Pat Grant of Robinstown

Today, we are going to highlight the experiences of one shop keeper in Glenmore during the War of Independence (1919-1921) and the Black and Tans. The War of Independence in Ireland commenced in 1919 and the British Government responded in January 1920 by seeking to reinforce the RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) by hiring and sending unemployed former British WWI soldiers to Ireland. With minimal training in policing these recruits were violent and their treatment of the civilian population made them the best recruitment device for the old Irish Republican Army.

Michael Heffernan (1878-1951) was the son of a retired RIC sergeant Michael Heffernan (c. 1839-1914). After his retirement from the RIC, Michael Heffernan (c. 1839-1914) opened a shop in Glenmore Village on the Cappagh Road in the building adjacent to his home. Three generations of the Heffernan family operated the shop. The last Heffernan to operate the shop was Eily Heffernan (c. 1923-2003) (Michael’s daughter) who kept it open until her death. After her death it remained a shop for a short while, but later it became a chipper. As the Village continued to decline the chipper closed, and the building has sat empty now for several years. Currently fundraising and efforts have been made to re-open the old shop as a tea room/shop.

Michael Heffernan’s 1938 Letter

On 1 February 1938, Michael Heffernan  (1878-1951) wrote a letter to support his nephew, Cornelius F. McLoughlin’s (1897-1967) application to have his service during the War of Independence recognised. In 1938, Michael Heffernan was a Peace Commissioner. Although the letter was meant to discuss his nephew’s work during the War of Independence the letter provides details regarding the activities of the Black and Tans in Glenmore Village. For information concerning Captain Cornelius F. McLoughlin (1897-1967) see our posts of 26 May 2025 and 2 June 2025.

Michael noted that “whenever anything happened in the locality, our house seemed to come in for attention.” Michael referred to the Black and Tans as raiders and stated that he was not always sure whether the armed men who appeared in Glenmore were Auxiliaries or Black and Tans. He reported little difference in the attitude of these men. Their main difference was that they wore different caps. “They were often in drink, and looking for drink.” One evening one was very drunk and pointing his rifle at various buildings along the street. (Heffernan letter, p. 4). At the time of the Black and Tans, Glenmore was a dry parish and this probably did not help relations between the drink seeking soldiers and the civilians of the parish.

In his five page typewritten letter Michael listed a dozen events involving the Black and Tans in Glenmore. “During the Black and Tan period we were raided several times, and at different hours. Nothing was found with us, and no one was caught in our house, although for months we kept a door to our yard to which our neighbour, Jim Walsh, then on the run, had easy access, so that he might pass through and lock it after him to delay pursuit in emergency. Only a person with an intimate knowledge of the place could know of this door.” (Heffernan letter p. 2).

Hiding Ammunition for the Irish Volunteers

During one raid the bullets he was storing for his nephew, Cornelius McLoughlin were not discovered. During another raid bayonets were put through a small paper bag of feathers that were being saved to make a pillow. The same day his wife’s prayers in Irish “came in for great attention.” (Heffernan letter, p. 2).

In what Michael described as a “narrow shave” his employee Molly Walsh saw the Black and Tans in the Village and rushed home and returned with a bandolier under her apron. Her brother, Jim Walsh, was an active volunteer. When Molly showed Michael the bandolier and he told her to take it away. She had intended to hide it in a small room off the shop. She grabbed a bucket and took the bandolier still hidden under her apron to the well in Ryan’s Marsh where she hid her brother’s ammunition. The Walsh house was not searched that day, but the Heffernan shop was. (Heffernan letter, p. 3).

Rounding Up of Glenmore Men

Michael recalled that the day after a hold-up on the railway by volunteers, he was raided again. “At four o’clock in the morning I was taken out to Fluskey’s corner where our hands were all examined; and we heard afterwards that this was because they were seeking a man with a finger missing. There were about 12 to 14 of us taken out that morning. That was the morning that Jim Fluskey (1882-1960) was very slow in answering and when at last he appeared fully dressed, he had a lighted candle in his hand, and we all, raiders included, thought that very funny.” (Heffernan letter, p. 2).

Michael named the following men who were pulled from their beds that morning. John Brennan, Ned Doolan, Jim the Weaver (pronounced locally as “Waver”) whose real name was Walsh, James Walsh, the carpenter; Jack Scanlan, George Jones, senior; Johnny Cody and J.K. Walsh (Michael’s brother-in-law). (Heffernan letter p. 3). For further details regarding Jim the Weaver Walsh, see our post of 19 May 2025.

On another date Michael was brought to the creamery and held there long after dark. He and others were forced to push a lorry up the Vee Road. “Fr. Bergin was hunted home that evening after being brought out to push the lorry. They were very excited, nervous and abusive that evening.” (Heffernan letter. P. 3).

Michael was brought to the chapel another evening and held against the wall. Michael spoke to the Captain about the fact that his wife was not home and four small children were alone in the house. The Captain told him at the house that he must go to the chapel. After some time Michael reminded the Captain of his unattended young children and was told by the Captain to slip away quietly down the hill. Michael was instructed not to look back as his men were out of control. Michael noted that they were very rough that evening and threatening. He did not record his thoughts as he quietly slipped away and walked down the long hill toward his home. (Heffernan letter, p. 3).

Interrogations

One morning Michael opened the shop door and saw Bill Purcell. Bill was working with Jimmy Hanrahan at that time. He was rushing back from the marsh at Cappagh where he had apparently put out the cows. As Bill ran he called out that lorries of Black and Tans were coming down the hill by the Churns. Michael went back inside and was just lighting the fire in the kitchen when the Black and Tans entered. They were very excited and demanded where the man was who just ran in. Michael told them that he had just gotten up to open the shop and that no man had come in. After some hesitation they appeared to accept his statement and left. When Michael next saw Bill Purcell he told Bill he had a “narrow shave.” The Black and Tans apparently lost sight of Bill while passing Fluskey’s shed and the carpenter’s house [where the Glen Bar is now]. This gave Bill a chance to race up Merrigan’s lane behind Patsey Ryan’s house. When Bill reached the high ground above the Village he waited until he saw the Black and Tans leaving. (Heffernan letter, p. 3).

After the breaking of the bridge at Main Roche’s, Cappagh, the Bklack and Tans visited Michael at 11 o’clock at night. They battered at the door and knocked out the key. This occasioned delay in opening as Michael had to search amongst bags of flour in the shop. They were impatient and when at last Michael opened the door he saw the whole street full of armed men. Half a dozen or so entered and questioned Michael about the broken bridge and his movements that night. (Heffernan letter, p. 3).

His wife brought home a small flashlamp from Waterford. Their eldest son, Paddy was about 7 or 8. That night the Black and Tans came down from the New Line [now the N 25 overlooking the Village] . They demanded to know who was signalling with a flash lamp from the Heffernan home. Michael explained that the children were playing with it, and the Tans went away apparently satisfied. (Heffernan letter, p. 4).

Destruction of Property

Although his home and store were subject to searches by the Black and Tans Michael did not record in his letter that his property was damaged by the Black and Tans except for his bee hives. On the high ground behind the Village Michael kept 40 beehives. The bee hives were searched by the Black and Tans and two or three were tumbled down the hill. The combs were broken and the bees perished. (Heffernan letter, p. 4).

On the Road to Waterford

One day after driving to Waterford for a load of meal, on the Waterford side of Carriganurra, before Denn’s of the Spa (pronounced as Spaw) three lorry loads of Black and Tans passed Curraghnore Lane. Michael paid no attention to them as they passed him and jogged along with his empty bags. Just beyond Denn’s Michael observed three Black and Tans who had left one of the lorries. They were standing on the roadside at his left with rifles resting on the ditch and pointed to cover Curraghnore Lane which led to the railway. It struck Michael that if he had attempted to turn down the lane the motion would have caused suspicion and perhaps drawn fire. Shortly after passing the lane the three lorries again passed Michael. Michael reached Waterford, and got back safely with his load of meal. (Heffernan letter, p. 4).

Michael also stated that “his man” Georgie Jones of the Village was stopped on the Waterford Road. The horse drawn car was searched and a parcel of school books, which were being returned, was closely examined for messages. (Heffernan letter, p. 4).

Michal Heffernan’s Long Glenmore Run

One Sunday in June 1921 Michael was a bit late for Mass. His wife was home ill. He found a crowd in the porch and went to the Sacrristy. As he was listening to Mass from the Sacristy, Pat Grant of Robinstown entered and said that the Black and Tans were on the New Line [N 25 overlooking the Village] and others had taken up positions in Fluskey’s field with mounted machine guns. Others were advancing toward the Chapel. “Pat said he would hook it and left in great excitement.” It dawned on Michael that as the only man in the Sacristy he would look suspicious and would find it difficult to explain his position although it was the custom of people to hear Mass from the Sacristy.

Michael thought it wise to leave quickly and ran after Pat Grant. They headed for the stile in the upper inside corner of the churchyard and crossed over to the Mass path under the high churchyard wall in Forristal’s field. Michael ran about 50 yards and crossed another ditch into a lane which was also known as the Mass Path fields which led down beside the Barracks and onto the Mill Road. Michael was running hard. (Heffernan letter, p. 4).

Michael jumped onto the Mill Road and “faced for Ballybrahee, bending low and keeping in the shelter of the hedges.” Just as Michael turned the next bend in the road, approaching John Condon’s and passing Jim Hanrahan’s field he heard a series of distant explosions which he took to be machine gun fire. Boughs from bushes fell down in front of Michael. Michael was staggered somewhat and nearly fell. He continued to run towards Ballybrahe. (Heffernan letter, p. 5).

When he reached Murphy’s cottage he turned up Mullinahone Lane. Where he knew he had good cover. He turned right to Mike Hyne’s land, and went down to the Long Bog through the wood near Ballybrahe Bridge. Michael came out at the iron gate from the bog and rushed up the road over Ballybrahe bridge. As he approached Dan Murphy’s quarry another long volley of machine fun fire passed over Michael’s head. This again startled Michael as he had been looking back and trying to keep out of the view of the New Line [ N 25]. (Heffernan letter, p. 5).

Michael continued to run until he reached Ballybrahe. There he turned down the lane at Mike Hynes’ house and crossed his lands into John Ennett’s fields. Through these he reached John Ennett’s house where he changed coats and collar and shoes. After changing Michael immediately left and caught his own pony in the paddock at Cappagh Lane and walked the animal home hoping that it would explain things if the Black and Tans were at his home. No one was waiting for him and he learned that all attending Mass that Sunday were detained and questioned. (Heffernan letter, p. 5).

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For further information on the children of Michael Heffernan (1878-1951) see our post of 17 January 2022.

For an account of a Black and Tan atrocity in Cork see, Three Minute Tales, “Black and Tans a Farmer’s Revenge.”

Please send any corrections or further information or photos of any person mentioned in this post to glenmore.history@gmail.com

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh