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| File Reference |
MSP34REF46908
|
| Name |
May (Mary) Clair |
| Gender |
female |
| Maiden/Other names |
Maloney
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Lackelly, Knocklong
|
| County |
Limerick
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
404 4th Street, Trafford Park, Manchester
|
| Country |
England
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Tankardstown, Kilmallock
|
| County |
Limerick
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
10 Dover Street, Cornbrook, Manchester
|
| Country |
England
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
10, Dinton Street, Cornbrook, Manchester
|
| Country |
England
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
1173, 11th Street, Trafford Park, Manchester
|
| Country |
England
|
| Date of birth |
1894
|
| Date of death |
1967-09-22
|
| Place |
Withington Hospital Manchester, England
|
| Associated files in MSPA |
34D2112
|
| Related files |
MSP34REF45439 Daniel J Moloney, brother; MSP34REF4189 Michael O'Callaghan;
|
| Civilian occupation |
Farmer;
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Cumann na mBan |
| Rank |
Captain
|
| Company |
Emly Branch
|
| Brigade |
East Limerick Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Seán Treacy; Donnchadh Hannigan;
|
| Organisation |
Cumann na mBan |
| Rank |
Officer Commanding
|
| Brigade |
East Limerick Brigade
|
| Pension Claim |
Yes |
| Award Pension |
Yes |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1924 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1934 |
Yes |
| Grade |
D |
| Notes |
Awarded 5 and 1/8 years of service for pension purposes in 1942 following an appeal.
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF46908 May Clair.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34D2112 May Clair.pdf |
| File dates |
27 November 1934 - 19 January 1968
|
| Subject Information |
File relates to May Clair 's receipt of a military service pension in respect of her service with Cumann na mBan which was successful for the service periods between 1 April 1920 and 31 March 1923 during the War of Independence, Truce period and the Civil War. She was initially awarded 4 and 1/8 years of service for pension purposes and a Grade E rank which, following an appeal, was upgraded to 5 and 1/8 years and Grade D. She also claimed unsuccessfully for service in the periods between 1 April 1916 and 31 March 1917.
May Clair states that during Easter Week, 1916 she carried dispatches to and from Tipperary for "Mick Callaghan", who had apparently shot a policeman in Tipperary, and who stayed in her house for three days - see MSP34REF4189 Michael O'Callaghan. She joined the Emly branch of Cumann na mBan in 1917, was Captain from the start, was engaged in routine activities including collecting funds and attending First Aid lectures, and helped organise Cumann na mBan in the district.
At the start of the War of Independence (21 January 1919 - 11 July 1921) applicant states that Irish Volunteers stayed in her house for three weeks following the Soloheadbeg attack [21 January]. She catered for them, attended Dan Breen who was wounded, and carried dispatches for him and Seán Treacy to Tipperary, and Dublin. Applicant claims Treacy worked from her house frequently and she assisted him. IRA men used her house as a meeting place outside their own areas, including those involved in the Knocklong Station Rescue ([13] May 1919). Claimant states she took dispatches to Mickesy Connolly in Thurles and to Ned Brien in Galbally as part of the rescue arrangements, directed Seamus Robinson on where to meet the others afterwards and kept the men’s surplus dispatches and items which she returned to them two weeks later. She claims she took dispatches and ammunition, prepared First Aid Outfits and reported enemy movements for the attacks on Ballylanders [27 April 1920] and Kilmallock [28 May 1920], did the same and scouted for attack on patrol in Emly and helped to remove captured arms. After this her house was raided 60 times in a month, she was forced to go on the run and her house was finally burned down in September 1920. A Cumann na mBan Brigade was formed at this point to assist the Active Service Unit (ASU) in East Limerick of which claimant was Commanding Officer, and she continued to assist in carrying dispatches, scouting, and reporting enemy movements for ambushes in the district including Lackelly, and Holy Cross.
In the Truce period applicant states she lived with neighbours in her home area, and catered for IRA men in the camps.
When the Civil War broke out (28 June 1922), applicant states she became active with the ASUs around Kilmallock, Bruff and Bruree, assisted Kerry and Cork ASUs, and retreated to Mitchelstown before returning to her own area. She remained in touch with East Limerick ASU under Paddy O’Donnell, Seamus Malone and others, carried dispatches, removed arms weekly by car or bicycle, collected money, sent parcels to prisoners and was constantly on the run. She was arrested in May 1923 and released from Kilmainham October 1923, following 13 days of hunger strike.
File includes: original handwritten material submitted and signed by May Clair in support of her application; representations made on behalf of claimant by Dan Breen, TD (11 November 1939 – 6 July 1940); handwritten statements regarding claimant’s service activities from Donnchadh Ó hAnnagáin [Hannigan], Edmond O’Brien, Michael O’Callaghan, Father Humphreys (Parish Priest), Michael Fitzpatrick, Seán Morrissey, Edmond Ryan, Daniel Grace, Patrick Quish, Timothy Keane, Thomas O’Donnell, Thomas O’Dwyer and Eilís Nic Eachnaidh [Aughney] (2 October 1939 – 21 July 1942]; typed transcript of sworn evidence given by claimant before Advisory Committee on 7 October 1939, and summary of same; handwritten notes relating to discussions held with Daniel J Moloney [verifying officer] regarding claimant's service and activities 13 January 1942 and material relating to the settlement and closure of claimant's service pension following her death on 22 September 1967 - partly closed for reasons of data protection.
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