At War with the Empire

WRITTEN AND DRAWN BY

GERRY HUNT COLOURED BY

MATTHEW GRIFFIN

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To my mother, Molly Gallagher, who lived through it all especially the Black and Tan presence; a special thanks to Michael Carroll for all his help re Knocklong.

G.H. Dedicated to my grandfather, Joseph Griffin, who I never got to meet, but whom the characters in this book knew well, and his own quiet role in shaping the history of our country.

M.G. First published 2012 by The O’Brien Press Ltd 12 Terenure Road East, Rathgar, Dublin 6, Ireland.

Tel: +353 1 4923333; Fax: +353 1 4922777 Email: books@obrien.ie; Website: www.obrien.ie ISBN: 978-1-84717-260-0 Copyright for text and illustration © Gerry Hunt Copyright for colouring and design © Matthew Griffin All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or in any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this title is available from The British Library 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 12 13 14 15 16 17 Printed and bound by GraphyCEMS The paper used in this book is produced using pulp from managed forests

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AFTER THE EASTER WEEK REBELLION IN DUBLIN 1916, THE CAPTURED IRISH VOLUNTEERS WERE HELD TOGETHER IN FRONGOCH INTERNMENT CAMP IN NORTH WALES. THE VOLUNTEERS HAD THE STATUS OF PRISONERS OF WAR; WITHIN THE CAMP THEY SAW THEMSELVES AS AN ARMY. BRENNAN-WHITMORE WAS THEIR CAMP ADJUTANT AND OPERATED A MILITARY ACADEMY.

Look to the front, men.

Remember now, ye are soldiers.

Left! Left!

We have neither the arms nor the manpower to face them in open battle, but we will have the intelligence to fight a guerrilla war.

AFTER MORNING INSPECTION THE VOLUNTEERS WERE LEFT TO THEMSELVES AND BRENNAN-WHITMORE INSTALLED A STRICT ROUTINE OF MARCHES, DRILLS AND CLASSES ON TACTICS AND STRATEGY. FRONGOCH WAS A TIME TO REINFORCE THEIR IDEALS AND TO PLAN FOR THE NEXT PHASE IN THE FIGHT FOR TOTAL INDEPENDENCE. IT BECAME KNOWN AS ‘THE UNIVERSITY OF REVOLUTION’.

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As a military campaign Easter Week was a complete shambles. This time we do things differently. We use spies, counter intelligence, and we must be ruthless at all times.

Absolutely, Michael.

A HARD CORE EMERGED INCLUDING MICHAEL COLLINS, DICK MULCAHY, TERENCE MACSWINEY, HENRY DIXON, THOMAS MCCURTAIN, SEAN T. O’KELLY, JOE O’REILLY, SEAN HALES, OSCAR TRAYNOR AND GERRY BOLAND. FRONGOCH HAD STRENGTHENED THEIR RESOLVE TO CONTINUE THE WAR, BUT WITH DIFFERENT TACTICS.

First thing will be to get De Valera out of prison, he’ll lead the campaign.

Oh yes, Dev’s the one we need.

FRONGOCH RAILWAY STATION

THE PRISONERS WERE RELEASED FROM FRONGOCH ON THE 22-23 OF DECEMBER, 1916 AND RETURNED TO IRELAND INTENT ON CONTINUING THE WAR AGAINST THE BRITISH – THIS TIME IT WAS COLLINS WHO WOULD EMERGE AS THE MILITARY GENIUS.

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TIPPERARY, 1919

The next consignment of gelignite for Soloheadbeg is due to arrive at the end of this month.

We can expect an escort of at least six. We will need to contact more volunteers, Dan.

Tim Crowe, Pat O’Dwyer, Mick Ryan, Pat McCormack and Jack O’Meara, they’re the boys who can show Dublin that the south is more than ready to keep it going.

Yes lads, we’ll show them a fight to the finish, oh yes.

IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING THE RISING THERE WERE MANY IN IRELAND WHO WERE DETERMINED TO GET ON WITH THE WAR AGAINST THE BRITISH FORCES. BY 1919, GROUPS AROUND THE COUNTRY WERE KEEN TO ACT WITH OR WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS FROM DUBLIN. NONE MORE SO THAN SEAN TREACY AND DAN BREEN. Dan, I’ll contact the others and fill them in.

Right, and Sean, take it easy. Ye can socialise after.

So where do we meet and what time?

We know the place of ambush so we each go there separately.

We don’t know what day the consignment is passing so we go early in the morning and wait as long as we have to.

PLANS WERE LAID BY BREEN, TREACY, SEAN HOGAN AND SEAMUS ROBINSON FOR THE FIRST ATTACK IN THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE.

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21 JANUARY 1919

COUNCIL EMPLOYEES PATRICK FLYNN AND JAMES GODFREY WERE DRIVING A HORSE-DRAWN CARTLOAD OF GELIGNITE GUARDED BY POLICEMEN JAMES MCDONNELL AND PATRICK O’CONNELL TO SOLOHEADBEG QUARRY.

I hear a cart coming. It’s got to be them.

OK lads. Now we don’t kill unless we have to.

We won’t start a war without killing.

HALT! PUT YOUR HANDS UP NOW!

Ambush, far side of the road, yes.

WAITING IN AMBUSH WERE SEAN TREACY, DAN BREEN, SEAN HOGAN AND SEAMUS ROBINSON AND OTHERS. THEY EXPECTED AN ESCORT OF AT LEAST SIX.

THEY TOOK THE ARMS AND LEFT THE SCENE, WITH DAN BREEN DRIVING THE HORSE AND CART AND LEAVING THE TWO DEAD POLICEMEN.

Please, we’re only council workers tryin’ t’make a livin’.

Don’t worry. We won’t hurt ye, ye don’t know us, right?

OK. We’ve got all that’s here. So let’s move quickly.

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They’re both dead and we are the only witnesses.

This is awful for us.

THIS AMBUSH AND KILLING OF THE TWO RIC MEN, WHO WERE BOTH IRISH CATHOLICS, IS GENERALLY ACCEPTED AS BEING THE FIRST ACT OF AGGRESSION BY THE VOLUNTEERS IN THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE. They were all wearin’ masks, right? So we did not recognise any of them, ya hear me?

But the one who spoke to us was Dan Breen.

I’d know him anywhere. And McDonnell and O’Connell were friends of ours. We’ve worked a good deal with both of them.

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Maybe, but ye heard what Dan Breen said. He said ‘Ye don’t know us’ and that’s what we say, nothing else.

To lie in wait for two policemen, going about their lawful duties, and shoot them down in cold blood is an act of murder.

Let there be no doubt in anyone’s mind. The shooting dead of those two local policemen was murder, pure and simple.

THE KILLING OF THE TWO POLICEMEN, WHO WERE BOTH IRISH CATHOLICS, WAS CONDEMNED IN ALL THE CHURCHES IN THE AREA ON THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY.

COUNT PLUNKETT. FOREIGN AFFAIRS. DE VALERA. PRESIDENT.

ARTHUR GRIFFITH. HOME AFFAIRS.

CONSTANCE MARKIEVICZ LABOUR.

CATHAL BRUGHA. DEFENCE.

WILLIAM COSGROVE. LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

MICHAEL COLLINS. FINANCE.

DICK MULCAHY. CHIEF OF STAFF.

JOHN MACNEILL. INDUSTRY.

ON THE SAME DATE AS THE SOLOHEADBEG AMBUSH, DÁIL EIREANN HELD ITS FIRST MEETING, PRESIDED OVER BY CATHAL BRUGHA, IN DE VALERA’S ABSENCE. THE MINISTERS WERE NOMINATED. MICHAEL COLLINS WAS NOT PRESENT AS HE AND HARRY BOLAND WERE AT THE TIME IN ENGLAND PLOTTING DE VALERA’S ESCAPE FROM LINCOLN PRISON.

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A REPLICA WAS MADE BY GERRY BOLAND; THIS WAS BAKED INTO A CAKE AND SENT TO DE VALERA. MICHAEL COLLINS ALSO HAD A COPY MADE. DE VALERA, SEAN MCGARRY AND SEAN MCELROY WERE TO MAKE THE ESCAPE BID. THE AGREED ESCAPE DOOR, TIME AND ROUTE WERE CONVEYED TO COLLINS.

DE VALERA HAD MADE A WAX MOULD OF THE PRISON CHAPLAIN’S MASTER KEY, WHICH WAS SMUGGLED TO DUBLIN.

COLLINS AND HARRY BOLAND ARRIVED IN LINCOLN GAOL AT THE TIME AGREED. I know which door. It’s to the left and the first down from the corner.

Is it out now?

Pssst, Dev. I broke the bloody key.

It’s stuck in the lock!

Good lads, so far so good.

Now, let’s get ye to a safe house well away from here, right?

Yes, it is.

You open it with your key.

We’ve done it, lads. Now freedom and back home to the oul’ sod.

Oh yes, Mick. We have so much to do, so we need to be moving.

THE THREE ESCAPEES WERE QUICKLY TRANSFERRED TO A SAFE HOUSE IN MANCHESTER AND FROM THERE, IN DUE COURSE, SMUGGLED BACK TO DUBLIN WHERE COLLINS QUICKLY SET UP TWO MORE ESCAPES FROM MOUNTJOY GAOL. APART FROM WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE KEY, THERE ARE NO OTHER SETBACKS AND THE THREE PRISONERS ARE ON THEIR WAY.

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Mr Barton, we want you to study this file carefully.

Can ye see me? I can hardly see ye at all. So what now? Do I jump?

Can ye catch me?

DICK MULCAHY, POSING AS A CLERK FOR ROBERT BARTON’S SOLICITOR, VISITED BARTON IN PRISON AND MANAGED TO PASS HIM A SAW. BARTON, WITH THE HELP OF SOME PRISON WARDENS ACTING FOR COLLINS, MADE IT TO THE OUTER PRISON WALL AND AS A SIGNAL HE THREW A BAR OF SOAP ACROSS.

Hold tight now, lads.

Here he comes!

THE ROPE LADDER IS THROWN OVER THE WALL.

HAVING GIVEN THE AGREED SIGNAL, ROBERT BARTON WAITS.

Don’t you worry, Rob. We have it under control. You just jump on three and we’ll catch you.

Well, Rob, we did it.

It’s good to see you.

So, we better go.

Thanks, Mick.

Boy, it’s great to be out at last.

Ready, lads?

SOON AFTER, USING THE SAME METHOD, PIARAS BEASLAÍ, J.J. WALSH, PADDY FLEMING AND THOMAS MALONE IN A GROUP OF TWENTY-FIVE VOLUNTEERS WERE ALL SET FREE FROM THE ‘JOY.

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Eamon, we want you to lead the next campaign against the British.

I want to get recognition of the Irish Republic over in Washington and to raise money there.

No, Mick. My place is in the States talking independence to the Irish.

COLLINS HAD BROKEN DE VALERA OUT OF GAOL THINKING HE WOULD LEAD THE WAR AGAINST THE BRITISH. BUT DEV WAS ONLY INTERESTED IN A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN FOR INDEPENDENCE AND WANTED TO PROMOTE IT IN AMERICA AMONG THE 25 MILLION IRISH OVER THERE.

You have a point, I suppose. You do that and I’ll do what I think is best for here.

DAVID NELIGAN, DUBLIN CASTLE

LILY MERIN AND NANCY O’BRIEN, TYPISTS, DUBLIN CASTLE.

You know what I’m after, Ned, any information you think relevant.

Yes, I know what you want. A lot of stuff comes in.

NOW THAT COLLINS WAS IN CHARGE OF THE CAMPAIGN IN IRELAND, HE QUICKLY WENT ABOUT SETTING UP A COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE NETWORK USING ALL TYPES FROM POLICEMEN TO TYPISTS TO HOTEL PORTERS, THE PRINCIPAL BEING NED BROY, DUBLIN MILITARY POLICE (DMP).

JOE KAVANAGH AND PATRICK MACNAMARA. ALL WERE TO PROVE VITAL TO COLLINS IN WHAT WAS TO FOLLOW.

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IN DUBLIN CASTLE, LORD FRENCH, AS VICEROY, WAS PROVING SUCH A DISASTER THAT SIR WARREN FISHER WAS ASKED BY BRITISH PRIME MINISTER LLOYD GEORGE TO EXAMINE THE WORKING OF THOSE IN CHARGE THERE.

You and your committee will examine how things are done there and will report back here with your recommendations.

‘A complete overhaul at the top’, it says. That is drastic. Still, if that’s what is required then we must see to it immediately. And you say ‘a team of civil servants from Whitehall’.

This is extremely urgent so we’ll expect your full report in one month.

It’s very tight, but be sure we’ll do our very best.

IN EXACTLY ONE MONTH, SIR WARREN FISHER DELIVERED HIS REPORT TO LLOYD GEORGE WHO WAS SHOCKED AT ITS FINDINGS THAT THE PLACE WAS FULL OF LEAKS.

Sir Neville, we’re counting on you.

Give the blighters hell.

He’s gone and selected McCready and I wasn’t even consulted.

Yes, Prime Minister. We’ll certainly make things hot for the IRA. THE PM IMMEDIATELY APPOINTED SIR NEVILLE MCCREADY AS GOC, SIR HENRY TUDOR AS POLICE ADVISOR, SIR HAMAR GREENWOOD AS CHIEF SECRETARY, AND SIR JOHN ANDERSON, JOINT UNDER SECRETARY. SURPRISINGLY, LORD FRENCH REMAINED IN HIS POSITION AS VICEROY.

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CHURCHILL WHO HAD WANTED FIELD MARSHAL ROBERTS AS GOC AND WAS ANNOYED TO LEARN THAT LLOYD GEORGE HAD APPOINTED MCCREADY.