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| File Reference |
24SP13358
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| Name |
Owen Curtin |
| Gender |
male |
| Address detail |
| Street |
Rathcormac, Fermoy
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| County |
Cork
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
Acres, Fermoy
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| County |
Cork
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| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
Mrs Greenhill, 720 Cathcart Street, Montreal
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| Country |
Canada
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| Address detail |
| Street |
504 West 157 Street, New York City, New York
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| Country |
United States of America
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| Address detail |
| Street |
427 East 69 Street, New York City, New York
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| Country |
United States of America
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| Address detail |
| Street |
158 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, New York
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| Country |
United States of America
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| Address detail |
| Street |
Daly, 617 East 135 Street, Bronx, New York
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| Country |
United States of America
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| Date of birth |
1898
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| Notes |
Applicant put down 1898 and 1899 as year of birth on different Life Certificate
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| Notes |
Date of death not recorded on file
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| Associated files in MSPA |
24A1703; 4P230
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| Related files |
22089 (National Army/Defence Forces Service Number)
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| Civilian occupation |
Labourer;
Motor-driver;
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| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
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| Unit |
1 Battalion
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| Company |
A Company
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| Brigade |
2 Cork Brigade
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| Commanding Officer(s) |
Laurence Condon; Leddy
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| National Army Service Number |
22089
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| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Unknown
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| Unit |
7 Battalion
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| Company |
Active Service Unit
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| Brigade |
2 Cork Brigade
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| National Army Service Number |
22089
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| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Officer Commanding Transport
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| Brigade |
2 Cork Brigade
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| National Army Service Number |
22089
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| Organisation |
Óglaigh na hÉireann/National Forces |
| Rank |
Unknown
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| Unit |
40 Battalion
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| Division |
Army Transport Corps
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| National Army Service Number |
22089
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| Pension Claim |
Yes |
| Award Pension |
Yes |
| Army Pensions Act 1923/1953 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1924 |
Yes |
| Grade |
A |
| Notes |
Awarded 6.102 years service for pension purposes in 1927
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| Military Service Pensions Acts 1934 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copy24SP13358 Owen Curtin.pdf
Scanned/digital copy24A1703 Owen Curtin.pdf
Scanned/digital copy4P230 Owen Curtin.pdf |
| File dates |
17 December 1925 - 30 September 1943
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| Subject Information |
File relates to Owen Curtin’s receipt of a military service pension in respect of his service with the IRA and National Forces in the service periods between 1 April 1920 and 30 September 1923 during the War of Independence, Truce period and Civil War. Applicant also claimed unsuccessfully for service in the periods between 1 April 1917 and 31 March 1920.
Owen Curtin claimed membership of the Irish Volunteers and the IRA from 1917 onwards.
Attached to A Company, 1 Battalion, 2 Cork Brigade, IRA, it is stated that the applicant took part in a number of IRA operations and general activity in Cork during the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921) including: repairing guns; dispatch-carrying; making munitions; mail raids; cutting telegraph wire; road-blocking; destroying railway line; an attack and disarming of British Army soldiers at the Wesleyan Church, Fermoy (7 September 1919); the capture of General Lucas and other British Army officers at Fermoy and driving them from Kilbarry Cottage via Glenville to Lombardstown, Mallow (26 June 1920); an ambush of Crown Forces at Leary’s Cross (no date); drove Volunteers to an ambush of Crown Forces at Glenacurrane, County Limerick (no date); the driving of “several spies to their places of trail” (no dates); an attack on Aghern RIC Barracks (16 February 1920); an attack on Rathcormac RIC Barracks (1 February 1921); an attack on the RIC and ’Black and Tans’ at [Scartacougha], Ballyduff (3 March 1921); an attack on Fermoy Aerodrome (April 1921); an attack on RIC and ’Black and Tans’ at Tallow (2 June 1921); an attack on the RIC at Rathcormac (7 June 1921) and an attack on the British Army at Fermoy (December 1921).
Reference Captain Patrick Egan and the applicant further claims that he single-handedly rescued three IRA prisoners from Kilworth internment camp, County Cork. Egan described Owen Curtin as utilising a “most daring strategy” to make the operation successful as Moorepark and Fermoy in County Cork were “well-garrisoned” by British Military, the RIC and the Black and Tans (RIC). Forced to go on the run after this operation, the applicant states that his motorcar was dismantled in his absence and his license revoked by the Military Authorities.
During the Truce period (June 1921 – June 1922), the applicant acted as a dispatch rider, a motor-driver for the Headquarters Staff of 2 Cork Brigade and was Commanding Officer for Transport for his Brigade. He also attended IRA training camps.
Taking the pro-Treaty side in the IRA split, Owen Curtin enlisted with the National Army on 1 November 1922 at Rathcormac, Fermoy, County Cork. During the Civil War (June 1922 – May 1923), it is stated by one reference that he served under Major-General Emmet Dalton (24SP13470) and was commissioned by him as Lieutenant of Transport for the Rathcormac Reserves. Applicant claims that during the re-organisation of the National Army, he was one of the “surplus officers” that were moved to the Curragh camp, County Kildare. He further states that Commandant W. F. Ashton (24SP2848) asked him to revert to the rank of Sergeant with the promise that he would get his case “looked up for compensation for services rendered and loss incurred”.
He was discharged, time expired, on 18 March 1924 at Gormanston Camp, County Meath while serving with the Army Transport Company (40 Battalion).
Owen Curtin had emigrated to Montreal, Canada by August 1928 and was living in New York City, United States of America by February 1929. He lived in a series of addresses in New York City, Brooklyn and the Bronx. The last communication with the applicant was from April 1940 and the Department of Defence received back its last letter stamped “return to sender” in September 1943. It is unclear from the file when and where the applicant died.
File includes: original handwritten material submitted and signed by Owen Curtin in support of his service pension application; original signed handwritten and typed statements regarding subject's service from Captain Patrick Egan; Michael K Noonan TD; undated unsigned handwritten notes [of evidence given by Owen Curtin before the Board of Assessors, Military Service Pensions Act, 1924] and an unsuccessful application for a Wound Pension or Gratuity (1923), the applicant was looking for financial compensation for services rendered and loss incurred which “did not come within the scope of the Army Pensions Act of 1923”.
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