Teenage Volunteers in the War of Independence: The Freyne Brothers of Kilcullen, Thomastown [Updated]

Three months after the Irish Civil War commenced the Kilkenny Moderator on 24 September 1921 reported on the meeting of the Kilkenny County Council. At this meeting a vote of honour was held for the gallant men of the Kilkenny brigade who fell in action, fighting for their country. It was stated that “their names [are] enshrined in our hearts and our memories, and they [are] indelibly inscribed on the honour roll of Ireland’s martyred dead…which future generations of the race would revere and bless…” Eight Kilkenny men were identified as having been killed in the War of Independence namely, Thomas Hennessey, Michael Dermody, Patrick Walsh, John Quinn, John Hartley, Nicholas Mullins, Sean Brett and Peter Freyne.” As Danny Dowling noted three of the eight men listed by the Kilkenny County Council were directly connected to Glenmore. Today, we are going to highlight the fallen Peter Freyne and his brother James Francis “Frank” Freyne who served as teenagers in E. Company, of the 2nd Battalion, of the Dublin Brigade of the Old I.R.A. during the War of Independence.

The Extended Family of the Freyne Brothers of Kilcullen, Thomastown

Peter and Frank Freyne were the eldest two children of John Freyne (1866-1936) and Ellen Freyne née Hanrahan (1874-1915).

Their father, John Freyne (1866-1936) was born on 19 March 1866 at Kilbride, Glenmore to James “Jim” Freyne and Bridget Freyne née Knox. John was the second youngest son. James “Jim” Freyne and Bridget Freyne née Knox were married on 23 September 1851 at Rosbercon. John Freyne’s eight siblings include: [1] Michael Freyne (1852-1925) married and farmed at Ballyfacey, Glenmore. [2] Andrew Freyne (b. 1854) emigrated to Australia; [3] James Freyne (1856-1937) married Jo Hennessey in 1900 and farmed at Kilbride, Glenmore; [4] Johanna Freyne (1857-1945) married Paul Fitzgerald (c. 1853-1923) of Knockbrack, Glenmore; [5] Thomas Freyne (1861-1932) became a priest; [6] Margaret Freyne (1863-1930) married Richard Cody (c. 1871-1906) of Carrigcloney, Glenmore; [7] Mary Freyne (c.1865-1921) married, in 1893, Patrick Brien of Brownsford, Tullogher; and [8] Patrick Freyne (1868-1925) became a priest.

Their mother, Ellen Freyne née Hanrahan was born on the 26^th of November 1874, the daughter, of David Hanrahan (farmer) and Anastatia Hanrahan née Walsh of Blessington, Inistioge/Thomastown (recorded differently in different records). Ellen’s known siblings include: [1] Johanna Hanrahan (b. 1872) married James Farrell, of Ballyknock in 1905; [2] Margaret Hanrahan (b. 1871). A married farmer named David Hanrahan, of Blessington, died of TB on 8 November 1875 at the age of 55. A widow of a farmer, Anastatia Hanrahan, of Blessington, died at the age of 58 on the 22^nd of April 1894. [It is assumed that these were the parents of Ellen Freyne née Hanrahan. If anyone can shed further light on Ellen’s parents please forward it and we will update.]

Their parents were married on 13 February 1901 at St. Saviour’s (Dominican) in Waterford city. The couple were married by Fr. Patrick Freyne, C.C. the groom’s brother who was assisted by another brother Fr. Thomas Freyne. The witnesses to the wedding were Margaret Freyne and Joseph Knox. “After a sumptuous breakfast in one of the leading hotels, the young, happy couple left en route for Dublin, where the honeymoon will be spent. Mr. Freyne was a great supporter of the G.A.A., and played many a hard-fought football match under the colours of the well-known ‘Green and Red’ in the good old days. The invincible Kilmacow boys ought to have many happy reminiscences of ‘Jack’ Freyne’” (Munster Express, Sat. 16 Feb. 1901, p. 5). After their wedding they settled on a 90 acres farm at Kilcullen and began their family.

Their family included at least eight children. Keeping with the rural custom of naming the eldest son after his paternal grandfather and the second son after his maternal grandfather etc. the family included: [1] James Francis “Frank” was the eldest born on 15 Feb. 1902. [2] Peter David Freyne was born 14 months later on the 23^rd of April 1903. [3] Mary Francis Freyne (31 May 1904-1979); [4] John Freyne (b. 15 Nov. 1907); [5] Anastatia Freyne Dearlove (16 Aug. 1909-1993); [6] Thomas Freyne (b. 13 Aug. 1910); [7] Honor “Nora” Freyne (25 Feb. 1912-1981) [8] and Ellen Freyne (b. 3 Dec. 1913). Tragedy struck the family at Christmas time 1915 when Ellen Freyne died of cancer of the spine on the 23^rd of December. She was 41 years of age.

Peter David Freyne (1903-1921)

In our last blog we noted that Peter Freyne, of Kilcullen, Thomastown was killed in action on 11 April 1921 during the morning attack on the London, North Western Railway Hotel, North Wall, Dublin. Peter was 12 days short of his 18^th birthday. [Update: Some records indicate he was born on the 28th of May 1903 others indicate the 28th of April 1903. Strangely the pension documents did not require the family members to state the deceased volunteer’s date of birth.]

The pension file of Peter Freyne was opened in 1925 when his father, John Freyne, applied for a pension and was rejected because he was not dependent on Peter when Peter was killed in action. Decades later, his sister, Nora Freyne, sought a pension and was likewise rejected because she was only 9 years of age at the time of his death and wholly dependent on their father John. However, her application provides a few more facts concerning Peter, such as the fact that his middle name was David; he attended Rockwell College prior to joining the Irish Volunteers and had worked as a distillery employee. There is very little in the file to reflect what other actions Peter took part in prior to his death. The pension file of Peter Freyne is available at http://mspcsearch.militaryarchives.ie/docs/files//PDF_Pensions/R5/1D472%20Peter%20Freyne/1D472%20Peter%20Freyne.pdf . The file does provide that when interviewed in 1925 his father John noted that his eldest son James had been a commandant in the Irish Volunteers and was presently in prison on a charge of armed robbery.

From Bloody Sunday to the London, North Western Railway Hotel

James Hanrahan, Captain of the Inistioge, B Company of the 5^th Battalion of the Kilkenny Brigade wrote a letter dated 28 March 1942 wherein he verified that “Francis” Freyne was an active member of his company from 1917-1919. “He was one of the party who relieved Private Aspel of his rifle while on leave, took part in all raids for arms and was in on the making of all ammunitions, bombs etc.” Frank was “transferred” to Dublin. In 1920 Frank was 18 and Peter was 17. Frank indicates in various letters he wrote that in 1920 he and Peter were both in Dublin and committed Irish Volunteers. They were both mobilized for Bloody Sunday in November 1920, but Peter had the only gun they had so Peter went out that morning. Frank wrote from Maryborough Prison (Portloise) on 4 November 1925, that when he and Peter left home in 1920 they had received passage to “go out to our people in New York” but decided to put their country first and remained in Dublin to take part in the fight.

The attack on the London North Western Railway Hotel, North Wall, Dublin is always referred to as the “Holyhead Hotel” job by Frank. In letters he wrote, contained in his own pension file, he noted that he participated in the job with his brother and Denis O’Brien, the ex-Commandant, was slightly wounded in the attack. A contemporary newspaper report provides that at Peter Freyne’s inquest, held at the King George V. Hospital, Peter was shot in the chin by a member of the R.I.C. acting “in the execution of his duty.” A witness stated that Peter Freyne had thrown one bomb and had another in his hand as he ran toward Crown Forces and was shot. It was reported that his father, John Freyne, identified his body and stated to authorities that he did not know his son’s occupation as he had not seen his son for a year (Londonderry Sentinel, Sat. 4 June 1921). The photo to the right is courtesy of the National Library of Ireland. The photo was taken in the aftermath of the attack on the hotel and shows joking “Black & Tans” surveying the damage on their quarters. Written on the mount of the photo, “Tans glad to have escaped the bombs thrown at their headquarters in Dublin.” For further information concerning the photo, see NLI Ref.: HOGW 117.     For general information on the Hotel see, http://builtdublin.com/london-and-north-western-hotel-north-wall-quay-dublin-1/ . 

[UPDATE: On 11 April 2021 the East Wall History Group released an excellent short video regarding the attack and hotel available at, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHhMGVKRl-s .

The Thomastown Cumann na mBan had a special Mass said on the first anniversary of Peter’s death, attended by the local Irish Republican Volunteers (Kilkenny Moderator, Sat. 5 Aug. 1921).* Notwithstanding the lofty sentiments expressed in 1922 at the Kilkenny County Council meeting, the family with the help of the local press ensured that Peter’s name and death were recalled. When Frank returned to Ireland in 1935 to marry Bridget Holden of Dysart, Thomastown. The wedding announcement in the New Ross Standard provided that “The bridegroom, who holds as important position in New York, is a brother of the late Mr, Peter Freyne, who was killed by British forces in the attack on the North Wall Hotel, Dublin, in 1921.  Both were prominent in the Anglo-Irish war” (Fri 16 Aug. 1935, p. 12). When John Freyne died in 1936 the only one of his children mentioned in his obituary was “…Commandant Peter Freyne who was shot dead by British military in the attack on the North Wall Hotel in 1921”(New Ross Standard, Fri. 24 April 1936). When Mary Frances Freyne earned a Masters’ Degree in 1938 from Columbia University (New York) a newspaper announcement recited that “She is a sister of the late Mr. Peter Freyne, N.C.0., 2nd Batt., Dublin Brigade, who was killed by British military at the L.N.W.R. Hotel, North Wall, Dublin,” however it was wrongly reported that his death was “during the attack on the Custom House, in May, 1921, when he was only 18 years” (New Ross Standard, Fri. 24 June 1938). Some 73 years after Peter’s death, when his sister Anastatia’s death was announced in a local newspaper, it was noted that “her brother, Mr. Peter Freyne, was one of those killed by Crown forces during the fight for freedom” (New Ross Standard, Thurs. 22 April 1993, p. 23).

James Francis “Frank” Freyne (1902-1974)

After his brother Peter was killed Frank was not able to attend the funeral. On the 25^th of May, Frank was mobilized for the ill-fated “Custom House” job and was captured. He told the Crown Forces that his name was George Lewis. He was imprisoned in Arbour Hill and Kilmainham until the 8^th of December 1921 when a General Amnesty was agreed. The Custom House Commemoration Group host a blog and posted an interesting article regarding Frank at https://www.customhousecommemoration.com/2020/08/04/no-country-for-james-frankie-freyne-custom-house-burning/

After the General Amnesty, Frank joined the National Army in either February or March 1922. He enlisted at Beggars Bush Barracks. In his pension file he recorded that he was attached to the Transport Department for a few weeks then he was sent to Kilkenny as a Commandant.

During his command in Kilkenny the Kilkenny Moderator (Sat. 2 Sept. 1922, p. 4) published the following Proclamation signed by Frank:

PROCLAMATION. NOTICE is hereby given, that all Permits for Motor Vehicles in this Area, comprising the City and County of Kilkenny, are cancelled as from September. In future Permits to use such Vehicles will only be issued to those who hold Motor Tax Receipts and Drivers’ Licence from the Secretary Kilkenny County Council. Cars must also be fitted with Registration Numbers on front and rear. Signed, FRANK FREYNE, O.C. Kilkenny Brigade.

Frank was demobilised on the 9^th of November 1923 at the age of 21. In 1925 Frank applied for a Certificate of Military Service. The application was signed on 21 November 1925 while he was in Maryborough (Portlaoise) Prison under his Christian name James. Minister Hughes when he received Frank’s application rejected it without sending it to the Board of Assessors. From the records in his pension file Frank after his conviction wrote to the Minister to reconsider his criminal case for armed robbery. The Minister after conferring with Garda Siochana granted Frank a conditional release although his conviction still stood. He served two years. The two fellow ex-Volunteers involved in the incident, Swaney and Kilcoyne both got pensions with no difficulty in 1925. It is not clear from the pension file why Frank refused to put forward a defence at his trial other than it is suggested he had some mis-guided loyalty to his two companions. From a legal standpoint, based on the information provided in the pension file, there was no reason to provide a conditional release to Frank. The whole episode as reflected in the pension file does not ring true.

On 3 June 1929 Frank emigrated to the United States. He joined his sister, Mary Francis who had emigrated in 1922, and was employed as a school teacher. Although Frank and Peter, in 1920 had the opportunity to go out to their people in New York, when Mary Francis went in 1922, she went to Tarrytown, New York where local born Mother Butler had established Marymount College https://glenmore-history.com/the-very-rev-mother-marie-gerard-phelan-1872-1960/. Given their large extended family it may be the case that they were related to one of the nuns at Tarrytown.

After Frank arrived in the U.S. he wasted no time and applied to become a US citizen on 24 October 1929. In his naturalisation papers he was described as being 5 feet 8 ½ inches in height, and weighed 158 pounds. He had blue eyes and brown hair. He lived at 417 W. 121^st and was employed as a clerical worker. He reported on the 1930 Census that he was working as an accountant at a grocery. The photo at the right was attached to Frank’s citizen application and reflects how he used his Christian name on offical U.S. documents. Unfortunately the photo appears to have been smeared by carbon paper used at that time to provide duplicate copies of documennts.

In 1935, Frank returned to Ireland and married Brigid Holden, of Dysart, Thomastown. Brigid was born on the 14^th of July 1905. Excerpts from the wedding announcement provide that the wedding took place at Thomastown parish church on Wednesday of ex-Commandant Francis Freyne, son of Mr. John Freyne and the late Mrs. Freyne Kilcullen, Thomastown, and Miss Bridie Holden, second daughter of Mr. James Holden and the late Mrs. Holden, Dysart, Thomastown. Mr. Thomas Freyne brother of the bride-groom was best man, and Miss Josephine Holden, sister of the bride, was bridesmaid (New Ross Standard, Fri 16 Aug. 1935, p. 12).

In 1935, Frank again sought recognition for his service. It is not apparent from the pension file why he decided to commence what would become a long struggle. Perhaps while in Ireland for his wedding he found that the political atmosphere had improved toward him. Hughes was now the Minister and he conferred with the Attorney General who ruled that if Frank had applied for recognition for his service on the proper form in 1925 the Minister, at that time, was “bound” to send it to the Board of Assessors. The difficulty was that the Board had completed their work before 1930. The file provides that in September 1935 Frank received a letter wherein it was stated, “should the executive Council approve the reconstitution of the Board of Assessors [the Minister] considers it desirable that the matter should not be published in the Iris Oifigiul.” Thus, Frank began to write to men he had served under and with. His pension file contains correspondence from Oscar Traynor, William Byrne, James Hanrahan and Denis O’Brien.

In one letter Frank noted that “Mr. Dan Breen was instrumental in getting the present minister to act favourably in this matter in 1935.” The correspondence provides that Frank, and presumably Peter’s, Dublin address was 4 St. Joseph Terrace, Fairview on the north side of Dublin off of the Malahide Road. William Byrne in a letter dated 23 February 1942 verified that Frank participated in the following actions as well as other emergency requirements of the brigade/battalion:

(1) Raid on Dublin Docklands in 1920 for 17 pound shells for brigade.

(2) Attack on Military at Newcomen bridge 1920.

(3) Raid on British and Irish SS sheds for boycotted goods in 1921.

(4) Attack on auxiliaries L & NW Hotel, North Wall where his brother was killed in 1921.

(5) Attack on city of Dublin S.P. Co premises where a large consignment of motors, tyres n lubes for Tans were destroyed 1921.

(6) Attack on the Custom House when it was burned in 1921.

In April 1942 after 7 years of renewed effort to have his service recognised Frank was issued a Certificate recognising 5.3 years of service with the rank of commandant. He was awarded a pension of £80 per annum from the 1^st of October 1934. The pension file for James Francis “Frank” Freyne is available at http://mspcsearch.militaryarchives.ie/docs/files//PDF_Pensions/R1/1924A1JamesFrancisFreyne/W1924A1JAMESFRANCISFREYNE.pdf  One of the more interesting aspects of the file is the fact that Frank made reference in his correspondence with the Irish authorities that his address was often changing and he wanted correspondence sent to an address associated with his profession. Cenus records do not reflect that he moved house often. Perhaps the statements in his file concerning his home address reflect that he continued to “look over his shoulder.”

During his quest for recognition of his service Frank continued working and attending college eventually he became a Certified Public Accountant. In the 1940 Census he recorded that he was 35 years of age, had attended college in the past year, had two years completed and worked as an accountant for a chain store and earned $2400 per year. The U.S entered WWII on 7 December 1941 and Frank was required to register for the draft. On his 1942 draft form Frank noted that he lived at 155 W. 162^nd St., Bronx, New York. He worked at the Peat Marwich Mitchell Co. and suffered from Marie Strumpell disease. Today, the disease is called Ankylosing Spondylitis and is an inflammatory rheumatic disease which mainly affects the hips.

On the 11^th of June 1945 Frank’s wife Brigid died at the age of 40. The couple had two young children Francis G. Freyne was 7 and Maureen H. Freyne was 3 (New Ross Standard, Fri. 22 June 1945). Frank married his second wife, Agnes F. Cummings on 26 June 1948 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in the Bronx. On 18 November 1949 the couple had a son they named Peter David Freyne after Frank’s brother. Frank continued to receive the pension for his service until his death on 27 December 1974. His widow Agnes F. Freyne née Cummings continued to receive a widow’s pension until her death on 26 October 1988.

The Namesake–Peter David Freyne (1949-2009)

Peter David Freyne became a political columnist in Vermont. Thanks to a column he wrote when the movie Michael Collins was released we have some further details concerning Frank, his service, and the trip he took to Ireland with his children (available at https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/portrait-of-an-assassin/Content?oid=2136076). As part of the column a photo is attached where Peter identifies the baby as himself with his parents. Given that Peter was born in late 1949 in New York, the clothing, the hairstyle, and moustache etc. are not consistent with 1950 New York. I wonder if the photo is in fact his father as a baby?

Update of 18 Feb. 2022. The Advocate (Sat. 31 Aug. 1957, p. 11) of New York published an article regarding Peter Freyne’s trip to Ireland in 1957. “Still Flying In—Sixty-three Irish-Americans arrived at Dublin Airport on a P.A.A. chartered flight from New York, and were met by the Lord Mayor, Mr. James Carroll, T.D. They are all members of the Irish Institute, Inc…The party ws led by Mr. Gerald M. Griffin, Attorney-at-Law, New York, who was born in Charlesville, Co. Cork…Another passenger was seven-year-old Peter David Freyne, who is travelling with his parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank Freyne, New York. Peter is named after his uncle, Peter David Freyhne, who was killed by the Black-and-Tans on April 11, 1921, when the Holyhead Hotel, North Wall, was attacked.”

Peter studied to be a foreign missionary and was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam war. He moved to Vermont in 1979 where he took up journalism. When he died in 2009 Bernie Sanders is reported to have said that he first met Peter Freyne in 1981. “[A]s a friend and occasional antagonist for over 25 years, I knew Peter to be brilliant, honest, courageous and unusually observant…In addition, he was prickly, annoying, and utterly relentless in getting the information that he wanted.” It sounds like the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

For details concerning Peter David Freyne see, https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/end-of-the-line/Content?oid=2136127 . Photo of Peter David Freyne (1949-2009) from obit in the Brattleboro Reformer, Thur. 8 Jan. 2009, p. 3.

Please send any corrections, omissions, additional information, photos etc. to glenmore.history@gmail.com.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh

The photos of the London, North Western Railway Hotel, at the North Wall, London were taken on 11 April 1921 are Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland and are part of the Hogan Collection. Hogan, W. D. (111921). [Black and Tans at London and North Western Hotel in the aftermath of a raid]. Link to photos: http://catalogue.nli.ie/Search/Results?lookfor=North+wall+hotel&type=AllFields&view=list#recordvtls000279877

*Other commemoration ceremonies at Thomastown in the 1930’s included: (1) Easter Week Commemoration 1932 with address by Sean O’Mahony, ex-TD, Dublin (New Ross Standard, Fri. 1 April 1932); (2) Commemoration of 1935 with oration by Seumas Lennan, of Borris (New Ross Standard, Fri. 26 April 1935) [update added 11 April 2021].