 |
| File Reference |
MSP34REF7580
|
| Name |
Thomas Daly |
| Gender |
male |
| Address detail |
| Street |
Main Street, Drimoleague
|
| County |
Cork
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
c/o M Ryan, Frolic, Carney, Borrisokane
|
| County |
Tipperary
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Customs & Excise, Glaslough
|
| County |
Monaghan
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Customs & Excise, Dingle
|
| County |
Kerry
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Upper Main Street, Dingle
|
| County |
Kerry
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Dundrockan, Carrickmacross (Widow's Address)
|
| County |
Monaghan
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
79 Chapel Street, Dundalk (Widow's Address)
|
| County |
Louth
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Date of birth |
1900
|
| Notes |
Exact date of birth not recorded on file
|
| Date of death |
1944-08-30
|
| Place |
Ballydowney, Killarney, County Kerry
|
| Associated files in MSPA |
34D1026; LBP208
|
| Civilian occupation |
Draper's son;
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Unit |
4 Battalion
|
| Company |
Bantry Company
|
| Brigade |
3 Cork Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Ted O’Sullivan; Sean Lehane; Moss Donegan
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Unit |
5 Battalion
|
| Company |
Bantry Company
|
| Brigade |
3 Cork Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Ted O’Sullivan; Sean Lehane; Moss Donegan
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Unit |
4 Battalion
|
| Company |
Bantry Company
|
| Brigade |
5 Cork Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Ted O’Sullivan; Sean Lehane; Moss Donegan
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Staff Officer
|
| Unit |
Intelligence Department
|
| Division |
General Headquarters (GHQ)
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Joseph Griffin
|
| Pension Claim |
Yes |
| Award Pension |
Yes |
| Army Pensions Act 1923/1953 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1924 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1934 |
Yes |
| Grade |
D |
| Notes |
Awarded 4 and 5/6 years for pension purposes at Grade D in 1937 under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF7580 Thomas Daly.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34D1026 Thomas Daly.pdf
Scanned/digital copyLBP208 Thomas Daly.pdf |
| File dates |
13 November 1934 - 02 October 1979
|
| Subject Information |
File relates to Thomas Daly’s receipt of a military service pension in respect of his service with the IRA in the service periods between 01 April 1920 and 30 September 1923 during the War of Independence, Truce period and Civil War. Subject unsuccessfully applied for service in the periods between 01 April 1917 and 31 March 1920. Daly was awarded 4 and 5/6 years for pension purposes at Grade D in 1937 under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
Thomas Daly states that he joined Bantry Company, Cork Brigade, Irish Volunteers in about 1917 under the command of PJ Crowley and Michael Murray. He claims that he took part in parades; arms raid on ex British army officer’s house at Kilcoe; dispatch work; fundraising and arms raid on home of TJ Hurley, Drimoleague for two Ross-Canadian service rifles
During the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921), Thomas Daly states that he served in Bantry Company, 4 Battalion, 3 Cork Brigade, IRA under the command of Ted O’Sullivan (MSP34REF2092), Sean Lehane (MSP34REF22228) and Moss Donegan (MSP34REF2088). He claims that he took part in IRA general activity and operations including attending an IRA training camp at Glandore; collecting the Dáil Éireann loan; carrying dispatch from Cork to Michael Collins (DP23755) in Dublin (once); ambush of British army at Snave (September 1920); ambush of Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) patrol at Drimoleague (25 October 1920); IRA training camp at Kealkill under Tom Barry (MSP34REF57456) (November 1920); joining Brigade Active Service Unit (ASU) under Tom Barry for five weeks (no operations); attack on RIC patrol at [Ardnafinchion] Bridge (13 May 1921) and a raid on Kingston’s Drapery for supplies for ASU.
Subject references an attack on Durrus RIC Barracks (28 March 1920); a raid on Schull Barracks and capture of 5-6 rifles (04 October 1920) and an attack on Drimoleague RIC Barracks (11 February 1921) in his application form but says in his second Advisory Committee interview that he did not take part or that they did not come off.
During the Truce period, Thomas Daly states that the Bantry Company was re-organised into 4 Battalion, 5 Cork Brigade, IRA and that he attended IRA training camps for 3-4 months. He says that he joined the newly formed Civic Guards in February 1922 and received training in Ballsbridge, Dublin before transfer to Kildare Barracks. Subject states that there were 1,600 recruits and that his sympathies were with the anti-Treaty IRA. He claims that was put in contact with Joseph Griffin (MSP34REF40) (IRA Director of Intelligence) and was taken on a Staff Officer on General Headquarters (GHQ) Intelligence. Applicant claims that there was unrest in the barracks due to a number of ex RIC officers holding high commissions in the Civic Guards. It is stated that the subject was elected “president” of a protest committee of recruits who asked the Civic Guard Commissioner to “expel” the ex RIC men but this request was refused. As a result, Thomas Daly states that the recruits took over the barracks in a self-proclaimed mutiny. He says that he was delegated to meet Michael Collins and Eamon Duggan (Minister of Home Affairs) who tried to restore order and offered the applicant the rank of Superintendent which he refused. Thomas Daly states that Michael Collins agreed to expel the ex RIC men but the recruits made a second demand to “abolish the use of long arms” within the Civic Guards which was refused and the mutiny continued.
Following discussion with anti-Treaty IRA officers Ernie O’Malley (34A6), Liam Lynch (DP5482), Rory O’Connor (DP6664), the subject agreed to organise the removal of arms from the Civic Guards Barracks to the Four Courts Garrison. He says that the final orders were given at a meeting of Joseph Griffin and Tom Barry at 16A Basin Street. On a night in late June 1922, the entire arms store of the barracks (including 2,000 rifles and several thousand short arms and ammunition) were collected by anti Treaty IRA officers and transported back to the Four Courts. Subject states that he worked alongside Jack O’Brien (Sean O’Brien) of Silvermines, County Tipperary and another man named Kennedy. Subject states that he resigned from the Civic Guards that same night and that the arms were later moved from the Four Courts to Gerry Boland (MSP34REF15471) and IRA forces in Blessington, County Wicklow “a few days” before the National Army attack on the Four Courts.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Thomas Daly state that he returned to Cork and took part in the capture of Skibbereen Barracks with 5 Cork Brigade, IRA (01 July 1922). He claims that he was ordered to go to Newbridge, County Kildare and make contact with Civic Guards recruits in Kildare Barracks and got several to resign (mid-August 1922). Thomas Daly says that on his way back to Cork he took part in an attack on Knocklong Barracks with East Limerick ASU under the command of Sean McLoughlin (MSP34REF61056) and “fell in” with North Tipperary ASU under the command of Paddy McDonald. Further states that he took part in attack on Bantry (30 August 1922) and had engagements with National Army at Gortroe outside Bantry and Kealkill.
Subject was captured on 01 November 1922 at Drimoleague and interned in Cork Jail and Harepark, the Curragh. He says that there was a plan underway to escape from the prison using tunnels which had been dug by IRA prisoners. Following a breakdown of the outside communication line with GHQ Dublin, Thomas Daly was selected by Tom Hales (MSP34REF2074) to take the place of IRA prisoner Simon Kearney who was being released. Applicant was given a specially made suitcase with a hidden compartment with documents for Noel Lemass (MD915) of GHQ Dublin. On the night that the subject left prison, he says that he was seriously injured (knocked unconscious) in an accident at Mallow Bridge, County Cork while escaping a National Army military patrol and spent one week recovering in Cork city. He says that he made it to Dublin on the same night that Noel Lemass was killed. He attempted to get in touch with GHQ “through various channels” and eventually met Mary MacSwiney at a nursing home in Eccles Street. Returning to West Cork, he had no further activity but was on the run until November 1924. Subject states that he emigrated to the United States of America (USA) and returned to Ireland in April 1935.
File includes transcript of a sworn statement given before the Advisory Committee by the applicant on 08 July 1935 and 26 October 1936; handwritten and typed statements from applicant about his IRA service; references in support of subject’s claim from Joseph Griffin (1935), Daniel O’Driscoll (1935) and Liam O’Riordan (1938); letters from Liam Deasy, Sean Lehane and Moss Donegan saying that they could not verify subject’s pre Truce IRA service (1935 x3); handwritten notes of discussion with IRA verifying officer Ted O’Sullivan on 28 May 1937; letter on headed paper TJ Daly & Son, Drapers and Outfitters, The Central Drapery Stores, Drimoleague, County Cork (1935); correspondence regarding remuneration and tax for applicant who was employed as Preventative Officer by the Revenue Commissioners in Customs & Excise, Glaslough, County Monaghan (1938); material relating to the payment of the balance of the pension to next of kin following subject’s death on 30 August 1944; receipt for funeral expenses (1944); death certificate for Thomas Daly, married, aged 43, Excise Officer, “coronary thrombosis” (1944); correspondence with Office of the Revenue Commissioners regarding payment of wages and bonus to the late Thomas Daly, Assistant Preventive Officer (1944); material relating to payment of balance of widows pension following widows death on 19 November 1978 and solicitors correspondence on behalf of Mrs Bridie Boylan (next of kin) (1979). Noted that Thomas Daly married Bridget Daly (née Coleman) on 27 December 1939. File LBP208 contains handwritten letter dated 11 December 1934 from a T Daly of Corlis, Drimoleague, County Cork asking for an application for a lost British army pension. File reference found on index card of applicant but unclear if same person.
|
|
