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| File Reference |
MSP34REF32265
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| Name |
Neil Blaney |
| Gender |
male |
| Address detail |
| Street |
Rossnakill, Letterkenny
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| County |
Donegal
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Notes |
Date of birth not recorded on file
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| Date of death |
1948-10-30
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| Place |
District Hospital, Letterkenny, County Donegal
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| Associated files in MSPA |
34B30;
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| Civilian occupation |
Farmer;
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Volunteers |
| Rank |
Company Officer Commanding
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| Company |
Rossnakill Company
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| Brigade |
Donegal Brigade
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| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Battalion Officer Commanding
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| Unit |
3 Battalion (Fanad)
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| Division |
1 Northern Division
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| Brigade |
2 Brigade
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| Commanding Officer(s) |
P. McCarvill (Prison)
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| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Brigade Vice Officer Commanding
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| Division |
1 Northern Division
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| Brigade |
2 Brigade
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| Commanding Officer(s) |
Sean Lehane; Charles Daly;
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| 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 |
B |
| Notes |
Awarded 7 and 23/24 years service for pension purposes in 1937
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| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF32265 Neil Blaney.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34B30 Neil Blaney.pdf |
| File dates |
17 December 1934 - 16 June 1972
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| Subject Information |
File relates to Neil Blaney's receipt of a military service pension in respect of his service with the Irish Volunteers and IRA in the service periods between 1 April 1917 and 30 September 1923 during the War of Independence, Truce period and Civil War.
Neil Blaney claims membership of the Irish Volunteers from 1913. From 1917 he states that he was involved in organisational and training work for the Irish Volunteers in County Donegal as well as undertaking work for Sinn Fein in that area also. During the War of Independence Blaney served as a company and Battalion Officer Commanding. He claims that he took part in a large number raids for arms especially those belonging to Ulster Volunteer Force units and members in County Donegal - he states that during one of these raids fire was exchanged between IRA and UVF members until the UVF members surrendered. He states that he organised and commanded the IRA attack and capture of Fanad Head Coast Guard Station in August 1920 and in March 1921 led the IRA attack on Milford RIC Barracks. Arrested on 18 March 1921 Neil Blaney was sentenced to seven years penal servitude and imprisoned at Durham Prison until his release in January 1922 following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. Following his release Neil Blaney joined the National Army with which he served until resigning in March 1922 at the time of the Army Split. He states that prior to the outbreak of the Civil War that he assisted with the transfer of arms from the Four Courts to Donegal for the anti-Treaty IRA forces. Following the outbreak of the Civil War he served with the anti-Treaty forces as a Vice Brigade Officer Commanding. He was captured by National Army forces on 15 December 1922. He states that at the time of his capture he was planning and preparing for a major IRA attack on the National Army post at Milford - the attack did not take place. He states that he was court-martialled and sentenced to death. The sentence was not carried out and he was interned until June 1924.
File includes: undated unsigned four page typed statement from Neil Blaney of his service and activities from 1913 to 1924; standard form Referee R.15 with handwritten details of subject's rank and unit strength as of 11 July 1921 and 1 July 1922 from records supplied by the relevant [IRA] battalion and brigade committees dated 17 October and 11 November 1936; signed typed and handwritten original copy letters/statements regarding claimant's service from Séamus O'Curran, Bernard O'Donnell, Hugh Brady, [J. McKay], Charles A. Flattery, Major General Seosaimh MacSuibhne, [J. P. McGinley] and J. J. Gallagher; typed extracts from minutes of meetings of Donegal county Council of 16 December 1924 and 24 February, 24 March and 26 May 1925 relating to the election of a Rate Collector for County Donegal; typed transcript (8 pages) of sworn statement made by Neil Blaney on 11 November 1936 before the Advisory Committee, Military Service Pensions Act, 1934; reference to Neil Blaney's position as a member of Dáil Éireann; and material relating to the settlement and closure of Neil Blaney's service pension account following his death in 1948 including reference to his son Neil Blaney (Junior) TD
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