Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 23 March 2023

Recasting Cork: Spring Skirmishes in Cork City

Robbery, sniping and arson were all part of the Anti-Treaty IRA movement in Cork City in March 1923. From late February 1923, several postal pillar boxes in Cork were closed off. Of the ninety odd pillar boxes and wall boxes in the city, about forty were not in use. They were closed by the postal authorities in order to safeguard public property and correspondence. During hold-ups the keys of those boxes were taken from the postmen and consequently there was no alternative but to close those boxes until new locks could be fitted.

The Cork Examiner records that on 5 March 1923 at 9pm members of the National Army at the Cork terminus of the Cork Bandon Railway were sniped at, and one soldier was rather seriously wounded. The shots – seven or eight in all – were fired from the ruins of the City Hall, the fire being directed chiefly at the sentries on duty at the gates of the railway. None of the sentries were hit, but Michael Sullivan, a married man, employed as engine-driver on an armoured train, who was returning to the station and was near the gates when the shots were fired was wounded. A bullet struck him in the thigh, passing clean through and fracturing the bone. He was removed to the Mercy Hospital for treatment.

With the exception of a few panes of glass being broken, no other damage was caused by the snipers, who ceased to fire when the troops opened fire in their direction. A few minutes after the attack matters were again quiet. One arrest was made.

On 8 March shortly after 8pm, the Cork Examiner records that Commandant Scott of the National Army was seriously wounded at Blarney Street. He had just arrived at the residence of Mrs Powell, a sister of Michael Collins, when an attempt by Anti-Treaty IRA volunteers to burn the house down, was initiated. The house was saturated with petrol and oil and those involved were ready to set the house alight. Even the children, who had been in bed, had been ordered out by the raiders. When the Commandant knocked at the door, the door was opened by one of the raiders, a youth of less than twenty years of age. The lad, recognising that a miliary officer was standing at the door, immediately whipped out a revolver and fired point blank at Scott, hitting him in the right arm.

Several shots followed, the disturbance being the signal for the raiding party to get away as speedily at possible. They exited the house and got away under fire from Commandant Scott’s escort. One of the raiders that was captured was in possession of a Webley revolver and six rounds of ammunition, two of which had just been fired. Commandant Scott was operated at in the Mercy Hospital. One of his bones in his right arm was fractured.

On 12 March, a raid on a sweet shop on Penrose Quay in a disused loft – the property of the Cork Steam Packet Company – four canvas life-belts were discovered. The cork was removed from the life-belts and Thompson ammunition was found inside. The four belts contained 2,108 rounds. In another nearby raid, 1,000 rounds of Thompson gun ammunition were found concealed.

Elsewhere telegram wires were cut at Glasheen Road. Troops were at once on the scene and fired a few shots after the raiders who got away across the adjacent countryside. In the same day in the course of a search in Donoughmore, a six cylinder Buick car was discovered covered with Furze bushes. An empty dug-out was also found.

On 13 March in a raid in a sweet shop near Parnell Bridge, fourteen rounds of ammunition were found and some anti-treaty literature. A Miss Nolan was arrested. On the same day an ammunition dump complete with revolvers and two bombs was discovered near the wall of Mayfield Chapel. The intention was to use them in a night attack on troops passing Dillon’s Cross.

On 14 March, William Healy, 52 Dublin Street, was executed. He was arrested under arms during a raid on a house on Blarney Street. He was court-martialled on a charge of possession of arms and was executed by firing squad at Cork County Gaol on Western Road. On 16 March, Mr William G Beale, aged 52, and unmarried, residing at Elm Grove, Ballyvolane Road, and a member of the well-known form of Harris and Beale, Grand Parade, was shot and seriously wounded near his residence by men who stated that the act was a reprisal for William’s execution.

On 20 March 1923 the Cork Examiner records that an extensive raid was carried out on the Cork Lunatic Asylum. In the course of an extensive search a number of revolvers and several rounds of ammunition were discovered behind the fireplace in a room occupied by Warden Fitzgerald. In a room a large quantity of field dressing was captured as well as a bundle of seditious literature in one of the wardresses’ rooms. An empty Mills bomb case was found in another room. The warder Jerry Fitzgerald with four of his male staff George Wycherly, Charles Hyde and John Murphy were arrested. Three wardresses were arrested, who were all prominent members of the Anti-Treaty Cumann na mBan. They were Kathleen O’Sullivan, Miss N Connolly and Miss H Clery.

In addition, on 20 March 1923, an attempt was made to destroy the residence of Maurice Healy, solicitor, Ballintemple, by fire by a number of men, some of whom were armed. Petrol was freely sprinkled in the upper storey and set alight. The incendiaries, apparently fearing being surprised while on their work of destruction, retired rather hastily. A member of the household, with the aid of chemicals, soon had the fire quenched. Little damage was done beyond two rooms and the corridor being slightly scorched by the flames.

Kieran’s April Tours (free, no booking required):

Saturday 1 April 2023, Shandon Historical Walking Tour,meet at North Main Street/ Adelaide Street Square, opp Cork Volunteer Centre, 2pm, in association with the Cork Lifelong Learning Festival.  

Sunday 2 April 2023, The Cork City Workhouse; meet just inside the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 2pm, with the Cork Lifelong Learning Festival.

Saturday 15 April 2023, The Friar’s Walk; Discover Red Abbey, Elizabeth Fort, Barrack Street, Callanan’s Tower & Greenmount area; Meet at Red Abbey tower, off Douglas Street, 2pm.

Caption:

1194a. Liam Healy executed on 13 March 1923 (picture: Cork City Library).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 2 March 2023

Recasting Cork: Damages to Rail

Late February 1923 and early March 1923 coincided with AGM reports for the Great Southern and Western Railway (GSWR) Company and for the more local railway companies.

During the latter half of 1922, railway property was subject to a concentrated campaign of destruction by the anti-Treaty Republican forces. After their defeat in the Four Courts in Dublin in early July 1922 they intensified their campaign and targeted all operational railway infrastructure. The GSWR Company had a 1,800km network of which 240 miles (390 km) were double track. It was looked upon as the lines of communication of the National Army and therefore damaged with the object of preventing the movement of troops.

Numerous bridges over and under were totally or partially destroyed, signal cabins and other buildings burned down, and engines derailed. A map produced in the Dublin newspapers on 6 January 1923 showed the extent of the damage – 467 breakages in a “permanent way”, 55 overbridges damaged, 236 underbridges damaged, 3 engines destroyed, 86 engines damaged, 109 rolling stock destroyed, 260 rolling stock damaged, and a multitude of signal cabins and buildings were destroyed by fire. Approximately, a million in pounds sterling represented the losses incurred by the shareholders of Ireland’s principal railway. Claims for compensation in respect of these damages were made to the Irish Free State government.

The effects of civil war on rail traffic of the GSWR company were felt in various ways. It closed up altogether considerable sections of the line for long periods. At one time as much as 400miles of line were out of action and in early March 1923 there was a mileage of 250 miles of line on which no trains were ran. War created a general feeling of insecurity and restricted the general trade of the south and west of Ireland. The uncertainty of transit owing to constant damage to the railway temporarily turned trade to other channels. The serious delay to goods in transit reduced business. Less credit was being given. There was also a constant pillage of merchandise and trains being held up by armed forces.

The breaking of the three large viaducts in the south of Ireland practically isolated the County Cork and portion of Kerry and deprived the company of its long-distance traffic, which was the most valuable traffic they had. Passengers only travelled when absolute necessity arose. They could not rely on many parts of the line.

On 27February 1923 an AGM report for the Cork Blackrock and Passage Railway (CBPR) Company was published in the Cork Examiner. It relates that on 8 August 1922 one of the spans of the Douglas Viaduct was destroyed by explosives, and in consequence it had not been possible ever since to run any trains whatever. Such destruction hit the earning power of the line, caused unemployment for employees plus seriously inconvenienced the residents of the district.

The CBPR Company did their best to provide a substitute on the river and they took on a vessel called the Hibernia, which, jointly with the vessel called Albert, carried passengers upstream and downstream to various stations. The public were left only three days without connections with Cork and other stations. The company also put on a second goods steamer for the convenience of traders.

Furthermore, at the end of January 1923 the station buildings and signal cabins at Blackrock, Monkstown and Passage were burned to the ground by anti-Treaty Republicans, also the signal cabin at Rochestown, and, in addition, at Passage the workshops were seriously damaged and several carriages burned to cinders. The Company lamented: “At the time the train service had not been restored, and one may ask what purpose this latter act of brigandage effected? The people who will really benefit by these outrages are the bridge constructors, the carriage builders, and signal manufacturers outside Ireland. As you may readily imagine, the cost of restoration will be very heavy, so much so that unless the Government provide the money the line must remain derelict”.

On 1 March 1923, the Cork Examiner published the AGM report of the Cork Bandon and South Coast Railway (CBSCR) Company. During the War of Independence years, 1920 and 1921, damage was done from time to time to the Company’s line and many bridges were badly damaged. They were able, nevertheless, to continue working until the 9 August 1922. On that date, however, the Chetwynd Viaduct near the city was so seriously damaged by a huge explosion that it was impossible to run trains over it. Consequently, the line had to be closed for all traffic, and it remained closed for the rest of the year. The necessary stops for repairing Chetwynd Viaduct were taken as soon as protection could be obtained for the bridge repair contractors and by early 1923 trains ran again over it.

On succeeding days in August 1922 several other bridges at various parts of the Cork Bandon line were destroyed by explosives as well as other infrastructural damage.

In January 1923, ten of their stations and signal cabins were burnt down and five engines were destroyed. By early March 1923, the (CBSCR) Company was running a limited service between Cork and Bandon for passengers, goods and livestock.

Caption:

1191a. Bandon railway station, c.1920 (source: West Cork Through Time by Kieran McCarthy & Dan Breen).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 16 February 2023

Recasting Cork: A New Motor Association

In January and February 1923, debates by motor car owners on the growth of motor car ownership in Cork led to rising concerns on inadequate road infrastructure and questions on road taxation. A public meeting of owners of private and commercial motor cars was held on the weekend of the 17 February 1923 at Cork’s Victoria Hotel for the purpose of approving the formation of an Association to be known as the Munster Motor Association.

Over one hundred replies were received to a circular sent out, all promising support, and undertaking to join the Association. In addition, there were about fifty owners at the meeting, representing private owners, hirers, garage owners and commercial owners.

The Cork Examiner on 19 February 1923 notes Mr Richard H Tilson was appointed to the chair. Richard was a director of Messrs Cade & Sons Ltd Mineral Manufacturers and was former High Sheriff of Cork for three years, 1913-1915. He was a motor car enthusiast and was a founding member of the Munster Motor Association.

The Chairman, Richard Tilson, felt it was apparent from the large and representative nature of the meeting and the number of signed assents received that they were justified in the formation of the Association. They wished to be law-abiding and wanted to protect car owners and wanted the public to be aware of their aims.

Tilson noted that they had no intention of creating difficulties for the Irish Free Government or the local authorities. They were not there to resist in any “violent manner” whatever obligations were imposed upon them, but they considered the existing road tax for motor cars unjust and that the road tax needed to be reformed. The taxes, Tilson detailed, went towards many purposes, including the upkeep of local roads. He also highlighted that the motor tax was also supposed to go directly towards the requirements necessary for “improved modern locomotion”.

The Association were going to insist on greatly improved road conditions. Tilson commented that the Association needed to champion improvements in road fabric, danger points, and movement of horse and pedestrian traffic. He believed that a large percentage of horse-drawn vehicles did not even observe the rules of the road. He hoped to approach the local authorities in a constructive way with a view to making the roads safe for the public at large. He commented: “The motorist was an exceedingly blamed individual, and more stringent regulations would have to be introduced to deal with horse traffic, even in the City of Cork”.

Tilson also wanted to see horse-drawn vehicles to pay motor tax: “If a motor ear owner paid £20 per year as tax, towards the improvement of the roads, why not a horse-drawn vehicle…if a community raised a considerable sum for road improvement, why that should not be contributed to by the imposition of a small tax on horse-drawn vehicles, to provide for the wear and tear of the roads”.

Tilson hoped that the Munster Motor Association would grow in membership in the City and County of Cork and especially throughout Munster. He aimed that they should have a membership of 3,000, and if they took the valuation of each of those members at £50 at a moderate average each it would represent a valuation of £150,000, which would represent roughly £90,000 in road tax. This was, as Tilson highlighted, an enormous amount of taxation. He also commented that if they took the number of motor cars on the road at 2,000, with an average value of £400 it would represent acapital investment of £800,000 in local economies.

It was unanimously agreed that the resolution previously passed on the subject be rescinded and that the Association be called the Munster Motor Association instead of the City and County of Cork Motor Association.

Mr K O’Neill (Kinsale) said he was originally against the Association spreading its membership outside the City and County of Cork. He thought they would have enough to contend with, but on hearing concerns further afield in Munster he thought they were justified in pushing for a broader membership base. Mr O’Neil wanted fair taxation: “The question of tax was on everybody’s mind, and they were prepared to pay their share towards the upkeep of the roads, but they were all agreed that the tax falling on the shoulders of the motor owners was altogether too high, and though  they may have to pay the tax in the present instance, in the future it would be their duty to try and get it modified – they were prepared to accept their responsibilities, but those responsibilities must be fair”.

Mr O’Neil pointed out that the Association was not for the purpose of taking up individual grievances but was established with a view to benefiting the community of motor owners as a whole. He proposed: “That this large and representative meeting of owners of private and commercial motor cars hereby endorse the decision of a previous meeting forming the Munster Motor Association, and all present agree to join the said Association and to its future success”. Mr Mahony of the Universal Motor Company seconded the resolution, which was unanimously passed.

The Munster Motor Association lasted for several years before it was amalgamated into the Royal Irish Automobile Club (established in 1901).

Captions:

1189a. Advertisement of the sale of motor cars at Cross & Sons from Guy’s Directory of Cork, 1921 (source: Cork City Library).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 9 February 2023

Recasting Cork: Amnesty, Arms and Advantage

Pressure continued to mount as calls for peace from civil war intensified in the second week of February 1923. The capture of south of Ireland IRA commander and anti-Treaty advocate Liam Deasy at Tincurry, County Tipperary on 18 January 1923 and his subsequent imprisonment in Clonmel led to his successful request on a stay of his execution in exchange for his appeal to his comrades to end the war.

Liam was convinced that further bloodshed was in vain. However, his appeal to comrades was unsuccessful, and he was severely criticised by some of his former comrades for what they considered a betrayal of his beliefs. Liam’s call though did have a dispiriting effect on anti-Treaty forces. 

On 8 February 1923, Richard Mulcahy, Commander-in-Chief of the National Army, began publishing advertisements in regional newspapers of an amnesty to arms until 18 February. One such advertisement in the Cork Examiner read: “Bearing in mind the acceptance by Liam Deasy of an immediate and unconditional surrender of all Arms and Ammunition, and knowing that the reason dictating to him, that acceptance must weigh also with many leaders and many of the rank and file, who have round themselves led step by step into a destruction that they never intended, but which has been the result of the line of policy adopted by those to whom they looked for leadership. Notice 13 hereby given that with a view to facilitating such a surrender, prepared to offer Amnesty to arms against the Government before Sunday, 18^th February, with arms to any officer of the or through any intermediary”.

On the back of the amnesty call, widespread church sermons on Sunday 11 February 1923 condemning the Civil War and vocally led by Roman Catholic Bishops called for peace.

On Monday 12 February, the day after the sermons the pressure to give up arms continued when President William T Cosgrave, whilst in in London conducted an interview for the British press.President Cosgrave made the following declaration in an interview with the Evening News; “l believe Ireland is on the eve of a new and brighter era, and that her people are realising that there must be solid work from the humblest to the highest in repairing the damage done. If complete tranquility is not brought about by agreement, then it will be enforced by the Government and law of the Free State”.

Discussing the peace overtures, which were received from Republicans in Ireland, President Cosgrave noted that they had come from Cork, Kerry, Galway, Clare, Mayo, Tipperary, and Kilkenny. His view was that the proposals that were being put forward had been such as to enable the Republicans to associate themselves with the Government of the country; “They want to get the men of their own rebel force into the regular army with rank similar to that which they now hold. In short, they want to make a good get out’ “.

President Cosgrave then referred to the state of order in Ireland and called the vast majority of Republican activity criminal; “At present every outrage that occurs in the Free State is ascribed to the Republicans. They accept this because they think it adds to their prestige and shows how extensive their activities are. But in a large number of cases the outrages are the work of criminals. In one case where a railway was damaged and two men were killed we discovered that the people responsible were local people. It has already brought the bulk of the people to realise that the wealth and order of the Free State, for which we stand, must be preserved against the irresponsible attacks of the misguided few who follow De Valera”.  

On the rivalry with Éamon de Valera, President Cosgrave called for him to bring about negotiations, which would enable De Valera himself to make a withdrawal from his extant position. It was Cosgrave’s view that De Valera did not have the means to be successful in his campaign; “The Republicans have not a ghost of a chance of success. De Valera’s followers do not number more than 3,000 to 4,000 throughout the whole country, if there are so many. I am convinced that there are about a hundred in Dublin”. President Cosgrave mentioned that the Free State Government had 30,000 troops and were convinced of their ability “eventually to restore tranquility”.

At the same time President Cosgrave was giving his speech, the former offices of the Irish Republican movement were re-opening in Dublin.  The offices situated in Suffolk Street – one of the busy thoroughfares in the vicinity of College Green – had been raided by National Army forces in November 1922. A number of anti-Treaty staff were arrested, and the premises were closed again.

Special correspondents of the Irish, British, and American Press received a note that the offices had been re-opened, and that Cork anti-Treaty campaigner Mary MacSwiney would be pleased to receive them at noon and to make a reply to recent statements made by Mr Kevin O’Higgins, Vice President of the Government’s Executive Council, in his review of the situation in the country.

About a dozen journalists responded to the invitation They were received by Mary MacSwiney alone, and the interview lasted about an hour. She outlined her anti-Treaty stance.

As the pressmen left the building, men believed to be plain clothes officers were engaged in observation of the premises from the opposite side of the street. Not long afterwards a group of officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, together with some soldiers in a motor lorry, arrived, entered the offices and Miss MacSwiney, Kathleen Clarke, and typist Kathleen Barry under arrest. A priest who was on the premises at the time was also reported to have been retained. One of the journalists who was still in the offices awaiting a document in course of being typed was held up, searched, and released after half an hour.

The group were detained under guard during that afternoon, and Mary MacSwiney informed a Press representative that they were all under arrest and would be conveyed to Mountjoy Gaol. It had only been few weeks since Miss MacSwiney had been released from that prison after hunger strike. But this occasion, the arrested party was released 24 hours later.

Caption:

1188a. Mary MacSwiney, c.1920 (source: Cork City Library).

Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy is calling on communities, schools, individuals and organisations in Douglas and surrounds to apply for the Cork City Commemorations Fund 2023. 

The year 2023 coincides with the final year of the Decade of Centenaries programme. In the last few years community groups, schools and individuals have delved into their local history to produce books, plays, murals, exhibitions, podcasts, recordings and many more engagements to mark the events that happened in our city over 100 years ago – from the ashes of the Burning of Cork in 1920, through the War of Independence and Civil War 1923.

Cllr McCarthy noted: “This year marks the final chapter of the national Decade of Centenaries commemorative programme. A wealth of material has already been produced, scores of events have taken place, and a proud legacy is being created for future generations.  Among the aims of commemorating those remarkable men and women involved in Ireland’s struggle for independence is, of course, to remember them, to recall their contributions to Cork and Ireland, and to reflect upon their extraordinary lives”.

The application form for the fund are available from www.corkcity,ie. The closing date for submission of application form is Friday 10 February at 4pm.

 https://www.corkcity.ie/en/council-services/councillors-and-democracy/lord-mayor-of-cork/commemoration-fund/ 

The closing date for submission of application form is Friday 10^th February at 4pm.