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Relating to the photograph posted on this site by Paddy Mayne, can anyone help to identify the names mentioned to which section of the British Security forces they were attached to ?

Is it possible than some of the men in the picture were members of  " The Special Force ", we can eliminate a number of the men as they have been already identified, who was Swoffer ( Murder Gang ) for instance ?

I would be interested to hear Peter Mc,s comments or opinion on the identification of Igoe in the photograph as I know he has doubts or is convinced that the pictures that are available of Igoe are genuine.

I know the picture is unclear but he has been identified and marked  down accordingly, probably by Reynolds, I am sure I have come across this picture before but cannot remember where. I will try and have the picture blown up to see if it shows Igoe any clearer  and if it does, I will post it.

As I have mentioned before, it would be great if  there is a surviving relative of Igoe who could confirm one way or the other if the pictures are genuine.

CSM

Thanks ballyroughan, you are always on the ball, should have checked through the names myself, I looked at the photograph a few nights back but the name didn't register

How about any of the other names, especially those seated - standing in or around Igoe.

CSM

Hello Martin and all readers to this post.

On my recent visit to Dublin I  managed to call in to the National Archives  and checked out the file and reference that mqbarrett 1 informed the site of

The following is taken from that file which consisted of 4 typed pages of correspondence between a MARIE COMERFORD and a DIARMUID BRENNAN

Written across the top of the first page - quote -  Correspondence with Diarmuid Brennan  - June 23 - 71 ( I believe this to be the date the file was released but stand to be corrected )

The letter was very interesting but I will refer only to the page that includes IGOE

QUOTE

Fourth possibility SIR JOHN TAYLOR, or his nephew, an officer in the Auxiliaries


The nephew had his gun in my mouth ( raiding Mrs Greens ) and told me " We know you. Your mother had a school in Wexford and you are the bad one of the family "
HUGH MARTIN on SIR JOHN TAYLOR makes him " principle adviser to Lord FRENCH " Ind.17/4/20

It is not possible to believe that the services of TAYLOR "  were dispensed with " when COPE and ANDERSON etc came into Dublin Castle as the new team, with GREENWOOD, in 1920. His departure was sudden. His house, Peneslvania, 12 Bushy Park Rd. was bought by ERSKINE CHILDERS. I was there on a raid when the  officer told us he had not to know because his uncle had once lived in the house and he knew the back way in.

It would be worth while to know more about the London to which RICHARDS and TAYLOR withdrew - they must have had a world of their own there. In what I sent from MYLES CASSIDY I forgot if I included what he told me about a doctor who betrayed an I.R.A. column in Leitrim. I.R.B. found him in London. They ran him down with a lorry and killed him

Another one of our celebrities was Sergt IGOE

PAT HENNESSY ( of Templemore, I.R.A., then on secret work, a publican in Liverpool, deported with his wife, died Newtown Clehogue, Newry. His wife survives, 56 Park View )

I think Father O,HARE P.P., Aughnocley, Co. Tyrone, has a tape from HENNESSY. IGOE, crackshot, was head of police MURDER GANG, SPECIAL SQUAD. He ended his official career as a gateman of BUCKINGHAM PALACE ( my note - Buckingham Palace was typed over by the letter x by the author, but you can quite clearly see the letters ! ) where HENNESSY located him. HENNESSY told me------- ( blank ) HORSEGUARDS BRK.

 IGOE was responsible for 100 murders. The I.R.A. " got " every man of his squad except IGOE himself

IGOE operated in Tipperary. Killed Father GRIFFIN, Galway, operated in Enniscorthy ( unfortunately I did not take down all the details. UN - QUOTE

A fascinating " nugget " of information, I have not had time to check who MARIE COMERFORD was, but she mixed in high circles and also DIARMUID BRENNAN  and look to fellow members and contributors to help out and fill in some of the details.

If what is said is true that IGOE ended his career at Buckingham Palace that would confirm what I have always believed that the " old boy network " was alive and well and what a story that is in itself.

Its the first time I have heard IGOE referred to "as a crack shot "

The I.R.B. was believed to be in decline after DeVALERA came to power, but it seems they and members of the I.R.A. did go after and actually locate and track down IGOE from contacts working and living in England

What of this tape from HENNESSY that he gave to Father O,HARE, if that has survived, what " nuggets " might we find from that !

Now, I am going to play the " Devils Advocate " and probably suffer the wrath from PeterRIC

What if they did " get " every man of IGOES squad, that would explain why we have been unable to uncover anyone except possibly two members but they are not confirmed.

I am indebted to mqbarrett1 for the reference which has added to the great story, legend, and myth that is EUGENE IGOE ,and I look forward to your comments

On a lighter note, I was able to meet up with DesW " , which was a pleasure, on the Friday evening and we raised rather  more than one glass of the " black stuff  !"

CSM 

Thanks for the reply Peter, and I do take with a pinch  of salt the "100 murders ", I am only the messenger of the article and it is quite right that the information should be checked and challenged, it makes for interesting reading though 

I am delighted to hear that a family relative of IGOE has joined your site Peter, and I look forward to what he or she has to say, that is what we have been waiting for

This is taken from the book -  Bloody Sunday by James Gleeson, if you have heard it before, my apologies

 There is a saying in Ireland, usually in Gaelic, which goes " An old woman told me that an old woman told her that she had seen an old woman who had heard an old woman say that she had seen Patrick with his mouth open ."
I am grateful to all the old women.

CSM

Thanks ballyroughan, was anyone ever bought to task for the murder of Fr. M. Griffin ? and what became of Dr. Fogarty, I seem to remember reading he was warned off but I am unsure of the detail's.

CSM

Hello Paddy Maine, check out Books, Reference Material

CSM

The following is a Witness Statement made by Frank Thornton, W.S. no 615

Frank Thornton was Deputy Assistant Director of Intelligence, 1919 -
Director New Ireland Assurance Company Ltd, 1951
Subject - G.H.Q.Intelligence I.R.A. 1919 - 1921

I had forgot I had a copy of this W.S. and came across it purely by accident while I was researching G.H.Q. Intelligence, it gives us another opinion and view of  IGOES GANG.

QUOTE

January 1921. Dublin at this time was anything but a peaceful city. The Dublin Brigade were carrying out ambushes practically every day, despite the fact that the Btitish military were patrolling the streets in armoured cars, Lancia cars and also on foot patrol extended across the roads. To add to this concentration of forces a new menace appeared on the scene. These were gangs of R.I.C. drawn from different parts of the country under the leadership of Chief Constable Igoe. They wore civilian clothes, were heavily armed and moved along the footpaths on both sides of the road looking out for either city men whom they might know or Volunteers up from the country. They were not easy to deal with because they suddenly appeared at most unexpected places and, despite several attempts, our men never got really into action against the gang proper.

We received orders to concentrate on locating IGOES GANG. On several occasions our Intelligence Officers would pick them up and, leaving one to keep on trailing them, the other reported back to our Headquarters, when we got in touch with our Squad which then tried to intercept the gang. Their tactics, however, defeated our efforts on numerous occasions as they redoubled on their tracks and we lost contact before we could actually bring our Squad into action with them.
One particular day we had actually contacted them up in Thomas Street, our Squad coming down with Intelligence Officers on one side of the road going towards James Street while they were coming down on the other side, when all of a sudden a military patrol of about twenty - five men came up a side street and started to come down in our direction in extended order across the road. We had no option but to disperse as quickly as possible as we would have found ourselves between two fires and would have been completely out - numbered.
I remember on that particular occasion Vinny Byrne, one of the Squad, started to sing to me that song " DO I WANT TO SEE MY MAMMIE ANYMORE ? DO I ? YES I DO " However, he saw his Mamie, because we cleared out quickly.
On another occasion we established contact with them in the morning and on this occasion we had the G.H.Q.Squad standing to in Stephens Green. They went in the direction of Grafton Street with our scouts following, one of which went on in front to warn the Squad, but again they redoubled on their tracks and turned into Dame Street where they passed two of our Intelligence Officers, one of whom was Charlie Dalton and the other Sweeney Newell of Galway.
They suddenly held up our two men, who had no guns on them or identification, and apparantly one of their party recognised Newell because he was held, and after a short space of time Dalton was let go.
They went along Dame Street towards the Castle, bringing Newell with them. They were just going in through the Castle Gates when the Squad came down Georges Street but just too late. They held Newell in the Castle until some time in the afternoon and then brought him by car to the Bridewell.
He was held in the Bridewell for about half an hour and then told to go. He came out to find the street completely deserted and started to walk down towards the Quays when all of a sudden from all quarters fire was opened on him by IGOES GANG.
He fell, very badly wounded and was immediately picked up by the gang, put into a car, and brought to George V Hospital, now St. Brions. He remained in George V Hospital ( a prisoner ) until after the signing of the Treaty, when he was brought to the Mater Hospital where he was x - rayed and it was found that the wound in his leg had some foreign matter in it. He was operated on and a large safety pin was taken out which evidently had accidentally or otherwise been sewn up in the wound following his original operation in George V. Sweeney Newell is still alive and working away in Galway City but he has a lame leg as a result of his experience.

The only real clash that took place between the Squad and IGOES GANG was some months later at Parliament Street, where a running fight took place in which three of the gang were shot, the rest running away. For some reason or another, after this incident at Parliament Street we saw less of IGOES GANG on the streets.
I think, however, that it would be well to check up with the members of the Active Service Unit on other actions against this gang.

UN - QUOTE

A different version of events and one which seems to suggest there was more than one R.I.C. gang operating against the I.R.A. which PeterMc touched on in an earlier post. I look forward to any comments.

CSM