On 13 October 1970 Saor Eire member Liam Walsh, a welder and fitter by trade and father of four, was killed in a premature explosion when himself and another member Martin Casey were planting a device at a railway line at the rear of McKee army base off Blackhorse Avenue in Dublin.
Joining the Republican Movement in 1953, Walsh had been the commanding officer of the south Dublin unit of the IRA during the late 1950s and was interned for a time in the Curragh. He lived at 50 Tyrone Place, Inchicore and, at the time of his death, was awaiting trail on charge of taking part in an armed bank raid at Baltinglass in August 1969.
Liam Walsh in IRA uniform. Photograph belonged to the late Paddy Browne.
We have been passed on some photographs of his funeral by Barbara O’Reilly. The photographs belonged to the late Paddy Browne who can be seen in the third picture with beard carrying a flag at the front of the colour party .
The funeral took place on 17 October 1970 and was attended by over 3,000 people.
The cortege left from Inchicore, was diverted down O’Connell Street and marched all the way to Mount Jerome cemetery in Harold’s Cross.
Funeral of Liam Walsh (Saor Eire), 1970. Photos were in possession of the late Paddy Browne
Here is the cortege as it made its way down O’Connell Street. Note the two hands with revolvers.
The Irish Times (20 October 1970) described how after a piper played a lament:
Two men, dressed in black berets and anoraks, fired four rounds of ammunition into the air as a tribute to the dead man.
An estimated 50 gardai and a dozen special branch accompanied the cortege but no action was taken.
Funeral of Liam Walsh (Saor Eire), O’Connell St, 1970. Photos were in possession of the late Paddy Browne
Here is the colour party as it entered the cemetery. The Irish Times (19 October 1970) reported that an elderly man shouted ‘So long soldier!” as his coffin was being lowered.
Funeral of Liam Walsh (Saor Eire) arriving at Mount Jerome Cemetery, 1970. Photos were in possession of the late Paddy Browne
