 |
| File Reference |
24SP4403
|
| Name |
Charles Murphy |
| Gender |
male |
| Address detail |
| Street |
20 Shamrock Cottages, North Strand, Dublin (Address in 1922)
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
857 St John's Place, Brooklyn, New York
|
| Country |
United States of America
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
71 New York Avenue, Brooklyn, New York
|
| Country |
United States of America
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Garden Cottage, 174 Cloniffe Road, Dublin
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
62 Castle Avenue, Clontar, Dublin
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
"Terryville", Howth Road, Raheny, Dublin
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
1 Lower Drumcondra Road, Dublin
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
4 Whitworth Place, Drumcondra, Dublin 3
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
4 Oak Park Road, Carlow town (Widow's Address)
|
| County |
Carlow
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
St Brigid's Nursing Home, Dublin Street, Carlow town (Widow's Address)
|
| County |
Carlow
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Date of birth |
1899-07-31
|
| Date of death |
1963-01-13
|
| Associated files in MSPA |
24A2086; MSP34REF969
|
| Related files |
1924A56 (Gerald Hughes, also a IRA double agent in CID)
|
| Civilian occupation |
Wood machinist, Dawson's, East Road, Dublin;
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Private
|
| Unit |
2 Battalion
|
| Company |
F Company
|
| Brigade |
Dublin Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Patrick Sweeney; John Ward; Maurice Walsh
|
| Organisation |
Óglaigh na hÉireann/National Forces |
| Rank |
Detective Officer
|
| Unit |
Criminal Investigation Department (CID)
|
| Pension Claim |
Yes |
| Award Pension |
Yes |
| Army Pensions Act 1923/1953 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1924 |
Yes |
| Grade |
A |
| Notes |
Awarded 3.957 years’ service for pension purposes in 1953 at Grade A following appeal under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1924.
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1934 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copy24SP4403 Charles Murphy.pdf
Scanned/digital copy24A2086 Charles Murphy.pdf
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF969 Charles Murphy.pdf |
| File dates |
04 December 1924 - 13 May 2011
|
| Subject Information |
File relates to Charles Murphy’s receipt of a military service pension in respect of his service with the IRA and National forces 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. Murphy was awarded 3.957 years’ service for pension purposes in 1953 at Grade A under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1924.
Subject initially applied for a service pension under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1924 in 1925 but was turned down. It is noted in internal correspondence from 1943 that the applicant “was probably not granted a pension because it was suspected that he assisted the [IRA] forces during Civil War period”. Charles Murphy also applied unsuccessfully for a service pension under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934 in 1935.
Charles Murphy states that he joined F Company, 2 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, Irish Volunteers in September 1917 under the command of Oscar Traynor (MSP34REF236), Paddy Mahon (24SP13658) and Charles Saurin (24SP12094). He claims that he attended company parades in a hall in Cloniffe Road and taught first-aid to his company. During the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921), the subject claims that he served under the command of Patrick Sweeney (MSP34REF195), John Ward and Maurice Walsh and took part in arms raids on private homes in Phillipbsburgh Avenue and a factory on Wharf Road; collecting six revolvers from home of Daniel E Ryan and storing them in his house for a period; collecting a rifle from the Wicklow Hotel and carrying it across the city with Daniel Ryan and Charles Dalton (24SP1153); armed street patrols in Dorset Street area; armed raids for “Belfast Boycott” goods; outpost duty during raid on Income Tax Office in Beresford Place (Easter 1920); storing a Mauser rifles, 500 rounds of ammunition and a .45 revolver in his home; helping to move the bodies of Richard McKee (DP23324) and Peadar Clancy (1D412) from hospital to Marlboro Street Schools where he helped to dress them with Frank Food (1D35), Tom Flood (24SP1550), Thomas Flanagan and was given £10 by Frank Henderson to buy a wreath; burning of Raheny Police Barracks when he found a revolver belonging to Charles Dalton on the road; mobilising for attempted rescue of Kevin Barry (DP11069) from prison and was in position for an ambush of British forces at Seville Place which did not come off.
Charles Murphy states that he was arrested by British forces at his home on 09 December 1920 and interned in Rath Camp, the Curragh, County Kildare. He claims that he “surrendered a chance to escape” and gave his place to Rory O’Connor (DP6664) (March 1921) and reference John Byrne (24SP2867) states that the subject stepped in front of a British soldier and knocked his rifle to the side as he was about to pull the trigger and shoot Byrne. Following his release in December 1921 as part of the general amnesty for IRA prisoners under the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, Charles Murphy state that he rejoined his former company under the command of Daniel Lyons (DP23657) and John Ward. He claims that he did some work around the country for the Freeman’s Journal before being let go. He also claims that he visited the Four Courts once met Frank Henderson and Oscar Traynor.
Subject states that he enlisted with the Criminal Investigative Department (CID) at Westland Row as a Detective Officer in May 1922 and took part in the activity of that body during the week of fighting in Dublin at the start of the Civil War. Charles Murphy claims that he got in touch with Tom Burke (MSP34REF3868) (Battalion Commandant of 2 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA) and began to work as a double agent for the IRA by suppling him with copies of documents and information regarding upcoming raids.
Applicant refers to a CID raid on the home of Sean Hayes (Company Captain of K Company, 2 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA) at Killarney Buildings, Killarney Street during which they found some ammunition. Charles Murphy’s colleague went to find a telephone to call for reinforcements. Subject told Hayes’ mother to tell her son to stay away from the house which saved him from capture. Charles Murphy claims that the collected several guns and hand grenades from Hayes’ mother and concealed some on his person and placed the rest with a tenant upstairs. When the larger body of CID raided the house, they only found some ammunition and a revolver holder. Sean Hayes corroborates that the arms were passed back to Thomas Burke by the applicant.
Charles Murphy refers to the “very bad period when young fellows were being shot all over the city – Colley (MD3896), Holohan [DP4496] etc.” when in front of the Advisory Committee on 02 May 1944. On the night of 06-07 October 1922, the subject states that he was returning home with his girlfriend about 11pm when they were stopped by National Army officer “Mick” [Nick/Nicholas] Tobin on Cloniffe Road. He says that Tobin called over Charles Dalton who told the subject to return home as “there might be shooting or anything tonight”. Subject states that he saw “three men standing up along the wall with their hands up”. On the following night, Charles Murphy states that he was ordered to go to a schoolhouse in Clondalkin which was acting as a morgue where he saw three bodies which were the men he had “seen the night before”. One of the CID men in the car was Gerry Hughes (1924A56), a brother of one of the men murdered (Eamonn Hughes DP4559). When the subject said “my god, I saw those lads only the other night”, Gerry asked him would he be willing to give evidence which he agreed to do so. Applicant state that he was subpoenaed to give evidence at the inquest where he was “interrogated by Tim Healy”. Applicant states that the inquest was adjourned and he was badly ostracized by his colleagues in the CID afterwards. He says that “my life was not worth living” and that “shots were fired in [his] bedroom”. Carrying two guns at all times for safety, he refers to an incident where was “picked up by” Jim Murphy (24SP11344) “and brought out to Dún Laogahire Coastguard Station and his gun went off about two or three inches of my head”.
Subject states that after the inquest there was a plot within CID to frame him on a charge of selling arms to a publican of Nangle’s, O’Connell Street. Charles Murphy also refers to an incident where he allowed an IRA prisoner named Keogh to escape custody. After this, he says that his superiors asked him to resign or he would be arrested and court martialed. Charles Murphy resigned from the CID on 18 May 1923 and he says that his home was raided several times on the presence of locating his brother who “had no connection with the movement”. Applicant emigrated to the United States of America (USA) in about October 1923 and returned to Ireland in 1929/30. He states that he was a member of the 26th Battalion, Defence Forces during The Emergency (Second World War).
File includes copy of handwritten letter from Patrick Moynihan, Director of CID, stating that subject had resigned from CID and was a “young man of excellent character” (18 May 1923); a blank reference form addressed to James Slattery which was not filled out (1926); representations by Frank Henderson of Old Dublin Brigade 1916-1923 committee (1935); references in support of subject’s claim from Thomas Burke (1934), Sean Ward (1941), Charles Saurin (1934; 1940), John Meade (1940), Patrick J Daly (1940), DE Ryan (1940; 1944), Patrick Emmet Sweeney (1940; 1941), Sean Hayes (1943), John Byrne (1944) and Christopher Fitzsimons (1940); copy order issued to applicant “Order under regulation no. 14b of the Restoration of Order in Ireland Regulations” dated 16 February 1921; a typed statement of sworn evidence given by the applicant before the Advisory Committee on 02 May 1944; application for Service (1917-1921) Medal verified by Sean Ward and Frank Henderson (1943); correspondence regarding payment of income tax (1953); material relating to the payment of the balance of the service pension and funeral grant to next of kin following subject’s death on 13 January 1963; noted on file that Charles Murphy married Dora Murphy (née Murray) on 17 February 1923; material relating to the payment of the balance of the widow’s pension to next of kin following widows death on 26 December 2001 and copy of newspaper obituary to Mrs. Dora Murphy in The Nationalist newspaper (2002).
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