#OnThisDay 1897 Ernie O’Malley was born in Castlebar, Mayo. O’Malley was an IRA officer during the War of Independence & IRA commander during the Civil War. He wrote several books about his wartime experiences e.g ‘On Another Man’s Wound’ & “The Singing Flame”
#OnThisDay 1868 Fenian Michael Barrett became the last man to be publicly executed in Britain. Barrett was tried for his role in the Clerkenwell Jail Bombing, even though he was in Glasgow at the time & a witness known for supplying false testimonies was used.
#OnThisDay 1798 Father John Murphy became a leader of the United Irishmen in Wexford. Two men of the Camolin Yeomanry were attacked and killed by Murphy’s group of United Irishmen. Meanwhile at the Hill of Tara, 400 rebels were killed by Crown forces.
#OnThisDay 1921 Dan Head, the 17 year old Volunteer & keen footballer was shot dead as he ran down Abbey Street after the IRA attack on the Custom House. Head had thrown a grenade at a truck full of Auxiliaries in order that his commanding officers could escape.. Paddy Daly called said he looked 15 & was ‘a mere boy’.
#OnThisDay 1921 Dublin Brigade IRA set the Customs House on fire. Crown Forces quickly surrounded it & over 100 IRA were arrested & 5 killed. Dublin Fire Brigade snuck many trapped Volunteers out & kept the fires burning for days. The mission was a success insofar as it hoped to burn the tax records held in the building and use the image of a tenet of the British establishment in Ireland on fire as a propaganda tool.
The Irish at War 