Decoding the IRA (53 page)

242
Unsigned to Jones, 7 December 1926, in MTUCDA P69/183 (163–4).

243
CS to HS, 8 December 1926, in MTUCDA P69/47 (10–11).

244
An Phoblacht
, 17 December 1926.

245
DI to MP [Mick Price], 17 December 1926, in MTUCDA P69/193 (55).

246
Unsigned to MP, 17 December 1926, in MTUCDA P69/47 (7).

247
OC 4th battalion, Dublin to CS, 3 December 1926, in MTUCDA P69/47 (22–3).

248
An Timthire to unaddressed, 21 December 1926, in MTUCDA P69/183 (159– 60).

249
Irish World
, 27 November 1926.

250
Unsigned to MP, 17 December 1926, in MTUCDA P69/47 (7).

251
Unsigned to ‘A Chara Dhil [Dear Friend]', 25 November 1926, in MTUCDA P69/ 47 (52).

252
Unsigned to MP, 17 December 1926, in MTUCDA P69/47 (7).

253
QMG to CS, 4 May 1924 [1927], in MTUCDA P69/48 (47).

254
Chairman to An Timthire, 3 February 1927, in MTUCDA P69/183 (123–5).

255
Minutes of meeting of the Army Executive, 27 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (104–5).

256
Bowyer Bell,
The Secret Army
, p. 58.

257
CS to OC Cork 1 brigade, 10 February 1924 [1927], in MTUCDA P69/48 (338).

258
DI to ‘unaddressed', 10 December 1926, in MTUCDA P69/193 (62).

259
Regan,
The Irish Counter-Revolution
, pp. 251–6; Bowyer Bell,
The Secret Army
, p. 60.

260
Chairman to An Timthire, 18 March 1927, in MTUCDA P69/183 (77–8); Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, p. 115.

261
Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, p. 115.

262
Unsigned to George, 2 May 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (75).

263
MacEoin,
The IRA in the Twilight Years
, p. 134.

264
Chairman to An Timthire, 8 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/183 (74–5).

265
Chairman to unaddressed, 12 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/183 (71–2).

266
Minutes of Army Council meeting, 5 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (112).

267
Jones to Browne, 28 February 1927, in MTUCDA P69/183 (102–4).

268
Meeting of officers regarding republican co-ordination in the general election and memorandum of suggested basis of co-ordination between republican bodies, 9 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69 48 (35–6, 152, 154–6 and 157–62).

269
Minutes of meeting of Army Council, 11 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (108).

270
Chairman to unaddressed, 12 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/183 (71–2).

271
Chairman to An Timthire, 8 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/183 (74–5).

272
MD to HS, 19 May 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (19).

273
Chairman to Mr Jones, An Timthire, 14 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/183 (61–2).

274
Joint meeting of representative members of Fianna Fáil and of representatives of the Army Council, 15 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (115).

275
Unsigned to George [Gilmore], 2 May 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (75).

276
Seán Lemass and Gerald Boland to secretary Army Council, 29 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (33). Minutes of Army Council, 28 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (114).

277
Chairman to An Timthire, 29 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/183 (58–9).

278
Unsigned to George, 2 May 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (75).

279
Secretary of Army Council to E. de Valera, 11 May 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (30).

280
E. de Valera to secretary of Army Council, 13 May 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (29).

281
Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, p. 208.

282
Unsigned to George, 2 May 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (75).

283
Regan,
The Irish Counter-Revolution
, pp. 270–1; Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, p. 209.

284
Coogan,
The IRA
, p. 40.

285
Mr Ambrose, Outline of the present movement, July 1927, in MTUCDA P69/72 (14), quoted in Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, p. 246.

286
Lawlor,
Seán MacBride, That Day's Struggle
, p. 106.

287
Regan,
The Irish Counter-Revolution
, pp. 273, 421.

288
MacEoin,
The IRA in the Twilight Years
, p. 136; Bowyer Bell,
The Secret Army
, p. 61.

289
MacEoin,
The IRA in the Twilight Years
, p. 136.

290
Bowyer Bell,
The Secret Army
, p. 61–2.

291
Dublin brigade IO to DI, 23 July [1927], in MTUCDA P69/196 (142–3); Christly Quearney in MacEoin,
The IRA in the Twilight Years
, p. 768.

292
Dublin brigade IO to DI, 23 July [1927], in MTUCDA P69/196 (142–3).

293
Dublin brigade IO to DI, 27 July [1927], in MTUCDA P69/196 (133–4).

294
Ibid
.

295
Bowyer Bell,
The Secret Army
, p. 62. Regan,
The Irish Counter-Revolution
, p. 273.

296
DI to OC Waterford battalion OC, 6 September 1927, in MTUCDA P69/196 (74).

297
Lawlor,
Seán MacBride, That Day's Struggle
, p. 107.

298
Irish World
, 10 September 1927.

299
HS to ‘Dear Sir', 1 November 192[7], in MTUCDA P69/150 (18).

300
IO Dublin brigade to DI, 12 December 1927 in MTUCDA P69/196 (19).

301
Bowyer Bell,
The Secret Army
, p. 62; Regan,
The Irish Counter-Revolution
, p. 274.

302
Regan,
The Irish Counter-Revolution
, pp. 274–6.

303
Kramer,
Dynamic of Destruction
, p. 238-239.

304
Unsigned to chairman of Army Council, 18 November 1925, in MTUCDA P69/ 181 (74–6).

C
HAPTER
4: : T
HE
IRA'S
LOCAL UNITS

1
Hanley, B.
The IRA, 1926–1936
(Four Courts Press, Dublin, 2002), pp. 206–7. The IRA may also have been responsible for the mysterious death of William Dahlgrene, first mate on the
Victor Emmanuel II
(see Chapter 7). Additionally four people died in Britain in railway, accidents, that occurred in May 1926 during the general strike. This was at a time when the IRA wanted to disrupt the railway system and ‘derail trains' (see Chapter 6).

2
Ibid
., p. 12. O'Donoghue, F.,
No Other Law
(Anvil Books, Dublin, 1986), p. 219.

3
Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, pp. 12–13.

4
Ibid
., p. 30.

5
Ibid
., pp. 200–1.

6
The St Enda's dump was captured on 1 February 1926; Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, p. 47; MacEoin, U.,
The IRA in the Twilight Years, 1923–1948
(Argenta Publications, Dublin, 1997), p. 125.

7
Coogan, T. P.,
The IRA: A History
(Roberts Rinehart Publishers, Niwot, Colorado, 1993), p. 72.

8
An Timthire to Mr Smith, 20 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/183 (48–51).

9
Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, p. 49.

10
MacEoin,
The IRA in the Twilight Years
, pp. 129–30.

11
In his report to the Army Executive Twomey used the word ‘pleased' and to Gilmore he stated he was ‘quite pleased'; minutes of Army Executive meeting, 27 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (104–5); unsigned to George [Gilmore], 2 May 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (75).

12
Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, p. 12.

13
Irish Times
, 26 October 1926.

14
CS to OC Dublin brigade, 26 October 1926, in MTUCDA P69/41 (45).

15
Irish Times
, 28 and 29 March 1927.

16
Chairman of Army Council to An Timthire, 8 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/183 (74–5).

17
Some of this account is taken from a newspaper cutting in the Twomey papers. The title of the paper and the date aren't included in the cutting, though ‘April 1926' is written in by hand, MTUCDA P69/44 (39). The eight defendants were listed as: Christopher Brennan, Thomas Gerrard, Patrick and Michael Hogan, Charles Rann, Denis and Thomas Corr and John Cherubine. Named in court, but not on trial, were Arthur and William Kelly. In Ernie O'Malley's memoir of the Civil War,
The Singing Flame
(Anvil Books, Dublin, 1992, p. 295) Thomas Gerrard is named as a medical orderly at Portobello barracks who smuggled out a letter for the badly wounded O'Malley. Arthur Kelly of Hanover Street West, Dublin was arrested in October 1924 in connection with the killing of a British soldier in Cobh, though members of the Cork 1 brigade had actually carried out the attack. Reference: MacEoin,
The IRA in the Twilight Years
, p. 108;
Irish Times
, 1 March, 17 April, 24 April, 4 May, 8 May, 20 May and 29 June 1927.

18
‘Almost one-third of the 1,545 members of the Crown Forces who were killed or seriously wounded by the IRA between January 1920 and the Truce occurred in Co. Cork'; quoted from: Augusteijn, J.,
From Public Defiance to Guerilla Warfare
(Irish Academic Press, Dublin, 1996), p. 18.

19
Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, p. 20.

20
Ibid
., p. 12.

21
Seán MacSwiney is described as assistant adjutant in a despatch, CS to OC Cork 1 brigade, 28 April1926, in MTUCDA P69/44 (93–4) which cross references S MacS to CS, 23 April 1926, in MTUCDA P69/44 (96–100).

22
Fallon, C.,
Soul of Fire: A Biography of Mary MacSwiney
(Mercier Press, Cork, 1986), pp. 132–3.

23
S MacS to CS, 23 April 1926, in MTUCDA P69/44 (96–100).

24
CS to OC Cork 1 brigade, 12 April 1926, in MTUCDA P69/44 (102).

25
CS to OC Cork 1 brigade, 15 February 1924 [1927], in MTUCDA P69/48 (281–2).

26
Meeting of officers regarding republican co-ordination in the general election, 9 April 1927; roll call, in MTUCDA P69/48 (157–8, 152, 160); discussion on memo in MTUCDA P69/48 (161–2).

27
Brigade adjutant Limerick brigade to CS, 27 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (38); Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, p. 12

28
Unsigned note, likely from the Limerick brigade adjutant, to CS, 27 April 1927, in MTUCDA P69/48 (40); S Commdt for D. of Intelligence to CS, 25 May 1926, in MTUCDA P69/12 (47).

29
Hopkinson, M.,
Green Against Green: The Irish Civil War
(Gill & Macmillan, Dublin, 1988) p. 210.

30
S Commdt. for D. of Intelligence to CS, 25 May 1926, in MTUCDA P69/12 (47).

31
CS to OC Waterford batt. 6 September 1927, in MTUCDA P69/50 (26).

32
Hopkinson, M.,
The Irish War of Independence
(Gill & Macmillan,Dublin, 2002), p. 146.

33
Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936
, p. 12

34
Meeting of officers regarding republican co-ordination in the general election, 9 April 1927; discussion on memo in MTUCDA P69/48 (161–2).

35
[1st staff officer] Offaly to CS, 18 November 1923 [1926], in MTUCDA P69/41 (251–2).

36
1st staff officer to CS, 5 December 1923 [1926], in MTUCDA P69/41 (248); references to General Prout in Hopkinson,
Green Against Green,
pp. 136, 154, 1
68,
209–10, 225, 246.

37
This letter is signed ‘chief of staff'; however, Moss Twomey was imprisoned at the time, and so it was likely written by Andy Cooney; CS to S Officer Offaly brigade, 23 November 1923 [1926], in MTUCDA P69/41 (250).

38
Twomey remained in prison at the time of this letter. CS to 1st staff officer, 13 December 1923 [1926], in MTUCDA P69/41 (247)

39
Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936,
pp. 12–13.

40
OC battalion Connemara South to CS, 28 September 1926, in MTUCDA P69/47 (124).

41
S Galway to CS, 7 March 1923 [the date the document was received was 9 March 1924, and thus the actual year was likely 1927], in MTUCDA P69/48 (253).

42
Dáil Éireann, Volume 124, 15 March 1951. Committee on Finance, adjournment debate, appointment of paymasters; Reviewed on
www.oireachtas.ie
on 15 March 2008.

43
Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936, p.
12.

44
Ibid.,
p. 209.

45
Unsigned, N Mayo brigade to adjt. general, 1 November 1924 [1927], in MTUCDA P69/149 (108–10).

46
In this despatch the service of ‘J Barret' were also offered; ‘M' to adjutant general, 8 September 1924 [1927], in MTUCDA P69/149 (121–2).

47
Canfield, B., ‘The three-inch Stokes mortar', excerpted from ‘US Infantry Weapons of the First World War'. Reviewed on the website
www.worldwar1.com,
28 April 2008.

48
Based on the numbers presented by Brian Hanley, 511 of the IRA's members were from Northern Ireland units in 1930. Hanley,
The IRA, 1926–1936, pp.
12–13.

49
CS to S Capt W, 3 May 1926, in MTUCDA P69/44 (11–12).

50
The relevant despatch was sent by the intelligence officer of the Armagh battalion to the director of intelligence in Dublin: ‘1. Enquires have been sent to Armagh police barracks, re Tommy Donnelly, who is working in Fianna Fáil interests in
2.
Sergt Rowe (RUC) Markethill has been transferred to Dromitee (South Armagh) and Sergt Browne (RUC) has been transferred from the latter Station to Markethill'; IO Number 2 Area to DI, 6 November 1927 in MTUCDA P69/196 (29).