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| File Reference |
24SP11392
|
| Name |
Eamon Rooney |
| Gender |
male |
| Maiden/Other names |
Edward John Augustine Rooney
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Kildare Street, Ardglass (Address in 1922)
|
| County |
Down
|
| Country |
Northern Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Office of Chief of Staff, General Headquarters, Parkgate Street, Dublin
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
"Winstonville", 64 Malahide Road, Clontarf, Dublin
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Date of birth |
1894
|
| Notes |
Exact date of birth not recorded on file
|
| Date of death |
1961-01-12
|
| Associated files in MSPA |
24C238
|
| Civilian occupation |
Editor, "The Irish Weekly” newspaper;
Journalist, "The Meath Chronicle" newspaper;
Trade Union Official;
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Volunteers |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Brigade |
Belfast Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Denis McCullough
|
| National Army Service Number |
SDR2897
|
| Organisation |
Irish Volunteers |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Brigade |
South Meath Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Sean Boylan
|
| National Army Service Number |
SDR2897
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Unit |
1 Battalion
|
| Brigade |
South Louth Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Lawrence Walsh; Eugene Kavanagh
|
| National Army Service Number |
SDR2897
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Brigade Police Officer
|
| Brigade |
South Louth Brigade
|
| National Army Service Number |
SDR2897
|
| Organisation |
Óglaigh na hÉireann/National Forces |
| Rank |
Brigade Commandant
|
| Division |
1 Eastern Division
|
| Brigade |
9 Brigade (South Louth)
|
| National Army Service Number |
SDR2897
|
| Organisation |
Óglaigh na hÉireann/National Forces |
| Rank |
Captain
|
| National Army Service Number |
SDR2897
|
| Pension Claim |
Yes |
| Award Pension |
Yes |
| Army Pensions Act 1923/1953 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1924 |
Yes |
| Grade |
C |
| Notes |
Awarded 6.291 years’ service for pension purposes in 1927 at Grade C under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1924.
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1934 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copy24SP11392 Eamon Rooney.pdf
Scanned/digital copy24C238 Eamon Rooney.pdf |
| File dates |
09 February 1925 - 19 February 1979
|
| Subject Information |
File relates to Eamon Rooney’s receipt of a military service pension in respect of his service with the Irish Volunteers, IRA and the National Army in the service periods between 01 April 1917 and 30 September 1923 during the War of Independence, Truce Period and Civil War. He unsuccessfully applied for service in the service periods from 01 April 1916 to 31 March 1917. Rooney was awarded 6.291 years’ service for pension purposes in 1927 at Grade C under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1924.
Eamon Rooney claims that he joined the Irish Volunteers in Belfast, County Antrim in 1914. On Easter Saturday 1916 under the command of Denis McCullough (MSP34REF55173), he states that he was mobilised and marched with his unit to Dungannon [County Tyrone] and then to Coalisland [County Tyrone] where they were demobilised. Subject states that he was ‘standing to’ for the remainder of Easter Week 1916 and made an unsuccessful attempt to get to Dublin but was intercepted by police. Eamon Rooney claims that he was involved in re-organising work and was arrested in March 1917 under the Defence of the Realm Act and sentenced to 12 months for sedition. He states that he was released after two months in jail and lost his job as editor of “The Irish Weekly” newspaper.
Subject states that he got a job with the with The Meath Chronicle newspaper and was a trade union official with the Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU). Applicant states that he did organising with South Meath Brigade, Irish Volunteers under the command of [Sean] Boylan (24SP11477) and spent three months with A Company, 1 Battalion, North Tipperary Brigade, Irish Volunteers under Frank McGrath (MSP34REF3955).
During the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921), Eamon Rooney states that he helped with the destruction of railway line in County Meath to stop export of cattle to Northern ports (1919) and helped in a trade union dispute with the farmers union in County Meath. Subject claims that he transferred to 1 Battalion, South Louth Brigade, IRA under the command of Lawrence Walsh and Eugene Kavanagh (MSP34REF13913) and took part in planned attack on Ardee Barracks (only sniping); unsuccessful attack on Dunleer Barracks; receiving lessons in manufacture of explosives. Subject says that the brigade was disorganised and inactive from late 1920 to March 1920. Applicant states that he helped organise a Flying Column (Active Service Unit) under the command of Thomas Gray (24SP12774) but the Truce was declared before any operations took place.
During the Truce period, Eamon Rooney claims that he was Brigade Police Officer and later Brigade Commandant of the [pro Treaty] 9 Brigade (South Louth), 1 Eastern Division following IRA split. He enlisted in National Army in Drogheda, County Louth in March 1922.
Taking the pro Treaty side in the Civil War, there are no details of his service in this period on file. He was serving as Captain in General Headquarters, Parkgate Street, Dublin at the time of his application in 1925. He held the rank of Brigadier (1922-23), Captain (1923-1934), Commandant (1934-1941), Acting Major (1941-1946) and Major (1946) and retired from the Defence Forces on 22 April 1946.
File includes filled out reference form in support of the subject’s claim from Commandant F O’Connor (1927), Assistant Commissioner E Cullen (1927), Captain Thomas Gray (1926), Lieutenant EF Stapleton (1925; 1926), Commandant L Hoolan (1926), S Cusack (1925), Denis McCullough (1925), Colonel S O’Higgins (1925) and Lieutenant Brady (1925); typed letter of reference from Colonel S O’Higgins (1927); correspondence from subject on headed newspaper – Aer Lingus, 43 O’Connell Street, Dublin to Lieutenant General Domhnall Mac Cionnaith regarding payment of pension to retired army officers (1946); material relating to the payment of the balance of the service pension and a funeral grant to next of kin following subject’s death on 12 January 1961; noted on file that Eamon Rooney married Julian Rooney (née Meehan) on 24 September 1923; correspondence with charter accountants FG Blake & Company on behalf of widow (1974) and material relating to the payment of the balance of the widow’s pension to next of kin following widows death on 25 August 1974.
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