Custom House Burning - Part 1 / John Wilson

[seanod]

Personally I thought the film wasn't bad in many ways but there were a lot of inaccuracies. The death of Harry Boland, as you say, and the car bomb! I looked up the details of the planning of the Custom House last night, and it seems that at the initial meeting, Dev asked for a major gesture. He proposed either Beggar's Bush or the Custom House, and the details were left to Oscar Traynor to investigate. The plans were then worked out by a kind of subcommittee in which Collins was involved but De Valera wasn't present (though Mulcahy was). One thing I have wondered about is the business of the Local Government Board chairman hearing about the attack in advance. The security was very tight and the people who carried out the attack didn't know what the target was until the day of the burning, apart from a handful of people. Is it possible that someone leaked the details to delay or prevent Dev's gesture ...?    No evidence, but it's a thought.

Thanks for the name of Daniel McAleese. I've just looked him up on Google and he was definitely there on the day. He was one of the tax office employees, apparently, so I'll add him to the non-military list. 

[Gary Deering]

I agree I liked the film, just picking faults I surpose.Beggars Bush would have been a suicide mission,with Rathmines barracks just up the road.Saying that if they had of captured Beggars Bush they would have got some amount of guns & ammunition,but how would they have got out ? they would have been surrounded in no time.

[Ms. Smokestoomuch]

Seanod,
Really sorry but I made a mistake.
Daniel McAleese is on my Dublin Witness statement list.
Don't know how I missed it but it's there alright. Witness statement No. 1411.
 

[seanod]

That's great, Ms Smoketoomuch. I hope to get to the National Archives in a few weeks time and I'll check it out then. 

[Oaks and Acorns]

Check this before planning your visit to the NAI.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,415148.0.html

Dara.

[seanod]

Thanks a million for that, Dara! It's a long way to go for a wasted journey. 

[Gavdonnelly]

As promised, here is the information on John Wilson:

"Capt John Wilson, 51 Saul Road, Crumlin, who has died, was a former member of C Company 3rd Engineers, I.R.A., and of the Dublin Brigade Active Service Unit.
He was captured during the burning of the Custom House and interned. He was in later years a member of the staff of Bord na Mona.
The funeral took place after Mass in St Bernadette's Church, Clogher Road, Crumlin to Mount Jerome Cemetery.
The chief mourners were Mrs E Wilson (widow); Jack and Jerry (sons); Joan (daughter); Mrs M Quinn and Mrs Smith (sisters); Mrs McKenna (mother-in-law); George McKenna (brother-in-law); Mrs K Murphy (sister-in-law); Messrs J and M Scully (uncles); Miss Scully (aunt); Mrs M Wilson (sister-in-law).
The attendance included Mr J Carroll, T.C.; Col W Stapleton and Mrs Stapleton; Comdt T Donnelly; Comdt V Byrne; Capt W Corri agus Mrs Corri; Capt J Kerrigan; Capt D Hannon and Mrs Hannon; Capt E Breslin, Mr J Murphy and D Morrissey.
A firing party at the graveside consisted of members of the 2nd Batt Eastern Command, under Lieutenant Goggin."

Irish Independent, July 09, 1955. p. 13. Some of those mentioned were definitely at the Custom House - V Byrne, who is mentioned in the film Michael Collins (Vinny Byrne), Stapleton, Donnelly and Ned Breslin were all definitely there.

I've been researching my great grandfathers military history these past few months and I managed to get in to Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines to look at his file.

Cmdt Thomas Donnelly was part of the F Company 2nd Battalion Dublin Brigade which was the first Battalion to go into the Customs House. The 2nd Battalion was charged with the capture and destruction of the building, while the 1st Battalion was to protect the building grom suprise attack and the 5th Battalion was charged with the task of cutting all communications from the Custom House. In the files he gives a short account of what he did and named his captain J. Ward as being there too.

I was very interested to see that it looks like he was at the funeral of John Wilson in 1955. Thomas Donnelly died on Nov 19 1966 from Clonmacnoise Road, Crumlin.  not far from where the John Wilson was.

Just wondering how you knew that Thomas Donnelly was definitely at the custom house or how you managed to get that information.

[seanod]

Hi Gavdonnelly, Thanks very much for your post. I have a box file full of paper notes and a more orderly set of electronic files. Looking at the electronic folder for IRA men at the Custom House, I do have files for Vinny Byrne, Stapleton and Ned Breslin but none for Thomas Donnelly. I don't know if I did have information on a Donnelly and haven't put it in the files yet or if I was thinking of a man called Donnegan, who does have a file. (I am quite forgetful and there is a lot of information but something in the back of my mind is telling me that a Donnelly is mentioned specifically in one of the published sources). Anyway, sorry about that! I will check out the stuff in the box file and see what I can find. I will also add your grandfather's name to the list. I already had a Sean Ward in the files, who was head of the Custom House Memorial Committee, and I presume he was originally John Ward. Any chance of getting a transcript of the account of your grandfather's role in the battle and a brief description of what else he was involved in? 

[Gary Deering]

Crumlin seems to have been the place to be with John Wilson in Saul Road & Thomas Donnelly in Clonmacnoise Road & Vinnie Byrne only across from them in Errigal RD Driminagh!