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| File Reference |
MSP34REF10146
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| Name |
Frank Purcell |
| Gender |
male |
| Maiden/Other names |
Francis Purcell
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| Address detail |
| Street |
Cappagh, Kilcock (Address in 1921)
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| County |
Kildare
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
5 Faith Avenue, East Wall Road, Dublin
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| County |
Dublin
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
Hotel Workers' Hall, 29A Eden Quay, Dublin
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| County |
Dublin
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
16 Cabra Drive, Cabra, Dublin
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| County |
Dublin
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
73 Grange Road, Silveracre, Rathfarnham, Dublin
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| County |
Dublin
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Date of birth |
1894-08-04
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| Notes |
Date of death not recorded on file
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| Associated files in MSPA |
34D2465
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| Civilian occupation |
Trade Union Official;
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| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Battalion Vice Commandant
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| Unit |
1 Kildare Battalion
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| Commanding Officer(s) |
Patrick Colgan
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| 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 1 and 11/12 years for pension purposes at Grade D in 1952 (following appeal) under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934
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| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF10146 Frank Purcell.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34D2465 Frank Purcell.pdf |
| File dates |
14 January 1935 - 21 November 1962
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| Subject Information |
File relates to Frank Purcell’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 June 1922 during the War of Independence and Truce period. Subject unsuccessfully applied for service in the periods between 01 April 1917 and 31 March 1920. Purcell was awarded 1 and 11/12 years for pension purposes at Grade D in 1952 (following appeal) under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934. Subject was awarded a Service (1917-1921) Medal in 1945, information held on file.
Frank Purcell states that he started the Liberty League Club in Clongowes College, County Kildare where he was employed in circa 1917 period. He says this was renamed the Clane and Mainham Sinn Féin Club and contained school staff and local people. Subject states that he joined Mainham Company, 1 Battalion, Kildare Brigade, Irish Volunteers under the command of Patrick Colgan (24SP6022) in early 1917. He states that returned to his family home and joined Cloncurry Company, 1 Battalion, Kildare Brigade, Irish Volunteers and was appointed Company Captain in May 1917.
In early 1920, the subject states that he was appointed Battalion Adjutant of 1 Battalion, Kildare Brigade, IRA. In August 1920, it is stated that the Kildare Battalion was divided up into 1 Kildare Battalion under Patrick Colgan with Frank Purcell as Battalion Vice Commandant and 2 Kildare Battalion under the command of Thomas Harris (MSP34REF16113). [Archivist’s Note: battalion re-oranised as 3 Battalion, 1 Meath Brigade in early 1921]. Frank Purcell states that he was appointed District Secretary of North West Kildare Branch of Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU) in September 1920 but was not able to devote time to his job due to his IRA activity.
During the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921), the subject states that he took part in parades; drilling; organising work; raid on Ballindoolin House, Carbury for arms when occupant William Tyrell and his sons opened fire forcing IRA unit to retreat; destruction of Maynooth RIC Barracks and Maynooth town hall; burning of RIC barracks in Celbridge, Broadford and Leixlip (May 1920); burning of Carbury Barracks and Courthouse; burning of Donadea Barracks and Courthouse; burning of Ballinadrimna Barracks; burning of Broadford RIC married quarters building; burning of Wades House, Maynooth which was due to be occupied by British forces (“A dance party was taking place when our men arrived and we had to make prisoners of the family and their guests while we removing the furniture and household effects to safety”); burning of empty house (Fitzsimons’s) in Kilshavanna, Edenderry which was to be occupied by British forces; arrest and guarding of civilian prisoners including individuals who robbed an “old man” John Healy, Newtown taking £20 (“they believed they had more in his possession [and] took him outside without clothing and beat him brutally to make him tell where it was”); arrest of man who robbed Edenderry Post Office; arrest of suspected informer called Collins and were nearly caught when police and British military stopped the car in which they were transporting him (“I believe we only escaped because the car was driven by its owner Eugene O’Brien, Edenderry who was known to the police as a business and who took no part in politics … he was very helpful to our forces”); mobilised for attack on Castledermot RIC Barracks (April 1920) and attack on Kilcock RIC Barracks which were called off; capture of mails at Mylerstown Cross from Dublin-Edenderry train and supervising the destruction of brides, telegraph wires and roads.
Frank Purcell was arrested by British forces in mid-April 1921 and interned in the Rath Camp, the Curragh, County Kildare. He was released in December 1921 as part of the general amnesty for IRA prisoners under the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
During the Truce period under the command of P MacMahon and Patrick E Mullaney (MSP34REF35313), the applicant states that he took part in company parades and was re-instated to his ITGWU role on 05 April 1922.
Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil war, Frank Purcell states that he was arrested by National forces in about mid July 1922 and was held in Lucan Barracks where he took part in a hunger strike for five days. He was transferred to Dundalk Jail, County Louth where he was on hunger strike for three days until the jail and barracks was captured by anti-Treaty IRA forces under the command of Frank Aiken (MSP34REF59339) on 14 August 1922. Subject states that he took part in an engagement between escaping IRA prisoners and National Army troops at Skyrne (Skreen), County Meath on 15 August 1922. Applicant was recaptured in October 1922 and interned until November or December 1922 (both given).
File includes references in support of subject’s claim from Joseph Ryan (1940), PE Mullaney (1940) and Patrick Colgan (1940; 1951); typed statement and summary of sworn evidence given by the applicant before the Advisory Committee on 24 June 1940; correspondence regarding payment of income tax and his position as trustee with National Health Insurance Society (1953). There is no death of death on file.
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