May
1920
|
May-01-20/1 |
Limerick city shot up by the RIC. |
Macardle (1999), pg 353 |
|
May-01-20/2 |
An t-Óglách describes the Black and Tans as physically and morally degenerate Englishmen with no understanding of Ireland and goes on to say “When the IRA comes to deal with these men it will make short work of them.” It also states that “In some areas things are
in a decidedly unsatisfactory condition … We wish to point out that those
places where guerrilla warfare against the enemy has been waged with great
activity and effectiveness represent only a small portion of the country. In
some other parts there has been marked inactivity.” |
Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pg 223; Mitchell (1995), pg 204; Kautt (2014), pg 46 |
|
May-01-20/3 |
Due to this being the date on which eleven month leases were made, land agitation (which had been in decline for a number of years) increases around Ireland especially in the counties of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. It took the traditional forms of cattle drives; levelling of walls; demonstrations; etc. It was facilitated by the absence of the RIC from many parts of rural Ireland. See May-13-20/3. |
Henry (2012), pg4 44-45; Mitchell (1995), pgs 130-131 |
|
May-01-20/4 |
In a joint paper to the British cabinet from
Churchill (Secretary of State for War and Air), Wilson (CIGS) and Hugh
Trenchard (Chief of the Air Staff), highlight the waste of money in the
continued occupation of Mesopotamia. Wilson said that the situation was very
unsatisfactory but Trenchard offered a possible way of saving money by
offering a “preliminary scheme for the military control of Mesopotamia by the
Royal Air Force”. See Jun-1920/6. |
Jeffrey (2006), pg 250 |
|
May-02-20/1 |
Three RIC men shot at in Derry City in
separate incidents but they escape serious injury. Within a week, two
more RIC men shot and injured in Bishop St in Derry. |
Gallagher (2003), pg 21; Grant (2018), pg 96; Ozseker (2019), pg 145 |
|
May-03-20/1 |
The British government cancels the powers which they had given to the British Army in Ireland (See Jan-17-20/1 and Jan-21-20/2) which permitted them to make arrests of suspected IRA men and search houses and buildings. This decision was reversed in November. The British Army’s Record of the Rebellion states that “The resultant situation in May was that the Crown Forces were thrown back on the defensive, and … were practically restricted to the old position of carrying out duties in aid of the civil powers”. |
Kautt
(2014), pgs 46-48; Sheehan (2009), pg 36 |
|
May-03-20/3 |
Three RIC men are cycling from Listowel to Ballylongford in Co. Kerry when they are ambushed at Galebridge by the Ballydonoghue
company of the IRA. In a bloody struggle, Sgt Francis McKeena of the
RIC is killed. The IRA men involved included Michael Aherne,
John Walsh, Patrick Walsh, Thomas Connor, Patrick Corridan and John or Mick
Galvin of the Listowel Battalion, Kerry No. 1 Brigade. (Sgt McKeena had arrested Sir Roger Casement
in 1916.) |
Abbott (2000), pg 74; Horgan (2018), pg 125; Abbott (2019), pgs 92-93; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 132 |
|
May-03-20/4 |
The few Nationalist MPs at Westminster (after a meeting held on April 24th where they decided that it was hopeless to try to make any ameliorating changes to the British government’s Bill for Ireland) issue a statement on this date saying that they will be abstaining from the committee stages of the Bill and attack the Bill as creating an artificial area under the control of the ‘ascendancy party’. |
Phoenix (1994), pg 83 |
|
May-03-20/5 |
A group of armed and masked men enter a house
at Clonadarone near Tuam,
Co. Galway. They remove a girl from
the house and took her to the backyard of the house and cut her hair with
shears. Her crime was that she had
allowed a young BA soldier to pay for a ride on a hobby horse for her niece
at travelling amusements in Tuam earlier that day. |
Henry (2012), pg 49 |
|
May-03-20/6 |
Dublin Corporation declares allegiance to Dáil
Éireann. |
Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pg
225 |
|
May-06-20/1 |
Sgt Robert Bishop of the BA’s 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) is accidently shot in the guardroom in Athenry, Co. Galway. He dies shortly afterwards. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
132 |
|
May-07-20/1 |
The inquest into the three men killed in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare on
April 14th (see Apr-14-20/1 above) states that they were died from bullet
wounds inflicted by "Sergeant Hampson, Constables Thomas O'Connor and
Thomas Keenan, Lance-Corporal Kenneth McLeod, Privates William Kilgon (Kilgour), James McEwan, Peter McLoughlin, Robert
Bunting and Richard Adams. We find from the evidence that each of the
above-named members of the patrol was guilty of wilful murder, without any
provocation …". The Coroner issue wsarrants
for the arrest of these men and they were served on RIC DI Mooney. Even though the Coroner’s findings were
binding under the law of the land, the named men were never arrested or
charged. |
O'Malley (2001), pg 86; O'Kelly and Mulvey in The Kerryman (1955), pg 149; Ó Ruairc (2009), pg 132-133 |
|
May-08-20/1 |
Cloyne RIC barracks, on the main street of the village, is captured by men from 4th Battalion, Cork No. 1 Brigade led by Battalion O/C Mick Leahy. The RIC men who surrendered are released unharmed. |
Breen (1989), pg 106; Cashman in The Kerryman (1955), pg 60; Kautt (2014), pg 78
|
|
May-08-20/2 |
Detective Sgt Richard Revell of the DMP’s G
Division, who lived in 10 Connaught St in Dublin, is shot by members of the
Squad on Phibsborough Rd near Doyle’s Corner. Although he was hit a number of times,
Revell survives. (When the ambulance arrives, Revell insisted
on being taken to the Adelaide Hospital on Peter’s St on the other side of
the Liffey rather than to the nearby Mater Hospital. The Adelaide was
hospital run by Protestants while the Mater was run by Catholics.) |
Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 25-226 |
|
May-09-20/1 |
The Newtownhamilton
RIC barracks in Co. Armagh is attacked by the IRA led by Frank Aiken. Despite breaching the wall with gelignite
and putting the barracks on fire, the RIC refused to surrender and eventually
the IRA withdrew. Six RIC men received
medals for their bravery in defence of the barracks. In the BA’s official History of the 5th Division, the BA claim that there were 200-300 rebels involved in this attack – which was an extreme exaggeration. |
Lawlor (2011), pgs 21-24; Kautt (2014), pg 78; Sheehan (2009), pg 31 |
|
May-09-20/2 |
William Lehane, or William Lyons, is wounded in his home
in Ardgroom, nine miles from Castletownbere,
Co. Cork and later dies in hospital. While this killing would seem that to
have arisen out of agrarian agitation, it is likely that the local IRA was
involved. |
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 133; Cork Fatality Register |
|
May-09-20/3 |
Albert Wood if the BA’s 15th
Hussars is thrown from a horse and dies later in King George V Hospital in
Dublin. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
553 |
|
May-10-20/1 |
An RIC patrol is attacked at Ahawadda, on the road from Timoleague
to Lislevane, Co. Cork. Three RIC men are
killed (Sgt John Flynn, Constable William Brick and Constable Edward
Dunne). Constable Arthur Grimsdell in also
wounded. The IRA is led by Charlie Hurley then Vice-OC,
Bandon Battallion, 3rd (West) Cork
Brigade. Sgt Flynn and Constable Dunne had been part of the successful defence of Timoleague Barracks – see Feb-27-20/1. See also May-21-20/6. |
Abbott (2000), pgs 75-76; Deasy (1973) pg 106; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs 133-134; Cork Fatality Register |
|
May-10-20/2 |
A shopkeeper and his daughter in Newport, Co.
Tipperary receive a letter from the “Officer I.R.A. Commanding the District”
threatening with bodily harm if the daughter continued to talk with the wives
of RIC men. Kautt
comments “This appears to be typical of an RIC boycott action”. |
Kautt
(2014), pg 76 |
|
May-10-20/3 |
IRA Volunteer Mark Clinton is shot near his
home Cormeen in Co. Meath. This killing arose from an agrarian
dispute. The IRA captured Clinton’s killer, William Gordon. He was tried twice (with IRA GHQ appointing judges, a prosecutor and defender). He was found guilty and executed on June 1st. A number of other men involved in the killing of Clinton are expelled from Ireland for varying periods of time. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs
133 & 138 |
|
May-10-20/4 |
Two RIC men (Sgt Patrick McDonnell and Constable
Hayes) are attacked as they leave the railway station at Gould's Cross, Co.
Tipperary on his way to the RIC Hut at Clonoulty.
Sgt McDonnell is killed. The attack was carried out by members of the Rossmore Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Tipperary Brigade led by Ned Reilly and Jack 'The Master' Ryan. Constable Hayes recognised the attackers. |
Abbott (2000), pg 75; O'Malley (1982), pgs 11-12; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 134 |
|
May-10-20/5 |
On the night of May 10th, IRA attack on Hollyford Barracks, Tipperary. This attack results in the destruction of the barracks but without the capture of arms by the IRA. |
Hopkinson (2002), pg 120; Breen (1989), pgs 107-110; O'Malley (2001), pgs 9-26; O’Malley (1990), pgs 144-148; Leeson (2012), pg 148; Townshend (2014), pg 119; Kautt (2014), pg 78 |
|
May-11-20/1 |
A British cabinet conference decides that “all
the requirements of the Irish Executive should be promptly met”. However, they subsequently walk back
somewhat from this decision. |
Townshend (1975), pgs
84 & 93; Macardle (1999), pg
341; Bew (2016), pg 95; Leeson (2012), pgs 31-32; Fanning (2013), pg 226; Jeffrey (2006), pg 262; Boyce (1972), pg 49; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 228-229; Kautt (2014), pgs 68-69 |
|
May-11-20/2 |
CIGS Henry Wilson writes in his diary that Macready is “in reality … is fighting New York & Cairo & Calcutta & Moscow who are only using Ireland as a tool and lever against England, & nothing but determined shooting on our part is of any use”.
|
Jeffrey (2006), 263 |
|
May-11-20/3 |
Three RIC men are attacked by the IRA in a
tram in Lr Glanmire Road, Cork City resulting in
the death of two of the RIC men (Sgt Denis Garvey and Constable Daniel
Harrington) and the other (Constable Patrick Doyle) was seriously injured. The IRA team was led by Patrick ‘Pa’
Murray. The IRA believed that Sgt Garvey and Constable
Harrington were the men who actually pulled the triggers in the shooting of
Tomás MacCurtain.
The BA in their The Record of the Rebellion claim that Terence MacSwiney was the “confirming authority in a “sentence” of death” on these two policemen. |
Abbott (2000), pg 76; Lawlor (2009) pg 36; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 135; Kautt (2014), pg 73; Cork Fatality Register |
|
May-11-20/4 |
IRA Volunteer Michael Nolan is shot dead when he
is one of a group of IRA men who attempt to hold up local RM, Capt E. M. P. Wynne at Causeway outside Tralee, Co.
Kerry. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
134 |
|
May-12-20/1 |
The Fisher committee (see Apr-18-20/1) reports
and says that the Dublin Castle Administration is a shambles and recommends
the appointment of a 'powerful civil servant'. |
Townshend (1975), pg 78; Hopkinson (2002), pgs 59-60; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pg 229; Mahon (2008), pg 35 |
|
May-12-20/2 |
William McCabe is shot dead on Strathmore
Road, Killiney, Co. Dublin. The IRA burned Ballybrack
and Kill-o-the-Grange RIC Barracks this night (see May-12-20/3) and McCabe
could have been killed by the IRA burning party or a cordon party. Molyneux and Kelly say that McCabe was shot for failing to stop and, quoting the Irish Independent, O’Halpin and Ó Corráin suggest that this might have been the case. |
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs 134-135; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pg 231 |
|
May-12-20/3 |
The IRA burn down two evacuated RIC barracks -
Kill-o-the-Grange and Ballybrack - in south county
Dublin. At one of these burnings, IRA men Thomas Dunne
from Loughlinstown, Dublin and Patrick Meany or
Meaney from Tomard, Co. Carlow get badly burnt and
both subsequently die. (Molyneux and Kelly this happened at Ballybrack barracks but O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin say it was at Kill-o-the-Grange
barracks.) |
O’Farrell (1997), pgs 107 & 113; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs 135 & 137; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 230- 231 |
|
May-13-20/1 |
The Dáil Cabinet approves a plan for parish
and district courts but advises Minister for Home Affairs, Austen Stack, to
concentrate on one or two counties. This idea had been discussed a number of
times. (Mitchell noted that “arbitration courts were already in operation in
many counties, and they mushroomed in the Spring of 1920”.) See May-13-20/3. |
Mitchell (1995), pg 140 |
|
May-13-20/2 |
Houses in Thurles fired on and bombed by the
RIC. |
Macardle (1999), pg 353 |
|
May-13-20/3 |
Art O’Connor, Minister of Agriculture, arrives in Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo and sets up a provisional land arbitration court. Kevin O’Shiel draws up the procedures and the first major case starts on May 17th - see May-17-20/1. See also Jun-27-20/1. |
Townshend (2014), pgs
127-128 |
|
May-13-20/4 |
The evacuated RIC barracks in Burnfoot, Co. Donegal is burnt by the Derry City IRA and
an attempt is made to burn the Carrigans barracks
the same night. Also, the income tax
office in Bishops St in Derry City is raided and records burnt. (The burning of evacuated barracks and income
tax offices took place later in Derry than in the rest of the country.) |
Grant (2018), pgs
96-97 |
|
May-13-20/5 |
John Matthews, who was a member of the BA’s The
Buffs (East Kent Regiment), is found drowned in a pond in Cork City. A post-mortem found that he drowned
accidently. |
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 135; Cork Fatality Register |
|
May-14-20/1 |
Frank Gleeson, from Fariview,
Dublin dies of acute appendicitis – he had been one of the Mountjoy hunger
strikers and had only been released from hospital on May 3rd. (He had
fought in the Easter Rising.) O’Farrell says May 14th but O’Halpin and Ó Corráin say that he died on May 9th as do Molyneux and Kelly. |
O’Farrell (1997), pg 108; Gallagher (1953), pg 198; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 132; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 227-227 |
|
May-14 to 16-20/1 |
Every member of the Dáil (not in prison)
received a note through the post, on official Dáil notepaper, saying “An eye
for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Therefore a life for a life.” See May-18-20/2. |
Gallagher (1953), pg 90 |
|
May-15-20/1 |
On Churchill’s recommendation, Major General
Henry Hugh Tudor appointed Police Adviser to the Irish Administration in
Dublin Castle. Took over effective command of the RIC (sidelining the RIC
Inspector General) but did not take title of Chief of Police until later in
the year. See Nov-04-20/1. (Macardle says May 22nd.) According to Fanning, Tudor was the ‘hawks’ in
the British Cabinet (Churchill, Law, Long, etc) man in Dublin. |
Townshend (1975), pg 81-83; Macardle (1999), pg 341; Leeson (2012), pg 32; Fanning (2013), pg 230; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 231-232; McMahon (2008), pg 37 |
|
May-15-20/2 |
RIC Detective Sergeant Denis Moroney was shot
and killed during a riot in Derry City. First RIC man killed in Ulster. Parkinson (2020) says that Moroney was killed
during a four-hour gun battle between the IRA and RIC and UVF. O’Halpin and Ó Corráin say that Moroney, with other RIC men, was chasing
rioters when he was hit by revolver shots. The following day, a Catholic ex-BA soldier
(Bernard [O’]Doherty) is shot dead, probably by a loyalist, when walking
along Orchard St (or Linenhall St) in the city . There is evidence of both IRA and UVF involvement in the riots and it is reported that the RIC retreated from active engagement when unionists carrying weapons showed their strength. Sporadic shootings and violence continues over the following weeks but much worse was to come – see Jun-18 to 26-20/1. |
Abbott (2000), pg 77; Gallagher (2003), pg23; Parkinson (2004), pg 23; Grant (2018), 97; Ozseker (2019), pg 145; Gallagher (2003), pg 23; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs 135-136; Parkinson (2020), pg 17 |
|
May-15-20/3 |
James Dalton from Clare St., Limerick is
killed as an alleged spy. Dalton was a
member of the IRA and was killed by other members of the IRA but this killing
was not authorised. It subsequently emerged that Dalton was not a
spy. See Apr-28-20/2.
|
O’Farrell (1997), pg 105; O’Callaghan (2018), pgs 88 & 91; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 136 |
|
May-15-20/4 |
Houses in Bantry, Co. Cork wrecked by the RIC. |
Macardle (1999), pg 353 |
|
May-16-20/1 |
Frustrated at low wages, workers in the
Cleeve-owned creamery in Knocklong, Co Limerick
declare a soviet. They hoisted a red
flag and the Tricolour and declared that “We make butter not profits”. After six days, their demands are met and they
disband the soviet. |
O’Callaghan (2018), pg 126; Mitchell (1995), pg 177 |
|
May-17-20/1 |
The Dáil Minister of Agriculture, Art
O’Connor, (assisted by Kevin O’Shiel) sits in Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo dealing with a number of urgent land
agitation questions. This is the first public meeting of the ‘Sinn
Féin’ Land Arbitration Courts. (Mitchell says that this was the first sitting of an emergency land commission urged by Conor Maguire with O’Connor and O’Shiel presiding. O’Connor did not have authority to do this and had to subsequently ask the Dáil cabinet for retrospective permission - See Aug-06-20/2.) See May-22-20/2. |
Macardle (1999), pg 348; Townshend (2014), pg 127; Mitchell (1995), pg 135 |
|
May-18-20/2 |
Arthur Griffith holds a press conference in Dublin in which he displays the death notes which were received in the previous days by members of the Dáil. He says that the Dáil note paper that they were printed on were removed by British forces from Dáil HQ in Harcourt St during a raid on November 11th 1919. Griffith goes on to accuse the British
government in Ireland in being involved in the assassinations of elected
representatives. |
Gallagher (1953), pg 90 |
|
May-19-20/1 |
Two RIC men (Sgt Kyran or Kieran Dunphy and
Sgt Patrick Hearty) are shot in Mallow St., Limerick by men from the B
company of the Limerick City Battalion (Mid-Limerick Brigade) IRA under the leadership of Michael Hartney. Dunphy dies instantly and Hearty dies on the June 22nd. Major reprisals by the Crown Forces follow
with many properties destroyed. The
RIC run amok firing wildly. A number
of civilians are shot and one, James Saunders, is fatally wounded. The verdict of the coroner’s inquest into the death of James Saunders was that he was killed by the RIC (the 8th verdict of murder against the RIC since the beginning of the year). |
Abbott (2000), pgs 77-78; Macardle (1999), pgs 347 & 353; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs 136; |
|
May-19-20/1 |
Kilcommon, Co. Tipperary shot up by the RIC |
Macardle (1999), pg 353 |
|
May-20-20/1 |
Private Arthur Bowes of the BA’s Yorkshire
Regiment is shot dead by a fellow BA soldier in the Military Barracks,
Tipperary, Co. Tipperary. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
137 |
|
May-20-20/2 |
IRA Volunteer Michael Malone killed in
accidental shooting in Co. Clare. |
Ó Ruairc (2009), pg 325 |
|
May-20-20/3 |
Dockers
and Railwaymen Embargo Dublin dockers decide that, in future, they
would not handle 'war materials'. Soon
joined by railwaymen. |
Townshend (1975), pg 69;Hopkinson (2002), pg 43; Gallagher (1953), pgs 200-201; Lawlor (2011), pgs 33-42; Townshend (2014), pgs 144-148; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 232-234; Mitchell (1995), pgs 181-182; Kautt (2014), pgs 64-65; Sheehan (2007), pgs 18 & 21-22 |
|
May-21-20/1 |
Austen Stack, as Minister of Home Affairs in
the Dáil cabinet, puts forward a proposal to cabinet to set up a system of
parish and district courts. See Jun-10-20/1. |
Townshend (2014), pg 128 |
|
May-21-20/2 |
Nevil Macready (after six weeks in post as General
Officer Commanding of the British Army in Ireland) writes to Henry Wilson
(Chief of the Imperial Staff who was from Longford and a strong Unionist)
saying that “In one sense you are right in saying that we must … hit harder
before we get to the root of the matter”.
But he continues “But I feel strongly that your country suffers from a
cancer, a disease that is rarely eradicated, and even though you may operate
severely on it, it grows again in worse form later”. He goes on “drastic measures would very soon
wheel these people into line and outward submission, it would also leave a
fresh wound on the already scarred body of this blooming Island of
yours”. See May-25-20/2. |
Townshend (2014), pg 142; Jeffrey (2006), 263 |
|
May-21-20/3 |
Four IRA men raid the home of William Johnston
at Ardrum in Co. Leitrim for arms. They are asked to return the following
day. When they return they are
arrested by the RIC. At a subsequent
trial, all four are acquitted as they said that they only wanted to ‘borrow’
Johnston’s gun. |
McGarty (2020), pgs 77-78 |
|
May-21-20/4 |
The Freeman’s Journal reports that during WWI, rank-and-file RIC men has requested that they be disarmed saying that the weapons were only a source of danger to themselves and an invitation to attack. British authorities refused this request. |
Garvin (1996), pg 106 |
|
May-21-20/6 |
Members of an inquest jury who returned a
verdict of wilful murder in the case of the killing of RIC Sgt John Flynn
(see May-10-20/1) receive threatening notices from the IRA. |
Kautt
(2014), pg 76 |
|
May-22-20/1 |
After the Fisher report (see May-12-20/1),
changes are made to the staff in Dublin Castle. On this day, John Anderson, who was earlier
appointed Under-Secretary, arrives in Dublin. Technically, he is Joint
Under Secretary with James MacMahon but, according to Townshend, Anderson
quickly establishes himself as 'unquestioned chief'. With Andy
Cope and Mark Sturgis as Assistant Under Secretaries, the administration of
Dublin Castle is overhauled. |
Curran J M (1980), pg36; Hopkinson (2002) pg 61; and Townshend (1975), pg 80; Townshend (2014), pgs 138 & 154-155 |
|
May-22-20/2 |
At a critical sitting of the republican land
arbitration court in Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo, presided
over by Kevin O’Shiel and Art O’Connor, the court
decides in favour of the two men (Hyland and Murphy) who were renting the
Fountain Hill farm (for the Magdalene Asylum in Galway) and against nine
tenants who were occupying part of the land.
Afterwards, as the tenants maintained
possession, three or four of them were arrested by the IRA and held on an
island in Lough Corrib. The tenants
relented. Later, O’Sheil
stated that “No event did us, or our courts, more good”. O’Shiel
spent the next three months as a one-man land arbitration commissioner mostly
in Connaught dealing with sixty-nine cases.
His sittings received a lot of press attention. According to Price, after this case, “The
decisions of the court were now accepted, sometimes reluctantly, by the
people of the county and the nation”. Mitchell says May 26th. |
Price (2012), pgs 75-77; Townshend (2014), pg 128; Mitchell (1995), pgs 135-136 |
|
May-23-20/1 |
In an entry in his diary, Maurice Hankey
(British Cabinet Secretary), when commenting on Macready’s strategy which he
said would be based on Army mobility (see May-11-20/1), writes “He [Macready]
was full of courage and heart … His plan is to render the troops so mobile
that … the may from time to time surprise the Sinn Fein bands. I don’t think that will be much use, but
his Secret Service may be better. The BA’s CIGS, Henry Wilson, thinks Macready’s
plan useless saying that “He wants to collect the names of Sinn Feiners by districts; proclaim them on church doors all
over the country; and, whenever a policeman is murdered, pick 5 by lot and
shoot them! My view is that somehow or
other terror must be met with terror.”. According to Jeffrey, Wilson expressed a
similar view in a letter to Macready on September 21st, 1920. |
Roskill (1972), pg 153; Jeffrey (2006), pg 266; |
|
May-23-20/2 |
Peter Kelly is shot dead by three armed men
who burst into his home Castlecoote, Co. Roscommon.
This killing would seem to be related to a land dispute. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
137 |
|
May-25-20/1 |
Loughgeorge
RIC Barracks, on the main Galway to Tuam road, is
attacked by the IRA’s Galway No. 1 (Mid-Galway) brigade. They were led by Martin Nyland, Nicholas Kyne
and Michael Walsh. Sean Broderick and
Jim Furey also took part. They fail to capture the barracks. (O’Farrell says
that attack was led by Seamus Murphy – but this is unlikely.) |
McNamara (2018), pg 121; Henry (2012), pgs 34-36; O’Farrell (1997), pg 73 |
|
May-25-20/2 |
Replying to Macready’s letter of May 21st (see May-21-20/2), Wilson disagrees with him saying “as regards my unfortunate country suffering from cancer. She suffers from nothing at all except a plague of agitators who at any time can be put in their proper place”. He went on “If the British Government keeps on
showing that she is totally incapable of either protecting the lives of loyal
subjects or of enforcing law and order, or of driving out these blackguard
traitors and murderers, England will undoubtedly presently lose the
country”. |
Jeffrey (2006), pgs
263-264 |
|
May-27 to 28-20/1 |
Kilmallock RIC barracks attacked by IRA led by, according to O’Farrell, Hopkinson, Townshend and Abbott, 'Sean Forde' (nom de guerre of Thomas Malone). But, according to O’Halpin and Ó Corráin, the attack was led by Sean Wall. The IRA fail to capture the barracks but cause
considerable damage. Two RIC men (Sgt Thomas Kane and Constable Joseph
Morton) and one IRA man (Liam Scully) die as a result of this attack. |
Abbott (2000), pg 79-84; O’Donoghue (1986), pg131 & Hopkinson (2002), pg 119; Ryan (1945), pg 127 & pg 132; Harnett (2002), pgs 50-53; McCarthy in The Kerryman (1955), pgs 55-59; Brennan (1980), pgs 49-52; O’Farrell (1997), pg 92; Regan (2007), pg 164; O’Callaghan (2018), pg 79; Corbett (2008), pgs 60-61; Townshend (2014), pg 119
|
|
May-27-20/1 |
Statement issued by Chief Commissioner of the DMP (W. E. Johnstone) in response to accusations made by Griffith on May 18th (See May-18-20/2) saying that no “notepaper or any writing paper was removed from 76 Harcourt Street or taken possession of by police or by the military”. See May-29-20/1. |
Gallagher (1953), pg 90 |
|
May-27-20/2 |
Private Joseph Clarkson of the BA’s King’s Own
(Royal Lancaster Regiment) is accidently shot dead by a fellow BA soldier
while on guard duty outside the Chief Secretary’s Lodge in the Phoenix Park
in Dublin. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
137 |
|
May-28-20/1 |
Maurice Hankey writes a paper to Llyod George
about Churchill’s “ingenious proposals … for controlling Mesopotamia by
aircraft” and so enabling the occupying British forces to be reduced. See June-1920/6. |
Roskill (1972), pg
169 |
|
May-29-20/1 |
Griffith issues a short statement in response to Johnstone’s statement of May 27th (See May-27-20/1) saying that Dáil notepaper was seized by detectives on the raid on 76 Harcourt St on November 11th 1919 - See Nov-11-19/5. See also Sep-10-20/1. |
Gallagher (1953), pgs 90-91 |
|
May-29-20/2 |
Two men, Michael O’Toole and Martin Ferragher, continued to work on the estate of James
Fitzgerald-Kenny near Clogher, outside Castlebar, Co. Mayo after a boycott
was called by locals who wanted Fitzgerald-Kenny to sell his land to local
tenants. On this night, on their way home from Downey’s Pub in Clogher, the two men were set on by a group of some 20 masked men and savagely beaten. Both men died from the beating they received – O’Toole on the night he was attacked and Ferragher on June 17th. Five men were brought to court on August 14th. Two of the five – Jeremiah Bourke and Pat Coleman – were returned to Sligo to await trial for the murder of O’Toole and Ferragher. However, on October 7th, Bourke and Coleman are released in somewhat mysterious circumstances. |
Price (2012), pgs
77-81 |
|
May-29-20/3 |
Thomas Sheridan, of the Drumbrade
Company, Ballinagh Battalion, Cavan Brigade, IRA is
one of a group of IRA men who attempt to disarm two RIC men. One of the RIC men, Sgt G. Johnson, fires
back and hits Sheridan. He dies later in hospital. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
138 |
|
May-30-20/1 |
BA soldier, Ernest McCaffery, dies in a
drowning accident in Shannon, Co. Clare. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
553 |
|
May-31-20/1 |
First meeting of British Cabinet with its new
Irish officials – Greenwood, Macready and Anderson attended. According
to Fanning, the discussion was rambling and discursive. Coogan claims that this meeting considered
ways of making Irishmen "feel the effects of the campaigns of murder and
arson along economic channels" and that this transformed into the policy
of burning creameries, bacon factories and mills in reprisals. Macready commented on the effect of the
railwaymen’s strike “The troops are now stationary except for the cavalry.
The War Office is fulfilling my demands as fast as they can but they are
being held up by the strike.” Bew says that Churchill had lost enthusiasm
for his original proposal for an Emergency Gendarmarie
(see May-11-20/1) but that “remarkably, two months later, with a statement
from Tudor, the government adopted Churchill’s original proposal and began
recruitment of a ‘special corps of gendarmarie, the
auxiliary division’” – See Jul-06-20/2. |
Hopkinson (2002), pg 64; Coogan (1990), pg 143-144; Bew (2016), pg 95; Fanning (2013), pg 230; Mitchell (1995), pg 181 |
|
May-31-20/2 |
Private Peter Miller of the BA’s East
Lancashire Regiment is accidently shot dead in Dingle, Co. Kerry. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
138 |
|
May-1920/1 |
Major Changes in RIC The Police Adviser appoints a Head of
Intelligence. He also starts to
appoint RIC Divisional Commissioners. |
Townshend (1975), pgs 56, 82; Lesson (2012), pg 235; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 238-239; Sheehan (2009), pg 29; Hart (2002), pgs 6-9 & 94; O’Sullivan Greene (2020), pg 151; McMahon (2008), pg 165 |
|
May-1920/2 |
The uniformed members of the DMP are disarmed
at their own request. |
Mitchell (1995), pg
149 |
|
May-1920/3 |
Pat McCartan, a Sinn Féin representative in
the US, discusses a draft treaty with a Soviet agent. He also advances the Soviets a loan of
$20,000. Subsequently, de Valera asks
McCartan to go to Moscow. For
McCartan’s mission to Moscow - see Feb-1921/8. The draft treaty was discovered by the British
in a raid on a house in Dublin in 1921 and used for propaganda purposes - see
Apr-1921/4. |
McMahon (2008), pg
119 |
|
May-1920/5 |
Lieutenant-Colonel Walter C. Wilson appointed
as Intelligence Officer for Dublin District (Division) of the British
Army. (McMahon says that a ‘Special Branch’ within the BA’s Dublin
District had been operational from March.) |
Townshend (1975), pg 91; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pg 238; Kautt (2014), pgs 57-59; McMahon (2008), pgs 33-34 |