War of Independence
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November 1920: No Looking Back
Events in November 1920 played a vital role in the support for Ireland’s fight for independence. Although much has been written regarding events in Dublin, today, we are going to highlight events that featured in local newspapers including a local man identified by Danny Dowling as having been wounded on Bloody Sunday in 1920.
For our international readers, as previously highlighted at Easter 1916, in what is generally referred to as the Easter Rising, Irish republicans seized various locations, primarily in Dublin, and proclaimed Ireland a republic. Britain was involved in fighting the First World War and crushed the uprising. The maltreatment of the civilian population and the execution of the leaders of the Easter Rising shifted public support toward the republicans. For a brief biography of 16 executed leaders of the 1916 rising see, https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/583995-the-executed-leaders-of-the-1916-rising/ .
Sinn Fein in the 1918 general election won a majority of seats and formed the first Dáil of Ireland on 21 January 1919. The Dáil set up a government, court system and police force. Across the country Crown police and tax offices were attacked and burned. As highlighted in a previous post Company C of the old IRA burned the empty Glenmore police barracks on Easter Saturday 1920. These efforts were to undermine the authority of the British rule. For information on the burning of the Glenmore Barracks, see, https://glenmore-history.com/the-glenmore-barracks/. For further information on Company C see, https://glenmore-history.com/the-glenmore-company-of-the-old-ira/ .
A review of the local newspapers from November 1920 illustrate several interesting facts and ironically some similarities with events in 2020.
Pandemic—The Spanish flu pandemic was still an issue in November 1920. An advertisement for Statham Ltd. on High St., Kilkenny City specifically advised readers
“The best preventative of the Flu is abundant open air exercise. Cycling is the best exercise to keep you fit and enable you to resist ‘all the ills that flesh is heir to.’ Cycling helps you to combine business with pleasure, and health with both.” (Kilkenny People, 13 Nov. 1920, p. 3)
Coal & Food Shortages—Several newspaper articles made reference to U.K. coal mine strikes, exceeding six weeks, depleting coal supplies and impacting on shipping and railways. In Ireland in some districts railways were also disrupted by the republicans searching trains for weapons and intelligence. With the disruption to transportation concerns were expressed (similar to the Brexit concerns today) that vital supplies such as food and medicine would be scarce.
“To Shopkeepers and Farmers in Inland Districts—We are asked by the City of Waterford Food Emergency Committee, in view of the imminent threatened hold-up of the Railways and the restriction of motor transit and the petrol supply in Ireland, to impress upon all shopkeepers and farmers in inland districts the urgent necessity of at once procuring as large a supply as possible of such essential foods as flour, oatmeal, rice and groceries: also oil-cakes and Indian meal for fattening stock. Steps should be taken at once to make this provision, as in a day or two it may be impossible to procure or transport these requirements…” (Munster Express, 20 Nov. 1920 p. 4)
Murder of Father Griffin in Galway—Rev. Michael Griffin (1892-1920) C.C. was abducted from his home in Galway on the 14th of November by three men wearing trench coats. His body was found the following week in a shallow grave in a bog four miles from Galway. He had been shot in the head, and the Kilkenny People proclaimed that Father Griffin was the first priest executed in Ireland since 1798 (27 Nov. 1920, p. 2). The Munster Express suggested the motive of the murder was the fact that Father Griffin had supported the local Sinn Fein candidate, but today it is generally believed that he was kidnapped and tortured to force him to reveal information he heard in the confessional. Today, it is generally believed that the Black and Tans were responsible for the murder. This murder, although less well remembered today than Bloody Sunday, had a significant impact. For an article on this and other Galway atrocities see, https://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/other-cheated-dead-murder-and-reprisals-in-galways-gregory-yeats-country .
Aeroplane Crash in Waterford—The following article may record the first airplane crash in Waterford. The fixed bayonets of the soldiers at the scene keeping curious onlookers back highlights the violence of the times.
“An exciting affair occurred in Waterford at about 1 o’clock on Wednesday, when an aeroplane crashed on the roofs of the houses in Barrack Street, and was totally wrecked. The plane was of the scout type .. and was carrying the usual despatches from Fermoy to the military barracks at Waterford. It was noticed to be flying very low passing over the city. Arrived over the barrack square, the machine struck the wireless apparatus, and at once dived forward, then turned on its side, and struck upside down on the roofs of the licensed premises of Mr. Aspel, in Barrack Street, and the private house of Mrs. McSweeney, just opposite the barracks gate. The crash was heard for a wide area around and at once created much commotion. Naturally the occupants of the houses sustained a great fright over the occurrence. A number of soldiers of the Devon Regiment rushed from the barracks, and ran up ladders to the roof. One of the soldiers, scrambling on the roof, fell down through it, but was not injured beyond receiving a severe shaking. After making great effort the two occupants of the machine were rescued and were conveyed to the interior of the house. It was at once found that both were unconscious. The observer was the more seriously injured, the injuries being principally to the head and face, while the pilot of the machine sustained a broken right arm, while he was also suffering shock. They were removed on stretchers to the barracks hospital, and subsequently were transferred by motor ambulance to Fermoy.
The names of the occupants were Flying Officers Biggs and McKichan. In the meantime a crowd had congregated around the scene of the accident, and the military with fixed bayonets kept them back from the immediate vicinity of the accident. During the evening the scene was visited by people from all parts of the city.” (Munster Express, Friday 20 Nov. 1920 p. 4)
Exciting Incidents at Hugginstown (Kilkenny)—”It is stated that Black and Tans auxiliary police have recently been visiting Hugginstown, Co. Kilkenny, looking for young men who are supposed to be on the run. The circumstances, as related by some of the residents, go to show that recent Volunteers there effected the arrest of two men on a charge of being concerned in the robbery of a sum of money. It is stated that a number of Black and Tans arrived in the district from Inistioge at intervals, and notified the residents that if these two men were not immediately set at liberty again Hugginstown would be burned down.
On last Sunday night several armed men called at Hugginstown and visited the house of Joseph Halloran, a farmer, whose two sons are present on the run and with whom they enquited. The father and son it is said, were brought outside the house, blindfolded, and put up against a wall. Shots were fired over their heads, after which the bandages were removed from their eyes. The men then searched the licensed premises of Cleary’s and of Holden’s in the village.
About midnight on Monday the force again appeared in the village and called on Halloran’s. This time they took the young lad, aged 19, with them brought him to a house close by, belonging to a family named Jackman. They searched the latter house and told Mr. Jackman that they had a charge against him and that it would be better for him to give up having anything to do with Sinn Fein. At the same time they examined the beds, and asked to know if there were any young men in the house, and on being informed in the negative they withdrew. Young Halloran had in the meantime been blindfolded and put with his face to the wall. Hearing some shots and a cry, “I am shot,” he decided to make a run for it. Tearing the bandages from his eyes, he made a dash for liberty and received two bullet wounds—one in the shoulder and the other in the thigh. He continued to run, however, and scrambled, over a fence and took to the country. When things were quiet he returned to his house, whence he was subsequently removed to Kilkenny Infirmary.
About thirty young men—almost all the population of the village—are now on the run and it is alleged that the Black and Tans have threatened that they will take three lives for Tom Ryan’s. Constable Ryan was killed during the attack on Hugginstown police barracks in March last.” (Munster Express, 20 Nov. 1920, p. 4)
Bloody Sunday—Notwithstanding the fear of famine, the Black and Tans, and violence, November 1920 ended with more of the Irish population openly supporting the republicans fanned by the murder of Father Griffin, abuse of civilians and Bloody Sunday. On the 21st of November 1920, the RIC, and Crown Forces, opened fire on civilians attending a football match, between Tipperary and Dublin, at Croke Park in Dublin. The attack on the civilians was in retribution of the killing of fourteen British intelligence officers earlier that day. See, https://crokepark.ie/bloodysunday/bloody-sunday-1920 Fourteen civilians were killed at Croke Park, including a Tipperary player and scores of spectators were injured.
Ballinacree, Slieverue native, Robbie Walsh, at 16, of Charlestown House, was one of the spectators injured that day when a bullet grazed his wrist. The obituary for Robert “Robbie” Walsh, V.S. (Munster Express, Friday 3 January 1930, p. 6) supports Danny’s recollection and recites that Robbie at the age of 26 died on Christmas Day 1929 of TB. It was noted that he “..was wounded in Croke Park on the memorable ‘Bloody Sunday’ …” Robbie’s father, Patrick Walsh, was a native of Davidstown, Glenmore.
By the end of November 1920 there was no looking back.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
The Glenmore Barracks [Updated]
Danny Dowling was informed by older Glenmore residents that the first police barracks in Glenmore was located in the field behind the present pub. There was no mention of any barracks of any description in Glenmore in 1798. The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) was established in 1822, but it is not known when the RIC Glenmore Barracks was established. The present barracks was built in the Village in the townland of Robinstown (on the corner of the main Village road and the Mullinahone road) on the lands of Lord Bessborough.
Today we are going to highlight that one hundred years ago on Easter Saturday 1920, Company C, the Glenmore Company, of the 6th Battalion of the Kilkenny Brigade of the old IRA burned the Glenmore RIC barracks. For a short time after the War of Independence a police barracks was located in a house in Weatherstown until the Glenmore Village barracks was rebuilt. Thereafter the Garda Siochana occupied the Glenmore barracks. By 1995 this Garda station was only opened a day or two a week and then permanently closed. The last officer to work out of the barracks was Garda Joe Quirke.
In the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage it is provided that Forristal’s (just down the hill from St. James on the same side of the road) was a RIC barracks in 1903 https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/12404105/glenmore-roryal-irish-constabulary-barracks-robinstown-glenmore-co-kilkenny . Danny does not believe that this is correct. A quick review of the 1901 Census indicates that Anastatia Forristal, was a widow, age 51, and her son Martin Forristal, age 21, lived in the house. In 1911 the house was occupied by Anastatia Forristal, age 60, her son Martin Forristal, age 31, and James P. O’Donovan, age 27, the Glenmore Creamery Manager. Given the fact that the same family lived in the house in 1901 and 1911, it seems unlikely that the Forristal house was a RIC barracks in 1903.
The first two census of the 20th century provide some information concerning the RIC officers who were assigned to the Glenmore barracks at that time. The 1901 Census provides that there was a RIC Sergeant and four constables were resident in the Glenmore barracks namely: Sgt. Michael Stapleton (age 42, born Roscommon, the son of a farmer, single), Constable John Lennon (age 47, born Roscommon, the son of a farmer, single); Constable William Brazil (age 33, born Waterford, the son of a farmer, single); Constable Florence O’Donohue, age 24, born Cork, the son of a farmer, single); and Constable Patrick Grace (age 33, born Tipperary South, the son of an ex-RIC Sgt, married). The 1911 Census only provides the initials of the RIC Sergeant and two constables in the Glenmore barracks including: Sergeant M.K. (age 41, born in Limerick, the son of a farmer, single); C.P. , age 36, born in Cork, the son of a farmer, married; and W.P. (age 23, born in King’s County [Offaly], the son of a farmer, single). All but one of the officers in these two census were sons of farmers.
Notwithstanding the confusion regarding where the Glenmore RIC Barracks was located in 1903, the photos of the roofless fire damaged Barracks illustrates that in 1920 the RIC Glenmore Barracks was at the corner the main Village road and the Mullinahone road.
Thomas Treacy, of Kilkenny City, in 1951 provided a witness statement (Doc. No. 1093) to the Bureau of Military History concerning the Kilkenny Brigade of the IRA during his time as Battalion Commandant (1917) and Brigade Commandant (1918) until his last arrest and internment in November 1920. Treacy’s witness statement is available at http://www.militaryarchives.ie/collections/online-collections/bureau-of-military-history-1913-1921/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1093.pdf
In 1920 Treacy was ordered to capture a RIC barracks to secure firearms and ammunition, and after a couple of difficulties regarding other locations, he chose Huggingstown, Kilkenny RIC barracks. On the 8th of March 1920 the attack on the Hugginstown RIC barracks commenced at 10:30 p.m. IRA units from Kilkenny City, Outrath and Dunmaggin Companies were present as well as the Hugginstown Company that performed scout, and patrol work and guided men to the barracks. Ironically, the IRA mobilized near the Carrickshock Monument on the Carrickshock Road about 250 yards from the rear of the Hugginstown RIC Barracks (p. 33). After a 45 minute battle the Hugginstown RIC Barracks surrendered. The IRA suffered no losses, but a RIC Constable died from the injuries he sustained.
Treacy noted that the successful capture of the Hugginstown barracks had a demoralising effect on the RIC. A number of RIC rural barracks all over Kilkenny were quickly evacuated and the officers sent to larger barracks. Treacy received orders from Dublin to burn the vacated RIC barracks, income tax books and documents found in County Kilkenny. This was to occur on Easter Saturday night 1920 or Saturday the third of April 1920. In his witness statement Treacy lists 17 abandoned RIC barracks that were burned on Easter Saturday night. The list includes Rosbercon and Slieverue, but Glenmore is not included (p. 57).
The best witness statement concerning the activities of the Glenmore IRA Company was provided by Michael Connolly, of Dunbell, Kilkenny, who was on the date of truce in July 1921, the Battalion Vice Commandant. His witness statement (No. 1618) is dated 22 May 1957 and is available at
Connolly commenced his statement by indicating that he joined the Irish Volunteers in 1917 when he was living with his parents in Rochestown, Glenmore. He was 25 years of age and was asked to join by a neighbour James Walsh. He joined the first Glenmore Company comprised of about ten men and led by James Walsh. Eventually the company grew to between 70 and 80 men.
In 1920 Walsh and Connolly were planning how to capture the Glenmore RIC Barracks. He reports that it was the usual type of barracks where there was one Sergeant and three constables. As a rule two constables went out together, thus Walsh and Connolly were convinced that the barracks could be captured by a ruse while the barracks was manned by the Sergeant and one constable. While they were awaiting orders to proceed with their plans the “garrison was withdrawn” thus leaving the barracks empty.
“On Easter Saturday night of 1920, in accordance with the general order to demolish evacuated R.I.C. barracks, the Glenmore barracks was destroyed by the local company. “There was very little difficulty in carrying out the job a few tins of petrol and paraffin, with a liberal supply of inflammable material, were spread on the floors and woodwork and, within a few minutes of being set alight, the whole building was ablaze. The barracks at Tullogher was destroyed on the same night, and by the summer of 1920, only one enemy post, viz., the R.I.C. barracks at Mullinavat remained in the battalion area.” (p. 4)
In an article in the Waterford News and Star on August 6, 1920 it was reported that Lord Bessborough’s application for alleged criminal injury to the vacated police barracks at Robinstown [Glenmore] was heard by the Kilkenny County Court. The judge held that the damage was maliciously done and awarded £900 compensation, the amount to be levied off of the county at large. Because the Co. Surveyor’s re-evaluation was considerably in excess of the damage award the Kilkenny County Council gave no evidence in the case.
[On the 13th of September 1963 Danny Dowling interviewed Nicholas Forristal, of the Mill, Graiguenakill, Glenmore who related that Sergeant Moynihan was the last R.I.C. sergeant to be stationed in the Glenmore Barracks. There were also four constables with him. They all went to Kilmacow prior to the burning of the Barracks in 1920. Prior to Moynihan, a Sergeant Kirby was in charge of the Glenmore Barracks.]
Connolly in his witness statement reported that Company activities during the summer of 1920 were minor in character. Except for convoys that passed along the Waterford-New Ross road, men in uniform were seldom seen in Glenmore. He noted that the Glenmore IRA company lacked arms to go and seek the enemy. In August 1920 orders were received to collect any arms or shotguns held by local farmers or others. “In a country district like Glenmore, everyone knew who had, or was likely to have, a gun.” About 40 shotguns were collected. Most of the owners were friendly and when asked handed over their guns. Company members took the precaution of masking themselves when they approached persons thought to be hostile or were not well known. (p. 5) Notwithstanding precautions James Walsh was captured and interned.
On January 17, 1921 Connolly with about 20 Glenmore Company members met up with 20 men from the Tullogher Company and attacked the barracks at Mullinavat as it was the sole remaining R.I.C. barracks in the battalion area. The garrison at Mullinavat was comprised of about 10 RIC officers and 10 Black and Tan soldiers. The garrison withstood the attack.
Until the truce in July 1921 the actions of the Glenmore Company were confined to road blocking and road trenching. (p. 8) As a reprisal for the blocking of roads, the British authorities ordered the closing of the Glenmore Creamery for one month in May 1921. (p. 9)
For readers interested in the membership and activities of the Glenmore Company of the old IRA there are several online documents available in the Military Archives.
See, Military Service Archives, Pension Collection, [MA/MSPC/RO/160, pp. 36-46; lists of membership commence p.38] available at
For ease a list of the persons named as members of the Glenmore Company as found in these records will be posted on our lists page in the next few days.
See generally, Eoin Swithin Walsh (2018) Kilkenny: in Time of Revolution, 1900-1923.
Special thanks to Jacqueline Walsh for the close photo of the damaged Glenmore barracks and Pat Dowling for the photo taken from the Churns hill of the damaged barracks.
[Updated 6 June 2020, DD Notebook 5]
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh