Old IRA Dublin Brigade

[myluck!]

One of my ancestors served in the British Army and was in India on the 1911 census
(most of his British Army record was destroyed so I don't have the full facts)
He left the army and came back to Dublin where he joined the Irish Citizen's Army
He then rejoined the British Army in 1914 (as many Irish men did believing that the war would be over by Christmas and the promsied Home Rule would be granted) However he served all four years being discharged in 1918 - he travelled through France, North Africa, The Holy land and the middle east during the war
He again returned to Dublin and then joined the IRA and trained their men during the civil war and war of independence
Many returned soldiers from WW1 did the same - in a sharing of skills

prior to WW1 joining the British Army was joining the country's army - it was the governing force - some one with a sense of more Irishness than Unionist would be more pro IRA after 1916/WW1 and it would not be an unreasonable thought that he would sympathise or join.

[Private 1st class]

Hi, A little about Q Company.Sean McMahon's unit was Q Company He was the Quartermaster General at the time. One of the members of that unit was a man called Archie Kennedy. Mc Mahon ordered him to go down to the docks and try and organise sailors and dockers to join the Dublin Brigade and get them to smuggle in and transport weapons and ammunition from the boats sailing into Dublin port from Liverpool, Glasgow, London, Cardif, and continental ports.Kennedy was very well known in the dock area.
 A little about KennedyIn 1912 he joined the I.R.B. (Irish Republican Brotherhood ) Tom Clarkes Centre, He joined the Irish Volunteers in 1913. In 1918 he was attached to Sean McMahon's unit. His father was one of the strikers in Mc Cormacks Coal Yard, Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin in 1890. This strike led to the formation of the first Dockers Union. Joe Canty was the leader of that. So Archie was a well known figure and could move round the area without causing any notice to the powers that be. This freedom he used well.
He went round the different ships and managed to get at least two men in most vessels to agree to buy arms abroad and try to get them safely to Dublin, Ashore he got about 40 men 9 dockers) to agree to transport the arms and ammo to various dumps in the city. Private 1st Class.

[gkenny]

Hi, Sean Mc Cluskey was a member of K company. 3rd Battalion Old I,R, A. They had the job of containing the Dublin Fire Brigade. based in Tara St. This they did very well on the day. They were to hold the station till 1.50 this they also did. If he was not in the station he may have been on one of the posts covering there escape done Pearse St. toward westland Row. As it turned out they did not use that way, but they piled into an Ambulance. While the Tans were going in one of the doors they were going out another. When they asked where it was going they were told to the Custom House to collect wounded. Some of the way, Tara St, Fleet St, Anglesea St, finally stopping up at Hatch St. Were everyone vanished and went there way. On the cornor of Townsend St and Shaw St,Townsend St and Spring Garden St. Two men on each the same back to Westland Row. One on spring garden St was a M Doyle on loan from 4Th Battalion. Another called Lyons Somewere along there. Two others were arrested by chance on there way to the area. They were still in there training hall doing signal lamp, Most of the men had gone home. A man arrived on a bike and introduced himself as Fred Lawlor from the 3rd Battalion. M Spain and JO'Connor knew him. He wanted  some six men for an important job . As there were only four of them they said they would go no problem.Joseph Carroll, Vincent Lyons. Matthew Doyle, and Seamus Kavanagh.

Thanks a lot for that information. If you can recommend any books which may have more info on Sean Mc Cluskey please let me know.

[Private 1st class]

Hi Back again .These men took the oath of allegiance to the Republic and became members of Q ( quartermasters) Company of the Dublin Brigade and attached to the Quartermaster Generals Dept. Working in there was Joe Vize, Uncommon name. Joe later became Major - General Joseph Vize. G,O,C. costal and Marine Defences.. Jor Furlong and Vize were making bombs and mines They were attached to Q Branch of G,H,Q. also.There was a company of Tans stationed in the Western Hotel, near the Holyhead wharf. They were on continual patrol day and night on both sides of the river, Making surprise searches of ships and vehicles for ammo and guns. They would drive by a ship and then turn round and come back and board her.In three years Q company never lost as much a one round of ammo or single weapon. There was one loss but it took place in New York.Gerry Boland went to the states to buy Thompson machine guns. They were to be transported on a ship called the EASTSIDE  TO DUBLIN. A section of Q Company was given the job to collect them when she docked. They meet the ship in the basin but there were no Thommy guns in her.It was later found out that the ships cook  gave the game away in New York and the arms were taken off there.  The men of Q often linked up with the men of the liverpool branch. Mick McAteer often traveled covered by the Q men on the ship. It was he who interduced Jimmy conroy to the sailor who sold him his peter the painter as they were called. He also sold him the ammo which was the correct ammo for the gun. Jimmy said he never had a jam with the gun. It ended its days in the fire of the Custom House. Another man in that liverpool unit O'Leary who later became an officer in the Army. Nick named Ironmike. His son became an officer and played football for Dublin and was Captain of the Cuard Leinster House, Cathal O'Leary.I am sure I have a list of men that were members of Q.

[capel street man]

Hello Private 1st Class, you have probably made John MB a happy man with that information, I would be interested in anything else you know about "Q" Company, as I had never come across them before.
The Tans you mentioned were actually a Company of Auxiliaries, also known as "Q" Co, how ironic !
The L.N.W.R.Hotel was attacked by members of "E" Co. 2nd Bat. Dublin Brigade along with the A.S.U. and I would imagine with the full co-operation of the members of "Q" Co. Dublin Brigade.
CSM

[Private 1st class]

The following men were in Q company
J Reilly
D PEDERSKI, P Pederski,
Jas Byrne,
P Kavanagh,
M Aspell,
N Kelly,
P Ellis, J Brennan
John Kavanagh
John J Byrne,
Christy Carberry,
Myles Carroll,
John Blood,
Edward Byrne,
Willy Byrne,
John Higgins,
Joe Nolan,
Tom McDonnell,
Joe Nugent,Bob Halpin,
Bill Curry, William Tynes,
Frank Downey,
Charley Downey, Paddy Barrett,
Jack LYNCH,
j s lYNCH,
bILL Vernor,
Johnny Whelan,
Jack Farrell.
C Fortune,
T O'Toole,
M Fitzsimons,
T Toner, Barney Fitzsimons, Mick O'Toole,
Tommy Carrass Bogey Dixon Jem Ryan,
P Munnelly, Munnelly would move Guns and Ammo to the different dumps using a small milk cart drawn by a small pony. No one ever copped.
Some of the guys who helped out abroad. Most if not all forgotten now. In Glasgow D P Walsh Down in Liverpool Jack Carr. Spike Robinson and two brothers named Corr The Captain in charge of these men was Archie Kennedy. Dick Mulcahy Knew of these men and had some kind of input into what they done.
Archie died sometime in the late 60s or very early 70s A very nice and pleasent man May he rest in peace. ,

[eileenb]

Thank you MyLuck. 

I just couldn't get my head around the question but your post has really put things in context for me.  I can see I have a massive amount of reading to do!

Many thanks

[capel street man]

Private 1st class, the information you posted on "Q" Co is very informative, is there a book, article or Witness Statement that you gathered your information from ? and if so, could you let me know, it would be much appreciated.
CSM

[JohnMB]

Private 1st Class, Thanks so much for the information on Q Coy. In the light of John O'Reilly's subsequent army career it makes sense that Q Coy's leader, Sean McMahon was the QM. Following the Anglo-Irish War joined the Free State Army. His date of Attestation in the Free State Army was 31 July 1922 in the Supply & Ordnance Dept. of the QMG's Dept. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on 24 Oct 1922 by Colonel Commandant JJ Quin. His Officer's Service No was SDR/3505. He served as an acting Captain in the QMG's Dept. at Island Bridge Barracks until 4 June 1929 when he tendered his resignation. His resignation was accepted on 15 June 1929.