Black & Tans

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 14^th 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 21^st 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