THE IRISH CIVIL WAR
Brothers ands sisters arrested by the Free Staters
 |
| Number 40 Bath Street, Irishtown - the white house, 4th
on the right - was the home of Denis and Philip Cleary who
were arrested on 12 February 1923 and 3 March 1923 respectively. |
 |
| Philip Cleary's records. Sent to the Curragh on 8 June 1923
and released on 12 December 1923. |
 |
Molly Cleary's name on a prison file in quasi-alphabetical order, alongside the Bath Street Clearys. I have no reason to think they were related..
|
 |
The Cleary boys in 1931 - Phil (seated second from left) Patrick (third from left) and Dennis, at their feet - with Fontenoy Hurling Club. |
Running in the family
It's remarkable how many sisters and brothers were arrested by
the Free State Army. These names from the IRISH DAILY of 5 April
1923 offer a glimpse of the Free State Army's approach:
Coyle
Kathleen Coyle - 59 Aughrim Street, Dublin
Jeannie Coyle - ditto
Mary Coyle - 1 Mespin Road, Dublin
Doyle
Angela Doyle - 69 Rings Street, Inichore
Tessie Doyle - ditto
Farrell - Mrs Rogers - O'Harte
Dorothea Farrell - 24 Gardiner Place
Mrs Rogers - ditto
Bridie O'Harte - ditto
Freeman
Kathleen Freeman - 29 Sth William Street
Annie Freeman - ditto
 |
The corner of Upper Dorset and Lower Dominick Streets
- Republican stronghold.
|
Gleeson
Briedie Gleeson - 50 Lower Dominick Street
Nora Gleeson - Ditto
Margaret Gleeson - ditto -
(Note Maire Cleary signed Lily Gleeson's autograph book)
Lavery
Harriet Lavery - 13 North Earl Street
Mamie Lavery - ditto
Moloney
Cissie Moloney - 63 Foley Street
Bessie Moloney - 136 Leinster Road
Kathleen McIeney(sic) - 136 Leinster Road
O'Farrelly
Rita O'Farrelly - Oakley, Vernon Avenue
Annie O'Farrelly - ditto
O'Toole
Maura O'Toole - 9 Leinster Avenue
Jennie O'Toole - ditto
Robinson
Elizabeth Robinson - Harolds Cross
Sinead Robinson - ditto
Wilson - Plunkett
Mrs Wilson - 49 Philipsburg Avenue
Mrs Joseph (Grace) Plunkett - ditto
The five 'night birds' - Top landing B wing May Jones, Agnes
Coyne, Angela Doyle, Mary Kenny, Jessie Doyle (Taken from Peg
Fegan's autographed book)
More information coming
1923 IRA Hunger Strike
http://larkspirit.com/hungerstrikes/forgotten_strikes.htm
In Feb of 1923, 23 members of Cumann na mBan (including Mary
and Annie MacSwiney, Lily Brennan and Nellie Ryan, sister-in-law
of the Free State's Commander-in-Chief and Defence Minister Richard
Mulcahy) went on strike for 34 days over illegal arrest and imprisonment
without trial of prisoners. The strike resulted in the release
of the women hunger-strikers.
On 23 May 1923, the Irish Civil War officially ended, but the
state continued to go after republicans, keeping 12,000 men and
women in prison and persecuting and harassing countless others.
By October of 1923 tension was at an all-time high in the prisons
and camps because of conditions and with no release in sight.
On 13 October 1923, Michael Kilroy, OC of the IRA POWs in Mountjoy,
announced a mass strike by 300 prisoners and it soon spread to
other jails, and within days 7,033 republicans were on hunger
strike. The figures given by Sinn Fein at the time were ountjoy
Jail 462; Cork Jail 70; Kilkenny Jail 350; Dundalk Jail 200; Gormanstown
Camp 711; Newbridge Camp 1,700; Tintown 1,2,3, Curragh Camp 3,390;
Harepark Camp 100; and, 50 women in the North Dublin Union.
NOTE
Maire Cleary was not only in Kilmainham during the 1923 strike but actively involved.
contact me: philcleary@bigpond.com
