The Kildare Mutiny

Introduction from Chronology

Civic Guards, stationed in the old Artillery Camp in Kildare, mutiny after the promotion is announced of a number of ex-RIC men. 

More Detail

After the announcement of the promotion of five more ex-RIC men into the upper ranks of the new Civic Guard, tensions between ex-RIC and ex-IRA men in the Civic Guards camp in Kildare break out into the open. 

Led by Michael Daly (ex-IRA man from Clare), a group of eight recruits writes to Commissioner Staines demanding the sacking of the five ex-RIC men. Staines ordered a general parade of the full camp (about 1,500 men) and calls on the eight signatories to step forward.  However, a shouting match breaks out.  Staines calls for the men who stand by him to move to the left.  About 60 do so.  About another 60 men, under Joe Ring, stand still but the majority move to the left.  Staines and his men withdraw to their offices.  Ring tries to restore order but cannot and he also withdraws.

The following morning, Staines supervises the moving of about 350 men to Newbridge.  Staines then went to Dublin to inform Collins and Duggan about the mutiny, he offers his resignation but it is refused.  Before leaving for Dublin, Staines asked the pro-Treaty army stationed in the Curragh to come to the Kildare Civic Guard camp and remove some of the arms held in the camp.  That afternoon, two armoured cars arrive from the Curragh to collect the arms but they are refused entry.  A tense stand-off occurs but an outbreak of fighting is averted by the intervention of a local priest.  The pro-Treaty armoured cars withdraw.  When Staines arrives back at the Kildare camp, he is refused entry.  The mutineers take over the running of the camp appointing Patrick Brennan as the new Commissioner.  They also issue a proclamation stating their loyalty to Provisional Government. See May-26-22/2.

Brian McCarthy has written a book on this mutiny called “The Civic Guard Mutiny” (published 2012).

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