ROINN
BUREAU
COSANTA.
OF MILITARY
STATEMENT
DOCUMENT
NO.
HISTORY,
BY
W.S.
1913-21.
WITNESS
49
Witness
James Clarke.
J. Brennan
Frank
Henry
McNally
statement
Joint
Identity
Members
of
Tullamore
Coy.
I.V.
1916.
Subject
Conditions, if any, stipulated by Witness
File No:
S.402.
FormB.S.M.2
Statement
by
I the undersigned
was present
in the Sinn Fein
on Monday night
Hall
2Oth.March
entered
the Hall
about
o'clock
1916,having
accompanied
Volunteer
I
entered
the
Hall
there
by
was a
number of Cumann-na-mBan
and When
Irish
included
Thomas Duggan.
Volunteers,
which
present,
Wrafter
Joseph
2/Lt
I/It.
Seamus
Peadar after
and mob
Bracicen,
A Capt.
few Minutes
in the O'Brennan,
arrived
and took
my arrival
roomsa
Bracken
advised
the Volunteers
not
up their
positions
to pass any remarks
andoutside.
Capt.
a
mob
with
continuing
suggested
The
windows.
then threw
and stones
the
the Dance.
bricks
position
got
through
As
and
serious
at 9-30
who were armed
very
Bracken
O'Brennan
Lt.
Capt.
to escort
of Cummann-na-mBan
to their
decided
the Members
homes.On
the way back to the Hall
several
ware made to assault
them.
attempts
found
to
entered
They
it necessary
guns After they
draw
their
Hall
the crowd became more hostile
about
1O-15 P.M. theI
noisy.
At
and
more
a rush being
went on
and
heard
saw
Volunteer
landing
to
I
the
made,
of the mob.
Frank
Brennan
towards
the door
followed
running
by part
When he got to the door he turned
around
and drew a revolver
and fired
a shot
in the
then entered
the
his arrival
more
he
rooms. After
stones
and bricks air, came through
the
Bracken
fired.
a shot
windows.Capt
the
window.
About
ten
minutes
later
Co.
District
Crane,
through
Inspector
and
Constable
Stewart
Ahearne
Inspector
Sergeant
a stick
and
a
entered
the Hall, Fitzgerald,
InspectorHead Crane
carrying
Sgt.
Ahearne
Crane
the
and
shots
Whofired
Capt.
Bracken
Asked
Hurley. "WeInspector
answered
did in
self
Crane
then said
that
defence",
Inspector
and ordered
would
be allowed
to use firearms
the Volunteers
to
noboby
fall
in for
a
then a Large
number of R.I.C.
entered
the Hall
Just Brennan
Peadar
Bracken
andsearch.
Seamus
were standing
drew their
together
revolvers
Bracken
shouted
"Volunteers
dont
allow
to
Capt.
yourselves
be
and Inspector
rushed
towards
Bracken
Fitzgerald
Ahearne
confusion searched".
crane
rushed
Seamus
reignedSgt. and shots
rang out. Inspector
who had his revolver
Brennan
struck
the
revolver
in
Brennan's
drawn,be
hand and the shot went into
the
a Spanish
revolver
which
was
ground. This
and which
I
the
Automatic
thexxange Rifle
previous
Sunday on
"jammed"
Saw was
shot
firedfrom
it.The
now fell
when the first
Rangenk
Inspector
Co.
on his knees
at
now had the
barrel of the
feet,
O'Brennan's.
O'Brennan.on the forehead
and eyes
revolver
in his
struck
the
Inspector
hand.He
on the floor.
with
the revolver
and
the Inspector
fell
unconcious
Vol.
in the melee
from
Thomas Byrne
Who seized
the hurley
struck
Sgt.
Ahearne
and knocked
him on the
Head Constable
Stewart
on
it
with
the, head
with
the
Police
other
Volunteers
were
in handigrips
The
police. The
floor.
in
that
succeeded
Byrne,
arresting
night
Thomas
Wrafter, Vol.
Lt.
Joseph
other
fro
Volunteers
escaped
Vol.
Henry
The
Joseph
Morris, and
Vol.
the following
were arrested,
the Hall
but on Thursday
the 23rd.lLarcbMcNally.
Volunteers
Frank
John
Duggan,
O'Brennan1
Hogan, Thomas
Thomas and
Delaney,
Edward
Martin
Downes.
Joseph
John
Spain,
named above All
Last
three
wereJames
in Tullamore
the prisoners Graham,
lodged Clarke,
Jail, the
other
prisoners
a month owing to their
released
after
being
age. The
in
after
the
Dublin
May 1916,
Barracks
Rising
to Richmond
were removed
tried
were
and
met
where we again
Capt.
Bracken
O'Brennan week of
Martial Lt. in the last
at a General
Court
May,
collectively
TWO
Page
the Trial
we were removed
to
ON THE FIRST week of June 1916. After
of
the
Sheet,
served
Original
Charge
which
Kilmainham.
Prison. Copies
of
same
is
in
the
on each
The
prisoner
original
possession
enclosed.
Mr Alo
Tullamore.
St.,
Cormac
of
Brennan,
Signed
Signed
Counter
Frank
is
Theabure
farrece
is
O'Brennan
J
Henry
18/7/47
Date
Clarke
James
McNally
subotantúlly
omitted
one
Corrcet
that
Fact
Chadar
capo
Bracken
viz
fired
at
and
occasion
Accurate
the
20th
ahern
Sgt.
the
otherwise
Fair
On
wanded
Hate
Accent
Mch
West
of
1916.
Signed
Séam
M
O'Brennan
5/8/49
on
the
Is
the
Laffeings
a
CHARGESHEET1st.Charge.DefenceoftheRealm(Consolidation)Regulations191
accused.
1.
JAMES O'BRENNAN of 29
a Clerk
in P &H.
2.
PETER BRACKEN of Agh Road, Tullamore.
a Stonecutter.
3.
FRANK BRENNAN of Church
Street,
Street,
a Clerk
in D.E.WILLIAM'S.
Tullamore.
Tullamore.
I
4.
THOMAS BYRNE of William
a Carpenter
Tullamore.
5.
JHN
6.
JAMES CLARKE, of Clontarf
a Rairdresser
7.
of Crow
JOSEPH MORRIS
a Blacksmith.
DELANEY
8. HENRY
9.
of
McNALLY,
of no
Church
EGAN'S.
Street,
a Blacksmith.
Tullamore.
Road,
Street,
of HIGH
Street,
occupation
THOMAS DUGGAN,of Clontarf
a Labourer.
1O.THOMAS
DOGAN,of
Barrack
a Labourer.
are
with
the
among
the
such
disaffection
the
intention
Month
of
Members
Open
in
and
Ireland.
of
March
which
armed
to
that
they
and for
the
as
called
Organisation
Street,
Tullamore.
cause
disaffection
population
in
with
Tullamore.
attempting
civilian
Tullamore.
Street,
Harbour
RAFTER, of
a Stonecutter.
charged
Tullamore.
Tullamore.
Road, Tullamore.
11. JOSEPH GRAhAM, of Whitehall
and
a Labourer.
12. Joseph
Tullamore
aforesaid
1916,were
the
on the
rebellion
of
purpose
at
causing
Tullamore
Members
in
ofan
IRISH
the
VOLUNTEERS,
1916 rose
24th.Apri1
in
Dublin
and
in
elsewhere
2nd Charge.
Defence
of
Realm
(Consolidation)
1914
Regulations
42.
Regulation
3rd
Did
Charge.
Defence
of
Realm
(Consolidation)
the
by
the
endanger
1914
at
Charge.
Defence
of
and
otherwise
Regulation
otherwise
His Majesty's
Realm
Lawful
under
premises
likely
of
members
certain
injure
without
to
cause
or
authority
their
on the
Tullamore,
1914
I916did
fire
at
the
Royal
Constabulary.
Having
(Consolidation)
Regulations
and
of
members
that
they
on the 20th.March
Tullamore
Irish
4th
fireamms
Forces.
32.
Regulation
of
safety
in
Regulations,
of
discharge
in
control
2Oth.March
William
1916
to
disaffection
document
Majesty.
27.
Note:
It
is
accused
intended
in
the
to
try
charge
the
Sheet
certain
Street,
certain
his
in
escuse
twelve
collectively.
Official
Report
issued
from British
Military
Headquarters'
in Dublin
on Thursday
22nd.June
1916
The following
from Tullamore,
vIz:prisoners
James O'Brennan,
Frank
John Delaney,
O'Brennan,
Joseph Morris,
Thomas Duggan, Joseph Graham,
Peadar
Bracken, Thomas Byrne, James Clarke,
Thomas Hogan
Henry McNally,
on
and Joseph Wrafter,
tried
General
Court
Martial
the
by
were
were charged
with
f
murder
of Co. Inspector
26th.May.They
attempted
an attempt
while
Crane, District
Inspector
and Sgt. Aherne
Fitzgerald,
was being
made by the police
to enter
the Sinn Fein
Hall
on the
to disarm
a number of men who were in possession
of the
2Oth.March
Hallfrom
which
shots
were being
fired
and Sgt. Aherne received
a bullet
wound which
his life
in danger
for several
placed
weeks. The Prisoners
after
before
the Local magistrate,
over
being
charged
were handed
to the Military
and at their
Court
Martial
which followed,
Healy
Mr
K.C.
who appeared
for
that
had being
they
them, contended
illegaly
transferred
from the Civil
to the Military
The General
Authorities.
Officer
in Chief
has not confirmed
the proceedings
and
Commanding
has ordered
their
release
from Military
custody.