack
on our own and
convenient to Sylvan Park House.
a spot
On the night of
the 30th March, 1921, we assembled in a disused house in the
The whole Rattalion
vicinity.
leant
all
fifty,
men who carried
our Engineer,
belt
We had two land-mines.
rifles.
wan in char
detonators
wire which he stretched
of those.
laid them,
some
yards apart, by morning.
and attached. a couple of lengths of electric
for several
David Smyth, was in charge.
who lived
Matt Tevlin,
He set to work and with the
perches into a field
opposite side of the road from Sylvan Park House.
carpenter
We numbered at
armed with shot guns with the exception of six
of about ten Volunteers
He inserted
was represented.
on the
The Battalion
For our own safety we arrested
in the gate house of Sylvan Park House.
0/C.
an old
40.
In the early
formation
marning we took up positions
behind a stone wail
as one faced Oldcastle.
in extended
on the loft-hand
We broke loop-holes
side of the road
in the wall and
in a short time were ready for the attack.
Five or Six men, with
two
Were
were placed near the main gate to the house and
rifles,
put in charge of the batteries
on the opposite side to explode the
Thev were some short distance
mines.
duty nfl night
and it
was now P o'clock
than the usual time
later
We were on
off the road.
in the morning, two hours
the enemy patrol
wan clue to pass, but
ns no sign of then yet.
there
Our men were getting
hungry and tired,
the lads to neighbouring houses for food.
to a Protestant
family named Hill
this
of broken eggs.
hash was sent to us out of sauce.
due to the studidity
were offered
One young lad called
and said he wanted tea and eggs.
He returned with a bucket of tea full
believe
so we sent a few of
of the maid.
a blank refusal.
I don't
It nay have been
At Sylvan Park House the lads
I went to the
When I heard this
yard and unearthed a workman - Peter Higgins - and asked him for a
called
heavy fledge.
door:
it
will
on the three ladies
within
be remembered that these were the three Rowley ladies
who opened fire
when we were about to raid their
They refused.
I ordered Higgins to break it
first
blow the door was opened from within.
supplied
all
He this
house for arms.
open.
After the
They eventually
the tea and food required.
time we had collected
observed us In position.
a pony trap.
to open the
a number of passers-by who had
They included a postmen with his mail in
Coming up to ten o'clock,
our 0/C.
Re feared the enemy were aware of our positions
got nervous.
and were gathering
41.
a big force to surround us.
to wait another hour.
Seamus inn
In the meantime the Brigade Vice Commandant,
He agreed with CommandantSmyth that
arrived.
to lift
better
He consulted with me and We agreed
the mines and disband quietly.
Ten men were retained
accordingly.
they were removing the mines.
scouts reported
The order was given
to cover the Engineers while
They had them just
the approach of an enemy lorry
Tans from Kells,
several
we opened fire.
and continued on their
way.
looking
It
The lorry
our fire
they had any
that
to report in Crossakiel
The scene of the ambushwas enclosed by
four roads, none of which was more than a mile long.
was not ideal
When
load of Tans were out
lorry
for the postman who had tailed
morning with, his mail.
They returned
We tin not know if
appears that this
when our
the very men we wanted.
they came within
casualties.
lifted
Our Engineers
crossed over the wall and took cover beside us.
contained
it wan
for an ambush, but it
The place
was the best available.
We
who bad remained had not left
the scene twenty minutes, when we
heard the roar of the lorries
we had platted
several
than usual.
Oldcastle,
tire
hours later
to attack
coming from
The occupants opened
as they passed through Sylvan Park; apparently
they had been
informed by the Tans we bad ambushed.
Now it
was decided by G.H.Q. to divide
Ours became the 1st Fasten.
Divisions.
appointed were Sean Boylan, O/C.;
Pat
Clinton,
Eamon Cullen,
Brigades.
Killalan
Adjutant;
Engineer.
the country into
The Division
Staff
Seamus Finn, Vice 0/C.;
Seamus O'Higgins,
Quartermaster and
This Division
was divided into nine
Ours ins No. 3. Brigade.
It
extended roughly from
in County Westmeath to Westmeath
near Shercock in County
Cavan, and from Finnor to the Monaghan/Louth border.
The Brigade
42.
staff
Pat Farrelly,
appointed were, my brother,
David Smyth, Cuartermaster,
Adjutant;
and Hick Monaghan, Engineer.
They were -
No. 3. Brigade comprised seven battalions.
Newcastle,
Rallinlough,
Castlerahan
Services
Oldcastle,
and Kingscourt.
in charge of the. Special
T organised lines
area..
to work like
communication
Bailieboro',
Virginia,
1 was still
in my old Battalion
aid classes were started
Fngineering
the least
and personnel appointed for then.
Those ladies
country was full
and Tans.
day at Clonagouna with a very important
bicycle
all
the way meeting several
She carried
way.
I remember one of them in
At this
diépatch
man was not sure of a night's
in the home of one of our supporters
loyalist.
All were being raided by the enemy.
one of the Battalion
officers,
and interned.
Phil Tevlin,
It
was raided and ho was
We were forced to build
dug-outs here and
I constructed one in a ditch in one of our
alongaide the Blackwater River in Carnaross.
number o
roof.
or in the home of a
was staying in the home of a loyalist
named Miss McCormackaround this time.
fields
for me and rode her
the document in her mouth.
period a wanted I.R.A.
there for ourselves.
poles and criss-croseed
at the bottom of a furze bush.
I erected a
those with hay and branches for a
The sides were made of similar
cautious least
one
squads of enemy personnel on the
sleep be it
arrested
She arrived
She was Katie Keogh of Ballinlough.
particular.
but not
at a time when the
were very resourceful
of soldiers
and last,
of the Cumannna mBan
troublesome, was the reorganisation
in the area.
riders organiaed
classes were also started
and Signalling
of
Dispatch centres had to be
clock-work.
found in each Companyarea and a crew of dispatch
First
T.P. McKenna,.
0/C.
material.
I crept into this
When emerging I had to be very
a neigbbour of mine, a John Briody,
should see me.
43.
and internment camps were now full
The jails
was part of the local. Cumannna mBan's duty to send little,
and it
to our men inside.
little
tan an occasional
for the benefit
others.
of their
own particular
Complaints were received
all
or none little
friends
Snide
Readquarters
of air
I attended one
took charge of all
money
which I forwarded to the Cumannna mBant
men locked up were provided with cigrettes
as far as possible.
necessity,
Hell broke loose after
the taking
followed immediately none the girls
would hive us no further
of the cash and a meeting
I acalled
help.
They declared they
affected.
meeting of the Cumannna
mBan and 'in the face of much abuse from the aggrieved party,
new officers
after
about
I handed over the money to my
over.
50/-
end neglected
due for refreshments or musicians and found
and got a receipt
thereafter
used this money only
and I was asked to intervene.
paid. any bills
I had a sum of
purpose, they
were honesty itself
at Divisional
dances in the Carnaross area,
collected,
superiors
Many of the girls
dance.
discrimination
of their
To raise money for this
whose boy friends were interned,
but others,
this
to capacity
elected
and struck the names of the mutineers off the roil.
a short time the Cumannna mBanwas back to full
when new members joined.
reached the Plivisional
As soon as
Staff
report
strength,
on the matter
I was appointed Brigade Vice Commandant
of No. 3. Brigade and from then had a much wider field
Large-scale
enemy raids,
around the month of May.
the biggest yet,
Enemy lorries
to travel.
were taking place
were constantly
on the
roads and our house in Clonagouna was sometimes raided four or five
times a day.
On one particular
was saying Mass upstairs
brothers,
morning my brother,
in the sitting-room,
Flick and Jim, were attending.
while
Father Kieran,
mother and
During the priestthe priest
44.
was the first
to hear the approach of the dreaded enemy lorries..
He turned quietly
to the two boys and told them to run.
and got wider cover and lay down..
directions
different
They took
time and within
searchers had blood-hounds with them this
minutes the boys tiers located in their
placed in one of the lorries
The
hideouts..
a few
They were arrested,
and taken to Mullagh where the enemy
had most of the townspeople rounded up on the fair
green.
From
Mullagh both, Hick and Jim wore taken in stages to Harepark Campand
I had a very narrow escape around the same period.
interned.
I was asleep under a furzebush in one of our fields
following
dancing, when I was awakened by Matt Tevlin,
a night's
who told me to leave at once, that
Tans and Military
one day,
was full
the countryside
of
and that there were three Tans standing on the
road just outside where I slept.
order to reach me in the field
I moved off immediately.
In
Matt Thvlin got a bucket and
pretended to be picking stones on his way towards me.
Owing to enemy activity
the Sinn Féin Courts.
as harshly
it
dealt
was difflcult
administer
it
was now very difficult
Victims
cau1t
with as the fighting
to
administering
the Kings court district
fell
almost entirely
a very heavy list
the law were
In the circumstances
men.
get anyone, other than an I.R.A.
the law, so it
to carry on
man, to
on the I.R.A.
of cases had accumulated:
some of these had been before the English Courts for years.
brother
My
Hughie happened to be home at the time and he, Pat Cogan
(a brother
of the late
CommandantCogan) and myself were deputed to
act as Judges for the Kingscourt sitting.
the basement of a hail
We dealt
In
The Court was held in
at the Moynalty end of the town.
with the cases in tarn.
There was no display
of, any kind,
the only persona present being the three Judges, the litigants
concerned in a case and one or two Volunteers.
When one case was
45.
the litigants
finished,
in the next were brought in.
was our guide and all
justice
None of the cases we dealt
cases were dealt
The rule of
with accordingly.
with that night ever came into
Court
We subsequently attended as Judges at Courts in Bailieboro',
again.
and other areas without incident.
Oldeastle
Vir4nia,
We had all
been upset because the Sylvan Park ambushhad not
been a complete success, so we decided to try again with fewer man.
This time we selected
was in charge this
Tevlin
p)aced fourteen
wall
Drumbaragh as the scene of an ambush.
overlooking
electric
He himself
for some time and was getting
place in the tree when a lorry
cramped, so he decided to
load of military
on the road and mounted the ditch.
approached.
With that
were seen approaching while the first
The lorry
evened
three other lorries
one returned to the scene.
the ambush party managed to withdraw.
charged across the fields
This
As it
came on the scene.
the ambuskade the mine was exploded.
With great difficulty
He had been
This man had just taken his
got through, but a second lorry
drove into
with a
had been connected to an
The battery
coma down and send up another man.
military
took up a position
wire attached at the other end to the mine
in the tree
lorry
or two behind a
men armed with shotguns and a rifle
in a tree nearby.
battery
He planted a mine in the road and
tire.
the road.
Matt
after
them with fixed
The
bayonets.
Some of our boys took cover in a dry dyke and were not seen
CROSSED
this dyke.
After some tire
although the military
actually
the military
returned
to the lorries
and proceeded on their
One of our men, a postman named Jack Lynch, was slightly
On former occasions in the fight
spies and informers
to 1921.
in plenty and so it
for Irish
way.
wounded.
freedom there. wore
was In our period from 1913
11ehad our share of spies and we dealt with them severely.
46.
One such man was a Carnaross man named Nicholas Bradley.
fought in France in the first
arrested
in connection with his I.R.A.
to know every active
as he was
Living
In a raid
on the local
tonether
Post Office
of every I.R.A.
in the early
addressed to Dublin Castle.
The list
every one or whomwere active
I.R.A.
spring of 1921, the
contained twenty-one names
men.
tie was found guilty
his execution,
man in the area.
from him were found amongthe mail,
with a letter
courtmartialled.
He used
T.R.A. man in the district.
his oppontunity and compiled a list
list
activities.
who had been
the boys and with his advantage as postman, he was in a
among all
position
world war and was appointed postman
in nlace of one of our men Jack Tevlin,
in the village
He had
and
He was arrested
and sentenced to death.
a Kilmeasan man and a Curate in
Father san,
heard his Confession and administered
the last
Before
Moynalty,
of the Church.
rites
He was buried in pathmaine Wood.
Another young men named Keelin from Kilmainhamwood was very
intimate
It was known that he was giving
with the tans.
whatever Information
he could.
The I.R.A.
thought that by giving him
a fright
he might realise
arrested
and taken to an Tunknowndestination".
house in tower Leitrim,
After being detained
released.
travelled
the gravity
the property
of his behaviour,
This was an unused
for a few weeks, he was severely
the countryside
After
with the Tans in their
opportunity
He was kept under observation
was rearrested.
was found guilty
not quite
and was later
so dangerous; but,
given a chance.
raids and brought
They burned it
to
and at the first
At the courtmartial
executed.
cautioned and
his release he
them to the house in which he had been detained.
the ground.
so he was
of a Miss McMahonof Mullagh.
was misplaced leniency.
It
them
which followed he
There were many others,
as the penalty was so severe,
they were
47.
Around this
all
raids.
In retaliation
the I.R.A.
to take away
seized they were generally
seized Post Office
bicycles
When
colour but they were
a different
tainted
typs and were easily
man while on
were always painted red.
Those bicycles
whenever possible.
a certain
a practice
found around the house of an I.R.A.
bicycles
their
time the Pans made it
A young in
distinguishable.
named
Pea4ar Dunne was in possession of one Of those machines one day when
he met the
They arrested him and took him to him
tans.
for a few days.
barracks
His mother pleaded with the R.I.C.
but got no satisfaction.
release
whomI mentioned before,
then called
to the barracks and told the
that Dunne was net an I.R.A.
Sinn Féiner
in his parish.
in Moynalty".
Pat Panrelly?"
fire
of mine; he lives
Pat
replied,
In his own house over
were under the impression that he was living
He was comparatively
old home in Clongouna.
a day.
The priest
him and asked
Up to then the tans were unaware that Pat had a house
of his own
always slept
man and that he had not one
The Tone contradicted
is not a parishioner
Farrelly
for his
the Parish Priest
Father Kelly,
authorities
"What would you call
R.I.C.
there,
Vitally
but now the raids started,
the Thin sprinkled
As they left
and ran.
it
in our
safe in Moynalty and
often several
with patrol
and set it
times
on
an old womandrawing water from a wail
opposite - her name was Mrs. Tyrrell
- threw two buckets of water
on the flames and Put out the fin.
My brother
was still
Philip
who had been arrested
in Ballykinlar,
in November, 1920, and
also had his own house in Balnagun.
called
there about this
then,
a raid was in progress and he narrowly missed arrest.
took cover and waited.
some villany
was just
time to see how things were.
When the Tans left
and ran to the house.
in time to put it
out.
in a hurry,
They had started
On the following
Pat
When he got
He
he suspected
a fire
and he
Sunday while he
48.
was at Mass in Moynalty,
congre gation left
the Church was surrounded.
a waiting
were being made.
investigations
Pat was identified
they were searched.
Fe was put into
arrested.
As the
and
while further
lorry
After some conversation
the Sinn Féin movement he was told to "get to hell
about
out of this".
Pat got down and got mixed up in the congregation and eventually
ran down a lane to safety.
had identified
Pat,
When the R.I.C.
returned to the lorry
Murphy),who
and saw Pat was gone, he
a great row, but that was amongst themselves.
raised
my new command, end at the sane time looking after
with
Special
Services
and Battalion
and Courts,
I was kept very busy attending
meetings to arrange details
the
Brigade
of proposed ambushes.
One
such ambushhad been arranged at Loughan crossroads near the residence
of an ex-British
army man named Challoner.
During our raids for an
he was one of the men who refused to hand over his guns so we had to
use force.
He resisted
took some hours to collect
position
local
His house was a big one and it
strongly.
what stuff
for Sometime awaiting
he had.
the arrival
The boys had been in
of an
when a
men got in touch with one of the lads and told him that
Challoner
had been out shooting or walking through his lands and had
probably observed them waiting.
hurriedly
The local, man had seen Challoner
making his way to his house and afterwards
car towards Kells.
Loughan was only a few miles
was considered best
to call
Challoner
it
off the ambush.
informed the military
on the ambushposition
later
enemy lorry
driving
in his
from Kells and it
The 1oda
tan was right.
in Kells and a strong force converged
but our men were gone.
was decided to take the cay
ambushes were planned and positions
At a Brigade meeting
off Challoner.
Many such
taken at Arlow Cross and elsewhere,
but the enemy always appeared to be informed in time and so they never
cams off.
Appendix 6
National Archives Act, 1986, Regulations, 1988
ABSTRACTION
OF PART(S) PURSUANT
TO REGULATION
8
Form to be completed and inserted in the original record
in place of each part abstracted
(i)
Reference number of the separate cover under
which the abstracted part has been filed:
(ii)
How many documents have been abstracted:
(iii)
The date of each such document:
(iv)
The description of each document:
Ws 1734 Wilon Atarcmer
Williams
we
1734/A
19
C. April1953
Sean
Family
Arward
P47
(Where appropriate, a composite description may be entered in respect of
two or more related documents).
(v)
Reason(s) why timepart has been abstracted for retention:
(c)Would or might cause distress or danger to living persons on the ground
that they contain information about individuals, or would or would be
likely to lead to an action for damages for defamation.
These will be the reasons given on the certificate
underSection 8(4).)
Moloney
Name:
(J. Moloney.)
Grade:
Col.
Department/
Office/ Court:
Date: 7 March 2003.
49.
however, as it
One evening,
a private
boys noticed
and tour or five
car containing
dark,
a District
some of our
Rowland
Inspector
drive through the village
R.I.C.
to Virginia.
Kells
was getting
of Carnaross from
of the local. Companygot together,
Pour or five
armed themselves with shotguns and got behind a ditch at Dervor to
await their
CommandantPat Fancily
While they were waiting,
return.
came on the scene and joined them.
just
drove into the ambuskade.
fired
They all
as he did so the private
like
car
There were
one ann.
of agony from the car which swerved badly but continued its
cries
Casualties
Journey.
in an accident like
hut Nails people who saw them arrive
District
Inspector
threes in various
Seán Boylan, Divisional
Tans on sight
I went in one night to help the local
I could not met
barracks said that the
at their
had been wounded.
now issueddan order to shoot all
this were seldom reported
one of them, but instead saw the Tans in twos and
degrees of intoxication,
all
carrying
He informed me that
was among them.
long Webleys.
There I met all
the
Seamus Finn, the Divisional
men who should have been in Kells.
Adjt.,
of Kells.
in the streets
Companyto carry out the order.
I went to Dulane to find the CompanyCaptain.
I.R.A.
0/C.,
he had countermanded the
order.
Having to doewith the maintenance of law and order,
a great opportunity
afforded
difficulties
several
of learning
One such raid was that
cases.
named
He was a bully
threatened
to shoot her.
sought protection.
of the unhappiness and
We were called
iii some homes
on to intervene
of an
and
who abused his wife and
I called
to the house next evening.
He handed urna revolver.
for his shotgun which he promptly handed over.
drinking
in
She came to me with her complaint and
appeared I demandedtile pun.
after
our men were
When
I then asked
This was a man who,
all. night in a pub in Carnaross, would stand at the
50.
crossroads there. and shout "To hell
with
the matter up the pops was Left n
peace.
A doctor's
case in Virginia.
On the strength
husband.
We had a somewhat similar
from her
wife sought protection
of her complaint we arrested
but it
and detained him for a while,
who was responsible
When I took
Pops".
later
the doctor
was she
it
transpired
for the trouble.
In many cases the arms in our dumps were not looked after
so in took over Cabra House and had a lot
properly,
there where they could be. cleaned and oiled.
Put on this
job,
Wattle Thvlin,
including
Johnnie Boylan, a blacksmith,
A few good men were
a first-class
consisted of eight men.
a good safe place.
last
man, and
A good
who knew his job thoroughly.
strong guard was placed on the house to protect
usually
of them stored
We all, slept
I usually
The guard
thorn.
stayed with them as it
in the one bed' on the floor.
man in would wind up a phonograph we had acquired.
was
The
He first
played a record of The Toni's Prayer and then played a short sexton.
These were our nightly
At the latter
Truce,
into
prayers.
end of June or early
July there were rumours of a
followed by the announcement that
force on the 11th July,
Dlivisional
0/C.,
1921.
a truce -was definitely
We received an order from the
Seán Boylan, to attack
the enemy everywhere and anywhere
we could find thorn on the previous night.
to strengthen
carried
of soldiers
barrels
This, we were told,
the hands of our negotiators.
out in our Brigade area that night.
which I took
part.
came to
to collect
appointed to carry
I win
refer
his point every morning with a lorry
and it was decided to attack
out the attack.
With this
was
There were eight attacks
to one in
This one was at Napes Bridge near Kells.
water,
coming
filled
them.
object in view,
A party
with
I was
51.
I mobilised
used
the Carnarose Companyon the parade ground.
to the men the job that
we would collect
had to beocarried
I explained
out and told them that
challoner's a car on the way.
I brought seven of the men with,
Whenhe
to Challoner's.
opened the door to our knack, I ordered him to march before us to
the car and Drive it
car outside the gate,
we told him to report the matter to the Tans
saying "Perhaps they will
eight
9hen we had the
He did as he was told.
out.
help you now as you helped them."
of us boarded the car which was driven by Joe Lynch of
Carnaross.
He was the only one among up who could drive.
nil
When we got to Miless crossroads,
armed.
aniaross
instead
We were
Joe wheeled for
I made
ahead far Napes Bridge.
of going straight
him ston the car and ordered him to proceed to the bridge,
but he
and a
saying, "Do you think we are mad to go and get killed
refused,
all
truce being. signed tomorrow, after
It was mutiny.
were willing,
to fight
we have done."
the fighting
Some of those in the car acted
three of the others were willing
help.
The
with him but about
I told
to carry On.
those who
to hold themselves in readiness until
I got
I went to Moynalty and was lucky enough to meet the Brigade
0/C. of that
area - Pat.
Companymobilised
He told
me he would get the Moynalty
for the job and get them into action.
Every man
of the Moynalty Companyturned out next morning.
When the lorry
appeared they opened fire.
the water the
driver
accelerated
Instead of collecting
and drove off.
The I.R.A.
shotguns and the attack was of short duration.
fhalloner's
night
before,
July, 1921.
oar to the drill
field
but Challoner had it
We took it
were armed with
Joe Lynch took
in Carnaross after
I left
him the
taken away before noon on the 11th
from him again but had to return
it
as he
52.
noon on the day of the Truce.
in his possession after
had it
- of a breach of the Truce.
we wore guilty
4ctually
The mutiny
of the Garnaross men was reported to Headquarters of the Division
and they wore suspended for some time during the Truce.
Before I close I would like
of great
significance
to something which was
to refer
to the tanners of Ireland.
Covernment made an order which prohibited
Land Commission Annuities.
told,
was that
the annuities
as effectively
farmers in our area obeyed this
was un to our family
farmers from paying the
The idea behind the order,
by withholdin
the British
fighting
In 1920, our
as fl
order.
to show the lead.
we ten
the farmers were
they carried
a gun.
Many
As leaders in our area it
We nil
refused to pay.
ft. decree was obtained by the Land Commission (in the English Court
of course) for six months rent against Pat in respect of his farm
in Moynalty.
The Sheriff
sent out the decree by a party of Tans
who collected
three cattle,
coloured red, white and blue,
They were taken to the pound in Kells.
and he called
on the Sheriff
in lieu.
Pat heard of the incident
who was in bed at the tine.
When he
was cot out of bed, Pat ordered him to come with him and release
his cattle.
After some discussion the Sheriff
order directed
three
cattle
then.
cattle.
gave him a signed
to the Keeper of the pound for the release
Pat collected
and drove then home.
of the
a few of his men who collected
To avoid further
trouble
the
he then sold
This was only one of the many decrees issued in the area
with the result
sold their
that all
farmers who did not pay their
stock sooner than have them seized.
were now in meadows.
annuities
All of those lands
When the meadowsware being auctioned the
53.
rate
collector
was present to declare
hay for the non-payment of rates.
In connection with this
the order for the non-payment of annuities
explain
that
include
the non-payment of rates
all
to the County Council.
the farms in the area of Fegatt,
Clonagouna were offered
down all
Hnder the administration
obtained a decree against
neighbouring
was taken to
Eventually
Carnaross and
The posters advertising
the time increasing
them
and accumulating.
of our Government the Land Commission later
me for all
were seized on me.
farmers.
SIGNED:
DATE:
WITNESS:
I should
over the country immediately they were put up.
The law expenses were all
head of tattle
Moynalty,
the
for sale by the land Commission; but in every
case those sales were unsuccessful.
were pulled
that he would distrain
this accumulated debt and thirty
It was the same experience with