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| File Reference |
MSP34REF17255
|
| Name |
John Joseph Killeen |
| Gender |
male |
| Maiden/Other names |
Jack Killeen
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
6 William Street, Clonmel
|
| County |
Tipperary
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
619 West Courtland Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|
| Country |
United States of America
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
58 Mechanic Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania
|
| Country |
United States of America
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
c/o Dick Dalton, Clonmel
|
| County |
Tipperary
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
2628 Nottingham Way, Mercerville, Trenton, New Jersey 08619
|
| Country |
United States of America
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
661 River Road, Yardley, Pennsylvania 19067
|
| Country |
United States of America
|
| Date of birth |
1894-02-10
|
| Date of death |
1980-03-06
|
| Place |
Pennsylvania, United States of America
|
| Associated files in MSPA |
34C545
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Unit |
5 Battalion
|
| Company |
A Company (Clonmel)
|
| Brigade |
3 Tipperary Brigade
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Brigade Director of Training
|
| Brigade |
3 Tipperary Brigade
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Column Commander
|
| Brigade |
3 Tipperary Brigade
|
| 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 |
C |
| Notes |
Awarded 4 and 1/2 years for pension purposes at Grade C in 1943 under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF17255 John Joseph Killeen.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34C545 John Joseph Killeen.pdf |
| File dates |
24 March 1935 - 10 June 1980
|
| Subject Information |
File relates to John Joseph Killeen’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 1919 and 31 March 1920. Killeen was awarded 4 and 1/2 years for pension purposes at Grade C in 1943 following appeal under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
It is stated on file that John Joseph Killeen (Jack Killeen) was an ex British army soldier and post office worker. John Joseph Killeen states that he joined A & H Companies, 4 Battalion, 3 Tipperary Brigade, IRA in April 1919 under the command of Frank Drohan and William Myles. During the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921), the subject claims that he took part in training officers and men in the use of arms; assisting Dan Breen (MSP34REF171) in organising and training a ‘Flying Column’ (Active Service Unit); organising brigade intelligence department alongside Jack Sharkey and Jack Tynan; working with PJ O’Connell on intercepting police mail in post offices; receiving useful information from Father Ryan, chaplain of British military forces in Clonmel and organising funeral arrangements for Hogan (killed at Bloody Sunday in Dublin) and of Jimmy O’Keeffe (DP6297).
Subjects was appointed Company Captain and states that A & H Companies were re-organised as 5 Battalion, 3 Tipperary Brigade, IRA in 1921 under the command of Patrick Dalton (DP6). He claims that he took part in assisting Denis Lacey (DP23650) in preparation for ambush of British forces at Barne, Clonmel and mentions that IRA arms were stored by Father O’Leary in his friary.
During the Truce Period, John Joseph Killeen states that he established training camps for eight battalions in 3 Tipperary Brigade under the command of Seamus Robinson (MSP34REF147) and gave special course of training to members of ASU under Denis Lacey. Subject states that he was appointed Brigade Director of Training and Brigade Director of Operations of 3 Tipperary Brigade, IRA and continued to train men in the use of arms when the barracks were taken over.
Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War, the subject claims that he was Column Commander and Assistant Director of Operations for 2 Southern Division, IRA under the command of Denis Lacey and Seamus Robinson. He claims that he accompanied Childers and Deasy to Waterford to look for Pakes Whelan [Pax Whelan MSP34REF2818?] but discovered he had ordered his men to dump arms and return home; travelled from Tullow, County Carlow to New Ross, County Wexford with Paddy Fleming (Divisional Commandant) (MSP34REF8926) to enlist Sean Moylan (MSP34REF49) to help in planned attack on Carlow Barracks but Moylan refused to mobilise the 250 men under his command and took part in attacks and operations against National Army troops in Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Carlow and Tipperary. John Joseph Killeen states that he was captured on 14 September 1922 at Slievenamon, County Tipperary and interned in Kilmainham Jail, Dublin; Kilkenny Prison and Hare Park Camp, the Curragh, County Kildare until late June 1924. He emigrated to the United States of America (USA) the following year.
File includes notes of handwritten discussion with IRA verifying officers Quirke and Fitzpatrick (10 May 1938; 18 July 1938; 26 August 1943) and brigade verifying officers on 10 March 1942 and 10 December 1942 and ; typed reference from James P Kennedy for subject and other Tipperary IRA and Cumann na mBan applicants (1942); copy of letter from applicant to Richard Dalton detailing his IRA service (1938); copy of typed letter from Senator Bill Quirke to applicant in which he talks about “the Chief” (Éamon de Valera) and his son Vivian (“I believe someday [will] step into his father’s boots as leader of a free Ireland”) (1939); typed copy of letter from Seamus Robinson to applicant (1937); handwritten notes regarding representations by the Taoiseach (Éamon de Valera) via his private secretary (“Taoiseach desires that his appeal will be heard. He knew him as a fine soldier who should be well known to Seamus Robinson of the Pensions Board”); correspondence between Finance Branch, Department of Defence and Officer of Assessor for Public Departments reading income tax (1944); material relating to the payment of the balance of the service pension and funeral grant to next of kin following subject’s death on 06 March 1980 and solicitors correspondence on behalf of next of kin (1980).
File also contains some original documentation from the 1922-1925 period including: typed copy of letter from Éamon de Valera, President, Sinn Féin, 23 Suffolk Street, Dublin to Jack Killeen, 6 William Street, Clonmel, County Tipperary stating that he was sorry that he was “leaving the country” but told him to call to Envoy offices in New York (3 East 42nd Street) to see Sean T O Ceallaigh, Mr Begley or Mr Pedlar (27 October 1925); copy of typed reference from Rísteárd Daltiún (Richard Dalton), OC Batt 4, Tipperary Brigade [1925]; copy of typed “certificate of discharge”; from Headquarters, 3 Tipperary Brigade for Captain John Killeen, Intelligence Officer, 4 Battalion, Tipperary Brigade, IRA signed by M O Síocháin (Michael Sheehan), Brigade General, OC Tipperary Brigade (02 November 1925); copy of certificate of transfer to reserve on demobilization from Headquarters, 3 Tipperary Brigade for Captain John Killeen, Director of Training signed by Seán Mac Giolla Pádraig (Sean Fitzpatrick), Adjutant and Seamus Mac Róibín (Seamus Robinson), Commanding Officer (15 February 1922) and copy of newspaper clipping regarding capture of applicant during Civil War [September 1922].
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