Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 2 September 2021

Journeys to a Truce: Imprisoning the Nation

The year 2021 marks the centenary of the use of Spike Island as a British military run prison for Republican prisoners and internees between February and November 1921. Almost 1200 Republicans were imprisoned on the island.

Spike Island’s newest exhibition entitled “Imprisoning a Nation”, and sponsored by Cork County Council, is set in the Mitchell Hall space. The exhibitionprovides another insight and angle into studying the Irish War of Independence era. It features original letters, newspaper clippings as well as handwritten correspondence between the prisoners and internees and other family members as well as official documentation by the British forces in 1921. Approximately 140 photographs have been collected over a period of ten years. The autograph books containing signatures of those in prison and Spike Island during 1921 are especially remarkable. Accompanying the exhibition is historian Tom O’Neil’s newest book – Spike Island’s Republican Prisoners 1921 – which is a tour-de-force piece of research and which inspired the exhibition.

The exhibition outlines that because the Royal Irish Constabulary and British Army held a large number of Republicans in prison during 1920 there was an pressing need for extra prison places. This influenced the opening of a British military prisons for prisoners and internees on Spike Island and on Bere Island in early 1921.

Prisoners on Spike Island were those sentenced to imprisonment by military courts. Internees were in prison without trial. There were approximately 900 internees and 300 prisoners detained in Spike Island during 1921. The vast majority were from the Martial Law areas. There were no female prisoners imprisoned on Spike Island.

Republican prisoners and internees were sent to Spike Island from the civilian jails in Cork Kilkenny Waterford in Limerick and from the military barracks and camps in Bere Island, Buttevant, Cork, Fermoy, Kilkenny, Kilworth, Moore Park, Tralee and Waterford. There were regular transfers both ways, between Spike Island, Bere Island and Cork County or Male Gaol.

The formidable fortress on Spike Island is sunk almost 20 feet deep in the middle of the island, and occupies about half of its 150 acres. The fortress is surrounded by a deep moat, and high walls on either side. In 1921 the interior of the fortress contained a number of two-storied blocks of barrack rooms, offices and stores, spacious parade grounds and a sizable building used for religious services and other purposes. Internees were housed in old nineteenth century prison blocks or within specially created wooden camp blocks within the fortress.

James Duggan of 2^nd Battalion, 2^nd Tipperary Brigade in his Bureau of Military History witness statement (WS1510) recalls arriving at the Spike Island camp in Spring 1921 and being introduced to his camp commandant, Henry O’Mahoney, of Passage, Cork, and the vice-commandant, Bill Quirke, and assigned to his quarters. James notes of the quarters; “Each barrack room contained 20 to 25 men and we had all to assemble at about 10 a.m. every morning on the parade ground to be checked and counted, and we were again counted in our quarters at night. We were allowed out on the parade ground for a time each day where we played hurling or football for exercise. This ground was completely surrounded by a dense barbed wire entanglement and while we were out there was always a number of armed sentries outside the barbed wire”.

The exhibition recalls a number of instances of note in the spring and summer months of 1921. On 9 April 1921 three prisoners escaped by board from Spike Island they were Seán McSwiney (brother of Terence McSwiney), Cornelius Twomey and Tom Malone. None of them were recaptured.

On the evening of 31 May 1921, Patrick White from Meelick, County Clare, was fatally shot when he was playing hurling on the parade ground. A British army sentry shot him when he went to retrieve the ball, after it rolled under the barbwire fence that was around the interment compound. He died shortly afterwards in the prison hospital.

On 30 August 1921, two hunger strikes began – the prisoners for improved conditions and the internees for unconditional release. This led Tom Barry to visit Spike Island. He was by now one of the Chief Liaison Officers of the Martial Law Areas, which were established by Éamon de Valera – to make sure that the ceasefire and peace was kept. On 31 August 1921, an account is published in Cork Examiner stating that Tom attempted to visit and enter the camp for the purpose of trying to gather information regarding the hunger strike of the internees. In his press interview he noted that he was informed by the Governor that permission from the Sixth Division of the British Army was necessary before entrance of the camp could be obtained. Permission was not granted.

Tom Barry made the following statement condemning the members of the British Army present and their reading of the Truce conditions: “The action of the COG sixth division in refusing me an opportunity to arrange matters is evidently one calculated to prevent a settlement without the drastic step of a hunger strike by the internees. It is apparent that he has followed the precedents set up by himself at the beginning of a truce placing difficulties in the way of the smooth working of the conditions agreed to between the Irish Republican army and the British Army. Such action is to be deployed at the present juncture when clearer thinking and a more intelligent grasp of actualities is so much needed”.

The hunger strikes lasted four days and were halted due to a request by Sinn Féin General Head Quarters as it may upset delicate ongoing Truce negotiations. However, the conditions at the prison became a regular topic amongst remaining Republicans in the city especially those members of Cork Corporation. There are a number of their detailed criticisms on crowded conditions published in local newspapers such as the Cork Examiner in the autumn and winter of 1921.

The “Imprisoning the Nation” exhibition is currently open on Spike Island. Tom O’Neil’s new book is in any good bookshop at present.

Captions:

1115a. Former nineteenth century prison block, which held internees on Spike Island in 1921, which includes a memorial to shot internee Patrick White, present day (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

1115b. Part of the “Imprisoning the Nation” exhibition on Spike Island, showcasing 140 photographs of individual internees, present day (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

22 August 2021, “Kieran McCarthy, who is also a historian, has written a number of books on the history of the city and is a vocal advocate in the maintaining of Cork city centre’s character.  ‘We need funding from Government to target the problem, to fund Compulsory Purchase Orders on it’, From falling masonry to risk of collapse: 103 buildings on Cork’s ‘dangerous structures’ list, From falling masonry to risk of collapse: 103 buildings on Cork’s ‘dangerous structures’ list (thejournal.ie)

Irish International Trading Corporation presents  archive materials to Cork City Library

As part of Ireland’s National Heritage Week celebrations, Irish International Trading Corporation (IITC) has handed over an extensive collection of archive materials to Cork City Library, ensuring that the rich history of the 101-year-old company will be maintained for generations to come. Local historian and Cork City Councillor Kieran McCarthy has also presented copies of his new book to the library, Irish International Trading Corporation (Cork), Celebrating 100 Years which details the company’s growth from 1920 to the present day.

The archive materials presented to Cork City Library include minutes from board meetings, cash books, ledgers, letters and notes all dating back to the company’s inception against the backdrop of the Burning of Cork in 1920. These materials, as well as an exhibition of photographs will remain on display in the public areas of the library until September 17th.

Speaking at the formal handover of archive material to Cork City Library, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Colm Kelleher said, “The handover of these historic documents and copies of Cllr Kieran McCarthy’s book is an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of IITC and its shared history with Cork, whilst also highlighting the important role that Cork City Library plays as a custodian of the city’s rich history. I am delighted to be helping IITC celebrate this occasion, and I look forward to its continued success”.

IITC Managing Director, David Heffernan said, “Today marks another significant milestone in the history of IITC. The original headquarters for the company was located on Grand Parade, across the road from Cork City Library, so in effect we are returning these materials close to the site of the inaugural meetings that took place in the 1920s. In Cllr McCarthy’s book, we now have a definitive and detailed account of the work that our founders carried out to ensure that Cork played a key role in establishing trade routes with other countries in the early 1900s”. 

The duty of care for these documents of significant historical importance now falls upon Cork City Libraries, and the newly appointed city librarian David O’Brien. “We are delighted to have this opportunity to preserve these materials in our archives. IITC was founded at a time of enormous historical significance in Cork, so it is truly fascinating to be able to reflect on the work that was done in setting up a company that fostered crucial trading links to Europe and America. It is our duty as trustees of Cork’s history to ensure that these documents, which are sure to be of public interest, are preserved for generations to come”.

IITC was founded by a collective of Cork business families at the Grand Parade in Cork in 1920. The founders were motivated by a desire to support commercial and industrial development in a new emerging Ireland.  IITC has played a key role in the development of Cork, from supplying materials to aid the rebuilding of the city after its burning in 1920 all the way through to supporting local enterprise today. From relatively small beginnings, IITC has grown to become a national business with a global reach, employing over 120 people with annual sales of €60 million.