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Only 4 medals were awarded to the RIC for gallantry during the Easter Rising of 1916. These were to County Inspector George B Ruttledge (Oranmore), Sergeant William O'Connell (Ashbourne), Sergeant Thomas Reilly (Galway), and Constable Eugene Bratton (Ashbourne).

This is the medal awarded to Sergeant Thomas Reilly 58222




Engraved "Thos. Reilly. Sergt. R.I.C."

"Sergeant Thomas REILLY was serving with the ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY in Galway W.R. during the Easter Rebellion of 1916. He showed great courage in arresting and disarming a leading rebel named Patrick Fahy at 4a.m. on Easter Tuesday the 25th April, 1916. This Fahy was a well known extremist, and his capture at this juncture was of the first importance. He was subsequently tried by Court Martial and sentenced to ten years penal servitude".

Sgt Reilly was serving in Kinvarra at the time. He was presented with the medal plus an award of £5 in War Stock at the RIC Depot on 17 May 1917.

All of the rebels - apart from those sadly executed - were released a short time later.

From "Pádraig Ó Fathaigh's War of Independence - Recollections of a Galway Gaelic Leaguer", Cork Unversity Press, 2000

Liam Mellows had ordered Pádraig Ó Fathaigh to go to Kinvara and bring Fr O' Meehan back to act as Quarter-Master to the Galway Volunteers -

He sent Tom O'Dea with me, and an Athenry man was with the driver. It happened that a rumour went around that arms were being landed at Kinvara, and Fr O'Meehan was warned to keep away as the RIC were alerted.
Tom O'Dea wanted to fire at Kilcolgan Barracks, but on reaching Kinvara he noticed the RIC car. And on reaching Kinvara Lodge, where Fr O'Meehan resided, Tom O'Dea and myself were confronted by 2 armed RIC men in the darkness. O'Dea explained that we were on a sick call, that he was Donoghue from Dooras and I also gave a fictitious name. By this time the RIC man separated from the Sergeant and had his rifle ready, and as we were about to enter the car, O'Dea was arrested and the RIC man shouted "whoever stirs a foot I'll shoot him dead". I went to O'Dea's aid and tried to take the rifle from the Sergeant. The latter shouted to the constable to come to his assistance. The RIC man let go O'Dea and I managed to struggle with both and I shouted to O'Dea for help. O'Dea who had gained the car was rushing back when the RIC man who managed to break loose from me pointed the rifle at O'Dea, the latter got into the car and I thought I saw him open the door and fire back. The RIC man fired on the moving car and then called on me to let go the Sergeant who by this time was completely exhausted. Putting the rifle to my back he gave me 10 seconds to put up my hands which I did at the count of nine. It was some time before the Sergeant could proceed - from exhaustion.

    

The following table is the complete roll of awards of the King's Police Medal to the Royal Irish Constabulary.

Of 42 awards, 13 were for gallantry, 6 for saving life, and 23 for distinguished service.

 

Gazetted	Year	Rank	Surname	Forename	Number	Notes
03-Jan-11	1910	Con.	Burke	William Joseph	57636	Action of 8/6/09. EVII Obverse. “For Conspicuous Gallantry in saving life and property. He found a bomb, with the fuse lit, by a house; while disposing of the bomb it exploded and severely injured him”.
24-Feb-11	1911	Sgt.	Byrne	Bernard	46666	Gazette 3/1/1911. IT Jan 7 1911 – Detective, Queenstown Docks.” For 29 years service of exceptional merit and ability”.
31-Dec-12	1911	A/Sgt.	Leslie	James Day	56160	Belfast 10/6/11, burglary Antrim Rd IT Jan 11 1913. “Sgt Leslie was attacked by two armed men who were breaking into a shop. One had a revolver, the other an iron bar. Although severely injured he arrested one of the men”.
31-Dec-12	1911	Sgt.	Costello	Charles	48255	Boyle Races, Co. Roscommon 7/6/11. Also Order of St John of Jerusalem for same action. “For rescuing two children who wandered on to the racecourse in front of the horses. Sgt Costello was very seriously injured and was in hospital for a long time as a result of this rescue”.
01-Jan-14	1912	Sgt.	Golden	John	55203	Conspicuous gallantry (lifesaving) 4/12/12. Also Medal of the Royal Humane Society. Later D.I. Galway City. “For rescuing a man from drowning in the Galway canal”.
01-Jan-14	1914	D.I.G.	O'Connell	William Arthur	41912	Also 1900, 1903, 1911 Visit Medals. “For Meritorious and Distinguished Service”.
01-Jan-15	1915	Comm.	Smith	Thomas James	N/A	Also 1903 Visit Medal. Succeeded Byrne as Inspector-General. “Served for 32 years, showed very exceptional ability and merit”.
01-Jan-15	1915	H.C.M.	Fogarty	John Patrick	46898	“RIC Depot. Served in the Force for 32 years. Held the highest non-commissioned rank in the Force. Showed throughout his prolonged service very exceptional ability and merit”.
01-Jan-15	1915	I.G.	Chamberlain	Neville F.F.	N/A	“Was Inspector-General of the Force for fourteen years and as a result of his exceptional executive and administrative abilities the efficiency of the Force has been perfected”.
17-Jan-16	1915	C.I.	Roberts	Albert A.	52413	Also 1900 Visit Medal “For 20 years distinguished and meritorious service”.
17-Jan-16	1915	H.C.	Murphy	Timothy	49573	Long service. “For 33 years service during which he has shown marked ability and merit”.
01-Jan-17	1916	C.I.	Ruttledge	George Bedell	53461	Also 1903 Visit Medal. Easter Rising Oranmore. “ For displaying Conspicuous Courage and Ability. During the Rebellion he was entirely responsible for the security of County Galway. While commanding the Police in the county he attacked and dispersed large bodies of rebels.”
01-Jan-17	1916	Con.	Bratton	Eugene	58238	Easter Rising Ashbourne. “For Conspicuous Gallantry during the Rebellion, as a motor-cycle despatch rider he risked his own life on several occasions. He was captured by the rebels, escaped, and returned to the fight”.
01-Jan-17	1916	Sgt.	O'Connell	William	60264	Easter Rising Ashbourne. “During an attack on the police, when eight police were killed and fifteen wounded, by his personal example he encouraged his men to prolong their resistance.”
01-Jan-17	1916	Sgt.	Reilly	Thomas	58222	Easter Rising. “For displaying Conspicuous Gallantry in arresting and disarming a leading rebel whose capture early in the rising was of the utmost importance”.
18-Jan-17	1917	Con.	Barry	Michael	56056	Also Medal of the Royal Humane Society. Inishmurray Island 18/1/17; Mullaghmore Co. Sligo 1/8/17. “On the first occasion Cons. Barry rescued a man aged 70 from drowning, and on the other occasion he rescued two young ladies from drowning. Both rescues were performed at great personal risk”.
01-Jan-18	1916	Sgt.	Gunn	James	53843	Lifesaving 11/11/16. Omagh. “Sgt Gunn, after a severe struggle, succeeded in rescuing a lunatic who was attempting to commit suicide by drowning himself in a river”.
01-Jan-18	1917	Con.	McDonald	Alexander	59921	Lifesaving 25/11/17.Ballinasole, Galway. “For rescuing a lunatic from a burning house at great personal risk”.
01-Jan-18	1917	A/Sgt.	O'Sullivan	Robert J.	62807	Gallantry 16/9/17. Limerick. “Sgt O'Sullivan and Cons. Lavelle were returning to their baracks when they were attacked by 3 armed men who attempted to take their weapons. The police, although their rifles were unloaded, resisted and put their attackers to flight. After a chase one of the assailants was captured”.
01-Jan-19	1918	Con.	Flanagan	Michael	68732	Action of 6/10/18. Ballyvourney. Co. Cork. “Whilst on patrol with Sgt Flynn they were attacked by armed men who attempted to take their weapons. The attackers were driven off”.
01-Jan-19	1918	Con.	Hynes	Thomas	59846	Also SPCA Medal. Lifesaving 17/8/17; 24/1/18; 24/5/18; Omagh Railway Station. “On three occasions, whilst on duty at the Railway Station, he saved the lives of passengers at great risk to his own life”.
01-Jan-19	1918	H.C.	Boyle	Martin	52148	Gallantry 13/4/18. Gortatlea Bks. Constabulary Medal 1918. “Was in charge of the police Hut at Gortatlea when it was raided for arms by a number of armed men. HC Boyle and the other constables successfully defended the Hut, killed two of the attackers and drove off the remainder. These were the first casulaties suffered by the Volunteers in a raid for arms”.
01-Jan-19	1918	H.C.	Browne	John	51646	Gallantry 27/9/18. Cork City riot. “While returning to barracks with a party of 14 police, they were attacked by a number of armed men. HC Browne was wounded in the thigh but stayed in command till reinforcements came”.
01-Jan-19	1919	D.I.	Craig	George F.W.	56625	Wounded, County Club, Cork July 1920. “From 1911 was in charge of the police in Limerick City and performed his duty with marked ability and success”.
01-Jan-20	1919	Con.	Spillane	James Henry	68116	Gallantry 6/4/19. Limerick. “Cons. Spillane was one of a party of police guarding Robert Byrnes (Adjt, 2nd Batt, Limerick Bde, IRA) in Limerick Workhouse hospital. There was an attempt by 30-40 men to rescue Byrnes. The police were fired at and a constable was killed. Cons. Spillane threw himself on the prisoner and was shot in the back. Byrmes was rescued but was found to have been fatally wounded. Cons. Spillane spent a long time in hospital and was found unfit for service on his discharge from hospital”.
01-Jan-20	1919	Con.	Hayes	James	52161	Cork City 30/3/19. “Constable Hayes was on patrol in the City when he was attacked by an armed man. Although Cons. Hayes was wounded in the abdomen he fired at his assailant who, although he was not hit, made his escape”.
01-Jan-20	1919	Sgt.	Horgan	Matthew	59172	Also 1900 & 1903 Visit Medals. Good Police Service. Tipperary. “He has displayed exceptional qualities of courage and determination in dealing with the notorious lawlessness of the locality. He has been an example to all the Police in the district”.
02-Jan-22	1921	C.I.	Cheeseman	Charles		Also 1903 Visit Medal. “He has had 20 years service and has been in the Crime Special Department since 1917. He arrested the German spy Charles lody who was subsequently shot in the Tower of London”.
02-Jan-22	1921	D.I.	Naughton	Thomas	63174	Thurles, Co. Tipperary. “The men under his command have been very successful in their encounters with the IRA”.
02-Jan-22	1921	H.C.	McGoldrick	John	50450	Meritorious service. Newmarket, Co. Cork. “He has served for 39 years and has administered his district in a very capable manner during a long and critical period”.
02-Jan-22	1921	Sgt.	Fleming	James		SiC Barracks. Held off an ambush for 11 hours. See Times 11 Feb 1922. Maam, Galway. “He has served at Maam for the past 14 months and has been in two ambushes. In the second ambush, which lasted eleven hours, it was his excellent shooting which prevented the police from being outflanked and defeated”.
02-Jan-22	1921	T/C.I.	Gerity	Ernest Oswald	52685	Good Police Service L.G. 30/12/21. Kerry. “Was in charge of the RIC in Co. Kerry, where during 1921, the Crown Forces have lost 5 officers and 41 men killed. He has taken part in two engagements with the rebels, he has also served on tempoirary duty in Belfast where he has been fired at on four occasions”.
02-Jan-22	1921	D.I.	Martinson	William Farrel	72405	Seconded for service with ADRIC. “ DI Martinson has served as Adjutant of the Auxiliary Division RIC for the past 8 months and has shown untiring energy and devotion to duty”.
09-Nov-09	1909	D.I.G.	Considine	Heffernan Fritz		Also C.B.; M.V.O.;1900 & 1903 Visit; 1911 RIC. “Awarded the Medal for Long and Distinguished Service”.
09-Nov-09	1911	H.C.	Gogarty	James	40769	1911 List. “During his 35 years service, he has had a specially distinguished record in detective duties”.
28-Dec-17	1917	C.I.	Gelston	John F.		Commissioner of Police, Belfast. “Served for 27 years. He was in charge of the Police in Co. Clare during the Rebellion of 1916 and has performed his duties in an efficient and praiseworthy manner”.
30-Dec-19	1919	C.I.	Crane	Hubert William		Also 1903 Visit Medal. “C.I. Crane was in charge of the police in King's County and had to deal with disorders in connection with Land Agitation and Sinn Fein. Throughout his 40 years service he has performed his duties in a very satisfactory manner”.
30-Dec-19	1919	C.I.	Yates	Henry E.W.		Also 1903 Visit Medal & 1911 Coronation. Private collection. “He has served for 38 years. From 1892 to 1902 served in Tipperary and was there during the Plan of Campaign on the Smith-Barry estate. He has been in charge of Police in Limerick for the last 12 years and has carried out his duties with zeal and determination”.
30-Dec-19	1919	D.I.	Neylon	Thomas	56484	Also 1903 Visit Medal. Galway 1919. “Has served for 26 years and has been displayed for the past year in investigating cases of murder under circumstances of extreme danger. His investigations have been attended with success and he has shown indifference to the danger”.
29-Dec-22	1922	D.I.	Connor	Henry	58256	Joined RUC. “Has served for 23 years during which time has showed marked zeal and efficiency”.
22-Dec-22	1922	D.I.	Heggart	Richard R.	54660	Also Constabulary Medal 1916 Enniscorthy.” Served for thirty-one years and has shown special merit and ability. Is now Assistant Commissioner in Belfast”.
29-Dec-23	1922	Sgt.	Walmsley	Johnston	63801	Joined RUC.”Rendered Gallant and meritorious service; a sergeant of outstanding merit”.