Waterford

Tensions over the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the partition of Ireland continued into 1922. In June of 1922 elections were held in the Free State. Pro-treaty candidates won the majority of seats. The Civil War broke out shortly thereafter. Much has been written regarding the Battle for Dublin between Free State troops and Anti-Treaty Republican forces. Today, we are going to focus on events that occurred local to Glenmore as reported in contemporary local newspapers in July 1922.

Due to the length of the materials gleaned from local newspapers we will include the “Siege of Waterford” in our next post.  In July 1922 the Anti-Treaty Forces were referred to by various names by various newspapers including Irregulars, Republicans and Executive Troops.

Fatal Typhoid Case in Glenmore

It was reported in the Munster Express that Mr. Patrick Dunphy, S.S.O. (Sub-Sanitary Officer), reported that owing to the recent fatal case of typhoid fever in the neighbourhood of Glenmore he made a thorough inspection of the village a short time ago. There were complaints made to him about the large number of pigs housed and fed in the village.

As the village was congested and low lying, he impressed upon the residents the necessity of keeping their places in a sanitary condition. In the greater number of cases the yards and out-offices were clean and well kept. One or two yards were unsatisfactory, as manure heaps were not removed, but since his visit the state of things had been remedied. (Munster Express, Sat. 1 July 1922, p. 5)

Impact of the Battle for Dublin

The Munster Express reported at the beginning of July that the Battle for Dublin commenced when Lt. General O’Connell, Assistant Chief of Staff of the Free State Army, was captured late at night in Dublin by what the newspaper referred to as Irregulars (Anti-Treaty troops). O’Connell was detained in the Four Courts as a hostage for exchange for Leo Henderson and others. Troops of the Irish Free State surrounded the Four Courts and demanded the garrison surrender.

When an armoured car was fired upon by the Irregulars two eighteen pound artillery pieces were fired at the Four Courts. Both sides used machine guns and the fighting lasted all day Wednesday the 27^th of June. Dublin was completely isolated from telephone communications and no trains were allowed to enter the city. Up to Thursday afternoon there were 15 people killed and 37 wounded. A number of the casualties were civilians. (Munster Express, Sat. 1 July 1922, p. 5)

New Ross Man Killed

An 18-year-old New Ross man working at the Ormonde Hotel, Dublin was one of the civilian casualties. “The body of Willie Doyle, Robert St., New Ross, who was killed at the door of the Ormonds Hotel, Dublin, on Wednesday of last week during the fighting, was brought to New Ross on Thursday night. Mr. F. J. Mackey and the deceased’s brother journeyed to Dublin in a motor car on Thursday. They were unable to get the car into the city, and having succeeded in reaching the hospital they got the body out in a hearse. In the same hospital were a number of dead bodies awaiting identification.”

They reached New Ross some time after midnight. When they reached the Ferry Mountgarrett bridge it was drawn some hours previous by the Executive Forces (Anti-Treaty Forces). They were expecting Free State Forces to try to cross it to take New Ross. The coffin was transported in a boat, and the military had it placed in a lorry, and it was then taken to the home of his parents. The deceased was employed in the Ormonde Hotel for the previous year. It was reported he came out of the door to assist a wounded officer who fell there and got struck by a bullet beneath the heart and died about ten minutes later.

“He was a member of the Fianna in New Ross and was a great favourite with everyone in the town who knew him. The deepest sympathy is felt with his bereaved parents and the members of the family. The funeral on Friday evening to St. Mary’s Cemetery was of huge dimensions and representative of all classes and creeds. The coffin, which was draped with a large tri-colour flag, was borne on the shoulders of the IRA. The IRA with rifles reversed also formed a guard of honour. Preceding the coffin and following it were a large number of the Fianna and also members of the Cumam na mBan, all carrying wreaths…Three volleys were fired over the grave by the IRA.” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 7 July 1922, p. 3)

Tullogher Man Killed

Another local man killed in Dublin during the fighting was Mr. G. Walsh, Glenpipe, Tullogher. At the time of reporting his death the New Ross Standard was unable to report on which side he was fighting. His remains were brought home via New Ross, in a motor on Tuesday the 4^th of July. (New Ross Standard, Fri. 7 July 1922, p. 6)

GPO & Four Courts

On Thursday the 28^th of June the Waterford G.P.O. (General Post Office) and branch offices were closed about 2:30 pm when the Postmaster General, J.J. Walsh, TD sent out a notice instructing the suspension of all services including telegraph and telephone. During Wednesday and Thursday morning, prior to the notice, IRA censors had been placed in the telephone department by order of the local City Commandant of the Anti-Treaty garrison in the City. None of the other postal departments were interfered with prior to the closing. (Munster Express, Sat. 1 July 1922, p. 5)

The Four Courts fell on Friday the 30^th of June to Free State forces. Fighting continued in Dublin during the week mainly in O’Connell Street. The Republicans lodged themselves on the north side of the street. The buildings they occupied included: the Gresham Hotel, Hammons Hotel, Tramway Offices, Sackville Hall etc. Shortly after noon on Wednesday the 5^th of July the Hamman Hotel burst into flames. By late Wednesday afternoon ten buildings including three hotels were ablaze. (Munster Express, Sat. 8 July 1922, p. 5).

Frustration of Citizens

An editorial in the New Ross Standard entitled “From Bad to Worse” perhaps reflects the frustration of citizens.

“The situation in Ireland shows no sign of settlement. There are unrest and fighting everywhere and the populace simply lives in dread of what may occur next. The situation is nearly as bad as it was a year or more ago when the English myrmaidons (sic) patrolled the country. There has been fighting in Dublin resulting in the loss of several lives and the wounding of many persons. Now, Irishmen are pitted against Irishmen—brothers in the cause against brother in the cause…Irishmen are murdering and shooting down Irishmen, and there is every prospect that the civil strife will consume the provinces, and that Ireland as a whole may find itself in the same unhappy condition as her grand old capital…Both sides in the conflict declare they are well intentioned, but they differ in opinion regarding Free State and Republic.” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 7 July 1922, p. 4)

Immediately after the Battle for Dublin, the country braced itself for further battles and bloodshed. Public events were cancelled. The New Ross Regatta planned for the 12^th was postponed indefinitely and the New Ross Agricultural Show was postponed to a later date, because of the “condition of things” (New Ross Standard, Friday 7 July 1922, p. 4). At an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Aonach Tailteann cancelled the event after receiving a telegram that the American Athletic Union decided it was impossible to send athletes to Ireland because of the fighting in Dublin. (Munster Express, Sat.  15 July 1922, p. 5)

Local Events

On Friday the 30^th of June, Free State troops arrived in Mullinavant and took over the barracks which had been in the possession of the Republicans. The Free State troops gathered up all arms and equipment in the barracks and left. Later a group of Republicans returned to Mullinavat and resident’s homes were smashed and Mr. Nealson, N.T. was shot in his home. As a result of these actions Free State troops again came from Kilkenny City and arrested Pat Aylward, of Knockmoylan and Richard Kenneally of Ballynooney. It was also reported that the main road between Waterford and Kilkenny was blocked by felled trees.

Employing the same techniques used against the Black and Tans the Anti-Treaty forces cut telegraph wires and stopped telegraphic communications between Waterford, Cork, Dublin and London. Five railway bridges between Dublin and Belfast were blown up causing the suspension of railway traffic between the cities. (Munster Express, Sat. 15 July 1922, p. 5) English newspapers arriving at New Ross railway station on Wednesday, were seized by the IRA, taken away and burned. (New Ross Standard, Fri. 7 July 1922, p. 6)

An Executive Forces soldier named Duggan, a native of Cork, was admitted to Waterford Infirmary suffering from a bullet wound to his thigh. It appears that Volunteer Duggan, with two others, went to the house of H.R. Hamilton, estate agent, on Sunday night to seek billets for their company. They were fired upon as they approached the house. Hamilton was placed under arrest. (Munster Express, Sat. 15 July 1922, p. 5)

Aylwardstown Bridge Blown Up

The resumption of train services announced on Wednesday, the 20th of July, on the D.S.E. Railway between Waterford and Dublin was short lived. On Thursday a small bridge near Aylwardstown, Glenmore at the Waterford side of Glenmore was blown up. 

“A large party of linesmen was immediately despatched from New Ross to effect the necessary repairs, but discovered in time that the bridge had been not only badly damaged but mined. In consequence of the discovery of this veritable death trap they were unable to carry out the work of restoring the bridge to a workable condition, and were compelled to return to New Ross. Technical experts were sent from the latter town for the purpose of disconnecting and removing the mines. The Dublin dailies, which had been sent by this route, were conveyed to Waterford by motor, arriving at 3:30 p.m.” (Munster Express, Sat. 22 July 1922, p. 5)

Michael Gaule of Glenmore

“Shot at Waterford—Following a search carried out by members of the Kilmacow (Co. Kilkenny) IRA on Saturday morning, in consequence of a robbery that had been committed in the district during the night, a man named Michael Gaule, Glenmore, was shot in the chest, and had to be removed to the Waterford Infirmary.”

“Gaule and two companions were found by the IRA search party lying asleep on the railway siding at a place called Milltown, and on awakening it is alleged that Gaule jumped up, grasped the lanyard of one of the IRA men’s revolver, and endeavoured to snatch the weapon from him. A shot was discharged, and Gaule fell wounded. At the Infirmary it was learned that the wound was a very serious one, but hopes were entertained for the injured man’s recovery.” (Irish Weekly and Ulster Examiner, Sat. 15 July 1922, p. 5)

In our next post we will highlight the July 1922 siege of Waterford City.

Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com. The featured photo above is the Aylwardstown, Glenmore railway station.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh