Death of John O'Keefe of Waterford

As the month of August 1922 unfolded the local newspapers seemed to have settled on names for the two warring sides. The troops of the pro-treaty, Free State were generally referred to as the Irish Army or National troops, and the troops of the anti-treaty Republicans were generally referred to as Irregulars. Glenmore did not feature in any local newspapers in August 1922, so today we will highlight various local events our ancestors read about in local newspapers. In August 1922, Waterford City was under the control of the Irish Army which continued to push south and west to capture other cities and towns. As the Irish Army advanced the Irregulars relied more on guerilla activities, honed during the War of Independence, such as blocking roads, destroying bridges, laying ambushes and disrupting communications. Although the National Troops during the month appeared to have driven the Irregulars out of various districts, towns and cities the Irregulars continued to operate in these areas. Notwithstanding the strife events such as the Tramore Races proceeded although the railway link to Tramore was not operating due to the activities of the Irregulars.

Disruption of Communications

A notice was posted on the 2^nd of August in the window of the Waterford GPO advising the public that the arrival of mails was uncertain. Telegram communication was open via Dublin for Great Britain and the greater portion of Ireland. Waterford was in communication with Kilkenny, Abbeyleix, New Ross, Wexford, Passage East, Dunmore and Tramore. Telegrams could not be accepted for Counties Cork and Kerry, Limerick and district, places round Waterford, Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Cahir, Tipperary, Dungarvan, Fermoy, and Kilmacthomas (Munster Express, Sat. 5 Aug. 1922, p. 6).

The Palace railway bridge was blown up on the night of the 31st of July. A train went up from New Ross to bring down the passengers and mails from the down mail train on Tuesday the 1^st of August, and during the day the trains proceeded to the broken bridge and passengers transferred at the bridge. When the down mail was unable to proceed to Waterford on Tuesday morning news agents in Waterford, accompanied by a number of newsboys, drove to New Ross, and on to Palace to get the newspapers (New Ross Standard, Fri. 4 Aug. 1922, p. 5).

As the Irish army pushed west toward Carrrick-on-Suir arrests were made in Mullinavat in the course of a search. Roving bans of Irregulars had been operating in the district blocking and trenching roads and cutting the railway communications between Waterford and Kilkenny. A bridge on this line was blown up at the end of July. The damage was more extensive than at any previous time. The line remained closed for several days. The mails from Dublin coming over this line on Saturday had not reached Waterford by Friday (New Ross Standard, Fri. 4 Aug. 1922, p. 3).

Cost of the Siege of Waterford

It was noted at a meeting of the Waterford No. 2 District Council, chaired by R. Delahunty, that losses sustained prior to and during the recent armed conflict in Waterford totalled over £25,000 in claims submitted by the clerk to the Council (New Ross Standard, Fri. 4 Aug. 1922, p. 3).

In addition to property loss people injured during the siege of Waterford continued to die in August. For example, John Doyle, aged 22, a member of the Irregular forces, died on the 10^th of August from injuries he sustained during the siege at the GPO (Waterford News & Star, Fri. 11 Aug. 1922, p. 4). See our previous blog of 17 July 2022, regarding the Siege of Waterford.

The National Troops continued to arrest suspected Irregulars in Waterford City, and on Monday the 13^th of August “a large batch of prisoners arrived in Kilkenny by train from Waterford.” They had a strong military escort and were marched from the railway station to Kilkenny prison (Kilkenny Moderator, Sat. 19 Aug. 1922, p. 8). On the same day, Daniel McDonald, Tullogher, the well known weight thrower, and P. Fleming, the Swan, escaped from Kilkenny Prison at 1:30 a.m. on Monday the 13th. The circumstances of McDonald’s arrest and escape were not disclosed (Kilkenny Moderator, Sat. 19 Aug. 1922, p. 4).

Carrick-on-Suir & Dungarvan

On Thursday the 10^th of August in an official bulletin from the Irish Army it was reported that troops occupied Carrick-on-Suir. On the way to Carrick-on-Suir, Comdt. McCarthy’s forces cleared Callan, Mullinahone, Nine Mile House, Kilmogany and Winegap of Irregulars. The Irregulars in Carrick-on-Suir, estimated at about 300 crossed the river and retreated. They blew up the bridges as they retreated. One of the bridges, the John Dillon Bridge was built in the 1880’s and named after a prominent member of the old Irish Parliamentary Party. Its erection cost several thousand pounds. The other bridge dated back to the 14^th century, and was regarded by the inhabitants as one of the town’s historic landmarks. Efforts by the townspeople to save the old bridge, that had been spared by Cromwell, fell on deaf ears. De Valera arrived in town and remained for a few days before the town was abandoned by Irregular forces (Munster Express, Sat. 12 Aug. 1922, p. 4).

Also, on the 10^th a gentleman who arrived in Waterford from Dungarvan stated that the Irregulars cleared out of Dungarvan on the evening of the 8th. The barracks were destroyed. Some Cork Irregulars, who constituted the major portion of the garrison, left the town by two trains which they seized at the Dungarvan railway station. They travelled in the direction of Cork, and when they had passed through Capoquin another party of Irregulars arrived in the town by motor and blew up the rail and road bridges (Waterford News & Star, Fri. 11 Aug. 1922, p. 7).

Although the Irish Army had reported that it had cleared Mullinahone, an 18-year-old Free State Volunteer was shot in the head and killed while he was visiting his uncle’s home in Mullinahone on the 19^th of August.  An Irregular named Patrick Egan “rushed into the house and shot him through the head at point blank range. Egan was about to fire a second time when a lady intervened.” Egan was the leader of the Irregulars of the area. Volunteer Grace was with the Mullinahone Company of Volunteers (Munster Express, Sat. 26 Aug. 1922, p. 6).

Another young man was fatally shot during a raid on a pub owned by Mrs. Maria Dowling of Blackmill Street, Kilkenny. National troops were carrying out a number of raids in the vicinity of the Kilkenny City prison. While passing Mrs. Dowling’s premises at about 1 a.m. they heard activity in the pub. The troops surrounded the building and after about ten minutes the door was opened to their knocking. Eleven young men were arrested. Shots were fired to frighten the young men who were trying to escape. Samuel Oakes, aged 17, was later discovered in the garden. He had been shot in the head and died in the pub’s kitchen (Dublin Evening Telegraph, Tues. 1 Aug. 1922, 5).

Fatal Ambush Near Mullinavat

A party of eleven National troops traveling by lorry from Carrick-on-Suir to Waterford with supplies were ambushed about a mile and a half on the Carrick side of Mullinavat on the 16th. Trees had been felled and were blocking the road. When the troops reached the obstruction Irregular forces opened fire on the lorry. The Irregulars repeatedly called upon the National troops to surrender, but they refused. When the Irregulars attempted to rush the lorry “they were beaten back.” Eventually more National troops arrived from Waterford and Kilkenny. John O’Keefe, a married Waterford man, and the father of six children was shot dead. He was a civilian traveling with the troops from Carrick back to Waterford. The newspaper noted that he was the brother of James O’Keefe, manager of the Waterford offices of the “Independent” newspapers. Volunteer Hogan of the National forces was wounded in the leg and arm (Waterford News & Star, Fri. 18 Aug. 1922, p. 5). Before the end of the month a public subscription fund was opened to aid the widow and six children of the late John O’Keefe (Munster Express, Sat. 26 Aug. 1922, p. 6).

The Kilkenny Moderator reported that the National troops from Kilkenny succeeded in capturing five of the Irregulars, all from Thomastown and district. The captured five included: James Mullins, Thomastown (brother of the late Nicholas Mullins, shot and killed by British forces at Coolbawn, Castlecomer, last year); James Bookle, Brownsbarn; Thomas Bourke, the Rower; ___ Hennessy, Kilmurry; and __ Whelan. At the time they were arrested they were in possession of five rifles, about twenty bombs, and large quantity of ammunition. It was also stated that the group had been involved in two other local ambushes (Kilkenny Moderator, Sat. 19 Aug. 1922, p. 4).

“Time for Silence Gone”

August saw the death of Arthur Griffith, the founder of Sinn Féin, followed by the killing of Michael Collins in an ambush on the 22^nd near Bandon, Co. Cork. In a New Ross Standard editorial, it was stated “In the hour of her greatest trial Ireland has lost the man whose services she most needs. The death of Arthur Griffith was a heavy blow, but the nation consoled itself that Michael Collins was left to guide the destiny of the new Ireland. Michael Collins is dead, his fellow countrymen having struck the blow that two years ago might have earned forty thousand pounds for an agent of England…” (Munster Express, Sat. 26 Aug. 1922, p. 6).

One local killing in August caused the Bishop of Waterford to speak out. On the 15^th Lt. Comdt. Eamon O’Brien responded to an alarm raised by two young girls around midnight regarding a fire. He rushed into Barrack street and was shot and killed by a waiting sniper. He was 21 years of age. The Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Hackett, in the week following the killing, in the Waterford Cathedral, announceed that the time for silence was gone. He condemned the killing particularly as the victim had no time to prepare for meeting his Maker. He stated that the present Irish government was established by the will of the people. To the persons who participated in the killing he stated, “You cannot maintain that because you think a thing is right that it is” (Munster Express, Sat. 26 August 1922, p. 2).

Local Criminality

It is difficult to know whether certain crimes reported in the local newspapers were associated with the Civil War or were the result of criminals taking advantage of the unrest. For example, on the 2^nd of August between 11:30 and midnight shots were fired in new Ross. They came from Jones’ Hill, Mary Street and Rosbercon. The firing lasted about ten minutes (New Ross Standard, Fri. 4 Aug. 1922, p. 5). The following week one of the carters employed by Cherry’s Brewery, New Ross, was held up on the Enniscorthy-New Ross road. Thirteen pounds were taken during the robbery (New Ross Standard, Fri. 11 Aug. 1922, p. 8).

In the early hours of the 12^th the bonded store known as Hutchinson’s, The Quay, New Ross was entered and seven cases of spirits, comprised of whiskey and brandy were taken. The locks of the store had been wrenched off. The military guard stopped two men who were carrying boxes at the time and questioned the men. The men stated that they were moving drink for their employer who was a publican. They were released, but later returned and one of the men “tendered a bottle of whiskey to the guard asking him to join them in a drink.” In the morning when the military learned the bond store had been burgled, they went to the house of brothers Edward and Arthur O’Connor of Mary Street, New Ross and recovered three unbroken cases. Also arrested were John O’Neill, Chapel Lane and Patrick Doyle of Lady Lane. On Sundar the O’Connor’s were allowed out on bail. The value of the drink not recovered was valued at £40 to £50 including the duty (New Ross Standard, Fri. 18 Aug. 1922, p.  5). Before the end of the month the four men were on trial before the New Ross magistrates. It was held that there was not enough evidence to convict the O’Connor brothers. O’Neill and Doyle were convicted. O’Neil was sentence to 6 months and Doyle to one month. The magistrates made a point of noting that the sentences were without hard labour (New Ross Standard, Fri, 25 Aug. 1922, p. 8).

Dr. M. Walsh, New Ross, while returning from a distant call in county Kilkenny was held up about nine miles from his home by armed men (New Ross Standard, Fri. 4 Aug. 1922, p. 5), and masked men held up the mail train on the Waterford and New Ross line near Slieverue on the 16^th. In addition to stealing the mail the men took tobacco and cycle parts (New Ross Standard, Fri, 18 Aug. 1922, p. 5).

Local Life Went On

Notwithstanding the strife, trenched roads, destroyed bridges and violence, local people attempted to get on with their lives. Mrs. M’Kee was appointed midwife of the Mullinavat dispensary district at a salary of £45 per annum (New Ross Standard, Fri. 4 Aug. 1922, p. 3). The monthly Thomastown fair was held on the 2^nd of August. There was a large supply of cattle and sheep offered for sale and a fair attendance of buyers. It was noted that prices were better than the previous fair and a large number of cattle and sheep changed hands. Cattle in good condition were sought. Fat sheep and lambs also found a ready sale. Although there was a large supply of young pigs, there was little demand for them. Pigs that did sell were £5 18s. per cwt (per 100 weight which actually was 112 pounds in weight) (New Ross Standard, Fri. 4 Aug. 1922, p. 3). The New Ross Fair was held on the 9^th and it was described as dull. There was a large supply of stock, and prices in general were down. For some classes of cattle, the prices were down a couple of pounds per head (New Ross Standard, Fri. 11 Aug. 1922, p. 5).

It was announced that the delayed New Ross Agricultural Show would be held on Wednesday the 13^th of September and entries poured in (Munster Express, Sat. 26 Aug. 1922, p. 5). Although there was no train service for Tramore, due to the tracks being damaged by the Irregulars, the Tramore Races were held. Ironically while it was published that the unrest caused the demise of tourism in Ireland the Cook’s office in Dublin reported that their offices were crowded and a brisk business was done. The travel agency was busy arranging holidays for Irish citizens outside of Ireland (Munster Express, Sat. 12 Aug. 1922, p. 6).

Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmil.com.

The featured photo above is Lt. Comdt. Eamon O’Brien (c. 1901-1922) (Freeman’s Journal, Thur. 24 Aug. 1922, p. 3).

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh