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Defunct Political Drinking Dens

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(In a 2014 article, I looked at more generally Dublin’s historic drinking dens, early houses, kips, shebeens and bona-fide pubs.)

In the 1980s and 1990s, three self-proclaimed Irish republican and socialist political parties operated drinking clubs in Dublin city centre.

Official Sinn Féin (later The Workers Party) operated ‘Club Uí Chadhain’ in the basement of 28 Gardiner Place. Originally set up as a “cultural club” for Irish language enthusiasts, the venue was just a couple doors away from the party headquarters at no. 30.

The club was named after the Irish Language writer and 1940s IRA Volunteer Máirtín Ó Cadhain who died in 1970. The space hosted film-showings, trad music nights and social evenings. It was raided by the police in January 1975 with leading Official SF member Frank Ross (aka Proinsias De Rossa), the occupier of the premises, being fined £50 for keeping unlicensed alcohol for sale.

I’ve been told that it was very popular with non-political GAA fans when it opened on match days at Croke Park. In the early 70s,  they used have a stall outside it on match days selling Irish rebel LP’s and republican badges.

On 18 November 1984, career criminal Eamon Kelly stabbed and almost killed prominent WP member and (future general secretary) Patrick Quearney on the street outside. He was sentenced to 10 years in jail which was later reduced to 3 years following an appeal. Kelly was shot dead by the RIRA in 2012.

As far as I know, the basement club is still owned by the Workers Party but has not been open since around 2006.

Irish Independent, 5 June 1975

Provisional Sinn Féin ran a basement bar at 5 Blessington Street which hosted fundraising and social events. In the early 1970s, it was used to host refugees fleeing violence in the North. At various times, the building housed the Dublin party’s main office, the POW department and advice centre of the-then councillor Christy Burke. The premises was raided by the police in April 1990 resulting in 70 individuals having their names taken and £600 worth of beer and spirits being confiscated.
Sinn Féin put the building on the market in 1998 and it sold at auction for £223,000.

Irish Independent, 13 April 1990

The Communist Party of Ireland’s headquarters at 43 East Essex Street in Temple Bar, which presently houses Connolly Books and the New Theatre, was used as a late-night, after-hours drinking venue ‘Club Sandino’ in the 1980s and 1990s. A raid in September 1992 led to the confiscation of 132 cans of beer, one keg of Guinness and a bottle of whiskey.

Irish Press, 15 April 1993

Any stories, memories or insight? As always, please leave a comment.


Dublin Well Woman Centre picket (1978)

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In January 1978, the Dublin Well Woman Centre opened its fifth clinic in the city at 63 Lower Leeson Street under the directorship of Anne Connolly. The aim of the organisation was to help “Irish women access family planning information and services”.

Four right-wing Catholics picketed the opening of the centre with placards reading: “Parents! Contraception means Promiscuity & Abortion” and “No Abortion or Abortion Referral! Defend Our Youth”.

Well Woman Centre picket. Evening Herald, 17 Jan 1978.

The four individuals were Brigid Bermingham, Maureen Fehily, Mine Bean Uí Chroibín/Chribín (Mena Cribben) and John Clerkin.

Well Woman Centre picket. Irish Press, 18 Jan 1978

Bridget Bermingham (or Brigid Bermingham) of 25 Lombard Street West, Dublin 8 was Secretary of Parent Concern in the 1970s/1980s and was also connected to the Concerned Christians’ Group in the early 1980s. She wrote dozens of letters to the newspapers from 1975 until 1986. In November 1977 she handed out leaflets, with Máire Breathnach (Irish Family League) outside a Cherish conference, that stated that there was “no such thing as a single parent” and that the term was invented by the “contraceptives-divorce-abortion-lobby”.

Brigid Bermingham. The Irish Times, 19 Nov 1977.

In June 1980, Bermingham wrote a letter to the Taoiseach Charles Haughey expressing concern about family planning centres and suggesting that they “are no more than prostitution centers (sic) for orgies with … the commercial advocacy of contraceptives and abortion”.

Maureen Fehily, of 2 Leopardstown Avenue, Dublin 18, seems to have been an independent operator. A 1980 letter of hers advocated that Irish children needed a sex education based around the concepts of chastity and moral training and “not assistance in fornication and killing“. She passed away in 1982.

Letter from Mrs. Maureen Fehily to The Irish Times, 06 Mar 1980

Mena Cribben of Santry Avenue, Dublin 9 was a vocal spokesperson for an array of ultra-conservative Catholic groups from the late 1960s until the late 2000s. We covered her political history in a 2012 post on the site. She passed away that same year.

John P. Clerkin of 35 Wellington Road, Crumlin, established the Children’s Protection Society in late 1978. Throughout the 1980s, he rallied against contraception, homosexuality and liberal values.

John P. Clerkin fined. The Irish Times, 27 June 1980.

In 1991, he published a pamphlet entitled ’67 reasons why condoms spread acquired immune deficiency syndrome’.

While they have similar names and have been confused in the past, it would seem that John P. Clerkin is a different individual to Sean Clerkin who ran for the Christian Principles Party in the Cabra ward in the 1991 Dublin City Council Local Election polling 1136 votes (10.4%).

Clerkin mix-up. The Irish Times, 25 July 1991.

Bizarre leaflets from the Children’s Protection Society using the same address and signed by John Clerkin appeared in 2015 and 2017. Further unhinged literature calling on the Irish public to Vote No to retain the 8th amendment also appeared in April 2018 pasted to lampposts and bus-stops. The original John Clerkin, aged 34 in 1980, would be around 72 today so it is quite possible that he or a close relation are behind the most recent circulars.

2018 anti-Repeal material from the Children’s Protection Society. Credit – Irish Election Literature blog

New files relating to Dublin Irish Citizen Army (ICA) members released

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The Military Service (1916-23) Pensions Collection today released files relating to claims lodged by 1,442 individuals (or their dependants). The May 2018 release includes 600 female participants and 82 individuals who died in the period 1919-1921. As a Project Archivist employed on the collection, I was responsible for the processing of about 470 of these individuals.

A full list of the names and addresses and of those released today can be viewed here.

Using the name or reference number, users can then download the original files and read the individual’s service histories here.

For those interested in labour and socialist history, this release contains newly digitised and released files relating to seven members of the Irish Citizen Army. All seven applications were unsuccessful.

1. Annie Collins (?-?) 35 Upper Dorset Street, Dublin. Unsuccessful application. Ref: MSP34REF1139.

” Applicant claimed membership of the Irish Citizen Army from 1913 until 1923. On Easter Sunday 1916, Annie Collins states that she was based in Liberty Hall preparing food and bandages.

On Easter Monday, the applicant claims that she carried several dispatches from St. Stephen’s Green to the General Post Office (GPO). Annie Collins states that she returned home but went to the College of Surgeons on Thursday where she was told by Countess Markievicz to return home once again on account of her young age. Applicant states that she did not sign the 1916 Easter Rising Roll of Honor as she believed an individual had to be active for the full duration of the week.

Attached to the Dublin Brigade, ICA, it is stated that the applicant took part in ICA general activity before and during the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921) including; first aid work, drill instructions; attending the funeral of [Joseph] Norton (MD33223) in Swords (1917); a reception for Countess Markievicz at Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire) (1918); the 1918 General Election and attending the funeral of Tadhg Barry (1D373) [1921].

Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War (June 1922 – May 1923), the applicant states that when the Four Courts was attacked, she was mobilised for Barry’s Hotel where she spent one night. Annie Collins claims that she was then sent to the Hammam Hotel which acted as Brigade HQ. On several occasions, the applicant states that she transported arms and ammunition from the Stanley Street workshop to the Hammam Hotel. Further states that she carried arms in advance of a raid of Griffith’s boot store on the corner of Upper Abbey Street and Capel Street. Also claims that she brought a dispatch to Harry Boland (MD909) in Blessington [village] from Cathal Brugha and returned to the Hammam Hotel with a Lewis gun, some rifles and ammunition.”

Hand-written testimony from Annie Collins about her Civil War service. Ref: MSP34REF1024

2. Edward Conroy (1901-1982) 4 Robert Street, Dublin. Unsuccessful application. Ref: MSP34REF1126.

“Applicant claimed membership of the Irish Citizen Army from June 1917 until August 1923.

Attached to the Dublin Brigade, ICA, it is stated that the applicant took part in ICA general activity before and during the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921) including; a reception for Countess [Markievicz] at Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire); attending the funeral of Mrs. McDonagh (1917); attending the funeral of [Joseph] Norton (MD33223) in Swords [1917]; the defence of Liberty Hall [Armistice Night 1918]; attending the funeral of [Richard] Coleman (1D15) [1918]; the 1918 General Election; Belfast Boycott work; a fight on Dawson Street [1919]; demonstration in connection with the hunger-strikes (1920) and attending the funeral of Tadg Barry (1D373) [1921].

Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War (June 1922 – May 1923), the applicant states that he took part in engagements with the National Army in the area around the Hammam Hotel, O’Connell Street and Marrowbone Lane. Edward Conroy claims that he was arrested by the Free State (National Army) on 28 October 1922 and interned in Wellington Barracks, Dublin and Hare Park, the Curragh, County Kildare until 21 August 1923.”

 

3. John Craven (?-?) 193 Donnellan Avenue, Mount Brown, Kilmainham, Dublin 8. Unsuccessful application. Ref: MSP34REF863.

“Applicant claimed membership of the Irish Citizen Army from 1913 until 1923.

Attached to the Dublin Brigade, ICA, it is stated that the applicant took part in ICA general activity during the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921) including: drilling and “military operations against the enemy”.

Applicant states that he was arrested on 5 August 1922 by the Free State and imprisoned in Maryborough Gaol (Portlaoise Prison), County Louth and Tintown No 3 Camp, Curragh, County Kildare until release on 23 November 1923.”

4. Stephen Hastings (? – 1935). 11 George’s Quay, Dublin. Unsuccessful application. Ref: MSP34REF1024.

“Applicant claimed membership of the Irish Citizen Army from 1917 until 1923.

Attached to the Dublin Brigade, ICA, it is stated that the applicant took part in ICA general activity before and during the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921) including: removing transport arms and ammunition from an American boat; a reception for Countess [Markievicz]; the defence of Liberty Hall (Armistice Night 1918); the 1918 General Election; attending the funeral of [Joseph] Norton (MD33223) in Swords (1917) and demonstrations in connection with [Mountjoy Jail] hunger-strikes [1920].

Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War (June 1922 – May 1923), Stephen Hastings states that he took part in the defence of Moran’s Hotel, Dublin and the destruction of a bridge in Blanchardstown, Dublin (5 August 1922). Applicant claims that he was arrested by National Forces on 6 August 1922 and imprisoned in Maryborough Gaol (Portlaoise Prison), County Louth and Tintown No 2 Camp, Curragh, County Kildare until October 1923.”

Hand-written account from Stephen Hastings of the 1918 period. Ref: MSP34REF1024

5. Michael Meleady (?-?) 56 Thorncastle Street, Ringsend, Dublin. Unsuccessful application. Ref: MSP34REF1167.

“Applicant claimed membership of the Irish Citizen Army from 1917 until 1924.

Attached to the Dublin Brigade, ICA, it is stated that the applicant took part in ICA general activity before and during the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921) including; a reception for Countess [Markievicz] at Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire); attending the funeral of Thomas Ashe (1D313) [1917]; the funeral of Mrs. McDonagh (1917); the defence of Liberty Hall [Armistice Night 1918]; the 1918 General Election; a reception for [Éamon] De Valera at Merrion; Belfast Boycott work; attending the funeral of Tadg Barry (1D373) [1921] and a planned ambush on Sydney Parade which was called off (no date).

Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War (June 1922 – May 1923), Michael Meleady states that he took part in fighting against the National Army in the area around the Hammam Hotel and O’Connell Street. Claims that he took part in an operation to blow-up a bridge in Ashtown. Applicant states that he was arrested by National Forces on 9 August 1922 and was interned in Wellington Barracks, Dublin and Gormanstown camp until release in [November] 1923. “

6. William Nelson (?-1940) 60 Mountjoy Square, Dublin. Unsuccessful application. Ref: MSP34REF1588.

“Applicant claimed membership of the Irish Citizen Army (ICA) from 1917 until 1923.

Attached to the Dublin Brigade, ICA, it is stated that the applicant took part in general ICA activity in Dublin during the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921) including: attending mass in Tallaght, Dublin that was attacked by the police (no date); a reception for the Countess at Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire) (no date) and attended the funeral of Norton (MD33223) in Swords, Dublin (July 1919).

Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War (June 1922 – May 1923), William Nelson states that he was arrested by the Free State on 1 September 1922 and took part in a 15-day hunger-strike.”

7. Jeremiah O’Shea (1892-1966). 28 The Coombe, The Liberties, Dublin. Unsuccessful application. Ref: MSP34REF1263.

“Applicant claimed membership of the Irish Citizen Army (ICA) from 1917 until 1924.

Attached to the Dublin Brigade, ICA, it is stated that the applicant took part in ICA general activity before and during the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921) including: removing transport arms and ammunition from an American boat; a reception for Countess [Markievicz] at Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire); attending the funeral of Thomas Ashe (1D313) [1917]; the defence of Liberty Hall (Armistice Night 1918); the 1918 General Election; a reception for [Éamon] de Valera at Merrion Gates; a fight on Dawson Street (1 May 1919); Belfast Boycott work; attending the funeral of Tadg Barry (1D373) [1921] and a planned ambush of ‘Black and Tans’ (RIC) headquarters on Sydney Parade which was called off (no date).

Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War (June 1922 – May 1923), Jeremiah O’Shea states that he took part in fighting against the National Army at the ‘High School’ and Vaughan’s Hotel in the Parnell Square and Dorset Street areas. Applicant claims that he was arrested by National Forces on 3 February 1923 and imprisoned in Mountjoy Jail, Dublin and Tintown No 3 Camp, Curragh, County Kildare until 9 November 1923.”

Letter to Oscar from Jim O’Shea, brother of applicant dated 9 August 1940. Page 1/2. Ref: MSP34REF1263.

Anti-Amendment Music (1982/83)

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The introduction of the Eighth Amendment into the Irish Constitution in 1983 “was a remarkable feat by a small group of Catholic right-wing conservatives.” After a bitter referendum battle, the anti-abortion legislation was passed 66.9% to 33.1% in September 1983.

The leading ‘Anti-Amendment Campaign’ was supported by the ‘Anti-Amendment Music’ sub-group which included more than sixty of the country’s leading musicians, singers, actors, comedians, journalists, DJs and poets. It is worth remembering their names and the sacrifices that they took back in a society which is very different to ours in 2018.

The Irish Press, 8 Sep 1982.

Some of the big names who backed the cause were Paul Brady, Moya Brennan (Clannad), Adam Clayton (U2), Paul Cleary (The Blades), Bob Geldof and Christy Moore.

Others who nailed their flags to the mast included:

Bands: Auto Da Fe, Back to Back, Dr Strangely Strange, High Heeled Sneakers, The Lee Valley String Band, Les Enfants, Max, Nine Out Of Ten Cats, Scullion, The Shade, Stepaside, Stockton’s Wing, Tokyo Olympics

Singers/Musicians: Sonny Condell, Jimmy Crowley, Keith Donald (Moving Hearts), Mick Hanly, Honor Heffernan, Donal Lunny, Ferdia MacAnna (The Rhythm Kings), Barry Moore (aka Luka Bloom), Maura O’Connell (ex. De Danann), Red Peters (1946-2012), Noel Shine, John Spillane, Jil Turner (Eugene), Freddie White, Gay Woods

Actresses: Kathleen Barrington, Carol Caffrey, May Cluskey (1927-91), Ingrid CraigieNuala Hayes, Annie Kilmartin

DJs/Presenters: BP Fallon, Dave Fanning, Carolyn Fisher

Comedians: Billy Magra, Dermot Morgan (1952-98), Helen Morrissey, Roisin Sheeran

1982 saw a host of fundraising gigs in some of the capital city’s best venues.

13 September: The Blades, Paul Brady and DJ Dave Fanning at The Baggot Inn

The Irish Times, 22 Sep 1982

30 September: Some Kind of Wonderful, BP Fallon and Max at McGonagles

9 October: The Rhythm Kings and High Heeled Sneakers at The Baggot Inn

Paul Brady, Mary Robinson and Ferdia McAnna. The Irish Independent, 8 Se 1982.

14 October: Comedy gig with compere Billy Magra at The Sportman’s Inn, Mount Merrion

Anti-Amendment Music – Rock against the Referendum (1982). Uploaded by Student History Ireland Project.

Things picked up again in 1983:

21 April: Unknown acts at Owen O’Callaghan’s (Mark’s Bar), Crowe Street, Dundalk, County Louth

July: The small concert hall in RDS hosted singers Honor Heffernan, Moya Brennan (Clannad), Maura O’Connell (ex. De Danann), comedian Helen Morrissey, actress May Cluskey who performed from her show ‘Mothers’ and actresses Nuala Hayes and Ingrid Craigie staged the “total 30-hour Oireachtas debate on the amendment in 15 minutes flat”. The MC on the night was RTÉ presenter Carolyn Fisher.

Evening Herald, 05 June 1983.

July: Auto Da Fe with Gay Woods, Barry Moore (aka Luka Bloom) and Scullion at Stephen’s Green.

In August 1983, the campaign hosted a press conference with Christy Moore, Keith Donald (Moving Hearts), Paul Cleary (The Blades), Adam Clayton (U2), Ferdia MacAnna (The Rhythm Kings), Jill Turner (Eugene) and Maura O’Connell. It was chaired by Senator Michael D. Higgins. Adam Clayton said: “It is like a witch hunt with people going around saying who is a slut and who isn’t”. Paul Brady told the press that “he agreed with Senator Robinson that there were ‘subterranean rumblings’ to try to take Ireland back to an era which he for one was glad was gone”. Finally Ferdia MacAnna remarked that the amendment would be “as much use as outlawing sex in this country which has been tried before by repressive education”

The Irish Press, 27 Aug 1983.

The last two gigs took place in Dublin and Cork in August 1983.

On 28 August, on the same day that Black Sabbath played Dalymount Park, Paul Cleary, Les Enfants, Donal Lunny, Stepaside, Red Peters, Mick Hanly, Keith Donald (Moving Hearts), Nine Out Of Ten Cats were advertised to play outdoors at Blackrock Park. While in Cork, Jimmy Crowley, The Lee Valley String Band, Noel Shine, John Spillane were listed to play at the Coolquay venue.

If you have any more information or material from the Anti-Amendment Music campaign, please get in touch!

Claude Gunner’s gang (1921)

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Note: I’ve previously looked at a criminal street-gang from Dublin’s North Inner city named the ‘Sons of Dawn’ who were also tracked down and arrested by the IRA in the same period.

Introduction

In 1921, an eight-man gang were responsible for a number of armed robberies in Dublin. The core of the group was made up of British Army deserters from the Royal Air Force (RAF). After an intelligence operation, the group was tracked down by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and handed over to the authorities.

The gang has been recalled in different accounts as “Claude Gunner’s gang”, named after their ringleader, and “McNally’s gang” named after their first robbery victim.

The four key members were RAF deserters and a mixture of English, Irish and Scottish. All were aged between 21 and 23 at the time of the robberies. They were:

  • Claude Gunner from Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. DOB 24 June 1900.
  • Thomas Speers from Greenock near Glasgow, Scotland. DOB 10 April 1899.
  • Denis Marry/Marrey from Balbriggan, North County Dublin. DOB 17 July 1898.
  • George Collins from Dewsbury, Yorkshire, England. DOB 10 Feb 1900.

They were aided by:

  • Charles Rennie, a former Scotland Yard detective
  • Jimmy Marry, brother of Denis, from Balbriggan
  • James Kenny, the owner of the ‘Silver King’ fleet of buses in Dublin
  • An individual with the surname Wibberley, allegedly a former IRA Volunteer in Dublin
  • An unnamed caretaker of the Soldiers’ Central Club, College Street, Dublin

Robberies

On 23 July 1921, the armed gang robbed Patrick Farrelly of £265, the property of Kennedy’s Bread, on the Ringsend Road, Dublin. The hoist was not reported in the newspapers at the time.

The IRA through its Irish Bulletin (November 1921) described the gang as a group of “gentlemen cracksmen … ex members of the British forces who had become moderately wealthy from the proceeds and their robberies”. It was stated that they “dressed well and were educated (and) only attempted big coups”.

On 10 September 1921, the same group robbed Hugh Charles McNally of £768 on the Howth Road in Killester, Dublin. The Sunday Independent (11 Sep 1921) described the incident as “one of the most daring and most sensational highway robberies in Dublin of recent years”. As a result, the gang were called “Killester robbers” in the military pension application file of Peter Byrne (24SP8784).

SIN_1921_09_11_5

The Sunday Independent, 11 September 1921

McNally, a well-known builder, was the contractor for a new housing project for former British Army servicemen named Killester Gardens. On the day of the incident, McNally left the city centre in a motorcar with a large bag of cash to pay the workmen. Accompanied by his clerk Mr. Mitten, they were nearing the corner of Killester Lane (now Killester Avenue) on the Howth Road when they were confronted by four men. It was noted by the Sunday Independent that the thieves “spoke with English accents (and) were not disguised in any way”.

McNally later told the Freeman’s Journal (12 Sep 1921):

One of the fellows came to my side with a revolver pointed at me and I jumped out of the car over the side and tackled him. I held him. Whilst I was wrestling with him, the other fellow with the revolver fired and put a bullet through the glass of the screen where my clerk was sitting. (He) was fortunately not injured.

The newspapers reported that McNally’s car tyres had been slashed with razors but he did manage to chase after the thieves by foot and saw the gang of four jumping into a Ford car which already had two men sitting in it. After some initial car trouble, the gang made their escape in the direction of Fairview.

The crime was reported to the IRA and the Irish Republican Police (IRP) who were committed to maintaining law and order during the Truce Period.

IRA Intelligence Operation

Patrick J Kelly (First Lieutenant, G Company, 1 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA) wrote a detailed account of the organisation’s efforts to uncover the gang in his Witness Statement (no. 781). He also mentioned the operation in his application for a military service pension (MSP34REF457).

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Patrick Kelly in front of the Advisory Committee, 20 February 1935. Ref: (MSP34REF457)

Things began when the IRA’s General Headquarters (GHQ) circulated the serial numbers of the stolen £5 notes and asked all IRA Volunteers in the city to “seek information and report” back. Thomas Curran (Intelligence Officer, G Company, 1 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA) was told by the barman in Doyle’s Corner in Phibsboro that a customer who had been unemployed for months had been in the pub and “changed a fiver“. Curran, naturally suspicious at this, asked to see the note and it matched the notes stolen in the Howth Road robbery. An IRA Volunteer named Curran got the address of the man who had come in with the £5 and reported everything back to Robert ‘Bob’ Oman (Captain, G Company, 1 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA).

George Collins was subsequently the first of the gang to be picked up by the IRA. He was arrested at his residence at 61 Phibsboro Road, Dublin 7. IRA Officer Robert Oman wrote in his military service pension application (MSP34REF16645) that another individual Wibberley, a former IRA volunteer in H Company, 1 Battalion (?), was arrested at the same time of Collins.

According to Kelly’s account, George Collins was arrested with a “.38 revolver in his hip pocket”. He was brought to Columcille Hall at 5 Blackhall Street in Smithfield, Dublin 7 for questioning. This building had been owned by the Gaelic League since 1900 and was used as the HQ of 1 Battalion, Dublin Brigade of the Irish Volunteers/IRA from 1914 to 1922.

George Collins admitted that he was involved in the robbery of McNally and revealed that he was a RAF deserter who had teamed up with five others in a similar position.

PJ D’Alton writing about Joe Dodd’s IRA service. Ref: MSP34REF2287

At this stage, Kelly recognised Collins as being the driver for the RAF’s General Gerald Farrell who had been caught up in an IRA ambush on the South Circular Road, Dublin 8 some time before. Collins was subsequently accused of being involved in the reprisal burning of the Half-Way House in Crumlin. The prisoner admitted that he had driven a party of British Army officers from Baldonnel Camp to Crumlin but had not personally taken part in the burning. Knowing that the game was up and so “badly scared at being so well-known”, Collins gave up the names of his five conspirators and revealed the gangs plans was to rob Cook’s Tourist Agency, Grafton Street; Tedcastle McCormack’s payroll, North Wall and the National Bank, Cork before absconding to England.

It was revealed that the gang’s ‘fixer’ in Dublin was Denis Marry from Balbriggan. Collins gave his IRA captors a description of Marry and said that he would be arriving into Dublin on a Great Northern Railway train in the coming days.

Five days later, Vincent Gogan (IRA Intelligence Officer, 1 Battalion, Dublin Brigade) reported that a man matching Marry’s description had arrived into Dublin by train and had checked into the Globe Hotel on Talbot Street.

Kelly and a squad of IRA men including Mick Downes, Joe Dodd (MSP34REF2287), James Kelly and Vincent Gogan, found Marry in a lodging-house near Malrboro Street Church which the Globe Hotel also owned. He was captured with a Colt .45 revolver and was also taken to Columcille Hall. When he saw his fellow RAF deserter Collins there, he must have known that the game was up too.

Marry told the IRA that three more of the gang would arrive into Dublin in a couple of days. Two would arrive into Dún Laoghaire and then take a train to Harcourt Street. They were Charles Rennee and Claude Gunner. The other man, Thomas Speers, was to arrive into the city by the Great Northern Railway. (Two IRA accounts have described Speers as a “jockey” but British Army service records reveal that he too was a RAF deserter who worked previously as a “printer”)

Nicholas Laffan (BMH WS 703) described how the IRA raided two houses in Springgarden Street in the North Strand and later the Westbrook Hotel on Harcourt Street unsuccessfully for Rennee.

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Excerpt from Nicholas Laffan’s account. Ref: BMH WS 703

Denis Marry offered to go and meet his two fellow gang members in Dún Laoghaire and travel into town with them so the IRA would recognise them more easily.

Speers was caught by IRA Volunteers James Kelly and Mick Downes at Amiens Street train station. He too was carrying a .38 revolver and was brought to Columcille Hall.

Afterwards, Kelly and Downs rushed over to Harcourt Street to help fellow IRA men Robert Oman, James Kelly, Joe Dodd and Callaghan with the arrest of the remaining gang members. Renne and Gunner were caught while Denis Marry and his brother Jimmy escaped down Montague Street.

(Kelly’s account suggests Denis Marry’s brother was named ‘Ned’ while Oman’s account and census records suggest Jimmy is the correct name)

The IRA visited the Marry household in Balbriggan and were told the two brothers had fled to Belfast.

Nicholas Laffan (BMH WS 703) wrote that some of the gang had been tracked down to the North Strand Road where they put up a fight and fire their revolvers from a tram as they were being pursued. Robert Oman (MSP34REF16645) states that Jimmy Marry was “arrested on a tram at North Strand”.

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Robert Oman’s hand-written list of the gang members. Ref: MSP34REF16645

Gang leader Rennee offered the IRA a substantial bribe for their release and asked them to collect his luggage from the Soldiers’ Central Club on College Street. He also provided the name (never recorded in any account) of the caretaker who was in charge and the name of the man who “supplied cars for the hold-up”. Kelly wrote:

His name was Kenny and was well-known in Dublin. We had him under arrest in under an hour. He gave us a cheque for £50 which he said was his share of the McNally robbery.

On collecting the luggage from the Soldiers’ Central Club, Kelly wrote that it contained “the filthiest collection of photographs and French postcards imaginable.”

Rennee told Kelly that he was lucky that he was not at Harcourt Street station when they arrived as Marry had given him his description and they intended to shoot it out.

Kelly wrote that the British Government “requested that Rennee, Gunner, Collins and Spears (sic) be handed over to them as deserters”.

Kelly believed that Gunner and Collins “were sentenced to three years imprisonment in Stafford Detention Barracks, England”. Rennee was sent to London for trial but the IRA “never learned the result”. Nor did they learn what happened to Speers. Kenny received a “stiff fine to pay” and soon “went out of business”. The caretaker in the Soldier’s Home was released with a warning.

Kelly lamented at the end of his account that:

The proceeds of several robberies was never discovered. Gunner said they spent it touring the Continent, and judging by their luggage I believed them.

Official British state files

On 25 November 1921, Claude Gunner and Thomas Speers were court-martialled and attended a military trial in Dublin. The British Army ‘Register of courts martial” in Dublin (Ref. no. WO 35/57) state that the pair were accused of “robbery with aggravation (while) armed with firearms” of the hold-up of Patrick Farrelly in July 1921 and of Hugh Charles McNally in September 1921. They were found guilty of the Farrelly robbery but not-guilty of the McNally heist.

On 28 November 1921, all four of the men (Gunner, Speers, Collins and Marry) were tried at a Field General Court Martial trial in Dublin (Ref No.WO 35/137). It was reiterated that Gunner and Speers were guilty of the armed robbery of Patrick Farrell and were sentenced to three years penal servitude. All four of the accused were found not-guilty of the hold-up of McNally. There was a recommendation of mercy because:

  1. Robberies are committed with impunity by Sinn Feiners
  2. Voluntary confession
  3. 10 weeks previous imprisonment

Postscript

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Claude Lionel Gunner, RAF records, Ancestry.co.uk

Claude Lionel Gunner (Service No. 180360) was born on 24 June 1900. His birthplace has been listed as Furneux Pelham and Bishop’s Stortford, both in Hertfordshire, England about 16km apart.

In 1901, Claude was living at Ulpine Cottage, 76 Plynlimmon Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England with his father Thomas (36), a Baker & Confectioner, his mother Emma (38) and three older siblings. In 1911, Claude (10) was living at 7 Milton Terrace, Swansea, Wales with his widowed father Thomas (46), a “Business Merchant Clerk”, and two older siblings.

Claude enlisted with the RAF on 10 July 1918. He listed his permanent address as Havenwood, St. Leonards, Ringwood, Hampshire, England. In 1919, he married Beatrice C. Townsend in Edmonton, Middlesex, England.

His RAF service record reveals that he was a ‘Plymouth Brethern’, was employed as a ‘Assistant Motor Mechanic’ and that his father Thomas lived at Chirstchurch Street, Kingswood, Hertfordshire, England.

Claude was transferred to the Baldonnell military camp in Ireland on 29 September 1920 and deserted on 10 July 1921. The robbery of Patrick Farrelly occurred 13 days later. His service record states that following his arrest and sentencing, he was transferred to Liverpool Prison on 24 December 1921.

In the 1939 census, he was listed as a “Sales Manager, Electrical Appliances” living at 37 Rosehill Terrace, Swansea, Wales. He died in Swansea about March 1970.

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Thomas Speers, RAF records, Ancestry.co.uk

Thomas Speers (Service No. 236356) was born on 10 April 1899 in Greenock, near Glasgow, Scotland.

In 1901, Thomas (1) was living at 12 Lewis Street, Derry, Ireland with his father David (30), a Shop Porter, his mother Eliza Jane (30) and two older sisters. The family was Presbyterian. His parents were born in Donegal while both his siblings were born in Derry. In 1911, Thomas (11) and his family had moved down the street to 21 Lewis Street, Derry. His father David (43) was now working as a carter and he had four new younger siblings.

Thomas enlisted with the Royal Navy on 27 August 1917. His occupation was listed as a ‘painter’. He transferred to the RAF on 1 April 1918 according to his service record.

He was moved to the Curragh camp, Ireland on 2 November 1920 and deserted on 10 July 1921 (the same day as Claude Gunner) and just 13 days before the Patrick Farrelly robbery.

His service record states that following his arrest and sentencing, he was transferred to Liverpool Prison on 24 December 1921.

On 19 May 1925, it would be appear that Thomas re-enlisted with the British Army in Omagh, County Tyrone as a motor-driver. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he re-enlisted once again on 27 October 1939 with the ’14 Argyle Regiment’ of the British Army.

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Denis Marry, RAF Records, Ancestry.co.uk

Denis ‘Dinny’ Kevin Marry (Service Number 294193 or 333974) was born on 17 July 1895 in Balbriggan, North County Dublin to parents James, a “Linen Factory Workman”, and Elizabeth Marrey (nee Walsh).

In 1901, Denis (4) was living at 14 Mill Street, Balbriggan with his father James (42), a “Linen Yarn Beamer and Warper”, his mother Elizabeth (29), three siblings and his grandmother. The whole family was Catholic and were all born in Dublin except for the father who was originally from County Louth. In 1911, Denis (14) was living at “363 Balbriggan” with his father James (50), a “Linen Yarn Dresser”, his mother Elizabeth (40) and six siblings.

The service record of Denis shows that he enlisted with the RAF on 4 September 1918. His occupation was listed as a ‘petrol driver’. The file reveals that had married on 2 January 1920 and his wife lived at 38 Rijnkaai, Antwerp, Belgium. However, there is another marriage cert for Denis Marrey for 19 October 1921:

Denis Marrey marriage

Denis deserted from the British Army on 2 May 1921. This occurred a little over two months before the Farrelly robbery.

In July 1921, a Peter Malone and “Denis Marry (alias Simpson)” were arrested at 2 Phibsboro Avenue, Dublin. No further information is available but a brief mention in the FindMyPast’s ‘Easter Rising & Ireland Under Martial Law’ records.

At the time of the 1922 Irish Army Census, Denis Marry was based at Gormanston army camp, County Meath. He was attached to the Air Traffic Control. His home address was 14 Mill Street, Balbriggan. The file shows that he enlisted with the National Army on 4 November 1922 in the last few months of the Civil War and just a week before the census was taken. His next-of-kin was his wife Annie Murray of Mill Street, Balbriggan.

(I unfortunately can’t find George Collins’ RAF records online)

George Collins (Service Number 336394 or 4681442) was born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, England on 10 February 1900.

In 1901, George (1) was living at 23 Ambler Street, Batley, West Yorkshire, England with his father James (38), a “Coal Miner Hewer”, his mother Catherine (36), a “Retired Rag Sorter” and nine older siblings. In 1911 , George (11) was living at 2 Oldroyd Square, Batley, West Yorkshire, England with his father James (49), a “Coal Miner Hewer Unemployed”, with his wife Catherine (46) and ten siblings.

During the War of Independence period in Dublin (1919-21), George was a motor-driver for Major-General Sir Gerald Farrell Boyd.

In November 1921, George Collins was arrested for breaking and entering into the Ulster Bank in Dundalk with intent to commit a felony. He was transferred from Dundalk Prison to Mountjoy Prison on 28 November 1921 for a trial at “Leinster Assizes” in Dublin. His next-of-kin was listed as James Collins, 14 Powells Yard, Beckett Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

In the 1939 census, he was listed as a ‘Unpaid Domestic Duties’ living at Dewsbury, West Yorkshire where he died in 1972.

Charles Rennie was a former Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officer from Scotland Yard. Little else is known about him. James Kenny Sr., of 103 Sandymount Avenue, Dublin was proprietor of the Silver King and Silver Queen line of buses. In August 1929, he was £30 for not paying the road-tax on three of his vehicles.

More reading:

The IRA Volunteers who tracked down the gang were from G Company, 1 Battalion, Dublin Brigade. The key players were:

Patrick Kelly – MSP34REF457 and BMHWS781 files.

Nicholas Laffan – MSP34REF3964 and BMH.WS703 files

Robert ‘Bob’ Oman MSP34REF16645 file. No BMH WS.

Joseph Dodd. MSP34REF2287 file. No BMH WS.

 

 

Gabriel Lee (1904-37) and Eoin O’Duffy’s ‘Irish Brigade’

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Gabriel Lee is the only member of Eoin O’Duffy’s Pro-Franco ‘Irish Brigade’ to be commemorated with a public memorial in Ireland. A small plaque in Dublin’s Pro-Cathedral marks the fact that he died fighting with the Fascist forces in Spain in 1937.

This is in stark contrast to the 20+ plaques and memorials across the island to Irishmen who fought with the International Brigades in defence of the Spanish Republic.

Gabriel Lee was born on 21 May 1904 in Kilcormac (formally known as Frankford), a small town in County Offaly between Tullamore and Birr. His parents were James Lee, a Sergeant in the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), and Elizabeth Lee (née Conroy).

Gabriel Lee, birth certificate 1904.

At the time of the 1911 Census, Gabriel Lee was living with his large family at 22 Townsend Street, Birr, County Offaly.

It is claimed that Gabriel Lee was a member of the Pre-Truce IRA although he only would have been in his mid to late teens during the War of Independence (1919-1921). Taking the Pro-Treaty side in the Civil War, he enlisted with the National Army on 25 March 1922 at Marlborough Hall, Dublin. When the Irish Army census was conducted in November 1922, he was serving with the 1st Battalion, South-Western Command at Mallow, County Cork. His home address was given as 45 Lower Drumcondra Road, Dublin.

Gabriel Lee, 1922 Army census.

During the early 1930s, Gabriel Lee served as Vice-Chairman of Fine Gael’s Dublin North West Exectutive and Vice-Divisional Director of the League of Youth, Dublin. He was known to his comrades as Gabe Lee.

James Lee and and his son Gabriel Lee photographed on O’Connell Street, 1934. Credit: ‘Arthur Fields: Man on Bridge’

A committed anti-Communist and devout Catholic, he left Galway with Eoin O’Duffy’s ‘Irish Brigade’ for Spain on 12 December 1936.

Gabriel Lee was injured by shellfire at Ciempozuelos on 13 March 1937 and was brought to Griñón Hospital, Madrid. Eoin O’Duffy recalled in correspondence that Lee had tried to “raise his hand in the Fascist salute” in his hospital bed. Apparently his “final request” was to buried in a green shirt as retold n Fearghal McGarry’s 2007 biography of Eoin O’Duffy. This indicated his strong loyalty to O’Duffy who had broken away from Fine Gael in 1935 to form the National Corporate Party and the Greenshirts (military wing).

Gabriel Leeand died of his wounds on 20 March and was buried in Cáceres, Spain with several other members of the ‘Irish Brigade’.

Gabriel Lee. The Sunday Independent, 12 June 1960.

The Irish Brigade Headquarters, 12 Pearse Street, Dublin released a statement three days after Lee’s death to the Irish Independent (23 March 1937) saying that:

To those who scoff at the motives impelling such sacrifices we say that charity should dictate that only good be spoken of such bravery men. We in this Headquarters know how little inducement or hope of worldly gain was offered to the members of the Irish Brigade. We know their motives, and we know that the souls of these men are with God because they died for God.

Historian Robert Stradling believed that Gabriel Lee was the only individual who fought with Eoin O’Duffy’s ‘Irish Brigade’ in Spain to have a public memorial in Ireland. In Dublin’s Pro-Cathedral, there is small plaque on a pew dedicated to his memory which I photographed over the weekend.

Gabriel Lee plaque, Pro-Cathedral Dublin. Credit – Sam, Come Here To Me! August 2018.

Gabriel Lee plaque, Pro-Cathedral Dublin. Credit – Sam, Come Here To Me! August 2018.

In total, I believe that 10 pro-Franco Irishmen were killed in action during the conflict. I have collected these dates, names and addresses from contemporary newspaper article and death certificates via Irishgenealogy.ie:

1937-02-19 – Captain Thomas Hyde (40) of Ballinacurra, Midleton, Cork – killed at Ciempozuelos in friendly fire incident – buried in Cáceres, Spain. Refs: (1)(2)

1937-02-19 – Daniel Chute (27) of Boherbee, Tralee, County Kerry – killed at Ciempozuelos in friendly fire incident – buried in Cáceres, Spain. Refs: (1)(2)

1937-03-13 – John MacSweeney (23) of Mitchell’s Crescent, Tralee, County Kerry – died from wounds received on Madrid Front – buried in Cáceres, Spain. Refs: (1)(2)

1937-03-13 – Bernard Horan (23) of Mitchell’s Crescent, Tralee, County Kerry – died from wounds received on Madrid Front – buried in Cáceres, Spain. Refs: (1)(2)

1937-03-20 – Gabriel Lee (32) of 45 Lower Drumcondra Road, Dublin – died from wounds received on Madrid Front – buried in Cáceres, Spain. Refs: (1)(2)

1937-03-21 – Thomas Foley (30) of 16 Mary Street, Tralee, County Kerry – died from wounds received on Madrid Front. Refs: (1)(2)

1937-07-15 – Michael Weymes (29) of Mullingar, County Westmeath and later 2 Belton Park Gardens, Donnycarney, Dublin – killed at Villafranca del Castillo on the Mardrid Front- buried in Cáceres, Spain. Refs: (1)(2)

1938-08-? – Patrick Dalton of Pilltown, County Kilkenny- killed in Spain. Incorrectly listed as P. Dolan in one source. Described as Irish student in Spain studying to be a priest. Not Patrick Dalton (1897-1956) of Waterford/Dublin who also served in Spain. Refs: (1)(2)

1938-09-10 – Daithi Higgins (21) of Ballyhooly, County Cork – killed at the Battle of the Ebro fighting with the Spanish Foreign Legion. Refs: (1)(2)(2)

1938-10-? – Austin O’Reilly of Kilmessan, Co Meath – killed at the Battle of the Ebro. Refs: (1)(2)

Five of the Irishmen who were killed fighting for Franco in the Spanish Civil War.

I have also calculated that about 21 of Eoin O’Duffy’s men also died in at home or abroad from diseases contracted while serving with the ‘Irish Brigade’:

1937-04-?? – John Walsh of Midleton, County Cork – died in Spain and buried in Cáceres. Refs: (1)(2)

John Walsh, Irish Independent (05 April 1937)

1937-06-?? – Thomas Troy of Tulla, County Clare – died in Spain. Refs: (1)(2)

Thomas Troy, Irish Press (30 June 1937)

1937-07-?? – Eunan McDermott of Erne Street, Ballyshannon, County Donegal – died in Spain. Refs: (1)(2)

Eunan McDermott, Irish Press (12 July 1937)

1937-07-24 – John McGrath (22) of Lenaboy Avenue, Salthill, County Galway – died in IRL. Refs: (1)(2)

John McGrath, Irish Independent (27 July 1937)

1937-08-20 – Thomas Doyle of Roscrea, County Tipperary – died in Salamanca, Spain. Refs: (1)(2)

Thomas Doyle (Longford Leader, 04 Sep 1937)

1938-01-08 – Matthew Barlow (44) of Chapel Street, County Longford – died in IRL. Refs: (1)(2)

Matthew Barlow, Longford Leader (22 January 1938)

1938-02-02 – John Cross (32) of 49 William Street, County Limerick – died in IRL. Refs: (1)(2)

Jack Cross, Irish Independent (04 February 1938)

1938-02-09 – Patrick Dwyer (32) of 19 Sheehy Terrace, Clonmel, County Tipperary – died in IRL. Refs: (1)(2)

1938-09-17 – Martin O’Toole (28) of Ballynacally, County Clare – died in IRL. Refs: (1)(2)

Martin O’Toole, Irish Independent(21 September 1938)

1939-03-04 – Patrick Collins (33) of Bandon, County Cork – died in IRL. Refs: (1)(2)

Patrick Collins, Sunday Independent (12 March 1939)

1939-03-27 – Thomas Slater (30) of 47 Garrymore, Clonmel, County Tipperary – died in IRL. Refs: (1)(2)

Thomas Slater (Irish Independent, 30 March 1939)

1939-04-12- James Doyle (22) of Boherglass, Clonlong, County Limerick and later 63 High Street, Thomondgate, County Limerick. Died in IRL. Refs: (1)(2)

James Doyle, Limerick Leader (22 April 1939)

1939-06-29 – Francis Maguire (32) of Belgium Square, Monaghan Town, County Monaghan – died in IRL. Refs: (2)

1939-09-13 – Laurence Heaney (37) of 32 North Great George’s Street, Dublin – died in IRL. Refs: (1)(2)

1940-02-04 – William Tobin (37) of 2 Abbeyside, Cashel, County Tipperary – died in IRL. Refs: (2)

William Tobin, Irish Independent (8 February 1940)

1940-02-05 – Philip Comerford (25) of Kells, County. Kilkenny – died in IRL. Refs: (2)

Philip Comerford, Irish Independent (13 February 1940)

1940-03-23 – John McCarthy (37) of Castletownbere , County Cork – died in IRL. Refs: (2)

John McCarthy, Irish Independent (6 April 1940)

1940-03-26 – Austin Hamill (33) of Hill Street, Monaghan town, County Monaghan – died in IRL. Refs: (2)

1940-04-25 – Denis Maher (36) of 25 King Street, Clonmel, County Tipperary –  road traffic accident in IRL. Refs: (2)

Denis Maher, Irish Independent (26 April 1940)

1940-06-?? – Thomas Gunning of County Leitrim – died in Germany Refs: (2)

?? – Frank Nevin of 82 St. Lawrence Road, Clontarf Dublin – died in IRL. Refs: (2)

Couldn’t find obit in newspapers but thought this was interesting re: Frank Nevin (Irish Independent, 3 April 1937)

?? – Michael O’Donoghue of County Galway – died in IRL. Refs: (2)

?? – Patrick McGarry of Newtownforbes, County Longford – died in IRL. Refs: (2)

(1) Listed as one of the 21 men who “lost their lives” while serving with the Irish Brigade. The Irish Independent, 03 May 1939

(2) Listed as one of the 33 “deceased members” of the Irish Brigade. The Irish Independent, 16 October 1940

Thanks: Gerard Farrell for additional documents and information.

The Dublin Castle scandal’s “Unspeakable Crime” (1884)

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The Dublin Castle homosexual scandal of 1884 is a complex story. It involves more than a dozen characters that were introduced over a series of separate criminal trials. All sections of society were involved. The upper echelons of serving police detectives, eminent civil servants and British Army captains. Aspirational middle-class bank clerks and Trinity college graduates. Right down to the semi-blind brothel-keepers and young male prostitutes who were described as “persons of the lowest class of life”. All of these men were accused in newspapers and in court of having same-sex physical relationships. Irish society was shocked.

My main interest is in one specific aspect of the scandal – the backgrounds and post-prison lives of three men who were convicted of running homosexual brothels in the city in 1884.

But before that, a very brief background.

Tim Healy (Irish Nationalist MP) accused two high-ranking British establishment figures, of being homosexual in the United Irishman newspaper edited by William O’Brien MP. They were:

  • James Ellis French (43) (1842-?), Detective Director of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and County Inspector for Cork, who lived at Bessborough Terrace off the North Circular Road
  • Gustavus Charles Cornwall (62) (1822-1903), Secretary of the General Post Office (GPO) who lived at 17 Harcourt Street.

Gustavus Cornwall photographed by Camille Silvy in 1861. © National Portrait Gallery, London

Both men had little choice but to sue the newspaper to uphold their reputations. French backed off as there was multiple evidence of his sexual relationships with young police officers. He retired from the RIC on the grounds of being medically unfit.

Cornwall, who was known by the nickname ‘the Duchess’, pressed on with his libel action and it went to court on 2 July 1884.

O’Brien’s solicitors and his private detective managed to convince three men to give evidence against Cornwall. They were:

  • Malcolm Johnston (21) known as ‘Conny’ or ‘Connie Clyde’ or ‘Connie Taylor’. A Trinity-educated student of ‘private means’ whose father ran a bakery business in Ballsbridge which later became ‘Johnston, Mooney and O’Brien’.
  • Alfred McKiernan/McKernan (25), from Pembroke Road, who was employed as a clerk in the Munster Bank for 16 years
  • George Taylor (33) known as the ‘Maid of Athens’. A former Royal College Surgeons medical student who was employed as a clerk in the British and Irish Steam Packet Company for four years

Another ‘Dublin Castle’ figure who was accused of being homosexual in court was:

  • Captain Martin Oranmore Kirwan (37) (1847-1904) of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, (aka ‘Lizzie’), who lived at 42 Upper Mount Street

Cornwall denied all the allegations. The trial lasted five days but the jury took only an hour to find Cornwall guilty. He was charged with buggery and with conspiracy to corrupt young men.

Headline from ‘Flag of Ireland’ newspaper, 1 November 1884.

O’Brien’s supporters held street parties in celebration outside the offices of the United Ireland newspaper and bonfires were supposedly lit around the country.

As a result of the evidence given in this trial, James Ellis French was arrested and brought to trial on 5 August 1884. He was charged with the attempted buggery on George Taylor and the soliciting of Malcolm Johnstone.

Kilmainham Prison Court Registry (5 August 1884) listing Cornwall, French, Pillar, Kirwan, Considine and Fowler. via FindMyPast.ie

Malcom Johnstone, Alfred McKiernan, George Taylor – the witnesses from the first trial – were charged along with James Ellis French and two other individuals:

  • Major Albert de Fernandez, a British Army surgeon in the Grenadier Guards
  • Johnston Lyttle (20), son a Protestant clergyman, and employee of Jameson’s distillery, Bow Street

Many other men fled the county to escape arrest including Charles Fitzgerald (26) of Dalkey, whose father ran a wine business in Brunswick Street; Police Inspector Esmond of the B Division and Richard Boyle, Chairman of the Dublin Stock Exchange.

The cases against Malcolm Johnston and Lyttle were dropped; Cornwall was acquitted; de Fernandez was found not guilty and French was found guilty and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour in December 1884.

The trial was a political victory for Irish Nationalists like Tim Healy and William O’Brien. As Jonathan Coleman has written, it was their “masterful, practiced rhetoric” that led Dublin Castle to be portrayed in the hearts and minds of the Irish public as “a bastion of corrupting, leprous perverts preying on the literal flesh of young Ireland—a powerful image for Irish nationalists.”

Prominent opponents of landlordism during the Land Wars William O’Brien (left – throwing papers into the fire) and Tim Healy (right – holding a large bottle of “Healy’s Disinfecting Fluid”) are pictured ‘disinfecting’ Dublin Castle. via http://www.dublincity.ie

It was revealed in court that liaisons and meetings took place between the various characters in the many locations around Dublin – the hothouses at the Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin; at a ‘musical party’ in a house on Raglan Road; the back seats of the Queen’s Theatre and the Gaiety Theatre; the urinal behind the Moore statue; laneways off Brunswick Street and Cornwall’s home. A lot of other activity happened in three brothels ran by three middle-aged men who were convicted in the August 1884 trial. Who were they and what happened to them?

Daniel Considine (41), a blind Protestant basketmaker and former school teacher, who was charged with keeping a room “for the purpose … of buggery” at his lodgings at 10 Great Ship Street in the shadow of Dublin Castle. He was found guilty and sentenced to the maximum punishment of two years hard labour.

– Robert Fowler (60), a Protestant toymaker, who lived in nearby 43 Golden Lane who was charged and found guilty of the same offence.

– James Pillar (63), a married Quaker grocer and merchant, who pleaded guilty to the charge of buggery and was sentenced to twenty years penal servitude. Pillar’s business premises at 56 Lower Rathmines Road beside Portobello Barracks was revealed to be a key meeting point for this homosexual network. Was it his Quaker beliefs that led to him pleading guilty to the charge? We can only guess.

All three men died before the century was out, two in desolation in the workhouse.

I’ve mapped out the locations of brothels and private residences of Considine (purple), Fowler (green) and Pillar (blue):

Daniel Considine was born in 1843 in Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin. In May 1884, he was charged with assaulting a police officer and sentenced to a fortnight’s imprisonment. Later that year, he was charged with running a brothel at 10 Great Ship Street. Considine told the court that in his youth he used to perform in drag at balls and at “little parties” in Dublin Castle.

Evidence from Daniel Considine. Belfast Newsletter, 22 August 1884.

The prison records described him as blind, 5ft 10inches with grey hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion.

Assuming he served his full sentence, Considine was released from prison on 4 August 1886. Two years later he charged with assault but the case was dismissed in court.

In April 1898, Daniel Considine of 31 Jervis Street was admitted into the North Dublin Union workhouse. He died there on 18 April 1898 aged 55 of bright’s disease (chronic inflammation of the kidneys.). He was described as a ‘dealer’ and single.

Death certificate of Daniel Considine (1843-1898) of 31 Jervis Street, Dublin. Irishgenealogy.ie

Robert Fowler was born in 1823 or 1824 in London, England. The first records of him in Dublin date from July 1843 when he was charged with “attempting to violate” a woman named Mary but was found not guilty in court. In August 1864, he was described as a basket maker of 1 Bride Street when up on the charge of breaking glass of an unknown premises and sentenced to 10 days imprisonment.

In 1884, he was charged with running a brothel at 43 Golden Lane and it was revealed that his friends and lovers knew him as ‘Mother Fowler’.

The prison records described him as 5ft 6inches with grey hair, grey eyes and a sallow complexion.

Assuming he served his full sentence, Fowler was also released from prison on 4 August 1886. In December of that year, Robert Fowler (63), a toymaker of 42 Upper Kevin Street, was charged with ‘vagrancy’ (i.e. homelessness) and sentenced to one month hard labour. He was convicted of the same offence in March 1889.

Robert Fowler died in the South Dublin Union workhouse on 1 September 1889 aged 65. His death certificate listed his occupation as ‘artist’.

Death Certificate of Robert Fowler (c. 1824 – 1899) of [42] Upper Kevin Street, Dublin. Irishgenealogy.ie

James Pillar was born on 2 February 1822 in Culkeeran, Dungannon, County Tyrone.

Griffith’s Valuation shows that he had a wine and grocery business at 56 Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin from at least 1850.

He married Susanna Pillar (née Hudson) (1822 – 1894) in 1847 and had three children: Charles Henry Pillar (1851-1910), Frederick James Pillar (1852-?) and Susanna Pillar (1857-1928).

The Pillar family in the Quaker records (1884) via FindMyPast.ie

At the time of the 1884 scandal, the Pillar family were living at 63 Palmerston Road. He was known to his friends and lovers as ‘Papa’ or ‘Pa’.

Advertisement for James Pillar’s business. The Irish Times, 28 Jan 1860.

Pillar was charged with committing buggery with Malcolm Johnston; George Taylor; Villiers Sankey; Private Odell and with conspiring with Clarke; Daniel Considine; Robert Fowler; Michael McGrane; Thomas Allen and William Carter.

The Richmond prison records described him as 5ft 6inches with grey hair, grey eyes and a fair complexion.

Dublin Quaker record book announcing that Pillar’s name would “to erase his name” from their membership list. September 1884. via FindMyPast.ie

Pillar served half of his 20 year sentence according to author Glenn Chandler and was released in 1894. He didn’t last very long on the outside. Records show that James Pillar died in Mercers Hospital, Dublin on 24 November 1894 aged 72. He was a listed as a merchant of Ballin?, Wicklow.

Death certificate of James Pillar (1822-1894) of County Wicklow. Irishgenealogy.ie

Further reading

The Dublin Castle scandal offer a fascinating glimpse into the underground gay scene of 1880s Dublin which cut through all sections of society. It’s also significant for preceding a number of other key LGBT milestones – the Oscar Wilde libel trials (1895) in London; the Cleveland Street scandal (1899); the theft of the Irish Crown Jewels (1907) which revealed a homosexual network within Dublin Castle and the emergence of the Roger Casement diaries (1916).

+ Glenn Chandler – The Sins of Jack Saul (Grosvenor House, 2016) – Chs. 8-10

+ Jonathan Coleman – Rent: Same-Sex Prostitution in Modern Britain, 1885-1957 – Ch. 3

+ Averill Earls – Queer Politics: The Dublin Castle Scandal of 1884 (2018 Podcast)

+ Brian Lacey – Terrible Queer Creatures: Homosexuality in Irish History (Wordwell Books, 2008)- Ch. 11

Alan MacSimoin (1957-2018) – Dublin Historian and Political Activist

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Alan 1990s

Alan at anti-fascist demo in the 1990s. Credit – WSM.

We learned at lunchtime today of the tragic news that Alan MacSimoin has died. It was sudden and hit us hard. Alan was a social historian, political activist, trade unionist and great supporter of the Come Here To Me! project from day one.

Alan first became interested in politics in the late 1960s as a young teenager in Dublin. Paddy Healy recalled a very youthful Alan approaching him outside the GPO to buy a copy of the Young Socialist newspaper.

Alan said back in 2011:

I remember it as a time of optimism, modern ideas were challenging the conservative ones, the civil rights movement had brought out tens of thousands across the North, the Vietnamese were beating the mightiest military power on earth, the women’s movement was winning very real reforms.. Big change seemed possible.

While a secondary school student at Newpark Comprehensive School in South Dublin, Alan joined the youth wing of Official Sinn Féin. He recalls that the Special Branch visited his home and school in attempt to intimidate him as was a common tactic back then. Alan was centrally involved in the Irish Union of School Students in the 1970s which at its height had 7,000 paid up members.

Red Rag cover, 1975. Credit – Irish Anarchist History project

17-year-old Alan and a friend, both members of the William Thompson Republican Club, published a political magazine entitled ‘Red Rag‘ in 1975. Shortly later Alan resigned from the Official Republican Movement “because of its decision to regard the Soviet Bloc countries as “actually existing socialism” and to describe the 1956 Hungarian uprising as fascist.”

Alan then became interested in libertarian socialist/anarchist politics and remained committed to these ideals until the day he died. In the 1970s, he was also active with the anti-Nuclear movement and the Murrays Defence Committee.  Alan went to London and helped the Anarchist Workers Association produce a two sided special edition of their paper focusing on the Murrays. He took part in a demonstration outside the Irish Embassy on 24 July 1976.

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Libertarian Struggle magazine, January 1976.

He helped form the Dublin Anarchist Group (1978) and later the Anarchist Workers Alliance.

Alan. Anarchist Worker 1979

Alan’s contact details for the Anarchist Workers Alliance, 1979

User Battlescarred on Libcom.org has written:

In the 1970s as national secretary of the Anarchist Workers Association, I corresponded with a young man in an Irish Republican youth organisation who had started considering anarchist ideas. This was Alan and he went on to working with us to setting up an anarchist organisation in the Republic. This eventually became the Workers Solidarity Movement. Alan parted with the WSM some years ago but he remained an active anarchist till the end. He was bright and acerbic and always well dressed whenever I met him. A great loss to the movement and to the world.

A still from a recent television documentary showed Alan at a counter-demonstration in the face of a large anti-Traveller march in Tallaght in 1982:

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Alan with leather jacket and long hair in Tallaght, 1992

Here is a wonderful photograph of Eddie Conlon (left) and Alan (right) at Dunnes Stores strike picket in 1984.

Eddie Conlon (left) and Alan (right) at Dunnes Stores strike picket, 1984. Credit – The Irish Times

In 1984, Alan was a founding member of the anarchist Workers Solidarity Movement and for the next 26 years was involved in countless campaigns around trade union rights, migrant solidarity, anti-racism, anti-apartheid, anti-war and anti-Bin charges.

In the early 1990s, he acted as spokesperson for the Dublin Abortion Information Service and was active with the campaign for divorce in the 1995 referendum.

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Letter to the Irish Times, 6 June 1996

A life-long historian, Alan was involved with SIPTU’s Dublin District Committee in its 1913 and 1916 commemorations and was a founding member of the Stoneybatter & Smihfield People’s History Project. Launching the website irishanarchisthistory.com in 2011, this pet project of his was an amazing resource of Irish anarchist material from the 1880s until today.

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Alan at Mayday march in Belfast, 2006. Credit – Sam

In the last couple of years, Alan was heavily active with the Stoneybatter Against the Water Tax and the Dublin Central branch of the victorious Together For Yes campaign that repealed the 8th amendment.

Alan was a political mentor and strong supporter of Come Here To Me! since we launched in 2009. He will be truly missed. A giant of a man, he managed to retain close friends from all strands of left-wing politics in Ireland.

Alan at launch of CHTM! book 1 in December 2012. Credit – Paul Reynolds

Our deepest condolences to his partner Mary Muldowney and his extended family.

Funeral details can be found here on RIP.ie

Alan MacSimoin (25 June 1957 – 5 December 2018)

  • 2013 recording of Alan speaking at a public meeting about his involvement in radical politics in 1970s/1980s Dublin. Starts about 5mins 30secs in. Link.
  • 2014 recording of Alan speaking about Irish Squatting history. Starts about 12mins in. Link.
  • 2015 interview of Alan speaking about his early entry into politics. Link.
  • 2017 recording of Alan speaking at Peter Graham memorial meeting. Link.

 

  • 2018 post from the Working Solidarity Movement marking his passing. Link
  • 2018 post from Look Left Magazine (Workers Party) marking his passing. Link.

 


Dublin Pubs (Mid 1980s)

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I picked up this book for $5 in the amazing Powell’s bookshop in Portland, Oregon during the summer.

It features 60 full-colour photographs of pubs across Ireland taken by Liam Blake with accompanying text by David Pritchard and Joe Reynolds. It was first published in 1985 with this softback edition republished in 1993.

I’ve included the 15 photographs of Dublin pubs which I am guessing were taken in the 1984-85 period.

The Brazen Head

The Brazen Head, 20 Lower Bridge Street, Merchant’s Quay. We visited this pub in our November 2009 pub crawl.

Doheny & Nesbitt’s

Doheny & Nesbitt’s at 5 Lower Baggot Street near St. Stephen’s Green. A pub we also visited in our November 2009 pub crawl.

Mulligan’s

Mulligan’s (now L. Mulligan Grocer) at 18 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7. A boozer we reviewed in our May 2012 pub crawl.

Slattery’s

 The exterior of Slattery’s, 217 Rathmines Road in Rathmines. A pub we dropped into in our February 2010 pub crawl.

McDaid’s

McDaid’s pub at 3 Harry Street off Grafton Street. Somewhere we visited in June 2010 for a pub crawl.

Slattery’s

The barman of Slattery’s, Rathmines.

O’Donoghue’s

O’Donoghue’s pub, 15 Merrion Row beside St. Stephen’s Green.

Muligan’s

Mulligan’s, Poolbeg Street close to Trinity College. A pub we visited in our very first pub crawl back in September 2009.

John Kavanagh’s (The Gravediggers)

John Kavanagh’s (The Gravediggers) at 1 Prospect Square, Glasnevin.

T. O’Loughlin’s

T. O’Loughlin’s pub at 26 Lower George’s Street, Dun Laoghaire. One of my favourite pubs in Dublin.

Smyth’s

Smyth’s pub at 10 Haddington Road, Ballsbridge. A boozer we all visited for our September 2010 pub crawl.

Cooney’s

Cooney’s pub at 88 Lower Georges Street, Dun Laoghaire. The pub was rebranded and reopened as The Lighthouse in November 2018.

M. O’Brien’s pub at 8-9 Sussex Terrace, close to Leeson Street Bridge. A boozer we sampled during one of our last pub crawls in June 2012.

Cleary’s

Cleary’s pub at 36 Amiens Street close to Connolly Station. A wonderful pub where we had the book launch of our second book. First visited as a group for our August 2010 pub crawl.

O’Connell’s

O’Connell’s pub at 29 South Richmond Street, Portobello. Also one of my favourite spots in the city. First visit was in April 2010 during one of our monthly pub crawls that we used to organise.

Early Houses of Dublin (2019)

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In February 2015, I published an article listing the remaining 14 or so ‘early house’ pubs in Dublin city centre along with some brief historical background about why these bars have special licenses allowing them to open at 7am.

Delaney’s, North King Street, 1976. Note the ‘Bar Open 7am’ sign. Credit – dublincity.ie

In the last four years, one pub has been demolished and two have closed down. A further three have been put on sale or sold so their futures are uncertain.

The Dark Horse Inn on George’s Quay closed its doors in July 2016 and reopened as a Starbucks coffee shop the following month. I wrote a long piece about the history of the building here.

Ned Scanlon’s on Townsend Street closed and and the pub was demolished in October 2018.

‘Before and After’. Ned Scanlon’s, Townsend Street. Credit – John Fleming on Facebook

We’ve also heard that The Capel Bar on Little Green Street, which featured in a 2016 Dublin Inquirer piece, has closed in recent months.

So as far as I can assert, these are the remaining 10 ‘early house’ pubs in Dublin as of early 2019.

Northside:

1. The Boar’s Head, Capel Street (Mon-Fri 8am; Sat 11am)

2. The Chancery Inn, Inns Quay (Mon-Fri 9am; Sat 7am). The pub (and five apartments) was on the market for €1.7 million in May 2018 so it’s unclear what the future may bring.

3. Delaney’s, North King Street (Mon-Sat 9am). This pub was up for sale in 2016 but no changes has affected it yet it seems.

4. M. Hughes, Chancery Street (Mon-Fri 8.30am; Sat 7am)

5. The Metro, Parnell Street. After sixty years in business, the current owners have retired and put up the pub for sale in October 2018. So time will tell whether the pub will continue to open early.

6. Molloy’s, Talbot Street (Mon-Sat 7am)

7. Slattery’s, Capel Street (Mon-Sat 7am)

8. Madigan’s, Connolly Station (Mon-Fri 8.30am, Sat 10.30am)

Southside:

9. The Galway Hooker, Heuston Station

10. Padraig Pearse, Pearse Street (Mon-Fri 7.30am; Sat 9am)

11. The Windjammer, Lombard Street (Mon-Sat 7am)

Outside of city:
– The Fisherman’s Bar, attached to The Waterside pub, in Howth (Mon-Sat 8am)

 

Multiracial bands in Irish music history (1963-1980)

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Ireland in the 1960s and 1970s was a very homogeneous and white society but there were a handful of groundbreaking bands that included both black and white musicians. This a work in progress.

In late 1963, black American singer Earl Jordan joined the Waterford showband group The Derek Joys. Jordan, who was born in Elmore, Alabama, had served with the U.S. Army before moving to England where he lived for five years.

The Derek Joys, 1964/5. Credit – Irishshowbands.com

Jordan left the The Derek Joys after about a year to join the newly formed Caroline Showband in December 1964. The band toured for two years together before Jordan made an exit. In the early 1970s, he sang on the Green Bullfrog album, joined the German group Les Humphries Singers and released two solo singles. Jordan returned to Dublin for a series of gigs in the 1978-79 on the back of two further solo singles.

The Caroline Showband, c. 1965/66. Credit – Irishshowbands.com

The Black Eagles, who formed in 1964, were made up of a group of teenagers from Crumlin who played soul, r&b and pop covers at local youth clubs. There are no audio recordings but a silent home video of the band from 1965 has made it online.

Vocalist Phil Lynott (1949-1986) was born in England, went to primary school in Manchester and moved Dublin to live with his maternal grandparents in Leighlin Road, Crumlin at the age of about eight. Phil’s father Cecil Parris, was from Georgetown, British Guiana in the Caribbean. The other members of the band were Alan Sinclair (lead guitar), Frankie Smyth (rhythm guitar), Danny Smith (bass) and Brian Downey (drums).

Phil later played with Skid Row (1967-68 line up) and fronted Thin Lizzy (1969–1983 line up).

The Black Eagles, c. 1965

Skid Row, c. 1967/68. Credit – Irishshowbands.com

Gene and the Gents formed in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh in early 1964. The band was made up of four local musicians (including guitarist Henry McCullough) who had all previously played in the Skyrockets. They signed up, as lead vocalist, TCD Law student Gene Chetty who had been born Durban, South Africa of Indian background. The band played together until 1969. Gene went onto form a group called The Flames and later played with The Lions. He returned to Ireland in 2006 to play a number of reunion gigs. A BBC radio interview can be heard here.

The Philosophers were a successful mid 1960s beat-group in Galway who added a brass section and played the showband circuit from the late 1960s onwards. Dave Cazabon, son of Trinidad parents who moved to Galway in the 1950s, joined the band as bass player in 1973. His brother Mike, who used the stage name Samba, became lead vocalist around 1974. The band released a number of singles as Samba and the Philosophers. When Mike left the band, his brother Gerry (d. 1996) took over as lead vocalist. A fourth brother Richard (d. 2010) played in a Galway Thin Lizzy cover band called White Ivy/Nightrider in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The Philosophers, mid 1970s.

Following Van Morrison’s departure from Them, band members Tim Armstrong, Kenny McDowell and Buddy Clark re-united in 1969 in Chicago as Truth. They drafted in local drummer Renaldo Smith (known as Reno Smith or Rene Smith) who had previously played with Baby Huey & the Babysitters. The band played together in Ireland for a couple of years before calling it a day. Reno Smith returned to Dublin in 1973 to join the band Chips who he played with for about a year. This article claims that he later played with with funk group Mother’s Finest, various house bands at Chicago blues and soul clubs including the Kingston Mines, and then relocated to Tucson, Arizona where he continued to play blues and R&B.

Chips in c. 1973. Credit – http://www.irish-showbands.com

In circa 1970, Dave Murphy joined a “progressive soul combo” from North Dublin called The Purple Pussycat, who based their sound on the US band Blood, Sweat & Tears. He sang and also played trombone. It was suggested that he was the “city’s second best-known black Irish musician after Phil Lynnott”. He later focused on singer-songwriting and ran a weekly folk music night in The Bailey, McDaid’s, The International and Banker’s throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

The Chicken Fisher Band was formed in 1978 by Martin ‘Chicken’ Fischer, born in London of Swiss parents, guitarist Dave Prim (d. 2018) from Kilkenny and drummer John Forbes of London-Jamaican heritage. In 1979, John Forbes joined soul funk rockers Stagalee who had started life in Tralee, County Kerry three years previously. Stagalee’s 1979 line-up featured Colin Tully (sax/keyboards), Honor Heffernan (vocals), Errol Walsh (guitar/vocals), James Delaney (keyboards) and Tommy Moore (bass/vocals). A contemporary newspaper article stated that John Forbes had recorded two albums with a German group called Black Symphony but I can’t find anymore information online.

Stagalee, 1979 line up. Credit – errolwalsh.com

Zebra, Ireland’s first reggae band, was formed in Dublin in early 1979 by Steve Rekab (guitarist), Bernard Rangel (percussion), Leo Mallon (drums), Brian Narty (bass), Norman Morrow (keyboards) and Pete Deane (vocals). This line up recorded the single Repression which was released on Terri Hooley’s ‘Good Vibrations’ label in July 1979. It featured Marion Woods and Niamh McGovern on backing vocals, was produced by music journalist Ross Fitzsimons and engineered by Johnny Byrne (d. 1997).

The band recorded their song Silent Partners for the compilation ‘Just for Kicks‘ which was released in December 1979. It features the band’s new drummer Mark Thyme who had replaced Leo Mallon (d. 1985). This song was re-released on All City records compilation album ‘Buntús Rince‘ in April 2019.

Bernard Rangel was born in Aden, South Yemen of Indian parents from Goa. He went to secondary school in Blackrock College and studied Economics, History and Psychology in Trinity College Dublin. Steve Rekab was born in Sierra Leone on the southwest coast of West Africa. Brian Nartey’s family background was Jamaican.

Zebra at 24 hour festival Dark Space, Project Arts Centre, Dublin on 16-17 February 1979. Photo – Tracey Clann. Credit – Irishrock.org

Am I missing any bands? Leave a comment or drop me an email.

Thanks to Francis K. (irish-showbands.com), Stan Erraught, Rock Roots and John Byrne for comments and info.

 

 

The Atrix relaunch – Sugar Club (Thurs 19 Sep 2019)

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Dazzling Dublin New Wave/Post-Punk band The Atrix are set to release their long awaited anthology. The boxset (available in vinyl and CD) of remastered tracks from the 1979-81 period also includes a 24 page booklet designed by Niall McCormack containing a reflective history of the group by journalist Declan Lynch, song lyrics and photographs.

The relaunch takes place on Thursday 19th September in the Sugar Club. There will be a short comedy set from Kevin McAleer; a poetry reading by Paula Meehan; a roundtable discussion of the Dublin music scene of that era (line up TBC) and a live performance from the band featuring original members Dick Conroy (bass) and Hughie Friel (drums). Tickets (€15) are available here.

The Atrix relaunch poster

Dublin in the late 1970s and early 1980s produced some amazing musical talent and this new release will bring The Atrix’s music to a younger audience of music fans and collectors. The band deserve their place in the top table of local acts alongside The Blades, The Boomtown Rats, The Radiators and U2.

For more on the band, see our previous posts on their singles; ‘A Sense of Ireland’ 1980 festival in London and footage from a 1982 gig in The Top Hat.

Links:

Website – https://www.theatrix.ie/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/theatrixdublin
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pg/theatrixofficial/

Royal British Legion halls in Dublin and Wicklow

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The Royal British Legion (RBL) is a charity, founded in 1921, to provide financial and social support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces. It’s best known for its annual red poppy fund-raising drive in the run up to Remembrance Sunday (11 November).

During the 20th century, the Legion operated a number of social halls throughout the island of Ireland. The organisation peaked in the late 1920s with a membership of just over 4,200.

Many Legion Halls were targeted by the IRA during the 1930s with premises being burnt down in Killaloe, Co. Clare (June 1933); Boyle, Co. Roscommon (Jan 1934) and Killarney, Co. Kerry (March 1934). A raid also took place on a Legion Hall in Park Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth in Nov 1935.

This is an attempt to list and map the halls which were based in the counties of Dublin and Wicklow. If you have any further information, please leave a comment or email me.

I have divided the list into:

  1. Dublin City
  2. Dublin North
  3. Dublin South
  4. Wicklow
  5. Other

1. D U B L I N – C I T Y

The Legion operated a social hall at 61 Mountjoy Square in the 1920s and early 1930s. The club was fined £40 in 1931 for selling liquor after hours.

Evening Herald, 14 March 1930

The British Legion’s main administration office during this period was based at 28 Harcourt Street (1930s/1940s) and later 44 Upper Mount Street (1940s/1950s).

Irish National War Memorial Committee. Correspondence between Major J.J. Tynan, Area Secretary, British Legion in Ireland and [Miss H.G. Wilson], Secretary, Irish National War Memorial Committee, 1937. Source: DRI

From the mid 1930s and into the early 1960s, the Legion operated a hall at 19 Bachelor’s Walk near O’Connell Bridge:

Dublin Evening Mail, 07 Oct 1950

From the mid 1960s onwards, the Dublin Central Branch ran a social club at 4 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay. The premises had previously been in possession of the Catholic Seamen’s Institute.

On 24 February 1966, attempts were made to burn down the Legion Club by Irish republicans. On 1 March, petrol bombs were thrown at the home of Brigadier RN Thicknesse, British Military Attache, at 71 Eglinton Road, Donnybrook. The kitchen of the house was badly damaged in the incident. The same individuals were linked to the bomb attack on Nelson’s Pillar a week later. It is suspected that those responsible were instrumental in the forming of Saor Eire in 1967.

The Legion Club on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay’s quietly operated behind the scenes during the conflict in the North and was open until about 2001.

2. D U B L I N – N O R T H

Balbriggan

There is a short reference online to a Legion Hall in Skerries Street, Balbriggan.

Skerries Street, Balbriggan in c. 1897-1913. Source: OSI Map.

Killester (Free standing structure at green space at Abbeyfield)

Between 1918-1922, over 240 houses were built in the emerging suburb of Killester for ex-British servicemen and their families. Historian Jason Robert Myers attractively described the scheme as possessing “a rural serenity, replete with gently winding roads, cozy cul-de-sacs, individual yards in the front and back of each property, several community gathering places, and plenty of trees.” This video shows hundreds of ex British army soldiers marking Remembrance Day in November 1923 in Killester:

A community hall was built by the Legion for local men and their families. It was targeted by the IRA in an arson attack in April 1928. In August 1932, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Alfred Byrne officially opened a newly built hall in front of a “large gathering of ex Servicemen and friends”. It was described by The Irish Times (29 Aug 1932) as a “commodious building, handsomely finished and equipped in every suitable way”. General Sir William Hickie told the crowd that the British Legion would remain “non political and non sectarian”.

Notice of politician Peadar Cowan speaking at the Legion Hall, Killester. Ref: Dublin Evening Mail, 13 June 1955

This undated photograph shows the Legion Hall in Killester which is situated in a green area at Middle Third and Abbeyfield.

Legion Hall, Killester. nd. Source – https://wfadublin.webs.com/

The hall was sold by the British Legion around 1982 according to information online 
but it continued to be used by local people for sport and community events. Known locally as Judo Hall, the building was put up for sale in 2014 for €50,000. After a local campaign, the hall was saved from destruction but remains unused.

There are references to Legion Halls in Donabate and Swords including in this newspaper notice from Sean Dunne TD in 1962. I cannot find any more information online. Could these have been Legion of Mary halls?

Drogheda Independent, 10 March 1962.

3. D U B L I N – S O U T H

Dún Laoghaire (3 Crosthwaite Terrace off Clarinda Park West)

The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) owned this impressive house from about 1914 until 1930 when it was then taken over by the British Legion Club (Kingstown Branch). In the mid 20th century, the Legion built a flat roofed, single storey, clubhouse at the rear of the building. It played host to fencing championships and the annual Clarinda Fair throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

The club was quietly active over the next decades. It’s one foray in the spotlight occurred in 2003 when a case was brought before the Dublin District Court by the club’s neighbours who complained of “stomping, whooping, handclaps and amplified music” at weekly line dancing (Tuesdays) and jazz (Friday) nights held in the venue. Judge Terence Finn told the Legion that they risked having their licence revoked if they did not deal with the noise complaints.

The Legion sold the building in 2005 and the new owners applied to to demolish the clubhouse in 2009. The house was put up for sale in 2013 for €995,000.

Interior of the British Legion Hall, Dún Laoghaire. Source – http://planning.dlrcoco.ie/

Harold’s Cross

There is a brief mention of a Legion hut on Clareville Road, Harold’s Cross in 1951 but I can’t find anymore information.

Inchicore  (Free standing structure at Granite Terrace)

On 5 November 1927, a Legion Hall was opened on a green area beside Granite Terrace in Inchicore for the use of members of the Legion’s Great Southern Railways Branch. The building was completely destroyed five days later in an arson attack by Irish republicans causing £1000 damage.

Burning of Legion Hall, Inchicore. Belfast Telegraph, 10 Nov 1927

The hall was rebuilt circa 1929 and it was was targeted again by the IRA elements in November of that year:

Attack on Legion Hall, Inchicore. Donegal News, 16 Nov 1929

The hall was repaired and became a popular spot for dancing in the early 1930s:

Evening Herald, 29 Nov 1933.

Today it is home to the CIE Boxing Club and is where Bernard Dunne started his boxing career at the age of five in the mid 1980s.

CIE Boxing Club, Granite Terrace, Inchicore. Source: Google Street View, 2009

Rathfarnham

A small wooden hut, used by the Legion on Whitechurch Road, Rathfarnham, was burnt down in the early morning of Remembrance Sunday, 11 November 1934. Compensation of £140 was later granted to the Club Secretary Joseph Bently in the Dublin Circuit Court.

Legion Hall, Rathfarnham. Source: 12 Nov 1934, Irish Independent.

Shankill/Loughlinstown

The Shankill & Ballybrack branch of British Legion opened a hall on the New Road, Shankill around 1930. In 1936, John Dunstane Wallis of Dorney Court, Shankill applied for a public dancing license for the hall. No further information is available.

Legion Hall, Shankill. 19 Aug 1936, Irish Independent

4. W I C K L OW

BRAY

The Bray Branch of the Legion opened its headquarters in the basement of 12 Goldsmith Terrace, Quinsboro Road in late 1929. The Irish Times (18 Oct 1929) noted that their premises had a billiard and card room, a room for “women’s work” and offices. There was no bar. In the 1930s, the Bray Branch moved their headquarters nearby to Galtrim House where it held events until the 1950s at least. A 2012 Sunday Independent article states that coach Johnny Maloney started a boxing club in Bray in the 1960s in the “British Legion Hall”. Was this Galtrim House? The building was gutted by a fire in 1984.

Legion Hall, Bray. Wicklow People, 13 Nov 1937

ENNISKERRY

The Enniskerry Branch of the Legion opened a social hall on the Old Bray Road in August 1931. It was a popular spot for dances in the decades ahead. The building is still standing today and is used as a community centre.

Legion Hall, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow. Source: Google Street View, 2019

5. Other

There is a ‘Somme Room’ (dedicated to Irishmen who took part in the Battle of the Somme) in the City of Dublin Working Men’s Club, 33 Little Strand Street off Capel Street and there is also British army memorabilia on the walls of the Dublin Conservative Club, 20 Camden Row, Dublin 8.  See my previous article on Private Bars and Social Clubs.

The RAF Association operated a bar at 23 Earlsfort Terrace near St. Stephen’s Green. A petrol bomb was thrown at the building in September 1967 causing no significance damage. Following the Bloody Sunday massacre in Derry in January 1972, the Club was attacked again with molotov cocktails and its windows were smashed. It appears that the club closed its Earlsfort Terrace bar around this period and moved operations to the British Legion’s club in Dún Laoghaire.

The Rathfarnham War Memorial Hall was opened in 1923 to commemorate local residents who were killed in the First World War. It is connected to the Rathfarnham anglican church which is situated about 1km away from the building.

Rathfarnham War Memorial Hall. Source: http://www.irishwarmemorials.ie/

 

 

Gangland murders in Dublin (1970s/80s)

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(Regarding crime and Dublin, the blog has previously looked at 18th century gang violence; joy-riding in Dublin from 1918-39; War of Independence bank-robberies; the 1920s ‘Sons of Dawn‘ who were rounded up by the IRA; the life of career criminal Henchico who died in 1968; Animal Gang violence in 1942; vigilante violence in Dublin (1970 – 1984); the Bugsy Malone gangs of the 1970s and Triad gang violence in 1979)

Recent gangland feuds in Dublin and other Irish cites have made newspaper headlines worldwide. The Hutch-Kinahan conflict has resulted in the deaths of 20 people alone since 2015. Many see the starting point of modern gangland carnage as the shooting dead of crime boss Martin Cahill (‘The General’) by the Provisional IRA in 1994 and the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin by criminals two years later. The early 1990s did certainly mark the start of a new bloody chapter. Over the four years between 1991-94, there was 11 gangland murders altogether in Ireland but the first six months of 1995 saw seven killings alone. The numbers rose exponentially in the 2000s and 2010s as criminals become more ruthless and more liable to murder rivals in tit-for-tat killings.

This article is the first in a series on gangland killings that occurred in Dublin pre-1994. It does not seek to eulogise anyone but instead explore Dublin’s criminal underworld of 30-40 years ago. It maps stories of old Dublin – flat complexes that have been torn down, pubs that have been redeveloped and the names of many young men all but forgotten except for family and close friends. But it sadly also illustrates that many of the same impoverished working-class areas affected by gun violence in the 1970s and 1980s are still some of the same neighbourhoods hit hardest today.

There were certainly cases of criminal gangs in Dublin using guns to injure and main rivals in the 1960s and 1970s but the first murders that I can identify occurred in the late 1970s. The list does not include:

  • police officers, security guards or civilians killed by criminals during robberies or other incidents
  • victims of internal feuds or suspected informers killed by Republican paramilitaries

It includes only individuals who were killed by criminals or suspected criminals. They were for the most parts premeditated ‘hits’ and firearms were used in all but one of the murders. If you aware of any other cases, please email me or leave a comment.

I have identified ten such murders in Dublin the 1978-89 period. The youngest victim was 15 and the oldest 47. The attacks took place on both sides of the River Liffey in the inner city and Dublin suburbs in the south (Crumlin), west (Blanchardstown) and north (Ballymun, Killester).

19 March 1978 – Christopher McAuley (Christy McAuley)

Christy McAuley, of 38 Millbrook Road, Kilbarrack, was arrested in 1976 and charged with conspiring with another person to import arms but he was not convicted of the offence. The following year he was fined for possession of cannabis and cocaine. Police also linked to him to a number of armed robberies in the city.

On the night of 19 March 1978, Christy McAuley (25) met another criminal Eamon Saurin (36) in the Celebrity Club night spot on Upper Abbey Street. McAuley gave Saurin and his friend Laurence Maguire (Clicky) a lift home. At the junction of Craigford Avenue and Killester Avenue, Saurin asked that the car be pulled over. He drew a small .32 automatic pistol and shot McAuley twice in the head. McAuley somehow managed to open the door and stagger out onto the road. Saurin followed and fired two more shots. The paranoid Saurin had mistakenly thought that McAuley (who was actually gay) had slept with his girlfriend while he had been on the run. The authorities caught up with Saurin in July 1981 and he was charged with the murder of McAuley. The chief prosecution witness Laurence Maguire (Clicky) refused to give evidence and was imprisoned for a month for contempt. Saurin’s trial was rescheduled but Maguire failed to turn up and the case subsequently collapsed.

Christy McCauley. The Irish Press, 21 March 1978.

Saurin was described in the book ‘Smack’ (1985) by Sean Flynn and Padraic Yeates as a “well-known robber” originally from Liberty House off Sean MacDermott Street. The family moved out to 8 Glencorp Road, Whitehall and the teenage Saurin picked up his first conviction in 1964. He was based at 25 Clanree Road, Donnycarney in the mid 1970s. Saurin was described in ‘Badfellas’ (2011) by Paul McWilliams as “one of the first criminals credited with smuggling commercial shipments of cannabis and heroin from Amsterdam into Ireland in the late 1970s”. While he got away with the McAuley murder, Saurin was immediately extradited to England where he was jailed for life in 1983 for the murder of his former neighbour Kenneth Adams (32) in Birmingham on 6 Nov. 1972.

25 April 1979 – Basil English

Basil English, of 95 Harmonstown Road, Artane had a long criminal rap-sheet history going back to 1964. On the night of 25 April 1979, he was shot through the head at point blank range inside the doorway of an eight-story flat in a Ballymun tower block addressed 184 Sillogue Road. English (33) was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. The Evening Herald (26 April 1979) described it a “gangland slaying” and reported that the police believed the murder was connected to an “internal gangland feud”.

Basil English. The Irish Press, 27 April 1979.

The main suspect, Thomas Tyrell (21) (aka Tommy Tyrell), of 47 Ribh Road, Artane, barricaded himself into a Ballymun flat for five days and threatened to kill himself before he eventually surrendered to the Gardaí. It transpired that Tyrell was dating English’s ex. girlfriend so there might have been a jealousy/personal aspect to the killing. Both men were supposed to have been heavily intoxicated on the night in question. Tyrell was sentenced to three years imprisonment for possession of a .32 revolver and ammunition but the manslaughter charge sentencing was postponed to July 1980 following psychiatric treatment and evaluation.

Thomas Tyrell following the five day siege. The Irish Independent, 16 Oct. 1979.

Tyrell was released on 13 Jan. 1982 after serving two years for the manslaughter of Basil English. He was involved in another shooting incident just weeks after he was let out of prison. On 25 Feb. 1982, Tyrell shot and wounded Edward Charles McGuinness with a double-barreled shotgun at the doorway of McGuinness’ flat at 324 Sillogue Road, Ballymun. Tyrell, who had 25 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the charge of malicious wounding and was sentenced to four years imprisonment.

17 Sep. 1980John Kelly (Jackie Kelly)

Jackie Kelly, of 9 St Andrew’s Court off Fenian Street in Dublin’s South Inner City, was married and had a two-year-old son. He had worked for about eight years as a postman in the Donnybrook area. He started a position as a telephone operator for the Irish Taxi Owners Co-Op in the summer of 1980. On the night of 17 Sep. 1980, Kelly (24) was watching a UEFA cup match between Polish club Widzew Łódź and Manchester United on the television in Grace’s pub at the corner of Townsend Street and Moss Street near Pearse Street. There were about 15 other customers in the bar. At around 10.50pm, a man in a motorcycle helmet walked into the premises and fired a number of shots at Kelly who was sitting with two friends at a lounge window. The gunman left the bar but immediately returned and shot Kelly again.

Scene outside Grace’s pub on Townsend St. where Jackie Kelly was murdered. The Evening Herald, 18 Sep 1980.

The assassin’s mask, motorcycle helmet, jacket and a sawn-off shotgun (not used in the attack) was found in a rubbish chute in nearby Markievicz House. The .32 pistol used in the murder was later discovered in a county council dump in Ballyogan near Dundrum.

Kelly, who was shot a total of five times, was interviewed by police in his hospital bed but died of his injuries ten days later on 27 Sep. 1980 in St. Vincent’s Hospital.

Kelly’s widow described her husband as a “quiet family man” who “played football” but “devoted most of his spare time to his family”. He had no known connections to organised crime and Gardaí were unable to find an apparent motive for the killing.

Grace’s pub was destroyed in a suspicious fire in Nov. 1983. Another pub on the street, The Countess, had burnt to the ground earlier that same year. A local criminal gang engaged in protection rackets were suspected.

The Irish Press (18 April 1993) described the Kelly murder as an “underworld killing” and stated that the police were “convinced a notorious south city gang leader personally carried out the killing as a favour for a friend”. Nobody was ever convicted of the murder.

26 May 1982 – Gerard Morgan

Gerard Morgan (15) was shot dead as he came to the front door of his family home at 22 Lismore Road, Crumlin on 26 May 1982. It is believed that his older brother Alan Morgan (17) was the intended target. Alan had allegedly fallen out with a criminal gang over the missing proceeds of a bank robbery in Drumcondra in Feb. 1982. There had been a previous gun attack on the Morgan home on 9 March 1982 when five shots were fired.

Patrick Conroy was sentenced in 1983 to seven years in jail for being an accessory to murder by providing shelter to the killer. Michael McDonnell, of 6 Dermot O’Dwyer House, Hardwicke Street, was arrested for the murder but the state dropped the charge and he was not convicted.

Front page story regarding Gerard Morgan’s murder. The Evening Herald, 26 May 1982.

28 Dec. 1982 – Anthony Hopkins (Tony/Tolly Hopkins)

Tony Hopkins (20) of 58 George’s Place, Dorset Street was involved in a clash between rival gangs in the Jetfoil pub on the North Wall quay on 28 Dec. 1982. Later that night, Hopkins and a dozen other men travelled in two cars to a block of flats at St. Bridget’s Gardens, Sheriff Street. A shotgun was discharged at the men through a glass panel from one of the flats and Hopkins was hit in the face. He died of his injuries on 31 Dec. 1982. His mother passed away, just a few weeks later, on 27 Jan. 1983.

Michael Dooner (20) of 43 Gardini Lein (Lein Gardens), Raheny was arrested after the incident. He admitted supplying the shotgun that was used in the killing but not firing the fatal shot. At the Central Criminal Court, he was sentenced to three years for manslaughter. At the time of the sentencing in 1984, he was already serving a four year sentence for aggravated burglary and other offences.

Memorial photos of Anthony Hopkins and his mother. The Evening Herald, 30 Dec. 1989.

10 April 1983 – Gerard Hourigan (Gerry Hourigan)

Gerry Hourigan (25), of Balbutcher Lane, Ballymun, was married with one child. He was described in the books ‘Smack’ and ‘Badfellas’ as a small-time hash dealer who worked under the command of local criminal Myler Brogan. Hourigan, it is said, used local teenagers to distribute Brogan’s drugs from a social club in the basement of the flats of Joseph Plunkett Tower. Brogan’s gangland partners were two serious players from Swords with former Irish republican paramilitary links – Tommy Savage (‘The Zombie’) and Michael Weldon.

In Jan. 1983, Myler was arrested in France as part of a drugs investigation. Hourigan saw his boss’s sudden absence as an opportunity and began to source his own hash which he distributed in the local area on a bigger scale. Myler returned to Dublin a few months later and sacked Hourigan for overstepping the boundaries. Hourigan made overtures to the Dunne crime family but was fobbed off. They viewed him as nothing but a small-time player. Hourigan wasn’t happy with the new situation he found himself in. He and his crew broke into Myler’s parents home in North Strand looking for Myler’s drug money stash. On 7 April 1983, Hourigan and an accomplice stole Myler’s BMW car outside The Penthouse pub, Ballymun and rammed it into a wall. It was then reported that Hourigan and an associate, both armed, had been spotted in Swords asking about Myler’s business partners who lived in the area. By this stage, Hourigan had clearly overstepped the mark.

On 9 April 1983, Hourigan went on a city centre pub crawl with his brother John and two friends visiting The Metro, Parnell Street and Bo Derrol’s, Smithfield. They left about 11.45pm and drove back to Ballymun. As they approached the entrance to the social club in B7, the basement of Plunkett tower, a motorbike pulled up and its armed passenger jumped off. The hitman drew his gun and fired at Hourigan who fled for cover in the nearby basement. The gunman pursued and shot Hourigan dead in front of several others in the club. No-one was ever charged in relation to the killing.

Scene of Gerry Hourigan’s murder. The Evening Herald, 11 April 1983.

14 June 1983 – Daniel McOwen (Danny McOwen)

Danny McOwen was originally from Rory O’Connor House, Hardwicke Street flats in the North Inner City. In Sep. 1972, he was sentenced to two years imprisonment for possession of explosives and several rounds of ammunition. A member of armed republican group Saor Éire, he was one of eight prisoners in Portlaoise who signed a statement severing their connections with the organisation in 1973 due to the activity of “undesirable elements” within the movement.

Following his release, McOwen was associated with the INLA in the mid to late 1970s. In April 1978, he was arrested with the aforementioned Thomas Savage (‘The Zombie’) of 1 St. Cronan’s Close, Swords and charged with stealing a car from a garage in Newbridge, Co. Kildare and being in possession of a wire-cutter. He was sentenced to three years in Dec. 1980 and was released in early 1983.

Shortly after his release from jail according to the Irish Press (15 June 1983), he bought a £50,000 redbrick bungalow in the village of Cloghertown, Clonalvy, Ashbourne, Co. Meath where he lived with his wife and two sons.

McOwen recruited a number of old associates and new contacts into a new criminal grouping nicknamed the ‘Gang of Six’ and they made plans to become big players in the world of organised crime. It is detailed in ‘Smack’ and ‘Badfellas’ that McOwen was centrally involved in a plan rob a major cash consignment on the Swords Road en route from Belfast to the Central Bank, Dublin in June 1983. The plan was put into motion but aborted on the day after the gang found out that the cash van had a large Irish Army escort.

Although he lived on the Dublin-Meath border, McOwen still made the weekly journey into his old neighbourhood to pick up his dole money. On 14 June 1983, McOwen (31) was shot four times as he left the Labour Exchange at North Cumberland Street off Parnell Street. A number of people were questioned but nobody was convicted.

Scene of Danny McOwen’s murder. The Irish Press, 15 June 1983.

26 Dec. 1983 – Edward Hayden (aka Eddie Hayden)

Eddie Hayden in the early 1970 had been a light middleweight champion boxer and had fought several times for Ireland. His nephew was famed boxer Bernard Dunne.

Eddie Hayden pictured after a boxing match. The Irish Independent, 28 Dec 1983.

By the early 1980s Hayden had turned to crime and was described in ‘Smack’ as a “mid ranking heroin pusher”. In Oct. 1983, he had been acquitted on charges of heroin possession. Hayden was a married father of three but lived alone at 5 Sherrard Court, Portland Place off Dorset Street. On 26 Dec. 1983, Hayden (34) was shot dead by a lone gunman at about 11.40pm outside a flat on Dunne Street, Ballybough. It was reported that the flat belonged to a former girlfriend but it’s unclear whether the murder had a personal dimension. A number of people were arrested but no convictions were made.

An acknowledgement from his family in the Evening Herald (18 Feb. 1984) thanked the sympathy and support from Arbour Hill Boxing Club and all of Hayden’s friends in the following pubs: Madigan’s, Talbot Street; Lloyd’s, Amiens Street; Scanlon’s, Parnell Street and Carr’s, Stoneybatter.

30 June 1987 – Mel Cox

Mexl Cox (47), originally from Elphin, Roscommon, was a physically formidable figure standing over six feet tall and weighing over 16 stone (101kg). A father of three young children, he moved into 71 Corduff Grove, Blanchardstown about 1986. Cox worked as a scrap dealer with a business premises in Store Street. Known as a fierce street fighter and local character, the Sunday Tribune (12 July 1987) reported that he was “reputed to have terrorised a neighbour out of a house he was living in North Great George’s Street by putting a dead cat in the man’s bed … another time he began cutting up a horse killed by a truck in Tallaght, in the middle of the street, to feed his dogs”.

On the 20 June 1987 or thereabouts, he was involved in a brawl in a pub in Summerhill Parade. Depending on the version of the story, he broke the jaw of a local criminal or the jaw of a local criminal’s female relative. Ten days later, on 30 June 1987, an unmasked man approached and calmly shot Cox three times in the head as he worked in the back garden of his home in Blanchardstown. His common-law wife saw the shooting from the living room as she fed the couple’s two-week old twins.

In 1996, it was reported in The Irish Times that Gerry Hutch (‘The Monk’) was the criminal who had his jaw broken in the pub fight and that he had been personally responsible for Cox’s murder. An article in the Sunday World (28 May 1995) suggested that Cox had punched a female relation of ‘The Monk’ during the scrap which led her being “put on a life support machine”.

Scene of Mel Cox’s shooting in Blanchardstown. The Evening Herald, 1 July 1987.

12 Sep. 1988 – Brian Chaney 

Brian Chaney, of 105 Plunkett Road, Finglas, had been up in court in 1984 in relation to an attack on the Barry House pub in Finglas in April 1983 when a large group of youths pushed several cars up against the premises and set them on fire. He and others were acquitted of the offence. In Aug. 1987, Chaney was jailed for 18 months for attacking a Garda and mugging a man in two separate incidents.

The Barry House, Finglas West (1980s). Dublin City Council Photographic Collection. Dublincity.ie

On 12 Sep. 1988 around midday, Chaney (24) and his brother-in-law Paul White were walking along Cappagh Road in Finglas nearing Cardiffsbridge Road when a car pulled up and three men jumped out. Chaney was attacked with weapons including a wheel brace. He died of his injuries in hospital six days later. It was reported in the Irish Press (21 Sep. 1987) that the police believed that a criminal gang killed Chaney in a row over drug money.

A small-time Finglas criminal named Willie Christie was arrested and charged with the murder but released – after four months in custody – when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dropped the charges due to lack of evidence. Christie was himself killed in a gangland hit in 1990.

A T T E M P T E D   M U R D E R S (70s/80s)

  • 26 Aug. 1978: William Bolger and his son Liam were fired on the outside County Bar, Crumlin in what was described as a local feud. Both escaped injury. Police recovered a rifle fitted with a silencer nearby.
    3 April 1983:
    Aidan Ellis (35) of Rialto Cottages and Gerard Freeman (34) of Redwood Close, Kilnamanagh, Tallaght were shot as they sat in a car outside Ballyfermot Shopping Centre. Both injured but survived.
  • 19 April 1984: Michael Collins and Tony Roche, both of Fatima Mansions, were shot at Long’s Place, James’s Walk, Kilmainham. Collins was hit in the stomach and Roche in the leg by the gunman who fled on a bicycle.
  • 15 Sep. 1989: Two gunmen shot convicted drug dealer Harry Melia (36) twice in the chest and shoulder as he sat in his home in Cushlawn Park, Tallaght. Melia had a criminal record going back to 1967.
  • 22 Aug. 1989: Charles Dunne (43), brother of crime figure Larry Dunne, was shot in the shoulder and mouth by a masked gunman as he drank Lowry’s, bar, Talbot Street. Dunne was hospitalised but survived the attack.
  • 8 Dec. 1989: Two masked men burst into the home of Christopher Wade (34) at 225, Dolphin House Flats, South Circular Road and shot him twice as he held his eight-month baby.

A follow-up article will look at gangland murders in the 1990-94 period up to Martin Cahill’s death namely Sonny Mooney (1990), William Christie (1990), Patrick McDonald (1991), Michael Travers (1992), Michal Godfrey (1993), Sean Clarke (1993) and Fran Rodgers (1993).

(c) Sam McGrath 2020

 

Gangland murders in Dublin (1990-94)

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(Regarding crime and Dublin, the blog has previously looked at 18th century gang violence; joy-riding in Dublin from 1918-39; War of Independence bank-robberies; the 1920s ‘Sons of Dawn‘ who were rounded up by the IRA; the life of career criminal Henchico who died in 1968; ‘Animal Gang’ violence in 1942; vigilante violence in Dublin (1970 – 1984); the Bugsy Malone gangs of the 1970s and Triad gang violence in 1979)

This is the second article looking at gangland murders in Dublin that occurred in the decades leading up to the killing of crime boss Martin Cahill (‘The General’) in Aug. 1994 by the Provisional IRA. The last piece looked at 13 deaths related to organised crime and Dublin’s underworld in the 1979-89 period. Now we explore seven killings that took place from 1990 up until the summer of 1994. I don’t think I will go beyond this point as the gangland murders in the post Cahill years after have been documented to some degree in this blog and in different newspaper articles (1 2) available online. It’s worth noting of course that the number of gangland killings in Ireland increased heavily from the early 1990s onwards from 3 in 1993, to 10 in 1999, 20 in 2003 and then peaking at 22 in 2009. There were 10 last year in 2019.

Of the seven murders in the 1990-94 period, the attacks occurred in the South Inner City (The Coombe), the North Inner City (Stoneybatter) and suburbs in the west (Blanchardstown) and north (Finglas, Marino, Darndale). One took place during a football match in the Phoenix Park. The youngest victim was 20 and the oldest was 54. What is striking is the average age was 39 – much older than the targets in today’s gangland feuds.

The death of Sonny Mooney was the only case that didn’t involve firearms. It was not strictly a gangland feud hit as he died of injuries received in a personal revenge attack but the media emphasised the tragedy that four young Finglas men – Brian Chaney (Sep. 1988), Thomas Boulger (March 1990), Willie Christie (Sep. 1990) and Sonny Mooney (Oct. 1990) – died violently in a very short time period.

Brian Chaney was the only individual who did not seem to have a criminal record or have connections to organised crime, it appears that he was gunned down for being a suspected child molester. The hit was professional and organised crime was linked.

As I said in the first piece, these articles do not seek to eulogise anyone but instead explore Dublin’s criminal underworld of 30-40 years ago. It maps stories of old Dublin – flat complexes that have been torn down, pubs that have been redeveloped and the names of many young men all but forgotten except for family and close friends. But it sadly also illustrates that many of the same impoverished working-class areas affected by gun violence in the 1970s and 1980s are still some of the same neighbourhoods hit hardest today.

The list does not include:

  • police officers, security guards or civilians killed by criminals during robberies or other incidents
  • victims of internal feuds or suspected informers killed by Republican paramilitaries

As always, if there’s any corrections or cases I’ve missed – please email me or leave a comment.

Updated Google Map with all cases from 1978-1994:

8 Sep. 1990 – William Christie (Willie Christie) (27)

Father of two William Christie (27), of 12 Barry Drive, Finglas, was described in the press as a small-time criminal and cannabis dealer. He led a “small gang” that robbed “factories and post offices” according to sources quoted in the Sunday Tribune (21. Oct. 1990).

William Christie. Sunday World, 06 Sep. 1992.

Christie had been arrested and charged with the murder of Brian Chaney (see part one) but was released – after four months in custody – when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dropped the charge due to a lack of evidence.

On 8 Sep. 1990, Christie was playing in goal for Dublin United F.C. in a football game against Park View Celtic in the Leinster Junior League. The match took place at a pitch in the Fifteen Acres, near St. Mary’s Hospital, in the Phoenix Park. Christie was substituted at half-time and was watching the second half of the match when, at 4.30pm, two men approached from behind. The hitman, who was wearing a balaclava, shot Christie four times in the back of the head with a .38 handgun. He passed the weapon to his accomplice who packed it away into a sports bag. Both men jogged in the direction of the Chapelizod entrance to the park where the police believed they had parked their getaway vehicle.

One of the football spectators owned a mobile phone (relatively rare at the time) and rushed to his car to ring the Gardaí and who were on the scene within minutes. Christie was taken to Blanchardstown Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5.15pm.

Murder scene at Phoenix Park. The Sunday Tribune, 21 Oct. 1990.

It was originally suggested in the media that the killing was in revenge for the murder of Brian Chaney two years previously but this was quickly discounted by both the authorities and the Chaney family including Brian’s brother Tom Chaney who spoke to the Sunday Tribune (15 Sep. 1990).

Two theories about the killing emerged. The first, as reported in the Sunday Tribune (21 Oct. 1990), was that Christie had been shot dead by the Provisional IRA after he had publicly threatened a local member of the Republican movement in Finglas. However it was mentioned in the same article that a possible suspect, a Finglas man with Republican connections, had denied any involvement and claimed that Christie actually had Republican sympathies. Speculation remained about the Provisional IRA’s possible involvement and it was repeated in the Irish Independent (20 Aug. 1992) who said that Christie had become “tangled” into a dispute with “associates of the IRA” in Finglas and so had “been earmarked as a target”.

The second theory is that Christie was killed by a criminal gang. The Sunday World (30 Dec. 1990) suggested that Christie was killed under orders of a “major crime boss” who hired a professional hitman, possibly from England, to carry out the job. The Sunday Tribune (13 Oct. 1991) later proposed that a “senior IPLO figure” and hitman with links to criminality was paid by a Dublin gang to kill Christie. The Irish Press (18 Jan. 1993) referred to the suspected involvement of a “Dublin heroin dealer” in the attack. Nobody was ever charged or convicted.

In July 1991, William’s brother Peter Christie (26) was sentenced to two years imprisonment for his involvement in a house robbery in Ashbourne. On 8 Nov. 1993, as reported in the press, he was abducted from his girlfriend’s house in Valeview Crescent, Finglas by eight men and found severely beaten behind a Ballymun tower block.

8 Oct. 1990 – Sonny Mooney (20)

Sonny Mooney was born in 1970 to a black father and a white Irish mother. His mother married John Mooney in 1973 and the family moved to Kippure Park, Finglas in 1975 where Sonny was raised by John as one of his own children. A friend, who knew Mooney from growing up, remembered him as the “only black kid in Finglas South” and that he “hung around with us when we were young” rude boys (ska/reggae fans) for a time. A “likeable fella” but he “fell in with the wrong crowd”.

Mooney’s parents told the Sunday Tribune (19 May. 1991) that their son had been a “target of racial abuse” from a young age which had turned him into a “tough” kid and a capable street fighter by his late teens. He was described by police as a petty criminal with convictions for stealing cars and being drunk and disorderly.

On 3 March 1990, his sister’s boyfriend Thomas Boulger (‘Bullit’) (20) got into an altercation with Richard Groves (17) at a local disco. Groves kept a horse on waste ground and blamed Boulger for mistreating the animal. On the night of the incident, Groves stated that he was headbutted by Boulger and then was attacked by him again on his way home. He returned to the scene with a knife and clashed again with Boulger who armed himself with a pole. Boulger was stabbed five times and died of his injuries. Groves was convicted of manslaughter and received a five year suspended sentence.

In Sep. 1990 or thereabouts, Sonny Mooney got into a serious brawl outside a Finglas pub with a man named Stephen Kennedy. Mooney came out on top and won the fight. Another local Finglas man Seamus Duffy, whose sister was in a relationship with Kennedy, vowed to get ‘even’ with Mooney. Duffy worked as a bouncer in the city centre for a number of different nightclubs and fast food restaurants. He enlisted the help of five other bouncers he knew from this line of work for the revenge attack.

On 8 Oct. 1990 at 10pm, six masked men forced their way into the home of Sonny Mooney (20) in Kippure Park, Finglas. They beat him with pick-axe handles in front of his family and bundled him into a blue Hiace van which was later found burnt out. The gang transferred him into a different vehicle and drove towards the Southside. They left the badly wounded Mooney at Ballymount Lane at the junction of Ballymount Road and Greenhills Road near Tallaght. One of the group made an anonymous phone call to the police around 11.30pm and Mooney was found unresponsive by Gardaí. He had died from his injuries. The culprits later claimed that they hadn’t meant to kill Mooney.

Six men were arrested, charged with manslaughter and convicted of the killing:

  • Seamus Duffy (24), Donomore Crescent, Killarnden, Tallaght – six years imprisonment
  • Derek B. (23), Lower Oriel Street, D1 – four years imprisonment
  • David G. (20), Bracken Drive, Portmarnock – four years imprisonment
  • William D. (22), St. Mark’s Grove, Clondalkin – four years imprisonment
  • Emmet R. (19), Ballycurris Road, Ballymun – four years imprisonment
  • David M. (24), Foyle Road, Fairview – 30 months imprisonment (false imprisonment)

The death caused further tension and it was reported in the Sunday Tribune (19 May. 1991) that one of those convicted, David B., was attacked in Mountjoy Prison by an inmate who was friends with Sonny Mooney.

20 Dec. 1991 – Patrick McDonald (‘Teasy-Weasy’) (41)

Patrick McDonald, of Newry, Co. Down, was a member of the INLA (Irish National Liberation Army) in the mid 1970s. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment for an armed robbery but whether he served the time is unclear as the Irish Independent (21 Dec. 1991) stated that he went on the run in 1975.

Patrick McDonald. Sunday Tribune, 22 Dec. 1991

A hairdresser by trade, he was called ‘Teasy Weasyafter the 1950s London hairdressing icon Raymond Bessone.

In the early 1980s, McDonald ran a hair salon in Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan and lived in a house on Muckno Street with another INLA man Daniel Hamill (Danny Hamill) (‘The Rabbit’) from Portadown. In 1980, McDonald was charged with demanding £67,000 by menace from Neil Halpin, Monasterboice, Co. Louth and for assaulting Thomas Rooney, Haggardstown, Co. Louth over two separate days in early Jan. of that year. The state dropped the charges and McDonald avoided conviction.

On 13 July 1981, a cattle dealer named Maurice Wilson was driving from Co. Monaghan to his home in Co. Armagh when he came across a border post on fire near Carna, Co. Armagh. He was flagged down by two armed men – Patrick McDonald and Daniel Hamill – who hijacked his car and drove back to Castleblayney where they released Wilson unharmed. The pair were arrested and at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, McDonald was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for kidnapping, car hijacking and possession of a firearm. Daniel Hamill received eight years for firearm charges.

McDonald was released from Portaloise Prison in Aug. 1989 after serving eight of his ten year sentence. He moved to Dublin and set up a small unisex hair salon above a bookie’s office at 2 St. Aidan’s Park Road, Marino. McDonald rented a basement flat in Castle Avenue, Clontarf and was described as a “snappy dresser who enjoyed the company of women” by the Irish Independent (21 Dec. 1991). He was separated and had a 17-year-old daughter. Police said upon release he became active with the IPLO (Irish People’s Liberation Organisation) which had been formed in 1986 by disaffected and expelled members of the INLA.

The Evening Herald (31 Dec. 1991) stated that in July 1991 three armed men went to St. Joseph’s Mansions flat complex, Killarney Street near the Five Lamps in the North Inner City. After failing to find a specific individual they were looking for, one of the frustrated gang members fired his shotgun at a group of women in the flats. The four, including a 13 year old girl, were hit by shotgun pellets. Police linked this incident to Patrick McDonald, the IPLO and a feud with a North Inner City criminal gang.

On 20 Dec. 1991 at about 5.15pm, McDonald (41) was cutting the hair of a female customer when a lone, masked gunman entered his premises in Marino and shot him six times in the neck and back. He was killed instantly. The customer and a female shop assistant were badly shook up but not injured in the attack.

Scene of Patrick McDonald’s murder. The Irish Press, 21 Dec. 1991.

McDonald received a IPLO guard of honour and this photograph shows IPLO members firing a volley of shots at his funeral in the Derrybeg housing estate, Newry, Co. Down.

IPLO firing a volley of shots at the funeral of Patrick McDonald. Uploaded onto Facebook in 2018 by ‘Exploding Cat’.

The Provisional IRA released a statement denying any involvement in McDonald’s murder while the IPLO said to the press that they would enact revenge for the killing. Four men and two women from the North Inner City were quizzed about the murder but released. The Sunday Tribune (02 July 1995) and many other newspapers linked McDonald’s death to a North Inner City criminal gang and their associates in Swords who had previously been involved with the INLA.

As a side note, McDonald’s former partner-in-crime Danny  Hamill was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in 2008 for a bank robbery in Crumlin in 2006.

12 July 1992 – Michael Travers (Mick Travers) (48)

Mick Travers, originally from the North Inner City, was an imposing man. He was over six feet tall, weighed over 16 stone (101kg) and had been a black belt in karate since at least the late 1970s. Travers was linked to a criminal network that ran protection rackets in the areas around North King Street, Mary Street, Capel Street, Parnell Street and Moore Street. It was often said that Travers lived up to his ‘hard man’ image. Some of the well-known stories included the time he was shot in a leg by a police officer in a pub altercation and walked himself to the hospital and in another incident he physically defended himself from a murder attempt and jumped out of a two-storey window to escape his attackers.

Michalel Travers. Sunday Tribune, 19 July 1992.

In the early 1970s and early 1980s, he lived with his family in Marigold Court, Darndale. On 18 Dec. 1978, Travers got into a verbal and physical argument with publican Kevin Rafferty and barman Nicholas Bennett at Raf’s Lounge (since demolished), 177 North King Street at the corner of North Anne Street in Dublin 7. The Evening Herald (08 Dec. 1981) reported that Special Branch officer Michael Hughes had gone to the assistance of the two men and in the ensuing melee shot Travers in the leg with his .38 revolver. The Irish Independent (13 July 1992) claimed that Travers had threatened the officer with a broken bottle during the incident. It was rumoured that the wounded Travers refused the offer of an ambulance and instead walked the 1km or thereabouts to Jervis Street Hospital for treatment. Travers was charged with assault at the Central Criminal Court but was acquitted by a jury in 1981.

In Sep. 1981, Travers was alleged to have assaulted Garda Anthony Gannon and pub manager Mr. Kelly in the Black Sheep pub in the Northside Shopping Centre. As reported in the Irish Independent (22 July 1982), a Circuit Criminal Court judge threw out the case and dismissed the jury because he felt that State’s evidence had “blackened” the accused in the eye of the jurors.

The Irish Independent, 13 July 1992.

On 11 March 1982, Travers escaped a murder attempt at his Kenpo karate club in Wolfe Tone Street when a three man gang burst into the premises. His 16 year-old-daughter managed to shout a warning and the Irish Independent (14 July 1992) recalled how “the club manager grabbed a brush and struck one of the three men while Mr Travers grabbed a chair and hit one gunman as he fired a shot (and) kicked out at one gunman who also opened fire”. Another long-standing rumour is that Travers jumped “from a two-storey window” and ran away from the scene “with two badly injured ankles” as retold by the Irish Press (13 July 1992).

In the 1980s, the father of three lived on Clanmahon Road, Donnycarney. The Irish Press (20 Dec. 1988) announced that Travers and his associate Terence Brazil (30) of St. Mary’s Road, East Wall, had been charged with extorting money from an auctioneer named Mrs. Shirley Nolan. However this key witness “withdrew her allegations just as the Gardaí were preparing to forward a file to the DPP”, according to the Irish Press (13 July 1992), and was believed to have moved to England in fear of her life. This was the only time that authorities came close to a convection for the widespread protection rackets he was believed to have been involved in.

Travers had a number of business interests including a karate club and newsagent in Smithfield until about 1991. He also co-owned a grocery and vegetable shop with Paddy McNeill in Darndale.

Mick Traver’s karate studio in Smithfield, D7. The Irish Independent, 13 July 1992.

On the morning of 12 July 1992, Mick Travers (48) was standing behind the counter of McNeills grocery shop, Ring Road, Darndale when two gunmen entered wearing helmets and visors. They shouted at the shop assistant Willie Darcy and a local milkman to get down on the ground. The hitman shot Travers in the chest at close range and fired at least three more times into his body when he fell to the ground. The two men jumped on a motorbike and escaped from the scene through neighbouring housing estates.

Ann O’Loughlin summed things up in the Sunday Independent (19 July 1992) when she described it as a “another professional, cold-blooded and ruthless slaying – the result of an increasingly intense and lethal rivalry within the capital’s criminal underworld”.

Sunday Tribune, 19 July 1992.

Gardai began to investigate whether a “major pub row” that had “wrecked” The Barry pub in Finglas was connected to the killing. The incident which left “several men injured” occurred about a year previous to the murder and was linked to a protection racket involving Travers according to the Evening Herald (18 July 92). Apparently the IRA-connected pub told Travers that they no longer required his security men on the premises. The resulting melee was vicious and the Sunday World (06 Sep. 1992) reported that one member of the bar staff was stabbed by Travers. This person received “horrific facial injuries” and needed 140 stitches. When Travers apparently refused twice to pay compensation for this incident, he became the target of Provisional IRA according to senior Gardaí.

Other newspaper speculated that Travers fell out with another criminal gang and was killed as a result. The Irish Press (18 July 1993) said that detectives believed the same ‘hitman’ was the prime suspect in the gangland executions of Gerard Hourigan (1983), Danny McOwen (1983) and Patrick McDonald (1991).

Nobody was ever charged or convicted for the murder.

3 April 1993 – Michael Godfrey (54)

Born about 1939, Michael Godfrey grew up on The Thatch Road, Whitehall. In June 1958, the teenager was sentenced to one year imprisonment for his role in two robberies. The court heard that in May 1958 Godfrey (19) and his-accused Leslie Wearen (21), also of The Thatch Road, stole an air pistol from Watt Brothers Ltd., 4 Upper Abbey Street and then held up the staff of Patrick J. Kilmartin’s betting office on Prospect Avenue, Glasnevin. They made off with £100 but were caught and detained by passers-by as reported in the Irish Independent (21 June 1958).

Michael Godfrey, Sunday World (6 Oct. 2002).

Not much is known about Godfrey’s life in the 1960s and 1970s although it is believed that he spent much of this time in England. Paul Williams in ‘Badfellas’ suggests Godfrey moved back to Ireland in 1985 and set himself up as an insurance broker but his business failed after a couple of years.

In Dublin in April 1988, Godfrey organised an insurance scam which netted £60,000. He enlisted the help of his niece Yvonne Godfrey and her partner Michael O’Connell to plan a fake car crash. The pair were sentenced each to a three years suspended sentence for their peripheral role in Oct. 2000.

In 1991, Godfrey was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment in England for possession of forged Irish £20 notes according to the Irish Independent (06 April 1993). This was part of a money-counterfeiting scam organised by the Dublin criminal PJ Judge (‘The Psycho’) according to ‘Badfellas’. Godfrey returned to Ireland after serving a year of his sentence and moved into a basement flat near the corner of the North Circular Road and O’Devaney Gardens.

Paul Williams states in ‘Badfellas’ that Godfrey got involved in drug importation with PJ Judge:

Godfrey … set up a front company in an industrial unit in Glasnevin, The plan was to import large quantities of cannabis for Judge, who was anxious to cut out the middlemen in the business. In February 1993, they travelled to Belgium where they agreed to buy 30 kilos of hash from a Dutch dealer for £30,000 … When the first consignment arrived in 12 March, Judge refused to take it because it was not the cannabis he sampled in Holland … and ordered Godfrey to get the money back. Instead Godfrey sold the hash to John Gilligan’s lieutenant, Peter ‘Fatso’ Mitchell, for almost double its price. Judge heard about the deal and flew into a rage.

On 3 April 1993 about midnight, two masked men called to Godfrey’s flat on the North Circular Road. A neighbour told police that the pair:

“… told Michael: ‘You know you somebody a lot of money’. He seemed to know what they were talking about and asked them to be reasonable about it. He said: ‘We can sort it out”. (Irish Independent, 6 April 1993)

The two men drove off with Godfrey in his blue Renault car which had been parked outside his home. At 11.30am the following morning, Godfrey’s body was found under a hedge in a field near Scribblestown Lane, Blanchardstown. He had been beaten and then shot twice in the head.

Michael Godfrey (54) was separated from his wife and had one grown up daughter. He was described as a former insurance agent by the Irish Press (02 June 1993)

In July 1993, the .32 revolver gun used in the murder was found buried in a field in Dunsink, Finglas. That summer a number of men and women were arrested in Tallaght, Clondalkin and Finglas and taken in for questioning.

Derek Casserly (26), Donomore Crescent, Tallaght was charged with the murder and false imprisonment of Godfrey. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 1996. At the trial in 2000, the prosecution argued that Casserly was “an active participant” in the abduction and murder though it did not claim he fired either of the two fatal shots. The judge directed a ‘not guilty’ verdict in the trial due to insufficient evidence.

A second man Martin Dunne (43), of Collins Drive, Finglas, also pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges and was acquitted by a jury in Dec. 2000. Eight months later on 24 Aug. 2001, Dunne broke into a woman’s home and raped her at knife point. At his trial, he told the court that he and his nephew Glen Dunne (stabbed to death in Nov. 2001) were hired by the woman’s estranged husband to carry out the attack. Dunne, who had 60 convictions, was jailed for 14 years in Feb. 2005.

Gangland crime boss PJ Judge (The Psycho), the orchestrator of Godfrey’s abduction and killing, was also linked to the murders of two criminal associates  in 1996 – William ‘Jock’ Corbally and Michael Brady. The Provisional IRA were prime suspects in the killing of Judge himself in Dec. 1996.

1 June 1993 – Sean Clarke (44)

Sean Clarke, originally from Kilbarrack, was a separated father of four. He worked as a sandwich delivery man for a company in Dublin 7.

In Oct. 1992, he was the chief suspect in a number of “indecent assaults” on “six girls under eight” years of age in North County Dublin according to the Evening Herald (02 June 1993) and a file had been forwarded to the DPP. At the time of the investigation, his car was damaged by vigilantes. Clarke moved out of his house in Coolock and into a flat on the North Circular Road some months before his death.

On the early morning of 1 June 1993 about 3.30am, Clarke parked his white Toyota hatchback car outside the SPADE enterprise centre near Stoneybatter to collect sandwiches from the Big Bite Sandwich Company to deliver to all-night service stations. SPADE is a community based enterprise centre opened in 1990 in the converted St. Paul’s protestant church at North King Street, Dublin 7. A gunman, unmasked and dressed in an expensive looking suit, approached and blasted Clarke in the abdomen and both thighs with a shotgun. He stepped away but returned immediately and killedClarke with a final shot to the back of the head. It was reported in the Irish Press (02 June 1993) that residents in the Blackhall Parade flat complex heard the assassin say: “You bastard, you did it. Don’t say you didn’t”. The gunman picked up the spent cartridges and calmly walked in the direction of Stoneybatter where he jumped into a waiting getaway car.

Nobody was ever charged or convicted. The Irish Independent (24 Aug. 1993) stated that the police were “working on the theory that the gunman was a contract killer connected to a major city crime gang”.

Sean Clarke murder scene. The Irish Press, 2 June 1993.

31 Oct. 1993Francis Rodgers (Fran Rodgers) (40)

Fran Rodgers grew up at 83 Dolphin House, Dolphin’s Barn in Dublin 8. He joined the British Army and served with the Coldstream Guards regiment for a number of years. His brothers Laurence, Thomas and Gerard were up in the courts for robbery offences in the 1970s and 1980s.

Returning to Dublin, Rodgers lived with his mother at 20 Brabazon Street in the Coombe. He married in 1983, had one child but separated from his wife in 1986. The Sunday Tribune (7 Nov. 1993) described him as one of the “main suppliers of heroin in the south inner city” in the early 1990s.

On Halloween night 31 Oct. 1993, Rodgers (40) was lighting fireworks with his young daughter and two nephews at a soon-to-be lit bonfire in a patch of wasteland at the back of Weavers Court in the Newmarket area of the Coombe. At about 7.30pm, a masked gunman approached and shot Rodgers twice in the legs with a shotgun before finishing him off with a blast to the head as he lay on the ground. The shooter escaped in a getaway car parked outside the ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ pub in Newmarket Square. His age was given as 35 in early reports but it was stated as 40 at the inquest into his death.

Fran Rodgers, The Irish Press 06 Nov. 1993.

Although Rodgers was known to have had recent confrontations with local members of the Concerned Parents Against Drugs (CPAD), the police focused on the theory that he was killed by a hitman for a rival drug gang. Nobody was charged in connection with it.

The day after his death, over 200 local residents of the Coombe area marched to City Hall calling on the council to eject drug dealers from local authority homes.

CPAD protest. Evening Herald, 2 Nov. 1993.

(c) Sam McGrath 2020

Seamus Costello letter in Military Service Pensions Collection file

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The Military Service Pensions Collection is a publicly accessible online archive of material relating to the 1916-23 period. For successful applicants, material and correspondence on their file can continue for decades up until the time of their death. A goldmine for first-hand accounts of the revolutionary period, an individual’s application can also occasionally throw up an interesting item which is historic in its own right.

John Adamson (1901-68) served with the Cyclists Company, 3 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA during the War of Independence. He claims to have taken part in arms-raids on private homes and two ambushes of British forces in Portobello, Dublin 8. Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War (June 1922 – May 1923), Adamson served with the same unit and stated that he took part in IRA attacks on the Four Courts Hotel; the home of Lord Glenavy, Milltown; the Grand Central Cinema, O’Connell Street; Portobello Barracks and on National Army troops on the Rathgar Road.

Handwritten reference from James J Ardiff in support of John Adamson dated 07 Sep. 1942 (MSP34REF3861)

Adamson was awarded 3 and 1/6 years service for pension purposes in 1942 at Rank E (Private). He lived for many years at 3 Darley’s Cottages, Vevay Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow and died on 13 Dec. 1968. Following his death, his widow contacted local county councillor Seamus Costello to make representations on her behalf. Buried in the payment file of John Adamson is a one-page hand-written letter from Seamus Costello of Roseville House, Dublin Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow dated 08 March 1968 to the Department of Defence.  The year previously Costello had won a seat on Wicklow county council (and Bray urban district council). In the same month that he wrote the below letter, he had secured over 2,000 first-preference votes in a Dáil by-election.

Representations from Seamus Costello dated 08 May 1968 for the widow of John Adamson. File 34E7936.

Costello, a veteran of the IRA’s Border Campaign, was a leading member of the Official IRA and later the IRSP/INLA in the 1970s. He was shot dead in a feud between the two groups in Fairview in North Dublin in Oct. 1977. A concise biography of Seamus Costello is available at the Dictionary of Irish Biography.

The file of John Adamson and nearly 10,000 others (to date) are available on the MSPC website here.

Colourful account of gay social spots in Dublin from an English visitor (1968)

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George Lucas (born George Quirke) (1926–2014) was an English civil servant who documented his gay social life in a series of detailed personal diaries from the 1950s until the 1990s. Lucas befriended journalist Hugo Greenhalgh in the mid-1990s and he was one of only three people to attend Lucas’ funeral in 2014 alongside a fellow co-executor of his will and a neighbour. Before his death, Lucas agreed to donate his extensive diaries to Greenhalgh. For the last three years, Greenhalgh has been patiently transcribing and posting entries from the diaries onto Facebook. He has started in the year 1968 when Lucas was aged about 42.

Mr Lucas in 1967. Credit – https://boyz.co.uk/

Lucas’ mother was Irish and it also comes through in many diary entries that he had a particular soft spot for Irish men (mainly prostitutes) in London. In September 1968, Lucas spent two days in Dublin. (The original transcript of the diary entry is available here). Lucas also included four lovely photographs of Dublin from that trip.

The main reason for his visit was to try to locate his mother’s birth certificate in the registry office. It is clear that this was not Lucas’ first visit to Dublin as he knew the gay geography of the city very well. He also mentions an unsavoury incident in 1966 when he was physically assaulted in Dublin in a homophobic attack/robbery. I hope Greenhalgh can transcribe and post this particular diary entry in due course.

View of Liberty Hall from Busaras, Store Street. Credit: George Lucas/Hugo Greenhalgh

Lucas visits two of the main cruising spots in the city centre, the public toilets at Burgh Quay and St. Stephen’s Green. He spots a couple of lads who had a “villainous cut-throat look” on Burgh Quay beside O’Connell Street Bridge and “various middle-aged and elderly men” at hanging around the toilet in St. Stephen’s Green.

The writer had a drink in the city’s three main gay-friendly bars – Rice’s, Bartley Dunne’s and Davy Byrne’s. Drinking a lager in Rice’s, he was happy to see that the “rather unwelcoming barman of 2 years ago” was gone. At Davy Byrne’s, he enjoyed two “whiskies and water and a good cup of coffee”. Bartley Dunne’s was “crowded” but he only recognised “little tubby Bert the head barman and Mr Bartley Dunne’s own somewhat spectral figure”. On his second visit to Bartley Dunne’s the following night, he was warmly greeted by the “sturdy friendly barman” Brian who told him that George (“that attractive if somewhat pretentious barman”) had left Bartley Dunne’s to manage a hotel bar in Dún Laoghaire.

I have a particular interest in Rice’s and Bartley Dunne’s and published a long piece on their history in 2013 which I continue to add material whenever I can.

Here is the edited diary extract of George Lucas’ visit to Dublin, enjoy. It’s an amazing slice of social history.

September 10, 1968 (Tuesday):

“I had dinner at Moran’s Hotel – 6s 6d for egg and sausages of more diminutive size than I have seen since my last visit. It is as well there is an abundance of bread and butter to eke out the meal. I was nervous this clear sunny evening, and to my fearful fancy a couple of lads hanging round the Burgh Quay lavatory had a villainous cut-throat look. I noticed a tall youngish man in a pink shirt in talk with a man – not a visitor.

To Rice’s bar and sat awhile over a lager, noticing that the rather unwelcoming barman of 2 years ago is gone; and then to Davy Byrne’s, striking up courage with 2 whiskies and water and a good cup of coffee, served by the sandy haired apprentice I heard called Paddy. Like every apprentice barman in Davy Byrne’s, he looked out of spirits.

View of O’Connell Street Bridge from Burgh Quay. Credit: George Lucas/Hugo Greenhalgh

Bartley Dunne’s was crowded as I remembered it… but I saw only little tubby Bert the head barman and Mr Bartley Dunne’s own somewhat spectral figure that I recognised. Back at 11.15, a little tipsy – dilutior might be a better word – and not lingering by the green urinoir in Eden Quay. My room – no. 18 – is on the front of the hotel, overlooking Talbot Street, and I woke at 3 o’clock and 6 o’clock, though I don’t think it was street noises that disturbed me.

September 11, 1968 (Wednesday):

A fine clear day till near 8 o’clock when dark clouds from the south-east brought a short shower. I was busy today, taking photographs, buying the Austin Gaffney record that Byrne stole in 1965 and I’ve been trying to replace, a spoon with a Dublin crest, and so on, and spending 18/- in fees at the Register Office.

Though food is dear in Dublin, goods are notably cheaper – I paid 2s 8d for a tube of shaving cream, and I see almost all of the luxury sort of goods are priced well below the level to which purchase tax raises them in London.
Dublin’s charm is indefinable, but real; in part it comes from its being a metropolitan city on the right scale. 18th-century London was similar. The hills to the south, that can be seen from the principal streets, seem to close the city in, to make it compact, humanly scaled. Walking is easier, too, with the pavements less thronged than London’s… and the abundance of good-looking young Dublin men is a continual joy to the eye. (The aggressively nasty coffee-bars and snackeries that disfigure O’Connell Street have an abundance of slovenly and unlovely Dublin girls.) I wore my light raincoat this evening, the same coat I brought home bloodstained from Dublin two years ago. It is better and more elegant than the one I have bought since, and like everything that suits me is no longer made.

View from Grattan Bridge (Capel St Bridge) of the Four Courts. Credit: George Lucas/Hugo Greenhalgh

To the St Stephen’s Green lavatory several times, and saw various middle-aged and elderly men, but my assailant of two years ago was not to be seen.
In Bartley Dunne’s, Brian the sturdy friendly barman was serving tonight, and after a moment’s hesitation recognised and greeted me. He remarked that “there have been changes here” and told me that George, that attractive if somewhat pretentious barman I remembered, is now manager of a hotel bar at Dun Laoire (sic)… which is his métier, I think.

I noticed the pink-shirted young man in this bar, and at Burgh Quay there were three or four lounging about. One, a thin youth with spectacles, approached me for a cigarette. Were I bolder, I might do well here; more likely I’d be robbed and knocked unconscious. To bed again before midnight, and slept tolerably well.”

View of Christchurch and Wood Quay from Ordmond Quay. Credit: George Lucas/Hugo Greenhalgh

The life and death of IRA Volunteer Peter McCarthy (1917-1937)

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Peter McCarthy, a 20-year-old IRA member, was shot dead in June 1937 on Lower Clanbrassil Street. He was killed by an off-duty Special Branch officer with an unlicensed revolver in dubious circumstances during the arrest of two fellow IRA members. His burial in Mount Jerome Cemetery was attended by 3,000 people including the Chief of the Staff of the IRA, the President of Cuman na mBan and the President of Sinn Féin.

Family Background
Peter McCarthy’s parents were both born in Dublin and grew up in various tenements in the South Inner City around the area of Golden Lane and Bride Street.

His father William McCarthy (b. 18 Dec 1886) came from a working-class Church of Ireland family. In 1901, the eight of them lived in one room in a tenement house at 1.1 Arthur’s Lane, off Golden Lane. Five families (28 people) lived in the house altogether. By 1911, William was living with his widowed mother at 84.1 Bride Street sharing the house with a further two families.

24-year-old William’s occupation was listed as a ‘library porter’ in 1911 which would have been a good job and fairly rare considering there were nearly 32,000 men employed as labourers in the city but only just over 100 working as librarians or library assistants/porters. William McCarthy was also one of only 340 Protestant McCarthy’s in the 32 Counties in 1911 as opposed to nearly 18,000 McCarthy’s who were Catholic.

Peter’s mother Anne Moore (b. 14 Jan 1898) was living with her family at 7.5 Great Longford Street, off Golden Lane, in 1901. Seven families (21 people) lived in the house. The Moore family (parents and two children) occupied one room. By 1911, Anne was living with her mother at 8.1 Upper Digges Street, off Aungier Street. Four families (13 people) occupied the building with Anne, her mother and two siblings sharing a single room.

As the city’s buildings were still smouldering from the destruction of the Easter Rising, William (29) and Anne (18) married on 15 May 1916 at the Catholic Church of Saints Michael and John on Lower Exchange Street. By this time, Anne’s family were living at 27 East Essex Street in Temple Bar. William had been promoted to ‘library assistant’ and was still living with his family on Bride Street.

Peter, their first child, was born on 02 May 1917 in Holles Street Hospital. The couple by this stage had made a home for themselves at Flat 21, Block H, Iveagh Trust Buildings on Bride Street. His father’s occupation was listed as a librarian.

Tragedy struck the family with the death of patriarch William McCarthy (43). The cause of death on 11 Dec 1930 was a chill and lobar pneumonia. The family had moved by this stage to no. 25 in the same block of flats. Peter was only 13 years old when he lost his father who was described as a ‘timekeeper’ on his death certificate. The family suffered another traumatic incident the following year with the death of Peter’s younger sister Annie Christina, aged just 2, who died on 01 July 1931. The cause of death was accidental scalds on the body, toxaemia (blood poisoning) and cardiac failure.

Move to Crumlin
I expect that Peter McCarthy joined the IRA in his late teens. He was a member of B Company, 4 Battalion, Dublin Brigade. This unit in the 1919-23 period comprised of men mostly from the area around Aungier Street, Donore Avenue, South Circular Road, Lower Clanbrassil Street and Patrick Street in the South Inner City area. The son of an IRA member who knew him has told me via email that he Peter often used the Irish version of his first name – Peadar McCarthy.

The Dublin Brigade had an estimated 630 members in 1933 as referenced by Brian Hanley in “The IRA 1926-1936” (page 16). The Brigade O/C in 1937 was Jim Hannigan according to Uinseann MacEoin in “The IRA in the Twilight Years 1923-1948” (page 773).

Barry McLoughlin estimates that 55 Dublin men travelled over with the International Brigades to fight in the Spanish Civil War. It’s quite probable that Peter McCarthy knew some of the IRA men within these ranks. At least one Liam McGregor (1914-1938) was from the same company as Peter. Others like Tony Fox (1914-1936) and Mick May (1916-1936) had served with A Company of the same battalion before travelling to Spain.

Large estates of suburban housing were built by Dublin Corporation from the mid-1920s onwards as part of its programme of slum clearance and re-housing of families from the city centre. These well-planned, outlying estates included Crumlin where construction began in 1934. The McCarthy family were moved out of the inner-city to a new house at 207 Clonard Road in ca.1935-37.

Background to shooting (May 1937)
The events which lead up to Peter’s death begin in May 1937. James Patton, of 20 Kildare Street, owned a motor garage at Denzille Place off Denzille Street (Fenian Street). An Austin saloon car was hired from him by two unidentified men on 13 May and not returned until 2am of the 15th. Patton later gave evidence that the pair “drew revolvers from their pockets”. Presumably, this was to scare James Patton and deter any protest on his part about the late return. Whether under duress or not, Patton stated that he drove one of the men to Harold’s Cross Bridge and the other to Parnell Bridge, Crumlin. Later that day, Patton claimed that this Austin saloon car was stolen on the South Circular Road. The theft was reported to the Gardaí who found the vehicle the following afternoon on Merrion Square. The car was removed to Dublin Castle and photographed for fingerprints. James Patton gave a description of the two men and it appears that the authorities soon had drawn up a list of possible suspects.

Detective-Officer John Brocklebank, of the Special Branch, gave evidence in court that he was detailed to watch the home of one young man named Samuel (Sam) Wheelock (22) who lived with his family at 48 Lower Clonbrassil Street.

Brocklebank stated that he had the house under observation intermittently for a month but had not seen any sign of Wheelock during this time. Another member of the Special Branch, Detective Sergeant Moroney (also given as Mooney), told the inquest that he searched Wheelock’s home on 20 and 29 May 1937 for arms but none were found.

The shooting on Clanbrassil Street (15 June 1937)
On the evening of Tuesday 15 June 1937, Detective-Officer Brocklebank spotted Wheelock enter his house on Lower Clonbrassil Street at around 5 o’clock. Brocklebank was not on duty until 6pm that day and this detail was brought up at the subsequent inquest.

Brocklebank claims that he located a uniformed Garda officer, who was on traffic duty at Leonard’s Corner, and gave him a telephone number on a piece of paper to ring. About five minutes later Detective Sergeant Moroney, and his colleague Detective Sergeant Wilfred Dowd, arrived on the scene in a car. Before going into his home, Wheelock was spotted speaking to three other men on the street. They were Peter McCarthy (20), his comrade and neighbour Henry (Harry) Dale (20) of Clonfert Road, Crumlin, and another young IRA member Eamon Fagan (17) of St. James Walk, Rialto.

Brocklebank said that he took Harry Dale into custody on the stairs of no. 48 after he followed him into the building which was divided up into flats. He then went into Wheelock’s home and found him having his tea. Brocklebank told him that needed to take him into Dublin Castle for questioning but allowed him to finish his meal first. Both Dale and Wheelock were taken outside and put into the back of the police car which was parked on the opposite side of the street from the house. There were now five people in the car – Detective Sergeant Moroney in the driver’s seat, Detective Sergeant Dowd in the passenger seat and Detective-Officer Brocklebank in the back seat with the two young men.

Miss Lily Wheelock, sister of Sam, was looking out of her window at home about 6.10pm when she saw Peter McCarthy standing on the pavement on the opposite side of her house. She later told the court that she saw McCarthy move towards the parked police vehicle. In her mind, she told the court, it looked like McCarthy was leaning in to say something to her brother in the back seat. Miss Wheelock did not indicate at any stage of her testimony that McCarthy was carrying any firearm or acting suspiciously. Two other eyewitnesses, interviewed by the Irish Independent (16 June 1937), also did not make any reference to Peter McCarthy being armed.

The next thing a shot rang out and Lily Wheelock saw McCarthy fall “on his back on the roadway [with] his hands clasping the lapels of his coat”. She rushed out of her home and “.. saw McCarthy lying moaning on the roadway and, as the other young man ran away, I saw a man with a gun. I shouted, “Don’t shoot!”

Lily went to console McCarthy who told her “I am dying – get me a priest”. Maisie Osbourne, who worked in the nearby Greenmount Linen Mill, was on her way home from work when she came across the scene. She told the court that she whispered the Act of Contrition into Peter’s ear. It was later reported in an Irish republican newspaper that Osbourne was the first person to reach McCarthy and “swore” that there was no gun in his hand or beside his body.

The unconscious McCarthy was placed in the front of the police car and driven to the nearby Meath Hospital, Heytesbury Street (less than 1km away). He was admitted at about 6.20pm and died within ten minutes. The subsequent inquest was told that the single bullet passed through his left forearm, into his ribs near his lung and right through his heart. The cause of death was shock and haemorrhage. The Irish Times (16 June 1936) was informed by hospital staff that Peter was shot at close range (3-4 yards) and the bullet “had pierced [his] left forearm as if [he] had raised his arm to attempt to protect himself”.

The killing shocked the residents of the local area and the Irish Press (16 June 1937) reported that “curious throngs crowded Clanbrassil Street discussing the shooting until a late hour”. On a side note, Clanbrassil Street in the 1930s was the heart of Dublin’s Jewish community and had as many as 27 Jewish grocery, bakery and general stores in the period.

Funeral (18 June 1937)
Peter McCarthy celebrated his 20th birthday just a month before his death. His death certificate stated that he was unemployed. The press reported that his mother, a widow with six children, was employed as a cleaner in Government offices while one of his brothers was a soldier in the National Army. The news must have been devastating after already losing her husband and a daughter. “She sat on a chair in the kitchen, on the wall of which is a photograph of the dead boy and herself, and sobbed “my poor boy” while neighbours tried to comfort her” reported The Irish Times (16 June 1937).

On the evening of 17 June, his coffin left the Meath Hospital accompanied by an IRA guard of honour. The press reported that a large number of people lined the streets as the cortege travelled to Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross via Clanbrassil Street where it halted for a few minutes at the location of the shooting.

That same evening Éamon de Valera spoke at a Fianna Fáil public election meeting in Dublin where a “group of men” interrupted proceedings with cries of “Who shot Peter McCarthy?” and “Up the Republic!” as reported in the Evening Herald (17 June 1937).

On the following morning, the funeral cortege left Our Lady’s Hospice and proceeded to Crumlin. The coffin was draped in the tricolour with an eight-man guard of honour followed by 100 men in formation. They were accompanied by women of Cumann na mBan, Clan na nGaedheal (the girls scouts) and uniformed boy scouts of Na Fianna Éireann. The procession stopped outside the McCarthy family home at 207 Clonard Road for a few minutes. The Irish Times (19 June 1937) remarked that the “route was lined with spectators and all [the] blinds” of shops and homes were drawn as a mark of respect.

The burial at Mount Jerome Cemetery was attended by 3,000 people according to the Irish Press (19 June 1937). The chief mourners were Ann McCarthy (mother), William McCarthy (brother), Emily McCarthy (sister), and numerous uncles, aunts and cousins.

The Republican movement was represented by a large number of well-known figures including Mrs Margaret Buckley (née Goulding) (President of Sinn Féin); Mrs Eithne O’Donnell (née Coyle) (President of Cumann na mBan); Mrs Sean MacBride (Catalina Bulfin); Madame Maud Gonne MacBride; Mrs Cathal Brugha (née Caitlín Kingston); Miss Fiona Plunkett (Cumann na mBan); Miss May Laverty (Cumann na mBan); Mrs Tom Barry (Leslie Price); Miss Sheila McInerney; Miss Maeve Gleeson and others.

The funeral was further attended by solicitor Con Lehane (IRA); J Clarke [Joe Clarke] (Sinn Féin); Sean Keating; Sean Brady; Mick Fitzpatrick (IRA Chief of Staff); P Kearney (Cork); Sean Derrington; J Stapleton; P. O Aodgháin; Dr J Hannigan and Mr McIvor, Mr Cairns and Mr Power (Unemployed Workers Rights Association). Mick Fitzpatrick had replaced Sean MacBride as the IRA’s Chief of Staff in “mid-1937” according to Uinseann MacEoin in “The IRA in the Twilight Years 1923-1948” (page 17).

Leading IRA member Peadar O’Flaherty delivered the oration at Mount Jerome and told the large crowd that Peter “laid down his life for the Irish Republic”. The Last Post was sounded and a group of young men fired three volleys into the air over the grave with revolvers. The police made no attempt to interfere.

Peter McCarthy is buried in grave number A21-506 alongside his sister and his mother (who died in 1965). The inscription is as follows:

In Loving Memory
Of My Dear Son
Peter McCarthy
207 Clonard Road, Crumlin
B Company, 4 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA
Who Gave His Life For The Republic of Ireland
On The 15th June 1937, Aged 20
Do chum Glóire Dé agus Ónóra na hÉireann [For the Glory of God and the Honour of Ireland]
Also My daughter Anne Died 1st July 1931
Also Their Beloved Mother
Annie McCarthy
Died 4th Dec. 1965
R.I.P.

Court (1937) and Inquest (1938)
The day after the funeral, the police charged Sam Wheelock (22) and Harry Dale (20) with illegal possession of firearms at James Patton’s motor garage at Denzille Place, on 14 May, and stealing one of his motorcars on 15 May.

Eamon Fagan (17) was charged with conspiring with McCarthy, and another unnamed man who was not apprehended, to rescue Wheelock and Dale from lawful custody after they had been arrested. The Irish Press (17 June 1937) reported that as the trio were being taken from the Bridewell station in a police van, they shouted: “Up the Republic!”.

Regarding the events on 15 June, Brocklebank testified that as his colleague Dowd was closing the passenger door, Peter McCarthy approached the car with a revolver in his right hand, grabbed the left arm of Detective Sergeant Dowd and told him to “Stick it up”. Brockleback alleged that he removed a revolver from his pocket, put a bullet into the breach and opened the car door. Just as he stepped out, he claims that Peter McCarthy turned in his direction and Brockleback fired the fatal shot which killed him.

Brocklebank in court on 24 June 1937 claimed that he “took the gun from the deceased man who was on the ground in a huddled position” before chasing after Eamon Fagan who had ran from the scene after the shooting. He called on Fagan to halt near Leonard’s Corner which he did and brought him back to the police car.

It was claimed that the gun taken from McCarthy was a short Webley revolver, an old RIC pattern. It contained two live rounds, one opposite the barrel. The trigger would have to be pulled four times before the gun would fire and there was no evidence that the gun had been discharged recently.

It emerged in the Dublin District Court on 14 June 1937 that Brocklebank shot McCarthy with a Browning semi-automatic pistol (containing six live rounds of ammunition) which not the official Garda .45 revolver issued to Special Branch officers. This was a personal weapon that he evidently carried on his person while off-duty and which the court was told was against police regulations.

The police also claimed that they found Eamon Fagan’s fingerprints on the stolen car. The solicitor for the McCarthy family, Con Lehane, alleged that Fagan was manhandled while in custody with a view to intimidate him regarding the evidence he would give. The authorities refuted this and insisted that Fagan “objected to his fingerprints being taken and it was necessary to use reasonable force” (Evening Herald, 29 June 1937). The family’s solicitor Con Lehane had joined the IRA in 1929, served 18 months in Arbour Hill in 1935-36 and was described as the Dublin Brigade’s intelligence officer in 1937.

On 22 July 1937, Harry Dale and Sam Wheelock’s case was dismissed and they were discharged from the court. Fagan was returned for trial on bail at a later date but was also acquitted.

It took over a year for the inquest on the death of Peter McCarthy to take place. Lawyer Sean MacBride, who had served as IRA Chief of the Staff from mid-1936 to early 1937, told the jury:

“It was beyond dispute that McCarthy had been shot by a policeman. The police are empowered to carry arms for special purposes only. I think that in these days of dictatorships a grave responsibility rests on the jury to see that the police force of this country are going to kept under control and not be allowed to abuse the powers which they have”. (Cork Examiner, 23 July 1938)

The jury, after three days of evidence, concluded on 23 July 1938, that Peter McCarthy died from gunshot wounds but they could not agree on the points that:
1) Peter McCarthy was armed
2) that Detective-Officer Brocklebank could not have inflicted the wounds from the position in which McCarthy was standing

In view of this verdict and the evidence, AE Wood, Senior Counsel for McCarthy’s family, asked Dr DA McErlean, City Coroner, to charge Detective Brocklebank and his two colleagues with manslaughter. This was refused. Wood believed that the evidence presented showed that “McCarthy was not armed, and from that from the positions of McCarthy and Detective Brocklebank at the time it would have been impossible for McCarthy to be shot through the left forearm”.

John Brocklebank served in the same battalion as Peter McCarthy in the 1919-23 period. His membership of C Company, 4 Battalion, Dublin Brigade is confirmed in the Nominal Rolls (page 35). His Company Captain was Denis O’Brien who also joined the Special Branch in the early 1930s and was killed by the IRA in 1942.

Reaction
The only evidence of a response from party politics was from Cumann Poblachta na hÉireann, the IRA’s short-lived political party. Two of its Dublin branches, the Central Branch and the John Mitchel Branch, passed votes of sympathy to the McCarthy family in the days after his death.

Mary MacSwiney, a sister of Terence MacSwiney who died on hunger-strike, criticised Fianna Fáil in a letter to the Cork Examiner (20 July 1937). She said that since taking power they had “restored and enforced coercion; imprisoned men for no other crime than that of being soldiers of the Republic” and now “have the deaths of Sean Glynn and Peter McCarthy on their charge”. [Sean Glynn was found hanging in his cell in Arbour Hill on 13 Sep 1936, the cause of his death was disputed with his family believing it was murder.]

The Irish Democrat (11 Dec 1937) reported on a Kevin Barry Commemoration meeting held in the Carlton Hall, London on 30 Nov during which the speaker TF Long, from Tipperary, referred to the recent deaths of “Sean Glynn and Peter McCarthy, and to the [unjust] imprisonment of Michael Conway”.

Messages of condolences came from some surprising quarters. The Wolfe Tone Weekly (13 Nov 1937) reported that members of the Rathfarnham Dramatic Society “paid glowing tributes to the courage and unselfish devotion” of Volunteer Peter McCarthy “who had worked unceasingly for the advancement of everything that was Irish and Republican”.

It appears that Hary Dale was a member of the Rathfarnham Dramatic Society as was Peter himself. Dale was elected chairman in Oct 1937.

Prison Bars, the publication of the Womens’ Prisoners Defence League, reinforced the opinion of the republican movement that there were serious questions about the police officer’s accounts of events. In an early issue (01 Aug 1937), they reviewed the facts of the case in their mind:

“Many people returning from work witnessed the crime. They saw a police car drawn up, they saw a young man speak to the prisoners, they saw a CID man fire, they saw the young man fall, they saw his body bundled into the police car. Two days later many attended McCathy’s funeral to Mount Jerome Cemetery, as a protest against the shooting.”

Following the conclusion of the inquest, the Prison Bars journal was more forthright. Their issue (01 Aug 1938) reported that witness Maisie Osbourne “swore she was the first person to reach [McCarthy] and that he was clutching his chest with his two hands, and that he had no gun and there was no gun lying near him”. They continued: “An inquiry into the powers of the Special Branch is urgent and necessary. Guns, official and unofficial, must be under some sort of control, and men subject to nerves or drink should not be allowed to carry them”.

Legacy
On 15 June 1938, the following message was inserted into the Evening Herald:

McCarthy – In proud and loving memory of our brave comrade, Peter McCarthy, who was shot in Dublin June 15 1937. Do chum glóire Dé agus onóra na hÉireann [To the Glory of God and Honour of Ireland]. Inserted by his comrades Harry, Eamon, Johnny, Sam, Desmond, Danny.

A similar note was inserted in the same newspaper the following year by Peter’s friend and neighbour Harry Daly:

McCarthy – Second Anniversary – In memory of my brave comrade, Peter McCarthy, 207 Clonard Road, Crumlin, shot in Dublin, June 15, 1937 – Harry.

The last press insert, that I can locate, came from 1946 and was by Harry again:

McCarthy (Ninth Anniversary) – In memory of my brave comrade, Volunteer Peter McCarthy, B. Coy., 4th Batt., Dublin Brigade, shot in Dublin, June 15, 1937. Do chum glóire Dé agus onóra na hÉireann [To the Glory of God and Honour of Ireland]Harry.

As far as I’m aware, there was no attempt to mark the location where Peter McCarthy was fatally wounded with a plaque or marker. Clanbrassil Street itself saw a large amount of demolition in the late 1980s to facilitate the construction of a four-lane dual carriageway. It appears that the row of houses at no. 48 Lower Clanbrassil Street were pulled down as early as 1980 for road widening. I can also find no evidence that there were any annual commemorations or memorial services to mark his death. The IRA was at such a low ebb in the early 1940s that this is not entirely surprising.

It is unclear whether Peter McCarthy’s three comrades – Eamon Fagan, Hary Dale and Sam Wheelock – had any further involvement with the IRA or republican politics.

Peter’s mother Annie McCarthy, of 207 Clonard Road, died on 04 Dec 1965 aged 67.

John Brocklebank, who had joined the Special Branch in 1933, retired in the mid-1960s and died in July 1974.

Conclusion
McCarthy was the first IRA Volunteer killed in the capital since 1928 when Tim Coghlan (F Company, 4 Battalion, Dublin Brigade) was shot dead by state agent Sean Harling at Woodpark Lodge, Dartry Road near Rathgar. McCarthy was also the first IRA member killed in Dublin by the Special Branch of the Fianna Fáil government who came into power in 1932.

Many former anti-Treaty IRA men were initially recruited into the Special Branch in the early 1930s to fight Eoin O’Duffy’s fascist ‘Blueshirts’ which comprised of ex National Army soldiers. Historian Donnacha Ó Beacháin in his book ‘Destiny of the Soldiers‘ described Fianna Fáil’s Special Branch (nicknamed the Broy Harriers) as providing many anti-Treaty “Civil War veterans with a gun, a salary and an opportunity to patrol their old adversaries” (p. 134).

From the late 1930s onward, the Special Branch’s focus turned from the Blueshirts to the IRA which comprised of many War of Independence and anti-Treaty veterans along with new, young recruits like Peter McCarthy. Historian J Bowler Bell claims in ‘Secret Army’ (page 171) that McCarthy’s death in 1937 shattered any latent ties that might have still existed between the IRA and some of their “old comrades” in the ‘Broy Harriers’.

A number of major events pushed the IRA and the authorities into serious and open conflict by the early 1940s including the IRA’s raid on the Irish Army’s reserve ammunition store in the Phoenix Park’s Magazine Fort (1939); their bombing campaign in England which led to the deaths of several civilians (1939-40) and the development of contacts between the IRA and Nazi German military intelligence. This prompted the Fianna Fáil government to enact the Emergency Powers Bill to reinstate internment and the death penalty for IRA members during ‘The Emergency’ (Second World War).

Caoimhe Nic Dháibhéid in her biography of Sean MacBride succinctly notes that Peter’s death was “an ugly portent of the explosive violence that would become a recurrent feature of IRA-Gardaí relations during the war years”. At least nine people died in Dublin between 1940 and 1943:

– IRA Volunteers Tony D’Arcy and Sean McNeela died on hunger-strike in Mountjoy Prison (April 1940)
– Detective Sergeant Patrick McKeown and Detective Richard Hyland were shot dead by IRA members during a raid on a house at 98a Rathgar Road (16 Aug 1940)
– IRA Volunteers Patrick MacGrath and Thomas Harte were executed by firing squad in Mountjoy Prison (06 Sep 1940)
– Detective Sergeant O’Brien was gunned down by an IRA unit outside his home on the Ballyboden Road, Rathfarnham (09 Sep 1942)
– Garda George Mordaunt was shot dead during a raid on an IRA safe house at 14 Holly Road, Donneycarney (24 Oct 1942)
– IRA Volunteer Maurice O’Neill was executed in Mountjoy Prison (12 Nov 1942)
– IRA Volunteer Jackie Griffith was shot dead by the Special Branch at the junction of Merrion Square and Holles Street (04 July 1943).

If anyone has any further information on the life, death or funeral of Peter McCarthy, please email me at matchgrams(at)gmail.com. I would love to speak to any of the descendants of Peter and his comrades Sam Wheelock, Harry Dale and Eamon Fagan.

References
The Irish Independent (16 June 1937, 22/23 July 1938); The Irish Times (16/17/18/19/24/30 June, 01/08/15/22 July 1937); The Irish Press (16/17/19/24/30 June, 01/08/15/22 July 1937, 21 July 1938); The Evening Herald (17 June, 07 July 1937); The Cork Examiner (18/24 June 1937); The Belfast Newsletter (19 June 1937); L’Derry Sentinel (22 July 1937)
Find My Past; 1901/1911 Census; IrishGeneology.ie

Thanks to
Matt Doyle (National Graves Association); Frank McGarry (Mount Jerome Cemetery); Damien Farrell (Housing and Community activist, Dublin South Central); Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Sinn Féin TD, Dublin South Central); Aaron Ó Maonaigh (Historian); Brian Hanley (Historian)

Map of Dublin addresses associated with Peter McCarthy

The life and death of IRA Volunteer Jackie Griffith (1921-1943)

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Jackie Griffith, a 21-year-old IRA member, was shot dead in July 1943 while cycling near the corner of Lower Mount Street and Merrion Square in Dublin city centre. Although only a young man, he had been active in the IRA for a number of years and had been linked to a series of armed robberies and shooting incidents. Griffith was ‘on the run’ after escaping from Mountjoy Jail eight months previously. He was killed by Special Branch detectives who fired at him with a Thompson submachine through the window of their moving car. The authorities claimed that Griffith shot at them first but the Republican movement always maintained that he was cut down in a clear ‘shoot to kill’ policy. He was the first IRA member killed on the streets of Dublin since Peter McCarthy in 1937 which was the focus of a previous piece.

John Laurence Griffith’s parents Benjamin Griffith and Mary Leonard were from contrasting backgrounds. Benjamin was Protestant and grew up in rural Waterford in comfortable surroundings as the son of a Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Constable. Mary Leonard was Catholic, the daughter of a fisherman, and lived in the Dublin working-class village of Ringsend.

Griffith family
Jackie’s father Benjamin Griffith was born on 06 Oct. 1888 at Marble Lane, Waterford City to Cork natives John Griffith of Skibbereen and Grace Ann Griffith (née Swanton) of Knockroe, Ballydehob, who had set up home in Waterford by the 1880s.

In 1901, the Griffith family were living in the coastal village of Annestown near Tramore, County Waterford. John Griffith was the local RIC sergeant and the family (parents and seven children) lived in the RIC Barracks. There seems to have been a strong Church of Ireland identity to the village as it had both a Protestant church and a Protestant meeting hall but noticeably no public house.

John Griffith died of pleurisy on 22 November 1901 aged 57 leaving his widow Grace Ann with seven children ranging in ages from six to 16. Existing on her RIC widow’s pension, she was living in 1911 in a cottage at 64 Poleberry Street, Waterford City with two sons and a boarder. It is unclear where Jackie’s father Benjamin Griffith, aged about 22, was living at the time and I have been unable to find him in the Irish or British Census. His siblings were dotted around the county – Margaret, a domestic nurse and servant in Stillorgan, Dublin; Jane, a Draper Assistant, in Abbeyleix, County Laois and Emily Grace who went to live with an older brother in Killybodagh, County Armagh.

Leonard family
Jackie’s mother Mary Leonard was born on 27 Aug. 1899 at 18 Thorncastle Street, Ringsend, Dublin to James Leonard and Mary Leonard (née Cocoran). The pair had married seven years previously in St. Mary’s Church (Star of the Sea) in Sandymount. James, a fisherman, listed his home address as 2 Cambridge Road, Ringsend while Mary was from 55 Tritonville Road, Sandymount.

In 1901, the Leonard family were living at 407 Cambridge Road, Ringsend in a house that was divided up for three families. James’ occupation was listed as a sailor. (The street numbering seems inconsistent as six children born to James and Mary were registered at 14 Cambridge Road between 1900 and 1911). In 1911, the family (Mary, her parents and five siblings) were still living on Cambridge Road in a tenement house shared by four families.

By 1914, the Leonard family had established themselves at 13 Pigeon House Road. A scenic stretch of bungalows directly facing the River Liffey and Dublin Port.

Benjamin Griffith worked as a painter and lived at 70 Great Brunswick Street (Pearse Street) in 1921 according to his marriage certificate. This was ‘only’ across the bridge from Ringsend and perhaps is a clue to how he met the acquaintance of Mary Leonard. The pair married in St Patrick’s Church, Ringsend on 31 May 1921 in the midst of the War of Independence.

Jackie Griffith early years

The couple’s first child John Laurence Griffith – known by his friends and comrades as Jackie – was born in Dublin on 14 November 1921. The family moved to Hulme, Manchester when Jackie was young and Harry White noted in his memoir that he spoke with an English accent.

An article in Saoirse newspaper (no. 181, May 2002) states that Griffith joined Sinn Féin in Manchester aged 17 in 1938. It is assumed that he joined the IRA soon afterwards. In January 1939, the IRA launched its bombing campaign in England. Harry White (pg 78) stated that Jackie Griffith was appointed Operations Officer (or Officer Commanding) of the Manchester IRA following the arrest of Joe Collins (alias Conor McNessa) in May 1939. This suggests that Griffith was a capable and respected IRA officer or that Manchester had very few members who could fill the role or perhaps a combination of the two.

The Second World War broke out in September 1939 and Saoirse (no. 181, May 2002) states that Griffith was deported to Ireland in the same month. (There is no mention of this or other deportations in the contemporary press or subsequent articles.)

On his return to Ireland, Griffith was transferred to the IRA’s Dublin Brigade. In the 1919-1923 period, the IRA unit in Ringsend was organised as D Company, 3 Battalion, Dublin Brigade. By the late 1930s, the IRA was still divided up into battalions and companies but with a much smaller membership. Griffith lived with his grandparents in their home at 13 Pigeon House Road and he got a job in the nearby Irish Glass Bottle factory where he became an active trade unionist.

Arrest (Feb 1942)
On 25 Feb 1942, Jackie Griffith was arrested by Special Branch detectives in the process of collecting revolvers from Private John Regan, a National Army soldier. The pair were seen walking down Benburb Street, Stoneybatter and were followed to Oxmantown Lane, a cul de sac, where the police swooped. Detective Sergeant Michael Gill stated that Griffith attempted to fire a Colt automatic revolver a number of times but his gun did not go off. (The police claimed that the safety catch was on but the gun was loaded with six live rounds, one being in the breech.) Griffith attempted to make a break for it but halted when two shots were fired over his head. After being taken into custody, he was found with an additional three revolvers which had just been passed to him by Private John Regan. When the police raided Griffith’s grandparents home in Ringsend, they retrieved a further 28 revolvers; 211 rounds of Thompson sub-machine gun ammunition; 24 rounds of .45 ammunition and 20 rounds of assorted ammunition.

At the Special Criminal Court trial held in Collins Barracks on 13 March 1942, Griffith refused to recognise the court and a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf. He was found guilty of attempting to shoot with intent to main; the possession of the revolvers; receiving three revolvers knowing them to be stolen; membership of an illegal organisation and possession of incriminating documents. Griffith was sentenced to ten years penal servitude.

The court heard that Private John Regan enjoyed a “very good record” during his 18 years in the army. He pleaded guilty to the larceny of nine revolvers during January and February 1942 from the “Surrendered Arms Store” at Islandbridge Barracks where he was stationed. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment with the court regretting that a heavier sentence could not be imposed. Regan was represented by Sean MacBride on behalf of Messrs Con Lehane and Hogan.

It was noted by Seamus Ó Mongáin in an interview with Uinseann MacEoin (ref Military Archives, UMCE-T-A-02-15) that Griffith had a brother in the Medical Corps, National Army but it’s unclear whether this played any part in developing contacts within that force.

Escape (Nov 1942)
Jackie Griffith shared a cell in Mountjoy Prison with Cork IRA members Frank Kerrigan and Jim Smyth as well as Brendan Behan. The latter had been arrested in April 1942 after firing shots at policemen on the Finglas Road following an Easter Rising commemoration.

In the early morning of 02 Nov 1942, six members of the IRA escaped from Mountjoy Prison. There are conflicting accounts but it would appear that the team prised loose one of the cell windows in the exercise room, scaled down to the yard in a ‘rope’ made of bedsheets or other material and then climbed onto a sentry post on top of the high boundary wall, slid across and dropped down to the outside.

The six men who escaped were:

1. Jackie Griffith
2. Frank Kerrigan of 15 Cahilville, Old Youghal Road, Cork City
3. Jim Smyth of Oldcastle, County Meath
4. Pete Martin of Dublin
5. Mick Lucey of 34 Blarney Street, Cork
6. Mort Lucey of 34 Blarney Street, Cork

On the run
Following a period of laying low in Dublin, Jackie Griffith left the city on St Stephen’s Day, 26 December 1942. The Irish People (12 July 1980) recalled that Griffith set off on his bicycle across the Dublin Mountains to County Carlow where he began his task of re-organising the IRA across Leinster. He worked closely alongside Charlie Kerins (Chief of Staff) and Danny Conroy from Donnybrook. Conroy had been active during the Tan War with Na Fianna Éireann according to interviewee Tom Doran in ‘IRA in the Twilight Years’ (pg 510).

Harry White (pg 138) states that Liam Burke (a leading Belfast IRA man based in Dublin) sent Griffith to Mooncoin, County Kilkenny where he initially came under the suspicion of the local IRA unit for his English accent and was briefly held as a spy. An article in Saoirse (no. 181, May 2002) recalled a close shave after Jackie Griffith and Frank Kerrigan had visited Tom Maguire in Cross, County Mayo. On their way back to County Galway they were accosted by the Special Branch but they succeeded in abandoning their bicycles and avoiding capture.

Dublin (Summer 1943)
Returning to Dublin, Griffith was linked to a number of IRA operations while on the run in the summer of 1943.

Just after midnight on 01 June 1943, George Hill (21) of 6 North Richmond Street, Dublin 1, was shot and wounded in the left thigh while walking along Cardiff Lane off Sir John Rogerson’s Quay. No motive was forthcoming and it’s unclear whether he was even the intended target. Following Griffith’s death, the authorities claimed that he was wanted for questioning in connection with this shooting.

Griffith was also believed to have taken part in an attempted robbery at a Dublin Corporation rent office at 75 Tolka Road, Drumcondra on 16 June 1943. Three men armed with revolvers threatened the rent collector and demanded money. The employee escaped through a side door, sounded the alarm and the trio fled the scene. One shot was fired in the melee but nobody was injured.

On the morning of 01 July 1943, Griffith was one of three men who took part in an audacious daylight robbery which netted nearly £4,500 for the IRA. The unit held up and hijacked a wages van at the gates of the Player Wills cigarette factory on the South Circular Road. The unit drove away with the van which was later was found abandoned at Dartmouth Lane. In total, they had nabbed £4,465 which was the weekly wages of the factory workforce including their additional ‘war bonus’.

Harry White named the other two men as Archie Doyle and Charlie Kerins. Doyle, then aged 38, was from Inchicore and had served with F Company, 4 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA during the War of Independence and Civil War. It is generally accepted that Doyle was part of the IRA units which killed Minister for Justice Kevin O’Higgins in 1927 and Garda Detective Sergeant Denis O’Brien in 1942.

Tralee-born Charlie Kerins, then aged 25, had joined the IRA in 1940 and was Chief of Staff of the organisation at the time of the robbery. (Following his subsequent trial and conviction for the 1942 murder of Garda Detective Sergeant Denis O’Brien, Kerins was hanged at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin in June 1944.)

Death (04 July 1943)
On Sunday 04 July 1943, three days after the Player Wills robbery, Griffith visited the home of IRA member Paddy Brown at Ballsbridge Terrace according to Harry White (pgs 121-122).

At 1.30pm, Griffith was cycling towards the city centre along Lower Mount Street when he was fired on by police officers in a car and killed instantly. A passing priest administered the last rites and a Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance took Griffith to St Patrick’s Dun Hospital on Lower Canal Street. His body was identified by James Leonard. (It’s unclear whether this was his uncle or grandfather as they both shared the same name.)

On 06 July 1943, a one-day inquest took place at the hospital conducted by the City Coroner Dr DA McErlean. An unnamed police officer stated that they were actively searching for Griffith in the Sandymount and Ringsend area on the day of the shooting. Griffith was spotted cycling along Lower Mount Street by the carload of armed detectives who were driving in the same direction. Its driver overtook Griffith with the alleged intention to “squeeze him against the kerb and compel him to stop”. The police claimed that Griffith recognised the police detectives and increased his speed. They further alleged that Griffith managed to draw a revolver and fired one shot which shattered one of the car lamps splintering glass on the windscreen and puncturing the radiator. As he was reputedly about to fire a second shot, one of the detective officers in the car fired two shots from a Thompson submachine gun. Griffith was hit but managed to cycle on for a few yards where he fell off his bicycle and onto the inward tram-lines opposite Holles Street Hospital at the corner of Lower Mount Street and Merrion Square East. The police claimed that they found Griffith had a revolver holster and extra ammunition after searching him.

James Leonard asked if the inquest could be adjourned in order to give him an opportunity to acquire legal representation but the coroner denied the request. As such, there was no legal team to represent the deceased or his family.

The jury returned a verdict of death “from shock and haemorrhage following a gunshot wound inflicted by a bullet fired by a Detective Sergeant in the execution of his duty”.

Death certificate for Jackie Griffith

The Irish Press (05 July 1943) made some claims that were not reported in other newspapers including that there was not one but two Garda cars that pulled up alongside Griffith and that he was seen cycling with a young woman “who disappeared” from the scene “during the excitement.” Irish Republican newspapers including Saoirse (no. 183, July 2002) have claimed that Griffith was hit by at least 16 bullets. It does appear highly unlikely that a police officer would fire just two bullets from a Thompson submachine gun at a target who had (allegedly) already shot at them. Another point of contention is whether Griffith was in the right physical state to cycle his bicycle at speed while also retrieving a revolver with one hand and firing a shot so accurately. Saoirse (no. 67, November 1992) claimed that Griffith badly damaged his arm from a fall during the Mountjoy Prison escape. Republicans believe that this injury was still affecting him eight months later and questioned if a man without the full use of one arm could manage to control a bike and draw a gun at the same time.

Funeral
On the evening of 06 July 1943, Griffith’s remains were removed from the hospital to St Patrick’s Church, Ringsend. A funeral mass took place in the church at 10 o’clock the following morning. The funeral in Glasnevin Cemetery did not receive the coverage it would have in usual circumstances as the leading Irish mainstream newspapers had been reduced from 16 to four pages due to the ongoing Emergency conditions (Second World War).

The Irish Press, the only newspaper that covered the funeral, reported that a decade of the rosary was recited in Irish. The chief mourners were James Griffith (brother); James, Joseph and Michael Leonard (uncles); James Leonard (grandfather); Mrs Lindsay and Mrs Leonard (aunts) and Michael Purcell and James Maguire (cousins). Amongst the Republicans that attended were two former IRA Chiefs of Staff – Dr Andrew Cooney and Mick Fitzpatrick – along with Dr J McKee and Sean Fitzpatrick.

Jackie Griffith was buried in grave FH 167.5 in the St Bridgets Section, Glasnevin alongside his maternal grandparents James Mary Leonard. Lynn Brady (Glasnevin resident genealogist) informed me that Jackie’s last address was listed as 2 Margaret Place, Beggars Bush which was the home of his uncle James Leonard. The family received flowers, wreaths, telegrams and letters from Cumann na mBan, Na Fianna Éireann, Clan na nGael, the National Graves Association and workers from the Irish Glass Bottle factory.

Dublin Evening Mail, 13 July 1943

Memory
In a letter to the Western People (09 April 1949), Jack Gavahan of Charlestown, County Mayo described Griffith as “an unarmed youth” who was shot off his bicycle in Mount Street, Dublin by “detectives who overtook him in a squad car and riddled him with machine-gun bullets”. This is the first printed reference I’ve found from someone claiming the long-held belief that Griffith was unarmed at the time of the shooting or certainly did not use any firearm he might have been carrying.

The National Commemoration Committee organised a memorial mass for Jackie Griffith at the University Church, St Stephen’s Green in 1949, 1950 and 1951.

The National Graves Association announced that it was collecting subscriptions for a new Celtic Cross memorial at Jackie Griffith’s grave in Glasnevin Cemetery. Donations were to be sent to Pádraig Ó Braoináin (Patrick Brennan), Cuimhneacháin Shéan Uí Grofia (John Griffith Memorial), c/o, 44 Parnell Square, Dublin. The organising committee comprised of Cathal Ó Murchadha (Charles Murphy) (chairperson), Seán Ó Broin (John O’Brien) (secretary) and Pádraig Ó Braoináin (treasurer). The headstone was unveiled on 06 July 1952 with an oration by Tomás Ó Dubhghaill (Thomas Doyle), president of Sinn Féin.

The headstone description reads:

I nDíl Chuimhne [In Memory Of]
Séain Uí Griobhtha [John Griffith]
Óglaigh na hÉireann [Irish Volunteers/ IRA]

A fuair bás [Who Died]
Ar an 4 lá d’Iúl 1943 [On the 4th of July 1943]
Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam [May God have mercy on his soul]
Erected by the
National Graves Association
1952

From 1956 to 1958, Jackie Griffith’s former Mountjoy comrades Brendan Behan, Seamus Smyth (Jim Smyth) and Jim McDonnell (Jim Mac) of Blarney, County Cork inserted a memorial notice in the Irish Press:

By late 1967, a Jackie Griffith Sinn Féin Cumann was active in the Donnycarney/Coolock/Harmonstown area of North Dublin. The Dundalk Democrat (23 September 1967) reported that they had forwarded a sum of money to a fund for recently dismissed Rawson shoe factory workers. There was also a Jackie Griffith Slua of Na Fianna Éireann in Ringsend in 1968 (see pg 321).

The National Cycling Association (NCA) organised an annual Invincibles Memorial race in the Phoenix Park in the 1960s and 1970s. (This was the site of the 1867 murders by the Invincibles of Chief Secretary for Ireland Lord Frederick Cavendish and his Permanent Undersecretary Thomas Henry Burke). The winner of the race received a trophy named in honour of Jackie Griffith. There are mentions of the Jackie Griffith Cup in the newspaper archives from 1969 until 1978. (One of the NCA’s leading members was former Dublin IRA member Joe Christle who established An Rás Tailteann in 1953, a 200-mile two-day road race.)

In 1971, Declan Bree of the Sligo Branch of the Connoly Youth Movement (CYM) wrote a scathing letter to the Western People (12 June) after Fianna Fáil TD Ray MacSharry had condemned “Britain’s role in the Six Counties”. Bree brought attention to the fact that Fianna Fáil were “responsible for the imprisonment of young Republicans in English jails” at that time and then listed 14 Irish republicans who were killed, executed or died on hunger-strike during Fianna Fáil rule in the 1930s and 1940s. In regard to Jackie Griffith, Bree wrote that he was “shot dead by Fianna Fáil Special Branch while cycling on Mount Street, Dublin; two carloads of Special Branch opened fire on him with machine guns and his body was almost severed in two by the bullets”. This repeated the Irish Press claim that there were two carloads, not one, of Special Branch. It also graphically reinforced the belief that Griffith received a lot more than one or two bullets.

By 1974, there was a Jackie Griffith Sinn Féin Cumann organised in the Ringsend, Sandymount and Irishtown area. Its chairman in the period was Jim Gorry. This might have led to some confusion as the Jackie Griffith Sinn Féin Cumann (Dublin Northeast) in the Coolock area was still active. Sinn Féin The Workers Paty (Official Sinn Féin) also had a Jackie Griffith Cumann in the Ringsend area in the late 1970s.

It is unclear whether there were public commemorations or memorial events for Jackie Griffith in the decades after his death. (Provisional) Sinn Féin organised events in 1976, 1977 and 1978 which comprised of a memorial mass at St Patrick’s Church, Ringsend followed by a parade to Mount Street where an oration was delivered and a wreath laid at the spot where Griffith was killed.

In 1993, on the 50th anniversary of his death, memorial events were organised by Republican Sinn Féin and Provisional Sinn Féin. RSF’s event at Glasnevin Cemetery was chaired by Peter Cunningham. A wreath was laid by Griffith’s fellow Mountjoy escapee Frank Kerrigan of Cork, Margaret Langsdorf recited a decade of the Rosary in Irish, author Uinseann MacEoinn spoke about Griffith’s life and Liam Cotter of Kerry delivered the oration.

In 2000, Provisional Sinn Féin revived the annual Jackie Griffith commemoration which had not been held since 1993. It was organised by the Jackie Griffith/Mairead Farrell Cumann (Dublin South East). There was a march annually from Ringsend village to Holles Street and a wreath-laying event for four years. 150 people attended the 2001 events including Jackie Griffith’s brother Gerry, his wife and his two daughters, who had travelled over from Manchester. Martin Ferris addressed the event and the weekend also saw the unveiling of a mural dedicated to the 1981 hunger strikers at the Widow Scallan’s pub on Pearse Street, the scene of the 1994 murder of IRA Volunteer Martin Doherty.

In 2002, the memorial event was addressed by Pat Doherty MP and local representative Daithí Doolan. There was also a representative from the striking Irish Glass Bottle Factory workers where incidentally Jackie Griffith had worked in the early 1940s. The 2003 event (60th anniversary of the shooting) was addressed by Alex Maskey (former Belfast Lord Mayor) and there was a public meeting on ‘A United Ireland by 2016’ with speakers Mitchel McLaughlin and Martina Anderson. The last event was in 2004 and was led by the Volunteer Hugh Hehir/Lisa Bell Republican Flute Band.

The 80th anniversary of Jackie Griffith’s death will take place next year (July 2023).

Thanks to: Brian Hanley, Frank Hopkins, Stew Reddin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Oisin Gilmore and Angela Leonard Pollard.

If anyone has any further information on the life, death or funeral of Jackie Griffith, please email me at matchgrams(at)gmail.com.

Major new map project of Dublin gun murders (1970 to 2022)

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Introduction
This new map plots out the locations of almost 350 gun murders in Dublin (and neighbouring counties) relating to organised crime, anti-social elements, paramilitary feuds, robberies and raids over the last 50+ years. It was compiled independently by Sam McGrath of the Come Here To Me! blog.

It began during the quiet months of the first lockdown when I set out on a project to establish how many ‘gangland’ murders have occurred in Dublin since the 1970s. No such figure was available online and I was interested in providing figures that could be compared to other cities like Glasgow, Manchester and London.

I am not interested in conjecture or trying to work out identities or motives. Descriptions of fatal shootings are short and pertinent. I also avoided the highly charged language used by tabloid newspapers. I mean no disrespect to any of the families affected by any of the fatal shootings and hope they do not feel unsettled that their loved one has been included on the map.

Information was gathered from the online archives of The Evening Herald, the Irish Independent, The Irish Press, The Irish Times and The Sunday Tribune as well relevant books by journalists Stephen Breen, Gene Kerrigan, Mick McCaffrey, Paul McWilliams, John Mooney, Paul Reynolds and Padraig Yeates.

The term ‘gangland’ murder can be problematic. I wanted to include all ‘criminal on criminal’ murders (the vast majority) but also innocent victims caught up in the crossfire and specific individuals who were killed in planned ‘hits’ but where the motive was unclear. I also included gun murders arising in conflicts between republican paramilitaries and criminal gangs; intra-republican paramilitary feuds and armed robberies. I am essentially interested in collating data about (nearly) all gun murders in Dublin that were not connected to family or relationship fallouts (husband shoots wife, brother kills father etc.)

Background
I’ve always had a particular interest in crime, gangs and the shadowy underworld of our capital city. I’ve previously researched and published articles on a criminal street gang called the ‘Sons of Dawn‘ and a more serious outfit of armed robbers led by Claude Gunner who were both tracked down and arrested by the IRA in the early 1920s. I wrote a biography piece on Charlie Henchico, an infamous street criminal and hustler, who from the early 1940s until his death in 1968, was involved in an absurdly long list of shootings, stabbings, hatchet-attacks, house robberies, larceny, pimping and various other illegal enterprises. I’ve also dipped into the emergence of the city’s modern drugs culture in the 1960s and 1970s and the experience of Dublin during the conflict in the North of Ireland (1969-1994). I wrote two long articles on killings related to criminality/’gangland’ in the 1970s/1980s and 1990-94.

All of these subject interests, which often overlap, coalesce with the emergence of what today we call ‘gangland’. Petty young criminals in the 1960s began as prolific shoplifters and pickpockets. Many were arrested and sent to brutal industrial and reformatory schools. They emerged as hardened outlaws who turned to house burglary before elevating to armed robberies of banks, post offices and jewellery shops. It was open season for a period in the 1970s and 1980s but improved security and increased police resources resulted in a drop in armed robberies. Many gangs began to sell cannabis, and other drugs, on the side which proved to be safer work and more profitable. In 1979/80, heroin flooded Western Europe following the fall of the Shah in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Dunne family became the first major importers of the drug into working-class communities in Dublin. The colossal dividends of drug dealing led to a proliferation of gangs, guns, paranoia and turf rivalry. There were cases of criminal gangs in Dublin using firearms to injure and maim rivals in the 1960s and 1970s but they were rare. The first cases, that I could find, of criminals shooting dead fellow criminals, was in 1978 and 1979 but consumption of drink and/or drugs and personal jealousy were often the key motives. The first clear premeditated murder by a criminal gang occurred in 1980 and in 1982/83 there were three cases of rival drug dealers killing each other in Dublin.

I think for many people, certainly, my generation, the history of modern gangland carnage begins with the shooting dead of crime boss Martin Cahill (‘The General’) by the Provisional IRA in 1994 and the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin by criminals two years later. However, this research shows that there were at least 15 premeditated gangland murders and another seven killings linked to criminality that occurred in the years leading up to 1994. Drug gangs began to import large quantities of ecstasy in the early 1990s to cater for the demands of the growing rave and club scene while prevalent cocaine consumption became synonymous with the Celtic Tiger era of the mid to late 1990s. Increased demand for drugs by the middle classes generated intense competition between gangs over turf which inevitably generated violent feuds and attacks. This period also significantly coincided with the winding down of the PIRA’s armed campaign which, in some people’s minds, resulted in criminal gangs having a ‘free rein’ to operate in many working-class communities in the city. It is also worth noting that the last mass anti-drugs community campaign (COCAD) in Dublin became inactive by around 2002.

The early 2000s saw the vicious Crumlin-Drimnagh feud in Dublin which led to the deaths of about 16 people. Gun violence and feuds grew throughout the decade. The Hutch-Kinahan conflict, which has resulted in the deaths of 20 people since 2015, has made world headlines. This has coincided with a growing public appetite for fictional accounts of our local underworld with television series (Love/Hate 2010-14 and Kin 2021), films (Cardboard Gangsters 2017 and Michael Inside 2018) and a whole series of fiction and nonfiction books.

Methodology and sources
I collated the incidents by using key search terms in the newspaper archives – “shot dead”, “fatal shooting”, “gun” + “inquest” etc. Most major newspapers also compiled a list of all murders that took place in the year which was published in December or January. This was a very useful tool.

Trying to divide the murders into different areas of motive was an important but difficult task. I created two principal lists – premeditated and non-premeditated.

Within List One (dark red), I separated the murders into five different categories which I came up with myself:

Motive 1) Criminals, or individuals with links to organised crime, being killed by other criminals in a) shootings in or near their home, a pub or on the street or b) abduction cases where people were killed and their bodies dumped in secluded locations. 

Motive 2) Individuals killed by criminal gangs a) in cases of mistaken identity b) for being witnesses or c) because they were physically with the intended target at the time. In other words, the perpetrators did not have plans to kill these specific people when they set out that day but they did plan to kill somebody else.

Motive 3) Criminals, or suspected criminals, killed by republican paramilitaries. 

Motive 4) Republican paramilitaries killed by suspected criminals.

Motive 5) Individuals, who had no known involvement in serious crime, killed by criminal gangs where there are personal/paranoia/revenge motives or where the motive is unknown but it has all the hallmarks of a ‘gangland hit’.

(Note: I have included a handful of incidents where individuals, not regarded as being involved in criminality, were shot dead in revenge for rape, child molesting or manslaughter in Motive 1 instead of Motive 5.) 

List two (brown) comprises of murders that were linked to gangland/serious criminality but were not planned in advance e.g. gang fights, one on one stabbing incidents, drug deals gone wrong, individuals shot by anti-social youths etc. They are divided into two categories:

Motive 6) Criminals or anti-social youths killed by other criminals or other antisocial youths during gang fights, one on one fights, unpremeditated incidents or similar

Motive 7) Individuals, not connected to criminality, killed by criminals or antisocial youths

I also created three additional lists:

List three (green)-  individuals (nearly all criminals) who were shot by themselves or by associates by accident.

List four (dark blue) – individuals shot dead in the course of raids and robberies including security guards, garda officers and criminals themselves.

List five (black) – individuals killed during the ‘Troubles’. A mixture of republican paramilitaries killed in feuds; republican paramilitaries killed by security personnel; garda, prison officers and informers killed by republican paramilitaries. I did not include those killed in bomb attacks.

Numbers and breakdown
The research reveals that there have been 285 fatal shootings (up to 12 April 2022) – linked to criminality – where there has been premeditation to some degree. 279 were plotted on the map as the bodies of six victims have not been found – see Appendix 1.

239 of these murders took place in Dublin. I also included all ‘gangland’ murders that occurred in bordering counties Kildare (8), Meath (15) and Wicklow (11) because their active criminal gangs often include people originally from Dublin or have links (or rivalries) with Dublin criminals. I also included six murders in other counties when the murder victims were Dublin criminals.

I have not included any of the criminal feuds that have resulted in deaths in Cork, Dundalk, Drogheda, Limerick and Sligo, or mentioned any of the Irish criminals who have been killed in the Netherlands, Portugal or Spain.

For the chronological list, after some deliberation, I decided to use the date that a person was shot and wounded and not a later date that they died in hospital. I also used the date that someone went missing, or was last seen, as opposed to when their remains were found. I think this more accurately helps to understand the timeline of criminal feuds and where that person’s death fits into the bigger picture. 

Findings
Many ‘household’ names of career criminals will be recognised by readers such as Martin Cahill (‘The General’) (1994), Seamus ‘Shavo’ Hogan (2002), Martin ‘Marlo’ Hyland (2006), Eamon ‘The Don’ Dunne (2010) and the Kinahan lieutenant David Byrne (2016). Many will also recall the names of innocent victims such as journalist Veronica Guerin (1996), plumber Anthony Campbell (2006), garage employee Eddie Ward (2007) and cousins Mark Noonan and Glen Murphy (2010).

The youngest victims were Gerard Morgan (15) in 1982, Melanie McCarthy-McNamara (16) in 2012 and Patrick ‘Whacker’ Lawlor (17) in 1999. The oldest were Noel ‘Duck Egg’ Kirwan (62) in 2016, Edward Nugent (64) in 2015, Joan Casey (65) in 2004 and Eamon Kelly (65) in 2012. The average age of the 285 victims was 33 years old.

The project covers the major criminal feuds of the last 20 years in the country’s capital city:

  • The INLA vs West Dublin criminal gang feud (1999-2008?) – c. six deaths
  • Crumlin-Drimnagh feud (2002-12?) – c. 16-18 deaths
  • Westies gang fall out: Coates/Sugg faction vs. Glennon brothers faction (2003-05?) – c. four deaths
  • Sheriff St. gang fall out: Christy Griffin vs anti-Christy Griffin faction (2006-10) – c. six deaths
  • M50 gang fall out: Corbally brothers faction vs. O’Driscoll faction (2009-10) c. four deaths
  • Dublin RIRA (Alan Ryan) vs. Coolock gang (‘Mr Big’) (2010-16) – c. eight deaths
  • Hutch vs Kinahan (2015-present) – c. 20 deaths
  • Coolock feud (2019-present) – c. five deaths

According to my research, 10 women were shot dead by those with links to criminality. Six were innocent witnesses or were killed in cases of mistaken identity – Catherine Brennan (1995), Joan Casey (2004), Melanie McCarthy-McNamara (2012), Anna Varslavane (2015) and Antoinette Corball (2017). Donna Cleary was killed when young criminals shot at her home in 2006. Four women were specifically targeted. Journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996, sex worker Sinead Kelly in 1998, Baiba Saulite in 2006 (who was in the middle of a bitter domestic dispute with her former partner and criminal Hassan Hassan over the custody of their two children), and Marioara Rostas who was brutally raped and shot dead in 2008 by a gangland hitman.

A total of 18 individuals were killed while socialising in pubs (See appendix 2). Five of these pubs have since been demolished, one is permanently empty, one is a Chinese restaurant, four are still operating under the same name while another seven are open but have changed their name. A further six people were killed while smoking or drinking outside pubs or while leaving in the car park.

There were a total of 15 cases of ‘double murders’ when two individuals were murdered in the same incident. (See appendix 3) Two fathers and sons were killed in separate incidents – Eddie McCabe (1995) & Eddie McCabe Jr. (2006) as well as Noel Kirwan (2016) & Kane McCormack (2017). There are ten cases of two brothers being killed in separate incidents and a number of uncle/nephew and cousin/cousin murder victims.

The project includes ten individuals born outside of the island:

  1. Tony Lee – 1979 – China
  2. Michael Tsin – 1979 – China
  3. Qui Hong Xiang – 2002 – China
  4. Baiba Saulite – 2006 – Latvia
  5. Marioara Rostas – 2008 – Romania 
  6. Charles Sinapayen – 2009 – France
  7. Zilvinas Varnauskas – 2012 – Lithuania 
  8. Gintaras Želvys – 2013 – Lithuania 
  9. Anna Varslavane – 2015 – Latvia
  10.  Hamid Sanambar – 2019 – Iran

Also two men who had family ties to Belgium (Yohan ‘Yohi’ Verhoeven 2006) and Libya-Pakistan (Adil Essalhi 2011).

Geography
Looking at the map, it is stark but no surprise to see the vast majority of pins on the Northside and in West Dublin. Working-class areas with high levels of deprivation and decades-long issues with crime, drugs, unemployment and education levels.

It is striking that there are no pins anywhere within about 5km of the coast from the south city centre all the way down to Bray.  This means that there have been no ‘gangland’ murders in 40+ years in south-east middle-class areas (which would be expected) but also working-class areas which comprise all, or parts, of Ringsend, Irishtown, Dún Laoghaire, Shankill, Monkstown, Ballybrack, Cabinteely, Loughlinstown, Sallynoggin, Ballinteer, Ballyboden, Ballyogan and Sandyford.

There is no doubt that criminal gangs operate in these areas but it is possible that they are less prone to feuds and violence with rivals. Some of it is down to pure luck as there have been shooting incidents in Ballybrack (2007 and 2017); Monkstown Farm (2019); Ringsend (2003); Loughlinstown (2007); Sallynoggin (2014); Ballyogan (2019) and Sandyford (2001).

Conclusion and contact

This project and research will be of interest to historians, researchers and journalists with an interest in criminality, sociology, violence, drugs, homicide levels and social history. These figures should allow others to compare the number of ‘gangland’ murders in Dublin (1.2m) with cities of relatively similar size like Manchester (2.7m) and Glasgow (1.7m). For example, research suggests that during the ten year period between 1999 and 2009, 112 people in Greater Manchester were shot dead. This project has compiled the list of 117 individuals who were killed in gun violence in the same period in Dublin and 131 people if you include neighbouring counties like Meath and Wicklow.

This is a personal project without any financial backing. As you can imagine, it took hundreds of hours of research. I also plan to update it semi-regularly with new incidents. Any few coins would be greatly appreciated! Links: Paypal (matchgrams(at)gmail.com) or Revolut (http://revolut.me/sammcgrath77).

A project of this size is likely to contain some inaccurate details. I apologise in advance and will rectify any genuine mistakes. It is by no means exhaustive and all conclusions are my own. I also would be interested in knowing of any fatalities that I might have missed.  If you have any comments or information, please reach me at matchgrams(at)gmail.com.

Note: I have no connection with the blog (https://ganglandireland.wordpress.com/) but it was a very useful starting point.

Appendix 1 – Bodies that have not been recovered

02 Feb 2000 – Stephen Finnegan (19), of Willie Nolan Road, Baldoyle, was last seen alive on his date. His car, a silver 1986 Honda Civic, was found reversed into the entrance of a house in Ceanchor Road, Howth on 06 Feb. His mother said in a 2011 interview that Stephen had found a haul of drugs in late December 1999. She claims that he was badly beaten by the criminal who owned them and was bombarded with threatening phone calls including that he would be shot. Stephen’s mother believed the criminal thought her son was going to inform the police about the drugs. The mother “believes that he was followed to Howth and shot close to where his car was located and his body then dumped into the Irish Sea from nearby cliffs”. [Motive 5?]

16 Dec 2004: Patrick Lawlor (23), of Buttercup Terrace, Darndale, went missing from his home on this date. His car was found the following day near Dublin Airport. Police suspect that he was killed by a drug gang who he worked for as a courier. Despite extensive digs in the Swords and Balgriffin areas, his body has never been found. [Motive 1]

23 July 2008: Alan Napper (39), of Seacliff Road, Baldoyle, and David ‘Babyface’ Lindsay (38), of Seacliff Drive, Baldoyle were last seen alive on this date in Clane, Co. Kildare. Both had been charged with the possession of substantial amounts of drugs in separate incidents in the 1990s. It is believed that they were killed in a house on the Drumdreenagh Road, Rathfriland, Co. Down, where bloodstains matching Lindsay were later found. Their bodies have never been recovered. [Motive 1]

23 July 2008: David ‘Babyface’ Lindsay (38), of Seacliff Drive, Baldoyle and Alan Napper (39), of Seacliff Road, Baldoyle, and were last seen alive on this date in Clane, Co. Kildare. Both had been charged with the possession of substantial amounts of drugs in separate incidents in the 1990s. It is believed that they were killed in a house on the Drumdreenagh Road, Rathfriland, Co. Down, where bloodstains matching Lindsay were later found. Their bodies have never been recovered. [Motive 1]

14 April 2015: William Maughan (34), originally from Killinarden, Tallaght, and Anna Varslavane (21), originally from Latvia, were last seen alive on this date. The pair lived together in Gormanstown, Co Meath but were planning to move back to Tallaght at the time of their disappearance. Gardaí believe they were abducted and killed by a criminal gang operating in Meath and Louth as they feared the pair were going to provide information to the Gardaí about the shooting dead of Benny Whitehouse in Balbriggan the year previously. Their bodies have never been found. [Motive 5 – innocent]

Appendix 2 – Pub killings
Pubs (Inside)

  1. Jackie Kelly – 17 Sep. 1980 – Grace’s pub, corner of Townsend St. and Shaw St., Pearse St., D2 – Destroyed by fire 1983.
  2. John Reddin – 01 April 1996 – The Blue Lion pub, 103 Parnell St., North Inner City, D1 – Korean restaurant today
  3. Tony ‘Chester’ Beatty – 30 Nov. 1997 – The Wild Heather pub, 60 Mary St, North Inner City, D1 – Closed 1990s. 
  4. Eamon O’Reilly – 11 Jan. 1998 – The Tower Inn pub, St. Helena’s Rd, Finglas, D11 – Closed 2000s
  5. Raymond Salinger – 28 Jan. 2003 – Farrell’s pub, 35 New St., Clanbrassil St., D8 – Open today (Kavanagh’s)
  6. Declan Griffin – 05 April 2003 – Horse and Jockey pub, Emmet Rd., Inchicore, D8 – Closed
  7. Thomas Canavan – 04 Aug 2003 – Cleary’s pub, 53 Sarsfield Rd., Inchicore, D8 – Open (same name)
  8. Bernard Verb Sugg – 17 Aug 2003 – Brookwood Inn pub, Blackcourt Road, Blanchardstown, D15 – Open today (Leonard’s)
  9. Paul Warren – 25 Feb 2004 – Gray’s pub, Newmarket Square, Coombe, Liberties, D8 – Closed and demolished
  10. Jimmy Curran – 03 April 2005 – The Green Lizard pub, Francis St., The Liberties, South Inner City, D8 – Open today (Drop Dead Twice)
  11. Anthony Russell – 18 April 2008 – Ardlea Inn pub, 11 Maryfield Ave., Artane, D5 – Open today (same name)
  12.  Paul ‘Farmer’ Martin – 23 Aug 2008 – Jolly Toper pub, 33 Church St., Finglas, D11 – Open today (Village Inn)
  13.  John ‘Champagne’ Carroll – 18 Feb 2009 – Grumpy Jack’s pub, 25 The Coombe, D8 – Open today (Spitalfields)
  14.  Eamon Dunne – 23 April 2010 – Fassaugh House pub, 2A Fassaugh Ave., Cabra, D7 – Closed and to be demolished
  15.  Darren Coggan – 25 June 2011 – Black Horse Inn pub, 233 Tyrconnell Rd., Inchicore, D8 – Closed 2010s
  16.  Alan McNally – 02 Feb 2012 – Cappagh Nua pub, 58 Barry Rd., Finglas, D11 – Open today (Abbey Tavern)
  17.  Paul Cullen – 03 April 2013 – Cabra House pub, 62-66 Fassaugh Ave., Cabra, D7 – Closed
  18.  Michael Barr – 25 April 2016 – Sunset House pub, 1 Summerhill Parade, Ballybough, D3 – Off license today

Pubs (outside)

  1. PJ Judge (‘The Psycho’) – 08 Dec 1996 – sitting in car outside Royal Oak pub, Finglas Road, Finglas, D11
  2. Tommy Byrne – 13 April 2000 – drinking outside O’Neill’s pub, 16 Summerhill Parade, Ballybough, D1
  3. Ronald Draper – 14 June 2003 – bouncer outside Charlie P’s pub, Eden Quay, North Inner City, D1
  4. David Thomas – 09 Oct 2009 – smoking outside Drake Inn pub, 60 Main St., Finglas, D11
  5. Peter Butterly – 06 March 2013 – standing outside Huntsman Inn pub, Gormanston, Co. Meath
  6. Darren Kearns 2015 – 05 Feb 2015 – car park of Cumiskey’s pub, Blackhorse Ave., D7

Appendix 3 – Double murders

  1. Eddie McCabe and Catherine Brennan (1995)
  2. Darren Carey and Patrick Murray (1999)
  3. Darren Geoghegan and Gavin Byrne (2005)
  4. Martin ‘Marlo’ Hyland and Anthony Campbell (2006)
  5. Brian Downes and Eddie Ward (2007)
  6. Alan Napper and David ‘Babyface’ Lindsay (2008)
  7. Michael ‘Roly’ Cronin and James Moloney (2009)
  8. Paddy Mooney and Brendan Molyneaux (2010)
  9. Kenneth Corbally and Paul Corbally (2010)
  10.  Mark Noonan and Glen Murphy (2010)
  11.  Andrew Barry and Zilvinas Varnauskas (2012)
  12.  Joseph Redmond and Anthony Burnett (2012)
  13.  Eoin O’Connor and Anthony Keegan (2014)
  14.  Willie Maughan and Anna Varslavane (2015)
  15.  Antoinette Corbally and Clinton Shannon (2017)
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