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| File Reference |
MSP34REF23546
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| Name |
Laurence Byrne |
| Gender |
male |
| Maiden/Other names |
Larry Byrne
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| Address detail |
| Street |
Drumderry, Bunclody
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| County |
Wexford
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
The Bleeding Horse, Athy
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| County |
Kildare
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
Raheenaderagh, Athy
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| County |
Kildare
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
c/o Mrs Thornton, Skreen, Tara
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| County |
Meath
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
c/o Mr J Dwyer, 20A Prebend Street, Broadstone, Dublin
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| County |
Dublin
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
Lismullen, Tara Post Office
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| County |
Meath
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
Ross, Tara
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| County |
Meath
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Date of birth |
1894-04-21
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| Date of death |
1969
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| Notes |
Exact date of death not recorded on file. Envelope marked "deceased" returned on 28 March 1969
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| Associated files in MSPA |
34E5015
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| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Volunteers |
| Rank |
Volunteer
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| Unit |
3 Battalion
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| Company |
C Company
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| Brigade |
Dublin Brigade
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| Commanding Officer(s) |
Patrick Flanagan
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| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Private
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| Unit |
3 Battalion
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| Company |
C Company
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| Brigade |
Dublin Brigade
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| Commanding Officer(s) |
Patrick Flanagan
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| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
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| Division |
General Headquarters (GHQ)
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| Commanding Officer(s) |
Sean MacMahon, Neil Kerr (Liverpool); Harry Boland, Liam Mellows (New York)
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| Pension Claim |
Yes |
| Award Pension |
Yes |
| Army Pensions Act 1923/1953 |
Yes |
| Type of Award |
SPASpecial Allowance (DP file)
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| Military Service Pensions Acts 1924 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1934 |
Yes |
| Grade |
E |
| Notes |
Awarded 1 and 7/8 years for pension purposes at Grade E in 1940 under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
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| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF23546 Laurence Byrne.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34E5015 Laurence Byrne.pdf |
| File dates |
10 November 1934 - 14 April 1969
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| Subject Information |
File relates to Laurence Byrne’s receipt of a military service pension in respect of his service with the Irish Volunteers and the IRA in the service periods between 01 April 1918 and 11 July 1921 during the War of Independence. Subject unsuccessfully applied for service in the periods between 01 April 1916 and 31 March 1918. Byrne was awarded 1 and 7/8 years for pension purposes at Grade E in 1940 under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
Laurence Byrne (Larry Byrne) states that he joined C Company, 3 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, Irish Volunteers in 1913 and took part in shooting practice, route marches and manoeuvres. He states that he moved to Passage West, County Cork in March 1916 for employment. Subject claims that he collected his rifle and ammunition on Easter Saturday in April 1916 from his family home in Athy, County Kildare, did not have any active service and remained there for two weeks. He left for Passage West after receiving information that he was going to be arrested.
Laurence Byrne states that he returned to Dublin in late 1916 and re-joined C Company under the command of Patrick Flanagan (MSP34REF455). He claims that he was engaged in repairing firearms; the manufacture of explosives during anti-Conscription campaign and escaping arrest at Orwell Bridge, Rathmines (April 1918).
In early 1919 during the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921, the subject states that he transferred to General Headquarters (GHQ) under the command of Sean MacMahon (24SP5162). He claims that he went to Liverpool and was engaged in the procurement, storage and transport of arms with Stephen Lanigan (MD5915) and Michael O’Leary (24SP10288) under the command of Neil Kerr (24SP1206). Applicant states that he “lifted” a revolver from a British army officer in a public house at Derby Road, Liverpool.
In September or October 1919, Laurence Byrne states that he sailed to New York, United States of America (USA) on the [RMS] Aquitania with James Dunne and Seamus Burke (MSP34REF12023) in September or October 1919. Applicant claims that under the command of Harry Boland (MD909) and Liam Mellows (DP10200) he was active in the procurement, storage and transport of arms alongside Patrick Keegan (MSP34REF1548), Thomas Curran (MSP34REF1085) and Joe McEvoy. It is stated that the subject travelled from NYC to London on the SS Challenger four or five times carrying arms and dispatches and then sailed to Dublin on the SS Milwaukee Bridge. Subject states that he was met at North Wall, Dublin by Joseph Guilfoyle (24SP7912), Tom Cullen (24SP5341) and would also deliver material to Patrick Sheeran (MSP34REF61063) and William Fitzgerald (24SP1499).
References on file state that subject was picked as part of the crewto sail on the SS "East Side" from the USA to Ireland with 495 sub machine guns and that Laurence Byrne helped to transport the arms onto the ship by motor launch. US authorities raided the ship in Hoboken, New Jersey and seized the weapons [June 1921]. Subject states that he aided an unsuccessful attempt by Larry de Lacey of The Irish Times to recover the machine guns by saying the was a dealer and the arms were his. Laurence Byrne states that there were warrants out for the arrest of the ship’s crew and that he had to "lay low". He wrote in a letter on 15 November 1938: “I and a few companions were reduced to one meal a day and sleeping in the parks on fine nights and in trucks in the rough weather”.
Applicant states that he sailed back to Ireland as a stowaway in December 1921 carrying a quantity of long .33 Smith and Weston revolvers which he handed over to Patrick Keegan. Laurence Byrne states that he reported to GHQ in January 1922 and was sent to Beggars Bush Barracks, Dublin. After one month, he claims that he returned home to Athy, County Kildare suffering from nephritis and general nervous debility.
During the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War, the subject states that he was arrested in connection with the shooting of Dr Higgins in February 1923 and detained in Maryborough Barracks (Portlaoise), County Laois for three days. He did not take an active part in the Civil War.
File includes references in support of subject’s claim from Edmond O’Brien (1935); Joseph O’Connor (1935); Joseph Guilfoyle (1935); Patrick Keegan (1935); John O’Keeffe (1936); Larry de Lacey (1936); Dr J O’Neill (1936); Simon Donnelly (1937); William Fitzgerald (1937); Miceal O Laoghaire (Michael O’Leary) (1937); Stephen Lanigan [1937]; Thomas Curran [1946] and Philip Sheeran (1945); representations by Oscar Traynor TD (1936), MJ Kennedy TD (1938); ); transcript of a sworn statement given before the Advisory Committee by the applicant 24 June 1936 and 18 October 1946; handwritten notes of discussion with verifying officers Joseph O’Connor on 18 February 1938 and Liam Pedlar on 11 May 1939; Ned O’Brien in [1940]; Daly, Early and Horan on 20 September 1940 and Daly and Lanigan on 13 November 1940. Envelope marked "deceased" returned on 28 March 1969, exact date of death not recorded on file.
File DP43937 relates to successful application by subject for Special Allowance under the Army Pensions Act, in respect of ill health experienced by subject. File contains special Allowance application form and signed handwritten report from Social Welfare investigating officers regarding applicant’s financial circumstances (1967).
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