March 1923
Mar-01 |
Thirty members of
the pro-Treaty army enter Bessborough House in Piltown, Co. Kilkenny and burn
it to the ground. Their reason is that
it was being used by anti-Treaty columns in the areas who were carrying out a
lot of actions destroying rail infrastructure. The house was owned by Vere Brabazon
Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough.
The Free State had to completely rebuild Bessborough House to the
exact designs of the original. |
Walsh (2018), pgs
227-228 |
Mar-01 |
The Freeman’s Journal reports that
pro-Treaty soldier John Ryan shot himself dead when cleaning his revolver in
Co. Kerry. |
Doyle (2008), pg
276 |
Mar-02 |
Tom Crofts, who had
taken over from Deasy as O/C 1st Southern Division of anti-Treaty
forces, says that “We are completely on the rocks”. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 239 |
Mar-02 |
Key anti-Treaty IRA
men in North Tipperary such as Paddy Ryan Lacken and Sean Gaynor are captured
around this time and later in the month the anti-Treaty columns in the
Silvermines area are broken up. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 245 |
Mar-02 |
Knockabbey, which
is owned by the O’Reilly family, in Co. Louth is destroyed. |
Hall (2019), pg 118 |
May-03 |
Cosgrave sends a
peace offer to de Valera based on two principles (a) all political issues to
be decided by the majority vote of the elected representatives of the Irish
people and (b) all lethal weapons to be in the effective control of the
government. |
Garvin (1996), pgs
120-121 |
Mar-04 |
Pro-Treaty troops
from Clonmel, Co Tipperary find the body of their comrade Sergeant Thomas
McGrath at Clerihan - he had been shot
many times and labelled ‘Convicted Spy’. |
McCarthy (2015), pg
118 |
Mar-05 |
Having learnt about
a column of an anti-Treaty column billeted around Garrane (or Gurrane) Hills
or Mountains near Cahirciveen, Co. Kerry, the pro-Treaty army sends out three
columns in an attempt to encircle the entire column. One of the
pro-Treaty columns surrounds the O’Connell farmhouse in which a number of
anti-Treaty men are staying. After a
gun battle, six anti-Treaty men surrender (including Kerry No. 3 Brigade V/C
Denis Daly; Brigade QM Dan O’Connor and 1st Battalion O/C Michael
Griffin). The remainder of the
anti-Treaty column manages to escape towards Glencar. Two pro-Treaty
soldiers, Lieutenant Timothy O’Shea (from Cahirciveen) and Sergeant Jeremiah
Quaine were killed. Private William
Healy (from Valentia) is killed and two pro-Treaty soldiers are wounded in
another firefight. According to Macardle,
only one anti-Treaty man (engineer Dan Clifford) was killed but it would seem
that, during follow-up operations on the 6th, Volunteer Sean T.
O’Sullivan was killed at Gleesk, near Glenbeigh. |
Macardle (1998),
pgs 28-29; Horgan (2018),
pgs 103-104; Doyle (2008), pg
268-270; O’Farrell (1997), pgs 201, 205, 210, 214, 219, |
Mar-05 |
15 anti-Treaty
prisoners escape from Galway Jail. |
Price (2012), pg
245 |
Mar-05 |
An attack by
anti-Treaty forces on Cahirciveen is repelled. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 241 |
Mar-06 |
At Bairinarig wood,
near Knocknagashel, Castleisland,
Co Kerry five members of pro-Treaty army are killed and another very badly
injured – they were searching for an arms dump when they set of a trip
mine. They were working of false
information sent to them by the anti-Treaty army in an effort to lure them
into a trap. The five killed
were Lieutenant Paddy O’Connor (who was from the locality), Captains Michael
Dunne and Edward Stapleton (who were from Dublin) and Privates Michael Galvin
and Laurence O’Connor (from Killarney and Causeway, Co. Kerry respectively). Doyle gives the
background to this explosion and says that the explosion “and the series of
atrocities carried out by government troop in retaliation for the deaths have
come to define the extremes of experience of the Civil War in Kerry”. See March 7th, |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg xxiv; Hopkinson (1988), pg 240; Macardle (1998), pg 16; Dorney (2017), pg
245; Doyle (2008), pgs 270-271 |
Mar-06 |
The Deputy Chief of
Staff of the anti-Treaty forces writes to his Chief of Staff (Lynch)
complaining about the dumping of arms “It is outrageous that about 1,200
rifles are in the 1st Southern area of which close on 500 are
dumped, yet this Area will not assist other areas where opportunities afford
for using Arms”. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 239 |
Mar-06 |
A young pro-Treaty
soldier, Richard Duggan, is accidently shot in Waterford Infirmary where he
is stationed. He dies on the 11th
March. |
Walsh (2018), pg
236 |
Mar-08 |
Three anti-Treaty
volunteers are captured near Grange, Co. Waterford. One is Bill Lennon who had joined the
pro-Treaty army but subsequently left them to join the anti-Treaty side. As his comrades knew that he could be shot
as a deserter, they conducted a raid on the hospital in which he was
recuperating and rescued him. |
McCarthy (2015),
pgs 118-119 |
Mar-07 |
Con Moloney, Adjutant
General, anti-Treaty army is captured in his hideout in Moore’s Wood,
Rossadrehid in the Glen of Aherlow, Co Tipperary along with two other
officers (including Jim Moloney, Con’s brother, who was Director of
Communications). Tom Derrig takes over as Adjutant General. |
O'Donoghue (1986),
pg 297 Hopkinson (1988), pg 236 & 244; O’Halpin (2019), pg 21 |
Mar-07 |
At Ballyseedy, outside Tralee, Co Kerry,
eight anti-Treaty prisoners are blown up. Nine prisoners, after being
selected by Colonel David Neligan and Captain Ned Breslin, had been taken
from Ballymullen barracks in Tralee to Ballyseedy Cross in order to,
according to the pro-Treaty side, clear a mine. However, the prisoners
were tied to a mine made by pro-Treaty men and the mine was detonated.
One prisoner (Stephen Fuller) escaped by being thrown over a hundred yards by
the blast. Body parts of those killed
were scattered over several hundred yards.
The eight prisoners
killed were as follows: John Daly (Castleisland), George [O,]Shea
(Lixnaw), Timothy Twomey (Lixnaw), Patrick Harnett (Listowel), James
[O’]Connell, John O’Connor (Liverpool), Patrick Buckley (Scartaglin) and James Walsh (Lisdoigue). Ó Ruairc notes that
Patrick Buckley had been an RIC man.
However, he helped the IRA
capture Newmarket-on-Fergus or Sixmilebridge RIC barracks (see June 13th
1920 and August 6th 1920) and subsequently left the RIC. He had
gone back to his native Castleisland, Co. Kerry and joined the IRA. After the Treaty, he took the anti-Treaty
side. |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg xxiv; Hopkinson (1988), pg 241; Macardle (1998), pgs 16-19; Ó Ruairc
(2009), pg 316; Doyle (2008), pgs 272-274 |
Mar-07 |
Five anti-Treaty
prisoners are brought from the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney, Co. Kerry
to Countess Bridge between Killarney
and Kilcummin. The prisoners are told to remove a barricade but, when they
start, the pro-Treaty troops lob hand grenades at them and spray them with
machine guns. Four anti-Treaty
prisoners are killed but, as at Ballyseedy, one prisoner (Tadgh Coffey)
escapes. The names of the
four prisoners killed are Jerimiah [O’] Donoghue, Stephen Buckley, Daniel
[O’]Donoghue and Tim Murphy. (Jerimiah O’Donoghue and Buckley are from
Killarney while Daniel O’Donoghue and Tim Murphy are from Kilcummin.) As at Ballyseedy,
the pro-Treaty side put out the story that the men died when clearing a mine
placed by the anti-Treaty side. Another attempt to
get prisoners to ‘clear’ a mine at Castlemaine is foiled when some of the
prisoners escape. |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg xxiv; Hopkinson (1988), pg 241; Macardle (1998), pgs 20-25; Doyle (2008),
pgs 274-275 |
Mar-07 |
In a reply to
Lynch’s letter of the 28th Feb, de Valera says that the army
should either ‘leave all political matters to the Government’ or ‘If they
want to deal with the political situation … they will have to think
intelligently along political lines’. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 234 |
Mar-07 |
A pro-Treaty
soldier (Private Christopher Green from Dublin) is shot dead while on sentry
duty at Barraduff, Co. Kerry. |
Doyle (2008), pg
275 |
Mar-07 |
A CID officer fires
at a wanted man at the corner of Grafton St and Nassau St in Dublin. He misses but mortally wounds 67-year old
George Fitzhenry from Fairview. |
Dorney (2017), pg
243 |
Mar-08 |
Joe Baker’s
anti-Treaty column of 14 men is captured at Buckagh Mountain near Skerdagh,
Co. Mayo. An anti-treaty man, Captain
Jim Moran, is killed during this engagement.
The captured men are badly treated by pro-Treaty officers. |
Price (2012), pg
253 |
Mar-08 |
Seamus Taylor, an
anti-Treaty prisoner in Killorglin Barracks, is being taken to Tralee, Co.
Kerry when he is killed at Ballyseedy Wood.
The pro-Treaty side say that he was killed in an ambush but the
anti-Treaty side say that he was killed by his captors. (Doyle says 9th.)
|
Macardle (1998), pg
33; Doyle (2008), pg 276 |
May-09 |
Kevin O’Higgins
reiterates that the pro-Treaty government will take no steps towards setting
up the Boundary Commission until such time as ‘stable conditions’ are in
place. However, the Irish News continues its campaign against the
delays. The North-Eastern Boundary Commission in Dublin send former Belfast
journalist Hugh A. McCartan to Derry, Belfast and Down to gauge nationalist
feeling. |
Phoenix (1994), pg
278 |
Mar-09 |
During a large
sweep by pro-Treaty troops trying to capture an anti-Treaty column in
south-east Kilkenny, a gun battle breaks out resulting in the death of
pro-Treaty soldier, Gerald Jeremiah Comerford. The anti-Treaty column escapes through
Inistioge. |
Walsh (2018), pg
235 |
Mar |
O/C of the
anti-Treaty Dublin Brigade, Frank Henderson, is captured. |
Dorney (2017), pg
244 |
Mar-10 |
A young anti-Treaty
volunteer, Thomas Greehy from Lismore, Co. Waterford, is killed by a mine
explosion at Kilwatermoy near Tallow. |
McCarthy (2015), pg
119 |
Mar-10 |
Anti-Treaty volunteers
attempt to raid the house of James Buggy in Ballyouskill, near Ballyragget,
Co. Kilkenny. However, when he refuses
to open the door, they shoot into the house.
Buggy fires back killing a 19-year attacker called Thomas Mealey. |
Walsh (2018), pg
236 |
Mar-10 |
Pro-Treaty army
moved into the gas works in Waterford City and evict the striking
workers. (See January 26th) However, strike continues until August when
the workers are defeated and have to return to work on management terms. |
McCarthy (2015), pg
122 |
Mar-10 |
Pro-Treaty Captain
Bernard Cannon is shot dead in Creeslough Barracks in Co. Donegal. While there are unanswered questions about
who carried out this killing, pro-Treaty officers assumed that anti-Treaty
volunteers were responsible. This led
to the execution in Drumboe – see 14th March. |
Ozseker (2019), pgs
191-192; Ó Duibhir (2011), pgs 225-227 |
Mar-11 |
The Freeman’s Journal reports that the
Cleeve creamery at Pallasgreen, Co
Limerick was destroyed by fire. |
O’Callaghan (2018),
pg 127 |
Mar-11 |
A captured
anti-Treaty army man (Frank Grady) is shot dead by Captain Michael ‘Tiny’
Lyons at Mountain Stage (between Behaghs and Killorglin, Co. Kerry) before,
it is claimed, numerous witnesses. On the same day,
anti-Treaty man, Tim Keating, died of his wounds. Doyle says that he might have been wounded
at the Gurrane ‘encirclement’ on the 5th March.. |
Macardle (1998), pgs 33-35; Horgan (2018), pg 257; Doyle (2008), pg 277 |
Mar-11 |
Hugh Haughton is
shot dead on Donore Avenue, Dublin. It
is suspected that he is shot by pro-Treaty Intelligence officers for carrying
anti-Treaty literature. |
Dorney (2017), pg
237 |
Mar-12 |
Five anti-Treaty
prisoners (Daniel [O’]Shea, Mike Courtney, John Sugrue, Willie Riordain and
Eugene Dwyer) who were being held in Behaghs
Workhouse (near Cahirciveen, Co. Kerry) are taken out supposedly to clear
mines but the mine explodes and they are all killed. A report from the
O/C of the anti-Treaty Kerry No. 3 Brigade states that they laid no
mines in the area and none of their troops were in the area. A military
inquiry is set up by the pro-Treaty army under Paddy O’Daly, O/C Kerry
Command, Col J McGuinness (Deputy O/C) and Michael Price but they deny that
the killings were reprisals. However, pro-Treaty
Lieutenant McCarthy, who was in charge of the Behaghs Workhouse, goes public
and calls the perpetrators of the killings as a ‘murder gang’. To ensure that no
one escaped this time (unlike Ballyseedy and Countess Bridge – See March
7th), the prisoners were shot in the legs before being placed on the
mine. Three of the bodies were
unrecognisable after the explosion. |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg xxiv; Hopkinson (1988), pg 241; Macardle (1998), pgs 39-44; Doyle (2008),
pgs 278-279 |
Mar-12 |
Pro-Treaty soldier,
Patrick McCormack, is accidently shot dead by a comrade in Cashel Hospital,
Co. Tipperary. |
Walsh (2018), pg
237 |
Mar-13 |
Three anti-Treaty
prisoners - John Creane (from Taughmon, Co. Wexford); James Parle (Clover
Valley, Taughmon, Co. Wexford) and Patrick Hogan (William’s St., Wexford) -
are executed in Wexford. Also William Healy
(from Donaghmore, Co. Cork) is executed in Cork and James O’Rourke (1 Upper
Gloucester St., Dublin) is executed in Dublin for his part in an attack on
pro-Treaty soldiers in Dame St on 21st February. |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pgs 222 & 223 & 224; Macardle (1999), pg 985; Dorney (2017), pg 246 |
Mar-13 |
An anti-Treaty
prisoner, John Walsh from Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford, get a gunshot wound in
a fight with a pro-Treaty soldier in Kilkenny Jail and dies the following
day. McCarthy says that he died after
being badly beaten and shot. |
Walsh (2018), pg
237; McCarthy (2015), pg 111 |
May-13 |
Two pro-Treaty
soldiers, Captain Michael Cleary and Lieutenant Alfred Glynn, are
experimenting with throwing grenades into the river Neale near Listowel, Co.
Kerry. It goes wrong and leads to both
of their deaths. |
Doyle (2008), pg
276 |
Mar-14 |
Anti-Treatyites
Luke Burke (from Keady, Co. Armagh) and Michael Greery (Athenry, Co. Galway)
are executed in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. (These are not listed by
Macardle and so are not numbered among her 77. O’Farrell does say that
Burke and Greery were executed for a bank robbery in Oldcastle so the
question arises as to whether this robbery was sanctioned. Grant says that
Burke was a civilian and that he had lived for a time in Magherafelt, Co.
Londonderry where he had been involved with the IRA.) |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg 222 & 146 & 161; Grant (2018), pg 139 |
Mar-14 |
Four anti-Treaty
prisoners are executed at Drumboe, near Ballybofey/Stranorlar, Co.
Donegal. They are Charles Daly (from Knockaneacouree, Firies, Co
Kerry); Daniel Enright (from Listowel, Co. Kerry); Timothy O’Sullivan (from
William’s St., Listowel, Co. Kerry) and Sean Larkin (from Magherafelt, Co.
Londonderry). A strong campaign
had been mounted by his old south Derry comrades who had joined the
pro-Treaty army (such as Dan McKenna and Johnny Haughey) to get a reprieve
for Sean Larkin and it was claimed that a last minute message from Richard
Mulcahy was improperly relayed. Joseph
Sweeney, head of the pro-Treaty forces in Donegal, is reported to have later
said that Larkin was shot by mistake. |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg 222 & 223; Macardle (1999), pg 985; Grant (2018), pg 139; Ozseker
(2019), pg 192; Ó Duibhir (2011), pgs 227-229 |
Mar-14 |
In response to the
renewal of executions, Liam Lynch issues an ‘Amusement Order’ stating “that a
time of national mourning be proclaimed, all sport and amusement be
suspended, all picture houses and theatres and other places of public
amusement be closed … Anyone refusing
this order will be treated as an enemy of the Republic.” |
Dorney (2017), pg
247 |
Mar-14 |
An anti-Treaty
intelligence report says that Oriel House (HQ of the CID) is “receiving
dozens of anonymous letters giving information on out troops, meetings,
dumps, etc., most is unfortunately correct” |
Dorney (2017), pgs
240-241 |
Mar-14 |
Pro-Treaty soldier,
Private Donal McGuiness is shot dead while on sentry duty outside Mountjoy
Prison and Private Henry Kavanagh is killed outside Portobello Barracks. |
Dorney (2017), pg
246 |
Mar-15 |
An anti-Treaty
captain (John Kevins) is killed while in captivity in controversial
circumstances at Carrinahone near Beaufort, Co. Kerry. |
Macardle (1998), pg
35-39; Doyle (2008), pg 278 |
Mid-Mar |
Extensive round-up
in Newport area in Co. Mayo by pro-Treaty army. Joe Baker’s anti-Treaty
column is captured |
|
Mar-15 |
Pro-Treaty Private
Nolan of the Railway Maintenance Corps is shot dead while off-duty outside
Wellington (Griffith) Barracks in Dublin |
Dorney (2017), pg
246 |
Mar-15 |
A pro-Treaty patrol
in the Windgap area of Co. Kilkenny is ambushed at Coolhill. A young pro-Treaty soldier, Michael Brown,
is killed. |
Walsh (2018), pg
238 |
Mar-15 |
An anti-Treaty
prisoner, Captain Nicholas Corcoran, is shot dead at close range near Ballina,
Co Mayo. It emerged at a subsequent
court case in November, at which pro-Treaty Sergeant Daniel Boyle was accused
of Corcoran’s murder, that Corcoran was one of four prisoners brought to a
railway track near Ballina and ordered to clear a suspected mine. When the prisoners refused, Sergeant Boyle
said that he intended to scare the prisoners by pointing a rifle at Corcoran
and pretending to shoot him by pulling the trigger not realising that there
was a bullet in the breech. Sergeant
Boyle was found not guilty. |
Price (2012), pgs
257-258 |
Mar-15 |
Anti-Treaty
Volunteer Stenson of Charlestown, Co. Mayo shot dead by pro-Treaty forces. |
Price (2012), pg
259 |
Mar-15 |
Pro-Treaty Private
Hayes is accidently killed by one of his colleague at Newtown Sandes in Co. Kerry. |
Doyle (2008), pg
276 |
Mar-16 |
A CID man (22-year
old Patrick Kelly) is killed and another is wounded when anti-Treaty
volunteers detonate a bomb outside the Customs and Excise Office on Beresford
Place in Dublin. |
Dorney (2017), pg
246 |
Mar-17 |
Austen Chamberlain
says that “No citizens of Britain would grudge the use of British credit to
assist the Irish Government to discharge its obligations” |
Macardle (1999), pg
837 |
Mar-17 |
Despite Lynch’s
‘Amusement Order’ (see March 14th), a world heavyweight boxing
match between Mike McTigue and Louis Mbarick Fall goes ahead in La Scala
Theatre, Princes St, Dublin.
Anti-Treaty volunteers try to disrupt the fight but a heavy security
presence prevents them. A pro-Treaty
soldier, Private John Little, is accidently shot in Collins (Royal) Barracks
and Colonel McDonnell, O/C of the pro-Treaty Dublin Brigade is seriously
wounded by his own troops at Kingsbridge.
Frank Bolster, pro-Treaty army Intelligence Officer, is wounded at the
Theatre Royal at Hawkins St, Dublin |
Dorney (2017), pgs
247-248 |
Mar-17 |
An anti-Treaty man,
James Donovan (said to be an ex-RIC man) dies of his wounds near the
Macgillycuddy’s Reeks in Co. Kerry. |
Doyle (2008), pg |
Mar-17 |
Four anti-Treaty
men, held in Drumboe Castle in Co. Donegal, who had been arrested with
Charlie Daly on the 2nd November 1921 and sentenced to death but
not executed on the 14th March, write a letter calling on their
comrades not to engage in any further acts of violence “for such acts brought
about the execution of Daly and comrades”. |
Ó Duibhir (2011), pgs 234-235 |
Mar-19 |
A young woman is
removed from her home in Jerpoint near Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny by
anti-Treaty men. They take her four
miles away where they shorn her hair for “her association with a member of
the National army”. |
Walsh (2018), pg
283 |
Mar-20 |
An anti-Treaty man
(Jeremiah Casey) is killed while in custody in Beaufort, Co. Kerry. Doyle says that the
killing of Casey, along with Kevins (on the 15th) and Donovan (on
the 17th) might have been the work of members of Collins’s old
Squad who were now part of the pro-Treaty forces in Kerry. |
Macardle (1998), pg
39; Doyle (2008), pg 276 |
Mar-20 |
The Teehan family
home at Kilmanagh, Co Kilkenny was burnt by pro-Treaty soldiers after only
given five minutes to leave. Bill
Quirke, O/C of the 2nd Southern Division of the anti-Treaty forces
described the Teehan home as a “Field GHQ” and the night before it was burnt
de Valera, Frank Aiken, Austin Stack and Tom Derrig had called to the
house. In retaliation, anti-Treaty men
burnt the house, grocery and bakery of James Walsh of Templeorum,
Piltown. Walsh was an outspoken
pro-Treaty county councillor. |
Walsh (2018), pgs
229-230 |
Mar-20 |
Three prominent
members of the anti-Treaty Kerry No. 1 Brigade (Tadgh Brosnan, Michael Duhig
and Dan Rohan) are captured in a dug-out near Castlegregory, Co. Kerry. According to the pro-Treaty army this
completed “the capture of the principal ‘wanted men’ in west Kerry”. |
Horgan
(2018), pg 90 |
Mar-22 |
Most of the
anti-Treaty Dalkey column is arrested after being cornered in a safe house in
Albert Road, Glenageary. One
volunteer, Michael Neary is killed and two other volunteers and one member of
Cumman na mBan are wounded. One
pro-Treaty soldier, Corporal Michael Baker, is also killed and two wounded. |
Dorney (2017), pg
253 |
Mar-23 |
Following what
happened the previous day, the leader of the Dalkey Column, Paddy Darcy and
two of his men surrender in an attempt to save the lives of two of the
captured men. |
Dorney (2017), pg
253 |
Mar-23 |
Three pro-Treaty
soldiers – Lieutenant Thomas Jones, Sergeant Edward Gorman and Private
Patrick Horan – are captured in Ballagh, Palace East, Co. Wexford by
anti-Treaty volunteers. Their bodies
are found the following morning in the outhouse of a farm in the village of
Adamstown. It is thought that these
killings were in retaliation for the executions of the three anti-Treaty
prisoners on the 13th March. |
Walsh (2018), pgs
238-239 |
Mar 23-26 |
Executive of
anti-Treaty army meets in James Cullinane's, Bliantas, 3 miles east of
Ballinamult, at the foot of the Monavullagh Mountains. (Macardle says it was
Pierce Wall’s, Knocknaree, Ballymacarbery, Co. Waterford.) In attendance were
Liam Lynch, Frank Aiken, Tom Derrig, Sean Dowling, Austin Stack, Tom Barry,
Tom Crofts, Sean MacSwiney, Humphrey Murphy, Bill Quirke and Sean Hyde.
(Macardle gives the same list but says that neither Sean Hyde or PJ Ruttledge
had made it from the West in time for the meeting.) De Valera was also
asked to attend but without voting rights. (They had to move to Glenanore on
the 26th due to National Army activity in the area.) Executive debated
continuing struggle vs dumping arms but could not agree. Immediate
peace proposal defeated by six votes to five. Decided to postpone until
10th April. (Doyle says that John Joe Rice, O/C Kerry No. 1 Brigade, was also
in attendance.) |
O'Donoghue (1986),
pg 299; Hopkinson (1988), pg 237; Doyle (2008), pg 283-284 |
Mar-22 |
A firefight took
place at the newly established pro-Treaty army post near Blessington, Co
Dublin in which it is claimed a pro-Treaty soldier is killed. |
Dorney (2017), pg
317 |
Mar-23 |
The body of
anti-Treaty Volunteer, Thomas O’Leary, is found outside Tranquilla Convent,
Upper Rathmines, Dublin with at least 14 bullet wounds. He had been seen by witnesses being
arrested by soldiers in uniform but the pro-Treaty army denied having any
record of his arrest. |
Dorney (2017), pgs
249-250 |
Mar-24 |
An anti-Treaty IRA
man (Bob McCarthy from Monaree) is captured and brought to Dingle
Workhouse. Shortly afterwards he is brought to Tralee and shot dead on
the way. |
Macardle (1998),
pgs49-50; Doyle (2008), pg 284 |
Mar-24 |
Anti-Treaty
volunteer, Patrick O’Brien, is shot dead while trying to lay a bomb at the
Carlton Cinema on O’Connell St., Dublin.
An anti-Treaty volunteer, William Walsh from the Coombe, is badly
wounded during an ambush at Whitehall, Dublin of a pro-Treaty troop
lorry. He presents himself to the
Mater Hospital but dies that night. |
Dorney (2017), pgs
249 & 252 |
Mar-25 |
Ned Bolfin and many
of his anti-Treaty column (including his brother Paul) are captured in the
Arigna mountains. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 244; O'Farrell P (1997), pg 144; Farry (2012), pg 106 |
Mar-27 |
In a memo to
cabinet, O’Higgins argues that it was wrong for Mulcahy to be both Minister
of Defence and Commander-in-Chief. (Part of O’Higgins’s ongoing
criticism of the performance of the pro-Treaty army.) Hugh Kennedy, the
Attorney General, argued for the Minister of Defence and Commander-in-Chief
being the same person at this point. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pgs 223-224 |
Mar-27 |
The Executive
Council of the Free State Government decide to set up a Supreme War Council
(or Council of Defence). This Council had a civilian majority and was
‘to exercise a general supervision and direction over strategy’. It
also had the power to enquire into the administration of any military
department, and had a veto over all military appointments. Members of
Council were Cosgrave; O’Higgins (Minister of Home Affairs); Joe McGrath
(Minister for Industry and Commerce) and Richard Mulcahy (Minister of
Defence). In the debate over its setting-up, O’Higgins says ‘I believe
that the present Head Quarters staff has not given to the people the result
which they are entitled to’. Mulcahy and the other members of the Army
Council tender their resignations but they are not accepted – see March 28th.
Dorney indicates that it is part of O’Higgins’ on-going efforts to rein in
Mulcahy’s power. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 226; Valiulis (1985), pg 30; Dorney
(2017), pg 238-239 |
Mar-27 |
An anti-Treaty
prisoner (James Walsh from Currow) is shot dead while being moved from
Castleisland, Co. Kerry. (Doyle says that he was killed during an exchange of
fire between a pro-Treaty army patrol and three anti-Treaty men.) |
Macardle (1998), pg
51; Doyle (2008), pg 284 |
Mar-28 |
Mulcahy writes to
Cosgrave resigning from the Army Council because of the implications of the
setting up of the Council of Defence. Rest of Army Council
(Chief-of-Staff Sean MacMahon; Adj-Gen Gearoid O’Sullivan and QM-Gen Sean
O’Murthuile) also submits resignation. Cosgrave persuades Mulcahy to withdraw
his resignation and on 9th April orders the Army Council to carry
on with its duties. However, the Council of Defence goes ahead. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 227; Valiulis (1985), pg 29 |
Mar-28 |
An anti-Treaty army
man (Jack Fleming from Tralee) is captured and brought to Ballymullen
Barracks in Tralee, Co. Kerry. During the night, he is brought to the
prison a short distance away and killed. (Doyle says 29th.) |
Macardle (1998), pgs
51-52; Doyle (2008), pg 184 |
Mar-28 |
Anti-Treaty
volunteers (Neil ‘Plunkett’ Boyle’s column) ambush pro-Treaty troops at
Valleymount, Co. Wicklow in which pro-Treaty soldier, Private John Pender
(from Derryoughta, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare) is killed and another
pro-Treaty soldier is badly wounded. |
Dorney (2017), pg
317; Durney (2011), pg
156 |
Mar-29 |
Acting O/C of the 4th
Battalion, Bobby Bonfield, of the anti-Treaty Dublin Brigade is arrested on
St Stephens Green, Dublin by members of the Protective Corps, including Joe
O’Reilly. He is taken to Clondalkin
and shot dead. |
Dorney (2017), pg
250 |
Mar-29 |
A pro-Treaty army
patrol on its way from Sneem to Kenmare in Co. Kerry is ambushed resulting in
the deaths of Sergeant George Copeland and the wounding of three other
pro-Treaty soldiers. |
Doyle (2008), pgs
284-285 |
Mar-31 |
A pro-Treaty army
report from Claremorris, Co. Mayo states “Despite their very considerable
numbers, and ample equipment in Mayo, the Irregulars have not been inclined
to indulge in military action. Extensive destruction of roads, raiding,
looting, and the burning of the houses of supporters of the Government is the
form their warfare continues to take.” |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 242 |
Mar-31 |
Education Bill in
Northern Ireland rejected by Ulster RC bishops. |
Phoenix (1994), pg
282 |
Mar-31 |
The two northern
divisions of the pro-Treaty IRA are formally disbanded. (Up until this
date, GHQ of the pro-Treaty army had continued to pay the divisional
staff.) Most of the approximately 300 northern IRA men in the Curragh
had joined the pro-Treaty army. |
Phoenix (1994), pg
259 |
Mar-31 |
The Kilkenny People report the Free
State’s projected revenue and expenditure for the year. Expenditure was estimated to be £42 million
(£10.8m on compensation; £10.6m on the army) and estimated revenue was £26
million. This left a large deficit. |
Walsh (2018), pgs
234-235 |
Mar |
The pro-Treaty
Supreme Council (see March 27th) set up the Special Infantry Corps
with a brief to re-establish order in the countryside, reverse land seizures
and break strikes. (In his online
article on the Special Infantry Corps, Dorney says that it was set up in
January. For Dorney’s
article, see Here.) |
Dorney (2017), pg
233; Hopkinson (1988), pg 227 |
|
|
|
Mar |
Ex-Squad member,
Frank Teeling (veteran of Bloody Sunday and break out of Kilmainham Goal)
shoots dead CDF officer, Richard Johnson at the Theatre Royal in Dublin in a
drunken brawl. Teeling serves 18
months for the killing. |
Dorney (2017), pgs
262-262 |