The Royal Irish Constabulary Forum

Tom Barry,1897-1980. ( His Opinion on Witness Statements )

feeds@yuku.com (ballyroughan) — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:39:21 PST

The Bureau of Military History, Established 1947. Gathered : Papers, Photographs, Contemporary Documents, Voice Recordings, plus Witness Statements,
from the period 1913-1921,which is now a valuable source for Historians, Students, and those with an interest in Irish History of this period.
Now with the " Witness Statements" going on line i thought this view would be of interest, and may open debate on same.

I Quote :
Readers of books such as Deasy's and my own ( Guerilla Days in Ireland ) should be made aware of an important happening relative to this period about which the two books were written. This was the setting up, in later years, of the Bureau of Military History. I have no intimate first-hand knowledge whatever of this body, but following his retirement from the army, the late Lt-Colonel...

Brothers in RIC

feeds@yuku.com (Edscout) — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:05:03 PST

While I researched my GGGrandfather's RIC career; I found several Officers with same name (Beegan). I had been told by family that it was thought He had several Brothers also in the RIC. Is there any way to find out if these men were Brothers?.

So How Fearsome Were They?

feeds@yuku.com (Stanley C Jenkins) — Sun, 13 May 2012 19:51:20 PST

I have often wondered just how fearsome the RICAD actually were. In particular if we could travel back in time, and by some mischance were stopped in a country lane by a lorry load of "Tans", what would actually have happened? A routine questioning? A rifle-butt in the face? A cheerful "hello sir"?

Some sources say that they tried to bully and intimidate just about everybody they met (in an attempt, I suppose, to "dominate" the ground). But has the reality been deliberately obscured by decades of hostile propaganda? In his book Irish Voices, Peter Somerville suggests that, to many Irish loyalists, the Tans and the RICAD were regarded as heroes and saviours.

A Dublin Policeman,s Story from the late 1930,s

feeds@yuku.com (caplestreetman) — Thu, 10 May 2012 19:43:56 PST

The following is taken from a book " Dublin Tenement Life an Oral History " by Kevin C. Kearns, published in 1994 by Gill & Macmillan Ltd, Goldenbridge, Dublin 8

The book is based on original statements and testimonies of survivors of the old Dublin tenements

I cannot recommend the book more highly, it made me laugh and it made me cry, if you want to learn and understand what it was like to have nothing and be the poorest of society, but still retain your wit, humour and community spirit and keep on smiling, no matter what life throws at you, then read the above book.

SENAN FINUCANE - AGE 73

He came from a farming family in Clare in the late 1930,s to join the police force in Dublin.He was soon walking the beat in the Liberties with his mate the legendary Lugs Brannigan whom Senan calls a " God among the Liberties people ". Together they disbanded toss schools, cracked the secret door - knock code of public houses serving patrons after...

" The Original D.M.P. Black & Tans " in 1917

feeds@yuku.com (caplestreetman) — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:44:04 PST

Hello Peter, thought you might like this true story, even though it comes from " the other side "

On the first anniversary of the 1916 Uprising, General Sir Brian Mahon, in charge of the British Forces in Ireland, issued a proclamation forbidding processions or meetings within the Dublin Metropolitan area, between Easter Sunday and the following Sunday, the authorities expected mass demonstations and serious rioting, police and army leave was cancelled and they were on high alert.

Of course this did not deter the crowds from turning out and it was reported that at least 20,000 people turned out in Sackville St ( renamed O,Connell St )

A group of Irish Citizen Army women, there were four of them, Helena Moloney, Bridget Davis, Rosie Hackett and Jane Shanahan wanted to commemorate the death of James Connolly, they made a scroll and placed it around the outside of Liberty Hall, there is a famous picture of this, within an hour of putting it up, it was...

Royal Irish Constabulary and Dublin Metropolitan Police: Appendix to the report of the Committee of Inquiry, 1914

feeds@yuku.com (Peter Mc RIC) — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:47:46 PST

http://eppi.dippam.ac.uk/documents/22111/eppi_pages/622733

Mullinahone, Co.Tipperary

feeds@yuku.com (Peter Mc RIC) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:38:10 PST

Mullinahone, Carrick-on-Suir district, Tipperary S.R. Much the same now as it was then.

(1916 photo by kind permission of John Quirke - http://www.mullinahone.net/) Note the angled steel shutter above the front door.

The occupants in 1911 were Sgt Joseph Hobbins and Constables Michael Connor, Daniel McGuire, John Dwyer and William Alexander Walter. (

Cratloe Ambush

feeds@yuku.com (Stanley C Jenkins) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:29:48 PST

I note that a new marker tablet has been erected at the site of the Cratloe Ambush that took place on 13tg January 1921, and a similar marker is planned for the site of the Puches Quarry ambush at which two soldiers were killed. Two RIC sergeants are mentioned on the Cratloe marker but there names are not given - was any thought given to applying the names of the victims on future markers? (this would certainly be appreciated by future historians).

interview is it birth village/town /parish?

feeds@yuku.com (mike126) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:07:22 PST

hello
is the town /village /parish that a RIC officer sat his interview would that be the village /town /parish he lived in
mike

A Report on the Intelligence Branch of the Chief of Police from May, 1920 to July, 1921

feeds@yuku.com (caplestreetman) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:06:58 PST

In my research at the National Archives in Kew a number of years ago, I obtained a full copy of the report of the Intelligence Branch of the Chief of Police from May, 1920 to July, 1921

The report was written by Colonel Ormonde de L, Epee Winter, known as " O ", Chief of British Intelligence in Ireland, 1920 - 21 and runs to well over 105 pages, the report was for his peers and the British Cabinet and, in my opinion, biased, which is understandable, nevertheless, the Report, ( as I will now refer to it ), is a very important document as regards to Intelligence and the Secret Service and I intend , over the coming months to serialise it in parts.

I do not confess to be an expert on the subject, but an interested researcher and I hope members and visitors to the forum will be able to understand the British Intelligence Branch better and be able to add or discuss the different parts of the Report as it unfolds

REF - WO 35/214 ...

Help needed finding James Russell & John Ahearne both CORK.

feeds@yuku.com (macker911) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:50:06 PST

Can anyone help I have two members who were in the R.I.C.
1st James Russell born abt 1868 served in Cork City possibly born Tipperary can't find him on 1901 or 1911 census but found his family in Mallow, Cork.
2nd Constable John Ahearne served in Bandon Cork address South Main Street Bandon in 1884 from childs birth record. Born abt 1850-1860 died I think before 1901 census where wife is shown as widow still living in Bandon, Cork.
Thanks in anticipation
Macker911

Constable Patrick Fitzpatrick, Queens Co. Decipher Service Record

feeds@yuku.com (mattman) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:47:06 PST

Hi,

Constable Patrick Fitzpatrick, Service No : 38624

Service Record Image: http://mattman.iflaf.com/...rick_Fitzpatrick_RIC.jpg

Joined RIC 1872 and was pensioned 25 years later in 1897.

Couple of things I am curious about :

- References
In a number of the columns there appear to be further document references, e.g. in marriage column 38624D/79451, can these references be followed up or searched anywhere else, I'm particularly interested in the marriage record.

- Rewards
In the rewards column it shows (I think) :

Sub. Rec 29.6.87

Guessing the end is 29th June 1887, what does the Sub. Rec mean ?

- Punishments
Patrick received 4 punishments, all listed as Fines of varying amounts of shillings, is there any means of finding out what these fines might have been for.

-...

The 1912 Olympics - Timothy Carroll RIC

feeds@yuku.com (Peter Mc RIC) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:31:55 PST

As we approach the 2012 London Olympics, it is interesting to reflect that 100 years ago the RIC had their very own Olympian athlete who participated in the games at Stockholm.

The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,408 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports. With the exception of tennis (starting on May 5), football and shooting (both starting on June 29), the games were held within a month. It was the last to issue solid gold medals and, with Japan's debut, the first time an Asian nation participated. Stockholm was the only bid for the games, and was selected in 1909. It is the only full Olympics to be held in Sweden.

The games were the first to have art competitions, and the first to feature the decathlon and pentathlon, both won by Jim Thorpe, women's diving and...

Irish flintlock carbine

feeds@yuku.com (flintlockandsteel) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 07:03:00 PST

Hello
This is my first posting here but I'm also a member of the British Militaria forum.
This may be of interest to some of you, and I'd like any additional information anyone is able to add.
I have a converted flintlock carbing of Circa 1810. It's of a type issued to the police and militia units.
There is no name or markings evidend other than the Leith registration stamp LEI 559.Inside the lock is a W. That's it so far.
Being very distinctive I'd be interested to see (hopefully named) others of this type.

The Parish Watch

feeds@yuku.com (Peter Mc RIC) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:15:08 PST

In Dublin in the 1700's there was no formal body for maintaining peace and the administration of the civil law, other than the military. The process of policing arose at a local level with the appointment of 'constables' or watch men, sometimes voluntary, sometimes paid; and these were organised at parish level. They were most needed in the hours of darkness and these men of the 'Nights Watch' were eventually to form the nucleus of the Irish Constabularies - the DMP and the RIC. An excellent article on the Watch Police can be found on the Garda Siochana Historical Society website - http://www.policehistory.utvinternet.com/watch.html

Now the earliest surviving records relating to the Night Watch has been digitised and is available online. They show the names...