Memoty ol Sput - Mory Orr

Sergeant Edmund Prendiville in Clonmel and Constable James Prendiville in Cork City. They, along with his brother Thomas Prendiville from Rathea and his two oldest

children, lohn IY (born 1906) and Edmond Joseph (1907), accompanied the body from Youghal.

The couple's other children

were Maurice Francis (1909), Thomas P (1915), Hanora M (1917) and two months old Garrett F.

Back in Kerry

lYaurice Prendeville's body lay in the Mortuary Chapel of St l'.4a ry's Church in Listowel

overnight and next morning High I\4ass was celebrated by Rev. O'Connor PP, assisted by Rev. C O'Sullivan and Rev. J O'Connor. According to the Kerryman newspaper report of lanuary 1, 1921 "At 12.30 the fitneral left for the ancient burial ground of Kilsinon and was both large and

representative of all classes... as well as members of his own fafiily who are amonq the most respected in the district".

A long list of the mourners

was given in the report and showed attendance from all the local townlands such as

Gortacloha ne, Behins, Toornageeha Rathea and

Ballyduhig. Messages and wires were received From J Prendeville MA Madeira,

Sister Mary Redeemer, Shella (sisters), and from Garrett (brother). Wreaths were sent from, among others, Lady

Captain and Miss Davis and from the Youghal and

IYidleton RIC. At the request of his relatives there was no military display at his funeral.

lvlaurice Prendiville's other

sib ings were Honora, Thomas I4argaret, Bridget, IYary,

lohn, Julia, Ellen and Gerard (perha ps known as Garrett).

IYaurice Prendiville's wife Margaret hailed from

Newcastle West. Her maiden name was Mathews. In the 1911 Census she is down as l.4argaret [.4ary, living with her children in Carriqtohilll, outside Cork city. Her mother, Honora Mathews, was also in the house with her on Census night and marked as being

able to speak both Irish and

Eng lish.

Immediately following her

husband's death [4argaret, then aged about 38, qualified for an Annual Pension of !39 and an Annua! Allowance of t2. 10s for each child under 18 - of which there were

four. On the Pension records her address is given as Church Street, Listowel in

November 1921.

Warned by IRA

A month before his death, on November 1, 1920, Constable Prendiville was captured but released by the IRA, having promised them that he would resign from the RIC.

This ncident happened near Piltown. Iqaurice Prendiville

and a colleague called O'Neill were captured by the IRA and re eased on the prom se ol' Constabulary. When O'Neill returned to Youghal, he took off his uniform, said he was finished with the R.I.C. and walked out but Prendiville did not. It is not clear why he

risked staying on but the fact that he had a family of five to care for may have been a consideration. He had been stationed for two years in

Youghal at th is stage.

The ambush near Piltown is recalled in the witness

statement given by a lames Prendergast, Vice O/C, West Waterford Flying Column of 2, t4yrtle H Terrace, Tivoli,

Cork to the Bureau of Military H story (Doc. No. WS 1655).

On the niqht of 1st November 1920, we took up ambush positions at Piltown Cross, In all, we had about 18 men under the command of George Lennon. AII were

armed with either shotguns or revolvers....

At about 11.30, aur scouts reported that a military lorry was on its way from Youghal and was approaching our position.... We 'opened uP' on it with a burst of shotgun fire,.. Our first burst of fire

killed the driver and the lorry stopped. The order was then

qiven to us to "cease fire"...

Pat Keating of Comeragh next came out to the road and the two of us otdered any soldiers who were wounded to "fall out". About a dozen did so. I began to look for the military officer in charge and after

some time he came out on to the road. It appears that he