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| File Reference |
MSP34REF7254
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| Name |
David O'Connor |
| Gender |
male |
| Address detail |
| Street |
The Pier, Crosshaven
|
| County |
Cork
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
3 Pembroke Street, Cork
|
| County |
Cork
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
21 Parnell Place, Cork
|
| County |
Cork
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
St Jame's Ward, Cork District Hospital, 2 Douglas Road, Cork
|
| County |
Cork
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
8 Carrigeen Park, Ballinlough Road, Cork
|
| County |
Cork
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Date of birth |
1894-07-14
|
| Notes |
Exact date of birth not recorded on file
|
| Date of death |
1956-07-20
|
| Associated files in MSPA |
34D907; DP25218
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
First Lieutenant
|
| Unit |
2 Battalion
|
| Company |
C Company
|
| Brigade |
1 Cork Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Sean O’Sullivan, Jerome O’Donovan, Michael O’Brien
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Unit |
Active Service Unit
|
| Brigade |
1 Cork Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Sean Hegarty; Daniel O'Donovan
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Second Lieutenant
|
| Unit |
2 Battalion
|
| Company |
C Company
|
| Brigade |
1 Cork Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Daniel O'Donovan
|
| 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 |
D |
| Notes |
Awarded 5 and 3/4 years service for pension purposes at Grade D in 1937 under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF7254 David O'Connor.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34D907 David O'Connor.pdf
Scanned/digital copyDP25218 David O'Connor.pdf |
| File dates |
21 December 1934 - 02 December 1976
|
| Subject Information |
File relates to David O’Connor’s receipt of a military service pension in respect of his service with the IRA in the service periods between 01 April 1919 and 30 September 1923 during the War of Independence, Truce period and Civil War. He unsuccessfully applied for service in the periods between 01 April 1917 and 31 March 1919. O’Connor was awarded 5 and 3/4 years service for pension purposes at Grade D in 1937 under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
David O’Connor states that he joined 1 Battalion, 1 Cork Brigade in early 1917 under the command of Tomás MacCurtain (DP22353) and took part in drilling, organising work and collecting arms. He transferred to C Company, 2 Battalion, 1 Cork Brigade, IRA under the command of Sean O’Sullivan (Battalion Commandant), Jerome O’Donovan (MSP34REF21834) (Company Captain) and later Michael O’Brien (MSP34REF1881) (Company Captain). During the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921), the subject claims that he was First Lieutenant and took part in arms raids on hostile houses; capture and execution of suspected informer (no further information); raid on SS “Pensacola” (US Government steamer) in Passage Docks capturing arms (04 November 1919) and bombing of a British army lorry at Barrack Street, Cork (October 1920). In November 1920, David O’Connor took part in an armed hold up of a train in Waterfall and the capture of three British intelligence officers. He told the Advisory Committee: “We took them away in our motorcar. They were photographed, court-martialled and sentenced to death and executed that same day. It was one of the most important jobs that was done in the city during the whole of the fight”.
Applicant states that he was followed by a suspected informer and a group of ‘Black and Tans’ and narrowly escaped being killed. He claims that he went on the run to County Kerry for a number of weeks and returned to Cork in early January 1921 to join the Brigade Active Service Unit, 1 Cork Brigade, IRA under the command of Sean Hegarty. He claims that he took part in an ambush of British forces at Coolavokig near Macroom; attack on British forces at Derrynasaggart and surrounding and isolating of Macroom Garrison.
During the Truce period under the command of Daniel O’Donovan (MSP34REF1181), David O’Connor states that he was attended an IRA training camp for three weeks; was attached to the brigade staff and did garrison duty in Catford Barracks, County Cork.
Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War, the subject states that he was Second Lieutenant of C Company and left with an ASU for Limerick City on 29 June 1922 and was active against National forces in County Waterford, Macroom, Ballineen/ Enniskeane and Ballyvourney, Dunmanway (all County Cork). David O’Connor was captured by National forces in September 1922 but escaped from Cork County Jail in a tunnel. He was recaptured in October 1923 but escaped from Cork Female Prison after three weeks and was on the run until April 1924. Applicant claims that he was appointed Company Captain in mid-1924.
File includes references in support of subject’s clam from Donal O’Donoghue (1935); solicitors correspondence on behalf of subject; typed copy of sworn statement of evidence given by the applicant in front of the Advisory Committee on 12 February 1936 and by Tom Crofts on 14 April 1936 and 30 July 1936; typed document relating to the IRA officers of C Company, 2 Battalion, 1 Cork Brigade in 1921 and 1922 (1936); correspondence regarding subject’s employment with Cork County Council as Roads and Franchise Clerk (1948); material relating to the payment of the balance of the service pension and a funeral grant to next of kin (sister) following subject’s death on 20 July 1956 and solicitors correspondence on behalf of next of kin.
File DP26217 contains material relating to subject’s successful applications for a Special Allowance. File includes application form; doctor’s certificate; medical report; signed handwritten reports from Social Welfare investigating officers regarding applicant’s financial circumstances (1954-56) and material relating to the payment of the balance of the Special Allowance to next of kin following subject’s death.
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