Cairo Gang

[corisande]

Another photo that I have come across is this group (out of copyright) of British Intelligence officers at Dublin Castle in 1920. The background looks like a studio background.



Apparently Basil Clarke is standing extreme left. Has anyone come across the names that go with this photo?

I believe that this is more "genuine" that the Cairo Gang (though of a different sort of person, the men that organised the intelligence, rather than those on the ground who carried out executions)

[corisande]

I have been told that this photo is in fact the new British Administration in early 1920, rather than the Intelligence people.

Basil Clarke was part of the propaganda dept, rather than intelligence.

These are the people in the above photo, so I am back to square one with names for the "Cairo Gang" photo

[Gary Deering]

Keep digging,your doing a great job so far with your website.All it takes is one lead & you will make good pregress.I have to say I was dissapointed With the Book "The Squad" I was expecting it too be a lot better researched.

[Ms. Smokestoomuch]

Hi Corisande,
I was going to PM you as I'm going to go a little off topic, but I thought, you never know if it would lead further if it was on the tread.

My Grandfather Michael Smith was sent to warn Detective O'Brien in his home on Glengarriff Parade.
This is on his pension application for the period 1919-1920.
Not Bloody Sunday, I know, but in my eyes I find this the run up to assassination in the home type of mentality. They tied him up, gagged and searched him, ordered him to kneel and threatened to kill him if he continued investigating the IRA.
The other man that was carrying out this with him he calls Farren. He described him as having bright red hair concealed under a cap.

I just thought this Farren may turn up on Bloody Sunday to as he seemed like my grandfather, to be getting into a different style of activity.

There's an account given in the Squad book that is from the Detective's point of view.
(The info I have is from a little a account he gave to his son possibly when he was getting on a bit so accuracy wasn't a worry, but it's also on his pension application.)

[corisande]

As you say, one never knows what bits of input will tip out memories or lurkers 

Do you have a date for that O'Brien episode? I have not come across Farren (yet) in relation to Bloody Sunday.

I am working through the various British people connected to Bloody Sunday first, as they are easier to research on the wen. I hope to get on to the IRA men soon, and in the meantime I continue to build a database of info on each name that comes up

[Ms. Smokestoomuch]

I've conflicting dates to go by, I'm afraid.
My Grandfather says the next day he was part of an armed guard for Michael Collins as he was expected to be arrested at the Sinn fein Ard Feis in the mansion house.
Now I'd give him licence to get things jumbled as he was re telling this many years later.

The squad book,  it's described as the night after the Ard Feis. And then the books goes on to say the day after the warning of Detective O'Brien, and similar incident involving Detective Sergent Nicholas Halley, it was discussed in the Dail. That was the 10th so if the book is accurate that would mean it happened on the 9th April 1919.

[corisande]

Another lead that somebody may be able to follow. I have just been sent the cover photo of a book called just published

"Executed for Ireland" by May Moran

Patrick Moran is the man executed for the wrong crime. He led the raid on the Gresham Hotel, but was hanged for the Upper Mount St raid

The cover of the book shows that the writer knows Moran led the Gresham raid

There is the possibility that they "name names" in the book, which would be of interest to those here whose ancestors were involved that day - I suspect some of the contributors to this thread.

If anyone can access the book, can they post any names on the group who raided the Gresham here. Any any other details it gives on Gresham Raid

[lipasabe]

Hi all,
          think the person in the photo taken during the Second World War is Captain King (Tiny) of F company Auxiliary Division. I also beleive that Leonard Price was fatally wounded in the shootout with Sean Treacy in Talbot Street in 1920.

[corisande]

Having finally got to the bottom of who the men in the photo were - they were indeed F Company ADRIC men, and the IRA intelligence book in Bureau Military History gave me their names. They were nothing to do with the men murdered on Bloody Sunday

A fuller explanation is on this link

I am now trying to tie down the earliest verifiable reference to the actual words "Cairo Gang". In a discussion in Great War Forum, gailgoir came up with 1958 as a starting point.

Can anyone find an earlier reference than this to "Cairo Gang"