1922/23 - 77 POW’s EXECUTED BY FREE STATERS.
” Eighty-six years ago, in December 1922, the Curragh Camp was the scene of a terrible tragedy; it was the execution, by firing squad, of seven young men in the Military Detention Barracks, now the Curragh Prison. The full story of the events of the week from 13 December 1922, when the men were arrested, to 19 December 1922, when they were executed, is not now known. All of the people involved are dead, and with them their stories. It appears that all official records of the executions have been lost or destroyed…..”
(From here)
FOR THE RECORD…..
Between 17 November 1922 and 2 May 1923 , seventy-seven Republican prisoners were removed from their prison cells and shot dead by order of the Free State administration . In this post we name those 77 men and list where each man was executed and the date of same : we do so in the hope that , after the search engines have archived this information it will be retrieved by those who , like us , are of the opinion that these men should not be forgotten.
1922 :
James Fisher , Dublin , November 17.
Peter Cassidy , Dublin , November 17.
Richard Twohig , Dublin , November 17.
John Gaffney , Dublin , November 17.
Erskine Childers , Dublin , November 24.
Joseph Spooner , Dublin , November 30.
Patrick Farrelly , Dublin , November 30.
John Murphy , Dublin , November 30.
Rory O Connor , Dublin , December 8.
Liam Mellows , Dublin , December 8.
Joseph McKelvey , Dublin , December 8.
Richard Barrett , Dublin , December 8.
Stephen White , Dublin , December 19.
Joseph Johnston , Dublin , December19.
Patrick Mangan , Dublin , December 19.
Patrick Nolan , Dublin , December 19.
Brian Moore , Dublin , December 19.
James O’ Connor , Dublin , December 19.
Patrick Bagnel , Dublin , December 19.
John Phelan , Kilkenny , December 29.
John Murphy , Kilkenny , December 29.
1923:
Leo Dowling , Dublin , January 8.
Sylvester Heaney , Dublin , January 8.
Laurence Sheeky , Dublin , January 8.
Anthony O’ Reilly , Dublin , January 8.
Terence Brady , Dublin , January 8.
Thomas McKeown , Louth , January 13.
John McNulty , Louth , January 13.
Thomas Murray , Louth , January 13.
Frederick Burke , Tipperary , January 15.
Patrick Russell , Tipperary , January 15.
Martin O’ Shea , Tipperary , January 15.
Patrick McNamara , Tipperary , January 15.
James Lillis , Carlow , January 15.
James Daly , Kerry , January 20.
John Clifford , Kerry , January 20.
Michael Brosnan , Kerry , January 20.
James Hanlon , Kerry , January 20.
Cornelius McMahon , Limerick , January 20.
Patrick Hennesy , Limerick , January 20.
Thomas Hughes , Westmeath , January 20.
Michael Walsh , Westmeath , January 20.
Herbert Collins , Westmeath , January 20.
Stephen Joyce , Westmeath , January 20.
Martin Burke , Westmeath , January 20.
James Melia , Louth , January 22.
Thomas Lennon , Louth , January 22.
Joseph Ferguson , Louth , January 22.
Michael Fitzgerald , Waterford , January 25.
Patrick O’ Reilly , Offaly , January 26.
Patrick Cunningham , Offaly , January 26.
Willie Conroy , Offaly , January 26.
Colum Kelly , Offaly , January 26.
Patrick Geraghty , Laoise , January 27.
Joseph Byrne , Laoise , January 27.
Thomas Gibson , Laoise , February 26.
James O’ Rourke , Dublin , March 13.
William Healy , Cork , March 13.
James Parle , Wexford , March 13.
Patrick Hogan , Wexford , March 13.
John Creane , Wexford , March 13.
Séan Larkin , Donegal , March 14.
Tim O’ Sullivan , Donegal , March 14.
Daniel Enright , Donegal , March 14.
Charles Daly , Donegal , March 14.
James O’ Malley , Galway , April 11.
Francis Cunnane , Galway , April 11.
Michael Monaghan , Galway , April 11.
John Newell , Galway , April 11.
John McGuire , Galway , April 11.
Martin Moylan , Galway , April 11.
Richard Hatheway , Kerry , April 25.
James McEnery , Kerry , April 25.
Edward Greaney , Kerry , April 25.
Patrick Mahoney , Clare , April 26.
Christopher Quinn , Clare , May 02.
William Shaughnessy , Clare , May 02.
The above-listed 77 men did not take up arms in the belief that they were fighting for the establishment of a morally-corrupt so-called ‘half-way-house’ institution , nor did they do so to assist the British in the ‘governance’ of one of their ‘part’ colonies : that which those men and many others fought for remains to be achieved . You can help present-day Irish Republicans to achieve that aim…….
Sharon.
Patrick O’ Reilly was executed in Waterford
Comment by Correction — April 12, 2009 @ 9:25 pm
Hi !
There does seem to be some confusion over this execution -
“Jan-23
2 Anti-Treaty prisoners executed in Waterford. They are Michael Fitzgerald (Youghal, Co. Cork) and Patrick O’Reilly (Youghal, Co. Cork). (O’Farrell says 25th January as does Macardle.)”
From here -
http://www.dcu.ie/~foxs/irhist/january_1923.htm
Yet in his 2006 book ‘Seventy-Seven Of Mine Said Ireland’ , Martin O’Dwyer states - “Offaly , January 26″ , as well.
Thanks for your comment,
Sharon.
Comment by Administrator — April 14, 2009 @ 11:18 am
Hi Sharon,
My father told me O Reilly and Fitzgerald were executed in Waterford. He remembered the day, and the events leading up to their capture and arrest.
Comment by local historical — July 10, 2009 @ 7:10 am
Hi Local Historical !
I think your father must be right - details gathered from a source for a book can be mistakingly copied etc , but first-hand knowledge and experience , such as that information from your father - is harder to argue with.
Thanks for the visit and for your comment !
Sharon.
Comment by Administrator — July 10, 2009 @ 11:04 pm
The Martin Bourke you mentioned was spelt Martin Burke, he was my mothers uncle and is still a hero of mine.
Comment by Tommy Fahy — February 26, 2012 @ 12:30 am
Hi Tommy !
I think you are right : in Martin O’ Dwyer’s book , ‘Seventy-Seven Of Mine , Said Ireland’ , a ‘Martin Bourke’ is listed in the index but reference to the man (p236) spells his surname as ‘Burke’. I have edited this post to suit.
Thanks for the contact ,
Sharon.
Comment by Administrator — February 26, 2012 @ 5:01 pm
I am researching my father and uncle detention in Tintown, Curragh Camp 1923.In 1957, people in the movement made sworn statements,om the proviser that they be kept secret for fifty years.They are now available on line.these are personal accounts from the people themselves.Go to Military Archives.ieand Bureau of Military History and click on Sworn Statements.They are fasinating reading.
Comment by Anne Codd nee Curry, Rathfarnham, Dublin — October 18, 2012 @ 12:02 pm
Hi Anne !
Thanks for the visit , and for your comment - much appreciated!
And I certainly will follow the leads you gave as I am very interested in the subject - indeed, might make a blog post or two from the info!
Thanks again,
Sharon.
Comment by Administrator — October 22, 2012 @ 11:06 pm