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| File Reference |
MSP34REF16162
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| Name |
Matthew Kilcawley |
| Gender |
male |
| Address detail |
| Street |
Enniscrone
|
| County |
Sligo
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Date of birth |
1900
|
| Date of death |
1955-09-10
|
| Associated files in MSPA |
34C246;
|
| Civilian occupation |
Farm Labourer;
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Volunteers |
| Rank |
Company Quartermaster
|
| Unit |
5 Battalion
|
| Company |
Enniscrone Company
|
| Brigade |
North Mayo Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
M. Byron (M. Barrins);
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Company Adjutant
|
| Unit |
5 Battalion
|
| Company |
Enniscorne Company
|
| Brigade |
North Mayo Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
M. Byron (M. Barrins);
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Battalion Officer Commanding
|
| Unit |
5 Battalion
|
| Brigade |
North Mayo Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Anthony Clarke; Eamon Gannon; Thomas Loftus;
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Unit |
Active Service Unit
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| Brigade |
North Mayo Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Seamus Kilcullen;
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| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Officer Commanding
|
| Unit |
Active Service Unit
|
| Division |
4 Western Division
|
| Brigade |
North Mayo Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Thomas Ruane; Michael Kilroy;
|
| 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 |
C |
| Notes |
Awarded 6 and 1/4 years service for pension purposes in 1937 following appeal against award of 5 and 5/8 years service made earlier the same year
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF16162 Matthew Kilcawley.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34C246 Matthew Kilcawley.pdf |
| File dates |
8 April 1935 - 26 July 1995
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| Subject Information |
File relates to Matthew Kilcawley’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 1919 and 30 September 1923 during the War of Independence, Truce period and Civil War.
Matthew Kilcawley claims membership of the Irish Volunteers from early 1917. During the War of Independence Matthew Kilcawley served as a Company Quartermaster, Company Adjutant and a Battalion Officer Commanding with the Irish Volunteers and IRA. During his service between 1917 and 1921 he claims that he carried out organisational and training work broke up British Army recruiting and British Red Cross meetings, made munitions, and took part in Republican Police and Dáil Court work, arms raids and raids for mail. He also states that during 1920 he took part in the burning of Enniscrone RIC Barracks and Courthouse (July), and the IRA attack on Enniscrone Coastguard Station (August). During 1921 he states that he was involved in the IRA 'arrest' of two rate collectors in February which he claims led to him (Kilcawley) being able to forward £3,000 (three thousand pounds sterling) to [IRA] Headquarters. In July 1921 he states he took part in an IRA attack on an RIC patrol at Culleens which led to the death of two RIC members and developed into a much larger fight following the arrival of British reinforcements. He also claims to have mobilised for a number of planned IRA attacks in Ballina and Enniscrone which did not come off. During the Truce period Kilcawley states that he took part in IRA training camps both at Headquarters level in Dublin and Glenasmole as well as Brigade, Battalion and Company camps in his own area. He also served in the IRA Barracks at Dromore West from March 1922 and states that in May 1922, before the full outbreak of the Civil War, he took part in an IRA attack on National Army forces occupying the Workhouse in Dromore West. Following the outbreak of the Civil War on 28 June 1922 he states that he served as the Commanding Officer of an IRA Active Service Unit. He states that he took part in fighting against National Army forces at Collooney, County Sligo in July, at Bunree - date not on file - the capture of Ballina, County Mayo in September and further engagements with National Army forces at Glenlossara, Glenamoy and Newport prior to falling ill in [November] 1922. In December 1922 he states that he had to fight his way out of an attempted encirclement at Rosturk and took part in a further fight with National Army forces at Corballa and Cloonkeelaun in [February] 1923. Kilcawley claims that following the issuing of the "Cease Fire" order in May 1923 he was responsible for the dumping of arms in his brigade area. He states that he remained on the run until arrested on 18 September 1923 and was interned until June/July 1924 in Galway and at Hare Park Internment Camp. He states that he underwent a 15 day hunger strike during his internment at Hare Park.
File includes: original signed handwritten material submitted by Matthew Kilcawley in support of his application; handwritten standard form Referee R.15 showing details of subject's rank and unit strength as of 11 July 1921 and 1 July 1922 from records supplied by the relevant IRA brigade committee and T. Ruane; typed transcript (14 pages) of sworn statement made by Matthew Kilcawley on 6 January 1937 before the Advisory Committee, Military Service Pensions Act, 1934; handwritten notes relating to discussions held with Messrs Ruane, Kilcawley and Calleary; material relating to the settlement and closure of Matthew Kilcawley's service pension account following his death in 1955; and material relating to Bridget (Bridie) Kilcawley's receipt of a widow's allowance and the settlement and closure of this account following her death on 3 January 1993 - partly closed for reasons of Data Protection.
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