October
1922
|
Oct-02-22/1 |
At Knocklagh, between Clonmel and Cahir, Co. Tipperary a
Crossley tender, with twelve pro-Treaty soldiers on board, is ambushed by an
anti-Treaty column led by Paddy Dalton.
Three
pro-Treaty soldiers – Captain Joseph Walsh, Private Thomas Brownrigg and
Private Patrick Hayes – die as a result of this ambush and one is
injured. After a short fire fight, the
pro-Treaty soldiers surrender. They are disarmed and allowed to return to
Clonmel with their dead, dying or injured colleagues. |
Walsh (2018), pgs 204-205 |
|
Oct-03-22/1 |
After passing
the Public Safety Bill (see Sep-27-22/1), the Provisional Government offers
amnesty to anti-Treaty men who surrender as long as, by October 15th,
they give up their arms and take no further part in the armed
opposition. Prisoners can be released if they take an oath
undertaking not to use arms against the Parliament elected by the Irish people. The response is limited. (Dorney says
October 4th; Kissane says amnesty published on October 5th
and O’Farrell says September 28th.) See also
Jul-10-22/1. |
Litton (1995) pg 111; Hopkinson (1988), pg
181; Macardle (1999), pg
804; O'Farrell (1997), pg xxii; Dorney (2017), pg 135; Kissane (2005), pg 107 |
|
Oct-03-22/2 |
A letter from
Fermanagh Sinn Féin leader, Cahir Healy (who is an internee on the Argenta) to
Kevin O’Shiel (Cosgrave’s legal advisor), which was
sent on September 30th is discussed by Provisional Government
cabinet. Healy was
seeking direction from Dublin in the light of Cosgrave’s assertion that the
northern question must await the restoration of order in south. Healy
mentioned a number of problems such as the imposition of the oath on local
government officials. (Healy was pessimistic and did not expect much
satisfaction from Dublin.) The cabinet
instructed O’Sheil to submit a memorandum on the
subject of the north and the resulting document, called ‘The North-east:
Urgent Matters’ dated October 6th, is influential on the shaping
the cabinet’s attitude towards the northern minority – see Oct-06-22/2. |
Phoenix (1994), pgs 254 |
|
Oct-04-22/1 |
Provisional
Government orders that the Dáil courts be wound up. |
Dorney (2017), pg 144 |
|
Oct-04-22/2 |
Four
anti-Treaty men are arrested in Edinburgh for attempting to steal arms for a
BA drill hall. McMahon goes on
to say that “dozens of arrests and weapon seizure between November 1922 and
January 1923 led to the capture of senior [anti-Treaty] IRA officers and the
breakup of the IRA smuggling networks”.
According to McMahon, the British were getting intelligence from the
Cosgrave government in Dublin (something that did not occur under Collins). |
McMahon (2008),
pg 106 |
|
Oct-05-22/1 |
The last victim
of the contemporary round conflict in Belfast was a Catholic, Mary Sherlock
(34). She was shopping on the
Newtownards Rd when she was shot in the head by a gang who had followed her
into a shop. (McMahon claims
that it was after this killing that the UPA leaders were interned. However, this did not occur for another
month – see Nov-05-22/2.) |
Parkinson
(2004), pg 306; Parkinson (2020), 246;
McMahon (2008), pg 155 |
|
Oct-06-22/1 |
According to Ó Ruairc, an ambush by anti-Treaty forces on a pro-Treaty
convoy at Tullycrine, Co. Clare turns into a
running battle during which anti-Treaty Lieutenant Michael J. Keane from Gortglass was killed. According to Power, Lieutenant
Keane from Kildysart was killed when pro-Treaty
forces were carrying out a sweep in the Tullycrine
area. |
Ó Ruairc (2009), pg 312; Power
(2020), pg 110 |
|
Oct-06-22/2 |
O’Sheil’s memo on the North-east (see Oct-03-22/2)
suggests a representative conference of north-east Nationalists to consider a
number of issues including the attitude to be adopted to the NI
parliament. See Oct-10-22/2. |
Phoenix (1994), pgs 256-257 & 259; Matthews
(2004), pg 97 |
|
Oct-06-22/3 |
Three members
of the anti-Treaty Fianna, Edwin Hughes (17), Brendan Holohan
(17) and Joe Rodgers (16) are arrested while putting up posters in
Drumcondra, Dublin by Charlie Dalton, Nicholas Tobin (brother of Liam) and a
driver called Feehan from pro-Treaty Army Intelligence. The posters
allegedly called for the killing of “the murder gang also known as military
intelligence and so-called CID men”.
They were taken to Wellington Barracks and, according to the
pro-Treaty army, were released shortly afterwards. However, the following day, the bodies of
the three boys were found in a quarry near Clondalkin. Known as the Red Cow Murders. |
Dorney (2017), pgs 186-187; Dolan and Murphy (2018), pg
278 |
|
Oct-06-22/4 |
An anti-Treaty
prisoner (Patrick Mulrennan) is shot in Custume Barracks, Athlone by Brigadier General Lawlor,
the Pro-Treaty officer who was O/C of the Claremorris Command. Mulrennan
subsequently dies of his wounds.
(Lawlor’s actions are defended by Sean Mac Eoin.) |
Macardle
(1999), pg 838; Price (2012), pg
259 |
|
Oct-06-22/5 |
About 30
anti-Treaty prisoners escape via a tunnel from the Curragh internment
camp. Nine are later recaptured on the
Kildare-Meath border. |
D urney (2011), pg 97 |
|
Oct-07-22/1 |
In the week
ending October 7th, at least 68 anti-Treaty volunteers are
captured in Kerry. (Doyle puts this
down to information supplied by members of the public.) |
Doyle (2008), pgs |
|
Oct-07-22/1 |
An Intelligence
Report by the Dublin District of the BA states that on the anti-Treaty side
political leaders were ceding power to the Bolshevik and the gunman while on
the pro-Treaty side the frequent resort to reprisals and ill-treatment of
prisoners was alienating the general public from the Provisional Government. |
Kissane (2005),
pgs 84-85 |
|
Oct-08-22/6 |
Thomas Murphy,
QM 7th of Kildare’s anti-Treaty Brigade, is captured at Blackwood,
Co Kildare. |
Durney
(2011), pg 97 |
|
Oct-09-22/1 |
Writing to Liam
Lynch, Ernie O’Malley (writing from the HQ of the Northern and Eastern
commands of the anti-Treaty army) says that “the men are scattered and the
equipment and armaments poor” but goes on to say “peace talk and peace
negotiations must be definitely hit on the head”. |
Ferriter
(2021), pg 55 |
|
Oct-09-22/2 |
Henry Moore is
shot dead during a raid on his house by anti-Treaty volunteers in Stillorgan,
Dublin. |
Dorney (2017), pg 303 |
|
Anti-Treaty
leader, Peadar Breslin, who had been captured after
the fall of the Four Courts, is shot dead during an attempt to escape from
Mountjoy. Two pro-Treaty military police officers and a soldier are also
killed in this escape attempt. |
O'Farrell P
(1997), pg 145; Dorney (2017), pg
201 |
|
|
In a memo by O’Sheil for the pro-Treaty cabinet, he states that the
decision of the Northern Government to abolish PR for local elections and to
hold urban elections based on the pre-1919 electoral areas meant that the
Unionists would recapture Derry city, Downpatrick, Armagh and possibly some
others. Despite protests (particularly from Derry Council) the Northern
Ireland Government proceeded with these measures and also introduced a
mandatory oath of allegiance. |
Phoenix (1994),
pgs 260-261 |
|
|
Catholic
bishops issue a joint pastoral stressing the importance “of supporting the
national government”. Of the anti-Treaty
forces, the pastoral said they are “Carrying on what they call a war, but
which, in the absence of any legitimate authority to justify it, is morally
only a system of murder and assassination of the National forces … the
guerrilla warfare now carried out by the Irregulars is without moral
sanction, and therefore the killing of National soldiers in the course of it
is murder before God”. The pastoral
goes on to say that “A Republic without a popular recognition behind it is a
contradiction in terms.” It also says that the anti-Treaty men “have
caused more damage to Ireland in 3 months than could be laid to the charge of
British rule in so many decades”. The
bishops ban the anti-Treaty forces from receiving sacraments while they
opposed the Provisional Government in arms. They express the hope that they
will take advantage of the Government’s offer of an amnesty. The pastoral
was read at all masses on October 22nd. As the pastoral was issued subject to an
appeal to the Holy See, Count Plunkett set up a Catholic Appeal Committee to
appeal to the Pope to reverse the Bishops’ pastoral
but this appeal fails. See Oct-16 to 17-22/1. |
Hopkinson
(1988), pg 182; Macardle
(1999), pg 804; Ó Ruairc
(2009), pg 311; Walsh (2018), pg
205; Hall (2019), pg 113; Dorney (2017), pg 150; Power (2020), pg 103; Ferriter (2021), pg 83; Kissane (2005),
pgs 89 & 129 & 160 |
|
|
Oct-13-22/4 |
A pro-Treaty
sentry, Timothy Goggin, is shot in the head by a sniper in Fenit, Co. Kerry. |
Doyle (2008), pg 200 |
|
Oct-13-22/5 |
A report by the
anti-Treaty army states “Indiscipline is reported to be common amongst our
Troops, especially in the Clonmel area”. |
Hopkinson
(1988), pg 209 |
|
Oct-13-22/6 |
Retired RIC
constable, Patrick Clancy, is shot and mortally wounded by three men armed
with revolvers in Leitrim St., Cork City. |
Abbott (2019), pg 379; Power (2020), pg 111 |
|
Oct-14-22/1 |
Anti-Treaty
officer, Seamus Mulrennan, is killed when leading
an ambush against pro-Treaty forces at Lisacul, Co.
Roscommon. (His brother, Patrick, had
been killed in Custume Barracks in Athlone on
October 6th – See Oct-06-22/4.) |
Price (2012), pg 259 |
|
Oct-14-22/2 |
Pro-Treaty
Commandant Buggle is wounded during an ambush on
his car by Paddy Mullaney’s anti-Treaty column at Louisa Bridge between
Leixlip and Maynooth, Co. Kildare. |
Durney
(2011), pg 97 |
|
Oct-14-22/3 |
The railway
bridge between Sallins and Staffan,
Co. Kildare is blown up and another outside Kildare town is destroyed four
days later. |
Durney
(2011), pg 100 |
|
Oct-14-22/4 |
Pro-Treaty
soldier, Private Gilligan, is shot in the stomach when chasing a prisoner in
Tralee, Co. Kerry. He dies of his
wounds on October 18th. |
Doyle (2008), pg 200 |
|
Oct-14-22/5 |
Large escape by
anti-Treaty prisoners from Newbridge Barracks in Co. Kildare – 149 prisoners
escape of whom 37 are recaptured. (Durney says October 14th but Ó Duibhir says October 22nd.) |
Durney
(2011), pgs 109-117; Ó Duibhir (2011), pgs 206-209 |
|
Oct-15-22/1 |
Public Safety
Bill is made effective by pro-Treaty Government after the end of the amnesty
period. (It was passed by the Dáil on September 27th.)
Gives military courts power to impose death sentences, etc – see Sep-27-22/1. Proclamation
issued by the rro-Treaty army given in full as
Appendix 28 in Macardle. |
O'Farrell P
(1997), pg xxiii; Hopkinson (1988), pg 181; Macardle (1999), pg 805; Curran J M (1980), pg
256 |
|
Oct-15-22/2 |
Writing from
Donegal to Ernie O’Malley, Sean Lehane, O/C 1st
Northern Division (anti-Treaty) says “we are funking [the] fight here and
stealing about the place like Criminals. I suppose it is only a matter of
time until we are rounded up … there is not a fighting chance, the people are
out of sympathy with us”. |
Ferriter
(2021), pg 66 |
|
Oct-16 to 17-22/1 |
Anti-Treaty
Executive meets in Mrs Nugent's, Poulatar, Ballybacon, Co. Tipperary and decides on the minimum terms that
would be accepted in any peace negotiations. Also agrees to the
formation of an anti-Treaty Government and pledges this Government support
and allegiance "while it functions as the Government of the
Republic". De Valera was to be ‘President of the Republic and
Chief Executive of the State’. See
Oct-25-22/2. |
O’Donoghue
(1986), pg 271; Hopkinson (1988), pg 128 & 188; Macardle
(1999), pgs 806-808; Curran J M (1980), pgs 254-255; Hall (2019), pg
115; Kissane (2005), pgs 89-91 & 107 |
|
Oct-17-22/1 |
Pro-Treaty
soldier, Lieutenant Joseph Hanrahan from Limerick City, is fatally wounded. See
cDec-24-22/1. |
O’Callaghan
(2018), pg 114 |
|
Oct-18-22/1 |
At Kilmanagh, near Urlingford, Co.
Kilkenny, a pro-Treaty patrol (under Captain Anthony Lalor) is ambushed by an
anti-Treaty column. The firefight
lasts for three hours and results in the death of one anti-Treaty volunteer,
Thomas O’Dea from Mitchelstown, Co. Cork and one pro-Treaty man, Patrick
Quigley from Tullaroan, Co. Kilkenny. A number of anti-Treaty men are captured
along with two rifles and a Lewis machine gun. |
Walsh (2018), pg 206 |
|
Oct-18-22/2 |
Tom Maguire,
O/C anti-Treaty 2nd Western Division, is captured near Shrule, Co. Mayo.
He is sentenced to death in January 1923. He is replaced by Christie Mackin. |
Price (2012), pg 232 |
|
Oct-19-22/1 |
Aghadoe
House in Co. Kerry is burned down by anti-Treatyites
to ensure that it was not used by their enemy. |
Doyle (2008), pgs 198-199 |
|
Oct-19-22/2 |
Writing to Joe
McGarrity in the United States, de Valera states that “I do not care what Republican
Government is set up so long as someone is – only I will not take
responsibility if I do not get the corresponding authority to act in
accordance with my best judgment”. |
Hopkinson
(1988), pg 188 |
|
Oct-19-22/3 |
In London,
Conservative MPs meet in the Carlton Club and agree 187 to 87 to end the
Coalition. They also decide to replace the Conservative-Liberal
Coalition with an exclusively Conservative government. Matthews claims that “The seething discontent
about this issue [the Treaty with Ireland] was at the bottom of the
Conservative revolt” – see Oct-27-22/4. Llyod George
resigns on this date. However, before he left office
he writes to Cosgrave saying that Britain was still pledged to ratify the
Free State Constitution by the December 6th deadline (and this was
released to the press). Andrew Bonar
Law was re-elected leader of the Conservatives (to replace Austen
Chamberlain). Shortly after taking
office as Prime Minister, on October 23rd, Bonar Law announced
that his government would honour the Coalition government’s commitment to
Ireland. In a subsequent
election on November 15th, Conservatives gain overall majority of
87. McMahon quotes
A. J. P. Taylor as saying that the new British cabinet was “strikingly
Conservative, even obscurantist, in composition”. Vincent
Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire, was made Colonial Secretary and
therefore in charge of Irish affairs in the British Cabinet. |
Curran J M
(1980), pg 262; Fanning (2013), pg
339; Matthews (2004), pgs 86-88 & 92; McMahon (2008),
pg 91 |
|
Oct-20-22/1 |
A delegation of
prominent unionists (including Dr John Bernard, Provost of TCD and Lord Desart) meet with Cosgrave and are impressed with his
desire to restore stability and to keeping them in the country. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 196 |
|
Oct-20-22/2 |
Anti-Treaty ASU
robs the government pay office in Dublin of £200. One of many robberies carried out by the
anti-Treaty side at this time. |
Dorney (2017), pg 157 |
|
Oct-20-22/3 |
Pro-Treaty
soldier, Sean Sullivan (only 16-years old) is accidently shot by one of his
own officers in Corporation St, Dublin.
Similarly,
Nicholas Tobin (brother of Liam Tobin) is accidently shot by one of his
comrades during a pro-Treaty raid in Gardiner St., Dublin. |
Dorney (2017), pg 167 |
|
Oct-20-22/4 |
Pat O’Connor,
anti-Treaty O/C, 2nd Battallion, Kerry
No. 1 brigade is captured in Ballyronan near Ballyheigue along with PJ O’Halloran. Both are sentenced to death but this is
later commuted to five years’ penal servitude. |
Horgan (2018), pgs 212-214; Doyle (2008), pg 206 |
|
Oct-20-22/5 |
A pro-Treaty
convoy of an armoured car and a Crossley tender, on its way from Limerick
City to Tralee, Co. Kerry is ambushed at Duagh
village resulting in the death of Sergeant John Browne and the wounding of
one other pro-Treaty soldier. |
Doyle (2008), pg 204 |
|
Oct-20-22/6 |
Pro-Treaty
soldiers discover a dugout being used by anti-Treaty volunteers near Annagh
outside Tralee, Co. Kerry. The anti-Treaty men escape except one, Billy
Myles, who is wounded and later dies of his wounds. |
O’Shea (2021), pg 160 |
|
Oct-20-22/7 |
Thirty-eight
members of the new (and unarmed) Garda Síochána, under the command of
Superintendent Brennan, take over the old RIC barracks in Lady Lane,
Waterford City. |
McCarthy (2015),
pg 113 |
|
Oct-21-22/1 |
A pro-Treaty
army lorry is ambushed at Lawlor’s Cross, Rockfield outside Killarney, Co.
Kerry. A pro-Treaty army soldier,
Corporal John Corcoran, is killed and two other wounded. |
Doyle (2008), pg 207 |
|
Oct-22-22/1 |
Two pro-Treaty
soldiers, Patrick Foley and Laurence Phelan are killed. They were part of a patrol searching for
Paddy Curran’s anti-Treaty ASU in the mountains in Waterford. |
McCarthy
(2015), pg 113 |
|
Oct-22-22/2 |
A pro-Treaty
soldier, James Burke, who is on sentry duty in Cashel, Co. Tipperary,
accidently fired his rifle. The bullet
passes through his body and he dies instantly. |
Walsh (2018), pg 206 |
|
Oct-23-22/1 |
Pro-Treaty
soldier, Sergeant James Marum, is killed in Kerry. |
Doyle (2008), pg 207 |
|
Oct-23-22/2 |
The Leinster Leader reports that one
pro-Treaty officer (Lieutenant John Keogh from Dublin) is killed in a
shoot-out between a number of pro-Treaty men and two anti-Treaty men
(including Kildare O/C Jim Dunne) outside a dance hall in Johnstown, Kill, Co.
Kildare. |
Durney
(2011), pgs 134-135 |
|
Oct-24-22/3 |
Corporal James
Dunne is accidently killed in the pro-Treaty army barrack in the Workhouse in
Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. One of his
fellow soldiers was cleaning a gun when a bullet was accidently discharged
hitting Dunne in the stomach. (He had been a member of the Connaught Rangers
and had taken part in the mutiny in India. Walsh says that he was a
Sergeant.) |
McCarthy
(2015), pg 113; Walsh (2018), pg
207 |
|
Oct-24-22/4 |
A pro-Treaty
patrol of eight men in a Crossley tender, under the command of Commandant
Kenny and Lieutenant Edward Nolan, are ambushed near Graney Cross, about a
mile from Castledermot, Co. Kildare. Three
pro-Treaty privates (Edward Byrne, James Murphy and Patrick Allison) are
killed and the rest of the patrol (with the exception of Lieutenant Nolan)
are seriously injured. |
Durney
(2011), pgs 98-100 |
|
Oct-25-22/1 |
The Dáil enacts
the Constitution of Saorstát Éireann
(Irish Free State). |
O'Farrell P
(1997), pg xxiii; Curran J M (1980), pg 261 |
|
Oct-25-22/2 |
After the
meeting of the anti-Treaty IRA Executive on October 16th and 17th,
the available anti-Treaty TDs meet secretly in Dublin and agree to form a
cabinet “to be temporarily the Supreme Executive of the Republic and the
State until such time as the elected Parliament of the Republic can freely
assemble, or the people being rid of external aggression are at liberty to
decide freely how they are to be governed”. |
Hopkinson
(1988), pg 188; Macardle (1999), pg 808; Curran
J M (1980), pg 255; Kissane (2005), pg 90 |
|
Oct-25-22/3 |
A pro-Treaty
convoy is ambushed at Ballyrobert between Ardfert
and Abbeydorney in Co. Kerry. A pro-Treaty soldier, Private Gilchrist, is
killed and another pro-Treaty soldier in wounded. Also, on this
day, a pro-Treaty patrol came across some anti-Treaty men removing the
contents of a cargo boat at Dungeel, three miles
outside Killorglin, Co. Kerry. In the
ensuing firefight, anti-Treaty man William O’Riordain
is killed and two other anti-Treaty volunteers were wounded. Further, on
this same day, anti-treaty Captain Michael Ahern was killed at Pallas, near
Beaufort Bridge, Co. Kerry. |
Doyle (2008), pgs 207-208 |
|
Oct-26-22/1 |
Writing to
Churchill, Cosgrave says “We share your faith in the Treaty which our nations
have made and ratified and in its fulfilment we look
to find goodwill and unity in Ireland and peace at last between Great Britain
and Ireland and the fruits of peace”. |
Kissane (2005),
pgs 106-107 |
|
Oct-27-22/2 |
In an exchange
of fire between pro- and anti-Treaty forces at Tonevane
near Castlegregory, Co. Kerry, one pro-Treaty
soldier (Private Nagle) and one anti-Treaty volunteer (William Myles) are
killed. On the same
day, pro-Treaty forces surround an anti-Treaty column at Glen Farm near Ballyheigue.
Anti-Treaty volunteer John Lawlor agrees to give firing cover and this
allows the remainder of the column to escape.
Lawlor is captured – see Oct-30-22/2. |
Doyle (2008), pg 208 |
|
Oct-27-22/3 |
Pro-Treaty
troops carry out a large sweep of the Arigna
mountains looking for the anti-Treaty column based there but are unable to
locate it. |
McGarty
(2020), pg 120 |
|
Oct-27-22/4 |
Churchill
writes “Much of the bitterness which suddenly exploded at the Carlton Club
[see Oct-19-22/3] was due to the fury of the Die-Hards at the Irish
Treaty. This was the deed they could
not forgive and for which they were determined to exact revenge.” He also noted that the Treaty settlement
would now be carried out by “the irony of fate”. |
Matthews
(2004), pgs 89-90 |
|
Oct-28-22/1 |
The decisions
of the anti-Treaty TDs (see Oct-25-22/2) were publicised on October 26th
and, on October 28th, the Executive of the anti-Treaty IRA army
give allegiance to the new government. |
Curran J M
(1980), pg 255 |
|
Oct-28-22/2 |
Clifden, Co.
Galway is attacked by anti-Treaty forces under Petrie McDonnell. The attack goes on all day with one
combatant on each side being killed and many wounded. (One of the wounded was Christie Mackin, newly appointed O/C of anti-Treaty 2nd
Western Division.) |
Price (2012), pgs 232-234; Hopkinson (1988), pg
215 |
|
Oct-30-22/1 |
At a meeting of
the 1st Southern Division of the anti-Treaty forces, the situation
of the five Cork brigades was reviewed and it was admitted that the
organisation was very weak in most brigades. |
Hopkinson
(1988), pg 202 |
|
Oct-30-22/2 |
An anti-Treaty
volunteer (John Lawlor), who was captured during a raid by pro-Treaty forces
on Glen Farm, Ballyheigue, Co. Kerry on October 27th
(see Oct-27-22/2) is killed by his captors. It is claimed
that he was wounded when he was captured and, early next morning, he is
killed by his captors. |
Macardle
(1998), pg 11; Doyle (2008), pg 208 |
|
Oct-30-22/3 |
A second attack
on the HQ of the CID (Oriel House) fails after a bomb intended to blow open
the door is too powerful and blows up the first floor of the building which
prevents the attackers laying a more powerful bomb which was intended to blow
up the whole building. Three anti-Treaty volunteers are arrested – they are
subsequently executed on November 30th – see Nov-30-22/1. |
Dorney (2017), pgs 170-172 |
|
Oct-30-22/4 |
Joe ‘Holy Joe’
O’Connor, O/C of 3rd Battalion, anti-Treaty Dublin Brigade is
captured. |
Dorney (2017), pg 175 |
|
Oct-31-22/1 |
Writing to a
person called Loftus, de Valera says that the problem with the Treaty is that
it ignored the sentiment that made the revolutionary struggle possible. |
Kissane (2005), pg 36 |
|
Oct-1922/1 |
Pro-Treaty
soldier, Joseph Reardon, is accidently shot and mortally wounded by one of
his own comrades in the Crown Alley telephone exchange, Dublin. |
Dorney (2017), pg 167 |
|
Oct-1922/2 |
The pro-Treaty
government sets up the Railway Protection and Maintenance Corps under Charles
Russell. Given the extensive damage to the railway lines, engines,
bridges and other railway property carried out by the anti-Treaty forces,
Hopkinson comments that ‘At best the Railway Corps had been a successful
example of damage limitation’. |
Hopkinson
(1988), pgs 198-200 |
|
Oct-1922/3 |
Parkinson
estimates that 498 people were killed in troubles-related incidents in
Belfast between July 1920 and October 1922.
He also notes that “The Catholic casualty rates – over 60% of the
total number of conflict fatalities – was significant in a city where
Protestants outnumbered Catholics by nearly three to one”. Glennon gives
the exact same figure of deaths over the same period. (He excludes accidental deaths.) Glennon says that the deaths are made up as
follows: 4 British Army; 20 RUC/RIC;
13 Specials; 181 Protestant civilians; 23 IRA; 6 Na Fianna and 254 Catholic
civilians. Taking only civilian
casualties, Catholics were 58% of the civilians killed in a city where they
were approximately 25% of the population. Glennon does
caution that some of the Catholic victims may have been members of one of the
republican organisations but he goes onto to conclude “Catholics accounted
for only a quarter of Belfast’s population but suffered over half the
fatalities of the pogrom … the overwhelming majority of the political
violence in Belfast in the pogrom period was perpetrated against Catholics
and nationalists”. |
Parkinson
(2004), pgs 12 and 327; Glennon
(2020), pgs 28-31 |
|
Oct-1920/4 |
In late
October, Frank Barrett, O/C of the anti-Treaty Mid-Clare Brigade informs his
GHQ that “As a result of the capture by the enemy of nearly all the best
officers in the area, the organisation showed very grave signs of collapse,
consequently all our energies are directed towards reorganising”. |
Ó Ruairc (2009), pg 312 |
|
Oct-1920/5 |
A column of the
1st Southern Division of the anti-Treaty forces led by Tom Barry
successfully attack Ballineen and Enniskean in Co. Cork in late October. Also, Ballyvourney attacked a number of times during this
period. (Barry had escaped from Gormanstown camp in
September.) |
Hopkinson
(1988), pg 203; Doyle (2008), pg
234 |
|
Oct-1920/6 |
A deputation of
southern unionists, led by W. M. Jellett, MP, goes
to the Colonial Office in London. They bring with them a seven-page document
which says that “The destruction of the last few months is simply
staggering. It far exceeds that of
1798. We have to go back to 1641 to
find anything like a parallel.
Throughout the 26 southern counties of Ireland, murder, pillage,
rapine, and arson stalk unchallenged.” They say that they are faced with
republicans, Bolsheviks and the “egoist, the landless man, the unemployed
desperado, the village bully, the anarchist, in fact all those who are
discontented”. They go to
propose their solution: “Southern unionists have always believed, and still
believe, that the policy of the Union is the only policy that can save
Ireland from itself … To the impartial observer there would appear to be now
only two alternatives before this distracted country, either the speedy
restoration of Imperial control or the perpetuation of chaos, misery, and
murder, with the certainty that a Republic will be established in the near future”. McMahon notes
that the views expressed by the southern unionist delegation were “repeated
almost daily in the right-wing Morning Post” along with “gruesome stories of
loyalist persecution”. |
McMahon (2008), pgs 88-89 |
|
Oct-1920/8 |
Two men are
seen by pro-Treaty sentries approaching Lough Veagh
House on the shores of Gartan Lake in Co.
Donegal. They are called on to stop
and, when they fail to stop, they are fired on. One of the men, John Fries, later dies of
his wounds. |
Ó Duibhir
(2011), pg 203 |