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| File Reference |
MSP34REF46345
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| Name |
Liam Forde |
| Gender |
male |
| Address detail |
| Street |
Mill Road, Corbally
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| County |
Limerick
|
| Country |
Ireland
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| Date of birth |
1888-07-19
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| Date of death |
1973-08-31
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| Associated files in MSPA |
34B59
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Volunteers |
| Rank |
Company Officer Commanding
|
| Unit |
Limerick City Battalion
|
| Company |
C Company
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Michael Colivet
|
| Organisation |
Irish Volunteers |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Brigade |
Mid Limerick Brigade
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| Commanding Officer(s) |
P. Dunne
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Brigade |
Mid Limerick Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
P. Dunne
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Brigade Officer Commanding
|
| Division |
2 Southern Division
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| Brigade |
Mid Limerick Brigade
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| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Unit |
Active Service Unit
|
| Division |
2 Southern Division
|
| Brigade |
Mid Limerick Brigade
|
| 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 4 and 1/72 years service for pension purposes in 1943
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| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF46345 LIAM FORDE.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34B59 Liam Forde.pdf |
| File dates |
23 December 1935 - 30 January 1975
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| Subject Information |
File relates to Liam Forde’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 1918 and 31 March 1923 during the War of Independence, Truce period and Civil War. Applicant also claimed unsuccessfully for service in the periods between 1 April 1916 and 31 March 1918.
Liam Forde claims membership of the Irish Volunteers from its inception in Limerick in 1913/1914 and membership of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). He claims that he served as financial secretary for the Limerick City Regiment and as an Irish Volunteers Company Officer Commanding from 1915 and was heavily involved in preparations fro the 1916 Easter Rising - he claims that a meeting regarding arrangements for the Rising in Limerick was held at his home. He states that he was to have been involved in the distribution and transport in Limerick City and County of the arms that were to be landed from the "Aud". He claims that he was sent to Dublin by Michael Colivet with a message from Roger Casement for Eoin MacNeill on Saturday 22 April, stayed with Sean MacDiarmada that night and returned to Limerick on Sunday 23 April with a verbal message for Colivet from Patrick Pearse having stopped off in Cashel, County Tipperary with a similar message from Pearse for Pierce McCann. Forde states that he was with the Limerick Irish Volunteers mustered at Killonan, County Limerick when Michael Colivet refused to obey an order brought from Patrick Pearse by Madge Daly to begin operations. Forde states that he failed in his attempts both to get to Dublin to take part in the fighting there and, with Sean O'Mhuirthuile and others, to persuade the leadership of the Irish Volunteers in Limerick to fight. He states that following the Rising he opposed the decision of the Limerick leadership to surrender their weapons and was detained by the British authorities for about 10 days.
Forde claims that following the Rising he was involved in reorganizational work for the Irish Volunteers. In 1918 he went on the run following the issue of a warrant for his arrest for unlawful drilling. He was eventually captured and imprisoned from May 1919 for three months. Forde states that following his release he was involved in unsuccessful attempts to settle the major differences/split which had arisen within the Irish Volunteers and IRA in Limerick City. He states that due to this split he joined the Castleconnell Company IRA as a Volunteer and had no actual command. However he states that he still received communications and orders from Michael Collins and IRA General Headquarters to deal with discipline and difficulties arising within the ranks of Limerick IRA. He states that this situation continued his appointment as Brigade Officer Commanding Mid Limerick Brigade IRA in January 1921. He states that from then until the Truce (11 July 1921) that as well as carrying out the work of a Brigade O. C. that he organised/planned and/or took part in IRA attacks in Limerick City and County at Drumkeen, John Street, Church Street, Fedamore, Shraherla and Lackelly - dates not on file.
During the Truce period Forde claims that he was heavily involved in setting up and overseeing IRA training camps as well as making munitions. He states that he took over the New Barracks in Limerick from the British forces in February 1922 and was standing to during periods of tension between pro and anti-Treaty forces in Limerick prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. Forde claims that he was IRA officer in charge of Limerick at the outbreak of the Civil War there and planned and carried out the capture of O'Brien's Bridge Barracks. Following the IRA evacuation of Limerick he states that he served as Officer in Charge of a column which attacked National Army forces at Patrickswell, Adare, Rathkeale and Newcastle West - dates not on file. He states that he then led his men to counties Cork and Tipperary to link up with an IRA column in South Tipperary and was involved in engagements in counties Tipperary and Limerick at Castleconnell, Ashroe, Tour, and Barnalik and fighting through attempts at encirclement/capture by National Army forces. He states that he ceased his activity in November 1922 following a Pastoral released by the Irish Roman Catholic Bishop's [condemning the IRA and its activities] in October. He states that he remained on the run until 1924.
File includes: original handwritten and typed material submitted and signed by Liam Forde in support of his service pension application; typed summary (3 pages) and transcript (12 pages) of sworn statement made by Liam Forde on 7 June 1939 before the Advisory Committee, Military Service Pensions Act, 1934; undated 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; handwritten notes relating to discussions held regarding claimant's service and activities with Peadar Dunne, M. Colivet, D. O'Hannigan and unnamed [IRA Brigade Committee] verifying officers; signed handwritten letter of representation in support of Liam Forde from Daniel Bourke TD and Michael Hartney; and material relating to the settlement and closure of Liam Forde’s service pension account following his death in 1973.
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