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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Dublin => Topic started by: capel street man on Tuesday 05 April 11 08:33 BST (UK)
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Hello Margnip, my grandfather, Michael Duffy was a member of "E" Co.2nd Battalion, Dublin Brigade, I have posted a thread looking for members of "E" Co. 2nd Battalion
I will be posting some information on there regarding the attack on the LONDON and NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY HOTEL
C.S.M..
Moderator Note : Topic split due to size - see part 1 here (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,403601.0.html)
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Hello C.S.M, that would be great. Don't know much about that attack so any information is appreciated.
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Margnip2, I have posted a report on the attack on the ( looking for members of "E" Co. 2nd Battalion thread )
CSM
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This might be interesting to some, it is a postcard from the private collection of Vincent Byrne, E company 2nd Battalion Old IRA. Postcard of a drawing showing the Burning of the Custom House, by a 2nd Battalion IRA artist,
http://www.militaria-archive.com/independence/vb-photo/content/bing/images/large/Vinny_Byrne_Photo_56.jpg
http://www.militaria-archive.com/independence/vb-photo/content/bing/images/large/Vinny_Byrne_Photo_57.jpg
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This might be interesting to some, it is a postcard from the private collection of Vincent Byrne, E company 2nd Battalion Old IRA. Postcard of a drawing showing the Burning of the Custom House, by a 2nd Battalion IRA artist,
http://www.militaria-archive.com/independence/vb-photo/content/bing/images/large/Vinny_Byrne_Photo_56.jpg
http://www.militaria-archive.com/independence/vb-photo/content/bing/images/large/Vinny_Byrne_Photo_57.jpg
That's a great picture! Thanks very much for posting it. Does anyone else know of the Thomas and Peter Gaffney who were mentioned by diarmuid in part 1 of this thread?
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Just found this thread - great info. I'm wondering if anybody got the full list of those taken prisoner? If so is Michael Downes on the list? He was my grandfather who served in G Company, 1st Battalion and was involved in the burning of the Custom House.
Thanks
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I would also be very interested in the information on the Gaffneys mentioned in this thread
Rory
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Just found this thread - great info. I'm wondering if anybody got the full list of those taken prisoner? If so is Michael Downes on the list? He was my grandfather who served in G Company, 1st Battalion and was involved in the burning of the Custom House.
Thanks
Hi Dermo, there is not a Michael Downes on the list, but there is a Richard Downes of 11 Emerald Street ! I hope this helps, I was working on something a few months ago where I retyped the list of & added in the men`s units I was trying to find out how many from the Squad, ASU & 2 nd Battalion & 5 th Battalion where captured that day.Its something I must get back to. Gary
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Hi Gary, This is a great help and it fills another gap for me. Michael lived in Goldsmith Street and was "active" again very soon after the Custom House burning, so this confirms he was not taken prisoner. Thanks for taking the time to check this for me - appreciate it.
Do we know if there were many from the 1st Batt involved and what was their role?
Regards,
Dermo
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Dermo as far as I know none from the normal 1st Battalion , but the 1st ASU where there. Just checked no Downes on the ASU listing I have, I reckon he could have been transfered into another unit ? maybe 2nd Batt ? or 5 Batt engineers ?????
There was a Thomas Bates captured at the CH he lived on 28 Goldsmith Street. Doesw that name or address ring a bell? Gary
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Hi Gary, My granddad lived at 19 Goldsmith St. but the name Thomas Bates doesn't ring a bell unfortunately.
My granddad he served as 1st Lieut. Lewis Gun Section in G Coy, 1st Battalion Dublin City Brigade from 1918. Prior to that he served in the Kilrush Coy for about a year before coming to Dublin on the invitation of Peadar Clancy. He signed up for the Free State Army 1st Western Division in March 1922 and was killed in somewhat suspicious circumstances in Sept 1922 somewhere in Clare.
He was a close personal friend of Peadar Clancy and Dick McKee, and was also a devout follower of Collins. He was known to Collins, but he was not a confidante of his and would not have been directly in Collins' "inner circle". However, as an expert gunner and a skilled sniper he was, by all accounts, often called into various missions outside his Battalion and is believed to have supported various Squad and ASU missions.
I vaguely recall reading somewhere that a section of the 1st Battalion was involved in the CH burning but as you say, maybe that was not the "normal" 1st Battalion. His Attestation Form on joining the Free State Army says he "took part in the burning of the Custom House", so I've no doubt he was there - especially given his gunnery skills and his association with Collins, the Squad and the ASU.
I guess I'll never find out for sure what his role was, but sll sorts of little snippets arise from time to time that can help to piece these things together. I'm hoping that when the Military Archives Witness Statements come online, I'll find some mention of him on those somewhere.
Many thanks for you interest and for responding.
Dermo
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Hi Dermo,
Thats a nice bit of research you have done. He could have been attached to the 1 st ASU ? or as you said been there for his shooting skills ? nothing is ever black or white. In the witness statement of Paddy Lawson he mentions a Johnny Williams ( I think) of the ASU in an ambush at Cross guns bridge. My Great Uncle was Johnny Wilson of the 3rd ASU later Squad not his area but must have been him. So they did work outside there Areas when needed.
Gary
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Dermo D -
The Witness Statements are now online at www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie
craggagh.
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Thanks Craggagh.
I found a load of info about my grandfather by name in the witness statements. I also found some info on the 1st Battalion's role in the CH Burning. They're a great source of info and filled in a lot of the blanks for me. Many thanks for your interest.
Regards,
Dermo
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Arrested by F Coy at Custom House Burning
http://theauxiliaries.com/INCIDENTS/custom-house/arrested/arrested.html
DI3 DMcM O'Byrne - F Coy Intelligence Officer - filled in the forms for those arrested. They were for
John Shiley - arrested in Customs House, possession of revolver
Cyril James Daly - arrested in Customs House
Frank Brennan - arrested in Customs House
Thomas Francis McKenna - arrested in Customs House
Michael Watchorn - arrested in Customs House, possession of revolver
John James Wilson - arrested in Customs House, possession of revolver
Patrick Brunton - arrested in Customs House, possession of revolver
James Thomas Shiels - arrested in Customs House, possession of revolver
Richard Joseph Seville - arrested in Customs House
John Foy - arrested in Customs House,
Edward John Lane - arrested in Customs House,
William Donigan - arrested in Customs House
Thomas Rigney - arrested in Customs House
Hugh William Fitzgerald - arrested in Customs House
Christopher Fitzsymons - arrested in Customs House
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Lieutenant M Duffy 20.12.1920 mention on this site
http://cairogang.com
then come down the page and click on IRA men involved then click come down the page and click on Tom Duffy WS1409.
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My grandfather Richard Seville was one of those arrested at the custom house . He was interrogated at Dublin Castle and then held in Kilmainham Prison.
There are various accounts of the Custom House Burning on the following website https://www.customhousecommemoration.com/