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| File Reference |
MSP34REF2647
|
| Name |
Hugh Donnelly |
| Gender |
male |
| Address detail |
| Street |
126 New Lodge Road, Belfast (Address in 1921)
|
| County |
Antrim
|
| Country |
Northern Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Newry Street, Carlingford
|
| County |
Louth
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
2 Annamoe Parade, Cabra
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Taney Villa, Dundrum
|
| County |
Dublin
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Ballymascanlon, Dundalk
|
| County |
Louth
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
26 Unity Street, Belfast
|
| County |
Antrim
|
| Country |
Northern ireland
|
| Date of birth |
1891
|
| Notes |
Aged 50 at time of death in 1941
|
| Date of death |
1941-04-16
|
| Place |
26 Unity Street, Belfast
|
| Notes |
Killed in air raid during World War Two
|
| Associated files in MSPA |
34E6473
|
| Related files |
MSP34REF17801 (Patrick Donnelly, brother - killed in same air raid in 1941)
|
| Civilian occupation |
Shoemaker;
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Company Captain
|
| Unit |
1 Battalion
|
| Company |
A Company
|
| Brigade |
Belfast Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Sean O'Neill
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Company Captain
|
| Unit |
2 Battalion
|
| Division |
3 Northern Division
|
| Company |
D Company
|
| Brigade |
Belfast Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Sean O'Neill
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Company Captain
|
| Unit |
3 Battalion
|
| Division |
3 Northern Division
|
| Company |
D Company
|
| Brigade |
Belfast Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Sean O'Neill
|
| 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 |
E |
| Notes |
Awarded 1 and 1/3 years’ service for pension purposes at Grade E under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF2647 Hugh Donnelly.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34E6473 Hugh Donnelly.pdf |
| File dates |
13 August 1934 - 14 July 1943
|
| Subject Information |
File relates to Hugh Donnelly’s receipt of a military service pension in respect of his service with the IRA in the service periods between 01 April 1920 and 11 July 1921 during the War of Independence. Subject unsuccessfully applied for service in the periods between 01 April 1916 and 31 March 1920 and between 12 July 1921 and 30 September 1921. Donnelly was awarded 1 and 1/3 years’ service for pension purposes at Grade E under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934. He was granted the service certificate and service pension on 17 April 1942 but had been killed in an air raid in Belfast during the Second World War on night of 15-16 April 1941.
Hugh Donnell states that he joined A Company, Belfast Battalion, Irish Volunteers in 1914 and was ‘centre’ of an Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) ‘circle’ from 1916 to 1921. On Easter Saturday 1916, he mobilised under the command of Denis McCullough (MSP34REF55173) and Peter Burns (MSP34REF6061), marched to Coalisland, County Tyrone and returned to Belfast the following day following the countermanding order. In 1917, the applicant served under the command of Sean Cusack (24SP308), Sean O’Neill (24SP12109) and Joseph McKelvey and took part in company parades; election work in Newry and guard duty at meeting addressed by Éamon de Valera. References state that he was appointed Company Captain of A Company, 1 Battalion, Belfast Brigade, Irish Volunteers in October 1918 when the Belfast battalion was re-organised into a brigade.
During the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921), the subject states that he took part in cutting down telegraph and telephone wires; unsuccessful raid on income tax and custom revenue offices at Anne Street, Mayfair; arms raids on private houses including one incident when IRA men retreated under fire in Castlerea district when raiding for UVF arms; attempted raid on Kilroot Fort; procuring nine rifles and 20,000 rounds of ammunition from friendly British army soldiers in Victoria Military Barracks, Belfast from August 1920 onwards; arms raid on licensed premise capturing seven rifles and ammunition; raid on store, York Street capturing one rifle and 50 rounds of ammunition; raid on quarry at Parkgate, County Antrim for explosives; disarming of two policemen at Belfast Harbour when one policeman was shot dead in a struggle and organising planned prison escape of IRA prisoners in Belfast Jail which did not go ahead.
Archivist’s Note: the applicant Hugh Donnelly of Dublin is listed as Company Captain of D Company (North Queen Street), 2 Battalion, Belfast Brigade, IRA on the first critical date (11 July 1921). See nominal rolls MA-MSPC-RO-40, pages 6 and 18.
In August 1921 during the Truce period, Hugh Donnelly states that he was appointed Company Captain of newly formed D Company, 3 Battalion, Belfast Brigade, IRA which was based in Antrim Road, North Queen Street and New Lodge Road area. Under the command of Sean O’Neill (Battalion Commandant), the applicant claims that he took part in organising, equipping and training new D Company; raid on Downpatrick Military Barracks for arms (acquiring one rifle, one revolver and some hand grenades) but had to retreat when challenged by guards; procuring revolvers ammunition and Thompson machine gun ammunition from American sailors on Moor McCormack line in Belfast Harbour; unsuccessful attempt to set fire to the telephone exchange, Queen Street; allowing his home and premises (boot and shoe business) at 126 New Lodge Road to be used as battalion headquarters and occasionally brigade headquarters and his family home was attacked by persons unknown who threw a bomb into an open window, which exploded and nearly killed his mother (1921). Applicant states that he was on the run from May 1922 onwards. Subject states that he and his company were involved in regular defence and picquet duty of Catholic areas from “organised armed attacks by Loyalists mobs aided by Crown forces” during which they fired many times including one incident when a girl was shot in crossfire at Burlington Street in New Lodge area.
Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War, Hugh Donnelly states that his company became “disunited” in October 1922 and half the members went to the Curragh, County Kildare to train with the National Army. Subject states that he collected all available arms and transported them to 4 Northern Division area to be used by anti-Treaty IRA Active Service Units. Subject states that he was in touch with Sean McConville (MSP34REF15435) and Sean McGauran [?] in Omeath [County Louth] and helped form a new ASU of 23 engineers for service in Louth in February 1923. Applicant was arrested in late March 1923 and imprisoned in Crumlin Road Prison, Belfast and Larne internment camp until July 1923. Subject states that he remained IRA Company Captain until August 1923 although there is some discussion on file whether the company was still organised by the time of the second critical date (01 July 1922). Hugh Donnelly emigrated to New York City, United States of America (USA) in September 1923 where he spent a number of years. Subject returned to Ireland moved between addresses in Dublin and County Louth in mid/late 1930s. He returned to Belfast in late 1940 or early 1941 to live with his brother Patrick Donnelly. On the night of 15-16 April 1941, their house at 26 Unity Street, Belfast was hit by a landmine dropped by [German military] in an air raid during The Blitz in the Second World War. Hugh Donnelly, his wife Bessie, his only child Maura (aged 5), his brother Patrick and his sister Mary were all killed. Their next of kin and brother William Donnelly wrote to the department on 08 July 1942 “I had no funeral expense on my brother, that expense was met by the City of Belfast on all the human parts that could not be identified. My brother’s house got a direct hit with a landmine, there was a 16 foot hole where the house was and it was proved at the inquest he was there a few minutes before it was hit”.
File includes a typed copy of sworn statement and summary of evidence given by the applicant in front of the Advisory Committee on 27 January 1938; references in support of subject’s claim from Sean O’Neill (1938), Liam Gaynor (1938), Sean McConville [1939] and Roger E MacCorley (1939); handwritten notes of discussion with IRA verifying officer Roger MacCorley on 06 September 1938, Fox and Cullen on 14 June 1938 and Sean Keenan on 25 July 1939; letter from subject to Joe Connolly, Office of Public Works, Dublin asking for his pension claim to be expedited as he was suffering from financial problems (1940); correspondence and receipts from JP Kearney & Son, Riverstown, Dundalk, County Louth regarding subject’s overdue account for rent of house in Carlingford (1940); letter from Joseph Cullen to department stating that Hugh Donnelly and his family were killed in an air raid on their home in Belfast (15 February 1942); letter to subject’s brother with copy of notification of his successful service pension application (04 March 1942); copy of death certificate of Hugh Donnelly who was killed in “enemy action / war operations” (15-16 April 1941) and material relating to the payment of the balance of the service pension to next of kin (brother) following subject’s death.
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