On 30 November 1922 anti-Treaty IRA Chief of Staff Liam Lynch ordered the targeting of pro-Treaty TDs and Senators, as well as hostile judges and newspaper editors, in retaliation for the Provisional Government’s execution of IRA members. On the following 7 December IRA members shot dead Sean Hales TD and seriously wounded Pádhraic Ó Máille TD (Patrick O’Malley) outside the Ormond Hotel on Ormond Quay in Dublin. Ironically Pádhraic Ó Máille, who survived the shooting, would go on to join Fianna Fáil, the political descendant’s of those who had tried to kill him. Having also served as a TD for Sinn Féin and Cumann na Gaedheal, he was an unsuccessful Fianna Fáil candidate for Dáil Éireann and served as a member of Seanad Éireann for the party from 1934 to 1946.
An emergency meeting of the Executive Council of the Government, held the same day, ordered the execution of Rory O’Connor, Liam Mellows, Richard Barrett and Joseph McKelvey in retaliation for this attack. All four had been captured following the initial outbreak of fighting in Dublin at the very start of the Civil War and were executed the following day, 8 December 1922, without trial. They would be the most senior members of the anti-Treaty forces executed during the conflict. December 1922 would also see a further nine IRA members executed as well as the first executions to take place outside Dublin.
The MSPC has files relating to Sean Hales and Pádraic Ó Máille as well as twelve of the thirteen executed in December 1922 – a file has yet to be found for Joseph McKelvey. The latest release from the MSPC also contains files for Owen Donnelly, of whom it has been alleged in a number of publications, that he took part in Hales and Ó Máille’s shooting – see also previous blog article here for further details.
8 December 1922 Mountjoy Prison, Dublin
The file for Richard Barrett relates to applications under the Army Pensions Acts from Mrs. Richard Barrett (mother) and Mary O’Neill (sister). Unfortunately not all the material relating to these applications have been found to date. We do know, from the material that has been found, that in 1934 the Army Pensions Board recommended the award of a partial dependents’ gratuity of £112.10.00 (one hundred and twelve pounds and ten shillings sterling) to Mrs. Richard Barrett, and the rejection of Mary O’Neill’s application on the grounds that the latter was not dependent on her brother at the time of his death.
Richard Barrett served with the Irish Volunteers and IRA from 1915 onwards and during the War of Independence, Truce Period and Civil War. According to material on his file he rose up the ranks of the Irish Volunteers and IRA to serve primarily in the 3 Cork Brigade and 1 Southern Division area as a Volunteer, Staff Captain, Brigade Quartermaster, Assistant Divisional Quartermaster and finally as Assistant Quartermaster General with anti-Treaty IRA GHQ. He had been arrested by British forces during the War of Independence but had escaped from captivity on Spike Island during the Truce period.
Captured and interned following the fall of the Four Courts at the very start of the Civil War, Richard Barrett was executed by the National Army, along with Rory O’Connor, Liam Mellows and Joseph McKelvey, on 8 December 1922 at Mountjoy Jail, Dublin as a reprisal for the killing of his former 3 Cork Brigade, IRA comrade, Sean Hales.
The file for Rory O’Connor relates to the receipt of awards under the Army Pensions Acts by his mother, Julia O’Connor, and his sister, Helen O’Connor.
Rory O’Connor had served with the Irish Volunteers during the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin and with that organisation and the IRA in various positions, including Officer Commanding IRA forces in Britain and Director of Engineering in General Headquarters, during the War of Independence. Opposed to the Treaty he served as a member of the anti-Treaty IRA Army Council and General Headquarters and took part in the occupation of the Four Courts in April 1922. He had been taken prisoner following the National Army capture of the Four Courts in early July 1922 and remained in prison until his execution. Ironically the file includes representations on behalf of his sister Helen O’Connor by Liam Cosgrave TD, the son of William T Cosgrave who was the head of the government which had ordered her brother’s execution. Famously O’Connor had also been ‘best man’ at the wedding of Kevin O’Higgins, another member of the Cabinet which ordered his execution.
Liam Mellows file relates to his mother, Sarah Mellows’, receipt of an award under the Army Pensions Acts in respect of her son. Born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, England, and the son of a British soldier, Liam Mellows served as Officer Commanding Irish Volunteer forces in County Galway during the 1916 Easter Rising. He evaded capture following the surrender, escaped to the United States of America where, as well as undertaking propaganda and organisational work, he assisted in the supply of arms and money to the Irish Volunteers in Ireland.
Returning to Ireland in 1920 Liam Mellows worked in the Purchases Department of IRA General Headquarters during the War of Independence becoming Director of Purchases prior to the Truce in July 1921. Opposed to the Anglo Irish Treaty, Mellows fought with the Four Courts Garrison at the outbreak of the Civil War in Dublin in June 1922 and was subsequently captured and imprisoned. Mellows too was executed without trial as part of the Government’s reprisal for Sean Hales killing.
Sarah Mellows appears to have written directly to Eamon de Valera at least twice in the 1930s, regarding possible compensation for the death of her son. However deadline(s) for the receipt of applications passed without an application form ever being issued to her. It was only in 1941 that she was finally able to apply and in July of that year was awarded a Gratuity of £112:10:00 under Section 12 of the Army Pensions Act, 1932. In March 1942 she was granted an allowance under the Army Pensions Acts, which she continued to receive until her death in December 1952.
19 December 1922 The Curragh, County Kildare
On 12 December 1922 ten members of an IRA ASU were captured by National Army soldiers in a dugout at Rathbride, County Kildare. This ASU had been responsible for a number of attacks on National Army personnel and local rail infrastructure in counties Kildare and Wicklow. Seven of the ten captured were courtmartialled and executed at the Curragh on 19 December 1922. Thomas Behan, who had been captured along with the seven executed men, was shot dead in the Curragh on 13 December while allegedly trying to escape.
James O’Connor’s file relates to his mother, Bridget O’Connor’s, receipt of a partial dependents’ gratuity of £112.10.00 (one hundred and twelve pounds and ten shillings sterling) under the Army Pensions Act, 1932 in respect of her son.
According to material on file James O’Connor had served with the IRA from 1920 onwards and during the War of Independence, Truce Period and Civil War. RO513 – nominal roll for C Company, 2 Battalion, 7 (Kildare) Brigade, 1 Eastern Division IRA – lists “J. Connor, Bansha, Co. Tipperary, (Executed)” as a member on 1 July 1922.
Patrick Bagnal’s file relates to Mary Bagnal’s unsuccessful application under the Army Pensions Acts in respect of her brother IRA Private Patrick Bagnal. Mary Bagnal was deemed not to have been dependent on her brother at the time of his death.
According to references on his file Patrick Bagnal had served with the IRA from [June] 1921 onwards. RO513 – nominal roll for C Company, 2 Battalion, 7 (Kildare) Brigade, 1 Eastern Division IRA – lists “P. Bagnal, Rathbride, Droichead Nua. Executed” as a member on 1 July 1922.
Patrick Nolan’s file relates to his mother, Mary Nolan’s, receipt of a partial dependents’ gratuity of £112.10.00 (one hundred and twelve pounds and ten shillings sterling) in 1933 under the Army Pensions Acts.
The Military Service Registration Board certified Patrick Nolan as having served with the IRA from October 1922 onwards. However see also RO513 – nominal roll for C Company, 2 Battalion, 7 (Kildare) Brigade, 1 Eastern Division which lists “P. Nolan, Rathbride. Droichead Nua. Executed” as a member on 1 July 1922.
Patrick Mangan’s file relates to Jane Mangan’s receipt of a partial dependents’ gratuity of £112.10.00 (one hundred and twelve pounds and ten shillings sterling) in 1933 under the Army Pensions Acts in respect of her son IRA Private Patrick Mangan. File also relates to the posthumous award of a Service (1917-1921) Medal [without Bar] in respect of Patrick Mangan to his brother Michael Mangan.
According to material on file Patrick Mangan had served with the IRA from 1920 onwards and during the War of Independence, Truce Period and Civil War. See also RO517 – nominal roll of F Company, 6 Battalion, 7 (Kildare) Brigade, 1 Eastern Division lists “Patrick Mangan, Fair Green, Kildare (Executed)” as a member as of 1 July 1922
Joseph Johnston’s file relates to Charlotte Johnston’s receipt of a partial dependents’ gratuity of £112.10.00 (one hundred and twelve pounds and ten shillings sterling) in 1933 under the Army Pensions Acts in respect of her son IRA Private Joseph Johnston.
The Military Service Registration Board certified Joseph Johnston as having served with the IRA from October 1922 onwards. However his mother claimed he had been serving since 1920. See also RO517 – nominal roll of F Company, 6 Battalion, 7 (Kildare) Brigade, 1 Eastern Division which lists “John Johnston, Station Road, Kildare (Executed)” as a member as of 1 July 1922.
Stephen White’s file relates to Michael White’s unsuccessful application under the Army Pensions Acts in respect of his son IRA Private Stephen White. It also relates to an unsuccessful application under the same legislation from Sarah White, step-mother of Stephen White. Michael White was deemed not to have been dependent on his son at the time of the latter’s death and Sarah White was deemed not to have been an eligible applicant for an award as stepmother of the deceased.
Standard Verification of Death form dated 15 June 1933 gives place of death as certified by Registrar General as Curragh Military Hospital and cause of death as “Gun shot wounds” while the standard form A.P. 54 Service Certificate issued by the Military Service Registration Board dated 19 June 1933 states “Deceased died by Military Execution at Curragh Military Barracks.” On the MSPC file RO517 – nominal roll of F Company, 6 Battalion, 7 (Kildare) Brigade, 1 Eastern Division – lists “Stephen White, Grey Abbey, Kildare (Executed)” as a member as of 1 July 1922. According to material on file Stephen White had served with Na Fianna Éireann and the IRA from 1920 onwards during the War of Independence and Civil War.
Brian Moore’s file relates to Mary Moore’s receipt of a partial dependents’ gratuity of £112.10.00 (one hundred and twelve pounds and ten shillings sterling) in 1934 under the Army Pensions Acts in respect of her son IRA Private Brian Moore. Mary Moore also made further unsuccessful applications under this legislation between 1937 and 1939. The file also includes material relating to the posthumous award of a Service (1917-1921) Medal in respect of Brian Moore to his sister Annie Reilly.
According to information on file Brian Moore had served with the IRA from some time in 1919 onwards and during the War of Independence, Truce Period and Civil War. RO513 – nominal roll for C Company, 2 Battalion, 7 (Kildare) Brigade, 1 Eastern Division IRA – lists “B. Moore, Rathbride. (Executed)” and “Brian Moore, Rathbride. Executed.” as Company Quartermaster on 1 July 1922.
29 December 1922 Kilkenny Military Barracks
On 13 December 1922 John Phelan and John Murphy were arrested at Bishopslough, County Kilkenny. They were court-martialled and convicted of being in unlawful possession of arms and ammunition and also in connection with a raid on Sheastown House where property to a value of £189 (one hundred and eighty nine pounds) had been stolen. Former Kilkenny IRA officer Ted Moore stated on the files of both men that this raid was an authorised raid – carried out as the occupiers had refused to contribute to an IRA arms levy. Both Phelan and Murphy were executed in Kilkenny Barracks on 29 December 1922
John Phelan’s file relates to Bridget Phelan’s receipt of a dependents’ allowance under the Army Pensions Acts for herself and her three children in respect of her husband IRA Section Commander John Phelan.
According to information on file Phelan had served with the IRA from 1920 onwards and during the War of Independence, Truce Period and Civil War. Bridget Phelan claims that her husband had served from 1917 onwards and with 2 Tipperary Brigade and 2 Offaly Brigade also – there is nothing on file to support these claims. See also RO159 which lists “J Phelan Executed 29th Dec 1922, Kilky Bks.” as a member of D Company, 5 Battalion, Kilkenny Brigade IRA on 11 July 1921 and “Whelan John Executed at Kilkenny” as a member of D Company, 5 Battalion, Kilkenny Brigade, IRA on 1 July 1922.
John Murphy’s file relates to Kate Murphy’s receipt of a partial dependents’ gratuity of £112.10.00 (one hundred and twelve pounds and ten shillings sterling) in 1934 under the Army Pensions Acts in respect of her son IRA Private John Murphy. File also relates to the unsuccessful applications under the Army Pensions Acts from Kathleen Murphy, sister of John Murphy, between 1953 and 1961.
According to information on file John Murphy served with the IRA from [late1919] onwards and during the War of Independence, Truce Period and Civil War. It is stated that he had also served with the British Army for two years prior to October 1919 and during part of the First World War.
For further information on the Civil War executions in the MSPC see the previous blog articles: “17 November 1922 – the Civil War Executions begin.” and “Dependency claims for the Civil War executed in the Military Service (1916-1923) Pensions Collection.” For a full listing of all the executed with files in the MSPC click here.
Military Service Pensions Collection 