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| File Reference |
MSP34REF14702
|
| Name |
Joseph S Considine |
| Gender |
male |
| Address detail |
| Street |
Ennis (Family Home)
|
| County |
Clare
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
71 Grove Park, Rathmines, Dublin
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
63 Mountjoy Street, Dublin
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
60 Eccles Street, Dublin
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
1 St Patrick's Road, Drumcondra, Dublin
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Date of birth |
1886-11-14
|
| Place |
Turnpike, Ennis, County Clare
|
| Date of death |
1957-08-16
|
| Place |
St Kevin's Hospital, Dublin
|
| Associated files in MSPA |
34E2267; DP28657
|
| Related files |
MSP34REF18235 (Brandan Considine, brother); MSP34REF23103 (Turlough Considine, brother); MSP34REF53448 (Annie Considine, sister); MSP34REF33030 (Eva Considine, sister); MD11078 (William Considine, brother)
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Unit |
4 Battalion
|
| Company |
D Company
|
| Brigade |
Dublin Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Tom Doyle
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Unit |
3 Battalion
|
| Company |
M Company
|
| Brigade |
Dublin Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Gus Connolly
|
| Pension Claim |
Yes |
| Award Pension |
Yes |
| Army Pensions Act 1923/1953 |
Yes |
| Type of Award |
SPASpecial Allowance (DP file)
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1924 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1934 |
Yes |
| Grade |
E |
| Notes |
Awarded 5 and 5/18 years service for pension purposes in 1937 at Grade E under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF14702 Joseph S Considine.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34E2267 Joseph S Considine.pdf
Scanned/digital copyDP28657 Joseph S Considine.pdf |
| File dates |
18 December 1934 - 17 October 1957
|
| Subject Information |
Archivist’s Note: At least six members of the Considine family of Ennis, County Clare were active in the revolutionary period: Annie (MSP34REF53448), Brendan (MSP34REF18235), Eva (MSP34REF33030), Joseph (MSP34REF14702), Turlough (MSP34REF23103) and William (MD11078).
File relates to Joseph S Considine’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 1917 and 31 March 1920. Considine was awarded 5 and 5/18 years service for pension purposes in 1937 at Grade E under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
During Easter Week 1916, the subject states that he called to the home of JJ Walsh, Berkley Street to offer his services to the Hibernian Rifles (AOH-American Alliance) but was told by Walsh that he only had equipment available for 10 men. Applicant also made unsuccessful attempts to sign up to fight with Irish rebel forces at the Hibernian Rifles [headquarters], North Frederick Street and 41 Parnell Square.
Joseph S Considine joined D Company, 4 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, Irish Volunteers in January 1917 under Joseph McGrath (24SP10501), Tom Doyle (MSP34REF97) and Edward O’Kelly (MSP34REF4176) and claims that he took part in parades; drilling; guard duty at republican meetings which were attacked in Ennis (June 1917); protection of Countess Markievicz in Ennis (“she was rescued from the mob at the point of guns drawn”); election work; intelligence work; anti-Conscription Campaign; procuring rifles from Wellington Barracks and transporting to home of Bobbie Byrne (MSP34REF3493), Portmahon House Lodge; armed defence of members of the public at Portobello Bridge on Armistice Night 1918 when one girl was killed and four wounded by British forces and the defence of 6 Harcourt Street on Armistice Night from “drunken soldiers” (1918).
During the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1923), Joseph S Considine states that under the command of Tom Doyle he took part in the seizure of propaganda material and film cameras from journalists at Lord French College Green review (1919); destruction of vacated Crumlin Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Barracks; armed street patrols around South Circular Road, Thomas Street and James’s Street; intelligence work; mobilising for planned attack on Tallaght Barracks; attempted raid on military police at John’s Road when the IRA unit retreated under fire (July 1920); arms raids on private houses in Kimmage and Harold’s Cross area and transporting arms to cycling shop of Ralph Lynch (MSP34REF56840), Camden Street; ‘standing to’ during shooting of British officers in Standard Hotel, Harcourt Street on Bloody Sunday (21 November 1920).
Subject states that he was arrested by British forces in on 27 or 28 November 1920 at his digs when his name was found on a list of “picked men” from the Dublin Brigade IRA Brigade found amongst papers of Chief of Staff during raid on his lodgings at South Circular Road. Bertie Downey (No. 3 Company, Engineers) was also arrested in the same house as the applicant. Joseph S Considine claims that he was interrogated in the “knocking shop”, of Wellington Barracks and held in Arbour Hill, Dublin. On arrival in Belfast, the applicant states that the IRA men were attacked by workers from ‘Queen’s Island’ [shipyard] with bolts, nuts and sticks when they were being transferred in lorries to Victoria Barracks, Belfast before removal to Ballykinlar Camp, County Down. Joseph S Considine was elected editor of the camp journal “Na Bac Leis” with Hugo MacNeill (24SP11777) (Illustrator) and Sam Holt (MD28850) (Administration). He mentions that recording devices (planted by camp authorities) were found in the huts where the newspaper was edited. Considine states that IRA prisoners [David] Tormey (1D155) and Patrick Sloane [1D376] [January 1921] and Tadhg Barry (1D373) [November 1921] were shot dead by sentries. Servant girls from Mount Street, Dublin were brought up and picked out [Thomas] Whelan (1D125) in an identification parade regarding the Bloody Sunday shootings and he was later executed. Applicant took part in a hunger strike under IRA prison OCs Paddy Colgan (24SP6022), Maurice Donegan (MSP34REF2088) and Tom Treacy (MSP34REF50645). Upon release in December 1921 as part of the general amnesty for IRA prisoners under the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the applicant states that their train came under fire all the way from County Down to Dundalk, County Louth by “Orangemen” with several prisoners wounded.
In February 1922 during the Truce period, Joseph S Considine states that he reported back for duty, took part in the Dublin Brigade IRA review at Smithfield and helped fortify the Four Courts (IRA garrison).
Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War, the subject states that he joined up M Company, 3 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA under the command of Augustine Connolly (MSP34REF1654) who were evacuating the Clarence Hotel at the outbreak of fighting in Dublin; brought them to his place of employment for 13 years (charted accountants Messrs Craig Gardner & Co, 41 Dame Street) which was used an IRA outpost; attack on Telephone Exchange, Crown Alley when IRA member Frank Jackson (DP4757) was killed and Phil Byrne (MSP34REF1571) and P McDonnell were wounded; occupation and defence of battalion headquarters, 41 York Street; attack and burning of National Army tender at corner of South Great George’s Street and Dame Street (one IRA wounded and four National forces wounded); occupation and defence of Carlisle Buildings, O’Connell Bridge and D’Olier Street (Irish Independent offices); occupation of house in Tara Street; occupation and defence 41 York Street and The Swan public house, York Street.
During a truce organised by priests from Whitefriar Street to allow members of IRA and National Army to attend mass, the subject saw several IRA men being captured at Charlemont Street and “dropped back” to Ward’s, Republican newsagents shop, Harcourt Road. Joseph Considine was captured on South Richmond Street when he was pointed out by an “ex Ballykinlar man” O’Donnell who was attached to CID (Criminal Investigative Department). One week after his arrest, the subject states that he cut wires in Portobello Barracks and escaped with several others including Sean Dowling (MSP34REF43520), Bob Barton (49SP6028) and Joe McDonagh. Applicant states that he attended the funeral of Patrick O’Brien (DP2196) (OC, Four Courts), sheltered in the home of Vincent Kelly, Charleville Road, Rathmines with Sean Dowling; re-joined D Company, 4 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA; took part in ASU activities including attack on Portobello Barracks; attack and burning of Rathfarnham Garrison; attack on home of Dick Mulcahy (24SP1727), Lissenfield House and attack on bridge near Pine Forest, Dublin Mountains (“Night of the Bridges”) when they came under fire from armoured car. Subject was re-arrested in early November 1922 and interned in Wellington Barracks; Hare Park Camp where he was elected Hut Leader, O/C of “A Line” and a member of the Camp Council with Sean Lemass (MSP34REF2078), Tom Hales (MSP34REF2074) and Charles Murphy. Following the discovery of two escape tunnels in April 1923, Joseph S Considine claims that he was brought to the Glass House, the Curragh where he was handcuffed by his wrists and hung from the rafters for two hours. Other men who received the same treatment were Sean Lemass, Mick Price (Dublin), Jack Cantillon (Cork), Desmond Murphy (MSP34REF45442) (London) and Charles Murphy (Dublin). Subject also states that he was handcuffed for three days and nights without food, water or toilet facilities and when released were forced to “run the gauntlet between two files of enemy forces with every fellow having a kick or punch at them”. Applicant was transferred to Mountjoy Prison, Dublin where he was editor of prison journal “An Barr Buaidh”, took part in the breaking up of cells and went on a 41 day hunger strike where he came close to dying. Subject was transferred to Tintown No. 3 Camp, the Curragh, County Kildare in September 1923 and released in December 1923. Upon release, he re-joined the IRA and was appointed Acting Company Adjutant of M Company, 3 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA and Clerk of Court-martials, 3 Battalion.
File includes reference letters in support of the subject’s claim from Sean Lemass (1936), Augustine Connolly (1937), Joseph O’Connor (1936), Joe Kinsella (1937), Brendan Considine (1937), Bernard Brady (1936), Thomas J Doyle (1937), JJ Walsh (1936) and P O Galliobair [Gallchobhair] (Frank Gallagher) (1936); a sketch by Alf McLoughlin of the subject being hung by the wrists in the Glass House, the Curragh from applicant’s autograph book (1923); press notices regarding the Mountjoy Prison hunger strike and reports issued by Joe Considine (1923); typed transcript of sworn evidence given by the applicant before the Advisory Committee on 22 February 1937; material and correspondence relating to subject’s employment as temporary clerk in Department of Industry and Commerce (Labour Exchange) (1937-40); correspondence between subject and Ideal Home Furniture, 28-29 Mary Street, Dublin regarding applicant’s attempt to pay off a £18 debt by transferring his pension cheques to them (1942); copy of subject’s death certificate (1957); 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 16 August 1957 and letter addressed to widow Elizabeth Considine relating to widows pension which was not delivered (1972).
File DP28657 relates to subject's successful application for a Special Allowance under the Army Pensions Acts in respect of illness or disability. File includes application form; letter from applicant to Sean Lemass and representations from same (1957); signed handwritten report from Social Welfare investigating officers regarding applicant’s financial circumstances (1957); birth certificate for Patrick Considine at Turnpike, Ennis, County Clare (1886) and material regarding possible Special Allowance overpayment of £491.17.4d (1957). Noted that subject married Elizabeth Considine (née Leggett) on 02 June 1938.
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