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| File Reference |
MSP34REF17504
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| Name |
James Reilly |
| Gender |
male |
| Address detail |
| Street |
17 Jackson Street, Mount Vernon, New York
|
| Country |
United States of America
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Balla
|
| County |
Mayo
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Date of birth |
1892
|
| Date of death |
1972-07-03
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| Associated files in MSPA |
34C404;
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Volunteers |
| Rank |
Battalion Officer Commanding
|
| Unit |
Balla Battalion
|
| Brigade |
South Mayo Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Joseph McBride; R. Walsh;
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Battalion Officer Commanding
|
| Unit |
Balla Battalion
|
| Brigade |
South Mayo Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Joseph McBride; Thomas Maguire;
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Brigade Adjutant
|
| Brigade |
South Mayo Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Thomas Maguire; Thomas Powell; Michael O'Clery;
|
| 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 5 and 5/6 years service for pension purpsoes in 1939
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF17504 James Reilly.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34C404 James Reilly.pdf |
| File dates |
21 May 1935 - 2 July 1981
|
| Subject Information |
File relates to James Reilly'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 and 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 1917.
James Reilly claims membership of the Irish Volunteers from 1914. He claims that he mobilised during the 1916 Easter Rising and was one of an Irish Volunteer unit which disarmed a party of Special Constables en-route from Kiltimagh to Castlebar on Sunday 30 April 1916. He states that he was arrested by the British authorities in May of that year and held for about three (3) weeks at Castlebar and Richmond Barracks, Dublin. James Reilly did not receive recognition for pension purposes for this claimed activity. (See also 24SP11502 James Ruane where pension recognition was granted for involvement in this activity).
In 1917 James Reilly was appointed Company Officer Commanding and later in the year Battalion Officer Commanding. Between 1917 and 1919 James Reilly claims involvement in organisational and training work and arms raids. He also states that he mobilised for a planned attack on a British munitions train at Manulla Junction in [1919] which was called off by order of Irish Volunteer/IRA General Headquarters - exact date not on file.
During 1920 and 1921 Reilly states that he took part in the holding up of trains for petrol at Balla and for mail at Manualla Junction and that he took part in an attack on British forces at Partry on 7 March 1921. Following this he claims to have been involved in planning for further IRA operations which had to be aborted following the wounding of IRA Brigade Officer Commanding Tom Maguire and death of Brigade Adjutant Michael O'Brien in an engagement with British forces at Tourmakeady in [May] 1921.
Between this and the Truce (11 July 1921) Reilly claims he was appointed Brigade Adjutant and had to spend most of his time safe guarding Tom Maguire from capture. During the Truce period James Reilly took part in IRA training camps including a General Headquarters camp at Glenasmole and served in the IRA garrison at Ballinrobe Barracks.
During the Civil War James Reilly states that he took part in IRA attacks on National Army forces in counties Galway and Mayo at Mountbellew, Mount Talbot and Balla - dates not on file. He also states that he was involved in the transferring of IRA Brigade Headquarters into his Battalion area and that for the remainder of the Civil War he was involved in maintaining IRA communications, disrupting National Army communications and keeping the IRA units together. He states that he was not captured/arrested, was hospitalised for a period in [September] 1923 and remained on the run until Spring 1924.
File includes: original handwritten material submitted and signed by James Reilly in support of his application; representations on behalf of James Reilly from Patrick Fallon, South Mayo Brigade, Old IRA Association; standard handwritten form Referee R.15 dated 12 September 1938 showing details of subject's rank and unit strength as of 11 July 1921 and 1 July 1922 from records supplied by [South Mayo IRA] Brigade Committee; typed summary (2 pages) and transcript (8 pages) of sworn statement made by James Reilly on 12 September 1938 before the Advisory Committee, Military Service Pensions Act, 1934; handwritten notes dated 11 November 1938 relating to discussion held with "Messrs Fallon and May" regarding claimant's service and activities; material relating to the settlement and closure of James Reilly's service pension following his death on 3 July 1972 - partly closed for reasons of data protection; material relating to Catherine Reilly's receipt of a widows' allowance in respect of James Reilly from 1972 onwards; and material relating to the settlement and closure of Catherine Reilly's widows' allowance following her death on 28 February 1981 - partly closed for reasons of data protection.
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